One Week

Chapter 2

I don't own Inuyasha

Sesshoumaru tried not to let the anxiousness show as Izaiyoi kissed her kids before lingering on Rin, picking the child up and hugging her. Rin giggled before curiously asking several questions of which she already knew the answers to as Izaiyoi and Taisho had prepped her and the rest of them about the schedule and what they expected of them while away.

"Mom, Dad, do you have to go?" Kohaku looked at them unsure.

Taisho began to respond but was interrupted by Inuyasha.

"No worries Kohaku, I'm the one who's the brains of this outfit. Sesshoumaru knows who's really in charge."

"Yeah, right. Go sit down before you hurt yourself thinking."

"Alright, kids. Don't get into a fight before we even get out the door. Your mother needs a vacation and so do I."

Taisho placed his hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder as he placed a set of car keys in his hands.

"I'm not going to make you drive the old car but if you wreck my new one, I will disinherit you. Think you can handle this?"

"Easy, I've got this."

"Remember, don't…"

"Get into a fight with Inuyasha. I know."

"Easier said than done."

Izaiyoi finished her good-byes as she turned to Sesshoumaru.

"I trust you to take care of them while your father and I are gone. I want you to promise that you'll call us if you have questions or need anything."

"I promise."

Sesshoumaru tempered himself not to pull back as Izaiyoi hugged him. He knew she'd done it out of love. She always tried to include him as one of her own but it was harder for him to accept her as a mother. It felt like a betrayal of his own mother to give Izaiyoi the same status.

…

Kohaku and Rin waved from the window as Taisho and Izaiyoi pulled out of the driveway. Inuyasha yawned and made his way into the kitchen, grabbing the bag of chips from the pantry.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting food because I'm hungry."

"You just ate breakfast. You can't take the whole bag, they have to last the week."

"Mom and dad gave you money. Go buy more."

"They didn't give me money to buy random shit."

"They gave you money for food! That's not random shit!"

"Put the bag down, Inuyasha.

"Geez, mom and dad have been gone a minute and you're jumping down my throat already? No. I'll eat what I want and then bring the rest back."

"You'll eat the whole bag in your room. Everybody knows how you are with chips, you addict."

"Well, it's not my fault I can't eat just one."

Inuyasha held the bag possessively as Sesshoumaru's approach became more calculated with every step. Sesshoumaru stopped as he heard Kohaku chime in.

"Hey! We want some chips too!"

"Remember, mommy and daddy, said no fighting. Can I have some? I think Aun wants some too." Rin hugged the caramel colored dog that stood as tall as her as he licked her cheek and looked up at the bag that Inuyasha was holding.

Sesshoumaru relaxed against the counter. His little brother, sister, and even Aun were clearly on his side in this as he looked at Inuyasha. The younger brother was clearly outnumbered as he sighed. Sesshoumaru felt satisfied that Inuyasha was being forced to share which would leave the addicted brother with fewer chips to be devoured.

"Can I open them?" Rin reached for the bag in Inuyasha's hands as he held the salt flavored snacks down in defeat.

Hugging the bag to her, the five of them heard a burst, followed by excited barking and a cry that effectively sounded like Inuyasha had just been shot. Sesshoumaru looked at the floor. The entire contents of the bag rested in a salted, crumbly heap at Rin's feet. She'd hugged the bag entirely too hard. He sighed before looking into the little girl's eyes. He could already see the tears welling up as Inuyasha stomped off upstairs and Kohaku started cleaning up what he could before Aun made himself sick.

"Sorry."

Rin's shoulders started to bob as the tears began to flow.

"Don't worry about it Bug. Isn't your favorite show Puppy Police or something on anyway?"

"Oh, yeah! Arrr, Arf! Puppy Power!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head trying to understand how Rin's demeanor took a complete 180 at the mention of her favorite show as she ran back into the front room and jumped on the couch dancing along with the opening theme song of Puppy Police. He nudged Aun toward her to get him away from the chips Kohaku was still trying to clean up.

"Thanks, Kohaku."

"Nobody wanted chips but Inuyasha anyway and I'm sick of seeing the two of you fight all the time."

"Inuyasha and I are destined to fight until the day that we die."

Kohaku abruptly stopped cleaning up the chips and tried to find any hint of humor in what Sesshoumaru just said. Kohaku swallowed as Sesshoumaru finished sweeping up the last few crumbs. It was difficult to figure out his oldest brother and he was never quite sure where he stood with him but surely if Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were destined to a dual of all eternity where did that leave him in all of this?

Sesshoumaru could hear faint, quick breaths being taken behind him before he looked at Kohaku.

"I wasn't being serious Kohaku."

"I know."

"You've never crossed me. There's nothing to worry about between us. Can you breathe?"

Kohaku nodded but Sesshoumaru could see the distress. "Where's your inhaler?"

Kohaku pointed up the stairs.

"Inuyasha...I know the bastard hears me."

"I heard that!"

"I knew you would."

"What do you want asshole?"

"Just Kohaku's inhaler if you want to save your younger brother."

Sesshoumaru traced Inuyasha's stomping footsteps upstairs and could tell exactly where his brother was by the sound.

"What did you do this time, send Kohaku into hysterics?"

"Shut up."

"You know the kid is temperamental and requires a calm environment."

"Stop quoting Izaiyoi."

"Arr, Arf! Puppy Unit goooo! Catch those bad kitties!"

Sesshoumaru looked over at Rin jumping on the couch bringing the volume to an all-new high as Aun had worked himself up barking and spinning to catch his tail. Kohaku finally caught his breath as Inuyasha was again searching the pantry and found crackers. Sesshoumaru could only assume it was the next closest thing he could find to chips. Sesshoumaru smirked, picking up his phone and pretending to text as he took a picture of Inuyasha shoveling saltines. Inuyasha's addiction was amusing at best.

#Addictedtochips#Ilivewiththis#longweek

...

"How do you think the kids are doing?"

Taisho looked over at Izaiyoi as they stopped at a red light. He could see the worry that was written on her face. But he couldn't deny that she was always like this when they left for trips. She always had the fear that maybe she'd forgotten something, hadn't turned off the lights or the stove, that maybe they'd even forgotten one of the kids.

"It's only been 30 minutes. I'm sure everything is fine."

Izaiyoi shook her head.

"It's normal that I should feel like I want to go back, right?"

"Maybe."

"They're kids! Are we insane?! We just left children by themselves and expect them to survive and thrive while we're gone."

Taisho grabbed her hands trying to calm the nerves as she wrang them in her lap.

"We didn't leave them out in the wilderness dear. We left them in a controlled, safe, environment with a roof, food, and plenty of entertainment. I think our little lab mice will survive this ordeal."

"I don't know. Maybe we should just go back. What if Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are fighting right now and Rin and Kohaku are watching them ring each other's necks?"

"It wouldn't be the first time they've seen that. Besides, you have to think positive. I think Sesshoumaru's goal of getting the car will be enough to make him think twice about getting into a fight with Inuyasha."

"Did I leave Kohaku's inhaler where he could find it?"

"Yes."

"Rin felt warm to me when I hugged her."

"Yes, because she was running ten miles a minute before we left."

"...And this girlfriend...I didn't even know Sesshoumaru had a girlfriend and what if he, heaven forbid..."

"Okay...! I think Sesshoumaru knows that I will kill him if he does what you're thinking with that girl. Rin was a ball of energy when we left. Inuyasha can hold his own and Kohaku will do what he always does and remain on the sidelines. I want you to relax and enjoy the trip. Let me do the worrying for you."

"Can we at least call them?"

"We'll call them when we get to the hotel."

Taisho took off again as the light turned green. In honesty, all he could think about now was how the house would look and if it would be standing by the time they returned. Yes, Sesshoumaru was motivated to get the new car but as he'd seen time and time again Sesshoumaru had his limits.

A/N: I was in need of writing something light. Reviews welcome! Will update again soon.