Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, his brother, or any of the traveling companions. However Nekoyasha and her grandchildren are mine.
A/N: Trying something new. Hope it works.
"Spoken"
ThoughtChapter 15: Water Fun
After breakfast, the dishes were cleared and cleaned. Kagome told Sango, "I could do with a nice, long, hot bath." Sango nodded in agreement. Nekoyasha smiled.
"Well, I guess that is what we will do today."
"What?"
"There is a hot spring near here. It is also a healing spring. I was waiting to make sure that everyone was feeling up to walking over there. If no one objects, we can go over in a little while."
"Is it... um ... separated?" Kagome blushed.
"No." Nekoyasha shot Kagome a curious glance. "Is something wrong with that?"
"Well, ... uh... you see... we kind of have mixed company." Kagome blushed even more. Even Sango was starting to turn pink.
"What she means is that she and Sango have never taken a bath at the same time that Miroku and I have," Inuyasha remarked.
Nekoyasha laughed. "Now I understand. Don't worry, I have that taken care of. Just wait right here while we go collect the bath things." With that Nekoyasha and her grandchildren left the room. They came back a few minutes later with all the bath supplies.
There was a basket that contained soaps and one that surprisingly had enough towels for everyone. In the third basket were pieces of cloth that Kagome recognized but couldn't quite place.
"Are we ready to go?" Nekoyasha asked.
The group nodded. With that they headed out the door. Even Sesshomaru joined them.
*****
When they got to the spring, they stopped in the clearing. The baskets were put on the ground. Nekoyasha lifted a piece of yellow cloth out of one of the baskets. She held it up for all of them to see.
"This is a sari. You wrap it around you while you are bathing. Males generally wear it around their waist. Females wear it higher, although they can wear it around their waist as well." She looked at the group. "But, somehow I don't think any here will. Girls change on this side," she pointed to her left, "and boys on that side," pointing to her right.
Everyone grabbed one of the cloths, and went to change. Rin stopped for a moment. She wasn't sure which way she should go. Nekoyasha rested her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Come with me." The little girl looked back over her shoulder. Nekoyasha smiled. "Don't worry, he'll be close enough to hear you. You won't be separated from him for long," she assured the girl.
As they walked along, Kagome thought more about the cloth she had. She suddenly remembered what it was.
"Nekoyasha, did this come from a country called India?"
Nekoyasha looked astounded. "Yes, it did. I took care of a demon from that country and she brought me these since I care for the wounded. It was her way of thanking me. How did you know?"
"I had seen them before." Kagome tied it around her. "Wow, these are comfortable!"
*****
Sesshomaru looked at the ties of his sari. Getting out of his clothes had be easy enough. Wrapping the piece of cloth was a little harder, but manageable. Tying it though was proving to be quite difficult with only one arm. Being around his waist made it too low for him to tie it with his teeth. As he was trying to figure out how he was going to do it, he felt two hands grab the ties from his and tie it for him. He glanced down at the person. It was Shinta.
"I'm sorry, milord, but grandmother would be disappointed if I didn't help." Sesshomaru nodded and the boy ran of toward the spring.
Well, you were in a predicament. It wasn't like you were going to ask for help. And what would you have done? Just stand there? Besides, it wasn't like Inuyasha was going to help. Better that boy, right? Sesshomaru growled at himself. I am a Youkai Lord. I don't need help.
Then why do you keep Jaken and Rin around. Why did you bother saving either one of them? Why did you come to Nekoyasha in the first place? And don't tell me it was all because Rin was sick.
Sesshomaru was getting sick of his inner voice. It always had to say something like that. Besides he was now at the edge of the spring and Rin was calling to him. He looked over at the little girl. She was playing with Shinta and the kitsune. She waved at him. He nodded at her. She smiled and went back to playing.
He found a ledge in the spring and sat down on it. The hot water surrounding his body was quite nice. He looked around. The younger kids were playing with various toys. Nekoyasha and her granddaughter had join Inuyasha and his friends in what appeared to be a game of water tag. It apparently involved a lot of splashing.
Sesshomaru leaned back against the wall and relaxed. He hadn't been able to do that since before his father died.
*****
Sesshomaru walked along the path to the spring with an overexcited little pup running around with him.
"Yea! We get to go to the spring! I like playing in the water!" the pup said.
"Good thing you aren't a cat then, isn't it?" Sesshomaru replied.
"But Neko-chan is a cat, and she likes water," the child replied. Sesshomaru didn't have a reply to that one.
He sighed. "Why couldn't you mother take you to the spring?"
"Because I like going with you, Sessho no niichan."
Sesshomaru smiled. "Inuyasha, you only like going with me because I let you play in the water before you have to get clean."
"Uh huh."
They had reached the spring near their father's castle. The young Inuyasha quickly stripped off his clothes and jumped in the water. Sesshomaru shook his head and folded the child's clothes and put them aside, so they wouldn't get wet. Then he did the same with his own. He could hear his younger brother splashing loudly in the water. Sesshomaru had never been able to that when he was young. Both his parents were strict. And he was the heir to the lands. But times had changed. And while he would never admit it to anyone, he enjoyed spending the time with Inuyasha almost as much as his little brother did.
Sesshomaru climbed into the spring and rested against a rock outcropping. The sun was bright and warmed him. He closed his eyes enjoying the heat. He would be able to hear and smell if there was any danger.
After a while Sesshomaru realized he wasn't hearing any splashing. He opened his eyes and looked around. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. Sesshomaru was starting to get a little worried. His father would not be very happy if he came home and said that he had lost his little brother.
"Inuyasha! Inuyasha, where are you! Inuyasha, this isn't funny!"
*****
Sesshomaru awoke to hear Kagome calling for Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, this isn't funny! Come out right now!" As soon as the words escaped her lips, Kagome felt something grab hold of her legs and pull her under. As she came up sputtering Inuyasha was laughing. She playfully hit him.
"Inuyasha, that wasn't very nice," Kagome said after she had spit out all the water.
"But it was fun," he replied. He hadn't done anything like that in a long time. The last time he had done that, he freaked Sesshomaru out. *Sesshomaru ... Sessho no niichan.* He looked up at his brother. Gold eyes met gold eyes.
Inuyasha faintly heard, "I see you can still hold your breath as long as ever." Inuyasha nodded. He was uncomfortable. For a moment, it was almost like he was a little kid again. Where nothing could hurt him as long as mom or dad or Sessho no niichan was near.
But that man you are looking at is not Sessho no niichan. He died a long time ago! When he abandoned you. Besides have you forgotten what Sesshomaru has done to you? He's tried to kill you! He's tried to kill Kagome!
Inuyasha turned to look at the girl. Yeah, I have Kagome. And Sango, and Shippo and Miroku. They are my family now. Inuyasha smiled at the thought. He looked around for a moment. Something was out of place. Miroku was nowhere to be seen.
"Has anyone seen Miroku lately?" Inuyasha asked.
Kagome and Sango looked about. Both of them shrugged. Suddenly...
"Meow!"
"Pervert!"
::Smack, smack::
"Ow."
Miroku wandered into view with a very drunk smile on his face. Both cheeks had red handprints on them, and one looked to have claw marks. Behind came two very angry women.
"I had forgotten that your family had hands that liked to grab things," Nekoyasha remarked.
Miroku's smile got wider. "My apologies. It had been a while." He turned and faced Sango. The look on her face wiped the smile off of his. It was a look of sadness and betrayal. He crossed over to her.
When he got to her, she turned away from him. He turned her back around to face him. "I'm sorry, Sango. You know how I am. And I figured that you would not have appreciated having me grope you."
Sango gave him a small smile. "I don't appreciate you groping our hosts either." She examined the handprints. "Although that will probably last you for a while. Oh my. You're bleeding."
Eyes went to Nekoyasha. She shrugged. "He surprised us. I was being slightly overprotective. Although I didn't cut him too bad, I don't think."
Sango had returned with a washcloth and started wiping the blood away. "It's not that bad. In fact I have done worse to him." Nekoyasha raised her eyebrow. "I've hit him with my weapon," Sango answered the unspoken question.
Nekoyasha laughed. "Enough play time. I think it is time to start washing up so we can head back."
*****
A/N: Sorry for taking so long. School has a way of piling stuff up on you. Not to mention preparing for various Conferences. Speaking of which, I am going to Chicago next week, so I don't know when I'll update again. (Although I do write ahead, so if you beg me really, really hard I might put up one of those chapters when I get back.)
Have a wonderful and exciting Halloween!
