A.N. just a quick little oneshot that has been buzzing around my head for a while. Lol here it is.

Love Springs Eternal

~Kagome~

Love was an obsession in her time, Love was on T-shirts, Love was in Music, Movies, Plays, Love was in Books, on billboards and splashed over advertisements. Love was an obsession, everyone wanted it, everyone sighed about it, and waxed poetic about its virtues. Every girl is told by their mother that one day they we have their happy ending. That someone was going to come sweeping you off your feet and saving the day like a knight in shining armor.

They talk about love at first sight, about how strong love makes you, and to hear them talk love was what everyone in the world was looking for. Someone to connect with, someone to rely on, someone who knows you and admires everything about you. Love was a grand tale that is told over and over… 'Love conquers all.' So many quotes, poems, sayings, better to love than to hate, love, love, love, love, love, love, and love.

It was all so maddening. This endless search for love.

Kagome thought that it was a subconscious thing that she had been so eager to fall in love that when she had begun her own crazy adventure that she thought love would find her. It was in all the stories, when something as crazy as otherworldly as this happened…love came along to find you and give you hope. It was what she had been told all her life, consciously or not, Kagome had believed it.

Is it any wonder that she was so certain her protector Inuyasha was the love of her life?

It was all there, star crossed lovers meeting each other across time to fight an evil seeking to destroy the world and everything in it. Is it any wonder why she put up with all the pain, the heartache, the sleepless night when she knew he was going to her but never once asking him to choose. Never once did she have the courage to look him in the eye and say pick me, stay with me, choose me!

Kagome had been so afraid to do that because she knew the answer…Inuyasha already had his love story he didn't need her for that. She had done everything she could think of, supported him, never asking him to be anything more than what he was…never saying that he was less than everything she ever wanted. She stuck around through all the heartbreak and pain…through all his bad times…had almost given her life for his a few times.

Yet none of it had won her Inuyasha's heart…she had failed to gain her own love story. What no one had ever told her about love was that it was all about timing…you need just the right timing for love to fall into place. She was fifty years too late to win Inuyasha's heart from Kikyo and Kagome doubted she ever would now. Love came about through a mixture of fortunate timing, and very good luck.

She sighed as she sank down into the hot spring; if Kagome had learned anything it was that her timing sucked…she was always too late to do all she wanted…too late or too early. It had happened slowly without her noticing…not love…but something she had not seen coming. It was a few days after Sesshomaru had saved her from Mukotsu's grasp…from a fate worse than death at least to her. She had been in a hot spring just as she was now when Sesshomaru had walked into her hot spring clearing as silent as a whisper.

Kagome had been so stunned that she hadn't even screamed, and then later she had brushed it off as him wanting to talk to her. It was well known Sesshomaru didn't like humans so Kagome hadn't thought to be embarrassed about her state of undress…it wasn't like he cared to look. So she had been polite, thanked him for saving her and then asked him what he wanted. He had simply sat down under a tree close to her and stared at her.

She had been blushing as red as a tomato as she ignored him and finished washing while awkwardly trying to avoid eye contact. He had never said a word…later when she went back to camp she had brushed it off as a strange occurrence. Then the next day, when she was taking another bath in a different hot spring he had shown up again. She had already had finished washing up and had just been enjoying a soak while reading a book…she hadn't even thought to scream this time either.

Kagome had given him a distracted hello and then focused back on her book…enjoying the quiet. A few minutes later Sesshomaru had her nearly jumping out of her skin when he asked, "You can read Miko?" in that pompous way of his.

"Yeah, I can read, write, do math, you know all those simple things," Kagome had replied with a hit of sarcasm. She had barely caught the flicker of surprise that splashed across Sesshomaru's face from the corner of her eye. From then on it became a trend, Sesshomaru always seemed to show up while she was bathing and then they would talk for a few minutes.

He would ask her something, bring up a topic that Kagome supposed if she hadn't been from the future she wouldn't have had the faintest idea about. Somehow they had talks about philosophy, science, and at one point he had somehow gotten her to recite poems from memory. It was so bizarre Kagome hadn't even thought to bring it up with the group…she doubted they would believe her anyway. Kagome got surprisingly comfortable being naked around Sesshomaru…it became normal almost.

All that time Kagome had thought it hadn't mattered, Sesshomaru hated hanyou and humans so Kagome had thought there would be no way he would look at her as a man did to a woman. They talked, and if she was honest Kagome found their talks to be a relief. She finally had someone she could really talk to, that was just as educated as she was and willing to debate with her. Miroku was a very intelligent man but he lacked Sesshomaru's decorum.

If Kagome talked to him she had to keep an eye on his hands and worry about the others in the group feeling left out. Not with Sesshomaru, Kagome could talk/debate with him all she wanted without anyone being the wiser and she hadn't needed to worry about wandering hands. This went on for a while; Kagome got comfortable and was even looking forward to Sesshomaru's visits.

Then Sesshomaru changed the game, she was bathing as usual and this time he had joined her in the hot spring. Kagome thought she had never been so red from blushing in her entire life…she had never seen a man undress and be casually naked in front of her before. It was embarrassing and Kagome had kept her eyes firmly on the water in front of her. Then he asked her a question, got her to talk, and then gradually Kagome had gotten more comfortable.

After Sesshomaru started to join her it was awkward for a while…Kagome had to make excuses about why her baths seemed to last longer than usual. And figure out ways to keep Sango from joining her…it was all very stressful like a dirty little secret. Then Kagome noticed Sesshomaru was having a bit of trouble bathing…guilt had flared up seeing him struggle with one hand. So before she could talk herself out of it she had asked if he wanted some help.

They talked while she washed and brushed his hair. Kagome hadn't even thought about washing his back it just became another routine. Kagome would bath while talking to Sesshomaru about whatever he asked, then washing his hair and back while he spoke in low even tones. He never spoke much, but when he did Kagome found that he was very intelligent…his words were hardly ever wasted. She began to treasure there time together…and hadn't thought about how intimate it all had become.

It just seemed so normal, bathing with Sesshomaru, that Kagome hadn't thought anything about it. Hadn't wondered why she was less upset about Inuyasha running after Kikyo because it meant a longer bath uninterrupted with Sesshomaru. Kagome hadn't even thought about how this all would look to anyone else…what it all meant.

Then Sesshomaru had kissed her…quick and simple…just a pressing of lips. It had happened so fast that Kagome had thought she had imagined it. Then the next bath it was slower, just a bit, still just a peck, and Kagome had been so very confused. Then the kisses got a little longer, a little deeper, every day…and it was addicting. The attention Sesshomaru was lavishing on her, different than any interaction she had ever had with Inuyasha. The kisses where a mystery Kagome couldn't hope to figure out.

~Sesshomaru~

His curiosity has always been a problem, it was curiosity that drove him to seeking her out and curiosity that kept him coming back. At first Sesshomaru had simply wanted to see what she had been doing away from her pack so soon after he had slain that fool poisoner. She had been taking a bath, of all things, completely without weapons and completely unprotected. He had been curious to see if his dim witted half brother would come rampaging into the Hot spring, so he had sat down to study his curiosity.

She was a puzzle; she had survived his poison without a scratch but fell to another's easily. She always wore the strangest clothing, better suited to a whore than a Miko…yet she smelled of virginal innocence. He had simply sat there studying her and Inuyasha…had never come. The curiosity had brought him back the next day to find her reading of all things.

She was educated, every question he asked she knew the answer to or made a very close guess. She could recite poems, knew her numbers perhaps better than he did, and she spoke like a well educated scholar. It made no sense. So he had kept coming back for the view and the conversation. That was another curious thing, she didn't hide her body like a virgin should have…she didn't seem to think he even looked at her body.

Naïve in only a way a virgin could be and it was another puzzle. Sesshomaru had tried to push her…to see how far he could take her. She was clearly uncomfortable at first to being naked while he was nude himself. Then after a few days it didn't seem to matter to her, and then she started to groom him too. It was all very strange. He hadn't intended for it to go this far and yet…it was addicting. She was addicting.

The kiss had startled him as much as it had her and then another Pandora's Box had been opened. He had actually touched her…and it wasn't as horrid as he had once imagined. She had tasted sweet, like fruit, and he had wanted more. Soon he could not stop himself from plundering her mouth…and she let him. It made him curious, it made her addicting and he had spied on her group to get more answers to his growing list of questions.

He had thought Inuyasha had claimed her…but the foolish Hanyou was as dim witted as always wasting his time courting a corpse. Kagome…Kagome was free of attachments because Inuyasha was a foolish boy. She betrayed no one in coming to him and he betrayed no one in going to her. He was not his father, having a mate and a pup at the den while seeking the pleasures of another outside of his mate. Kagome was free; she owed no one and had no reason to save herself for a boy who could not choose the clear choice.

He pushed her, kissed her deeper, indulged touching her with his hand…and she let him. Kagome gave herself freely, falling into his hand with eagerness and unashamed. Sesshomaru took what was freely given, kisses, caresses, never pushing her more than she was willing to go always so careful to leave her time to erase his scent from her body. So Inuyasha would not foolish stop her from coming to him had he suspected that while he went into the arms of a dead woman…Kagome met him in the Hot Spring.

Sesshomaru hadn't expected to want her this much, but after weeks of taking in her form unhindered it was a wonder he hadn't sampled her sooner. Kisses, caresses, soon they weren't enough. Tonight he wanted…no needed…more. They met at the Hot Springs as usual, talked while she groomed them both and then Sesshomaru drew her into a searing kiss.

Kagome met him eager, kissing, meeting his tongue with her own, she moaned into his hands as he played with her. Then came the moment he had wanted, pressing into her, she didn't tell him no and so he took her innocence with a sure thrust. It was a wild thing, he couldn't touch her enough, his mouth was on her breasts, her stomach her neck…so careful not to leave a mark but plundering her body all the same.

Kiss, thrust, nip, moan, she was vocal…as he had thought she would be and whispered his name as one would a prayer…over and over. He conquered her body, took everything she was willing to give, he took and took. Thrust, kiss, lick, thrust, kiss, lick, they let it build between them…the pleasure…until she moaned her completion and he quietly howled his.

~Kagome~

It wasn't love, at least not the kind of love she was expecting. Kagome no longer cared where Inuyasha went…or to who he went to…she kept up appearances. Followed all the lines like a well rehearsed play and pretended she still cared where he went at night. Truthfully she looked forward to it so she could slip away herself. For a few days she had felt guilty, like she was hiding some dirty little secret, but that had gone away after a while.

Inuyasha had made no promises to her, and she had only said she would be by his side…not that she would be by his side romantically. Inuyasha was her friend…she would keep her promise to stay his friend…but she had needs too. Sesshomaru was addicting, while a little cold normally when they came together entwining their bodies in a dance as old as time…he was far from cold.

Kagome didn't delude herself that he loved her, or that she loved him. This wasn't love in the normal sense…this was a need…this was an addiction…this was perfect. He couldn't keep his hand off of her, she couldn't keep her hands off of him, and Kagome had never thought sex could be this good. It was more than everyone said it was…it was delicious.

~Inuyasha~

Kagome had been acting strange, they had all noticed but recently it was more so than usual. She didn't look at him the same way before, he missed her stares…missed her subtle gestures of want…a hand on his shoulder…a squeeze while she was on his back. Kagome had stopped doing this…and he wanted to know why. So Inuyasha waited…the soul stealers were in the distance and Kagome had looked at him eager to see him go.

He had pretended to leave so he could see what she did while he was away. She said her goodbyes, got her things for a bath and walked off. For a moment Inuyasha struggled with himself. If he followed her and she was just bathing the consequences if he was found out would be bad…but if he didn't he would never know. So he followed her slowly and as quietly as he could. Pretending he wasn't eager to see her bared before him had his suspicions proved false.

~Sesshomaru~

Sesshomaru smelt the half breed following Kagome and thought briefly of warning her…then thought better of it. What better way to show his dominance then for the half breed to see him taking the alpha bitch…it would finally put him in his place. Kagome came to him eagerly, he could smell her want and he growled lowly in response. He was ready and waiting for her in the hot spring and she stripped quickly at the sight of him.

Usually they talked and groomed each other first but with Inuyasha here watching Sesshomaru was impatient. He met her as she got into the water; she was warm and slick as he thrust into her easily. Kagome moaned, closing her eyes and meeting his rhythm. Sesshomaru paid her body extra attention, soon his name was a mantra moaned on her lips. Sesshomaru watched Inuyasha from the corner of his eye, watched his face crumble, and watched his heart break as Sesshomaru howled his triumph as he thrust into Kagome.

Sesshomaru was careful to keep her attention focused on him, Kagome would not take kindly to the audience and she would stop had she known. He kept her wanting, moaning, begging him, saying his name, with every thrust he showed his dominance proudly and Inuyasha could no longer deny his superiority.

~Inuyasha~

It was some great nightmare, whatever he had suspected it wasn't this…nowhere near this. Kagome and Sesshomaru…it boggled the mind and left him frozen in shock. He stood there staring, wondering if this was anything like what Kagome had gone through watching him with Kikyo. This was so much worse, Kagome was beautiful, she was displayed before him in the height of her passion and it wasn't him bringing her there. His ears twitched, Sesshomaru's growls were starting to give shape to words he had forgotten he had known in Inu.

Mine, mine, mine now… he growled and Inuyasha couldn't deny him. The anger choked him as the sadness weighted him down. What had he been thinking? That she would wait for him forever? Now Kagome was out of his grasp forever because he had wanted them both. Kikyo was his first love, he couldn't let her go and Kagome had been so patient…he had thought she would wait forever. He was an idiot.