Pizza
"I don't like it," Rin said as Kagome opened up the large box of pizza and brought out some paper plates.
"What pizza?" Sango asked as she put away the soda that came with it.
Of course, it had been she that went out to pick up the pizza, because if they had called for delivery they had a huge doubt the food would come to them without compromise. Those damn reporters. Making it so they couldn't trust one of society's most important public servants, the ones that bring you food when you don't want to cook or go out and get it yourself.
Rin shook her head, "No."
"You'll like it if you try it," Kagome told her almost wishing she'd gotten some chicken nuggets just so she didn't have to have this battle tonight, "and you are going to try it."
Kagome's phone vibrated on the counter and she looked at it for a moment confirming it was Sesshoumaru ready for his 'visit'. Kagome was feeling anxious. She'd now had two conversations with this man and seemed to be getting somewhere, but this meeting was about Rin. How would Rin take to her father? Even if Rin disliked him did Kagome still have a responsibility to find a solution for her and Sesshoumaru?
"Well I'm going home," Sango gave a stretch, "take a soak in the tub and find some real food to eat. Call me if you need anything."
Sesshoumaru laid eyes on this Sango girl for the first time when she came out of Kagome's apartment and gave him permission to go in. He didn't even know this bitch and he needed to get her permission to meet his daughter for the first time? Well correction he did know about her from his research. She was a fitness blogger, and he wondered how long it would be before she told all of her subscribers that she knew Sesshoumaru's daughter.
The demon only gave her a nod as he was finally allowed entry into the apartment. It was everything he'd imagined an apartment would be. Small, filled up, and surrounded by cheap things. Kagome Higurashi being no exception.
It was finally time.
"Rin!" Kagome called for her child, "she was literally just out here. I think she knows it's you and is nervous."
He could imagine, or maybe Kagome trained her to hide when he was around to make the toddler's loyalties clear. Sesshoumaru was clearly always out to believe the worst in everyone.
"Rin!"
"Keep your wretched voice down woman," Sesshoumaru growled, "she'll come out eventually."
Kagome glared at him. He'd been here less than a minute and already trying to tell her what to do. Did he already forget that this was her home and she was the one supervising the visitation? That would be strike one for him.
Kagome looked at the couple of boxes of pizza on her counter and gave a sigh, "I need to find a way to market this to her anyway. I should have never introduced her to fast food all the girl wants to eat is chicken nuggets. At least she doesn't like soda."
"Those deep-fried bird meat scraps?" Sesshoumaru voice only showed disgust, "A woman who cannot cook?"
"Sorry that I didn't find much time to clean and provide a home-cooked meal when working a full shift and taking care of a child on my own," Kagome gave him a glare.
"Mommy makes cupcakes," came a voice as Rin once again quickly appeared out of what seemed like nowhere, "the best cupcakes."
Kagome shook her head, "There you are Rin, and it will be a while before cupcakes again."
Sesshoumaru looked down at his daughter, and as he predicted, jet black hair and brown eyes much like her birth mother. Completely dominant succubus traits had taken over his daughter's body. This was the first time meeting his child and all he could think was of his mother's disappointment. His mother had been right. Knowing that Rin was a girl he could have gone through his life never acknowledging her since no one could assume that it was his child, but it wasn't right. She was of his pack.
"So you are Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked kneeling down so he was at eye level with her, "and you know who I am?"
"A daddy?" Rin asked having never seen many other demons in her life so was confused by the silver hair, "Where is your tail?"
"Tail?"
"You're a dominio right?" she asked.
"Demon," Kagome corrected quietly putting a slice of cheese pizza on a paper plate.
"Kouga is a demonio and has a tail," Rin stated matter-of-factly.
"I don't have one in this form," Sesshoumaru told her quickly wondering who these demons were that Rin had been in contact with.
"Oh," she sounded disappointed and over him already, "I don't want it."
Kagome sighed trying to put the plate in Rin's hand, "It's dinner time and you need to eat. You can eat in the living room with your father okay? Sesshoumaru you want pizza? I got pepperoni and chicken ranch."
Sesshoumaru shook his head as he opened up some sort of leather bag he'd brought with him and pulled out a plastic container that held what looked like sushi, "I am fine."
He even brought his own chopsticks. Kagome invited him into her home and he didn't want any form of her being a hostess. Sesshoumaru was many things, but he picked up on this and didn't want to be appear as an ungrateful host.
"I only eat what I've prepared myself," he stated to her, "evening is the only time I will allow this body carbohydrates and lightly smoked fish with white rice it is."
Kagome didn't know what to think. His tone showed no excitement, but the way he spoke it was like Sango when she allowed herself her annual cheat day. He really wanted that little bit of rice that was in his sushi, and she wouldn't judge him for it. Honestly if he was telling the truth and made that sushi by his own hand she was quite impressed.
"Do you think someone is out to poison to you?" she asked.
"I don't know who this Pizza King is," Sesshoumaru glared dangerously at crowned man on the cardboard box as though the corporate logo was his newest enemy, "but he doesn't offer me the nutrition I need. I cannot control everything that happens in this life, but I do have the means to control what goes in my body."
So he was a lot like Sango and these other fitness nerds Kagome knew. Okay, so she could forgive him for this.
"Enjoy then," Kagome gave him a nod as she took her own two slices and excused herself to the small table in the kitchen leaving her child and her father to their own devices.
Rin kneeled by the living room table and simply poked at her pizza not knowing what to do with it as Sesshoumaru joined her.
"Well," Sesshoumaru began careful to not interrupt whatever Rin was trying to do, "I have missed more than a couple birthdays so I got you a gift."
That got Rin's attention as her eyes lit up brightly, "It's my birthday?"
"Well no," he corrected her as he noted to himself he didn't even remember when her birthday was despite seeing the birth certificate, "but I got you a gift anyway."
Everything Sesshoumaru had been doing the last few weeks was working towards getting his daughter, but now that he was here interacting with her there was a slight awkwardness. How to get her to understand that he was going to be in her life now? All he could do was remove the wrapped present from her bag and hand it to her.
Rin was trying to look towards her mother to know if this was okay. She wanted to just rip the wrapping off, but last time she'd gotten gifts she was scolded for not taking her time and saying thank you to the gift giver. Kagome gave her a simple nod wondering if this wasn't some kind of ploy to buy her daughter's affections.
Rin began to unwrap it and looked excited when she recognized the type of box that was underneath, but then frowned. It was a Princess Luna doll midnight edition. Sesshoumaru didn't understand the frown. When he found out his daughter was into princesses and that the ones known as 'Luna' were the current popular trend among little girls he tried to find the best one he could on short notice. This one had the biggest price tag and words like 'exclusive' and 'edition' written on the box. That made it rare and better right?
"I already got this one," Rin noted, "I put different clothes on her."
Of course, Kagome got her daughter the midnight edition along with the regular one last holiday season. She got pressured into buying her that silly moonlight castle and the box showed several different Luna dolls living in it. Kagome, not wanting to hear her daughter's disappointment when the castle was put together and didn't look like the photographs on the box, tried to get more than a few dolls to fill it. Did Sesshoumaru honestly think Kagome allowed her to child to want for anything when it came to plastic dolls?
"It's a good gift," Kagome intervened from the kitchen, "you need to thank him. You could keep that one in the box and put it on your shelf. In a few years you could be happy that you did it will probably be rare."
Rin gave her mother a disgusted look and in rebellion began to quickly tear apart much of the cardboard as she could, "No. She will be friends with the one you gave me. They can all live in the castle."
By the end of the evening the doll would be as far from mint condition as possible as she got her father to help remove the toy from the box with his claws and she quickly began work ripping all of its clothes off and throwing them under the table.
"I'll go get the other dress!" Rin announced as she went to into her room only to come back moments later and drag a chair with her.
Sesshoumaru look puzzled as Kagome shook her head.
"She can't reach the light switch so she's always stealing chairs to climb on," Kagome told him, "it's rare that I can come home and find all the chairs where I left them. Her night light must've died."
"Afraid of the dark?" Sesshoumaru asked his daughter when she came back with a doll sized dress.
Rin nodded as she dressed up her doll and put on mismatching shoes, "Perfect!"
Sesshoumaru didn't understand why Kagome didn't just get the girl a step stool but then took a good look at the apartment. The kitchen counter was cluttered with knives and the shelves had a few heavy things that could cause serious damage if knocked down. Maybe trying to limit access was a good decision and having four chairs was four too many already.
"I should have gotten you something better though," Sesshoumaru said in defeat as he pulled out his phone after finishing his small meal and going online, "how about this Rin. Would you rather this?"
He found a night light, and of course the most expensive one he could find skipping all the ones that a parent of normal means would find affordable and settling on one that could project moving stars on the ceiling as well as give a low purple glow.
Rin took a look and immediately smiled, "Yes that one."
"Very well it will be yours," Sesshoumaru said taking the steps necessary to purchase it and overnight deliver it to this address, "it will either be here tomorrow or the day after."
Rin then looked disappointed again that her gift wasn't with her right now and quickly forgot all about it as she let her pizza sit there and get cold while she played with her doll. This would be the point where Kagome would take all toys away and force her daughter to sit in front of her food until she at least took a couple bites, but it was Sesshoumaru's turn to be a parent. Sesshoumaru, however, didn't know what to do either. How could you force a child to eat something they didn't want to?
"Would you find this more suitable?" Sesshoumaru asked showing Rin what little he had left of his sushi.
Rin moved away from his offering in disgust, "No! It smells."
"It's just rice and fish."
"Fish smells fishy!" Rin yelled at him going back to playing.
Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do and looked to Kagome to tag in. He didn't know how to get her to eat, and yet he'd been prepared to just take her away last night if Kagome accepted the money. This demon was out of his league.
"Rin," Kagome sighed, "if you ever want to watch cartoons again you better eat some of your dinner."
"No," Rin glared back at her.
"Fine," Kagome threw up her arms going towards the remote control, "then I'm going to watch Love Trials and that's all I'm going to watch and you're going to like it."
"No!" Rin cried quickly looking back towards her pizza.
The TV wasn't even on and clearly she'd rather have it off than to have her mom watching a show that wasn't a cartoon.
About thirty minutes had gone by and Rin managed to take three bites before deciding she liked the crust better and ate about half of that. It was no victory by any means, but it was better than nothing and both parents found this acceptable.
Sesshoumaru noticed when Kagome wasn't paying attention Rin had stolen the remote to the DVD player and hid it in the couch cushion. So it seemed his daughter had some wits about her and was a quiet strategist in her own rights.
"So am I a domino?" Rin asked her father.
"Demon?" he asked, "yes."
"Why don't I have claws?"
"Because your genetics don't require you to have them," Sesshoumaru answered matter-of-factly.
Rin went from being confused by his statement to bored as she took her doll and went to her room to go play, acting as though this night wasn't different from any other.
"That was rude of you Rin," Kagome sighed with no one to hear as she went to retrieve the barely eaten pizza that was left behind.
"It's fine," Sesshoumaru responded as he stood up, but not before digging out the remote that Rin had hidden minutes earlier.
"Uh thank you," Kagome said quietly taking it from him, "what was that doing there?"
"It seems the girl likes to trick us into believing all she cares about is these 'cartoons' and her dolls," Sesshoumaru mused looking around the apartment again, "when really she is making a play for dominance and trying to run the household by cutting you off from your TV time."
That made sense to Kagome as this wasn't the first time Rin has tried this. She quickly put the remote back exactly where it had been before on the living room table.
"And now I will make my play for dominance by showing her I won't be controlled by her scare tactics." Kagome smiled to herself.
"So the girl knows that I am her father," Sesshoumaru was trying to make sure they were both caught up on the situation, "but does she know I'm trying to get custody?"
"Does she know you are trying to rip her from the life she's known to live with you?" Kagome's tone was biting, "No I haven't told her yet. Honestly I don't know if she'd understand."
"You wanted fairness, we'll try fairness." Sesshoumaru wasn't going to let this woman make him feel guilty, "When is the soonest Kikyo can see us to figure it out?"
"She didn't give me a deadline so I'd have to call her. I can't imagine it'd take too long."
"I only have three days before my pass into this state expires. Ideally I'd like to get this all settled before then."
"Why?" Kagome truly didn't understand, "Just go home for a couple of days and get another pass so you can keep seeing Rin. It'd be better for you to meet her at least a couple more times before we decide on anything just in case she'll be living with you so she can get used to you. Sorry if you all that paperwork inconveniences you."
"Are you really that ignorant Higurashi?" Sesshoumaru asked his tone now getting agitated, "There is more to it than just paperwork. A place like this doesn't keep itself safe from demons with just a signature from me promising I won't do anything destructive."
Before Kagome could ask Sesshoumaru what he meant he rolled up his pant leg and revealed to her what looked like an ankle bracelet. It wasn't that different than someone on house arrest would wear, but why? It looked like it was made of cheap plastic and totally looked out of place on Sesshoumaru.
"A tracker?" Kagome assumed.
"More than that," he hissed, "if I were to have hurt that camera wielding scum from earlier it would have injected poison in my bloodstream. Every time I enter a human state such as this one I am subjected to this. If the wrong corrupt human was in charge of such a device when I came to see my daughter, it could be the end of me and it'd be probably be blamed on faulty technology."
Kagome could understand where he was coming from. It had to be humiliating, and was risky, but if it was to see Rin she herself could take on such a risk. Sesshoumaru wanted his daughter most likely because he believed it was right, but did he truly love her enough to subject himself to human security.
"I'm sorry I've never seen anything like that," she admitted, "my demon friends that live on the border don't have to wear those."
"Probably because the security here is use to them. It's a different situation."
Sesshoumaru quickly rolled down his pant leg and looked away from her, "So us meeting with Kikyo as soon as possible is ideal. Understand that the best solution I see for me is to take complete ownership and responsibility of Rin without having to worry about your needs, and I'm only allowing this gamble on Kikyo Yamada's judgement for the sake of time."
Time was what Kagome wanted though. Time for her to be with Rin in the event she'd lose her for good, and also time for Rin to know her father, but it just wouldn't work for Sesshoumaru it seemed.
"I'll contact her first thing in the morning. It's too late to now," Kagome told him, "I should probably get Rin to bed."
Sesshoumaru gave a nod putting his food container back in his bag and walking towards the door. He wasn't even going to give her as much as a 'good night' as he opened the door.
Kagome was apparently not as rude as him for she followed ready to give him some kind of a goodbye before seeing him sit in the hallway right in front of the door.
"What are you doing?" she quickly asked him.
"Being on guard," Sesshoumaru told her matter-of-factly, "Janis is human and must sleep. Someone has to take responsibility and make sure the press doesn't send anymore goons up here to get pictures or go through your mail. They could even make a story out of your trash."
"You're going to sit there all night?"
"Until Janis has awoken yes. I will be here all night."
So Sesshoumaru was an actual guard dog now? His first meeting with Rin might have gone over as pretty awkward, but he did seem to be serious about protecting her. Either that or he didn't want anymore information about his family in the papers. Didn't matter his reasoning it was kind of commendable for doing it.
"You'd probably draw more attention by being out here," Kagome sighed, "even if you do wear those ridiculous sunglasses. Why not just stay the night? Unless someone of your status can't stand to lower themselves to sleeping on my couch."
Sesshoumaru gave her a glare. Did she really think that of him? That he would be above sleeping on a couch for comfort? Most of his kind were still cave dwellers. It made no difference to him.
Kagome, on the other hand, didn't think he'd take her up on the offer. It'd probably be a bit inappropriate for him to stay the night when he still barely knew his daughter, but she didn't want to leave him in the hallway either. Still she kept recalling what Janis told her. If she was going to stand a chance in finding a compromise with Sesshoumaru she needed to show him she wasn't his enemy.
"Come on," Kagome told him, "this is Rin's home just as much as it is mine and you are her father. She hasn't left this place since she got home from school. She doesn't know about the reporters, and when she does find out she'll probably feel better knowing that her strong demon father is here to protect her."
Sesshoumaru thought it over and saw no reason for objection as he stood up and followed her back into the apartment. He showed his aggression towards her had lessened as he stood. He kept his distance as she went through the nightly ritual of getting Rin to take bath and change into her pajamas for bedtime. Once that was taken care of Kagome's only option for the rest of the night was to go to sleep herself, which was a bit disappointing since she wanted to finish up the season of Love Trials she'd been watching.
Apparently Sesshoumaru showed himself to be a bit of a mind reader for he glared at her when she came back into the living room, "Aren't you going to finish your show?"
"That would be quite rude since I handed the living room off to you," she told him giving a yawn, "and I do have work tomorrow."
"Is it the one Kikyo is in?" he asked noticing the pile of Sango's burnt DVDs on the table.
"Yes," Kagome admitted a bit embarrassed by the display, "have you seen it?"
Sesshoumaru shook his head, "Anything that has to do with my brother disinterests me. However, Kikyo is a different matter. You think we should put our fate into her hands without knowing how she conducts herself?"
"Kikyo on TV is completely different from the Kikyo I met," she told him, "I don't think it'd be fair to judge her from it."
"How you conduct yourself when millions are watching is important," he inserted, "if you want to finish it go ahead. I do not plan on sleeping during this trip."
That was right. Demons didn't need to sleep every night like humans did. Fine. If he wanted her to finish the thrilling tale of Love Trials she wouldn't let him being on her couch get in her way. It just felt weird booting up the last DVD while sitting next to Sesshoumaru. Watching bad television was her and Sango's thing, but here she was sitting couch next to Sesshoumaru Masaharu of all people watching his brother make a fool of himself.
"It is now time for the final rose ceremony," the handsome prince like alpha host announced as all the men stood in front of the girls holding a rose, "five men, only five roses, no debates, and seven women left. Five couples will live a life of romance after surviving this many trials. Two women will walk away with nothing. Think long and hard before you make your decision."
It was obviously scripted drama the way it came down to InuYasha being the very last to give away his rose. There were only three women left. Kikyo, of course, next to the platinum blonde princess wannabe Sonia Nevermind, and a quiet passive girl named Eri.
"I've thought long and hard about this," InuYasha said holding his rose so tight that he would have cut his skin on the thorns if he'd been human, "but the woman my heart belongs to…"
"Make a decision," the alpha host told InuYasha after a long period of stalling.
"Shut up," InuYasha snapped back, "I- uh am still thinking if it's the right decision, but the girl I choose… Sonia. It has to be. You're the girl okay? The one I can see myself being with every day and night. So just take this rose alright?"
The alpha host smiled, "And with that all the couples have been decided. Before we proceed any further it means Eri and Kikyo will be leaving here alone and with no one. Please grab your stuff and leave the home of romance."
Eri quickly grabbed her duffle bag that all the women had on the ground next to them, but Kikyo stood there paralyzed before she began to shake. The way her eyes locked onto InuYasha's was a bit scary. It seemed like she was looking into his soul.
"I can't believe you," she whispered, "I can't believe you did this. I can't believe you."
It was as though she was stuck in some kind of robotic loop. All she could do was repeat 'I can't believe you' over and over again.
"Kikyo," Eri whispered to her putting a hand on her shoulder, "we have to leave with grace okay?"
Kikyo closed her eyes and shook her head, "I can't believe you."
She walked the wrong way. If she was truly being kicked out of the house she should have went through the door behind her instead it was though she was walking off stage and walked past the camera men.
"I can't believe you!" she shouted knocking a still camera off of a tripod, "after everything this is what you do!"
"Kikyo," the alpha host warned as a couple of men with the words 'security' on their shirts approached her.
Kikyo quickly took a step back and attempted to take another breath raising up her hands to show she wasn't a threat, "I'm calm, okay I'm calm. I'll leave. I'll leave with grace."
Kikyo's way of leaving with grace apparently involved her standing in front of InuYasha and giving another deadly glare.
"Kikyo I-" InuYasha started but was cut off by her.
"I hope you and Sonia are happy for the rest of your days," Kikyo said with a smile on her face, "I guess I just wasn't good enough. You'll be better off without me, I'm sure. Enjoy. I wish you all the happiness in the world."
Her tone said everything but that as she grabbed her bag and quickly left the stage. Sonia coming up to get her rose from InuYasha was very awkward after that. The show then continued with its form of a finale, which consisted of all the established couples promising that they'd love each other until the end of their days before the credits rolled.
"Wow," Kagome remarked, "I know a lot of this show was fake but the way she looked at him... There was something real about it. What was going through his head to deny her like that? Obviously she was the one he loved."
Kagome didn't get a reaction out of Sesshoumaru so she turned his head towards him. The powerful demon's eyes were shut. Was he sleeping? She thought he didn't need sleep. Maybe that hour and a half of trainwreck reality TV had bored him into a coma. Whatever it was it was just strange to see this intimidating creature wearing the most casual of sweats sleeping next to her on the couch.
"Time for bed," she told herself as she couldn't help but have a slight smile on her face, "good night Sesshoumaru."
(End Chapter)
AN: A lot of obvious changes from the original MoC that can be noticed in this chapter. The first story had Sesshoumaru just unrealistically cruel to Kagome in every fashion, and a lot of it had to do with money. This Sesshoumaru really isn't that stuck up when it comes to money. His kind have just barely interrogated into the human lifestyle. The money has been a way of pushing things forward, but he is much more into technology than everything else. Still he tried to buy Rin's affection with a gift, and in this story it seems like he failed.
