InuYasha Fan Fiction / Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Down the Rabbit Hole ❯ Western Settlement ( Chapter 10 )

~*~AN~*~ I know, I know! It's been a very long time. Real life had kicked my butt. However, I am back in the swing of things and hope to keep it up and through this. Enjoy!

Duo was awakened in the middle of the night by a crescendo of whispers, their volume only lowering after he had bolted upright. He tilted his head to the side, letting his Kitsune ears swivel as he tried to decipher what they were trying to tell him. So many were speaking at once that it took him a moment to separate them, but when he did he found they wanted him to go check on Rin. It didn't seem urgent, not in a way that indicated she was in danger, just that she might need him. The whispers were beginning to become clearer as he swept his blankets aside and pulled a robe on over his sleep clothes. Rin had been awakened by a nightmare.

He slipped silently out into the hall, unconsciously using the shadows to avoid being seen by servants and guards as he made his way towards the wing Sesshomaru and Rin's quarters were located. It was close to where the rest of the group had been placed and he found himself silently sliding Rin's door open within a few moments of leaving his own room. Duo was worried when he didn't see her. The bed was tousled and the blankets tossed back, but Rin wasn't in the room. The whispers were telling him to keep looking, to check the next door, maybe she had gone into there. He frowned as he silently shut her door and slipped towards the next one. The whispers were beginning to take on tones of emotion, and it seemed like a few of them were amused with this little game of finding Rin.

The next door Duo checked was already slightly ajar, and he could smell Rin's fresh scent inside, however, he also caught another scent that made him nervous to be so close. The room must have belonged to Sesshomaru, because his scent was heavy in the room, like it had constant exposure to the Inu Lord. Duo's curiosity caught the better of him, as Sesshomaru didn't seem like the type to sleep through an intrusion into his quarters, even if his little Rin was the intruder. As he crept close enough to take a peek through the crack left by the door he could hear more whispers, this time they weren't in his head and he recognized the voices easily.

“But Rin is worried, Sesshomaru-sama.”

“Rin has no need to be worried. Duo-sama and the others have agreed to stay and gather themselves for a few days.” His tone was very soft and gentle, not what Duo would have immediately expected, but the whispers in his mind reminded him of the fatherly love the Taiyoukai had for the little girl.

“But they will go after that! Rin is afraid Naraku will hurt them...”

“They must go sometime, little one. But this Sesshomaru has sworn to get rid of the vile being that is Naraku as well. Perhaps this Sesshomaru can provide assistance should they need it.”

“Really? Do you promise?!”

Rin's happiness at hearing her caretaker's offer caused her to speak a little louder than a whisper. She was affectionately hushed by a smiling Sesshomaru who kissed her forehead before responding, “I promise. Now sleep, little one.”

Duo whisked himself back to his own room, only feeling slightly guilty for having lingered outside Sesshomaru's room and witnessing that personal moment of affection. The whispers in his mind seemed pleased with themselves as they continued to softly blather on about the scene. Apparently, it had been what they wanted him to see, but the Kitsune tuned them out as he thought back on what he had uncovered. He realized he was smiling as he settled back under the covers, wondering if Sesshomaru even realized how enamored he was with his own little ward. The whispers told him that Sesshomaru knew, but he was waiting for the right person to come along before revealing it to anyone else.

Sesshomaru had stirred just before dawn to find his charge curled up in the white fur of his tail. He smiled, using the tail to draw her closer before he fixed the blankets around her. The shift of airflow in the room brought a scent to him that he recognized. The Kitsune, only it wasn't fresh enough to imply he was present at that moment, only old enough to indicate that he had been very near that night. He should have been worried, furious even, that the Kitsune would intrude on his privacy that way, but he found he was only curious. Why had Duo come to this wing at all in the night, let alone so close to his room?

~*~*~

Wufei began to wake shortly before sunrise, his ingrained training telling him it was time to get up and do his morning exercises. He had been getting up this early since the wars, and it had often annoyed the other four ex-pilots when he had shared rooms in the safe houses with them. Now, however, he used his early morning alertness for a different purpose, and it never seemed to bother his bed partner enough to warrant stopping. In fact, Wufei was certain Heero rather preferred to awaken in such a manor.

With a little quirk set to his lips Wufei brushed the tip of his nose lightly along Heero's cheekbone. The former Wing pilot had become a deeper sleeper since the wars, and had gotten quite used to sharing his bed, so the movement didn't disturb him quite yet. His lips found his lover's skin next, leaving light kisses just by an exposed ear and down along an inviting jaw. A light nip was awarded to the patch of skin just below Heero's ear and a soft breathy moan could be heard. He began to stir as Wufei continued his trail with lips and teeth down his neck and to his chest. Heero's eyes slid open just before Wufei's lips latched onto a nipple, causing him to hiss softly in pleasure and close his eyes once more.

There was a gentle rumbling growl from deep in Heero's chest, the only warning Wufei would get before he was being pulled away from his lover's chest and flipped over onto his back. The growl was repeated as Heero's lips returned the favor, traveling down Wufei's neck and onto his chest before finding a nipple and sucking lightly on it. His lover's moans only spurned him on. The couple was used to sleeping together in the nude, and the previous night had been no exception, so there were no barriers between them when Heero slid back up to claim Wufei's lips. Both men were desperate to touch each other wherever they could, pulling gasps and moans from the other when they could. They began to get desperate for release the more they touched and rolling and tussling with one another to see who would end up in control. Wufei let Heero take the lead as he heard yet another deep growl from his lover, his mate. Once Heero had Wufei pinned their movements began to take on a rhythm that was quite easy to identify, and it grew faster and more intense as both lovers strove for release. Their now frantic movements, the harsh panting, and the scent of musk brought on by passion reached its peak as both men cried out for one another.

~*~*~

Quatre bolted upright in his bed, hissing out a breath of surprise as his empathy overwhelmed him. His cheeks began burning as a flush swept over his face and straight up around his ears. He made a face and groaned when he realized his sleeping clothes were uncomfortably… clingy. He leveled a glare at the wall that separated his room from that of Heero and Wufei's and let out another, more avian hiss as he threw back the covers. He went about quickly washing up using the water basin off to the side and changing into his clothing for the day, grumbling the whole time about inconsiderate friends.

The empathy that had become a staple of the blonde man was twice as receptive while he was asleep, mostly because he wasn't consciously trying to block the private emotions of others. However, it seemed the empathy was even stronger now that he was in Feudal Japan as a youkai. By the time Quatre was done getting ready for the day the sun was making its way over the horizon. Trowa would be awake and almost finished his morning stretches by then, so Quatre decided to bother the man and poke through the bag a bit further before breakfast. He cast another glare towards Heero and Wufei's door as he left his room and headed in the other direction to Trowa's door.

At the light knock on the door Trowa finished up the last stretch of the morning and slid his door open. Trowa had been awake early enough that his sensitive nose had picked up the faint musky scent as a breeze through the hall carried the scent past his door. By the agitated look on Quatre's face and his brisk movements it was easy to tell the morning activities of their friends had woken the empath before he was ready to wake. That meant the usually warm and smiling blonde was going to be in a pissy mood for most of the day.

“You're up early.”

“Can it, Trowa. Where did you put the bag? I wanted to see if I could read through some of the scrolls before breakfast.”

Trowa motioned towards the end of his futon, the bag lying where he had dropped it the night before. He went about getting dressed while Quatre dug through the bag and effectively ignored his friend.

~*~*~

The servants had made quick and quiet work of informing the guests in the castle that breakfast was ready. Quatre glared at Heero and Wufei as they met in the hall outside their rooms. They had enough shame to look a little guilty and offer a half-hearted apology that make Trowa drop back in order to hide a smirk while Quatre huffed and walked ahead. He seemed to have taken the apology, knowing it was the only one he was going to get from the couple, but he still insisted on ignoring them as much as possible as they got settled in the dining hall.

Duo strolled into the hall later than everyone else. His hair was surprisingly unbraided, but it looked like it still might be a little damp. It was tied with a thin cord at the nape of his neck, his yukata was in perfect order, and he had both swords at his hip. The attention-grabbing strut he had exuded through the hall before was gone. This was a more fluid and graceful walk that seemed to unnerve even more occupants in the room. He gave a warm smile to the group as he got to the table, smirking at Heero and Wufei as he caught a whiff of them on his way past. As Duo and Wufei were bantering with one another Duo felt the eyes of another boring into him. He glanced up to see Sesshomaru watching him with a strange expression and he cocked his head to the side in question, but the Inu Lord looked away, feigning boredom.

~*~*~

Quatre was laughing as young Rin was regaling him with stories of her travels with Sesshomaru. She truly was an adorable little girl. He was certain she had wanted to tell him all of these stories when he had watched over her in their time, but Duo may have told her not to talk about such things. It was a smart decision, but most would have simply thought the girl had an amazingly vivid imagination. Everyone was sitting around outside, as it was a beautiful spring day, but they had grouped off into a few different conversations. Rin had only met Relena once, but during that meeting she had found out that she and Quatre were married. Though, her next question still took him a bit by surprise.

“Quatre-sama, why didn't you bring your mate with you? Aren't you worried about her?” That had effectively silenced many of the surrounding conversations. Quatre remembered how shocked and mildly embarrassed he and Relena had been at the young girl's choice of words, but this time he simply smiled at her.

“Yes, I am worried about her, but there are many guards I trust to watch over her while I'm gone. Relena is a very important woman, with many responsibilities, so she could not come with me.” Rin was a very curious little girl, so she couldn't help asking a seemingly endless amount of questions. Her next one caused a little bit more embarrassment for the blonde Taka.

“Do you and Relena-sama have any pups?” Quatre flushed lightly and hesitated, but Rin took the pause as a sign that she had used the wrong term. “What would Taka children be called?”

“W-well, I suppose the term would be hatchlings, but no. Relena and I do not have any... hatchlings.”

“Why not?” That caused Quatre to blush even more. He wasn't embarrassed about being asked the questions in general, but that such a young girl was asking them. Duo came to his rescue.

“Hey Rin-chan, why don't you ask me any of those questions, huh? I'm feeling left out over here!” Rin giggled as Duo feigned being wounded.

“That's because Rin already asked you those questions, Duo-sama. You don't have a mate.” While it took her mind off of Quatre, Rin suddenly realized that others might feel left out, so she turned her questions on the next victim. “Trowa-sama, do you have a mate?”

Trowa threw Duo a glare for getting him involved. “Uh, not quite, Rin-chan. I... I have someone, but we are not committed, like Quatre and Relena are.” Rin seemed to take that answer, but she wasn't finished with her quest for information just yet.

“What about you, Heero-sama? Do you have a mate?” Duo was trying to stifle his laughter, but wasn't really succeeding. It was Heero's turn to shoot him a glare before he glanced questioningly at Sesshomaru, unsure of how to answer.

“Rin, why don't you leave such questions for later.” Sesshomaru to the rescue. “Why don't you go play with Shippou and Kirara. You still have some time before lunch.” Rin looked a little disappointed, but she nodded and ran off with the other two. Shingi excused himself and followed the children. Both Heero and Wufei looked visibly relieved. It was evident to the other adults that, through either senses or just from the couple's body language, they were mates, but that did not mean the children needed to know such things. When Sesshomaru stood, it pulled everyone's attention.

“This Sesshomaru suggests we move inside to speak more. The children will be occupied with Shingi-san.”

~*~*~

There was a smaller meeting room not far from the clearing the children were playing in, but it seemed to be private enough for their discussion. The groups seated themselves around a low-lying table. Heero and the other pilots were rather relaxed and a bit curious. Duo had his elbow on the table, using his arm to prop his head up while he waited to hear what Sesshomaru wanted to speak about. Quatre was seated with perfect posture, his fingers intertwined on the table, looking like a stereotypical businessman preparing for an important meeting.

Inuyasha looked outwardly annoyed. On the inside, he was just a little bit nervous. Sesshomaru had been more than helpful over the past couple weeks and he wasn't used to that, let alone expecting it. What he was expecting was for his estranged half-brother to turn on him and his patchwork pack for the opportunity to take the Tetsusaiga. The Inu Youkai would have the perfect advantage now. They were smack in the middle of a Youkai city, in a fortress of a castle filled with soldiers that would defend Sesshomaru to the death. For the rest of the group, it was outwardly evident that they were all just as nervous as their elected Alpha.

Sesshomaru seemed to pay no mind to the emotional states of the people gathered in the room. He waited until they were settled, and then they began.

“This Sesshomaru wishes to use this time of rest to gather information from each of you and use this knowledge to formulate how each individual's skills may be used in the defeat of Naraku.”

“You want to help us?” Inuyasha sounded a little incredulous, but Kagome gave him a sideways glare and a little jab in the ribs with her elbow.

“Uh, thank you for your offer, Sesshomaru-sama,” Kagome still felt a little weird about adding the honorific at the end of the Inu Lord's name, “but we've tried to come up with plans before. Naraku is always different the next time we fight him. It never works.”

“This Sesshomaru believes that is because you do not know each other as well as you should. You are not cohesive enough as a group to be flexible in battle.”

Heero saw Inuyasha working up a sharp retort, so he cut in. “Sesshomaru-sama is correct.” The comment cut off whatever angry response was coming and drew the attention of the rest of the room. “A group, a team, should know every one of each other's strengths as well as their weaknesses.” Quatre took the conversation from there.

“Once the group knows what each member is capable of, they can instinctively act to optimize each individual's strength and make up for any shortcomings. A team at that level will be able to adapt with surprising efficiency, even if the enemy changes tactics.”

“Quatre-sama is correct. This Sesshomaru witnessed the ability your group can have when you work together, but the whole pack did not participate - only you,” Sesshomaru nodded towards Inuyasha, “and Duo-san. Even so, it was more effective than the methods you had been trying before. This Sesshomaru was hoping that Heero-san and his pack could help teach you how to move and fight as a pack.”

Quatre looked a little flushed and flattered as he glanced over at Heero. Wufei had only lifted and eyebrow and flicked his eyes to his lover while Duo smiled wide and was motioning for Heero to say yes. Trowa had been glancing at Heero since he first spoke and was also awaiting an answer. Heero was wondering whether or not he really wanted this Alpha position if they all kept looking at him like that and expecting him to verbally make all the decisions.

He glanced at each of the other ex-pilots before heaving out a breath. “Yes, of course we will help.” Duo threw his arm around Heero's shoulders as he smiled impossibly wider.