Part Three: Paris
Chapter Fourteen:
I awake to the sound of our shower on full blast. I've caught him near the end, because I know he'll be turning off the taps and stepping soon.
The door opens, and the steam escapes into the late summer air trapped in the apartment. His wet hair sticks to his body as he heads for the closet.
I approach him slowly, moving his hair so I can see the markings down his spine. He's so beautiful. I trace the marks up his back, to his arms, and lastly up to his face.
"I love it when you're like this."
"Naked?"
"No. When you don't cover your marks. I think they're beautiful." I've got my open palm lying on his chest. I can feel the low thump of his heart as it hides behind his ribcage.
I wish we could stay like this. Before the world where we don't fit in awakes and ostracizes us, leaving us on the outskirts of everything.
"Why don't you leave them today? Just for me." I plead letting my hands wander to his face.
"It's Sunday, you have to." He sighs loudly.
"Thank you." I smile, pulling his face towards mine. I can feel his smile against my lips. He lets his hands roam around my hair. I pull away, smiling.
"I'm starved." He rolls his eyes.
"What? Do you want me to cook today? Do you have a death wish?" He laughs.
"I have faith in you."
"Pssht, yeah okay." And so I served the worst pancakes ever. But he ate them anyway, and all he did was laugh.
xxx
We lounge about the whole Sunday and I bask in his beautiful uncovered face. "Why don't you just leave them like you did in Vegas?"
"They worked in Vegas. It was part of my gimmick. They don't work here. They don't help me in any way right now."
"I still think they're very beautiful." I pull his face over, kissing him before we slip into our comfortable silence.
xxx
"Can we be tourists?" Sesshoumaru looks at me with a perplexed expression etched across his face. I think I even see a forehead wrinkle.
We sit on the mattress, sipping coffee, side by side. The balcony doors hang open, curtains billowing in a soft breeze. The fresh warm air feels like it's kissing my skin, it blows his hair across my lap, the soft tendrils dragging over my bare legs.
The two of us have lived in Paris for a few weeks now, and never once have we seen any of the sights.
"Technically, we are tourists." He tells me after a few moments, I simply roll my eyes.
"I know that but still, we should go and see a few things before we have to move on to the next country." Placing my head on his shoulder, my hand on his thigh, I try to wordlessly convince him to come out with me.
"Would you like to go later on today?" I nod my head quickly and smile up at him.
"Where would you like to go?"
"Everywhere!"
xxx
We get dressed up into our best tourist clothes, and head out in the late summer sun. It beats down in the cloudless sky, cooking the pavement and subsequently my skin. Sesshoumaru holds my hand as we trudge along the cobble stoned roads towards the Champs Élysées, our first destination.
Sesshoumaru has put together, as he likes to call it, the perfect way to see Paris. We are to walk down the main road and gaze upon the symmetry that is the Arc de Triomphe. Located in the center of a roundabout we stand, huddled together, and look at all the cars circling us.
We enter the stone building climbing the winding and twisting stairs, with their claustrophobic walls that make my heart race. Having him behind me slows the beat of my heart, calming me down just a touch.
When we emerge to the outside world, the sun is just about to set. It sits low on the horizon, but not low enough to dip below the buildings just yet.
"We have to hurry a little or else we're going to miss the sunset." He whispers as we get into an awaiting cab. My heart thunders against my chest, I know he can hear it. His close proximity makes me both anxious and excited.
It must sound like a scared little bird, flapping its wings in a confining cage, wanting nothing more than to be let out.
The cool air of the summer night greets us as we stand before the Eiffel Tower. The sun, now fading behind the tops of a few tall buildings, taking its last bit of warmth as it fades away.
There are barely any people when we line up to enter the elevator. It takes us up, all the way to the top.
Only a few couples stand around the railings, gazing over the Parisian skyline. Lights dot the dark skyline and slowly they flicker to life as it grows darker.
Sesshoumaru stands behind me protectively, arms wrapped around me. His whole body is emitting heat, I feel like I am against the sun itself. Melting into his touch, I welcome his hands around my waist.
I don't think of anyone around us. Only him and I remain, no one can disturb us. With that, the sun slips below the horizon, and the moon hangs in its crescent form behind us. The stars in the sky are almost completely drowned out by the background of the city lights.
It's almost as if every light in Paris shines tonight.
I hold my breath quietly. I fear I am dreaming; I fear that in a few moments, I will rejoin the waking world and this will no longer be before me. I fear that he will disappear, will leave, and will find another human to play with.
My bird of a heart races once more, but this time not of excitement at his closeness. This time it beats alone with anxiety.
I can feel Sesshoumaru's hands get tighter on my body as my breath quickens. I can feel him tense and begin to look for danger. I can feel the ebb and swell of demonic aura behind me.
He's looking for what's troubling me. Little does he know that what is troubling me...is him.
xxx
After silently, calming myself down we make our way back to solid ground. He tells me that there is one more stop for our night of tourism.
Leading me along the Seine, Sesshoumaru continues to hold my hand. After a few blocks we come up to a very small port filled with boats, and climb aboard.
Huddling together towards the back we sit, legs pressing against each other. I'm stealing his warmth.
He breathes quietly next to me, and I try to catch glimpses of him from the corner of my eye. Not wanting to look at him directly for fear of him disappearing all at once. My worst fear, that this demon who is sharing my apartment will become bored with my mortal heart and leave me.
Just as I left his brother for my own stupid selfish reasons.
The boat begins to move, the black waters below us reflecting the illuminated street lights along the bridges that we pass under.
A few teenagers sit in the rows in front of us, young couples are scattered around the entire top deck. The passengers on the lower level are laughing and being slightly rowdy.
We near the first bridge and as we pass under, the teens in front of us throw their arms in the air and cheer. As soon as we're clear of the bridge they return to their stoic selves.
Sesshoumaru shoots a puzzled look in their direction and I giggle slightly. As we approach another bridge the same thing happens, only this time I can hear the people below deck doing the same thing.
Every bridge we pass under more and more people join in, and soon, so have we.
I giggle and laugh as everyone does the same thing. We pass another boat filled with tourists and they do it as well.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sesshoumaru looking at me. I grab hold of his hand and lift it into the air, shouting as we pass under what looks to be the final bridge.
Still a little giddy from the whole experience we disembark with all the other passengers, who are also abuzz, and find a cab.
"Thank you." I whisper in the back seat, leaning my head against his shoulder. He shoots me a puzzled look.
"We did what you wanted to today, you wanted to be a tourist."
"Thank you for coming and making it special though." I plant a kiss on his cheek, his hot skin leaving my lips tingling.
xxx
They inform me of more adventurous projects at work.
"Kagome do you have a moment?" Jeremy calls me into his office, and I remind myself to smile.
"How was the ballet?" He smiles, folding his hands on the desk. I don't know what to tell him.
"Beautiful." He nods quickly then continues with what he obviously called me in here for.
"I'm sad to say our time in Paris is coming to a close as you know." I had almost completely forgotten that my days here are numbered.
"We have one more week, then we're off to England. Will you have everything wrapped up and ready to go by then?" It's my turn to nod and smile. I consider telling Sesshoumaru to get rid of some of his clothes again, they are troublesome to move.
The thought leaves my mind as soon as I step through the door.
"I'm home." He's lying on the mattress, reading. I tell him about our next destination, we both look at the closet.
"I'm not getting rid of anything." I roll my eyes, of course he isn't.
xxx
Only a short week later we're headed to England. Good old London, with a language I can speak and weather I loathe.
It's raining when we arrive, and we hurry to load the mattress into the moving truck provided to us. Then once it's achieved, we're driven off to our new home.
I'm terrified. We had to say goodbye to Stella and Craig with the promise of visits.
I call Japan, telling them where I am now. No one answers as per usual.
"No answer?" I shake my head. He pulls me into his chest, and I let out a sigh.
"Well, at least this apartment is much bigger. We even have a decent sized bedroom." Too bad we have nothing to fill it with.
And so we sit in the empty room. He still has me pulled to his chest, and I don't want to leave. So I don't.
xxx
End of Chapter Fourteen
End of Part Three