InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Crushed Organza ❯ Of Sunshine and Blackberry Jam ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer:< /b>
Naraku: In case all you weaklings haven't noticed, this story is ultimately about me. Ku.
HY: Um, right.
Naraku: So when do I start killing people?
HY: Err... um... after you kiss Miroku?
Naraku: Ku! For that you must die!!
[break]
Naraku: Ow. I broke my nail. Ku.
Kanna: Told you so. The mirror never lies.
[break]
Miroku: I'm so hot, I should be illegal.
HY: Which is why I don't own any of you psychos.

Warning(s): Rated R. Actually, I'd rather rate it 14A, but because that option is not available on this site, an R-rating seemed appropriate enough. (Plus, I prefer leaving the job of traumatizing young innocents to Miroku.)

A.N.: Just to warn you, Jaken will be rather cute in this story (not that he isn't already), as he will have morphed from a wrinkly, old toad demon from Sengoku Jidai to a one year old human baby. This story is, after all, AU. And you may also expect OOC from Sesshoumaru, as well as other characters.

Also, most, if not all, sentences in Italics are those belonging to Kagome's thoughts.

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Chapter Two: Of Sunshine and Blackberry Jam

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The door creaked. And a mouse squeaked.

[oh gawd, what is with the rhymes? it's midnight, so please just ignore the line above]

Through the open doorway, Kagome found herself staring into the most beautiful set of eyes she had ever seen in all her twenty-six years. There was nothing but those eyes. She had dreamed about them.

Amber orbs sparkled in greeting when catching sight of her, and then…he smiled.

Her heart stopped for the second time that night. Because it was an absolutely gorgeous smile, complete with delightful dimples on either side.

An incredible feeling of warmth and wonder smacked her in the centre of her breast.

Drawn by an invisible force, she bent down, the tennis racket slipping unheeded from her loose grip.

And then a small, chubby fist, generally encased in what appeared to be blackberry jam, accompanied the dizzying feeling on that region of her anatomy.

"My, my, rather bold, are we?" Kagome cooed, and stroked the petal-soft cheek of the baby boy, while artfully avoiding the spread of the purple condiment on his gently-clefted chin.

Jaken grinned enchantingly again, and stretched his arms out toward her. "'Go-meh!"

Said person plucked him off the floor and into her arms, tottering slightly with the added weight as she stood back up.

She sighed in utter contentment.

In her arms was a bundle of warmth and sunshine. A vibrant rainbow piercing through her desolate and lonely life as a spinster.

Okay, so maybe she was exaggerating. A bit.

Humph. Still, who was to judge?

A chuckle of amusement startled Kagome out of her reverie.

She knew that snicker. It was contemptuous, and degrading, and-and she loathed it.

She loathed him.

"Didn't know you could look so…maternal, Higurashi," the smooth, masculine voice jeered, undeterred by the onslaught of one icy glare.

Jackass. He made her sound like…like some depraved old-maid!

"Do you always rouse people from their sleep before the crack of dawn, Sesshoumaru-baka, or have you just hit an all-time low?" Kagome retorted, while rubbing the back of the baby, who had his tiny head with its tufts of green hair cradled against the crook of her neck.

"I came bearing gifts, didn't I?" he replied calmly, aiming a pointed look at the infant. "Besides, now that we're here, shouldn't you invite us in?"

"No."

"The brat might catch a cold in the hall."

That manipulative sneak.

Saying nothing, Kagome turned sharply on her heels, and headed toward the living room.

Hope the baka trips on the tennis racket.

Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him, and stepped lightly over the metal contraption.

She glowered at the racket lying innocently on the ground. Traitor.

Plopping herself down on the sofa, Kagome settled the kid more comfortably on her lap. "So, why do you have Jaken?"

He continued to stare at her with amusement, rather as if she was a particularly distasteful insect that he had pinned to a board.

He set the diaper bag in his hand on the floor, and sat down on the armchair across from her. "Inuyasha and Kikyou are taking a second honeymoon to Paris, so they asked me to take care of him for the two weeks."

Kagome choked. It's only been three years since Inuyasha and Kikyou got married and moved to Kyoto, and already they had grown mentally unsound, and in Kikyou's case, probably foaming at the mouth.

"Babysitter? You? What have they been smoking?"

"The cheap stuff, apparently." He returned, deadpan.

She gaped in shock. Did he…did he just joke with her?

"Close your mouth, Higurashi. You'll never be able to catch a man if your face freezes that way," he taunted.

Kagome's cheeks burned. From rage, she told herself.

"So why are you here? In my apartment?" she huffed.

"Well, you did invited me inside," he replied flippantly.

"Smart ass."

"Wench."

Kagome refrained from screaming in frustration, as it would likely wake the infant, who was dozing so sweetly, his small chest gently rising and falling with each breath.

Instead, she directed a rather venomous smile at the offensive male reclining in her sitting room as if he owned the place.

"Let me guess, you want me to watch him for you, since you're a self-obsessed, anal-retentive workaholic, and taking care of a kid would keep you from slaving away in the lab, which you find so engaging."

"Well, yes. Although not in so many words," he responded, not at all unfazed.

"No." At least not until he groveled and begged.

"I beg your pardon?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I have to work too." Kagome fumed.

That-that chauvinist pig. She happened to be a well-respected and valued CMA at the Soeta Accounting Firm. And so what if he was heir to some multi-million dollar pharmaceutical corporation, as well one of Japan's leading pharmacologists?

Humph.

"I'm willing to recompense you financially for having to miss work. Besides," he retorted, "It's not like Kikyou's never left him with you before."

"No."

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. And then another. Okay, he could do this. He could.

Inhale. "I'd like it if you would accept my offer, Higurashi"

"Better…"

Exhale. "Kagome," he said warningly.

Kagome sighed. That was as desperate as Sesshoumaru would ever get.

"Deal." She stuck her hand out to shake his hand.

Or at least she tried to. Because Jaken was resting so snugly against her arm. And chewing unconsciously on the corner of her fluffy robe.

Gently prying his chubby fingers away from the fabric, Kagome shifted him in her arms and stood up.

"Where are the rest of his things?" she asked, as she handed the baby to him and went off to search for the spare crib that Kikyou always made her keep, in case she had to baby sit. Which happened to be every time she and Inuyasha visited Tokyo.

"In the car. I'll call the driver to bring them up."

Pretty soon, Kagome's entire apartment was transformed into a nursery, with mounds of toys scattered on the living room floor, and boxes of clothing, bottles, and canned baby food in the already cramped kitchen.

Having cleaned Jaken up, and tucked him into his crib, she set the baby monitor on the coffee table close by, and felt like falling asleep herself.

Yawn. "So, how is your brother and my cousin these days?"

"Half-brother," Sesshoumaru corrected automatically.

Kagome ignored him. "You know, I still can't believe Kikyou was able to spawned a child like Jaken." It was amazing,really. The cold, reserved miko having an infant so charming and amiable.

"The petty jealousy between you and your cousin is rather unbecoming, if I do say so myself," Sesshoumaru began.

"Jealous? Me? Of Kikyou?!"

Steam rose from Kagome's ears. Foom. And her head blew off.

She stalked to the kitchen. Dishes. Yes. She wanted to throw some dishes. Preferably at his head.

Kagome boiled some green tea instead.

Pouring two cups, she precariously carried them, the teapot, and a plate of sugar cookies on a tray back to the sitting room, and then set them down on the coffee table.

And turned around to find Buyo, whose bed had been so negligently relocated to a dim corner of the living room, firmly glued to the ankle of Sesshoumaru's pant leg. And was thusly proceeding to scratch his way through his shiny designer shoes.

She choked on her giggles.

Sesshoumaru sent her a quelling glare from his glacial eyes.

She pretended that he didn't exist. Except that he did. And she really wanted to find her camera right now.

His eyes narrowed angrily at Buyo, as if to say, the cat must die.

Fearing for her the life of her cat - not to mention having totally forgotten where in hell her camera was! - Kagome regretfully picked up the heavy cat, and deposited him back onto the laundry basket.

He sent her a baleful glare from the sanctum of the heap of clothing.

Ungrateful feline.

She fell onto the couch in exhaustion. Too drained to even have a bite of cookie.

"As much as I tremendously enjoy the presence of your company, Sesshoumaru," insert snort of derision, "I have to say that I'm rather tired, and would prefer you to leave. Sometime in this century, please," she said, yawning once more for good measure.

Sesshoumaru paid her no heed, merely continuing to tranquilly sip from his teacup.

Silence.

And then…

"Is green tea supposed to taste this bitter?"

Argh. She had had enough.

Whether it was from a lack of sleep or just having to put up with the Ice Prince and his (completely unfounded) comment about her culinary skills, one would never know.

"OUT!" she ordered through clenched teeth, jumping to her feet and heading toward the front door.

Sesshoumaru trailed after her lead, and sailed breezily (and much too gracefully) through the door. As if it hadn't been past two o'clock in the morning.

His silver hair went swish. And Kagome's heart went ba-dum.

Towering over her from outside the doorway, he smirked knowingly at her. "Oyasumi nasai, Higur-"

And was cut off by the door slamming rudely in his cold, arrogant face.

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Hopefully, this chapter wasn't too boring, and more fulfilling than the last, which was more of a teaser than a real chapter.

More on Kagome and Sesshoumaru will be unveiled in the next update. I hope.

Thanks for reading, and please review.