Disclaimer: Inuyasha is Copyright of Takahashi Rumiko

Nothing Without The Other

Chapter 28

"A hanyou for a mate, Lord Sesshoumaru. I think I'm more surprised that you took a mate at all."

Sesshoumaru watched Eastern Lord settle down across from him. "Iida, if you are going to be so informal in regards to my personal life, you could at least drop all the formalities."

"You always did have a dry humor," Iida said. "I think this Rin needs medical attention if she is interested in the likes of you."

"And what of Kazue? Giving you, of all people, a child. You could hardly raise yourself."

Iida laughed. "If I remember correctly Sesshoumaru, you weren't the perfect kid yourself."

"Hnn."

"You have not changed much," Iida noted.

Sesshoumaru eyed the tancho youkai with a bit of humor. "Nor have you."

"When was the last time we got together?"

"I believe it was some time before Chichi-ue's death."

Iida rubbed his bill with his long fingers. "Ahh yes. I remember you complaining that he reeked of ningen and refused to return until the cause of such a stench was dead. You kept your promise, but now you have a half ningen mate and brother."

"Do you despise me for my decisions as much as the others Iida?" Sesshoumaru asked, trusting his childhood friend to be honest.

"Of course not, I am merely surprised. With all your talk of how disgusting humans are and how you would run from girls as if they had the touch of death, I never would have expected you to take a mate at all, much less a hanyou. Truly, your complete turnaround astounds me!"

"I never ran from girls, Iida, you did," he reminded him.

Iida laughed again. "That's right, you always scared them away. It seems Lady Rin was not so frightened."

Sesshoumaru smiled lightly. "No, she was not."

Iida leaned forward and peered into Sesshoumaru's face. "You smile? You smile and you're not about to kill something? This woman was truly made for you. I must meet her personally. You did not give us much time to speak with her yesterday."

"You will be the first. Rin and the others should join us shortly."

"I think the rest of your guests will be insulted should they learn that we are meeting in here instead of the study in the guest quarters."

"When have I, Lord Sesshoumaru, ever been so concerned of what others feel?"

"I cannot recall a time," he said, sipping a cup of sake. "This is damn good sake, so good that those tanuki will probably drink you dry. You know those drunken bastards never liked your father, so they will never like you."

"Hai, I was thinking the same. Demo," he said, handing the scroll Lord Shunsuke had sent to him. "It seems I am good enough for his daughter."

Iida snorted as he read over the scroll. "Anyone is good enough for that promiscuous little thing. I hear she regularly visits any youkai who catches her interest."

Sesshoumaru set his cup down. "I remember now. Yoko came here sometime after I settled back in, spreading her scent through the air to get my attention. She was one of the few demonesses I actually went to see, but she did not tell me she was Lord Shunsuke's daughter. I thought she was just another demoness."

"You didn't-"

"Iie," Sesshoumaru interrupted him. "I suspected I was not the only youkai she had visited. There was no way I would touch her."

Iida set the scroll on the table and sat up straight, taking on a serious disposition. "I think it is rather strange that Lord Shunsuke wants you to have Yoko as your mate. These old men are not so open with us younger ones taking over."

"How did they react to learning that you were taking your father's place?"

"With reluctance, but my father was and is still alive so they could not offer any valid objections. I have been strengthening ties with Lord Tsutomu and he is slowly, and I mean slowly, accepting me as the new ruler of the Eastern Lands."

"And what of Lord Shunsuke?"

Iida brushed him off with a wave of his hand, sipping the last of his sake. "He's next."

"I do not trust him."

"Your father never did. He has always had too much interest in the Western Lands," he said, pouring himself another cup of sake. "I hope you are prepared to handle him."

"I am," he said and looked up at the knock on the door. "Come in Rin."

Iida quickly got to his feet and waltzed to the door, sliding it open himself. He let everyone enter and sit before directing his attention solely on Rin. His beady white eyes looked up and down her small frame. Lowering himself next to her, he took her hands in his and studied her palms. Rin merely stared in confusion, taken by surprise as she had been at yesterdays dinner by his wild, red hair.

"Iida," Sesshoumaru said, sensing his mate growing discomfort. "Yamero."

"Just making sure she's not insane or something," he said, and finally satisfied, sat where he had been before.

"You could hardly learn that from looking at her hands."

Iida shot him a cocky grin. "Sesshoumaru, don't you ever grow tired of doubting my abilities?"

He ignored him and turned his attention to everyone else. "This is Iida, Lord of the Eastern Lands."

"It is nice to meet you, Lord Iida," Kagome said politely.

"Please, call me Iida. I'm not as stuck up as some people."

"Keh, I know exactly what you mean," Inuyasha agreed.

Sesshoumaru chose to let the comments slide.

"Lady Rin, if Sesshoumaru ever gets out of hand, do not hesitate to send for me. I have known him since he was a pup and there are a few tricks to taming him that not many people are aware of."

"I thank you, but I think I can handle him," she responded cooly.

Iida laughed. "I believe you."

"You're pretty young to be taking over as Lord of the Eastern Lands," Inuyasha pointed out. "Did they give you as much trouble as Sesshoumaru thinks they will give him?"

"As I told Sesshoumaru, if anyone will give you the most trouble, it will be Lord Shunsuke."

"Keh, he shouldn't be a problem at all."

Iida looked at Sesshoumaru. "If he tries something, I will be more than happy to assist you."

"That reminds me," Sesshoumaru located another scroll. "Here is our new contract, with the changes you requested approved. It awaits your signature."

Iida took the scroll and signed it without so much as glancing over it. "I'm getting some strong vibes over here. You would not happen to be a miko by chance?" He asked Kagome.

She smiled a little. "Hai, I am."

"You've got some variety here, Sesshoumaru," Iida told him. "You may not need my help after all."

"Iie, it will not be necessary. I intend to handle this on my own."

"We," Rin corrected him. "Intend to handle this on our own."

Iida shuddered. "I think we need to rewrite this contract Sesshoumaru, and agree that our mates shall never meet. I can tell they are very much alike. It's scary."

Rin laughed. "Why didn't you bring her?"

"Too early to take Koichi traveling, and probably too early for Kazue," he said, missing his mate. "She had a rough time with the birth."

"The pup was probably afraid to have the likes of you as a father," Sesshoumaru told him.

"Keh, as if you would do any better," Inuyasha mumbled.

Iida snorted in agreement, not at all offended. "Not half as afraid as your pups are going to be, my friend."

"Note to self, Rin-chan," Kagome said. "Never leave these three alone in a room together."

Rin smiled. "They might try to kill each other."

"Keh."

Iida drank a final cup of sake before rising to his feet. "I'll keep an eye on those tanuki for you and let you know if I see or hear anything suspicious."

Sesshoumaru rose as well and followed Iida to the door. "I have already had my private meetings with Lord Shunsuke and Lord Tsutomu. There will be another between the four of us before dinner."

"Understood, Lord Sesshoumaru," Iida teased and bowed deeply to him.

Sesshoumaru tucked his hands into his sleeves. "What do you say to a spar tomorrow morning, Iida? Or has fatherhood made you too soft?"

He laughed. "I accept your challenge and warn you that it has only made me all the more violent."

With that, he winked at both Kagome and Rin and disappeared.

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--/-- Yamero:Stop it/Enough --/-- Tancho:Japanese crane --/-- Iie:No --/-- Hai:Yes --/-- Demo:But --/-- Nani:What --/--

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