From Sainsbury's to Tokyo by kaoruhana
From Sainsbury's to Tokyo
Title: From Sainsbury’s to Tokyo
Author: Kaoruhana
Recipient: Pyreite
Prompt(s): holiday, work, laughter
Word Count: 1,499
Disclaimers: I am not affiliated with the following: The London Tube, The Sainsbury’s Chain, Kings College (London), Mark and Spencer’s (stores), ANA (All Nippon Airways), British Airways, Costa Coffee, and any landmarks mentioned in this story.
A/N: I may be showing my Anglophile-ness :)
* * * * *
The first time he saw her was in Sainsbury’s in January. He had just left work and was making a quick grocery trip before heading home, two blocks away, since he hadn’t picked up enough on his Saturday trip. He couldn’t wait to leave London in six months and go back home to the smells of Tokyo where every bloody office and tourist attraction, and certain grocery stores, didn’t close at 5:30 PM. It was annoying having to time his trips just right so that he didn’t run out of food in the morning, a lesson he had learned the hard way.
She was staring at the milk in front of him, and he realized she was Asian; though, until she turned around he couldn’t be sure about her nationality.
“Shit! No two percent!” The woman murmured in Japanese causing him to stare at her as she picked up the milk available and walked away. It was rare for him to see anyone from Japan in this Sainsbury’s, near Kings College. His eyes followed her as she moved on to look at the premade sandwiches until a Sainsbury’s employee jarred his attention by asking him to hurry as the shop was closing soon.
Hurriedly buying his purchases after that, he forgot all about the woman until he came home to find her standing outside his apartment building. Bathed in the bright outside lights near the door, she looked much prettier than she had in the store. And, her face was relieved upon seeing him. Did he know her? Why was she looking like that?
“Hello! I’m sorry, and I know you don’t know me, but the head said he’d tell me the code, and he didn’t, so I can’t go in.” Her English was accented and he distinctly recognized an Australian twist to it.
Thus, it took him a moment to understand what she said before replying.
“The head never does things unless you remind him.” He waited for her to step aside and then pushed the keypad so that they both could enter. Hopefully, she was telling the truth about living here. “Did you just move here?”
The pretty woman nodded, walking alongside him. “Yes, I got offered to do a research exchange with Kings College.” She stood patiently as he pressed the button for the elevator since he was not inclined to carry three grocery bags up five flights stairs. “My name’s Kagome—Kagome Higurashi. I live in 502.”
Sesshomaru’s grip on the bags tightened. Finally, after months, he had a neighbor who understood him, was quite pretty, and she lived next door! He couldn’t believe his luck! The British were welcoming, but he found that he missed the simple comfort of seeing a face that looked like his in such a multi-cultural city.
“Sesshomaru Mori,” he answered letting her enter onto the newly arrived elevator first. “I suppose I should say it is nice to meet my neighbour.”
“Neighbours!” Kagome exclaimed. “That’s so nice. Then perhaps you could show me around the area? I’ve only just gotten here and was able to find the Sainsbury’s for dinner, but…”
“We’ll plan for it.” Sesshomaru assured her as he stepped off the elevator. They walked to their respective doors, and as much as he wanted to talk to her, he was tired from a long day. “Have a good night, Higurashi.”
She smiled back at him from her own door. “Good night Sesshomaru!”
* * * * *
“You know, I’m really surprised you haven’t had good curry or papads. Thank god we’re in England so that we can rectify this.” Kagome stated as they had dinner together on a cold and rainy Friday night in February.
Sesshomaru scowled as he tore off another piece of naan to eat with his koorma. Japan’s culinary repertoire wasn’t closed, but he’d never had a need to branch out. He’d grown up in a traditional family with traditional cuisine and the occasional elegant French or German desserts and Italian pastas. He wasn’t really to blame.
“It’s good you’re here to extend my foray into Indian cuisine.” He quipped watching as she helped herself to some more Biriyani. He had to admit that the food was good and with the prevalence of Indian restaurants in England, he was bound to have tried some before he left.
Kagome grinned at him across the table. “So, guess what happened today?” She asked promoting more conversation now that they had polished off the majority of their food. He raised a brow, and she continued.
“The library archives in the Asian History department had some Japanese texts. I have no idea why no one’s had the sense to look at them before, but I found letters from Ernest Satow! I’ve been doing so much research on the outside influences that caused the revolution, and it was amazing to be able to find the first-hand accounts of his work!” She paused then. “You do know who Ernest Satow is?”
“Of course I do.” Sesshomaru explained, his eyes glinting. “My mother’s family helped him a lot in Japan. He married one of her ancestors after all.” Kagome’s eyes lit up and the rest of the night they spent talking about the history that so excited her which his family had been involved in.
The next morning, as he got up to do his weekly Saturday Marks and Spencer’s grocery trip, a knock sounded in his apartment. Opening the door he was met with Kagome who had a giant Marks and Spencer’s tote in her hands. She waved it idly from her hands and grinned up at him bundled as she was in a peacoat, muffler, and gloves.
“Fancy shopping this morning?” She asked moving out of the way as he stepped out in his own warm clothes and locked his apartment.
“Yes. I take it you want to accompany me?”
Kagome nodded as the two walked down to the tube station two blocks away and practically next door to the Sainsbury’s they had first met at. Sesshomaru preferred grocery shopping at the more expensive chain simply because the produce was a little more extensive and fresh. It also tended to being a one-stop shop should he need to buy anything else. He’d taken Kagome there once, and she had accompanied him on every visit since.
“You know,” she mused huddling closer to him as they walked out of the building, “I thought this week we could try this shop for groceries together thing? I think it’s high time you tried my cooking.”
“Oh?” He never asked and never assumed, but there were times, such as this one, where he thought Kagome might be hinting at something. But, she hadn’t made a move one way or another so he didn’t do anything about it.
“Yes. Any particular vegetables or meats you don’t like?” He shook his head as they crossed the street and made their way down to the tube.
“Any you? Any particular preferences?” Kagome grinned at him.
“Well, I am quite partial to Indian food.” Sesshomaru merely smirked as they went down the stairs to the tube station. Of course she was.
* * * * *
Sesshomaru nursed a cup of Costa Coffee as he stood looking out over the Thames on the Queen’s Walk in July. It had taken him approximately a year, but he had accomplished what he had been sent here to do. The London branch of his father’s company was up and running smoothly, and, in a few weeks’ time, he would be home. He could picture it in his head and was excited about going back to a city where he could have comforts. He wouldn’t have to surrender to crowds on the rush-hour tube because he could drive instead. He could go to a bloody store at midnight if he needed, and get the food he was used to eating at a store closer to him than the Sainsbury’s he frequented.
However, despite his complaints, he knew he would miss London. He would miss the cool summer afternoons with splotchy rain and the British cuppa that he often got. He would miss the walkway he was on and the way the British loved their tea—a habit that had grown on him. Sighing, he began walking away from the water when his phone rang, jarring him from thoughts of his departure.
“Hello?” He answered confused as to who could be calling him at 10 AM on a July Saturday.
“Oh Sesshomaru, good day!” He recognized Kagome’s greeting and answered her in the same manner hearing her tinkling laughter on the end at his attempt to mimic her Australian greeting.
“You’ll never get it right, but I’ll give you credit for attempts!” Kagome stated. “I was wondering, weren’t you telling me you were headed out of the area soon?”
“Yes.” He took a seat on a nearby bench near City Hall, startling a few pigeons. “My work here is done, and my flight has been booked for the 27th.”
“I see.” He waited for her to continue, and was about to speak, when her voice carried over again. “I’m headed back to Tokyo too. Mum’s decided to move back.”
“Oh.” He didn’t know what to say to that.
During the past few months he’d learned quite a bit about Kagome. She was half-Australian, her Australian father having wooed her mother when she was studying in Sydney. She had grown up there, often visiting her mother’s hometown of Tokyo to learn about the other half of her roots. Her father had passed away some ten years ago, but her family stayed in Australia. Or maybe they had decided to move?
“It’s grandfather. He fell the other day and Mum’s going to help him. And… I’m doing remote research work for the next semester anyway, so I can be there you know? It’ll just be weird. I haven’t been there during non-holidays. And never with the intention of staying.”
Sesshomaru took a sip of the drink as he mused on her words. He wasn’t sure, but it seemed that Kagome was leading up to something. Just what it was seemed a mystery though. He waited for her to continue, wondering why she had called to speak instead of telling him the news later at their apartment building.
“Erm…what I’m asking…are you flying ANA or British Airways?”
Whatever he had expected, it wasn’t that. “Excuse me?” He asked, coughing a little as his coffee went down the wrong pipe. Had he heard her right?
“ANA or British? I just…I don’t want to go to Japan by myself, and I know it’ll be expensive, but mum insisted. So?” He found himself giving her the answer and waited to see what else she had to say. “Well then, it’s settled. Um…we’ll have to find seats next to each other I guess. And um…I’ll see you later then.”
Sesshomaru nodded, before catching himself. “Yes, ja ne.”
* * * * *
Sesshomaru paid the cab driver who soon drove off and turned to look at Kagome by the curb. It still felt odd to him that she was here with him. It almost felt as though he was taking her home with him. Except he wasn’t. He was just a travel buddy. Following her into the airport, he watched her check in before proceeding to do so himself. A tug at his sleeve caught his attention as he received his passport back. Turning his head, he raised an eyebrow inquiringly at Kagome.
“I’m in 16A. I’ve heard 16B is open.” The lady behind the counter looked up and grinned at him.
“Sir, your bags have been checked all the way to Tokyo. Do you wish to sit in 16B?”
Sesshomaru stared at Kagome for a moment before reaching into his pocket for his wallet. He was born into wealth and had rarely ridden in economy on planes, especially international ones. Being on a nearly twelve hour flight meant he wanted the comfort and leg room of business class. Since Kagome was travelling with him, it only made sense to move her to where he was sitting.
“Is 8C available?” He asked pulling out his credit card. The woman behind the counter nodded, her eyes darting to Kagome briefly and smiling at him in amusement. Handing her the card he watched her upgrade Kagome who was by now catching on to what was happening.
“Did you just move me?” She asked incredulously. “But why?”
Sesshomaru waited until his boarding pass was printed and they had left the check in line before addressing her. “I like to travel in comfort on long flights. It wasn’t too much of a hassle to move you as well.”
“But, is it okay?”
Sesshomaru stared at her, meeting her eyes and feeling as though his answer would change something about their relationship. “Kagome, I promised you we’d travel together. I intend to live up to it.”
He did fulfill his promise by being a good travel companion. They both had a nice plane ride with ample leg room and sleeping space as well as extra body heat to share in the frigid aircraft. Kagome was ecstatic about the newer accommodations and accused him of spoiling her, which he found he didn’t care about. And when they finally split up in Tokyo, he almost stopped her.
He could always see Kagome again, he mused as the rush of people, holiday-goers and travelers, engulfed the space between them making him lose sight of her. For now though, he had to report back to his father and get used again to life in Tokyo.
* * * * *
Sesshomaru had finally settled into his flat in Tokyo. He’d been in and out of the city, flying to Kyoto and Osaka weekly to keep his father and half-brother informed about the business for the past four months and had practically lived out of his suitcase. Being back, smelling the Tokyo air, getting stuck in his own car in the Tokyo traffic, sleeping in a bed he had custom made; these were all the comforts of home he was so glad to see. Now, he just had to catch up on the four months of Tokyo life he had missed.
And he mused, looking at the lightly falling flurries outside of his window, he had to start thinking about the holiday season and whether he would use the season to reconnect with Kagome.
A knock on the door stopped him from taking his celebratory indulgence of a good Scotch and relaxing on the sofa. Sighing, but knowing that the sooner he answered the door, the sooner he relaxed, he opened said door and stared.
“Hello!” The woman at the door grinned at him. “Welcome back!”
Sesshomaru stared some more before instincts kicked in. He moved away and invited the woman into his home.
“Kagome, I was not expecting you.”
He really wasn’t either. She had no idea he lived here and even more, she couldn’t have known he’d gotten back into town for good, earlier this week. Kagome grinned up at him in reply, and he was glad that this woman had somehow found her way into his life still, even after four months of barely any contact. She set her bag of groceries down on the coffee table and grinned up at him.
“Well, there’s actually a funny story about that. Did you know there was a vacancy in this building on floor four?” His eyes narrowed, and he looked at her inquiringly.
“This is not a cheap apartment building.” He wondered how Kagome could afford it. Her family wasn’t wealthy and from what he knew it would be difficult for them to afford this along with any other expenses. Besides, his original question wasn’t answered.
The woman in question fidgeted under his gaze. “Um yeah, about that…well—I think we did enough dating for a year in England, don’t you? And I decided to move here with you. So, I guess the next logical step is for maybe tohavememoveinwith you. Or, um” her voice fell to a whisper, and he had to strain his ears to listen, “Well, maybe it’s time for this?”
Her eyes took on a determined glint and Sesshomaru prepared himself. But, like she had been doing recently, Kagome surprised him. He barely had time to react before she marched over to him, pulled him by his shirt collar, and planted a kiss on his lips. It took him a moment to get his bearings, but he soon had his arms around her and was able to reciprocate easily.
“Dating for a year?” He inquired pulling back but keeping his arms around her.
“Well, about a year. But, anyway, I kind of like you Sesshomaru. Really like you. And I figure if you’re up for it, we can try being friendly neighbors again for a bit until I move in.”
He faced momentary panic at the train of her thoughts, but stopped himself from thinking about them further. He had a gorgeous woman in his arms; a woman whom he had coveted for nearly a year, and she liked him. He’d worry about the rest later. Right now, he just wanted to kiss her again.
So, he proceeded to do just that.
Moving in could always happen later. As could answering his questions.
* * * * *
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays!
* * * * In case you were wondering: the original "receiver" of this gift dropped out of the exchange, and with an extra gift to go, it was decided that it would still be sent to Pyreite :) * * * *