Chapter 14: Asking for favors

Well this was a bit unexpected. He was rather in a slump... should he be slightly impressed or maybe horrified? Sesshomaru sat in his recently furnished room putting away some of the last clothes inside the closet. A light knock came from the door and he could guess who was there from the refreshing flowery scented perfume. He turned his eyes to her in acknowledgement. Kagome stood there in the half opened doorway and smiled.

"Rin and I finished putting her dolls away, and her clothes are, well, are almost done..." she reported.

"Thank you." Sesshomaru stood facing her. She probably guessed he didn't buy the 'almost' remark if her blush was of any indication. The school-girl giggles of two obvious not so young friends of hers and Rin's joyful and wholeheartedly explanations actually satisfied him even more than the task being completed. It had bee a while since she had been this happy. Kagome shifted from one foot to the other and slightly avoided his eyes. "Yes?" he urged her to state what she wanted. Her embarrassment roused to the surface.

"Are you busy? I mean could you spare some time?" Sesshomaru mentally checked his list while her face slowly fell.

"Fifteen minutes." her eyes lifted up hopefully. "Come in." he turned to unpacking as the door closed behind her.

"Can I help?" she offered out of reflex but he shook his head no.

"What did you need, Kagome?"

"Um, I kind of need to go to a store in town..."

"Sort of or really need to go there?" she huffed.

"Ok, I have to get there in the next half an hour, and all cabs are taken at this hour. And neither one in this bunch have a car."

"Is that so..." he pulled the last piece of clothing out of the box, and shook it lightly. When she laid eyes on it his ears ringed of high pitched squeals.

"That's so cute!" He looked over the shoulder at her big puppy dog eyes. "Can I have a closer look?" a sigh escaped his lips. He probably should have expected this. He gave her a slight nod and then had to hold himself on the spot. Seeing her coming full trotter over his bed in a split second surprised him. She literally snatched the shirt from his hand. Still any anger he might have felt melted when her lips parted in delight. Her eyes shown with awed admiration to his original work, the first he had made for himself and a secret treasure he kept. Uncertainly crossed her eyes for a moment before she handed it back to him obvious to it's importance.

"If you wanted to ride in my car you should just say so." he seriously joked. She frowned a bit.

"Well, that too. But I wouldn't burden you with this if my car wasn't at the shop... " she sighed. Sesshomaru folded the shirt and neatly laid it on the rattled bed. Carefully examining her yearning eyes.

"What happened?" she smiled embarrassed and then laughed foolishly.

"I parked into a pole?" his eyes widened slightly.

"Is that even possible?"

"Apparently yes." her face lit up with a bigger smile in response to his barely noticeable one. "I'll have it back at the end of next week." she continued but her gaze returned to the shirt. Should he give in?

"I see. Come." he said taking his keys and wallet, pass her and out of the room. She followed him closely the short distance to Rin's new room. "Rin." he called and immediately the girls attention was all his. "I will be back shortly. Behave." she smiled and agreed to do that. They got into the car and Kagome gave directions to the store she wanted.

To say that it didn't bother him was an understatement. The house that took him a week to carefully pack, took her just two hours to unpack and settle each item at the place he desired and envisioned. If it had been just her it would have been somewhat reasonable, but the army under her command was another story. His eyes shifted to her quiet form in the passenger seat again. He could feel a slight jealousy aura from her.

"How did your car get damaged?"

"Speeding idiot tried avoiding a cat by taking the other lane, hit a parked car and then averted into mine. I pulled the stirring wheel, circle drifted and parked into the pole. You should have seen the dent the seat belt left in my leather jacket. Or better yet the bruise... that was one ugly thing." she shuddered at the memory.

"And the kid?"

"Shippo doesn't know, I don't want to instigate needles fear into him. He just had a two week vacation at grandma's house for the time." Sesshomaru nodded understanding her reason.

The atmosphere was silent till he had pulled into the parking lot and entered the store next to her. She gave him two large baskets, the same as her. He quietly followed as she filled the baskets. Sesshomaru watched closely. The silence as they went by from shelf to shelf was oddly comforting in spite of what he thought shopping with a woman would be. His wife always did the groceries on her way home so they never had such a chance to share, not even in their first dating years. They saw each other during the day at the university. It was more than enough. A pang of slight jealousy rouse in his chest.

Kagome, the woman he had met a few days ago brushed his banks away and then put her hand on his forehead. Her worried eyes kept his unfocussed gaze. Slowly the space around him filled with sound and he could hear her.

"Are you okay? Are the baskets too heavy?"

"It is alright." he assured her. "You were saying?" she frowned at him but let it pass retracting her hand.

"I was asking if Rin or you were allergic to anything?"she smiled when he shook his head no. "Just a few more things and we're done."

"Hn." he followed her quietly once more. This outing if you were to call it so was no one's business. So frankly speaking, the envious stares of the other shoppers were becoming annoying. Especially the lustful gazers whose eyes lingered on Kagome's form a split second too much. He moved next to her and took a few more things from her baskets to lighten her load. She smiled gratefully.

"I think I have everything."he nodded.

"Then we should be going." they walked next to each other to the registry. Sesshomaru's lips curved into a satisfied grin at the other men's grumbling.

He drove back at a steady pace. And graciously took the water bottle she offered and sipped at it. Then looking at her bent form he arched an eyebrow.

"What did you lose?"

"The other water bottle!" she huffed disappointed and crossed her arms crashing back in her seat. Her eyes widened at his offering. "You don't mind?"

"I am sure you're vaccinated as well, and it's not like we never kissed. All chances are that we already contaminated the other." she blushed a bit and nodded taking the bottle from his hand. Kagome paused a moment before drinking herself. Her cheeks lit up with a bright red and a chuckle slipped past his lips. She put the cap on the bottle and turned to watch outside the window embarrassed.

He pulled up on their street and slowed his speed.

"I was meaning to ask..."

"Hm?" she turned to him, the incident from before almost forgotten... almost.

"Why the full trunk? And in such a variety?" she smiled.

"An army needs to be fed. And I did promise for everyone's favorite. Besides Rin asked for a favor." he didn't look at her, but she felt he was a bit surprised.

"And that would be?"

"To stock up on fresh food for the two of you. She mentioned that you would either mail order the groceries or dine out."

"She never said anything."Sesshomaru frowned.

"Rin thought you would get lost in the hypermarket if you were to go alone."

"I see, and what do you get by doing this favor?" he asked pulling the car at a stop and turned off the engine.

"I wouldn't know what to ask from that sweet thing. So I left it up to her." she said waving at the kids running their way before opening the door and getting out. Sesshomaru took a shaky breath as he leaned his head on the cold steering wheel. His handsome features and rich eyes hardened before he too got out of the car. He had been played by her again.