Chapter 6: Reacquainted

Of three things he was absolutely sure about.

First, the boy for some reason had taken to living with him over the course of the past few days, and he himself had found that he didn't quite mind the odd human's companionship. It was certainly more lively and entertaining around his humble home, never mind the fact that the boy knew how to navigate his kitchen and laundry rooms fairly easily. He even cooked Sesshomaru the evening meal when he wasn't required to attend his evening classes on Tuesday and Thursdays at the University.

Second, he was out of milk, steak, eggs and tuna ("Note to self, stop by the grocers and secure items on list for the boy after this ridiculously short lecture that any idiot in biophysics could give.").

And lastly, he was, for the first time in his entire educational career, late for his lecture (or rather his comrade's class in which he would give a short lecture in today whereas he'd usually sit in the office and maintain the mounds of paperwork the foolish human would try to hide under the desk so he wouldn't have to organize and file it himself).

However, as he blurred through the hallways and carefully made to stop in front of classroom 211, the youkai's brow bunched together at the note slapped onto the door:

NO CALSS TODAY! ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DUE NEXT

WEDNESDAY, PLUS YOU SHOULD HAND IN A ROUGH

DRAFT OF YOUR FINAL ESSAY! ANY QUESTIONS YOU

MAY HAVE SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARD MY PARA-

PROFESSIONAL, SESSHOMARU-SAN (YOU CAN REACH

HIM AT THIS NUMBER- but only on the weekdays- HERE!: 555-2485)

Multiple paper tabs had been made at the bottom of the paper, each tab having Sesshomaru's cell phone number written on it, or so he presumed since not one tab had been left and the note of "NO CALSS" was nearly torn in two.

"Ah! Sho-san!" came an annoyingly cheery voice from behind.

Sesshomaru's eye twitched. The only person who had had the audacity to call him that repulsive and rather insulting bastardization was the young human male that currently resided at his home uninvited. How Tomishi had heard Souta say that name the one time the boy had uttered it in public a few days ago (and then promptly told to NOT) was completely beyond him. And with how Tomishi butted into his business whenever he found an opportune moment... well, he really didn't want to know.

"If you wish to keep your tongue inside your mouth, I suggest keeping it between your teeth and never utter that cursed bastardization again, Tomishi," the youkai said dangerously.

Tomishi felt the shiver of annoyance crawl over his skin from the agitation Sesshomaru put off.

"You spelled 'class' wrong, by the way."

"Ah?" Tomishi blinked and followed the other's gaze. "Oh! So I did..." Sesshomaru turned to stare at him, and for a few moments, utter silence was all the followed. "N-nani?"

The demon frowned. "Why have you cancelled today's lecture?"

"Oh!" Tomishi's eyes lit up as he hit the open palm of his hand with his fist lightly. "I finally concluded one of my research cases!"

"Hmm? Which one?" The youkai's head cocked to one side ever so slightly it was hard for anyone that didn't know him to have seen it, never mind knew that it meant the demon was indeed interested in this declaration since he had organized, shared and stored every bit of information he'd found on the cases he knew the human was involved in.

"Oh... well, it's actually one I... uhm... didn't tell you about..." Tomishi finished awkwardly, face bright red and looking anywhere but UP at the surely narrowed golden orbs that stared right back at him, and then through his weak, mortal soul.

When no sound came, Tomishi chanced a look upwards. And flinched before trying to placate the even more so agitated demon. "C-calm down! Heh heh! I'll show you, no need to get so uppity! Come on, we can go have a drink and then go-"

Sesshomaru sighed looking at his wrist watch. "The five minutes that it would have taken to give that ridiculous speech you asked me to is well over and moving into twenty. I am on a tight schedule, Tomishi, and need to-"

"-stop by the grocers for the things on Souta-kun's shopping list so he can make dinner for us tonight?" Tomishi finished, smiling like he had just helped and hadn't just gotten himself in trouble.

"And how exactly do you-"

"I listened to your voice messages-!" Tomishi cut off abruptly as the youkai towered over him ominously. "It's just that you had 32 messages! And the machine can only hold 35! Most of it was students wanting... uh, help with their homework! I was just leaving my office when I heard your phone ring and the machine click on, then Souta-kun's message... that's all!"

The demon stared, frowning hard. "You are impossible." He then turned on a heel and started walking back down the corridor to move on with his day.

"W-wait! I wanted to show you my research's end!" Tomishi cried out, scrambling after the striding, angry man.

"I do not have time for this right now, Tomishi. The boy is waiting-"

"It won't take long, I swear! Here, this way!" Tomishi steered the youkai toward his office door, carefully unlocked it while still hanging onto the other's sleeve.

"Tomishi," came a warning tone.

"It'll just take a second, I promise! And if you aren't interested in staying longer, then you can go!" the human promised desperately, and then softly knocked the door open with the heel of his foot.

"What exactly is so important that-"

"Yo, Tomishi. What's taking so... long-..." a new voice interrupted.

Sesshomaru was speechless at the person who'd just walked out of Tomishi's office. He stared, and stared...

And stared, heart pounding, mind on infinite repeat of one word... one name...

"I... Inu-yasha..."

Author's Note: Oh. Oh, shit.