24 September, pm
Kagome exited the bathroom and sat on her bed. She turned to Inuyasha, who sat nearby. "Guess what has happened."
"I don't know."
"It's about Sesshomaru."
"Oh," Inuyasha said. He looked away from the television screen. "He finally apologised to Rin?"
"Far from that," Kagome said. She rested her head against Inuyasha's shoulder. "They fought again."
"How do you know?"
"Sango just told me… Kohaku heard them quarrelling."
"Sneaky," Inuyasha said, smiling.
"It's not funny."
"I know," Inuyasha said. He pulled Kagome closer. "And so?"
"So I'm worried."
"They can handle their own matters."
"But –"
Inuyasha stroked Kagome's hair. "Sesshomaru will be able to handle it all in the end. He's just a bit slow in coming around… Trust me."
Kagome twisted around to face her husband. "You sure?"
"Don't you understand him by now?"
Kagome shrugged. "Not particularly."
"Trust me, then," Inuyasha said. "If he doesn't come round soon, I'll talk to him about it, alright?"
"Fine. But I'm going to look in on Rin tomorrow."
Inuyasha nodded. "But don't start scolding Sesshomaru. Leave him to me."
:::
28 September
Inuyasha rolled down the driver's window and waved till he got Sango's attention.
Sango turned away from the door of the restaurant, pulling Miroku with her. The two of them walked hand in hand towards Inuyasha's car.
"You could just have shouted my name," Sango said, "instead of waving in that manner."
Inuyasha shrugged. "What's wrong with waving?"
Miroku leaned on the car. "What are you doing here, Inuyasha?"
"Busy now?" Inuyasha asked.
"We're just back from our break," Sango said. "We can spare you ten minutes. Or so. Rin won't be angry."
"Is something up?" Miroku asked, noting Inuyasha's strange reluctance to talk.
"Yeah," Inuyasha said. "How's Rin?"
Miroku looked at Sango and then back at Inuyasha. "She's fine… I think."
"She's hiding her pain well," Sango said.
"This brother of mine..."
"He's a pain in the ass," Sango agreed. "What's he going to do?"
"Do? I have no idea."
"Surely he plans to apologise," Miroku said. "It would be strange if he didn't."
"I haven't seen him since that day," Inuyasha said. "He hasn't come back to the house – while I'm awake, at least. We think he's hiding out in his own house."
"I wonder why he's avoiding you," Sango said.
"Easy to guess, darling," Miroku said. "He knows Inuyasha will try to talk to him about Rin, and he doesn't want to talk yet."
"Give him a few days," Sango said.
"That's what I'm doing."
:::
30 September
Sesshomaru yawned. The sky was dark now, very dark, and the roads near his office were nearly devoid of traffic, though the occasional motorcycle still roared through every now and then. The workstations outside his office were all silent; he was once again the last person to leave.
Standing by the front doors, he pondered an important question – which home should he head to? His father's house or his matrimonial home? The one had an intrusive sibling hiding, waiting for him to reappear; the other was silent and still and harboured splintered memories of pain and heartache.
His father's house it was.
So Sesshomaru climbed into his car and drove down a long, familiar road, hoping all the while that his brother would not be lying in wait for him. Unfortunately, however, the stars might not have been in perfect alignment because said brother was indeed prowling the rooms of the house when Sesshomaru arrived.
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha said, hurrying towards his brother. "About time. We haven't seen you in a while!"
"Hmph."
"Come on, don't be so cold. I haven't got all day to talk to you, you know."
Sesshomaru pushed Inuyasha away by the shoulders. "Go to bed."
"No, I'm going to have a talk with you."
"I don't want to talk to you."
"I don't want to talk to you either," Inuyasha said, "but I don't have a choice. Kagome heard your car..."
"Are you putting the blame on me now?"
"You'd have been smart to park outside the gate," Inuyasha said. "She wouldn't have heard you then."
"Fuck you."
"Yeah, well, fuck you too. Why have you been making Rin so upset?"
"I did not do any such thing."
"Oh come on, everyone knows you quarrelled with her."
"No."
"Don't deny it, Sesshomaru. There were witnesses."
"Who?"
"Kohaku."
"I had no intention of quarrelling with her," Sesshomaru said. He took a seat at the dining table.
"Want a glass of water?" Inuyasha asked, noting the small (almost inaudible) sigh that came from Sesshomaru. "You look terrible."
"Tired."
"I thought so," Inuyasha said. "Been burying yourself in your work?"
"I take pride in my work."
"Workaholic, that's what you are."
"You need to take more pride in your work," Sesshomaru said, accepting the glass of water from Inuyasha.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Yeah, maybe."
Sesshomaru swallowed a mouthful of water, allowing the refreshing beverage to swish slowly across his mouth and down his parched throat.
"So what's your plan?" Inuyasha asked.
"I don't have one."
"I have a plan for you."
"No thanks."
"Listen – it's a good plan. Better than not having one. Go talk to one of Rin's employees. I can guarantee that they're not the sort of people you make them out to be."
"What's the point of doing that?"
"The talking? Not much point to it... but you'll see for yourself that they're decent folks."
"And the point of that is?"
"You can tell Rin about it," Inuyasha said. "She'll be happy and then you'll be happy too."
"Sounds too simplistic."
"Nothing your brain can't handle, in that case. Give it a try, alright?"
Sesshomaru did not answer.
"Look," Inuyasha said, "you can think it over. But you'd better hurry."
"I know."
"If you have no idea what to do... just try my plan. It's better than moping around, yeah?"
"I'll think about it," Sesshomaru said. He stood up.
"Going to bed?"
"Yes," Sesshomaru said, sweeping around Inuyasha. "You should sleep too."
:::
2 October
Inuyasha finished his beer and decided that it was time for bed. It was now midnight, and the football match was over; there was nothing for him to do, much as he hated sleeping in an empty bed. He wondered whether Kagome, who had gone to her grandfather's house to nurse the old man through his latest illness, was already sleeping.
Inuyasha picked his phone up, intending to send a quick text to the wife he missed. His fingers were flying rapidly over the typing pad when the phone started to buzz. There was an incoming call.
Sesshomaru was on the line.
Inuyasha flicked his finger over the call sign. "Sesshomaru," he said.
"Who should I speak to?"
"Eh? What the hell are you talking about?"
"You told me to talk to one of them. Rin's employees."
"Oh yes, that... I forgot about it."
"Well?" Sesshomaru asked. "Who should I speak to? Which one?"
"I – uh, I can't – tell you what, Sesshomaru, I'll arrange the meeting for you, alright? It'll be easier that way."
"Fine," Sesshomaru said, after a short pause. "Be quick about it."
"Of course. What do you think me for?"
"An idiot," Sesshomaru said (under his breath).
"I heard that!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Don't shout. My ear hurts."
"I'll call you again," Inuyasha said. "Once I've arranged the meeting."
"Lunch in two days."
"Eh? What did you just say?"
Sesshomaru sighed. "I said, schedule the appointment for lunch-time in two days."
"Lunch... might be hard. They have to work during the peak hours, after all."
"Fine. Make it about 3pm."
"That sounds good," Inuyasha said. "I'm so proud of you for doing the right thing."
"Shut up."
"I'm about to."
:::
4 October
Suikotsu ran a hand through his hair, fumbling in his pockets for a hair tie. He couldn't find one, because they were all in his bag in the restaurant. I'm such an idiot, he thought. I look like a mess... Inuyasha, after all, had said that it was imperative that he tried to look presentable today, because he would be meeting Rin's powerful husband.
Too bad, he thought, as the strands of hair resting on his shoulders started to wave in the wind. I like my hair this way.
It was now mid-afternoon, and he was taking his break. More specifically, he was wasting his break outside a coffeehouse, because this unknown Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight. Suikotsu paced around, staring in through the glass windows. The coffeehouse seemed tidy and not at all the sort of place he himself would ever frequent; it was too clean, too sanitised, and the prices! The prices were terrible – enough to drive one back into a life of crime. But he had left that life behind years ago... he had never meant, after all, to delve into a life of crime.
"Mr Suikotsu?"
Suikotsu turned. "Yes?"
A little man stood beside him, peering upwards in a most solicitous manner. His suit was well-pressed, and he looked well-fed, though there was a strange greenish tinge to his wide face.
The man smiled. "I am Jaken, Mr Sesshomaru's personal assistant. I noticed you were waiting outside..."
"Is Mr Sesshomaru here?"
"He's inside," Jaken said. "This way."
Suikotsu followed the little man into the coffeehouse, averting his eyes as he passed by table after table of well-dressed patrons, their expensive watches and shiny leather shoes gleaming in the soft light. He felt shabby in his trousers and tee, his hair uncombed and greasy from a tiring shift.
"Mr Sesshomaru," Jaken said at last, stopping at a table half-hidden from general view.
"Suikotsu?" Sesshomaru said. He did not stand up.
"Mr Sesshomaru," Suikotsu said. He made a small bow.
"Take a seat," Sesshomaru said. He gestured to the chair opposite his. "That's all for now, Jaken."
Jaken nodded; Suikotsu watched as the little man left to sit in a discrete corner.
"So," Sesshomaru said.
Suikotsu turned his attention back to Sesshomaru. "Why did you ask to see me, sir?"
"I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Yes, sir?"
Sesshomaru leaned back and crossed his arms. "Tell me about yourself."
"What? Is there –"
"There is no mistake. Tell me about yourself. Why did you resort to a life of crime?"
AN: Well... I intended to finish this chapter earlier, but I got sidetracked by illness. Meh. But I'm well now and managed to write enough for a new short chapter! Speaking of new chapters... I have no idea why this fic is taking so long to be written. Or why I'm getting more and more long-winded... Please bear with me for now.
Thanks for taking the time to read; I hope you enjoyed this chapter!