A small girl who looked younger than ten, but older than five, sat upon the railing of an old wooden bridge throwing pieces of stale bread into the clear blue water below, her chocolate eyes smiling at the gold,white, and black fish that eagerly gobbled it up. Their long sleek bodies made the water they lived in cascade and splash, leaving gentle ripples around their flailing bodies that disappeared to the shore a short distance away.
The girl sighed, the action moving her whole upper body as though the weight of a very heavy burden rested on her tiny shoulders. Pushing a few stray strands of hair behind her ear, Rin looked down at the group of Koi eating their treat, wondering when her Sesshoumaru-sama would return.
A frown marred her small brow, her fingers tightening convulsively on the last crust of dry bread, crumbling it to almost dust in her agitation. Noticing the now mess of sandy crumbs, she brushed her hands together over the water, removing any vestiges of the food from her skin. Balancing on the edge of the hard curved wood she sat upon, she braced her palms along its edge, swinging her legs while looking up at the blue sky dotted with fat white clouds.
It had been almost a week since her guardian had left. Days in which she had eagerly awaited his return, each afternoon coming out to the large palace garden with its ornate bridge and Koi pond. Rin would sit out here in the cool Fall air and feed the fish, passing the time until she saw the familiar silhouette of Sesshoumaru flying on his youki cloud, his hair trailing artfully behind his proud figure.
Except each day past without any sign of the Taiyoukai, and she was now starting to get a little worried. In all the years she had traveled with him, she had never known the demon lord to not return when he said he would. Even all those times he would depart to chase after his brother or engage in a skirmish with Naraku Sesshoumaru would come back after two days, at the most.
However, two days turned into four and now tomorrow would mark it as the seventh going by without any sign of him.
She thought back to the day he had left, remembering how he had instructed her to stay within the castle walls, not to venture out farther than the palace garden she inhabited every day. Eager to please him, she had readily agreed, wishing him luck and to take care where ever he happened to be journeying to. He had offered his usual half-smile that more resembled a smirk, a trademark she knew meant he had heard her words and appreciated her concern.
Her guardian may not always express himself with words, but the little girl understood what he wanted to convey with the small gestures he displayed just as easily as if he had yelled it aloud. That was the gift of the young and animals alike. Since they didn't have the ready vocabulary to express how they felt or what they thought, they left it up to physical shows of emotion to show what they meant. Rin, having been mute when she was younger, was more adept at these silent exchanges than most, and could not have found herself a better companion than the Lord of the Western Lands.
Jaken had been told to stay behind to keep an eye on Rin, make sure she took her lessons and ensure her safety while Sesshoumaru could not be there himself. Of course the diminutive retainer had vocally objected, even going so far as to prostrate himself before his Lord and beg for him to take him along.
Sesshoumaru refused. Not that that had been any great surprise. The dog demon rarely, if ever, went back on a decision once he voiced it. Being a creature of deep thought and analysis it went without saying that the youkai studied each plan of action before acting it out. His desire for Jaken to remain behind while he completed his mission was no exception.
In all honesty, Jaken knew that his Lord could not be giving him a greater honor than the temporary guardianship of the little human. He knew that Sesshoumaru had come to view the child as one of his most valuable possessions, and the way he was so protective of the girl proved it. And really, he didn't mind being with Rin as much as he objected to the idea, after all the girl had saved his life on a few occasions.
That did not mean he didn't feel his rightful place as Sesshoumaru's loyal personal servant for so many years was now regulated to that of babysitter, a position he did not fancy all that much. Spending hours watching the human pick a bunch of colorful weeds only to be chased by the girl wielding a flower necklace she was determined to stick on him was not the toad youkai's idea of fun.
In fact, it more resembled his thoughts of what hell would be like . . . .
In the end, Sesshoumaru's will had prevailed and Jaken had sulked as he bid his master goodbye, the happy girl waving by his side as the Taiyoukai's figure disappeared towards where Inu Yasha's Forest lay.
It had taken all of the next day for Rin to get Jaken to even talk to her. Well, yell at her really, but still. Usually the little demon couldn't wait to berate her for something or other, followed by a soft smack on the cranium with his staff of heads. He was more like his old self now, but there was still a melancholy air about him, as though he couldn't fully understand why his Lord had decided to make him her nanny again.
Especially when there hadn't been any need to leave the Western Provinces in over a year.
Their little group had gone back to stay at the castle when it was apparent that Naraku had no intention of revealing himself until the last few shikon jewel shards were found. Since Sesshoumaru had no need for the stone, his main target the evil hanyou himself, he had informed them of their new place of residence and there they had been ever since.
Rin had begun her lessons on reading, writing, and anything else that a normal royal pup would receive in the Taisho household. She was being tutored by a nice older female owl youkai who had been the teacher to both of the Taisho sons when they were younger. Her name was Seiryn and she and Rin got along amazingly well. It was almost like the little girl had gained an old aunt, and the two of them could be found quite often spending time together outside of their studies either playing in Rin's room or picking flowers from the royal gardens.
However, even her friend was no where to be seen today. Seiryn had been called to attend a conference with the rest of the castle's staff to talk over preparations for some task or other.
Rin never paid much attention to what the other youkai did in the castle. Such concerns did not shadow the young, not when there were grown-ups available to handle all that. She was more interested in playing with the flowers or visiting Ah Un in the field leading from the garden.
Closing her eyes to let the weak sunlight pour over her upturned face, Rin's thoughts once again turned to the extended absence of Sesshoumaru. He had said he would return within two to three days, saying there was a personal matter that had been brought to his attention that he needed to take care of.
Now, with those assigned dates passing with no clue as to where the Taiyoukai might be she had started to worry.
Always before, when he had suddenly decided to go off on some task she had been confident that no matter what troubles the demon might face he would emerge the victor. In her youthful mind there was nothing her Sesshoumaru-sama could not do, and that included bringing back the dead.
He had put life back into her body, hadn't he?
Anyone who had the power to do that must be invincible.
Still, a nagging kernel of doubt had invaded her mind, settling in a disquieting ball of anxiety that nestled under her rib-cage next to her heart. Rin couldn't shake the feeling that something bad must have happened for Sesshoumaru to have been overdue this long in returning. Even her blind faith in his battle prowess was not enough to brush it aside as nothing more than a passing fear.
Perhaps she should ask Jaken....
The little youkai seemed to have an uncanny knack of reassuring her fears whenever she worried about the Taiyoukai. He would probably give her a few good wacks across the head with his staff, call her an idiot human for worrying about Sesshoumaru in the first place, and then launch into a lengthy speech about how his master was unbeatable and the most awesome youkai that had ever lived.
Grinning at the thought, Rin swung her legs back over the rail so she could jump down onto the solid bridge, bending her knees a bit when she landed so it would absorb the pressure of her stop.
She looked down with a grimace at the now wrinkled front of her blue kimono with its white sakura blossoms emblazoned across the left shoulder all the way down to her sleeve. Sesshoumaru-sama would not be pleased if he saw how unkept she looked in one of her best outfits. But she had worn it because Rin had thought he might be returning today, and she had meant to meet him in her best attire, let him see how grown-up she could be.
It might be a good thing after all that it looked like he wouldn't be making an appearance today....
Shrugging it aside, she hurried as fast as the constricting material would let her through the beautiful garden, streaking past blazes of colorful flowers and intricately groomed emerald bushes that resembled dog demons in varying degrees of transformation and stance.
Her wooden sandles 'clacking' over the lacquered steps that led up to the back porch, Rin kept traction as best she could on the highly polished boards of wood that made up the floors of the palace. Last time she had lost her footing she had ended up skidding into one of the shoji doors, effectively demolishing it and half of the doorway it was attached to. That had gotten her a good wack on the head from Jaken for that mishap and she didn't want a repeat performance.
Skidding around a corner, she narrowly avoided flying off the edge of the porch, running into the very person she was searching for, flapping her arms backwards in an attempt to slow her momentum.
Jaken's bulbous yellow eyes widened even more, his small beak of a mouth opening in a surprised squawk as Rin barreled into him, sending them both to the hard floor.
Damn that child and her lack of coordination!
Muttering a curse, he attempted to push her off him, managing only to make her giggle when his small clawed hands tickled her sides, which was the only thing he could reach.
Squeaking in indignation, he kicked at her, satisfied at the muffled 'oomph' that elicited from her when he made contact with her stomach.
At least he was getting her back a little for squashing him.
Trying not to laugh, Rin levered herself up into a sitting position, the ponytail on the back of her head askew and lopsided till it resembled her older hairstyle from when she first met the two demons. Grinning sheepishly down at the flattened toad youkai, she gently reached over and set him on his webbed feet, stifling another fit of giggles at the way he was trying to ineffectually fix his mangled hat.
The poor guy looked like he was going to cry.
Putting her hands together in front of her, Rin bowed at him saying, "Sorry, Jaken-sama! I didn't mean to run you over!"
Giving her a disparaging glare, he stuffed the damaged headgear into one of his voluminous green sleeves, picking up his staff of heads and hitting her on the top of her lowered skull.
"Stupid human girl! Watch where you are going! Sesshoumaru-sama does not need an unruly child running all over his palace!"
Nodding to pacify him, she winced a little when she sat back up, rubbing the now sore spot on her head.
"Yes, Jaken-sama. I will remember next time."
"See that you do!" came his disgruntled reply, the toad youkai eyeing her with disdain.
Really, but he could not figure out what his master saw in this girl! She was nothing but a menace!
"Jaken-sama, I came to find you to ask you something."
Inwardly groaning, he hoped it wasn't so he would have to go and play one of her games with her. He really did not feel like playing 'put the daisy chain on the terrified retainer' today.
"What do you want, girl?" impatience thick in his squeaky voice.
Rin frowned a bit, looking anxiously at him. "Jaken-sama, I'm worried that Sesshoumaru-sama has not returned yet. Do you think he is okay?"
He scoffed, looking almost like he wanted to give her another good smack with his staff of heads. "Stupid human, of course Lord Sesshoumaru is fine! Do you honestly think anyone could succeed in harming him? He is the greatest youkai that ever lived."
Rin grinned, breathing a sigh of relief. This was why she had come to see Jaken. He always knew how to lay her concerns over the Taiyoukai to rest.
Giving him a happy smile, she said, "Yes, you are right. I am worrying for nothing. No one could ever harm Sesshoumaru-sama."
Jaken inclined his head, relieved that she had taken his answer so readily without asking for more reassurance than that. In truth, he himself was beginning to worry a little.
After his Lord had left, Jaken had snooped around the palace in search of the answer as to why Sesshoumaru would leave so suddenly and with such secrecy. Usually, he would at least give his retainer an inkling of what his missions were about so that in case of an emergency Jaken could act accordingly. This time, however, no explanation had been forthcoming, and it had been up to the little youkai to seek out the elusive information himself.
When he had rummaged through a stack of letters on Sesshoumaru's table located in his sitting room, Jaken had come across one that had chilled even his cold blood. It was one that had no signature but bore the crest of someone that had a long unpleasant history with the Taiyoukai that was currently Jaken's employer. Even though he, himself, had never had any personal run-ins with the individual Seiryn had supplied enough tales of when Sesshoumaru was younger to let Jaken know this missive was not received with joy. Far from it, in fact.
He seriously doubted if anyone else in the household knew of the letter or what its significance had meant, even Seiryn considering she had not seen the parchment herself. Jaken, not wanting anyone else to get the same idea he had and snoop in his Lord's belongings, had taken the letter and hid it in his own quarters, knowing no one would dare enter the chamber.
Now, with his master gone for so long, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his extended departure, the little toad youkai couldn't help but feel the first stirrings of alarm either. It would seem Rin shared some of his emotions in that area. No matter what could be said of the troublesome human, it was clear that she loved his master just as much as he did.
A moment of comradeship spiked over his frozen heart, happy that at least he had found someone else in the huge household to share the misgivings of Sesshoumaru's absence with. He just couldn't let the girl know to what extent her worries might be actual fact and not fiction. The Taiyoukai would punish him harshly if he found out Jaken had worried the human for no reason.
Ever since that female had joined them he just never got the respect from his Lord like he used to.
But then again, did he ever......
Determined not to get into one of his self analysis on the relationship between him and his master, Jaken focused again on the girl who was still kneeling in front of him, smiling.
The sparkle of mischief in her big chocolate eyes was one that he knew all too well.
Eyeing her warily, he began to edge his way backwards, hoping to escape her evil clutches before she could drag him off.
As usual, he didn't make it. Damn his short legs....
Rin, happy again now that she was sure everything was fine with Sesshoumaru decided it was time to share some of her joy.
She leaned over and plucked Jaken up, holding him in her arms like she would one of the dolls she had gotten from Seiryn. He squawked again in alarm, trying to hit her on the head as she turned to run back the way she had come.
"Stupid girl! Put me down this instant! And stop running through the halls! Do you want to...ack!"
Jaken thought he was going to end up breaking his neck when she precariously ran down the smooth steps of the back porch, slipping on the last one and barely managing to catch herself on the hard packed earth below.
The green of his skin paled and his eyes were larger than normal, his mouth opening and closing silently in fright.
Rin cast the sickly looking youkai an apologetic smile as she continued her speedy gait towards the field by the bridge where she went to pick flowers.
"Sorry about that, Jaken-sama. I've been trying to learn how to run in these new shoes, but I haven't gotten it down yet."
The little youkai didn't say anything, still moving his beaky lips without a sound coming out of them.
Sesshoumaru was just not paying him enough to deal with this child....
Finally, finding the perfect little copse of pink flowers she liked so well, Rin unceremoniously dropped Jaken onto a pile of the soft blossoms, laughing when she saw him simply lay there gasping like a fish out of water.
"You just rest there, Jaken-sama. I'll go pick some flowers for you and then you will feel better." With that she hurried off, dropping down near a small batch of the vegetation, adding green grass stains to her already rumpled appearance.
Twitching where she had left him, the small toad youkai thought grimly, 'If serving Sesshoumaru doesn't kill me, then watching this human brat will.'
But still....that letter worried him......
'Lord Sesshoumaru, this Jaken hopes you are okay.' A happy squeal a few feet away made him flinch. 'Kami, I hope this Jaken survives without you here!'
*************
Mrs. Higurashi picked up her daughter's huge yellow bag, putting a few articles back into it where they had fallen out onto the carpet when it had hit the floor.
Sighing, she put it behind the sofa, out of tripping range in case someone came into the living room. When Inu Yasha had first ran through their front door yelling for Kagome, she had been alarmed. Worried as to what could have gotten the half demon so upset that he would rudely barge into their home and demand to see her daughter.
From what she could gather, it had something to do with the fact that Sesshoumaru was currently residing with them, a fact the hanyou was none too pleased about.
This puzzled her. From the time they had his brother in their house, the youkai hadn't attempted to harm any of them. Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't have allowed him to stay as long as he had if that had been the case. But Kagome had assured her that Sesshoumaru wasn't out to hurt any of them and she had believed her.
When Kagome made an appearance shortly after all the ruckus had started, Mrs. Higurashi had noticed the silent interplay going on between her oldest child and Inu Yasha. There was a heavy current of discomfort and awkwardness running back and forth between them that led her to believe there was much more to the reason her daughter had been so distraught upon returning two and half weeks prior.
She had taken Souta and left when it looked like Kagome was handling the irrate dog demon fine, and went back into the kitchen. As most mothers did, she knew that there were some things that needed to be resolved where the two teens were concerned, and they were not about to discuss them in front of a parent.
After Inu Yasha had left, Mrs. Higurashi had frowned in displeasure at how her daughter ran upstairs in obvious emotional distress, hearing the loud bang of a door slamming a few minutes later.
Whatever had happened after she had left the living room had not gone well.
A while later, she had sent Souta up to go check on her. The younger sibling had returned about twenty minutes later explaining that Kagome had one of her migraines and that he had put her to bed in his room. He had said he would be taking care of their 'guest' until she felt well enough to take over the task herself.
Mrs. Higurashi had accepted the news with a nod, saddened that one of her children was in pain of any sort, but happy that the two siblings could count on each other for support.
She wasn't going to be around forever, and it was nice to know they would have one other when she could no longer look after them herself.
It had been a few hours since Souta had taken up some beef stew and crackers that she had made for Sesshoumaru, considering her son was no chef where the kitchen was concerned. No sounds could be heard throughout the house, save for those of her feet padding over carpet and the spray of furniture polish being administered over a wooden surface.
Polishing the low tabletop, she silently wondered how Kagome was doing and if Souta and Sesshoumaru were getting along alright. Since no one but her daughter had spent any length of time with the dog demon she hoped the two boys had found something in common to keep them company while they were stuck together. Perhaps she could help them out in that area.
Setting the oily brown rag on the now shiny surface, she rose and went out into the front hallway where the coat closet was located. Opening the door on silent hinges, Mrs. Higurashi stood on tip-toe and pushed a few brightly colored snow hats and mismatched pairs of knit mittens out of her way while her hands searched for something on the top shelf.
Brushing against an old cardboard box, she smiled while clasping it tightly and lifted it down, making sure to keep it flat so the contents wouldn't become misplaced and spill out the side. The old paper box was so worn from use that one side had masking tape that was peeling away from the corner adorning one side, the tips of once stiff cardboard frayed with age.
Balancing the long flat box on a forearm, she used one hand to wipe a thick layer of grey dust from its surface, sneezing a little when the dust particles floated in the air and tickled her nostrils. Scrunching up her nose, she looked down at the lettering labeling the container in bold black letters, turning and pushing the door closed with her foot.
'This should keep them entertained,' she thought, making her way upstairs to the half closed door of Kagome's room.
Shouldering her way into the brightly painted room, she smiled at the two males as her entrance brought their attention to her.
"Hello, boys. I thought you might be getting bored up here so I brought you something to pass the time." She walked towards them, smiling encouragingly at the silent but watchful youkai.
'My, but isn't he a handsome young man,' Mrs. Higurashi said to herself silently, marveling at how both brothers had the same amazing amber-gold eyes. Except this older brother had slitted pupils like a cat instead of the rounder human-like of Inu Yasha.
Souta smiled up at his mother, peering at the box she held with interest.
"Is that what I think it is, mom?"
The older woman nodded, grinning down at her son before handing him the dusty box. She wiped her hands on the white apron around her waist, taking in the half eaten tray of food she had sent up.
"Yes, it is." She cast Sesshoumaru a sympathetic look from her cinnamon colored eyes that matched her son's. "It can't be too fun stuck in bed all the time with nothing to do but talk. I hope this can distract you for a little while."
Sesshoumaru may not have liked humans, but that didn't mean he wouldn't afford this one respect. She was the mother of the child who was currently housing him after all.
"I am sure it will, madam."
She smiled, pleased that her little impromptu 'gift' would help relieve some of his boredom.
Souta was eagerly divesting the box of its top, withdrawing a folded black and white board with little squares of the two colors dotting its surface. He opened it and placed it flat on the night stand by the bed, making sure to hand the used eating utensils to his mother first. Laying it so that one half of the board faced the reclining dog demon, he then extracted a multitude of black and white figurines that were about the size of Sesshoumaru's pinky in length, each piece depicting a different shape.
Sesshoumaru eyed them with keen interest, not recognizing what it was he was seeing. It looked like a horse head with a bunch of weird knobs and a stone castle tower. He watched as Souta placed the black pieces that were identical to the white ones on the dog demon's side before doing the same for his own.
Putting the empty box onto the floor by his seat, Souta grinned over at Sesshoumaru's puzzled face and said, "This is a game called chess. You probably aren't familiar with it so I'll explain the rules to you. You'll probably like it though since it deals with strategy more than anything."
The Taiyoukai's expression cleared. 'Aw. A game of the mind then. This, he could do.'
Smirking, he told the boy in his usual icy tone, "Alright, boy. Explain it to me and then let us. . . play." That last word was not one he had used in a very long time. It felt odd on his tongue, almost like a blasphemy.
Kagome's mother watched the pair in pleasure, happy that the boys were going to have something to take up the time until her daughter got up. Although, in all honesty, that probably wouldn't be until tomorrow.
Turning to leave, she said over her shoulder, "Oh, Souta. I called your school and told them you weren't coming in today. I thought it would be better if I told them you wouldn't make it instead of your grandpa."
Souta rolled his eyes and smiled at his mother. "Thanks mom! Yeah, I don't think I want grandpa making up any phantom illnesses for me." He shuddered at the thought. "I can just hear what he would say now..."
Her laughter floated through the air. "Yes, grandpa has a .... vivid imagination. You two boys have fun. I'll bring up some dinner later when it's ready."
"Thanks mom! We appreciate it," came his grateful reply as he watched his mother nod her head in acknowledgment before she carried the tray out of the room.
Once she was gone, Souta turned back to the waiting dog demon, smirking.
"Alright, you ready to get your butt kicked at chess?"
The brat's boasting amused the youkai. The foolish child had no idea who he was dealing with.
Mirroring his smirk, he waved one clawed hand. "By all means. Proceed."
With that, Souta began explaining each piece and how it could move across the board.
Mrs. Higurashi walked downstairs with the tray of cold food, satisfied that she had found something to occupy the two males for the afternoon. Walking into the cheery kitchen, she placed the dirty dishes into the stainless steel sink, running hot water with a squirt of dish soap over them.
Immersing her hands in the sudsy water, she thought to herself, 'Now, if I could just help my daughter as easily as I did those two....'
*************
Studies have shown that people who suffer from heavy mental fatigue coupled with a strong narcotic sleep so deeply that dreams don't find them. It is theorized that by putting such a strong drug into the blood stream of said person it infiltrates the nervous system and interrupts the natural firing of synaptic impulses in the brain, slowing the activity of the neurons interacting with one another, thereby not letting these small charges meet their destinations. An explanation highly scientific and considered fallible in the medical world.
Too bad normal never could be used to describe Kagome, and the supernatural considered the young miko its favorite plaything.
In the early middle hours of the night a young girl was twitching under the heavy fabric of a blue comforter. Eyes a soft blue-grey were shielded by thin pale lids, the lengthy lashes attached to them giving the impression of sickle-shaped tattoos gracing her high cheekbones. The cobalt orbs were moving rapidly in their sockets, her breathing ragged and uneven, resembling that of an out of shape runner. A light film of perspiration covered her brow, the thick strands of ebony hair quickly sticking to the damp skin.
With a half-yell of what sounded like fright, the young woman shot up into a sitting position, lurching forward while clasping the blanket in a white knuckled grip.
Kagome searched wildly around the pitch black room, slowly calming down as she realized she was no longer dreaming. Her heart was beating like a caged bird and adrenaline was still coursing thickly through her veins.
She took a shaky breath in. The terrible thing was she couldn't even remember whatever the nightmare had been about that she had been ensnared in. The terror filling her senses was the only thing filtering through her muddled system.
Wiping the back of one hand across her forehead, she breathed in and out slowly, feeling her heartbeat stop is frantic drumming to take up a more regular pace.
The clammy feel of sweaty flesh clinging to damp clothes became more noticeable when a cold draft slithered over Kagome, causing her to shiver in response. She swallowed with some discomfort, her mouth dry and lacking in moisture.
Blinking a few times to adjust her eyesight to the dark, Kagome got out of Souta's bed, stumbling a bit as the powerful medication still took effect in her body.
Arms outstretched in front of her, she groped around the small room, veering towards the right where she knew her brother's dresser would be. One palm brushed over the grainy surface of a drawer, fingers trailing upon the polished wood till they encountered a round knob.
Grinning in triumph, she opened the drawer and withdrew one of Souta's newer button-up dress shirts.
It wasn't like he wore them enough to miss them.
She then proceeded to leave the bedroom, still swaying a tad as she walked, looking more than ever like the drunken butterfly Sesshoumaru had once compared her to.
Kagome frowned, having trouble concentrating on any one thing. Her thoughts were scattered. Totally disjointed and making no sense what-so-ever. Any time she took the painkiller it lasted at least 24 hours, and during that time she rarely made sense. She operated instead off of emotion, blind instinct telling her what to do.
Right now those instincts were telling Kagome that they didn't like the feel of being in slightly wet clothes, so she made her unsteady way into the family bathroom that was the short walk from her brother's door straight across the hallway. Closing herself inside, she quickly ran a shower and shucked off her cloying shirt, pants, and underwear, goose bumps raising across her skin at the cold temperature of the air. She got into the bathtub quickly, the warm glow of the white nightlight was all the illumination she needed to bathe by.
Kagome almost fell back asleep while leaning on the white tiled wall, their cold ceramic surfaces going unnoticed by the half-conscious miko. The warm spray of the water massaging tired muscles was the only thing registering in her befuddled mind.
Kami, but she loved the wonderful invention called a showerhead. It was way better than sitting in a bathtub with a load of water that got cold after about twenty minutes.
A moment of coherency suddenly hit her, making her jerk away from her support to blink dazedly up at the silver showerhead.
It wasn't offering any answers as to why she was there. Her drugged mind had already forgotten.
Moving her head from side to side as though to clear her foggy thoughts, the miko quickly finished washing her body and long black hair, making sure to get all of the conditioner out of the raven tresses.
When she was done, she dried off using a huge beach towel she'd found in one of the cabinets. It was decorated with big blue dolphins, their shapes distorted and ugly to Kagome's hazy mind. They looked like they were grinning insanely at her....
Grimacing, she threw it in a sodden heap to land with a 'splat' on top of the wicker hamper, happy to be rid of the grotesque thing.
She put on what she could now see to be a dark wine-colored shirt with long sleeves. Kagome tried to slip the small plastic buttons through their respective tiny holes on the facing material.
She frowned in deep concentration, willing her blurry vision to focus on the stubborn round discs that seemed to defy every attempt she made to fasten them.
Many minutes later, after a few colorful curses she'd picked up from Inu Yasha filled the quiet of the bathroom, Kagome succeeded in buttoning the shirt, leaving a V that stopped just above her breasts.
Smoothing the material over her thighs, she fleetingly marveled at how grown Souta was now. The cuffs covered her hands completely and the scooped front and back of the garment reached almost to her knees.
The young woman giggled at her own image, her muddled mind finding the female in the mirror funny looking.
'Someone should really tell that person to get some clothes that fit,' she thought in humor.
Turning her attention to her toothbrush she then brushed her teeth, frowning at the desert dryness of her mouth.
It felt like she hadn't had a drink of water in a week!
Finished with that task, she then used the rinsing cup to drink three brimfulls of water, the cold liquid tasting like ambrosia to her parched tongue and soothing her throat.
Before leaving, she went to the bathroom (she had just drank down three full glasses of water after all) and then tripped quietly down the hallway to her bedroom, a place her instincts were telling her she was supposed to be.
Kagome didn't stop to think about why she had this feeling she just had to be in her bedroom. There was this half-formed notion that there was something in there she was supposed to be watching....or was it take care of? She couldn't recall and didn't much care to analyze it at this point anyway.
She was dead tired again and just wanted to sleep.
Opening her door a fraction, she slipped in, stifling a sleepy yawn behind one cuff covered hand. Dropping the appendage back to her side, her fingers splayed along her hip taking in the smoothness of the fabric, noticing with a frown that she'd forgotten to put on underwear.
Why would she forget that?
When no answer was readily forthcoming, she shrugged it aside and went over to her own dresser, taking out a pair of panties and slipped them on.
Satisfied that she was completely clothed, Kagome moved to her bed through the darkness of her room, half-lidded eyes registering the sight of a male outline slouched on her desk chair. Her brain disregarded the picture, all its attention focused on getting to the bed and under the warm covers.
Since the only light available was a sliver of watery moonlight peaking through her lace curtains, she couldn't quite make out what was taking up the majority of her bed.
Brow knit in confusion, Kagome stared down at what looked like a tall body with a shock of long silver hair attached to it.
'Who is that?' she thought while scratching her damp scalp in bewilderment. Her foggy mind told her it was nothing, probably a figment of her overtaxed imagination, and the young woman accepted the excuse.
Shrugging her shoulders, Kagome lifted the blankets and slid into her bed, almost purring in bliss at the warm cocoon of the flannel against her chilled skin.
Moving her feet against each other, her knee came into contact with something that felt much better than trying to generate heat using friction from her own skin.
It felt like a swath of fur that was softer than Buyo's had been as a kitten.
Enjoying the luxurious feel of this newfound 'heater', Kagome scooted closer to it, weaving her legs around it, putting the tip between the arches of her joined feet.
Sighing in sleepy happiness, she then threw an arm over the bare skin of whoever was in bed with her, barely registering the coarse feel of the gauze bandages lining their firm chest.
Rubbing her cheek against the pillow a few times, she exhaled deeply before falling straight back to sleep.
Soon, the sound of three people's relaxed even breathing filled the room. The two males had not awoken at the girl's intrusion, instead sleeping on, having no idea of their little invader who had made herself at home next to the youkai on the bed.
The wind softly whistled through the bare branches of the trees outside, a fat cat purred in sleep on top of a now white speckled black tanktop, and all residents of the Higurashi Shrine slept on in peaceful slumber.
*************
Souta slowly rose through unconsciousness, awakening with a sluggish blink of his eyes.
Inhaling deeply, he stretched on the unforgiving chair, holding his breath until he was done.
Raking his fingers through his shaggy hair, he cast a cursory glance to the bed, doing a wide-eyed double-take at what he saw.
"What the hell?!" came his startled exclamation, shock plain on his youthful face.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing, even going so far as to rub the heels of his palms into his sockets, in case he was hallucinating.
Nope. Not some crazy figment of his overactive imagination that he'd dreamt up after consuming too much soda last night.
There lay his sister, dressed in one of his best dress shirts, sprawled all over the bed with one bare knee poking out from under the blanket. It wouldn't have been such an out of the ordinary sight if there didn't happen to be a six foot something dog demon squashed up against the wall next to her. The poor youkai looked like he was trying to avoid any unnecessary contact with Kagome, even in sleep.
Souta smirked, seeing that she had somehow managed to maneuver Sesshoumaru onto his side till he was facing the two siblings, his arm at an awkward angle under the pillow.
Wincing, Souta thought wryly, 'That's going to hurt when he wakes up.'
Too bad no one bothered to warn the Taiyoukai that Kagome was not only known for randomly roaming when she took her medication, but also that when under the influence of said drugs the girl always slept in a messy fashion.
One morning their mom had found her draped at the foot of the bed, one leg hanging off the mattress and a pillow over her snoring face.
Now it seemed the unsuspecting occupant of her bed was made to suffer because he hadn't awoken when she'd come in there last evening.
Shaking his head at how ridiculously unorthodox their household had become since the arrival of the demon, he stood up to bend over Kagome, gently shaking her while calling her name.
"Kagome. Sis. Come on, wake up."
He got no response save for her to bat his hand away from her shoulder then roll over to snuggle into Sesshoumaru's side.
Arching a speculative eyebrow, he leaned away, unwilling to yell in order to get through to her. Climbing on the bed to pull her out of it was also out of the question.
Talk about sleeping like the dead....
Before he could think of another way to wake his sister up, a pair of amber eyes shot open to fix with sharp clarity on Souta's own.
'Oh great. Now I can't move Sis without Sesshoumaru finding out she was there,' he thought in irritation.
Offering the scowling dog demon a half-grin, Souta rubbed his hand on the back of his neck.
"Uh, good morning."
'Yeah, that sounded wonderful. Way to go, Souta,' he mocked himself.
Sesshoumaru looked down at the female nestled against his stomach and chest, biting back a curse. The infernal miko had slept next to him for the second night in a row, and this time he hadn't even heard her come in!
Where the devil had she come from? The brat watching over him yesterday said she was sleeping in his room, so how did she end up here?
Kami, but Fate had chosen to place him in the care of an insane family.
What the assassins hadn't accomplished these humans were doing an admirable job finishing.
Scooting up, ignoring the stabbing sensation of his strained arm, Sesshoumaru positioned himself till he was leaning in the corner where the wall and headboard bet. His messy braid he threw over one shoulder, the tip resting over his chest.
He regarded the boy standing nervously before him coldly, ignoring Kagome when she took advantage of his new stance by using some blanket as a pillow and wrapping an arm around his waist.
Damn, but the girl was more tenacious than seaweed ensnaring a ship oar. No matter how he tried to untangle himself from her she kept following, tightening her hold.
Maybe she was really part snake youkai and was attempting to constrict him....
The boy's young voice filled the air again, an apologetic look accompanying it.
"Sorry about Kagome. I forgot to warn you that whenever she takes those pills she has a habit of semi-sleepwalking. She must have woken up, changed into one of my shirts, and came back here."
One silvery eyebrow arched into the fringe of Sesshoumaru's bangs.
"And you just let her waltz in here and slip into bed with a man, brat?"
He wasn't about to let the boy know what had transpired the night before last. He was working on forgetting that himself...
Another nervous laugh broke from Souta's throat.
"Heh, heh. Well, uh. . . .that is. . . um, I sort of fell asleep shortly after you did. So I didn't even see when Kagome came in."
Ice dripped from the Taiyoukai's next question. "You fell asleep instead of remaining awake?"
Souta gulped, flushing in embarrassment while feeling like he was being taken to task by his math sensei. The man was a veritable tyrant.
Fidgeting, he answered guiltily, "Uh, yeah. I guess I did."
'Incompetence. The brat couldn't even stay lucid during his 'watch',' the youkai thought in disdain. Aloud he said, "Since you couldn't manage to do your job last night do you think you could handle removing your sister now?"
Nodding in earnest, Souta reached over to grab Kagome's shoulder, bracing his knee on the mattress and pulling on her with gentle force.
"Come on, Sis! Rise and shine. Time to get up."
The miko frowned in her sleep, clasping a firmer hold onto the perturbed youkai.
Rolling his cinnamon eyes, Souta said louder, "Get up Kagome."
Still no reaction.
Souta sat back, thinking it over for a moment. A sudden devilish spark ignited in his eyes.
Smirking evilly, he stood up and yelled, "Oh my goodness! Inu Yasha is here!"
That worked.
She pushed herself away from Sesshoumaru, turning around to sweep the room with frantic eyes while moving her mussed hair out of her way.
"Inu Yasha?! Where?! Sit boy!"
Her brother's laughter drew her attention and Kagome realized that there was, indeed, no hanyou present.
Eyes narrowing dangerously, she growled while leaping from the bed, intent on murdering her brother.
"Souta! That's it! You're dead!"
Dodging her lunge easily, the teenager laughed harder while running out the door, his "Glad to see you're awake, Sis" was soon followed by the slamming of wood on wood.
She stood in the center of her room, glaring daggers at where her sibling had escaped, curling her toes into the plush carpet while cursing Souta all the way to hell and back.
He'd nearly scared her to death when he had yelled that Inu Yasha was here. In the half-awake state of someone violently wrenched from sleep, the miko had assumed that the hanyou being present meant he was getting ready to attack Sesshoumaru.
Speaking of which....
Kagome felt a cool draft blow across her legs, goose bumps rising on the exposed flesh. Looking herself over, she realized in growing mortification that she was wearing nothing but her brother's shirt and had just come from a bed she had shared with Sesshoumaru.
Again.
The dog demon was going to kill her.....she just knew it.
She stiffened, a blush staining her cheeks as embarrassment raced through hew now fully alert system.
Damn. Now how was she supposed to face him?
*************