If Tomorrow Never Comes by Pretty P.

We Have Today

AN/ I'm sick as a dog with a chocolate addiction. Which, considering my own habits, isn't a terrible comparison. Anyway, I figured I'd do something useful on my day off.

Written to: "Ae Fond Kiss" by Gemma Hayes

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If Tomorrow Never Comes

We Have Today

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If there was one thing Kagome Higurashi had learned in her adventures in Feudal Era Japan, it was that the only thing that could be counted on was today. When she had still traveled with her companions in search of the Shikon Jewel and the evil hanyou Naraku, speaking of the future had been something of an unwritten taboo. With their futures so bleak, they had always focused on the here and now. But now that her quest had come to an end and death no longer lingered over their heads, Kagome found it increasingly difficult to live in this day-to-day method.

So, here she lay in this vast field of clovers, watching the black night heavens move ahead without her, not knowing where she was or where she was going, pondering tomorrow.

Since the completion of the Shikon Jewel and the downfall of Naraku, Kagome had found that life in Sengoku Jidai was a lot simpler than the modern Tokyo, but infinitely lonelier. In this world without telephones or cars or electricity, one could wander for days without ever seeing another human being. It was... disconcerting for a spirit like Kagome.

Hers was a lonesome fate. With the sacred jewel around her neck and a legend to her name, most villages would have nothing to do with the Guardian of the Shikon no Tama. She supposed she couldn't blame them; danger followed her in the form of power-hungry demons. She was a danger to anyone around her.

Still, the situation left a bitter taste in her mouth and she scowled at the thought of their nervous glances whenever she happened to venture into one of the towns to trade for rice and supplies. Those cowards... they were always in such a hurry to get rid of her. The only reason they conducted any business with her was out of fear.

'Fools. They should know I would never hurt any of them. But damnit, if they don't make me wish my ethics were a little looser.'

She sighed as she realized it wouldn't do any good to be thinking of such things and closed her eyes tiredly as she stretched her arms out to the sides, running her fingers through the cool summer grass. About the shadowed clouds hung a silver crescent. Kagome watched as it came into view and looked down upon her in reflection.

Predictably, her thoughts turned just as they always seemed to do these days to the taiyoukai, her taiyoukai. Of course, he'd have a kitten, or more likely her head, if he ever knew that's what she thought of him. But she couldn't help it. He was just so...

He came to her on nearly a daily basis. Or, more specifically, nightly. Sometimes he would seek her out and sometimes they would simply happen upon each other. Of course, on these nights, Kagome suspected he merely made it seem coincidental. Nonetheless, the lord had become the only constant in her life. If nothing else, she could look forward to his visits.

A warm breeze caressed her exposed arms where the sleeves of her blue kimono had ridden up, and she blushed as her mind conjured images of their last few encounters. They had been much less innocent than their initial ritual of light conversations and musing of the meaning of life.

But, admittedly more enjoyable.

Grinning blissfully and giggling to herself, she closed her eyes and let the gentle summer wind bury her in her memories. Those long, tapered fingers gliding over her stomach, strands of silken moonlight tickling her neck, pale lips pulling moans from her own, sinking lower and lower...

"What are you doing, miko?"

Speak of the devil.

Her eyes flew open to see the tall, pale form of the lord standing over her, moon hanging over his silver head like a halo. Nervously, she struggled to piece together a sentence.

'Okay, Kagome, act like you weren't just fantasizing about him. Him and his lips and his hands and his -! Ack! Not the time to be thinking of that!'

"When-, ah, what are you doing here?" she said in a rush, color rising to her cheeks as she fidgeted uncomfortably under his curious gaze.

That one eyebrow, that infuriating, perfectly-formed line of silver hair, arched in question.

Forgetting her embarrassment, Kagome's eyes narrowed into annoyed blue slits. "You know," she said with a tone one would expect to hear from someone not lying at the feet of a murderous demon lord, "one of these days you're going to quirk that eyebrow at me and it's just going to jump off and run away."

Obviously nonplussed, Sesshoumaru blinked languidly down at her and lowered himself to lay opposite her, his head coming to rest on the soft grass beside hers. "And why, pray tell, would this Sesshoumaru's eyebrow run away?" he humored her.

Turning her head to look at his noble profile, she spoke softer this time in respect for his sensitive ears. "Because it's tired of all the abuse you put it through. Waggling it around at everyone like that's some sort of proper reply."

He very nearly smiled at her childishness, but decided instead to turn to her and raise that same brow. Her own dark ones lowered in exasperation at his silent teasing.

For a while there was only the sound of the crickets and the bullfrogs in the distance. They watched the stars waver in and out of existence behind the passing clouds. "It's always the left one, you know," she told him dubiously.

Her only response was a questioning "Hn?"

She turned on her side and propped her head up on her hand, looking down on him with a soft smile. "You always raise your left eyebrow, never your right." Kagome giggled as she was rewarded with the action in discussion. "See?"

"And why do you know this, miko?" he asked, his baritone voice resonating through her own chest and causing a shiver to sneak down her spine.

Blinking in confusion, she shrugged as best as one could lying on one's side. "Why wouldn't I know it?"

Apparently it wasn't the response he was looking for, and deciding it was inconsequential anyway, the taiyoukai let out a rare sigh and turned his attention back to the heavens. "Rin tells me that she wants to be a powerful miko some day."

He watched, fascinated, as a smile flickered across her features, lighting her face for a split second before it was gone. It seemed her smile was easy to draw to the surface, much like Rin's. But, he mused, it was also easily extinguished with a gust of wind. Silently, he marveled at her frailty.

"Oh, she does?" Kagome laid down onto her back and once again her sight was filled with the sparkling diamonds in the black cliffs of the sky. She grinned mischievously. "And are you jealous, my lord?" she mocked.

There came from beside her a snort very unbecoming of lord of his station. "Hardly," was her answer.

Giggling, she leaned her dark head against his silk-clad shoulder. He became rigid for a moment before relaxing under her affectionate sigh. Her warm breaths fanned across his neck as the breeze rippled across the grass around them.

After a comfortable silent, she conceded "Shippo tells me he wants to be a powerful taiyoukai some day."

For a moment, he was unsure what to make of this. He hadn't had much contact with the little kitsune, but knew him to be brave and very protective of the priestess. So, he simply replied "It is a noble pursuit."

"You think so, huh?" she asked, smiling up at the stars.

"It is the aspiration of many young youkai born into any sort of moderate power."

"You think Shippo-chan could be as powerful as you?" she asked, her eyes wide and strangely naïve in the waning moonlight.

He answered truthfully, "He shows signs of a natural power. With training, he could be a taiyoukai."

They drifted into silence as Kagome let her own thoughts of her son-figure's future consume her. She smiled as a memory surfaced from her long-forgotten childhood. "When I was little, I wanted to be an anthropologist."

"Anthropologist?" he faltered around the strange word.

Soundlessly, she nodded. "It's someone who studies the origin and social and cultural development of humans."

"Hn."

It was infuriating how much condescension he could put into just that one syllable. Deciding, for his sake of course, to disregard his obvious low opinion of such a career, she went on as if she hadn't noticed. "My father was an anthropologist, and I always wanted to be just like him."

He was silent. She imagined he might draw some parallels with his own childhood with that statement. She wondered if he had ever looked up at his father with all the admiration she had done her own.

"He was?"

Although he tried to hide his interest, she heard it. "M-hm," she nodded sadly. "He left when I was only seven."

He could hear the thickness in her voice. Still, curiosity would not allow him to stay silent. "Where did he go?"

"Back to his homeland: England." Here, she paused. "He was a good man, he just got homesick I guess. But he and my mother were never married."

"Why not?"

She crinkled her brow in thought as she tried to recall what her mother had told her when she was young. "I think, my mother said he was afraid of commitment, or something like that. She told me he was a free spirit, and would never be happy tied down to just one place. At the time, I don't think I really knew what she meant, but I think I understand now." She smiled softly. She could relate to what her father must have felt. She, too, could not be happy with the domestic lifestyle.

His last words still echoed through her mind. "Your mother is the mountain, my little Kagome, and I am the wind. Someday, you'll come fly with me, won't you, little raven?" It had been his nickname for her, and when he used it she would always swell with pride at being compared to such a beautiful, noble creature. But, that day it had only made her cry.

"My mother once told me something similar, when Father would leave to see Inuyasha's mother. He was a fool." The bitterness in the taiyoukai's voice surprised her.

"Perhaps," she conceded.

Silence again rested between them, this time thick with heavy thoughts.

"What was your father like, Sesshoumaru?" she whispered, drifting ever-closer to sleep.

He wasn't surprised at the lack of the proper honorific. She hadn't used it in a long time, not since they'd... become closer. Annoyed, he pushed thoughts of his previous visits to the back of his mind. Perhaps tomorrow night... "He was very strong, and very kind. He liked humans," he said with slight disgust.

Kagome smiled against his shoulder and snuggled closer to him. "That little 'I'm so much better than you pitiful mortals' act is getting a little old, don't you think?"

"Mm, I concede myself no more credit than what is deserved, and your species no less," he drawled in his most disdainful tone, the one usually reserved for his half-brother.

She grinned and smacked his shoulder playfully. "You know you don't mean that. We're not all bad."

"Hn, perhaps."

And Kagome knew this was the best she was going to get out of him. So, with a resigned sigh, the young miko burrowed her head into the thick, voluminous silk of the taiyoukai's kimono and closed her eyes tiredly. It had been a long day, and tomorrow she would need to go into a village for supplies. She very nearly grimaced; that wasn't going to be a pleasant experience. But, at least she would have something to look forward to at the end of the day.

She was close to slumber when his voice drew her to the waking world again. "What was your father like?"

Solemnly, she smiled in remembrance of her beloved father. "He was very wise, and very sweet. And he always loved to sing to me."

"He sang to you?" he asked, as if the idea of a man singing to a child had never occurred to him.

The priestess nodded and grinned as she recalled. "And woe betide you Annan Waters, By night you are a gloomy river. And over you I'll build a bridge, That never more true love can sever," she recited softly. "I can still remember so clearly. He had a beautiful voice."

"What is that?" he asked.

"An old folk song. English," she clarified, peeking out from under inky bangs to see his golden sunset gaze meeting her midnight blue.

"English?"

My, he was curious. Smiling, she nodded. "I'll teach you someday."

He seemed to be satisfied with that answer and so turned back to the stars as she closed her eyes once more. She sang softly to herself "Ae fond kiss and then we sever, Ae farewell, alas, forever. Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee." A time later, when she was just on the precipice of slumber, she felt Sesshoumaru press a warm, tender kiss to her forehead and smiled dreamily.

Even if there was no tomorrow, she still had today. And Kagome was content with that.

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AN/ See? This is why I can't listen to vocal songs when writing. The lyrics work themselves out in the text! And now it's turned into a song-fic.

By the by, I don't own these beautiful songs, either, so don't sue me! Just review. 'Cause, really, is there any better medicine?

-crickets chirp-

The answer's "No!"