A/N: Hey there! Thank you for reading this story! I would like to give you a heads up that this story will change to M Rating in the future. Happy reading!

TWENTY THREE

Kurenai sat on one of the ottomans in the fitting room since her brother insisted she rest her after going through one rack of clothes after another for over an hour.

The shopping experience has been a blast for her and Ren. Their friends were mind-blown by the mall's massive and bright interiors, multiple levels and vast array of items for sale.

The first escalator ride was incredibly hilarious for the siblings; it took a while for all of them to reach another floor and Inuyasha was so freaked out about getting on it that they had to stop him from just leaping to the upper floor and the best part is, she recorded them on her phone. It's definitely fun.

Well, for the most part…

"Wench! I don't like this!" See? Of course Inuyasha will not make things easy.

"What now?!" she hissed, the stupid hanyou has been growling relentlessly and being a nuisance to other shoppers, "You don't have to freaking shout Inuyasha."

The hanyou opened his stall, "It's too damn tight!"

Kurenai's eyes bulged out of her head at the unzipped pair of jeans that didn't quite make to Inuyasha's hips giving her and a few women in the fitting room an eyeful of his crotch. She quickly stood up and shoved him into the room, her body blocking the door.

"I told you, if it doesn't fit, tell me, take the clothing off and hang it over the door. Don't come out displaying your underwear for crying out loud!" she chided through gritted teeth and blazing eyes, "Now off with it!" she shut the stall and dropped back down to the ottoman.

She leaned back and pressed her palms behind her over the ottoman, "Haa…" she heaved in exhaustion. It's not even halfway through their day and she's already beat.

From Inuyasha's constant grumbling echoing throughout the mall, to shielding their companions from the swarm of paparazzi that rained camera flashes and a flurry of questions on them as they entered the mall and well, her sprained ankle starting to feel tender from all the walking, she tired out quickly.

"Kurenai." she jumped on her seat, although she did request it, hearing her name in Sesshoumaru's deep voice has been sending shivers down her spine. Confusing, delicious shivers to be specific.

"Yes?" she turned to where the voice came from to find the daiyoukai looking absolutely handsome in a plaid shirt in blue, violet and white paired with gray khaki pants.

She noticed the women in the fitting room stare at Sesshoumaru as if they were in a captivated trance, and who wouldn't? Sesshoumaru is a fine specimen of a man with that strikingly handsome face, perfect body build and the confident way he carries himself, any woman would swoon over him. Even she, finds him attractive but not to the point of fangirling like the others.

"It looks good." she noted before standing up and walking towards him, "Is the fit okay?"

"Yes."

Kurenai raised her hands, implying that she wants to fix something but stopped short, "May I?" she asked.

There was a moment of hesitation but he obliged, "Hn." and with that she proceeded to modify his look a bit.

Sesshoumaru regarded her with seemingly bored eyes though in reality, he's in deep contemplation. He's always been puzzled with how she can approach him casually like this when others are either mortified, spiteful, or like those women in the corner of the room, looking at him all dreamy-eyed. But this woman is none of those, he did catch her blushing earlier and she seems to appreciate how he looks in these clothes but it's more of a natural appreciation of his physical attributes.

And what's even more baffling to him is how he finds their current proximity comforting. The heat radiating from her body through this distance, the brush of her delicate fingers and the waft of lotus and grapefruit flood him with a calming warmth that he's never felt before.

"There." her content voice brought him back to earth and she stepped aside to allow him to see what she did to his clothes through the mirror. Well, all she did was fold the sleeves up to his elbows but it made such a huge difference, he looked younger, more edgy and polished.

"If you want to look more formal, just tuck it under your pants." she pointed on the shirt's hem, "So, you approve?" she tipped her head thoughtfully.

A few silent seconds passed, "It's acceptable."

"Oh, we got another winner with him?" her brother entered the fitting room, a few women, obviously fans, treaded a few feet behind him and it's quite a hilarious thing to witness "He's surprisingly open minded."

"Yeah he is. Well except for the jeans, that's the one thing he's adamant about not trying. It's a shame though, he'll definitely look hot in those." she said in deep thought with a hand on her chin.

"Hot?" Sesshoumaru mumbled, confused with the use of the word and looked at Ren for answers.

"She means you'll look extremely attractive in it. I think so too but as much as possible we want to respect your decision." Ren explained.

Kurenai is now busy checking Sango and Rin's outfits, she offered to get a smaller size of the cardigan for the slayer while she fawned over how perfect Rin looked in the airy, turquoise tunic dress and black leggings.

"Very well then." the demon Lord declared causing four sets of eyes to focus on him.

"Eh?"

"This Sesshoumaru will give the jeans a try."

Kurenai didn't need to be told twice and swiftly stepped out of the room. She's been itching to have him try those pants and now that he RELUCTANTLY agreed, she's not going to pass up the chance.

"Hey wench! Here's the freaking thing." Inuyasha called out from the stall, not knowing that his friend is out on a mission.

"She's not here Inuyasha but she'll be back with another pair for you." Ren replied, pulling the garment from the door just as Miroku and Shippo stepped out of their stall. Ren looked them over and approved Miroku in the light blue button-up shirt paired with slim, beige calf-length khaki pants, perfect for the summer in New York. Shippo wore a pair of gray jogger pants with a maroon printed t-shirt that also suited him very well.

Ren looked at the large amount of clothes stacked on their 'YES' pile. It went more smoothly than they thought, a lot of the clothes suit their guests well and it's quite rewarding to see their delight when looking at their reflection in the mirror.

Kurenai returned clothes in hand, "Here you go, try these together." she extended a pair of blue jeans and a heathered, v-neck t-shirt in gray to the daiyoukai who apprehensively stepped back into the stall. Kurenai threw another pair of pants into Inuyasha's stall and handed another cardigan over to Sango.

"Do you think he'll agree to it?" Ren asked his sister as they waited for their friends to emerge once again from the stalls with a different outfit.

Kurenai's busy organizing the clothes they liked and the ones they didn't, "It's up to him brother. If he ends up really not liking it, then at least he tried."

Inuyasha stepped out of the stall finally satisfied with the fit of the pants and they all favored the red and black checkered button-up shirt and dark blue jeans outfit for him.

Moments later, Sesshoumaru's door opened and the siblings froze. How the hell can someone look insanely gorgeous in plain t-shirt and jeans?! they thought.

The daiyoukai cleared his throat to snap the siblings out of their trance, although he found it amusing that even Ren is awestruck by his appearance.

Kurenai blinked and straightened up from her seat, "Ehem... So how do you feel?"

"The garment is not as constricting as that blockhead of a half-breed claims it to be and the material is not as stiff as it looks." he responded with that emotionless face of his.

"So, are you comfortable?" she prodded.

"It's tolerable." was his curt answer.

She sighed, "'Tolerable' sounds like you're forcing yourself to like it eventhough you're against it and that's the last thing we want you to do. We don't want to force you into anything, it's good enough that you tried it. So do YOU want it? Yes or no?"

Sesshoumaru finds her habit of making sure everybody's comfortable and well taken care of admirable. Most creatures he encountered are always so concerned with their own well-being but she is endlessly thinking of other people, even with a subject as miniscule as an article of clothing, she wants him to be sure that he himself wants it and not just because they suggested it.

He looked at himself in the mirror, the top fitted him perfectly and the color is to his liking. The pants on the other hand surprised him because it's stretchable despite its stiff appearance and although it is a little rough, it's also quite soft. But he feels like he can get used to wearing it and he also agrees that he does the clothes justice, the siblings' reaction when he stepped out was a valid confirmation of that.

"Yes." he said after his mental deliberation.

Both Kurenai and Ren smiled.

"That's great! 'Cause you look really good in it!" the sister said as both of them appraised him from a few feet away.

"Yeah, he sure does." the older brother agreed.

As they marched towards the payment counters, the group found themselves in a situation that's been happening since they stepped out of the car.

"Mom look! It's them! The band Gemini! The older brother is super handsome!" a teenager intensely pulled on her mother's sleeve.

"Yeah, but the sister is just as gorgeous." The mother added.

A group of men also recognized them, "Whew, that Kurenai sure looks gorgeous!" uttered one.

"Yeah, those red eyes are so damn sexy." groaned the other.

Sesshoumaru, disgusted by the shameless remarks, unknowingly threw the men a sharp glare and caused them to scurry away.

Even Sesshoumaru's beast is growling inside him, enraged at the hint of lust it detected from the punks' words directed towards the woman it desires.

A few shoppers actually approached Ren and Kurenai asking for pictures and autographs. The siblings obliged for a bit before apologizing because they need to get going.

Inuyasha leaned in to his bestfriend as they dump the clothes over the counter, "Damn wench, you really are popular."

"Yeah, and those paparazzi you told us about are really interested in you earlier." Miroku added.

The whispers around them continued, "Hey, I wonder who those people are with them?"

"Yeah, the men are really attractive. Especially the tallest one, oh my."

"The woman is very good-looking as well. What an impressive-looking bunch of people."

Ren chuckled at the compliments, "Seems like the spotlight will be on our new companions here."

Kurenai smiled at the thought, "That's nice every once in a while."

They left the store with a scowling Sesshoumaru. It frustrated him to have the siblings pay for his clothes; he's never let anyone pay for his own belongings and as a wealthy demon Lord, it's a huge hit on his ego. But there's nothing he can do about it, whatever money any of them might have from the Feudal era is not valid here so he'll have to, as Kurenai told him when he complained, 'Suck it up'.

A store caught Inuyasha's attention and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"What the?" Inuyasha's jaw dropped with his eyes glued to the store's huge portrait of a gorgeous woman in a seductive stance wearing next to nothing but the binding on her chest and the tiniest piece of cloth between her legs. What he's doing felt wrong and he wants to look away but how can he?!

Kurenai chuckled, "Well, if it got your attention then it's doing its job."

He spun towards her while pointing firmly at the display, "Why do they display women like that?!"

"Because Inuyasha, they're selling the garment that goes under the clothes for women. If they cover it up, it will beat the purpose of encouraging women to buy stuff from them. It's not like they're selling the women, lighten up."

Ren threw a wicked smile at the hanyou, "What's getting you so fired up my friend? I think you're getting affected in a different way." he wiggled his eyebrows conveying his naughty thoughts, which Inuyasha didn't take it very well and stared daggers at him.

Kurenai shared the same sentiment as her friend and elbowed her brother, "Not in front of the kids, mister." she held Sango and Rin's hand and they headed to the Victoria's Secret store, "We'll go our separate ways for now. Laters!"

"What?" the hanyou eyed her with disbelief.

"Well, Sango actually needs items from that store and they also have normal everyday clothing. Many of the clothes sis wears at home are from there." the brother told them.

"Miroku! I'll get her something that will also make you happy!" their red-eyed friend sang from the store's entrance making the monk's eyes pop out of their sockets while Ren and Shippo chuckled, Sesshoumaru's amusement with her actions did not show on his face.

"Kurenai!" Sango blushed in embarrassment and pulled a laughing Kurenai into the store along with Rin.

"Crazy wench." Inuyasha spat but then smiled. His friend is having a hell of a good time today, she's very excited to dress them in the clothes of this era and show everything that the world she grew up in can offer. Of course he feels happy to see her genuinely having fun and in her element without having to worry about Naraku, the sacred jewel and other demon attacks.

"Okay, let's do a little more shopping ourselves." Ren led them towards another store.

"When are we gonna finish anyway?" the hanyou grumbled when he's once again face to face with another rack of clothing.

"This will be the last store and we're done." hazel eyes skim through the clothes once again and not long after, the guys are back into fitting more clothes.