Months pass and the seasons change. The summer heat hits Kagome full force when she emerges from the well, and she wipes sweat from her brow after hefting her heavy pack over the rim. Making sure it's safe on the grass, she hops back through time to grab the rest of her baggage. Determined to outdo the last feast, she has brought a variety of new dishes and treats for the group to try.

When she emerges the third time Inuyasha is waiting for her, white hair dangling as he peers at her from the rim of the well. When she reaches the top he takes her bags and extends a hand to help her out. He hefts her pack over one shoulder, sagging under its weight. "What have you got in here? Rocks?"

She smacks his arm playfully and picks up the remaining bags. "It's nice to see you, too."

He groans as they start walking. "Seriously though. What is all this stuff?"

She grins. "I want tonight to be special. I'm pulling out all the stops. I can't wait for everyone to try some of these new recipes!"

He looks skeptical. "Please tell me there's some ramen somewhere in all this crap."

She sticks her tongue out at him. "You should really try branching out a little, Inuyasha. But yes, I brought plenty of ramen for you."

Kagome wastes no time unpacking her ingredients once they reach Kaede's hut, and after exchanging hugs with Rin the young woman pitches in to help. It's early enough in the afternoon that no one else has arrived yet, and that's just fine with Kagome. She needs time to prepare.

She passes a knife to Rin and together they start to chop some vegetables. Rin is uncharacteristically quiet, and her hands seem to shake a little as she handles the cutlery. Kagome quirks a brow.

"Is something wrong, Rin?"

The girl practically jumps out of her skin. "What? No! Why would something be wrong?"

"You, uh, just seem a little tense."

The girl smiles. "I'm not tense. Just excited. For tonight's dinner, I mean! It's so nice to see everyone together."

Kagome's look is sly. "Right. I'll bet there's some people you're more excited to see than others though, am I right?"

She flushes and looks away. "Maybe..." She takes a breath and continues her work. "I don't know why I'm so nervous though. I just saw Lord Sesshomaru last week."

This is news to Kagome. "Really?"

"Yes. And then two weeks before that." She drops her voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "I've actually seen him a lot more often since the last dinner we had together. Do you think that means anything?"

Kagome can hardly contain her grin, but she tries her best to keep a straight face. "I don't know. You didn't say anything to him, did you?"

"Oh, no. I could never…"

Just then, Inuyasha pushes his way underneath the door covering, his arms full of firewood. He piles it in the corner and nods in the direction of the fields. "We've got company."

Kagome is surprised. "So soon? Miroku and Sango usually don't arrive until late afternoon."

"The other company."

"Oh!" Rin exclaims. "We'd better go greet them!"

She doesn't even wait for a reply before shooting to her feet and sprinting out the door. Inuyasha just shakes his head. "I'll never understand her."

Kagome rolls her eyes. "You wouldn't. Come on. Let's go say hi to your brother."

They step outside and see that Rin has already made it down the steps and into the field, where she is skipping her way toward the approaching group. At this time of year the wildflowers are in full bloom and they wade through a sea of color that bobs and waves in the breeze. Sesshomaru's hair and clothes stand out in stark contrast as he leads the odd procession toward the shrine. Ah-Un trails behind him, gently guided by the slack reins gripped in the demon lord's hand. Jaken is balanced atop the back of the two-headed dragon, clutching a precariously balanced trunk as the beast lumbers ahead.

Kagome waves an arm over her head. "Good afternoon! So glad you could make it!"

Sesshomaru's gaze finds her and he nods before turning his attention back to Rin, who is already greeting him cheerfully. As soon as the dragon stops Jaken teeters and falls onto the grass below. There is a loud "oof" that can be heard even at this distance when the trunk falls on top of him.

Kagome cringes, but Inuyasha just laughs. "What do you think he's got in there?" His smile vanishes and his ears droop. "You don't think he's planning on staying for a while, do you?"

Kagome shrugs. "I guess we'll find out."

They don't have to wait long. Rin leads Sesshomaru into the hut and fusses with preparing a pot of tea while Kagome returns to chopping her vegetables. Inuyasha takes up his usual place in the corner. Just as Rin is pouring out cups of tea they can hear heavy panting and a string of muttered curses as Jaken finally joins them, dragging the trunk behind him. With great effort he pulls it through the doorway and deposits it in front of Rin.

He leans against it and takes huge gulps of air. "Here… stupid… girl."

Rin blinks. "For me, Master Jaken?"

"From our…great… Lord… Sesshomaru…" And with that, he topples backward with a moan.

Rin ignores him and looks between the trunk and the demon sipping his tea. Her tone is awe-struck as she runs a hand across the smooth wooden top. "Oh my goodness! Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru! May I open it?"

Looking as bored as ever, Sesshomaru just nods and keeps his eyes focused on the opposite wall.

Kagome and Inuyasha have crept up behind the young woman, just as curious as she is to see what could possibly be inside. Kagome knows that Sesshomaru frequently brings little gifts for Rin, but this is more extravagant than usual. Kagome can't help but think that he's upping his game, and she can't help but feel the slightest bit smug at the notion that perhaps she had a hand in it.

They peer over Rin's shoulder as she releases the latch, the lid whispering open to reveal an explosion of color. Apparently Sesshomaru hadn't just brought her a single kimono or trinket for her hair as he had done in the past; it seems that this time he has opted to bring her an entire new wardrobe. Stacks of neatly folded kimono in fine tailored silk and patterned obis threaten to spill out over the lip of the trunk. If Kagome looks hard enough, she thinks that she can see the toes of a new pair of sandals and something that glitters peeking out from underneath the mounds of fabric.

Rin blinks and runs a gentle hand over the silk. "This is all for me?"

Sesshomaru shrugs one shoulder. "If it pleases you." His voice is dispassionate, but he's not fooling anyone. Well, he's not fooling Kagome at least.

Rin carefully pulls the top kimono from the stack and runs the fabric between her fingers. Kagome's heart squeezes as Rin's confusion shifts to excitement. She squeals and hugs the kimono to her chest. "Of course it pleases me!" She digs through the clothes, marveling at the bright colors that she favors. She holds a few up in her hands and turns to him. "There's no end to them! Lord Sesshomaru, this is too much!"

He hides his slight smile behind his tea cup as he takes a sip. "Hnn."

Before he knows it she has leapt from the trunk to where he sits, still trailing silk from the new clothing draped over her arms. Kagome almost laughs as she throws her arms around his fur covered shoulder; she is sure by the way his eyes pop that he almost spat out his tea.

"Thank you so much, Lord Sesshomaru! You're amazing!"

Kagome never imagined Sesshomaru to be afraid of anything; if she would have tried to picture what fear would look like on the proud demon lord she wouldn't have been able to get the image to form. Now, however, he has gone terribly still and has that same look that deer have when confronted with bright headlights on dark rural roads. Kagome's heart sings as she sees his hand twitch and his fingers begin to reach for her.

"Rin!" Jaken shouts. "Unhand Lord Sesshomaru this instant! How dare you sully his person with your familiarity!"

Rin startles and jumps back. Kagome turns to scowl at Jaken, but not before she sees Sesshomaru snatch his hand back and return it to his lap. Rin's cheeks burn as she bows. "Forgive me, my lord! I was just so excited." She smiles up at him. "I can't wait to try them on! Will you help me chose one to wear to dinner tonight?"

Jaken scoffs, but there's a strangled quality to his voice. "Stop bothering Lord Sesshomaru, insolent child! Choose your own clothes and let him enjoy his tea in peace."

Rin stands and puts a hand on her hip. "No one asked for your opinion, Master Jaken." She steps back over to the trunk and rummages through the silks, pulling out two bright kimonos. "Oh, these are so beautiful!" She holds them up. "Which do you prefer, my lord?"

Sesshomaru studies the options with a blank expression and then waves a dismissive clawed hand in the air. Kagome has no idea what he was trying to communicate, but Rin seems to understand. She drops one kimono back into the trunk and holds the other out in front of her, admiring it. "You're right my lord! This one will be perfect for tonight!"

Inuyasha and Kagome exchange a look, and Kagome just shrugs.

Rin ignores them all, sifting through the obis. "Now, which one do you think would match best? This red one is pretty, but so is the orange. Oh, I can't possibly decide!" She turns to Sesshomaru, gripping one in each fist. "What do you think, my lord? Which matches best?"

To Kagome the answer is obvious, though Rin has always had a quirky sense of style. Sesshomaru looks between the two options but doesn't respond. From the corner, Jaken coughs loudly and scratches his head. Sesshomaru's eyes flick to his retainer and he scowls. His attention returns to Rin and with a sudden air of confidence he points to the one on the left.

Rin squeals and runs off to the other room to change. Something about the exchange was odd, but Kagome can't quite put her finger on it. And then suddenly it hits her.

No way. It takes every bit of restraint for Kagome to keep her jaw off the floor. There's no way… I have to find out for sure.

Kagome takes a long look at her neglected vegetables and feels a pang of guilt, but it can't be helped. Dinner would just have to be late. This was too important.

She clears her throat and steps toward the door. "Sesshomaru? Could I please have your help with something outside?"

Inuyasha intervenes. "If there's something you need, Kagome, I'm sure I could – "

She waves him off. "Thanks, Inuyasha, but this is something that only Sesshomaru can do."

He grumbles. "There's nothing that bastard can do that I can't – "

"Inuyasha." Kagome shoots him a meaningful look. "I need you in here. Watch the fire and make sure the water doesn't boil over. We'll be right back." She gives a hopeful look to the demon lord. "Please?"

Sesshomaru rises gracefully to his feet. She leads him out of the hut and down the stairs, back to the field of wildflowers from where she had watched him arrive. Once she feels that they are out of the range of spying ears, she turns to address him, walking backwards.

"It's beautiful out here, don't you think?" He watches her, but doesn't respond. "I was just thinking how nice it would be to find some flowers to match Rin's new outfit. I thought you would be just the person to help me pick some out."

He stops and frowns. "You do not need my help in this. Choose them yourself."

Kagome is not to be deterred. "But it would be much more meaningful if they came from you." He turns his gaze pointedly toward the forest, ignoring her. She hedges. "How about this: I'll pick out a few options and you can make the final decision."

Without waiting for a reply, she chooses two blooms - red and orange, the same choice he was faced with when helping Rin pick out an obi. She takes a breath and holds them up for his inspection. This was the true test, the one that really mattered. "Which do you think would match best?"

He glances down at the flowers but quickly returns his gaze to hers. "Either would be acceptable. Rin is not particular."

She's got him, and she knows it. She can't believe she didn't think of this before. Still, she has to be sure. She pushes a little harder. "Maybe, but I think she would be awfully impressed if you were able to find the exact shade to match her new clothes, don't you agree?"

His brow furrows and he looks hard at the options before him. He sighs and points with a dismissive wave of his claws. "This one, then."

Kagome can't hold back a grin. "I knew it!"

His eyes narrow. "What do you think you know?"

She holds the flower he selected aloft. "First, tell me - what color is this?"

He huffs and turns away from her. "What a stupid question."

She walks around him so that she can see his face. "Stupid because it's obvious or stupid because you don't know?"

His glare is glacial. Then he flicks a lock of hair over his shoulder and begins to step in the direction of the village. "I have no time to waste on such foolishness."

So close! His retreating steps signal her impending defeat, and she knows she can't rely on subtleties any longer. It's now or never. She gathers her courage and blurts, "Sesshomaru, are you colorblind?"

He stops and turns. "Don't be ridiculous. My color vision is intact."

She jogs to meet him, grateful that he bothered to stop at all. "Yes, for a dog demon." She can't keep the excitement out of her voice. "It all makes sense now! You can't see red, can you? Or green?" He just stares at her, so she decides one more visual example won't hurt. She picks a handful of grass and holds it out next to the red flower. "Do these look the same to you?"

He looks at them for a long while before turning his attention to the horizon. His answer is so soft that she might have missed it if she weren't listening with baited breath. "…Not exactly the same."

She resists the urge to punch a fist in the air in victory. "Aha! That's why you almost attacked Inuyasha!" At his quirked brow she reins herself in, realizing that she isn't being clear again. "Remember? When we were fighting the skunk demon. We could all see Inuyasha because his clothes are bright red, but without your sense of smell and that goo all over him he was basically camouflaged! It was a fluke. I knew you weren't trying to hurt him."

Sesshomaru sticks his nose in the air. "An overreach in logic. One correct deduction does not prove another."

"I'm right though, aren't I? You just didn't see him."

"Hnn."

Though his expression remains carefully blank, Kagome thinks she can see amusement in his eyes. She smiles. "You know what? I'll take it." She looks back down at the flowers in her hands and thinks of all the beautiful clothes in Rin's closet, as well as the trunk full of new ones that she will have to find room for. "So… does that mean that Jaken picks out all of Rin's clothes?"

He shrugs a shoulder. "Perhaps."

"Huh. I wouldn't have guessed he had an eye for that sort of thing." She eyes the range of bright, disparate colors in his own attire. Hesitantly she asks, "Does he pick out yours?"

His eyes cut to her and he frowns. "Don't be absurd."

She had only meant it as a joke, but as she reflects on her words it occurs to her that the implications of her discovery are much more wide ranging. When she asked for his help she had only meant to confirm her suspicions and solve a mystery. But looking at him now, she realizes with a shock that Sesshomaru has never seen the color of the bright sakura blossoms on his own kimono, or the bold effect of the magenta slashes marking his cheeks and eyelids. He has no idea just how much of a striking figure he really is. It wasn't a flaw or a weakness, but in this case it still seems like a bit of a tragedy. Though he would not thank her for it, she pities him just a little as they stand surrounded by a field of vivid wildflowers which wave gently in the breeze.

Kagome sighs wistfully as she takes in the sight. "I wish you could see red, Sesshomaru. Just this once. I think even you would be impressed."

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing a fraction as he exhales. "There is more than one way to perceive the world."

She thinks that he means the scent of the flowers, which are probably more aromatic than she can even begin to imagine, but then she hears a voice call from the direction of the shrine.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Where are you? Come see how beautiful this new kimono is!"

Kagome offers him the red flower just before Rin appears at the top of the stairs. Rin waves, her bright smile and resplendent new clothes vying to outshine the beauty of the nature that surrounds them. Kagome watches Sesshomaru from the corner of her eye, sees him stand a little straighter as his eyes track her every movement. As Rin makes her way down the stairs, he reaches to accept the bloom from Kagome's hand. She winks. "It'll be our secret."

Rin wastes no time in making her way out to the field, and Kagome quietly slips away as she gushes over his gift. As she mounts the stairs she thinks that he is right in more ways than one: there is more than one way to perceive the world. The group had been so caught up in trying to confirm what they wanted to see that they never stopped to consider all of the possibilities. In doing so, they had been blind to simple alternatives.

Inuyasha is waiting for her at the top of the stairs. "Well? What did you need his help with?"

She threads an arm through his and starts to lead him back to the hut. "Oh, nothing important. I just wanted to get his point of view on something."

"Keh. Well, you're just in time. Your water's about to boil."

She sighs happily "Don't you just love these dinners? It's so nice to have everyone together like this. One big happy family, right?"

Inuyasha rolls his eyes but gives her a soft smile. "If you say so."

They stroll back to the hut, but just before they do Kagome takes one last glance over her shoulder, just in time to see Sesshomaru thread a perfectly matched flower into Rin's hair.

~End~

A/N – This was meant to be a general fic, but the Sess/Rin just insisted on hijacking the direction of the story. I went with it, and I'm only mildly apologetic about it.

Fun fact: dogs have limited color vision. It's a little bit like red-green colorblindness (though not quite – feel free to google the color spectrum for dogs and you'll see what I mean). I won't even try to explain why I was thinking about this, but when I did I couldn't help but think of what might happen if this was applied to our favorite demon lord. You may be thinking: wait, wouldn't this apply to Inuyasha too? I'm going to say no, for two reasons: for one, he's a half-demon, so his genetics are a little different than his brother's. On top of this, color-blindness (in humans at least) is an X-linked trait, and Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have different mothers. (Not to mention that Inuyasha's mother is a human woman and Sesshomaru's is a fellow dog demon). Based on this (questionable) science, Inuyasha wouldn't be affected and wouldn't suspect this is a thing for his brother. The only one who might pick up on it is Kagome – assuming that she wasn't hunting for jewel shards in the Feudal Era the day they discussed that in biology class. So that's the basic inspiration for this little bit of silliness. Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think!