Accidental Introductions by UnknownRandomness

Crash

A/N: Another challenge, because I like pretty banners and writing tasks to set my mind racing! I hope everyone enjoys this and perhaps leaves a review to tell me what you thought? I'd love you for ever if you did :D I'm also considering continuing this, but if no-one likes it then I won't bother.

AU Challenge

Word Count: 842

Kagome Higurashi mentally cursed herself for the sixteenth- no, make that seventeenth- time within the past forty minutes. 

'How do I manage to run late every morning?! It's like a disease!'

Her usual frustrated thoughts whirled about her brain, flying as fast as her legs were moving as she pounded down the pavement and alarmed pedestrians hurriedly moved out of her path lest they be trampled underfoot. The only upside to not taking a vehicle was that she was incredibly fit with all the miles she ran each day. 

Since the tender age of thirteen, this woman had always gotten up late for anything and everything. School, birthday parties, graduation and now-  at the definitely not-tender but still youthful age of twenty-three- work. Her boss Kaede was a very understanding woman, but even she had limits. Normally, the shrine assistant would manage to slip into her uniform and be at her post just in the nick of time, yet for some reason, she was even tardier than usual this morning. If she didn't make it within five minutes, she would find herself unemployed despite the fact that she was a real miko. She just hoped that nothing else would slow her down. 

Forcing her legs to work even harder, the raven-haired woman allowed a smile to creep onto her ruddy face. She would make it! She wouldn't lose her jo-

An unexpected and solid object collided with her midriff, resulting in her collapsing in a very ungainly heap onto the hard concrete. Pain lanced through her wrist and she cried out; something had landed heavily on it and wouldn't move and she did not have time for this! Slowly, Kagome raised her head to see what she had run into and was extremely surprised when a pair of golden eyes and a mass of silver hair met her questing gaze as opposed to a bollard or some such thing. Oh, gosh! She'd flattened a person!

Jumping up with a wince, the embarrassed female attempted to help the youkai child from the ground only to flinch back when he shot her a filthy glare. She frowned but let go of his arm, only to smile when she realised that he was so short, her stomach had actually crashed into his head. Guilt suddenly swept through her- had she hurt him?!

"Excuse me, I am very sorry for running into you; are you okay?"

The young demon brushed himself off with what could only be described as haughty elegance, before turning to face the flustered adult.

"This Sesshoumaru is perfectly fine, human. Rather you should be concerned about your wrist; it is clearly broken."

His dismissive tone caused her blush to deepen with the beginnings of anger. She may have crashed into him but that didn't give him any right to be so rude! It wasn't just her fault; he should've been paying attention to where he was going!

"You're the one who landed on it- the least you could do is apologise! I'm going to lose my job because of this and then have to pay hospital bills on top of that." 

She paused after seeing his shocked expression and her eyes softened. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to be so harsh. Are your parents around?" 

Kagome swiveled on the spot, looking for any argent-haired youkai, only to hiss in pain as the movement jostled her injury. A cool hand on her uninjured arm drew her eyes back to her small companion.

"I am unaccompanied. I refuse to apologise for your clumsiness, but I will take you to the hospital, human." His perfect features were schooled into a completely neutral expression, but his eyes belied the guilt he clearly felt. 

The miko nodded, in too much pain to argue, but one thing was bugging her.

"Sesshoumaru-san, is it? You really should stop calling me human and use my name! It's only polite."

The youkai didn't even bother turning around from his position in front of her.

"I would, if you had conformed to your own expectations of politeness and told me your name."

"Ah!" The young woman chuckled awkwardly with angry embarrassment at her own forgetfulness, "It's Kagome."

Sesshoumaru looked back at her, a small smile on his face. "Kagome-san? You were named after a children's game?"

She couldn't find it in herself to feel indignant, transfixed as she was by his expression. His face totally changed when he smiled. He was warmer, he became a potential friend rather than a stranger.

As if realising his mistake, the small demon's expression completely closed off. Facing forwards once more, he stated haughtily;

"Human is more appropriate for a klutz like you."

Kagome's eyebrows rose as high as the muscles in her forehead would allow as she fought the urge to pummel the cheeky brat. Oooh, how she hated impudent children! As soon as they arrived at the hospital, she was dumping his insolent arse!

Little did either of them know, that this day marked the beginning of a beautiful and life-long friendship.