Disclaimer: No, sadly I own neither Inuyasha or Sesshomaru, but if Rumiko ever gets tired of them...
Chapter Nine
Last time:
The familiar blue light flooded over them both and slowed their rapid decent to a gentle floating. It was a good thing too, because as soon as the light cleared to reveal the bottom of the well Inuyasha released her.
"Hey!" she exclaimed as she scrambled to keep on her feet. She turned to gripe at Inuyasha, but all words stuck in her mouth and blocked the ones after.
Her hanyou stood with two thick handfuls of jet black hair lifted in front of his face. His doggy ears were gone, replaced by rounded, human ears and his now dark eyes were wide with shock. His expression was one that reminded Kagome of the moment she had announced they were out of ramen, and Kagome was hard-pressed not to laugh outright.
He dropped his gaze back to his hair and shook it in his fists. "Wha...what happened?"
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"I'd say you're human. I mean Kaede did warn..." Kagome told him.
"There's no way! It's not the night of the full moon! And it's not that stupid eclipse thing yet!" he shouted at her, moving forward to wave his hair in her face as well. "No way in hell am I staying where I am human! We're going back now."
He turned around and prepared to jump up and pass back through the well, but Kagome launched herself at him, tackling him against the side.
"No, don't!" she cried. "You don't know how the time travel affects this. If you try to go back like this, without letting your blood work itself out in this time, you might be stuck as a human."
Inuyasha froze, almost panting in his anxiety. Kagome smiled at him. "It'll be okay. We can hang out here until your blood fixes itself. Don't worry, my family won't say a thing, and no one else here knows you."
If he still had them, his dog ears would have been folded back in defeat. Kagome clutched his hand and tugged him towards the ladder. "C'mon, I bet we have some ramen inside to eat. After that we can talk some if you want."
Like a lost puppy, Inuyasha allowed himself to be led into her house.
"Hi Inu...what happened to you?" Sota demanded as soon as he noticed his sister and hero had returned.
"Sota, don't be rude. Go wait at the table for breakfast," Mrs. Higurashi instructed, watching until Sota had gone into the dining room. Then she smiled sweetly at them and asked, "Inuyasha, would you like me to heat you up a cup of Ramen?"
Inuyasha barely responded to her mother's greeting. Kagome frowned. She did not want Inuyasha to suffer. She would have to think of stuff to keep his mind off of this for the entire day. Thinking back, she remembered seeing a flyer for a carnival downtown. They could make a day of it. She could take him to the eclipse festival and then they could explore the fair.
Kagome looked back at the wilted hanyou. No one could stay depressed at a fair. She would make sure he had the time of his life today to make up for what happened in crossing through the well.
"Go on, Inuyasha. Go have a seat at the table, and I'll help my mother get breakfast ready," she told him, giving him a gentle nudge in the direction Sota had gone. He complied with no complaint.
"What happened to Inuyasha, dear? He looks miserable," Mrs. Higurashi asked once he was gone.
Kagome started. It was refreshing to hear someone noticing the emotional change before the physical one. "Well, we came to watch the solar eclipse, and Kaede warned us that it might have an affect on Inuyasha's blood, seeing as he's a hanyou. But of course Inuyasha overreacting, thinking we were accusing him of being afraid. So we came, but as soon as we arrived here, he transformed."
Her mother paused slicing the vegetables. "So that is what he looks like in human form?" She grinned at her daughter and started slicing again. "He's a very handsome boy, isn't he?"
Kagome blushed and found the pot of water she was filling to be very interesting for the moment.
"But I take it he does not like these transformations?"
Kagome shook her head.
"Why did he transform so soon, though? The eclipse is not for a while," her mother asked.
Kagome shrugged and bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I thought it would only effect him during the eclipse, but maybe time traveling did something to make him more vulnerable to it. He wanted to go back, but I wouldn't let him. I was worried it would get worse to involve more time travel before his blood works itself out."
Her mother smiled at her and handed her the plate she had just prepared. "That's good of you to be so thoughtful. Try to make him feel as at home as possible."
Kagome grinned as she thought of her plans for the day. "Oh, don't worry, Mom. I will."
After eating, Kagome ran upstairs to get ready, with Inuyasha trudging along behind her. She hummed excitedly as she rifled through the clothes in her closet. She glanced back at Inuyasha who had taken up a place on her bed to mope, then returned to her search with a mischievous smile. She found a couple of dresses then jerked them out.
"Okay, you wait right there, Inuyasha. I'm gonna change and be right back out, then we can go. I bet you're glad you won't have to wear that baseball cap this time," she called out as she ran into her bathroom and shut the door.
Inuyasha grumbled, "Keh! Like I'm going out anywhere like this."
Kagome rolled her eyes and held her dress up in front of herself, looking at it in the mirror. She couldn't decide between the pale yellow or the navy with light blue flowers embroidered on it. The yellow looked very nice, but it was a tad too short for running around at the solar eclipse viewing and then the fair. The navy one complemented her skin tone and accentuated her curves.
Hah! Let's see Inuyasha sulk with me wearing this, she thought proudly to herself. Kagome gave her appearance one last check, combed her hair with her fingers, then emerged calmly from the bathroom.
Inuyasha wanted to growl in irritation. With his diminished senses he had not been able to follow her progress in the bathroom and had been steadily loosing patience. He gripped Tetsusaiga tightly, but that, too, only served to fuel his anger as he could not tap into its demonic power or even grip it with the proper strength. Oh how he hated turning human, and it was even worse to be forced into it when he wasn't supposed to be. Each and every emotion crashed down on him a hundred fold, and he felt raw and exposed as though he'd been dropped naked, blind and beaten into the middle of a village.
"About time, wench. I thought I was going to have to..."
All these sentiments had needed an outlet and Kagome was the perfect target. But when he turned his head to glare at her, he suddenly lost his train of thought, the rest of his sentence derailing right alongside it. One very powerful emotion surged to the front and fought back the others: lust.
When did Kagome get an outfit like that? And why was she wearing it now? These thoughts compounded his enhanced insecurities and doubts. Instantly an eager young boy and a suave gentleman came to mind and clouded his thoughts with rage.
She coughed slightly as though trying gain his attention, and Inuyasha realized suddenly that he had been staring at her. Flushing, he turned away quickly and crossed his arms over his chest as though that would conceal his embarrassment. His jealousy reared up, though, and demanded an answer for her sudden change in appearance. Who was she trying to impress? If it were one of those other males, he would tear them apart with his dull, human nails and then shove Tetsusaiga up the first available orifice.
"So, um, where are you going? On one of your date things?" he demanded, trying his best to sound nonchalant and uncaring. He had remembered her mentioning dates before. His heart wilted, almost sorry he had asked. What if that was why she had wanted to come back?
Then why did she say it was okay for you to come with her, too, baka? She would have just sat you if she wanted to see some other male.
"Yes," she replied. Inuyasha winced in pain and anger, unsure of what to do about either. He had come here only to be turned human and then be forced to watch as Kagome courted another male.
He looked down at his hands, trying so hard not to let his disappointment, his anger, his confusion show on his face. Suddenly a soft hand was touching his and another cupped his cheek.
"Why do you think I wanted you to come with me?" she asked softly, forcing him to look her in the eye. He nearly whimpered as he saw the love and compassion in her eyes. How he wanted that for himself!
"I wanted you to accompany me, on a date if you will. I wanted us to spend time together, just the two of us."
Inuyasha prayed his weakened ears had heard correctly. She wanted him?
"So you're not going to meet with Hojo or that gentleman?" he questioned, just to make sure he had not misunderstood.
Kagome inhaled sharply, as though she wanted to say something, but bit it back. She smiled at him and said, "Of course not. A solar eclipse is a rare thing, and I wanted to enjoy it with you. Not anyone else. Now come on. We'll see if my mom has some clothes you can wear. The rest of you blends in for once, you might as well try out some clothing too. You can forget all about hanyous and youkai today, and just focus on enjoying yourself."
Inuyasha let himself be led across the hall and into her mother's bedroom. "Mom! We need to find something for Inuyasha to wear," Kagome shouted out.
"I'm right here, Kagome," her mother scolded, stripping rubber gloves from her hands as she emerged from the bathroom and walked into her bedroom.
"Ah, so you two are going out to enjoy the solar eclipse today?" her mother said as her eyes strayed over Kagome's outfit.
Kagome nodded. "Oh yes, and I thought afterwards we might go check out the carnival that's in town."
Mrs. Higurashi smiled at them both as she moved past them and knelt beside a large chest that stood in the corner. "Don't worry, Inuyasha. We'll find something for you to wear, too. This is where I keep my husband's old clothes," she explained as she opened the lid and motioned for them to move closer.
Inuyasha squirmed, unused to anyone, especially women, making a fuss over dressing him. His firerat was perfectly fine. He didn't see any need to change it. Though, it would be rather nice to fit in for once. To get the chance to walk down the street beside Kagome without risking embarrassing her by letting his ears show. No, Kagome didn't really seemed embarrassed by him, she just seemed eager to keep him secret, hidden...protected maybe? Was her overreaction not a result of being ashamed of him, but being worried for him? Keh, he could take care of himself. However, it made him feel rather hot and excited inside to think that Kagome worried about him.
Inuyasha glanced over at her as she and her mother sorted through an odd assortment of fabrics. Kagome's face was slightly flushed in excitement and her eyes sparkled with that seemingly boundless joy and life that made her stand out so, back in his era. She caught him looking and flashed him a dazzling smile that left him near breathless. How had he ended up with someone as wonderful as her?
Inuyasha fought back a frown as he looked back at the clothing they were laying out for him. He fingered a strange blue fabric that felt as course as that of her pack. No way would he wear that, but there had to be something comfortable. He was determined to at least do this little bit to show his appreciation to the girl that brought him so much peace and happiness.
Twenty minutes and several curse words later, Inuyasha was dressed in a modern hakama and his firerat. He had refused to give up the familiar comfort, but he had made a concession about the hakama. These weren't red, but a dark black which Kagome's mother had said would lessen the intensity of the firerat, whatever that meant. Inuyasha didn't really care to know either since this seemed to please Kagome.
"My, don't you look handsome. Okay, now to see if any of these shoes fit," Mrs. Higurashi told him. Inuyasha had balked at that. No way in hell, or any other place or time for that matter, would he wear something so confining on his feet.
Both Kagome and her mother had fought him over that, even trying to convince him to wear sandals at least, but in the end Kagome had almost sat him before they finally just gave up and let him go barefoot. He flashed them a triumphant smirk, and Kagome rolled her eyes.
Neither of them even bothered to ask him to leave Tetsusaiga behind, but he felt the need to remind them that should they ask, well, that it would be wiser not to ask.
Mrs. Higurashi gave them both hugs and slipped some money to Kagome as they finally headed out the door. Inuyasha fidgeted a little uncomfortably and glanced at his hat, still hanging from its usual place. He glanced down at his black hair, knowing he didn't need it today, but feeling a little exposed and uncertain without it. Not that he ever really wanted to wear the thing, but, well, not needing it made him actually kind of miss it.
Kagome must have sensed some distress from him, because she took his hand and squeezed it for reassurance, then led him out of her house and out of the shrine.
"Don't worry. It's just about you and me today. We'll have some fun, relax, and then, when you're back to normal, we can head back. Like I said, one day, no arguments," she told him. She turned to smile up at him and added, "But, if you decide you're having fun and want to stay longer, well, as I said, no arguments."
Inuyasha met her gaze and couldn't help the slight quirking at the corner of his lips. The more time he spent with Kagome, the more relaxed he felt. It was nearly impossible to be uptight and on constant vigilance with her smiles and laughter soothing him. Before he knew it, they were at the Tokyo Botanical Gardens, laughing and talking. And neither seemed to care that they had been holding hands the entire time.
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Sesshomaru didn't sleep at all the night before the day he, Reiku and Maika were supposed to attend the fair. Long ago he had cancelled all his business for the day and left Mrs. Toyosawa very detailed instructions on how to handle any unexpected issues and strict orders that, unless all of Japan were in imminent danger of being decimated (which he would obviously be already well aware of in the unlikelihood of such a thing occurring), he was not to be disturbed. No, he had no anxieties over his business. Could it be that he was nervous about today?
Being honest with himself, he was nervous, but not about all the humiliating things Maika probably had planned for him, rather it was about Reiku. He had had his lawyers working around the clock to iron every wrinkle in the process of him adopting Reiku. Things had gone perfectly; the girl had no other family to protest, and the media had been completely silenced about it, so no fear of her becoming a target for a media frenzy.
Now he was faced with the most difficult part, well, at least for him. He had to ask Reiku if she wanted to be adopted by him. No matter her decision, he would respect it, and he was almost certain she would accept him, yet he could not shake the tiny, gnawing fear of rejection. It was one thing to follow and admire a youkai unwaveringly; it was another to accept one as family, as a father, for the human legal adoption was only that, a legal technicality. Sesshomaru also determined to adopt her in the much more real and permanent youkai manner that would bind her to him as his daughter as much as if she had been born to him.
Back in the feudal era, even if he had been willing, it would not have been an option he would have had with Rin. Adoption in the youkai sense would have made her his heir, and a mere human female could not have handled his title or empire and the violence required to maintain them. However his empire had transformed over time into something that he could safely pass down to Reiku now, if only she were willing.
Sesshomaru paced through his penthouse yet again, then sighed and glanced up at the clock. It was still morning. He was not supposed to meet Reiku and Maika until ten-thirty, then they would head for Okamoto's and then the fair.
He snarled and paced yet again. When should he ask her? He could do it before, but then if she said no, it would be almost too difficult to be around so many loud, annoying humans. And then there was also Maika. They had continued to meet for coffee and talk, even visited the museum again, over the past week, but they had cooled things considerably since that kiss. As much as he was loathe to admit it, the intensity of it had frightened him. And, judging by her more distant, casual behavior, it had also unsettled Maika. They had yet to even kiss chastely since then, and he had only held her hand a time or two.
But he longed to do more, to have a repeat of that soul-shaking kiss. He was hoping that after returning Reiku to the home that evening, he could have some time alone with Maika, but that would not be possible if he waited until after the fair to ask Reiku.
Sesshomaru stopped and ran a hand through his long, white hair. This was ridiculous. He was Lord Sesshomaru, a legend among demons. He would not be cowardly and wavering. He would ask Reiku immediately, and go on no matter her response. Trying to suppress all nervousness, Sesshomaru moved to his closet to dress for the outing. Casual clothing did not really have a place in his vast wardrobe, yet he managed to find a pair of pants and a shirt that did not look forlornly lost without a tie and jacket.
Sesshomaru found a hair-tie and gathered his hair into a top-knot. He frowned at his reflection and how much he resembled his parents with his hair pulled up. With a snort, he pulled it loose again. That was a large factor in why he had always worn it loose; he wished to stand out in his own right, not solely by that of his parents. However, his current style set him apart from them, even with his hair tied up. Sesshomaru slipped the tie into his pocket. He would pull it back later if it became too much of a hassle among the throng of humans.
Activating his charm, Sesshomaru hurriedly left his penthouse. No use stewing until time. Instead, he would slip into his office, just to check and make sure there were no last minute problems with the paperwork of Reiku's adoption or any business matters.
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"I didn't think you could stay away from the office, even on your day off," a rather influential mortal, whose business often worked in conjunction with his own, teased as Sesshomaru stepped onto the elevator at his office building.
The youkai glared at him and the man grinned. "All work and no play. You're gonna be in your grave by thirty if you keep that up, Daiginkeiko. Mark my words, it's early death for those who never stop to rest."
"I shall keep that in mind," Sesshomaru practically growled at the man. "And perhaps the same could be said of all play and no work?"
He hurriedly escaped as the elevator doors opened, never mind that it was a floor beneath his own, with his nose wrinkled in disgust. That human already reeked of alcohol, and he had had the nerve to tell him how to live a long life.
In my grave by thirty. This Sesshomaru can scarcely recall when he was just thirty, Sesshomaru thought scornfully as he swiftly ascended the stairs to his floor.
Mrs. Toyosawa did not seem surprised to see him come in, yet even if she had, he would not have offered an explanation. He did notice her rather critical study of his clothing and made a mental note to actually go back and carry out the threats to the woman that he had made in his previous mental notes. He could not fathom why he had kept her around for as long as he had, but for some reason he just couldn't bring himself to be rid of her.
As expected, everything was exactly how he had left it the previous night, and finding nothing that required his attention, wandered back out onto the street. Eight thirty. Sesshomaru glared at his watch and wandered down the street. An eternity later, he glanced back at his watch. Eight thirty-one. Damn, useless human invention! If this morning went by any slower, something was going to die a very painful death. But not before his watch met a very untimely end from his dokkaso.
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Maika was already waiting with Reiku, both laughing and talking excitedly about all there was to do at the fair, when Reizo Daiginkeiko breezed in around ten. To her satisfaction she noticed him admiring her attire, a white dress decorated with brilliant red blossoms she had specially chosen to match the earrings he'd given her. He almost smiled when his eyes reached her ears, apparently pleased to see her wearing his gift. Maika looked at him and tapped her own watch.
"Where's yours?"
A faint flash of surprise flickered over his face, but it vanished with the practiced ease that only Reizo Daiginkeiko could manage. "It has ceased to function, though I have no need of such a thing to make a meeting."
"Well, you might want to find one that works, because it's all well and good to make your meetings, but being on time is also a tiny part of that," Maika told him with a smirk. She could see him trying to hide his confusion and had to fight not to laugh. "We agreed to meet at 9:30, but you don't show up until ten. Tsk, tsk, such tardiness is unbecoming. I would think you were a little afraid to go to the carnival, if I didn't know you better."
Reizo opened his mouth, then closed it, and Maika could almost see the wheels of his mind spinning furiously as he recalled each and every conversation to figure out if he really had mixed up the meeting time. Laughing out loud, she decided she had teased him long enough.
"I'm just kidding, Reizo. I agreed to meet Reiku early so I could help her pick out the perfect outfit for today. The clothes here were so awful, we went shopping instead," Maika explained, tapping her knee with her folded fan keychain. She watched him narrow his eyes, but didn't wait for his return attack.
"Come on, Reiku, honey," she said and pulled Reiku from behind the desk where she had hidden the moment she noticed Mr. Daiginkeiko.
Reizo's eyes widened. Reiku twisted her hands shyly and dug her toe into the ground as she waited for her idol to tell her what he thought. Maika had to admit they'd done well. They found a lovely little dress of a pale orange color decorated with white orange blossoms along the collar and the hem. Reiku wore a pair of comfortable sandals with it and Maika had taken her to get a quick pedicure so that the polish on her toes matched the dress.
Maika had styled the girl's hair herself, deciding that something simple would be best. They combed it into a shining perfection to rival Reizo's and then added an orange headband. Just those few changes made the girl look a year or two older and as mature as her mind seemed to be. Around her neck Reiku wore the shell necklace Reizo had given her.
Maika grew impatient as she watched Reiku waiting for Reizo to say something and said, "Well, what do you..."
But she could not finish her statement when she saw Reizo's eyes. His face was marble, frozen in a mask of indifference, but his eyes shone and glimmered with the building moisture in them. Finally, he blinked them dry and cleared his throat.
"You look beautiful, Reiku. Maika, thank you for taking her out. You shall be compensated. Reiku, before we go, could I have a word in private with you?"
Maika waved her hand and jumped back up to sit on top of the desk, earning an unnoticed glare from her replacement for the day, then said, "Take your time. Tokyo's not going anywhere."
She watched as Reizo led the little girl a short distance away and tapped her fan idly against her chin. He was up to something and naturally Maika was curious. Glancing nonchalantly in the opposite direction, Maika flipped over her fan and waved it lazily across her face. The wind stirred, barely perceptible even to herself, and floated gently towards her, carrying the voices of Reizo and Reiku to her. Technically this could be considered eavesdropping, but well, they should have moved into another room if they hadn't wanted to be overheard. It wasn't her fault she was hot and the wind just happened to obey her and her fan.
"Reiku, how do you like it here?" she heard Reizo ask. His face appeared calm, but Maika could detect a note of nervousness in his voice.
"I love it, Se-Mr. Daiginkeiko. I'm so glad you found me. And thank you so much for taking me to the carnival, and for everything. I was so lonely before I met you." The girl looked down at her hands and whispered. "I don't want to leave you ever. I don't want to be alone again."
Reizo lifted her chin with his finger so she would look him in the eye. "Reiku, I, too, have been lonely for far too long. And I have another favor to ask, and I will protect you and care for you whether you do this for me or not."
Reiku nodded her understanding and waited for him to continue.
"I would like to adopt you into my family, my house, as my daughter and my heir...if this pleases you."
Reizo held his breath, and Maika gasped, nearly falling off the desk in surprise. He wanted to adopt the kid! This was amazing and wonderful. Reizo was such a mystery. Maika smiled. He may be ruthless on the outside and in the business world, but deep on the inside he possessed more love and compassion than she had ever been privy to. Even her own parents had not been what most would call affectionate towards her. She sighed, such was the way of youkai. It was kill or be killed, prove your strength or be left behind. For almost three hundred years now she had lived this sad competition and it was refreshing to find someone above that.
"You, you really want me?" Reiku questioned timidly, drawing Maika from her own thoughts.
"There has never been a question as to that, Reiku. I have feared that you would not desire to be tied to one such as me," he confessed.
"I've already been tied to you. And I don't ever want to lose you. I want to stay with you," she told him, throwing her arms around his legs.
He put a hand on her head.
"Does this mean, you'll be like a father to me?" she questioned timidly, not looking up from his legs.
"No, I will be your father, as you will be my daughter and my heir. Are you certain this is what you want? I will not leave you, even if you decide you do not wish me as a father."
"Yes! Oh, yes!" she cried into his pants. Reizo pulled her off and knelt so she could embrace him properly and he could return it. Maika stifled the "Awwwwww" that lurked in the back of her throat.
"Good, then it shall be done. Come, let us go now. You are still interested in going to the carnival?"
"Yes, Father," she told him shyly, but a faint smile from him assured her that it was acceptable to call him that.
Maika flicked her fan over her face again, redirecting the wind before they returned. She hoped Reizo would spill the beans soon, or she'd be hard-pressed to hide the fact that she'd overheard them.
"Maika! Maika! Guess what!" Reiku called out as they returned to the desk.
Guess I won't have to wait long after all, Maika thought wryly.
"That's wonderful. Congratulations, you two," she told them after listening to Reiku's excited, rambling version of the conversation she'd just overheard.
Reizo looked as unmoved and disinterested as before, but there was a light in his eyes that he couldn't cover. He was happy. Maika grinned wickedly at him, though. Now to embarrass him. Oh this day was going to be bliss!
Maika flicked her fan shut and hopped down lightly from the desk. She circled Reizo and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, is that the best the great Daiginkeiko had lurking in his closet?"
Reiku giggled and Reizo narrowed his eyes. "And what, pray, is wrong with my choice in clothing?" he demanded.
"Now, now, you are the one who agreed that I would be in charge on our little outing today. You agreed to do whatever I said in order to have a great time today," Maika taunted as she eyed him critically.
Reizo remained silent, but she could tell he was seething and she was enjoying every minute of it. He was going to loosen up if it killed him. "I guess it will do. The hair makes up for the stuffiness of the clothes."
"You call my garments 'stuffy'?" he questioned harshly. Maika winked at him. "And my hair is no different than any other day."
"No, but you're wearing it down instead of back. I like it," she informed him. Whirling suddenly, she clapped her hands together and announced. "Okay! Picture time! Reiku."
Sesshomaru had been cringing inwardly throughout this entire proceeding and now he cringed outwardly.
"Oh, yay!" the girl squealed and handed Maika the camera Kagome had given her.
"I must remember to thank Kagome for giving her that," he muttered under his breath.
"Okay, gorgeous! And you too, grumpy! Stand together and let me get a picture of the two of you," Maika ordered, waving at them to move.
Reiku complied with a smile while Sesshomaru glared at Maika, blank faced.
Maika snapped the picture and said, "Uh-uh, Mr. Stoneface, you're gonna have to try harder than that. This time you have to make a funny face."
Reiku complied immediately by crossing her eyes, using her fingers to hold her ears out and puffed out her cheeks. Sesshomaru stared at Maika blank faced, wondering if she were still completely sane. Did she honestly think he would do such a childish stunt, for a camera?
"Come on, Reizo, honey. You already did that one. Surely you can think of something better," Maika taunted. Beside him Reiku was turning red from holding her face.
Sesshomaru scowled at Maika, who stuck her tongue out at him and said, "I said funny, not scary."
"I do not do 'funny'," he informed her. Maika sighed and snapped the picture, frowning at him in obvious disapproval.
"Breathe, Reiku," he told the girl, who obediently released her face and gulped in a deep breath.
Whirling away from the two in a swirl of black hair, Sesshomaru strode smoothly towards the front entrance and said, "Are you two coming, or shall I return to work?"
Maika and Reiku exchanged glances and giggled before running after him. There was something ominous in that sound which made Sesshomaru shiver involuntarily. Something told him he might be forced to kill a few photolab attendants before this day was over. He wished now that he had gone over his definition of the word "fun" before agreeing to this. He had a very bad feeling that there was rather wide discrepancy in what he found to be fun and what Maika did.
It was for Reiku, his daughter, he reminded himself, almost smiling at the way that sounded - his daughter. After hearing the girl's acceptance, he doubted that there was anything Maika could do to spoil his good mood, though she looked determined to try her damnedest.
Sesshomaru automatically curled his fingers around Reiku's hand as she slid it across his palm. He enjoyed the constant tugging and pressure as she ran ahead or fell behind to observe some passing item that caught her interest, yet not wanting to go out of his reach. Once she nearly tripped, but his unwavering grip had saved her. Reiku had beamed up at him in thanks before turning her attention back to the city around them.
On his other side strolled Maika, though she remained a bit behind him, her steps hesitant and uncertain. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and noticed her biting the edge of her lip, a sign that she was uncomfortable. Surprised, though not unpleasantly so, that he could read her so well, Sesshomaru mused over why she would feel this way. Did she not wish to be there with them? The very thought sent a nervous murmur through his heart and he rejected it. Maika would not have agreed to accompany them, if she had not wished to. She was not the type of woman to just do something because she was told or asked to do it.
Did she perhaps think that he did not wish for her to be there? This seemed the most logical possibility; after all, she had been invited as an afterthought at the insistence of Reiku. Maybe the news that Reiku would become his daughter made her feel as though she were intruding on a private affair between himself and Reiku.
Sesshomaru frowned at the myriad of possibilities for her mood. It was much simpler to just not care about what others thought or felt, hence his near complete disregard for his fellow denizens of the earth. Yes, emotions and compassion needlessly complicated things. Yet, as he thought of Maika and Reiku, simple did not seem so appealing.
Acting almost on instinct, he reached back and took his hand in her own and drew her up beside himself and Reiku. Startled, she looked up at him, a hopeful, questioning expression on her face.
"It does no good for our guide to be behind us," he told her softly.
He felt a spike of satisfaction when she smiled up at him, deciphering the hidden affection behind his rather callous words.
The line at Okamoto's was out the door when they arrived. They were apparently not the only ones to have decided to eat before the fair. Fortunately, Sesshomaru the ever-prepared had had the foresight to make reservations and they were immediately shown to a table, much to the displeasure of the other guests, which, not surprisingly, did not bother Sesshomaru in the least.
The waiter brought their menus and then took their drink orders. Reiku bounced excitedly in her chair as she studied the menu with concentration that would have impressed a neural surgeon. When they brought her drink, she simply took a sip and continued to scan the selections.
"What would you like, Reiku?" Sesshomaru asked her when he noticed the waiter hovering nearby. He and Maika had already agreed on what to eat, so the only one left to decide was Reiku.
"Almost. This is the perfect day, so I have to have the perfect meal. And there are so many things to choose from," she explained to him seriously.
He nodded in response and Maika covered a smile. They both ordered their usual, which they would trade when it arrived. The waiter waited patiently, and all three stared at Reiku.
"Ummmmmm," she drawled, "I'll have, ummmmm, that!"
Her finger landed on a dish and the waiter leaned over to see what she had chosen.
"Um, miss, are you sure that is what you want?" the waiter questioned.
She smiled broadly at him and Sesshomaru frowned. The waiter gulped and quickly wrote down what Reiku had chosen, so he could flee to the kitchen.
"What did you decide on, Reiku?" Maika asked.
She shrugged and said, "I don't know. It was in some foreign language. But the picture across from it looked really nice."
Sesshomaru thought nothing of it until their plates arrived. He and Maika switched automatically once the waiter set the plates on the table, and Reiku got onto her knees, eager to see her own meal. Sesshomaru glanced over at her as the waiter lowered the dish, but was completely surprised when Reiku screamed loud enough to leave his sensitive ears ringing and slapped the plate out of the waiter's hands.
Even more to his displeasure, this deposited it directly onto him. With an impressive show of his restraint, he managed not to flinch as very hot and slimy snails slid down his face, chest and arms to join the plate that now rested in his lap. Maika had a hand pressed over her mouth, trying not to laugh, though tell-tale giggles and snorts kept erupting from behind her fingers and her cheeks were turning a bright red from the effort.
Reiku, too, had her hands clasped to her mouth, horrified rather than amused. The waiter scrambled for a napkin to try to clean Sesshomaru, more shocked than anything.
"Oh, Mr. Daiginkeiko, I'm so sorry," Reiku gushed, though she kept her distance from the snails.
"M-Mr. Daiginkeiko?" the waiter stammered, dropping the napkin in surprise.
Sesshomaru would have groaned, if it were not so undignified. The snails were bad enough, though, and he wasn't about to lower himself any further.
"I'm so sorry, sir. We will have this mess cleaned immediately and another entree will be brought for the young lady. What will she be having?" the waiter offered, then paused for him to speak.
"Indeed you shall," Sesshomaru told him coldly. Not that he blamed either the young man or the restaurant, but he did have a reputation to uphold. "And as for what my daughter wishes to eat, you will have to ask her."
Reiku beamed up at him, nodded her head and said, "Yes, father." She looked back up at the waiter and said, "I'll just have some noodles with chicken. There won't be bugs in it."
The waiter bowed deeply, then rushed off to have this new order made as well as send a few more of his coworkers to assist in cleaning. Sesshomaru glanced down at the plate in his lap, then plucked a snail from his forehead that chose that moment to descend from his bangs. He resisted the urge to melt it with his poison and was about to set it on the table, when he was blinded by a flash of light. His ears caught the whirring sounds of something winding as he blinked to regain his vision.
Maika lowered the camera, her shoulders shaking from silent laughter. She opened her mouth to explain, but no words would come out. Gulping for air, she fought to regain some composure, but each time she looked at him, she cracked up again.
Honestly, it was no where near that funny, Sesshomaru thought wryly.
Plucking another from his chest, he tossed it at her. It stuck with a satisfying smack, right in the middle of her forehead. That instantly silenced her laughing and she crossed her eyes trying to look up at it. She shot him a glare, which he returned with a completely unaffected look and pointed over at Reiku, who was now giggling. Maika rolled her eyes, reached up and picked it off with her fingertips, grimacing at the slimy residue it left on her face.
Sesshomaru chuckled softly. Now that was funny.
"Yeah, keep laughing, pretty boy," Maika told him. "Just remember that after lunch we have to take you to go get new clothes. And Reiku and I are picking them out."
Sesshomaru's smile vanished. Damn woman.
Soon, the snails had been cleaned and all three were able to finally eat. Sesshomaru eyed the rare steak smothered in a thick chocolate sauce. Across from him, Maika sniffed at the caramel sauce on hers.
"Well, here goes nothing," she told him lifting a piece of it to her lips.
Sesshomaru did the same.
Then they each took a bite. The chocolate was not nearly as bad as Sesshomaru had feared, though the smell of it revived memories he had long since suppressed of his very first taste of chocolate thanks to Kagome. His stomach turned, but he forced it back. It was just a memory after all.
He glanced over to see how Maika reacted to his preference. She chewed thoughtfully, swallowed then said, "Not bad, a different texture than chocolate, but still good. And you?"
"I must confess the taste of chocolate is not unpleasant, however, I once had an incident involving chocolate that prevents me from enjoying it," he told her honestly.
Maika smiled at him. "I thought as much. People usually don't turn slightly green when they taste something they like."
She lifted her plate and set it down in front of him, taking her own back.
I did not turn green, Sesshomaru objected, but said nothing, preferring to enjoy the relative silence, likely the only one he would have today.