The morning had been surprisingly peaceful and the weather, kind. If patterns were to be followed, they would have a time of rest from Naraku after having battled a couple of his creations, along with one of his puppets that had attacked them on their way to visit Kouga's den last week.

After recovering, they began prepping for spring planting. It would be difficult to keep up with it with their traveling but they kept it small enough that Kaede and her helper would be able to tend it alongside their own herb garden. They also traded on the road for supplies that Kaede needed in exchange to help make up for the labor the old priestess would do in their stead.

It was currently mid-day and Shippo was stretched out at her side, trying his best to cool down from the work they had done this morning. Something rustled in the bushes nearby when suddenly a small human girl with a bright smile emerged from the forest.

"Lady Kagome! Shippo!" Rin came running out with twigs and leaves sticking out of her hair and clothing. A slight groan and low rumble and AhUn strode through the foliage right behind the energetic girl.

Shippo rolled over before bouncing up and waving to the little girl.

"Hey, Rin! Hi AhUn." Rin stopped right before running into Shippo and bowed low to the both of them.

"Rin is so glad you are here! Her face fell into one of concentration and then she looked up at Kagome with determination. "Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru needs your help with grooming?"

That caught Kagome completely off guard and Shippo's head tilted to the side in confusion. "What do you mean Lord Sesshoumaru needs help grooming?" he asked. Shippo looked back to Kagome, wondering exactly which part of grooming Lord Sesshoumaru wanted Kagome to help with because as far as he knew, dog demon grooming was extremely private.

Rin smiled up at Kagome. "His hair. Lord Sesshoumaru says you did a satisfactory job when you groomed Shippo's hair last time. He said it would be too difficult to find someone he could trust to groom his hair so I thought you could help us."

"When Kagome groomed my hair? When did she-" Shippo's eyes widened. He whipped around to stare at Kagome, shocked. "Wow, Kagome. That's a big honor."

Kagome frowned. "Really? Inuyasha lets me cut his hair all the time. I don't see why it's a big deal."

Shippo swallowed hard. "We better go get your bag. I bet Lord Sesshoumaru would like the full treatment," he said, avoiding her question altogether.

Kagome stood and dusted off her pants. "Sure, Shippo. Whatever you think would help. I'll have to get my hair kit. AhUn, is it alright if Rin comes with us?"

The two-headed dragon answered with a huff and lay down at the edge of the forest, their eyes lazily following Rin as she ran around with Shippo.

"We'll be back in just a bit."

It only took a few minutes to gather what Kagome needed and with a word to Kaede, the three of them were off to wherever Rin was taking them.

'I don't see why Shippo thinks it's such a big deal but maybe Sesshoumaru will let me know if I ask. He's been more open recently.'

They made it back to the area that Sesshoumaru had set up a temporary camp. He was nowhere to be found but Kagome figured they were at the right place when AhUn made himself comfortable against one of the trees. Twenty or so minutes had passed before the demon lord returned with rabbits he had prepared for cooking. AhUn made a beautiful crooning sound to welcome their lord while Rin turned and welcomed Sesshoumaru with a big smile.

"Miko. Kit."

"Hi, Sesshoumaru. How have you been?"

"I have been better," he said while handing off the brace of rabbits to Rin who spread them over some stones that were heating on their campfire.

"Is everything okay?" Kagome looked him up and down for any injury and noticed that his hair was tied back. She looked up at him and saw his grimace.

"I trust Rin was able to relay my message."

Kagome nodded. "She mentioned something about grooming?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and then looked away and watched Rin as she pushed the cooking stones closer to the heart of the fire. "A rogue youkai wandered onto my lands and threatened Rin. It had no scent and I was distracted," he said as he recalled Rin being tossed in the air by the great snake's tail. "It spit an acid flame that I managed to evade but-"

Kagome watched breathlessly as he let his hair loose from the leather strip that bound it at the base of his head. On one side of his head, his hair was long and lustrous as ever. When he turned around, she saw the other side and her heart sank. His hair had been unevenly sliced away. Some places it had been shorn very near his scalp and Kagome gasped, making Sesshoumaru flinch.

"No-" She stood and walked over to him to take a closer look. To her horror, her eyes had not deceived her. On his left side, it looked like he had just sliced off whatever pieces had been destroyed by the attacking demon.

Heartbreak chipped away at her and she had no idea why. This wasn't her hair. It was Sesshoumaru's but she felt its loss greater than she realized was possible.

"What happened?" Her fingers were already threading through the shorter locks, twisting the silver strands between her fingertips and Sesshoumaru felt every twitch of her hand. Warmth spread from his head down to his toes with every caress and even the sound of her emotional struggle touched his heart. "I've always wanted to play with it but now-I can't believe that demon!"

The scent of anger burned through the sadness she had displayed earlier and it heated his blood. Anger on his behalf was an entrancing experience.

"Miko, are you capable of fixing my hair?" Sesshoumaru was trying to remain calm and collected while the miko was slowly falling apart. Perhaps it had not been a wise idea to ask her to groom his hair.

"Yes," she warbled out as her anger slowly faded and was replaced with a melancholy he hadn't expected either. Then he felt her resolve when she said in a firm voice, "I can do it. Let's get to it before I have time to talk myself out of this." She looked around for something and when she spotted a fallen log, Kagome pointed to it. "Please sit there while I grab a few things."

Sesshoumaru did as she asked and watched her wipe her eyes before diving into her traveling bag. Kagome pulled out a small case, a large cloth, and some strange containers he had never seen before. When she returned to him, she placed the items on the ground and set the case on the log next to him.

"Do you have a certain way you would like your hair cut?"

He was quiet for a moment before answering, "Do as you will."

Kagome had been reaching for the scissors in the case at Sesshoumaru's side when she heard his response and froze. "There's a style for males where I'm from that I think would look really good on you with your build and facial structure. It's a lot shorter than what you're used to. It would be very short on the sides and longer on the top-"

Kagome grabbed a hank of hair and used her fingers to show him just about how short his hair would be. "I think it would look very nice on you and very flattering."

"You may do as you wish. My hair will be back to its full length in a short time. I sought to have my hair cut so it would grow back evenly."

The more Sesshoumaru came to know Kagome, the more he wanted to find out just how compatible they were. His instincts were roused the more time he spent around her. Her scent appealed to him on a basic level, her personality was a compliment to his. The miko's fighting skills could be improved over time under his watchful eye and tutelage; that was no issue as far as he was concerned.

They had spent much time around each other, at first out of necessity as they worked together to rid their country of a pest. Then, they often got together because the pups needed playmates. The situations all worked in his favor as he desired to spend more time with the miko so she could become accustomed to him.

He had not decided whether the damage to his hair had been accidental or a convenient opportunity to initiate the woman in inuyoukai grooming practices. Once he had discovered that the serpent spat acid similar to his own, it was an easy decision to make, one he would probably make in the future again if this experience did not prove to be fruitful.

Kagome took the leather thong from him and tied off his remaining length of hair at his shoulder, braiding what fell beneath the tie.

"Please slice above my hand," she said, holding the top of the braid.

"Is your blade not sufficient?" He heard her let out a deep breath.

"It will be," she said, sounding unsure. "I-I just can't bring myself to cut your gorgeous hair. I've wanted to play with it for so long and now the first time I get to feel it, it's to cut it away."

Facing away from her had its advantages. For example, she would not be able to see his smirk. At least she found some part of him attractive. Then he was glad she could not see his frown. Was his hair the only part of him she wanted to touch? That needed to be remedied. He had trained hard and any other demoness would lay themselves at his feet to be able to touch any part of him.

"As you wish."

He wrapped one hand around hers to get a good sense of where he needed to cut while his other hand sliced away at his remaining hair. He felt her tense as the last strands were cut and heard a small noise escape her as his hair was freed from his head. She leaned to his side and reverently placed the braid across his thigh, letting her hand drag down to the end of it, longingly.

"Would you like me to leave you two alone?" Her scent shifted from sadness to embarrassment.

She was silent for a moment. "What would you do if I said yes?" He twisted his head to look at her with a raised brow, doing his best to hide his amusement.

"I would tell you that I am not sure if I should be pleased that you admire my hair or offended that you prefer some cast off part of me when I am sitting here, otherwise whole, in front of you."

The scent of her embarrassment grew stronger and she scrambled for words, tripping over small pieces of them here and there- Was he flirting with her?

"Truly, I have wondered what your hair feels like as well. If I was not familiar with you or your origins, your scent would make me wonder if you were forest-folk." Sesshoumaru was well aware of Kagome's responses to embarrassment. She would either stammer on and change the subject or she would ignore what was said and carry on. She chose the latter.

Picking up her shears, Kagome started trimming away his hair and Sesshoumaru fell under the spell of her fingers. To get a good grasp on the hair that needed to be cut, she slid her fingers against his scalp a few times to gather the hair and then combed through it before cutting it away. Having his hair groomed had never felt this pleasurable before and he knew it was because of the woman doing it. The last person to touch his hair in a familiar manner was his nurse when he was a young pup, before his father died. From that point on, he had taken care of all personal grooming needs on his own. Demons of all backgrounds came out of the woodworks to take over the West now that the Inu no Taisho was dead, all of them knowing they had to go through the Son of the West first - all failing and losing their lives.

The low grumbles of pleasure rolled free throughout the clearing and vibrated, resonating in Kagome. The children who had been running around rambunctiously began to slow and calm, so strong was the effect of the lethargy Sesshoumaru felt at Kagome's hands. Unfortunately, they were still out in the open and he could not let his guard down any more than he already had. But oh, he wondered what it would feel like to allow himself to completely relax under her ministrations. Perhaps one day he could convince her to comb his hair once it grew out again. If he integrated himself more in her daily routine, he could have her combing his hair in the three or four weeks he estimated it would take for his hair to be full-length. The thought made his rumbles deeper.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hn?"

"Um, Shippo mentioned earlier that it was unusual that you would ask me to groom you. Can you tell me why? I'd like to understand." Her tone was soft, respectful, and brimming with barely contained curiosity. He would do whatever it took to encourage conversation between them.

"Grooming is a very intimate act between pack members."

"Even cutting someone's hair?"

"Yes," he rumbled. "It may not be a sexual intimacy, but to allow you to cut my hair is to put myself at risk. You are using a sharp implement behind my back. You have access to my organs, my throat, my head, and my hair."

Kagome gasped. "But I would never-"

"-Which is precisely why I requested your assistance. I know it is not in your nature. You would not betray or break the trust I have placed in you." Sesshoumaru could not say he had ever experienced joy but the scent pouring off of Kagome was what he would label it as. It was a sharp-scented happiness with a sweet and full flavor that filled him with contentment. If only he could be the cause of that scent all the time.

"Wow. Thank you." Wonder had a unique scent that reminded him of the first buds opening on his sakura tree at home. It had been so long since he had detected that scent in his vicinity that he had nearly forgotten what it was like.

"Your thanks are unnecessary. I simply state fact."

He felt her smile warming the back of his head. Her reiki poured over him, embracing him before it spread out and filled the area they occupied. It nearly felt like a hug and he wanted that sensation again.

She cleared her throat, lightly startling him from his peaceful haze. He heard her trifle through her box for something before putting it in his line of sight.

"This is a razor. I am going to clean the edges of your hairline. I'll gently scrape it against you like this," she said as she showed him on her arm. "Will that be alright? It will complete the look."

He manipulated her hand to twist the blade to and fro to inspect it. With a discreet sniff, he could tell that it was clean, nothing untoward on it.

"Proceed."

"Great!"

With careful strokes, Kagome moved the blade against him, rubbing away what she had shaved off to check her lines. "I'm going to go around your ears. Please don't move."

Not moving would be no problem. Sesshoumaru was afraid to. If he did, Kagome might catch the reaction he had to her softly spoken words into his sensitive ears. It took everything he had not to groan. He had told her that cutting hair wasn't necessarily a sexually intimiate grooming activity but he could not help her affect on him. Not when he had been harboring a fairly healthy attraction to her for a while now. Everything about her appealed to him on all levels.

He nearly lost it when she blew on his ear to remove the loose hairs. Blood pooled in his palms where his claws pierced sword-calloused skin. It shouldn't have been so arousing and if his nose hadn't been able to tell that she was not aroused as she took the razor to him, he would have wondered if every touch was given with the purpose to rile and heat his blood.

Kagome's scent grew stronger when she moved to stand in front of him and check the length of his hair. "I'm just going to get right here at your temples, alright?"

"Hn."

Kisses. Her fingers were kissing his forehead with every brush of skin on skin. The brief, light touches sent heat pooling where it had no business pooling for a haircut and a curious thought hit him. If the miko could make a simple thing like getting one's hair cut exciting, what other typically mundane activities could she also make more interesting by simply being her?

She moved to his other side now and continued cleaning up his hairline until she reached her starting point.

"Almost finished."

"There is more to cut?"

He heard the smile in her voice. "No. Now comes the fun part. Shippo loves this part and said that you needed the full treatment too. I just need to find a raised, flat surface for you to lie on. Oh, there-" She pointed to a large boulder nearby. "I just need you to remove your shirt first so I can-"

He had removed his armor before she cut his hair so she wouldn't accidentally impale herself on it. The miko was known for tripping over air. He peeled off his upper layers and as he folded his final layer to lay it aside, the most delicious scent filled his nose.

A deep hunger clawed at him when he first caught a whiff of her interest. With every movement, her attraction grew headier and his mouth began to water.

She had to clear her throat twice before she could speak. "Alright. I'm going to brush off your neck and shoulders. Let me just-here we go." Kagome stepped up on a large rock so she could reach his shoulders and neck a little easier. Just as she was finishing, her foot slipped and she let out a little noise-

Sesshoumaru caught her as she fell against him. One arm was around her waist while the other was holding her arm that she had stretched out to brace her fall. Her face was buried at his sternum and the contact thrilled him to his toes. He was unable to help himself when he asked, "exactly what type of full treatment should I expect?"

Kagome gasped, pulling away from him, completely red-faced. Her eyes were wide with surprise and then suddenly, they were closed as she let out a throaty laugh. Blue eyes twinkled with humor when she looked at him again and stepped down from the stone.

"That wasn't on purpose, you dirty dog." She laughed again at herself and Sesshoumaru was charmed. Completely and thoroughly charmed.

"Unfortunate." When she did not say anything else, he prodded. "Would you like me on my back or on my stomach?"

"Huh?" Her eyes were glazed over, a sign that she had been caught in her thoughts. "What?"

His mouth quirked upward. "You said you wanted me to lay down?"

Whatever she had been thinking about had been cleared away with a quick shake of her head. Her cheeks pinkened again and that lovely scent filled his nose once more. "Yes, on your back please."

Sesshoumaru did as she bade and lay on the rock, following her instruction to let his head hang over the edge.

"And what am I subjecting myself to now?"

Shippo and Rin had followed them and sat to watch. "This is the best part of a haircut, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Golden eyes peeked through narrow magenta-lined lids at the kit. "I will take your word for it."

"I promise you'll like it."

He heard a couple of unfamiliar sounds and then a light hint of a strange mix of herbs and other things.

"Here we go-" He would have never guessed that such strength lay in such delicate hands. Kagome's lithe fingers scored over his scalp, rubbing that creamy concoction over his head and into his hair. She rubbed all over, making sure to reach every spot and giving him a head massage, something he had never allowed before.

The moans that escaped him were unbidden and unexpected by all in the clearing.

"Is Kagome-sama hurting Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked in a small voice, worried now at hearing sounds she had never heard her guardian make before.

"No, Rin. That means he's really enjoying his massage. Right, Sesshoumaru-sama? Doesn't it feel good?"

"Ah-" was all he could manage before more moans and low rumbles filtered their way into the open. All too soon, the most pleasurable sensations Sesshoumaru had ever felt had come to an end and Kagome was washing away the soap with water. She used a small bit of cloth she called a towel to dry his hair and his shoulders and neck off with and encouraged him to sit up.

"How are you feeling?"

He wanted to wrap himself around her and never let go. Was this what his father had found in Izayoi? This peace and longing? A feeling of omnipotence at the hand of a human woman? Like he could conquer all his enemies and the whole of Japan if he wanted? He made a decision right then. Was it brash? Most likely. Was it wrong? No.

"I must inform Inuyasha."

Shippo's ears perked up and he turned to the demon lord. "It was that good, huh?"

"Shippo? Sesshoumaru, what are you talking about? What do you need to tell Inuyasha? Did something happen?"

"I knew he'd like it." Shippo grinned and puffed his chest out. "I don't think he's gonna take it very well."

"You are correct."

"What? What won't Inuyasha like?" Had she overstepped some youkai rules that no one had told her about. She began to worry and two demon noses turned toward her.

"Nothing bad," the fox kit reassured her. "Well, not for you anyway. Maybe for Inuyasha if he's stupid."

"Sesshoumaru-" Kagome tugged at his arm and found herself pressed up against Sesshoumaru's covered chest. When had he put his clothes back on? She followed the line of his clothing up to his face to see two golden suns watching her. Amused. She moved past them and looked at his hair.

The style of cut had turned out perfect. He now sported a medium length undercut that faded toward the bottom. The top of his hair was longer in the front and slightly shorter toward the back, bringing focus to his jawline and neck. Kagome reached up and smoothed her hands over his shorn locks and combed the hair on top over to one side.

"You look really good with this style. Really good." It took her a few seconds to remember how to swallow. Her fingers dallied in his bangs and he leaned down so she wouldn't have to stretch so far.

"If so, it is because of your skill. Tell me, miko. Do you do this for anyone else?" He was so close that their noses were nearly touching and how he longed to close the distance between them.

"I cut everyone's hair but I only wash Shippo's."

"Good. Let it stay that way," he nearly crooned, pleased that she had touched no other male as intimately as she had touched him.

"Why?" Her voice was soft and felt like a caress. He watched her eyes as they followed the movement of his lips.

"Because I would maim any male that dared to touch you or lay claim to you."

That snapped her out of her daze. "What?" She pulled back and looked at him as though she were pulling herself out of a deep spell.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice roared through the trees. "Sesshoumaru, get your filthy paws off of her. You better not have harmed a single hair on her head or so help me-"

"Ah, brother. How nice of you to join us. We were just going to seek you out." Inuyasha skidded to a stop and took in the scene. What Sesshoumaru wanted Inuyasha to see was Kagome willingly wrapped in his embrace and happy to be there.

"What the hell is going on here?" Inuyasha growled out as his hand tightened around Tessaiga's hilt.

"I was coming to inform you that I will be courting the miko."

"You're what!" Inuyasha bellowed, scaring the birds from their resting places.

"You are?" Kagome looked up at him, surprise and dare he say a little bit of hope, coloring her gaze.

"Indeed." He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"What does that mean exactly?" He held her hand against his heart, felt her blood pumping hard to her fingertips. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if she was aware that her thumb was rubbing him as they stood pressed against one another. He was hyper-aware of everywhere their bodies touched and longed to feel more of her against him.

"It means he wants to date you to see if you're compatible for marriage."

Sesshoumaru growled at his brother. "Marriage is not good enough for her." Kagome was taken aback by the menace he spoke with. Did that mean he didn't think she was worth marrying?

He sensed that she had misconstrued his meaning and wasted no time to correct her. He would not follow his brother's ridiculous pattern of miscommunication and misunderstandings between them.

"I will have nothing less than a mating from you, .me." Hope bloomed in her scent, it was unmistakable to all the demonic noses surrounding them. "And only the eternities with you by my side will do. This courting is merely a courtesy period for you to accustom yourself to me and life by my side."

"You make it sound like it's a foregone conclusion, Sesshoumaru." Was he going to be heavy-handed in the decision making between them? Because if so, that wasn't going to work for her.

"I am merely confident that you will find my suit acceptable and that I will be able to see to your needs and desires."

Kagome was shocked. She couldn't form words and when she looked over to Inuyasha, he was in the same boat. His mouth and eyes were wide with disbelief. She felt gentle fingers on her chin, turning her attention back to Sesshoumaru. His golden eyes glowed with affection and other things she wasn't ready to see yet.

"What say you, little miko? Would you like to set out on this new adventure with me?"

The weight of the jewel, the worry about Naraku's destruction across the land, her journeys between times all was pushed from the forefront of her mind. Could she look to the future with Sesshoumaru at her side? He was loyal, stubborn - which wasn't necessarily a bad thing all the time. She was stubborn too and it had served her well so far. More importantly than all of that though was that he was honorable and could give her the affection she craved and the strength to let her grow as she would without being intimidated by her knowledge and power.

Yes, Kagome could see herself happy with him but only time would tell.

"I accept your courting proposal. And I look forward to future adventures with you."

Sesshoumaru lifted his head and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "I shall strive not to disappoint."