The coffee shop was a little busier than normal. People bustling in and out with more frequency, all but a small spattering of tables used, and a constant stream of orders being called at the counter. Kagome was grateful to have found her table right next to a conveniently placed outlet, a must-have for her older-than-dirt-yet-incredibly-trustworthy laptop. The thing weighed the same as a medium-sized dog and overheated at the first sign of struggle, but it was the only way she ever got her papers finished.
Which, if she were honest, probably had to do with its inability to run more than two programs at a time — three if they were small — so she wasn't afforded the pleasure of wasting exorbitant amounts of time browsing the internet.
Looking down at her notes, the books scattered over the table, and the blank Word document on her screen, Kagome wondered what ever possessed her to think grad school would be a good idea.
Taking a sip from her tea, iced and infused with peach with just the right amount of lemon and utterly divine, she cracked her knuckles and pulled out her outline. Handwritten with notes from her advisor, it was the only way she was going to get through this paper and still be breathing at the end of it and she would do it, dammit. She had a meeting the next afternoon at 1:45 to discuss the progress of her research so far and if she had the outline typed and formatted, it would turn the entirety of her messy notes into something actually worth writing.
Something tugged at her sleeve and she jerked, turning in surprise to see the top of a little brown head standing next to her.
Oh, the girl was absolutely adorable. Big brown eyes and a little blow clipped in her hair to keep her bangs out of her eyes, Kagome bit her lip to keep from cooing out loud. Whoever she belonged to definitely had their hands full because she knew the moment the girl turned pleading eyes on her, she'd be a goner.
And it seemed she was doing that just now.
"Can I help you?" she asked kindly, opening her posture to welcome the small interruption.
The little girl didn't say anything, simply tugged on her sleeve once more.
"Did you lose your parents?" Kagome spared a quick glance around the coffee shop. It didn't seem like there was a mother looking for a child anywhere. "We should probably find your mama—"
"Rin."
Kagome froze at the deep, baritone voice that spoke over her shoulder. Turning, she looked up — and up — until she found the source of such a present tone. Tall, so incredibly tall, with long silver hair that fell in a sheet down his back, the man was absolutely stunning. Beautiful. High cheekbones, a sharp jawline, and a perfect nose set above the most kissable lips she'd seen in a long time.
"Rin, are you bothering this young woman?" the voice came again.
The little girl, still silent, shook her head and tugged on Kagome's sleeve again.
The mystery man apparently knew what that meant because he cast his gaze around the shop before letting it settle on Kagome.
She was glad she was sitting because she was not prepared for the full weight of that stare.
"I apologize for the interruption, but would you mind if we sat with you?" There was something soft about his voice even while it remained unwavering.
And all at one, Kagome realized what he was asking. "No, I don't mind at all!" In a frantic move, she grabbed her mess of books, papers, folders, and pens and shoved them all in a pile in front of her ancient laptop before offering them two of the remaining chairs. "Please, help yourself."
The man pulled out a chair for the little girl — Rin — and helped her get settled before taking his own seat.
Kagome tried desperately to look anywhere but his beautiful face.
She failed. He was so pretty. Sleek and perfect and completely mesmerizing and all of it enhanced by the obvious care he held for the little girl. Her stomach quivered and her heart stuttered and she wondered just who the lucky woman was to have this man and how on earth Kagome could somehow become her.
Probably in another life, she'd have a chance.
Looking back at the contained mess in front of her, she focused on her current problem which held absolutely none of the draw the two guests at her table did. Surely she could push the paper off a few minutes? It would be rude to continue working while they were there, especially considering how much she would be rifling through papers. Her research was as organized as her closet and considering she couldn't remember the last time she hung up clothes after pulling them out of the dryer, that was saying something.
Blowing out a sigh, Kagome resigned herself to the impromptu break. Leaning back in her chair, reaching for her tea, it would only make sense to—
"Are we keeping you from working?"
"Of course not!" She attempted a smile, but it died under the unconvinced expression on the man's face. Oh man, did he do unconvinced well and she ceded immediately. "Okay, kinda, but it's honestly okay."
He raised one perfect, elegant eyebrow and Kagome folded like a cheap deck of cards at the slightest hint of a breeze.
"Honest. It's okay. Yeah, I have work to do, but I've been looking for a distraction for the last fifteen minutes and at least this time, the distraction is actually tangible instead of me making excuses for my severe lack of motivation."
His gaze flicked down to the pile of unimagined mess in front of her and she watched as his already closed expression closed even further.
Of course. The most beautiful man in the world sits at her table with his daughter and the impression Kagome makes is that of a cluttered, unorganized mess.
Which she was, but he didn't need to know that yet!
She dropped her head onto said stack of papers and groaned. "I'm so screwed."
A giggle reached her ears first, pulling her gaze back up to see the smiling face of the little girl and Kagome found her worries washing away under the innocent gaze.
"Are you in school?" the little girl asked in a quiet, melodic voice that oozed cheer.
"I am."
"I'm in school! Though we don't do anything like that. Is it fun?"
She fought her wince, wondering what level of hell she was going to visit for lying to a child. "It is."
Rin's eyes narrowed on the work lying on the table. "It doesn't look fun."
Busted. "It's…necessary," Kagome conceded. "Some parts aren't fun, but the end result is worth it."
Her eyebrows furrowed, trying to pick out more lies. "Papa says that about chores and they're not worth it."
"Rin," came the steady voice that would star in Kagome's new dreams.
The girl's demeanor changed instantly, softening further. "Sorry, Papa."
Kagome looked back and forth between father and daughter, still trying to piece them together. The girl must have taken after her mother — she didn't look a thing like the man sitting at her table.
"Papa, can I go to the restroom?"
The man's eyes looked down the coffee shop, finally alighting on the lone restroom just beyond Kagome's shoulder.
"Do you want help?" he asked.
"No."
"Knock first and make sure you can see me until you get in the door."
The girl carefully slid out of her chair and Kagome turned to watch her. She was seriously cute, always looking back to make sure she could see her Papa. She knocked once, and then twice, then pulled open the door. As soon as it shut, Kagome turned back to the father still watching the bathroom door.
"She's seriously adorable."
He nodded. "Thank you."
"Kagome," she offered suddenly, not able to keep her voice quiet. No way could she leave here without at least attempting to know more about this man.
His eyes flicked at hers almost too quick, but still packing quite a punch.
"Sesshoumaru."
With a deep breath, she weighed her options. She really had nothing to lose and everything to gain and the stress of her project had her opening her mouth before she even figured out what she was going to say. "Do you guys come here often?"
He turned, those golden eyes pulling away from the door his daughter was behind to look directly at her. Her breath caught in her throat at the intensity, only to release when the faintest smile touched his lips. "Do you?" he asked, his tone leading.
"Often enough," Kagome breathed. "It's the perfect place to study."
"Then yes," he said, interest flashing in his eyes, "it seems we do."
Right after this, a barista brings over Sesshoumaru's order and Kagome finally notices that he has a prosthetic arm - hence why he didn't wait at the counter to grab the drinks and pastries himself.
They don't swap numbers, but Kagome continues showing up at the coffee shop at the same time every day and Sesshoumaru finally returns three days later, Rin in tow. It becomes a weekly thing, meeting at the shop while Kagome is working and Sesshoumaru is taking Rin out for a treat and the continue doing so. Over the course of her semester, she gets to know about Rin and how her parents died in a car accident, how the same car accident cost Sesshoumaru his arm, how he decided to adopt the girl and become her guardian, and (slowly, with a little hesitation) Sesshoumaru's journey of gaining his prosthetic. Kagome is meeting them about five-six years after the accident.
When Kagome's semester is over and she can manage to take a break from working on her thesis, Sesshoumaru swoops in for the kill and shows up at their coffee date without Rin.
I'll let your mind wander on where that goes from there. ;)
Let me know what you think!