InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Matchmaker ❯ Caught ( Chapter 13 )

A/N: Juicy stuff? I'm having far too much fun setting stuff up first! I'm sure I'll start ramping it up soon. Hehehehehehe I own none of the originals

 

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“Sesshomaru! It's been a long time, pup!”

 

“Totosai. Why are you here and upsetting my daughter?”

 

“Upsetting? I would never upset your daughter. I haven't even been near her!” Totosai was perched on Mou-Mou, hovering about twenty feet off of the ground. Below him Sango and Mizuki were glaring daggers.

 

“He is a liar.” Careful to show nothing, especially with her father watching, Mizuki turned to her adopted aunt. “What does he mean he has not been near me?”

 

“I have never been to sure whether he actually forgets or if he is just acting dumb.” Katsuro was squirming in Sango's arms as he reached for an amused Kirara. Trying to balance Katsuro, watch Totosai, and talk to Mizuki was giving Sango a headache.

 

“You still have not explained your presence.”

 

“I came to see your heir, of course. I have now seen three generations of this family.” Peering down at the little pup, Totosai made a face. Instead of the usual giggles Katsuro growled at him. “What's the matter with him?”

 

“Sesshomaru, I think we should talk with Totosai and Myouga. In private.” Kagome tried to distract her mate before he knocked Totosai off of his bull.

 

“Hn.” Without a second glance Sesshomaru turned and walked into the palace.

 

“Hey, is it safe in there for me yet?”

 

“Hai.” Sesshomaru could not catch even a hint of poison anymore and felt secure with his mate in the building. He led the motley group, minus the bull, to his study. A few servants scurried out when he entered, almost plowing into each other as they tried to bow and flee at the same time.

 

“What could these two possibly have to say that will be of interest?”

 

“Now Sesshomaru-sama, you know that I was a trusted retainer of your father's and advised him in many a dire situation.” Myouga bounced to the center of Sesshomaru's desk.

 

“The question is whether or not father was foolish enough to listen.”

 

Little arms flailing, Myouga began his familiar bounce.

 

“Myouga, why don't you tell Sesshomaru why you don't think that this bond is normal?” Carefully pulling Sesshomaru's hand back off of the desk revealed the crushed flea to Kagome.

 

“Sesshomaru should have noticed that his father could leave his mate's side. Even with that thick skull it should have been obvious.” Totosai worked on biting a nail, not noticing that the glare was now directed at him.

 

“Totosai.”

 

“Kagome, protect me!” Diving behind the miko gave Totosai the impression of safety.

 

“You insulted him, you deal with it.” Trying to shake the old geezer was more difficult than it looked. No matter which way Kagome moved, Totosai kept her between him and Sesshomaru. “Myouga, you explain to Sesshomaru while I deal with this idiot. Knock it off!”

 

“Of course, my lady. Sesshomaru-sama, you may not remember your father's bond, but I have clear recollections of it. Today Kagome said that you two cannot be separated, and that she can locate you in the palace and see some of what you see. I have never heard of such things in all of my time with the inu-youkai.”

 

“She is a miko. The bond would not be the same as that with a youkai or a ningen.” Keeping one eye on his mate while she thwaped Totosai repeatedly kept Sesshomaru distracted. It was most amusing.

 

“Hai, my lord. Has there been anything else unusual?”

 

“She can influence my blood and calm it.”

 

“Amazing! Can you do the same for her?”

 

“Nani?” The scuffle in his office was forgotten as the inu-youkai focused on the flea.

 

“You have never tried to influence Kagome-sama? A bond does work both ways. You should be able to influence her in return.”

 

“The influence was attributed to her miko abilities, as is the ability to locate me with such precision.” The possibility of having the ability to influence the miko was intriguing. Sesshomaru did not like being at a disadvantage, even if it was to his mate.

 

Especially if it was to his mate.

 

“Either way, pup, I would be worried if I were you.” Totosai was flat out on the floor. The miko was breathing hard and glaring. “It looks to me like your bond is all screwy. Who knows what else could go wrong?”

 

“He has a point.” Kagome dropped to a cushion, pushing back her hair. “How do we find out about our bond? If this has never happened before I don't know where we would even look.”

 

“If I were looking for information, I would see Bokusenou.”

Sesshomaru nodded to the flea. “Bokusenou would be the most likely source of information.”

 

“In the meantime you should keep the young lady safe. Who knows what would happen if she was killed with that bond of yours. Separation makes you insane. Just imagine if she was gone.” The crazed sword smith's head was slammed into Sesshomaru's desk by an enraged miko.

 

“Don't say stuff like that! Baka!”

 

“I would not worry as much about Sesshomaru-sama as I would Kagome-sama. The bond appears to be stronger in her, probably because she is a miko. I doubt she would survive Sesshomaru-sama's passing.”

 

“Do not be ridiculous.” Smashing the flea helped Sesshomaru with some of his new found stress. However, trampling Jaken would have worked better, since he was so much larger. “This Sesshomaru will not die.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” The flattened flea fluttered to the floor.

 

“Out, both of you.”

 

The cowards beat a hasty retreat.

 

“Do you think it's true?” Kagome was methodically shredding the edges of a financial report that had come into her grasp. Sesshomaru pulled the report away before she could destroy it.

 

“Which part?”

 

“You die if I die and vice versa.”

 

“I do not know.” Rubbing his temples, Sesshomaru closed his eyes. A rustle of cloth told him that Kagome was moving to his side. Gentle fingers pushed his aside and began to massage his headache away. “It is possible, since we cannot be separated.”

 

“This is a problem. You may have just inherited a human lifespan.”

 

“Hai.”

 

“So, when are we going to visit Bokusenou?”

 

“Now is not a good time. We are preparing for war.”

 

“Do you want to go to battle without knowing what the hell is going on?” The hands on his temples slid down so the miko could wrap her arms around his shoulders and lean against his back. “I have to go with you. We should have at least some idea of what could happen before we barrel in there.”

 

“True.” There was that soothing influence again. She was not even conscious of doing it, but the stress was running out of Sesshomaru. “We will see Bokusenou before we go to the East. We will learn what we can of our bond.”

 

*~*~*~*

 

“Totosai-sama?”

 

“Huh?” Bugged out eyes swept the room before dropping to find a silver haired pup. “Mizuki! What do you want, pup?”

 

“I was told that you are a sword smith, Totosai-sama.”

 

“Hai.”

 

“I have a pair of katanas that need to be repaired. They were left in a dragon for a day and a night, and now the blades cannot be cleaned.”

 

“They were in the taiyoukai outside?” Totosai scratched his head with a claw. “Let me take a look at them.”

 

Mizuki retrieved a bundle of cloth and untied it to reveal the two swords.

 

“I recognize these! These are Rin's that I made for her!” Totosai carefully examined the blades. “Oh, they are a sight now, aren't they?”

 

“Rin-sama would be very upset to lose these. Can you repair them, Totosai-sama?”

 

“Oh, I think I can. I don't usually make blades for ningens, but your father can be very persuasive. I'm going to take these out back and see what I can do with them. I should have them done by tomorrow.”

 

“Arigato, Totosai-sama.”

 

*~*~*~*

 

`It's good to be back in my room, even if I am this bored.' Rin stared at her ceiling, listening to her sister's breathing. Mizuki was supposed to be in her own room, but the pup had just walked in and flopped onto the second bed with no explanations.

 

`Probably still upset from yesterday. No surprise there. It's not everyday you face down a taiyoukai.'

 

Images of claws ripping through her side clouded Rin's mind. Slowly sitting up, Rin stumbled to her window. Pushing the shutters open let the moonlight shine down on her. Slowly, she pulled herself up to sit in the window, her legs hanging outside of the building. A breeze tossed her unruly hair and brought the scent of spring flowers. That scent brought Rin a feeling of calm and contentment that nothing else could match. `A few minutes of this and I will be ready for sleep.'

 

Resting her head against the side of the window, Rin let her mind just go blank. She did not notice the foot steps until they were practically on top of her. Eyes flew open as her hands went for blades that were not there. Her precarious position was not nearly enough to support all of the extra movement. Muffling a squeak, Rin toppled towards the ground.

 

Strong arms caught her and returned her to her seat. Rin winced as she felt the stitches pull, but it did not feel like any had ripped. A quick glance showed that Mizuki had slept through the embarrassing episode.

 

Ice blue eyes were staring at Rin with confusion and amusement. “I am fortunate that you are not armed tonight. You would have run me through when I grabbed you, and we would both be injured and on the ground.”

 

“Shut up. You should not have snuck up on me like that.” Rin ignored her blush to glare at Isamu. “This is probably the only time you will find me unarmed, so you were lucky.”

 

“So it will be Rin the exterminator and not Rin the lady?”

 

“As if that was actually a question. I am not suited to a quiet life spent indoors.”

 

“It is too bad, I would have liked to have met Rin the lady. Rin the exterminator is as sharp as her blades.” Isamu ducked the swing.

 

“Jerk.” The warrior eyeballed the leopard. “I do not think there is a Lady Rin for you to meet.”

 

“You never know. Come, you are unarmed, it is just us, try to be Lady Rin.”

 

Giggling, Rin ducked her head. “I do not know how.”

 

“Come on, just act like the females you see at court. How are you today, Rin-sama?”

 

“I am well, Isamu-sama. And how are you this night?” Rin's usual open expression was replaced with a simper and her voice went up half an octave.

 

“I am wonderful, Rin-sama, since I chanced upon your beauty.”

 

“Oh, my lord, you flatter me.” Rin's hand took the place of her fan, fluttering and hiding half of her face.

 

“It is nothing more than the truth. Will you join me for a walk through the gardens?”

 

“Oh, no, my lord! I could not be seen with a male at night without a proper chaperone. You should speak to my father. So fresh, my lord.” Eyelashes fluttered at Isamu from over the `fan'.

 

“I have changed my mind. Rin the lady is no fun. How was I to know that she would be one of those ladies?”

 

“What kind of lady do you wish for me to be, my lord? I am just a simple female, after all.” Rin peeped at him from over her hand.

 

“One of the interesting ones. One that bends the rules and has some fun.” Isamu looked set to have a great pout.

 

“One of the ladies with a reputation, you mean. You know I would never shame Seshomaru-sama that way. If I am to be a lady, I will be an honorable one.” The `fan' dropped as Rin's easy smile reappeared.

 

“And what of the exterminator?”

 

Rin was suddenly aware that Isamu was standing quite close to her. She could feel her face heat up as she fidgeted with the window. “She is honorable as well.”

 

“But does she have fun? Does she bend the rules?”

 

Her pulse was pounding in her ears as Rin felt Isamu set one of his hands on hers. “She follows the rules.”

 

“Even when the rules are silly and she does not want to?” The hands were sliding up Rin's arms as the icy blue eyes drew closer.

 

“I always want to follow the rules.” `He is much to close! I need to hit him, or kick him, or something! Move, body!' Rin's body ignored her, choosing to put one hand at Isamu's waist while the other gripped the window.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Warm, soft lips pressed to Rin's. Her eyes slid closed of their own accord as her mind went blank. Gentle pressure asked her to respond, coaxing her lips to return the kiss. Her fingers clenched in his clothing as he pressed gently against her.

 

When Isamu moved away Rin almost fell out of her window again. Her fingers went to her lips, remembering.

 

“You should return to bed, Rin.” Isamu took her arm and helped her to slide back into her room. He brushed his lips against hers one more time, then disappeared into the dark.

 

Staggering to her bed, Rin tried to make her brain turn back on.

 

`What was that? What was that?'

 

“What was that?”

 

It took Rin's befuddled brain a moment to realize that the last comment had sounded like Mizuki's voice. The silver hair was shining in the moonlight as Mizuki stared at her sister.

 

“Can you not sleep through anything, pup? Honestly!”

 

“I think it was that obnoxious voice you were using that woke me up. Now, answer the question. What was that?”

 

Staring at her feet, Rin brought her brain back under control. “That, Mizuki-chan, was my first kiss.”

 

“Yeah? No kidding? Wow!” Mizuki hopped out of her bed and came to sit with her sister. “And? What did you think?”

 

“I was not thinking. Not at all. Even now my mind is all foggy.”

 

“I think that is what is supposed to happen.”

 

“What are you talking about? You're eight!”

 

Mizuki poked her sister in the arm. “I can read, you know.”

 

“I am not even going to ask what you have been reading. It was good, I think. It is not like I have anything to compare it to.”

 

“And what are you going to do now?”

 

“I do not know. I really do not. I did not think that he saw me that way. I had never even considered this. How am I going to face him tomorrow?” Rin dropped back into her pillows. “What have I done? He's a taiyoukai, Hideaki-sama's heir!”

 

“Told you he had a crush on you.”

 

“All right, all right, he had a crush on me. You will never let me live this one down.”

 

“Of course not.” Mizuki flopped next to Rin, stealing a pillow. “You could always ask Mama what to do.”

 

“Only if I want Sesshomaru-sama to know. We can not let Sesshomaru-sama know. He would throw Isamu through a wall, or worse. He might get Tokijin out, and then Hideaki-sama will be out an heir. We are going to end up at war with the East and the North at the same time and it's all my fault! Sesshomaru-sama is going to kill Isamu, and Hideaki-sama . . .”

 

“Rin-neechan.”

 

“Gomen, Mizuki. It is kind of creepy when you do that.”

 

“When I do what?”

 

“That impression of Sesshomaru-sama.”

 

“What impression?”

 

`Oh, Kami.' Rin gave her sister the one eyebrow look that she had learned from Sesshomaru, only to see the exact same expression being directed back at her. “So, we are going to keep this between the two of us, right?”

 

Sigh. “Very well, Rin-neechan. I still think you should talk to Mama, but I will not tell anyone.”

 

“Arigato, Mizuki-chan.”

 

“So.”

 

“So what?”

 

“Are you going to kiss him again?”

 

“You are so lucky that I am injured, pup.”

 

*~*~*~*

 

“Rin-neechan, Totosai-sama was able to fix your katanas!” Mizuki was leading the swordsmith to Rin's seat outside of her bedroom window. Rin refused to stay indoors, so this was her compromise with the healer.

 

“Totosai! I have not seen you in such a long time!”

 

“And not a moment too soon. What were you thinking, leaving a weapon in the enemy?”

 

“I was not thinking, I was unconscious. Can I see my katanas now?” Rin attempted a fierce glare, but it was harder when sitting in a pile of cushions.

 

“Oh, fine, but I should warn you that they're a little different.”

 

“How so?” Rin watched as Totosai drew one of the katanas to reveal a shining black blade. “What happened?”

 

“You katanas were soaking in taiyoukai blood for a long time, youngster. That's not a bad thing, either. I just heated the metal a bit and locked the youki in. I hope it's not too much for you, it's just some youki and the swords already know you.”

 

“Know me? Totosai, has your mind finally left? They are just swords.”

 

“Just swords?! How dare you say such a thing? To think of the work I put into them for someone that would not appreciate it. Trying to have just enough youki in it to strengthen the blade without overwhelming or burning a young ningen. I should just take these back!”

 

“No!” Rin lunged to her knees, grabbing Totosai's sleeve. “No, Totosai. Nobody told me that you had made these. Please, just let me touch them.”

 

“Okay, but if they try anything let go, don't try to fight them. Just one blade.”

 

Tentative fingers closed around the hilt of one blade. Rin could feel heat and a prickling sensation run through her arm. The sensation intensified, and she had the impression of the sword tugging at her. She fixed the blade with a glare and concentrated on controlling it. The sensation faded to a warm glow, letting Rin relax. “I think it is okay, Totosai. Can I have the other one, please?”

 

“Of course, young lady.”

 

The second blade seemed to take a hint from its twin and only put up a token resistance. “I think that I will be fine with these. Will they act any different?”

 

“I don't know.” Scratching at his stomach Totosai looked up at the sky. “They should be stronger, but I don't know what else will be different. Dragon's blood is poisonous, so your blades may be the same way now.”

 

“Well, no more practicing with these.” The katanas were resheathed and set next to Rin. “Arigato, Totosai.”

 

“When you figure out how those work be sure to let me know. And try not to be so rough with them! They took a long time to make, and Sesshomaru would be very annoyed if he had to help make two more.”

 

“I promise, I will be careful with them. Do not worry about your creations.”

 

Mumbling, Totosai walked away. “Why do none of my swords end up in good homes? I should keep all of my work from now on.”

 

“We can still hear you, and my sister does not look very happy about it, either!” Rin giggled as Totosai startled and bolted away at the mention of Mizuki.

 

“Should I chase him?” Sapphire eyes gleamed as she saw her prey run.

 

“No, Mizuki-chan, let the coward run. He should know better then to run in an inu-youkai household, but he did repair my katanas.”

 

“Very well.” Mizuki dropped next to her sister. “But if he runs like that again I will chase him down.”

 

“And do what? Gnaw on his ears?”

 

Mizuki stuck her nose in the air and looked away from her sister. “I can be quite dangerous when provoked.”

 

“Sure, pup. Sure.”