An Unexpected Love Story

Chapter Twenty One:

Part Five: Rome

Chapter Twenty One:

Everyone's been invited, including Italo. It's the morning of the night of our soiree, and I'm positively alive with excitement.

Sesshoumaru's been in the kitchen all day; I don't want to get in the way so I just sit on the floor, watching as he chops, sautés, and bakes the dishes.

His hair is pulled back and his sleeves rolled up, showing off the magenta marks on his forearms. He hasn't yet covered the ones on his face either.

"Why are you smiling?" He asks from the pots.

"Because I'm so used to this sight. Seeing you like this. So human." He rolls his eyes.

Standing, I glide across the kitchen and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my face in his shoulders.

"Do you need any help?" I feel him laugh.

"I think I'll be ok."

"What? Worried I'll get in the way?" I feel him laugh again.

"Well, considering you're already in the way now...no."

"Oh, so it's the cooking then isn't it?" He snickers.

"Yes. I'm worried about the sake of the guest's health."

"Well aren't you the gentleman." I detach myself from him and slink to our empty, everything, room. I lie on the floor and look at the ceiling.

"There's nothing to do." I mumble into the barren hard wood floor.

He pays no attention to me so I sigh, and still not even a glance. I sigh louder, he turns but there is no verbal acknowledgement, and so I moan.

"Why don't you go to the store and pick up some wine?" I grumble as I stand, and then fumble to put on as many layers as I can fit under my coat.

It's gotten so cold so fast. Fall has barely arrived but I feel like it will snow soon.

I kiss his cheek before leaving. Pulling my scarf around my neck and burying my ears in it, I brave the cold to get out of his hair.

xxx

Italo is already there when I get back. I found him waiting around in the hallway right outside our door, looking rather embarrassed. I ignore him for the most part, and open the door to let us both in.

I chose the best sake to go with Sesshoumaru's traditional Japanese meal, and Italo brought more champagne.

"Se-Ichiro, I brought you your wine." He appears from the kitchen, towel draped over his shoulder, apron tied tight around his waist.

"I brought Italo in, he was in the hallway when I got back from the store." I see the look he's giving the intruder. It's a jealous dog like look, anger flaring in his normally calm eyes. I let out a bit of a laugh to break the tension.

Placing my hand on his arm I can feel his muscles relax.

"I've brought champagne to celebrate." Italo offers a wide toothed smile and Sesshoumaru takes the bottle from his hands gently.

"Thank you." He brings it into the kitchen and doesn't return.

"While he's cooking, why don't I show you around?" I offer.

There isn't much to show, since there is only three rooms. A bathroom right near the front door, our bedroom, and the large main room that acts as a kitchen/living room/dining room.