Chapter 20 - Propositions

Hortor - to exhort, incite, to harangue troops (Stella's Latin Challenge)

"The prophecy doesn't mean a thing!" she continued quickly. "I barely know you and what I do know I don't like. True love or not, I'm not just going sigh and fall into your arms. You can say you love me all you want, but I still think the stalking thing was creepy."

Sesshoumaru frowned. This was not going as he'd planned it at all. She was supposed to be thrilled by his romantic declaration of love, not bothered by his methods. He'd had to learn more about her somehow! Did she not understand that? So she didn't know him. That could easily be rectified.

"This Sesshoumaru will travel with your group so as to allow you to learn more about me," he declared.

"Like hell you will!" Inuyasha yelled. "You're not welcome in my pack!"

"I believe we have already established that this is not your back, little brother. It is hers. It is entirely her decision whether to allow me to join. You have no say in the matter," Sesshoumaru mocked.

Kagome frowned. He hadn't even joined up with them yet and he was tormenting Inuyasha, trying to bully him into a fight.

"You can't be here, not with him. The two of you would constantly be trying to kill each other. No, you can't join us."

"Then how will you get to know this Sesshoumaru?" he asked her, suddenly very concerned that she was going to turn him down flat. Did she not believe the palm reader's prediction, that he was her true love? Shouldn't she desire to be near him, to learn about him, as he was drawn to her? Should she not at the very least be curious?

"I don't know," Kagome said with a sigh. She was already mentally exhausted from dealing with the two brothers and they'd only been together for no more than half an hour. How could she possibly manage the both of them, her friendship with Inuyasha and a relationship with Sesshoumaru? They hated each other and she didn't doubt each would take every opportunity that arose to badmouth the other.

"Why don't you just date?" Sango asked quietly. She could see that her fried was overwhelmed with the situation and she sought out to help her.

"Date?" Kagome and Sesshoumaru both repeated at the same time.

Fabre - skillfully, ingeniously (Stella's Latin Challenge)

"Sure," Sango continued. "He could come and get you, take you somewhere for a few hours, and then bring you back. Then they wouldn't be in each other's presence too much. Maybe that way there would be less fighting, and maybe eventually they could learn, little by little, to get along, for your sake."

"That's genius, Sango!" Kagome exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Sesshoumaru was tempted to agree. From the slayer's explanation, to date the miko would be very similar to courting, something he intended to do anyway. He wouldn't mind time alone with her in the least. It would be a great deal better than trying to woo her with the hanyou present to undermine his successes. He didn't know if he could ever get along with his brother, but he realized that he would have to try if he wanted to win her heart. It was obvious that Inuyasha meant a great deal to the miko and he wanted her to be happy.

"This Sesshoumaru would be amenable to such an arrangement if you desire to do such a thing as date," he said, speaking the foreign word slowly.

"You have no idea what dating is, do you?" Inuyasha asked with a smirk, thrilled to know something his brother did not.

"It sounds to be a great deal like courting," Sesshoumaru replied, refusing to rise to the hanyou's bait. Kagome had made it clear that she didn't want them fighting and he would do his best not to. It was in his best interest to keep his future mate in a good mood.

Aerumna - labor, toil, hardship (Stella's Latin Challenge)

"You do realize that relationships are a lot of work, right?" Kagome asked the taiyoukai. "This isn't going to be easy."

Sesshoumaru frowned. Why would it not be easy? He was her true love, her soul mate! Why did she want to make everything so complicated? Why could she not simply accept her fate? Still, he had to reply.

"This Sesshoumaru is not afraid of work."

"Ha! You haven't worked a day in your life. You just wander around killing people that get in your way."

"I am Lord of the Western Lands. Do you honestly believe that does not require work?" he asked the hanyou.

"You've got a palace full of servants to attend to your every need. You have an army to fight your battles for you. You don't do shit."

Kagome simply shook her head as the two went back and forth, arguing once more. "This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed. "Sesshoumaru, you need to leave before he starts waving his sword around. And you," she said, turning to the hanyou who was still muttering offensive things at his brother. "You are going to have to stop being such a jerk. If he really is my true love, then the two of you are going to have to get along at some point or I won't be able to be friends with you anymore."

Her words stunned the hanyou silent. She'd leave him alone after promising to be by his side forever, for his brother?! He couldn't believe what she'd just said, and he turned angry eyes to the miko.

"You promised me," he growled.

"I know that, but you're the one that seems intent on making me choose. You're my best friend, Inuyasha. Maybe you should start acting like it. Be supportive!"

"Supportive? Of you and him? Like hell!"

"See? It's that attitude that's going to put an end to our friendship. If he's my destiny, I'm going to end up with him no matter what. No matter what I do or say, something will happen to bring him and me together. I don't want that to tears us apart!"

"Fine," Inuyasha muttered through gritted teeth. "Date the bastard. See if I care."

Kagome smiled at the hanyou before turning to Sesshoumaru. "Come back at noon in two days. We can have lunch together. You'll be able to find us, right?"

"Of course he will," the hanyou said quickly, without thinking about how he'd just agreed to behave, if in a roundabout way. "He'll be stalking you the whole time."