A/N: Hey everybody! It's been a loooong time, I know. But I write as inspiration hits. This is a new story, as the others have given me nothing but severe writer's block. This is another Alternate Universe Iyazoi/Inu Taisho story, but this one is much different. Heck, I've already got plans for the sequel, or a spin-off. It's developing rapidly in my head, and my fingers are trying very hard to keep up.
Summary: Izayoi and her son, Miroku, have just come out of a really messy divorce. Toji InuTaisho and his son, Sesshomaru, have just lost their beloved wife and mother. What will come of these four devastated souls?
"Miroku, watch the lamp!" She cried as the rambunctious little boy dashed across the room, coming dangerously near her precious lamp as he turned a sharp 90 degrees. She nearly caught the 4 year old there, but he jumped up onto the couch at the last second, evading her hands.
"Mommy! Look, I can fly!" he shouted, taking off from the arm of the couch. Lunging forward, she caught the back of his shirt before he could smash his nose on the carpeted floor.
She set him gently to his feet and put a hand over her pounding heart. "Hon, you cannot fly. You don't have wings, nor are you in an airplane. Don't leap off the couch again or you might give Mommy a heart attack. Understood?"
"Yes, Mommy," he pouted, looking a bit put out, but his eyes twinkled with mischief nonetheless. Miroku didn't understand what 'heart attack' meant, but it didn't sound like a good thing.
Izayoi ruffled his mop of inky hair, which he then hurriedly patted back into place. She smothered her chuckle behind her hand, saying, "Good boy. Now, how about you and me take a walk over to Sweet Sal's and grab some ice cream?"
"Oh please, oh please, oh please?" His eyes lit up and a brilliant smile split his face, showing all 5 of the empty spaces where he had already lost baby teeth. Ice cream was his absolute favorite treat, chocolate chip cookie dough in particular. After all, it was like having two sweets in one; the chilled cookie dough with chocolate chunks and the soft vanilla ice cream encasing it.
"Of course, go grab your shoes and jacket and we can be on our way." As he raced off to do just that, she stood from her kneeling position and snagged her keys off the table and her jacket from the hook by the door. Miroku came back as she toed on her tennis shoes, breathing a little heavier as he pushed his arms through the jacket sleeves.
The little boy danced and sang, skipping circles around Izayoi as they made their way down the sidewalk towards Sweet Sal's, the local candy and ice cream parlor. She giggled at his infectious child antics, carefree and happy for no other reason than because her son was. He bounced ahead of her into the air-conditioned seating area of Sal's, waving enthusiastically to the man behind the counter as he tugged her to a booth. She sat down across from her son, nudging a menu to him even though she knows what he has his heart set on already.
"May I take your order, Mrs. Tsukiru?" The familiar young man had stepped out from behind the counter, now brandishing a pad and pencil in place of the mug he had been wiping clean when they had come in. He was a few years younger than herself, in his last year of college maybe, who was often their waiter during the summer.
"That's Ms. Fushikawa, Ryo, remember?" She corrected quietly, watching her son to make sure his focus was elsewhere. The divorce had been messy, and Miroku had become withdrawn and solemn as most young children do in that situation. But lately, it seemed as if he was becoming his normal self again—his earlier flying escapade being a perfect example of this—except when directly reminded of the events. He was a smart child; of that there was no doubt.
"Of course, forgive me. What can I get for you and young Miroku today?" He looked apologetic as he carefully slipped a hand around to his back pants pocket. The boy had whipped his head around the second he saw motion, as subtle as it was meant to be, big eyes focused entirely on the little parcel in its grip as the hand came back around and was held palm-up in front of his nose. Izayoi smiled, knowing what was coming. Ryo's fingers slowly uncurled, revealing the lollipop lying innocently in his palm.
"Aha! I knew you had a candy for me, Ryo! You're so nice!" Miroku reached to quickly snag the sweet from Ryo's hand, but the hand jerked away just as fast.
"Tsk, tsk, Miroku, I know your mother has taught you manners," He teased.
"Aww, come on, Ryo!" But a look from the older man made him stop and pout for a moment, before grudgingly saying, "Fine. Ryo, can I pretty please have that lollipop in your hand?"
Ryo winked to her before opening his hand again and letting little fingers snatch the candy and stuff it into a pocket as if it would be stolen away again. "Now what would you like to order?"
Miroku bounced impatiently in his seat as Izayoi ordered a small vanilla sundae with whipped cream and a cherry. "Choc-o-lit chip cookie dough, please?" he asked eagerly when Ryo turned to him.
"Sure, kid. I'll be right back with those," and with that, he returned to the counter and set about getting their orders. Miroku looked at his mother with wide eyes, still fingering the small treasure in his pocket, "Thank you, Mommy, for getting me ice cream."
"Your welcome, baby, but save that lollipop for later, okay?"
"Mmhmm," he managed to murmur before Ryo distracted him again by setting down his ice cream in front of him and handing him a huge spoon to eat it with.
"There you go, Miroku. And I even remembered to put in a few pieces of peanut butter cups just how you usually like it," the boy's smile grew wider, if that was possible, because he had somehow forgotten to ask for his favorite topping on his favorite ice cream. Then his eyes dimmed a little, and Izayoi knew he was remembering how his dad had first shown him how delicious chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream was with peanut butter cup bits on top.
"And for you, Ms. Fushikawa, your sundae, with extra whipped cream and two cherries on top," she mustered a bright smile for him and thanked him before he walked away to serve another couple a few booths away.
"Miroku, honey, it's ok," she said softly, reaching over to squeeze the hand that held the huge spoon with white knuckles. He sniffled, then raised his head and smiled a little smile for her. His grip loosened and his other little hand appeared from under the table to settle on top of hers.
"I know, Mommy," he whispered, and then dug in with gusto. She couldn't help but watch as her son managed to wear more of the ice cream than he ate. The vanilla ice cream speckled his cheeks and a few chocolate chips landed on the front of his shirt. All in all, he was a gooey mess by the time he was done. Izayoi had only eaten half of her sundae by then, but when he turned his puppy face on her, she hurried to finish.
"Thank you, Ryo! We'll see you again soon," she called as the bell above the door jingled on their way out.
"Have a nice day, Ms. Fushikawa! Miroku!" he called back before the door closed.
Miroku's mood was slightly tempered on their way home. There was still a bounce in his step, but he wasn't swinging his arms and singing like he had been earlier. Izayoi took them home a different route than they had come, knowing of the mood shift in her young son. Taking this road led them past a small park with a swing set and all the other play equipment a boy could ever want. She noticed the change in Miroku as he suddenly realized where they were headed. He skipped a few paces ahead of her, dodging around a few other people on the sidewalk until he came to the open gates.
"Can we, Mommy?" he asked excitedly, pointing into the park. She nodded and he dashed inside, looking back once to make sure she was following at her own pace. That was one thing that had come around since the divorce. Ever since his father disappeared so suddenly and hadn't come back, Miroku had clung to her more than he ever had. He used to readily run off and play, quick to make friends and interact with other children, and most of the time paying her no mind. Now, he hung back, always checking over his shoulder to make sure his mother was still there. Sometimes it was a good thing, but she worried about her son and the effect this would have on him in the long run.
She found an empty bench near where he was already playing in the sandbox, waving when he turned around to find her. A young boy with silver hair came over and began to play with her son. He looked a little older than her son, maybe 6 years old, and was quiet and kept his eyes down and focused on what he was building. She pulled a book out of her purse and found her marker, trying to seem like she wasn't eavesdropping on her son and the other young boy.
"Hi, I like your sandcastle. My name is Miroku. What's yours?" He said, just loud enough that she caught what he was saying. She didn't notice the man who came and sat beside her, also watching the two kids talk.
"Sesshomaru," the other boy said quietly. "I like your sandcastle, too," he continued politely, looking over and managing to not laugh at her son's attempt. Where Sesshomaru's castle was tall and proud, Miroku's looked more like it had been partially washed away already. She smiled, glad that the boy was nice, at least.
"Look at them. Children are so precious," came a masculine voice from next to her. Izayoi started, not realizing anyone had been sitting there, before glancing at him and doing everything she could not to gawk. This man was nothing short of majestic. He had high cheekbones and a prominent nose, and a beautiful tan colored his skin. He shared the same silver-white hair as the boy her son was talking to, and his eyes were a molten gold that shined with laughter at her expression.
"Is that your boy? Miroku, he said his name was," the man asked, returning her attention to the kids and away from his face.
"Yeah. And I'm guessing you're Sesshomaru's father?" she asked, to which he nodded and stuck out his hand.
"Toji Inutaisho, my lady," he said, looking very serious, but there was a sparkle in those golden depths. He was flirting with her! Right here, in a park on a bright Saturday morning with their kids not five feet away! A little shocked, she unconsciously placed her hand lightly in his. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he raised it slowly to his lips, giving her time to pull away.
"Izayoi, my good sir," she answered his unspoken question, refraining from offering her last name.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he said honestly, squeezing the hand he still held captured in his much larger one.
"Hush, you, otherwise you'll make me blush," she said, playing along, but a little more serious than before. It was a little awkward to have a man this interested in her—especially a really cute man—only a few months after her divorce. Despite that, she still couldn't break gazes with him.
That is, until a cry caught both of their attentions. Looking over, they saw Sesshomaru sitting on the grass, holding his left arm as a few tears leaked down his face. Apparently Miroku had coaxed him away from the sandbox to play tag or some other chasing game, but the boy had tripped over a hidden tree root. Toji made to stand and go over to his son, but Izayoi grabbed his sleeve, motioning instead for him to watch.
Miroku walked back over to Sesshomaru and squatted next to him, looking at the scrape without touching it. The silver haired boy sniffled once before angrily wiping away the tears on his face. Her son stopped him with a gentle hand on his other shoulder.
"Hey, it's ok to cry, you know. When it hurts, sometimes it's good to cry and let it out," he said gently, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the treat he had gotten from Ryo in the ice cream parlor. "Here, this'll make it feel better." He held it out for Sesshomaru to take, which he did, slowly and unsurely, as if he didn't think it was real that there was a piece of candy right there, just for him.
"Thank you, Miroku," he said quietly, looking up, and for the first time she saw the little boy's eyes. The golden eyes that looked just like his father's, but reflected a deep hurt she knew all to well from having seen it in her own son's violet ones. Next to her, Toji smiled; glad to see his son interact with someone his own age. It would do him good.
A/N: Well, the first chapter's done. What do you think? I'm working on the second, and it'll be out soon. I'd like to say reviews will help move it along, but being as the story is pretty much writing itself, I can only say it'll happen when it happens.