The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko

The Cabin

Chapter 63 - The Cabin *Reminiscence* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"Wow, this place is amazing," Kagome said while grinning from ear to ear.

Sesshoumaru nodded, happy to have pleased the miko once again. "There are several bedrooms, with raised beds. They do wonders to keep away the cold."

The miko nodded. "Yeah, I have a raised bed in my time," she said before snapping her mouth closed, ready to smack herself for letting her secret slip once again. She was just getting so comfortable with him that it was difficult to remember that he didn't know her true origins.

"Your time?" the taiyoukai asked, trying to fight down a smirk and look confused.

"I meant in my home," Kagome tried pathetically to cover her mistake.

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I see." If she was not ready to tell him, he would not push her. When she finally did confess, it would mean that she truly and completely trusted him, and he was looking forward to that moment in time. "Feel free to choose whichever room you like."

"I'll get the fire started," Miroku offered while Inuyasha plopped himself into a comfortable chair.

"I will check the food stores," Sesshoumaru said.

"They won't mind?" Kagome asked, once again concerned.

"Not in the least," the taiyoukai replied. "Come. You can choose what you like."

Inuyasha watched as his half-brother led his miko away. Once they were out of sight, he growled. "I really don't like this."

Sango shook her head. "That is only because you are overprotective. You had to realize that she would find someone eventually."

"Well, sure, but why does it have to be him?!"

Miroku sighed. "I understand that this is difficult for you, my friend, but I cannot think of someone better for her."

Shippo nodded emphatically. "He'll spoil her rotten, and Mama deserves that. He can take good care of her, provide for her, and protect her. Don't you want her to be safe and happy?"

"So she can take off with him and forget all about the jewel?' the hanyou asked bitterly.

"You know that would never happen," Sango scolded. "You have no reason to worry. Kagome would never leave us, you especially. You are her best friend. She wouldn't know what to do without you."

"How am I supposed to know that? Today it was like she looked at him and everything else disappeared. Besides, no one is going to accept her as the Western Lady. She's human! No matter what he says or does, she'll always be in danger, especially from his mother. There's no way she would allow him to mate a human miko. No way in hell."

"I got the impression that his mother is no longer an issue, that she is being handled," Miroku said.

"Maybe right now, but when she finds out what he's doing, and with who, all hell is going to break loose. Nothing matters to that bitch more than her image. She would be humiliated if her perfect son chose a human, and she would do whatever it took to stop it before it happened." Inuyasha was serious. The current Lady of the West was a hateful bitch that cared about nothing more than her position in society and what people thought of her. She would never allow Sesshoumaru to mate any female that she did not approve of.

"Sesshoumaru would never let anything happen to Mama. He's already acknowledged you, and not just to us but to a whole demon village! What more do you want from him?" Shippo said angrily. "You've got to let go of your anger. He's changed. That much is obvious, and who can blame him? Mama can make anyone see the world from her point of view. She's too wonderful for him not to have been affected by it."

Inuyasha raised one brow, unconsciously mirroring one of Sesshoumaru's signature facial expressions. "You know then?"

Shippo rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "I can hear ten times better than you can. Of course I know."

"Know what?" Kagome asked, her confusion obvious as she entered the room with several items from the food stores in her hands.

Everyone fell silent for a long moment, searching for a plausible answer. Finally, it was Shippo who spoke up. "Know that Inuyasha's hand is going to hurt like hell in a few minutes." The kit pulled back the curtains, peeking out at the quickly approaching darkness.

"Oh, Gods, he's right. You're definitely going to want a painkiller once the sun sets," the miko said, her voice laced with concern.

"I'll be fine, wench," Inuyasha muttered, wishing he could just tell her everything. He hated hiding things from her, even if it was for her own good. If she knew Sesshoumaru's secret, then she would be able to make an informed decision about the taiyoukai, but he understood his half-brother's hesitance in telling her.

The situation was so similar to the whole Kagome/Kikyo mess, and no matter how much he hated Sesshoumaru, he knew the taiyoukai didn't deserve the same kind of confusion Kagome had suffered. Not knowing if the person you love loves you or someone else they see in you tore her apart. He also never wanted the miko to be in his position, full of confusion, unsure of her own feelings. No, it was better this way. It was just hard to sit back and watch it happen.