Compromises, and favors by wonder13

Along came a spider.....seriously

"Ahhh! This is so ridiculous," Kagome screamed as she gathered all of the things she had dropped in the scuffle with the demon that snatched her from her group.

Stomping as she walked "How is it that I always get separated?"

"How is it that everybody else can manage staying in some form of a group but me? How am I supposed to find them now? It is completely dark and" she shivers from the cold night air "i-i-its freezing!"

As the miko began to pick up her pace she thought about her situation. 'Sure her uniform was comfortable but it wasn't very elementally friendly.' She needed to find some shelter. Walking furiously, although clumsily, a sharp branch caught her thigh and created a nice deep cut that measured as long as her hand.

"Ha! And now I'm bleeding!" The frustrated woman exclaimed to the darkness, Kagome doubted she could yell enough to be heard by her companions, and started to whine as she inspected her injured flesh and had little luck because of the apparent lack of light.

"Wait!" She might not be loud enough but someone did exist who was louder than even this daring miko...... "SIT!" She quietly waited and heard nothing...

"SIT!" Again nothing. "SSSSIIIITTTT!!!!" Still nothing.

"Damnit," whined the miko and continued on.

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Sango and Miroku, trying not to giggle, stare at the Inuyasha shaped crater.

A grinning Sango whispered to an equally grinning Miroku, "I think she finally killed him."

"No... he is just unconscious," sighed the monk. "Thank Kami, he was so loud after the first "sit" and then the second one"...::shudders::....

"Let's set up camp, there's no way we are going to find her tonight." Miroku exclaimed to a slightly worried yet still smiling Sango.

"If only that damn demon hadn't grabbed her, and carried her off to Kami knows where." Sango whined, more wary of the interruption in their journey than the well being of her sister. She knew better than to worry about Kagome too much.

Miroku smirked back, "I would not worry too much, Lady Sango, it was probably purified before it got too far with her."

Then Sango asked a question no one had thought to ask so far on their little journey.

"What do you think the range is on those things?" Referring to the beads around Inuyasha's neck.

Miroku was intrigued by this and a little proud of his demon slayer's sharp mind but had no idea as to the answer. "I do not know. Let us see if Kagome is willing to test the range when she returns. In any case if she is close by she should have heard the screaming so we will wait and see if she can follow the cursing."

Sango nodded in approval thinking of how they would test the beads. Maybe Kagome and Sango could take Kirara and Shippou, and Miroku could keep Inuyasha busy..... Oh well, she would discuss it with Kagome when she returned. None were too worried at the moment, the young miko had become a force to be reckoned with, and Sango pitied any demon that dare cross her path.

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Kagome huffed and continued stomping through the forest. She had become powerful enough over the last 4 years that not many could take her on, therefore entitling her to her noisy rampage. Hell, Naraku would not be too big of a deal once she gained a little more control, if only they could find the bastard.

"YAY!" Kagome squealed as a hot spring came into view. The exhausted miko quickly disrobed while shaking from cold and carefully slipped into the spring. She grabbed her bag, pulled out some candles and lit them. Now there was enough light to get a look at the damaged limb. The wound was not too bad and maybe some stitching when the bath was done then she would bandage it and go to bed. Her search for her family could begin in the morning.

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"EEEEEPP!" A little voice cried in the night. Sesshomaru, who was not completely asleep, (he had to start faking it or Rin would never go to bed or stop constantly bombarding him with questions) jumped from his slumber, sword drawn to see what caused this distress call. He looked to see Rin on Ah Un squirming about. He rushed to her to see what was wrong and saw it immediately; as the perpetrator tried to crawl away. He grabbed it to see exactly what it was. The yellow and black spider bit his finger, in response the demon lord crushed it for its transgression against his person. Then he tended to Rin. He saw the swollen mark on her cheek and another on her arm. Her veins began to darken as the venom spread from the injection site.

He scooped her up in his arms and rushed to the nearest hot spring so he could clean the bites and warm her since humans are notorious for acquiring infection. Then he would decide what to do next as the girl broke out into a cold sweat and shivered. Sesshomaru started to worry.

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Kagome sat in the spring happy and content to be alone and not having to worry about lecherous monks peeking on her. Then the feeling of a strong yokai approaching her fast hit her.

"This is so lame!! I can never catch a break!" She plunged under the water to prepare for whatever was approaching.

Coming out of the water a gasp escaped her lips when she saw there was a tall silver haired inu standing in front of her with eyes bleeding red, sharp claws, and elongated fangs. Awe struck her at the sight of him, not the fear that should have been present. Some how she knew he was there for a reason other than killing her, and then saw the bundle in his arm. Kagome knew what or rather who it had to be he was holding. There were only two things she had ever seen drive "this Sesshomaru" to transform, and that was, Inuyasha or his ward Rin was in danger. Judging by the size of the bundle in his arms he was not carrying the hanyou.

"Miko. Why are you here?" He hissed through clenched teeth.

She glared at him. "What a time to ask a question like that," the miko sprang out of the water with speed he had not expected and took the girl from him. She saw the problem immediately, and was surprised that Lord Sesshomaru knew to take the girl to water to clean the infection and help slow the venoms spread.

Kagome herself had been bitten when she first started coming to this time, that was one bite and she was three times this girl's size. It still almost killed her. She was chilled and feverish for two weeks. This girl had two bites and one was close to major arteries.

Kagome began to strip the child as to not ruin her clothes. Sesshomaru growled at her for interfering, the determined woman glared at him. He would have stopped her but had remembered the many times encountering the rag tag group through his travels and the unusual yet effective medical techniques this small miko used.

Kagome gave him a reassuring look and said, "Please Sesshomaru-sama I know what needs to be done. I need you to trust me." It was the first time she had used formality with his name and somehow this had reassured him enough to nod in approval.

The child's breathing was getting weaker and more erratic, Kagome grabbed her bag, getting some soap, some anti-venom (thank Kami for her cousin, the nurse, who rarely asked questions) and a small knife.

She took the fragile girl into the water and washed the area, to clean it and also stimulate her immune systems response. Kagome then took the needle and injected both areas with the anti-venom. The girl cried out when the needle pricked her. Kagome put her face to the girl's neck and growled the softest most calming growl she could and the child's reaction instantly calmed. She then took the knife and cut a small incision into each bite drawing the poison away from the sensitive areas it had began to spread to. The girl started to whimper, Kagome growled again and Rin calmed.

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Sesshomaru was having a hard time, getting his beast to calm. He could not believe how weak humans were to succumb to a mere arachnid bite. The Daiyokai was more irritated at how helpless he was in the situation, and relied on the care of his ward to his brother's woman. He had already brought Rin back from the dead twice before he could not do it again and this scared him, though he would never admit it.

Then he heard the child cry out. This made his beast angry with the creature causing his pup pain. Then he heard it....a growl...that calmed him. His fangs receded and his eyes turned back to their original golden color. 'Where did this come from, this sound?' He heard and sensed Rin's calmness which alleviated his worry.

Then he saw the miko with a knife, his anger raged again as he lunged toward the woman before she could hurt the child. Then he heard it again the most calming sound come from the little miko before him. He sensed Rin's breathing become stronger and her heart calm. He sat there in awe that such a sound could come from a human, and how quick and decisive the girl had acted. Though she had finished with the child she still held her close to her body to comfort and reassure Rin she was safe.

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After a few moments Kagome could sense the child's vitals becoming normal and the color returning to her face. Relief washed over her and she turned to Sesshomaru. As stoic as ever, he had at least stopped his transformation. He was completely normal, although traces of shock could still be seen on his face. With that Kagome got out of the water and approached the demon lord while holding his now sleeping ward.

She looked at him and asked, "Sesshomaru, in my bag there is a fluffy green thing and a blue box would you grab them please?"

"You order this Sesshomaru?" He replied. Trying not to drink in the sight of this glistening naked woman, who had just healed his pup. His beast purred at the sight of her and all of her delicate glory.

She giggled and said, "Unless you want to hold this wet child, yes I am."

He complied for he did not want to get wet. He wondered what all of the strange things were in the bag but decided this was not the time to question the miko, and did as she asked.

Kagome first dried the child and began to dress the wounds she had made with the knife. She made a mental note to redress and air them in the morning. Kagome then took a big t-shirt out of her bag, dressed the child, and then placed her in the green sleeping bag so the girl could rest.

Sesshomaru smirked as he realized that in all the commotion the woman had not realized she was completely naked. He was not interested in her human form but he did take a second to admire her beauty, more of a second than he would care to admit.

She noticed him staring at her, realizing the state she was in she gasped and then blushed, her cheeks were a crimson that rivaled his eyes earlier in the night. His smirk worsened at her reaction to his gaze, and turned to grab her towel but also to half hide the emotion on his face. After he tossed it to her and she wrapped herself in it. Kagome walked over to him still blushing, but as determined and as bold as all of the times he remembered her. He felt a prick on his finger and growled in response to her assault.

"Oh stop whining." She snapped back and gave him a small dose of anti-venom. Then quickly cut and bandaged his finger before he could gripe back.

"This mere bite could not harm this Sesshomaru," he stated in an almost childish tone.

"I know, but you only have one arm and any discomfort or injury to it that can be avoided probably should." She smiled boldly at him.

"Hn," was his only reply.

Then a scent hit his nose, blood, the miko was bleeding.

"Miko... you are injured," he said in a cold tone hoping to make up for the bit of emotion in his last comment.

"Oh yeah... I forgot." She said putting a finger to her lips almost contemplating the injury.

"You forgot?" Sesshomaru said as sarcastically as he could.

"Its not like I was not going to do anything about it, in the commotion it must have slipped my mind," she huffed as she stomped causing pain to swirl around her thigh.

"Hn." Was still Sesshomaru's reply of choice.

He looked at her and said in a commanding whisper, "Miko.....trust me."

She looked at him puzzled as he gathered saliva in his hand, she gasped as he spread it on her wound. She felt tingling and the wound closed up. Then something she could not identify radiated through her body as his skin touched her thigh heat started to fill her and not just in her cheeks. She gazed into his eyes and he gazed back. "Thanks," Kagome broke the gaze that seemed to have enraptured them.

He had been surprised that she had allowed his touch without protest and even more at her arousal. Then shocked at his own, he quelled the feeling instantly. Attributing it to the fact she had taken care of his pup. He was going to lick the wound at first but was now very glad he hadn't.

"Would you turn around please?" She said shyly while still blushing. "I would like to get dressed."

He turned, slightly wondering why it mattered. He had just watched this determined, forceful, bold, and naked woman prance around and now she was shy and timid. She was an odd human, indeed.

"Sesshomaru, may I ask you a question?" Kagome said trying to get her mind off of her heated body.

He said nothing and of course to Kagome that was the closest thing to a yes she was ever going to get from the ice prince.

"Why did you not use your healing ability to heal Rin?" She might have been overstepping but she could not contain her curiosity.

He responded instantly to her inquiry, unbelieving he was answering her. "It is ineffective for poisons and venom."

"Oh," was her only reply, rather surprised he surrendered the information so readily.

"Miko, why did you growl earlier?" Where did that come from? Was his beast in control of his mouth? Curiosity again, it would be his cold façade's downfall.

"Wow...uh...you are talkative. You can turn around now." She said in a whisper trying not to wake the child sleeping near them.

"I have a fox demon child in my group. When he is hurt it calms him, so I figured since Rin travels with demons it might work on her. Of course that was just the first growl. The second one was to soothe you so you would not harm me when I used the knife to open the bite." She smirked rivaling one of the demon's own.

To say he was shocked was an understatement and he worried slightly she was so informed on his person.

"You forget Sesshomaru-sama, I am a miko I can sense your yokai and aura." She had to admit, she never sensed emotions and auras as well as she had this night.

"Hn." He replied mildly impressed she could sense him that well.

"Would you like some tea?" Kagome was not sure he'd go for it, but it never hurt to ask.

He said nothing, of course to the ever optimistic Kagome that was as good as a yes.

She set up the fire, he watched in awe of all the little tricks the woman had in the bag. He also wondered why the clothes she slept in were covering her more modestly then the outfit she usually wore. Sigh, his curiosity was more that of a cat than a dog.

He then noticed a small feminine hand holding a cup in front of him.

He took it from her and she smiled triumphantly, as if having accomplished a feat of greatness. Little did he know she felt like she had.

Waiting till he sipped the liquid first before she felt she had done enough to keep him busy while she set up the rest of their little camp. She pulled out another sleeping bag and rolled it out. Then took a bucket and washed her and Rin's clothes and hung them up to dry.

She then felt a small wave of confusion radiating from the demon lord. She was not really sure how the hell she had started to pick up on the demon's emotions but they were more informative than his mouth. Kagome turned to address him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, would it be ok if I stayed here until morning? I would like to check up on Rin and make sure she is alright. I also have a few things for her that I have been carrying around that I would like to give her in the morning."

His confusion subsided as she bowed and he nodded in response, completely surprised by her politeness and how good the tea that had been served to him was. It hit him then, the suspicion, why was she acting this way? He had encountered her before and of course the woman had always protected Rin, but she had never treated him with such respect. "Miko, what is the meaning in this change in your demeanor?"

Kagome froze. 'Sigh, you should know he is not as dumb as Inuyasha.'

He sensed her tenseness and went to stand to confront the human about her intentions.

"Sesshomaru I need a favor from you. I hadn't planned on running into you so soon so I am not as prepared as I had intended to be, but I cannot discuss it with you right now I will in the morning once we have all rested from the excitement." Feeling that he might refuse if she did not offer something in return she added, "I will, of course, trade you a favor for a favor."

Sesshomaru sat back down. He sensed no malice from her as she spoke. He was a little surprised by how calm and free of emotion the Miko had been as she spoke to him. The woman was making the demon lord dare I say it....impressed by how she handled herself. Maybe his brother did not have as much influence as he had thought.

"There is no favor that you a human could offer that is worthy of this Sesshomaru."

He felt it then as her anger flared slightly, he reveled in the fact that she was so easily riled.

"Even though I am not worthy, allow me this 'favor' as payment for my helping Rin."

It took him a second to decipher what she was saying. So wait, she wanted him to allow her to do him a favor, as his repayment for a favor she had already done for him so they would be even. That's it; she is the most confusing being he had ever encountered. 'Sigh,' his curiosity could not be quenched, no matter his curiosity would win so there was no point in fighting it.

She hadn't wanted to pull her trump card until tomorrow to convince him to accept her proposal. How dare he think her as unworthy in any way!? She waited for him and gladly accepted his response of "very well Miko."

She walked over and sat beside him. "You're going to have to trust me Sesshomaru."

She almost giggled at all of the trusting they had been doing within the past few hours. She began to focus as her powers flared and danced around her. He brought forth his yokai to counter her energy as it approached him. She growled to soothe him and his beast calmed, refusing to bring harm to the woman who brought them such peace. He felt tingling all through his body. Sesshomaru would have panicked but could not bring the emotion up. The demon was too busy feeling the peace and contentment. Suddenly, a weight fell onto his chest. Looking down he saw the culprit, a very annoyed look graced his face as the miko had fallen against him and was now sleeping soundly.

He saw how content she was laying there, clinging to his clothes, for a brief second he contemplated leaving her. Then he heard it, a giggle from a little ways away.

Rin could not help herself she had begun to feel so much better and woke up to see her favorite miko and demon lord in such a compromising position.

"My Lord, I did not know you liked Lady Kagome so much. I promise to share her with you next time we play," as she laid back down and quickly fell asleep feeling that she had said and offered the proper thing. Also to allow her lord some time with the miko since she did not know when the woman would come to play again.

Sesshomaru was now shocked, his little ward had fallen asleep before he had a chance to explain the situation.

To inform the girl that the situation was not what it looked like. The miko was just doing him a favor. No wait it was not what it sounded like either. The woman's confusing behavior was making it so he, Lord Sesshomaru, could not think or function. Now he needed to rest to calm his mind. He looked down at the woman. She seemed so content where she was. Arousal filled him again as he thought of Rin's proposal to allow them to "play."

He lifted the sleeping woman and put her in the bag she slept in, which lay right next to the generous child. He made sure she looked comfortable, and smiled as her arm reached out for his warmth that was no longer there. Realizing his absence, almost instinctually she reached for Rin and pulled the child close to her, nuzzled the top of the child's head and wrapped an arm around her protectively. The child responded with a content sigh and nuzzled back. He had not known humans to be so affectionate and contemplated if the reason for their behavior was because they had been around too many demons for too long or if it was something more than that, whatever is was it was very appealing to him...which infuriated him. 'Too confused, I must sleep.' After he sensed there was no danger near by, he went to lean against his tree again and made sure the two human females were in his line of sight.

Then his arm began to itch a little, imagine his surprise when his other arm was scratching that itch. His eyes widened as he examined his new appendage. The questions began to flood his thoughts, 'Who was this woman? How did she do this? Why did she do this? What did she want in the morning? Where did she learn to make such good tea? What was in that yellow bag? Why did she stay with that damn hanyou? I must sleep if only to quell the questions.' Then a feeling came to him something strange, a barrier formed around their camp, a strong one too. It felt odd because he had never been inside a miko's barrier; he smirked, he usually found himself on the outside of them. He guessed the she had placed it, he would ask her about that too, he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

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