Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters.
A/N: Okay, I apologize for taking so long to get this out, but I hope you forgive me. And I have a quick question to ask. How many would be interested in a Maika/Sesshomaru lemon? I've never done one before this one, so I wanted to make sure you all wanted one before I risk embarrassment by including it. If there's enough interest, I'll include one. Well, just let me know. Now, enjoy this chapter.
Chapter Eleven
Last time:
Inuyasha took all this in in an instant, frozen by the shock and horror of it. The little girl, the crescent moon, the claw marks in metal, the cold, arrogant expression and that unnaturally long hair. He didn't know how it could be, perhaps he had died and this was hell, but that human currently making-out with another mortal was...
Managing to regain partial control of his vocal abilities, Inuyasha blurted out, "SESSHOMARU?"
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As annoyed as he was that his brother of all people had intruded on this outing, Sesshomaru was, for the first time, grateful for his brother's human heritage. For whatever reason this transformation had occurred, it had saved Sesshomaru the humiliation of the hanyou being able to smell the intensity of his and Maika's desire for one another.
Yet even more surprising, and much more pleasing, was the fact that no matter how he thought or argued or examined it, he did not care about Maika's human heritage either. In fact, when he looked at her, all he saw was Maika, a strikingly beautiful and interesting woman. Her humanity did not even register any more unless he forced himself to consider it. And his increasingly lustful thoughts for the woman left him with no desire to do so.
Throughout the day their physical contact had increased in duration and frequency. And as much as he prided himself on restraint, Sesshomaru was slowly losing out to the raw power of instincts. Her scent constantly clouded his senses, and these damn rides only agitated the problem. It had been all he could do not to drape himself over Maika when she leaned against him. Unfortunately, whether Inuyasha recognized him or not, he refused to act in such a manner in front of the hanyou. He had almost missed her question about Tetsusaiga, thanks to this very uncharacteristic lack of concentration.
If only Maika didn't smell so damn good!
Sesshomaru was inwardly relieved that the hanyou had not been able to ride in the car with them. The exhilaration had both their hearts pounding so fiercely he was surprised he had not completely crushed the safety bar with the effort of trying not to simply tear her clothes off and ravage her right there.
Something had to be done about this. He tried thinking of Reiku and how this day was for her and not himself or even Maika. That simply led to the idea of giving her a younger sibling to play with. He tried to think of the Ferris Wheel and how disorienting the swaying of the cars had been, but instead an image of Maika's gently swaying hips filled his vision. Damn.
Next he tried Inuyasha. Yes, there was nothing arousing about his little brother. Perhaps Reiku needed a little brother. Oh, for the love of...
It was finally Maika who made the first move, leading him not to where Kagome and Reiku were waiting, but to a secluded corner behind a nearby building. The scent of her arousal and the relative privacy of their location shattered his resolve.
"Something's bothering you. I can..." she told him, but he cut her off when, with a force fueled by desire, he pinned her roughly against the wall with his body and attacked her lips with his own.
She was so sweet, soft and returned his fervor with surprising strength. Her arms snaked around his neck, and she pressed herself against him, forcing him back and away from the wall. Sesshomaru did nothing to suppress the low growl in his throat or the wanderings of his hand. For a moment he forgot everything. His business, his brother, the carnival.
Until suddenly the voice he least expected to hear called out his name.
"SESSHOMARU?"
Violently he jerked his head up and met the wide, horrified eyes of his brother. His body reacted just as fiercely at the soft moan of disappointment from Maika. She did not appear to have heard, if only he could get rid of his baka brother, who would not quit staring! The lustful moment had passed - damn Inuyasha - and this was not the way he had intended to inform the woman of his true heritage.
He hesitated, uncertain as to whether he should stay by Maika, or find a way to silence his brother. Fortunately, the little miko saved her hanyou yet again. Running up behind Inuyasha with Reiku on her heels, she clamped her hand firmly around his mouth as the hanyou was about to call out his name again.
Instead all that came out was a garbled, "SE-molphru!"
Maika blinked and noticed the others just in time to see Kagome dragging Inuyasha off while he flopped and wriggled like a fish. She gasped and asked, "Is he okay? Maybe nine times is too much for someone to ride. I should go-"
"No!" Sesshomaru barked out suddenly. Reiku ran over and looked up at him as she licked her ice cream. He glanced down at her and added. "I shall go see if he is well. Please remain here with Reiku. I would not want her to be frightened."
To his relief, Maika nodded and moved closer to the girl. Reiku just smiled at him and said, "We'll wait for you."
Satisfied, he ran off, using his nose to find Kagome and his brother. He was surprised that they had gotten so far from him. When he caught up, Kagome nearly had his brother out of the park. She froze when she saw him and flashed him a nervous smile.
"Uh, hi, there. Sorry about that," she said, blushing furiously and inching towards the front entrance.
About that time Inuyasha managed to break free of her and righted himself with an amazing amount of ire. He kept jerking his head back and forth as though unable to decide whether Kagome or Sesshomaru was more deserving of his angry glare.
"What the hell was that for?" Inuyasha shouted at Kagome, then turned towards him with an incredulous expression and said, "Sesshomaru?"
"Did you..?" "Sesshomaru?" "How long...?" "Sesshomaru?"
Finally he just sat down on the ground, apparently worn out from his halting tirade. Kagome and Sesshomaru exchanged glances and approached slowly. Inuyasha groaned and looked up at his brother.
"Sesshomaru?"
"Yes, you have figured it out, half-breed. Now please refrain from repeating my name over and over. As you should be well aware, I no longer use it in public."
"But-but- you're human?" Inuyasha blurted out. "And how'd you get your arm back?"
Sesshomaru actually rolled his eyes this time. He leaned close and gave his charm a quick twist. For an instant his eyes flashed gold, the black hair became white, and the familiar markings appeared on his face. Except for the moon which was covered by paint.
"Baka! It is a concealment," he snapped as he reactivated the charm before anyone could see. "And my arm is no concern of yours, simply know it functions perfectly." He flexed his fingers, brandishing the unseen claws as he spoke.
Inuyasha blinked at him and wrinkled his nose. "You've gotta be old now."
"I have indeed missed your pearls of wisdom, brother," Sesshomaru remarked dryly.
Inuyasha stiffened, jerking Kagome down behind him and putting a hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. "How come you're not trying to kill me? What are you scheming this time?"
"I am not going to kill you, Inuyasha, though do not try my patience," he informed his brother. "I am not the same youkai you know in the past."
"Keh, I'll say. The Sesshomaru I know would NOT be behind some hut, kissing some mortal girl," Inuyasha muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What?" Kagome exclaimed. "What about Maika?"
"That's whose face he was buried in," Inuyasha pointed out, shuddering as if in utter horror. "And even worse, she was kissing HIM! Poor mortal."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. He had forgotten how obnoxious the hanyou's mouth could be and was not enjoying this reminder.
"It is of no concern of yours whom this Sesshomaru deigns worthy of such attentions. And you will refrain from discussing this in her presence," he quickly informed his brother, who simply snorted and muttered, "There's the arrogant bastard I know."
"Oh," Kagome put in, as though she had not even noticed their conversation. "Funny. And I was thinking Maika was another youkai with a charm like yours."
"Keh, so not only is the great Sesshomaru mating with a mortal, but he's also hiding the fact that he's not to be with her," Inuyasha taunted, neither of the brothers giving Kagome's remark any attention.
"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked yet again, squinting and leaning into his brother's face as though still not convinced.
"If you do not refrain from calling me that in public, I will remove your tongue from your mouth," Sesshomaru coldly informed his brother and drew some of his poison to his fingers as if to prove it.
Inuyasha just smirked broadly and said, "You look good as a human. Nice clothes."
"As do you," Sesshomaru fired right back, as he drew himself to his full height and straightened his jeans.
Inuyasha's smile faded, and Sesshomaru smirked. You'd forgotten about being human now, hadn't you, Inuyasha?
Inuyasha bristled and was about ready to lunge at his brother, human or not, when Kagome put a hand on his shoulder. "I think you look nice today, too. I like you no matter which form you're in, though I must admit that I miss your cute ears."
Inuyasha blushed and he knew he saw his brother smirking, the bastard. At least he hadn't been caught making out! Unfortunately, that thought hadn't really made him feel any better. He actually wouldn't mind kissing Kagome. He still remembered that amazing kiss in the field a while back.
Does she still remember it? he wondered. Would she want to try it again?
Blushing even more furiously at the direction his thoughts had taken, he glared at the ground. "Keh, what is it with you and my ears? And they are not cute!"
"Well, that is one thing I would agree-" Sesshomaru started to say, but paused suddenly and sniffed the air.
Inuyasha and Kagome looked at him oddly, wondering what it was he sensed, then he vanished.
"Bastard," Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome latched on to his arm and pulled him back towards where they had left Reiku and Maika.
"Oh, stop, Inuyasha. Something must be wrong, so we should see if we can help."
Inuyasha snorted. Even if his brother looked different, it didn't mean the youkai would be any more likely to accept help from him now than he did, er, had in the past.
Inuyasha was shocked when he and Kagome finally found Sesshomaru, Reiku and Maika. The great demon lord knelt on the ground and clutched the sobbing little girl to his chest while he stroked her hair to soothe her. The expression on his face was one Inuyasha had never seen on his brother before. The rage he was quite familiar with, but the other emotions mixed with it were what threw him. These he had seen in the eyes of a woman whose child was being attacked by youkai and on the face of the young boy who had pleaded for him to help his grandfather. These other emotions, on any other being, he would have called fear and love. But seeing them on his brother's face was too disconcerting.
Maika looked extremely pissed as well. She stood off to one side, tapping a fan to her chin with one hand and the other holding a boy by his ear as he struggled vainly to escape. He was protesting his treatment loudly too.
"Let me go! It was just a joke, honest. I didn't think she would get scared."
At that Sesshomaru looked at the boy. Inuyasha pitied the kid, and found it admirable that he hadn't wet his pants when faced with that infamous stare. In his usual deadpan voice, Sesshomaru said, "A joke? And just what did you feel would be an appropriate jest to pull on Reiku?"
The boy swallowed hard, now almost hiding behind Maika. "Mr. Daiginkeiko, I'm sorry, I just saw Reiku standing there with her ice cream not paying attention, so my friend and I thought it would be funny to um, well, just pick her up and run off with her. Not far, just enough to freak her out a bit." He looked down at his toes, now very ashamed at what he had done.
"But we didn't get to do it. Just as we grabbed her shoulders, Miss Maika just appeared out of nowhere and caught me by the ear. My friend ran, but that's all we did, honest. It was just a joke."
Sesshomaru frowned at the boy. "I have allowed you a place in my home."
Inuyasha leaned over to Kagome in confusion, but she forestalled his question with, "I'll tell you later."
"And this his how you return such generosity. It disappoints me that you find such an act 'amusing'. I will see better behavior from you in the future, is this understood?"
The boy bowed deeply, as deeply as he could with Maika still holding his ear, and offered the most formal apologies he could muster.
"Return to your friend, now. And you are banned for a month from such field trips as this."
"Yes, sir," the boy said and ran as soon as Maika released his ear.
She glanced down at Reiku and said, "We'll give you two a minute, Reizo."
Sesshomaru nodded at her, then met Inuyasha's gaze with a pointed look.
"I get it. I'm going," Inuyasha grumbled, as he and Kagome followed Maika to a table a short distance away.
"So, what's wrong with the kid?" Inuyasha demanded, unable to sit in silence with so much having happened so quickly. "And why does my - damn it - Reizo, Reizo care so much?"
Inuyasha rubbed his now aching foot where Kagome had stomped on it forcefully.
"Inuyasha, do you remember what I told you about Mr. Daiginkeiko when you first met him?" Kagome asked. "Well, Reiku is a child in his home where he helps lots of orphaned children."
Maika shifted, obviously a little uncomfortable being around the two. "Reiku has certain issues about being touched or approached without warning. And that kid should know better as a housemate of hers. But Reizo is especially protective of Reiku because he's going to adopt her."
Kagome and Inuyasha both nearly fell off the table in surprise. "Adopt? Really? When?" Kagome pressed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She leaned closer to Maika, eager for the details.
Maika moved back a bit and clutched her fan before answering, "Well, he asked her this morning if she would like to be adopted by him, and of course she said yes. But he's been working on this almost since he brought her in."
Kagome squealed again and said, "Oh, Inuyasha, isn't that just wonderful? I'm so excited for them. This calls for a congratulations, don't you think?"
Inuyasha snorted as Kagome happily threw herself towards Maika to wrap the woman in an embrace. Maika flinched and quickly detangled herself from Kagome's arms. A flash of hurt crossed Kagome's face along with confusion.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
Maika looked hard at her and said, "No, it's just well, you're... I'm just not one for a lot of hugging and touching, hon."
Kagome stared hard at the woman as well, examining the few ornaments she wore. She hid a smile when she noticed a necklace made out of the same plain black cord as Sesshomaru's charm.
"Is it because I'm a miko?" Kagome asked slyly. Inuyasha perked up with interest as Maika frowned, then glanced nervously towards where Sesshomaru still sat with Reiku.
"You don't have to worry. I don't purify youkai unless they are a threat to others," Kagome reassured her.
Maika smirked and quickly hid her shock. She flicked open her fan and studied Kagome over the top of it. "Well, well, you are a smart little thing. I guess I couldn't hide from a miko, though. So now that you know, what do you want?"
"What do I want?" Kagome repeated, hopelessly confused.
"I assume you want some sort of compensation to keep this bit of information from Reizo," Maika bit out harshly. She dropped her gaze and her voice became bitter. "He's a tough, ruthless businessman, but that doesn't mean he can handle the existence of youkai. I want to make sure he stays safe and out of the dangerous world of youkai affairs. So name your price already, miko. I'll pay anything I can to protect him."
Inuyasha made a noise that sounded like a cat strangling a bagpipe and started to cough violently.
Kagome smiled broadly at Maika. "I wouldn't do something like that. I won't be the one to tell Mr. Daiginkeiko, but you know, you're going to have to eventually."
Maika sighed and fanned herself idly. "I know I can't keep it a secret forever. It's just..."
"If you really care for him, then he deserves to know," Kagome pointed out. "If he's the right one for you, then he will accept you no matter what. And you might be surprised. He might be able to handle it better than you think."
Maika grinned wryly at the girl, both ignoring Inuyasha who was still struggling and turning as red as his firerat. "You remind me a lot of Reiku, you know. You two share that same uncanny ability to know just what to say."
Kagome grinned and finally slapped Inuyasha on the back to encourage him to breathe again. Once the hanyou had regained the much needed oxygen, he sat there with a very broad grin plastered on his face. And as soon as his brother returned, he turned and gave him a blatant, "I know something you don't" smirk.
At least until Kagome smacked him on the back of the head and hissed, "Baka!" in his ear. But Inuyasha was still extremely happy.
"So, guide, what is next on your agenda?" Sesshomaru asked Maika, pointedly ignoring Inuyasha's idiotic expression.
Maika put a finger to her chin and looked thoughtful for a moment before she asked Reiku, "Well, it's up to you, I think. What would you like to do next?"
Reiku smiled broadly and pointed towards a booth decorated with bags and bags of colorful cotton candy. "I want to try that!"
"Very well," Sesshomaru told her, then started towards the booth.
Inuyasha was on his feet immediately, dragging Kagome with him. "I want some of that crap, too, Kagome."
Just as he drew even with his brother, Inuyasha plummeted face first into the ground. He leapt to his feet and glared at Kagome, before he realized he was not being held by a sit command and therefore it had not been her fault. His gaze immediately turned to Sesshomaru, who glided along much too innocently for Inuyasha's pleasure. Stealthily, he moved up next to the youkai and quickly kicked his foot out to trip him. But Sesshomaru's feet weren't there anymore.
Instead Inuyasha felt a slight pressure on his back, just enough to make him lose his already precarious balance yet again. Snarling, he picked himself up and forwent subtlety for an outright frontal assault, throwing himself at Sesshomaru. Again, Sesshomaru quickly sidestepped, flicking his brother's ear as he did.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Inuyasha demanded angrily, whirling to face his brother as he rubbed his still-smarting ear. When had that bastard become so playful?
"Nothing now. You have removed that obnoxious smirk from your face, little brother," Sesshomaru told him icily.
Maika and Reiku both stopped suddenly. "Brother? I had no idea you two were really brothers."
Sesshomaru halted, a barely perceptible wince crossed his face, but Inuyasha caught it and grinned triumphantly.
"Half brothers," both corrected simultaneously.
Sesshomaru continued, "A fact I prefer not to think about."
Maika grinned wickedly and asked Inuyasha, "So, I bet you have lots of embarrassing stories about Reizo as a boy."
Inuyasha snorted and said, "Keh, we're not that kind of brothers." But then his eyes lit and he narrowed them at Sesshomaru's rigid back. "But I do recall this one time when he ate too much chocolate."
"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru stated in a clearly threatening tone.
"He ate it too fast and then started running all over the place," Inuyasha continued.
"INUYASHA," Sesshomaru repeated, but Maika swatted him on the arm and said, "Oh, stop it. I want to hear why you can't eat chocolate anymore."
"Oh, me too!" squealed Reiku excitedly. For the moment cotton candy was forgotten.
Inuyasha stuck his tongue out at Sesshomaru and continued. "Well, then he started feeling sick and threw up all over himself. Nearly cried afterwards."
Inuyasha dusted his hands and took another step, like a conquering hero returning, only to land flat on his face again. Kagome bent and helped him up.
"You really did deserve that one," she whispered.
Maika and Reiku had already moved on to pestering Sesshomaru for more details, though. He quickly distracted them with cotton candy, while he threw his brother another smirk over his shoulder. Inuyasha's hand flew to Tetsusaiga's hilt and he narrowed his eyes at the youkai.
"What the hell is he up to?"
Kagome eased his hand from his sword's hilt and said, "Inuyasha, I think he's just teasing you. I think over the last five hundred years he has lost the desire to kill you. In fact, I would say he's missed you and is really enjoying himself right now."
Inuyasha looked skeptical, but he did relax some.
"Here, Father said to give these to you two," Reiku said, running up to them and shoving the bagged puffs of cotton candy in their faces. She had her own bag in the other hand and her fingers and lips were already sticky and pink.
Kagome and Inuyasha looked back at Sesshomaru, who was hesitantly tasting the fluffed candy Maika held up to his mouth. He nodded to Maika, then grimaced as soon as she glanced away, wiping his tongue quickly with the back of his hand.
Kagome giggled and Inuyasha glanced at their own bags of candy. "Well, maybe he didn't poison it."
Kagome swatted him playfully and shoved a handful of the stuff in his mouth as soon as he opened it to protest. Inuyasha gagged as the soft, feathery substance hit his tongue, instantly dissolving and flooding his mouth with sugar. He turned to glare at Sesshomaru, who now held his own bag of the awful stuff and was carefully plucking off tufts of it and melting it with his poison when no one was looking.
"You were trying to poison me," he accused.
Maika rolled her eyes and snatched the bag away. "If you don't like it, give it to Reiku or Reizo. They'll finish it off."
Inuyasha saw his brother's eyes widen for a second until Reiku eagerly volunteered to take it. Relieved, Sesshomaru quickly melted the rest of his candy and bought a several drinks for them. He took the first and handed it to Inuyasha before taking the next for himself. They shared a look of mutual understanding and quickly guzzled their drinks to remove the taste of the candy.
Sesshomaru really had changed. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. Or he had gotten more clever. This was the same bastard who had pretended that youkai was his mother to find a sword after all.
As the day wore on, Inuyasha finally stopped looking for an attack every time his brother shifted or spoke. Sesshomaru had not been overly kind towards him, but he had not been cruel either. In fact, he was almost affectionate with Maika, which for Sesshomaru was the equivalent of a love-sick puppy drooling at her heels.
And he truly did behave as a father to Reiku. He was protective, he listened when she spoke and did anything within reason that she requested, even if it was slightly humiliating for him. Like squeezing his larger frame into that miniature train that ran in slow circles, belting out a music that grated on Inuyasha's dull human senses. He could only imagine that it was physically painful for his brother, though the guy had not so much as blinked in complaint.
Inuyasha discovered that as he relaxed he was actually able to enjoy himself. It was fun to just walk around without worrying about jewel shards or Naraku jumping out at every turn. Kagome even managed to be an attraction all herself. That blue dress hugged her figure in all the right places and appealed to him on more than an aesthetic level.
He found himself standing closer and closer to her, relishing the moments when their arms brushed together, or she latched on to him in some fit of excitement. Inuyasha didn't miss the impish smirks his brother gave him, darn that nose of his, but could not really bring himself to care. And he may not have had his usual sense of smell, but he could still easily see the growing sexual tension between his brother and Maika.
Almost laughing out loud, Inuyasha tried to picture their faces once they found out they were both youkai. Priceless!
Though the sun had not yet set, the fair was already growing dark thanks to the tall buildings all around. Vendors brought out a startling assortment of enchanted items. Some buzzed, others hummed, the rest spun and they all glowed with a rainbow of lights. Instantly infatuated, Reiku had insisted on getting as many as Sesshomaru would buy for her.
Soon, she, Maika and Sesshomaru looked like walking neon signs. Reiku had threaded hundreds of the glowing strands throughout all three of their hair. Sesshomaru even sported a crown made of the same lights.
Kagome gave Inuyasha's hand a squeeze and said goodbyes for them both. He and Sesshomaru exchanged stiff nods, but Inuyasha was a little sorry to have to leave this version of his brother. It had been nice to actually have an older brother for once, well, one that behaved like an older brother was supposed to. He did not think he would be able to look at Sesshomaru in the past the same way again. Not after today at least.
Kagome took him back to the lockers to gather the prizes he had won, and they headed towards the shrine. She somehow seemed to lose a few of them as she suddenly had a spare hand to hold his, but Inuyasha didn't mind.
The last tendrils of gold and red slanted through the buildings, bathing Kagome in an almost ethereal glow. She looked up at him, and Inuyasha was forced to a halt, frozen by the intensity of her beauty. He knew he didn't deserve something so perfect, but here he was, holding her hand as he gazed into the depths of her eyes. Slowly, he was drawn forward, his lips seeking hers as if by a will of their own. Just as the last remnants of sunset faded, their lips met and Inuyasha transformed.
The sensation of the kiss was electrifying, and as his hanyou senses returned the sensations intensified a hundredfold. He could taste her, smell her, feel her in a way he had never thought possible before. His fangs lengthened and scraped against her lips as a low, sensual growl rumbled from deep within his chest. He could taste her moans and eagerly drove his tongue into her mouth as it parted. His hands ghosted over her flesh, while hers teased his neck, face and jaw. Inuyasha growled again as her hands discovered his newly returned dog ears.
The tingling of his transformation died down, but the fire lit by Kagome flared hotter. He had never, ever thought it was possible to feel so...so...good! Apparently she felt much the same because her hands tightened on his kimono and tried to bring him back as he finally pulled away to draw air into his starved lungs.
Both closed their eyes, leaning on each other as they panted. Finally, they looked at one another. Inuyasha grinned broadly, while Kagome graced him with a modest blush and a coy smile.
"That was..." Kagome started, unable to find the right word to describe. Inuyasha needed no words. He understood.
"You know, we'll have to try that again the next new moon," he told her, tasting her lips once more before he drew back completely and took her hand.
Kagome gripped his hand and leaned into him. "I'll be looking forward to it."
Neither thought to cover Inuyasha's ears as they strolled, hand in hand, back to the shrine.
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"Reiku, have you enjoyed your first trip to a fair?" Sesshomaru inquired, just after Inuyasha and Kagome left. It seemed they had ridden every ride numerous times and he assumed they would be departing soon as well. Despite the minor embarrassment and discomfort from the intensity of the noise around him, Sesshomaru had to admit he had enjoyed his first visit.
Reiku adjusted the tilting wreath of light on her brow and smiled up at him. "Oh, yes, this has been the best day ever! Thank you so much."
Maika squeezed his hand and took up Reiku's as well. "And it's not over yet, you two. There is one last thing you have to see before we can go."
Sesshomaru could not tell by the look on her face whether this would be a pleasant surprise or an awkward one. Maika led them over to a large space near the center of the park that surrounded a fountain.
"It's a fountain?" Reiku said, a bit confused. Sesshomaru had to agree with her. What was so special about a fountain?
Maika was confident, however. "Yes, it's a fountain. Just watch."
Indeed, it did seem this fountain would be doing something important shortly as the humans quickly crowded around it. Then suddenly the lights around the area flickered off and a the water of the fountain surged upwards painted all the colors of the rainbow by lights hidden somewhere at the base.
The chatter hushed instantly, replaced by awed gasps and applause. Speakers played a merry, upbeat tune and the water and lights danced and sprayed in time with it. Soon the lights lifted and formed shapes that interacted with the water beneath it.
Sesshomaru glanced down at Reiku, who was on her tip-toes trying to peer over the taller adults in front of her. Wordlessly, he bent and scooped her up to sit on his shoulders. Reiku giggled and steadied herself by grabbing his face. Gently, he shifted her hands so they rested over his forehead rather than his eyes and gripped her heels to make sure she did not fall from his back if she grew careless with excitement.
Maika leaned closer to him and whispered, "I knew she'd enjoy it. And I hope it is to the great Mr. Daiginkeiko's liking as well."
"Indeed it is," Sesshomaru assured her. "Our guide has exceeded expectation today," he told her. "I just hope she did not find her duties to be too difficult, as I would like to retain her services for future ventures."
Maika blushed beautifully and looked up at him through the fringe of her eyelashes. "Anytime, Reizo. Today has been fun for me as well."
The park closed once the light show had ended, but Reiku could not stop talking about it.
"Did you see when it made that shape like a flower, then it opened and out flew hundreds of butterflies?" she asked. Maika and Reiku walked on either side of her, each holding one of her hands as she skipped down the sidewalk.
Sesshomaru said nothing to her in response. He simply enjoyed hearing her speak so passionately. Maika, though, responded dutifully to each inquiry.
"Yes, I did. My favorite is when the lights mix with the water and create a rainbow fountain."
Sesshomaru smiled. It felt so right to have both Reiku and Maika by his side. He thought back to his and Maika's kiss and had to suppress a growl of lust. If only Inuyasha had not interrupted. And if they had really been someplace private and not in the midst of all those humans. Sesshomaru almost sighed. He had been quite disappointed that his patience with the hanyou had not earned him the pleasure of seeing at least one good sit. Especially after that annoying remark about his kiss with Maika.
And it also annoyed him how quick Inuyasha was to point out that she was a mortal. Did his brother not think he was aware of that? Mortal, or not, Maika was unlike any woman he had ever met, and he did not intend to let her get away. One thing had not changed over these five hundred years, and that was that when Sesshomaru set his mind on something, he did not lightly turn aside until he achieved it.
However, Kagome's remark earlier had him thinking. Could Maika be a youkai like him, with a charm? He had not really noticed her words the first time, but now that he thought back, they couldn't be pushed away. How had he not considered this possibility before? Given his own situation, it would not be a far stretch for her to be a youkai.
He glanced over at her and sniffed. Damn, she smelt good. And completely mortal. How could he find out one way or the other? He could not just come out and ask her could he? That just seemed far too easy.
Maika laughed at something Reiku had said and asked, "Don't you, Reizo?"
Stirring from his thoughts, Sesshomaru glanced down at them and said, "Don't I what?"
"Don't you like the lights Reiku arranged in our hair?"
"Indeed-" Sesshomaru answered and was about to say more, when he detected the scent of several humans gathering around them. They were hidden, even from his sight, but he could smell their presence and determine their general locations by the slight noise of their movements.
He frowned. Normally he welcomed little encounters like this as it gave him a chance to relieve some stress, but with both Maika and Reiku present, it was rather annoying. He did not wish to reveal himself to Maika in such a way, nor did he wish to expose Reiku to any more violence than she had already had to endure.
Sesshomaru figured there were at least seven of them, though he only could smell the distinctive scent of a firearm on one of them. The rest must have been carrying knives or other objects. He gently released Reiku's hand and flexed his claws. If he timed this just right, he could possibly take them out with his whip or his dokkaso with little violence and risk of exposure. He would simply have to wait, though, for them to make the first move.
Reiku chatted on about her day, oblivious to everything, and Maika had fallen silent. Sesshomaru paid little attention to that as he tracked the humans who presumed to hunt him. Finally, the men made their move just as they passed into a darker section of the sidewalk.
The group closed in quickly, cutting off what would be a normal human's route of escape. Sesshomaru tensed, readying his claws and waiting until they were close enough to attack without being too obvious. The man with the gun lunged out of the darkness to grab Maika and Reiku, and Sesshomaru reacted, flexing his claws to remove the gun from action first.
"Move!" he commanded Reiku and Maika as he passed, but they were gone. Surprised, Sesshomaru paused and looked behind. There stood Maika, her fan open and lifted, with Reiku clutched in her arms. This would not have been all that shocking if she were not standing a good ten feet from where she had been a second ago.
Remembering the man he was attacking, Sesshomaru turned only to find the man lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, his torso almost completely sliced through. He had definitely not done that. His attack would have completely severed the man in two and both halves would be dissolving in poison.
Turning he stared hard at Maika, who was intently studying the group around them, a rather brisk wind stirring around her. There was no way a mortal could move like that, or could have done such damage to that human with no more than a fan. Had Kagome's suspicions truly been right?
She finally noticed him staring at her and flushed a shade of red to match her earrings. Sesshomaru blinked, unable to say anything. Behind him he felt two other humans attempting to take advantage of what they assumed was his lack of attention.
"Reiku, close your eyes," he ordered before he flicked his wrist backwards and neatly removed both their heads with the glowing arc of his whip.
Maika's flush vanished and she dropped her fan to her side. Her soft, red lips parted and her eyes widened. "You?"
Sesshomaru did not answer; he just stood there in a much less obvious shock. How had he not realized it sooner? There was a movement behind her and Sesshomaru became a blur intending to eviscerate the human that dared try to touch what was his, only to see Maika turn, leap several feet into the air and flick her fan at the man all in one smooth motion. A slender blade of air launched from her fan and dispatched that human much like the first had been.
Sesshomaru paused and watched her slow, graceful movements in a sudden onslaught of lust that made him want to take her right there. Like a bird, she alighted on the sidewalk a good distance from their attackers. Reiku was still clutched tightly in her arms, and Maika stood poised to defend the girl as fiercely as need be, though her eyes continually flitted towards him with completely unguarded awe and confusion.
Apparently, their attackers were none too bright, as they continued to assault the two youkai as if they had not just seen their companions be cut down like paper. As one they rushed. Without breaking eye contact, Maika and Sesshomaru deflected them. Maika swept her fan towards one side, tossing men into the wall with a gale so strong their skulls split open. Sesshomaru lashed out with his whip yet again, turning the men on his side into a bloody mound of body parts.
Maika glanced around and, seeing none left alive, snapped her fan shut. A smile quirked her ruby lips and a gleam lit her eyes. Sesshomaru flicked his claws in the direction of the bodies, though he kept his own face blank and emotionless.
"So, self-defense lessons, huh?" he remarked quietly and gave her kills a short, visual inspection.
Maika's smirk grew broader and she shrugged. "I told you I'm a big girl. And just because I took lessons, doesn't mean I need to use them."
She gave his own kills a brief survey and said, "And you really are more dangerous than you look."
Sesshomaru felt another urge to taste Maika as she stood there embracing his child and bantering with him. Her arousal was more evident now than ever, and he sympathized as his own libido was threatening to take over his rational mind. He had fallen for Maika already, and being youkai or mortal did nothing to affect that. However, so many of the little issues that troubled him were suddenly gone. It was like the moment he finally had his arm restored. Not that he had not been able to manage without it, but two arms sure made things a hell of a lot easier.
Reiku stirred him from his thoughts as she pulled her face away from Maika's chest, her eyes clamped firmly shut, and asked in a fearful voice, "Father, what happened?"
Instantly, Sesshomaru stood over them and sniffed their scents instinctually for any sign of injury. He truly appreciated how Maika had stepped in to protect Reiku like she was her own daughter. He now had one other being he would trust with Reiku's protection during a crisis.
"It is over, Reiku. The bandits have been dispatched, but you must keep your eyes closed a moment longer," he told her in his steady voice.
Reiku grinned broadly and nodded. Sesshomaru ran a hand through her hair to show his approval, then said, "Maika, take Reiku and stand back for a moment."
Maika arched an eyebrow at him, but complied. Once he knew they were safely out of range, he lifted his hand and deactivated the charm. He would need his most potent poison to get rid of this many bodies, and for that he needed to be unrestricted.
His ego purred at the appreciative gasp from Maika as well as the sudden spike in her aroused scent.
"A daiyoukai," he heard her murmur.
Smiling, he extended his now visible claws and sprayed his dokkaso over the men. The bodies dissolved to nothing within a minute. That accomplished, Sesshomaru activated his charm and returned to the females.
He took Reiku from Maika's arms and said, "All is well, now. We shall return home."
Reiku opened her eyes, then lay her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for keeping me safe. Today was the best day ever."
"Yes," he agreed.
Sesshomaru stroked the girl's hair as they walked, though all his thoughts were on Maika. It was still hard to believe that the woman beside him was actually a youkai. Absently, he inhaled, savoring her scent and wondering vaguely what her true scent would be. His eyes drifted over to her. She was young, no where near as old as himself, but she was definitely mature. He wondered what her past had been like? How had she adjusted to the growing presence of humans, or was she too young to remember a world without such vast numbers of them? What about family? What would that satin skin of hers taste like?
Sesshomaru's mind quickly digressed into other decidedly inappropriate thoughts as he fantasized ways they would test their skills against one another. He suppressed a needy growl and reminded himself that youkai or not, she was young and he would need to take his time with her. He smirked to himself. Good thing he was the great Daiginkeiko, Reizo. He had all the time in the world.
Maika walked in silence as well, obviously trying to process everything she had just found out. Reiku seemed to be the only one unaffected. Her hands trailed through the lights and stray strands of his hair, and before they had even reached the end of the block, Reiku was asleep.
A/N: Okay, one more time, I want to see how many of you would be interested in a Maika/Sesshomaru lemon? Just let me know either way.