InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love Reigns Down ❯ Making Plans ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter 5: Making Plans

 

 

Sesshomaru drummed his long elegant claws on his desk impatiently waiting for Haru to return his call. Sparing a glance at the silent phone, he replayed the conversation he had a few minutes ago with Takumi Matsumoto, Kazuki's father and Haru's younger brother. He was hoping to garner information from the other inu-youkai about Haru's military project and although Takumi was cordial and friendly, his conversation with him did not reveal what he wanted to know.

 

With scarce information given to him, Sesshomaru had misgivings about the project from the very beginning. But Haru had reassured him that he had no intention of using the talisman as a weapon. He simply wanted a single prototype for a special mission. He had only one request: that his nephew was in charge of the project. Sesshomaru had no qualms with Haru's request. It only made sense that Kazuki oversaw a project that would be based upon the transformation charm he had created with Kagome. It was the assignment itself that Sesshomaru had concerns about. When he pressed for details about the mission, Haru simply stated that it was a matter of International security and that he could not indulge any more information at this time. International security? That raised Sesshomaru's suspicions even further. What type of catastrophe would occur without this so-called special mission?

 

If it was anyone else who had requested this assignment, Sesshomaru would have flatly refused, but it was Haru asking, and he had to admit that it was out of respect and loyalty to the old ways that he agreed so readily with the general. His father would have approved of upholding goodwill between their two families.

 

The Matsumoto brother's ancestry was strong; almost as strong as Sesshomaru and Yash's lineage. While Sesshomaru's father was the Inu no Tashio — the leader of the dog demons — Haru and Takumi's father was a close second in command. And the fact that Haru and Takumi were twins made them powerful indeed. Tradition indicated that when inu-youkai twins were born, the weaker one would be killed at birth to allow the stronger one to thrive. To have both brothers not only survive the first few days of birth, but flourish to become strong youkai attested to the powerful pedigree of the Matsumoto clan. It was unheard of in the youkai world and a feat that had not been rivaled since.

 

The world we know will cease to exist if this mission is not completed. You will have to trust me, Sesshomaru. Haru's words at their last meeting echoed in his head as he pondered the situation.

 

Trust. It was a very fragile thing trust was and Sesshomaru did not give it lightly. He had known Haru for a very long time and he trusted the other inu-youkai. To a point.

 

Although he considered him a good friend, Sesshomaru had no disillusions about the general. Haru was a warrior and he wasn't much different than he was 500 years ago. Ruthless cunning still shimmered underneath the surface of the general even if the years had mellowed him. At one point, they had even been adversaries — albeit it was a very brief time — but adversaries nonetheless. Years ago, Haru and his army had waged a war; a war that Sesshomaru was never interested in. He simply stood by at a distance — an observer — neither supportive nor objective to the other youkai's stance. Not until Haru's war came to Rin's village. That was the first and only time Sesshomaru put his foot down. But that was a very long time ago.

 

It was Takumi that Sesshomaru had more trust in. The two Mastumoto brothers could not have been more different than night and day. Haru being the oldest was the natural leader, a strong warrior who casted his fate hundreds of years ago when he pledged his life to the military. He had never taken a women, never had children. Takumi, on the other hand, was the scholar; the compassionate one, making his life's objective to help others. Kazuki was very much his father's son.

 

Sesshomaru knew that Haru would never do anything drastic without the approval of his younger sibling. It had always been that way. He frowned. That meant Takumi had been lying to him on the phone when he pleaded ignorance of the project. Takumi was not the deceitful type and it puzzled Sesshomaru why his old friend would be lying now. Not only was Haru avoiding his calls, but Takumi was being evasive as well. That didn't bode well. Not at all. What were the Matsumoto brothers up to?

 

The brothers had better provide adequate answers soon or Sesshomaru would scrape the project before it had even begun. The assignment was already causing problems among his staff. He knew he was taking a risk by pairing Kazuki with Juro, but he had hoped the two would put aside their personal feelings and be able to work cooperatively together. He had always prided in the fact that all his employees were happy and content. He would not allow dissention in his company. Yash had been keeping him informed about the welfare of his staff, so he was well aware of the stress that Kazuki was under and his personal struggle with the project itself. And Juro? Well, he would just have to keep a tight rein on that particular youkai.

 

Sesshomaru glanced at his watch. 10:30. He had been waiting for Haru to call back for twenty minutes now. Trying to stem his impatience, his thoughts turned to his own brother.

 

As soon as he stepped into his office, Yash had been waiting for him. He hid his surprise well at seeing his younger sibling so early in the morning. Yash was not known for his punctuality nor for his decorum as he demonstrated by immediately launching into a tirade about the mental health of their researchers. Sesshomaru knew that Yash's frustrations stemmed from his over protectiveness of his wife, so he had calmly gone about his morning duties while allowing his brother to rant. Yash ended his outburst by declaring that he was taking Kagome on a honeymoon. About time, Sesshomaru had almost said out loud, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Yash then suggested that they put a temporary halt on Haru's project allowing Kazuki to return to his own lab.

 

Yash's idea seemed like a perfectly acceptable solution — it would buy him some time to figure out Haru's true intentions — so he had no objections.

 

Although he had no doubts that Yash's primary motive behind his suggestion was his wife, Sesshomaru could not help the sneaky suspicion that his younger brother was also sympathetic towards Kazuki's plight as well. Not that Yash would ever admit to such a thing, but his younger brother almost seemed concerned about Kazuki's mental state. When Sesshomaru casually mentioned this fact, Yash hotly denied it, saying that he only wanted to alleviate Kagome's uneasiness about leaving. But the way his brother looked away and would not meet his eye made Sesshomaru believe that it was more than the miko's welfare that his brother had been concerned about. His lips curved slightly. After all these years it still amused him to torment his younger sibling.

 

His amusement was short-lived as he thought about Yash's parting words. “You better be right about this, Sess.” Yash had warned him. “Because if you're not…”

 

Yash had not finished his sentence, but Sesshomaru knew what his brother had implied. Because if I'm not, then everything we have built will be destroyed.

 

He swiveled his chair to look out the window. His gaze swept over the impressive grounds of the corporation that he and Yash had built — taking in the rolling hills and the trees —

the buildings where their fortunes were made. The sun hovered in the eastern sky, its light casted about the land engulfing the youkai and humans who walked the grounds. He watched activities in full swing in the autumn heat. This was their life's work, their empire. All the years cultivating what they had now would mean nothing if Haru betrayed them.

 

He had assured Yash that everything was under his control, but his younger brother only shot him a skeptical look before issuing another warning. “I hope you know what you're doing, Sess.”

 

Sesshomaru leaned further back in his chair and returned his gaze to the phone, willing it to ring. When it remained silent, he suppressed a sigh and continued his vigilant watch.

 

So, do I, InuYasha, so do I.

 

-x-x-x-x-

 

 

So where do you want to go for our honeymoon?

 

Her husband's words bounced in Kagome's head. She blushed slightly as she recalled the events of the previous evening. After their little tryst on the couch, InuYasha had carried her to bed and whispered something about payback time as he relentlessly made her body squirm and thrash and beg with his expert hands and mouth.

 

Her eyes glowed with warmth as she recalled how he had gathered her into his arms afterwards and whispered endearments of love in her ear, cuddling her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. Now, a full twelve hours later, she could still feel the warmth of his lips and his body. Thinking about it made her heart swell with love for her husband.

 

A honeymoon. Once her hanyou got the idea into his head, he wouldn't let it go. He was unyielding in his persistence and Kagome smiled at his very effective persuasion as she had moaned out a promise to go— she would have promised him anything the way her body was on fire, anything at all if only he would just quench her desire. And boy did he ever.

 

InuYasha had wanted two weeks, Kagome insisted on just a few days. In the end, they compromised with one week. One whole glorious week with just her and InuYasha.

 

But now, in the daylight, without the sexual distractions her husband loved to provide her, reality came back full force. She was just so torn about the whole thing. Half of her wanted nothing more than to go away with her husband, but the practical side of her was just not comfortable with the idea of leaving her department now. She just wasn't the type to relax when there was work to be done, and not having Kazuki around didn't help the situation either. She couldn't remember the last time she had taken a holiday. She was just too involved in her work, but, oh, a much needed break sounded like heaven to her and spending time with InuYasha? Absolutely divine.

 

“Okay, Kagome, get a grip. InuYasha is right. I have no reason not to go. Just let it go and take a holiday,” she mentally chastised herself.

 

She stared out of her office as Juro's staff interacted with her own. They were all getting along splendidly she admitted to herself. She had her doubts, thinking that the newcomers would have the same attitude as their supervisor, but she was wrong. They had no misgivings working for her and for that she was grateful. They sure like the newdrink dispenser, she thought happily as she watched the group mingle around the machine waiting for their turns.

 

She placed her cheek against her hand and wondered what Kazuki was doing. She had barely seen him all week, ever since Sesshomaru decided that the project would be moved to the other side of the compound, into a more secured location or “that bunker in hell” as Kazuki called it. He was right, Kagome though wryly, the majority of the building was underground with no windows, no natural light. For any youkai who valued their fresh air and freedom, it was hard to deal with. No wonder Kazuki was always in such a bad mood whenever she saw him. Oh, he tried to hide it when he saw her, but she could tell that he was not happy. And that made her worry for his well-being.

 

She blew out a breath. Even though she had given in and agreed to a honeymoon with her husband, reservations still clouded her mind. She sighed and pushed it from her thoughts as she turned her attention back to the file on her desk. She had too much work to do to even think about it now. She would just have to have a little chat with Kazuki before she felt comfortable enough with the thought of leaving.

 

-x-x-x-x-

 

“Are you sure, Kaz?” Kagome gnawed on her lower lip, concern lining her eyes as she stared across the desk at her friend. It was late afternoon and Kazuki had made a rare appearance at the lab. Kagome wasted no time in cornering him as soon as he had entered his office. “I know how much time you're spending at the other facility, but Sakura and Fuji have already said they can cover the lab when you're not here. And it'll only be a week—”

 

“It's fine, Kags. Yash put a temporary halt on uncle's project, so I'll be back for at least a week.”

 

Surprise crossed Kagome's face. “InuYasha did that?”

 

“Yup, he arranged it this morning. What, he didn't tell you?”

 

“No, no, he didn't.” She looked thoughtful as she eyed her friend. Kazuki looked so relaxed, his face free of tension. It was a relief to see him like that, so much like his old self. She was sure it was because he was back at their lab full time and he confirmed it when he said, “I'm looking forward to coming back here. Gives me a break from working with Juro.” He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and stretched his arms before he clasped them behind his head. “You know how stifling it was working there? Made it even worse with the company I've been keeping.” He cracked open an eye and looked at her. “You sure you don't want to take two weeks, three?”

 

She laughed. “Yes, I'm sure. I don't know if I can go for even one week.”

 

He casted an exasperated look her way before he said, “You need to go. You and Yash need to get it out of your systems.”

 

“What does that mean?” she asked. She looked away before he saw the tell-tale blush that crept up her cheeks.

 

“You know exactly what I mean. Besides, it'll give me a break from having to watch the two of you paw each other.”

 

“We do not paw —” She tried to sound indignant, but stopped when he started laughing. It was good to see him happy again. It was like having the old Kaz back.

 

She smiled brightly at him. “As long as you're sure you'll be okay running the lab without me.”

 

He placed a hand on his chest and gave her an exaggerated sigh. “I'm pretty sure I won't blow anything up in your absence. I think I can handle it.” He held the injured expression for a few seconds before he gave up and grinned at her.

 

His good spirits were contagious and she giggled at his silliness. “It is a relief to know you'll be here,” she admitted.

 

“Believe me, it's a relief to be back.”

 

“Okay, then, I'm going to hand in my vacation requisition. The boss has to approve it, you know.”

 

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Yeah, right, as if he's going to turn down your holidays. With him.”

 

Grinning at him, she got up and headed towards the door.

 

“So where are you going?” he asked just as she placed her hand on the door knob.

 

Turning towards him, she said, “We haven't decided yet. I wanted to go to China to visit Shippo.”

 

“Shippo? You want to see Shippo on your honeymoon?”

 

The `are you crazy' look he gave her made Kagome almost laugh out loud. That was exactly InuYasha's reaction, too. “It was just a thought,” she said in her defense. “We don't get to see Shippo as much as we'd like. He's been so busy lately that he hasn't had a chance to come home.”

 

“Yeah, but your honeymoon…” Kazuki shook his head. Leave it to Kagome to think of visiting her adopted son on her honeymoon. Sheesh. “You know, your son is, like, 600, years older than you. Kinda weird, isn't it?” He teased.

 

“No, it's not weird,” she tossed back, grinning. “You're just jealous.”

 

Maybe I am. The thought shot through Kazuki like rapid fire before he could stop it. He froze. Where the fuck did that come from? What the hell? He inwardly berated himself for even thinking that way when an unexpected pang hit him in the chest as he looked at her. He took a deep breath and tried to mentally shake it off as he suddenly found the file in front of him very fascinating.

 

Kagome frowned as he gave her a funny look and started fiddling with his papers. After a few moments of watching him in silence, she walked back to the desk and stood in front of him. “Kaz?”

 

“Yeah?” He wouldn't look at her. Couldn't look at her. Not until he managed to get his emotions under control.

 

“Penny for your thoughts?”

 

His lips twitched with a hint of a smile.“Just one penny? After I've given you, like, a million dollars worth?”

 

“Yes. That's all you get. Just one. Well, maybe two.” She tried to keep her tone light, but he could hear the concern underlining her words. “Kaz…” She paused and bit her lower lip. “Are you sure you're okay?”

 

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself enough to look up at her. “Yeah, fit as a fiddle. Couldn't be better.”

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

He did know what she meant. Working side by side as long as they have, they could practically read each other's thoughts by now. Well, almost. He knew that Kagome was no longer talking about her holiday plans and that the discussion had just turned to his uncle's military contract.

 

“Yeah, I do. And it'll be okay.”

 

When she shot him an unconvinced look, he smiled and reiterated, “Don't worry about it, Kags. I've got my head screwed on straight again. Or as straight as it will ever get.” At her smile, he continued. “See that over there?” He gestured to his right and she followed his gaze to the magnetic bulletin board hung on the side wall. The board was adorned with thank you cards, letters and photos from families that had benefitted from their research. It was the irrefutable evidence that all of their hard work had paid off.

 

Kagome's expression softened and her lips parted into a gentle smile as she gazed at the photos of the hanyou babies that framed the board.

 

A lump formed in Kazuki's throat as he saw the hint of longing lingering in the depths of her eyes. He swallowed hard. Seriously, what was wrong with him? He was turning into a mushy, emotional hanyou. Shaking his head in disgust, he cleared his throat and said, “That's proof, isn't it, Kags, that we're doing the right thing? It's why we're here. To make lives easier for all hanyou. Those thank you notes, the photos, those lives. That's all the confirmation I need to know that I'm doing the right thing. And this military project for my uncle, well…” He shrugged and struggled to find the right words. “If I have to complete it, I will. If that's the price I have to pay to continue helping families like those ones, then I'll do it, because in the end I'll be able to work on the projects that matter to me.” He paused, his eyes skipping over the board and finally resting back on Kagome. “And I have to be honest, even though every fibre of my being is telling me there's something wrong with this project, some part of me still wants to please my uncle. Isn't that pathetic?”

 

Her hand closed over his. “No, Kaz, it's not pathetic. It's only human.”

 

“Yeah, only human,” he agreed, chuckling quietly. He engulfed her petite hand in his. “I've made my peace with it, so don't worry anymore. I'll be okay.” And you will be too.

 

She held his look, gauging the truthfulness of his words before she gave him a tender smile. Kazuki was like an older brother to her. Outside of InuYasha, he was her best friend and she loved him dearly. She nodded and said, “Okay. But if you need to talk…”

 

“I know where you are,” he finished for her. “I'm serious, Kags, everything is fine. I've been given a week's reprieve from that bunker in hell. I get to hang out here and boss Juro's staff around. And I'm going to drown myself in coffee with that awesome machine you bought.”

 

Her face lit up at that.

 

“Everything is great, so don't you worry about anything, okay? Just go and have fun on your holiday.”

 

She squeezed his hand gratefully. “Thanks, Kaz.”

 

“Anytime, darling.”

 

Giving him one last affectionate look, she took her leave.

 

Kazuki remained seated, the smile sliding off his face as soon as she left, replaced by an uncharacteristic grave expression. He continued to watch the empty doorway, long after Kagome left. His mood darkening, he shook out of his brooding and flipped open his laptop. He set his jaw and went to work, because, damn, he was running out of time.

 

-x-x-x-x

 

Coming back from the Youkai/Human Resources department after dropping off her vacation requisition, Kagome sat at her desk lost in deep thought. She felt much better after her talk with Kazuki. His reassurances that everything was fine helped ease her conscience about leaving. She smiled to herself when she thought about how happy InuYasha was when she went to see him. He was practically purring when Kagome got him to sign her vacation form. Now that it was official that they were going on a honeymoon, it made her absolutely giddy thinking about it.

 

Kagome sat at her desk, distracted as she thought about all the wonderful places that they could honeymoon. InuYasha had wanted her to decide on the location. Absolutely anywhere she wanted to go and they would book it immediately with the travel agent. Glancing at her watch she decided she could take a little break. Taking the opportunity, she turned on her laptop and searched for travel destinations. The screen quickly filled up with exotic locations and Kagome scrolled through the various pages.

 

Daydreams filled her head. She imagined running through the sand and surf with InuYasha. Feeling the sea breeze cascade over their bodies as they walked along a moon-light beach. The feel of soft sand beneath their bodies. Gazing up at the stars as they sat by the fire eating ramen.

 

Wait.

 

Eating ramen? Where did that come from?

 

Kagome blinked. And then she suddenly smiled. Yes, eating ramen by the fire, holding each other as they gazed up at the stars.

 

It was perfect.

 

-x-x-x-x

 

Later that evening in the comfort of their own bed, Kagome shifted in her husband's arms. She ran her hand idly over his abs while her warm breath drifted across his equally warm skin. “Thank you for putting that military project on hiatus. Kaz was really happy about it.”

 

“I didn't do it for him. I did it for you,” Yash said gruffly before he looked away. “I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable leaving. I didn't want you spending our honeymoon worrying about the lab.”

 

She reached up and cupped his chin. “Juro's staff got along wonderfully with everyone and I was worried about nothing. I would have been fine. You didn't have to put the project on hold, but I'm glad that you did. Thank you. And thank you for helping Kaz, too.”

 

“You're welcome, but I did do it for my own selfish reasons, nothing else.”

 

She stretched her neck to kiss him on the cheek before she said, “You can't fool me, InuYasha. You didn't have to help Kaz, but you did. You understood how difficult it was for him to accept the project, and then having to work in that environment Sesshomaru insisted on didn't help matters much. I know you share his disdain for enclosed spaces so you knew how hard that was for him.” She caressed his face lovingly. “You have a good heart, Yash Takahashi, you always did. You try to be so tough, but deep down you are a loving, caring individual, but then I always knew that.”

 

The sweet smile Kagome bestowed on him made his heart clench and he tightened his hold on her. He rubbed her back, lightly stroking her dark hair as he basked in the warm glow of her words. His primary motive was to ease his wife's conscience. If his solution ended up helping Kazuki as well, so be it. And secretly, he did feel bad for the other hanyou. Not a lot, mind you, just a little. Kazuki was a great scientist, a hard worker, and a pretty decent guy. And although Yash always gave him a hard time, he did like the other hanyou. Well, I like him well enough when he isn't touching my wife. But damn if he'd tell anyone that, especially Kagome.

 

“Keh...”

 

“Don't `keh' me. I know you care even when you pretend you don't.”

 

When he didn't respond, she just smiled knowingly at him.

 

He finally grumbled, “If you tell that bastard, I'll just deny it.”

 

Kagome laughed lightly and hugged him. “Oh, InuYasha.”

 

“I mean it, Kagome…”

 

“I won't tell a soul. I promise.” He felt Kagome smile against him as she pressed against his chest, causing his own lips to curve upwards. “And Kazuki is very appreciative.” She leaned up and kissed him. “And so am I.”

 

“Really? How appreciative?”

 

A suggestive smile graced her face before she placed another light kiss on his lips. Straddling his body, she leaned down and kissed his throat, his collarbone, sliding down his chest until her mouth skimmed across his abdomen. “Very, very, very appreciative,” she said as she slid still further down, her head disappearing under the covers, her warm mouth pressed against his thigh.

 

“Oh Kami, Kagome….!” Yash lost all coherent thought as his wife showed him just how very appreciative she really was.

 

 

-x-x-x-x

 

Yash threw his head back against the pillow, pulling his wife tight against him and expelled a deep breath. “Damn, woman, you're going to wear me out.”

 

“Just wait until our honeymoon.” Kagome giggled when a low rumbling sound of contentment vibrated against her ear. She snuggled closer to her husband, pressing close as she listened to the beat of his strong heart. She loved this part of their lovemaking; the aftermath when they cuddled. Wrapped in his protective arms, she felt so safe and so loved. She could lie like this forever. Closing her eyes, she smiled when she felt him place a kiss on the top of her head.

 

“Speaking of honeymoons, where should we go? And if you say to visit Shippo…” He gave a mock growl as he placed his hands on her sides.

 

“Well… we could do a stop-over in China— InuYasha! No!” She giggled madly when his hands squeezed her sides, tickling her. She struggled — her hands pushed against him — trying to get out of his grasp. When he laughingly stopped she fell limply against him, gasping for breath, her face flushed. His heart lightened at the laughter coming from the woman on top of him. He knew how stressed she had been all week and he hated seeing her in that state. To see her so relaxed tonight, it made him happy. Extremely happy. His grin widened.

 

Trying to catch her breath, she propped herself up on one elbow and grinned down at him. “I don't know if I should tell you now.”

 

She barely had time to expel her breath as he swiftly maneuvered his body, trapping her underneath him. He raised his hands to her sides again. The threat of another tickle session in his raised brow. “Kagome…”

 

“All right! All right!” Kagome laughingly gave in as she grabbed his hands and held them tight. “I'll tell you!” She smiled up at him and said, “I want to go camping."

 

“Camping?” He pulled back incredulously. “You're not serious.”

 

“I am.” She emphasized with a firm nod.

 

Unconvinced, he said, “Are you sure? I mean we could go anywhere—”

 

“Yes, I'm very sure,” Kagome interrupted. And before her husband could come up with more excuses, she locked her arms around his neck and pulled him down against her. “Just think, InuYasha, you and me, alone in the woods. It'll be like old times.”

Thoughts of lying on crowded sunny beaches dissolved, replaced with images of acres of uninhabited forest — solitude — making love to his wife by the firelight underneath the starry sky.

 

With his arms braced on either side of her, he said, “Like old times, huh?”

 

“Hmmm.” Kagome arched her neck to playfully nip at his chin. “You know, sitting by the fire, camping underneath the stars. I'll even cook you ramen.”

 

“I suppose you want me to wear my fire rat too?”

 

“I never thought of that, but now that you mention it, it could be kind of fun to reminisce…” She trailed off teasingly, letting her words sink in.

 

Yash grinned down at her. “Huh. If I wear my fire-rat, you have to wear your old school uniform.”

 

“Wha —”

 

“It's only fair.”

 

“InuYasha,” Kagome complained. “I don't think I can even fit that anymore!”

 

“Hmmm. Don't worry, it's not like you'll be wearing it for very long.” Kagome knew he was teasing, and the way his eyes twinkled as he looked down at her confirmed it. His eyes held promises that she couldn't wait to take advantage of.

 

“Well… in that case, I think it's still in the closet at Mama's. Maybe I can find it. And who knows, maybe it will still fit.” She lightly caressed her fingers up his back and gave him a bewitching smile when he shuddered against her. “And if it does, I'll wear it.”

 

“Just for me.”

 

“InuYasha, always for you.”

 

His lips caught hers gently swallowing her promise with his sweet kisses.

 

Keeping his mouth locked on hers, Yash rolled them over until he was lying on his back with Kagome draped over his masculine frame. He held her firmly against him, feeling the beat of her heart against his. Breaking the kiss, his mouth curved into a sexy smirk as he huskily said against her lips, “So, Mrs. Takahashi, want to be the boss again?”

 

-x-x-x-x

 

A deep sigh was the only noise in the otherwise quiet room as Kazuki leaned back in his chair. Rubbing his eyes he tried to focus at the task at hand, but the weariness of the day was getting to him.

 

After his talk with Kagome, he spent the rest of the afternoon catching up with his paperwork before going out for a late dinner with his uncle. The general was annoyed with Sesshomaru for putting his project on hold and was only mollified when Kazuki informed him that the delay was only due to Yash's honeymoon and nothing else. As soon as Haru heard that his irritation ceased. His uncle then filled him in briefly on his latest conversation with Sesshomaru. While he didn't provide details, he did complain about how tired he was of fielding the Takahashi brothers' questions. About how they did not realize the magnitude of the project and its importance.

 

When Kazuki bluntly asked his uncle to explain it to him, Haru had been as ambiguous as ever. The general had said the reassuring words that Kazuki had expected him to say, but then he surprised his nephew by turning philosophical. “All things will unravel in good time, Kaz, my boy. Fate works in mysterious ways and we should not question the whys. We only need to know the hows. And all you need to know right now is that you have to complete this project. Trust me on this one.” Why was his normally pragmatic, rational uncle suddenly turning idealistic? It boggled his mind and his uncle's words puzzled him all night. And while he still couldn't shake the suspicious feelings he had, right now he was just too tired to think about it. Besides all this talk about fate mixed with military weapons was hard to digest. Seriously, how could he wrap his head around that? It was giving him a headache. Besides he had other matters to worry about.

 

He looked at his watch and noticed with surprise that it was almost three o'clock in the morning. After his uncle had dropped him off, he had decided to come back to the lab. It wasn't like he was going to be able to sleep anyways. He was grateful that everyone had already left by the time he came back. He wouldn't have been able to lie to Kagome about why he was there. He didn't know how much longer he could keep her in the dark, but he wasn't ready to tell her. Yet.

 

Kagome had been so happy lately, and he didn't have the heart to ruin that. He knew how ecstatic she was with Yash. She radiated joy in her demeanour and he rejoiced in her happiness. But every now and then — like this afternoon in his office — when she smiled at him or when the sun lit her hair in a certain way, he would feel a pang in his chest; nostalgia for the way things used to be between them. There were no more late night movies or late night take-outs, no more anything really. She was a married woman and he accepted that fact, but that didn't mean he didn't miss the way things used to be.

 

He recalled the tender look on her face this afternoon. His eyes narrowed slightly and his stomach tightened like it always did when he thought about it. In fact, he had thought about it quite a bit, the seed of doubt planted when Kagome and Yash first got together. But it wasn't until shortly after their wedding that he started formulating his plan. Still deep in thought he pushed out of his chair and stretched out the kinks in his back. He reached over to flick off his laptop before he gathered his files and locked them securely at the bottom of his desk. He made sure he left no evidence of his work before he headed out of the building and into the darkness.