A/N: Okay so don't kill me, but this is really just a filler chapter. Finals have come up, and I've been studying non-stop, so that is taking up most of my time. I added this section because wanted to get something out there for all of you to hold you over until after the end of the semester.

With that being said I have most of this story's plot and critical points outlined. I also have a majority of the next chapter already written on paper; I just need to transfer it over. Once school is finished, I am going to take some time to go back and re-edit all of the previous chapters. I don't have a beta, so I try and catch as much of my mistakes if possible, but I can see that there still needs to be some work re-done. Depending on how busy I get with the holidays, and the editing takes me, the next update might not be until after Christmas. I just want to make everything perfect for you guys. (Please don't kill me!)

Also, I want to take the time to thank all of you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I may not answer them all, but I do read every comment and get e-mails related to all the following/favorites. Again, thank you all so much!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to the lovely Rumiko Takahashi.

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Say I Do
Chapter Four
The Morning After


Kagome awoke to plush sheets and the soft glow of the morning sun trickling into the room through the crack between the shades. Slowly – reluctantly - she shed the last remnants of her dream, crawling to mental awareness. Her body was languid, and she was more than content with keeping her eyes closed, basking in the warmth of her covers. She couldn't remember the last time that she felt this relaxed – this peaceful. Everything in the room was still, and she would be damned if she was not going to take the time to laze in this serene moment.

Unfortunately for her, it didn't last very long.

The calm came to an abrupt end when the bedroom door was tossed open in haste, revealing an incredibly chipper looking Souten. "Good Morning Kagome!" The olive-skinned woman exclaimed, making her way into the room.

Instead of verbalizing a coherent reply, Kagome released a gurgled wail – a mix between a hiss and a groan – trying to burrow deeper into the safe-haven of her blankets.

"Now don't be like that," Souten 'tsked,' coming into the room so that she could toss open the curtains, illuminating the area in a very irksome bright light.

Kagome, once again, chose not to respond. Instead, she tossed the covers up and over her head, trying to block out the sunlight. Curling her knees towards her chest, Kagome tucked the blankets closer to her balled-up form, continuing to overlook the other occupant of the room discreetly.

If she didn't acknowledge her, Souten would leave the room…right?

Her ears picked up the telltale shuffle of feet across the carpet causing her to stiffen. Kagome strained her hearing to figure out where exactly in the room the crimson-eyed woman was wandering to. Despite her effort, Kagome couldn't seem to place her.

Before she even realized, there was an unanticipated, swift yank on her cocoon of sheets. The ebony-haired woman released a muffled cry of outraged protest, but Kagome's weak attempts in keeping her position engulfed within her covers seemed futile in comparison to Souten's desire to get her out of bed. The battle was quickly lost when Souten successfully jerked the blankets free and divulged Kagome of her hiding spot.

Sticking to her original plan of blatantly ignoring the other woman in the room, Kagome grumbled about the 'unfairness of it all,' rubbing the heels of her palms over her eyes.

"Don't sulk. It's not becoming," Souten chided.

"I can't believe that I now live in a house with one of those," Kagome muttered darkly.

"One of those?" Souten questioned from her perch by the bed, curiosity and amusement lacing her tone. One slender brow arched in question as she waited for Kagome to wake up enough to answer.

"A morning person," Kagome hissed lowly, blue eyes slanting towards Souten, pinning her with a half-hearted glare.

Souten chuckled at her anger and politely chose to disregard it, not even phased by the shorter woman's scowl. She dropped the blankets into a crumpled heap at the end of the bed before she turned and ventured across the room, heading towards the closet.

"It's relatively warm today," She called out as she slipped into the depths of the sub-room. "It is still humid and sticky from the rain yesterday, but the sun is out." The sounds of hangers shifting accompanied with the rustling of clothes echoed from the closet while she continued to prattle on about the weather.

Kagome shifted on her bed, turning over so that she was laying on her left side facing the wall with the bathroom and closet doors. She took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it slowly. Her mind was beginning to come to the bitter conclusion that she would not be going back to sleep anytime soon. She also realized that any plans to do so would be easily thwarted. Rolling onto her back, the petite woman propped herself up on her elbows, half sitting up. Blue eyes shifted towards the closet which had now become eerily silent.

"What are you doing in there?" Kagome queried, slipping from the mattress.

Her toes curled on the carpet before happily wiggling as she stretched her arms over her head. A tongue curling yawn passing her lips while she that position for a few seconds longer. Kagome dropped her hands to her side, keeping her eyes glued to the open closet door. After several moments of not receiving a response, she shrugged and turned back towards the bed, fretting around the mattress as she put the sheets back in their proper place.

Souten must have come into the main room when her back was turned – how she approached so silently; Kagome didn't know – because her soft voice answered the earlier question from directly behind her.

"Picking out your outfit of course," Souten responded in a very matter-of-fact tone. Upon watching her employer try and – horrendously fail – at putting the sheets, duvet, and comforter back into their former glory, she asked, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Making the bed," Kagome immediately responded, choosing to overlook the small hint of disparage in Souten's tone.

She liked to think of herself as a neat and tidy person, though she never really had a knack for proper housekeeping. That wasn't going to dispel her from continuing to make the bed, however.

In hopes to change the subject, Kagome added, "You don't have to pick out my clothes, you know."

Patting the comforter lightly when everything was made to her liking, Kagome turned towards the other woman. Souten was holding a formal, black sheath dress in one hand and a white cotton cardigan in the other.

"I know I don't," Souten started, not bothering to even look at Kagome, her eyes taking in the clothing held out in front of her. "But that is not going to stop me. It's my job to make things easier for you, after all."

Souten suddenly frowned, sun-kissed lips drawn down in taunt, tight line. A skeptical light entered those red hues, and before Kagome could question her on what was bothering her, the other woman turned on her heel, backtracking across the room and disappearing once again into the closet. Kagome cast the spot Souten was previously standing in a deadpan look. Shoulders slumping, she dejectedly huffed while making her way towards the bathroom.

"It's not your job to dress me up like a doll," Kagome called out in rebuff.

Flipping on the lights, she almost flinched at the quick and blinding illumination of the room. Venturing towards the vanity, Kagome released a small shudder, bare feet now padding against the cold ceramic tile of the bathroom floor. Turning on the sink, she waited until the water reached a warm temperature before she cupped both hands underneath the faucet, bringing them up towards her face so that she could begin to wash away the last fragments of sleep.

Souten came into view once more, still holding the same dress, but she traded the cardigan for a hunter green blazer. She hung both articles of clothing on the towel hook that was built into the back of the bathroom door, tucking the blazer over the dress as she did so. Taking a step back, Souten surveyed the outfit with those scrutinizing eyes once more. Bringing a hand up to her chin, a slender index finger tapping idly as Souten mulled over whatever it was that she was thinking about so hard.

"I'm thinking black pumps," Souten murmured out loud after a pause, head tilting slightly to the left as her eyes narrowed a fraction. "You could pull off flats, but I feel like they wouldn't look right."

Kagome turned off the sink, patting her face dry with a small towel that was residing on the counter. Tossing away the used cloth, cobalt hues flicked towards Souten. The serious tone that she used during her in-depth fashion analysis caused Kagome to roll her eyes towards the ceiling.

"You would think with the way you are planning out this outfit that I would be attending a red-carpet event."

Souten shrugged her shoulders in response, bringing her both of her hands to rest on her hips, gaze never leaving the clothing hanging on the back of the door.

"If it's one thing my mother always taught me, it's 'dress to impress.'"

Kagome released an un-ladylike snort. "Souten I'm serious, you really don't have to do this. I'm a big girl. I think I'm more than capable of dressing myself."

The earnest tone Kagome used caused Souten to hesitate, the hands on her hips dropping down to hang limply at her side. Souten stared blankly at Kagome for a moment; blinking once, twice, before a broad, warm smile curled at her lips.

"I wouldn't do anything that I wouldn't want to Kagome," She offered softly.

Crossing the threshold into the bathroom, Souten reached out and grabbed one of Kagome's hands in her own, giving it a small reassuring squeeze. "It's been a while since I've been able to do what I'm paid to do. There's only so much of this house that I can actually clean daily, and Lord Sesshomaru is a very reserved man. He doesn't make all that big of a mess."

Souten paused, pursing her lips in thought for a moment, before adding, "Plus, I don't think he would let me pick out his clothes."

Kagome unwillingly released a small giggle at the thought of Sesshomaru being exposed to this vivacious woman so early in the morning. She may not know him well enough, but from what she could tell, Souten crossing Sesshomaru's path this early in the morning would probably not turn out well.

It seemed that Souten was thinking the same thing because her smile grew to the point where it creased the corner of her eyes. "It's nice to have another woman to dote on and talk to. You said it yourself that you want us to be friends. Think of this as a way for us to get to know each other."

She leaned in, bumping her shoulder with Kagome's in an encouraging nudge, much like her husband had done the day prior. Getting Kagome to look her directly in the eye, Souten broke into what Kagome could only assume – was her best begging 'puppy-eyed' face.

"Please let me do this," the older woman pleaded.

Kagome instantly knew that this was another battle with Souten that she was not going to win. Accepting her defeat with as much dignity that she could muster, Kagome jabbed Souten's shoulder with her own, a small smile playing upon her lips.

"Alright, I give. Stop looking at me like that, you look ridiculous."

Souten grinned broadly at her victory, smugly giving Kagome a quick 'thank you' before she turned and began dragging the smaller woman out of the bathroom.

"Now with that settled, you need to get into the kitchen to grab something to eat. My instincts – which are never wrong, I might add – tell me that you're going to have a long day ahead of you."

The way she said it made wheels in Kagome's head turn. Souten was aware that something was going to happen today, something that involved herself. Cerulean orbs narrowed at the taller woman's back, though, instead of trying to wrangle information out of her, Kagome chose not to question anything. If it related to her, she would find out soon enough.

"Now don't come back in here until you've had something to eat," Souten commanded in her best bureaucratic tone, practically shoving Kagome out of her bedroom door.

"Yes mother," Kagome drawled sarcastically, earning a bark of laughter. "If you're going to pick out shoes for me, save myself and everyone else the embarrassment by keeping the heel size under three inches. I'm a notorious klutz."

Kagome didn't have to look over her shoulder as she walked out of the room, she could feel Souten's Cheshire grin boring into her back.

"No promises!" Souten called out, slamming the door closed behind her.

-o-

The kitchen was easily the most significant room in the house.

It was also the most open.

The ceramic tile that made up the floor was a light cream color which complimented the polished oak hardwood of the cabinets. To the immediate right of the entrance was a door that lead into the walk-in pantry, a few hanging cabinets were mounted on the wall to the left of the door. The wall opposite the entrance was mostly covered in glass. Two large windowpanes took up the majority of the expanse of the wall, nestled between them was a pair of elegant sliding glass doors.

Offset and to the left of the doors was a long, extravagant looking glass-top dining table which looked like it was barely used. In the middle of the room was a long, white granite-top island. It was concave in shape, angled so that it separated the left corner of the kitchen from the rest of the room, creating a semi-enclosed space. Nestled in that little nook was an exceptionally grand, built-in stainless-steel refrigerator and its matching appliance counterparts. There was countertop space built along the left corner of the room, stemming from the fridge and running along the curve of the wall. Along the bottom of the marble top were built-in cabinets, made up of the same wood as the additional ones which hung above.

The light that filtered through the windows cast an intimately pleasant aura, in an almost picturesque type of way. It was like the entire layout was picked out of a home décor magazine. Kagome was sure that when her mother came to visit, the older woman would immediately be struck with kitchen envy.

Upon her arrival, Kagome was greeted with the sight of Shippo pouring what looked like miso soup into two small bowls which were laid out in front of matching table settings on the island.

"It smells delicious in here," Kagome hummed, catching the redhead's attention.

"Good morning Kagome!" Shippo chirped happily in greeting.

"Oh no," Kagome blanched in mock-horror. "You're one of those just like your wife!"

Her groaned accusation caused Shippo to pause, looking at her questioningly with both brows raised.

"One of what?" He questioned, apparently confused.

"A morning person," Kagome groused for the second time in the last half an hour.

There was a pregnant pause as Shippo just stared at her, mirroring the same expression his wife had worn just before. He blinked at her once before he tossed his head back and released a chest rattling laugh.

'It's scary how similar their reactions are,' Kagome joked internally.

Turning from her, Shippo continued to chuckle, moving towards the counter behind him. Opening the cabinet above his head, he plucked a sizeable ceramic mug from the array of glassware before shifting to one of the intricate looking appliances on the countertop. Kagome caught the distinct sound of liquid flowing before Shippo turned back to her and made his way out from behind the island, glass in hand.

He crossed the room, holding a steaming cup of something and instinctively, Kagome's eyes lit up as the bitter aroma of coffee infiltrated her olfactory system. He stopped just out of arm's length, holding out the glass, jade orbs dancing with amusement. Kagome had no time to indulge in tricks he was going to try and play and crossed the unnecessary distance between them, snatching the mug from his grasp.

She quickly brought the cup to her lips and greedily took the first few sips of the caffeinated liquid, eyes closing in utter bliss.

"Easy there tiger. There's plenty more where that came from."

Much like she had done with his wife, Kagome chose to ignore Shippo's teasing, continuing to sip on the coffee while making her way towards one of the stools near the island. Sitting down, she pulled her right foot up on the seat, tucking her knee close to her chest. Cradling her mug in both hands, she balanced it on top of her knee, azure hues watching Shippo as he resumed his position in front of the stove.

It was silent for a few minutes, Shippo turning on the rice cooker before he cracked two eggs into the pan residing over the open flame. The bubbling sizzle resounded throughout the room.

"Do you need help with anything?" She questioned after half of her coffee had been depleted, finally starting to feel awake enough to assist if needed.

He seemed startled by her question, turning to look at her over his shoulder with wide emerald eyes. The 'deer-in-the-headlights' look didn't last long, Shippo quickly collected himself and shook his head as he grinned at her. He turned back towards the cooking food before he responded.

"No, thank you. You just sit tight and wake up a little more. Something tells me I shouldn't trust you anywhere near hot objects this early in the morning."

Kagome bit down the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him, settling instead to give him a small 'hrmph' while turning up her nose. "I'm going to pretend not to be insulted by that."

Shippo laughed at her sulking, muttering something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like 'definitely not conventional.'

A flash of orange caught the corner of her eye and Kagome turned towards it, pouting forgotten momentarily. Her gaze landed on a neatly stacked pile of paperwork and file folders that resided on right end of the countertop.

It was her paperwork.

A frown furrowed between her brows, confusion evident as her mind come up with an answer as to why her work files were in the kitchen.

'That's right!' She exclaimed internally. 'I was reviewing files out on the patio last night.'

Her realization didn't clear up her confusion, however. It didn't take long for another question to form in her mind.

'How did I end up in my bed last night?'

The logical side of her brain declared that the answer to her question was quite evident. Unless she had somehow developed a highly advanced case of sleepwalking within the last few days, someone had to have carried her to her room.

The better question was: who?

Again, the rational side of her brain screamed that there was a clear answer to that question, though Kagome refused to even broach the possibility. No one besides Sesshomaru and herself was in the house last night, but he wouldn't have carried her off to her room. It was her fault for falling asleep outside, and Kagome wouldn't be surprised if he would tell her so to her face. This man – who was a stranger – would not submit himself to the lowly task of looking after her.

There was just no way.

Then again, she really didn't know him, did she? Most of the information she had on Sesshomaru was from secondhand sources. Who was she to say that he wouldn't do something like that for her? He had, after all, given her a newly renovated room.

"…Shippo?" Kagome ventured in a hesitant tone.

"Yes?" He replied, not looking up from the stove.

"Did you or Souten come back here last night? For any reason?" Kagome asked though she was well aware of the what the answer would be.

Even if the staff came back last night, there was no realistic possible outcome as to how it could have occurred. Myouga would not be able to carry her anywhere and, though she was relatively small, Kagome doubted Souten would be able to even lift her. The only one who she knew could complete that task without any real effort would be Shippo. Despite spending most of the day yesterday getting to know him, Kagome seriously doubted Shippo would be comfortable enough to carry her to her room. He would have politely woken her up.

"No, we didn't…" Shippo responded, voice trailing off as he turned his head so that he could look at her. Green eyes surveyed her face for a short moment before he asked, "Why? Did something happen?"

"No, no," She hastily replied, quelling any fears that she might have caused with her inquiry. "Nothing happened. I was just wondering, that's all."

Shippo stared at her for a moment longer, jade orbs narrowing minutely. For a moment, he looked like he didn't quite believe her and was going to call her out on it, but he must have thought better of it. He resigned with a small nod before turned back towards the stove.

Her right hand released its hold on the coffee cup, coming to grasp the ring that was suspended on the delicate silver chain around her neck. With all the packing and unpacking, Kagome chose to wear her wedding ring on a necklace so that she wouldn't lose it. Slowly, she traced the engraved stones on the band while her mind shuffled through the barrage of different questions racing through her head.

'It could be his way of thanking you for the food,' she thought.

Quickly, Kagome swept her gaze down to the other end of the island, looking for any evidence of Sesshomaru even eating the food that she left out last night. Of course, there wasn't any, the dish and her note were long gone. As nonchalantly as she could, Kagome looked towards the sink, trying to distinguish if any dirty dishes vaguely seemed familiar to her. It was to no avail. Due to her angle and distance, she couldn't see over the lip of the countertop.

Absentmindedly, she continued to fiddle with her wedding band, twirling it between her thumb and pointer finger.

Much like on her wedding day, Kagome found herself plagued with thoughts of her new husband.

And much like on her wedding day, Kagome was trying to figure out the mystery that was Sesshomaru.

-o-

Sesshomaru found her like that a few minutes later.

As he entered the kitchen, golden eyes immediately took in the sight of her. She looked dazed, staring off at the opposite wall, but not really seeing. Briefly, he wondered if something had upset her; if someone had said something to cause her to be in such a state. Sesshomaru flicked his gaze over towards Shippo – who was contently absorbed in cooking breakfast – and brushed that thought aside as quickly as it had come.

There was no way the young man would continue to carry out his tasks if he knew that he had caused one of the guests in his house any distress.

Then again, Kagome wasn't a guest.

Either way, Shippo was attentive, personally enveloped with those around him. It was one of the reasons why Sesshomaru hired him in the first place. Sesshomaru also knew that if this woman was anything like how his father and half-brother described her to be, then her temper was not to be trifled with. He had only caught a small glimpse of it on the night of the Inuyasha incident, but he knew when she was enraged, she was extremely loud.

It was a stark contrast the melancholy behavior she was presenting now.

No, this wasn't anger or frustration.

Kagome looked lost, confused even.

The movement of her hand captured his attention, and Sesshomaru glanced down at her fidgeting fingers. The glint from the sapphire stone was easily recognizable, and his left hand twitched in response. The sight of her wedding ring suddenly made the golden band on his finger feel incredibly heavy. He wouldn't admit it out loud – especially to the likes of his father – but he knew interacting with her would be more manageable from this point on if he showed that he wasn't making an effort to resist their unique circumstance, hence him sporting his own wedding ring.

And suddenly, it clicked.

He understood the topic that seemed to have her so derailed.

It was him…her…them.

The conversation that he had with his father the day before came back to the forefront of his mind. Sesshomaru chose to overlook a lot of things over the course of the last few days, Kagome being one of them. He supposed that his ignorance was unsettling for her, being brought to this house without so much as a conversation between them. As much as he wanted to place the blame equally on both of them – she didn't necessarily reach out to him either – Sesshomaru had too much pride to allow himself to point the finger at anyone other than himself.

He knew his little stunt at the wedding gave her more questions than answers, but instead of allocating time for her even to inquire, he had all but disappeared the last few days. This entire situation – where they were now – was because he brought them here.

Maybe he avoided her because he would be uncomfortable with the questions that she would ask.

Maybe he avoided her because he was unsure of how he would even answer those questions; if he could even answer those questions.

Sesshomaru didn't want to treat her callously, though he knew better than to treat her like a close companion. They were on neutral ground and addressing her as a partner was what he should have done from the beginning. Kagome held her right to question why he had spontaneously intervened at the wedding, and he knowingly chose to take that right away from her.

Tawny hues glanced towards her face once more. There was an air of discomfiture around her that unsettled Sesshomaru, paired with this unusual look of perplexity in those blue-gray eyes of hers. There was always something about her that he couldn't place. She was an unknown, and he wanted to grasp her, to understand what it was that made her tick.

This woman was going to play such a panicle role in his life and career, but he knew nothing about her.

Instead of entirely venturing into the room, Sesshomaru chose to remain in the archway, not making his presence known as he apprised her with creased eyes.

She continued to twiddle her ring, dark brows drawn down in concentration. Before long she stopped, tilting her chin downwards so she could gaze at the band clutched between her fingers. Kagome situated herself correctly on the stool then, placing her coffee mug on the countertop before she brought her hands to the nape of her neck. She played with the clasp of the necklace for a brief moment, the chain parting with little effort. Carefully she unwrapped the circlet from the silver strand, holding it out in front of her.

Kagome scrutinized the ring for a short minute, azure eyes taking in every intrigue and infinitesimal detail. Whatever thoughts she had which caused her to act meekly seemed to have disappeared instantly. The longer she peered at the ring, the more her face set into hard lines of determination. Placing the silver necklace on the counter, Kagome continuing to eye the ring as if it was the answer to all of her un-vocalized questions.

It was another moment before she slid the band on the appropriate finger of her left hand. Something twisted in Sesshomaru's gut at the sight of her. She held out her hand, gazing at the sapphire stone nestled on her finger with – dare he say – approval in her eyes.

Before Sesshomaru could contemplate anything further, the shrill voice of his head attendant broke the silence of the room.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Myouga called, making his entrance into the kitchen from the patio. "Good morning!"

Both Shippo and Kagome snapped their heads in his direction. Shippo quickly followed in his elder's footsteps and gave Sesshomaru a lively greeting while Kagome just stared at him, wide-eyed.

Sesshomaru chose not to bask in her shocked expression, greeting both of his employees with curt nods as he finally crossed into the kitchen. He traversed the room swiftly, long strides carrying him towards the island. He tried to politely ignore the way her wide-eyed gaze trailed his movements as he smoothly and quickly occupied the chair to her right.

He half-turned to her then, offering her the same brisk nod that he had given Myouga and Shippo.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru greeted.

The ebony haired woman seemed caught off guard by his acknowledgment, her mouth opening and closing sporadically like a fish out of water. It took her a moment to gather her wits before she recognized him in return.

"S-Sesshomaru," She squeaked, bobbing her head.

"I take it you slept well, sir?" Shippo interjected, depositing two large plates in front of both occupants of the countertop. It seemed Shippo chose to keep things simple for the new lady of the house. Each of them received a bowl of homemade miso soup along with a dish filled with steamed rice mixed with natto, topped with a fried egg.

Sesshomaru liked to believe that it was because she was starving, instead of her wanting to focus on anything other than him, but as soon as the food was placed in front of her, Kagome dug right in. She clasped her hands together and shyly offered a soft 'itadakimasu,' trying her best – and failing – to not look in his direction. Sesshomaru followed suit, offering his own thanks for the meal before taking the first few bites of his breakfast.

He swallowed, saffron eyes taking in both Myouga and Shippo as they chatted amongst themselves, moving about the kitchen to clean up the pots and pans the younger male used to make the meal.

"I did sleep well, thank you." Sesshomaru stated after a moment's pause. "It was relatively quiet here last night. It allowed me to get a lot of things done before going to bed."

His implication was not lost to either of his employees, nor the woman sitting next to him. Both men stiffened, turning their heads to give Sesshomaru matching sheepish expressions. He could feel Kagome's gaze upon him, but he continued to stare down his employees, waiting for an explanation. Shippo awkwardly scratched the back of his head, nervously chuckling.

"About that…" Shippo started.

"Milord, you see it-" Myouga grasped for an excuse.

Whatever they were going to say was lost to Kagome's resolute declaration.

"It's my fault," she aforementioned, all traces of her seemingly reserved demeanor long gone. For a fraction of a second, Kagome seemed almost shocked at her own words, but she quickly collected herself.

Politely, she placed her chopsticks down, determinedly straightening her spine as she turned her head towards him. The strongminded gleam in her eye didn't go unnoticed by any of the males in the room, his employees graciously keeping their mouths shut, watching the scene play out. Sesshomaru graced her with an inquisitive arch of his brow.

The longer she was under the speculating scrutiny, the more her robust deposition seemed to crumble. She squirmed slightly under his glower, but instead of cowering back, cobalt eyes locked with his own and her steadfastness strengthened as she took a breath.

"I wasn't trying to be presumptuous, so I'm sorry if I came off that way, but I sent them home. They helped out a lot in the afternoon, moving everything from the car to my room and such," She explained rapidly. "And um, well…It just seemed silly, you know?"

She was crumbling, and she knew it.

"To keep them here when they worked so hard and I figured giving them the night off would be okay. You weren't home, and we didn't know when you were coming back and there was no point in them cooking just for me only to sit around and wait for you and wow I'm rambling…"

An embarrassed flush dusted across her cheeks as she finished her babbling, but despite how distressed she seemed to be, Kagome never looked away from Sesshomaru. Her embarrassment eased the small amount of tension in the room, Shippo chortled somewhat, turning back to the sink so that he could continue the task that he started.

Myouga, who was gracing Kagome with an extremely grateful look, offered, "Miss Kagome thought things would be easier for the both of you if you both were alone when you arrived home, Milord."

The woman in question sent the older gentleman a small pointed look of betrayal as if that was the last thing that she wanted Sesshomaru to know. Myouga chose to ignore the glower, offering his employer a small bow. "I apologize for not being here when you arrived home last night Lord Sesshomaru, but your wife is very convincing when she wants to be."

Sesshomaru shifted his gaze between the two, Myouga seemingly feeding off Kagome's previous strengthened resolve, while Kagome was now nervously gnawing on her bottom lip. She looked away from him then, eyes shifting to every other corner of the room.

He didn't understand what she was nervous about; it wasn't like he was the type to yell or scream when something went wrong. He wasn't going to berate her for her choice of action, but he did want an answer to what had occurred. It didn't help that he held a reputation for being vindictively cold towards most people, but Sesshomaru liked to believe that he had a better hold on his attitude within his home. Especially towards his staff. He held the utmost respect for him, and he returned that regard tenfold.

It didn't help that his bastard of a half-brother was one of her best friends. Sesshomaru could only imagine the things that Inuyasha had said about him over the years, but he wouldn't do anything without reason. Technically, as his wife, she had every right to dismiss the staff if she felt like it. Now that he knew the reason why no one was here last night, he deemed it an acceptable excuse.

In the back of his mind – the very dark corner that he liked to discount on most occasion – Sesshomaru took a small amount of satisfaction in the thought that this woman thought ahead to take into account his own comfort when it came to their first meeting.

"Hn." He hummed, dismissing the situation entirely as he turned back to his meal.

The kitchen fell into comfortable silence then, or at least a comfortable silence for the three men who were used to the inner workings of this household. The only noise was the running water, and occasional clatter of the cookware as Shippo and Myouga washed, dried, and placed them back into their respective cabinets. Kagome idly picked at the remainder of her meal, passing glances towards Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eye.

He chose not to acknowledge her outwardly. If she was looking for something to say, she should just say it. Until then, he focused on with his breakfast, mulling about the different things he needed to get done at work. When he was finished, she was still peeking at him but remained tight-lipped.

Sesshomaru pushed the empty bowl and plate away from him before standing. He didn't move right away, looking down at the woman sitting next to him. Kagome, who was still trying her best to continue to watch him out of the corner of her eye, immediately turned towards him. Sensing that that he needed to tell her something, she looked up at him from under dark lashes, fingers nervously twitching around her chopsticks.

"Father thinks it would be best for you to come into the office from now on," He stated with an authoritative tone. "With the merger being finalized it would be optimal for you to start getting yourself acclimated to how things will be run. With that being said, you will accompany me to the office today."

He watched her take in his words, processing them slowly. That fire was back in her eyes again, excited sparks of elation flicking within her orbs. It took Sesshomaru a moment to realize that she was still fidgeting under his gaze, but this time it seemed to be with enthusiasm. The thought of going to work had brought her joy, like a kid who couldn't sleep the night before Christmas. It was highly amusing to watch.

"Okay," She confirmed with a bob of her head.

Suppressing the small smirk that threatened to curl on his lips, Sesshomaru carried on. "I also noticed that there isn't another car in the driveway, do you not have one?"

Kagome didn't look uncomfortable or ashamed of his question. She shook her head in response, "No, I don't. There was never any need for one since I lived so close to campus and dad's office."

"It's of no consequence. You can ride with me to work." He didn't give her a chance to comment or rebuff what he had said, shifting his body away from the counter as he began striding towards the entryway.

He didn't make it very far before a hand reached out and wrapped around his forearm, halting his movements.

"W-wait!" Kagome stuttered out as she stopped his retreat. Sesshomaru cast her an inquiring look, inwardly attempting to silence the uncomfortable feeling rising within him as the cold metal of her wedding ring resonated against his bare skin.

"I wanted to thank you Sesshomaru," Kagome stated in a sincere tone. "Not just for the ride to the office, but for everything. Allowing me here, the room, and what you did at the wedding…for this." She emphasized her point by gesturing wildly around the kitchen with her free hand.

"I'm not sure why you did it, but you helped me. You really don't know how much this means to me… so thank you."

The earnestness in her voice took him back slightly, and he feared that if he remained under her gaze for long, he would end up being the one squirming uneasily. With a sharp nod, he gently disentangled himself from her grip and continued on his original path towards the entrance of the room. When he reached the archway, he paused to turn to look back at his onyx haired wife.

She had been trailing his exit with her eyes, instantly meeting his gaze with raised brows, looking surprised that he had stopped to turn back towards her. Cocking her head to the side, Kagome patiently waited for whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"For future reference," Sesshomaru's voice monotone voice drawled, "I prefer my curry spicier." He said nothing else after that, turning his back on the trio and exciting the room with the same long strides he used when he had entered.

The tension in the room snapped then; any notion of awkwardness from the previous interactions was suddenly erased. Both Shippo and Myouga paused in their cleaning to share a confused glance, slowly turning towards Kagome for an answer to what their boss was talking about.

Kagome's mouth hung open; brows drew down in a frown, her shock and confusion evident. Before long, the look of stupor morphed into one of startled delight, a massive grin breaking out on her face. The pair of bewildered looks that she was receiving turned even more perturbed as a bubble of gleeful laughter crawled its way up her throat, echoing throughout the room.

"Uh…Kagome?" Shippo asked hesitantly, watching her.

Kagome's ill contained mirth now caused her shoulders to shake. She may not know Sesshomaru well, but she easily recognized that comment being the closest thing she was ever going to get to a 'you're welcome'.

"Duly noted Sesshomaru," She murmured to herself in between snickers, turning back to her breakfast, offering no explanation to the other occupants in the room.

Sesshomaru only made it halfway through the living room when the string of bell-like giggles made their way to his ears.

The corner of his lips quirked up into a small smile at the sound.


Thank you, everyone, for reading!

last edited: 01/02/18
word count: 6,644

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