EIGHTEEN

It wasn't long before the house is perfumed with the enticing and comforting whiff of cooking. The miso soup is simmering, the fried rice is sizzling and the sausages are frying. Kurenai is busy lining bacon strips on a baking sheet when a thought crossed her mind.

"Sesshoumaru, I just remembered Jaken."

"What about him?" he asked dully as his amber pools eyed the thing Kurenai called a stove, amazed at how she can prepare multiple dishes simultaneously by herself.

"What do you mean 'What about him?'!" she mimicked his way of speaking, and the daiyoukai raised a silver brow at her, "Your retainer worships you! He's probably panicking because you disappeared!"

"That may be true, however my retainer is also aware that during this Sesshoumaru's absence, it is his responsibility to ascertain that my lands are well protected." he replied.

She thrust the baking sheet into the oven, "You seriously left everything up to him? Can he manage?" she asked wide eyed, "Don't get me wrong but someone who gets easily flustered may not be able to handle the pressures of assuming your responsibilities. I'm concerned that your kingdom might collapse especially when it's not certain when we'll be able to go back."

"There's no need to be concerned about my lands, this Sesshoumaru have gathered a small circle of individuals who would rather bite their tongues and die than betray me, that would ascertain my lands persevere and well protected in my absence."

"What if they thought you're dead?"

"There is an enchanted gem back in the Western palace that is connected to this Sesshoumaru's life force. Shall I cease to exist, that item will break and let this Sesshoumaru's demise known throughout the lands. I can feel that it is still intact right at this moment."

"Ohh... Isn't that convenient." she said with a raised brow as she started cracking eggs into a large bowl.

Kurenai's scarlet gaze found the windows and saw the daybreak upon them, she figured her brother and the others will be up soon. A thought crossed her mind but she argued with herself mentally, she knows it's not a good idea. But even so, she can't help but give in to the urge of giving it a try, it will be a necessity in the long run anyway.

With a deep breath, she started, "Sesshoumaru, I know my words may not be taken well but I would be grateful if you'd help me set up the dining table." she mentally crossed her fingers that the daiyoukai doesn't throw a fit at her request.

Appalled will be an understatement to describe what Sesshoumaru felt upon hearing her words. Did this mere human just dared to ask HIM to arrange plates on the table?!

"This isn't some form of payment for letting you stay here or anything but as you can see, I am quite occupied with the food and the table needs to be ready for breakfast." she added while bravely enduring the lord's death glare.

"You have the nerve to ask this Sesshoumaru to do something so lowly? I am not your servant, woman." he snarled.

Oh great, back to calling me woman again... Argh… Kurenai mentally pulled her hair out.

"Listen here Fluff Puff, don't lump me in with your arrogant self. I don't like ordering people around! I was merely asking with all the politeness that I have and you turn to me and say that I'm treating you as a servant?" she paused to pour the eggs into the frying pan then glared back at the demon, "If anything I'm treating you as a part of the family! Let your feet touch the ground for once! Look around, this isn't your palace! My home is a place where everybody's treated equally and with the respect that they deserve. To me, you will always be the Lord of the Western Lands, I am in no means berating your title. But with the current situation, we will have to work on living in harmony in this era."

Sesshoumaru was speechless for a lot of reasons; for one thing, the woman just gave him a pet name that made his blood boil, she called him obnoxious and she raised her voice at him, but what stunned him the most is that she called him family. He, the cold, ruthless Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, feared by anybody he comes across—well except for this woman, her brother, Rin and his half-brother—is indiscriminately treated as family by the miko he barely had the chance to talk to in the past and even tried to kill. Her frustrated sigh shook him out of his musing.

"Never mind." she turned around and marched to the overhead cabinet.

Sesshoumaru sat still, watching her stretch to reach the tableware when his eyes landed on her injured foot. He let out a low growl, got off the stool and in a few strides he's beside the woman and took a hold of the plates she's reaching for.

Kurenai jumped at the pale, clawed hands with crimson streaks on the wrists that landed on the white plates and she stared wide eyed at the stoic Lord who's suddenly beside her setting the plates on the counter.

"Where are the silverware?" he asked without glancing at her.

"Uhm, the second drawer to your right." she pointed they're not silver though, "The glasses are over here." she opened the overhead cabinet beside the plates.

Sesshoumaru remained silent as he pulled the drawer open and grabbed the utensils he needed, placed it atop the plates and headed toward the dining table.

Kurenai watched the daiyoukai elegantly move around the table from the corner of her eye while transferring the scrambled eggs onto a plate. The daiyoukai went back to the kitchen and gathered the glasses into a tray upon her suggestion and distributed them to the table.

She smiled, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru." she just got a cold glance in reply. Well, at least he's helping even if he's just grudgingly doing it.