LiveJournal Oneshot Prompt

Title: His Banquet
Theme: Foundation

**part two of two; part one is the second to previous prompt: errand**

The sharp, gasping inhalations and hissing whispers were the first and immediate responses to their entrance into the ballroom.

Well-dressed tables spotted the entire area, the center was laid out in a U-shaped arrangement pointing directly at the couple as they walked arm in arm towards the onlookers.

Feeling rather pissed, Kagome found she was also incredibly nervous, her stomach tight and churning as the two emotions fought. How could he tell no one? Not only had their relationship been on and off for numerous years, but she was his editor for goodness sake! Fuming at the man locked to her side, she slowly became aware of everyone in the place.

Because everyone was staring at her.

All eyes, boldly colored or narrowly dark, watched only her as the pair made their way to sit at the head of the group. Tightening her grasp on the man, she quickly found out why her senses were trying to tell her she was in stage fright mode. What was the big deal? Did she have a giant bug on her face? Almost reflexive to the thought, she reached up to touch her cheek only to casually tuck back a wave of raven to avoid seeming quite so bizarre.

She felt a tremor tickle up her spine. Gosh, it's as if she were the one giving the speech later that evening. Reaching the main table she calmed her nerves somewhat, opting to ignore the crowd, for now.

In a chivalrous gesture, Sesshoumaru pulled out her seat for her and without effort slid her back in after she'd sat. Soon taking his own seat beside the owner of the corporation, the evening began.

Boisterous and deep the man at her fiancé's side spoke, "I am so pleased you are all here to celebrate our number one author at Youkai Publishing House, Taisho Sesshoumaru!"

The audience clapped, delicate and gentle the noise hardly reached her human ears. Glancing round, Kagome noted the members given seating at the center most table lengths. She recognized several authors from books she'd read over the years, with a bit of a giddy bounce she spotted her favorite.

Omura Kikyo. Beautiful, intelligent, skilled… and damn that woman could weave a story of seductive romance like none other.

What was her foundation for such novels? Kagome was sure her face blushed at the ideas which came. With a small nudge, she turned to whisper in Sesshoumaru's ear.

"Kikyo is here, do you think I could meet her?"

"Hm." Gold eyes found the woman not three people away from them. "I'm sure I could arrange it."

Her eyes beamed happily, all the while other gazes never left her face.

Turning back to observe the crowd, all nerves now squashed by her excitement, a sudden piercing red stare ghosted across her line of vision. Finding the source, a very lovely, but very angry face met her blue eyes. Fair skinned, ruby red eyes, and silky jet black hair wove up into an intricate bun, snow white feathers petalling the ties; the woman was gorgeous.

Flickering between her and the demon at her side, a realization soon hit her. This woman was in love with her fiancé. With this in mind she took another round of the room and found at least half the females and two very pissed males were staring daggers at her.

Narrowing her eyes, she felt an unexpected burning jealously in her chest—not unlike the anger she still allowed to simmer in her gut. Weaving her arm through his, being sure to lace fingers with her fiancé, Kagome drew a smug grin on her face.

This was her man. Hers.

Despite the continuing looks of hate, she did her best to appear as the better part of her author. Snuggling into his side, she felt slight shock when he turned and nuzzled her hair murmuring an apologetic purr as he did. Obviously he thought her cuddling was forgiveness.

While she could have been terribly pleased that the fangirls gawked with surprise at his affection—something he obviously never showed around them—instead the woman found herself grinning softly, slender fingers tucking a stray hair behind his finely tipped ear.

With a small sigh she mumbled back "I forgive you, for now." The playfulness in her tone made him smirk.

"Would our distinguished guest like to say a few words?"

The world around them finally came back at that moment, the owner inclining his large self towards the pair, or more specifically her fiancé. Bowing his head in a curt nod, likely knowing everything which had been said—unlike her—, and unfolded gracefully to stand.

In a way very like his social demeanor, cool distance shrouding his eyes, he spoke. "Thank you all for coming to celebrate not only my latest novel and the overall status of my work but also to share in the happiness of my recent engagement."

A majority of the crowd gasped and awed, several then lightly clapped in congratulations. However the wide eyed scowls of Kagome's newly dubbed "fangirls" pierced her again along with swiftly attacking stage fright as a hand was held out to her.

Blinking blue eyes up at him, she gave a minute shake of her head, the nerves sending butterflies throughout her body. Abruptly he scooped her hand up, pulling her automatically into a lithe stance with his assistance. Kagome was certain if he hadn't done so for her, she would have somehow managed to fall out of her chair while standing.

Features softening to her, only for her she thought in hopes to ease her jitters, Sesshoumaru cast neutral face to the audience again.

"This beautiful woman, Higurashi Kagome, was in fact my anonymous editor," the crowd whispered in surprise, the woman blushing under the following claps of praise, "and I kept her secret because I did not wish her talents be used anywhere else."

She puckered her lips lightly at the male demon as he talked, a little this for his book, a little that for the great response to it, all the while she was slightly miffed that the reason no one knew her was merely because he was a possessive dog.

Frowning at the crowd, where fangirl eyes soaked him up, Kagome realized that perhaps she too was a bit possessive.

As gold found blue once more the woman smiled earnestly their hands still wound together, she supposed it wasn't that bad after all.