Title: Dreams and Desires
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #01, "Beginning"
Word Count: 836
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
The windy city was just that, windy, Kagome realized, and it was such a cold wind too, with the fall season setting in. Today seemed to be extremely bad, as the wind was bitter, with a bite to it that chapped her lips and cheeks. The rising heat on her cheeks only told her she was suffering from windburn. It amazed her, the differences between each city they stopped at. Not only the weather, but the landmarks and the people. Most definitely the people.
But they also had one value that was the same between them all. They were American. And as Americans, they were ready to vote and do their part in the upcoming election. Laughing now, she realized how silly it was to overreact regarding Kagura, and wished she had not been so obvious. The situation was no less embarrassing when Sessoumaru had called her on it.
The flight over had given her plenty of time to think through her reaction to the situation, and she came to the conclusion that it was strong because she was, indeed, attracted to him. Yes, while she considered him a friend, she was now beginning to see him in a whole new light. A man, like so many others, yet so much more so. It was strange, she thought. Unlike the others, she didn't see much of Kouga in him. Perhaps that was a step in the right direction, as Kouga was quite often the last man she wanted to see.
Pushing through the crowds to the convention centre, she kept close to him, yet far enough away so the reporters couldn't speculate on their relationship, although they continued to ask questions. Miroku was a godsend, as his ability to deflect the attention away from them was uncanny. A mere quirk of his lips, a few words here and there, and he had the press eating out of his hands. He would certainly make an excellent Press Secretary if Sesshoumaru didn't offer him the Chief-of-Staff position.
Daydreaming, she wondered if he would offer her a job as well? Signs were pointing toward yes, as she knew she did good work, and he appreciated it. Still, working for the President would be different than working on a campaign team. Even the little bit of work she did for him in his office on the Capitol was different than any work he could offer her in the White House. There was a possibility he could decide she wasn't good enough for a job.
Mulling this over, she chewed the bottom lip between her teeth, not realizing they had arrived in the small gathering room. Still wearing her coat and scarf, she stood in the doorway; looking in, seeing everybody preparing for the upcoming speech, yet seeing nothing, hearing nothing.
"Trapped in your own world," she heard the amused chuckle, and it was enough to startle her out of her thoughts. Large hands moved about her, unwrapping the scarf from around her neck, before gently pushing her toward the small coatroom off to the side. "What were you thinking about to make you so oblivious?" Sesshoumaru asked.
Stopping her fingers midway as they undid the buttons of her coat, she blushed slightly, hoping that her wind-chapped cheeks would cover it. "The future," she replied honestly. "I was thinking about your cabinet, your office staff. Miroku would make an excellent Press Secretary, I think. He had those reporters eating out of the palm of his hand."
"So he did," she watched him lean back against the wall, arms crossed. "However, I have somebody else in mind for that position. Nothing will be finalized, though, until I am in office and I can truly sit down and look over names and qualifications."
"Oh, well, one can dream, right?" she smiled, but quickly lost it as she saw him making his way toward her across the small room, a predatory gleam in his eyes.
"Is that what you've been doing?" he murmured, inches from her face, the scent of his light cologne intoxicating her. "Dreaming?" Damn, did he smell good, she thought. "What are your dreams, Kagome?"
Unable to say a word, she just looked at him, wide-eyed, entranced. "I can tell you what I've been dreaming of as of late." Slowly, so she knew she couldn't mistake his intentions, he pressed his mouth to hers. Surrendering herself to the heat of it, she drowned, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself.
Well then, she thought in a daze, as he pulled back. Struggling to focus, she could barely make out his next words.
"I'd say that's an excellent beginning." Taking her hand, he led her out of the coatroom, and toward the others, so they could begin to prep for the talk in an hour.
"An excellent beginning indeed," he whispered in her ear, before she settled down and got to work.
Beginning to what? She wondered, still in a daze.
Title: Distractions
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #35, "Something Desired"
Word Count: 474
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
Feeling like the cat that ate the canary, Sesshoumaru wanted to puff his chest out proudly and strut his stuff, which was an unusual thought in itself, simply because it was not within his character to feel this way after kissing a woman. He had kissed women before, many of them, and many of them were more exquisite than his aide.
But there was something about her…
Without sounding like a sentimental fool, he had done nothing all day but think about her, and plot a moment when he could corner her again. Throughout his speech, he was only half-focused, and several times he had to shake himself out of his thoughts. Quite often, it only took one look from Miroku.
She was dangerous, he realized. Her mere presence could bring about his political downfall if he continued to walk around in his own world. However, looking at her sitting across the hotel room, working with one of the aides, he couldn't help but focus on her lips and want more. While he had never believed in the idea of the forbidden fruit being most desirous, he felt he was being proven wrong.
"I didn't stop her from returning," Miroku whispered low to him, tapping the folder he was supposed to be looking through. "I like her, she does good work. Regardless of your position, though, I can make her go away for good. If I have to choose between your political career and a one-time possible fling between you and an aide," Miroku emphasized, "I will choose your career hands down. You could be great, but only if you keep your head in the game. That being said, if she's not a distraction, she can stay."
"Watch your tongue," Sesshoumaru sniped back. "I do not have to explain my actions to you. I have done this before."
Truth was he hadn't, although it would be a cold day in hell before he would admit that to anybody. Running a campaign was mere child's play, but the woman had become an obsession to him.
Opening the folder though, he forced himself to focus. "I have the latest poll results," he announced to his team, keeping his eyes off her. "We are ahead, which is astonishing for an independent, but quite expected. However, Naraku Onigumo is only a mere five points behind us. Miroku, get Shippou on the phone. We need to touch base for the next stretch of the campaign." Doing what he did best, he ignored the potential problem, for now, and barked out orders at his underlings, using his work as a distraction.
He was going to win the campaign, he knew. While he worked toward that end, he would figure out what to do with the girl as well. After all, every great politician knew how to multi-task.
Title: Off To The Races
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #42, "Heart"
Word Count: 453
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
Lying in her room in the dark, Kagome found she couldn't sleep. Both her head and her heart were racing as she went over the day's events, most particularly, the two minutes she had spent with Sesshoumaru in the coatroom.
Months ago, when she had been hired to work this campaign, she had assumed the last thing she would do was enter a relationship of any sort, especially after the Kouga debacle. And now? Now, she questioned that resolve, finding that she no longer wanted to remain single.
Sighing, it really was amazing how the right incentive could change her mind so quickly. Giggling lightly, she turned over in her bed, trying to force her body to relax. It would do the team no good tomorrow if she were to fall asleep on her feet. As she lay there, she wondered if he was doing the same thing as her, tossing and turning in his bed trying to figure out where things were going.
Shaking her head, she assumed that he wasn't, simply because she didn't see him as the romantic type of man who would do that. He was simple, decisive, knew what he wanted, and worked toward it with that focus in mind. He rarely made a decision without thinking about all of the possible ramifications, and he was honest to a fault. He wouldn't play the game like other men would; he would take what wanted until he didn't want it anymore.
And so her heart continued to pound as she thought back to his words earlier in the convention centre.
I'd say that's an excellent beginning.
For the first time in ages, she felt giddy like a schoolgirl, though she had concerns about what this could do to his campaign. There was a significant age difference between the two of them, and if the press was to find out, they would slaughter him. Not only that, but Naraku would have a field day with it, no doubt playing it to his advantage.
So the question of the day was, how could she have her cake and eat it too? If his words to her earlier in the day were any indication, he wanted to continue this romance of theirs, and see where it took them.
One thing she did know, though, was that something was blossoming between them and, while she didn't know what it was, she wasn't willing to give up yet. Not when it felt so right.
Sighing into the night, she forced her brain to slow down; telling her heart that Sesshoumaru would be there tomorrow and it could continue racing then. Meanwhile, she needed sleep.
And, with a smile on her face, she did just that.
Title: Arctic Nights
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Pairings Represented: Sesshoumaru/Kagome Romantic
Theme: Set #1, Theme #62, "Snow Dances"
Word Count: 829
Warnings:
Universe: Alternate Universe
As a business man, he found these dinners to be quite productive. He often made new contacts, reacquainted himself with old ones, and quite often concluded a good deal of work by mingling with people. As a politician, he knew his voice validated the importance of the event, put it on the public radar. His support went far beyond the support of many others. Such was his influence. But, as a man, Sesshoumaru dreaded these events, finding them tedious and boring. And yet, this was the second one he had to participate in on this campaign. For that, he wanted to severely hurt Miroku.
The cause this time around? Funding for wildlife reserves in Alaska, something he could wholeheartedly support, but there were some nights when all he wanted to do was sign a cheque and stay in. If it weren't for the fact that the state was working with the organization on the initiative, he wouldn't even be here, not wanting to be seen favouring any sort of lobbyist group. Having spoken to the crowd earlier, he was told to sit and enjoy the rest of the night, though his team was already hard at work gauging the crowds and speaking to people on his behalf. Having just finished his own personal rounds of the room, he took a moment to look around, really look around.
Silver, white, and blue. The committee had obviously spared no expense in decorating the large ballroom, having gone with an "arctic nights" theme. Photographs of sea lions, polar bears and whales graced the walls of the room, reminding the patrons just what it was they were supporting.
Truth be told, he had been looking forward to the trip to Fairbanks, as it was in a state he had yet to visit and, though the north was stark and cold, it contained within it a unique beauty he had yet to see anywhere else. The votes here were just as important as any others.
Catching sight of Kagome making her way to the bar, he stopped what he was doing and just stared. Keeping with the theme of the night, she had somehow managed to find a form-fitting white gown that left one shoulder bare and draped lovingly over her. Admitting it only to himself, he was enchanted, and the smile she wore on her face as she greeted others around the room merely drew him in more.
Moving from his seat, Sesshoumaru made his way across the room, intercepting her as she was leaving the bar, water in hand. "You look like you should drinking champagne," he commented as he gestured to the glass in her hand.
"Not on the job. I don't want anybody to think that the great Sesshoumaru Taisho's aide was a drunk." Winking conspiratorially at him, she whispered. "I'll let you in on a secret, liquor and I don't get along very well."
"Really now," he murmured as he wrapped an arm around her, placing his hand on the small of her back, smiling at the slight shiver that ran through her body. "Care to dance, Higurashi?"
He caught her wary sidelong glance and ignored it. He didn't wait for an answer, leading her to the dance floor with the other couples. The slow jazz filled the room enhancing the atmosphere. "We shouldn't do this," she whispered as she tried to pull back. "Not only will Miroku kill us, but all of the hard work we've done to avoid becoming a public scandal will be a moot point simply because this is a very public venue."
"It is what it is," Sesshoumaru shrugged as he enclosed his hand around hers, pulling her close. "I have wanted to put my hands on you again since yesterday and now I have a perfectly valid excuse. I want to dance with you, Kagome."
"Where is this leading, Mr. Taisho?" she whispered as she began to sway with him, her eyes wide and confused as she looked up at him. At this moment he wanted to do nothing more than clear the confusion away, and lean down and kiss her one more time. But not like this, he told himself, not in public while he's supposed to be campaigning. Miroku was right in that regard.
"Sesshoumaru," he instructed, decidedly not liking the way 'Mr. Taisho' sounded coming from her. He felt old at that moment. "And it'll go where it's supposed to," was all he offered. "I won't hurt you, Kagome," he whispered low, so only she could hear. Nodding, she seemed to accept that that, before he felt the heat of her head on his chest.
And, though he knew all eyes were on him at this moment, he couldn't care less. The press could make what they wanted of it, it wasn't important. At this single point in time the only thing he could see was her, and that was all that mattered.