Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters. They are the sole property of Takahashi Rumiko

-To Sip of Black Velvet-

Chapter 25: Everyone has Plans

A.N. This story has gotten 100 reviews! :D! And I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time out to read & review it. I love you all! :)

& as always, thanks for Betaing White Luna!

His brother was late, Sesshoumaru noticed, scanning the room. Almost everyone who was anyone was already mingling at the event that paraded itself as if it were truly an important function. It was all about networking, appearances and competition, a night full of dancing, accepting awards, and making speeches. Some would be making big announcements, others merely quietly garnering support for their future developments or upcoming business ventures. It was to be a night of opportunity. Sesshoumaru had once prided himself on making the most of such events. His company was always the ahead but it was nice to keep a close eye on the competition.

Though he did not mingle, he already had all the connections that he'd ever need, he always had the most to boast about at such events but he had not even planned on attending this one. He had required Inuyasha to be present in his absence. Counter intuitively, Sesshoumaru still would not have attended, if not for the night he'd spent with Kagome.

Kagome… he could only wonder what it was she was up to. It had been nearly two weeks since that night and he had been busy every moment since. Long hours of contemplation had come to pass and hard decisions had been made but he'd made a promise to her and he planned on keeping it.

Looking over the shoulder of one of the executives rambling on to him, a respectable human, honorable in his business dealings but who was at the moment only wasting Sesshoumaru's time, he scanned the room once more for Inuyasha only to find him just as absent as he was twenty minutes ago. Sesshoumaru bit back the urge to growl.

Though Inuyasha was many things, and though Sesshoumaru did not think particularly high of him, he had assumed he could at least count on Inuyasha to be punctual; especially because he had never informed Inuyasha that he was in fact attending the function after all.

If he had, he knew that Inuyasha was sure to have backed out of coming, seeing no need for himself to be present if Sesshoumaru were. Typically Inuyasha avoided these types of things whenever he could, which Sesshuomaru had never objected to. He'd never found any pleasure in his half-brother's existence, much less his company. But for once, Sesshoumaru had actually required him for something and Inuyasha was only managing to get in the way of his plans.

'So this is what he is good for?' Over the months that Sesshoumaru had lacked in his drive to actively run the company, he'd been giving Inuyasha a more direct role in running it, and Sesshoumaru had grudgingly admitted that Inuyasha was doing a fairly decent job of handling things.' But now he is not even capable of telling time? Foolish. '

"Well… you seem distracted," Came a distinctly amused feminine voice from behind him, "The poor man who'd been speaking to you left over ten minutes ago, you know. I wonder what has caused you to be so… uncharacteristically preoccupied."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes before turning around to face Kagura standing there. She was of course dressed for the occasion in a dark purple gown, Kanna lingering a few feet behind her like usual, and she was gazing at him, a sharp smile on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

Sesshoumaru had specifically informed her that he would be attending the function alone. He was usually indifferent to all things considering her. Frankly, she had been doing what she liked since they'd gotten married and though she had sometimes attended such events with him, he had not cared one way or the other, he had not wanted her here for this one.

He had thought that she would not even have bothered with the event since she had not known of it until just earlier that morning. She never went anywhere or did anything if she was not at her best, her status meaning more to her than anything, since she'd once not had it before their marriage.

"Isn't it lovely?" Kagura asked, ignoring the question and glancing around the room, "Whoever decorated—

"I am sure I just asked you a question," Sesshoumaru cut in irritated. Tonight was already not going as planned for him and while Kagura showing up would not deter the plans he had for this evening, it was strange. He didn't know what it was, but it seemed out of her character to go out of her way to show up. Her presence would be inconsequential in the end, but it did not sit well with him either.

Kagura merely flashed him one of her smiles, natural to the untrained eye but forced if one were to really pay attention, before handing him one of the two champagne glasses she was holding.

"I just knew tonight would be a big success... for the company of course. It seemed as though you'd been preparing for something recently and I did not want to miss it."

Sesshoumaru did not find it necessary to respond to her though he did take note of the fact that she was aware of his habits. He supposed that perhaps it made sense. What he was planning on announcing, he had worked out in his home office and Kagura had been around. They did share a home.

Dismissing the thought, and her, he took a rather long sip of champagne.

"You did not tell me Inuyasha was coming."

At Kagura's mention of his tardy brother and her gaze directed over his shoulder, he turned back towards the entrance set on pulling Inuyasha to the side for a couple of words. But he did not see him anywhere, although to be honest he could not seem to see anyone but her.

Kagome was standing there. Looking shy and somewhat out of her element but gorgeous nonetheless. Her lush onyx waves were done up intricately, a few curls framing her slightly made up face, and she was dressed in a silk canary yellow dress. The light material draped loosely over her form, fitting more at her hips and falling just above her knees. Its' neckline slopped gently just above her breasts and her creamy skin, to him, seemed to glow.

He had never seen her look so extravagant. He had not lied to her when he informed her that she was always beautiful to him but seeing her like this made him think of the near future, made him think about everything that he would give to her, the life of luxury that he would shower her with once he made her his. She would have more than his affection… she would never want for anything again. 'But why was she here?'

He didn't think long on the question because she raised her hand nervously to bite her nails and simultaneously flashed the crescent bracelet adorning her wrist. He'd almost allowed a smile to grace his lips and was about to move forward to comfort away her obvious yet charming nerves but before he could take the first step he noticed the hand falling lightly on her wrist, the accompanying smile that tugged gently on her lips as she halted her nervous habit.

Sesshoumaru's amber gaze trailed upwards from the hand touching his soon to be mate and found his eyes settling on his brother's smiling face. 'What was she doing here with Inuyasha?' Sesshoumaru was aware that she'd vaguely been introduced to his brother the day she'd come into his office to… end things with him so long ago but they were looking far too comfortable in each other's presence for this to have merely been the second time they were meeting.

Inuyasha had not mentioned knowing her and Kagome had not mentioned knowing Inuyasha, though he tried to remind himself that he and his brother were not close and that he and Kagome had not spoken of many things the fleeting night that they'd spent together a mere two weeks ago.

He quickly tried to quell the possessiveness and jealousy wishing to overcome him at only the sight of them. Sesshoumaru had not failed to notice that Inuyasha's hand was still resting on her skin as they laughed and he could not stop the thought that Inuyasha had brought her here believing that Sesshoumaru would not be attending…

It was preposterous. He had no reason to feel jealous, especially not because of Inuyasha. He was overreacting he assured himself, taking another longer sip of champagne, his eyes never straying from them. But then Inuyasha's hand glided around Kagome's waist, resting gently against her lower bare back in her backless dress to lead her forward, and Sesshoumaru's sharp hearing barely registered the sound of glass cracking and shattering.

He looked down at the champagne flute in his grasp, or what use to be a champagne flute, with his eyebrows furrowed in thought before someone, he did not look to see who, was asking him if he was okay.

"I am fine," he answered coldly, glaring at his hand harder as pieces of glass were pushed out of his skin by his healing. When his palm was back to perfection, he turned his hand over and cracked his knuckles before striding away.

It was strange...accidentally breaking the glass. Even a mistake so minor was more than off for him. He'd been angry many times and had never lost his grip on his emotions before and he should have been able to hold back the surge of possessiveness he'd felt.

It had almost felt like… he was unable to control his instincts which was ridiculous, as was the reasoning behind it.

Kagome would never—

He stopped himself from finishing the traitorous thought. There was no reason to consider that she could be having a relationship of the sort he would not think on with his brother.

There was no reason to give what she would never do a name.

..O..

Inuyasha took a sidelong glance at the woman entering the function beside him and could not help the soft smile that rose to his lips. Kagome was stunning.

He could only hope that tonight would go well. It was the first of many steps he planned on taking to get Kagome to stay by his side as more than just a friend.

From the moment he met her when she accidentally walked into his office, he had been enthralled. It had had something to do with the way she'd looked at him. It seemed crazy and implausible but… her sapphire gaze struck him, she had looked at him and it had almost been as if she'd already loved him, like instantaneous acceptance. Something that he was not used to and had told himself did not matter but perhaps had longed for nonetheless.

Times were different, he knew that. There wasn't much open hostility anymore but that didn't mean that people didn't treat him differently or that he didn't have to prove himself because he was a hanyou. Sometimes he could see it on their faces, could see the disgust, could see that if not for his status, a position that his father had made sure he would have, they would think less of him.

But it had never been like that with Kagome. Even though that first look of endearment had only lasted a second, she had never once judged him after that. There was always complete acceptance from her.

He cherished her friendship, he really did, and he'd already considered that if she refused his attempts at more he would back away, but that moment, that first moment was still carved into his brain and he would have been a fool to not at least try and see if there could be anything between them.

Kagome looked over at him and smiled.

"Let me take your coat," Inuyasha said, gesturing towards her jacket, "I'll only be a moment," he added as she slipped it off and handed it to him.

Inuyasha really hoped tonight would go well.

..O..

Inuyasha and I had not been at the function for long.

He had left me alone for a moment to take my jacket and I'd only just begun to feel a little uncomfortable before he'd made it back to me. He was being incredibly cooperative, sweet even, considering the fact that he did not even want to be here either as he'd explained to me in the car on the way. It seemed he was going out of his way to keep me comfortable. He'd even managed to make me laugh by assuring me that if anything he'd probably make a fool of himself before I would.

He'd placed his hand on my lower back as he led me around introducing me to a few people. And it was interesting contact, he'd not done anything like it before. I'd raised a brow at him for doing so, but ultimately decided there was no harm in it. As I shook hands and conversed with whom I assumed were notable people and demons, I'd forgotten all about our closeness. It wasn't so awkward, considering the fact that I knew absolutely no one there besides him and I found myself leaning into him for reassurance and confidence which to my surprise seemed to come to me rather easily.

The smile on my face was genuine until I heard a voice call my name.

"Kagome, how are you?"

I'd only heard that particular voice once but I could still remember it clearly and apparently it still did nothing more than tangle up my thoughts with confusion. I still didn't know if I could look her in the face and not feel guilty. Would she hate me if she knew or would she not even care about my relationship with Sesshoumaru? Did she love him? He'd said she'd grown attached but what did that really even mean? Hadn't their marriage been business? Does that even matter?

And I could not think badly of her no matter how Sesshoumaru characterized her to me. In the one instance before, I'd not seen anything from her but pleasantness… except for maybe after I mistakenly burned her but anyone would have looked at me as frighteningly as she had then. It had just been her red eyes, too reminiscent of my tragic past, which had struck a foreboding cord with me. Overall she had been nice then… and yet she was his wife and I, his… well… simply his and he mine. I could not see it any other way.

I wished I did not have to face her so soon after the night Sesshoumaru and I'd shared. I did not desire to sour such a good memory with reality yet, had hoped I'd never have to.

"I thought you said you wouldn't know anyone here," Inuyasha whispered, snapping me out of my thoughts, as he turned towards the figure walking towards us. She, hearing him, answered for me.

"Kagome and I had an encounter many months ago," Kagura answered flippantly, as she stopped in front of Inuyasha and I. "Normally I probably would not have remembered but she left a mark," she grinned, "It took me over a week to heal from it." Her red eyes had not left mine though she had been talking to Inuyasha, "I believe that's the dress I bought for you on your back, is it not?" she said, finally directing a question towards me.

The tone of her voice sounded just as saccharine as it had the day I'd met her but for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that she had just taken a swipe at me somehow, like she had pointed out my inferiority with controlling my powers and the size of my bank account. I bit my tongue and tried to ignore the feeling.

"Yes, this is the dress," I answered, looking down at it momentarily, "And again I apologize for hurting you, I-

"Believe me, you'd have to do far more to hurt me," She cut in dismissively, "It's in the past and I'm sure we'd both agree that the past should stay there." The look she gave me then, I could not place. It was almost as if all her emotions washed off her face for only a moment before she continued, "What I'd really like to know is how you two have come to be here together."

"Yes," A strong velvety smooth voice interrupted from behind me, the sound forcing me to repress a shiver, "I'd like to know that as well."

It was Sesshoumaru.

Word Count: 2775

A.N.: Runs and hides. I know it took me forever and I left you with a cliffie BUT it was just begging to be stopped there…so… I did. Have mercy? oh, and review. :)

- E.C. :3