It's a Dog's World by Kanna37

Favorite Author

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

~oOo~

Shocked, all Kagome could do was keep reading and re-reading the words before her, just so completely overwhelmed that she couldn't even think.

She'd been waiting for this particular book for a few months now, as it was a work by her absolute favorite author in the world – she always bought anything he wrote. This one though, had intrigued her more than any of his others. It had been billed as an epic historical romance and tale of loss straight from the Sengoku Jidai, and after her years there spent fighting Naraku alongside her friends before being forcibly returned to her time after the jewel was completed, she always read anything about that time period.

It was her only way of once more walking the paths of Japan at her friend's sides, the only thing that helped to dull the pain of their loss.

But this book... this story just tore open her mind and left her in a whirlwind of confused emotions. It told of her adventures in the past in a way that only one who had also been there could have done.

It could only have been written by one person – Sesshoumaru, the Western Lord that had started out as an enemy, yet by the time of Naraku's defeat, he was the owner of her wholly human heart. Not that he'd ever known – she'd never had the nerve to tell the male that was not overly fond of humans that she was in love with him.

But according to this book... he'd been in love with her, too. That was what was so shocking. The story followed the events of five hundred years ago exactly, and only things that he could have known were written of. But the saddest part was that no one had ever explained her disappearance to the powerful lord – he thought she'd died, and according to the story, he'd been grieving ever since.

After long minutes of sitting and staring at the book in her hands that detailed a part of her own life, and his, one thought conquered the shock – she had to find some way to get to him, because if he really did love her, even after five hundred years, then she would take him, and love him, and never leave his side again.

~oOo~

Sesshoumaru carefully looked himself over, straightening his cuffs and dusting his light jacket as he prepared himself for an inane next few hours.

As an author, there were, occasionally, rather annoying things that he was required to do – such as book signings. He really detested sitting and listening to foolish women gushing over his 'writing skills' – and a not so few of them flirting and attempting to gain his favor.

He was not interested – and he never would be.

No... his heart had been won five hundred years ago... and then the one who had obtained it was betrayed to her death by the whims of a sadistic jewel and the cold disinterest of the kami.

Kagome.

Even now, five hundred years after he'd last seen her, caught her scent coming to him teasingly on the wind, her name brought crippling grief to him. This book was, in a way, catharsis for him – he'd never spoken of his love for the human woman to anyone, but finally, he'd just had to write about her. It was his way of immortalizing her, letting the world know that there had once been an amazing, completely beautiful and loving soul of such purity that even the gods had envied her.

Even if it was just in a book all thought to be strictly fiction...

He closed his eyes and sighed, centering himself and pulling his control around himself – he would need it to get through this day. With a slight scowl, he set the charm that hid his true humanoid form away from view, dulling his senses at the same time. He absolutely detested having to hide, especially as it really did dull his senses down to an almost human level, but there was nothing for it, it had to be done.

With a final glance in the mirror at his altered countenance, the daiyoukai headed out the door, as always, early for his appointment. Let it never be said that he wasn't timely in his obligations – even when he hated them.

An hour later, he was sitting at a table in another nameless bookstore, doing his best to ignore the excited babble of endless encroaching females, while still looking as though he were involved, signing endless copies of his book with a few almost formulaic words. It was always the same.

Finally, the time of his escape drew near as the crowds began to die down, and he sighed inwardly with relief, though it was something he would never have done before, even the mighty Lord of the West was eventually worn down by time and grief. While he was still controlled, and rarely showed his emotions, they were there, and he could no longer deny that.

Grateful to the clock that was running towards his release from this onerous chore, he didn't even bother to look up at the last few fans, simply nodding as though he were listening and responding politely to inquiries.

There was a lull, and relieved, Sesshoumaru began to set down his pen... until another copy of his book was thrust before him. He looked down at it, ready to sign it and get it over with... and then the words that had been hand-written on the page registered, and curious, he read them.

The entire world stopped in that moment, even his breath halted as those words slowly soaked into his mind...

“It's been a long time, Sesshoumaru. I never thought I'd see you again. I wish I'd known back then that you loved me as I love you, though my heart would still have been broken, thinking you gone long before my time. Oh... and while handsome enough, this form is not nearly as pleasing as your real one... all silver and magnificent gold.”

Those words echoed over and over inside his mind, and slowly, almost unable to bear the fear that this was all a dream, or the ravings of a mind finally come unhinged with pain and grief, he looked up...

Into teary eyes of azure, set in a face he knew better than his own, though he hadn't seen it in centuries.

Only one thing could escape his locked throat in that moment... “Kagome,” he whispered, eyes searching hers, unable to fathom how this could possibly be.

It was her, though, there was no mistaking that.

She smiled through her tears, nodding down at the book still clasped loosely in his hands. “Would you like to know the rest of that story – the parts you didn't know about back then?” she asked softly.

Sharp pain twisted inside him as his heart, so long neglected and numb, began to feel once again, and he nodded, standing to gather his jacket, all the while refusing to look away from her even once. He just knew that if he did, she would be gone, and he wouldn't be able to take that – this time, were she to disappear, it would break him. Kagome picked up her book and slipped it into her purse, then, as Sesshoumaru moved to stand beside her, she reached down and tentatively brushed his hand with her own, silently asking for permission.

Without a word, he clasped her hand with his, and not looking back, they strolled out of that place...

And straight into the rest of eternity, side by side, never to be apart again.

~oOo~

A/N: There will be a second part to this particular little story.

Amber