A/N: Hi guys, thanks for waiting and for your continuous support and encouragement. So here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy reading it.
Chapter 55: Coach
Sesshomaru had rushed to get ready but as the pool rules stated he needed glasses, flip-flops and... a cap. It had proved slightly challenging to put it on and quite annoying as well, which made him reconsider breaking the rule. It kept delaying him from reaching the pool. Young men changed at their own pace as they still had time to spare and fool around. At least till one of the fastest poked his head inside the locker room.
"Hey guys check this out! Coach dumped the seal skin!" the head of every male wiped towards the door. The blond-haired guy grinned from ear to ear in excitement. All that were seated stood to their feet and those leaned against lockers straightened.
"No way!" one called a few meters away from Sesshomaru. He clenched the towel to his chest. "Can the heavens be so cruel?" he whined. Inuyasha quietly stepped inside already changed, flip-flops, cap and glasses on. He hung the towel around his neck, then silently and skillfully made his way through the crowd to the showers undetected.
"You ain't teasing us right?" one of the older looking of the bunch questioned. The messenger shook his head.
"Kami forbid I'd ever joke about such a thing." he brought his hands together and looked up to the ceiling to emphasize.
"You better not, cause this is serious!" another cried outraged. "I'd like to see the bastard. No way he'd look as good as us." he tensed his muscles to brag. Sesshomaru's eyes moved to the most energetic of the bunch.
"Why the hell should she change?!" he grumbled with exaggerated movement of his hands. "Coach's perfect just as she is..."
"Well thanks for the positive feedback!" Kagome squealed in the sweetest voice from the door. Heads whipped to her figure. She was leaning against the door just behind the tattletale, hands crossed and a frown set upon her lovely features. The rhinestone belt from one steel ring to the other complimented her hip line and showed off her toned and slim waist. The halter top offered the needed support but held the elegant and feminine lines of her body. The left strap of the top was adorned with rhinestone as well. Her hair was left down on her shoulders to their natural wave. She tapped her foot impatiently and when no one else moved Sesshomaru could swear he heard something snap. "Stop wasting time and get in the showers!" she growled, stepping to the side and pointing in the desired direction.
"Yes, ma'am!" the boys squeaked and crowded to do as instructed. They rushed pass her and out the door. Sesshomaru watched as she blocked the door, hands on the door frame, in case one lost puppy tried to come back.
"Two laps around the pool and four laps of free strokes at a leisure pace!" she shouted over the noise the showers made. Then she turned and neared him, blush on her cheeks. Sesshomaru kept his seated position. He internally growled at himself. The two piece fit her so well you'd think it was painted on. "Thought you'd need some help with the cap?" wordlessly he handed her the cap, as well as the elastic band. She rounded the bench and set a knee on it for balance. She combed his hair back, bangs included, did a slight turn similar to a bound and twisted the elastic around it to keep in place. Then putting both hands inside the cap she stretched it as wide as she could. She set it on his forehead and drew it back, having it mold itself to the shape of his skull. "Comfortable?" she asked placing her hands on his shoulders to aid her in straightening.
"Yes." he stood taking along the towel and the robe he bought for her. "Here." he said opening the robe up for her. She looked at the matching robe, then up at him and back.
"You bought me a robe..." she trailed as she stepped inside, back facing him.
"I have." he straightened the material at the collar and down over the shoulders. After that he helped free her hair from underneath.
"Why?" Kagome asked a bit disappointed. She batted her eyelashes before meeting his gaze.
"It minimizes the possibility of catching a cold." she eyed him a little longer.
"So it's not because this looks bad on me?" she started walking towards the door.
"I did not say that." he said walking after her. "It compliments you." he admitted. She turned and smiled over her shoulder.
"Thank you. I wouldn't have dared to chose it myself." the blush spread along her cheeks. "Since I have to deal with hormone driven teenagers!" she shouted in the hallway passing the shower stalls to the pool. She giggled as the boys scrambled to get into the pool before she made them do push ups.
"Perhaps a one piece would be more practical?" he suggested getting in the shower. Kagome pouted and crossed her arms before she growled her displeasure. She watched the water trailing down the surface of his muscled back for a moment. Then she gathered her hair in a bound and secured it with a clam. She took the robe off and hanged it up on a side hook. Sesshomaru turned and was startled to find himself nose to nose with her under the still running shower. He rouse an eyebrow at her hard gaze and controlled his to not wander over her wet skin.
"Now listen." she poked his chest and getting half a step closer. "The only reason I actually bought it was because your brother said you thought it would look good on me." his lips parted slightly to respond, but no words left them. She blinked and with an embarrassed blush threw an apology under her breath and then grabbing her robe she hurried to get on with her lesson. Sesshomaru stared after her unable to move. He growled at himself once more when splashing sounds could be heard. He turned the shower off and then walked on her trail. Honestly the thing that bothered him wasn't that she looked great in that two piece or that he had thought upon sight that it would fit her. No... the worrisome thing was how sure he had been of the perfect fit. It had dawned him when he saw her... the exact image he had thought up.
He walked like he normally did when facing 'enemies'. He could feel the chill making his way up his spine. Kagome didn't look too happy and the same could be said on her student's part. A few of them glared cautiously his way from the other end of the pool every time she turned her eye somewhere else. He wouldn't put it besides them to try and drown him. He entered the pool at the ladder in the first lane, the farthest from where Kagome worked with Shippo, Rin and a few soon to be initiated to the sport. Few of the braver boys moved in his direction from one lane to the other. They clearly had a bone to pic with him, but as always he took more to not sharing any of his bones. His light-colored eyes gleamed from the sun's rays reflected on the water's surface. It made the boys stall for a moment. He noticed Kagome from the corner of the eye. She straitened and studied the situation. Then moving on light feet she made her way to his lane. He was slightly pleased that she wore the robe. He really felt a chill going around the room. She stopped, took a model like pose and then crossed her arms.
"What do you guys think you're doing?" she asked in a deadpan voice. The invading troops stilled and looked sheepishly in her direction.
"Just making acquaintances." the muscle flexing guy said. Kagome raised an eyebrow in doubt that that was even near to what they were planning on doing.
"Yeah, right." Sesshomaru snorted under his breath. He received a whole lot of death glares before they turned their gaze back to Kagome.
"But coach, you don't know what we really wanted to do." one smart guy pointed out with a whine.
"Oh, but I don't need to know your intentions." she smiled sweetly before narrowing her eyes further. "I know your hormones and that's enough. Go back to your lanes and keep away from lane one." they whined but did as bid.
"Most likely worried for that bastard." one whispered but her attentive ears picked up on it.
"I'm not worried about him." she growled in frustration. "It's because I don't want the hassle of saving you from his hands." Sesshomaru chuckled evilly at their surprised eyes. With that settled he put the glasses on, dived underwater and proceeded to his swimming routine. From time to time he would pause to observe how well Rin was doing under Kagome's instructions. It was just the first lesson and she already moved to aided free style. As such an hour had passed and the boys dragged their exhausted bodies out of the pool and to the showers. Some stopped to glare their jealousy that he had not tired out yet.
Inuyasha offered to watch Rin and Shippo play in the shallow pool while Kagome checked up on Sesshomaru. She silently made her way to the head of the lane he was swimming in and waited for him to return. At the moment Sesshomaru was doing, what Kagome hoped, the last underwater lap. She smiled as he neared the edge with perfect stokes. It grew wider as touched the wall tumbled and then emerge with a light shake of the head, to get rid of the water on his face. He took of the goggles and his eyes settled on her. She sat lazily on the height edge next to the jumping stand. Hands gripped the edge while her legs dangled lazily in the water up to the ankles.
"Hi."she greeted and received a nod on his part. "Did you blow off enough steam?" she asked after a few seconds. His eyes narrowed and he made his way to the ladder to get out.
"What are you implying?" she giggled at the suspicious tone he used.
"I'm not implying anything. I'm just asking, because I learnt a long time ago that you can't help people when they need to blow off steam. And really, you needed to." he looked at her with doubt and then climbed out. She handed him the towel to pat himself dry for the moment. "I don't know what got you upset today but you can't bottle it up. It's not healthy." she continued with a stern and professional face. He kept quiet for a while. She didn't insist on the matter, giving him some space.
"Things beyond my control." was the only thing he'd let out. She sighed, shoulders slumping.
"I see." she then took a deep breath and stood to her feet startling him slightly the sudden mood change. "Alright! Let's get the tension out of your system." she cried happily. He fixed her with a stern look.
"I have heeded your instruction, what are you blabbering about?" he threw the towel on the jumping stand a too half a step closer.
"No... you swam aimlessly, in the most perfect form I've seen in weeks, but aimlessly nonetheless." she corrected taking off the robe. He glared at her and she resisted the urge to sigh and shake her head. Artists, they want everything to be perfect... "Look what I'm saying is that you need to learn how to relax your muscles the way they need it, not how you think it. Now, come on, get in the water." she urged, jumping in before him. He sighed and shook of the water from is feet. She surfaced and looked at him with those taunting eyes of hers, they made him want to indulge her. He dived and resurfaced next to her. She smiled at his cooperation and he returned a small unsure smile. She made a sign towards the bar handle and they both swam for it. "Okay now, grab the bar, draw a deep breath and let it out slowly while your feet sink, till vertical." he did as she wanted and let his body relax as he exhaled, eyes closed.
A/N: I'll be gone out of the country next week, so I don't know if I'll get another chapter done before that... but anyway, if you have thoughts to share with me please leave a review. I appreciate all feedback. :)
