A/N: a small dictionary will be put up in chapter 15. thank you for all reviews :)

Chapter 10: Takeout, chopsticks challenge

Sesshomaru put the box he had been moving from room to room down in the living room next to the glass door. Loose shreds of silver hair moved in his face some dripping with sweat. He wiped his brow of the running beads of salty water. Then he straightened and arched his aching back till he heard a popping sound. Then he loosened his hair from the low ponytail, shook it and combed it with his fingers. The sweat had moistened it and that made it difficult not to tangle his long hair. Sighing he tied the long shreds back again and looked at the still unopened boxes. He shook his head. Just opening them to gather everything back inside would be foolish and unpractical. He knew what was in every box, thus deciding beforehand what he will be keeping and what he will donate became his new priority. About half of the stuff wasn't needed anymore, not that he would have anywhere to put them. He chuckled to himself. This was so unlike him. He was so glad to have escaped the hell hole that he miscalculated. Their previous house was a 4 bedroom with the living room the double size of the current one. That was one of the reasons they moved. No wonder the amount of things was too great for this home. Now unpacking would take a lot more time than he anticipated. He looked around the room, his eyes landing on the small piece of the couch that was showing, he doubted digging it out would be a success tonight. The knocking on glass made him raise his eyes and look at the woman standing there with the sunset behind her. Any man would appreciate her womanly beauty with the soft light as a background. He moved to open the glass door. Her eyes brightened and her face lit up when she smiled at him.

"Hi." she greeted when the door was open.

"Hn. Can I help you?" he said indifferently. He had been used today without knowing the reason till it was over. So the least she could do now was to state her business first. She pouted much like a child.

"Oh, come on! You aren't still mad for earlier, are you?" she wined and her hands fisted as her pout deepened. At his lack of reaction she crossed her arms and huffed. "I'm really sorry okay? I was panicking there..." her eyes teared up a bit. "The last time gramps did that he was accompanied by the grandmother and guy he wanted to marry me off to! I barely got out of that by breaking out in rage." he stood there with a passive expression but listened to her attentively. "The last straw was when he mentioned giving Hatsuyo away and putting Shippo up in the dorms so that 'we' would have enough space for 'our' children! That jackass was the worst of all the other and every time it gets worse!" she shook with resound rage. Sesshomaru sighed and stepped out of the doorway.

"Care to come inside?" she snapped out of her unpleasant memories and just looked at him. She blushed when his intense gaze kept hers.

"Thank you." she whispered and walked inside. The lights were turned off and entering the darkened room from the bright light the sun still provided, made the sure chance of her tripping over stuff into her neighbor's firm body. "Ow." she whimpered as pain shoot up her leg. "What did I just hit?" she asked looking up. She squeaked at the close proximity she was to him. Her blush spread like wildfire when he didn't let her hit anything else.

"That would be my weights box." she found it hard to determine if his voice held concern or amusement.

"What a good place to keep It." she brushed it off sarcastically, also getting out of his arms.

"So what was the reason you came?" she smiled at his curiosity.

"Do you like takeout? I know a good Chinese store." she intertwined her fingers bringing them up to her mouth hiding the hopeful smile she wore. He arched an eyebrow at her in question. She continued with the explanation. "Well Shippo had been asking for takeout for a while now and they offer free fortune cookies and sweet buns if we order for more than two persons. So... "Her eyes sparkled with hope."Would you two join us for dinner?" Sesshomaru looked around his unpacked house once more and sighed. It didn't look like he had much of a choice anyway.

"I suppose." he agreed quietly and evenly.

"Great! Come on!" she took his hand and started to drag him out the door.

"I need to shower." he halted her march and her eyes turned to him. They glazed over as they looked over his worked appearance. She redrew her hand slowly and lowered her gaze to the ground.

"I suppose you do." she turned to walk around the house and to hers, his voice stopped her.

"Would it be too much trouble to use your shower?" she turned to look at him.

'His bathing supplies and clothes must be in the other transport Rin talked about, the one with the bedroom furniture too.' she smiled sympathetically to him. "Sure, borrow a change of clothes as well."

"Thank you." she took his hand again and guided him to the house. He didn't feel the need to pull away from her. They parted when they reached the stairs. He climbed a few steps before turning to her voice.

"The rooms free if you wanna crash here tonight, and till you get settled. I'm sure Rin would have a hard time without you in the same house." she smiled and wave the protest that was about to come. He stayed there another minute as she called the kids inside to wash up. He heard Rin's delighted squeal at the idea of spending another night with her new friend. He should be more cautious of this woman since she always seemed to get her way. He suppressed the thought that he had played just like she wanted and climbed the stairs. He took a new shirt and a pair of sweatpants and headed to the shower.

He came back down clean and refreshed to the scene of battling chopsticks. And the hot headed general was none other than his daughter. She was laughing and smiling wholeheartedly while battling the older woman. She too held much happiness while the boy pouted to the side. He neared him.

"Not joining?" he asked casually. The boy raised teary emerald eyes to him.

"I got slaughtered." he pouted once more. Sesshomaru watched as his earlier winning daughter was now loosing badly.

"Ah! Rin gives up!" the unusually tired girl laid her head on the table in defeat.

"Yes!" Kagome cheered victoriously. Then she locked eyes with him. "I challenge you!" she declared eyes sparkling, chopsticks pointed at him. He arched an eyebrow at her confidence.

"Come on, papa! You can do it!" the girl said with faith and the boys' eyes stated the same. Giving a small sigh he walked to the table and took his daughter's seat.

Beads of sweat trailed down his brow, neck and back. Who could have guessed he would have such a hard time against this small woman. And curse his sharp eyes for being attentive to the smooth moves her hand made and the graceful pattern her chopsticks drew into the dry rice. With that disadvantage mirroring her was a greater challenge than handling a drunken Inuyasha. His eyes lifted to her concentrated face. As if sensing his gaze her lips turned into a smile and her eyes met his.

"I win." she whispered in a seductive voice. His eyes widened when her chopsticks caught his. "The snake just ate you." she grinned lifting his chopsticks within view. He sighed defeated. His daughter came and patted his other hand.

"Don't worry, you'll get her next time." Shippo nodded his head in agreement. He was the first to stand on par with his mom for more than 10 minutes. The two then went upstairs to get some toys to entertain themselves with.

"Losing the first time is a given in most games." Kagome said raising to her feet and moving to the cabinets to take out plates. The doorbell rang and Sesshomaru got up to get it. "Thanks!" Kagome called after him.