1.
"Inuyasha! Hurry up! We are going to be late!" Kagome screamed towards the stairs of their large home. Kagome had hoped that Inuyasha would become a little more considerate now that they were living together, and in a way he had, but his sense of time still was totally non-existence.
"I'm coming! Stop shouting at me you wench!" Inuyasha shouted back and ran down the stairs fixing his tie.
"Let me help you with that", Kagome said and smiled warmly. Doing something like this was great actually. It felt like they really were married now. Inuyasha and Kagome's wedding had taken place three weeks ago. It had been a wonderful occasion, big party, white dress and too many guests. But that couldn't be helped when your husband-to-be is the owner of a huge international company. No, he was her husband now, Kagome couldn't help but smile stupidly happy.
"Tell me again, why are we in a hurry? I thought we just got back from our honeymoon and I still could think us better things to do…" Inuyasha said quietly when Kagome fixed his tie for him.
"Inuyasha, don't be silly. You know we both have work today and we are in a hurry because someone couldn't wake up on time."
"But we still have plenty of time before work!" Inuyasha kept whining and tried to use his puppy-eyes technique. It didn't work.
"You do remember that we agreed to go to your brother's place, don't you?" Kagome asked warningly and gave Inuyasha a warning look.
"Like Sesshoumaru would need us there", Inuyasha huffed and took his jacket.
"Yes, he does actually, even though he probably doesn't know that. Anyway, I don't think that anyone has been there the whole time we were gone and it might have turned out pretty bad already. Don't you remember what he was like in the wedding? He obviously had a new idea in his head and you know perfectly well what that means."
Inuyasha sighed. His brother could be a real nuisance at times. "I know, I know, and that is exactly why he isn't going to be happy seeing us. When he gets like that you shouldn't interrupt him."
"It's been three weeks! And while he is like that he doesn't eat properly or sleep or do anything else he should be doing in order to stay alive. Besides, don't forget that we are the only ones he allows to come over."
Inuyasha smiled and looked tenderly at Kagome. "You really are adorable when you are taking care of people, even if it's my brother." He sighed. "But I guess you are right. We should go to check it up. Perhaps he's lying there half death already." Inuyasha grabbed the car keys and walked out of the door holding Kagome's hand.
"Did you remember to take those documents you need in today's meeting?" Kagome asked before getting in the car.
"Oh shit!" Inuyasha gave Kagome a thank you kiss and rushed back to the house.
Kagome smiled a little. She liked this married life. She couldn't wait to turn this big house into her own home. Their home. It was a perfect place to raise children. The house was big with two floors and a huge garden. Actually it was more like a small mansion. Kagome mused herself by thinking what she would do to the garden, she couldn't wait to get her hands on it.
Inuyasha came back with his briefcase and they both got in the car. "Do you think he has any food in the house? Should we take him something?" Inuyasha asked suddenly. Kagome thought it was funny how he cared for his brother even though he always spoke so roughly of him.
"Don't worry, Inuyasha, I already packed everything in the car this morning", Kagome said and tried to disentangle Inuyasha's long hair from knots. "Shouldn't you keep your hair tied up? You keep business suits but your hair is a mess."
"They know what I look like in the work. But you really are an angel Kagome", Inuyasha said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't that hard to see that they were newlyweds.
--
--
Sesshoumaru's house stood in the middle of nowhere faraway from other people. Because the man hated other people and wanted to work in peace it was a perfect place for him to live, even if the place was actually a huge mansion and he lived there alone.
This huge house was in a matter of fact the great Taishou-family's estate that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had inherited after their father's death. Inuyasha had always preferred living in a city so he had given the house to Sesshoumaru who, no-one knew why, was very attached to the place. Ever since then Sesshoumaru had lived there by himself. For some reason he had also thrown out every employee in the mansion. Inuyasha had later on hired all of them to work in the company out of guilt.
Sesshoumaru as a person could be described as anything but ordinary. He hated other people and didn't like to be in contact with anyone. The only people he could stand to be near him were his editor, Inuyasha and his new wife who had turned out to be not as bad as he had firstly suspected. At least she never nagged him about anything. Sesshoumaru didn't like talking and he was mostly quiet. His eyes were sharp and his presence made everyone feel like he was looking down on them. He was smarter than most of the people and wasn't afraid of showing it. He absolutely despised stupid people and all the things that made him feel bored.
Because of his hard-to-understand personality, striking looks and very big wallet he managed to arouse very conflicting feelings in people. On the other hand he was handsome, smart and wealthy man whom any woman would have married in an instant, but then again he was a coldhearted workaholic who didn't like anybody.
Sesshoumaru had been the leader of the company for some time but he had gotten bored fairly quickly. He had graduated from college with perfect papers and had after that studied a bit of this and that. He did what he wanted and let no-one to stop him from doing so. After getting bored of leading a company he had transferred all the decision making to Inuyasha and had turned himself into a fulltime author.
Now Sesshoumaru lived alone in that huge mansion, writing his top-selling rewarded novels and being totally lost to the outside world. And it wasn't only his way of living but his working ways that were also strange. He had a bad habit of getting too much into his projects. Every time that happened he didn't do anything else besides writing. Really, he didn't do anything else, which is pretty dangerous to your health.
Usually it was Inuyasha, and for the past three years also Kagome, who were able to deal with this side of Sesshoumaru. They went to the mansion and made sure he ate at least something and if he was in a good enough mood, perhaps take a shower.
Right now Inuyasha and Kagome were both a bit nervous. They had been away three whole weeks so they really didn't know what they would find from the mansion. Kagome had asked Sesshoumaru's editor Amaya that she would go there to check him up occasionally but she had refused. She took her work very passionately and wouldn't do anything that would distract an author from his work. So, if killing Sesshoumaru would mean that she'd get the best results, she would let him starve. And if someone else besides those three were to go there and distract Sesshoumaru from his work he would personally kill that person. After that Amaya would find a way to resurrect that person and then kill him again.
Inuyasha stopped the car in front of the main door and took Kagome's accessory bags out of the car. Kagome went to the door and rang the bell. No-one answered.
"Inuyasha, I can't hear him coming. Do you have the keys? I'm really getting worried now", Kagome said and looked at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha sighed and frowned. It was a total pain in the ass to have a brother like Sesshoumaru. It wasn't like he was unable to take care of himself it was just that he didn't care enough to do so and he didn't even care that he made others worry because of it. He didn't even care if anyone actually read his books or not. He just did what he wanted without caring the consequences.
Just when Inuyasha was about to unlock the door, it opened. A very messy Sesshoumaru stood in the doorway looking like he was ready to murder someone. "What?" he snapped and gave the two a mean glance.
Inuyasha and Kagome flinched a little but didn't go away. "You stink", Inuyasha snapped back at him and pushed himself past Sesshoumaru stepping inside the house. Kagome followed him and tried to find the courage to stay. Then she saw how bad the situation was and her over-active maternal instinct took control. She took the bags from Inuyasha and stormed into the kitchen.
"You really are a mess, big bro", Inuyasha said and gave Sesshoumaru a pitying look. He was telling the truth though. Usually so striking Sesshoumaru was now looking like someone had given him a good beating, not that it would ever happen but anyway, that's what he looked like. His hair was messy and full of tangles, he obviously hadn't showered in a while and he had black rims around his eyes. He looked tired and very anti-social.
"You are disturbing", Sesshoumaru growled and started to walk back towards his workroom.
"No, we are not. You know very well that you need us to come by. And I really meant it when I said you stink. Get a bath or shower or something", Inuyasha said and followed him.
"Shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?" Sesshoumaru shot back and quickened his steps.
"No, we shouldn't. If you haven't noticed, it has already been three weeks since the wedding. Have you been working since then?"
Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to face Inuyasha with a thoughtful look on his face. "Really?" he said like talking to himself more than to Inuyasha. "That's fast." Then he started to walk again.
Inuyasha gritted his teeth in order to keep himself from saying anything that might be bad later. He tried a different way to approach the situation. "We are about sign a new contract in the company today. Would you like to come and take a look at it?"
"No."
"And why is that?"
"I left the company to you so that I wouldn't have to bother myself with things like that anymore."
"Wow that is the longest sentence you have said so far. It's amazing how you can write bestsellers and yet you barely talk."
"I talk when I have something to say."
Inuyasha grabbed Sesshoumaru's arm. He noticed that the man had lost weight, again. "This is ridiculous Sesshoumaru. You have to take a grip! Go and take a shower, change clothes and come to the kitchen. Otherwise you are going to die before you can finish the book."
Sesshoumaru stood still for awhile. He was obviously thinking about something but it was hard to tell what. His face was always looking the same. He never let any emotions show on his face. He was always cool and collected and thought carefully about what to say before opening his mouth. His way of reasoning things often lead to misunderstandings. Since Sesshoumaru planned everything carefully before doing it, the time he actually said anything about it, it was clear to him already. That's why he got annoyed with people who didn't understand what he meant with that one word he had said out loud. Inuyasha had tried to explain that people couldn't read his mind but of course he hadn't listened.
Somehow it seemed like Sesshoumaru was coming back to earth again. His eyes turned little by little looking normal, the sharp, all knowing look was back in them and he straightened his posture. He looked around for awhile and then he turned his amber eyes towards Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, how was your honeymoon?" he asked suddenly and started to walk again, this time towards the huge bathroom. "I think I am in a need of a bath."
Inuyasha felt himself overly tired. He thought for the thousandth time that he would never get used to his brother's way of thinking. Sesshoumaru wasn't actually fickle but the changes in his moods were totally unpredictable. "My honeymoon was great, thanks for asking."
Sesshoumaru didn't seem to hear him though. He just slammed the bathroom door close and left Inuyasha standing outside. Inuyasha shook his head and want to the kitchen where Kagome cooked. It was only an early morning but she had still decided to make a proper meal, Sesshoumaru needed it.
"So, did you manage to get through?" Kagome asked when she saw Inuyasha.
"I think so. At least he is aware of his surroundings again and he even went to have a bath. I think he comes here afterwards, though it is my brother we are talking about here. You can never know what he is about to do."
"Don't be so hard on him. Sesshoumaru is a great man."
"Yeah, and he knows it, a bit too well to my liking", Inuyasha muttered and leaned on the doorframe.
Kagome just smiled and continued her cooking while Inuyasha watched her. After a while Inuyasha couldn't hold back anymore but went to Kagome and hugged her from behind placing kisses to her neck. Kagome giggled girlishly but didn't interrupt her task in hand.
"Save your cuddling to your own time", came a deep voice from the door. Inuyasha and Kagome turned to look when the owner of the house stepped into the kitchen and sat to a chair at the end of the kitchen's worktop. He had a towel in his hands and he was trying to dry his extremely long silvery hair. He looked refreshed and almost like normal.
"Hello Sesshoumaru! How are you?" Kagome said smiling to the man. "The food is ready shortly."
"Thank you Kagome. And I'm quite fine, you didn't have to bother. I have almost finished my work already." Sesshoumaru answered to her sounding almost kind.
"No, we wanted to come. It has been awhile. I brought you some food to the fridge too so you can take your time before going to shopping."
"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru just hummed and kept drying his hair without looking at the pair.
"When is Amaya coming here?" Inuyasha asked and sat down next to his brother.
"I do not now. She comes when she wishes to do so" Sesshoumaru said nonchalantly and continued to do what he had been doing.
Kagome saw this and left the food stew. She walked behind Sesshoumaru and took a brush from her handbag. "May I?" she asked and lifted the brush.
Sesshoumaru stayed quiet for awhile but nodded then and straightened himself. Kagome began to untangle his hair with her brush. Sesshoumaru's face showed no emotions but that wasn't the case with Inuyasha. He didn't particularly care that his wife was touching another man, even if that man was his uncaring brother.
"Listen up Sesshoumaru, you really need to get yourself a woman", Inuyasha stated and leaned back in his chair. This statement caused Kagome to nearly drop her hairbrush and Sesshoumaru to choke his coffee that Kagome had left him on the table.
"Like you'd be the one to talk brother. You managed to get yourself the only woman in this world who can be considered tolerable; I do not consider Amaya as a woman", Sesshoumaru said and gave Inuyasha a look that told him clearly what he thought about his brother's intelligence.
"Why, thank you Sesshoumaru. That is so sweet of you" Kagome said and ruffled his hair a bit. Sesshoumaru didn't react.
"But why are you so nice to Kagome, huh? She's my woman, you know", Inuyasha kept pressing and Kagome didn't look like she was pleased at all.
"Inuyasha! Stop behaving like an idiot!"
"He cannot help it. He is an idiot, I did warn you, didn't I?" Sesshoumaru said in his quiet manner and took a sip from his coffee.
"I believe you did, but it does make him cute, don't you think?"
"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru hummed again.
Inuyasha pouted. He didn't quite understand how his brother was able to get along with Kagome. It was so rare that he got along with anyone. Actually Inuyasha had been extremely nervous before introducing Kagome to Sesshoumaru. Apparently they had managed to do something right though, since Sesshoumaru even allowed Kagome to see him in his this state and even let her to touch him. Sesshoumaru had never really cared for women. Inuyasha thought that perhaps his brother was a bit scared of them. That wouldn't be a wonder. Every time he moved outside of his house he was surrounded by people, men and women alike, but women are always more difficult in situations like that.
"I'm just saying", Inuyasha continued, "that perhaps you should find someone to share this oversized mansion with. You have a bad habit of getting too focused and I and Kagome can't always be around. We just got married and we are starting our own family. We can't always be here, you know."
"Inuyasha! That's enough!" Kagome said sharply. Inuyasha looked like he was a bit sorry but didn't apologize.
"There are no obligations for you to come here Inuyasha. It is you from your own will who always come and I do not plan to engage myself with some boring woman", Sesshoumaru said with his usual tone and looking as cool as ever.
"What's wrong with women?" Inuyasha asked and crossed his arms.
"Inuyasha, I am a wealthy, brilliant and a fairly good looking man. The only faults one can find in me might be in my personality and women have a bad habit of wanting to change those things. I do not welcome these changes", Sesshoumaru said in-a-matter-of-fact way that made Kagome chuckle.
"I guess you are right Sesshoumaru", she said, "but you really should go to see a hairdresser. Your hair is magnificent but it is in a serious need of cutting." Kagome walked back to the stove and made plates for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.
"I do not want any woman to touch my hair. And I find places like that rather uncomfortable", Sesshoumaru said and started to eat the food placed in front of him.
Inuyasha huffed and started his meal too. His arrogant brother would never change. But Kagome wasn't the one to give up. "Well, one of my best friends is actually a hairdresser. Could you go to see him?" Kagome asked and sat down with the brothers.
Inuyasha looked at Kagome with surprised look. "Do you plan to give him to him of all people?" Inuyasha asked sounding almost horrified.
"Inuyasha! You make it sound like I would be eating Sesshoumaru to him!"
"What are you people talking about?" Sesshoumaru asked frowning a little. He didn't like it when he didn't understand something.
"Well", Inuyasha started, "this guy Kagome is talking about is as gay as one can be. He's so going to be all over you, I know, he was like that with me and I was dating his best friend!" Inuyasha said still getting unpleasant shivers at the thought.
"Oh, come on Inuyasha. He was just teasing you. He still laughs every time he thinks about that time. And you can't say you don't like him. You get along so well!" Kagome chuckled.
"Yeah, well, Sesshoumaru isn't me, right?" Inuyasha huffed and turned to look Sesshoumaru. But it seemed like he wasn't listening anymore. Instead he muttered something like: 'Gay, how intriguing' and looked at the ceiling. Then he stood up his meal only half eaten and rushed out of the kitchen.
"Here we go again", Inuyasha sighed and shook his head.
Kagome on the other hand ran after the man and shouted at his back: "So how about it? Do I get you an appointment with him?"
"Do what you like", Sesshoumaru answered and slammed his workroom's door close.
"I think that's as close as you get to a thank you from him", Inuyasha muttered sarcastically in the kitchen. Kagome just smiled happily. This was way too good opportunity to leave unused…
--
--
"Sesshoumaru, huh?" Miroku asked while washing his equipments. Sango and Kagome sat on the barber chairs and drank tea watching him work. Miroku's day had just ended and he was about to close the place. Sango and Kagome often stopped by after their work to hang out and gossip while he was finishing.
"Yes, do you remember him? He was at my wedding. He's my husband's older brother", Kagome said and gave the giggling Sango a foul look. "What?"
"No, nothing. It's just that you ad that word everywhere you possibly can!" Sango laughed.
"What word?" Kagome asked pouting her well painted lips.
"Husband", Miroku and Sango said in unison.
Kagome looked a bit embarrassed and sipped her tea.
"Well, back to the topic", Miroku said placing his equipments back in places, "is this Sesshoumaru the same overly handsome guy who was the bestman in your wedding?"
"Same man."
"And he's the one you and Inuyasha constantly go and take care of?"
"Well, I'm not sure if I'd put it quite like that but I guess that's close enough."
"Uh-huh…" Miroku said and raised his eyebrow. "And you are asking me to take him here after the closing hour and cut his hair?"
"That would be the plan, yes", Kagome said with bright eyes.
Sango and Miroku exchanged glances. Kagome was obviously up to something. She had a bad habit of wanting to 'fix' other peoples lives and it usually didn't lead to the wanted result. She had organized considerably many blind dates to her friends and both Miroku and Sango had pretty bad experiences with those.
Kagome saw this wordless exchange of thoughts and tried to explain: "Hey, I'm not trying to set you up Miroku. You are far too smart for me to do so. I just want Sesshoumaru to see something else than his workroom once in awhile. Besides, he really needs a haircut."
"Yeah yeah, I get that", Miroku said, "but why can't he come like normal people?"
"That's just it. He isn't like normal people. He doesn't have a normal day rhythm, meaning he doesn't care if it is a night or a day, and he panics if he has to be in a place full of people, especially if it's a place full of women, like this", Kagome said and sighed. "I'm asking you to do this because he hates women and doesn't want just anyone to touch him. He agreed to come here to see you just because this is his unusual way to thank me for caring."
"Okay then. I don't really mind meeting him. He seems interesting", Miroku said and grinned evilly.
"Oh for Christ's sake don't you do anything to him Miroku, my gay ex", Sango said smiling wryly. "This Sesshoumaru isn't someone you can play with."
"Have I ever played with anyone?" Miroku asked eyes shining innocently.
"Yes!" the ladies sighed and giggled then so hard that they nearly spilled their teas.
"Haa haa, very funny, but I guarantee you that I have loved every single man I have slept with, at least for that one night", Miroku said and puffed his chest proudly.
"Yeah, sure…" Sango rolled her eyes.
"Well, since you don't mind Miroku, can I tell Sesshoumaru that he is welcome tomorrow after eight o'clock?" Kagome asked after controlling her laughing.
"Sure sweetie, if you insist", Miroku said and added then to Sango: "And yes, I try my best to behave, even though I have a man with a looks of a goddess in my arms."
"If he's a goddess then there shouldn't be a problem, right?" Sango grinned.
"Thanks for that", Miroku said sarcastically.
"You are very welcome my love", Sango said laughing warmly.
Sango and Miroku had been close since they were children. They had lived next-door from each other and had played together as children. They had had their first experiences of dating and kissing together. Miroku and Sango had loved each other dearly, but when it came the time to have sex they found it impossible. It was Miroku who couldn't do it. They had broken up but stayed as close friends and Sango had helped Miroku to accept that he was gay. Miroku often joked that Sango would always be the only woman for him and Sango would just laugh it off. They still loved each other, but more like a brother and a sister, there was nothing romantic between them.
"So, Sango, how's work?" Miroku asked and sat down. He had finished everything he had to do before closing up. Now he would just chat with the girls until it was too late for him to go home and he would end up sleeping in the backroom of his shop.
"We are currently investigating a big case. I think that if I manage to handle this well I might get that promotion!"
"Isn't working in the FBI hard? I know that you're a though woman but still, these big cases are often pretty dangerous", Kagome said sounding worried.
"Oh, don't worry Kags. I'll be just fine. But how's the hospital? I heard you have some sort of epidemic going on."
"Yes, well we doctors are a bit busy at the moment but it's just a flu going on, nothing serious. I just wish people would take their vaccines."
"I'm gonna dye his hair pink!" Miroku screamed suddenly. Both women looked startled and just stared at Miroku. "No, I make him blond."
"Miroku, his hair is silvery white, he's already blond", Kagome said stunned.
"What a pity. Well, I just have to go with the pink then…" Miroku muttered looking down.
"What the hell…?" Sango asked and then she, once again started laughing Kagome following her shortly.
"I had to say something, you know. You were talking like serious people!" Miroku pouted.
"You're the one who brought it up!" Sango nearly shouted and threw an empty shampoo bottle at him. Miroku dodged it easily.
"So, Kags, tell us all the dirty details from your honeymoon. I so want to hear if Inuyasha was any good", Miroku grinned and took a bottle of vodka from the drawer. Rest of the evening they tried to figure out just how much they could drink before collapsing.
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