I glanced at my mother and her boyfriend across from me and my brother Souta on the love seat. Tonight was the night the family was meeting him for the first time, and I was not impressed.
My father died when I was twelve and my mother had started dating again when I was sixteen. She had only had a few serious relationships in the past four years but the family had never met any of them before. Until now. I could only take that as a sign that they were getting pretty serious, and I didn't like it one bit.
Honestly, I had thought my mother had better sense than this. I had only known the man for forty-five minutes and already I was close to shoving him out the door. His name was Chao, he was Chinese born but had been raised in Japan since he was four. And that's where his cool factors ended. The first strike against him had been that all he did was talk about himself, and his work. He happened to work with my mother at the law firm. My mother was a secretary at the firm and they had met when she had handed him his first stack of phone messages the day she had started there. Ever since that day eight months ago Hana had been head over heels. 'Fateful' was the word my mother used. 'Barfy' was the word I used. I could just see it, my mother and her lawyer hubby walking into work arm in arm every day. I wanted to gag.
The second strike was that when he had walked past me when we had all walked into the kitchen to get the appetizers I was overcome by his personal...musk. Honestly, hadn't this man ever heard of a shower? He smelled like old tacos and cigar smoke. I could barely stand it. He had stood next to me in the kitchen and I made the excuse of wanting a glass of water to walk to the other side of the kitchen, safely away from him.
The third strike was just that, striking. It wasn't that he was actually hitting my mother it was just that he treated her as if she were a big man like himself. When he thought that something she said was funny he would slap her on the back as he laughed ridiculously loud. My mother was a tiny woman, and he was going to crack her spine if he didn't cut it out!
Usually three strikes means you're out. But not in this case. The fourth and last strike against this man (So far that is) was that he was constantly TOUCHING her. It wasn't in a perverse way or anything but really, it was like she was his life support or something. When he first arrived he had taken her hand and hadn't let it go. Which I had thought was sweet at first, but then as she led everyone into the kitchen he kept his hand on her shoulder, which was a bit weird. Then he had his arm around her on the couch, and then when she got up to go help my grandfather find the wine glasses in the kitchen he had touched her arm until she was too far away for him to reach. Seriously. His arm was stretched out in mid-air as if this was a bad daytime soap opera and she was being taken away from him or something.
The guy was unbelievably wrong for my mother, and yet my mother had been smiling the whole evening. What had gotten into her?
"Alright, drinks are served!" Grandpa called out as he walked into the room carrying three glasses of wine for the legal adults in the room.
I glanced at my brother from the corner of my eye. He was swirling his ice around in his glass consistently, ignoring everyone in the room. I elbowed him to make him pay attention.
Grandpa sat down on my other side and a silence followed. No one knew what to say. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" I jumped up and shoved my water glass into Souta's hand. Saved by the bell, I thought as I walked down the short hallway to the door, pausing at the mirror to make sure my hair looked nice before pulling the door open.
And there he was. My savior from this hell of a night. My boyfriend of two years, Sesshomaru.
He stood, bracing himself with his forearm against the eaves of the door, smiling at me. Once again, just like every time I saw him my breath was taken by his beauty. He was very tall, about 6"8, beardless, and had an impossibly appealing face. His firm mouth curled, as if always on the edge of laughter, or like he knew a secret to life that the rest of us schmucks had yet to find out. His hair was white jade and silky straight. He was devastatingly handsome and I loved him more than anything.
"Kagome" He breathed my name, as if he couldn't breathe when I wasn't with him. I felt exactly the same way.
"Thank goodness you're here!" I sighed as I stepped aside for him to enter our home.
He smiled, flashing perfect ivory teeth, and then kissed me sweetly on the cheek. "Is he really that bad?" He asked, as he took my hand and led me toward the others. As if he knew I would try to run if he left me alone. Not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind or anything...
"You have no idea" I mumbled as we stepped into the living room where everyone else sat.
"Ah Sesshomaru! You're here! Thank you for coming!" My mother smiled, standing up and bowing to Sesshomaru.
"The pleasure's all mine Miss. Higorashi." He smiled charmingly and bowed to the room. "Thank you for inviting me."
"Chao, this is Kagome's boyfriend Sesshomaru." Her mother introduced them.
Chao stood up and bowed to Sesshomaru. "Nice to meet you."
"You as well" Sesshomaru responded.
"Now we can have dinner!" My mother announced happily. "Everyone to the kitchen!"
After everyone had plates and had sat down to enjoy the meal, chatting was a bit easier...and more tense for me than before.
"So Sesshomaru," Chao began, "Have you and Kagome been dating long?" He asked as he took a large bite of his tempura domburi.
I wanted to smack herself in the forehead as I predicted where this conversation was headed.
"Almost two years now." Sesshomaru replied politely.
Chao nodded. "Do you have any plans for the future yet?"
I paused. Oh my god, did he just ask that?
"Well, Kagome and I have discussed it, and we feel like we should just take it slow right now, and see what happens. If we do decide to marry, we think it will be after we've both graduated." We were in collage together at the moment and didn't want anything like weddings and spouses to get in the way of our studies.
"I see, and what is it you two are studying?" He fired at Sesshomaru.
I wanted to melt right into my mother's red upholstered dinning chair. Didn't Chao realize he was putting Sesshomaru on the spot, and he wasn't even family yet! In fact...neither of them were.
"Well I'm a junior in the law studies department, and Kagome is a sophomore in early child development." Sesshomaru turned and smiled at me, showing once again how much he liked my choice in careers. He had said over and over that he thought that it was perfect for my personality and it showed what a caring person I was.
"What does that mean?" Chao actually stopped mid-chew as if to show that he was thoroughly confused.
"It's early child education. She has to take extra classes for dealing with younger kids. From grades pre-school through first grade. Then she can teach all the way to fifth grade if she wants too."
"I see, a lawyer and a teacher. Not bad, not bad." Chao nodded to himself as he kept chewing. Kami he was creepy!
When the meal was over the men went into the living room again and I helped my mother with the dishes. I was so worried about Sesshomaru being alone with not just my grandfather but Chao now as well. It my stomach hurt. Or maybe that was the forty ounces of food I shoved down my throat to pretend to be too busy to answer any of Chaos questions.
"So Kagome, what do you think of him?" My mother smiled as she handed me a plate to dry. No dishwasher.
"Um well, he's a snappy dresser." It's better to start with a compliment on these things.
She laughed. "Come on, what do you really think?"
I took a deep breath. "Honestly mom, I don't like him."
My mother frowned. "It's the talking thing isn't it? He does seem to talk a lot. I guess I like it because that means I don't have to think up something to say, he just keeps the conversation going."
"Well that's only part of it..." I hinted, I didn't want to make her feel bad or anything.
"Really? What else have you noticed?"
Dammit. "He also asked a lot of personal questions for being a guest here. He was acting like he was my father to Sesshomaru. This was the first time Chao's been here, and Sesshomaru's been here a million times, and he acted like HE need to appove of him or something! That made me kinda mad mom, no offence."
"No, I see how that would annoy anyone. I'll talk to him about that." My mother smiled at me. She really did seem happy. He did seem like a really good person despite his lack of social skills.
"He does seem to be a good person." I sighed.
"He'll grow on you, I promise!"
I could only hope she was right.
^_^_^_^_^
My mother and I walked back into the living room together, sitting beside our respected boyfriends.
"Ah, there are our beautiful ladies; we were just talking about you." Chao said, smiling at my mother.
"Oh? And what could you possibly have to say about us?" My mother asked modestly.
"We were just discussing how we met both of you." Sesshomaru winked at me, and I blushed. That was a very private memory. No doubt Chao had asked, and being the gentlemen he was, Sesshomaru had to answer him.
I remembered why that story was embarrassing, and blushed all over again.
It was the summer, and my freshman year of collage was about to start. I was moving all my things into my dorm by myself because my brother had, of course, bailed on me. I had been moving a box of my more personal clothing items such as my bras, panties, swimming suits, and undershirts up the two flights of stairs to my room when I had slipped and fallen down the stairs. Sesshomaru had had just turned the corner to walk up that same flight of steps and I crashed into him, sending us both to the bottom of the stair well, sprawled on the floor. My personal garments went everywhere. Some even landed on him.
He kindly helped me pick them up and put them back in the box, then he helped me carry the box up the stairs, joking that every girl needed a guy to help her with things like this. He said he lived right across the hall, and promised he'd help me move the rest of my things in, and would lend a hand in the future if I ever needed anything. Then when he set the box down in my room he looked around and said "I notice you have a lot of pink things." Then he pointedly looked back into my underwear box, proving there was a lot of pink in there too.
"Well, what girl doesn't like pink?" I asked, embarrassed that he would be in a position to notice.
Then he walked over and took my chin in his hand and said; "I'd like to make your skin pink." And then he had kissed me. And as they say, the rest is history. Here we are two years later, thinking about marriage. It was fate. Plain and simple. Is this how my mother feels about Chao? Impossible! I can use words like fate with Sesshomaru, but Hana and Chao? No way.
"Does anyone want desert? I baked a cake today." Which was true, but my mom had been planning on serving it. But I was too embarrassed to stay in the room.
"I'll help" Sesshomaru offered.
I sighed. I was hoping he'd say that. Time alone, thank kami!
Sesshomaru quietly followed me into the kitchen as my mother and Chao chattered away, seemingly oblivious to my brother and grandfather.
"Will you get the plates?" I asked, searching in our knife block for the one I wanted to use on the cake.
I turned around to see Sesshomaru stick his finger around the edge of the cake, then pop it in his mouth to taste. He looked up at me with one finger in his mouth and I lost it. I started laughing so hard, I could tell the talking had ceased in the other room.
"Kagome dear, are you alright?" I heard my mother call from the other room.
"Of course, Sesshomaru was just being unknowingly funny! I'm okay!" I continued to giggle as I walked over to him and started cutting the cake. My sides ached, that was so funny!
"Are you laughing at me?" He asked, pretending to be appalled.
I smiled. "Yup"
He gave me a long look, then set his mouth and stuck his finger in the cake again, then brought it up and put the blob of sugary orange frosting on my nose. Then he went back to resting his chin in his hand and looking bored.
"There's something on your face, by the way." He actually looked like he hadn't done anything!
I started laughing again.
He smiled up at me and then moved to wrap his arms around me. "Let me help you there." He took my nose into his mouth and started sucking on it.
You wouldn't think that having someone suck on your nose would be erotic but Ooo baby, you'd be wrong. Especially someone as gorgeous as him!
"I think there's some here too..." He caught my lips with is, and I could taste the frosting on his tongue. His kiss sang in my veins and I couldn't imagine anyone as perfect as him.
By now I was leaning against the counter with the knife in one hand and his hair in the other. He had completely covered me, rubbing his body against mine in a way that should be illegal.
"What's taking you guys so long in here?" I heard my brother ask, just as he walked into the kitchen, catching us in the act. With Chao of course. Of course.
"Ah!" I shoved Sesshomaru off me, and he leaned against the counter beside me as I tried to hide my face. "Sorry, the cake will be right out." I whispered.
"We apologies" Sesshomaru said.
Chao laughed. "It's alright. You're healthy young people, I'm glad your living free. Come on Souta, let's leave them alone."
Souta shook his head at me before he turned and left, following after Chao.
"I can't believe they caught us!" I moaned as I sliced into the frosting once again.
"It's alright Kagome. We weren't doing anything wrong." Sesshomaru said, spreading the plates out for me to put each slice on one.
"Yeah but the fact that my little brother saw. AND Chao! I already didn't like the guy much. Now he has something on me!" Sesshomaru just smiled as he helped me pick up the plates and carry them to the living room.
"For you Souta." I said, leaning close to him to set his plate in his hands, before I pulled away I added quietly in his ear: "Don't say a word." And pulled away with a smile on my face. I hope no one saw that.
Souta mouthed. 'I don't have too' then pointed at Chao who was staring at me like he knew a big secret about me. I knew it!
"Hana, you'll never guess what Souta and I just witnessed in the kitchen!" Chao paused to laugh.
"Oh? And what's that?" She asked, totally oblivious to the fact that she just egged on the man that was about to ruin my life. Grandpa was going to throw a fit!
"We saw Kagome and Sesshomaru in a pretty compromising situation."
My Mother looked at me. "What?"
"I-It's not as bad as you think!" I rushed to assure her. "We were only kissing!"
"I told you to never touch her in this house!" Grandpa suddenly roared, jumping to his feet. "I knew my daughter dating a demon was a bad idea. But did anyone listen to me? No! I'm just the crazy old grandfather!"
Well, he sure was acting crazy at the moment.
"I sincerely apologies sir. I just love your granddaughter so much. I was overwhelmed with my love for her when I saw her laugh, and had to kiss her. It will never happen again, I promise." My grandfather immediately lost his anger. How could he not when Sesshomaru said it like that. It was like he was complimenting grandpa through complimenting me. The man was good.
"Well...alright then." Grandpa said, sitting back down, looking embarrassed.
Chao looked disappointed; like he was sure he'd get a much bigger show out of this. Well, not with Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru knew exactly what to say, and my family all loved him, even grandpa didn't totally hate him. they knew he wouldn't do anything improper to me. Especially not in their house!
^_^_^_^_^
After we had finished desert, Chao left first, but not before giving my mother a huge, sloppy kiss on the lips. It was like one of those car crashes you see on TV. You know you don't want to look, but it's just so strange and fascinating that you can't look away.
Sesshomaru finished saying goodbye to my mother, and then he walked toward me. My whole body seemed to be filled with waiting. His kisses are going to be the undoing of me, I know it.
He wrapped me in his arms, and I buried my face against the corded muscles of his chest. He held me for a while before lifting my chin with one finger and kissing me. His kiss was surprisingly gentle, not at all like before in the kitchen. He probably wanted to be sure that if someone walked in on us, we wouldn't be caught embracing as we were before. That hadn't gone over well.
"I love you" He said, pulling away. "I'll see you tomorrow." With one last smile, he walked out the door. I waved to him as he drove away, then quietly shut the door.
I turned around and with a start, realized my brother was standing right behind me. "What?" I asked, beginning to walk past him.
"How can you stand to be with such a perfect guy all the time? Doesn't it drive you crazy?" I was so shocked at his random proclamation that I froze as he continued past me back into the kitchen.
^_^_^_^_^
Thank U So Much 4 Reading! How Do U Like My New Fic So Far? I Was Trying 2 Get Away From All the Regular Plot Lines Ppl Usually Use 4 Kagome and Sesshomaru and I Thought, "What Does Every1 Do In Their Fanfics?" And I Immediately Thought "Make Sesshomaru Perfect of Course. But Wouldn't That Actually Get Annoying?" And Here U Have It! A New Idea 4 a New Fic! (Laugh) Please Review! I Luv 2 Hear What U Think! I Hope U Like My First Fic On Dokuga 2! I Wrote a Bunch For A-Single-Spark. But Now I'm Here! Please Regard Me Kindly! (BTW, 4 Those of U Who Don't Know I Used 2 B Kagome-Chan On A-Single-Spark!)
Please Look For An Update Soon!
Beautiful Morning Sun[/size]