The Affect

Prompt: Iris - Good news, glad tidings, loyalty + Humor (SessKag Week 2019, day 2)

Universe: Modern AU - Sequel to The Errand (ch 37)

Genre: Humour, Romance

1,585 Words

Sesshoumaru stared at the retreating form of Miss Higurashi until Rin's cheerful, slightly hoarse voice brought him back to the present.

"Pretty lady," she declared.

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip, cradling Rin closer to his body and pulled the door shut.

"I suppose she is," he intoned, distracted as he headed back to the kitchen and the rice porridge he was cooking for Rin.

He had not really thought about Miss Higurashi's appearance or attractiveness before – there was no room at the workplace for such unprofessional thoughts.

Besides, he highly admired and respected Miss Higurashi. She was very good at her job, always had a friendly smile at the ready and – as she had demonstrated today by coming all the way to his house to collect his seal on the document – her work ethic was commendable.

Seeing her appear on his doorstep and stand in his kitchen had been a little startling, though.

"Daddy's friend," Rin continued.

"That's right."

That's what he'd told Rin earlier, before Miss Higurashi arrived.

"Can pretty lady come play?"

"No, Rin. Miss Higurashi had to go back to work." He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. "And you, young lady, are ill."

"Tomorrow?"

"Depends on if you're feeling better tomorrow and if Miss Higurashi has the time," Sesshoumaru said.

Of course, he wasn't even going to ask – that conversation would have been right out bizarre.

He could picture it now, walking up to Miss Higurashi's desk and going: I wonder if you're available tonight my daughter would like you to come over to play. Right. Because that wouldn't be weird at all.

So he would avoid and dodge around the topic until Rin would forget all about it.

It couldn't take long, could it?

Unfortunately, Rin still remembered the next day – and worse yet, babbled about the "Pretty lady visiting" to his mother. As Rin was still too ill to go to daycare, Sesshoumaru's mother had graciously volunteered to look after her one and only grandchild, though now Sesshoumaru was regretting his choice of a babysitter.

She appeared in his bedroom doorway while Sesshoumaru was putting on his tie, and raised a knowing eyebrow.

"Now who is this pretty lady who paid you a visit yesterday?"

"No one," Sesshoumaru said, doing his best not to meet his mother's piercing gaze. "The faculty secretary dropped by very briefly to get my seal on some very important documents. That's all."

"I see." A meaningful pause. "And is she?"

"Is she what?" Sesshoumaru asked, straightening his tie.

"Pretty."

"Mother."

His mother huffed. "No need to use that tone, I was only asking."

"No, you weren't," Sesshoumaru replied through gritted teeth.

His mother shrugged her shoulder. "Have a good day at work." She turned to leave, but couldn't resist adding over her shoulder: "And say hi to this 'pretty lady' for me!"

After a send-off like that, it was no wonder that Sesshoumaru was still vexed when he strolled into work. His mother had an uncanny ability to get under his skin.

Good thing he didn't have a class to teach today – he was thoroughly looking forward to holing up in the lab for the whole day.

But then… An impulse nagged at the back of Sesshoumaru's mind and his steps slowed until he turned into another direction entirely.

In no time at all, Sesshoumaru was striding towards Miss Higurashi's desk.

The secretary looked up from her work, appearing to be just as startled to see him as he felt at the sight of her.

Seeing her, in the usual context of sitting behind her desk in the faculty office, just served to remind him how bizarre their encounter had been yesterday.

Not only had she witnessed him in what had been a far cry from his finest hour; it had been the first time he'd ever seen her outside of the workplace. Seen her at his home.

For some reason, he felt strange about that.

"Professor!" Miss Higurashi greeted her, a slight flush rising to her cheeks even as she offered him a hesitant smile. "Can I help you with something?"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied. He cleared his throat. "That is, I wanted to thank you again for yesterday and apologise for the inconvenience."

He stared into the curious blue eyes, took in the dark wavy hair, soft smile and lovely complexion.

Drat it all. He'd never admit it to his mother but Rin had certainly been right – Miss Higurashi was pretty.

"Oh, well, I was only doing my job," Miss Higurashi said. "The important thing is that we managed to submit the paperwork on time."

"That we did," Sesshoumaru acknowledged, "thanks to you."

"Really, Professor Taishou, there's no need to thank me." She paused briefly, then tilted her head. "I hope Miss Rin is feeling better today?"

"She is, though she's still unwell. Her grandmother's looking after her today," Sesshoumaru said, unsure even as he spoke why he was offering so much information.

"I hope she gets better soon."

"Thank you." Sesshoumaru looked at her for a moment longer, then mentally shook himself. "Well, I should head to the lab."

Miss Higurashi smiled at him. "And I should get back to work."

He held his gaze while his lips twitched into an answering smile. "Indeed. Good day, Miss Higurashi."

"Good day, Professor Taishou," she replied, her kind voice warmer than he'd heard it before.

It had been nearly two weeks since the day Kagome'd had to run the errand and go to Professor Taishou's house to collect his seal on the research proposal.

And boy, had work been different since then.

Kagome wasn't sure if it was because seeing Professor Taishou in such an unguarded moment had banished any fear she had previously felt for him, or if Professor Taishou's manner towards her had softened so that he was treating in a more friendly way now.

Either way, there had been a change in their working relationship, significant enough that a couple of Kagome's colleagues had commented on it or asked her about it.

Kagome had tried to not really answer any of their enquiries – she didn't really know what was going on any better than her colleagues.

Some balance between her and Professor Taishou had simply shifted and frankly she was happier for it.

Well, mostly happier for it, Kagome amended.

Because now that she was no longer intimidated by Professor Taishou, it had become impossible not to notice how ridiculously handsome he was.

Some days it was hard to look him in the eye when her wayward mind started regarding him in a not-quite-professional fashion.

But it was no matter. Kagome was sure she'd get over that embarrassing awareness of Professor Taishou's appearance soon enough.

Getting into work, Kagome decided to stop by the coffee room first. A very good decision that turned out to be, as there was cake for the grabs in the middle of the table.

"Morning, Higurashi!" her colleague wished her. "Grab a slice!"

"Morning! Don't mind if I do," Kagome replied. "Whose birthday is it?"

"No one's," her co-worker replied. "The cake is courtesy of Professor Kawata. The news just came through this morning that their research got funded."

Something warm quivered in Kagome's belly, as she carefully set a slice of cake on her plate. "That's great news, I'm so glad for them!"

After a few more moments of chit-chat while Kagome enjoyed the cake, she headed into her office.

She'd sit down behind her desk, booted up her computer, sipped idly at her tea and was currently going through the morning routine of scanning through her inbox when there was a knock on her door.

"Yes?" Kagome called, distracted by the e-mail.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you, Miss Higurashi," a deep and very familiar voice intoned.

Flustered, Kagome looked up – which didn't help at all since the sight of Professor Taishou in her doorway only served to make her heart beat faster.

"Not at all, come on in," she told him, hoping the smile she offered him looked natural.

It said a lot about the effect he had on her that she didn't notice the flowers until he was offering her the bouquet.

"What's this?" she stammered as she automatically moved to accept the flowers, particularly admiring the vivid and regal irises.

"A poor token of my gratitude and appreciation," Professor Taishou replied.

Appreciation? Kagome swallowed.

"Thank you, Professor Taishou. These are lovely. Though I'm still not sure what exactly I have done to earn them."

He raised his eyebrow. "I assume you have heard the news? That our research has been granted funding?"

"Yes, I heard it just now and got the faculty e-mail."

"Well, since you were largely responsible for turning in that funding proposal on time and with the correct dates, I believe we have you to thank."

Kagome blushed.

"I think the credit goes to you and Professor Kawata for writing such a good proposal," Kagome insisted.

Professor Taishou smiled.

"Perhaps, but you have my gratitude nonetheless."

"Thank you," she said, coaxed by his rare smile to beam right back at him.

Professor Taishou bowed his head and left.

Kagome down at the bouquet of flowers, and smiled again as she bent to inhale their sweet scent.

Soon enough she would be panicking about how her colleagues would react to this latest development… but for now, she was content to savour the moment and let her heart soar.