InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bishies Without Shirts ❯ Happy Family ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter 9: Happy Family

Higarashi-san waited for Sesshomaru to follow her down the stairs to the kitchen. He had paused for one last look at his brother and he saw Kagome not only kiss him, but as she lay there with her head on his chest, he heard her tell Inuyasha that she loved him. Fighting a wave of jealousy, he turned on his heel and drifted silently away to Higarashi-san who was waiting for him to join her. They walked down in an uneasy silence before she decided to find out what was wrong besides the obvious.

"Sessho-kun…you know he'll be alright as long as we can keep the fever down…" taking his grunt as agreement with that statement she went on. "Is there something else worrying you? I think Kagome mentioned something about a little girl you were taking care of… is she your daughter?"

"Hunh? Oh… you mean Rin-chan. No… she's not really my daughter…just someone who started following me around one day…" He smiled a bit to himself as he remembered the day she came into his life. "Higarashi-sama, I …I revived her … I don't know why…I just did." He began haltingly as he tried to sort his feelings in the matter.

"You revived her? Was she hurt badly? Did you know her before? Gomen Sessho-kun, I didn't mean to pry."

"No Higarashi-sama, it's just that…well no one's has ever asked about her before. But the reason I revived her…at least I think it is the reason…well she just looked so pathetic lying there. She was mauled by wolves… and I could see the gaki, the messengers of Hell standing around her as she lay there…." He sighed softly and went on, "so I slew them… and she was alive again."

"Oh my! Did you know her before….she…"

"Hai! I was injured and she just showed up and…well I think she sort of adopted me."

Higarashi-san couldn't help but smile when she heard that. "Come let's eat something before it gets cold," she said, changing the subject as she sensed it was rather painful for him to talk about Rin. "He's really not as bad as Kagome said he was. True he comes across as cold and unfeeling, but I think there's more to Sesshomaru than he lets on," she thought.

"Would you like some soup or would you rather just have the yaki? I really think you should eat a little something." At his look of protest, she reached up and felt his head. "You're not that hot in case you're worried about ending up 'sick' like your brother. I think a cup of soup and a bit of bread might be the best thing rather than eating the yaki. But you can always have some if you feel up to it. Come, let me get you a cup and there's some bread over there." She pointed to a drawer in a row of cabinets to the right as they came into the kitchen. "Here you go. I'll just give you the broth and if you give me the bread I'll make you some toast to go with it."

Taking the cup from her and looking for a place to set it down, Sesshomaru said, "Gomen, Higarashi-sama, but I don't eat human food. I have no objection if you wish to eat; in fact I have even hunted food for Rin-chan…"

"Oh. Are you sure?" She looked at him anxiously as if expecting him to get sick all over her kitchen.

Seeing her look of concern, Sesshomaru sighed. "She has been most kind to take me in and treat me as a son…perhaps it would not hurt to eat a bit of her food. Maybe if I had eaten the damn fish that day I wouldn't have my Rin-chan to worry about…." He thought.

"Ok, Higarashi-sama, seeing as you went to a lot of trouble to make it, I will do you the honor of eating your food."

"Don't worry Sessho-kun it won't kill you, even if Kagome made it." She laughed at the look on his face as he decided whether or not to swallow and if not where to politely get rid of it. As he decided, in fact, to swallow, there was a loud bang as the kitchen door flew open followed by a "Mama! We're back!!! Did you miss us???!!!!"

Sota running into the kitchen and straight to his mother's welcoming arms, never noticed Sesshomaru standing in the kitchen with a cup of soup in his hand. Then thinking it was Inuyasha he tossed off a quick greeting and was very surprised to learn it wasn't his favorite dog-brother. Giving both Sesshomaru and his mom a puzzled look, he waited for an explanation.

"Honey, it's Sessho-kun; Inuyasha's older brother. He's here because he's sick with the chicken pox and so is Inuyasha, so please don't disturb him, dear. Anyway they are both visiting until they are well enough to go home as no one knows how to treat them where they live. Come, why don't we all sit down to eat and you can tell us about your day."

Eying Sesshomaru as if he wasn't sure what to make of his being there, Sota nevertheless launched into an account of his day which was punctuated by remarks from his grandfather. There was one tense moment when Jii-chan asked Sesshomaru if he were one of Kagome's girlfriends from school, before Sota told the story about how they all met Inuyasha. Sesshomaru listened intently and preferred to sit quietly drinking in the sounds of a happy family at dinner. It was something he never remembered his family doing he thought with a pang. "No wonder Inuyasha likes to disappear here to the wench's village. It's actually quite nice," he thought.

"Higarashi-sama, may I please go lie down again as I am feeling most tied again. Oh… and thank you for the meal… I never knew human food was this good." He gave her a shy smile.

"Seeing as you barely ate anything, it's a wonder you can tell," she thought. "You're welcome Sessho-kun." She said before telling Sota, "Honey why don't you do me a favor while I clean up here with Jii-chan and show Sessho-kun where your room is. I was thinking he could lie down in your room for a while."

"Sure Mama! Come on let's go!" Sota waited for Sesshomaru to follow and as soon as they left the kitchen he started yakking at him like they were old friends. Higarashi-san had to laugh as she heard Sota ask what happened to Sesshomaru's shirt as well as Sesshomaru's reply about the new Pikachu shirt she gave him.

"WOW! You like Pikachu?! That's sooo cool! Inuyasha thinks he's stupid! Then you won't mind my Pikachu sheets! Cool! I never meet anyone besides my friends who like that show! What's your favorite episode? Wanna play Pokemon Stadium with me?"

"Sota!" she called out, "please let Sessho-kun rest and don't forget to ask Kagome if she wants to eat now. Tell her I'll be up in a few minutes to check on Inuyasha!"

"Ok Mama!" He called out from the bottom of the stairs.

"Why do you yell at each other like that? Can you not hear if you speak in a quieter tone?" Sesshomaru asked hopefully.

"Sure Sessho-kun. Wow! You must be really special if Mama calling you Sessho-kun. She never calls anyone that except our cousin from Osaka. He was in a bad motorbike accident and now he's well any more…. Ummm not that there's anything wrong with you other than chicken pox is there?" he looked at Sesshomaru anxiously as if he were suddenly sicker than any thought.

"No. I'm fine except I'm tired and my head hurts again." He replied as they entered Sota's room. Sesshomaru looked around amazed at all the stuff in there. He thought it was cute the way Sota fussed over him and it reminded him how much he missed his Rin-chan. "I hope she is alright with that idiot Jaken looking after her." He thought as his head hit the pillow.

Lost in thought he never noticed Sota go over to his closet and hunt around for a while before returning with something soft and yellow.

"Seeing as you're a fellow Pikachu fan and all… well I thought you might want to rest with him." Sesshomaru took the plushie and cuddled it as Sota tucked the blankets under his chin.

"Wait here while I go get Mama!"