Hey my beloved chalamalas, it's me again, already writing a new story! What can I say, I love this site, it's really very therapeutic, I must say. I highly recommend it, especially if you've got an imagination and nothing to do with it! Hope you guys like, it's short, but I'm trying to spread this out. I'm posting as I write, so no rapid updates. I will update asap, though, I promise! If this one turns out to be popular, I might speed it up, you never know!

Disclaimer: I've been forgetting this lately; oops. Sue me! I make no money from this anyway, and if I did, I'd buy and sell your ass into slavery! Make my bed, Slave!

Twisted Logic

She watched the snow melt, dripping in sparkling drops from the corner of the hut's roof. Even from this distance, the light reflecting through the bends in the tiny droplets of water could be seen, winking at her like diamonds in the sunlight.

Kagome strolled along the river, her yellow bag making her footprints much deeper than they otherwise would have been. A cheery red scarf adorned her neck, with matching mitts and stockings. She still wore her pleated school skirt, but now wore a beautiful white winter coat over the sailor fuka, complete with a fur-trimmed hood and pom-pom strings to tighten it, which swung from cords attached to the material, running through it like a vein.

She smiled as she watched the fish swim, almost frozen now, as winter settled over the Sengoku Jidai. She was fifteen, young, and happy, for the most part, anyway. Inuyasha was back at the hut; they'd just had a major blow-out, but she'd pushed it to the back of her mind for now; she'd deal with all that later, when she went home, and could cry in the privacy of her room.

She watched the ground now as she stepped in Kikyou's footprints; the dead miko was long gone, but traces of her still remained to remind Kagome of what she could never be, what was useless for her to aspire to be, not that she wanted to be like Kikyou anyway. Maybe when she'd been alive she was a nice woman, but now, well…she was a bitch.

Kagome stopped to make a snowball, and when her miko senses warned her of an approaching youkai, she readied her throwing arm, hoping it was Inuyasha she would lob in the face with her icy projectile.

Spinning around, she released it with surprising speed, considering the weight of the backpack slowing her momentum, but the snowball never hit its target; in fact, the target reached out and caught it, no sweat.

"A miko should never throw snow," he drawled, crushing the ball, melting it to water in his clawed hand.

"-unless she's prepared to suffer the consequences."

Kagome gulped; with him, you never knew what the consequence to any action might be. He had a reputation to uphold, after all, so she knew that whatever he had in mind would be unpleasant, indeed.

"Sesshoumaru, I beg your pardon; I did not know it was you."

He looked at her sardonically, replying, "Hoping it was the mutt?"

She blushed. "How did you know?"

He looked away, snorting, back toward the village. "I could smell the anger coming off you a mile away."

She followed his gaze.

"Do you wish to talk about it."

It was not a question; she couldn't imagine why on earth he would possibly ask it, for the very tone of his voice implied that he couldn't care less.

"No."

He nodded, probably in relief, she thought.

She turned back to the stream, and sat down on a rock. If only Inuyasha could make up his mind! Sighing, she propped her elbow up on her knee and rested her chin in that hand.

Kikyou was such a tough act to follow.

She just didn't get it.

So many people kept telling her how much power she had, and how formidable she could become if she could only harness that power, but he still went after the dead girl, completely ignoring the live, healthy, infatuated and devoted girl - her - behind in favour of a few moments with someone he'd known fifty years in his past, someone whose blood consisted of dirt and water.

In her own time, she had Houjo to contend with; he seemed to think she was pretty special, but she just couldn't bring herself to see him in a romantic light. He was so…she didn't know what, she just knew it wasn't what she wanted in a man.

Of course, Inuyasha was no better. He was possessive (when Kikyou wasn't around), cruel, petty, tactless, and had no problems whatsoever in telling her what he thought of her skills, which was never anything positive. His only good attributes were protecting her and occasionally coming to visit her on the pretext of bringing her back to the past, when really he'd come just to be alone with her. She knew he valued her company; just how much, she didn't know, but it was obvious that he was either thinking of her as a friend or he didn't know how to handle their relationship, which frustrated him, in turn causing him to lash out at her, presumably because, since she was the object of his affections, she must be at fault for his confused feelings.

Kagome wondered if Kikyou had ever had to put up with this.

"Such deep thoughts for a little miko," Sesshoumaru remarked, sitting on a rock next to her. She looked over at him; she'd forgotten he was there.

"I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind," she apologised, pulling up her knees and wrapping her arms around them for warmth. The wind had picked up, and already the sun was beginning to disappear, darkness swiftly following in its wake.

"I would assume that you do. I cannot imagine that it is easy putting up with Inuyasha."

"You're right there, it's definitely a chore." She sighed, again.

Still not facing her, he said something then that really made her stop and think.

"One can only put up with a reluctant suitor for so long before she begins to look elsewhere. You cannot say to the snow, "less snow", and you cannot say to the wind, "less wind". Inuyasha is like a snowstorm; cold and windy one minute, calm and quiet the next. It is useless to try to figure him out. Like winter, he will forever remain a miserable being. It is in his nature. You cannot change nature, nor can you change him. Only he can do that. For someone who can adapt to any outward change, he is incapable of changing his affections for a woman long in his past to the bright woman in his future. The dead miko, she will forever be alive in his eyes. As long as she walks this earth, he will be incapable of loving you."

Kagome couldn't believe how insightful his words had been. He had successfully assessed her entire situation in one little speech, and strangely, it made her all the more sad to hear it out loud.

"Do you love him?"

Kagome felt hot tears make their way down her cold cheeks only to freeze, like her heart was trying to do. She loved him, alright; more than he deserved, and she couldn't help but wonder if her love for him would turn her heart to stone.

She sniffled loudly, wiping her face with her mitts, embarrassed to be crying in front of him, though he had the grace to pretend not to notice.

"Yes," she whispered.

He nodded, once. "I can help you, but you must make me a promise."

"What is that?"

He was quiet before turning his brilliant amber eyes in her direction, and for the first time in her life, she felt her blood flame for the demon before her. She did a remarkable job of squashing her lust, for his expression did not change. Blinking, he replied,

"Whatever happens, you must never fall in love with me."

Well, that's chapter one. Whatta ya think? Good? Bad? Blah?? Bounce your opinions off me, people, I live for them! Thanks for reading, and even greater thanks if you decide to drop me a line and review. I promise, I won't kick you out of bed for leaving crumbs...anymore, lol!