InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Decisions ❯ Meet the Pack ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14: Meet the Pack

Kagome was sat in her mother's kitchen cross-legged on the table as she used to sit in her childhood years. Watching her mother potter around the kitchen cooking for the coming day.

“How long has it been since someone requested a wedding?” Kagome asked, it was rare that the shrine got asked to do such ceremonies. In this era culture went out the window and most preferred a western ceremony. Not to mention their shrine was small and only well known within their small neighbourhood, not many people thought about it when planning a wedding. Kagome couldn't remember the last time it had happened.

He mother chuckled “I think it was last year”

“I don't remember”

“You were on holiday” her mother waved a hand dismissively

“Ojiisan sure is happy” Kagome commented as they watched him order people about in the back garden. They had volunteered to help, but by the looks on their faces they were regretting the offer.

“His passion is tradition” her mother commented “he will never miss out on a chance to bust out those robes either”

“I don't suppose so” Kagome shrugged “just as long as he doesn't try to get me into those old Miko robes”

“Don't let him here you disrespect your heritage dear” her mother grinned

“Never” Kagome put a finger to her lips

Souta crashed into the kitchen from the back door opened the fridge and downed and entire pitcher of orange juice before turning to them. “He's on a rampage” he told them

“Let him have his fun” their mother cajoled

“How'd you escape?” Kagome asked

“He asked me to give this to you” he held out an old scroll

“What is it?” she asked taking it from him and putting her glasses on

“I don't know” he shrugged “I just took it and ran”

She opened it to find not text as she had first anticipated but instead a portrait of someone who bore a striking resemblance to Sesshoumaru. The only reason she knew it wasn't him was because there was no crescent moon and the marking on his cheeks were jagged like lightning. He also wore his hair in a top knot and for some reason she couldn't see Sesshoumaru doing the same thing.

“Oh, yes” her mother nodded “I remember, your Ojiisan found that out after the festival. It's over five hundred years old. That demon is your friend's father”

“Touga-sama” she nodded looking down at it again, he was recognisable even back then.

“Why do we have a scroll of him?” Souta asked

“We have many artefacts here at the shrine” their mother explained “I think Otosan just donated some to a museum, but he didn't want to donate that one, rather he wanted to give it to Sesshoumaru's father”

“This was made five hundred years ago and the subject matter is still alive?” Souta raised a brow

“He's a demon you dolt” Kagome rolled her eyes “of course he's still alive, he lives with Inuyasha's mom Izayoi in Hokkaido”

“Wow” Souta whistled “must suck for Izayoi though, I mean she's gonna get old and he's gonna stay the same”

“Easy solution” Kagome shrugged “tie their lives”

“Huh?”

“Souta!” her mother hit him with a spatula “did you not listen to us when we taught you of the old ways?”

“Um... no” he said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head

“It's like a demon wedding ceremony” Kagome explained

“Like mating?”

“Mating is where a mark is left during intercourse” her mother grinned “this is what happens before a tying ceremony to ensure sexual compatibility and to ensure the safety of their chosen. In demon society sex comes before marriage whereas in traditional human society it is the other way around”

“No matter how old you get hearing your mother talk about sex is still creepy” Souta acknowledged frowning “but continue”

His mother laughed “The tying ceremony is simple and needs no one present except the couple but sometimes gathering are held, especially if one half of the partnership is human. They perform a blood ritual where they mix their blood with an ancient potion and drink from it and then say the old vows.”

“But in this case the `till death do us part' bit is more true than in human culture” Kagome picked up where her mother had left off “it wasn't discovered until demon human bonding became accepted but if a human ties their blood with a demon their natural life mimics that of their partner. They can still die from say being run over but their natural lives are extended”

“And you expected me to absorb this at the age of seven?” Souta accused his mother

She grinned “Kagome didn't seem to have any problems with it”

“Well she's always been obsessed with demons” Souta grinned and ducked as a shoe came flying at him.

“At least I have the attention span to get obsessed with something” she pointed out and then paused thoughtfully “I'll go see Inuyasha about it”

“You can't dear” her mother smiled “they went on holiday to Okinawa remember?”

“Oh, yeah” she paused and sighed “Looks like I'm off to see the Sesshoumaru then”

“Eager?” Souta asked

“I still have another shoe you know”

“Why do you two always regress into children when you come back here?” their mother asked

“Routine” they answered as one before pouting and laughing.

***

“Taisho-sama?” his receptionist asked trepidation clouding her voice, she had been hired after Kagura's rather abrupt and displeased departure and had about as much back bone as a worm. He sighed and looked up from his computer screen. She was stood in the doorway her eyes sticking out from behind the door and not much else. She looked like a startled colt and he had to try hard not to scare her for fear that she would flee.

“Hn?” he really needed to lean her name, but it was just so... pointless. She'd have an emotional breakdown and leave soon. They always did.

“There's someone here to see you” she whispered

“Do they have an appointment?”

“No”

“Then why bother this Sesshoumaru?” he asked raising a brow “are you incompetent?”

Her eyes got wider and she looked as if she was going to cry but whatever she may have been about to say was clouded by Kagome pushing her way through the door.

“Be nice” she warned him grinning slightly

His assistant was still looking unsure “It is fine, she is acceptable”

The relieved assistant fled and he fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“She seems...”

“Inept” Sesshoumaru provided “sit, cease the small talk. Why are you here?”

She sat and cross her legs “Pushy now aren't we?”

“This Sesshoumaru is busy” he told her

She rolled her eyes “So? Tell me something I don't know”

“If you knew this Sesshoumaru was busy why did you come?” he asked

“Does your father call you every week like he does Inuyasha?” she asked hedging her bets that like Inuyasha had always done the older son would also receive the weekly nagging from their jovial father. She was hoping it would be soon, if not it would be pointless to call him at all and she could just give Sesshoumaru the scroll. But she wanted to speak to Touga again, she hadn't in a while and she missed his infectious tenacity.

He growled “Yes, every Thursday at three in the afternoon, no fail”

“Oh” she glanced at the clock “I guess I came on time then”

“Why do you require to speak to this Sesshoumaru's sire?” he asked

“I have something of his” she said

He raised a brow “And pray tell what is it?”

“Um...” she pretended to think about it “nothing to do with you?”

The phone rang and Kagome pounced on it.

“Touga-sama!” she yelped as Sesshoumaru growled and tried to take it from her without hurting her or the breaking the phone.

“Kagome-chan?” Touga was surprised “What are you doing with Sesshoumaru?”

“He's trying to steal the phone” she told him accidentally elbowing him in the face and wincing as he growled again “as such fighting has ensued”

“Ah” Touga chuckled “put me on video conference”

Soon Kagome was sat on the arm of Sesshoumaru's chair looking at Touga on the computer screen. He hadn't changed much since Kagome had last seen him, hell he hadn't changed much from five hundred years ago. But he, needless to say, wasn't wearing his armour. His hair was still pulled into a top knot, he still had the blue lightning marks on his cheeks and his jovial attitude was not affected by the passage of time.

“It's been too long my dear” Touga smiled “you need to come and visit”

“Thanks Touga-sama” she smiled

“I miss that young Kelpie of yours, always such a docile child” he smiled; there was a chuckle from somewhere off camera as Izayoi appeared in the frame, her long black hair fell down past her waist and her eyes were still as kind as ever.

“I don't remember it quite like that dear; you were the one complaining about the god awful noise”

Touga was sheepish as she took up residency on his lap “Well I did have the most sensitive ears in the house” he offered

She smiled “Yes dear” the patronising tone was hard to miss

“Hello Izayoi-san” Kagome smiled

“Kagome-chan, it has been a while” the petite woman smiled

“It has, how are you?” Kagome grinned

“Very well my dear” she smiled “immortality has that effect” she joked

“That's kind of why I'm here” Kagome smiled “I have a painting of you, Touga, from five hundred years ago, I figured you might like it back”

Touga grinned exposing his fangs “That is a brilliant coincidence Kagome!” he boomed making Izayoi grin in anticipation “This weekend Sesshoumaru is coming to the manor! You should bring Ranmaru, Sesshoumaru will drive you”

“Father” Sesshoumaru growled out “This Sesshoumaru did not agree to go this weekend”

“Well now I have offered to have you and your ward in my home Sesshoumaru” Touga smirked “It is rude to reject us, after all I want to meet her for more than a brief moment before you whisk her away”

“Father” Sesshoumaru said in a warning tone

“Then it is decided” he said grinning in an amused tone at his frustrated son “You will pick Kagome up from her house on Saturday morning, I will be expecting you Sesshoumaru”

The link was disconnected and Sesshoumaru was left to glare at his computer screen as if it had done him personal harm.

“He's always been unstoppable” Kagome removed herself from her perch on the side of his chair and grabbed her bag preparing to leave “I guess I'll see you on Saturday then”

“There is no need for your presence, give this Sesshoumaru the portrait and this Sesshoumaru shall take it to them and leave” he said

“You think he's just going to let you leave?”

He paused as he considered that, she was right his father was not known to give up on something once he desired it. It was why he was so powerful. “There is still no need for you”

She grinned “Are you so sure?” she asked “if you go alone you will be their sole focus, no one but Rin to hide behind.”

He cursed almost silently and frowned at her. She was right if Rin, the young kelpie and this annoying woman were there he would be spared the majority of the attention. “Very well”

“See you on Saturday” she smiled and left his office with a click of her heels and a twirl of her long coat.

***

The phone rang. But Kagome already knew who it was, if she had looked at the phone it would have been another unrecognised number and she would once again have been on the receiving end of his not so subtle hints. Naraku. No thank you. She was going to enjoy her weekend and didn't need him depressing her before it began. Grabbing her keys she exited the house post haste, closing the door on the ringing noise.

“Are you excited?” Kagome asked Ranmaru as she grabbed the bag she had packed for them and dragged it down the staircase.

“Yeah, last time I saw them was ages ago” Ranmaru grinned “it's funny”

“Funny?” she asked as they made it out of the building

“Even Sesshoumaru-san has someone who can boss him around” he explained

“You're right” Kagome grinned “that is kinda funny”

Sesshoumaru pulled up next to them, his usual car out of sorts in her working class neighbourhood, she grinned he would never tone it down, regardless of where he was. Undeniably Sesshoumaru.

She flung their bag in the back and got into the passenger seat whilst Ran climbed into the plush backseat next to Rin. The cream leather encased them both.

“Hi” she said grinning at Sesshoumaru

“Hn”

“This is going to be a long trip” she rolled her eyes, sometimes she wished for a conversationalist.

My sentiments exactly, he thought as he put the car into gear and sped off towards their destination trying to vent his frustration on something that wasn't liable to die.

The plane touched down in Hokkaido one and a half hours later and they were greeted by Touga's driver in a perfectly gorgeous car that got them ogled by quite a few other airport users.

Rin had fallen asleep in the plane, though she had woken up at touchdown she was asleep once again with Sesshoumaru holding her as they all settled into the back of the town car.

“It's Sakura season huh?” Kagome remarked as she watched the Sakura tree's fly by through the windows of the car.

“It is in Hokkaido during May through June” Sesshoumaru commented

“How far away is the manor from the airport?” she asked yawning slightly as Ranmaru set up residency of her lap, he had been tired too on the plane but being a kelpie his intrinsic fear of being somewhere high had made him unable to sleep.

“Half an hour at best” he told her “why do you not know?”

“I haven't seen them in two years, they didn't have the Hokkaido manor back then.” She shrugged

“We should be there soon, this Sesshoumaru has recognised the landmarks” he said

She glanced out of the window again “Ooh, hot springs”

He raised a brow and shook his head in good natured tolerance, not something the Yokai did very often.

They pulled up outside the manor and were immediately pounced upon by Touga, whom despite being over seven hundred years old was more hyper than the children.

“Kagome” he swung her around so fast she barely got to look upon the glorious, sprawling, western styled manor.

“You'll make her sick” Izayoi chastised

“Touga-sama” she laughed as he set her back on her feet gently

“Ah, always so tiny Kagome” he surveyed her and frowned “is it possible to be that short?”

“Touga-sama I am perfectly capable of a mean right hook” Kagome warned “Inuyasha can vouch for that”

He chuckled and looked around, sniffing subtly “And where is my emotionally stunted son?”

“He escaped” Izayoi smiled chucking a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the manor whilst helping young Rin from the car.

“He was never one for hugs” Touga mused thoughtfully. Kagome snorted.

***

Touga and Kagome had relocated to his study. It was purely Touga; a combination of random disarray of faxes, invoices, letters and bills scattered across the desk and yet there was a quiet semblance of order in the way he kept his bookshelves arranged alphabetically by author. There was a huge bay window that overlooked the vast back garden where Izayoi and the children could be seen and heard playing.

Sesshoumaru had also relocated to the study, he was playing chaperone to make sure his father didn't start telling the woman embarrassing stories, he remembered the humiliation of such very clearly and would rather prevent than do damage control. He did not like to be embarrassed. Nor did he appreciate anyone knowing anything about him that he was unaware of them knowing.

“Here” she passed the scroll of Touga's portrait across the desk to him

He surveyed it balefully and smiled “Ah, yes I remember this; a beautiful peasant girl convinced me into letting her paint it” he sighed and his eyes became distant and Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

“She is not here to listen to your recollections of previous conquests father” Sesshoumaru reminded him

Touga grinned “What can I say my son, it is not my fault that women are attracted to me” the devilish grin widened “nor is it a sin to indulge in that”

Kagome giggled, she had always known Touga to be an insufferable flirt and new well enough that if Izayoi had been in the room he would have been singing a different tune.

“It is unbecoming of one who used to be a lord” Sesshoumaru chastised no emotion evident in his voice.

“I am a former lord Sesshoumaru” Touga smiled “now that I have relinquished that title I am free to do what I please”

Kagome watched the two of them carefully. She had heard Touga and Inuyasha interact many a time, all laughing, teasing and banter, with Sesshoumaru however Touga adopted a more formal speech pattern to reflect Sesshoumaru. It was interesting to say the least.

“Hn” Sesshoumaru glowered at his sire but said no more

“If you have finished” his father smirked crookedly, he did love getting one over on his stubborn son “We should go to the dining room, you must be hungry”

Sesshoumaru said nothing but Kagome gave her affirmation and they followed Touga from the room.

***

Dinner was a lively affair, the children chattering and giggling manically at their end of the table. Kagome and Touga engaged in their own little bit of banter with Izayoi pitching in every now and then to tease Touga. The only one who seemed to be discontented was Sesshoumaru; he said nothing, barely ate and refused the offer of wine.

After the meal was over Touga and Izayoi decided they had been long enough without children and took it upon themselves to put the two children to bed. Kagome laughed and Sesshoumaru tersely allowed it before stalking from the dining room and out onto the balcony.

This balcony was lined with ivy clinging and twisting around the banister, it was semi circular and quite large and Sesshoumaru was leaning his elbows down onto the lower banister whilst looking out over the darkened gardens below him. There was a slight breeze that lifted and played with his silver hair giving him an ethereal quality and the fireflies dancing around him did little to detract from the beauty of the scene.

“Penny for them” she said coming to stand next to him leaning her lower back against the banner and titling her head back to stare up into the star sprinkled sky.

“Hn”

At least it was acknowledgement, she thought sardonically as she looked at his stoic face. She had no idea what was going on between the two of them, were they dating? Did Sesshoumaru even employ that human past time? Did he even like her or was she just something to pass the time? So many questions that were not meant to be rhetorical but ended up being that way.

But there was something more. She had presumed before that his ire with his father was nothing more than the usual. After all Sesshoumaru was not known for being overly sociable but it appeared to be a bit more deep-rooted than that and she wondered if it was open for discussion.

“Sesshoumaru?”

“Hn?”

“How old are you?” she asked

“Four hundred and thirty-seven” he told her in a bored voice

“Wow” she muttered. Sure she had known Inuyasha, Ayame, Sasuke and the like for a while but she had known them for the entirety of their human aging. For demons the aging was weird. They aged differently, when they were born they were more alert and learnt to move freely without help quicker, their bone structure less delicate. It was possible, though not advisable, to drop a Yokai baby and receive no lasting harm. Then they aged much the same as human's did up until the age of around twenty five at which point they stopped aging as a human would. A Yokai then aged one year to every two-hundred human years. It was why they were considered immortal. Which explained why Sesshoumaru only looked to be at most twenty-seven.

Something occurred to her “Doesn't that mean you are past the age to take a mate?” she asked in confusion

“Correct” he sighed “but this Sesshoumaru has never felt the need to be tied to one”

“Really?” she questioned “So how old exactly is Touga?”

“This Sesshoumaru believes he is approaching seven hundred and fifty, or there about” he said

“Your mother... what happened to her?” she ventured closing her eyes tight shut wary of his response should she have overstepped her boundaries.

“She died when I was only twenty three in human years” he said slowly as if he were contemplating something. He glowered up at his father's room, Kagome catching the direction turned to see the rooms where Touga resided. Contempt flashed in his eyes for a moment followed swiftly by a sadness that was so consuming it nearly made Kagome breathless with it's intensity. It was replaced a few seconds later by a smouldering anger that merged both previous emotions in perfect harmony.

“I'm sorry” there was a pause while she tried to work out a way to soften what she was going to say next. She realised belatedly that there was no way and just blurted it out. “Do you blame Touga?” she asked

He exhaled sharply and then inhaled slowly and she allowed one of her eyes to open to survey him, he looked like he was fighting himself.

“You don't have to answer... sorry if I overstepped the mark” she stopped talking and took to staring back at the sky again there was a tense silence

“She died from a rare Yokai illness, few knew what it was and there was no cure” he chuckled humourlessly “now of course we have found a cure...too little too late.” He sighed “When she died my father was visiting a woman at the time” he growled “he has always been a philanderer”

“Even now?” Kagome asked in trepidation, she wasn't sure if she could deal with that.

“He has matured enough that he is faithful to his current onna” he said

“But you still resent him?”

“It is more that this Sesshoumaru resents his flirtatious behaviour” he shrugged

“Oh” she sighed and then she remembered what he had said about mating “is that why you don't have a mate?”

“This Sesshoumaru believes that if he will ever have a mate and a bonded one then that should mean they would be one and not many. This Sesshoumaru has honour enough that he would not disgrace his chosen by taking someone else into his bed. As such, if this Sesshoumaru should tie himself to only one then this Sesshoumaru is entitled to as much time as he likes in which to chose the onna” he said mulishly

“I get that” she nodded and the grinned “I had no idea you were a romantic though Sesshoumaru” she giggled at the sharp look he flung her way.

He growled low in his chest but it was more playful than annoyed, she was amazed at how well she was able to differentiate between his growls.

“I feel sorry for Touga though” she smirked a sudden playful nature overcoming her “he's never gonna get any grandkids out of you, you're so damned picky!” she grinned as he growled.

On the balcony above the playfully bickering couple another couple stood and watched carefully, unseen by those below.

“She's good for him” Izayoi commented “he's actually engaging in teasing and it's not vindictive”

“I agree” Touga smiled, he had to admit he had been worried about his older sons distance from the rest of the world as well as his unwillingness to take a mate of his own.

“Seems like you really were bad when you were younger” Izayoi turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow

He backed off holding his palms out to her in surrender “Hey now, you can't be angry at that, you weren't even born”

“I may consider forgiving you” she said as she floated past him into their bed room she turned her head back over her shoulder and grinned “eventually”

***

Kagome frowned as light invaded her mind, non too subtly trying to lure her sleep befuddled mind into a state of wakefulness but in a fit of stubborn pique she stayed resolutely on the comfortable boundary between sleep and wakefulness.

Then both her pillows and her blankets disappeared with one fail swoop and she rolled to find them only to fall from her nice warm bed onto the not so nice cold wooden floor with a thump. That certainly woke her up.

She tossed her curtain of black onyx hair from her eyes and gave the smirking Sesshoumaru the dirtiest look she could muster that early in the morning. Which to be fair wasn't exactly terrifying, she was analogous to a bunny growling at a fox; stupid and about to be eaten.

“Time to get up” he said and then an eyebrow was raised as she didn't move, instead she groaned and thumped her head onto the floorboards. “Are you always this lazy?” he enquired

“Mornings are not my favourite time of day” she confessed and then she glared up at him “now get out so I can get dressed”

A bemused Sesshoumaru found himself in the hallway three minutes later. After refusing to move the woman had thrown him from the room forcibly and slammed the door on his face. He was still trying to come to terms with the thing, whether he should be insulted or amused.

“My son, when waking a woman in the morning always be gentle or rest with their ire for the rest of the day” Touga advised on his way down to breakfast, he grinned to himself when he heard Sesshoumaru growl in reply.

Sesshoumaru was loathe to concede that his sire could ever speak words of wisdom but it appeared the advice given to him earlier had been justifiably sound. Kagome was not amused.

She was cranky and irate and if your name wasn't Ran or Rin you were liable to be physically abused for talking to her. This amused Sesshoumaru, he had never known her to abuse people incessantly but apparently sleep deprivation did that to her.

She stayed surly and foul tempered for most of the day until Izayoi took matters into her own hands and lead them all down to the huge green expanse of Izayoi's maze crafted from her won plans it was huge intricate and she loved it. It seemed to snap Kagome from her anger as she looked at it with the eyes of a child.

“Wow!” she enthused

“Amazing!” Ranmaru was agog

“Cool!” Rin gasped

“It's made from my design” Izayoi grinned “It's demon proof so that Touga can't scent his way around it” she giggled as Touga pouted

“Can we play in it?” Rin asked gleefully

“Hai, let's make teams to try and find the centre” said Izayoi grinning “Sesshoumaru can go with Kagome-chan, Rin can come with me and Touga and Ranmaru can go together” she clapped her hands together in childlike contentment

“Is that okay?” Kagome asked Ranmaru

“Of course” he shrugged in the carefree manner that only children possess

“Let's go!” Rin giggled towing Izayoi along behind her into the maze. Closely followed by Touga and Ranmaru.

“That was subtle” she muttered

“Hn” Sesshoumaru was not impressed

“I wonder what they're up to” she pondered as she started into the maze. She paused, realising Sesshoumaru wasn't behind her, reached back and grabbed him by his shirt pulling him none to gently in after her.

“Can you smell anything?” she was curious about what Izayoi had said

“No” he paused looking disconcerted, his nose wrinkled, his brow furrowed and the steps he took were suddenly not as confident as usual “seems Izayoi did a good job”

“Are you okay?” she asked “you seem out of sorts”

“An Inu Yokai relies greatly on their sense of smell” he explained “since this maze has eliminated that this Sesshoumaru has to adapt, it would be as if this Sesshoumaru had covered one of your eyes, you would still be able to walk but your depth perception would be off”

“Oh, I get it” she nodded as they progressed deeper into the maze

“You seem to have cheered up” he noted

“I'm fickle when I comes to that sort of thing” she shrugged “holding grudges is a waste of time, it just takes me a while to realise that”

“Apparently so” he acknowledged

And they both walked on in companionable silence. Kagome leading, Sesshoumaru trying to adjust to having no sense of smell. He wondered how exactly Izayoi had managed to negate his sense of smell, he could still hear; Izayoi and Rin were nearby but his father and the kelpie where further into the maze so that he could only just hear them. Which made him wonder just how large the maze was.

“Hey” she hummed

“Yes?”

“How big do you think this place is?” she questioned innocently enough. He looked at her strangely for a moment before deciding it was just a coincidence and that she couldn't read minds. If she could read minds she'd be even more annoying.

“This Sesshoumaru would guess about three acres”

“You mean you don't actually know?” she gasped pretending to be shocked, he gave her his `shut up or die' look and she complied falling once again into silence.

“So...” she mused wondering if she could get away with asking another question. “why don't you like Inuyasha?”

“That question should be obvious” he told her scathingly

“You don't like humans?” she pondered “but you haven't killed me yet, you love Rin and Izayoi doesn't seem to annoy you that much”

“That is not the problem” Sesshoumaru confided “while all ningen are below this Sesshoumaru—” he paid no attention to her snort of derision “Inuyasha and this Sesshoumaru are on uncomfortable terms for other reasons”

“Like?”

“He is a brat”

“That's part of his charm” she giggled at his disbelieving expression

“He becomes jealous easily” Sesshoumaru continued

“Kikyo has nearly killed him on many an occasion” Kagome grinned “but that's always amusing to watch”

“He is overly possessive, like a child”

“Tell me about it” she rolled her eyes

“What do you mean woman?” he raised a brow

“When we were younger Kikyo may have been his girl friend but that didn't mean he was going to let any of the guys go out with me” she sighed good naturedly

“Hn” he frowned at her “and yet you defend him, he is but a child”

“Sesshoumaru, you just told me last night that you're four hundred and thirty-seven” she snickered “of course Inuyasha seems immature”

“He is an idiot” Sesshoumaru said coldly

“Yeah” she smiled indulgently “but he's our idiot”

He watched as she walked on and allowed himself to smile softly before quickly banishing the expression. It seemed the woman understood more about pack than he had expected for a human, she was correct, regardless of the Hanyou's behaviour he was still their Hanyou. Their resident moron with a loud mouth and a temper that was easy to ignite, but their responsibility none the less.

They rounded the corner into the centre of the well and Kagome squealed and clapped her hands together in glee. In the small centre of the maze was an idyllic little gazebo constructed from wood painted bright red with red roses cultivated to twine around it.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he realised what was coming.

He could hear the heartbeats of the other four as they prepared to appear from behind the gazebo and decided he didn't care.

They sprung from their hiding places giggling like loons only to tackle Kagome to the bottom of a dog pile. A very ungainly dog pile. He smirked.

It seemed his pack was growing, whether he liked it or not.

A/N: I do not own Inuyasha. Okay so how did everyone like it? An extra long chapter to celelbrate this fic getting nominated for best AU on Dokuga! *dances like a loon* Whoever nominated me I am your new best friend! Anyway thanks for reading and review!

Review replies fanfiction dot net: j.d.y, Vampire-princesses, llebreknit, drkkizzes12, kagome past and present x2 and angel19872006.

On Dokuga a big hug goes to autumngold; thanks for your review!