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Kagome bit her lip, squirming in her chair while waiting for him to arrive.
Today was the day.
Today, she would finally say something.
It had been seven years since the well closed, four since she'd given up on finding any of her friends again, and less than one since she'd begun having semi-regular coffee dates with Sesshoumaru, of all people.
She cringed. She couldn't even call them dates. They were simply two acquaintances reminiscing over a world that didn't exist anymore.
Except it did.
In her dreams.
Every. Damn. Night.
In the cafe, he wore immaculate button-down shirts with a crisp collar that had never seen a stain. In her dreams, he was clad in his armour, crimson hexagons stained in blood, golden eyes narrowed in war-torn delight instead of hidden behind rimless glasses.
Both were fine.
Both were him.
But only one smiled at her. Only one promised her forever. Only one called her his.
Hands clenched in her lap as she stared at her untouched latte. Usually, they ordered together, but she'd hoped a little caffeine would settle her nerves or at least distract her long enough to figure out what she would say.
No such luck.
Various confessions whirled around in her mind as she continued to stew, shifting every so often to alleviate the tingling in her toes. She hadn't arrived that early, but every minute that ticked by set her more on edge, anxiety turning her stomach into knots.
He was never late. Never early, but never late. He always walked in right on time, and initially, she'd thought nothing of it. But after their conversations had delved into the more personal parts of their lives, she'd realized just how limited his free time was—and how lucky she was to have a regular place in his schedule.
If he didn't show up today, she would assume it was a sign from the gods that their relationship was not meant to change, and she'd have to come up with some believable excuse as to why she wouldn't be able to see him for a while.
Half the time, they had to space out their meetings because he was out of town on a shoot. He preferred capturing scenes at dawn or twilight, but he'd recently caught the eye of those well-known in the world of photography, and he'd slowly been recruited to do more high-end jobs.
He hadn't published anything yet, but there was still a collection of his work on her bookshelf—one filled with magazine articles and another she'd made herself with all the discarded shots he'd sent her. Even those deserved to be published, but as always, Sesshoumaru's standard was much higher than hers, especially regarding his own work.
She'd come across him while looking for someone to photograph the shrine. Mama had finally agreed to a website, and Kagome had wanted to splurge a little to draw in more patrons. The memory of their first encounter stopped her downward spiral, a smile touching her lips as she remembered the sneer on his face when she'd addressed him by name.
The open shock when he'd realized how she'd known his name in the first place had been well worth the price she'd paid for his services. He'd instantly tried to give her a discount, even offering to do it for free when he realized why she'd hired him, but Mama had flat-out refused. She'd cited some made-up shrine policy, one that had him squinting, but he'd immediately been dragged off by the older Higurashi, proudly showing off all the places she wanted to feature.
Her smile turned to a sigh. If Mama knew how often they met up, she'd probably have pushed her to say something sooner. And helped her come up with something clever. Maybe she could get a quick phone call in before he showed up—
A hand touched her shoulder, making her jump, and her knee hit the table, spilling her cold concoction all over the plate it was sitting on. Her head whipped up to find Sesshoumaru frowning at the mess. "I apologize. I did not realize I was that late."
Kagome shook her head. "I happened to catch an early bus." She mopped up the mess with flimsy napkins. "It was cold anyway."
"Then allow me to get you a new one."
She forced a smile. "That would be lovely."
Nodding once, he dropped a small duffle bag on the seat across from her, then put in their order, giving her the chance to steady her hand—and her heart.
She could do this.
He returned with their beverages, sliding a plate with two brightly coloured parfaits between them. She blinked in surprise, and he shrugged as he sat down.
"Payment for being late." She smiled in thanks, then tried to decide which to take. Sesshoumaru eventually chuckled and pushed the plate toward her. "You are welcome to both."
Kagome flushed, plucking her first choice off the plate before pushing the second back. "I'm not that hungry."
"You forget I have seen you eat during the flower-viewing ceremony." His tone was light and teasing, not at all what she remembered from back then, the two images warring in her mind.
She hid her reaction by lifting her nose into the air. "Those desserts were made by your mother. It wasn't my fault."
"So you have said."
She dug into the parfait, enjoying the tart combination of flavours before motioning to his bag. "How'd the shoot go?"
Sesshoumaru leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "There is a reason I do not like to work with people," he said, fingers strumming against his cup. "There are too many opinions as to what the final product should look like." She chuckled as he explained how entitled the female models had been, staring down their noses at him and threatening to replace him when he'd refused their advances.
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from asking why he'd refused the invitation of a model, hands gripping her spoon. "How did you get away with it?"
His posture relaxed. "The director was quick to inform them that they would be replaced if they continued to harass the other employees."
Kagome snorted into her parfait. "I'm surprised they didn't offer to replace them with you," she said.
A smirk touched the edge of his mouth. "They assumed as much when I first arrived. It took my business card for them to realize I was working behind the camera."
She leaned over the table, resting her chin on one hand. "You'd rather be responsible for the creation of infamy than the infamy itself?" He'd been so strategic in the past, every move bringing him that much closer to victory, yet now he wished to remain anonymous—or at least out of the spotlight. Kagome wondered if this was a future he'd chosen or one he'd settled on.
The modern era was so different than anything he could've imagined, though she was biased since she'd spent a year travelling between eras. She'd witnessed the differences firsthand, comparing them each time she jumped, and when the decision had been made for her, all she could think about was trying to go back.
She'd wanted the open skies and fresh air; to return to friends and family she'd grown close to while in the heat of battle. Would she have tried harder if her feelings had been the same back then? Or, knowing how much time she'd spent with him, knowing how willing he was to make time for her, would she choose to stay in the modern era?
Maybe it was better the decision had been made for her. This way, she didn't have to choose between what was and what could be.
Then again, depending on his reaction, maybe it would've been better never to have had the choice in the first place.
He was quick to respond, brows furrowing together before shaking his head. "I prefer being in charge of my muse." He finally reached for the other parfait, offering it to her one last time before partaking. She knew he had a secret sweet tooth—though she wasn't sure how much of a secret it was when both his mother and hers constantly made him desserts—so she'd chosen the tangy one for herself.
He didn't eat that often, but she always enjoyed watching him when he did. It made him more human to do something so mundane, though that was probably what had gotten her into this mess in the first place.
He protected her in her dreams, so it was easier to keep the two images apart. Her imagination ran wild, switching between fantasy and lucid when she was asleep, and she constantly woke to the memory of being bathed in his warmth and attention.
But with each meeting, his expressions got softer, and the talking got easier, so said images had started to blur. To the point where she enjoyed his domesticated self almost as much as the feral warlord.
The anxiety began to build again, butterflies bumping against the inside of her stomach as he finished his dessert. The napkin she'd placed on her lap was currently in tatters, though she'd managed to keep them from falling to the floor. Sesshoumaru eyed her carefully, then leaned over the table. "Is there something on your mind?"
She could feel the heat creep up the back of her neck, words failing as she gave him a helpless look. They were friends. He trusted her. He wasn't the same as he was back then. Even if he didn't feel the same, he'd let her down gently.
She hoped.
His concern grew when she didn't respond, sliding out of his chair to kneel beside her. "If you are angry at me for being late—"
She shook her head, willing herself to say something, but in the end, actions spoke louder than words. She grabbed his hair, grateful that even though youkai were unable to live out in the open, he'd kept his hair long enough to do so. Silver strands fell through her fingers like water, but she gripped them fiercely, pressing her mouth to his, desperately trying to convey her feelings.
She scrunched her eyes shut, terrified of what she'd see if she kept them open, but he still hadn't responded, and she whimpered, fingers dragging against his scalp. She finally felt him move, a shudder rumbling through his body before he slanted his head.
She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but his hand on the back of her neck wasn't it, and she jerked at the contact, pulling away enough to take in air before he was chasing her mouth with his own.
Her hands were still tangled in his hair, brushing the tips of his ears as his tongue slid along her bottom lip. It was her turn to shudder, and she pulled back again, heart beating wildly against her ribs. His eyes were more amber than hazel, more beast than man, and he caught her hand as she tried to trace the marks hidden beneath his glamour.
"That is enough temptation for one day," he murmured, clasping her hands in his. She nodded silently, unable to stop herself from licking her lips. He followed the movement with his eyes, growling softly under his breath. "Why did you kiss me?"
"Because you hadn't done it yet." Pale eyebrows rose, and she flushed, tearing her gaze away from him. "We've been meeting up for almost a year, and you've never tried anything. And it's okay if you don't feel the same way, but I've wanted to do that for a long time, and—" Another kiss cut off her rambling, this one much hungrier than before, and her nails dug into his hands.
For a moment, she forgot they were in a café, forgot they were in public, and she released the seal on her aura, letting the sweet scent of her arousal invade his senses. His own spiked in response, and he pulled away with a muffled curse.
"That one was your fault," she whispered.
"I am aware."
She tugged on his hair again, blue eyes bright with hope. "But still a choice?"
"The only choice." She let out a warbled laugh, kissing his forehead this time, and he leaned into the touch before sighing. "I now owe my brother a new surfboard."
She laughed again. "How come?"
He leaned back with a scowl. "He bet me I would not 'have the balls' to confess before the year concluded."
Kagome blanched. She'd never mentioned anything about her feelings to anyone, least of all her best friend, who would never let her hear the end of it. He'd known there was someone she was interested in, but she'd made sure never to reveal any details about him.
"I have not been subtle in my questions about you," he continued, and Kagome suddenly realized he'd meant his feelings about her. Had he been hiding the truth from her for just as long?
She pulled her hands out of his grip, cupping his face as she kissed him again, keeping it soft but sinful as she stroked his face. "Why would he make a silly bet like that?"
"He enjoyed rubbing it in my face that I had finally found something I was afraid of." She pulled back with a frown, not wanting to be more than an inch away from him but needing to know the answer, nonetheless. The tips of his ears had turned pink, but she kept him from turning away. "We have cultivated a strong friendship over the last several months, Kagome. I did not wish to lose you."
She shook her head. "You'd never lose me. I'd hunt you down if you missed our date."
He glanced around the café, shaking his head. "This was not a date."
Finding her nerve, she tilted her chin up. "Then feel free to take me on a real one."
He stood up so quickly that she was yanked from her chair, catching her balance by grabbing his shirt. "I will do so right now if you let me."
"Don't you have to do touch-ups on your photos?"
He slung his bag over his shoulder, never once letting go of her hand. "They can wait."
"Can they?"
He smirked over his shoulder as he all but dragged her from the café. "Everything is second to you." They barely made it around the corner before she was kissing him again.