InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angels Are Made From Ink And Pencils ❯ Green Tea With Lime ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Author's Notes: I'm surprised this question hasn't popped up yet but I'm going to say this just to clarify (in case anyone decides to maybe ask me later). Shippo, Kilala(or Kirara depending on the version), and/or Jaken will not be entering the storyline. Should I change my mind towards the very end (since that would be the only place in the plotline that would allow it), they will be even more minor than they are in the anime and manga. I'm sorry to any of you out there who wish this could be different. I'm a huge Jaken fan myself by he just didn't have a place in this story.

ALSO. I knew this would come up even as I was writing it… Sesshomaru is 29 in this story which means 10 years ago he was 19. I said in the story that his mother died a little more than 10 years ago so that can range anywhere from 1-3 years. I'll say its 11 years just as an example (its not that important in the scheme of things). So now he'd be 18 and a senior in high school. Considering how old he is now, and that he's about to turn thirty, I thought that from HIS viewpoint he was young. Does that make sense? I know it's a little confusing but I didn't know how to really explain it in the story without bringing in some spoilers for upcoming chapters. Doing it like this resolves the problem though, so thanks to “emmaren” for asking about it.

ATTENTION: Important notice. If your email is one of the one's below then there is a problem with it. flynalien@yahoo.com

chellerkennedy@hotmail.com

sessho09@hawaiirr.com

lolliepop4@hotmail.com

I'm not able to send you chapter updates without getting a failure notice. So please, if one of these is yours than let me know so we can fix it. Thanks.

Thanks: To “flynalien”…thanks for reviewing 3 times for the same chapter, lol. I just thought that was awesome.

To “Amanda”-you called me fantastic…no one's ever done that before! lol, that made my day, thanks!

Chapter 8: Green Tea With Lime

Painting is a language which cannot be replaced by another language. I don't know what to say about what I paint, really.

~Balthus

She leaned back in bed, staring up at the ceiling of her room and for what had to have been the tenth time that hour, laughed softly to herself. From beside her, Daisan whined and nuzzled her armpit making her give a squeal of surprise before laughing again and stroking her dogs head.

“Oh Daisan…” She smiled, unable to finish what she'd been about to say and getting up instead, her toes scrunching back and forth across the floor before she stood on it.

She began humming to the tune of one of the waltz's, dancing with an invisible partner all the way to the kitchen, where she threw open the door to her refrigerator, crying out as one of the eggs fell out of its tray. She barely managed to catch it and gave a sigh of relief as she put it back in its holder.

Breathing in deeply and then exhaling, she took a moment to stand there and shake herself out of her reverie. But it didn't work - she just started smiling like a fool all over again.

“Snap out of it Kagome…”

But she was already humming again, gently grabbing a strawberry yogurt from the fridge and a spoon from the silverware drawer after that. She didn't care that it was ten thirty in the morning and she still wasn't dressed yet…she just couldn't get last night out of her head.

“Da da da de dum…” She twirled herself around and Oni woofed, rearing up on his back legs and glomping her in the chest.

“OOMPH - ok, ok!”

Putting down her stuff on the living room table she took both his paws in her hands.

“Shall we dance?”

Oni gave another woof and laughing, she began sweeping them both across the floor of the living room, the other dogs barking in excitement.

“Hello, Kagome? Kagome I brought you some - KAGOME?”

“Huh?” Looking over her shoulder she saw Sango standing in the doorway, two Styrofoam cups of coffee in her hands.

“Oh! Hey Sango!”

Her response was the other woman simply staring at her in amazement.

“Kagome…are you dancing with your DOG?”

“Yeah…so?”

She put her hands up in front of her.

“Ok, whatever - don't tell me. I don't think I WANT to know. Anyway…I brought us both some coffee.”

“Oh, thanks…well Oni, I guess that's it.”

She released him and he fell back to the ground with a click of nails on wood flooring and a woof of disappointment.

Sango shook her head.

“PLEASE tell me you're not ON anything…?”

Kagome grinned and spun around, the frappuccino Sango had brought her now in her hand.

“It depends…I'm definitely on SOMETHING but its not drugs…”

“Apparently…” Sango said flatly, watching the girl do something akin to the tango through the next room and then back, her yogurt and spoon now in her other hand.

“Come to think of it…you were out late last night…”

She paused suddenly, a look of glee dawning on her face.

“Oh my god…you didn't finally get laid did you?”

“NO!” Kagome yelled back, becoming completely serious and flopping down on the couch, tearing open the lid of her yogurt container at the same time.

“Honestly, Sango…what is it with you and Miroku's obsession with me and sleeping with people?”

Sango shrugged.

“We think it'd be good for you.”

She nearly spit the yogurt back into her spoon.

“Good for YOU and MIROKU maybe…God knows, some nights you're both loud enough to bring down the entire apartment complex… Hey, wait a minute…you two TALK about that?”

Sango had the decency to blush.

“So uh - we're really that loud, huh?” She asked, edging around Kagome's last remark.

“YES.” Kagome said flatly, her smile hidden behind the Styrofoam coffee container as she took a sip.

“But at least you're happy, so I'm not complaining. I DO, however, want you both to STOP talking about me…I'm sorry, but that's just plain creepy!”

“Alright, alright…so where were you last night then if you weren't sleeping aro-”

“I went OUT…” She ground out, fighting to take back the conversation.

“…with a guy I met a few weeks ago. You'll never guess where we went.” Her tone turned mischievous as she put another spoonful of yogurt into her mouth.

“His apartment?” Sango asked hopefully.

“Nope. Better.”

Sango lifted a brow at her.

“Kagome…nothing and I repeat NOTHING is better then what can happen in a guy's apartment...”

“We went to Tokyo.” She said with a sigh, placing a hand over her face.

“And did what, exactly?” Sango asked, leaning forward eagerly.

She looked at her from the spaces between her fingers and waited a moment before speaking.

“Have you ever heard of Kikyo and Kaeda Wakiaiai?”

“Yeah…everyone has. Why?”

“I met Kikyo yesterday.”

Sango's mouth dropped open.

“No…”

“I did.”

“You…you actually went to Glamour Studio?”

“Oh…is that what it's called?”

“Kagome, I'm serious…that's some ritzy stuff.”

“Tell me about it…” She muttered, scooping the last remnants of yogurt from the bottom of its container and sticking it into her mouth.

“All mirrors and marble.”

“You seriously went there?”

Kagome looked up at her friend.

“YES Sango, I WENT there.”

The other woman gave a squeal unlike anything Kagome had ever heard and jumped in response.

“Who is he…WHO IS HE? I want to meet him - no - I HAVE to meet him!”

Kagome laughed, holding her hands out in front of her as if to ward her friend off.

“Don't you even care what we did?”

“I already know what you did, you-” She stopped and watched as Kagome nodded, a red flush creeping across her pale cheeks.

“Oh my God.” She seemed to fly through the air in the next instant as she landed next to her on the couch, making Kagome cry out as some of her coffee threatened to spill over the edge of the rim into her lap.

“Is he gorgeous - oh my god he has to be…I mean the Wakiaiai sisters are so choosy with their patrons - wait - is he rich? PLEASE say he's rich!”

“Sango, calm down!” She cried, pushing her away a little to gain some personal space.

“He is, isn't he? Tall, dark, handsome…the whole deal?” She pressed, her arms flying all over the place in total unabashed excitement.

“Well…you got two out of three anyway, unless you consider being really serious all the time and having old world manners `dark'. I don't know if he's rich though. I guess he is if he dances there…or at the very least he's pretty well off...I don't know. I never really thought about it before.” She said, a thoughtful look on her face.

“Marry him.”

“Ok, I think you've had just a LITTLE too much coffee-”

“No I'm serious Kagome, marry him. Not just anyone makes it in there…he's got to be SOMEONE.”

“Kikyo said he was their best dancer next to her.”

“Did you dance with him?”

Her ensuing silence said it all and Sango squealed once again.

“Dump Inuyasha - NOW.”

“NO! I will not just go out and DUMP my boyfriend because you want instant access into that studio!”

She said, glaring at her friend.

“The studio? Who CARES about the studio?! I'm talking about the GUY!”

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and gave her one of her best How-about-not looks.

Sango threw her arms up in the air in disbelief.

“Oh, I HATE you sometimes, you know that? I mean jeez…I haven't even met him yet and I know he's for you - and yet you're gonna stick with this other one? This Inuyasha-something-or-other that Miroku set you up with?”

“Hey! You haven't even MET Inuyasha yet!”

“Exactly! And there's a reason I'll wager that Miroku's never let me meet him before you two hooked up! Apparently it was a GOOD one too, since YOU never bring him over for me to meet either.”

Kagome smile faltered somewhat.

“He's busy a lot, that's all.”

“Liar.”

She looked down at her empty yogurt cup and got up to throw it away. When she came back, Sango had moved back to her original seat in the chair across from her.

“Alright…I'm calm now. We're all good.” She said, somewhat sheepishly.

“Good.”

“So…how was dancing?”

It was the ever-so-slight twitching at the corners of her lips that gave her away.

“That good, huh?” She asked, her eyebrows wiggling suggestively at her.

“Better.” And she found with horror that she actually purred the word more than spoke it.

“Uh-huh…”

“Alright, alright…it was amazing, ok?” She grinned.

“He' so much taller than I am…and when he was moving with me in his arms…” She closed her eyes, remembering last night and feeling herself blush.

“Well…it seemed more like he was gliding…I felt so awkward next to him even with all my ballet training…but he never even seemed to notice. He just kept telling me the steps over and over again until I got everything. I guess he sometimes teaches there as well when Kikyo and her sister need a hand...”

Across from her she heard Sango sigh deeply.

“I can waltz now!” She said suddenly, a touch of pride in her voice.

“He even taught me how to do some Tango. We left the studio around two this morning…Kikyo and him are old friends apparently and she lets him stay as long as he pleases whenever he comes in.”

“And you're sure you didn't go back to his apartment afterwards?”

“I already told you we didn't…”

“Pity…but still - what happened next?”

“We just talked.”

Sango gave her a look that clearly said B.S.

“Really…we just talked.” She said.

Sango took a long drag from her coffee and

sighed, deciding to change the subject since she knew she wouldn't get any other worthwhile information out of her.

“Thank God for Mina's Coffee House. Honestly…we've gone there so many times and bought so much coffee I'm surprised they haven't become a multi-billion dollar operation yet.”

“It was like a historic monument growing up. We went there for everything from studying to dates.” Kagome agreed with a nod, glad they weren't talking about Sesshomaru anymore, OR Inuyasha for that matter.

“Yeah…it's always been there…since before we were born and all.”

“And it's still going strong.” Kagome put in sounding satisfied.

“Tourism helps I guess. The Americans are big into coffee.”

“More so than us?”

Sango giggled.

“Maybe not US per-say…”

“Humm…”

Kagome got up again to dispose of her coffee cup and Sango followed her as she ventured into the kitchen to use the garbage there.

“Hey…you want to meet him?”

“You KNOW I do.” Sango said, instantly knowing whom she was referring to.

“Well I mean today…actually, in about - AAK! OH

NO! I said I'd meet him for coffee at noon!”

“Yeah…so?”

“SANGO, IT'S ALMOST NOON!”

“Oh.” She looked up at the round wall clock and saw that sure enough it was a quarter to twelve.

“Great - just perfect!” She muttered, Sango watching as she scrambled back into her bedroom and quickly followed, interested in this new bizarre atmosphere that had taken a hold of her friend.

“Ok…what do I wear…what do I WEAR?” She muttered, throwing open her closet and dumping an armful of clothing on the bed.

“Kagome…if I might make a suggestion, just go the way you are.” She said, taking in her baggy sweat pants and hoodie.

“Oh, yeah, great idea! Except I'm in my PAJAMA'S!” Kagome growled at her, pulling a pink sweater against her chest and throwing it away a second later in disgust.

“Good point.” She said, watching her friend rifle through the clothing for a few more seconds before sighing and pushing her out of the way.

“You want flirty or serious?” She asked, picking up a black cardigan in one hand and a navy long sleeved tee with a punk design on the front of it, in the other.

“Is there a middle decision?”

Sango smiled slightly.

“Do you want me to get out the six inch hooker boots and snakeskin pants?”

There was a pause in which Kagome stared at her, looking as if her best friend had just announced that she was actually a man.

Sango shook her head at her.

“I was kidding. Relax. The fashion designer is officially working.”

Kagome sighed thankfully.

“Thanks Sango.”

“No problem…and Kagome?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time you have a day off…we are SO going shopping for some new clothes for you.”

*****

“Inuyasha you need to apologize to her.”

“WHAT? Thanks a lot Miroku! You're a lot of help.”

“I'm sorry but take it from someone who knows. Trust me, you apologize to a woman and you might as well have given her the world's most expensive

diamond.”

`Especially when the apology is coming from someone like him.' Miroku thought grimly.

Inuyasha looked skeptical.

“For you and Sango maybe…but not her.”

“I don't know…Kagome is a generous soul…just

offer to pay for the repairs-”

“I already DID you idiot. She's mad because I didn't TELL her about the stupid thing to begin with!”

“Oh…so you tried to get it repaired underhandedly and give it back to her before she found out, thus in a way lying to her and being totally

irresponsible?”

Inuyasha glowered at him.

“Yeah.”

“Oh. Then yeah. Maybe that's not enough.”

The two men sat in silence for a few minutes.

“But I still think you should at least TRY apologizing to her. What's the worst that could happen? She'll say thanks, be mad a little longer, and then forgive you and things'll go back to the way they were before. Like they always do.”

Inuyasha grunted in response making him sigh.

“Inuyasha…you've been my best friend ever since middle school…ever since Bankotsu and his gang began terrorizing you, I was there to help you beat them off, remember?”

He nodded

“So trust me. I'm not gonna try and screw you over like they would.”

At Inuyasha's grudging shrug he continued.

“I hooked you two up for a reason after I met Sango and was introduced to her. I wouldn't have tho' if I'd known you'd be like this about something so simple.”

“What? SIMPLE? Miroku, you at least get sex for saying sorry! I just get a smile and a peck on the

cheek!”

He shrugged again and took out his cell phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm calling her.”

“YOU'RE WHAT?”

“There…it's ringing. Now go.” He shoved the phone into Inuyasha's hand just as he heard

Kagome pick up and say hello.

“Oh…uh…Kagome, hey…”

“Huh? Inuyasha?”

“Yeah…it's me.”

He could almost see her put the phone in front of her face and glare at it before putting it back to her ear.

“What do you want now? Did you break something else of mine and decide to TELL me this time instead of just letting me find it?”

“Oh come on Kagome!”

“Inuyasha, I'm busy! What did you call me for?”

She asked angrily, cutting him off.

“Well…” There was silence over the line and Miroku looked at him, gesturing with his hands in a way as if to say “What are you doing you fool?!”

“Yeah? You “well” what?” She asked, her irritation evident in her voice.

“SPEAK!” Miroku hissed at him, watching Inuyasha gap into the phone like a fish out of water.

“I didn't mean to weck your car.” He mumbled finally and Miroku put a hand to his face with a sigh.

“What? Inuyasha I'm with company!”

“Alright! Fine already - I'm sorry about not telling you about your car.” He said louder and there was silence over the phone line once again.

“Are you there?” He asked, wondering if maybe she'd hung up on him.

“Yeah…yeah, I'm here.”

In the background he heard what sounded like Sango begin asking her questions.

“What did he say? Did he dump you? Is he gay?”

“NO, I'M NOT GAY!” He roared into the phone, Kagome instantly yelling back at him.

“Don't yell at Sango!”

“Are you serious? Kagome she thinks I'm gay!”

“Alright, alright, enough, both of you!” Miroku sighed, grabbing the cell phone out of Inuyasha's hand.

“Wha-? Hey! Miroku!”

“Kagome? Hey…yeah this is Miroku…what? Oh ok…tell her I'll pick up something on the way home. Uh huh…yeah ok. What? Oh yeah, he did. Yep…yeah…well ok then. I'll tell him. Have fun with Sango. Yep. Yeah. Bye you two.” And he hung up.

“So…what'd she say?”

“Sango feels like having sandwiches tonight.”

“Sandwiches? Wha - I don't care about any of that! What did KAGOME say?”

“Oh. She says she appreciates the apology and'll see you at work tomorrow on the second shift.”

He narrowed his eyes at him.

“You see that? I told you - a thank you and a peck on the cheek.”

“Well…technically you were on the PHONE so you didn't even GET the second part-”

“Oh shut up Miroku.”

*****

She finished putting her phone back in her purse and looked back at Sango.

“He actually apologized?”

She nodded, surprised as well.

“Yeah…I gotta admit I wasn't expecting THAT from him. Especially so fast after the fact.”

Sango shrugged.

“Guys are weird. Their like parents - hard to read and even harder to understand.”

Kagome laughed and shook her head at her friend as they finally arrived at the door of the coffee house. They were miraculously only half an hour late and as they entered she looked around, catching sight of Sesshomaru sitting in one of the corner booths, away from the crowd of people sitting towards the front of the cafe.

He looked up as she entered and smiled at her, his eyes giving her a curious look when they landed

on Sango as well.

She shrugged in response to his silent question as they approached.

He stood and formally bowed to Sango in greeting and she did the same, her eyes sliding over him like a starving woman at a fifty-pound ham.

“Sango, this is Sesshomaru Mikadzuki. Sesshomaru this is one of my best friends Sango Firi.”

“You're on a first-name basis?” Sango whispered interestedly into her ear as they sat down.

Kagome gave her a look that said to be quiet and Sango stuck her tongue out at her in response before reluctantly doing so.

Promptly, a waitress came over to their table, looking at Sesshomaru first for their order.

He gestured for the ladies to have theirs taken first and she obligingly turned to them.

“I'd like a mocha latte.” Kagome said with a smile.

“That sounds good…I'll have the same.”

The waitress nodded and turned to Sesshomaru.

“And you, sir?”

“I'll have a green tea…with lime on the side if you would.”

Sango cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Lime on the side? For GREEN TEA?”

He smiled, looking over at Kagome before he

answered.

“I do not think it is that different from those who order water with lemon.”

Kagome grinned at him.

Sango was one of those people.

“Uh-huh.”

“I know it is strange. It was my mother's drink of

choice when she was alive.”

“Oh…can I ask when she died?” Sango asked curiously.

“Sango-!” Kagome said sharply, giving her a nudge.

Sesshomaru waved it away.

“It's alright. She has been gone long enough that I don't mind talking about it now. She passed when I was in high school…well over ten years ago.”

Sango nodded, watching as his eyes quickly flitted to Kagome before looking away again. Kagome hadn't noticed the action and it made a slow grin spread across her friends face as realization slowly began to dawn on her.

“Kagome tells me you dance at Glamour Studio.”

He nodded, thanking the waitress as she placed a traditional tea set before him before going back to get their coffee's.

“She is correct. My family and I are very good friends with the Wakiaiai's.” He said adding the green tea mixture to the water inside the teapot and swirling it together.

Sango rubbed her hands together conspiratorially under the table.

“There wouldn't happen to be an opening in the staff department for an instructor would there?”

Kagome shot her a look of surprise, her mouth dropping open slightly in embarrassment.

“I'm sorry Sesshomaru - Sango can be a little overbearing at times CAN'T YOU Sango?” She asked, her hand reaching underneath the table and painfully squeezing the other woman's leg.

Sango grimaced and nodded, her hand pulling at Kagome's, desperately trying to make her let go her.

“Are you all right Miss Firi?” He asked concernedly, seeing a look of pain cross over her face.

Their coffee arrived before she could answer much to Sango's relief since it forced Kagome to let go of her.

“I'm fine NOW.” She said rubbing the spot on her leg that Kagome had gripped.

Sesshomaru gave her a look that clearly said he didn't think she was being entirely truthful but let it pass, squeezing the lime slice over his cup before sipping it.

Sango had to fight not to make a face as she watched him drink it.

“What does it taste like?” Kagome asked from beside her, blowing on her coffee before taking a slow gulp and flinching when the hot liquid burned the inside of her mouth.

He looked from his cup to her and then back again.

“It is sour…but in a good way.”

“There's a GOOD way for something to be sour?”

“Yeah their called Sour Patch Kids” Sango said merrily from beside her, earning a look from both of them.

“Pardon?” He asked, not sure what she was referring to.

She stared at them both dumbfounded.

“Are you serious? Sour Patch Kids. You know…like the candy?”

He continued to give her a blank look before sudden understanding slowly made its way into his brain.

“You are referring to the American candy?”

“Yeah.”

Kagome gave them both confused looks.

“You'd have to have gone to America.” He told her gently, feeling something stir in him at the

hopelessly lost look on her face.

“I'm still not with you.”

“I'll order them online sometime and get them shipped to us so you can try `em.” Sango said, raising her coffee as if in cheers.

She tipped her head to the side, the action causing her hair to fall over her shoulder and curl around her breast, her teeth nibbling gently at her bottom lip. His eyes took in the picture of it and mentally sketched her like that, memorizing every possible detail before she moved to sit up straight again.

He smiled slightly and took another sip from his tea, feeling the hot liquid slid down his throat.

Tonight he would draw that image of her and the thought made him happy…content almost. In a way each of his drawings was a piece of himself, a shade of sorts…just as she was.

`A piece she has no knowledge of.' He thought silently, watching as Sango went on a tangent about the aforementioned sour candy.

Finding that she wasn't worth his time, his eyes immediately switched to Kagome, watching her take another long drag from her coffee. He observed the relaxed lines of her mouth, the way her eyelids lowered as she listened to her friend go on and on.

Years of doing nothing but studying people and their body language and shown him many things. Being an artist had only honed that skill until he could tell a persons mood simply by the way their hands moved or their nose crinkled. Here, right now with her, he knew that she was completely at ease with her surroundings, could see it in the way she leaned back against the padded wall of the booth, her fingers slack around her coffee cup as she looked at her friend, laughing suddenly at something Sango had said. She was enjoying herself just fine without him. She had her friends to fill in any of the gaps she might have.

He drew himself away, chastising himself as he looked down at his tea, swirling the cup gently and watching the liquid roll around inside before settling once more.

Just like his heart - spinning wildly out of control, moved by a power he couldn't direct.

`And just as I feel myself becoming grounded once more…I see her and it happens all over again. And I find that I can't help it…that I don't want to help it.'

He lowered his head slightly, the action causing his bangs to temporarily shadow his eyes.

Stupid. He did not dare to dream…had already gone through this with himself and knew he couldn't go there again. As much as he wished and prayed and longed to, he could not have her.

Could never have her.

Not and have his conscience remain intact. As stupid as her boyfriend was he was not stupid enough to let such a priceless treasure as her go free.

His hands clenched slightly before he caught himself and relaxed them again.

“Awesome. Are they good?”

“Their sour.” Sango said, flicking her friend in the forehead which caused her to give a cry of laughter and flick her back.

It brought him away from his dark thoughts and he felt his heart lighten somewhat as he watched them. He found himself smiling slightly.

He could not be sad like this when she was so happy.

Sesshomaru took another sip of his tea and cleared his throat for attention.

“Back to your question about Glamour Studio Miss Firi…I could ask Kikyo but I'm not sure she'd be interested. Have you any experience as an instructor?”

“No.” Kagome said pulling away from her friend.

“Yes.”

She looked over at her with surprise.

“You never told me that!”

Sango shrugged.

“I learned it in the Americas when I went.”

“Yeah but we've known each other for years…

ever since high school. How did I never know?”

Her eyes widened.

“Oh…that year you traveled abroad before we met? Is that when you learned?”

Sango nodded and took another drag from her coffee.

“My family owned their own dancing studio that

taught everything from ballet to jazz to ballroom.”

“Oh...!”

Sesshomaru watched them, finishing his first cup and pouring a second.

“I will ask her, if that would please you.”

“Yeah sure. Thanks!”

She gave him a brilliant smile but he didn't return it, his focus instead directing itself towards squeezing another slice of lime into his tea.

“Sesshomaru…?”

His eyes slowly rose to look into Kagome's and

she blushed, looking down at her coffee before finding the nerve to look back at him.

“I'm sorry we were late…”

“I have told you before that you never need to apologize to me.”

“Yeah I know…I just feel bad.”

“Don't. I enjoy my alone time just as much as my time spent with others.”

She smiled, her hand coming up to bring a loose portion of hair behind her ear.

He always knew the right things to say to make her feel better…to put her at ease.

Sango's eyes flicked back and forth between the two and cleared her throat, scooting out of the booth.

“I gotta go to the bathroom.”

Kagome nodded, watching her go with dawning

suspicion as she looked over and saw Sango's coffee cup was gone as well.

She'd taken it with her.

Who took their coffee with them to go to the bathroom?

`SANGO - AUGH - you little-!'

She was about to go after her and give her a piece of her mind but stopped as Sesshomaru began to speak.

“I'm glad you came.”

“Oh, well…why wouldn't I come? I said I would, didn't I?” She asked, putting her irritation towards Sango on the backburner as she settled back in her seat.

He took a long sip from his tea, his eyes looking over the rim of the cup at her.

“You did, yes.”

She gave him a grin and took a drag from her coffee, letting the rich taste of the mocha and coffee flavors slide down her throat.

“I've never tried a…what is it called? A mocha latte, was it?” He said, his eyes in suddenly intense. It made her swallow softly as butterflies began to flutter around in her stomach and behind her ribs making her heart beat faster.

She nodded, pushing the feeling away and smiling as she held the cup out to him.

“Want to try it?”

There was a pause as he weighed the decision in his mind of whether to do so or not.

“I don't have the cooties.” She laughed, watching him give her his little half smile before nodding.

He reached out to take it from her and their fingertips brushed as he did so causing heat to radiate all the way up to her wrist.

She blushed, murmuring an apology as he finished taking the cup from her and drawing back.

Looking down at the dark drink, he sniffed it, suddenly uncertain.

Seeing it, she reached forward, pulling his half-finished cup of tea towards her and picking it up.

“There. I'll share some of mine if you share with me some of yours.”

“Indeed.” He said, one of his eyebrows arched up so high on his forehead that it nearly disappeared into his hairline.

She paled slightly as she realized how that had sounded.

“I-I didn't mean yours as in YOURS yours, I meant yours as in TEA yours - not that I don't want- I mean I DO want yours, but OH MY GOD - I didn't mean that EITHER-”

“Miss Amefuri.”

She bit her lip, one of her hands covering her face in agony as he suddenly laughed, his head tilting itself back to expose some of his neck.

The sound made her look through the spaces of her fingers expecting him to say something to her but he only laughed harder. She unwittingly found herself giggling back in response, suddenly quite sure that she was blushing all the way to the roots

of her hair.

“I'm gonna go find Sango…she's been gone for awhile...”

He smiled, gesturing to the teacup in her possession.

“Before you do so, please try that.”

She looked down at it and shrugged, bringing it slowly to her lips, watching as he did the same with her coffee.

Hesitantly, she took a sip, letting it slide around in her mouth before swallowing. It was sour, as she'd suspected it would be…but not bad. She actually kinda liked it…

“Not bad.” He said, speaking for both of them as push the coffee container back towards her. She did the same with his tea.

“I concur.”

He looked at her amusedly.

“You concur?”

“Hey! I heard it in a movie and it sounded cool, alright!” She said, picking up her coffee and draining the remainder of it and setting it back down on the table.

He smirked.

“Do you even know what it means?”

“I-” The smile died on her face.

“No.”

He couldn't help himself and laughed again, the sound making her smile once again and do the same.

“You should go find your friend.” He said, his eyes warm as they gazed over at her. She gave him her own little half smile and nodded, scooting sideways out of the booth.

“I'll be right back.”

*****

She found Sango in front of one of the mirrors in the women's bathroom, her Motorola cell phone in hand, punching a text message to someone. She saw her click the send button as she entered and heard it beep, showing the message had been sent.

Sango looked up as the bathroom door opened and grinned when she saw it was her.

“Is he still out there?”

Kagome pointedly crossed her arms across her chest in response.

“Explain yourself. Now.”

She had the decency to actually look sheepish.

“He was making moon eyes at you so I thought I'd give you two a minute.”

“MOON eyes? And what do you mean “a minute”?

You've been gone almost twenty! That's one long pee break not to make it obvious or anything!”

She shrugged, holding up her cell phone and

grinning.

“Maybe I wanted to text a few people and was just being polite by not doing it at the table.”

Kagome gave her a look that clearly said she didn't believe her.

“Ok, ok! So maybe I didn't…but he was still making moon eyes at you!”

“He was not! Stop exaggerating!”

“I'm not exaggerating! Honestly Kagome take a look in the mirror!”

She shook her head and turned to leave.

“Come on. We have to get going soon anyways.”

“We do?”

“Miroku's home early remember? You wanted him to go pick up sandwiches for dinner?”

“Yeah but that's DINNER. We've got like four hours to kill until then!”

“What do you propose then? We can't hang here in the coffee house for FOUR HOURS!”

“Why not? We've hung out here that long before.”

Kagome stared at her.

“Wha - are you serious? NO!”

“Fine…let's just GO home where it's BORING as hell, away from the SUPER hot GUY waiting out there making MOON EYES at you-”

“Would you STOP that?!”

Sango pouted at her.

“Come on Kagome…he's SO-”

“Finish that and I WILL slap you.” She said, pushing open the door and walking back to the table.

She heard Sango grumble something under her breath from behind her before following and getting back into her side of the booth.

“Are you alright Miss Firi? You were gone for a while.”

Sango grinned, waving him away.

“I'm fine. I got a phone call that was important.”

She held up her cell phone for emphasis and it just happened to beep as a return text message arrived in her inbox.

“Indeed…” He said, watching her put it away.

“Well, we have to get going.” Kagome said, clearing her throat and gesturing to the waitress for the check. Sesshomaru stopped her.

“Please…allow me.”

“No it's ok. I got it.”

“Kagome.” She looked over at him and found herself swallowing at the look in his eyes.

“I'LL get it.” Sango said snatching the slip of paper from the woman before Sesshomaru could interfere.

Sesshomaru gave her a look clearly displaying his speechlessness at her action but let it pass.

They looked at each other, smiling slightly.

“This was fun.”

He nodded.

There was silence as Sango took out the necessary bank notes and put them on the table.

“She's free every Tuesday night if you wanna ask her out sometime.” Sango said, scooting out of her

seat.

“SANGO!”

“As a friend of course…” She put in grudgingly, feeling Kagome fingers like an iron vice clamp around her forearm.

“That's good to know…however I am leaving tomorrow morning for a train to Sapporo.”

“Huh?”

Kagome stopped, Sango's arm still in her steely grip

“You're leaving?”

“Not permanently.” He said quietly, his eyes unable to leave hers as he saw something briefly flicker there…something almost like-

“Don't despair Kagome. He'll be back.” Sango shot into the conversation, earning a glare from the woman holding her.

“I'm not DESPAIRING about it Sango I'm just SURPRISED. Big difference.”

“I will be gone on business until Thursday.” He said, taking in the looks passing between the two women with confusion.

“Oh…”

She felt something in her chest tighten at the thought of his leaving and shook herself. What was she feeling like this for? He was just an acquaintance - a friend, and not even a close one at that!

So why then did she suddenly feel so miserable?

“Is that why you asked me to come today?” She asked quietly, watching him nod, his eyes flicking to Sango and seeing that she was looking between the two with a look of glee on her face.

He cleared his throat.

“It was nice meeting you Miss Firi.”

“Call me Sango.” She said with a grin, saluting him and getting a nudge from Kagome in return.

“As you wish…Sango.”

A spike of something almost like jealousy shot through her when he said her friends name and her hand tightened on Sango's arm before she realized what she was doing and lessened it again.

Sango glanced at her

“Come on.” She said, turning to go.

“Kagome-”

She looked over her shoulder at him, watching as he stood and bowed.

“If you would like…when I return…might we do something sometime?”

Finding another blush stain across her cheeks, she smiled, nodding.

“Sure…I'd love that.”

“She certainly would…” Sango muttered under her breath making Kagome glare venomously at her from the corner of her eye.

Just like she'd thought…Kikyo and she would be perfect together as partners in matchmaking crime.

Knowing that something was going on but not sure of what it was exactly, he nodded.

“I'll see you then I guess…” She murmured, biting her lip as she looked down at the table.

Making a quick decision she grabbed a napkin and took a pen from her purse.

“Here's my cell number in case you want to call…or just tell me that your back.” She said somewhat hurriedly.

He nodded, taking it as if it were the most precious piece of paper on earth.

Quickly glancing at it, he read the number and placed it into his pocket.

“See ya!” She said, waving slightly and smiling.

“Good bye.” He murmured back, inclining his head slightly but not enough to break off eye contact with her. It was severed only when Sango whispered something to her and Kagome snapped around to give a heated reply back.

“You and me are going to have a TALK when we get home!” She hissed into her friend's ear. And with that the two women marched through the door of the coffee house and were gone.

Looking down at the bag in his seat, he sat down once more and opened it, taking out his sketchpad and drawing pencils.

Flipping through the numerous sketches and drawings, he found a clean page and signaled the waitress for more tea before settling back to yet again begin drawing the lines of Kagome Amefuri's face, the corners of his mouth tipped up in a smile.

*****

“Koga! Hello, how are you?”

“I'm doing fine Naraku, thanks. Is Kagura awake?”

Naraku sighed.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

He nodded.

“That bad, huh?”

“I can barely get her to stay in bed…getting her to stay in bed and actually SLEEP however is beyond my power.”

Koga grinned.

“How much longer until she can come back to

work?”

He grimaced.

“Five more days.”

“The New Years gathering is in three weeks…”

“Don't remind me, Koga…I hear it enough from

Kagura as it is.”

“Sorry. Ok…well I brought her some art samples to chew over.” He said, handing Naraku a closed canvas bad with carefully wrapped pieces of artwork presumably inside it.

Naraku thankfully took it.

“This will give her something to do at least thank god…maybe I won't have to worry about her sneaking out the window again.”

“Again?”

“She managed to do it once. I caught her shimming down the trellis out back.”

Koga laughed, unable to help himself.

“She would do something like that, wouldn't she?”

“Kagura does as Kagura wants, that's for damn sure.”

“You still love her though.”

Naraku smiled.

“With my entire being. She just makes me want to kill myself at the same time.”

Both men laughed before Naraku wished Koga

off.

Closing the door, he took the stairs up to Kagura's room, knocking on the door before entering.

“Kagura? Kagura, that was Koga. He brought you th-” He stepped inside, freezing when he realized the room was empty.

`Not again…'

“KAGURA!!!”

Hearing his yell she sprinted over to the parked car and closed the door as silently as she could before leaning back in the passenger seat with a sigh of relief.

“Thanks for distracting him for me Koga.” Kagura said, glancing over her shoulder and seeing her husband's silhouette against the blinds in the upstairs window.

“You owe me.”

“Only if we get out of here now before he catches us.” She hissed, catching sight of Naraku opening the blinds and seeing their car.

“Hold on.” Pressing down on the gas pedal, the car took off, turning the corner just as Naraku made his way outside.

“You realize he's going to kill you when you get home tonight right?”

She shrugged, rolling down her window and letting the air run through her hair.

“He'll get over it. You didn't give him the real artwork did you?”

He shook his head and watched as she put away the cell phone she'd used to call him.

“Nah…I gave him a few rejects from the museum that I was able to scrounge up.

She nodded, looking behind her seat and seeing another canvas bag. She pulled it into her lap excitedly.

“You're just what the doctor ordered.” She said with a grin, beginning to unwrap one of the smaller paintings.

“I am…how do the American's say it…The Man.”

She laughed.

He was grinning as he turned on the radio, rolling the volume button up almost as loud as it would go. He felt the heat of the moment roll over him as surely as the air from her open window and laughed, pressing down on the gas to speed through a yellow light, zooming away into the city.

Author's notes: The first person that realizes what's funky with this chapter gets a cookie (hint - reread the first chapter). Anyway, I think my favorite image in this chapter was definitely the ham one with Sango when she first meets Sesshomaru. Speaking of which, I don't think I ever specified what Sango did for a living. She designs clothing styles for a pretty successful clothing line. Oh well, I'll bring it into the storyline somewhere along the line - probably next chapter.