Angels Are Made From Ink and Pencils by alakeshadow

Prologue and Gloomy Disposition

Angels Are Made From Ink And Pencils

By alakeshadow

Notes: This is in response to a challenge by "Howling_Shewolf" and was her original idea. I just write the material-and am very gracious for her allowing me the honor of writing this.

SUMMARY: Sesshomaru is one of Japan's best artists, but no one really knows who he is except for maybe a couple of people. One day he sees a beautiful girl in a coffee shop, and he can't get her out of his mind. So he starts painting her. The girl, is Kagome and doesn't know Sesshomaru, or that he has an obsession with her.

Translations – Hakumei – Twilight

Amefuri: In the rain

Moikushi - Revelation

Firi – Might in battle

Oni – Devil-like demons

Nikkou – Sunshine

Daisan - Third

Prologue

There is love of course. And then there's life, its enemy.

~Jean Anouilh

She was sipping a latte when I first saw her...extra cream, I guessed no sugar, and cinnamon sprinkled across a frothy head. She was staring off into space, her raven tresses simply falling around her shoulders to pool against her petite waist. She shifted...and a lock of hair skimmed the side of the hot Styrofoam cup...narrowly missing the steaming drink. And I couldn't help it...after all, I had my sketch book, a few spare pencils...and a model. So I started drawing...the slant of her small nose, the slight but somewhat sensual curve of her jaw, the fine arch of her brows...but then someone met her at her table and she left, accidentally leaving her half consumed latte behind. And I was left to stare after her. Wondering...

Were angels made from ink and pens?

Chapter 1: Gloomy Disposition.

There are three forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, sculpture is art you can walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through.

~Dan Rice

Kyoto Art Museum – Art show in appreciation of Rin Haru and her new husband Kohaku Haru. Kyoto, Japan

"Hurry up with that display! Take down those paintings on the third floor, and for god's sake, get me something to drink!"

"Yes, Kagura-san!"

Marching smartly down the hall, Kagura snapped out a few more orders to idle workers and then stopped at a row of miniatures painted by an artist she hadn't remembered seeing before in her museum. An elegant black brow arched as she looked over them. They were poorly done. Colors poorly mixed...mediums unnatural...not very good tones. And a poor quality paint used in coloring it.

She glared at it and snagged an assistant as he passed by.

"You! What the hell are these?" The assistant, a boy around twenty, looked from her angry face to the paintings and then back, blushing in embarrassment.

"Those are...um...well, they are..."

"Yes?" She asked, her tone brooking no excuses. The young man sighed in defeat.

"They are not supposed to be here."

Kagura snapped the fan she had been holding closed with a sharp click.

"Exactly. Now get the wretched things out of my gallery!"

"Yes, Kagura-san." He said, bowing quickly as he went forward and carefully dislodged the paintings, gently carrying them out of her sight, to dispose of them. She rolled her eyes in irritation. Honestly! Did these people think that she-Kagura Hakumei -would not notice a stray painting? She turned on her heal, directing a new painting to be put in the now empty space.

"Well, well, Kagura. As snappish as ever I see."

Kagura glanced over her shoulder in surprise and smiled widely when she saw who it was.

"Koga-san! How wonderful to see you - are you coming to the art show tonight?" She asked cheerfully.

Koga bowed and took her hand, kissing it gently as he gave her a wolfish grin.

"What use have I of paintings, when I can look at you?" Kagura laughed and blushed slightly, taking her hand from his and putting it to a cheek in a flirtatious gesture.

"Oh Koga! You shouldn't say such things! Especially when Naraku is around. You know how my husband is." Koga grimaced playfully and Kagura laughed again.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you received that new painting from Fujiwara Nobuzane? The Portrait of Yoritomo." Kagura nodded and led him down a flight of stairs.

"Why yes. We just received it...a few days ago actually. It's being held beside paintings by Josetsu, Harunobu, and Osai."

Koga looked surprised.

"Osai? How did you get some of his works?" Kagura gave him a catty smile.

"Pulled a few strings...called in a few favors, that kind of thing like always."

He grinned.

"Kill anybody?"

Kagura grinned herself.

"Perhaps." They both laughed, passing by more scuttling movers and overseers of maintenance and lighting for the show.

"Have you been doing anything else? Besides this of course." Kagura said as an after thought. Koga shrugged.

"Attended a wedding. The Haru's have finally wed." Kagura gasped softly, putting her fan to her lips in surprise.

"Really! So they are away, or...?" Koga patted her arm.

"No worries. They'll be here at six." Kagura gave him a look of surprise.

"Six? That's forty minutes from now!" Koga's own eyes widened.

"I could have sworn you said six-"

"I said eight! Kana! Get over to the charcoal exhibits and make sure they are in perfect order, I want them flawless! Yuka, straiten up your hair girl, it's falling out of your 'do. Shippo, why aren't these watercolors sorted according to date? You there! Be careful with that, it's from the 11th century! AND WHERE IS MY COFFEE?"

Koga laughed. Kagura had never been able to handle stress well. Someday, she might actually develop an ulcer...

*****

'Oh Eri...how come you got to marry so young?'

"Kagome are you gonna to drink that latte or not?"

Surprised, her head shot up, and she stared at the owner of the voice, beaming as she realized who it was.

"Sango! Oh - daijobou desu ka?" She said as she rose and hugged the other woman. Sango laughed and hugged her back, a smile dominating her entire face.

"Oh, I missed you! America was wonderful! And Paris - oh, well don't worry, I took loads of pictures!"

The two women squealed excitedly, a few people within the American styled coffee house staring at them in either surprise or irritation. Noticing it, Sango grabbed her hand and tugged her excitedly from the table to the door.

"Miroku's in the car, waiting for us! Come on, let's go!"

Kagome laughed again and allowed them both to hurry out into the chilly November air. Sure enough, a Mitsubishi Lancer was parked outside, half on the street - and half on the sidewalk. Kagome laughed again, tugged along by Sango until she found her way into the backseat, Sango taking the front.

"I see you still haven't learned how to drive!" She said with a laugh as she leaned over and gave Miroku a hug. Miroku grinned and hugged her back, but not before giving her a little welcome of his own...

"YEOW! HENTAI!" Kagome squealed angrily as she punched him over the side of the head for grabbing her breast.

"I'm so sorry, but it was right there! So full and ripe and untouched-"

WHAM

"Ohhhhaaahhhhh..."

Picking him up, Sango unfeelingly tossed him into the back seat and took his place, Kagome getting into the passenger seat.

"So, what was it like? How was the photo shoot?"

Sango started at Kagome's words and then excitedly reached down for her digital camera.

"It went great! Miroku got some excellent shots for the company - his boss will be happy." Kagome smiled happily as she looked over the 'arc de triomphe' and 'Notre Dame de Paris', along with the 'Washington Monument' and 'Statue of Liberty'. They were wonderful - and the weather looked to have been perfect! Kagome sighed jealously.

"I wish I could see these places! But all I am is a lowly dog sitter and part time Veterinary assistant."

"Well that's good...I mean that's money-"

Kagome interrupted her.

"No...not really. I get a little more then a quarter of what a technician makes...and besides, business these days is pretty slow."

Sango frowned; tapping a well cared for nail against her camera.

"There's a trip for Italy Miroku's company is asking us to leave for after Christmas...you could go with us then, if you would like."

Kagome perked up at the invitation but then shook her head sadly in no.

"No...I don't want to do that. The only time you and Miroku get to spend time together is during these kind of trips...and I hate being the third wheel."

"Speaking of that..." Miroku sat up in the bask seat and rubbed his head groggily.

Kagome giggled. Gods how she had missed this! They had been gone three weeks, during the course of which she had grown so bored she had scrubbed down her apartment and done almost sixty hours overtime at her job.

"Ahem. Speaking of third wheels, what's up with that boyfriend of yours...the other assistant Veterinarian?"

Kagome blushed and began skimming through the pictures Sango had taken.

"Well, he's fine...I mean he's been on leave since his mother died a week ago, and I haven't seen him since then."

"Has he called?" Sango asked, somewhat worriedly. Kagome nodded sadly.

"Yeah...but only twice...must be hard on him though. His mother was pretty much the only woman he ever loved."

Sango patted her on the shoulder soothingly.

"Well, he'll pull through. What's he like anyway? You know how I hate trying to comfort you about people I've never met!"

Kagome laughed, her gloomy disposition lifting slightly.

"Tall, dark, and handsome?" Miroku asked helpfully.

Kagome rolled her eyes and pushed him backwards against his seat as they all buckled up and Sango started the engine.

"I wish."

"Ok. Short, light, and ugly?" Sango asked with a laugh as she turned out of the coffee house parking lot. Kagome leaned back in her seat and laughed pleasantly.

"Well...he is tall...er. Then me at least...but he is definitely light...somewhat handsome, I guess, but his personality's kinda on layaway."

Miroku burst into laughter at her last comment.

"Layaway? Kagome, a guy is like a bag of M&M's...you can't put them on layaway!"

"What, and do they have a crunchy outer shell?" Sango asked as she looked at her boyfriend in her rearview mirror. Kagome and Miroku looked at each other simultaneously.

"Well, is there anything...unique about him?"

Kagome looked thoughtful.

"Does being as dumb as a bunch of rocks count?"

Sango was the one to burst into laughter this time, Miroku looking sourly at them both.

"I resent that sexist comment!" he mumbled grouchily.

"It could!" Sango said, one of her hands slapping the steering wheel.

"No, but seriously now. Anything at all?"

Kagome sighed.

"He has an unreasonable hatred of cats and eats an unbelievable amount of Ramen. But he's a good guy overall."

Miroku looked doubtful.

"Have you slept with him?"

Sango slammed on the breaks at his words, causing Miroku to rocket over the edge of the seat and land in a heap around their feet. Both women gave him nasty glares and he moaned, humbly crawling into the back of the car again and putting his seatbelt on.

A car beeped obnoxiously behind them and Sango glared at them, waving her fist angrily as she sped though a green light and onto a narrow street. Kagome remained silent after that, and still peeved at Miroku, Sango chose not to speak as well. A few minutes later, they reached the house and they all climbed out of the car and into the apartment.

They all lived together. Well, Sango with Miroku in one apartment with her right next door. So whenever anything happened to anyone, somebody was right there. It had been like this ever since someone had tried to break into her apartment. Sango and Miroku were always so protective of her. They thought her so precious, like a black pearl or white elephant. Perhaps she was...she was so small and petite...and didn't exactly have a very good judgment of others. Her last boyfriend Muso for example, had turned out to be a stalker, and the one before that, Bankotsu, a convict from a federal prison in the America's! Honestly...she was to trusting and she knew it. But her heart was in the right place. And she was reminded everyday by that when she opened her apartment door and had to fight off three dogs and twenty pound cat that 'thought' it was a dog.

"You need any help Kagome-chan?" Sango asked with concern as one of her larger dogs, a stray she had found in the streets in Tokyo, jumped on her and almost knocked her to the ground. Kagome laughed and hugged the animal, pushing it gently down as the other two dogs (and cat) vied for her attention. All in their own way, mind you.

For example. Buyo wrapped himself around your legs until you tripped over him or were forced to lean down and touch him. Nikkou, her only female dog, quietly nosed her way over your pockets and legs to see where she had been. Oni, another stray she had found in Tokyo, barked loudly until you put down everything and snuggled him. And Daisan, her third dog, a Shiba Inu from a shelter here in Kyoto, jumping almost on top of you, and licking the skin clean off of your face. With the exception of Daisan, the other dogs were Kishu Inu's. None were puppies, but the youngest one was Oni who was three. Nikkou was five, and Daisan was six. They had arrived in that order, with Nikkou first and Daisan last, thus his name, daisan meaning third.

"I'll be over in an hour Sango! I need to play, feed, and walk these guys first...except Buyo. He just gets to sit on his fat duff and eat out of a can of wet cat food."

The said cat meowed expectantly and Sango's laughter was heard even as Kagome closed the door to her apartment with a soft click.