A/N: When I started this, I wanted it to be a long story, but as I worked I came to the conclusion that I like having it end with the two chapters. It's short, it's sweet and it's about accepting a person for everything they are. I didn't think it needed too much more to drive the point home.
Disclaimer: I really wished I owned Inuyasha, but as I wasn't born with the name Rumiko Takahashi it would be pointless to think about it.
Pure Art
Kagome stood in the small room of her favorite art museum, staring at the photos along the long wall. This was the new exhibit she had come to see, the one created by her dearest friend who she had not seen in years.
White walls surrounding the silver frames, it gave the illusion that these could be regular photos on the wall of any regular person. But it was the composition that showed the professionalism of the photography. Hanging lights helped draw viewer eyes to where the photographer wanted the patrons' eyes to look.
It was really a beautiful exhibit, stunning in its dynamics as well as its execution. It was all so perfect, almost too perfect if you asked some people in the room.
Tears sprang into her eyes as they slowly moved from one photo to the next. She hadn't known he would use these. She hadn't expected that he'd ever want to use them outside of his own studio.
"These photos are magnificent," a woman a few steps away murmured to her partner. "I never thought an artist could capture such real emotions in a photo such as this. I must meet this Sesshoumaru."
Kagome closed her eyes briefly, partly willing the exhibit away, partly from the sheer beauty of what lay before her eyes. It was painful and yet so blissful. The woman was right; Sesshoumaru had done an amazing job on these series of photos done when they were just entering college.
Kagome turned away from the wall and the photos hanging in their plain frames. It was too much too soon to deal with in her present state. She hadn't wanted the reminder of that time period.
It was then the couple the few steps away saw her. The woman gaped. "You are the model in these?" she asked as if such a thing were too incredible to be believed.
"At least she isn't fat anymore," the male muttered to the woman still loud enough for Kagome to hear.
Kagome turned sad eyes on the woman, silently wishing to be left alone. But the calculating gleam in her eyes said that she wouldn't allow Kagome what she wanted. It was obvious. Kagome knew Sesshoumaru; therefore she must get to know her to get to him.
"I'm Kagura Onigumo, and this is my brother Naraku. We are avid fans of these photos and were wondering if it were possible to actually meet the one who took these photos."
Kagome staved off the bitter laugh bubbling in the throat. Sesshoumaru would have no time for such people as these before her. Even she, ningen that she was, could smell the deceit rolling off them in waves.
"I'm sure he will arrive shortly. This is after all, his first major showing."
And Kagome had no intention of being here when he arrived. It wasn't that there was bad blood between them. Their friendship had actually ended on a good note. It was just that Kagome didn't want to be reminded of the things he made her feel.
Sesshoumaru seemed like a cold demon, but that was far from the truth. His photography proved that he was in fact, the most passionate being she'd ever met. And no matter what anyone had ever said, she adored him, almost worshiped the perfect demon, would probably still be by his side this very moment if it hadn't been for her one mistake.
It was how she got into trouble the first time. "Excuse me," she said to the devious duo before trying to make her escape.
She wasn't being a coward, she constantly repeated. She did what she had to do for a very good reason. This was his night and she didn't want to distract his attention, not that she was being conceited or anything.
She knew very well, that she wasn't the world's greatest beauty. She never had been, but Sesshoumaru would want to talk and there were things that she couldn't tell him. It was impossible, pure and simple.
So why did her stomach churn and her heart beat wildly at the thought of not seeing Sesshoumaru after so many years? Why did she feel like it was already too late? Why did it feel as if she actually felt him in the room with her?
"Kagome?" the deep baritone sounded just behind her. "I didn't think you'd come."
Kagome turned abruptly, her ever ready smile on her face. "You know I wouldn't miss my best friend's exhibit for the world. It's a beautiful showing." She didn't know what else to say to him. Saying what little she had was hard enough.
The edges of Sesshoumaru's lips tilted upward. "I wouldn't have this showing if it weren't for you."
She blushed. "I'm sure that's not true." She couldn't bear for it to be true because it was embarrassing to think that it was a fat chick that got him his best showing, which made him the up and coming success he proved to be.
Sesshoumaru reached for her elbow while she was distracted, pulling her toward a group of people all dressed in formal attire. Kagome glanced down at her simple black dress, inexpensive compared to what the others wore, especially the Armani covering Sesshoumaru's lean body.
"Kagome," Sesshoumaru began, "I'd like for you to meet my father's business associates from America. Kagome was the subject for my series of photos as I'm sure you can guess. We went to college together."
She thought she couldn't blush any deeper after the looks many of the males were giving her. It wasn't that she hadn't had attention before. She'd had men look at her many times. But all those times hadn't been the best of times. In fact the only person who's reaction didn't change after her dramatic weight loss was Sesshoumaru and she didn't know if that were good or bad.
She bowed slightly to the group of men. "It is an honor to meet such prestigious men," she said in very careful English. Sesshoumaru was better at the language since his father often had many dealings in America. Sesshoumaru himself had taught her what she knew.
"The honor is ours," one of the men, a blonde male with silver sprinkled throughout his head, spoke. He had a kind smile with wrinkles touching the edges of both mouth and dark brown eyes. "We have heard much about you over the years. Both Taisho men speak very highly of you."
"Yes," Sesshoumaru agreed, "I've read the article in the local paper about your work with that orphanage. Mr. Davis was just saying that he'd be willing to donate to your cause..."
The rest of the conversation became a blur after that. It was as if her life had never changed after college. Sesshoumaru kept her by his side for the whole night as he greeted people and accepted whatever compliments in his usual quiet manner.
They hardly spoke, but then they hardly had time to speak with all the people rushing forward to congratulate Sesshoumaru on a successful showing.
Finally they found a free moment before a single photo. It was of them together. Kagome hadn't known he had taken the photo at the time, but it had led to one of her greatest moments in her young life.
~*~
Seven years ago
"Hey Kagome, come here a moment."
Kagome, one hundred and fifty pounds overweight, shuffled into the room watching her magnificently perfect roommate watch himself in the mirror. "What do you want Sesshoumaru?"
She watched the corners of his lips lift in his trademark smirk. He was a beautiful demon, always had been. So why the hell did he bother with someone like Kagome? She never understood his reasoning.
He never made fun of her. He never put her down. Every time she tried a new diet he'd encourage her and was there to hold her up when it failed. He'd comforted her through all her heartaches, never once allowing her to wallow in her own self pity.
But still. She hated to stand next to him. He was just too perfect and magnified all her imperfections.
"Come here," he said, reaching a hand out to grab her wrist. He pulled her close; bringing her back to his chest so they both faced the mirror. He was so much taller than her, yet so slender compared to her body. Still, she knew he outweighed her by quite a bit surprisingly.
"I don't want to look at myself," she whined. She was pathetic. Her heart just got broken once more by Inuyasha, the love of her life. He'd actually laughed when she told him she'd been in love with him. He laughed and then called her Ms. Piggy's ugly step sister.
All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and never reappear again. It was terrible the way Inuyasha allowed his friends to make fun of her weight.
"Kagome look," Sesshoumaru said firmly. "I want you to look very closely. Tell me what you see when you look in the mirror."
She did as he told her. She saw a big fat nobody who would never find someone to love her, standing in front of the sexiest being alive. A sexy being that wore no shirt and had the nerve to hold her closely to his body like she was the most precious woman on the face of the planet.
She saw her future, her sad existence. She'd never be anybody. No man would ever love her, except for a blind person and she didn't hold out much hope there. She saw herself dying a virgin surrounded by her twenty or so cats. What she saw made her cry.
"Now let me tell you what I see," he said. "I see Kagome, a woman with so much life within that she strangles dead because she's so concerned with others. I see a woman dying to show her wild side, a woman who underneath all that despair is vivacious and sexy as hell.
"I see a woman with the biggest heart of gold, someone who is selfless. I see a woman who knows how to fight for what she believes in and is passionate about all the things that matter to her. The woman I see doesn't hide, but faces her pain head on. The Kagome I see, is my Kagome." Kagome leaned further into him, closing her eyes as he kissed the top of her head. That was the moment he'd secretly took the photo of them.
~*~
Present
Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist, pulling her tightly to his side. "You never did believe my words did you?"
Kagome chuckled. Standing beside Sesshoumaru she could laugh at her thoughts then, because he had been right. She was everything that he'd ever said he saw when he looked at her. "It was hard to believe a gorgeous demon declaring me sexy when I felt as fat as a beached whale. You were the only one to ever call me beautiful and my mind kept telling me you were lying."
Sesshoumaru grunted. "This Sesshoumaru never lies."
Kagome left it alone. There was never any point in her trying to argue with Sesshoumaru. Instead she changed the subject. "You didn't say anything about my weight loss. It has been a number of years since we last saw one another"
He quickly eyed her body; then shifted the arm around her waist in his version of a shrug. "I noticed."
"Don't you like it?" she asked frustrated with his short answer. His eyes shifted to look at from the side.
"It never made a difference to me."
Before Kagome could open her mouth to speak Naraku and his sister Kagura made their way toward Sesshoumaru.
"Ah, the artist of the moment," Kagura fairly purred her praise as she eyed Sesshoumaru's body. Kagome frowned slightly, though she didn't know why.
Sesshoumaru said nothing. He did not know these two demons nor did he particularly like the smell of them. The female smelled of repeated beddings. She was a whore and walked like one. The male? Well Sesshoumaru didn't like the way the male looked at Kagome.
"You must tell us what your inspiration for such photos was. I have never seen such subject material," Naraku said with a leer in Kagome's direction. "I do hope you intend to do a continuation of this series now that she isn't so fat anymore."
Kagome stiffened beside Sesshoumaru, but he turned her away from the couple before she could respond. They were not important. Their words to Kagome were not worthy of a response of any sort, though he did burn with anger.
Although Sesshoumaru didn't say anything, he had an idea.