InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Protocol ❯ Like Father, Like Son ( Chapter 4 )

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Chapter 4

 

Like Father, Like Son

 

(These guys deserve a slot on the Jerry Springer show! LOL )

 

 

Mayu disapprovingly stared up at her child. “Your father would be very disappointed in you, my son.”

 

Sesshoumaru merely snorted through his very large and long snout.

 

“You were throwing a tantrum and look what you've done,” she complained and with a wave of her fan motioned at the once beautiful, tree-covered mountainside that had become a pile of rubble. “Now, why don't you tell me all about it? Though I'm quite certain I already know.”

 

Sesshoumaru groaned and flopped over to face away from his mother. The woman could be such a nuisance. This was none of her business. Well, he couldn't really say that, but he didn't want her interference. She had a way of putting him through extremely emotional trials, which was one of the reasons he steered clear of her, most of the time. So why had he ended up on the steps of her palace? `Good question.'

 

“If that's the way you want it. My son simply has no charm...” she trailed off as a blast of youkai buffeted Sesshoumaru's fur. In the next moment, Mayu stood in her dog form. Without so much as a `by your leave', between her powerful jaws, she grabbed Sesshoumaru by the scruff and took to the skies.

 

He knew better than to struggle against her. She was much more powerful than he, even though he was a daiyoukai. Besides, it would be dishonorable to harm his mother, and he did have his pride. It wasn't long before he was dropped from a good height, directly into a lake. When he finally managed to emerge, with his pride barely intact, his mother was standing on the shore.

 

“Get cleaned up and meet me for dinner.” Without another word, she turned and stalked away.

 

She knew her son was highly displeased with his treatment, but it was time for him to get off his high horse, for what she had to say to him would most likely knock him off from a far greater height than he could ever suspect.

 

~*~

 

Sango was cleaning one of the twins when she heard a light knocking at the door. “Come in,” she called as her husband stood. The monk felt no threatening presence, but he'd become quite protective of his new little family.

 

What the two witnessed surprised them. They were greeted by the puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks of Kagome, who was appeared greatly distressed—a rare thing for her to publicly display.

 

“Kagome-chan, what's wrong?” Sango asked, wondering exactly what Inuyasha had done this time.

 

Water cascaded down Kagome's cheeks as she sniffled. Why she felt so strongly about Inuyasha wishing ill of Sesshoumaru was a mystery to her, but she only ever wished destruction on evil. In her eyes, Sesshoumaru wasn't evil, just confused.

 

“Inuyasha is being such a jerk!” she began, and the dam opened. “He said that Sesshoumaru deserves whatever it was that made him howl like that. Did you hear it?”

 

Both nodded. “I knew it was Sesshoumaru and that Inuyasha would fetch us if he couldn't handle it. Besides, he was quite a distance away,” Miroku answered, nodding his head again. In their many battles, he'd learned to trust his friend and ally.

 

“Inuyasha was just so heartless about it. I know he's not like that,” she continued. “Sesshoumaru's not that bad. Sure, at first he tried to kill us, but then he saved me from being raped by Mukotsu. And he lied about why he did it because he didn't want us knowing that he cared. Then he lied about why he told us how to save Inuyasha from his demon half. He didn't try to take the sword again until he learned that Tenseiga was a castoff of Tetsusaiga. I know he had to have just been upset because he thought his father had abandoned him. Can you imagine how much that hurt him?! It's no wonder he attacked Inuyasha. He was just in unimaginable pain! And after everything Inuyasha has been through, to say something like that, even though I know he cares about Sesshoumaru, was so horrible. I mean, he was so concerned about Sesshoumaru after that last fight when Sesshoumaru had no sword. I just don't understand how he could be such a jerk.”

 

As she continued to rant and wind herself up even further, Miroku and Sango stole glances at each other, both wondering if this was a side-effect of the medicine she had been taking. They knew that it would affect something she called `hormones' and make her more moody, but her focus on Sesshoumaru was quite intense. Normally, Inuyasha would have been forgiven because she knew how the brother's interacted and had seemed to have had accepted it. Apparently, something had changed. Suddenly, the entire situation took on a whole new light.

 

“And now, Kouga says that Inuyasha didn't do something he was supposed to when we mated and that's why we can't have children. It also means that I'm as good as mated to Sesshoumaru and he's the only one who can change that. What am I going to do?!”

 

“Wait! Kouga said what?” Sango asked with surprise in her wide eyes.

 

“He says that Inuyasha was supposed to get Sesshoumaru's permission first and that Inuyasha didn't,” Kagome said. “Could that really stop us from having children?”

 

Both of her friends blinked, stunned at this new information.

 

“Ah, youkai are strange indeed. May I inquire as to his reasoning?” Miroku asked as he stroked his chin.

 

“Well...he said that it's a youkai blood thing and that the alpha has to mate first and give permission to the beta to mate, otherwise, the beta is sterile. But that's just ridiculous!”

 

“Kagome,” Sango interjected, knowing how her modern friend tended to underestimate the power of youkai and their ki. “Youkai are magical creatures and their blood can do many things. I wouldn't take Kouga's words lightly.”

 

“But that would mean that I might have to mate Sesshoumaru!” At this, Kagome's face flushed red in embarrassment. “Could you imagine how Inuyasha would react to that? It would never happen. Also, can you imagine him asking Sesshoumaru to fix this? We would never have children. And, it would mean that Sesshoumaru would never stop...” At this point, her voice died and she glanced at Miroku quickly before turning her eyes to Sango.

 

“Stop what, Kagome,” Miroku asked, intrigued at what secret the women had been keeping from him.

 

“That's the least of your worries, Kagome,” Sango interrupted and glared at her husband. “If mating Sesshoumaru is the obstacle, you may be in danger if you don't. Considering...” She glared at her husband to keep his questions silent. “...what has been happening, you may not be given a choice in the matter.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kagome asked, ready to hyperventilate.

 

“If what Kouga says is true, Sesshoumaru's youki may force him to take you without your permission. I believe you and Inuyasha need to have a serious discussion as soon as possible,” Sango replied, her voice gravely serious.

 

“But...but I can't even imagine mating with Sesshoumaru! He'd probably kill me before he'd do that anyway!” Kagome exclaimed. `If all of this is true, he probably would kill me before mating me. All this time, he's been hanging around and he hasn't said a word! He must hate me and Inuyasha terribly. What am I going to do? I don't want him to be forced into something he doesn't want. And, it would kill Inuyasha to have to give in to Sesshoumaru.'

 

Through all of this, Kagome studiously avoided one important aspect of this entire subject; could she, would she, be willing to mate with Sesshoumaru?

 

“Kagome...” Sango quietly interrupted her adopted sister's thoughts. “After all of this time gone by, if he hasn't killed you, I doubt he plans to do any such thing. We both know that he's had ample opportunity.”

 

Oh, Kagome knew that. She wasn't sure how Sesshoumaru had done it, but obviously, he had been able to prevent any trace of his scent from lingering around her home. Previously, he had hidden it while he was there, but had always left a tiny trace, enough that Inuyasha could smell it the next morning. Even that had quickly ceased to be present. It was a good thing, too. Sitting Inuyasha to keep him from going after Sesshoumaru wasn't something she had enjoyed. In fact, she'd felt rather guilty. Had it been some other random youkai, she would have insisted that Inuyasha pulverize it. The only reason for her protection of Sesshoumaru that she could come up with was that the two were brothers and she couldn't bear to see them trying to kill each other. In the end, Sesshoumaru's presence had become her dirty little secret, shared only with Sango. Things had just become a bit too complicated to allow this to continue.

 

“I think I should go see Totosai for a second opinion. He may act like a fool, but I know better,” Kagome sighed. “Can I borrow Kilala?”

 

Sango nodded. Kilala had always taken care of Kagome in the past, so she didn't see any reason to deny her friend. “Just be careful,” she cautioned.

 

“Thanks!” Kagome gave her friend a bright smile. She was certain that this entire mess would soon be cleared up and she could go back to her normally abnormal life, without the threat of a second mate. After rising from her sitting position, she realized that she had completely forgotten about Inuyasha. He wouldn't be happy with her, but she wasn't quite happy with him right now either. “Oh, and stall Inuyasha for me would you?”

 

Sango nodded and Miroku's brow furrowed. He hadn't agreed, but it was Sango that Kagome had asked and she hadn't been paying attention to him. He was left with a conundrum. Kagome was his friend, but Inuyasha was as well. Normally, he would want to respect her wishes. However, she would be leaving without her husband's permission and without his protection. She would have no one other than Kilala to protect her. It didn't sit well with him. Kilala was strong, but not near as strong and adept as Inuyasha. Though Miroku returned her smile as she left through the door, he determined that Inuyasha had every right to protect his wife and he would see to it that he was given the necessary information. Sometimes, Kagome just didn't know what was good for her.

 

~*~

 

 

Deep inside his crater, Inuyasha pulled against the enchantment as Kouga droned on about how he had neglected his blood and was forcing Kagome to pay the price. `Like hell I wanted this to happen! I just hope she'll forgive me.'

 

“I really can't believe you'd do this to her, InuTrasha. I knew you were ignorant, but this is beyond stupid,” Kouga rambled on. “Didn't you feel anything coming from your youki? Are you that weak?”

 

Oh, he'd said the magic word! “Weak! I'll show you weak!” Inuyasha yelled and jumped from his hole, ready to pummel Kouga into tiny bloody bits. However, even without shards in his legs, Kouga was one fast youkai and easily dodged Inuyasha's attack. “I'd never do that Kagome!”

 

“But you did, didn't you?!” Kouga retorted while dodging another blow.

 

“How was I supposed to know?!” Inuyasha half yelled and half whined, stopped in his tracks by what was happening to his lovely wife. “For half-breeds like me, mating isn't even a consideration, so no one bothers to teach us anything. Who'd ever think that someone would want me?”

 

“Hells, Inuyasha. You might be a half-breed, but you are a son of a daiyoukai!”

 

“So! Doesn't mean nothin'! Almost every day of my life, I've had to fight for the right to live. You don't know what it's like. I never thought...never dreamed that I would be in this position. Myoga, that damn cowardly vassal, didn't teach me anything!”

 

“The youkai in you should have warned you, idiot! Let's get somewhere more private, unless you want the whole village to know your predicament,” Kouga growled.

 

“Why are you being so helpful anyway?” Inuyasha huffed as he and Kouga stalked out of the village and into the surrounding forest. He needed information, and it looked as though he'd found a gold mine.

 

“Kagome,” Kouga replied. It was one simple word that meant so much to them both, and said it all.

 

Once they were out of hearing range of the village, Inuyasha made himself comfortable in a large tree and Kouga sat himself on the ground at the base of the same trunk.

 

“I can't believe this. Are you sure this ain't just some wolf thing?” Inuyasha quietly asked.

 

“Sessmo been hanging around?” Kouga asked.

 

“He did at first, but Kagome wouldn't let me Wind Scar his ass. Then he stopped coming around. Why?”

 

“Like I said, you as good as mated her to him. And, he has been hanging around. You just didn't know about it.”

 

Inuyasha hopped from his tree as though a fire had been lit under his ass. Nearly pressing his nose to Kouga's, he inquired with a growl, “And just how would you know that?”

 

Kouga stopped chewing the piece of grass that hung from between his lips and stared up at his dense friend. “'Cause he was growlin' at me when I offered to help Kagome.”

 

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. “And just what did you offer, huh?”

 

“To protect her from the Lord Dog,” Kouga huffed and yanked Inuyasha's ear.

 

“Ow! Asshole!” Inuyasha yelled and grabbed his ears to protect them from any further abuse then plopped down in front of Kouga. The wolf was his only link to a solution, so he had to squeeze every bit of information out of Kouga that he could. He knew how much Kagome loved children and wouldn't deny her anything that he had the power to give her. That didn't mean that he wanted his half-brother involved. Maybe there was a way out. “What should I do?”

 

“First off, you gotta submit to your brother,” Kouga leisurely stated, his eyes wondering away from Inuyasha as he tried to find the easiest way to put this to his friend.

 

“Half-brother,” Inuyasha corrected. “What does that mean? Submit?”

 

“Um...heh,” Kouga hedged. “In different packs, it means different things...”

 

“Yeah, like what?” Inuyasha pushed.

 

“Well...he could, um, make you do stuff for him, or make you beg for what you want.”

 

“I can see him wantin' me to beg for his permission to have kids, but do stuff like what?” Inuyasha asked, his eyes narrowing on those shifty blue eyes that refused to look at him.

 

“Erm,” Kouga nervously scratched his jaw. “Stuff like, bend over for him.”

 

“Huh? He'd want to spank me like a little kid?!”

 

“Heheh...heh...no,” Kouga turned a stern gaze to Inuyasha. “To dominate you.”

 

“What the hell are you gettin' at?”

 

Kouga sighed. For having lived on his own much of his life, Inuyasha was certainly naive and Kouga pitied him for it. The boy didn't have a clue what true pack life was like, and he doubted that Sesshoumaru would give him the more pleasant experiences. “It means he'll want to mount you.”

 

“I ain't no horse! That sounds stupid,” Inuyasha spat.

 

“Not like that, dummy,” Kouga hissed and knocked the clueless half-breed upside the head. “He'll probably want to fuck you to prove his dominance, and you have to submit and take it like a true beta! Then you'll have to offer Kagome to share as a mate or he'll go all beasty on your half-breed ass!”

 

If the subject matter hadn't been so serious, the expression Kouga was treated to would have been highly amusing. Inuyasha's jaw dropped, his skin went ashen, and his eyes widened to comical proportions.

 

“No fucking way,” Inuyasha rasped, feeling bile rise up into his throat.

 

“Think I'd lie about something like that?” Kouga huffed and frowned.

 

“That can't be true. It's...I could never do that!”

 

Kouga grabbed him by his clothing and yanked him forward. Nose to nose he made his declaration. “You'll do whatever the fuck Kagome needs to have those kids she loves so much! You hear me?! I submitted to my father and you'll submit to your brother! It ain't no big deal.”

 

“No big deal?!” Inuyasha shouted and flailed his arms while yanking himself away from Kouga. “You want me to let Sesshoumaru shove his dick in my ass and you're saying it's no big deal?! You want me to share her with that bastard?!”

 

“If you'd been raised right, you'd have known to submit and gotten permission already. Then there wouldn't be this problem. Hell, that's probably why your brother is pissed at you all the time! You're a renegade punk who refuses to be a part of the pack. As far as sharing a mate, humans might not always do it, but it's how pack works. The alpha mates first then decides if anyone else has the right.”

 

“Half-brother! And he ain't no pack of mine!”

 

“No, because you won't do what a good beta should!”

 

“I'm nobody's beta!”

 

“Yes, you are, and until you admit it and follow your blood, your life will always be fucked up, and you're dragging Kagome into your mess,” Kouga sneered. Inuyasha's stubbornness was forcing Kouga to consider kidnapping Kagome. It would be to protect her and she couldn't really argue with that.

 

“Even if I did what you're saying, you think Kagome would go along with it? It's not like that where she comes from. People just don't share their wives!”

 

“That's between you and her, but if she's unhappy, I'll take her with me,” Kouga huffed and stood, crossing his arms and glaring at Inuyasha.

 

“Like hell you will,” Inuyasha snarled and cracked his knuckles.

 

“Would you rather Sessmo grab her?” Kouga asked with an eyebrow cocked.

 

Well, no, he wouldn't, but that was beside the point. Kagome was his. The end. She loved him and he loved her. He'd waited, alone, for three fucking years without seeing or smelling her. And, she'd wanted to be with him so badly that she'd somehow re-opened the portal to his time. They were meant to be together and nothing could change that. Thinking about it dredged up all those desolate feelings that he never wanted to experience again. Had it not been for Sango, Miroku, and Kaede, he probably would have committed seppuku to put himself out of his misery.

 

“She's all I've got, Kouga. I can't just give her up,” he murmured.

 

“Then go to your brother and do whatever he tells you. Kagome will not let him keep her away from you. I'll stick around and make sure Kagome's alright,” Kouga instructed like any elder should, though he wasn't all that much older than Inuyasha. He simply had much more knowledge about the workings of canine packs.

 

Miroku had waited on the side-lines as long as he possibly could. He'd learned enough and there was a lull in the conversation. Stepping through the foliage, he cleared his throat.

 

Inuyasha's head snapped toward the intruder and his hand reflexively grabbed Tetsusaiga's hilt. Blood rushed to his face when he realized that Miroku probably heard everything that had been said, or at least, the embarrassing parts. `Just my luck.'

 

“What do you want, monk?” he huffed, as though his face wasn't burning brightly.

 

“I thought you should be warned that Lady Kagome has set off on Kilala to see Totosai,” Miroku meekly stated. Knowing what Inuyasha had just learned, there was no doubt that he could become volatile, so he did his best to remain unassuming.

 

“Shit! Because of that damn medicine, she'll attract every horny youkai outside of my territory. Shit!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “Thanks, Miroku.”

 

“It is my pleasure to look after your wife's safety, as she sometimes neglects it herself,” Miroku said with a slight bow. Either way he looked at it, he was betraying Kagome's trust, but someone had to look out for her and interfere when her behavior became foolish. The modern girl sometimes didn't realize the dangers of the feudal era.

 

Kouga shook his head. He'd smelled how potent the scent of fertility wafted around Kagome and knew what Inuyasha was worried about. “Come on, mutt, let's go protect my woman.”

 

“She ain't your woman,” Inuyasha growled, but didn't object when Kouga followed.

 

~*~

 

Sesshoumaru sat seiza, opposite his mother. Through the wafting steam of tea, she met him glare for glare, neither backing down from the staring contest. Finally, having enough of her silence, he spoke.

 

“He took her away from me,” Sesshoumaru snarled.

 

Mayu sighed and picked up her tea, taking a languid sip. Sesshoumaru hated waiting and she planned to draw this out as much as she could. Her son seldom came to visit. Despite the fact that he had absolutely no charm, she did like to see her child on occasion.

 

“It seems you are ready to talk. If you hadn't run away and given yourself over to amnesia, you would have known that he did no such thing,” she casually stated. “Your father and I were temporarily mated as an alliance. You should have known better than to mate without his permission.”

 

“Then how did she end up with the humans?” he spat.

 

“That is the whole crux of the matter, isn't it? You believe your father stole your mate,” Mayu sighed. “When she found out that she was pregnant, she asked to go to a human healer. That's when the humans grabbed her.”

 

Sesshoumaru growled low in his chest. “I felt them rutting.”

 

“Again, that's your own fault. You as much as mated him to her and he couldn't help himself. You knew better,” Mayu scolded.

 

“He impregnated her with her first child and she was mine first! Mine!”

 

`Just as I thought.' Mayu sighed before a smug smirk crossed her face. She'd had centuries to consider what had happened with her son. He'd left when his mate had disappeared and hadn't returned until he needed answers concerning his sword. This might prove momentarily entertaining.

 

“Well, now. It does seem that you have been under the wrong impression for quite some time.” She gave her son a sweeping assessment. His eyes were tinged red, but he seemed to have himself under control. “What happened to the child? I heard he died in the fire with his mother.”

 

Sesshoumaru snorted and his anger receded somewhat. “That dirty, half-breed still walks the earth, causing no end of trouble,” he growled and took a sip of tea.

 

“Hm, what kind of trouble?” she asked.

 

The innocence with which she posed her question caused Sesshoumaru to suspect some underhanded dealings. She'd done it with Rin and she'd had a wicked gleam in her eyes ever since he'd arrived. `This may not end well.'

 

“He has taken a mate without my permission,” Sesshoumaru grumbled.

 

Bright peals of laughter rang through the room. He didn't see what could be so humorous about the situation. Just when he was about to stand up and leave, his mother stunned him into immobility.

 

“Imagine,” she puffed with laughter still singing in her eyes. “Like father, like son. Oh, my boy, that little half-breed may have your father's blood running through his veins, but he has some amount of mine and yours as well.”

 

Sesshoumaru frowned. He never had liked her riddles. The answers tended to be quite the unexpected and never left him pleased. As she giggled and attempted to put herself to rights, Sesshoumaru rolled her words through his mind—then promptly passed out, for males never fainted.

 

 

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Thank you for reading, rating, and reviewing. It is a great encouragement.

 

 

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Disclaimer

 

Inuyasha and all associated characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. Translation: “I don't own Inuyasha”. I make no profit from this story, nor do I intend to. My only goal is to occupy my demented mind with delusions of actually owning a life-sized, anatomically correct Sesshoumaru.

 

 

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