I don't own InuYasha, Sesshomaru, or any other cannon characters. The only ones I own are my OC's.

Chapter 10: Damn you instincts!

Sitting and sulking in the garden, Tsukiko watched the other pups play. Even after their fight this morning, Sesshomaru had been told to stay close to her, and it was annoying her to no end. He was leaning against a tree behind her, speaking to another young demon.

She watched the other pups, mostly all younger, play in the garden, and sighed. She missed her brothers and sister so much, what she wouldn't give just to know they were at least alive. She hugged her knees and blew a strand of hair off her face.

Once again, the maids had dressed her up in a kimono that was far to nice to even think of doing anything fun in. But at least it was not pink this time. The outer kimono was red with silvery gold butterflies embroidered into it, edged in gold, with a gold obi, and the inner kimono was plain red. She even had gold shoes to match.

They had done her hair up too, her long locks were now pulled up on top of her hair into some fancy bun, but done in such a way to give her a sort of a bob hair cut look at the same time. They had shoved hair pins and ribbons into her hair, and she was starting to feel like their dress up doll.

Tsukiko looked up when she felt a tap on her knee. A young male pup, slightly covered in dirt, was standing in front of her smiling.

"Can I show you my treasure?" Tsukiko smiled, she couldn't help it, this pup was so cute!

"Sure, let me see."

The pup held out his hands and opened them. Tsukiko screamed.

Sesshomaru had been chatting to one of the other male pups, the conversation going down the lines of being bored and wanting to pull a prank or two, when he heard Tsukiko scream. He was instantly alert, and looked her her. He saw her cloud of smoke dissipating and panicked.

When he felt her phase back into her solid form behind him and clutch the back of his haori for dear life, he took a defensive stance and tried to find the source of her fear.

"Why are you screaming! What's wrong!"

"ITS A WORM!"

Sesshomaru's jaw dropped. The other pup was now on his ass laughing, unable to control himself. He spun around and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Please tell me you did not send the entire guard who heard that onto full alert because of a WORM!"

"Yes, I did, sorry but I cant stand them!"

Sesshomaru was speechless. This onna would fight him tooth and claw at the drop of a hat without the slightest hint of fear, yet at the sight of a worm she was screaming and running in panic.

Tsukiko looked up at him, tears in her eyes, still trembling with fear.

"Is it... is it gone?" Sesshomaru wanted to be far more angry with her than he was, but all his instincts told him that when an onna was afraid, he had to take care of her.

Stupid instincts, why don't you leave me alone to do as I please for once.

Sesshomaru looked back to where she had been sitting. The younger pup was now gone, having lost interest, but the worm was on the ground. He grabbed Tsukiko's wrist and dragged her over. By the time they got there, she was again clutching his haori for dear life. He leaned down and picked up the offending creature, and tossed it into a nearby koi pond.

"There happy?"

Tsukiko looked up and nodded, relief written all over her face.

"Good, cause if it happens again, Im not helping."

That evening, dinner was far more civil. Sesshomaru and Tsukiko did not send each other death glares, or mouth off to each other, and interacted as two of their station dictated. Until they were told they had to share a room again, then the whining started like no tomorrow.

Yey, another short chapter X3

Yes, Tsukiko is terrified of WORMS.

LightningRip: Thank you, I needed more writing juice ^^

I'll have another chapter ready probably by the end of the day, at the latest. If LightningRip comes online to chat with me tho, expect several chapters again today, she has a habit of pushing for me to write more right away X3