THIRTEEN

"It's not that Inuyasha, you will never be a disturbance to her." Ren took a deep breath, "It may not seem like it because she's sweet and all but sis is not very good with people touching her."

They all stared at Kurenai in confusion, "But we've been carrying her and she seems fine." the hanyou cited.

"She is, she had to learn to endure it because she knows she can't live her life avoiding any type of contact but she just can't relax and sleeping beside anybody is out of the question, it's been like that for fourteen years." they were shocked by the revelation, they've been traveling with Kurenai for almost a year now and they didn't know about this. They didn't pay any mind to the distance she requires when they camp in the Feudal era.

"What brought about this condition?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"A tragedy happened when we were kids, the trauma of it has been engraved in her mind and her body. It took her months to finally stop freaking out whenever somebody touches her, including me." They can see the pain in her red eyes at the last sentence as she patted Nimbus' head, "She can only be fully relaxed with the dogs."

Shippo approached her tears welling up in his eyes, "Are you okay mama? I'm sorry, I always cling to you."

"Oh sweetie," she rested a gentle yet firm hand on his cheek, "You don't have to apologize, I'm happy when you cling to me alright?"

Sesshoumaru realized the truth in Ren's revelation when he sensed Kurenai's tension spike and how it disappeared when she took her hand back from the kitsune's face, all the while keeping a straight face.

Kurenai looked at her friends, "There's no need for you guys to worry. Having this condition has its challenges but I refuse to let it consume me." she smiled at them, "I believe you guys can attest to that?"

They smiled at her, "Of course." Miroku said, virtually proud of his friend's resilience.

"Alright, let's get you upstairs." he took his sister's arm and draped it over his shoulder.

Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru felt it this time, her heartbeat picking up and her distressed aura from the skin to skin contact.

What the hell happened to her? for the very first time, the brothers had the same thought.

"I'll see you later guys. Get comfortable." she said as they headed for the stairs, their furry companions following behind.

"Brother, do we have enough toiletries?" she asked, trying to get her mind off the contact.

"I already checked. We have plenty of brand-new towels, underwear, and toiletries. They'll be enough 'till tomorrow."

"Let's have them take a bath so they'd feel relaxed." Kurenai peeked down from the staircase, "Sango! Rin! Come with us! Take a bath in my room." she called out.

Sango turned to Rin and offered her hand, "Let's go Rin?"

Rin looked at Sesshoumaru, "Go ahead." the young girl took the demon slayer's hand and climbed up the stairs.

"Wow. So beautiful." Rin gasped as she stepped into Kurenai's room.

"I think so too." the miko agreed as she lied down on her king size bed that's large enough to have all of her dogs lie down with her. Surrounded by a sea of warm fur, she has no need for the comforter.

Her room is a beautiful balance of calm, cozy and elegant. Cream coated walls breathed warmth into the room, her bed leaned on the light brown accent wall fenced by floor-to-ceiling, diamond cut mirror panels mounted with floating bedside tables made of polished dark wood frame and white lustrous drawer with bedside lamps hanging from the ceiling. The bed's headboard is upholstered in burgundy subtle sheen satin manipulated to look like an elegantly wrapped gift.

Embedded on the wall across the bed is a huge flat screen TV and a fireplace. It's also decked with a few floating shelves where a few frames, figurines, and books sat. On the left side of the bed is a reading nook by the window overlooking the backyard and the Los Angeles skyline draped with white, ethereal curtain. On the right of the bed is the floor-to-ceiling mirror doors that opens to her walk-in closet while the door adjacent to it led to her bathroom where they can hear water running.

"Your room is amazing Kurenai." Sango gushed, she's been here earlier but she's still in awe. Her toes played with the edges of the luscious caramel-colored rug that stretched from under the bed.

Kurenai smiled, "Thank you, Sango." Zodiac leapt onto her bed and nuzzled her, she rubbed his head while keeping her eyes on Sango and Rin, "Ren will teach you how to use the bathroom instead of me, I hope that's okay." her brother emerged from the bathroom as she said this.

"Yes of course. Thank you Kurenai for taking care of everything. Go ahead and rest." the slayer urged softly.

"Thank you Lady Kurenai." Rin smiled at her and Kurenai was caught off guard for a second before smiling at the young girl.

"I'd tell you not to call me lady but if that makes you comfortable sweetheart then it's fine. You're welcome." she let out another yawn, "Take your time you two and feel at home." she shifted to her side and snaked an arm around Zodiac, and just like that, she succumbed to fatigue while her brother ushered Sango and Rin to the bathroom.

Ren walked out of Kurenai's bathroom leaving Sango and Rin to bathe, he can't help but chuckle at the sight of his sister sound asleep surrounded by her furry babies but he's also grateful that she came home safe after a dangerous encounter at the Feudal era.

He treaded lightly out of the room to go back to the guys for the next order of business. He had Sesshoumaru use the bathroom in the guest room while he took Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippo to his bathroom and he is quite pleased at the look of awe on their faces when they stepped into his room.

Unlike his sister's warm and cozy room, Ren's is very masculine and cold and drips with luxury with its dominantly grey walls with a pop of marble accent wall where his bed's decadent black leather tufted headboard rested upon. Contemporary metallic bedside lamps sat atop a black polished bedside table while woven metal art piece in silver occupied the wall on the right side of his bed and crystals dripped from the chandelier on the ceiling.

The wall across his bed is also embedded with a flat screen TV and a fireplace; the floating rectangular shelf underneath the TV is decked with stacks of DVDs and a DVD player. Glossy black sliding doors on the right side of the bed opens up to the enormous bathroom with his walk-in closet accessible from there.

Once their guests are done with their bath, he encouraged them to get some sleep. Miroku and Inuyasha reluctantly agreed to occupy Ren's satin-covered bed however, Inuyasha asserted that in the evening, he will sleep on the futon that Ren mentioned to them earlier, refusing to let the master of the house to sleep on the floor.

On the other group's end, despite Sango and Shippo feeling nervous about sharing a room with Sesshoumaru and the daiyoukai feeling out of place in a foreign sleeping set up, with a little nudge from Ren, they chose their sleeping space. Sesshoumaru took the bottom bunk and Rin took the top bunk of one bed, while Shippo took the top and Sango the bottom of another bunk bed.

It wasn't long until the exhaustion of the events caught up with the residents of the Feudal era and they all fell asleep.

Ren stretched over the reclining chair in the living room, pushing it all the way back then laced his fingers behind his head. His eyes roamed around the house, the shift in the atmosphere is apparent; it's not just his and his sister's warmth flowing in it but their guests' as well, plus an air of excitement. It's been a while since things have been this lively.

"Not bad." he uttered to himself before leaping out of his seat and heading to the kitchen. He needs to plan for dinner.