InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Nothing Left to Lose ❯ Boy Trouble ( Chapter 12 )

A/N: As promised, a flashback about Sesshomaru's arm. It's brief, but at least it will explain it away. I thought it up last night, so it may be just a bit lame. Okay, a whole bunch lame. Sorry about the delay, what can I say, midterms suck! Oh well. I only own Takanou and Kumo, the rest are safe.

 

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`I am sick of looking at walls.'

 

A week had passed since Takanou had disappeared. Kagome had been kept inside and under guard for the entire week, and she was getting bored. She picked at her breakfast, not really hungry. Her thoughts were on seeing the sky.

 

Rin catapulted out of her place, breakfast done.

 

“Rin.” This time it was Kagome that called the girl's name. Rin stopped dead, then hurried back to her place and sat down.

 

“Sesshomaru-sama, may I be excused?” Kagome had been coaching Rin on her manners, and Rin was hoping to please her Sesshomaru-sama.

 

A nod from the youkai lord sent Rin flying back out of her seat. Remembering Kagome's instructions, she forced herself to walk across the room. Once she was sure that no one could see her she took off at a run, rushing to her practice.

 

Kagome laughed when she heard Rin's feet on the floor breaking into a run. “Well, its still progress.” The last week had given the miko extra time to spend with Rin, focusing on reining in some of the girl's more out of control behavior. Traveling through the woods with a youkai and an imp did little to teach a girl how to behave.

 

Sesshomaru just looked at her. Kagome blushed and looked down at her breakfast, a rather intense scene from the night before flashing through her mind. It had been after her bath. Kumo had been walking with her, making small talk as Kagome toweled her hair. With her eyes on Kumo and her mind on her hair the miko had run smack into Sesshomaru, falling back. The lord had caught her before she hit the ground, pulling her up into his arms. Kumo had made herself scarce, since her lady did not need her as a guard anymore.

 

Blushing furiously, Kagome stared at her breakfast. She hoped that no one had seen them in the hallway. It had been, rather involved. Anyone that had peeked would have seen quite a bit of Kagome's charms, her robe pushed open and pulled up. Only the risk of being caught had brought the two to their senses.

 

“My lord.” A member of the guard came in, bowing low. “There are two ningen approaching the palace. One is in the garb of a monk, the other is a youkai exterminator, and they have a neko-youkai with them.”

 

Excitement washed over Kagome. “Miroku? Sango? They're here?”

 

“The ningen are guests of Kagome-sama. See that they are brought into the receiving hall.” Sesshomaru had known that this might happen. Kagome had sent out a message to let her friends know where she was. They were probably going to cause trouble, trying to rescue her. The youkai exterminator might prove to be a problem. The monk, he had some history with the monk and was hopeful that the monk would see sense.

 

A year ago a rumor had reached the inu-youkai of a shrine that could heal any injury, no matter how serious or old. He had never accepted the loss of his arm, and had gone to investigate. The shrine was the home of a river god, powerful and lovely. Her shrine was being controlled by a youkai with three Shikon jewel shards in it's forehead. When Sesshomaru arrived to investigate the rumors he had found the monk already battling with the youkai. Drawing Tokijin, Sesshomaru had expected to end the battle quickly and continue with his investigation. The youkai was undead, however, and did not succumb to the attack. In the end it had been a combination of the monk's sutras and Sesshomaru's attacks that had brought the beast down. The river god had been very thankful. In an instant the youkai's arm had been restored. The monk's wind tunnel had not been repairable, but the river god had been able to repair the damage around it, shrinking it back to it's original size. This repair would help to extend the monk's life, putting off the time when the wind tunnel would devour him as well as his opponent. The monk and the youkai had left with barely a word, but no threats either.

 

“Come, your guests will be here soon. There will be a long explanation.” Sesshomaru led Kagome to the receiving hall. Rin was there, practicing with a new instructor. Since neither of the ningens were allowed outside of the palace, practices were now being held indoors. The new instructor had been the captain of Sesshomaru's personal guard, but was now retired. He had trained many of the guards, and was now training Rin and Kagome. Initially he had tried to refuse the assignment, not wanting to waste his time on ningen females. Now he was enjoying himself, having a new, eager student to concentrate on.

 

“You are slower than my grandmother, and she has already passed to the next world! Again!” The old youkai watched closely as Rin moved through the drill again, faster this time. “Watch your guard arm, don't hold it out like that, do you want to be a target? You opponent does not need that much of an invitation to kill you!”

 

Rin loved her new instructor. He was loud, rude, and had given her a couple of bruises while working with her, but he would always praise her when she made progress. He gave her all of his attention, focusing on her every move and working to make her better. The miko, well, instructor was a little bit less certain about that one. She worked hard, driving herself to improve, but it was that pink aura that disturbed the old youkai. She had not burned him, but he had heard about the injury on Takanou. Very unsettling to have a miko of that power in the palace, learning to fight.

 

The Lord of the West watched with pride as his ward ran through her drills for her new instructor. There would be no weak females around him. His eyes tracked to Kagome who was pacing about the room, excited about her friends' arrival. The miko was certainly not weak. He had never seen the captain flinch away before, but he had moved back the first time Kagome swung at him while cloaked in that pink glow.

 

“Sesshomaru-sama, Kagome-sama, your guests have arrived.”

 

The servant bowed himself out, leaving a perplexed couple in the doorway. Both were caught somewhere between preparing for battle and bowing politely. It certainly did not help that Rin was having a firm yelling from her instructor in the middle of the hall, distracting Kagome from the servant's announcement.

 

“Now, I don't think that comment about her appearance was totally necessary.” Kagome was grumbling to the youkai lord as Rin concentrated on her lesson. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her. “What? She doesn't need to hear that!”

 

“Kagome?”

 

The miko's eyes lit up as she swung towards that voice. “Sango? Mirokou? Kirara? Kami, you're here!”

 

Oblivious to the danger Kagome ran through Rin's practice to get to her friends. Rin pulled up to avoid attacking her friend, earning her a compliment on her reflexes from her instructor. Kagome was oblivious, only caring about getting to her friend. Sango grabbed her in a bone crushing grip, knocking the wind out of her. Kirara jumped to Mirokou to avoid being crushed as the two girls collapsed into hysterical babbling as they embraced.

 

Every member of the audience was feeling uncomfortable. Wild emotional displays were the domain of ningens, and Sesshomaru was not used to seeing them in his hall. Even Rin was uncomfortable, not used to seeing this kind of behavior. Mirokou broke away from the girls and moved to bow before Sesshomaru. “Greetings, Sesshomaru-sama. Thank you for the kind welcome.”

 

`At least the monk has manners.' Sesshomaru nodded to the monk. `The miko has no room left to criticize Rin about her behaviors after this.'

 

The two girls finally broke apart, realizing that the hall was silent. Kagome giggled. “Um, Sesshomaru-sama, I believe you have met my friends before. Sango, Mirokou.”

 

That eyebrow went up again, Sesshomaru's face unreadable even to Kagome. `Oh yeah, he usually sees them trying to kill him. No wonder everyone is acting so weird.'

 

“Well, I think we should let you guys rest after your travel here. We need to catch up, I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

 

“Kagome, are you a prisoner? Are you hurt? What has happened to you?” Sango was not wasting time with pleasantries.

 

A low growl came from Sesshomaru. “She is not a prisoner. No harm has come to her, she is a guest.”

 

“Sango, it sounds very weird, but Sesshomaru-sama has been caring for me. He found me the night that I tried to go home. The well is sealed now. He found me unconscious with demons all around me. I've been here ever since.” Kagome grabbed Sango's hand. “Come on, I'll explain while we are eating and soaking in a hot spring. Rin, are you done? Do you want to come with us?”

 

“Rin is not done practicing, but Rin can come up and meet the new friends later, okay?” Rin's answer made her instructor beam at her. `Maybe the young lady is ready to start learning some of the new weapons I've seen her gazing at. Just as a treat.'

 

The miko dragged her friend out the door and down the hall, not giving her a chance to respond. The monk watched with great interest. “Well, if she wants to answer the questions in the hot springs, then . . .”

 

A low growl stopped him. “Monk, a tray of food will be sent up to your room. Follow the servant to a place to rest while the ladies are bathing.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” Mirokou dropped a low bow, then followed one of the servants to a guest room.

 

The weapons practice continued on as though nothing had happened, leaving Sesshomaru some time to think over this new disturbance to his life. `I must watch that monk closely, he has the eyes of a lecher. Perhaps a guard should be stationed to the bath house. Just for the visit.'

 

*~*~*~*

 

Kumo was starting to wonder how many females she was going to have in her charge now. Kagome had rushed into the room, gathered up her bath things and some clothes for her friend, and swept back out the door. Kumo had grabbed the things she had forgotten, such as clothing for herself, and followed the ladies to the hot spring. Determined that Kagome would not destroy her hair again the servant had promptly sat her down and set to work washing her hair.

 

Sango did not even know what to think. `I expected to find her as a prisoner or a servant that would need to be rescued. Now I'm sitting in the hot spring watching her servant wash her hair for her. She had been standing in the reception hall with Sesshomaru looking rather like an annoyed mother watching her child. With her mate. They had looked very comfortable together, and very close. What the hell is going on? He hates ningens, he has tried to kill her, and Kagome has always gotten herself into the middle of his fights with Inuyasha! Why does she almost seem to be the lady of this palace?'

 

“Thank you, Kumo.” Kagome's hair was pinned up on top of her head now, clean and brushed. She slipped into the hot water with a sigh. “Ah, much better.”

 

“My lady, would you like some assistance?” Kumo already knew that this new female would want nothing to do with her assistance, but this was the first part to training a new charge, and it seemed to Kumo that she had indeed picked up yet another charge. `Time to start considering an assistant if she is half as difficult to manage as the other two.'

 

“No! No, I'm fine. Arigato.” Sango slipped into the water next to Kagome. “Alright, you need to start talking. I guess I can see him picking you up unconscious and bringing you here, but Kagome, what is going on? You have your own servant! I saw the clothes in you room! Hell, I saw your room!”

 

Kagome was very startled to hear her friend start to swear. “I'm not a prisoner or a slave or anything. I really am his guest.” `Uh oh, starting to blush already. Sango's going to be on that in three, two, one . . .”

 

“You're blushing. What aren't you telling me? Why are you all of a sudden so friendly with someone who has tried to kill you?” Sango could see the emotions on Kagome's face after being friends for such a long time. “Oh, Kami, what happened? Kagome, are you in love with Sesshomaru?!”

 

“No! Of course not! Why would you think that?” Kagome sank down in the water until just the top half of her head was sticking out.

 

“Get up here! I'm your best friend, you think you can hide something like this from me?” Sango pulled Kagome back up out of the water, giving her a little shake. “You better start telling me what is actually going on or I swear . . .”

 

“Okay, I give! I've been feeling, something for him. I don't know what, or why, but when he's around me I can't help it. Ever since he kissed me that first time . . .”

 

“Kissed you? First time? You've been kissing Sesshomaru?!”

 

“Well, yeah.”

 

“How much?”

 

“Um, well, not that much the first couple of weeks, but the last week or so it's been happening . . . more often.”

 

“Kagome, have you done more than kiss him?”

 

“No, we haven't done that. Just kissing, a lot. And his hair is really soft.”

 

“Wow. What are you going to do? Does he love you?”

 

“No.” There was no hiding the sadness in Kagome's voice. “He doesn't. I don't think he could. I think he does care about me, a little. He really does try to protect me, and seems to care whether or not I'm okay. Caring about me is better then nothing, you know. At least he isn't leaving me for a clay pot.”

 

“Inuyasha. What happened there? Your note didn't leave much information.”

 

“What's there to say? Kikyou was dying, and he chose to follow her. He left me.” The tears were starting to fall. “He left me to die alone, and I would have. I wanted to. But Sesshomaru found me and rescued me. Now, now I don't know what Sesshomaru wants. He says that I'm here as a friend to Rin. I miss Inuyasha, Sango. I still miss him. I loved him, but now he's gone. It hurts less, this way. I know Sesshomaru doesn't love me, that he can't love me, but at least he cares and I don't have to play second best.”

 

Sango pulled Kagome into her arms, holding her while she cried. `Damn them both. First Inuyasha for his choice, then Sesshomaru. She loves him. Even if she doesn't now she will soon, and that cold bastard can't feel the same way for her. She's going to get hurt again. I don't know how many more times Kagome can have her heart broken and put it back together. That bastard, he is going to have some explaining to do.'

 

“It will be okay, Kagome.”

 

Kagome straightened up, wiping away her tears. “I'm so glad to have you back, Sango. I haven't had anyone to talk to about these things. Boy trouble is when a girl really needs her friends. Speaking of which, how is Mirokou?”

 

Now it was Sango's turn to blush. “He is well.” The youkai exterminator's eyes were suddenly drawn to the far wall. “Is it not time to get out and dress?”

 

“Oh, that's not going to work on me.” Kagome splashed water at Sango. “Tell me the truth!”

 

Silence was the answer that was given, so Kagome tackled Sango, trying to force a yield out of her. “Come on, give! I told you now you tell me!”

 

“Later, later. Let's get some food first. Then I'll tell you all about Mirokou.”

 

*~*~*~*

 

Kumo watched, forgotten, as her lady's friend comforted her. The pieces were starting to fall into place. It was a courtship, all right, but the ningen did not think it was real. Her heart was still broken for another, she thought that the lord could never care for her. Kumo was already very fond of her lady and wanted to make sure that she stayed on as the new lady of the palace. Sesshomaru needed a mate to produce heirs and to help with his duties. Here was a perfect mate, a powerful miko. `I certainly hope that my lord realizes what he has right in front of him before it is too late.'