4,123Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this oneshot… especially for the young woman who seems quite determined to find some common ground. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.
Thirsty
Wary faces lifted as the first, faint tendrils of youki brushed against senses attuned to danger. Preparations ceased, muscles tensed, and hands gripped weapons. Inuyasha was the first to relax his stance. "It's just him," he announced with a dismissive huff, turning his back on the eddies of power that heralded his half-brother's approach.
"You'd better put the kettle on, Kagome-sama," teased Miroku. "Sesshoumaru-sama's bound to be thirsty."
The young woman wrinkled her nose at the monk, but reached quickly for her pack, humming to herself as she extracted the kettle and moved off toward the stream. Since the grudging alliance had been secured, they'd seen quite a bit of the Western Lord. It seemed odd, always bumping into Sesshoumaru, so she'd finally asked Inuyasha about it. According to the hanyou, there was a rhyme and reason to what Kagome had always taken for aimless wandering.
"Patrols," Inuyasha had explained with a shrug. "He keeps a close eye on what's his."
What's his. That had caught her attention. The fact that Sesshoumaru checked in on them at regular intervals now probably meant that they'd been added to the long list of things he watched over. She hesitated to bring that up to Inuyasha though, knowing it would rankle.
In an era where she'd always managed to forge friendships no matter the perceived obstacles, Inuyasha's half-brother presented a unique challenge. Sesshoumaru kept himself aloof, and Kagome didn't really feel comfortable trying to engage him in conversation. They had no common ground.
Returning to the camp, Kagome set the water to heat and rummaged through her supplies. How do you show appreciation to someone who holds your life in his hands? Inuyasha was easy enough to please. Didn't she always stock plenty of his precious ramen? The question had plagued her for days, but in the end, Sesshoumaru proved to be just as simple to accommodate as his brother had been. For the taiyoukai, Kagome began to carry tea.
During her last trip home, she'd dragged Mama to a specialty shop and poked through canisters, asking the proprietress for advice, searching for something to tempt an inuyoukai's sensitive nose. Fruity, flowery, woodsy, smoky—several varieties were weighed out and folded into neatly-labeled packets. Kagome kept this special reserve in one of the zippered pockets of her pack. It wasn't much of an inroad, but it was something.
While Miroku did his best to mediate between the half-brothers, Kagome quietly selected a new blend and filled the teapot. So far, she'd never served Sesshoumaru the same tea twice, hoping the novelty would pique his interest.
The taiyoukai ignored her throughout these preliminaries, feigning a disinterest that did nothing to dampen Kagome's spirits. It was part of the game.
As a matter of course, the first cup was presented to Sesshoumaru, and though she tried to emulate his serious demeanor, Kagome never really managed to quell her anticipation.
Sesshoumaru accepted her offering politely, turning his full attention to the libation in his hand. He inhaled the fragrant steam, then took an unhurried sip. He raised an eyebrow in her direction, drawing out the suspense a bit before declaring, "Jasmine," with smooth confidence.
Kagome smiled softly, nodding her acknowledgement.
It was hard to tell for certain, but she thought Sesshoumaru enjoyed their little tradition, or at least the tea. He certainly never declined a second cup, or a third for that matter.
In her own small way, Kagome was trying to give him a reason not to regret this new and fragile alliance. The tea was a pledge of respect, a token of acceptance, and a mark of trust. She hoped that he understood, at least in part, the sentiment behind her peace offerings.
End Note: This oneshot was written in response to the Live Journal community ebony(underscore)silks' contest for Week 2—Insatiable Theme. Originally posted to Live Journal on May 5, 2007. 619 words.