Sesshoumaru waited until most of the family and friends were occupied with decorating the tree to approach her. "This one should like to speak with you, miko."
A frown formed and her brows beetled slightly forward as she glanced around the room. Her eyes landed on Kouga and she couldn't help but to smile at the sight of him sitting very still as one of Inuyasha's children wrapped tinsel around his head and shoulders. Though she wasn't waiting for it, he nodded his understanding. As it had the night before on their date, her heart sighed just a little. "Alright. We can go outside. It'll be quieter out there, maybe."
Biting back the sneer he would have aimed at the wolf, he held his arm out to help her up.
Kagome hesitated, and almost allowed him to help, but ultimately pushed up to her feet herself and slipped her own hands in her pockets. Maybe it was rude, but she couldn't bring herself to take anything from him just yet, even something so simple as a hand up. "I need to grab my coat," she murmured and led the way to the front door. She slipped into that too quickly for him to try helping there.
It was illogical to feel hurt over the subtle snub, but he couldn't seem to help himself. Stifling his discontent, he followed her and held back the attempt to help her into the coat. "You have been well?" he asked after several minutes had passed in silence.
She sighed and again slid her hands into her pockets, grateful for the warmth and the bulky fabric that hid fidgety fingers. "You know I have been. The updates on the pup's conditions detail my health as well. I know the pups are important to you, Sesshoumaru. I've done everything the doctor has ordered to keep my health up so the pups aren't affected."
"I did not ask because of the pups," he said finally, looking away from her to the moon. It would be full soon.
Surprised, she almost stumbled, but caught herself. "I…I'm fine," she murmured, hating how stilted the conversation felt. "I tire more easily than I'd like, but I'm fine."
Nodding, he glanced back down at her and tried to let some of what he was feeling echo in his features, though he wasn't sure how successful a venture it was. "I should not have let you leave."
She stopped, and something sad came into her eyes before she could stop it. "No, you shouldn't have. But it's too late to ask me to come back. I've started something here and I have to finish it out."
"The wolf," he muttered, and couldn't have stopped the frown if he had wanted to.
"Him too," she admitted. "I wasn't asking for a relationship from you, Sesshoumaru. I would have been happy to remain friends but you wouldn't even give me that much."
"Will you mate him?" He didn't want to ask, didn't want to know, but he needed to.
"That's none of your business," she said, voice gentle. "But, I don't know. We've only had one date. I want to see where it goes."
It was on the tip of his tongue to say she was his business for the simple fact that she carried his pups.
o.O.o
Word Count - 553
