Author's Note: I think my version of Sesshoumaru's character is annoying sometimes – in this story, he keeps thinking about how 'stressed' he is and how 'hard' he is working... only he's not really. He's just a spoiled little prince. Hmm. Apologies, all you readers. He'll get better soon. Kagome will help.

No Such Thing As Free Lunch

Chapter 7:

Another week passed, before any of the children noticed. Yura and Touga's relationship was souring. While it pleased Sesshoumaru, in a perverse, twisted fashion, Rin didn't quite understand the argumentative behavior of the adults around her. And that, Sesshoumaru could admit, was bad.

Money had been tight lately. And finally, Touga had noted the amount of money that his newest wife spent, because now, both of his sons had part-time jobs. There was no way to blame their lack of funds on either Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha, anymore.

Yura did not listen to anyone else's concerns. She continued to surreptitiously lift money from Touga's wallet and from his bank account, whenever she needed extra cash. In the end, neither Inuyasha nor Sesshoumaru needed to say a thing about Yura's behavior, because she sabotaged herself, quite thoroughly.

Thankfully, Touga was not blind to her faults. He was simply more forgiving than most. (Too forgiving, in his son's opinion.) Yet even Touga's tolerance only went so far. Money might not be important to him, but companionship, loyalty, and love of family were Touga's defining characteristics.

As a result, this very morning had marked the beginning of the end of the marriage. After many days of tension, Father had suggested that a break was in order, and the family should take a sight-seeing trip to a nearby shrine. Instead of joining the group, Yura had chosen to sleep late that morning (as usual).

When Touga insisted that she come on this short outing, she fought back, shouting. Their argument had nearly rattled the walls. Apparently, in Yura's mind, it was horrific to spend time with her step-children. And in Touga's mind, at last, it was clear that he had picked the wrong woman to marry.

So, the discouraged father had calmly but firmly told his wife to move out of the house since she didn't seem to value being a part of their family.

Now, the entire family except for that woman (version #3) sat peacefully on a bus, traveling to a local temple. For a sight-seeing trip. Which none of them really wanted to take, anymore.

Wondering how many of their possessions would have survived his step-mother's fury, by the time they returned home, Sesshoumaru rubbed at his eyes in exasperation. Meanwhile, Rin climbed onto his lap. Inuyasha had removed the little girl from the house, while their parents fought, so she hadn't heard too much yelling. But still, she knew something was wrong. And she needed reassurance. Wordlessly, Sesshoumaru tightened his arms around his smallest sibling.

Touga was staring out the window and brooding. Inuyasha had absorbed the negative mood from his father, after hearing a bit of Touga's fight with his latest spouse. "Seriously. Why are we going to a shrine?" grumbled the pale-haired boy, under his breath. "It's not like cherry trees are in bloom."

Despite the low tone, Sesshoumaru overheard his comment. "Just enjoy the trip, Inuyasha."

"But I have to work today!" whined the brat, attempting to keep his voice low. "Stupid part-time job."

"You probably won't have to continue, now that..." Sesshoumaru trailed off, gradually.

Now that their step-mother was leaving, Father would not force his sons to continue their part-time work, would he? Oh, for heaven's sake. He might insist, actually. This would be the first time Touga actually obtained a divorce instead of burying his ex-spouse. And divorce was more expensive than funerary services. No inheritance either.

"Nevermind," Sesshoumaru amended his earlier suggestion. "Forget I said anything."

Luckily, Inuyasha did not seem to hear. The pale-haired boy was not thinking about the distant future, only the immediate one. "A shrine... in the off-season... boring." he groaned again.

Through the corner of one eye, Sesshoumaru shot his younger brother a dark look. He wanted to tell his younger brother to shut the hell up. But of course, he would not speak so crudely with his little sister on his lap. "Hush, now," he whispered in return, with force. The words slid past his teeth, grating against the enamel like stones. "It will be fun."

Entirely missing the sarcasm, Rin glanced up from his lap. The girl had finally relaxed enough to participate in a conversation. "Yea! That's right!" the youngest member of their party agreed, eagerly. "What should we see first?"

Everyone had instructed Rin that temples and shrines were wonderful places to visit. So, at least one family member was excited about this trip. With a small smile, Sesshoumaru leaned back in his chair and began to discuss their upcoming options with a petite little nine-year old.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Walking from the bus-stop took ten minutes, and climbing the long staircase in front of the shrine took another twenty minutes. It was nearly nine o'clock, by the time they reached the top of the steps. The experience would not have taken nearly so long, except for Rin. The girl was all too ready to explore each and every bush, on the way up the hill.

Before long, Inuyasha stomped away from the group, up the crest of the hill. Touga told him to wait, but this had no effect. With a pained grimace, the older man held his place on the stairs.

Sesshoumaru tried to ignore the discord that had been spreading through his family like a disease all that morning. It was as if they could not stand to be together, and for that very reason, they had decided to take a trip together. Today was not the best of days.

"Once, Izayoi and I visited this place," his father said quietly, behind him. It sounded absent-minded and almost. . . sad.

Surprised, the eldest son looked at his father, only to see Touga gazing up at the sky.

"We rang the bells and prayed." Smiling faintly, the older man continued, voice thick with emotion, "She liked to buy charms and other small things. So, we did that also."

Somehow, it seemed like an invasion of privacy, to listen to such words fall from his father's lips. Sesshoumaru looked away again. A foggy feeling of distress enveloped him. He lifted Rin off the ground, carrying her toward the top of the stairs and leaving his father, just as Inuyasha did earlier.

"Sesshoumaru-husband and I will buy charms too!" crowed Rin happily, waving over his shoulder at Touga. The older man sorrowfully trailed after them, toward the main shrine.

At the top of the stairs, he carefully placed his step-sister on the ground again. Rin immediately wanted to play, making her way toward the nearest set of trees. With a sheepish looking smile, Touga volunteered to take responsibility of the girl for a while. It seemed that Touga could tell his eldest son desired a moment's peace, a break from responsibility.

"Why don't we try a new form of hide-and-seek?" the older man suggested to Rin, "You look for Inuyasha, and I will look for you."

And that was how, for a few moments, Sesshoumaru found peace and serenity at a public shrine. It was unfortunate, he thought, that the rest of his family had to depart, in order for him to feel this way.

He hated Yura. He was not sorry to know that his father's relationship was ending. And yet... he was sorry for his father. Even now, he felt unsettled by the argument that he had overheard, in its entirety. Perhaps staying home and listening to them fight had been a bad idea. Inuyasha had left the house with Rin; Sesshoumaru should have followed.

Yet a part of his heart had been concerned on Father's behalf, so he had stayed, in case Touga needed 'help' of some kind. Not that Yura was particularly dangerous, or anything like that. He shouldn't have remained at home.

With a sigh, he tried not to think too hard about anything in particular. Touga could make his own decisions, and the old man's patience was not infinite. He had finally chosen to end a bad relationship – that was progress! Definitely, a step in the right direction. There was no need to pity him.

Meandering through the temple-complex, he tried to enjoy the fall leaves on the trees, in all of their color. Many leaves had fallen to the ground, and he crunched them underfoot. Determined to regain a sense of calm, Sesshoumaru breathed deeply. He would continue to be a reliable, dependable elder brother figure. And a good son. He wouldn't allow himself to remain upset by this morning's events.

Finally, a suitable distraction appeared before him. Near the rear-entrance, he saw a woman dressed in red and white, sweeping under one of the shrine gates. Oddly enough, the miko looked somewhat familiar.

While keeping an eye on his relatives so they were not separated too greatly, Sesshoumaru watched the priestess. The closer he walked, the more familiar she seemed. But it wasn't until he was several steps away that the lady lifted her gaze, and he realized who she was.

"Kikyou?" he asked in amazement, surprised to see a friendly face in such an unexpected spot.

Nervousness smothered him. He had not been expecting to meet a girl that he liked in such a random place. Quickly stifling his surprise, he straightened his spine. This was a benefit in disguise. He had never encountered Kikyou, outside of school, before now. He had wanted to know more about her, to see her outside of class, to speak to her . . . Today was a good chance to do such things!

She seemed shocked to see him too, but upon recognizing him, she relaxed. "Sesshoumaru!" answered his fellow classmate happily. "What are you doing here?"

In the background, Rin shrieked with delight. Sesshoumaru waved one hand in that direction. "Oh, my family... We are... taking a trip." Hmm. This was embarrassing. He did not want to introduce his relatives at this particular instant. Not after the dreadful morning they had suffered. Everyone (except for Rin) was in a sour mood.

Instead of offering to introduce his family, he changed the subject. "You work at this shrine?"

With a chuckle, she shook her head. "No, no. I live here," Kikyou corrected him.

"I had no idea," he answered eagerly. The more they spoke, the lighter his heart felt. She would help him to forget about his personal problems, and he would simultaneously learn new facts about her.

The conversation stalled when he did not introduce another subject, however. She never volunteered any information or carried the dialogue in any way. He felt nervous. As usual, it was hard to speak with someone that he admired, like Kikyou, without feeling foolish.

"Do you like living here?" Motioning vaguely with one hand yet again, he scrounged around for a subject.

Then, Sesshoumaru criticized himself internally. Such a stupid sounding question! Surely, he could do better than to ask Kikyou whether she liked 'living' . . . Unfortunately, the words had already rushed out, before he could process what he was saying.

Luckily, it seemed that Kikyou was in good spirits, this morning. She was smiling. And she was still willing to reply. "Yes, I think so," the shrine maiden answered. "I haven't lived anywhere else, though."

Once more, their dialogue came to a stand-still. Sesshoumaru blinked in confusion.

Hmm.

To be honest, it was almost. . . aggravating . . . the way that Kikyou never initiated the next line. A fleeting thought crossed his mind – Kagome would never have such a problem. But he shook his head, brushing aside the errant thought.

The silence stretched, a moment more. "Would you like to meet my family?" he asked finally, discouraged.

It was unfortunate, but he didn't have anything else to offer. If Kikyou did not sustain the dialogue, even the tiniest bit, the next 'neutral' subject that he offered would probably be . . . the weather. And that subject would have an obvious tinge of desperation. Plus, he didn't want her to think that he was rude, for not introducing his relatives. Thus, lacking other options, he was forced to suggest it.

"All right," Kikyou acquiesced pleasantly, with a touch of disinterest. As the pair walked toward the others, she glanced at Rin in the distance. "Your little sister? She is obviously not a blood-relation."

Sesshoumaru agreed. The pale-hair was a dead giveaway. Touga and Inuyasha both had the same light-colored hair that he did, because his father had some European blood in him. But Rin had a different mother and a different father, so she looked quite distinct within their family unit.

"Yes. But she is lucky to look the way she does," he smirked proudly. Trying to inject some humor into the situation, he added, "In earlier grades, sometimes other children refused to believe I was Japanese."

This dragged a small laugh from his friend.

Soon enough, however, they both fell silent again. Neither individual was a great conversationalist to begin with, and Sesshoumaru did not know what to add, while Kikyou seemed unwilling to try. A flicker of frustration sparked in the pale-haired boy's chest.

At this point, anxiety began to seep back under his skin. He had to think of something to say. This was too excellent an opportunity to squander. Learning more about Kikyou could only be a positive opportunity. But he could not, under any circumstances, speak about the weather. No. That was lame.

"So," he began hopefully, "Do you only work on the weekends, around the shrine?"

Nodding, she agreed. Working part-time on the weekend did not seem to bother her, in the way that it had bothered him at first. Kikyou was far too honorable to be bothered by petty, paltry problems, Sesshoumaru thought. Once again, he admired her.

"Usually, it is very calming and peaceful here," Kikyou continued calmly.

He smiled. "I'm sure it is!" By now, they had almost reached the members of his family. And still, Kikyou was not volunteering any new topics. But perhaps Sesshoumaru was improving at taking on this duty, for her. The next question seemed simple. "How long have you lived here?"

Caution entered her eyes, as Kikyou gazed toward the far end of the compound. It seemed like her attention had drifted away from him. "Oh?" uttered the miko, squinting her eyes a bit, "Since I was ten years old, or so."

Following her gaze, he saw a red-eyed, black haired man approaching them from the edge of the shrine. A chill worked its way into his blood. That man! It was the same man that Sesshoumaru had seen over a month ago, outside the school, picking Kikyou up in his car. Her boyfriend, probably. The man had been leaning over her, holding her arms . . .

Unexpectedly, his companion wished him a good day and excused herself from his presence. With a slight frown on her face, Kikyou rushed in the opposite direction as the newcomer. Bewildered, Sesshoumaru stared after her, as she left.

Was that man the reason why she left so quickly? Well, perhaps they were not dating, after all. It seemed like Kikyou wanted to avoid him, since she became anxious to leave, the moment the man appeared.

As he rejoined his family, he kept one eye over his shoulder, spying on his friend. In the distance, the dark-haired man caught up to Kikyou. Even though the priestess and the strange man spoke quietly, it did not look like a happy reunion. Kikyou gestured angrily toward him with her broom.

Sesshoumaru tensed, wondering whether he should go over there and help his friend. Did Kikyou need help? Perhaps. Perhaps not. These two obviously knew each other. And it might seem rude to interrupt their discussion. And . . . well, it was probably just a lover's quarrel, or something like that. He frowned. Other people implied this sort of thing happened often.

The moment that he showed himself to his family, Rin had tugged on his sleeve, trying to distract him with the good luck charms that she recently purchased. But she knew Sesshoumaru was not paying attention to her, when he glanced away. Rin began to tug on his sleeve, harder and harder, until his arm was actually shaking.

"Yes, Rin," he pulled his arm out of her grasp, looking at her trinkets. "Yes, I see them. Very nice."

Rubbing his arm, he tried to put the entire experience behind him. Rin shoved one of the good luck charms into his palm with a grin. He nodded solemnly. But he could not avoid one last glance over his shoulder.

Kikyou was still fighting with the dark-haired man, and she appeared furious.

Surely, it was not his place to interfere in another couple's relationship. Whether it looked happy and lovely on the surface or not. After all, his own feelings toward Kikyou might be tainting the way that he viewed this situation.

Still, it gave him an idea. He would offer a listening ear, later. The shrine-priestess might appreciate it. And once Sesshoumaru was on her good side, then perhaps she would start to like him more than this other man with dark curly hair? Whoever that awful, argumentative man might be.

Yes, that sounded like a good idea. Listen to Kikyou, offer friendly advice, and steal her affections. He could do that.

Touga was always perceptive, especially concerning relationships. With a gleam in his eye, Sesshoumaru's father gave him a hopeful look. "A friend of yours?" he hinted eagerly.

Naturally, the older man had been quite pleased to see his eldest son walking toward the group at the side of a girl. Any girl. It had been many years; not once had Touga seen Sesshoumaru show interest in the opposite sex. So, he grabbed at even the slightest threads of interest.

"What?" the eldest boy said, wide-eyed, "No, nothing like that."

"Like 'that'? I asked if she was a friend, that's all." Touga teased.

"Oh." Without knowing it, Sesshoumaru gave himself away entirely. He blushed. "Well, yes. Of course. A friend."

And without meaning to do so, it seemed that Sesshoumaru had finally managed to cheer up his father. Even the demise of his current marriage could not prevent his happiness and amusement, watching Sesshoumaru blush over a girl. Touga began to chuckle, delightedly, while Inuyasha rolled his eyes at his father's insanity.

Rin merely stared at her father-figure, then at her potential husband-figure, confused. Occasionally, adults did not make sense. She returned to counting her good-luck charms, a much more interesting endeavor.