Chapter 24 - Shopping

Mane - in the morning, early (Stella's Latin Challenge)

Kagome smiled as Sesshoumaru approached the next morning, ready to pick her up for their second date. She hoped this one went better than the first because she really did want to get to know the taiyoukai. She was attracted to him, yes, but that wasn't enough to build a relationship on; that much she was certain of. He was supposed to be her true love, but so far, she didn't know nearly enough about him for him to have won over her heart.

She was wary of falling for him as it was. She didn't know what kind of man he truly was, and she had no desire to be expected to be a good little Feudal Era wife. She was a strong, independent woman from the future and she could never be a submissive mate, which is what she feared he wanted.

"So, what are we doing today?" she asked once they'd greeted each other, a rather awkward exchange if she did say so herself.

"There is a village market I would like to show you. I think you will like it very much."

The miko smiled brightly. That was more like it. Walking through a village market, they would have time to talk and get to know one another. It sounded sort of like going to the mall to window shop in her time and she hoped it turned out that way.

-

Sango knew the moment Kagome returned that the miko wasn't happy and she sighed heavily. "Not so great?" she asked.

"It was awful!" Kagome exclaimed. "I spent the entire time telling him no. He wanted to buy me everything! If I so much as glanced at something, there he was coins in hand, trying to buy it. It made me insane!"

"Did you let him buy you anything?" Sango inquired.

"No! I didn't want him to buy me anything. That wasn't the point. He spent the whole time trying to show off how much money he has. It was beyond aggravating."

Nusquam - nowhere, on no occasion, for nothing, at no place (Stella's Latin Challenge)

Again, Inuyasha smirked. Sesshoumaru was totally bombing this dating thing and the hanyou was thrilled. It was obvious his brother had no idea what Kagome was really looking for in a man. She wasn't a demoness! She wasn't looking for certain prerequisites to be met before they could mate. She was searching for love! The hanyou wanted to laugh aloud at Sesshoumaru's difficulties. Sure, if the miko didn't fall for the taiyoukai, she would continue to spend an inordinate amount of time on her schoolwork, but it was better than her falling in love with his elder brother.

Maybe she would find someone else to fall in love with in his time. Anyone would be all right, so long as it wasn't Kouga or Sesshoumaru. Oh, or Naraku, but that wasn't likely. No, the miko could find her true love in his time, so long as it wasn't one of his enemies. He hoped the palm reader was wrong, or that Kagome had misinterpreted her prediction. If her true love really was Sesshoumaru, then why was the taiyoukai floundering like he was? No, it had to be someone else, someone who would understand the miko and her wants and needs.

"Are you seeing him again?" the slayer asked Kagome.

Inuyasha crossed his fingers and prayed that Kagome had had enough, but he was disappointed when she replied.

"Yes, I'm giving him one last chance and then I'm done."

Sesshoumaru scowled darkly from his hiding place. Again he'd screwed it up and he didn't understand why. What woman wouldn't want her male to purchase things for her? He'd been trying to demonstrate how well he could support her and keep her happy, but he'd only made her unhappy. He was so confused!

There was only one other thing he needed to prove to her and he'd figured out the perfect way to do so without putting her in any danger. He could only hope and pray she approved of their next date because it was apparently his last chance. If he failed, he was royally screwed. If she was still unhappy, he would have to get down on his knees and beg for another chance, another opportunity to win her over, because he couldn't simply give up.

She was the one for him and he needed her love more than ever. Every moment they spent together only made him love her more and his heart ached to hold her in his arms. He'd barely had any opportunities to touch her besides her holding his arm as they walked and he needed more. He was dying to kiss her soft, pink lips but the moment had never been right. His pride would die a painful and humiliating death, but he would beg if necessary. She was simply that important to him.