Kagome awoke around noon and, to her surprise, Sesshomaru lay beside her.
His breath was even and deep, though she was suddenly and intently aware that, despite that, he wasn't asleep.
She felt his clothing against her bare skin and shivered—
"I'm naked!" she practically screeched.
She felt his quiet chuckle more than heard it. "You insisted on sleeping like this," he told her in quiet amusement.
She flushed as he sat up, careful to shift so her modesty was preserved—whatever was left of it—and then he removed his top, wrapping it gently around her.
"There," he rumbled, still clearly amused. "You are properly covered."
Kagome wasn't sure properly was the right word, but she was grateful nonetheless. The fabric was long on her, given their height difference, but it was made of pure, handprinted silk and since it was his, she felt more like a girlfriend wearing her boyfriend's shirt than anything else.
"For the moment, at least," she said, feeling a bit discomforted at his unexpected gesture. She hadn't expected him to care and yet from the very beginning, he had proven that he was invested in her from the beginning. "But I need my own clothes, Sesshomaru."
He lifted a brow. "So go get them," he said in amusement. "Your servants should be in the room to assist you, if needed."
"In the room?" she repeated slowly. "Why would they—Sesshomaru! I said I'd clean up after myself! I made the mess."
"And you needed your rest," he said, unrepentant. "The room needed to be put to rights so construction could finish. I did not want you in your room all day while they completed repairs nearby."
She abruptly recalled that the shiro was half-finished as she got off of him. "Oh," she said, feeling a little silly and guilty at the same time. "But won't we still hear the construction regardless of where we are in the shiro?"
He gave a short nod. "That is why Rin suggested that we go on what she called a 'picnic' today. She said you were fond of them." He rose to his own feet, studying her intently.
She felt a bit like cornered prey.
"But we do not need to leave if you do not wish to," he added quickly and, if it had been anyone else, she would have said that he was nervous. "There is no need to rush into the construction—"
"It's fine, Sesshomaru." Without thinking, she reached out to touch his arm.
He looked as surprised by the touch as she felt.
"We can go on the picnic." She wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of leaving the shiro just yet, but she felt guilty that his house construction had been delayed because he'd taken the time to look after her.
Besides, it was only for the day. Part of the day, really, since it was already half over.
She could do this.
And she trusted Sesshomaru, though it still felt a little weird to admit that to herself.
He nodded. "Very well," he said quietly. "Rin has been overseeing the preparations with InuYasha."
"We have to check on them!" Kagome blurted, racing to slide open his bedroom door and leave. "InuYasha doesn't even know how to cook rice without burning it!"
Sesshomaru began chuckling. "You wished to change," he reminded her.
Kagome flushed as she stopped short outside his room. "Right," she said weakly, flushing. "I'll, um, go change and then we can make sure InuYasha hasn't ruined anything."
She heard Sesshomaru laugh again as she slid open the door to her own room.
True to his word, Sakino and Isome were in the room, finishing the last of the cleanup from her destruction the night before.
"Kagome-sama!" Isome spotted her first and bowed, prompting Sakino to stop and offer an awkward one of her own.
"Thank you," Kagome said awkwardly, embarrassed that they were handling her mess for her.
"Do not worry, Kagome-sama." Isome gave her a gentle smile. "We are grateful to be needed. Sesshomaru-sama is a generous employer and—"
Sakino put her hand on Isome's shoulder. "You need clothes," Sakino said abruptly. "Come."
Sakino led Kagome over to the righted tansu and, with Isome's help, they quickly helped her dress, promising to handle Sesshomaru's clothing for her.
"We will finish your room," Isome said gently as they ushered her back to the door. "Please rejoin Sesshomaru-sama. He is waiting for you."
Isome was right, Kagome found. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Sesshomaru waiting for her a short distance away.
Again, she would have said that, if he'd been anyone else, he appeared nervous, but that was an odd emotion to associate with Sesshomaru of all people.
"Rin and InuYasha are loading Ah-Un with supplies," he said when he saw her. "Then we will all leave for this picnic."
Somehow, she'd just assumed it would be him and her alone and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt knowing that they wouldn't be.
But she forced herself to smile and say, "Okay."