Hi everyone!
This is one of the first chapters I've had such a hard time with. I can usually spit out a chapter in decent time and post. My brain let me know who was in charge this go round.
Anyway, enjoy, leave a review and all that happy stuff.
Title: No Such Thing as Fate
Genres: Adventure, Action, Drama
Pairings Represented: Sesshomaru/Kagome, Sango/Miroku, Inuyasha/undecided
Rating R/Mature
Disclaimer: I can't pass that threshold. It looks dangerous.
Chapter 39: Life Changes: Welcome Home
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Nishiharu was indeed a fussy little thing. He was a month old now. He wiggled in protest at anything he didn't like, then was strangely still and quiet when things went his way.
His cheeks and belly were now plump. The gray fuzz patch of hair on his head was now a bit longer and very much gleaming. For some reason, his hair also seemed unable to lay down, which tickled Kagome immensely.
Kagome loved it and played with his hair, making sure that it stuck up wildly when his father appeared.
Sesshomaru glared at her often when she did.
In contrast to Kagome's new delight, were the father and son battles.
Sesshomaru had regular staring matches with the little boy, both of them armed with blank expressions.
A grunt would settle the winner.
When Nishiharu was a bit older and able to grunt on cue, he would probably start winning that battle. But now, defeated, and angry, he would huff and fuss and kick.
That part tickled Sesshomaru. And he'd admitted it when he'd thought she hadn't seen him smiling while he faced another way.
Amusement twisted her lips.
She looked out the open door at the tended courtyard.
It would be time to switch locations soon. Most of the summer was spent at Sesshomaru's castle. The rest would be spent at her own, much smaller home, where it was easier to keep her and her servants warm and comfortable.
He wanted her to just stay in one place, his place, but they argued about it and would keep on butting heads.
She liked the current setup, darn it!
Beyond that, she was still trying to work out why, completely why, Rin couldn't stay with them permanently. A part of it was just 'safety'. Everybody wouldn't be killed at once in the case of an issue. She was sure it was very much paranoia, also.
She would ask about it. He would slip around talking about it.
But looking from his point of view, losing it all would be devastating. She would have the same dreadful nightmares were she in his place. Even not being dropped into his mind, it scared her. It wasn't all peace and relaxation. The rulers had their own beasts to fight.
She'd heard the saying 'don't put all of your eggs in the same basket'. She also knew that a sudden fall would take out most of your cooking plans.
That didn't mean they all had to stop breathing. Amid his plans and schemes, he'd decided to separate his two different responsibilities.
She couldn't have done it, admittedly.
Her gaze drifted over to her son who was sleeping peacefully.
Well, it was time to get back to work, but she didn't even know where to start. It would come to her at some point, in the meantime, she needed an exercise schedule.
There was a tingle and Kagome paused. A gust of lazy wind came through, but she only blinked dumbly, smacked, and nearly thrown. Another blink and she still found herself sitting out on the porch, Nishiharu beside her in a little pillow/seat she'd commissioned, wiggling as he began to scream, suddenly angrily.
Kagome quickly lifted the infant and brought him close.
She hadn't literally been slapped, and she hadn't literally had her hair and head yanked about by a side blow. Her ears were buzzing though, and her son was pissed.
She stroked Nishiharu's back anxiously, frowning when red youki aura started to bubble up from his back, his arms, the snot in his nose.
Anything that she could think of, she tried, and each was defeated. The clear red goo was starting to climb over her shoulders.
Unable to think of anything else, she hunched around him, pulled him tight, and kissed at his head. She had a mental battle with herself and the energy, too afraid to push it off with her powers.
But it settled. He whimpered in her arms, and she panted a moment, feeling drained.
There was a familiar scraping at the door. Kagome frowned when Shippou shoved the door open and ran wildly into her arms.
It was awkward but she was able to hold both boys close.
"Shippou, what happened?"
Shippou looked up with tears in his eyes. "Kuro started screaming" he called weakly. "I think something is hurting him." He buried his face in Kagome's clothes, "Kaa-san, please."
She started to nod but anxious servants rushed to the door.
"Milady." Came a nervous gasp.
"What is going on?" She demanded sharply.
Both women bowed, cowering.
"Kuro-sama started screaming for some reason."
"We can't calm him."
Kagome frowned and stood quickly. She passed the boys over to the servants. "Stay here and keep these two safe."
She didn't wait for their agreement. She took off running through the castle.
Kuro's room had a small audience at the door. They scattered nervously when she approached and shoved through.
Kuro sat on the floor in a very bright and child friendly room. He was screaming randomly, like he was being hit with pain on and off. His arms were tucked tight and he let out a long horrid scream at that second, scratching his face and lips and neck until they bled.
"Kuro" Kagome called in alarm, starting toward him.
Kuro let out another horrid scream. She was once again slapped with something magical.
"Kaa-san! okaa-san! okaa-san!" Kuro begged hysterically with a large breath, crying.
Kagome ran forward and snatched him up her arms.
Kuro inhaled long and hard, his body tightening up in the wrong direction. His mouth open unnaturally and his eyes rolling back.
"Kuro!" Kagome shrieked in tears.
Kuro moaned, still locked in that back arch of a position, his mouth open.
Kagome put him on the floor, but his body didn't bend to accommodate.
"Kuro-chan, mommy is here" she cooed gently. "It's okay."
Power burst out from his body again. It could have lifted and flung her, and that would make more sense than the smacks she kept getting.
A thought came to her from nowhere.
She snatched kuro's pants down, spat in her palm, and rubbed the written symbols off his thigh and backside.
Kuro breathed like he'd burst above water.
Now he was crying in a more natural matter, still holding his scratched and bloody face in bewilderment as the tears burned in passing.
Kagome scooped him up and kissed his head quickly. "What happened to my Kuro-chan?" she soothed, trying to sound playful.
Kuro moaned with drunken blinks.
"Hey baby, look at Kaa-san" she cooed. She brought his head close, and he bent naturally with the coaxing.
"Kaa-san?"
She rocked him soothingly.
"That's a good boy. Just relax. Breathe."
Kuro hummed drunkenly, still muttering for her.
He stayed where he was, his forehead to her shoulder.
"Healer! Now!" Kagome snarled under her breath. People scattered, and those left watched her rock and sooth Kuro.
"Kaa-san?" He called a long moment later.
"Yes, I'm here" she called softly.
He grunted a few times then lifted his head a bit, a hand coming to touch his scratched face.
"Kagome-sama?"
Kagome blinked hard and stopped. A moment, and she kissed at his forehead then pressed his head to lay on her shoulder.
"Kuro-chan, keep breathing slowly, deeply. I want to talk to you when you feel better."
Kuro groaned but twisted a hand in her top.
The healers came in, ready for war. They brought medicine, they brought assistants, they grabbed more supplies or ordered for things to be delivered.
Mutters about symptoms. Testing of vitals in a way common for the era. They mixed some tea, had him drink, then offered some medicine and a soothing incense pack that was taken around the room while smoking for purification.
He started to cry, sounding drunk now as he fought off sleep inducing medicine.
"Kuro-chan, are you awake?"
Kuro whimpered. "Kaa-san?"
"You know that Kaa-san is here for you. What's happening?"
Kuro groaned and muttered some drunken nonsense.
"Kagome-sama?"
Another blink and she smiled for a boy who couldn't see the gesture.
"Kagome-sama? Where am I?" He immediately started to sob. "Okaa-san?"
Kagome kissed his cheek with a forced playful hum.
"Kaa-san is right here."
Kuro moaned, "Kagome-sama?"
"Yup?" she chirped for him.
He moaned miserably and she rocked him gently, to sooth.
"What happened to me?" he croaked a long while later. There was the strange feel of something being off. Still, her son was in her arms crying, but speaking a lot better than he had been just an hour ago.
"How about we get you breathing in some normal way before we touch on that."
"Nooo, Okaa-san" Kuro complained.
She giggled and stroked his hair, even as her heart thumped hard in her chest.
"Okay, well, what do you last remember?"
He quieted as she rocked him and held him close.
Kuro inhaled sharply after a moment. "Okaa-san!"
"What Kuro?" she caught his cheek and wiped a few stray tears away. A healer pet the blood from his face with cloth.
"He stabbed me!" She blinked hard but he continued, "He stabbed me, and it hurt so bad!"
She hushed him then and rocked him a moment.
"Okaa-san," he moaned into her chest.
Kagome imagined it had to be scary jumping between two sets of memories like this.
"Yup!" she chirped in a sickeningly sweet tone, "I'm kaa-san and Kagome-sama at the same time."
Kuro nodded quickly to that.
"What else happened?"
"I died" he moaned, rubbing his tears into her clothes.
"I'm sorry, Kuro."
He inhaled sharply, "I don't want to go back. I want okaa-san."
"Who told you we were sending you anywhere?" she huffed.
Kuro quieted.
"You're my baby. If you didn't want to be, you shouldn't have let me find you."
Kuro sagged into her with a loud moan.
She waved the servants away and those left helped her settle Kuro down. Another small dose of some medicine. Kagome had nodded in approval when she'd seen the dry leaves appear.
Cooling cloths for his forehead. Pillows to help him sit up whenever that time came.
"Kagome-sama, what is happening?" one of the healers finally asked.
Kagome held Kuro's hand as he went in and out of sleep.
"Kuro is the reincarnation of a Kami-sama"
The healers and all else present just stopped and stared at her.
"Oh, is that all?"
"And that's how you know you've traumatized the people around you," she said with a hard blink.
"W-We're not traumatized" one of the healers laughed nervously.
The others looked at Kagome dryly. "It just, this isn't one of the more absurd things that has happened."
Kagome blushed and sighed. Kuro giggled drunkenly.
"Kagome-sama?"
"That's weird!" Kagome complained. "I'm okaa-san, to you."
Kuro nodded, his eyes fluttering tiredly.
"Where am I?" he asked slowly.
"Home, at our castle."
Kuro lay there a moment, silent. He was asleep. A long 10 minutes later he woke, apparently not knowing that he'd been out for a moment.
"The monks didn't find me?"
"Nope, I hid you." Kagome put a hand to her chest for a big breath, "But they probably are rushing this way, now. Your power kept tearing through my seals. It might have hurt you, so I wiped them off."
"Thank you" he whispered quietly.
She nodded, "so, what should we have to eat?"
"Eat?" he said with a frown.
"Yes, most living creatures need food."
"Don't tease me O-Okaa-san."
"No deal."
He was asleep again, this time for two hours.
Then he woke, again sounding like he didn't know he'd been asleep.
Kuro moaned in protest.
She stroked his hair back with a soft hum.
A glance out at the sunny courtyard and she nodded.
Nishimaru was overdue for a meal. Standing, she started to move toward the door with quiet instructions to the servants and healers.
Kuro yelped and tried to lunge after her, though
The two stopped and looked at each other. Then kuro rushed toward her, dragging himself in a way she hadn't thought she'd see again.
"Kuro, you're a big boy" Kagome chided gently, taking his arms and standing him up. He wobbled in alarm as she shook off her own discomfort.
Kagome brought his crutch over and put it where needed.
Kuro wobbled a moment.
"I can't stand" he told her.
"You're doing just fine right now."
"But I can't stand" he said firmly.
"Oh, then you should stop doing that now."
Kuro looked irritated for a moment. Kagome grinned at him.
"Kagome-sama" Kuro whimpered, crumbling back into an emotional mess.
Kagome kissed the top of his head then let him stand and whimper for a moment.
"I can't walk" he said again.
"It's not easy for you" she assured, "but you walk very well, all things considered. You needed a little help and some exercise."
"I'm not weak and sickly?"
Kagome blinked rapidly. "Who told you that? You weren't sickly or anything. You have literal godly-interference happening to you."
Kuro started to cry.
Kagome sat, pulled him into her arms, and let him get it all out.
"It hurt." He squeaked.
"I bet" she hummed softly.
"and they didn't care. They just wanted to kill me."
Kagome nodded and kissed the head against her chest.
"Okaa-san, I wanted to come to you!" he said firmly.
"You did well with that too."
He stopped and blinked the tears from his lashes.
"You found me, didn't you."
Kuro gave a wobbling smile and leaned back into her.
They sat quiet for a long while. Kagome thought him asleep until he lifted his head, wobbling.
A familiar gurgle rose, and Kagome smiled slowly.
"Hungry?"
"Yes" he muttered sheepishly.
Kagome nodded firmly and stood him up. He wobbled in alarm but followed her movements. She took his hand, "let's have a nice meal. Your brothers might want to know what happened to you."
"Brothers?"
"You forgot about Shippou? About Nishiharu?" she gasped in horror.
"N-No!" he wobbled after her awkwardly, holding her hand tight.
"Some stuff is missing, but I know shippou."
Kagome nodded slowly. "They'll want to know you're okay, at least."
"Y-Yeah."
"They'll definitely want to know how you went from one word phrases to a full vocabulary."
"They won't hate me?"
"If you hate them, they might. But beyond that, no, not at all."
"What about Sesshomaru-sama?"
Kagome took a breath, "I'll explain it. He won't hate you though."
"He spanked me." Kuro grumbled.
"He popped your bottom once, and only once, when you blew my knee out with your crutch." She heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes, "while I was still pregnant with Nishiharu too. He got each of you once and hasn't since then. You've both set your own warnings in your heads."
Kuro unclenched his butt cheeks in realization.
They moved slowly, people peeking nervously as they went. Kagome's smiles seemed to calm a lot of the anxiety.
"How did I get an Okaa-san?" he muttered, frowning.
"No clue" she shot back immediately, "but you're here with me."
"Sesshomaru-sama is Outo-san, right? How did I end up with a Outo-san too? It's never happened like this before."
Kagome blinked quickly.
"Kuro!"
Kagome found Shippou bouncing toward them.
Kuro went rigid by her side.
Shippou stopped immediately.
"You're not my little brother" Shippou said with a stern gaze. "Who are you?"
Kuro curled into himself a bit, tears coming to his eyes. "I am Kuro!"
"You're not my Kuro" the fox called back sternly.
Kuro stepped closer to Kagome, looking confused.
Kagome waved for Shippou to calm down a bit. "Let's go get Nishiharu, then we can sit and talk."
Shippou turned and rushed back down the hall.
Kagome exhaled slowly and rubbed a thumb across the top of Kuro's hand.
"Let's go explain things before this gets out of control."
"Okay" he muttered weakly.
The venue was her room, treats and drinks were brought but not touched.
"Kuro." Shippou said blankly.
Kuro shied away. Kagome raised a hand to stop them both.
"Shippou, I'll explain. He's a little disoriented right now."
Shippou pressed his lips together but looked to her for information.
"This is Kuro" she explained. Shippou opened his mouth and Kagome held up a hand. "I told you I went and trained with Monks at the temple of light?"
Shippou's mouth shut, and his brow wrinkled.
"At the temple of light, there was an earthbound Kami. When I was there, I gave him the name Kuro, he seemed to like it."
Kuro pouted up at her and Kagome grinned.
"He died a little while ago and reincarnated." She put a hand on Kuro's brown hair. "This is that reincarnated Kami and this is also our Kuro."
There was quiet for a moment.
"How did he end up with you again?" Shippou asked, sounding very much like an adult.
"I found him. His aura is bright and I knew what I was looking for if he had been killed." She stroked Kuro's hair back. "This is both of my Kuros"
Shippou breathed for a moment.
"Where did my little brother go?" he asked, sounding weak.
Kagome reached out and caught his cheek. "He's still here. His memory is messy right now, but this is our Kuro."
Shippou frowned at her then looked to Kuro.
"Okay, I'll test you then. If you cast some weird magic to make Kaa-san believe you or something, I won't forgive you."
Kagome frowned in amusement but didn't interject.
She sat quiet a moment as Shippou walked over. He huffed and crossed his arms.
"Where did I hide it?"
Both Kagome and Kuro frowned.
"Hide what?"
"That thingy I showed you."
Kuro blinked and exhaled slowly, obviously thinking hard.
"You know, the thingy." He stepped in close and hid his mouth behind a curved hand so he could whisper to Kuro.
Kuro sat up straight.
"Oh, the latrine."
Shippou's jaw dropped. "What's a latrine?"
"A toilet" Kagome muttered dryly. "Now, what did you two hide in the community toilet?"
Kuro smiled, seeming fine with all of this. Shippou looked like a fear struck dog.
"Oh, yeah, the holy sutra are in there."
Kagome blinked slowly.
"Sutra?"
"Yeah, if you don't have it, you won't leave for a long time again."
Kagome, again, blinked slowly.
Shippou looked at Kuro horrified. Kuro was slowly sinking as realization set in.
"I didn't do it!" he shrieked from the blue.
Shippou squawked, then turned to scramble away.
Kagome lunged forward, trying to catch his tail. The kit scrambled away with a squeal of fear. Kuro darted toward the wall, gasping.
"Boys!" she barked, rolling her eyes as Kuro fumbled his way to the door very late.
"I didn't do it, okaa-san!"
"But you knew about it."
Kuro wailed. She let both boys run though.
A sigh and she rubbed her forehead.
"You wrote out some sutra ahead of time?"
Kagome grunted and glanced up to Sesshomaru who stopped by her side.
"Yeah, I try to keep some in case. I have those though. My stack of blank sutra paper has been missing for a few weeks.
Sesshomaru hummed in amusement.
"Latrine?"
"I have no idea where he got that word" she whined. "He's been reborn a couple hundred times, so he picked it up somewhere."
"Ah" he looked to the untouched snacks for the group. "So, he has been reborn repeatedly?"
Kagome gave a quick rundown of Kuro's situation.
Sesshomaru looked down at her dryly.
She smiled nervously.
"You do know what I'm going to say, right?"
Kagome sighed, "basically that all of this is crazy and to fix it"
"Close. You can't fix a situation like this easily."
"Yeah" she sighed. She looked to Nishiharu who lay tightly wrapped and blissfully asleep.
"What will you do when they come for him."
"Tell them to fuck off."
Sesshomaru stared at her a little longer. He then let his gaze drift to their son.
Kagome's shoulders hunched.
"I'll figure it out," she grumbled quietly.
"You will give him back to the temple."
"He's my son!"
"And he is also a Kami, one of the more powerful existences to touch this plain."
"He's my son" she said again, snarling around each word slowly.
"One son can't cause the death of the other two. I'll take your head and throw the child at the monks. My son will not die because you are crazy."
Kagome paused, hurt swirling through her.
She bowed her head, near tears, "What should I do, then?"
"Give him to the monks."
"What else can I do?" she whispered.
Sesshomaru stood silent a moment, a pause and his presence seemed to melt away at her side.
She looked up and found the youkai lord missing.
"Sesshomaru?"
A short time later, she finally decided to move on with her day.
There was a lot going on. Both boys probably needed some guidance. She wasn't mentally able to provide at that moment, and was mildly okay letting them work out their own parts of this growth themselves.
Sesshomaru did not reappear.
Monks did.
A little procession of monks came through a few days later, a Kago prepared to carry an infant back to the temple in the middle of it all.
Kagome stared dryly as they filed into her courtyard and settled.
It was Satoshi who came to her. He paused on the grass while she stood on the porch.
"Kagome-sama"
"Satoshi-sensei."
"What happened?" he sighed, seeing that she did not look well.
She grunted and lowered her gaze.
"Lady Kagome"
A few of the younger monks, some she had met a while back, waved at her and smiled in greeting.
A slightly older monk came and ushered the boys away.
"Why did you bring such a big group here?"
Satoshi's brow wrinkled, noticing again that something was wrong.
"What happened Kagome-sama?"
Kagome blinked, thought a moment, and looked back to him. "My husband asked something of me."
He sighed, his gaze sympathetic.
"Where is the lord of this house?"
"War."
Satoshi sighed again.
"Kagome-sama, I am Yuu" She looked to the slim monk with stern eyes. "We have come here because the power of the Kami lit the sky. It led us here. Do you know anything."
Kagome stared silently, with blank eyes, at Yuu.
Satoshi quickly took Yuu's shoulder and spoke to him quietly. A moment and Yuu walked away, letting them talk.
"Kagome-sama, did you find Kami-sama? It is hard to believe that you have nothing to do with this."
"He revealed himself" she said slowly, carefully.
"Where is he," her sensei gasped excitedly.
Kagome felt her mood dip more.
Satoshi quieted a moment. Then he said, "You cannot hold him because you like him as a friend, Kagome-sama."
She sucked at her teeth softly. A glance to the open door behind her. A servant sat shivering anxiously. "Fetch the boys."
A pause and the servant rushed away. Kagome was shocked when the servant came back swiftly and two boys followed her quietly.
"What caught fire that made you two settle down?"
Shippou paused in surprise, then snickered a bit. He put a hand to Kuro's head and pet it. "We had to figure some stuff out." Shippou nodded firmly, "this is my little brother. I just had questions."
Kagome smiled a bit and sagged.
"Kagome" Satoshi called, sounding stern.
A samurai present stepped forward at the disrespect.
The monks backed away quickly and Kagome raised a hand to stop her samurai.
"Satoshi-sensei, please be aware" she sighed.
He gulped and nodded slowly. "It will not happen again, Kagome-sama."
She motioned to the two boys. "These are my sons, Shippou and Kuro."
Satoshi paused rigidly and eyed both boys. A quick moment of calculation marked the brown-haired child as the Kami that they had been searching long and hard for.
She motioned for them both to come forward. Shippou rushed to her side and peered critically out at the group from behind her leg.
Kuro hobbled to her side and caught her clothing. He tugged twice and she ruffled their hair fondly.
"Both of you say hi"
They both muttered greetings under their breath.
"Kuro."
He grunted, his blind eyes peering up at where he heard her voice.
"Satoshi-san and a few other monks came to get you."
Kuro paused, his face going pale.
Satoshi and many others swallowed hard.
"Okaa-san, you said I didn't have to go back."
"I can't hold you here Kuro" she gushed, tears coming to her eyes.
"But you said I can stay! You lied Kagome-sama"
Kagome inhaled, feeling anger at that moment.
Shippou came forward. "Why would Kaa-san lie to you?"
Kuro paused, sniffling and wiping at his nose slowly.
"She said I have to leave!"
"Kaa-san can't make you stay if you really have to go!" Shippou protested. "I won't sneak anymore snacks for you if you don't stop and think a second."
Kagome looked at Shippou, horribly impressed.
Kuro stood there sniffling and anxious for a moment. Shippou came and pet his head soothingly.
"Okaa-san, I don't wanna go" he admitted weakly.
Satoshi inhaled slowly. Yu stiffened up visibly, pose like that of an angry father.
"Master, you have always gone back to the temple in infancy. You are a little confused."
"I was confused!" he snapped. "But I got to have an okaa-san and a Otou-san" He twisted his fist in her kimono. "I don't wanna leave! I want to stay here with my family."
"Master, it is not safe, many times more if you wander outside of the temple like this."
"Kagome-sama is my Okaa-san and she protected me so far. She worked on my legs so that I could walk a little, she fed me milk and kept me warm. Her hug and kiss are the best in the world!" he barked angrily, tears flowing.
"Kami-sama, there is evil closing in. We can't protect you outside of the temple. And you can't interact with demons like this! It will leave scars and stains on your soul."
Kuro paused, looking confused a moment.
Kagome pressed her lips together thinly, glaring out at the very nervous monks.
"What?"
"Demons, they-"
"I don't sense evil" he announced quietly, seeming bewildered.
There was quiet a moment.
"Satoshi-san, what are you going on about?" he sighed, as confused and pissed as the rest of them.
"That boy, you call brother, is a youkai."
Kuro paused, blinked and turned in Shippou's direction.
"You're a youkai?"
Shippou tilted his head confused. "I thought you knew."
Kuro paused and poked his own chin. Finally, he gave a shrug.
The monks stared at him dumbly.
"He's my big brother. He's not evil. Shippou gets in a lot of trouble though."
Shippou blew his tongue at Kuro.
Kuro whined and stepped in, holding a hand up. Shippou let the other boy mug him, in exchange, he got to keep gracing Kuro with spit drops.
Kuro gasped suddenly, allowing abuse of the horrible kind. He turned away harshly, spitting shippou-drool from his own mouth.
Shippou laughed at him.
"Okaa-san!"
"Boys, stop" she sighed, pulling the boys apart to stand at each hip.
Shippou pouted.
Kuro panted a bit, smiling despite it all.
"Is outo-san a youkai?" Kuro gasped. "I didn't even know. That is very weird. I could always sense them before."
"Yes, he's a youkai."
"OOOH!" Kuro gasped, swirling his hips around in lieu of jumping excitedly.
"Am I youkai?" he called, gleeful.
"You are a naughty little human boy."
Kuro moaned in protest. Shippou snickered to himself.
"My head is hurting" she announced with a sigh. "Let me think over things. I understand everyone has to do their duty. At the same time, I am not okay with you all taking Kuro from this family."
Kuro exhaled slowly, relief on his face.
"Kagome-sama!"
"Enough!" she sighed. A unit of samurai slid in to be a wall between the two sides. "Rest, eat, and we will talk later."
Satoshi frowned deeply, but he took her earlier advice and didn't protest her righteous word.
Kuro scrambled after her and Shippou came up to shove the boy after her faster.
A servant bowed as they passed, then quickly shut the door when they entered.
The monks were left to ponder what they'd just seen.
Kagome moved quickly through the halls. The boys started to whimper as they struggled to keep up.
"Kagome-sama!"
She stopped and looked back nervously.
Kazi stood close by with her hands on her hips. She looked down at the two boys then looked at Kagome with a raised eyebrow.
"He's not going to set anything on fire if you get there in reasonable time."
Kagome sagged and looked to the wide-eyed boys.
"He just left. He usually doesn't return so fast."
"He wasn't angry when I greeted him earlier."
Kagome grunted and stood in the hallway twiddling her thumbs for a moment.
"Sesshomaru-sama" Kagome muttered. "Did he come here so soon because of the monks?"
Kazi shrugged dismissively.
Kagome's lip twisted with a begrudging smile. Part of her wanting to flip the demoness off, another part was finding it all a dreadful type of amusing.
"Oh" Kuro chirped.
He fluttered away, humming happily.
Kazi and Kagome looked after him strangely. Shippou followed Kuro quickly. Kagome decided to follow too and Kazi joined her.
She wasn't horribly surprised when Kuro led them to the room where Sesshomaru had settled himself. Kuro was already reaching for the door when Shippou gave a shriek of alarm and snatched his brother back.
"You'll get in trouble" Shippou hissed quietly.
Kuro paused rigidly and then seemed to be considering things.
"Outo-san!"
Kagome swallowed a laugh and a croak of horror.
Shippou hissed and covered Kuro's mouth.
She heard Sesshomaru sigh, and she could feel layers of anxiety roll off her back.
"Enter." Sesshomaru rumbled.
A pause and both boys yanked the door open eagerly. Shippou scrambled in first and Kuro followed with a wail of protest.
"Hush!" Sesshomaru complained.
Shippou bounced into the cradle of Sesshomaru's crossed legs. Kuro ran into Sesshomaru's side full force. He tipped back with a grunt and huffed at his own messy landing.
"Outo-san! I learned that you're a youkai."
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the boy then looked to Kagome.
She smiled nervously but Shippou cut in. "He didn't even know I was Youkai, Sesshomaru-sama. Kuro is weird."
Sesshomaru thought a moment, "You did not realize? How? You have impressive powers that should do even that much."
"I didn't know" Kuro huffed, poking his lips out in protest. "I just know I got a Okaa-san and an Outo-san. The other stuff never even crossed my mind."
Sesshomaru blinked at the boy then looked to Kagome.
She chuckled softly but got down and bowed in greeting. He nodded his own greeting.
"Greetings, my lord."
"Hm."
At that moment, a servant shuffled in with Nishiharu and his little seat cushion.
The little boy chirped happily upon seeing his father.
Sesshomaru lifted him close, and put his forehead to Nishiharu's with a thoughtful hum.
A moment, and he set the boy on his cushion and left him to make snot bubbles.
"So, you ignored my warning" he said, tone almost plesant.
"I didn't ignore you." She huffed, "I'm trying to work out how to do all of this."
Sesshomaru glanced to her dryly, then looked away.
The servant that had dropped off Nishiharu, returned quickly with tea.
Sesshomaru nodded dismissively then took up his cup.
"The pup is growing strong?"
"Very" she laughed uncertainly. "He was mad a little bit ago, and his youki spread and tried to cover my body."
Sesshomaru stopped, thought on it a moment, then nodded.
"That is not something you can curb just yet. He is too young."
"I figured as much. I was afraid I would hurt him" she admitted, suddenly sad.
"I would not think you able" he said with a dismissive wave, "you want to play in his hair more than make sure his youki doesn't burn your skin away."
She sucked her lips at his low blow. He hummed in amusement despite his blank expression.
A smile curled on her own lips. "Don't pick on me Sesshomaru."
"Then listen when I tell you to do something."
"That's not my game, and you know it."
"Oh, did the annoying little miko peek her head out?"
"No, not yet." She said with a quiet tone. "I just stuck my foot from my hole to see if you smell it."
Sesshomaru blinked hard and looked at her.
A slow smile curled on her lips.
"You are annoying" he grunted, still sounding amused despite it all.
"You'll be okay though."
He grunted and took a slow sip of his tea. Kagome started to do the same.
"We will be married in one weeks' time"
Kagome choked on her tea.
"So sudden?" she wheezed, fanning at her face like it would stop the burning down her throat. "Where did that come from?"
"I looked at the boys. Kuro is blind like your Jiji-creature."
Kagome made a sound, somewhere between a wheeze and a burned-out laugh.
Kuro was muttering something, reaching up for Sesshomaru's hand.
Sesshomaru redirected his own palm to Kuro's face and pushed him aside. Kuro squawked in protest as Shippou giggled.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Kuro protested and bit Sesshomaru's hand. Sesshomaru twisted away lazily and pushed Kuro away by his face again.
"Outo-san! I'm trying to smell your hand!"
Sesshomaru and Kagome paused.
"What?"
"If I smell your hand, I can learn to be like a youkai, right?"
"That's not how it works, Kuro."
"But I'm strong now. So I can smell you."
Sesshomaru looked bewildered. He shook his hand free of Kuro then looked to Kagome.
"Station six monks on site. The rest must leave. Their energy is irritating."
Kagome blinked hard, trying to figure out where that had come from too.
She inhaled, ready to speak, paused, and blinked in realization.
Apparently, he was the only one allowed to coddle her.
"Thank you" Kagome gasped, tears coming to her eyes.
He grunted dismissively.
"Don't grunt" Kagome laughed, reaching over to pinch his hand lightly. "I'm truly thankful."
He shook her off.
"If you are thankful, then be quiet and let me drink my tea in peace."
"Asshole."
Sesshomaru ignored her.
Kagome grinned down at the boys.
"What just happened, Kaa-san?"
"Sesshomaru-sama just gave us advice on how to keep Kuro here but also calm the monks for a little while."
Both boys gasped happily.
"Thank you Outo-san!" Kuro chirped happily.
"You-" Sesshomaru began, sitting his empty cup aside, "Get into too much trouble to be blind and unable to move as fast as others. You will behave or I will withdraw my agreement. You will have to go to the temple and stay" he warned.
Kuro's face turned white.
"I can't see Okaa-san anymore."
"You are making your own punishment, are you?" came a dry tone still slightly amused.
"N-No"
"Then behave."
Kuro nodded wildly. "I'll be good. I'll be good."
Sesshomaru grunted and looked up. Kagome was smiling at him.
"Thank you, my lord."
He grunted.
"SO, random marriage ceremony?"
"Enjoy yourself."
A pause and she sat up much taller, a grin curling on her lips.
"You sure about this?"
"This was the agreement. Prepare for it how you please."
She giggled. Sesshomaru frowned and quickly interjected, "things will need to be shown to me. This should not become some fantastical nightmare."
Kagome blinked then chuckled, "it's a deal."
He grunted and looked to Nishiharu. The boy was babbling a bit, trying to eat his fist while at it.
He nodded to himself finally.
Yes, this was all very much worth it.
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Holy crap! It took me so long to get this out. Review please. Let me know what you think. I'm posting this and taking an 8-hr nap.
Love ya all!