THIRTY FOUR

"Haa…" Kurenai sighed when the name that popped up on her phone was not who she's expecting. Sesshoumaru hasn't called or texted her to let her know that they made it to the hotel room which should have been by the time they finished wardrobe change and makeup retouches but they're already walking the Brooklyn Bridge and still no word from the daiyoukai.

She tapped on the Can't talk. Will call you later. response on the screen, adding it to the list of people she needs to get back to today.

"Still no news from the gang?" Ren huddled into his jacket as the cool Brooklyn Bridge winds whipped against them.

She mirrored her brother, tightening her jacket with one hand while the other kept its grip on her dress's skirt, pulling it up so she can walk, "No, not yet." She turned to her side, "Are you alright Sango? Sorry you didn't get to get some rest like the guys and here you are hauling this dress's massive skirt."

Sango shook her head, "Oh I'm fine, don't worry. Besides, I got to see this magnificent view." The demon slayer looked ahead at the majestic tower with cables enchantingly fanning out from it and right behind is the intricate Manhattan skyline,

"I just hope the others were able to see it. The man-made landscape of your era is extraordinary."

Kurenai nodded, "Yeah me too." Her phone vibrated in her hand and was relieved to finally see Sesshoumaru's name on the screen, "Yes Sesshoumaru?" she answered.

"We arrived in our chambers without incident Kurenai, the journey back to the hotel just took a while," said the daiyoukai's deep voice right on her ear and Kurenai felt goose bumps bloom on her skin, she's pretty sure the brisk winds have nothing to do with it.

"I see, sorry to hear about the traffic but it's good that you made it back just fine. Thanks, Sesshoumaru."

"Hn." there was a short moment of silence before Rin's voice came in the background.

"Papa! Is that mama? Can I talk to her please?" The request setoff butterflies in her stomach as it made their parental roles feel very realistic.

"Hi mama! How are you?" the young girl greeted.

"I'm fine sweetheart. You're sounding very energetic, aren't you supposed to be taking a nap?" Kurenai heard her voice echo on the other line; Sesshoumaru put her on speaker, trust the daiyoukai to learn these things quicker than the next person.

"Shippo and I woke up in the elevator and then he gave me a tour of their room."

"Oh okay, we haven't started with the final shoot so you can nap some more." Kurenai heard bickering in the background, she's pretty sure it's Inuyasha and Shippo, "Rin, are Inuyasha and Shippo fighting?" Both Sango and Ren chuckled.

"...Yes mama." Rin reluctantly replied.

"Can you please tell them sweetheart that if they don't stop they already know what's gonna happen?" she hid her irritation through a sweet voice.

"You'll sit Inuyasha right mama?" the young girl guessed.

"I'll scold Shippo too depending on the situation so they should behave immediately and please tell Shippo to nap some more too."

"Okay."

"Thank you sweetheart. I'll see you later."

"See you mama." the child bid and she heard running footsteps then Rin's voice relaying her message then the background went silent.

"This Sesshoumaru will see you later then. Be careful on your way back." Kurenai didn't want to assume anything but there's a tenderness in the daiyoukai's voice that made her nervous, if it's a good or a bad thing, she has no idea.

"Ah, y-yes, thank you. See you at dinner." she stuttered and hung up. She's so unnerved by his last sentence that Kurenai didn't notice she stopped walking and is staring on her phone until Sango tugged on her dress because she kept walking and didn't realize Kurenai stopped.

"Something wrong sis?" her brother asked.

"Nothing, I just read a message that popped up," she responded and resumed walking. What the hell am I getting all flustered for? This is THE Sesshoumaru, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, she convinced herself even as sound of the daiyoukai's voice lingered hotly in her ears the entire shoot.

Sesshoumaru's phone conversation POV:

Sesshoumaru gave his stiff neck a good crack right as they stepped into their hotel room. Despite the fast paced culture of this era, transportation can take forever and it took all of his patience not to punch his way out of the car and just fly back to the hotel.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped on Kurenai's number. After a few rings, the miko's clear and gentle voice that never fails to bring warmth to his otherwise cold being, greeted him.

"Yes Sesshoumaru?" he detected relief and anxiety in her voice.

"We arrived in our chambers without incident Kurenai, the journey back to the hotel just took a while."

"I see, sorry to hear about the traffic but it's good that you made it back just fine. Thanks, Sesshoumaru."

"Hn." His brief reply betrayed the fact that his brain is running a mile a minute thinking of how to keep the conversation going because he wants to listen to her voice longer. His beast watched amused from the sidelines because when did THE Lord Sesshoumaru ever get conscious about his taciturnity?

The connecting door flew open and Rin stepped in from the other room where he can hear Inuyasha and Shippo antagonizing each other like always. The young girl's eyes sparkled at seeing her father figure talking on the phone because she has a good idea of who it is.

"Papa! Is that mama?! Can I talk to her please?" the daiyoukai is thankful that Rin inadvertently helped him out of his dilemma. He lowered the phone towards her and turned the speaker on so he can hear Kurenai's voice too.

"Hi mama! How are you?" asked a chipper Rin as if she wasn't just with her an hour ago.

"I'm fine sweetheart. You're sounding very energetic, aren't you supposed to be taking a nap?"

"Shippo and I woke up in the elevator then he gave me a tour of their room."

"Oh okay, we haven't started with the final shoot so you can nap some more." There was a brief pause, "Rin, are Inuyasha and Shippo fighting?" the daiyoukai smirked at the trace of irritation in her voice.

Rin looked up at him unsure and he nodded, "...Yes mama."

"Can you please tell them sweetheart that if they don't stop they already know what's gonna happen?"

"You'll sit Inuyasha right mama?"

"I'll scold Shippo too depending on the situation so they should behave immediately and please tell Shippo to nap some more too."

"Okay."

"Thank you sweetheart. I'll see you later."

"See you mama."

As Rin ran off to the next room to deliver Kurenai's warning to Inuyasha and Shippo, Sesshoumaru eyed the device in his hand where Kurenai is still on the other line. He realized that there's no reason to be scuffling for the right words to say, he should just tell her how he really feels.

"This Sesshoumaru will see you later then. Be careful on your way back."

He was met with a short moment of silence which is to be expected when the ruthless Lord of the Western Lands suddenly wishes someone come back safely.

"Ah, y-yes, thank you. See you at dinner," she said before hanging up, Sesshoumaru could only hope that amidst the confusion his uncharacteristic words are causing her, it's also communicating how precious her existence has become to him.