The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko

The Breakfast

Chapter 41 - The Breakfast *Secret* (Skye's Weekly Challenges)

"What the hell are you doing, wench?" Inuyasha said loudly from beside her. He had noticed the moment she awoke, just as the taiyoukai had, but he had appreciated her behavior a great deal less. Their interaction made the hanyou uncomfortable. Why hadn't she pulled away? She should have been shocked that she was touching the taiyoukai in such a way and jumped up the instant she realized it. She sure as hell shouldn't have laid back down, let alone snuggled closer! What the hell was wrong with her?!

Kagome groaned before rolling onto her back, letting go of Sesshoumaru's hand, to look at her hanyou friend. "What now? I was comfy."

"Well, you shouldn't have been. Get up. Let's get this show on the road so we can head back to Kaede's. I don't want to deal with him forever."

The miko rolled her eyes. "Inuyasha, I just woke up so stop being such a jerk. Sesshoumaru needs our help. I don't care if you don't like it. He's your brother. Get used to it."

Inuyasha snarled and stalked back to where he came from, resuming his glare at the taiyoukai. "Not my fucking brother," he muttered as he plopped down.

"Stop pouting,  my friend," Miroku said as he walked by to stoke the fire.

"Fuck you," the hanyou spat back.

Kagome sighed and climbed to her feet, bringing a waking Shippo up with her. "Might as well get started on breakfast," she said, annoyance in her tone. She turned back to look at Sesshoumaru for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered, her cheeks flushing pink.

The taiyoukai watched as she walked away, his stomach fluttering once more. He loved it when she blushed. She looked so beautifully sweet and innocent. The fact that she was blushing for him made it that much better. He wanted Inuyasha to back off. Things would be difficult enough, and he didn't need the hanyou making it harder. Kagome cared a great deal about Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru didn't doubt his brother's opinion of him would influence her. If Inuyasha kept making a big deal of it every time she took a step towards him, she would end up taking two steps away, and he would never make any progress.

Sesshoumaru wanted to teach the hanyou a lesson about how he should treat his companions. Several times now he had witnessed his rudeness when he would force Kagome out of bed before she was ready. It should not be her job alone to serve the ungrateful Inuyasha his meals. The hanyou could certainly fend for himself, but he expected  her to wait on him like a servant. That would not continue if he had anything to say about it. If the whelp wanted servants, he could go to the palace and be waited on. The miko, however, would not be doing so much longer. The future Lady of the West deserved better.

"You know," Sango said while kneeling by the fire next to Kagome, "I've never seen Sesshoumaru move so fast as he did last night. He was by your side before I'd even managed to sit up when you woke up screaming."

"That's so weird," the miko replied softly. "Why would he bother? Usually Inuyasha would have done that."

"But he wouldn't have been nearly as kind and caring about it."

"Yeah, Inuyasha is not a patient guy," she said with a grin.

"Not in the least. Then Sesshoumaru insisted on staying with you, even though Inuyasha wanted him to go off and fight somewhere."

Kagome sighed. "He has got to stop instigating fights with his brother!"

"He's not my fucking brother," Inuyasha yelled from his spot.  Of course he had been listening to every word the girls spoke, like always.

"Indeed you are," Sesshoumaru chimed in, a smirk on his face that only grew when Kagome turned and smiled at him.

"I wish they couldn't hear so well," the miko said with a laugh. "I forget sometimes."

"Yeah, me, too.  But so what? Let 'em listen. Not like they don't know what we're talking about anyway," Sango answered with a smile. "It'd be great if we stumble across a spring on our way. A long, hot bath and some privacy would be welcome right about now. There's something I want to talk to you about."

Since she woke that morning, Sango had been running the events of the previous night through her head. She remembered Sesshoumaru's comment about intended mates, and then Inuyasha's declaration that the taiyoukai could not have her. She was dying to tell Kagome about it, but she didn't dare do so with so many ears around. The miko would be embarrassed if she did, and they wouldn't have a chance to discuss possible meanings for what the slayer overheard. 

"What's so exciting and secret?" Miroku asked, leaning down and sticking his head between theirs.

"Ugh, Miroku!" Kagome exclaimed. "It's bad enough we have demon ears listening in. We don't need you skulking around eavesdropping, too!"

"I was just coming to check on breakfast," he said, straightening back up. "Also, I had a thought, Kagome. If the spell bags are spread all the way around the Western Lands, unless there is an exceptional amount, they must be a great distance apart. If we continue walking, it will take weeks, or longer, to locate them all. We really should continue at a faster pace."

The miko sat back on her heels, pulling the pot of oatmeal off the fire. "Yeah, you're probably right. We didn't really think things through yesterday. We just kind of went with it. I guess Inuyasha can carry me and run, Sesshoumaru can run, or fly, or whatever, and you guys can ride Kirara. We'll just have to stop every now and then to make sure we don't pass the bags. To be honest, I'm not really looking forward to finding the next one."

"Why not?" Shippo asked. "Dark magic is interesting. So long as you don't get it on you." The kit accepted his bowl and settled himself near Kagome, like always.

"It's not so interesting when you're having nightmares about it," Kagome grumbled.

"It can't hurt you. Heck, I don't think it could affect you at all since you can purify it. Nothing to be scared of."

"I wasn't scared of it. I just don't want to see it up close and personal. Gouging the eyes out of live owls was a bit too gross for me."

"What I don't get is why you dreamt about owls. I didn't even mention that yesterday," the kit said, patting her affectionately on her leg.

"I don't know either, Shippo. I don't know."