InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Special delivery ❯ Welcome to the family ( Chapter 68 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: saphira404 
I know the format isn't great, but MM.org's uploading system isn't working as usual, so I had to use WordPad instead of Microsoft Word. I hope I'll be able to improve the forma soon :(
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.27.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 294 | Status: Work In Progress
I know the format isn't great, but MM.org's uploading system isn't working as usual, so I had to use WordPad instead of Microsoft Word. I hope I'll be able to improve the forma soon :(
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 11.27.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.4K | Visits: 294 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 68: Welcome to the family
A/N: Hi…. Still remember me? I am SO sorry to have left you guys hanging like this for so long. It may have taken me a long time to come up with this chapter, but it’s going to be a good one.
Thanks to all of you guys for the great reviews and support:
Syzhale [Belated birthday wishes to my fave spell checker!]
Sesshkagufan13
Little25victor
Halloween265
Roguer eader (Thank you for your frank words. To be honest it isn’t for the readers’ benefit, but rather my own squeamishness that I didn’t make his transformation more graphic. I agree that a true Inu youkai mating would be a little more gore… but I guess I just didn’t have it in me. So sorry if you were disappointed.)
New2fanfiction (Glad to see you’re indeed back. Oh I will be sure to fulfill your request of arguments between the two members of our fave couple)
A-NASTYsian (Always nice to have a new reviewer. I don’t hate Kikyou, but don’t often include her in my stories because I just can’t seem to find a place for her ha ha)
Ultimate Otaku27 (Aw thanks. I do my best to please my readers. )
Thanks to Dogsfang for the nice PM.
On MM.org:
Anime-rocks-1010 (So nice to hear from you again! No worries you will be able to experience many more cliffys :P)
Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, Sesshy and Kagura would be happily mated and working on silver haired baby number three by now…
“Talking”
‘Thoughts& #8217;
Sesshoumaru, Kagura, Rin and Kanna were all seated in the dog demon’s black luxury car. They were on their way to the Imperial hotel where the memorial service for Sesshoumaru’s father would be held.
“Are we going swimming again?” Rin’s hopeful voice came from the backseat. She was referring to the afternoon Sesshoumaru and Kagura had taken the two girls to the Imperial to go swimming.
At that time, Rin had been so excited to spend the afternoon with her new family that she had made sure to pay special attention to the route they had taken. She therefore easily recognized where they were going.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you honey. We are going to the same hotel, but not for the same reason.” Kagura turned her head to the side, to look at the two little girls; Rin seated behind Sesshoumaru, and Kanna strapped in her car seat behind her mother.
Even as she spoke Kagura paid attention to have the pearl necklace Sesshoumaru had given her stay in place. The first reason was that it was the same precious family heirloom he had given to her the night they had gone to the gala so many months ago. The second reason was that the necklace was a convenient way to hide the red welts present on the tender skin on her neck. To her great pleasure ever since Sesshoumaru had stopped reigning in his inner demon when sleeping with her, his fangs had a greater tendency to roam her skin. In fact their early morning sex had ended up with him nipping at her neck a little harder than he had intended, leaving marks on her skin.
‘Not that I mind that much… seeing Sessh lose control because of me is an amazing feeling.’ The wind sorceress thought to herself even as she felt a blush develop on her cheeks.
“We are going to a party. That’s why we’re wearing dresses.” Kanna remarked calmly. Despite her pouting, her mother had still forced her to wear a black dress, making Kanna annoyed; she only liked wearing white.
‘But since Sesshoumaru and mommy asked, I guess I can wear this ugly color just for today.’ Kanna thought even as he small hands reached down to tug at the hem of her black dress. When not a while ago the four members of the newly founded family had purchased the said dress, Kanna has not thought too much of it; however, having to wear it for a full day was a different set of affairs.
“A party?! Really? Mommy is that where we’re going?” Rin asked, her eyes shining in anticipation. Earlier when the demon couple had picked her up at the orphanage, and that Kagura had helped her dress into a black dress before they had left, Rin had been too excited at the prospect of spending time with her family to ask about where they were going.
Kagura took the time to smile to herself before answering as she was still getting used to the idea of having a second daughter. The judge had yet to grant her and Sesshoumaru full custody of Rin, but according to his lawyer it was a matter of weeks before they would be able to take their other little girl home.
“Well Rin-chan, it’s not really a party… it’s a memorial service to honor Sesshoumaru’s father.” The wind sorceress explained. She knew that it would probably not be the funniest place for the two girls to be, so she wanted them to be ready and aware of what was going to happen.
“What does honor mean?” This time Rin’s question was addressed to Sesshoumaru. During their exchange the dog demon had stayed unusually silent.
“It means that my father is dead, and that for some reason people find it necessary to have a party every year for the occasion.” He commented dryly.
“Sesshoumaru!” Kagura gasped, her voice laden with reprimand.
“Your daddy is dead?...” As soon as the words escaped Rin’s lips, she felt her lips wobble, and tears brim in her brown eyes. She opened her mouth to say more then instead let a sob out before sniffling. She knew all too well about the pain of losing a parent, and the idea of her new found father having to go through this pain made her hurt in return.
‘Ugh why can’t that man be a little more compassionate when talking to a kid…’ Kagura took the time to glare at her fiancé before turning to the side to stare at Rin’s tear filled eyes.
“There’s no need to cry Rin-chan. It happened a long time ago, and Sesshoumaru isn’t sad… so you shouldn’t be…” Kagura said doing her best to muster a smile.
Kagura’s failed attempt at comforting her only made Rin sob harder. During this time Kanna observed the exchange in silence. For a reason she could not comprehend seeing Rin cry made her sad in turn. No matter how much the pale child had tried to hate her new ‘sister,’ Rin had managed to work past Kanna’s strong defenses with her infectious smile and gentleness.
The young void demoness was startled when she felt something warm trailing down her cheek, she reached for it with her finger, and was shocked to see it came back wet.
“Mommy…” It was now Kanna’s turn to start sobbing, she was not sure why, but she could not stop crying.
“Kanna, Rin, girls… please don’t cry…” Knowing that her words would not get through to the little girls, Kagura averted her gaze from them to the dog demon seated next to her. “Sesshoumaru, can you pull over?” She asked after letting out a deep sigh.
Instead of answering, he briefly looked at the two sobbing girls through his rearview mirror, then made a quick left turn to enter the large parking lot in front of a shopping center.
As soon as the car came to a halt, Kagura wasted no time to leave her seat and open the rear door. She removed Kanna from her car seat and placed her daughter on her lap before undoing Rin’s seat belt and circling the little girl’s shoulders with her arm.
“Aw girls, there’s really no need for you guys to be upset. Everything is going to be okay.” The wind sorceress pressed a kiss on Kanna’s light hair, then next to Rin’s pigtail. Her comforting words and tender hands managed to get through to the girls and helped calm them down a bit.
It was then that Sesshoumaru decided to intervene. At first he was too unsure about how to handle the little girls’ tears, but he could not stand seeing the ones he cared for, and had promised to protect be in pain. He had to try to fix the situation.
‘I guess it comes with the territory of being a father…’ He thought reflecting on his new found role. Unlike Kagura, instead of exiting the car, he simply turned around in his seat to look at both Kanna and Rin.
“There is no need for your tears. This Sesshoumaru is doing fine.” He said. He was sure that the reason why the two girls were upset was for his benefit, and it made him love them even more. He after all was not used to having people care for him that much.
“You’re not sad?” Rin asked through her sniffles.
“No.” He answered. “As Kagura explained before, my father’s passing occurred a long time… before either of you two were born for that matter, and I am not sad.” The dog demon then took the time to give the two girls a small reassuring smile.
He was relieved when Rin and Kanna responded with smiles of their own. One more kiss from Kagura for each of them, accompanied with her gently wiping the tears off their faces, and the two children were ready to get back on the road.
“Hum who knew you could be so good at consoling; I guess you will be in charge of this from now on.” Kagura smiled at her boyfriend.
“I have only acquired such a skill after meeting you.” He replied evenly.
“Aw is that a covert way of saying ‘I love you’?” She asked him, a grin on her face.
“Fishing for compliments is unbecoming.” He grinned back before starting his car and driving off.
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“Feh! It was about time you guys got here.” Inuyasha grumbled when to his relief, he finally spied his brother. He impatiently tugged at the collar of his tight shirt, doing his best to loosen it as much as possible without having to undo the tie Kagome had put on him a few hours ago.
“Didn’t you say you’d stop complaining?…” None other than Kagome chuckled as she gently removed Inuyasha’s clawed hand from his collar, earning a sharp glare from her fiancé in the process. His scowl turned into an adoring smile when she pressed a tender peck on his cheek.
“We were slightly delayed on the way over. In any case I am sure we have not missed a lot…” Sesshoumaru responded. He truly hated the ridiculous family tradition that dictated they had to honor his late father on a yearly basis. Had he not respected him, he would have gotten rid of the practice altogether.
‘It is just an excuse for the vultures to try to get access to me and my wallet. Not to mention that they never cared about father. All they want is to lament over his loss while eating and drinking at my cost.’ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he scanned the room with his sharp amber gaze.
“Well Rin-chan, Kanna-chan, what do you say I take you to Shippou? We settled him with the other kids in the room next door. You can eat there, and I heard they have toys too.” Kagome smiled gently at the two little girls before addressing her friend. “Don’t worry Kagura, members of the hotel staff will be watching over them. Besides this is a secure place, it’s not like someone could snatch them away.” The young human chuckled.
The two little girls sent their mother a pleading glance. The last thing they wanted was to be the only children present in the opulent reception room filled with unknown adults.
“Of course you guys can go.” Kagura answered. She was barely done talking that her friend had whisked the two little girls away, Inuyasha following closely behind them.
“Hum he is so much more protective of her now that he knows she’s pregnant.” Kagura commented on her future brother in law’s behavior.
“As he should. My brother may be an idiot, but even he knows what he has to do.” Sesshoumaru commented as he snatched two champagne flutes from a tray carried by a nearby waiter. He extended one to the grateful wind sorceress.
The two of them sipped their drink in silence for a while, not even thinking about trying to socialize. A younger dog demon tried to approach the couple, but a sharp glare from Sesshoumaru made him reconsider.
‘These damn vultures should be aware that this Sesshoumaru would not let them get close to me.’ He thought, a deep scowl on his face.
“Why do I have the feeling everyone is looking at me?” Kagura suddenly broke their contented silence as she self-consciously readjusted the feathers she had plucked inside her usual bun. In order not to disrespect the memory of Sesshoumaru’s father, she had replaced her usual white feathers with two black ones that matched her dress. When the dog demon had noticed the change, he had scoffed claiming the event was not worth her efforts. Even though he was trying to hide it, she could tell he had been pleased by her gesture.
Sesshoumaru had early on also noticed that for some unknown reason the guests inside the reception room were indeed staring at Kagura.
‘It is probably due to the fact that it is the first time I have brought along a female friend to this boring yearly event. Not to mention that I also have Kanna and Rin with me. This is sure to raise a few questions…’ He thought to himself. Ever since the death of his father, and the instituting of a yearly celebration in his memory, Sesshoumaru had always made sure to never bring a ‘girlfriend’ with him. Kagura was the first exception to this rule. He figured that there was no need for his fiancée to learn about that, so he tried to distract her.
“They are probably looking for a distraction for the boring speeches about the glory of my father that are sure to come. You might not be aware of it wind witch, but you offer a most delectable distraction.” The husky tone in which he had spoken let her know exactly the kind of distraction that was on his mind.
“Sesshoumaru Takahashi!” Kagura gasped before adding “How can you think about that at such a time?” The telling sweet blush on her cheeks let him know that despite her outburst she was glad to know of his train of thought.
“If you had known my father and his love of women, you would not be offended…” The dog demon shrugged.
“I am sure you were thinking about me when you said that last bit, did you not?” A soft female voice asked from behind the two demons. The couple turned around, and was greeted by a large smile displayed on the lips of an older human woman.
“Izayoi?! What are you doing here?” Sesshoumaru asked truly surprised.
“Is that a way to greet your mother?” The dark haired woman asked on a mocking tone, a faint crease appearing between her brows.
“Mother?!” It was now Kagura’s turn to gasp.
“Step mother.” She admitted. “I am his father’s second wife, and Inuyasha’s mother. My name is Izayoi Takahashi, it is a pleasure to meet you…” She trailed off extending a friendly hand towards the wind sorceress, who quickly took a hold of it and shook it.
“Kagura. My name is Kagura Onigumo, and I am…”
“My fiancée” Sesshoumaru interrupted her; the fierce gleam in his eyes defying his step mother to say anything about his sudden revelation.
“Ah how wonderful. Your father would have been so happy to see both of his sons settled with such beautiful women.” Izayoi beamed. “When Inuyasha told me he was getting married, I took the first plane over and came to meet my future daughter. I was also eager to see my dear Shippou once again of course. I am even happier now that I know that I will be a grandmother once again soon, but also that my dear Sesshoumaru has finally found someone to settle himself with.”
“Hum… thanks I guess.” Kagura replied, for lack of a better thing to say.
“Oh no! I would have stayed longer to chat, and get to know you, but I can see Mrs. Nakaya coming towards here. The last thing I want is to listen to her go on and on about her glorious family history.” Izayoi said with an annoyed frown. “Therefore I will take my leave now. I am not in town for long, but it would really please me if we could have a family gathering. Maybe we could go out to dinner? That would truly be marvelous. It was a pleasure to meet you Kagura dear. I hope to see you soon Sesshoumaru.” Without another word the older woman left the two of them.
“Wow she is quite the interesting woman.” Kagura murmured as her crimson eyes followed Izayoi disappear into the crowd.
“How can you doubt it? You have met her son, have you not?” The dog demon remarked casually as he relieved Kagura from her empty glass to place it next to his on a nearby side table.
“For some reason I thought you and your step mother did not get along.”
“I may not talk of her often, but I do not hate her. We were not close while she was married to father, and after his passing she moved back to her hometown, so I do not see her often. I therefore have no reason to talk of Izayoi.” He said with a slight shrug.
Even if she suspected his feelings for his step mother might be more than he would like her to believe, Kagura simply decided to let it go for now.
‘No need to worry, I know I will get past all his defenses soon.’ She smiled to herself.
The dog demon was surprised when none other than Miroku tapped him on the shoulder. A pale looking Sango was nervously standing next to him.
“May I speak to you… alone.” The blue eyed human asked. It was not unusual for Miroku to attend the yearly memorial service as he had been as close as a son to the late Takahashi patriarch; however, it was not common for the carefree young human to look as troubled as he did now.
“Whatever you have to tell me, I am sure you can tell this Sesshoumaru in front of Kagura.” He responded.
“I was really hoping you wouldn’t say that…” Miroku sighed before giving his girlfriend a meaningful look.
“Maybe… it would be better if Kagura were to come with me for a little while… we could go check on the children. Last I saw them playing with Kirara and Rin mentioned wanting to have a pet, I told her we could ask you…” Sango stammered clearly uncomfortable.
“What the hell is wrong with you two? Why are you acting so weird? Just tell me what the fuck is going on!” Kagura snapped. At first she had been worried by her friends’ weird behavior, but now she was downright mad; there was nothing she hated more than being out of the loop.
“Well it’s not an easy thing to say…”
“Miroku. Out with it now lest this Sesshoumaru loses his patience.” The dog demon glared at his friend.
“Fine… Just remember not to shoot the messenger... Ever since my dear Sango and I got here, we’ve been hearing rumors…” A clearly uncomfortable Miroku suddenly paused, as if looking for the best way to make his announcement.
“Rumors? What kind of rumors?” Kagura asked even as a sense of dread spread through her.
“Miroku…” Sesshoumaru warned one of his oldest collaborators one last time.
“Rumors saying that your new girlfriend is a whore. Is it true? Could my son have fallen so low?” A mocking feminine voice came from a few feet away. Kagura quickly turned around, and was met by a sharp pair of amber eyes belonging to a beautiful older dog demoness with long silver white hair.
“Mother?!” Sesshoumaru breathed out in total incredulity.
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"So Mr. Kumo, what exactly made you want to apply for the position at our daycare? We are a small business you understand, and we do our best to only hire people who we truly feel would be a great fit with the staff and the kids. We are one big family." The older gray haired woman asked to the handsome man seated across from her small office. Somehow despite the fact that her work space was small, cramped and littered with toys, the man managed to stay as dignified and handsome as could be.
'I don't know yet how he'll be with the kids despite his extensive resume, but he sure as hell going to be a hit with the moms.' She thought, chuckling inside.
"Well Mrs. Shurui, if I were to be honest with you, I have gone through some very challenging times, notably the loss of a business." He paused to let out a long suffering sigh before adding "But one good thing came out of it. I have come to know that nothing is more important than family. I have grown closer to my children, and I want to help as many families as possible. Working as a handyman and driver for your daycare I am sure would be a great way to do that." Hetalking watching closely the emotions playing on the woman's face. He could tell she was moved by his tale, but would need a little more to beto trust him completely.
'I need her to fulfill my plans. I guess I have no choice, but to use this last resort.' He thought, keeping the all too fake nice smile plastered on his face in place.
"Here is a picture of my eldest daughter, with her new born daughter." Just as he spoke the last words, he fished out his wallet to display a picture of a very young looking dark haired woman cradling a pale baby in her arms.
"Oh my I never imagined you would be old enough to be a grandfather." She gasped, her eyes softening at the sight of the pale haired child. For some reason the child and her mother looked vaguely familiar, but the widow could not exactly remember where she had seen her.
'Well not really surprising considering all the kids I have taken care of ever since I opened the day care thirty years ago. There's no way I can remember them all. Besides instead of chasing after an old memory, I should focus on flirting back with this charming man.' Even as she thought that, she quickly ran a smoothing hand over her hair, meaning to make sure everything was in place.
"And that coming from a woman as young and beautiful as you. Oh how you flatter me madam." He smiled beforeback his wallet in the pocket of his jeans. "As you can see I have all the qualities needed for this position, and am the best man for the job." He added on a more serious tone.
"Indeed I agree. How soon can you start?" She asked bating her eye lashes at the younger man.
"How soon do you need me?" He replied sending her the most dazzling smile he could muster. 'The first part of my plan is in place. Only a little more, and my revenge will be complete.'
To be continued…
A/N: There you have it the long awaited update. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if it asked many more questions than it answered :P The next update will be as soon as I can. I have yet to choose a chapter, but be sure it will be a wild one. Wonder how Kagura will get along with her future mother in-law?
Converting /tmp/phpxQA25B to /dev/stdout
A/N: Hi…. Still remember me? I am SO sorry to have left you guys hanging like this for so long. It may have taken me a long time to come up with this chapter, but it’s going to be a good one.
Thanks to all of you guys for the great reviews and support:
Syzhale [Belated birthday wishes to my fave spell checker!]
Sesshkagufan13
Little25victor
Halloween265
Roguer eader (Thank you for your frank words. To be honest it isn’t for the readers’ benefit, but rather my own squeamishness that I didn’t make his transformation more graphic. I agree that a true Inu youkai mating would be a little more gore… but I guess I just didn’t have it in me. So sorry if you were disappointed.)
New2fanfiction (Glad to see you’re indeed back. Oh I will be sure to fulfill your request of arguments between the two members of our fave couple)
A-NASTYsian (Always nice to have a new reviewer. I don’t hate Kikyou, but don’t often include her in my stories because I just can’t seem to find a place for her ha ha)
Ultimate Otaku27 (Aw thanks. I do my best to please my readers. )
Thanks to Dogsfang for the nice PM.
On MM.org:
Anime-rocks-1010 (So nice to hear from you again! No worries you will be able to experience many more cliffys :P)
Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, Sesshy and Kagura would be happily mated and working on silver haired baby number three by now…
“Talking”
‘Thoughts& #8217;
Sesshoumaru, Kagura, Rin and Kanna were all seated in the dog demon’s black luxury car. They were on their way to the Imperial hotel where the memorial service for Sesshoumaru’s father would be held.
“Are we going swimming again?” Rin’s hopeful voice came from the backseat. She was referring to the afternoon Sesshoumaru and Kagura had taken the two girls to the Imperial to go swimming.
At that time, Rin had been so excited to spend the afternoon with her new family that she had made sure to pay special attention to the route they had taken. She therefore easily recognized where they were going.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you honey. We are going to the same hotel, but not for the same reason.” Kagura turned her head to the side, to look at the two little girls; Rin seated behind Sesshoumaru, and Kanna strapped in her car seat behind her mother.
Even as she spoke Kagura paid attention to have the pearl necklace Sesshoumaru had given her stay in place. The first reason was that it was the same precious family heirloom he had given to her the night they had gone to the gala so many months ago. The second reason was that the necklace was a convenient way to hide the red welts present on the tender skin on her neck. To her great pleasure ever since Sesshoumaru had stopped reigning in his inner demon when sleeping with her, his fangs had a greater tendency to roam her skin. In fact their early morning sex had ended up with him nipping at her neck a little harder than he had intended, leaving marks on her skin.
‘Not that I mind that much… seeing Sessh lose control because of me is an amazing feeling.’ The wind sorceress thought to herself even as she felt a blush develop on her cheeks.
“We are going to a party. That’s why we’re wearing dresses.” Kanna remarked calmly. Despite her pouting, her mother had still forced her to wear a black dress, making Kanna annoyed; she only liked wearing white.
‘But since Sesshoumaru and mommy asked, I guess I can wear this ugly color just for today.’ Kanna thought even as he small hands reached down to tug at the hem of her black dress. When not a while ago the four members of the newly founded family had purchased the said dress, Kanna has not thought too much of it; however, having to wear it for a full day was a different set of affairs.
“A party?! Really? Mommy is that where we’re going?” Rin asked, her eyes shining in anticipation. Earlier when the demon couple had picked her up at the orphanage, and that Kagura had helped her dress into a black dress before they had left, Rin had been too excited at the prospect of spending time with her family to ask about where they were going.
Kagura took the time to smile to herself before answering as she was still getting used to the idea of having a second daughter. The judge had yet to grant her and Sesshoumaru full custody of Rin, but according to his lawyer it was a matter of weeks before they would be able to take their other little girl home.
“Well Rin-chan, it’s not really a party… it’s a memorial service to honor Sesshoumaru’s father.” The wind sorceress explained. She knew that it would probably not be the funniest place for the two girls to be, so she wanted them to be ready and aware of what was going to happen.
“What does honor mean?” This time Rin’s question was addressed to Sesshoumaru. During their exchange the dog demon had stayed unusually silent.
“It means that my father is dead, and that for some reason people find it necessary to have a party every year for the occasion.” He commented dryly.
“Sesshoumaru!” Kagura gasped, her voice laden with reprimand.
“Your daddy is dead?...” As soon as the words escaped Rin’s lips, she felt her lips wobble, and tears brim in her brown eyes. She opened her mouth to say more then instead let a sob out before sniffling. She knew all too well about the pain of losing a parent, and the idea of her new found father having to go through this pain made her hurt in return.
‘Ugh why can’t that man be a little more compassionate when talking to a kid…’ Kagura took the time to glare at her fiancé before turning to the side to stare at Rin’s tear filled eyes.
“There’s no need to cry Rin-chan. It happened a long time ago, and Sesshoumaru isn’t sad… so you shouldn’t be…” Kagura said doing her best to muster a smile.
Kagura’s failed attempt at comforting her only made Rin sob harder. During this time Kanna observed the exchange in silence. For a reason she could not comprehend seeing Rin cry made her sad in turn. No matter how much the pale child had tried to hate her new ‘sister,’ Rin had managed to work past Kanna’s strong defenses with her infectious smile and gentleness.
The young void demoness was startled when she felt something warm trailing down her cheek, she reached for it with her finger, and was shocked to see it came back wet.
“Mommy…” It was now Kanna’s turn to start sobbing, she was not sure why, but she could not stop crying.
“Kanna, Rin, girls… please don’t cry…” Knowing that her words would not get through to the little girls, Kagura averted her gaze from them to the dog demon seated next to her. “Sesshoumaru, can you pull over?” She asked after letting out a deep sigh.
Instead of answering, he briefly looked at the two sobbing girls through his rearview mirror, then made a quick left turn to enter the large parking lot in front of a shopping center.
As soon as the car came to a halt, Kagura wasted no time to leave her seat and open the rear door. She removed Kanna from her car seat and placed her daughter on her lap before undoing Rin’s seat belt and circling the little girl’s shoulders with her arm.
“Aw girls, there’s really no need for you guys to be upset. Everything is going to be okay.” The wind sorceress pressed a kiss on Kanna’s light hair, then next to Rin’s pigtail. Her comforting words and tender hands managed to get through to the girls and helped calm them down a bit.
It was then that Sesshoumaru decided to intervene. At first he was too unsure about how to handle the little girls’ tears, but he could not stand seeing the ones he cared for, and had promised to protect be in pain. He had to try to fix the situation.
‘I guess it comes with the territory of being a father…’ He thought reflecting on his new found role. Unlike Kagura, instead of exiting the car, he simply turned around in his seat to look at both Kanna and Rin.
“There is no need for your tears. This Sesshoumaru is doing fine.” He said. He was sure that the reason why the two girls were upset was for his benefit, and it made him love them even more. He after all was not used to having people care for him that much.
“You’re not sad?” Rin asked through her sniffles.
“No.” He answered. “As Kagura explained before, my father’s passing occurred a long time… before either of you two were born for that matter, and I am not sad.” The dog demon then took the time to give the two girls a small reassuring smile.
He was relieved when Rin and Kanna responded with smiles of their own. One more kiss from Kagura for each of them, accompanied with her gently wiping the tears off their faces, and the two children were ready to get back on the road.
“Hum who knew you could be so good at consoling; I guess you will be in charge of this from now on.” Kagura smiled at her boyfriend.
“I have only acquired such a skill after meeting you.” He replied evenly.
“Aw is that a covert way of saying ‘I love you’?” She asked him, a grin on her face.
“Fishing for compliments is unbecoming.” He grinned back before starting his car and driving off.
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“Feh! It was about time you guys got here.” Inuyasha grumbled when to his relief, he finally spied his brother. He impatiently tugged at the collar of his tight shirt, doing his best to loosen it as much as possible without having to undo the tie Kagome had put on him a few hours ago.
“Didn’t you say you’d stop complaining?…” None other than Kagome chuckled as she gently removed Inuyasha’s clawed hand from his collar, earning a sharp glare from her fiancé in the process. His scowl turned into an adoring smile when she pressed a tender peck on his cheek.
“We were slightly delayed on the way over. In any case I am sure we have not missed a lot…” Sesshoumaru responded. He truly hated the ridiculous family tradition that dictated they had to honor his late father on a yearly basis. Had he not respected him, he would have gotten rid of the practice altogether.
‘It is just an excuse for the vultures to try to get access to me and my wallet. Not to mention that they never cared about father. All they want is to lament over his loss while eating and drinking at my cost.’ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he scanned the room with his sharp amber gaze.
“Well Rin-chan, Kanna-chan, what do you say I take you to Shippou? We settled him with the other kids in the room next door. You can eat there, and I heard they have toys too.” Kagome smiled gently at the two little girls before addressing her friend. “Don’t worry Kagura, members of the hotel staff will be watching over them. Besides this is a secure place, it’s not like someone could snatch them away.” The young human chuckled.
The two little girls sent their mother a pleading glance. The last thing they wanted was to be the only children present in the opulent reception room filled with unknown adults.
“Of course you guys can go.” Kagura answered. She was barely done talking that her friend had whisked the two little girls away, Inuyasha following closely behind them.
“Hum he is so much more protective of her now that he knows she’s pregnant.” Kagura commented on her future brother in law’s behavior.
“As he should. My brother may be an idiot, but even he knows what he has to do.” Sesshoumaru commented as he snatched two champagne flutes from a tray carried by a nearby waiter. He extended one to the grateful wind sorceress.
The two of them sipped their drink in silence for a while, not even thinking about trying to socialize. A younger dog demon tried to approach the couple, but a sharp glare from Sesshoumaru made him reconsider.
‘These damn vultures should be aware that this Sesshoumaru would not let them get close to me.’ He thought, a deep scowl on his face.
“Why do I have the feeling everyone is looking at me?” Kagura suddenly broke their contented silence as she self-consciously readjusted the feathers she had plucked inside her usual bun. In order not to disrespect the memory of Sesshoumaru’s father, she had replaced her usual white feathers with two black ones that matched her dress. When the dog demon had noticed the change, he had scoffed claiming the event was not worth her efforts. Even though he was trying to hide it, she could tell he had been pleased by her gesture.
Sesshoumaru had early on also noticed that for some unknown reason the guests inside the reception room were indeed staring at Kagura.
‘It is probably due to the fact that it is the first time I have brought along a female friend to this boring yearly event. Not to mention that I also have Kanna and Rin with me. This is sure to raise a few questions…’ He thought to himself. Ever since the death of his father, and the instituting of a yearly celebration in his memory, Sesshoumaru had always made sure to never bring a ‘girlfriend’ with him. Kagura was the first exception to this rule. He figured that there was no need for his fiancée to learn about that, so he tried to distract her.
“They are probably looking for a distraction for the boring speeches about the glory of my father that are sure to come. You might not be aware of it wind witch, but you offer a most delectable distraction.” The husky tone in which he had spoken let her know exactly the kind of distraction that was on his mind.
“Sesshoumaru Takahashi!” Kagura gasped before adding “How can you think about that at such a time?” The telling sweet blush on her cheeks let him know that despite her outburst she was glad to know of his train of thought.
“If you had known my father and his love of women, you would not be offended…” The dog demon shrugged.
“I am sure you were thinking about me when you said that last bit, did you not?” A soft female voice asked from behind the two demons. The couple turned around, and was greeted by a large smile displayed on the lips of an older human woman.
“Izayoi?! What are you doing here?” Sesshoumaru asked truly surprised.
“Is that a way to greet your mother?” The dark haired woman asked on a mocking tone, a faint crease appearing between her brows.
“Mother?!” It was now Kagura’s turn to gasp.
“Step mother.” She admitted. “I am his father’s second wife, and Inuyasha’s mother. My name is Izayoi Takahashi, it is a pleasure to meet you…” She trailed off extending a friendly hand towards the wind sorceress, who quickly took a hold of it and shook it.
“Kagura. My name is Kagura Onigumo, and I am…”
“My fiancée” Sesshoumaru interrupted her; the fierce gleam in his eyes defying his step mother to say anything about his sudden revelation.
“Ah how wonderful. Your father would have been so happy to see both of his sons settled with such beautiful women.” Izayoi beamed. “When Inuyasha told me he was getting married, I took the first plane over and came to meet my future daughter. I was also eager to see my dear Shippou once again of course. I am even happier now that I know that I will be a grandmother once again soon, but also that my dear Sesshoumaru has finally found someone to settle himself with.”
“Hum… thanks I guess.” Kagura replied, for lack of a better thing to say.
“Oh no! I would have stayed longer to chat, and get to know you, but I can see Mrs. Nakaya coming towards here. The last thing I want is to listen to her go on and on about her glorious family history.” Izayoi said with an annoyed frown. “Therefore I will take my leave now. I am not in town for long, but it would really please me if we could have a family gathering. Maybe we could go out to dinner? That would truly be marvelous. It was a pleasure to meet you Kagura dear. I hope to see you soon Sesshoumaru.” Without another word the older woman left the two of them.
“Wow she is quite the interesting woman.” Kagura murmured as her crimson eyes followed Izayoi disappear into the crowd.
“How can you doubt it? You have met her son, have you not?” The dog demon remarked casually as he relieved Kagura from her empty glass to place it next to his on a nearby side table.
“For some reason I thought you and your step mother did not get along.”
“I may not talk of her often, but I do not hate her. We were not close while she was married to father, and after his passing she moved back to her hometown, so I do not see her often. I therefore have no reason to talk of Izayoi.” He said with a slight shrug.
Even if she suspected his feelings for his step mother might be more than he would like her to believe, Kagura simply decided to let it go for now.
‘No need to worry, I know I will get past all his defenses soon.’ She smiled to herself.
The dog demon was surprised when none other than Miroku tapped him on the shoulder. A pale looking Sango was nervously standing next to him.
“May I speak to you… alone.” The blue eyed human asked. It was not unusual for Miroku to attend the yearly memorial service as he had been as close as a son to the late Takahashi patriarch; however, it was not common for the carefree young human to look as troubled as he did now.
“Whatever you have to tell me, I am sure you can tell this Sesshoumaru in front of Kagura.” He responded.
“I was really hoping you wouldn’t say that…” Miroku sighed before giving his girlfriend a meaningful look.
“Maybe… it would be better if Kagura were to come with me for a little while… we could go check on the children. Last I saw them playing with Kirara and Rin mentioned wanting to have a pet, I told her we could ask you…” Sango stammered clearly uncomfortable.
“What the hell is wrong with you two? Why are you acting so weird? Just tell me what the fuck is going on!” Kagura snapped. At first she had been worried by her friends’ weird behavior, but now she was downright mad; there was nothing she hated more than being out of the loop.
“Well it’s not an easy thing to say…”
“Miroku. Out with it now lest this Sesshoumaru loses his patience.” The dog demon glared at his friend.
“Fine… Just remember not to shoot the messenger... Ever since my dear Sango and I got here, we’ve been hearing rumors…” A clearly uncomfortable Miroku suddenly paused, as if looking for the best way to make his announcement.
“Rumors? What kind of rumors?” Kagura asked even as a sense of dread spread through her.
“Miroku…” Sesshoumaru warned one of his oldest collaborators one last time.
“Rumors saying that your new girlfriend is a whore. Is it true? Could my son have fallen so low?” A mocking feminine voice came from a few feet away. Kagura quickly turned around, and was met by a sharp pair of amber eyes belonging to a beautiful older dog demoness with long silver white hair.
“Mother?!” Sesshoumaru breathed out in total incredulity.
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"So Mr. Kumo, what exactly made you want to apply for the position at our daycare? We are a small business you understand, and we do our best to only hire people who we truly feel would be a great fit with the staff and the kids. We are one big family." The older gray haired woman asked to the handsome man seated across from her small office. Somehow despite the fact that her work space was small, cramped and littered with toys, the man managed to stay as dignified and handsome as could be.
'I don't know yet how he'll be with the kids despite his extensive resume, but he sure as hell going to be a hit with the moms.' She thought, chuckling inside.
"Well Mrs. Shurui, if I were to be honest with you, I have gone through some very challenging times, notably the loss of a business." He paused to let out a long suffering sigh before adding "But one good thing came out of it. I have come to know that nothing is more important than family. I have grown closer to my children, and I want to help as many families as possible. Working as a handyman and driver for your daycare I am sure would be a great way to do that." Hetalking watching closely the emotions playing on the woman's face. He could tell she was moved by his tale, but would need a little more to beto trust him completely.
'I need her to fulfill my plans. I guess I have no choice, but to use this last resort.' He thought, keeping the all too fake nice smile plastered on his face in place.
"Here is a picture of my eldest daughter, with her new born daughter." Just as he spoke the last words, he fished out his wallet to display a picture of a very young looking dark haired woman cradling a pale baby in her arms.
"Oh my I never imagined you would be old enough to be a grandfather." She gasped, her eyes softening at the sight of the pale haired child. For some reason the child and her mother looked vaguely familiar, but the widow could not exactly remember where she had seen her.
'Well not really surprising considering all the kids I have taken care of ever since I opened the day care thirty years ago. There's no way I can remember them all. Besides instead of chasing after an old memory, I should focus on flirting back with this charming man.' Even as she thought that, she quickly ran a smoothing hand over her hair, meaning to make sure everything was in place.
"And that coming from a woman as young and beautiful as you. Oh how you flatter me madam." He smiled beforeback his wallet in the pocket of his jeans. "As you can see I have all the qualities needed for this position, and am the best man for the job." He added on a more serious tone.
"Indeed I agree. How soon can you start?" She asked bating her eye lashes at the younger man.
"How soon do you need me?" He replied sending her the most dazzling smile he could muster. 'The first part of my plan is in place. Only a little more, and my revenge will be complete.'
To be continued…
A/N: There you have it the long awaited update. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even if it asked many more questions than it answered :P The next update will be as soon as I can. I have yet to choose a chapter, but be sure it will be a wild one. Wonder how Kagura will get along with her future mother in-law?
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