A1969: hey there! Thank you all so much for the reviews! And for putting this story on your favorites, alerts, et cetera!
Sango: anyway, have you thought of someone epic yet?
A1969: I've thought of several, and they may surprise you. First one on the list is… *snaps fingers*
Kouga: *magically appears* what the hell am I doing here?!
Inuyasha: yeah, what on earth is that wimpy wolf doing here?
Kouga: oh great, dog turd and his brother are here. What joy.
Kagome: hey, Kouga, long time no see!
Kouga: Kagome! *grabs her hands* I've missed you a lot.
Inuyasha: hey! Get your hands off my wife!
A1969: popcorn, anyone?
Sesshoumaru: I don't eat human food. But this should be most entertaining.
Miroku: anyway…enjoy the chapter!
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-Chapter Forty-Two-
.:An Interlude, Part IV:.
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Clara
I felt something warm on my face.
I slowly opened my eyes to find sunlight streaming through the bay windows. I draped an arm across my forehead as I shut my eyes again. Had I forgotten to draw the curtains last night? Wait, last night…
I removed my arm as my eyes flew open. Oh. Oh. Oh.
Sesshoumaru had tried to kiss me last night. I quickly sat up to find the duvet covered over me. Eh? What happened? The last thing I remembered was looking into Sesshoumaru's eyes when he…I blushed.
I glanced around the room, looking for Sesshoumaru, but he was nowhere in sight. Where was he? I racked my brain, trying to remember what had happened last night. We had talked. I suddenly remembered running my fingers through his hair, remembered the way he had gripped my wrists in his hands, and the way he draped my arms around his neck. And then, I think I blacked out.
Blacked out. As in, fainted. Swooned. Keeled over. Whatever.
Geez, Clara, you are so, so stupid.
I raked a hand through my hair as Kagome's voice suddenly echoed through my head…
"Have you ever considered that maybe…he loves you?"
My fists clenched the duvet tightly. The possibility that Sesshoumaru felt the same way I did made butterflies flutter around my stomach. I placed a hand on my chest. It wasn't even seven in the morning yet, and already my heart was going into overdrive—
Wait a minute.
My eyes slid to the wall clock above my desk. The time was…half past seven?!
Oh, shoot! I had thirty minutes to get to school!
I threw the duvet off me as I leapt out of bed. I charged towards my bathroom, but stopped when something caught my eye. Sesshoumaru's armor and fluffy pelt were placed on the bay window seat. I blinked. Huh…was he around here somewhere?
I shook my head. Not now. I had school to get to.
I turned towards the bathroom, and rammed into something…or rather, someone. A second later, I found myself looking at the white of Sesshoumaru's haori as his hands gripped my shoulders, holding me steady.
Er…
Hesitantly, I looked up at him. He was looking down at me with the same perfunctory expression he usually wore. I suddenly remembered last night, and my cheeks burned.
This was…awkward.
"Um…" I said. He was still holding onto my shoulders. "Hi. I mean…good evening—I mean, good morning!" Stop floundering, Clara!
He remained silent, his expression unmoving. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he…mad? Upset? Disappointed? In any case, he had yet to let go of my shoulders. The only sound I could hear was the slow ticking of the clock. Speaking of clock…
"Sesshoumaru, I have to go," I said, pulling away reluctantly.
He stared at me. "If you must," he said insouciantly.
I gave him a small, hesitant smile, before I rushed past him towards the bathroom. I slammed the door shut, and leaned against it, placing a hand over my chest. My heart was fluttering (it sounded very dramatic, but it was the truth).
Where did this leave us, exactly?
I seriously considered asking Alexis's advice, but—remembering that she still had unused .44 Magnums—I immediately shot that idea down. I shook my head. Later—this problem could wait.
. . .
Five minutes later, I burst out of the bathroom, my hair dripping over my uniform. I didn't even have time to comb it—I only had fifteen minutes left! I grabbed my backpack from the desk and ran towards the door. I stopped and turned towards Sesshoumaru, who was sitting at the bay window seat, arm resting on a bent knee (that seemed to be his favorite sitting position). He was staring out the window with narrowed eyes.
"Sesshoumaru, I have to leave for a while," I said, and his eyes immediately snapped to me. "I'll be back later. Will you be okay?"
He scoffed as though I'd insulted him. "Remember—be inconspicuous!" I said as I ran out the door.
I ran into Tinette cleaning the circular tables in the hallway. "Have you seen my mother?" I asked her. I could really use a ride.
"She left early this morning," Tinette replied. "She took the little boy with her. I think they are going to the airport."
Airport? Oh, right—Elliott.
"Oh, and Tinette?" I said. "I have a…guest in my—"
"Madame Alexis already told me about your third degree cousin from Holland," Tinette said, shrugging, as she resumed her cleaning.
My eyebrow twitched. Third degree cousin…from Holland. Did Sesshoumaru and I even look related? In fact, did he even look like a Hollander? I shook my head as I ran down the stairs, and out the door.
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Kagome
"So, suppose a ball is dropped from rest and after t seconds, its directed distance from the starting point is s feet, and its velocity is…"
As Mr. Sato, the algebra teacher, scribbled away on the board, I stifled a yawn. Admittedly, algebra wasn't really my best subject. I'd left Inuyasha at home, with Souta (he was teaching Inuyasha how to play a video game).
A piece of paper suddenly fell on top of my notebook. I blinked, and looked up. Eri, sitting two seats in front of me, grinned conspiratorially at me before turning her attention back to the board.
Kagome, the note read, did you and Clara find anything good we could use for the play?
Speaking of Clara…
I glanced towards her seat near the window. It was conspicuously empty. Clara didn't say anything about not coming into class today. Maybe she was still feeling a bit nauseous from purifying the jewel? I made a mental note to check up on her later. I turned back to Eri's note.
Yes, I wrote. It's a tragic, depressing sort of romance. It was a poem called 'Demon' by Mikhail Lermontov. You'll like it, I'm sure.
"Ms. Higurashi!" a harsh voice suddenly barked, and I jumped, my pen falling to the floor. Mr. Sato was suddenly in front of me. "You know how I feel about love notes in class. Stand. If you would be so kind as to read what you've written?"
Several people laughed. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I reluctantly stood, and was about to read the note aloud, when the door suddenly burst open. Clara stood in the open doorway, panting, and a hand on the door jamb. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair looked like a mess.
A low chuckle rippled through the room. "Ms. Rose!" Mr. Sato said, turning towards Clara. "So glad you could join us." He sounded sarcastic.
"I'm sorry," Clara said, bowing to him. "I…wasn't feeling…I wasn't feeling well this morning."
"No doubt, you've slept in late, because of your delicate condition! Now, if you'd be so kind as to sit before I send you to the principal's office…
Clara kept her eyes down as she made her way towards her seat. I stole a glance at her as Mr. Sato carried on with his lecture. She looked troubled, her eyebrows knitted together. Did it have something to do with the jewel?
Throughout algebra, I stole intermittent looks at Clara. She looked as though she had a problem, the way she constantly sighed and occasionally ran a hand through her hair. She frowned at her algebra notebook, and blushed. Huh…Did it have something to do with Sesshoumaru?
The bell rang fifteen minutes later. As people slowly started to leave the room, I made my way towards Clara.
"Hey," I said.
She looked up as she stuffed her book into her backpack. "Yeah, I…woke up late," she said sheepishly.
I fished my comb out of my backpack and handed it to her. "Certainly looks that way. Did Sesshoumaru keep you up all night?" I joked, grinning.
Clara froze, the comb raked through her hair. She blinked, and her eyes widened as her cheeks flushed. I stared at her, astounded. Oh…my…god!
"Wait!" I shrieked, making several people stare. I lowered my voice, and sat on the empty desk next to her. "Wait, wait, wait! Don't tell me…you two didn't…did you?"
Her cheeks burned with a spectacular shade of crimson, as she turned to me. "Oh my god!" I shrieked again. "You did!"
"No!" Clara yelped, suddenly finding her voice. She pulled the comb through her hair. "Of course not! It's just that…er…"
I leaned in towards her. "What?" I prompted, somewhat excited. Finally! A developmental milestone in their relationship!
Clara kept her eyes lowered. "He…er…well…he tried to kiss me," she whispered.
I shrieked, and hastily covered my mouth with my hands as several people raised their eyebrows at me. "He did?!" I said. If someone suddenly announced that I'd won the lottery, I wouldn't have been more excited. "What did you do?! What did he do? What happened?"
She blushed, keeping her eyes fixed on the desk, as though intrigued by it. She mumbled something under her breath.
"What?" I asked, not hearing her. "What? What did he do?" I was practically bouncing up and down in my seat with anticipation.
She took a breath. "I passed out," she said in a tiny whisper.
"You did?!" I said excitedly. Wait a minute. "You did?!"
"I didn't mean to!" Clara said quickly, cheeks flushing again. "I wasn't expecting…and he just sort of leaned in…and I didn't know what to—"
"You passed out on him?!" I hissed. I didn't know if Sesshoumaru was just that good, or if this girl was just that hopeless. Keep calm, Kagome, don't whack Clara on the head. It wasn't her fault…ish.
"I didn't mean to!" Clara said again.
I exhaled sharply. "So…you didn't kiss at all?"
She shook her head regretfully, eyes not meeting mine. "And what exactly did he say?"
"I don't know," she mumbled. "When I came to, it was morning, and I was lying in bed. I was late for class, so we didn't talk much."
"Clara!" I barked, and she jumped. "I so want to strangle you right now! But I won't. So, this is what I want you to do…"
She gulped. "When you see him later," I went on, "you're going to walk up to him. You're going to grab him, and you're going to kiss him until you run out of air, got it?!"
"But…but…" she stammered, cheeks going scarlet.
I raised a hand. "I thought you liked him?" I demanded.
"I do!" she said. "It's just that…well…" She looked so embarrassed, it was almost painful. She unconsciously rubbed her arm. "It's just that…Kagome, I had a chaperone in my elementary years! I've never had a boyfriend before, I'm a novice at it. What if I…mess up?"
Thinking of Alexis Rose, I couldn't help but think that this was true. Though I never had a boyfriend before Inuyasha, I had gone out with a few boys before I went to the Feudal Era.
I shrugged at her. "Sesshoumaru's centuries old," I pointed out. "I'm sure he knows what to do with you."
Her eyebrow twitched, and her cheeks flushed. "Somehow, that sounded wrong," she said flatly.
I gave her an innocent look. "Well, it's true—"
"There you are!"
Clara and I looked up to see Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi entering the now-deserted classroom. "By the way," Eri said as they crowded around us. "Kagome, where's that piece you wanted to show me?"
I took the papers from my backpack and handed it to her. Eri's eyebrows rose as she read the title. "Demon," she muttered. "Yeah, I remember copying this off the internet. It seemed intriguing enough." They pulled up chairs and sat beside us.
"It's a poem, though," Ayumi said, leaning towards Eri, who began to read intently.
"By the way, Clara," Ayumi went on, turning to her. "Has Kagome told you already? About the music for the drama, I mean."
Clara nodded. "You really want me to compose the entire score for this?" she asked. "What if I…get sick again?"
"I have faith in your abilities," Ayumi said solemnly, and Clara blinked at her. You have to admit, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were very, very tenacious.
"What if I get hospitalized again?" Clara asked. "You know, relapse?"
"You don't need to compose a lot," Ayumi said. "All you have to do is compose a few songs—like the love theme, the main theme, the main characters' themes…Basically, that's that."
Clara nodded. "I could do that," she said, a thoughtful look in her blue eyes.
"And Kagome?" Ayumi said, turning to me now. "I think we could give you a really minor role, so you won't get stressed too much."
"What role were you guys thinking of?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow. I suddenly remembered the last time Eri had roped me into a play—she had given me the role of the female lead at the last minute.
"A tree," Yuka piped up.
I stared at them. Clara looked as though she wanted to laugh, but didn't dare. "A tree?" I deadpanned.
"A tree," Eri confirmed, looking up from the papers she was reading. "You know, the ending to this is pretty depressing."
"No kidding," Clara muttered.
"We could change it," Eri said slowly. She thought for a moment. "In the end, Demon and Tamara could stay together. What if Tamara does die, but Demon still stays with her, in spirit?"
"That could work," Clara said. Of course, she'd love that ending. Come to think of it, so would I.
"We need to adapt this into a script as soon as possible," Ayumi said, taking the papers from Eri. "Ms. Kondo wanted to see the script soon, Eri, remember?"
"Yeah," Eri said, sighing. "So, Kagome, Clara, you guys up for it?"
Clara and I glanced at each other. Well…my role was just a tree, anyway. And it didn't look as though Clara had a lot of composing to do—she could easily do it in the Feudal Era. After all, didn't she compose a song for Sesshoumaru there?
"We're in," we said.
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Clara
"A tree," Kagome said again, for the tenth time. School had just finished, and we were leaving campus.
I smiled at her. "I thought you didn't want a big role, in case you got sick?" I teased.
"Well…" she said, somewhat sheepish. "I do want a minor role, but a tree? I was thinking I could be Peasant Five, at least." She shrugged, and I laughed.
"At least Inuyasha won't complain too much," I pointed out. "I mean, all you have to do is stand there with your arms in the air. I have to compose several songs."
"Speaking of compose," Kagome said as we crossed the street. "Did you play that song you made for Sesshoumaru?"
"Er…" I began. "I have. But not when he was around."
"Clara!" she snapped. "You're far too shy for your own good! I honestly want to hit you right now. In fact, I want to hit both of you. You're such idiots." She growled, eyes narrowed in a way that would have made Inuyasha proud.
I opened my mouth to reply, before she cut me off. "Don't forget what I told you—when you see him later, kiss him. Got it?"
Must she bring that up? I blushed, and cleared my throat. "Anyway," I said. "Do you want to go shopping with me this coming Friday? There are stuff I need to get before we go back to the Feudal Era."
"Fair point," Kagome said. "Inuyasha's been rummaging through the cupboards at my house, looking for ramen. Good thing he's a half-demon—his kidneys would have suffered otherwise."
We laughed, and rounded a corner. "Well, I'm off," Kagome said, waving, as she crossed the street. "Don't forget about Sesshoumaru, got it?"
I returned her wave somewhat weakly before I walked on. I shouldn't have told her. I should have kept my big mouth shut.
"When you see him later, you're going to walk up to him. You're going to grab him, and you're going to kiss him until you run out of air, got it?!"
Kagome's voice rang through my head, as loud and clear as a horde of stampeding buffalos. I shook my head, my cheeks heating up. I couldn't do it. Not that I didn't want to, it was just that…it was just that…Dammit. It wasn't like I'd never kissed anyone before (never mind that it was actually Takeshi who had forced that kiss on me).
Why was this so frustrating? It should be simple. C'mon, Clara, all you have to do—according to Kagome, anyway—is just walk up to him, and…kiss him. Kiss Sesshoumaru.
I shouldn't have told Kagome!
I looked up, surprised to find that I'd already reached home. The gate that stood in front of me seemed almost menacing. It didn't really help that I could sense Sesshoumaru's demonic aura from inside the gates. Oh, damn.
I blushed. I could always turn on my heel, head off to Ginza, and stay there, shopping, until I'd hit the credit limit on my VISA card (and that, I think, would take a while). I shook my head vigorously. C'mon, Clara, be a man! I mean…never mind.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door in the gate. I glanced around. No sign of Sesshoumaru—or anyone else for that matter. Tinette must be somewhere inside and, seeing as my mother's black Accord wasn't parked in the driveway, she and Bradley were still out.
Wait…am I trying to avoid Sesshoumaru? I couldn't sense his demonic aura in the house anymore. Had he left just before I got in? That would be convenient—it would give me a moment to get my bearings (at this point, it was safe to say I was inwardly cursing the stupid elementary school chaperone).
I sighed, and made a beeline for the door.
"Clara."
I froze, and my eyes popped wide in surprise. I should have done something to merit a detention. I let out a breath, and spun around to find Sesshoumaru standing in the garden, arms crossed, his expression impassive. No wonder his demonic aura vanished—he'd sealed it.
Seeing him standing there, the funniest thing suddenly happened. It was as if all the apprehension abruptly vanished, evaporated, disintegrated into thin air…I suddenly realized how silly it was to be afraid. Stupid, even.
I smiled at him. "Hi," I said, walking towards him. Kagome's words suddenly rang in my ears, and I immediately pushed them aside. I wasn't afraid anymore—Sesshoumaru was supposed to be my third degree cousin from Holland (Tinette would have a heart attack if she caught me kissing him—I blushed at the thought).
His eyes met mine, but he didn't say anything. "Were you bored?" I asked, a little too awkwardly. Okay, maybe that wasn't the best question to ask…
He arched an eyebrow. "Intrigued," was the succinct reply.
I stared at him. "Intrigued?" I asked, surprised. "Wait…you didn't leave, did you?"
"For a while," he said, arms still crossed. "This Era has much to offer."
I blinked. "Where exactly did you go?" I asked. "In fact, what exactly did you do?"
"Nothing that warranted suspicion," he said, scoffing. "There are no demons in this Era—using my power was not necessary. However, the humans were most annoying."
This time, I was bursting with apprehension. "Sesshoumaru," I said, dumbfounded. "Please tell me you didn't kill, maim, or threaten anyone."
"I did no such thing," he said dismissively. "Though, several of those human females would have deserved it."
My jaw slackened, and I quickly shut my mouth. "Wait…human…females…" I wasn't blind—Sesshoumaru was, to put it bluntly, hot. The kind of hot that made Orlando Bloom seem inadequate in comparison. I could only imagine what 'those human females' must've done. The mental image of Sesshoumaru running from a horde of girls suddenly flashed through my mind. I couldn't help it—I laughed.
He narrowed his eyes, and I only laughed louder. "You seem to find this amusing," he said.
"I'm…I'm sorry!" I said, chortling. "I…I can't help it! You…being chased by a horde of human girls! It's just…too…too funny!" He watched, unamused, as I continued to laugh. His stern expression only made me laugh louder.
"I did not run," he pointed out. "They were nothing more than a nuisance. They desired to know my 'number'—asinine, vague creatures."
I blinked at him—and then I guffawed. This…this…I should have recorded this on my cell phone! Wait a minute…Inwardly grinning, I took out my phone, and opened the recorder app. He eyed the device I held, but said nothing, his expression aloof. I almost felt bad about this—but hey? I was human. I loved a good laugh every now and then.
"So," I said, clearing my throat and grinning at him. "What did you do when the human girls who wanted your number kept pestering you?"
"I could not kill them," Sesshoumaru said. His earnest expression made me want to laugh again, but I held back. "My patience was wearing thin—I outran them."
Oh…good lord! I've never laughed so hard in my life! Just for Laughs had nothing on this!
"You seem to find me amusing," he said tersely.
"Sorry," I said, saving the recording. "I am only human—I like to laugh. Unlike some people." I gave him a pointed look. "Hey, listen to this!" I grinned at him, and played the record.
"So," my voice said. "What did you do when the human girls who wanted your number kept pestering you?"
"I could not kill them." Wow, the record was just as icy as his voice. "My patience was wearing thin—I outran them."
Sesshoumaru stared at the phone in my hand, head tilted almost imperceptibly to one side (very much like a curious puppy). His cold eyes shifted to me—there was just the hint of curiosity. I knew he would never ask outright, so I explained.
"It records sounds," I said. "Much like a scribe keeping records of written words, this device records the sounds it hears." I placed the phone in his palm. For one horrible moment, I thought he would crush it, but he only enclosed his fingers around it as he narrowed his eyes at it.
"Most amusing," he said sarcastically, handing the phone back to me.
At that moment, a low hum whined overhead as an airplane soared high above us. Sesshoumaru looked up, eyes narrowed almost intently. When he wasn't fighting demons in this era, he must feel a little…lost (though, being Sesshoumaru, he would never admit it aloud).
"That's an airplane," I told him, and his eyes fell back to me. "Humans use it to travel really long distances—probably longer than you've ever traveled."
"And where would this be?"
"Other countries across the ocean," I said, trying to keep it simple. "In your era, it would take months to reach another country riding a ship. In this era, it takes only hours." I shrugged nonchalantly. Truth was, I did feel a little smug about it.
He didn't reply. Instead, he fixed me with an intent look, a look that made me blush. I quickly looked down, my heart thudding erratically. It was a different kind of silence that fell around us—almost an expectant sort. What had happened to my resolve earlier?
"Anyway," I said, trying to find something else to talk about. "Er…" Think, think, think! "I was—"
Sesshoumaru suddenly reached towards me, his fingers brushing lightly against my hair. My eyes widened in surprise as he withdrew his hand. He was clutching a leaf between his long fingers. I flushed. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"How did that get there?" I said nervously, stalling for time (no, seriously, what happened to my courage earlier?!).
"Clara." There was a rustle of silk as he took a step towards me. I hesitantly looked up to meet his eyes, trying not to think about the foot of space between us. Admittedly, I tried not to think about…messing it up. Why was this so frustrating?
"Yes?" My voice sounded a little too high-pitched (maybe Tinette would suddenly come out and announce that she'd burnt dinner). I could feel butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, could feel my heart pounding to a staccato rhythm.
He looked down at me for a moment, eyes narrowed intently, almost analytically. And then, very slowly, he reached out and placed a hand against my face. I blinked at him, blushing, as his thumb gently stroked my cheek. Kagome's words suddenly buzzed around my head.
He stared at me, his cold eyes unblinking. "Don't do anything foolish," he murmured, his other hand reaching up to cup my other cheek. He gently tilted my head upward.
My breath hitched. "You mean like…passing out?" I thought it was a pretty good joke.
He didn't answer. Instead, he leaned in towards me. He tilted his head slightly to one side, and I felt my heart pounding erratically against my ribs—it was almost painful. I closed my eyes, and gripped his arms, waiting…
Waiting…
Eh?
I slowly opened my eyes. Sesshoumaru's attention was fixed on the closed gates, and, a moment later, the sound of a car honking blared through the air. Mom…couldn't you have gotten stuck in traffic? I sighed in disappointment as Sesshoumaru pulled away from me.
Tinette rushed out of the house, and pressed the control beside the gate, which promptly slid open. I watched as Alexis's black Accord slid smoothly into the driveway, and promptly stopped. Huh…she seems to have gotten better at driving. Beside me, Sesshoumaru folded his arms across his chest, his expression impassive.
The driver's door suddenly swung open, and my eyebrows rose in surprise. It wasn't mom who stepped out—it was a young man in his late teens. He wore a pair of black jeans, and a pale blue button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his arms. A pair of black aviator sunglasses was perched on his wavy blonde hair. The moment he caught sight of me, he grinned, his brown eyes twinkling.
He waved a hand. "Yo!" he said.
I gaped stupidly, and smiled. "Elliott!" I said, running towards him.
He threw his arms around me, and drew me into a tight hug. "Long time no see, Antoinette!" Elliott said as he pulled away and held me at arm's length to get a better look at me. He spoke in English.
I made a face at him. "Don't call me that!" I snapped, in English.
"It suits you, ma chérie," Elliott said, smirking.
I grimaced. "You really should drop the fake French accent," I said bluntly. "It doesn't suit you."
"You wound me, Atoinette," Elliott said, placing a hand over his chest in mock hurt. He suddenly frowned as his brown eyes roved from my head to my feet. He scowled. "Seriously? The same hairstyle? You've had that for the past three years! And…what is with this uniform?" He tugged at the puffy sleeves of my uniform. "It doesn't suit you at all!"
His scowl deepened, like it always did whenever he saw anything that offended his fashion sense. "Honestly, Antoinette, lose the backpack! Coach has the most beautiful satchel bag I've seen—it would suit you, I think. And we have to do something about this hair!" He tugged at a lock of my hair, scowling. "I think a short, chic, pixie cut would do wonders for you."
I rolled my eyes. "I like my hair long, Elliott."
"It's too old fashioned!" Elliott protested.
My mother and Bradley suddenly got out of the car. "Isn't Elliott funny, Clara?" Bradley said, coming towards us.
"Meh," I said. "He's not funny, he's a great big bully. Don't be fooled, Bradley."
Elliott quirked an eyebrow as he turned to Bradley. He grinned at the little boy before scooping him into his arms. "Your third degree cousin has more sense than you, Antoinette," Elliott said. Bradley giggled and tugged Elliott's sunglasses from his hair.
Oh, so Bradley was my third degree cousin, too? Really, mom?
Speaking of which…
"Elliott, I want you to meet someone," I said brightly, already picturing his flabbergasted reaction. I turned towards Sesshoumaru, and my eyes widened in surprise.
He was gone.
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Kagome
The broom flew from my hand as I shrieked. "Eeeeek!"
There, crawling fast on the ground in front of me, was the biggest, most disgusting centipede I had ever seen! It suddenly rushed towards me, and I cried out, lunging backwards.
"Kagome, what's wrong?!" Inuyasha shouted, landing right behind me.
"Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!" I shouted, jumping up and down. My fingers trembled as I pointed at the crawling centipede.
Inuyasha was suddenly in front of me. To my horror, he stooped down and picked the hapless centipede up in one hand. "You mean, this thing?"
My eyes bugged out. Why was he picking it up? I actually wanted him to use the Tessaiga on the thing! "Inuyasha, put that—"
Inuyasha suddenly looked upward, frowning. A second later, a familiar orb of white light landed yards in front of me and Inuyasha, whipping the wind around us.
"Sesshoumaru?" I said, surprised, as the demon lord materialized right in front of us. Eh? What happened to his armor, and the fluffy thing he always wore?
The demon lord turned to us, eyes narrowed menacingly. "Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha snapped, turning to his brother. "What are you—OW!" The centipede suddenly arched backward and bit Inuyasha's hand. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" Inuyasha shouted, waving his hand, hoping to dislodge the arthropod. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"
The centipede suddenly flew from his hand and whizzed through the air towards Sesshoumaru, who unflinchingly caught it in a clawed hand before it could smack him in the face. His hand suddenly glowed a sickly green as his toxic claws dissolved the centipede (I sort of felt sorry for it).
"A fate the mortal might have had," Sesshoumaru said to himself. He sounded sinister.
I stared at him. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "And why are you here? And where's Clara?"
At the mention of her name, Sesshoumaru's golden eyes snapped to me. I flinched, and reflexively took a step towards Inuyasha, who tensed at seeing his brother's expression. I swear—the temperature dropped about ten degrees!
Sesshoumaru considered us for a moment, before he turned to the well shrine. He slid the door open, and promptly stepped in.
"What's eating him?" Inuyasha mused.
I inwardly growled. "Don't tell me she passed out on him again," I muttered. "I'm going to kill her!"
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked.
I huffed. "Sesshoumaru tried to kiss her, you know," I said.
Inuyasha's eyes were wide as saucers, and his jaw slackened in disbelief. "Him?" Inuyasha said, astonished. "Wait…we're talking about my brother, right? Sesshoumaru? Lord of the Western Lands? We don't happen to know another Sesshoumaru, do we?"
I gave him a flat look. "Yes, Inuyasha," I said impatiently. "He did try to kiss her, last night."
Inuyasha stared at me, mouth hanging open from shock. I take it, his brain was having trouble conjuring an image of Sesshoumaru showing any sort of emotion, let out alone affection. It was a while before he eventually spoke up.
"Wait…" He shook his head. "This is…I can't wrap my head around it. I think I'm going to get a headache." He paused, while his brain was coping with the information. "You said 'tried'. What happened?"
I sighed. "Clara fainted on him."
Inuyasha blinked at me—and then, he let out a loud guffaw. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" he roared. "He tried to kiss her, but she fainted on him! That…that's a good one!" He actually clutched his stomach as he heaved with laughter. "What's the matter, Sesshoumaru, you got bad breath or something? Ha! Ha! Ha!" His face actually reddened as he continued to chortle.
Clara, that idiot. "C'mon, Inuyasha," I said, grabbing Inuyasha by the collar and hauling him towards the house.
"Hey! I can walk, Kagome!"
I ignored him as we entered the house. After taking off my shoes, I headed towards the phone and punched in Clara's number. That girl was getting a piece of my mind!
It was her mother who answered. "Hey, Mrs. Rose!" I greeted. "It's Kagome."
"Hello, Kagome," Alexis greeted. "How are you?"
"I'm fine, thanks," I said, twirling the cord around my finger. "I was wondering if I could speak to Clara?"
"She's out, I'm afraid," she said. "She's gone to Ginza with Elliott. Actually, it was more like Elliott dragged her along."
"Who's Elliott?" I asked.
"A childhood friend of hers, come to visit," Alexis answered. I suddenly heard Bradley chattering away in rapid English in the background. "No, Bradley, it didn't take your soul—just your picture. I'm sorry, Kagome, Bradley was playing with my iPhone. Where were we?"
"Elliott?" I prompted.
"Oh, he's a childhood friend of hers," Alexis repeated. "They were quite close when they were children."
Sesshoumaru's menacing voice suddenly hissed through my mind:
"A fate the mortal might have had."
Ooh. "I'll tell her to give you a call," Alexis said.
"Thanks, Mrs. Rose!" I said, hanging up. I turned to Inuyasha, who was looking expectantly at me. "I get it—Sesshoumaru's jealous!"
Inuyasha stared at me. "Jealous?"
"Of a human boy named 'Elliott'," I said. "He's a friend of Clara's, and they were really close." I didn't know whether to be smug because Sesshoumaru was jealous, or be annoyed that Clara didn't seem to have any idea at all. That girl…
Inuyasha folded his arms. "You know, I can tell he cares about her and all," he said. "But I'm still having trouble accepting it—this is Sesshoumaru we're talking about, right?" He shook his head. "Jealous. Wow. He really is a lovesick idiot. I'm surprised he didn't kill this Elliott person."
"I think that's why he left," I mused. "Maybe he did want to kill him."
The phone suddenly rang sharply, and I quickly answered it. "Kagome?" Clara said. She sounded both worried and annoyed. I could hear Josh Groban crooning in the background.
"Where are you?" I demanded. "Listen, Sesshoumaru was here, and—"
"He was?" Clara asked, surprised. "So, he went back to the Feudal Era? I was wondering where he went."
"He left because he was one step away from killing this Elliott person!" I snapped. I suddenly remembered the sinister look Sesshoumaru sent me, and I inwardly shivered.
"What?" Clara said, oblivious. No, forget about hitting her on the head—I was going to throw her off a cliff.
"Gee, Clara, I wonder why," I said, somewhat sarcastic.
"Wait a minute," Clara said slowly. "Oh…Oh!" Now, she gets it. "I think…Kagome, I think he might be jealous of Elliott."
"Wow, took you a while to realize that," I said heftily. "Congratulations. Where are you, anyway?"
She sighed, but she switched to English, and when she spoke, it wasn't to me. "Elliott, turn the car around," she said, over Josh Groban's belting.
"What was that, Antoinette?" an easygoing voice asked.
There was a click! and Josh Groban was suddenly silent. "I said, turn the car around," Clara was saying. I huffed, and Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at me.
"Not until we do something about that horrid uniform!" Elliott said. Huh? Wait a minute…
"Don't be silly! I told you I had studying to do, Elliott, now turn the car around!"
"I'm only here for a few days, you know."
"I don't care, I have to see someone!" Clara huffed.
There was a pause. "Who?"
I could almost picture Clara blush. "Someone!" I heard her say.
Inuyasha gave me a curious look, and I shook my head. "Who?" Elliott asked again. "Is it a boy? Do you finally have a boyfriend?"
"Just say yes!" I hissed into the phone. Inuyasha poked me, a curious look in golden eyes, and I raised my hand. "Not now!" I mouthed.
"Sort of," Clara mumbled. I was going to kill her!
"All the more reason to make use of your VISA card, don't you agree, ma chèrie?"
"Elliott!"
"Clara…" I began.
There was a slight scuffle in the background. "Hello?" a smooth voice said.
"Er…hi," I said. I take it, this was Elliott. This was starting to become one of the strangest conversations on the phone I've had.
"You are a friend of my Antoinette?" Elliott asked. His Japanese was accented.
"Don't call me that!" I heard Clara say in the background. "And give me back my phone!"
"You mean, Clara?" I said. "Yes, and—"
"Marvelous!" Elliott said with a flourish. "Do tell her boyfriend that I'll give her back to him after I've finished with her. Poor girl—there was nothing but sweaters and cardigans in her closet. Sad, don't you agree?"
"That is not true, Elliott! And turn the car around!"
"Oh, hush, Antoinette, hush!" This was a weird phone conversation—I should have recorded it. "Anyway, please tell her boyfriend for me, okay? Au revoir!"
The line suddenly went dead. I stared at the phone in my hand. "Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "What's the matter? Was that Clara? Is she all right?"
"She's fine, but she's being held against her will," I said, shaking my head. It was suddenly all so funny! I laughed.
"Did something hit you on the head, or what?" Inuyasha asked flatly, as I continued to laugh.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Sesshoumaru
I leapt out of the well. Blue skies and the song of birds greeted me as I landed on the ground. At the opposite end of the clearing, the monk and the demon slayer sat underneath the shade of a tree. They were in deep conversation. The moment they caught sight of me, they fell silent, eyeing me with apprehension.
I turned to them, and they stood, wary eyes fixed on me. "If you don't mind us asking," the monk began. "Where are the others?"
I ignored them as I turned towards the trees. "Well, he's as polite as ever," I heard the demon slayer say sarcastically as I walked into the forest. Hn.
The Goshinboku loomed ahead, and I made my way towards it. I sat on one of its gnarled roots, leaning my head against the trunk.
That girl…
Admittedly, had I not been possessed of an iron self-control, that pathetic male would have been nothing but blood on my claws. How dare he touch her?
And how dare that girl let him?
Why was it that every time I approached her, her heart seemed to race, as though in fear? Why did she see fit to avert her eyes when I looked at her? Was her hesitance, perhaps, a sign of consternation, a twinge of dread? And yet, if I recalled correctly, she had had no qualms about approaching me in the past. Humans were queer, fickle creatures.
How amusing—seething over a mere mortal male. Hn.
"Milord!"
I turned my gaze towards the edge of the clearing. Jaken and Rin were running towards me, the former at his most annoying, the latter smiling happily.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, you're back!" Rin greeted. She wore a new kimono. No doubt a gift from the village women who seemed to dote on her. She tilted her head as she looked up at me. "Isn't Clara with you, my lord?"
I let out a breath. "No, Rin," I answered. She is in her world, enjoying the company of a worthless mortal. Women.
"Don't trouble Lord Sesshoumaru with pointless questions, Rin!" Jaken snapped as I turned my attention to the leafy canopy of the tree.
"I just thought Clara would be with Lord Sesshoumaru, that's all," Rin said innocently. "Seeing as—"
I turned my gaze to her. "Do be silent, Rin!" Jaken squawked. "What silly nonsense, our lord doesn't need to hear it!"
I threw Jaken a glare, and he spluttered, before he finally fell silent. I turned to Rin. "You were saying, Rin?"
Rin gave me a small frown, and looked apologetic as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, my lord, I can't tell you," she said regretfully. "I promised Clara I wouldn't tell."
Interesting. "You may tell me, Rin," I said.
Her expression immediately brightened. "I thought Clara would be here with you, my lord," she began. Jaken looked as though he wished to interrupt, but I silenced him with a glare.
"And why would that be?" I prodded.
Rin beamed. "Because—"
"Really, Rin!" Jaken huffed. "No need to start spreading rumors, you dotty girl!"
"Jaken," I said, turning to him. "The next time you open that mouth of yours, you will most assuredly be unable to speak."
He flinched and immediately bowed. Rin blinked, not quite understanding the threat. "Continue, Rin."
Rin looked up at me, a wide grin on her face. "Because she loves you, my lord!" she said cheerfully.
I stared at her. Jaken looked as though he wished to say something, but didn't dare. His bulbous eyes widened, and he glared at Rin.
"What do you mean, Rin?" I asked as the imp began flailing his arms to stop the child from speaking.
Rin ignored him. "She told me that she loves you, my lord," she said, with the wide-eyed innocence only a child would possess. "But she didn't want you to know, because she thinks you would think it was"—she tilted her head, a finger on her chin, as she struggled to remember—"foolish!" She grinned.
Hn. Most interesting, indeed.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Clara
"Elliott, enough!"
I growled as I roughly slid the changing room curtain aside. Elliott had pretty much dragged me around Tokyo's Ginza district, stopping at shop after shop. We usually came out of a shop bringing several or so carrier bags. Currently, we were in Dior—and Elliott was enjoying himself. He was sitting on a plush, gray sofa, legs crossed, and surrounded by at least a dozen or so carrier bags.
"It doesn't suit her," Elliott drawled to the attendant, eyeing the dress I was currently wearing. "The cut doesn't flatter her figure at all! Fine, it does, but it lacks something…" He gesticulated rapidly, gesturing to the white wool dress I was wearing. The attendant nodded in agreement, probably just to placate Elliott.
I slapped a hand to my forehead. I had tried to escape earlier, but Elliott was relentless—he always was.
"Elliott, this is getting ridiculous!" I huffed. I gestured to the bags beside him, all of which bore intimidating brands and logos. "I don't need all of this!"
"Hush, Antoinette!" Elliott snapped, waving a hand dismissively at me. He turned to the attendant. "I'd like to see your entire autumn collection, if you don't mind."
Entire…what?
The attendant nodded and smiled, revealing a row of perfectly straight, white teeth. "We'll bring them right out, sir," she said as she strode off, heels clacking against the tiles.
"Elliott!" I growled. "My credit card will be at its limit if you keep this up!" I was actually wishing I was in the Feudal Era at that moment—life wasn't as complicated over there.
"That's what you said in Gucci," Elliott said, smirking.
I slapped a hand to my forehead. "Don't look so flustered, Antoinette!" Elliott huffed. He leaned back, and folded his arms. "You've got a boyfriend now—you've got to look the part!"
I stared. Good lord…this was…just too silly. Boyfriend…look the part…as if. What? Did Elliott expect me to fight Naraku in stilettoes, or in cashmere, or something? Not that he knew about Naraku and the Feudal Era (I wouldn't put it past him to find a pair of designer combat boots if he did).
"Elliott!" I snapped. "No, seriously, you've had your fun. This is the last stop, got it? I have a lot of things I need to be doing!"
Elliott huffed. "But, Antoinette, we have a lot more to go," he said. "Besides, your boyfriend will thank me for it!" He smirked, before turning to the attendant, who appeared pushing a rack of clothes. "By the way," he asked her. "I was wondering if Agent Provocateur had a boutique in Japan?"
I stared.
Agent Provo—
"ELLIOTT!"
. . .
I collapsed on my bed, still wearing the inky black bustier dress that Elliott refused to have me remove. I groaned, burying my face in my pillow, not even bothering to remove the black pumps I wore. I have never felt so exhausted in my life (and, considering where I've been for the past few months, that was saying something).
Lifting my head, I glanced towards the alarm clock on my bedside table—9:00 P.M. I groaned again. After an afternoon of torture, Elliott saw fit to drag me out to a Japanese restaurant he'd been dying to try, promising that it was on him. Truth be told, I wanted to go to the Feudal Era and find Sesshoumaru, but I couldn't, not with Elliott following me around like a shadow.
I groaned again, head slumping on my pillow.
The door suddenly swung open, and I looked up to see Elliott hauling all the carrier bags we'd managed to accumulate. Sammie followed him in, yipping loudly as she darted around his legs.
He placed them all on the bed, and I sat up. "When Alexis sees the bills," I said, eyeing the intimidating pile. "I'm blaming you, friendship be damned."
He grinned and sat in front of me. "Oh, I'm sure Auntie Rose won't mind," he said blithely. "I think she'll agree that you could use a makeover, too."
I glared. "Gee, thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.
Elliott laughed, and pretended to wipe an imaginary tear from his eye. "My Antoinette finally has a boyfriend," he said, somewhat reminiscent.
Technically, Sesshoumaru wasn't really my—
"Do you remember fifth grade?" Elliott suddenly asked, grinning maliciously.
"Elliott!" I snapped, feeling my cheeks reddening. "I told you not to remind me!"
He ignored me as he plowed on. "Remember when you tried to kiss Frederick Carter on the cheek, and he ran?"
"Shut up," I said—and then I chuckled. Well, looking back, it was kind of funny. "He said it was because I wasn't as…what was the word he used? Oh, he said it was because I wasn't much of a 'catch'. I honestly had no idea what it meant at the time."
He frowned slightly, and his expression suddenly turned serious. "I'm a very frank friend, Antoinette," he said earnestly. "You do not have Alexis's eye-catching beauty, that much is true. You have something different. The kind of charm that is hard to look away from."
I gave him a tiny smile as I blushed. "You want to go shopping again, don't you?" I chided.
"Of course," he said. We stared at each other, and laughed. "But seriously, Antoinette," Elliott said. "I don't lie to my friends. Why do you think I forced you to go shopping today? Your wardrobe was damnable."
I punched him on the shoulder. "This brings back memories," Elliott said evocatively. "Speaking of which, I miss you playing piano." He suddenly stood, and pulled me to my feet. Sammie jumped up, her tail wagging enthusiastically.
"You know, after the torture you just put me through, you should be playing something for me," I said as we left the room, Sammie hot on our heels.
"Hush, Atoinette!"
. . .
"So, what?" I asked Elliott, once we were seated together at the piano. I could feel my fingers just itching to play.
Elliott pretended to think. "Valse des Fleurs," he said, as though it were obvious.
I grinned, and began to play. "Remember when we were at my place?" he said quietly, swaying his head in time to the music. "And we tried to waltz to this, Antoinette?"
I sighed, letting my fingers fly. "If I recall correctly, you waltzed me right into your grandmother's favorite vase," I said.
He chuckled. "Well, we were just children—you know how children get. They like magic, and faries, and dancing, and princes."
I smiled as the music swelled to a crescendo. "Speaking of princes," Elliott muttered. "Where's yours?"
My fingers froze as I turned to stare at him. "What?"
"Your boyfriend," he said. "Tell me about him! His name, where he lives, vital statistics, the whole enchilada."
I blushed. Admittedly, I was having trouble stringing 'Sesshoumaru' and 'boyfriend' in the same sentence (somehow, the word didn't seem to fit him). "Uh," I said, as I slowly began to play again. "We're not really…together, together. Just…together."
His smile suddenly became steely. "Antoinette, you're not making any sense," he said, sighing. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait…don't tell me…you like him, he seems to like you, you're not really sure where you're at, that kind of drama?"
My cheeks burned. Elliott could be very, very perceptive. "Sort of," I mumbled. "I mean…he hasn't really said…but I think he does…I mean…"
He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "This was why I wanted to get you the lingerie."
I blushed violently, and my eyes widened. "Elliot!" I snapped, hastily erasing any mental image I might have had.
"What?" he said.
"I'm fifteen!"
"You'll be sixteen come October eighteen," he pointed out. "Besides…I meant nothing by it. I merely wanted the lingerie, because I hear it can make you feel very confident. See? Confidence! What on earth were you thinking, anyway?"
I must have passed through ten shades of red. This guy could be very, very, very annoying. He was doing this on purpose.
"Ah, well, we'll find something else other than Agent Provocateur," Elliott went on, and I stopped playing. "Shame that they don't have a branch in Japan yet."
"No," I said, trying to give him my best Sesshoumaru-like glare.
He opened his mouth to reply, when his iPhone suddenly rang. Elliott fished it from his pocket, checked the caller, and rolled his eyes. "Dad," he muttered to me. "Hold that thought, Antoinette, I'll be back."
I turned back to the piano and began to play another piece. I sighed, letting my thoughts drift. Maybe Elliott was right—maybe I needed to be more confident when it came to Sesshoumaru. I mean, if Kagome could open up about her feelings for Inuyasha, then I could too, right?
I took a deep, steadying breath. Right. The next time I saw him, I would do what Kagome told me to do—I was going to walk up to him, I was going to tell him how I felt, then—I flushed—I was going to kiss him. Simple. Quite simple!
"Clara."
Or maybe not.
My fingers froze, and I spun around to find Sesshoumaru standing several feet behind me, arms folded. His eyes were narrowed ever so slightly, and I suddenly remembered what Kagome and I had talked about, about him being jealous of Elliott.
I hesitantly stood up. Truth be told, I didn't think he would come back. "Hi," I said. Unbidden, I felt my heart start to pound as he stared at me. C'mon, Clara, just…tell him…Why was this so difficult? Algebra seemed almost easy in comparison (and that was saying something).
"I don't see the mortal," Sesshoumaru said, imperious eyes sweeping the room before settling on me.
I think he knew perfectly well where Elliott was. "Sesshoumaru," I began. "About…him. Elliott. He's just a friend." He didn't say anything, and I went on. "I mean. We've been friends since we were children, nothing more. Besides…Elliott is gay."
He raised an eyebrow. "Happy? How amusing." He didn't sound amused at all. In fact, his poker face couldn't have been more…poker.
"No," I said, shaking my head. I gave him a feeble smile. "Meaning, he isn't interested in women. Not that…not that I'm interested in him." I took a breath. "Because, well…I…" I looked down at the floor. Oh good lord, I couldn't do this.
I sat back down at the piano, my knees turning to jelly. I turned away from him and stared at the keys, frowning. I felt him come closer, felt him standing beside me.
"Are you finished?" Sesshoumaru asked, looking down at me.
I clenched my fists. I kept my eyes locked on the keys as butterflies began to flit around my stomach. My fingers fell on the keys, and I began to play. It was a familiar piece—slow at first, gentle, until it became a little more playful, a little more lively… Sesshoumaru remained silent, listening.
When I finished, I let out a breath and stood. I smiled at him. "I hope you liked it," I said, blushing. "It…it was for you, actually."
He remained silent, and I quickly looked down, suddenly feeling very shy.
"Thank you."
My eyes widened in surprise, and I looked up at him. He took a step towards me, and fainting was suddenly the farthest thing from my mind. He reached out, placing a hand gently on my cheek. Sesshoumaru's eyes were intent, and I could feel my cheeks burning. He was quite close…
"Don't do anything foolish," he murmured, one arm slowly going around my waist.
He drew me closer. "I don't think I will," I said quietly.
He looked at me for a moment, before he leaned down towards me. I closed my eyes as my breath caught, and I gripped his arms tightly as his lips brushed lightly against my mine. I suddenly felt him pull away, and I opened my eyes.
Sesshoumaru was looking down at me. There was an almost calculating look in his eyes, as though he were wondering what I was thinking. My heart thudded violently against my ribs as I blushed. And, before I could even think about it, I rose on the balls of my feet and kissed him.
I felt him tense, surprised. His arms tightened around me as he drew me closer. One of his clawed hands buried itself in my hair as I felt my arms going around his neck. I felt him deepening the kiss, felt my cheeks burning when he gently bit my lower lip.
I gasped as I pulled away from him. I breathed heavily as I leaned my forehead against his chin. Without the armor, I wondered…could he feel my heart thudding against his chest?
We were quite for a moment. He kept his arms tightly around me. He really was quite warm.
"Sesshoumaru?" I said softly, forehead against his chin. "Can I tell you something?"
"What is it?" he murmured.
I raised my head and looked into his eyes. My cheeks reddened, and I gave him a small smile. I could do this. "I love you," I said. "A lot."
And then Sesshoumaru did something I never saw him do before—he smiled. My eyes widened slightly. It was neither sarcastic nor sadistic, no—it was a warm smile. Sincere.
He stroked my cheek with his thumb. "I am aware," he said.
I stared at him. "You knew?" I tried to keep the disbelief from my voice. Cocky, wasn't he?
"Rin was most kind to inform me," he went on. "Her tales were quite interesting."
I blushed, embarrassed. For a moment, I wondered exactly what Rin had said, but the question flew out of my mind as he kissed me again. He gently coxed my lips apart, and my eyes widened slightly as I gasped. Oh.
I felt his lips leaving mine, felt him trailing slow kisses along my jawline. His arms tightened around my waist, and I felt my feet leave the ground as he drew me closer. I blinked rapidly, cheeks burning, when I felt his warm breath on my neck. I closed my eyes as my breath hitched.
Sesshoumaru suddenly pulled away, and my eyes flew open. He turned towards the doorway. His brows knitted as he set me on my feet, keeping his arms around my waist. I followed his eyes, and blinked.
Elliott was standing at the door, iPhone still pressed to his ear—he looked as though someone had struck him on the head with an elephant.
Mon Dieu.
Well. This was awkward.
Realizing that Sesshoumaru's arms were still around me, I gently pulled away from him, and turned towards Elliott. "Hi," I said. Awkward, indeed.
"I will call you back, dad," Elliott said, before stowing the phone away in his pocket. He took a hesitant stride into the room, brown eyes going from me to Sesshoumaru. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sesshoumaru narrow his eyes slightly.
Elliott gestured to Sesshoumaru, and raised his eyebrows pointedly at me. I glanced up at Sesshoumaru and smiled at him. His fingers suddenly closed tightly around mine, and I blinked in surprise. It took me a moment to remember what I was supposed to say.
"Um," I said, turning back to Elliott, who regarded us with an amused grin. I switched to Japanese. "Elliott, this is Sesshoumaru," I said, blushing. "He's…my…"
"Your boyfriend?" Elliott finished.
I nodded, feeling butterflies flitting in my stomach. "Yes." I glanced up at Sesshoumaru, who regarded me with an intent look. I turned back to Elliott. "Yes, he is."
Elliott crossed his arms, and frowned eyes raking Sesshoumaru from head to foot. His eyes suddenly lit up, as though seeing Sesshoumaru for the first time.
"But…" Elliott began, taking several steps towards us. His eyes had a strange fervor to them, the kind of fervor whenever he had eureka! moment. "He's perfect!"
My eyebrows shot up. Sesshoumaru blinked at him.
"What?" I said. "You did not just say that my boyfriend is—"
"Hush, Antoinette!" Elliott said, raising a hand. "Don't misunderstand. He"—he gestured to Sesshoumaru, who glared. I squeezed his hand, silently praying that he wouldn't maim Elliott—"has good proportions!"
"Elliott!"
"Height," Elliott said rapidly, lost in his moment of inspiration. "Looks—though, I think, you should lose the facial tattoos, even if they do suit you. Posture fit for a king. Build! That musculature! Those shoulders! That chest!"
I glanced apologetically up at Sesshoumaru. He raised an eyebrow at me. I take it, he was annoyed. Well, I was, too, come to think of it.
"He would've fit several of my designs perfectly," Elliott muttered, as though we weren't present. "To a T! Dad had to throw my sketchbook away, dammit."
The very disturbing/amusing image of Sesshoumaru walking down a catwalk flashed through my mind, and I immediately banished it. "Elliott!" I shouted.
His eyes snapped to me. "What?" he asked.
"You were…what's the phrase?" I said. "Killing the moment. Really, you were."
He stared from me to Sesshoumaru, and grinned. "Sorry," he said. "I will get to know you better"—he turned to Sesshoumaru—"later." He suddenly grinned. "For now…enjoy." He winked at me, and I felt my cheeks warming. He turned on his heel, and made for the door. He suddenly stopped, and turned back to me. "Oh, and Antoinette?"
I sighed. "What, Elliott?"
He grinned. "Will you still be needing the lingerie?"
I blushed violently. "ELLIOTT!" I spluttered.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "I was only checking, Antoinette," he said. "Play nice!" And, without further ado, he strode out the double doors, slamming them shut behind him.
I sighed, and turned towards Sesshoumaru. "I'm sorry," I said. "He can be…well, he can be very Elliott."
He gave me a curt nod. "A queer human," he remarked dispassionately. He stared at me, a curious look in his cold eyes. "Tell me," he said, his arms snaking slowly around my waist. He drew me closer. "What did he mean by 'lingerie'?"
My eyes widened in shock. Good lord.
It took me several moments to recollect my scattered thoughts. "Er," I said. "It…er…" I couldn't think. "You're killing the moment, too."
He raised an eyebrow at me. "Clearly," he said. He fell silent, his eyes fixed on mine. I blushed, and gave him a small smile as he bent his head to kiss me again.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
A1969: whew! Anyway, guys, I'm thinking of updating my other stories, so I may not be doing weekly updates for a while, but I will still be updating regularly!
Inuyasha: *draws Tessaiga* I'll say it one last time! Get away from Kagome!
Kouga: make me, dog turd! *pulls out Goraishi*
Kagome: stop it, both of you! Seriously, Amaterasu? You're going to let them fight?
A1969: *popcorn* yeah. It's good entertainment value.
Sesshoumaru: for once, I must agree *grabs popcorn*
Miroku: bets, anyone?
Kagome: guys!
Sango: money's on Kouga!
Inuyasha: what?!
A1969: er…anyway. Don't forget to review!
Miroku: *to you fabulous readers* bets?