Disclaimer: I don't own didly-squat.
Chapter twelve: I've Just Seen a Face
It was almost seven in the morning when Inu-Taisho came down from his bedroom. His movement was stiff and slow, which was caused by the restless, sleepless night he'd just experienced. His hair was in slight disarray and the dark blue, terry-cloth robe that hung from his shoulders was loosely tied at his waist. He was not a happy camper, and usually wasn't in the mornings. The fact he and Izayoi had fought the previous night didn't help either. Many things were weighing heavily on his heart that all seemed to revolve around Izayoi. He hated the fact she was so worked up over some child that she had no business getting invested in, he hated that she decided to sleep in a different room without him, and he especially loathed the ultimatum she forced upon him just before she had left. It was so cruel, as it put him between a rock and a hard place. In all the years Inu-Taisho had been with Izayoi, they'd never willingly spent a night away from each other. He loved sleeping next to her and feeling her movements in the night, and eventually waking up with her head on his shoulder. How could he be forced to choose between that and adopting a strange child into his home? That question was the one he spent the entire night fighting with and it showed in his baggy, fatigued eyes.
As Inu-Taisho shuffled down the flight of stairs, he was sure to be quiet so not to wake anyone else up. It was a Monday, but the academy his son's attended had canceled classes for the day, allowing for the two children to sleep in. Sesshoumaru would be up within an hour, and Inuyasha would wake up only when his stomach began to growl for sustenance. Izayoi usually woke up sometime between the two boy's, but this morning was different. Inu-Taisho wondered where his wife had slept during the night and as he came to the landing of the stairs, he looked into the room at his left and saw her slender form curled up in one of their leather couches. 'the living room…of course.' He thought dryly and made his way into the entertainment room. It was certainly not the furthest room from theirs in the entire house, but she could have just as easily chosen one of the spare bedrooms on the second floor or in the east wing. Why would she choose to sleep on a couch? It was silly…it was classic Izayoi.
When Inu-Taisho came into the room, the first thing he took note of was all the crumpled up tissues that littered the carpet and coffee table. By the empty box that remained on the table, Inu-Taisho concluded that she had finished it off sometime during the night. His cold heart cracked at the idea of his wife crying herself to sleep over something like this, and wished he could have stopped it before this had happened. The idea of her in distress made him feel sick, but that he had caused her pain was just gut-wrenching. While in his musing, Izayoi stirred in her sleep, moaning softly and sniffling her runny nose. She was curled into a tight ball with the thin blanket pulled up to her chin, desperate for its minimal supply of warmth. Her dark tresses spilled over her arm and back, over the edge of the couch, and covered much of her pretty, blotchy face. Inu-Taisho would have called her cute if the situation was different.
Once again, Izayoi shifted on the couch, trying to pull the blanket up more but caused her bare feet to be exposed to the cool morning air. She shivered unconsciously and curled her little toes in an attempt to warm them, but it was for naught. Inu-Taisho couldn't take it anymore. He hated seeing his wife in such discomfort. His pride be damned; he was going to make it up to his wife somehow. Sitting down at the end of the couch, Inu-Taisho took Izayoi's small, chilled feet in his large, masculine hands and warmed them with his palms. As he rubbed his fingers against her smooth skin, it didn't take long for Izayoi to respond. She groaned some in her sleep and tried to pull her foot away from his grasp, but she was too weak and lethargic to do so. Finally after having her feet fondled for minutes on end, Izayoi's brown eyes fluttered open. She was unsure of where she was at first, and after rubbing her tired eyes, she realized who was rubbing her cold feet.
"Touga?" She asked curiously, voice cracked and soft from sleep. Inu-Taisho gave his wife a warm, endearing smile and brought her little foot up to kiss the top of it sweetly then let her foot down to rest on the couch again. Time stood still as the two gazed at each other. Izayoi thought vaguely that it was all a dream, and yet it felt too real to be an illusion. She licked her dry lips and pushed herself up into a sitting position on the couch. The thin quilt slid off of her body and she regretted moving. The room was so cold and the thin flannel pajama top she wore was not thick enough to keep her warm. Inu-Taisho saw his wife's reaction and caringly pulled her into his chest, sharing his warmth and showing her his regret for the previous nights quarrel. Izayoi didn't relax against him though. She kept her face looking away from him and her spine straight in an uncomfortable way. She would not show him any compassion until she heard a formal apology.
"I didn't like sleeping without you, Izayoi." His voice was low and seductive, making Izayoi's stomach flip-flop inside of her. Inu-Taisho put his lips just under her ear, tickling the soft skin there with his hot breath. She could feel her fortitude slipping.
"You know how to fix it…" She said distantly, trying to keep her racing heart under wraps. If he caught onto the effect he was having on her, Izayoi's only defense would crumble. Inu-Taisho had expected this, and sighed into his wife's hair. It was obvious how serious she was about this. But he was still hesitant about the whole thing.
"Izayoi, if I agree to this whole thing, I need you to assure me on some things." Her spine stiffened in excitement and eyes lit up with glee at his partial acceptance.
"Anything Touga! Just name it!" She said happily and wrapped her arms around his neck in premature glee. Inu-Taisho smiled to himself, but it quickly slipped away. He knew these questions had to be addressed before they could go any further.
"This girl is not a replacement for Rin. We are just fostering her...not adopting her. Is that understood?" He was serious and unrelenting in the bluntness of his statement. It took Izayoi for surprise and she leaned back to look at him with bewildered eyes. Hadn't they already agreed upon this? Still, she would not fight him at a time like this.
"Of course not, Touga. Kagome will be a new daughter." She gushed happily, probably not even recognizing what she was saying. Inu-Taisho paused in what he was going to say and looked at her with a doubtful look.
"Izayoi, she is also not a fleeting project. You can't just fix her up and when the newness and the excitement wears off, neglect her. I will not be her caretaker. She will be both of our dependent on paper, but you will be her mother. I have too much to work on to worry about an added child. Okay? If you understand all of that, then I won't stand in your way." Although his condescending tone was noted, Izayoi agreed whole-heartedly. She leapt into Inu-Taisho's lap, both of her legs on either side of his hips, and began to shower his face with affectionate kisses. And between each peck, she was able to get a few words out.
"You –will not – regret - this!" She said excitedly, eyes brimming with ebullience. Inu-Taisho joined her in rejoicing, but for his own reasons. He was just happy to feel her warm affection shining on him again. It'd been uncomfortably cold when she was upset with him and to have her back in his arms like that, pressed against his body and sitting in his lap, he couldn't help but lay tender kisses on the inside of her shoulder. Their kisses became more intimate, touches more lecherous, and pretty soon it had become a compromising situation for them. And when that certain someone showed up and cleared his throat, Izayoi almost broke her neck from the speed in which she turned her head. There was Sesshoumaru, standing in the doorway of the living room, with a would be unreadable expression on his face if it weren't for the heat-seeking glare he was shooting at them. He didn't have to say anything; Izayoi's shame was enough of a response to make him walk away with a self-satisfied manner. Breakfast that morning was surly going to be embarrassing for them.
And it had been. First off, Izayoi had to get over her nerves to muster the courage to look Sesshoumaru in the face again, and to break the news to the two sons about Kagome's future. Their reactions had been unexpected and very worrisome for the two parents sitting at the table. When Izayoi delivered the dramatic news and what it would entail for their future lifestyle, she'd prepared herself for a tantrum from Inuyasha and voice raising on Sesshoumaru's part. Instead, the two of them sat in their chairs, staring wide eyed and disbelieving at the woman before them as if she had sprouted a second head. She sat there staring back, with an expectant look, waiting for some kind of fight. Sesshoumaru merely turned his gaze to look at his father, and Inu-Taisho nodded at him curtly; proving that what Sesshoumaru heard wasn't a fluke or joke. Inuyasha remained quiet as well, playing more of the victim role than his brother, but still surprising his parents with his level of containment. He looked around the table flabbergasted. Could his life get any worse? Probably not. When Sesshoumaru quietly rose to leave the table, Inuyasha eagerly followed suit. He didn't really want to play tag-along with his neglectful brother, but staying with his parents was out of the question.
Izayoi watched the two leave their half-eaten breakfasts' with shocked eyes. Inu-Taisho's own expression had an ounce of surprise as well, but he wasn't as dramatic as his wife. She looked back at him with curious, desperate eyes and he only shook his head at her; as if to say, 'You got off easy, don't push them'. So, relenting to the situation, she sighed and propped her head up with the palm of her hand against her cheek. She was glad their reactions weren't explosive, but she still wanted to be sure they'd be okay with the change. Then, Inu-Taisho had to open his big mouth.
"You know, their approval might not even matter. What if Kagome doesn't want us to foster her?" He asked nonchalantly and Izayoi's head fell to the table's surface in absolute misery.
The next day was Teusday; and while the men of the house were at work and school, Izayoi spent the day at the hospital. She had eagerly made an appointment to speak with Amelia and couldn't wait to tell the woman of her decision. During the ride to the hospital, Izayoi sat in the back of her car practicing how she would tell Kagome. The way it would all unfold kept replaying in her mind like a movie trailer. Kagome's face would light up with joy and they'd meet in a tight hug. Amelia would let her come home and she'd get Kagome all fixed up with new clothes and a much needed hair cut. It was an extremely optimistic view on the whole thing, and Izayoi knew in the back of her mind it probably wouldn't play out like that, but the excitement and joyous feelings she had made it difficult to think things through rationally.
Izayoi took a deep breath through her nostrils and slowly exhaled through parted, red colored lips. She needed to calm down. But when the hospital came into view through the dark tinted window, her heart skipped at least two beats.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were in the back seat of their father's Mercedes Benz, one of them texting away on his phone and the other slouched and put off because he couldn't use his phone. The driver, dressed in uniform with cap resting on his blonde head, glanced at the two boys through the rear-view mirror.
"We have arrived at your school." He said respectfully, coming to a slow stop behind the line of other cars, all pulled up into the car pool area. Children of different ages were filing out of their separate cars, all dressed in the proper attire; girls with pleated tan skirts, white button-up shirts, and a red bow tied at their necks, boys in dress pants of the same color, similar shirts, and a red neck tie. They all had on the school's uniform jacket as well, a dark blue thing with the school's insignia and red trim. This was St. Anthony's; a prep-school for the privileged children whose parents could afford such a staggering tuition. There were two buildings, one reserved for elementary and middle school, and the second for high school. The grounds were ancient, and so were the buildings themselves. They were red bricked and white roofed, very grand in their size and prestigious in reputation for bringing forth very successful students.
Sesshoumaru was the first out of the car, and then followed by Inuyasha. They both had identical shoulder bags, stuffed with the necessary school things for the day, and identical expressions of utter boredom. Inuyasha hated going to school for the reasons that it was just boring and useless, Sesshoumaru was just fed up because he was bored with the lessons of his grade and wanted to be moved up another level. They followed their fellow peers into the old, French-styled mahogany doors and upon entering were greeted by the school's chilly temperature. The inside of the building was so grand and luxurious, looking more like a building meant for college rather than elementary school. No expense had been spared when building and furnishing the place; even the lunch tables were fancy, long wooden things carved with utmost care. Their seats were comfortable and stylish, and the food was prepared by a chef and his team rather than aging women in hair nets.
The two brothers strolled past the foyer, where some congregated to chit-chat with friends, and went into the hallway. There were lockers lining the walls, all painted a glistening white color, and none with a single blemish or mark. The school did it's best to keep up a pristine and flawless exterior and anyone caught vandalizing was severely punished. More children littered the hall, leaning against lockers and going in and out of rooms. Classes didn't start for another ten minutes. Pretty soon the announcements would come on and the principal's voice would call for all the children to go to their respective classes. The younger kids would be rounded up by their teachers, as they weren't old enough to be trusted with the duty of finding their way around the school. Thankfully Inuyasha met the cut off age for that.
He was standing with Sesshoumaru as the older brother deposited his things in his locker, as only the middle school children were given one, and waited for his friends to show up. He readjusted the bag hanging off his shoulder, tugged at his choking neck tie, and finally a familiar face surfaced amongst the crowd. His eyes lit up and feet quickly carried him towards his friend, an excited smile on his face.
"Miroku!" The two eight-year-olds met with a specialized hand shake and then began to playfully hit and shove each other around the hall. Their laughter caught the attention of a teacher passing by and she harshly told them to stop and went on her way. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her as Miroku plainly ignored the order. He gave his friend a rough push and they were at it again. It wasn't until Sango's distinctive voice called for them down the hall, and like a trained dog, Miroku went running towards her. Inuyasha followed suit, but at a less enthused pace. He passed by Sesshoumaru as the older sibling was shutting his locker and the two never looked at each other. They preferred to stay out of each other's business while at school, and at home for that matter. When he came up to his friends, Miroku was standing next to Sango with a goofy smile and clutching something tightly in his hand. She was looking at him with a curious eye.
"What are you smiling like that for?" Inuyasha shoved Miroku's arm to get him to snap back to reality, and the dark haired boy just kept smiling at Sango with a silly grin. The young girl sighed heavily and shook her head in disappointment.
"I just gave him a charm for his cell phone. My mommy took me shopping yesterday and I thought he'd like it." She explained to Inuyasha, and he gave Miroku a look.
"It's only a dinky little charm," He said condescendingly. Miroku stuck his tongue out at him and began to attach the charm to his phone.
"Don't be jealous." He muttered while struggling with the metal band of the charm. Sango went to help him, and Inuyasha turned away from them. He wasn't jealous; he had a girlfriend. And she was a lot better than Sango. And she was also walking towards him with a devilish grin on her pale face. Inuyasha instantly perked up and met her half way, but when it came time to greet her, he was at a loss for what to do. He wasn't comfortable with kissing yet, in fact he still thought it was gross, but Kikyou always wanted to plant one his cheek.
"H-hi, Kikyou." He stood there before her, wringing his hands and chewing on his bottom lip nervously. She always had that kind of effect on him; the kind where your heart raced and stomach flipped with nerves and strange feelings. There was that effect because he never knew what kind of mood she had in the morning. But when Kikyou suddenly leaned forward and kissed his cheek with her glossed lips, Inuyasha discovered she was happy this day. As he wiped the back of his hand against his newly wet cheek, Kikyou swayed back and forth on the balls of her feet, giggling and flirting like any girl would with her boyfriend. Her dark eyes sparkled mischievously as they walked hand in hand towards their other two friends.
Izayoi rode the elevator up to the second floor of the hospital with anticipation. She was dressed in a pair of nice blue jeans and a fancy, crème colored blouse. She tapped her heeled foot impatiently and once the doors 'whooshed' open, she was out of there in a split second. The hustle and bustle of the pediatric ward was expected, and the faint sounds of children crying, coughing, and laughing were everywhere. But Izayoi's mind was focused only on seeing how Kagome was doing that day. She crossed the busy floor and came to Kagome's room. By now she felt comfortable entering without knocking first and slowly pushed the door open, so not to make too much noise in case the girl was still sleeping. Her expectant smile fell through when she didn't see Kagome lying in her bed anymore. Instead, there was a nurse replacing the sheets. Instantly Izayoi's mind assumed the worst. Her heart began to beat inside her head and throat closed up.
"Where is Kagome? Is she alright? Did something happen?" Her words were frantic and nerves on edge. The nurse was confused at the panic in her voice, and it took a moment to figure out why Izayoi was so upset. The portly woman laughed softly and stopped unfolding sheets to approach Izayoi.
"Don't worry, she's fine. Kagome's just with the other children watching a movie. We treat the children to a movie every once in a while to keep them entertained. If you'd like, I can take you to see her." She watched as Izayoi put a palm to her chest and exhale deeply, letting out a breathy laugh at the same time. She could see the relief in the younger woman's eyes and smiled understandingly. Izayoi thanked her and the nurse lead her down a hall connected to the main area of the pediatric ward, through a set of doors, and round a corner. All the while Izayoi kept a desperate eye out for Kagome's familiar face, but all she saw were doctors and technicians, sometimes a parent or two; but never a child. It wasn't until they came to a door labeled in bright colors 'play area' that she began to relax. Through the door she could hear the music of a children's movie playing, accompanied with laughter. The nurse pushed open the door and allowed Izayoi to go in first.
The change was dramatic. On the other side of the door were doctors, boring walls, and identical rooms. But this room was an explosion of color, sounds, and touches that provided a much needed escape from all that for the sick children. The floor was covered with a soft, spongy mat, sectioned like puzzle pieces, and toys and play sets were everywhere. Children of all ages played together, some with their parents and nurses assisting them. But Izayoi was reminded of their dire situations when she noticed how some were in wheelchairs, bandaged up, or accompanied by a long metallic pole with their I.V. bags hanging. Some of them had their mouths and noses covered with masks and there was one boy whose body was covered from head to toe in a body cast. It was uplifting to know they had this sort of sanctuary to turn to, but depressing at the same time because they weren't any closer to being discharged from the hospital.
Izayoi slowly walked through the children, smiling at those who noticed her, but always searching for Kagome. She looked over to the television that had a large congregation of children sitting around it, and saw a familiar bundle of messy hair amongst the crowd. Kagome was sitting in the back of the group, perched on a bright green, plastic chair, with a hospital gown on. Her hand was grasping the metallic pole standing beside her, and on the other hand which rested in her lap, was the I.V. a clear liquid dripped consistently through the thin tube, and yet Kagome was utterly unaware of it anymore. She was too wrapped up in the movie. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen a movie. Izayoi watched from a few yards away, smiling and happy to see Kagome out of that room and having fun. She wanted to cry, but didn't want her make-up to run. Suddenly, there was a presence beside her. Looking to her left, Izayoi was met with the profile of Amelia, the social worker. She was taken back for a moment, but quickly recovered.
"Hello, Ms. Turner." She greeted warmly. Amelia nodded her acknowledgement and continued to look over the children.
"Have you made a decision?" She asked bluntly, cutting right to the chase. Izayoi was almost expecting this. She looked back at Kagome and smiled to herself.
"Yes. My husband and I have decided to foster Kagome." It was like all the air had rushed from her body in that one sentence. It was uplifting and nerve-wracking at the same time. But when Amelia turned her head to give Izayoi the smallest of grins, Izayoi felt herself calm down. Finally, progress was being made and things would be changing for the better. Everything was falling into place.
"Very well. Please, come with me so we can discuss this further." Amelia turned around to leave, and with a forlorn look back at Kagome, Izayoi quickly followed.