Chapter 8
By the time the call for dinner came Mattaki had just barely managed to calm his temper and had finally, once he'd cooled off, realized that he'd come across as an ass to Kagome. Yes, he'd meant what he'd said about his right to invite anyone he wished without needing permission but he definitely could have said it better. He'd also meant what he'd said about treating Satori respectfully, but it wasn't like he hadn't told Satori the same thing about the way he expected her to treat Kagome. He just hadn't said it to Kagome very well, probably making her feel as though he were condoning Satori's behavior towards her. I made it sound as if she were the troublemaker that was attacking Satori in her home, rather than the other way around, he realized regretfully.
He winced... he was probably going to have to do some profuse apologizing. He decided that he'd catch her after dinner and talk to her then – hopefully she would have had a chance to cool off herself by that time.
Needless to say, with all of the people in the palace he certainly wasn't expecting to be dining alone with Satori – nor was he happy about it. Inuyasha he was aware was still knocked out and wasn't expected to awaken until the next day some time. But Myouga? Kagome and Shippo? Where were they?
When he questioned the servants he was told that Kagome had taken her meal in her room along with Shippo, and that no one even knew were Myouga was. Normally at mealtimes the flea would join the table and sip tea with everyone. And then Mattaki sighed again inwardly. Of course... Myouga had never liked Satori, as she always had nothing but rude things to say about him too, so he had always avoided being caught in her presence. And he could understand that – the flea was small and really unable to defend himself against the female inuyoukai's spite.
But Kagome... well, apparently she'd already had her meal for the evening, but tomorrow things would be changing. He would not have her hiding away and eating alone in her own home just because Satori was around. And besides... how was he supposed to get the message to the female inuyoukai that he already had someone if Kagome wasn't around to interact with?
Resigned to spending the meal alone with Satori, not something he was going to enjoy much because he knew what she was hoping for, namely a relationship with him, he decided to do his best to keep the meal on a casual footing and hope for the best in keeping the topic from anything private. So, in that vein he began the conversation with an inquiry into some of the goings on in her palace.
That was the perfect topic, as she spoke lightly through the meal about the drama and silliness that was always to be found in such places, and Mattaki was able to find enough of interest to keep him from dying of boredom as she described some of the recent incidences between people he'd known before his death.
That topic covered most of the meal, and he was just about to sigh with relief when she changed the subject, and started speaking about things he really didn't want to – like what he planned to do now that he had a second chance at life.
It took some maneuvering but he managed to keep from speaking of anything too private, and before Satori could bring up the subject of finding himself a mate the meal was over, and he excused himself on the grounds that it had been a long day and he had a few things to oversee before seeking his bed.
She'd eyed him hopefully, and then sighed and waved him off after a moment when he didn't respond to her blatant hope for an invitation to share said bed and he'd escaped gladly, ready to glue Kagome to his hip and demand that she never leave his side again - so that he'd never be left alone with Satori again. No, he didn't want to hurt her feelings by denying her aloud – but he hated the feeling of being chased and put in a difficult spot and he needed for her to get the message quickly and go home - before he lost his mind.
Besides... her presence was putting a damper on his own attempts to romance the woman he wanted, not to mention causing havoc between them. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to invite her to stay, despite his reasons – if he hadn't invited her she'd have had to go home. She would have eventually realized that he had a new interest in his life and that would have been that.
That thought, though, brought to mind another – her spying mirror. He really didn't like the idea of her spying on him – he had no desire for her to watch him in his daily life with Kagome, and certainly not any... times of intimacy. So... as soon as Satori left he was going to be putting up a barrier to keep her mirror out. Yes, he wanted her to get the message, but not that way.
Once he'd done his nightly routine perimeter check of his estate he headed for his rooms, with the added idea of taking a nice soak. As he passed Kagome's room, he pulsed his aura lightly – and came to a halt when he realized that she wasn't in her room. Thinking her to be in the baths again, he frowned and then growled lightly when he didn't see the soft glow of the lamp through the rice-paper to warn him of her presence. She must have forgotten in her ire, he thought, and summoned a female servant to peek in and shoo her out of the bath.
He was taken aback, however, when told that no one was currently inhabiting the bathing room, and decided to track her down and just get the apologizing done now instead of waiting. Since she wasn't in her room nor taking a bath he figured she was probably in the gardens, Shippo and possibly Myouga entertaining her. He actually hoped that was the case, so that she would hopefully be in a forgiving mood when he approached.
By the time he realized she wasn't in the garden he was beginning to get a bit perturbed, and getting tired of trying to track her scent - which seemed to be all over the place - he instead searched for her aura and was quite irritated to be unable to find it. She was hiding from him, and that told him all he needed to know about her current temperament. She was still pissed off.
Changing his mind once again he decided that if she was still so angry with him as to be hiding from him, then he would let a night of sleep soothe her temper and then catch her in the morning to apologize and straighten things out between them. The thought that she might have left his protection and his estate never crossed his mind, since he knew that she wouldn't do anything to put others in danger no matter how angry she was at him. That kind of unthinking foolishness wasn't in her.
However, it also hadn't occurred to him that she would have moved herself from the room he'd given her into a much smaller room at a remote end of the estate, placing herself amongst the servants. She was pretty much as far away from him as she could get and still be under his protection.
Instead, placidly certain that she was merely avoiding him in her temper and that it would all blow over in the morning once he'd groveled sufficiently, he took a nice, relaxing soak and then retired to his bed, arousing and emotionally satisfying thoughts of taking her to his bed dancing through his dreams and keeping him smiling through the rest of the night.
~oOo~
The following morning found a scowling Mattaki – no one seeing him at that point would have thought he'd spent most of the night before having extremely happy dreams and with a very pleased smile plastered on his face.
He'd woken that morning with thoughts of making up with Kagome and then getting Satori to see the growing intimacy between he and the miko, which would then hopefully send her from their home with the message that maybe she needed to give up on thoughts of ever having a relationship with him and find someone else. With that 'making up' with Kagome first and foremost in his thoughts he'd gone to her room to see if she was still there – only to find that she wasn't... and hadn't been all night.
Immediately his hackles had gone up and he'd once again tried to track her down through her aura, but lo and behold she was still hiding from him – and that was when he realized that he might have gone a little farther than he'd realized the day before in his words, and that she had obviously taken what he'd said a great deal differently than he'd really meant. It was at that point that he began to panic just a bit; though he didn't think she'd do something like leave the estate when the kami had just gotten through telling her of the dangers of doing just that, he couldn't be positive that she hadn't in the upset of what he'd said to her – and how he'd said it, he winced, thinking back to the previous evening.
So he did the next best thing, and that was to track down the kitsune. Once he'd found the boy's signature still in the palace he'd calmed down some, knowing that he wouldn't still be here if Kagome were not. In no time at all he'd cornered the young boy, and sighed inwardly at the suspicious look the kit shot him. He'd really done it, it seemed – he had the feeling that he'd set himself back with Kagome, and that he'd be doing some crawling on hands and knees to get back into her good graces and so he just accepted the kit's dubious look when he asked where the miko was without comment.
"I don't think mama wants me to tell you where she slept last night," he said after a moment of studying the daiyoukai. "But right now she's out in the garden, so if you want to talk to her..." he trailed off, and Mattaki nodded.
"I need to apologize for my words yesterday – and how I said them," he offered, hoping that would soothe the child's protective streak; it did, and he calmed down immediately and gave ground himself.
"She's really upset with you. But she's not the type to hold a grudge, and she usually forgives people pretty easy – especially when they actually apologize," he said a bit sourly, casting an pointed glare in the direction both males could feel Inuyasha's aura in. "I'll stay inside for a while to let you guys talk," he offered after a moment, and thanking him with a small smile Mattaki went off in search of the female that was already running him in circles.
He found her in a small protected niche, her knees folded up and arms around them. The pose only emphasized how tiny she really was and it tugged at his heart – she looked sad and tired, and so very lonely. He hated that it was him that had made her look like that, his conscience chastising him heavily and his instincts screaming at him to fix her unhappiness, and as he stepped into her little space the only thing he could say was, "I'm sorry," regret thick in his voice.
Blue eyes flashed as she glanced quickly at him before looking away; her arms tightened slightly around herself and the lonely look of her increased, causing him to frown.
"I... spoke wrongly to you, yesterday, Kagome – I didn't mean to make you feel as though I was accusing you or demanding that you treat someone with respect though she hadn't done the same for you. I actually told her off after you left the room when she'd spoken badly to you, and let her know that she would not be allowed to treat you in such a manner again. I really just wanted peace between you but I stated it badly, and for that I apologize most sincerely."
She didn't say anything for several long moments. When she did her voice was distant and cool and it left him perturbed; he'd truly lost ground with her, it seemed. "It's your home as you said, and I had no place questioning you on her visit nor disrespecting your guests regardless of their treatment of me. After all, she was invited meaning you wish to be around her, and I was simply thrust upon you without warning or invitation, the kami forcing you to take me into your care and giving you no choice in the matter. I should have remembered my place and not questioned you nor spoken so to your guest."
"You're wrong, you know," he said quietly, advancing a little more into the space and sitting down. Her answer had upset him greatly, but he would keep calm and answer her words one point at a time. When she shrugged, her posture still screaming 'distant', he continued, knowing he had to make her understand – or she would shut him out and it could be a long, long time before she opened up to him again. He didn't want to wait for years... he didn't think he could. His instincts and feelings concerning her would drive him insane long before that. "About all of what you said. First... that I had no choice in taking on the place as your protector. They asked and I agreed."
"Because it was the only way to regain a chance at your life," she answered quietly, her voice dead and seemingly lifeless.
His frown deepened at the sound; such a lack of life in the usually emotive tones was just so wrong when coming from her that it made him shudder slightly. "Do you really think I regret your presence in my life? If you do then you are blind." He drew in a deep breath, trying to control himself, and then continued. "I told you that this was your home too, Kagome, and you should never have to stand there and let someone speak down to you in it. I would never ask that of you. I wasn't even upset that you'd responded back in the same manner as she'd spoken to you; the only thing that upset me was that you'd used what I'd told you, thinking it to be in confidence - though it's true I never specifically asked you to treat that conversation as such, and perhaps I should have. And never think that your place here is under anyone elses feet – not even my own. This is as much your home as it is mine or anyone elses, Kagome." He sighed then, as he watched her avoiding his gaze. "And your place is by my side... or at least that's where I hope it will be – and not just as a friend and equal, either."
She was quiet again for a moment, her face still turned away and in shadow. "I apologized for that and said it wouldn't happen again, and it won't," she replied eventually, still refusing to look at him or open herself to him in any way. She also completely ignored the last part of his statement, focusing only on the mistake she'd made in using what he'd said against Satori.
He wanted to shake her, make her angry, start a true argument with her, anything to wake her up and make that dead-sounding voice come back to life, make her eyes sparkle, and most importantly to make her look at him, to acknowledge him. For an inu to have a pack member, which to him she was, turn their back on you or refuse to look at you or acknowledge you was probably the most painful punishment besides actual banishment that they could ever subject you to.
This was really hurting, though he knew that she had no idea what she was doing.
"Kami's sakes, Kagome, do you wish me to beg?" he finally burst out, hoping to startle her into looking at him, into responding to him. "I will if I have to. I could not be more sorry that I let my upset get the better of me than if I'd caused you actual, physical harm. Please, look at me?" he asked, his voice pleading. When she did, a bit startled at his outburst and wide-eyed for it, he continued. "As for wishing to be around Satori..." he trailed off and then sighed, his eyes fading from pleading to a little sad. "Satori... I believe I already told you that she has feelings for me," he said, his tone low, and Kagome nodded, but before he could continue she broke in, her voice an odd conglomeration of misery mixed with anger.
"I had forgotten how things are here in Sengoku Jidai, and when you said you wanted me to be your mate I misunderstood, I guess. But let me make myself clear: You may find it normal and not at all wrong to have two or even more mates, and if you want Satori as one of your mates then that's your business," she said fiercely, not looking at him and with her fists clenching, "but I'm from a world where a person only takes one, and for me to accept a place alongside another would make me no more than a whore. I won't be a whore for anyone so if you want her, which isn't surprising, since she's as beautiful as you said though her manners suck, then more power to you - but I won't be a part of your little harem," she finished derisively, her hands clenched hard around her arms and white-knuckled with tension, "especially since a... a mate is about the only thing I refuse to share!"
It took Mattaki a minute to push through the dazed shock in his mind – that she would think something like that had never once occurred to him, but before he could get angry, his own black blood broke in and forced him to acknowledge just why she might have thought that. He had gotten rather arrogant and secretive when he'd refused to answer her query as to why Sesshoumaru's mother needed to be there visiting when Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found. No wonder she was suspicious.
If he had told her yesterday his reasons for inviting the female to stay he could have avoided this whole mess, and that fact really made him feel like a foolish pup. Perhaps I need to go a round in the dojo with Inuyasha, only this time I should let him get a few good hits on me for my baka behavior. I can't believe that I acted as foolish as he usually does... and what does that say for where the brat got it? He sighed again, frustrated with himself and the situation.
He needed to fix this – now.
Reaching out he grabbed ahold of her stiffening person and pulled her into his lap. Rumbling deeply and soothingly in his chest he began rocking her, saying nothing for several minutes as he attempted to relax her tension somewhat.
Tucking her head under his chin after a few minutes, he was silent for a moment more as he gathered his thoughts and then said, voice once again full of regret, "No, Kagome. I do not wish for anything of the sort. I have told you that inuyoukai are basically serial monogamists once they are mated or had found someone they wished to mate, and I meant that. I have no desire for more than one woman in that place in my life, and that woman is you." He nuzzled her temple affectionately as she slumped in his lap and he felt and smelled her tears. "The reason I invited Satori to stay is because I was... unable to simply tell her that you and I are... involved in that manner. I do not wish to hurt her feelings," he added hurriedly so she wouldn't take those words wrong and think he was ashamed for people to know of them as a couple. "I could tell yesterday when she came that she was here hoping that she would have a chance at being my chosen this time, and I just didn't want to hurt her by actually telling her that she never would be. So I hoped that if she stayed she would see the intimacy growing between us and would get the message in that way, so that at least she could save her pride the outright rejection."
Kagome sniffled as she thought about his words, and sighed after a few minutes, finally allowing a great deal of the tension in her body to seep away. While what Mattaki had said yesterday had hurt her, she could admit that perhaps she had reacted a bit over the top to it by moving herself into the servants wing. And she couldn't help her heart softening to him - for how many males, how many men would go to so much trouble trying to soften a rejection so as to avoid causing a woman unnecessary hurt and humiliation? Not many. It just went to show that youkai or not Mattaki had a good, loving, caring heart, his wildness notwithstanding. Of course, inu are a very affectionate breed of animal, so I guess I'm not too surprised to find that their youkai counterparts have the same good heart.
Finally, after thinking over things for a while she let the rest of her tension slip away and returned the affectionate embrace he was trying to wrap her in, snuggling closer to him. She couldn't miss the relieved sigh or the fact that he cuddled her even closer. I couldn't be any closer to him unless he was inside my skin with me, she giggled to herself, a watery little sound that served to ease Mattaki's tension just that little bit more.
"Do you... can you forgive me, Kagome?" he asked softly. "I will never be able to make you understand just how terrible I feel over what I said and how I said it. I swear to you right now that I will never take my bad temper out on you again, for that is exactly what I did yesterday. I had... gotten frustrated at Satori for her treatment of you, frustrated that she was even here, and I allowed that to blow up on you. I am so, so sorry."
Kagome sighed once more and nodded. "I forgive you," she returned just as softly. "You don't have to keep apologizing. I think I was more hurt than mad, really, but I'll be okay." Her brow furrowed and she looked up at him. "But I don't understand why you got all... panicky when I wouldn't look at you, and why you started basically begging. That kind of thing just doesn't seem like... you."
His grip tightening on her Mattaki bent his head and nuzzled her temple, then placed a gentle kiss there before answering. "I am inuyoukai, Kagome, and though I am alpha I am still a pack-oriented being. When a pack member has misbehaved the usual punishment is for the other members of the pack to turn away and not acknowledge that member of the pack for a while. You could say it is like a mini-banishment. For an inuyoukai there is no worse punishment than banishment or the threat of it. It is a very painful, frightening thing."
Her frown deepened. "Really? But... but why would you get so upset that I didn't look at you? I'm not pack... I mean, isn't pack like an inu's family?"
Nuzzling further along her temple and down towards her delicate ear, he murmured, "Pack can be family. Basically, pack is those that a particular inu cares for – those the inu loves. A mate, pups... and I want you to be my mate. We are already basically bound together as such, so to me you are pack. You will always be pack. You are the alpha female to my role as the alpha male, which makes you more pack than any other. My sons are also pack."
"What about Satori?"
He was quiet for a minute, then said, "Satori... is not pack, not exactly. She's what you could call extended pack, I suppose, rather than true pack. She is, after all, my son's mother, so there will always be that association. And I will always be grateful to her for giving me my son, my heir. Can you accept that?"
She nodded against his chest. "Yeah, I guess so. But... how are you going to get her to understand that you're taken?" she asked. "You don't think that she'll stick around and try to get you to change your mind?"
Mattaki sincerely hoped not. "No... I don't think so. I think that seeing me with you will be a direct hit to her pride, and one thing about Satori, her pride is everything. I think she will leave while hoping that no one realized that she had the hopes of joining with me in the first place so that she won't feel embarrassed or humiliated."
Nodding, she opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by her stomach growling. Her cheeks warmed and she squirmed in sudden embarrassment of her own.
Needless to say Mattaki was charmed, and he laughed, just so damn relieved inside that he'd managed to get back into her good graces. "I do believe that breakfast is ready to be served at any time, so if you wish we could go now," he smiled.
"Haven't you already eaten?" she asked as she stood from his lap and offered him a hand, which he took with a grin.
"No. I could not even think of eating with so much wrong between us." He looked around to make sure no one was around to hear him and then leaned down towards her and said, "And besides... I didn't want to be stuck eating with Satori alone, like I was at dinner last night. I tried every trick I know to keep the talk from intimate topics, and when it was over and I made the comment of having some things to see to before bed, she gifted me with a hopeful look – I knew right away what she wanted, that being an invitation to my bed, and all I could do was act like I hadn't noticed her come hither look. It was as embarrassing as hell," he finished sheepishly, nearly whispering. "I certainly didn't want a repeat this morning."
Eyes wide, Kagome leaned back and looked at him. "Really? She was really so bold as to...?" she trailed off, just as hushed, and he nodded.
She shook her head. "Wow. I'm sorry you got stuck with her like that," she practically whispered back. "I won't leave you alone with her again."
Mattaki grinned down at her and squeezed her hand. "I am so glad you said that," he laughed as he led her back into the palace, "I had actually wished at one point that we were joined at the hip so you would have to be with me at all times."
Hand clapped over her mouth, she giggled, and something inside Mattaki loosened finally as her spirit once again sent out waves of happiness and contentment. He decided in that moment that he never wanted it to be so pained as it was earlier – he wanted her to always simply breathe contentment, because it made everything around them seem brighter. Her happiness was contagious, and the proof was in the kitsune excitedly bouncing down the steps to see them coming towards him – he'd felt her aura return to its normally happy state even from inside, and had come looking to make sure her expression matched her aura for contentment.
Pleased to find that she was indeed just as happy as she felt, Shippo nonetheless couldn't let things go without a roundabout warning to the male and said, "You're just lucky Kagome isn't the type to want revenge," smartly, before grasping her other hand and leading them inside to where his nose told him the smell of food was coming from.
Metallic eyes gleaming in acknowledgment of the kitsune's words Mattaki slid open the shoji into the dining room and the little group made their way in to take their seats. He motioned for the servants to begin bringing in the meal as he took his, and before long even Myouga had decided to show his face, taking a seat near Mattaki and graciously accepting his 'spot' of tea as one servant carefully poured out a single drop into the little nomi's tiny mug.
The beginning of the meal was cheerful and the atmosphere easy – until a certain aura began to make its way towards them, and suddenly the little party broke up, Myouga hurriedly draining his mug of the remaining tiny bit of tea and making himself scarce. Mattaki sighed as the two left in the room with him tensed in preparation for the female's entrance. For so long he'd ignored the effect that Satori had on others, accepting it as just part of the way she was, but perhaps it was time to take her to task about it instead.
However, now was not the time and so as she entered the room he attempted to distract Kagome from her presence by asking her about her whereabouts during the night, a question he'd had anyway since realizing she hadn't slept in her room at all.
Her response was slightly terse as her manner tensed just that little bit more. "I changed rooms," she replied shortly. "I was angry so I had the servants move me to their wing, to a small room away from anyone else."
Mattaki blinked, not sure what to say at that point as aggravation warred with upset that she'd felt she belonged among the servants – for any reason.
Satori took that moment to stick her opinion in.
"Well. Apparently you at least have some intelligence, enough to know your place anyway, even if others appear to think you should have a higher place than your disgusting humanity would deem appropriate," she said snidely, her voice heavy with disdain, before turning to Mattaki with a much warmer look. "I hope you slept well," she said demurely, then purred, "Although I'm sure I could have helped you sleep even better if you'd have allowed me," with a seductive look that stunned everyone in the room with its open disregard of the mixed company.
Kagome's jaw dropped open in shock followed swiftly by belligerence, but she never got the chance to say anything as Mattaki took that moment to lose his temper – which was something he rarely did with members of the opposite sex. But after the fight with Kagome and just now managing to patch things up between them, especially since she had been the cause of it, he just couldn't allow her to get away with her snide, condescending manner for another moment. It was time to end it, time to put her in her place once and for all.
He was done coddling her, because he'd realized in the moment that she'd entered the room and spoken so snidely once again despite his words to her yesterday, that he was actually enabling her behavior by not putting his foot down immediately when she tried it. In not wishing to hurt her, he was allowing her to hurt others because of her, well... antagonistic and inappropriately vain and arrogant behavior towards everyone else.
"That is the last straw, Satori! What did I tell you yesterday about how you were to treat Kagome? Her place is above you, and you had better learn to respect that or you will tempt the kami into responding in ways that you would not like," he snarled, not paying the slightest attention to her wide-eyed expression of shock. "As for your little hint about sharing my bed, I really had not wanted to do it this way but you just don't appear to get the hint, so I will be blunt. Yes, you are beautiful. No, I am not interested in a relationship with you. Your spite and coldness to all those around you leaves me equally cold, woman - that was why I decided against mating you all those years ago. You treat everyone as though they were little more than the dirt beneath your feet, and this inflated sense of your own worth is not only totally erroneous but a distinct turn-off, as well. You are not above everyone else, and if you don't come down off the pedestal you've put yourself on then you will most likely spend the rest of your life alone. Now, while you are in this house, you will treat Kagome and everyone else with respect – or you will not be in this house, are we clear?"
He watched the frozen tableau with satisfaction laced with regret that she had pushed the matter to this point, forcing him to finish it in a way he had not wanted to. But he couldn't help the satisfaction that she at least finally knew that he had no interest in sharing a bed – or a life – with her, so he no longer had to be concerned with her interference in his courtship or his life ever again. It was no odds that her now shaken pride would have her leaving the estate immediately and refusing to ever return.
Thoroughly shamed and enraged because of it, the female inu's eyes flashed red and she snarled at him. "Then, as it seems you prefer lowering yourself to rut with disgusting humans to having congress with someone actually worth your time, I will leave you to it," she bit out scathingly. "All I can hope is that my son has not inherited your abhorrent need to indulge in such base proclivities!" she hissed as she turned on her heel and sailed from the room, her head held high and Mattaki's statements about her overweening pride in herself left unaddressed.
Kagome and Shippo, silent through the entire confrontation, not that it had been a long one, thankfully, stared in fascination as the female left the room, then looked up at Mattaki as he snarled after the angered female. His own need to defend Kagome from the dishonorable words of Satori and his desire for her to just leave were clashing, leaving him frozen and unable to take out his anger on the one who had brought it forth.
Kagome, seeing his warring desires stood up and made her way to his side, her gentle fingers finding his back and smoothing softly over his tensed muscles in an attempt to calm him down. It worked, the tension flowing slowly from him as he responded to her touch and her aura as it turned to calming energies meant to soothe and gentle an upset being.
After a few moments he exhaled, his own reddened eyes draining away to leave behind regretful gold as he stared at the doorway. Once Kagome felt him relax she slipped around under his arm and smiled up at him tentatively.
"Are you okay now?" she asked, her voice a little apprehensive.
He sighed once more, noting the kitsune's bristling tail as he did, and drew in his still somewhat agitated youki before looking down at the woman clutched to his side. "Hai, hai, I am fine." He glanced ruefully out the shoji. "I had not wanted things to end that way but her words and attitude to you angered me, and my temper slipped. While I do regret saying things in such a manner, truthfully they are things that have needed to be said for centuries. I've no doubt that I've now earned her eternal enmity. After all, hell hath no fury as a woman scorned."
Kagome flinched, knowing the truth of that statement. Though she herself had never been the vengeful, vindictive type she knew that many females were – which was why they'd been described as catty. Still, she knew what he meant.
"Well, whatever she tries we'll just have to weather it together," she said, with a giggle as the rhyme caught her fleeting attention. "Come on, sit down and let's just finish our breakfast – I hadn't gotten more than a few bites before she came in, and I'm still hungry."
He allowed her to lead him back to his seat, and smiled reassuringly at the still-wary kitsune, who promptly shook himself and then returned to his meal. But as Kagome sat down Mattaki spoke, ending any chance at a return to a normal meal as his level tone warned them both that there was something left unaddressed that was going to be finished now that the matter of Satori had been take care of.
"So... I distinctly recall you saying that you had moved into the servants wing, into a small room away from everyone else, Kagome. Care to explain your reasons for that?"
There was a fraught silence in the room as Kagome exchanged a chagrined look with Shippo before turning to look at him with reluctance.
"Eh, heh, heh..." she trailed off, then rolled her eyes away from the patiently waiting inuyoukai and tried to figure out what to say. Especially as she wasn't ready to move back into her original room.
This isn't going to be fun, she acknowledged with a wince and an inward sigh.
And sure enough, it wasn't.
~oOo~
A/N: I had a reviewer leave several thoughts last chapter on the many ways I could have Kagome respond to her little tiff with Mattaki – most of them on just how I might have Kagome get revenge on Mattaki for this fight. Now, some writers might take that route. But that would be totally OOC for Kagome, who really isn't the vengeful sort at all. So no convoluted schemes whereby she and possibly others do mean and ridiculous things to Mattaki in this story, sorry. It's also not my character to go for revenge either, for something so slight. Now, if I was writing a different kind of story with an OOC Kagome then that kind of thing might be on my radar, but not in this story. Such a thing would take this way out of what I wanted it to be – a simple romance.
Still, I hope people continue to enjoy, despite that fact that I didn't make Kagome a vengeful bitch out to make Mattaki's life miserable simply because he said a few things he shouldn't have, with an attitude he normally wouldn't have had. I personally think going for revenge for such a silly fight is terrible, and a person that would take such a thing and make it into a drama-fest is a person that I wouldn't like, nor would I want to be around them. Of course, I detest drama of any kind, anyway, so that's not so surprising.
Amber