Sota isn't the type to get caught up on his looks and it's not because he thinks he is the most attractive person, but because there's more to life than just that. It's a lesson he learned back when he was a kid and his sister got pulled down the well.
Honestly, he doesn't dwell on it.
But.
Why is he getting so many marriage proposals? Sota frowns as he looks for his mother. His plane arrived a little early, shocking he knows, so perhaps she hasn't pulled up yet? He glances at his watch and sighs. The bundle of letters may as well be burning a hole in his suitcase. A black Rolls-Royce stops next to him. The window rolls down and a man with white hair glances at him.
Sota's heart rate quickens. This man almost looks like Satoru-san, his nephew's father. He has admittedly starred at the new family pictures too many times trying to find fault, but so far there is none.
After what InuYasha did to his sister, Sota isn't too keen on the male population approaching his sister. Yeah, he's the youngest, but so what? He can be just as overprotective as an older brother.
"Sota? What are you doing? Get in the car, silly."
He blinks. "M-mom?" What the heck is she doing in such a fancy car and who is this guy driving her? Sis didn't mention anything about this. Oh, when he sees her, he is going to guilt trip her so hard. "Sorry!" Sota puts his suitcases in the trunk and then gets in the backseat. His eyes widen. There's a massage feature?
Hell yeah!
He hits the button and leans back with his eyes closed.
"Sota, this is Syouma, Koushi's grandfather."
Sota opens one eye and stares at his mom. There's an and in there somewhere. He clears his thought and opens his other eye. "And? Your boyfriend too?"
She blushes when she looks at Syouma. "Well—"
"I dislike that term," Syouma says, as he drives in the opposite direction of the shrine. "It makes our relationship sound so trivial." He grabs Himari's hand and lifts it to his mouth.
Sota watches the movement like a hawk. He isn't sure how to feel right now. His dad died not too long after he was born, and his mom spent all her time dedicated to raising him and Kagome. So, to see her flirting with Koushi's grandfather is...yeah, he's not sure how to feel about it.
"Syouma," Himari whispers. "Are you sure?"
"I knew the day we met." He kisses the back of her hand again and then strokes it with his thumb. "Besides Satoru and the grandchildren, you're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."
Sota squints from the backseat. Okay, they clearly aren't going to the shrine, and they've clearly forgotten he's in the backseat. At least the seat massages feel amazing. He sighs. Yeah, that feels nice.
"So, when's the wedding?" He asks half-jokingly. As far as he knows, Mom hasn't been on a date or anything like that since Dad passed, so if she wants to cozy up with Koushi's grandfather, then he supports it.
And if he's gonna support Syouma, then he guesses he can support Satoru.
Sota chuckles. "Sorry, I just thought of all the S names in the family now."
Syouma catches Sota's gaze through the rear-view mirror. "We are celebrating Koushi's 100 days and celebrating Shippo tonight. I got you a gift back at the estate."
"A gift? For me?"
"You are Himari's son." His hand continues to stroke the back of Himari's hand. "I hope we can build a solid relationship as well. And as for your first question, as much as I would like to elope today, Satoru would throw a fit if we got married before him and Kagome."
"Oh! We should convince them to stay the night so Ito and I can take Kagome dress shopping or fabric shopping."
Sota shakes his head and crosses his arms. So, Sis hasn't been telling him everything in her so-called updates. Figures. At least he knows why they aren't going to the shrine and if he had known the party was tonight, then he would have picked up something extra special while he was overseas.
Oh well. At least he has something for Koushi and Shippo in his suitcase. He closes his eyes and enjoys the rest of the ride to this estate while his mom and Syouma continue to talk amongst themselves, wrapped in their own little bubble. Sota's lips quirk up into a ghost of a smile.
Hearing the happiness in his mom's voice was well worth the long flight back.
His first impression of the estate is, holy shit, this family is loaded! Who did Sis get knocked up by? What the hell?
His second impression is, these people are not normal. Not at all, but that's fine. He prefers it that way because his family isn't normal, and this explains some of the odd things that occurred when Kagome was pregnant with Koushi.
And his third impression is, this cannot be the room he gets to stay in while he's back in Japan. It's far bigger than a hotel room. Hell, it's bigger than his room at home. His favorite books are on the bookshelf next to the dresser. He sits on the bed and runs his palms over the sheets. What thread count is this? He is going to sleep so well tonight.
No, he should get up.
Sota glances at the bookshelf and then at the bed. Well, a read to decompress can't hurt. He selects a book at random and sits on the bed. Mom said he didn't need to get dressed up and no one would fault him for it since he just got off a long flight. Sota kicks his feet up and leans back against the wall with the book in hand.
He loses track of time, but it's fine. Kagome texted him earlier and said she wanted him to meet Satoru before the party begins.
"Sota!" Kagome yells, opening the door. Sota jumps from his spot on the bed. Kami, what happened to knocking? She could have called or sent a text saying she was at the estate. Kami, she nearly gave him a heart attack. He sets the book to the side and stands to greet his sister.
"Sis! Wow, you look amazing." He pulls back and looks her up and down before looking behind her. "Oh, hi. I'm Sota."
Satoru is as tall as Syouma. Sota isn't short by any means, but even he has to look up when greeting Satoru. Seriously, where did Sis find this guy?
"Yo!" Satoru greets. On his shoulders is Shippo, who ducks his head in tune with Satoru as they walk fully into the room. In his arms is Koushi. Sota smiles. It's been far too long since he's seen Koushi in person. "Satoru."
"I've heard a lot about you." Sota pulls away and wipes his hands on his pants. Wow! They look like a family of royalty with their traditional clothes on. "Hey, before we get sidetracked, there's something that's been bothering me."
"Bothering you?"
Sota hums. He walks over to the closet where he placed his suitcases and pulls out the one with the letters. "Yeah, it didn't make much sense at first, but now that I'm here, I think I have a better idea as to why..." He pulls out the bundle of letters and drops them on the bed. "I've been getting a bunch of marriage proposals from women and families I've never heard of."
Satoru sighs in exasperation.
"What?" Kagome's brows pinch together. Her bangs are swept to the side with her hair up in some intricate style. She picks up the bundle of letters and opens a few. Her face turns a light shade of red.
Oh boy.
"It's not that big of a deal," Sota says, trying to de-escalate the situation. No one should be on the receiving end of his sister's anger, with the exception of InuYasha, but he's on Sota's shit list. "Really. I've just been ignoring them."
"That old man tried to marry me and my siblings off," Shippo says. "Papa got really mad."
"Satoru?"
"Ah, I was going to tell you after the party. Didn't want to ruin the mood." Satoru readjusts Koushi in his arms. If Kagome hadn't mentioned about Satoru's eyes being sensitive, Sota would have thought him a bit rude to have sunglasses on inside.
Does that mean Koushi will need glasses too? Kagome said Koushi has the same eyes as his father.
Kagome crosses her arms and gives Satoru the universal, this conversation is not over look.
Sota winces. He wasn't trying to get anyone in trouble. Though, upon further inspection, Satoru's ears are red and Shippo has a look of utter exasperation on his face. Maybe he did his future brother-in-law a favor?
"So," Sota says, to break up the tension. "What about this party? Is it starting?"
Kagome gives Satoru one more look before turning her attention to Sota. "Yes, I just thought it would be good to introduce you two before we head out. There may be people with ulterior motives talking to you tonight." She sets the letters down with the others and motions to them. "Like this."
"Right, but why are they hammering to get me into their families?"
"Because the other clans are trying to replicate Koushi," Satoru says. "Not sure how much Kagome told you, but Koushi has the six eyes and limitless, which is the Gojo clan's most prized technique. Megumi is here, which you meet him when we head out to get the party going. He's my student and I've taken care of him since he's a kid. His last name is Fushiguro, but he's got Zenin blood. Megumi has the ten shadows technique, the Zenin clan's most prized technique. Until Koushi, there's only been one person in the big three clans with the family cursed technique."
Sota swallows. That's a lot of information being thrown his way at once. He nods his head as he processes what Satoru is saying. "So, they think because I'm Kagome's brother, that I might give them that edge?" He blows out a breath and shakes his head. "I've got some abilities, but Sis is Sis. Sounds like these people are setting themselves up for disappointment."
"Huh. You said something similar when I first mentioned this," Satoru says to Kagome.
"I wasn't bragging when I said it."
"Well, that's a shame. I love it when you brag."
"Oh no," Sota interrupts. "Please don't tell me you two are like how Mom and Syouma are."
"What?" Kagome and Satoru say.
"Uh? Get caught up in their bubble? They're together..." Sota presses his lips together and hums. Well, guess that was a secret? They sure didn't act like it was a secret. "You know, let's go out to the party? I'm sure Gramps is putting on a show right about now." He ushers them out of the room. "Just curious. Is there something wrong with the house? Gramps said he's been staying here too."
"Oh, Koushi shot a red at his uncle for waking him up," Satoru quips.
"I don't..."
"It's a curse technique," Kagome fills in. "Like a blast, so Ryu went flying through the kitchen wall and now it has to be repaired."
"Ah." Sota rubs the back of his head. He glances at the floor for a moment and then at Shippo's back. Sota blinks. Satoru's hand slides down from resting on Kagome's back to cup her butt.
Ew.
He closes his eyes and grimaces. As happy as he is that his sister is happy... ew. Kagome didn't even react, so it must be the norm for them. Sota opens his eyes and glances at the wall. Well, this guy is more affectionate than InuYasha was.
As soon as they get into the main hall, or at least Sota assumes it is the main hall because the space is far too vast to be anything but a place for holding parties, he makes a beeline for Gramps.
"And then I held up my sutra, and I told that demon to be gone," Gramps says with a crackle. "It only took a flick of the wrist to get rid of it."
"YOU DID THAT SHIT," some man says, slapping Gramps on the back. "MAN, HE TOOK OUT THAT CURSE LIKE THIS." The man snaps his fingers.
Uhhh...
"Oh, Sota!" Gramps motions for him to come closer. "Ryu, this is Sota, my grandson. Sota, this is Ryu, Satoru's uncle."
"Hi—ack!" Sota winces. Did Ryu have to whack his shoulder that hard? Kami, the people here are insane. "It's nice to meet you," he wheezes out, taking a small step away from Ryu. Damn, that hurt.
"Oh, excuse me, your name is Sota?" Someone taps him on the shoulder.
He stares at the woman. Her hair is white with blue tips. Her eyes are a light purple, almost lavender. He blinks several times. Okay, is everyone here beautiful?
"Yes!" His ears burn. "Did you need something?"
She tucks her hair back. It falls just short of her cleavage. He mentally berates himself. Kagome and Satoru just went over why he's been getting marriage requests and now look at him, getting caught up in a pretty face. Though, there's something to be said about that low cut dress she is wearing.
He exhales.
"I was hoping for a dance." She ducks her head. "You can call me Emi."
"Emi," he tests the weight of her name on his tongue. "Perhaps later. Right now I want to catch up with my gramps." He smiles at her and turns back away, not bothering to see if she'll take the hint. Ryu and Gramps both look at him like he's stupid.
"She's a lower member of the clan," Ryu says after a moment, which Sota takes to mean that Emi is gone.
"Pretty sure she's just after one thing."
Unfortunately, Emi isn't the only woman to approach him. Sota finds himself spending half his time hiding from the single women at the party and trying to be present for Koushi and Shippo's moment. He rubs his temple and inhales the night air before resigning himself to joining the party once more. Maybe he's rejected all the ladies now, and it's safe to stay inside a little longer. He walks back into the party and comes to a stop. Shippo is on some kind of stage that definitely wasn't there before, with a microphone in his hand.
A kitsune trick?
"I just want to thank Papa for being a huge pervert when it comes to Mama," Shippo says.
Sota slaps his face and sighs into his palm.
"Because of you, I got the greatest little brother ever and while I can't wait to meet our baby brother or sister, please give Mama a break... and I still want a TV in my room." He drops the mic and strikes a pose.
What?
"WHAT!" Ryu and Syouma yell.
Satoru smiles and throws Shippo in the air. "Surprise!" he yells, catching Shippo and then throwing him back in the air. Shippo reaches into his pocket and throws something in the air. An explosion of flower petals falls on the stage and on Kagome and Koushi.
Sis is pregnant?
Sota glances to the side and stiffens. Oh no. The fire he thought he dimmed re-surges, and the rejected ladies look at him with an intensity strong enough to leave him paralyzed.
He should have stayed in America.
A/N: I saw a request for a Sota POV. Hopefully, it didn't disappoint. Next chapter will be a Naoya POV since the boys are going to prank him.
My dog (husky) is due next Thursday, so if I miss any updates it's because I'll have a small pack of huskies in my house. I probably won't get much sleep. I feel like I'm the one nesting.
Take care of yourselves! Make sure to get plenty of rest and take your vitamins. And make sure to refill your well. There's a lot of bad stuff in the news, so try not to take in too much negativity for your own wellbeing. Next update will be Brat Tamer. Here is a sneak peek below. I shared this over on Tumblr.
Satoru chuckles. "Such a cold woman."
"Kagome-sama," she reminds him before turning away. "Acting out isn't going to give you what you want." She grabs a plate and a cup of coffee for herself. "If you want to sleep over again, you will address me appropriately." Kagome sits across from him. Her foot caresses his leg, and he's of the mind to toss the table out of the way so she can touch him where he really wants her to.
She crosses her arms and tilts her head to the side. "On your knees."
Satoru swallows. He scoots back in the chair and drops to his knees. The table isn't tall enough for him to climb under it even with him on his knees, so he crawls on his hands and knees over to her.
Kagome smiles.
His blood rushes to his groin so quickly he gets lightheaded. The way she is looking down on him right now is exquisite. She quirks a brow, and he bows his head in response.
"I was disappointed to hear you wouldn't be with me today, Kagome-sama," he says slowly, making sure to keep his head down, though he wants to sneak a peek at her thighs. "That I spoke out of turn."
Kagome turns and slides her foot under his chin, forcing his head up. His nostrils flare. He must be a sick fuck, because even this is doing it for him.
Kami, he wants her.
Wants her more than anything he's ever desired before.
He wants her happiness, her sadness, her joy, her scorn. He wants it all.
Satoru flinches. He's getting a little too ahead of himself. That sounds more than a fling.
Kagome lifts her foot and rests her heel on his lips. Satoru's eyes widen. His breathing becomes heavier. The thin robe slides up, and he's desperate to know if she's wearing anything underneath. She was up before him, so maybe she slipped on some underwear?
He hopes not.
His body trembles from having to suppress himself. This has never been an issue before.
"Satoru."
His eyes snap to hers. The look of expectancy has him swallowing. Oh fuck. He isn't sure how to define what they are, but a fling this is not. Satoru opens his mouth and flicks his tongue out. Kagome's smile deepens as she pushes her foot further into his mouth.
"Good boy." She leans forward and then grips his hair. She pulls, forcing his head to tilt to the side. "You like this?"
"Y-yes?" Did he just fucking stutter? What is wrong with him?