InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Art of Tea - ON HOLD ❯ The Art of Tea - Chapter 11B - Two For Tea ( Chapter 12 )

DISCLAIMER - The ownership and general brilliance that is the original Feudal Fairy Tale remains the property of its honored and rightfully revered creator Rumiko Takahashi without whose brilliance, we would not have fodder.

 

Author's Note: After a few persistent requests, the scent Sesshoumaru is wearing is by Fragonard. The specific cologne is called Grande Luxe. Subtle, gorgeously masculine and guaranteed to have the desired affect…delectable.

 

Reviews are fuel.

 

Namaste

 

By: ElegantPaws

 

Edited by: Meara the Celt

 

Chapter Eleven B is dedicated to Shadowweaver01, possibly one of the most sensual writers of this genre. There is a very fine line between tawdry and sexy and she straddles it elegantly, producing superior pieces of toe curling erotica. She understands sensual. To this day“Love Has Nothing to Do With It,” remains one of my favourite pieces. There were of course times my rapacious self wanted to kill her …but it was worth the wait. Love, has everything to do with it.

 

 

"Where there's tea there's hope."

 

--- Arthur W. Pinero---

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

Chapter 11 B - The Scent of a Woman

 

Sesshoumaru sat perfectly still, glad of the cool stone bench beneath him as he weighed the pros and cons of killing the little bitch for her utter temerity in accosting his noble being, promise or no promise.

 

On the con side, she was tiresome, but all of humanity suffered from this particular affliction.

 

He needed to be fair in the decision-making process.

 

She was loud, offensive and given to being verbally abusive to his esteemed youkai, but in her defense, she had no idea to whom she spoke.

 

His eyes narrowed as he noted a recurring theme. With each con he had found a pro. Perhaps he should start with the pro and be done with it. Decision made, he began.

She was soft, delicate like bone china, pliant, curvaceous and fragrantly pleasing. If he was put to it, he would be forced to add highly intelligent and spirited with a predisposition for play. Then there were those legs; those very long, supple legs, and exceedingly expressive eyes that rendered her incapable of deception. Her lips were soft to the touch and the dexterous little tongue that challenged his own were equally enticing.

 

The Taiyoukai growled in frustration at his own new found inability to think in an orderly fashion and the tightening of his groin.

 

“Useless!” he spat in disgust.

 

Steepling his fingers, he lowered his head in focused concentration, mindful not to make too sudden a movement. The throbbing ache had diminished, replaced by another. He wondered briefly if it had colored his recent inability to come to a firm conclusion, where centuries before she would not have made it two steps from him and he would have required an untimely change of clothing. He needed to make a decision.

 

Her scent wafted to his nostrils as she turned and headed back toward the restaurant. She had been watching him from what she thought a safe distance. He could feel her concern and regret.

 

`Stupid female. Once you strike an enemy the telling blow, do not look back. Even with this she shows great ineptitude. Her ridiculous predisposition for compassion will prove her undoing unless this Sesshoumaru steps in to guide her in the ways of tactics. You failed, Old Man. She is as vulnerable as a newborn pup.'

 

Never once did it occur to the western lord that once again, his thoughts had taken a detour towards pro.

 

The rhythmic click of her heels as she approached the crouched male was hesitant. He could feel the conflict within her aura and the sharp intake of breath as she made her decision and sat next to him, purse and shawl placed as chaperone between them.

 

“Here” she said casually.

 

“You will leave this Sesshoumaru to his thoughts, woman.”

 

There was sibilance in his hiss of warning, a warning that went unheeded as a cold object was thrust upon his lap by a small hand which quickly retreated.

 

Sesshoumaru snarled and leapt away, dashing the object to the ground with more force than was strictly necessary. Small green objects burst from the bag and scattering on the stepping-stones below his feet.

 

Kagome glowered up at him, grinding her teeth.

 

“I'm trying to help and true to form, you have to ruin it.”

 

“You clearly know nothing of the male anatomy,” Sesshoumaru said, his anger held in abeyance the moment their eyes met. She was genuinely concerned.

 

He averted his gaze and gracefully bent retrieving several little green spheres, which were cool to the touch. He blinked, pale amber looking to her for an explanation.

 

“Peas, Miss Higurashi? You brought me frozen peas?”

 

It was Kagome's turn to snarl as she rose with as much dignity as she could muster to face his glare head on.

 

“See, this is the problem. Now I have to get help to sweep up the peas before someone breaks their neck,” Kagome huffed.

 

He looked no worse for wear and for that she was grateful. He was too cocky by half and had deserved it. The dark-haired woman's eyes travelled his form and stopped abruptly at his trouser cuffs with a snicker.

 

She sighed and bent automatically to remove the little green stowaways in his cuffs one by one.

 

The silver-haired male cocked his head in query, mindful of her head's current position. Far too close for comfort. He did not wish a repeat performance of earlier. Her head could cause significantly trauma unlike the smooth, silky knee which had connected but did not carry irreparable force behind it. Even then she had held back, he realized. Her legs were strong.

 

Sesshoumaru suspected, given the opportunity, she would not hurt a verminous fly.

 

`Idiotic woman.'

 

Kagome felt the caress of cool tendrils on her back and shivered. That hair of his would prove her undoing. She closed her eyes tightly, trying her best not to envision using the strands as reins under other circumstances.

 

`Talk Kagome! Talk! Get your mind out of the gutter. What the hell is wrong with you?'

 

 

“Do you know how far I walked in these damn shoes to find a store in the freakin back of beyond to find you something to ease your…you know…And I don't even like you!” Kagome shrieked as she raised her head and came face to face with the much discussed part of his person.

 

Kagome gulped and bit her lower lip as her eyes slowly made the rest of the journey up the long torso to meet smug, cool citrine and a quirked brow.

 

“If you smirk…” she warned with what she hoped was menace in her voice.

 

He did.

 

“Silence woman!”

 

Sartorial perfection be damned! She was not going to put up with more of his lip.

 

Like a volcano about to erupt, the dark-haired woman took a deep breath and rose to her full height, arms akimbo, chest heaving.

 

“Excuse me?” she snarled quietly, wishing desperately she had chosen to take a step back before confronting him about his assertion, however correct his assessment.

 

He bent his head and practically cooed into her shell like ear with that deep reverberating timbre that came out like a sensual purr.

 

`The man exudes sex. He is a walking, breathing pheromone.'

 

“This Sesshoumaru saw the detour you made to the kitchen, Miss Higurashi.”

 

Kagome's eyelids fluttered closed in sensory overload as his warm breath caressed the skin of her neck in rebuke. Her nostrils filled with the intoxicating scent of clean, warm skin and cologne.

 

Her knees decided in that moment to become gelatin. Warm hands finding the small of her back broke her fall as they caressed her spine, licking a heated trail up her spine.

 

Kagome rested her head against his chest and sighed. She was definitely going to hell.

 

“Just so we are clear, I still don't like you, but damn, you smell good. It ought to be a sin to smell this good.”

 

Sesshoumaru's jaws clenched, as his nose brushed the dark, fragrant strands of her hair and his eyes closed for entirely different reasons. They were bleeding red.

 

“Thank you, Miss Higurashi, as do you. Equally, this Sesshoumaru is not overly fond of you, but you remain a delight to his senses.”

 

Kagome adjusted her cheek and smiled, relaxing into his touch. She could hear his heart beat firm and strong. Her hands slid about his waist in a tentative hold.

 

“Does it hurt very much?” she whispered shyly into his chest, tightening her grasp in apology.

 

“It was not a pleasurable sensation, no, Miss Higurashi,” he murmured into her hair, for the first time seeing the chopsticks.

 

`She is oblivious to their meaning. They were a gift from father to my mother.'

 

“Are they better now? Can I get you something?”

 

Kagome's stomach gurgled embarrassingly loud. Apparently, the strawberries had not been sufficient.

 

His lips lowered to her temple. “Much and at the risk of incurring your wrath, this Sesshoumaru intends to dine, with or without you. This night need not be a total loss.”

 

She looked up into pale citrine with furrowed brow. “What are you doing here? Where is Naraku?”

 

Sesshoumaru cut his eye and waved imperiously at someone behind, never letting go of her waist.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

“You're also a pig. Did you plan on eating this all by yourself?” Sango asked around a mouthful of steak. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the mouthwatering scent had assailed her nostrils as she entered the kitchen.

 

“Asparagus?” Miroku offered solicitously, as he handed her the serving dish, ignoring her comment. He was determined to have a peaceful meal, even with this unlikely company.

 

Sango declined with a dismissive nod of her head. “Makes your pee stink.”

 

Finally, a safe, if not indelicate, topic of conversation; thus far, he had watched her with awe and admiration. The woman was a good trencherman when it came to focused concentration on her food. Those beautiful teeth were adept and the little tongue equally so.

 

His eyes glazed over at that final thought.

 

“Actually, only in a certain percentage of the population,” he said pleasantly as he sipped his merlot and judiciously began to tuck into his own steak.

 

The clanking of silverware caught his attention as his eyes met steely brown in confusion. There was a slight grease smudge to the side of her lips, which he had to fight the urge to dab with his linen napkin.

 

“What?” Sango inquired, equally confused by the pointing gestures the man-whore was making at her face.

 

Miroku got up and deftly removed the offending animal fat with a gentle smile and returned to his own plate.

 

Sango blushed.

 

“Thanks. You could have just said, but thanks,” she mumbled with embarrassment.

 

Sango painstakingly picked up her fork and knife, giving Miroku a sidelong glance.

 

“No problem and I did not plan on eating alone tonight.”

 

“I meant the asparagus thing you mentioned.”

 

The smile he gave her was like sunlight on a cloudy day and her heart leapt as he began to explain the enzymes of the vegetable and how it affected human biochemistry as a whole.

 

`Great! He's a nerd too.'

 

This was not going as she planned.

 

Sango downed her fourth glass of merlot in one gulp. If nothing else, she would damn well drink him under the table. The coach had drunk quite a few under the table in her time. That would teach him. She could always clobber him later.

 

Miroku blinked and continued his erudition, gently easing the bottle away from her end of the island with a beatific smile.

 

“Great! She's a lush too.”

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

“I'm paying by the way,” Kagome said. “It's the least I can do.”

 

Sesshoumaru glanced at the menu, he having the one with the necessary details.

 

He quirked a brow and handed it to her.

 

Kagome blinked rapidly and handed it back to him, mentally thankful she had paid most of the Visa that month. Her moving expenses had been a killer. She glanced at him from over her own menu, assessing his ability to eat. He was a big boy. Maybe if she had a salad and a glass of wine he would put it down to her being a girl. She was sure she could cover it without undue embarrassment and there was no way she wasn't going to have the tiramisu for dessert.

 

She smiled at him, fingering her pearls nervously. “So, what are you having? Everything looks wonderful.”

 

A studied cough from her left made her aware of the host's return to take their order.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes slid from her face and back to the menu, fighting the urge to smirk.

 

“What would you suggest? Begin with the lady,” said a clipped, well-modulated baritone disinterestedly as he continued to scan the menu.

 

Kagome cleared her throat. “What do you have in the way of salads?”

 

There was disappointment in the large pleading brown eyes that looked her over as the Maitre'D clasped his hands to his lips in thought.

 

She was clearly one of those sad young ladies perpetually on a diet in an effort to maintain her figure. Such a waste. She could do with a few pounds and she drank too. So sad. Nothing good could come of this. It was clearly the young man's fault.

 

He glared at the top of Sesshoumaru's head in disapproval.

 

Kagome's eyes followed the host's gaze and chuckled, understanding his misgivings.

 

“I ate before I came. He will eat for both of us. My bad,” she said apologetically, giving the older man a winning smile. There were times when even she resorted to feminine wiles, if for no other reason than too save face and protect another's honor, even undeservingly.

 

Sesshoumaru was having none of it. He closed his menu and removed hers from her hands. She would eat if he had to cram it down her throat. Pride always came before a fall, or had she learned nothing from her family?

 

The real question was…had he?

 

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

“Coffee?”

 

“Nah, it'll just keep me awake. I gotta go,” Sango said, pulling on her jacket sluggishly and attempted to retrieve her helmet from Miroku's grasp for the third time.

 

The coach didn't even have the energy to protest with her usual vociferousness, allowing the helmet to be pulled from her lazy fingers. It occurred to her that she may have had a little too much to drink. He on the other hand looked all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

 

`Irritating swine.'

 

“Coffee, I think,” he said insistently with that damn smile. “I think there is cheesecake left. Rin likes cheesecake. There is always a ready supply.”

 

Sango slouched back into the comfy seat and watched as he cleared and whistled.

 

`Definitely irritating.'

 

Maybe coffee was a good idea.

 

Sango yawned as she watched him place the dishes in the washer.

 

`Great ass, great everything. He obviously works out, narcissistic prick.'

 

It had been a very long day, she thought as her lids drooped to half-mast and she slowly slid from the stool.

 

Miroku sighed moving like lightening and caught the warm bundle in protective arms.

 

The dishes would have to wait. It was then he noticed the mud on his robe and on her jeans and the flecks of it in her hair.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

Author's Note

 

Keep your respective knickers on. There will be an 11C. I just noticed the chapter is getting too long. Stop THROWING THINGS AT ME. You will have 11C VERY SOON. Am actually writing it now, in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed. There is no point giving me that look. I feel suitably guilty…no worries…good things do happen to demons and humans alike…delicious things…

 

EP