And if you know where I'm going
Don't tell a soul.
-Don't Tell A Soul by Katatonia
Chapter 2: Between Here and There
Her breath condensed in the air before her as she let her practically empty backpack slip off of her shoulder. The sky was clear for the first time in about a week, and the moon was just full enough that she could see enough to avoid most tripping hazards. Although the clear sky made for a beautiful day, it caused a chill in the air at night that brought goose bumps to her skin.
Kagome ignored them and leaned forward to peer over the edge of the Hone Kui no Ido. It was a rarity that she was able to go home in peace. She pushed the thought that this peace came at the price of watching her friend run off in the direction of the dead miko aside and placed her palms on the lip of the well. At least on her side of the well she wouldn't force herself awake to wait for his return. At least at home there was no one but Mama to see her tears when they came.
She sighed, paying no attention to the way her breath shook when she did. She wondered when the day would come that Inuyasha would walk into camp to find her in tears after one of his little trips. She doubted he ever would. She was always aware of his youki, no matter how far away he was, and so her tears were always long since dried up by the time he arrived.
The young miko didn't quite understand the connection she had with him. She wasn't even sure where it came from. Somehow she was always acutely aware of his presence. It wasn't just because he wasn't nearly as practiced as his elder brother in concealing his youki; there was something else. It was stronger than it should be. She wasn't this susceptible to the aura of full-fledged demons like Kouga, Shippou, or Kirara, so it must go deeper than that sensation.
She tried to pass it off as the connection that the subjugation beads created between them, but it wasn't just his youki that she was that sensitive to. She could sense Sesshomaru's aura just as easily as she could Inuyasha's, despite his skill in concealing himself. It had the same pull, the same depth, and absolutely no explanation for it.
When he showed himself, her eyes followed him everywhere. She couldn't help it. The sensation of his youki was enough to draw anyone's eye. The fact that she was so susceptible to it made her curious. Sesshomaru seemed only to ignore her observations. Not that she minded; it was less embarrassing that way.
What brought him here tonight then? He had never approached her while she was separate from the group before, nor had he ever made his presence so obvious to her before. Why was he just standing there, just on the outskirts of the trees?
What is he waiting for?
She wanted to look at him. She wanted him to know that she knew he was there. She wanted to inquire upon his reasoning.
Kagome, no.
She forced herself not to turn to him. What was she to do now? She couldn't just jump into the well with him standing there. Enough people knew of her secret already, how many more could she risk before Naraku heard of it?
What if she did jump? If she revealed her secret to Sesshomaru, what happened then? Could she trust him?
She sighed and bent over to pull her yellow bag back onto her shoulder. She couldn't continue to ignore him for long. The pull of his youki wouldn't allow her too. And she had a feeling he wouldn't have allowed it for much longer either.
Kagome turned towards him then, catching his golden gaze almost instantly, despite his figure being shadowed by the trees. Her breath hitched slightly when she did. It never failed to astonish her just how rich the color of his eyes was.
She wondered if he felt the pull between them then as well.
Kagome smiled and grasped the strap of her backpack a little tighter. What was one more person?
Keep my secret?
She turned, placing one palm on wooden lip of the well, and jumped.
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Vocabulary: Hone Kui no Ido – Bone-Eater's Well, youki – demon energy
A/N:705 Words; Please comment and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! -halcyondays 
