See notes in First Chapter.
+ Well, here it is, the last chapter I had already written when I started. It may will be a long while before this story moves forward. This last 10 months have been stressful, employment has been terribly uncertain. I thought I had solved the problem on three separate occasions only to find what should have been a long term position ended up being temporary on three separate occasions until we reach now where I have been Unemployed for just over two full months. So while I have a LOT of time on my hands, I'm too stressed out to write.
XIII.
Sesshoumaru stifled the groan that threatened to escape his throat as he became aware of the pain throbbing behind his closed eyes. Experience with chemical induced unconsciousness had taught him that light and sound would only exacerbate his current headache. Instead he lifted one achy arm to rub his fingers at the flesh beside his eyes. Opting to curl away from the glow of some unknown light source, Sesshoumaru struggled to assess his current state.
The fact that he'd been able to move under his free will was a bit novel. Most often, he woke up restrained when he felt like this. Sesshoumaru didn't quite know what to make of it.
His discomfort wasn't even that bad, as far as chemical hangovers went. Sesshoumaru had certainly woken up with worse pain on more than one occasion. Though, this was the first time he was fairly certain he'd done this to himself. Normally, this sort of thing was induced by some external force covertly attempting to entrap him for one reason or another.
It was a common misconception that youkai weren't effected by hangovers because of their inherent healing factor. Sesshoumaru could solidly attest, this was complete balderdash. Any chemical that unbalanced the natural levels of sodium and overwhelmed a body's natural filtration system would always negatively effect that body. The cure was universal: time, rejuvenating sleep, sips of water and food to help stabilize digestive agents. Dehydration didn't cure itself without consuming fluids to replace what was missing. Repairs couldn't be made without resources. It was a simple equation with a simple, universal solution. It just took more time and greater quantities of various intoxicants to have the same effect on youkai. And usually less time to recover provided measures were taken to overcome the fall out.
It wasn't unlike comparing the water retention abilities of conifers and cacti or dolphins vs camels. Some creatures were better at maintaining internal balances in the face of chemical intoxicants than others, but none were completely immune to the effects.
Sesshoumaru tried to sift past the pain to find what else his senses could communicate to him. His mouth was dry and tasted fuzzy. His skin chaffed against various materials indicating he was both clothed and draped with some bedclothes of some kind. His ears picked up no sounds beyond his own that weren't muffled by walls, so he was presently alone. The glow of light he refused to crack his eyes open to study was all coming from one direction, so he assumed there was a window.
He resolved to crack open his eyes the slightest amount. Even with his back to the light, the brightness hurt his eyes. His nose twitched with the unpleasant sour smell that proved he'd been sick at some point but someone who smelled slightly familiar and strangely trusted had kindly cleaned it up. Sesshoumaru's eyes finally adjusted enough to pick up details of the wall in front of him.
There was a door with the back of a card lock and unstrung dead bolt on it, indicating he was in some kind of hotel. Just as he registered the door's location, someone began to pound on the outside of it. The knock was sharp and far quieter than his headache would lead him to believe; whoever was knocking knew Sesshoumaru would be sensitive to sound and was trying to be considerate about it.
"Are you awake in there?" called out a muffled voice. "I only booked you for four hours and you've got thirty minutes left." Sesshoumaru blinked hoping his brain could supply him with more information. "I didn't think you'd need that long to recover," the female voice continued, "Not with as much as you ejected before I left."
Here was one mystery solved. He knew who had kindly cleaned up after his illness and then given him privacy without violating his person. It could only be Higurashi Kagome.
"I've got bottled water and some bread," she continued, communicating that the cure for his headache was just behind that door. "Don't worry, whatever you and I don't consume will find its way to Yuka and Jun." Once again Higurashi was trying to accommodate his issues with trust. He remembered enough of the night before to know she wouldn't risk the health of her friends.
Sesshoumaru began to piece together more of the events that lead him here as he finally wrested his body out of the bed. The sheets and blankets entrapped him momentarily, nearly knocking him to the floor. The abrupt effort to move stirred up nausea in his stomach and only made his head throb more acutely.
Sesshoumaru found it difficult to force himself vertical. The beat in his head seemed to increase tempo the farther it was from the ground. Still, the inu refused to allow his hangover to prevent him from moving on with his day. Hunched over and squinting, he finally made it to the softly vibrating door as Higurashi knocked on it once again.
It occurred to Sesshoumaru that if Higurashi Kagome was outside his locked door, then Sesshoumaru wasn't protecting her. Instinct had kept him from leaving her alone at the club and required him to stay close even after she was in the care of her friends. Now, because of his own fallibility, she had been left unprotected for several hours. The realization didn't help his headache any and only increased his sudden desire to sigh. He held the uncharacteristic gesture in as Sesshoumaru wasn't sure what effect such a movement would have on his current state.
The nondescript white door opened the narrowest amount required to latch onto Kagome's arm and draw her inside the room against the wall. He closed the door again in the same movement before carefully giving the woman a once over to see if his lapse had allowed an injury to occur. Taking her appearance in helped him realize that he wasn't wearing the suit jacket he'd worn and carried around most of the night because it was on her.
"It's only been about three and a half hours," Kagome huffed at him as he made her turn around for good measure. The movement caused her to drop the heavy convenience store bags laden with the products she'd brought. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Certainly better than an inebriated male that made himself sick Sesshoumaru silently admitted to himself. "I've been doing so for many years and so far only Inuyasha has left any permanently debilitating injuries and he certainly can't be found in Sapporo."
Which was true enough. All of the other injuries Kagome had sustained in the line of her duties were certainly minor and temporary. The shimarisu had left thin lines inside her arms that healed quickly without a scar. The brat of a mayor's daughter had left a more lasting wound and that had also healed. The burns she received tending the shrine lanterns were insignificant and hardly much of an irritant. Given that Higurashi had grown up in Tokyo it was arguable that she was better able to care for herself in an urban setting than the small town she served.
As she'd indicated, Inuyasha was the only real threat to her physical and psychological health at this point in her life. But instinct wasn't rational, so he would still insist on protection until she returned to her usual environment.
At least, Sesshoumaru hoped he'd be able to leave her to protect herself upon return to Nishi no Mura. Instinct could be tricky. Necessity might drive him to kidnap the Jinja no Sewanin to see to his duties and he had no doubt Higurashi would protest quite loudly. She had her duties too.
His inspection completed to his satisfaction, Sesshoumaru hunched back to settle semi-upright on the bed. If he curled any more into himself, the big inu would likely fall into a fetal position on the floor. It was only stubborn refusal to succumb to his own weakness that kept him from it.
Kagome slid to the floor near the door to rearrange the stuff she'd brought in with her. There were a collection of plastic bottles being stood upright in a group that had no straight lines. "Most of these are water, but I've got two bottles of fruit milk for Yuka and I," she told him as she set two smaller bottles aside. "We'll each drink more than that, but it's our thing," she added, and he understood. As much as she was willing to accommodate his trust difficulties, she wasn't going to give up something special between her and her friend.
Sesshoumaru was a new addition to her life where Yuka had been there for years. There was no replacement for genuine history; youkai certainly understood long term connection. There was honor in respecting the older bond and Sesshoumaru was actually reassured by this behavior. The more he observed her the better he thought of Higurashi.
Her bottles all standing upright, she moved onto the bag of breads and rolls. "Pick a water, any water," she teased while her attention was set on sorting the individually wrapped buns. Her pointed withdrawal from the bottles was clearly designed to avoid pressuring him to pick a specific offering. Kagome needn't have bothered as Sesshoumaru found he had no qualms with any of her offerings.
Higurashi had no designs on making a name for herself or climbing a social ladder. She didn't flirt with him and had proven unwilling to exploit every opportunity presented to take advantage of him. It was quite...unusual for him to meet someone like her.
Still, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure if he wanted her to know of his trust yet. Knowledge of such a thing could change the dynamic of their interactions and he somewhat selfishly wanted to enjoy things the way they currently stood. The things she already knew he trusted her with were necessities. Sesshoumaru obviously couldn't personally care for every neglected or abandoned young youkai in his territories and generally didn't try. He had homes for the young of species that benefited from close social interactions and necessary proximity to human settlements. The shy segments of his society, the ones that hid in his forests were typically left on their own unless they threatened the fragile peace by appearing or being left in particularly sensitive areas. Like the shimarisu Kagome had taken in for him.
"I've got a couple chocolate croissants," the woman continued to ramble on. Her voice, despite his headache, actually soothed him. Usually unnecessary babbling was an irritant, but the stream of her words was proof that she remained healthy, intact, and comfortable with him. "So you're going to want to avoid them. Yuka and I always eat one apiece, but never more than that. There's also curry bread in here as Jun always insists on eating some after drinking. He says the spice cleans out his sinuses."
Sesshoumaru blinked at the thought. Jun, like the daijin, was sensitive to spice and thus would be more likely to avoid it. Then again, some daredevil types would eat spice as a way of proving their ability to withstand intolerable experiences. The spices certainly would clean out the fool's sinuses; they would burn clear. As he preferred to avoid abusing himself in that way, Sesshoumaru appreciated the warning.
"Yeah, Yuka and I think he's crazy," Kagome added when she glanced back to check on him and caught his reaction. Her plastic sealed bread offerings were all neatly arranged for him to make a selection. Each piece clearly labeled by their bakers to show their flavors. She settled back on her heels apparently done arranging her bag of bread.
Sesshoumaru reached out to select one of the six identical half liter bottles of water.
"I have to admit, his sinuses do run badly when he eats it, so the spice can be said to clean his sinuses out," she shrugged watching him twist the cap off his claimed bottle. Squinting back at her, he handed her the bottle to take a sip. She handed the bottle back without commenting.
Sesshoumaru's habits and caution were a direct result of experience. Kagome may not know what the bulk of those experiences were, but she didn't question him about it. It was one of the things about Higurashi that the Northern daijin appreciated. She didn't need to know the details to accept and accommodate his needs.
"If you wanted privacy to tell me whatever it was you tracked me down for," Kagome began earnestly. "Now would be the time."
Amber eyes blinked at her and considered the situation. Discretion would be preferred on this topic. Anonymity tempted him to forego this moment of pounding temples for a later one that would not be as private but would allow a clearer head. Most people wouldn't care about a discussion on the street or in a park that didn't involve someone they knew or recognized. But he wouldn't trust it. Seiichi might cover up his identity in the pulsing strobes of a dance club or the dim lighting of a Karaoke booth, but the light of day would highlight Sesshoumaru's very distinctive features.
Sesshoumaru took a large sip of water before considering how best to introduce the topic. Like Miroku, Sesshoumaru didn't believe the hanyou would take serious interest in a female that birthed offspring from a different male. Inu were strange that way.
"This Sesshoumaru may shortly inherit the care of a relative's offspring," he declared bluntly and paused to let it sink in. Kagome was intelligent and would likely quickly deduce that there were only two probable sources for the pup. All of his Mother's relatives had been alienated when Sesshoumaru's mother was removed from his father's house as soon as Sesshoumaru was fully weaned. His father's family had been pared down to the three core members and few far flung distant blood relations by the effort to determine the head of the family and establish a single united youkai government.
"I hadn't heard that Inuyasha and Kikyou had bred yet," Kagome observed after a tight swallow. "Nor had I heard that either were being incarcerated, terminally ill, or otherwise incapacitated."
Sesshoumaru gave a tiny smirk as Higurashi once again proved him right. "Kikyou has never given birth," he confirmed for her and silently congratulated her logic. If his father had bred again, regardless of the scandal, Masashi would take responsibility for any pup he sired. The public acceptance of Inuyasha proved that. "Their relationship, while intimate, lacks solid commitment," meaning Inuyasha refused to give up his other sexual activities.
"I didn't think she had," Kagome shrugged. "Even if she tried to hide it, there would have been speculation over pictures or a prolonged absence." Sesshoumaru nodded to encourage her to continue, "And Masashi would have claimed it if Inuyasha failed to accept responsibility."
"Indeed," he agreed. "My agent is investigating the possibility of more victims of Inuyasha's violence. Our first inquiries uncovered the chance of a pup left unclaimed."
"Unclaimed?" Kagome gaped in confusion.
"The mother did not recover from her assault so well as you did," Sesshoumaru informed her. "She could no longer care for the pup. Her family did not visit or mind the costs of her care. My agent found that her hospital bills were paid for by a private party with no blood ties. Inuyasha obviously failed to claim or acknowledge the pup." As once again, regardless of scandal, Masashi would have claimed care of the pup if he'd known it existed.
"It is entirely possible the mother was disowned by her family when she gave birth to a partial youkai child," Kagome murmured. "That is if she wasn't disowned just for dating Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru silently agreed to her assessment, there were still "purist" factions throwing their opinions violently about. Families were sundered by opinions on inter-species mixing everyday.
"Given that the mother's family had no care for her, it is questionable as to the dispensation of custody for the pup. If the pup is in the loving bosom of some other family this Sesshoumaru is more than willing to leave alone and periodically check up," which was a difficult concession. Inu liked to keep family close. But they also did what was best for the pup. "If not..."
"You can't intend to take a traumatized child into the public eye," Kagome protested. "If the poor kid has been lost in the system, a complete lack of privacy and constant criticism by the paparazzi will be crippling," because there was very little reason to believe an inu pup without pack protections or bonds wouldn't be traumatized to some extent.
"This Sesshoumaru intends to settle the pup into a very private, healing environment as far away from the public eye as can be managed in conjunction with this one," he cut her off. Once again satisfied by her near instant grasp of the situation. The pounding of his head intensified briefly before slowly dissipating as he forced himself to relax, "While this Sesshoumaru has several homes for orphans and foundlings, it is unlikely such an environment would be healthy for a potentially traumatized pup to grow happy and healthy." Especially for any child with inu heritage.
Kagome's gaze was steady and intense. She always took the care of others seriously. She would have made a great doctor, trauma surgeon or not. He studied her reaction subtly before continuing with his plans. "My agent is attempting to locate the pup around the legal privacy regulations. We do not have names at present, but we will soon," he outlined the steps the future would hold. "After we track down the pup, it will be removed in the quickest least traumatizing method possible before being placed in your care."
Higurashi's eyes widened comically before she seemed to explode. "You can't possibly think setting up a partial youkai child in Nishi no Mura is a good idea! Even if the poor thing is incredibly lucky and doesn't appear to be anything more than human, having close ties to me will set us both up for criticism and ridicule by the townspeople!" she picked up a random piece of her arranged bread and threw it at his head. He caught the puffy package and narrowed his eyes at her laughable threat. "And there will be no hiding from them. There's only one school in the area and I haven't time or even the ability to do both my duties and teach a child that young!"
"This Sesshoumaru realizes the solution isn't ideal, but every child that requires socialization will be at risk of harsh judgments at the hands of their peers and community at some point," lack of understanding could make words harsh. There was no escaping the world on some scale. Even in the wilds, other youkai were harsh with those they didn't know. "Better to experience the overt and limited range of that small community than the whole world."
Kagome stopped short and leaned away from him in consideration.
"This Sesshoumaru cannot take the pup into his care in Tokyo without a media frenzy that will analyze and inspect every part of the pup. Speculation will be rampant and cruel as to the origins of the pup. The emotional and mental damage of that is far greater than anything Nishi no Mura can deal out. And this Sesshoumaru's name will offer more protection of a ward than of blood-kin." He certainly had enough wards of his state to make it a semi-normal state of affairs. Sesshoumaru even checked up on them on a semi-regular basis personally and through agents.
"I don't know if I can separate the bad behavior of the parent from his issue." Kagome trailed off and he understood her reservations. If the pup looked too much like its sire, Higurashi would experience fresh trauma and face the possibility of transference to the pup from Inuyasha.
"That you are already concerned about your own reactions indicates that you won't punish the pup for the actions of the parent," he declared to soothe her. Sesshoumaru was absolutely certain Kagome wouldn't punish anyone that didn't personally harm her. She saw too clearly, her shrine training was too ingrained. It helped that her trauma was so old and Kagome had time to deal with it, separating Inuyasha's deplorable behavior from his species, gender, and even relatives. She hadn't held Sesshoumaru responsible for his half-brother's lack of restraint.
"I still think placing a mixed-blood child in Nishi no Mura is a mistake," Kagome rallied. "You talk of speculation in the media, that town will invent a horrible source without more clues than appearance and proximity to me. And there's the risk that the child will inherit your family's heightened senses putting the secret identities of every youkai in town at risk. I know youkai children are intelligent, but they don't start out that way. Navigating the complexities of subterfuge is difficult for even full grown adults."
Sesshoumaru carefully shook his head, testing the resilience of his headache. "Then we will assess the pup's comprehension of such topics when the issue arises. You will be supported in your care of the pup. If we require private education, this Sesshoumaru will find a way to supply it." He was adamant that placing his young kin in Higurashi's care was the best plan. "How are our two young wards taking to their new teacher?"
Kagome huffed at the change in subject. "Oki adores Shippou, she's lit up with all the things he's teaching her. She sucks it up like a sponge, but then, she's always been eager to show herself capable of helping. I think learning from Shippou has helped to build up her confidence," her tone was affectionate.
"And the male?" Sesshoumaru prompted.
"Naoki refuses to learn anything," she answered flatly. "He sees the introduction of a tutor and lessons in wilderness survival as a lead in to being left alone again."
"He doesn't want to leave you," Sesshoumaru observed as he sipped more water.
"He'll have to get over it," Kagome sighed. An electronic beeping suddenly sounded from her person and Higurashi began sweeping all the packaged bread back into the bag. "That's our five minute warning. If we don't check out on time, you'll have to pay for two more hours in the room. One as penalty for not checking out as scheduled and the second for the hour over."
Sesshoumaru nodded carefully and stood swallowing down nearly a third of the bottle of water in his hand in attempt to finish it off.
"You might want to do something with your hair," Kagome hinted, motioning at the mirror stationed over the bureau standing against the wall. She moved on to repacking the beverages.
Sesshoumaru's hair was rough from the night's adventures followed by sleep. Silver strands stuck out at odd angles from the plait he'd woven at the club. He was almost astonished Higurashi hadn't reacted more to his appearance upon being pulled through the door. He never allowed anyone to see him so undone.
That she hadn't commented until just before exposure to the public was strange to him. His family and tutors would have caustically dressed him down for appearing so before them even in his own private rooms. Even his previous would-be captors would criticize any strand out of place while he was drugged and tied up.
"It's a bit windy outside so keeping it braided might be the best way to go," Kagome added as he strove to quickly tame his mane. "Besides which, Seiichi would be easier to maintain the less you look like yourself."
"A change in hairstyle isn't likely to hide me long in the light of day," he disagreed. Besides, pulling his hair back made him look more like his father. Somehow he believed such likeness would make him less anonymous. But he did agree that wind was something to consider when deciding how to dress for the day. His clothing was wrinkled and slightly stained with sake, but there was no other option unless he was willing to run home for a clothing change. The chances of reaching his apartment without being seen in such a state was slim and he didn't want to leave Higurashi on her own again.
"Two minutes," Kagome warned as she opened the door and headed into the hallway. Sesshoumaru finished what little grooming he could accomplish before following after her. He wasn't altogether certain who had covered the first four hours' stay in this establishment, but he was pretty certain he didn't have the cash on hand to cover another two more.