InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blind Stitch My Heart ❯ A Safety Net With Holes ( Chapter 6 )

Blind Stitch my Heart …

Part 6 - "A Safety Net With Holes"

Written by: profiler120

Rating: PG-13 (rating is probably higher than necessary)

Email: profiler120@hotmail.com;

(Disclaimer: I forgot to add this but it goes without saying everyone knows I do not own Inuyasha.)

Authors Notes: Poor little Jaken, nobody likes Jaken. Granted, he's a little rough around the edges, but I don't think he's all that bad really. Am I the only one who thinks so?

A little shorter than I wanted but I didn't want to get into anything that would upset the next chapter. I thought Onigumo's suggestion of marriage was quick and didn't make much sense so I included an explanation of that thought that hopefully makes more sense.

He was far more fatigued from the several-day trip than he realized, he thought as he slid the door to his home open stepping inside the warm, cozy residence. He discarded his shoes at the door and proceeded into the main room and from there to the dining room.

He almost groaned at the sight of his younger sibling engaged in a rather heated argument with the troublesome seamstress he'd not stopped thinking of since the moment he'd gone.

They both abruptly stopped talking as he entered their midst. His brother turned to him with a blank expression while the girl looked concerned.

"Are you unwell Master, is there anything I can get for you?"

Her shimmering eyes betrayed her worry, and somehow the expression was worth the fatigue. He almost half smiled to allay her fears when he realized his brother was still standing next to her.

"Well?" he snapped at the boy who immediately tensed.

"What? I did what you said, she didn't go anywhere!" Inuyasha protested as though he were about to lay into him with insults about his performance on the assigned task.

One glance at her face confirmed this. She was scowling at Inuyasha, who had apparently, done his job quite well. He pushed past the two and settled onto a cushion, sighing.

"Go away." He quietly urged attaching no name to the order.

The two exchanged glances before Inuyasha shrugged and walked off clearly happy to be dismissed of his guard duty if his not-so-inaudible mutterings were any sign. Kagome frowned at his retreating back before turning her gaze back to him.

He looked up, knowing they were now alone. She still looked anxious about him.

"How about some tea?" she suggested.

He grunted in reply and she apparently took this as a yes and scurried off to retrieve some. His eyes flitted closed as he reveled in the warm comfort of the room. When had living here become so easy?

She returned a few short moments later with a tray on which the teapot and a few other items were placed. She prepared everything for him and being as exhausted as he was, he said nothing.

She was chattering away about how thin and drawn he looked while murmuring encouragements for him to 'eat something' and then following it with 'get some rest'. He turned his sharp gold gaze toward her.

"I can't do both at the same time." He droned quietly.

For a moment, she looked surprised, but the look fell under her smile. "Of course not but you should do one or the other. How about something to eat? Would you like something?"

"I didn't hire you to cook."

"Oh, I can't cook, but Sango and Kaede can."

She responded with another smile.

"No," he groaned, standing. "I'm going to bed."

Halfway to the door he paused and turned back and just stared. She was there, staring right back with a weak smile plastered on her lips. Finally, after the extended pause, he gave his order. "No visitors."

He was suitably recovered within the next day and once again overseeing his household. Kaede and Sango were in the kitchen, Rin was out with her instructor, Inuyasha had gone into town with the priest, and Kagome was upstairs sewing. Things finally seemed normal again, as normal as they had ever been when he lived here anyway. If nothing else, it was quiet.

Visitors, however, were not expected, he thought grimly as he heard knocking at the door. He rose, determined to be rid of his 'would-be' guest.

He was not expecting to find himself staring down at a fresh-faced teen from the village, who was at the moment shifting nervously under his intense gaze.

"Mmm… my apologies… I am supposed to come and escort Higurashi Kagome back to the Higurashi Shrine at once. Her family has sent me."

In proof of the statement he thrust his hands forward in which a letter was extended. Sesshoumaru took the offending notice and quickly read it over, and then once again. This couldn't be right…

"Masaharu-sama,

We wish to extend our greatest thanks to you for employing our precious Kagome during this time. We think and hope the experience has been well for her, but we believe the time has come for her to return home.

An acceptable offer has been made for her and we believe it is time for her to leave us and finally wed. It is our dearest-wish that our precious Kagome be well taken care of in life, and thusly why she should be leaving your service to enter into the service of a wife. Again, our thanks, and regards.

Higurashi."

Sesshoumaru looked up, turning his steely gaze on the messenger before turning swiftly and closing the door in the face of the teen boy rudely. He strode quickly up the stairs and stepped into the sewing room.

"Kagome," he called, not waiting for her to notice him.

She looked up, apparently startled by his tone, and blinked in innocent confusion.

"Yes Masaharu-sama?"

He dropped the note allowing it to flit down and rest in her lap. She picked up the note and read it quietly to herself and promptly paled.

"M-marriage? M-me?" she stuttered.

"They have sent a messenger for you. He's waiting downstairs."

She stood, apparently dazed, and slipped past him, the note still clutched in her dainty fingers. He watched her go silently, still contemplating this new course of action. All the trouble he'd gone through and now they were …

He wouldn't think of it. He wouldn't get involved any further with the damnable family. He should've known they'd be trouble, she was certainly enough of it. Let them have her back, he thought standing now at the doorway of her chambers, watching as she picked up her things packing them away into her bag once more.

How many times had this happened already? This now, would be the last time, he thought watching as she straightened her frame and pulled the ribbon from her hair allowing it to fall flat down her back. He would no longer interfere, he thought, pushing away from the doorway and making his way downstairs to seek solace in his library.

He would no longer get involved with her or her family or anything in any way connected to the Higurashi's unless it had to do directly with Yamada. It was the only exception he could allow.

She opened the front door wearily, and immediately her package was plucked from her arm.

"Higurashi-san! How good to see you! I was very unsure as to what to do."

"H-Houjo?"

He smiled brightly. "Your grandfather asked me to make sure you got back all right. I heard the good news, congratulations."

She thanked him weakly and stepped out before closing the door softly behind her. It would be the last time. He was still smiling at her, but the expression dimmed when he looked closer at her.

"Aren't you happy? I thought you had wanted to get married for a while, at least that's what your mother…" he trailed off.

"It's nothing, Houjo-san. Thank you for coming. I was just surprised by the suddenness of it all. H-how have you been? Well?" she inquired, eager to turn the topic away from her apparent upcoming nuptials and dreading her return home.

They walked and talked, one step closer to home, another step farther away from the place that had caused her so much conflict. The place she had brought so much conflict to.

Houjo was a familiar, but surprising face to see. He'd gotten so tall since she'd last seen him, she noted as they walked along idly. He blathered on, oblivious to whether or not she was paying attention, but that's just how he was. Sweet, ignorant, but surprisingly not shy about what he wanted.

The shrine stairs were a welcoming sight as she reached them eager to part company with her overly friendly escort. Houjo was friendly, but sometimes it was too much. She skipped up the stairs quickly and stepped into the open courtyard.

Her grandfather was there, broom in hand. He looked up upon hearing her and greeted her warmly telling her to hurry into the house and meet her mother, who was waiting on her. She scurried onward quickly leaving Houjo behind her. Her mother stood just inside the doorway speaking with her younger brother.

"Ah, Kagome, I'm glad your home. Go on, Souta, your sister and I need to speak."

The boy slipped past her after warmly greeting her and disappeared outside and Kagome took off after her mother.

"What's going on?"

Kagome followed her mother into another room where the woman calmly kneeled down into a seated position.

"We had the most unexpected visit yesterday." She finally raised her head to meet her daughter's gaze. "A young man has offered for you Kagome, and we have approved."

"J-Just like that? He walks in and you just agreed?"

She fell into a heap across from her mother in a very unladylike fashion, but her mother didn't comment.

"Ah, but he is not a stranger, you worry needlessly. His name is Senaka Naraku, you know him do you not?" Her mother smiled genteelly.

"S-Senaka Naraku," Kagome breathed in surprise. "Yes, I know him."

"You sound disappointed. Chin up dear, he is young and wealthy, he will be good for you and good for our family."

Her mother smiled once more and Kagome couldn't help but smile back even as she felt the beginnings of dread. Naraku was attractive to be certain, and wealthy even according to her mothers account, but how would he be as a husband? She suddenly had a very dark vision of her 'bright future'.

Sesshoumaru slid gracefully down from his horse leaving care of the animal to his servant as he stalked up to the house. He wondered what he was doing here, even as he knew it was the damn girl's fault.

If he hadn't come home, none of this conceivably would've happened. And at the moment that seemed like a positive thing. The mansion he was currently stalking toward was grand, not more grand than his own however.

It had been easy enough to discover the name of her new betrothed. Senaka Naraku, it had been just short of a shock for him. Why? It now plagued him. Why did Senaka wish to enter into a marriage contract with her? Why? What could he possibly gain from this?

Surely there was the connection to Kikyo, his first desire since they were cousins, but why else? That couldn't possibly be enough to want this. The Higurashi Family contained a long line of prestigious individuals and the Shrine named for them had been in their care for countless years.

He raised his hand and knocked, turning his head away from the doorway still perplexed. Still, he was determined to discover the reason. The door was dragged open and he blinked in astonishment as he gazed into bright ruby colored eyes.

"Kagura," he stated his tone not relaying his shock.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, what a surprise. I didn't expect to see you here, come in."

He gave her a stern look and remained firm.

"I am looking for Senaka Naraku, is he here, or is he not?"

Her lips turned up into a devilish little smile. "He is. Come in and I will tell him you are here."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, now extremely suspicious of the woman that had formerly been his houseguest.

"I live here." She replied. "Naraku and I are half siblings with different mothers. I will tell him you are here, I'm sure he'll be delighted."

She was smiling impishly at him again before she trudged off to a different room. He decided to put Kagura out of mind for now; he could deal with her later. He glanced around as he waited. It was, all in all, a typical house. There was nothing unusual or startling about his surroundings and he gave up his observation of it when he heard footsteps re-approaching.

Kagura appeared, alone, in the doorway ahead. "He has invited you back to his study room. If you will come with me," she offered.

He didn't bother replying but proceeded forward following her lead through the sets of doors until she opened one final set of sliding doors and there inside was the dark haired menace.

"Masaharu-sama it is a great honor to have you visit. May I inquire as to why I am paid such homage today?" Despite the flowery speech his eyes were cold, and unwelcoming.

"I am here about Higurashi, do not play ignorant. Why do you want to marry her?"

Senaka smiled thinly. "She is a lovely girl, and I am in need of a wife… and since Kikyo is unavailable, Kagome is a more than suitable replacement."

"That explains nothing."

"So I have not been a pillar of righteousness, it does not mean that marriage is out of the question. I have no doubts that she is perfectly suited to my needs."

Sesshoumaru fell silent a moment and then continued. "How are you related to Kagura?"

Senaka paused momentarily at the abrupt change of topic before replying. "She is my younger half sister, one of my father's former wives' only child. Why does it interest you?"

He turned stiffly away. "It doesn't."

He quickly left the residence eager to be rid of it and it's inhabitants. Jaken was standing by the horses straining to keep them in line.

"All go well, Master?"

"No," he growled, mounting his horse. "I'm going to the Shrine."

The servant just barely heard his lord's last comments before he was galloping away while little Jaken was left trying to get control of his animal, let alone ride him.

The thought that Senaka was in need of a wife was utterly ridiculous. The wife cared for the household and children and Senaka had money enough to pay for servants in those areas. Unless he needed someone loyal and didn't want outsiders in the house because of his potential revolutionary motives, he thought but dispelled the idea even though it was reasonable. Kagome surely wouldn't go for things like that.

Although if she were married to him she could be bullied into saying nothing, bogged down with fear of what he may do to her, not to mention her exposure to Senaka Onigumo. She hadn't even met the man that would be her new father-in-law, and his reputation was far worse than that of his son.

He growled. Stupid girl had to get involved with this family above all others? He was right in his characterization of her, she was a magnet for trouble.

Senaka's mansion was just outside of the village and the Higurashi Shrine was clear at the other side. His own mansion was on the outskirts of the village some miles out going in the same direction. He was just about half way there and cutting through town, ignoring the stares from the dazed townspeople. He did not give them the privilege of seeing him often, not to mention alone and without his servants.

He was forced to tether the horse when he arrived at the shrine since Jaken was nowhere in sight and may further be delayed given his past history with the animals. He stalked across the empty courtyard and back toward the house, unable to repress the glare that had settled upon his features.

There was no logical reason for him to be running around like this, he told himself as he rapped on the door. After a lengthy pause the door finally slid open and he found himself staring into the familiar eyes of the boy, Souta.

"Where are your guardians?"

"Come on in, I'll tell mom and grandpa that you're here." The boy cheerily acknowledged trudging away leaving his guest alone at the doorway.

He scowled to himself stepping just inside before sliding his shoes off his feet and following the boy into another room.

There, inside he found the girl herself seated with her mother. They both looked up at his arrival and Kagome stood.

"Kagome, go get your grandfather, he's out in the garden." Her mother stated, all the while smiling gently at him.

"Yes mother," she turned away from him and slipped out a back door.

He ended up being seated across from her, a cup of something or other being placed in front of him. The wait for her other guardian, her male guardian, was a short one as the old man came hobbling in the door that Kagome had gone out of. He kneeled down beside his daughter and turned his gaze up toward him.

"Masaharu-sama, what brings you all this way?" he croaked lowly.

"I have heard the you have engaged your daughter to Senaka Naraku."

The old man nodded. "Yes, yes, this is so, this is so."

"Why?"

"Eh?" The man raised a brow.

"Why did you choose him? Surely you've heard of his reputation."

Higurashi simply shook his head. "Times are changing, we put little faith into a one's reputation nowadays. You come with an offer to challenge?"

He almost blanched. "I did not." He stood abruptly. "That is all I wished to know." He bit out curtly before leaving the residence.

Jaken was sliding off his horse as he reemerged into the courtyard.

"Home Jaken."

The nerve of some people and their overly active mouths, he thought grimly. If her family wanted to trust her future and their family name with such an association who was he to care that they ruined themselves?

The Higurashi Family may have once been prestigious but apparently those capable of managing the family were long gone and only those two were left, and Kagome had to suffer with their incompetence.

Jaken was left alone in the courtyard amidst a new struggle with his horse to get back on as Sesshoumaru deserted him once more.

"He's gone."

Naraku glanced up as Kagura slung herself in the doorway.

"What do you want?" he bit out, unhappy with her disturbing him, it was bad enough he was staying with him at all.

"I heard from father you're getting married soon. How'd you get roped into that?" The grin spread across her face was derisive.

"Mind your business and stay out of mine," he warned, turning his gaze toward the table once more where a spread of papers was laid out.

With a flick of her wrist, she had covered her impish grin behind the cover of her favorite white fan.

"As you like, Naraku," she begrudgingly conceded and retreated from the room leaving him alone.

He sighed a small sigh of reprieve as she left him to his thoughts once more. His half sister was a constant grind on his nerves.

He'd successfully acquired Kagome, although their wedding wouldn't be for several months. Perhaps his easy acquisition was somewhat disappointing, but it was a small victory over that stuck up Masaharu Sesshoumaru. The quiet fury of the noble lord was enough to please him just that much more, provided he disregarded the potential consequences of such an action if the man determined to aggressively come after him. The possibility of this happening however seemed slight.

He turned his attention to the spread of papers before him once again. His father had set him to the task of investigating the Higurashi Shrine and family. His father, Senaka Onigumo, was nothing, if not a history buff and avid collector of old and powerful items. Rumors of all such items always caught his attention.

As his father's only son he had been regaled with stories of an ancient artifact called the Shikon no tama that supposedly had the power to grant wishes. He'd never believed the stories, but his father was taken in by it whole-heartedly and had searched fruitlessly for it.

Just several months past his father had been told by a panic induced monk that the treasure he sought had been long guarded by a line of powerful priestesses and was hidden at a discreet shrine, but he knew not which one.

The reason behind the founding of the shrine was unknown, but nothing about it was unusual. He had heard rumors about the Higurashi Shrine; some believed it was one of the shrines and families that fit with the few unknown details about the artifact, but it was little to go on. Since the name had popped up more than once however his father was becoming even more suspicious of it and thus the quick suggestion for marriage.

Not only was the jewel incentive enough for this discreet infiltration but also he was, in fact, in need of a wife and Higurashi Kagome was the perfect replacement for Yamada Kikyo. Her physical attributes were a close match to that of his first marital interest and he found her personality to be overall more pleasing than Kikyo's had been. Not only was this so, he had faith that once her loyalty was acquired, it would be difficult to break, and that such an warm hearted girl would accept and care for his children previously birthed by other women.

He smiled weakly; spring was only three or four months off now. Even though he wanted the wedding now his father insisted they wait until spring as was customary and there had been no arguing. Despite his own interests in the affair, it seemed his father's sense of tradition was ingrained, despite motivation to speed things up. He was helpless to do anything about it, being thusly trapped by his father's will.

Until the day he was freed from such constraints, he'd deal with his circumstances as they were. So far, things weren't turning out so bad. He would be meeting with the Higurashi family later on in the week for a dinner engagement, and he had been informed that she would be there. So until he was free of his father, having Kagome would ease his tensions.

Sesshoumaru galloped back toward his mansion, deep in thought. He found his brother on the front lawn with the priest and one of his servants, the girl, Sango he believed was her name. He dismounted, pleased when Jaken showed up, and left the care of the animal to him before passing by their little group and heading back into the house. The day was shot.

"Hey."

He paused, turning back just before he reached his library.

"What is it?" he asked with a note of disdain. He didn't feel like company or entertaining his brother's inane questions at the moment. He needed to think.

"Where's Kagome anyway? I haven't seen her all day, did you fire her again?" Inuyasha looked as though he were just waiting for a positive response before he began complaining.

"I did not, her family requested her home again. She's getting married."

It took a moment for him to comprehend exactly what he'd been told before the shock and then the curiosity set in.

"M-married?"

"That's what I said, married, now go away."

He had almost escaped his brother's questions when the one question he couldn't get away from was posed. The one he didn't want to think about or even remember at the moment.

"Who's she marrying?"

He turned toward the door and pulled it open intending to ignore the question.

"Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha called almost in a warning tone or maybe he was just concerned.

"She's marrying Senaka Naraku."

"N-Naraku?" he sputtered.

"That is what I said, are you paying attention?" He snapped stepping in and closing the door impolitely behind him cutting off any more inquiries.

Inuyasha, not discouraged by the rude mannerisms of his brother stepped inside after him much to his displeasure.

"Inuyasha, go away."

"I will not. What do you mean she's marrying Senaka?"

Sesshoumaru lifted his head meeting the golden gaze that was nearly an identical match to his own. "What part of that do you fail to comprehend exactly?"

"Does her mother know?"

"Of course she knows, idiot, they made the arrangements."

"Are they stupid or something? Senaka Naraku, of all people?! What are you gonna do?"

He glared. "What am I going to do? Nothing, it's none of my business, why would I even get involved?"

"Keh!"

There were plenty of reasons to get involved, he thought to himself but he wasn't about to voice them to his brother. If he was going to marry her, then he'd be related to Kikyo and Kikyo was marrying his brother. This marriage was all too convenient for Senaka. Not even to mention his exposure and linkage to his own family name, and that was the last thing he personally needed, a connection to Senaka.

He refrained from growling, his brother had taken a seat across from him and was silently brooding as though planning Senaka's destruction on his own.

"Well?"

Inuyasha looked up. "Well, what?"

"Why are you still here?"

"I'm waiting to see what you're going to do about Kagome, like I said." He replied smugly.

"I intend to do nothing, did I not say so?"

"You can't do nothing-" he trailed off suddenly as though if struck by sudden inspiration. "This is easy to fix. You marry her."

The unexpectedness of the suggestion was startling in it's intensity and he worried briefly he'd lost his composure. Inuyasha simply stared at him, arms crossed, grinning like a cat that had finally bested the mouse he'd been itching to catch.

"Have you been drinking, or have I been disillusioned about how stupid you truly are?"

Inuyasha brushed off the comment and stood turning slightly away tossing a backwards glance toward his older brother.

"Keh, figures."

Sesshoumaru watched him go in silence not about to even consider his younger brother's rash suggestion. He decided with swift and sudden certainly, the girl was no longer his concern, simple as that. He'd gone out of his way for her, foolishly, he now realized.

There was no way he was going to sacrifice his lifestyle to save the lowly girl, despite anything and everything.