Summary:

Author's musings:

Triggers/Warnings:

Inspiration/Prompt: valgreys/725890985733898240/yo-no-podía-dormir-así-que-aquí-un-sess

Kagome bit her lip to keep from grinning, knowing she wouldn't be able to keep her aura hidden if she got too excited. Going overseas to finish her schooling had been the right thing to do, but nothing beat coming home. She missed the shrine, she missed her family—she even missed Souta's snide comments about how no university in Japan would take her.

There had been plenty of opportunities to make friends at her new school, and she had a new list of contacts in her phone to prove it, but she hadn't been there to play. They understood of course, even when she'd taken extra classes in order to shorten her trip.

Mama fully expected her to be gone another six months, so she silently crept up the steps, hoping there weren't any late-night events. She knew Souta would be at soccer practice—he was making good use of his scholarship—and Gramps would be off playing Go with his friends, so her mother should be home by herself.

The perfect opportunity to surprise her.

Making sure to avoid the one stair that creaked on the left side, Kagome put her ear to the side door, listening through the panel. There was muffled conversation, and she realized her mother wasn't alone. Kagome doubted it would matter; all of Mama's friends knew she was studying abroad, so what if one of them ended up getting the news ahead of time?

She kept herself still, waiting until the guest moved into the kitchen, then slid the door open. She could see the top of her mother's head over the edge of the couch, so she snuck up silently behind her. She covered the woman's eyes, teeth almost chattering with the force it took not to laugh.

"Aren't we a little old for these games, Souta?" her mother asked. "And I thought you were at practice." She pulled Kagome's hands away, turning around with a frown before her mouth fell open.

"Surprise!" Kagome whispered, grinning ear to ear.

Her mother continued to stare, tears slowly filling her eyes before she leapt off the couch. A moment later, she was in her arms, rocking back and forth as she became a sputtering mess. "What are you doing here? You're not due back until next year!"

"I finished my program early," Kagome said.

"Of course you did," Mama sniffed, hugging her again. "Why am I not surprised?" They shared a laugh, and she cupped Kagome's face. "You're even prettier than when you left. The change in scenery did you good."

Kagome snorted. "You're not about to start setting me up on blind dates again, are you?"

Mama's eyes flickered toward the kitchen. "No, no. I doubt I'll have to. You'll be beating them off with a stick."

She rolled her eyes. Her mother had never pushed her into marriage meetings, but her friends certainly did, claiming Kagome would be the perfect match for their son, grandson, nephew, or anyone else they were related to. Part of the reason Kagome had gone abroad was to get away from the vultures circling the shrine.

"You weren't lonely, were you?" Kagome asked. "Inuyasha promised to come by as much as he could."

Mama shook her head. "He did his best, but a local gallery had him do some renovations a few months back, and they liked them so much that they passed his name around to all the other venues."

"He made it sound like it was just one or two odd jobs!" Kagome replied. Inuyasha was great with his hands but less so with technology, especially when it came to following up with messages or emails, which was why she'd told him to check in with her mother in person.

Her mother waved her off. "You know Inuyasha. He downplays everything. He's planning on taking Kikyou on a vacation once everything is finished." The older woman's eyes gleamed. "To make up for ignoring her for so long."

Kagome smiled. "Good, at least he's figured that part out. Though I'm sure she's has been dropping hints nonstop."

"Naturally," Mama replied. "I think she even signed him up for a travel magazine." Both women dissolved into giggles. He'd been afraid to reveal who his mate was when they first reunited in the modern era, but Kagome had honestly been happy for him. It had taken months before he'd believed her, but they'd been given a second chance after the jewel disappeared, and the love that shone between them was real.

There was a clink in the kitchen, and Kagome leaned her head back against the couch. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Mama shook her head. "Not in the slightest. He'll probably be more excited to see you than I am."

Kagome's brows raised. "I thought you said Inuyasha was busy."

"He is, dear." Her mother's smile was soft but secretive. "Someone else took it upon themselves to visit while you were gone. He's a little shyer than Inuyasha, so you'll have to forgive him for not letting you know beforehand."

Kagome narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She'd gotten rid of Hojo at the end of high school, though her friends had pushed her to reconsider. She couldn't count the number of times she'd vented to Mama about how tired she was from accepting his weird remedies. He always thought she was sick, no matter how much she tried to convince him otherwise.

Why would Mama let him visit on a regular basis?

There was another clink, and her mother squeezed her shoulder. "Be kind, dear. He's missed you a lot." Kagome scowled but was prevented from antagonizing the situation by the hand on her shoulder. Soft shuffling signalled the person's return, and a flash of silver stilled Kagome's angry retort.

He knelt down, placing a tray of tea and cream sandwiches on the table, head bowed as he divvied up the treats. His hair was shorter than she remembered, though he likely couldn't wear it that long in the modern era. She'd seen him in passing when hanging out with Inuyasha, but he tended to avoid her at social gatherings, regardless of how many people were attending. So, she'd ignored him in favour of rekindling her friendship with his brother after the well trapped her in the modern era.

She wouldn't have recognized him in the open black dress shirt over the white tee and jeans if it hadn't been for his markings. She didn't even know he owned such clothing.

Her mother chuckled. "You might need a third place setting," she said.

"I am fully capable of refilling your cup when necessary," he replied.

"But are you willing to share yours? One might consider that a brazen claim."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I assure you, there will be no need for—" He finally raised his head, the spoon he'd been using to stir her mother's tea dropping from his fingers with a loud clang against the table. "Kagome."

She waved awkwardly, trying to put on a brave face. "Is there more? I just got back, and they didn't serve food on the last flight—" She hadn't been serious, but he straightened, the marks on his cheeks darker than usual, and promptly left the room. She was about to call him back when the side door slammed shut, and she looked at her mother in question. "Do I smell or something?"

"No, no. You just didn't give him time to prepare for your arrival. He doesn't do well with surprises, and now he's all out of sorts." Sesshoumaru? Out of sorts? That seemed like an oxymoron. Mama put the displaced spoon back on the tray then grabbed her tea. "He's a very hard worker, you know."

Kagome was still staring at the doorway. "Oh?"

Her mother hummed. "He's just as handy with tools as Inuyasha but prefers outdoor landscapes rather than home renovations. He has quite a few ideas for sprucing up the shrine. Especially for weddings and festivals."

That caught her attention. "How long has he been visiting?"

Mama sipped her tea. "Inuyasha convinced him to drop off a pair of soccer cleats for your brother about a month after you left. He was quite disappointed when he found out you weren't here."

That was almost two years ago. He'd been visiting her mother for almost two years? Why hadn't he said anything? Her mind whirled with possibilities, each one more ridiculous than the next. "Did you give him my number?"

"Many times," her mother replied. "He claims he wanted to speak to you in person first." She chuckled. "He's quite curious, though he'll never admit it. He likes to pretend he's asking about our family history or how the shrine came to be, but all his questions centre around you."

Kagome flushed, finally meeting Mama's knowing gaze. "Two years?"

"Two years," she confirmed.

She bit her lip. "I should probably go talk to him."

"Probably."

Kagome got to her feet, hands clenched at her sides. "More details after?"

Mama grinned. "If you aren't otherwise occupied."

Her flush deepened, and she nodded stiffly, then walked out into the courtyard. She sensed him immediately, though his aura was subdued, which was likely why she hadn't noticed him when she first arrived.

He was standing in front of Goshinboku, head bowed, and Kagome clasped her hands behind her back, taking in a calming breath. "I was afraid you'd left."

He stiffened, keeping his back to her. "I apologize for overstepping."

She blinked in confusion. "How so? Mama seems to enjoy your company."

"I should have informed you—"

Kagome snorted. "Mama can handle her own, Sesshoumaru. She doesn't need my permission to make new friends. Besides," she said, finding her confidence with every uttered word, "that would've involved you actually calling me in the first place."

He raised his hand to his face. "Reunions are better handled in person."

"Would you have been satisfied with simply befriending my mother?" she asked.

"No."

"Then you should've called." She ducked in front of him, intent on forcing him to see reason, or at least look at her, but stopped at the dark blush on his face. It covered the bridge of his nose, reaching as far as his ears, and she stalled at the blatant emotion on his face.

She tried to think of something to say, but amber met sapphire, and his arm shot out, snaking around her waist and pulling her close. Her hands came up to brace herself, mind short-circuiting at the face that Sesshoumaru was holding her, but she didn't push him away, letting him bury his face in her hair.

Maybe she smelled better than she thought.

His claws dug into the small of her back to stop himself from shaking, and her eyes fluttered closed as she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He sagged in relief, though the trembling continued, and they stood there for several minutes, hearts beating in tandem.

"Is this acceptable?" he eventually asked, the whispered plea almost lost amongst her hair.

"As long as you don't run away again," she said, tightening her hold when he tried to pull back. "Take all the time you need. Just know that I expect you to ask me out on an actual date once you're finished."

"Of course."

"And you'll need to apologize to Mama for abandoning her during your evening teatime."

"Of course."

"And you have to tell me how much you missed me for at least a month." She felt him smile against her ear, his hand finally steady on her back.

"As you wish."

In the end, the tea went cold, and his apology was over the top, but Mama forgave them both, ignoring how Kagome continuously touched the side of her neck as she helped clean up. There was no mark, not yet anyway, but it still tingled, and Mama encouraged him to walk her back to her apartment, reminding Sesshoumaru that he was a gentleman and that she expected the proper etiquette when it came to courting her daughter.

Kagome would have to get used to the former Lord of the West blushing.