InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Falling For the Baby Sitter ❯ Prince Bankotsu's Castle ( Chapter 76 )

Inu Yasha pulled up to Bankotsu's house and watched as the gatekeepers moved to open the gate to allow them to pass onto the grounds. "He must given security a heads up to let us in," he muttered more to himself than anyone. He pulled in slowly, the car rocking and jerking over the stones in the driveway, causing Kagome to turn slightly green at the motion. He jumped when he heard the gates slam shut behind the car. Inu Yasha glanced over at Kagome as he pulled up the long paved drive towards the estate. "You doing ok?" he asked her gently, his eyes flickering over her face.

Kagome's eyes were closed tight. Her body was unable to hold up to the abuse she'd put it through tonight. She never got enough sleep anymore, so her stamina was no where near what it used to be... then again, it could have just been her body's way of trying to protect the child. Her arms were wound securely around Mayu, holding her sleeping form up against her uninjured side. She untangled one arm to allow her hand to drift to her abdomen, absentmindedly. She started when Inu Yasha spoke, and looked at him with a strange look on her face. When she opened her mouth to reply, her voice refused to come out at first. She winced, licked her lips and swallowed, trying to remedy her parched mouth and throat. "Yea, I think so," she rasped finally and scowled, her hand leaving her abdomen and coming up to cover her mouth to beat back her queasiness. All the blood loss and excitement had drained her of any energy she might have had left, but Inu Yasha was worried enough as it was tonight, and she wasn't about to let on just how exhausted she was. Even she could manage a selfless act once in a while. She fixed her eyes on the drive in front of them, and gasped when she saw the house.

Inu Yasha put the car in park and pulled the keys from the ignition once he saw his brother approaching.

"Inu Yasha, what exactly is going on?" Bankotsu asked as he ran a hand into his dark hair looking rather annoyed at the moment. "Where are the boys? Where is Kouga?" he demanded grumpily as his blue eyes peered into the rolling junk heap Inu Yasha called a car. "And who is this?" Bankotsu's eyes had landed on Kagome suspiciously. She looked awfully familiar. He spotted her blood splattered shirt and froze.

Inu Yasha sighed as he opened the car door forcing his brother to have to step back. He swung himself out of the car and stood up, looking Bankotsu dead in the face with a rather grave expression. "Long fucking story, but everyone and their Daddy `s looking for me. I just need a place to hide Kagome, Mayu, and the boys for a while."

Kagome looked out the window at Inu Yasha's brother, her vision starting to swim as she resisted the urge to close her eyes and pass out right there. Mayu, stirred by the car stopping had opened her eyes and was squinting into the bright lights of the house. She yawned and turned her face up to Kagome.

"Mommy , are we at a prince's castle?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes and stretching. Kagome smile was strained but none the less genuine as she ran a clammy hand over Mayu's forehead.

"That's right, honey. There he is right there," she murmured to her, lowering her head near her baby girl's and pointed towards Bankotsu. "Go to Inu Yasha, honey, and maybe he'll introduce you."

Mayu's eyes popped wide open, all traces of sleep gone as she clambered out of the driver's door. "Daddy! Daddy! Who's the prince? I want to meet him too!" She exclaimed, tugging on his pants leg, drawing his attention away from the car. Kagome waited until his head was turned, and the let her head drop against the glass with a dull thud, and let the exhaustion creep over her and have its way with her. Mayu would be ok with Inu Yasha for now. She just needed some sleep...

Bankotsu's eyes widened as he heard the little girl call out to his younger brother. "Daddy?" he asked, arching a brow as he looked down at the little girl.

"Long story..." Inu Yasha muttered, feeling irritated at having to repeat himself. He felt as if he had to say it one more time he was going pull Bankotsu's ponytail off and choke him with it.

Bankotsu knelt down and looked the little girl in the eyes, giving her a kind smile. He held out his hand. "My name is Bankotsu and yours is?" he asked with a soft and friendly voice.

Mayu's eyes sparkled with excitement. A rosy blush, trademark of her mother's genetics spread across her cheeks and she took his hand. "M-mayu," she stuttered shyly, looking away and scuffing her toe in the dirt.

Inu Yasha snorted as he left Mayu with his brother and walked around to the passenger side of the car. He opened the door and offered Kagome a hand to help her out of the car. "Come on. I will run you a hot bath and get you into a nice warm bed."

Kagome looked up at Inu Yasha through one eye and lifted her arm, ignoring the screeching protests of her body. Her soft yet clammy hand clumsily found his and she twisted her sore and tormented body so she could swing her legs out of the car.

Inu Yasha frowned at the damp feeling of Kagome's skin and lifted her up into his arms without a moments pause. Kagome blushed but tightened her arms around him unable to even protest at this point and just leaned into his chest as he rushed past his brother and into the house. She sunk into his arms and buried her face in his neck, her hot breath tickling his neck. Her hands gripped his shirt, as the jostling made her sore body creak even louder in protest. She bit down on her lip to staunch a yelp of pain so hard that it bled, and she kept her head tucked so he couldn't see her face.

"Inu Yasha! Where are you going?" Bankotsu asked as he followed his brother inside holding on to the little girls hand as he followed.

Inu Yasha snorted in reply not even stalling in his mission as he walked down a long hall. His boots echoed down the marble covered floor as he rushed towards a bathroom. "She needs to get cleaned up and get some rest. Watch Mayu for a while." The boy walked into the bathroom and slammed the door in his brother's face and locking it before the man could protest. Kagome barely even registered him speaking to his brother, the sound of his voice simply washing over her and comforting her in a rather warm and familiar way.

Bankotsu cleared his throat and looked down at the little girl as if at a loss."Well...what to do now?"

Mayu looked up at him with a very concerned look on her face, all thoughts of castles and princes lost for the moment. "Is Mommy going to be ok?" she whimpered, tears gathering in her tired eyes. For a girl of her age, to say that the day had been overly eventful was a grave understatement.

Bankotsu looked down at the girl and his eyes widened in horror. "No don't cry!” His eyes shot around looking for some kind of lifeline, and as always in times like this, his hands found his pockets. “I will give you money if you don't cry!” His groaned as her tears kept falling and he crouched beside her. “Please just stop..." he begged as he began to fumble around in his pocket for his wallet. "Name how much and I will give it to you."

Mayu sniffled and looked up at him. She scowled and her hands went to her hips, her sobbing forgotten for a moment. "You're not a real prince are you?" she asked accusingly. "A real prince wouldn't offer a crying girl money! He'd give her a hug! That's what Daddy always does for Mommy!"

Now it was Bankotsu's turn to look like he was going to cry. "I am sorry ...I don't spend much time with children, Mayu." He knelt down and looked the little girl in the eye. "Let's start over. Would you like to take a look at the castle while we wait on Souta and Shippou to get here?" He asked holding his hand out for her to take.

Mayu looked up at him skeptically, but her childish curiosity got the better of her and an excited giggle bubbled from her throat, a huge smile blossoming across her face. "Ok!" she chirped and put her small hand into his allowing herself to be dragged off and distracted.