InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strike a Pose ❯ Beware Grandmother's Bearing Gifts ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17: Beware Grandmothers bearing gifts.

Sesshoumaru had been edgy all day. He would snap at the slightest thing, couldn't sit still and his eyes were constantly flicking about as if he was searching for something.

Eventually Inuyasha snapped “Why are you so damn jumpy?” he asked, in true Inuyasha style.

“It is around the time for Grandmother's annual visit.” he growled out “I am waiting for disaster”.

“Shit.” Inuyasha's ears flattened to his skull and he quickly glanced around as if expecting her to appear from behind a sofa.

Megumi, popping up from who knows where, gasped “Your grandmother?”

“Yes” Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. Megumi knew his grandmother?

“Oh dear,” Megumi sounded relieved “Pity I won't be here to meet her, I'm going to Madrid.”

“Madrid?” Kikyo was dubious.

“Business” Megumi wafted a hand around as if to rid herself of a troublesome fly and then she grabbed her always-ready travel case from behind the sofa. “Ja ne!”

“That was weird” Kagome commented “did she say anything about that to anyone?”

“No” Kikyo shook her head “It's as if she's trying to avoid something.”

“Probably his grandmother” Inuyasha chucked a thumb in the direction of Sesshoumaru “anyone who's met that mad old bat tends to run a mile when she's mentioned.”

Sesshoumaru hit Inuyasha with his newspaper “You would do well to remember that whilst she is eccentric she is still my grandmother, so close your mouth.”

“You don't like the old hag either!” Inuyasha protested. He suddenly found himself face first on the floor courtesy of a clutch bag to the back of his head.

“You should learn to respect your elders, Hanyou” the owner of the bag proclaimed, tossing her shoulder length silver hair over one Armani clad shoulder with regal indifference. She stood almost as tall as Inuyasha at around 6ft and held herself in the manner of an esteemed lady of court. Her eyes were light, dusky pink in colour and filled with a certain self-possession and aloofness that elevated her beyond Sesshoumaru. She was pointedly slim with sharp elbows and a sharp chin. Her ears were Elvin and a pale blue crescent moon graced her brow.

“Grandmother” Sesshoumaru's greeting made the twins do a double take. She looked to be barely twenty; someone needed to bottle demon youthfulness and sell it as a cosmetic to humans.

“Sesshoumaru” she inclined her head.

“How did you get inside?” Kikyo queried, raising an eyebrow.

The demoness examined Kikyo haughtily “Human you insult me. A lock is nary enough to bar my presence”

“Grandmother, it is considered rude to do such a thing” Sesshoumaru warned.

She quirked a brow “Do you believe I care for the petty social norms of humans? If they did not wish for my entrance, they would invest in better security”

“I can see why people don't like her” Kagome murmured to Rin who nodded her head enthusiastically.

The demoness turned her attention on Kagome “Human, are you idiotic enough to think that this one cannot hear you?” she demanded.

“Well I was thinking, with your old age and all that you might need a hearing aid.” Kagome shrugged in a blasé fashion.

“Human!” she spat “you will respect your betters.”

“Respect is earned not freely given” Kagome tossed her head “I refuse to give respect like some village idiot.” Sesshoumaru smacked a hand to his forehead in exasperation. This couldn't end well.

His grandmother gave Kagome a sharp, shrewd look and then ran her gaze over her approvingly.

“You have backbone.” the Yokai admitted.

“Why thank you.” Kagome rolled her eyes.

“Your name?” she asked.

“Kagome.”

“I am Hide.” she announced.

“Doesn't that mean excellent or superior?” Kikyo remarked in an aside to Inuyasha.

“Fits her like a glove” Inuyasha snorted.

She shot Inuyasha a contemptuous look and turned back to Kagome “I like you.” she announced. “I'm staying, Sesshoumaru prepare me a room!”

“You like her?” Sesshoumaru had not imagined that could happen.

She grinned impishly “It is not everyday this one meets a child that can hold their own against me.”

And so, that was how they procured an unexpected -and in some cases unwanted- guest.

Hide was a Yokai of court, used to throwing banquets and having dozens of servants to wait on her every wish. She had borne only one child, a girl Egao, Sesshoumaru's mother and spent most of her time having luncheons with other wealthy demon-dowagers such as she. Kikyo had wondered why she hadn't taken Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru in, Sesshoumaru had answered that the woman hated Inuyasha with a vengeance; he was proof that her darling daughter had been shunned for a human.

She continued to be dismissive toward Kikyo, cold towards Inuyasha and pointedly cordial towards Sesshoumaru. It seemed the only people she could truly stand were Kagome and Rin. She took to Rin, as all people inevitably did, like a duck to water and with a certain fondness began to teach her the logistics of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies.

She also took great delight in taking Kagome out shopping and dressing her in beautiful kimonos of every different colour, all of the finest silk. Kagome had drawn the line at allowing herself to be primped, but Hide seemed to realise that Kagome was weak when it came to fashion and played it to her advantage.

Sesshoumaru was therefore surprised when Hide called him into the living room, on his own no less to talk with her. She was, as always, sat in a regal, ladylike posture on the comfortable sofa.

“Grandmother” he acknowledged as he took a seat opposite her on the sofa. “What is it you wish to talk to me about?”

She smiled a crocodile's smile and drummed her painted claws against the table top rhythmically. She was well aware of just how enamoured her grandson was with the younger Miko; it was blatantly obvious to all with substantial scent receptors. She was well and truly, if unknowingly, saturated with her grandson's youki and scent. The only way he could possibly have made the claim any more obvious would be if he tattooed it across the girl's forehead.

However, the small fact that the girl was unaware of his affection coupled with his standoffishness alerted her to the fact that something was amiss. And she was ninety percent sure it was her grandson's stubborn, aloof and stoic behaviour. It was time for that to change.

After all, she had never been averse to giving blossoming couples a slight push in the right direction.

Picking up her tea, she regarded Sesshoumaru across the brim as he narrowed his eyes at her.

“It is nothing to fret over” she admonished lightly “I merely wish for you to accompany Kagome tomorrow, I will be there too of course, but I thought it would be beneficial for you to accompany us. We will be going to the manor of an old friend, he is performing a rather traditional tea ceremony, and because he is showing off his own grandsons, I thought it prudent to bring you”

“And you are dragging Kagome along because?” he asked softly.

“My friend, he believes that his grandson knows Kagome... I think his name was Naraku?”

Sesshoumaru tensed visibly and glowered at his grandmother “I will be in attendance.”

Hook, line and sinker.

Sesshoumaru was uncomfortable. Not because his grandmother had insisted he wear traditional white hakama with a red and white Sakura patterned haori; he was rather comfortable in such. Sesshoumaru was uneasy because they were in a strange, if traditional house, with as yet two unidentified Yokai and one Hanyou that they were both related to. He was already on bad terms with Naraku, he could only imagine what the persons related to him would be like.

But his bigger problem by far was how exquisite Kagome was in a kimono. His grandmother, no doubt intentionally, had selected a beautiful dusky pink kimono. The colours on the kimono were spectacular, the colour regressing from dusky pink at the hem to a pale ivory at the neck.

It was tied with a simple silver obi and she had twisted her hair into a messy bun and secured it with priceless garnet chopsticks. He had no doubt that she had no idea exactly how much money she was wearing. The loosely curled hair was distracting as it was beautiful; the strands brushing the nape of her neck were oddly enticing.

It was strange to him that in an outfit that shrouded her completely from view he was still imagining her naked, with no prompting.

They were led by a butler into a traditional tatami mat laden room with a simple kotasu. The man sat at the table amiably performing the tea ceremony was completely unexpected.

This man was possibly Naraku's polar opposite. His hair was short and tousled, like he spent a lot of his time running his hands through it, and it was bright fire-rat red. He looked to be in his mid thirties but was probably just as ancient as Hide. His eyes, when they flickered over the newcomers, were a light orange colour of sun rises past. He wore a simple black silk hakama and haori and he smile he gave them was genuine.

“Hide!” he bowed politely and she mimicked the gesture “it has been far too long my dear one, and this time you grace me with the presence of your grandson” his eyes raked approvingly over Sesshoumaru “he is quite aloof, I see you are clearly related” and then his cinnamon eyes fell to Kagome “and this must be the lovely Higurashi Kagome. It is a pleasure Madame”

Hide laughed “Please, Chitose, let us get a word in edge ways. It is good to see you too.” she smiled as she settled herself on the cushion. “Where are your grandsons?”

“No doubt Naraku-chan is off sulking somewhere” he shrugged “And Hiromasa is always late.”

“I resent that.” a mockingly happy voice interjected as a man opened the door to the room. Knowing this was not Naraku Kagome presumed it to be the afore mentioned grandson, Hiromasa. He was simply divine.

As well built as Sesshoumaru and one inch taller his presence was more relaxing than stifling as Sesshoumaru's icy one could be. He had black hair like his half brother, yet his was tied into a top knot far more securely than Kagome's. If loose it looked like it would reach his buttocks. His eyes, on the other hand were the same marmalade colour.

“I resent having a lazy bum as my grandson” Chitose shrugged “but what can I do?”

Hiromasa rolled his eyes and took a seat in between Sesshoumaru and Kagome. That was awkward, they had been sitting close together and not intending for anyone to take that spot. They soon discovered why he had forced the space as he turned to Kagome with a dazzling smile.

“I'm Hiromasa.”

“Kagome.” she supplied softly wondering if perhaps he was dense.

“Such a beautiful name, only fitting for it to belong to such a beautiful woman.”

“Um... thanks?” it sounded like a question and she frowned as Sesshoumaru started to growl. Hiromasa also heard the low growling noise emanating from Sesshoumaru and turned to see what was going on. Then with a look of realisation he glanced from Sesshoumaru to Kagome and donned his favourite lecherous smirk.

Across the table Hide's own smirk took up residency. Exactly as she had planned.

Hiromasa was, Sesshoumaru discovered to his dismay, a ladies' man. It was possible that he could charm his way out of any situation and in the ten minutes they waited for Naraku to arrive he had made Kagome laugh at least seven times and she had blushed on at least four separate occasions. Jealousy, he decided, was an ugly form of anger.

When Naraku entered the room Sesshoumaru was instantly tense. The half-arachnid was fuming with a potent maliciousness that radiated forcefully off his aura. It seemed that, unlike Kagura, Naraku was not willing to forgive and forget.

He took a seat opposite his brother and glowered at both Sesshoumaru and Kagome before glaring once again at his plate.

“What's eating you?” Hiromasa asked, it seemed his charm was reserved for the opposite sex only.

Naraku merely grimaced and continued to glare at the plate.

“Ah!” Chitose cried happily “it can't be that you two are the ones who exposed his lying, can it?”

Kagome blushed and looked uncertainly at Sesshoumaru who nodded briskly.

“Well done” Hiromasa sounded genuinely happy and Chitose applauded.

“Thank you for teaching my son a valuable lesson on morals, I keep telling him that the world gives back what you give to it. It was only a matter of time before those ghastly rumours were exposed!”

Naraku flicked a sharp glare in the direction of his grandfather and Kagome flinched; she hadn't known it was possible to look at a family member like that.

Tea was a... strange affair. What with Sesshoumaru glaring at Naraku and Hiromasa for entirely different reasons. Hiromasa trying to charm Kagome out of her kimono and getting a few subtle (though Sesshoumaru noticed and growled his displeasure) gropes in. Naraku sat their plotting. Kagome was sure her face was going to melt if she blushed anymore; Hiromasa's innuendos were getting less and less subtle. And the two old Yokai watching the entire debacle of a tea ceremony with amused expressions.

Putting down his cup Chitose smiled around at those that were assembled and winked conspiratorially at Hide who merely raised an eyebrow in askance.

“Well, I think, seeing as it is a fine day, we should perhaps take a walk in the gardens, maybe enjoy a light game” he suggested

They all acquiesced, some more reluctantly than others.

As they relocated into the beautiful garden with its lush green plants and out of season Sakura trees Chitose spoke again.

“Ah, so beautiful, perhaps we should teach the young ones of the games we used to play when we were younger!”

“Which game?” Hide asked “there were so many.” she gave a nostalgic smile.

“What about the game you created?” he suggested.

“Are we not a little old for games?” Sesshoumaru queried.

Hiromasa rolled his eyes “You only live once Moon Man.”

Sesshoumaru was considering cursing Kagome for introducing Hiromasa to his less than dignified nickname.

“I think we should play hide and seek my dear” he chuckled “but we shall play it the way we devised it.”

“How so?” Hiromasa asked.

“Where one person hides and the others look for them” Chitose explained

“Who will be the one to hide?” Hide inquired grinning impishly; Chitose's game was playing right into her plotting.

“Kagome of course!” he crowed.

“Why `of course'?” Kagome yelped.

Hiromasa was the one who answered “Because, Kagome-chan, the prey has to be cute!”

Kagome balked a little and looked to Sesshoumaru for assistance, he was no help, busy as he was glaring at both brothers.

“Run Kagome-chan!” Hiromasa teased as he flared his powerful aura.

At that Kagome's instincts kicked in, as much as she was a modern Miko no longer trained to kill all demons on sight she was really just a bundle of instincts. And so, when he flared his aura her own aura was released from its confines and the young Miko turned and fled from the assembled demons, cloaking her scent as she ran.

“Hm” Chitose murmured “She is powerful, interesting.”

“She certainly is powerful” Hide tossed her hair “I can't believe you thought I'd socialise with someone who was not!”

“She's not powerful” Hiromasa corrected “she's perfect.”

And he was off... in hot pursuit of the Miko. Growling Sesshoumaru began to hunt down the arachnid that was threatening what was his.

Unseen by all, Naraku dissolved silently into the shadows.

***

Okay. So she was completely lost. She knew she shouldn't have ran, shouldn't have participated in this ridiculous game. But it was too late now.

Shivering, Kagome sat under the boughs of a haphazard tree. She knew she was probably getting her kimono dirty, but her feet hurt and she was tired from running.

She tensed as a malignant aura rolled over her and looked up in time to see Naraku glide over the grass to loom over her.

“Um... hi?” she asked cautiously.

“You ruined me” his voice was flat and unforgiving.

She groaned, she had known he wouldn't be as forgiving as Kagura.

“No, I saved my sister from losing her contract” she corrected.

“So I was merely collateral?” he mused darkly.

“You did that to her!” Kagome jumped to her feet, her temper ignited “It's something called Karma dumbass, what goes around comes around?”

He growled darkly “She dumped me!” he yelled “just because some dumb Hanyou showed up?”

“Stop referring to Inuyasha as if he's nothing more than one of a species, he's Inuyasha! And what gives you the right to do talk to him in that way!”

“He took her from me” his tone was desolate.

“He didn't mean to” Kagome's voice was softer “neither did she.”

“You are so sure” his laugh was bitter “everything I ever want is snatched away. However it's normally my brother that steals my girlfriends, I was unaccustomed to someone else taking something.”

“Your brother?”

“You don't know?” he looked astonished “he is a womaniser, famous for dating a different girl every minute. Women love him.”

“Charm should not be all it takes to snag a woman” Kagome shook her head “You should look at it differently; at least you weren't stuck with a shallow girlfriend, right?”

He raised an incredulous eyebrow “Are you an optimist by any chance?”

She grinned “Most of the time, it annoys people.”

“I can see that” he looked down at her, even stood she was a lot shorter than him “I was going to get revenge you know.”

“You were going to?” she prompted.

“I was going to expose you as Sesshoumaru's love interest, and fabricate images of you with another man, after all you aren't the only one that can glamour yourself, and then let his fans deal with you” he explained.

She shuddered at the thought “And now?”

“Now?” he frowned at her and took her hand and shook it “you're okay Higurashi.”

She laughed “You too Onigumo.”

“Aha!” Hide crowed making the two teenagers jump out of their skins “Looks like Naraku won!”

Chitose joined her and smiled “I take it that you two have burnt your bridges?”

“Something like that” Naraku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“Where are Sesshoumaru and Hiromasa?” Kagome was curious.

“Ah,” Hide giggled girlishly “they got into a little bit of a fight, they're in the dojo”

“A fight?” Kagome asked at the same time as Naraku said “They're going to kill each other!”

“They'll be fine” Chitose was optimistic

“Sure” Naraku said in a tone that suggested he highly doubted it.

They all tensed at the unmistakeable sound of steel hitting steel. A roar came from the room and suddenly two decidedly topless demons burst through the wall into the garden, katanas aloft.

Okay. So Kagome wasn't normally the type to swoon, but something about a shirtless, sweaty sword wielding Sesshoumaru made all the blood rush to her head. She swayed slightly.

Perspiration slowly rolled across his collar bone, along one bicep and across the rippling surface of his abdomen into the material of his workout pants.

Hm. She wondered if it was possible to melt. Her head titled to one side as she watched his long hair stick to his torso. Damn.

Her slight arousal seemed to be all it took for the fight to break up. Suddenly she was being caged in the densely muscled arms of a feral Sesshoumaru whilst he growled at Hiromasa.

Hiromasa grinned slightly “I'm sorry Moon Man, I didn't realise how attached to the girl you really were”

Sesshoumaru growled again, pressing Kagome into the hard muscles of his chest.

“I'll back off” Hiromasa held his hands out in a peaceful gesture “no harm done, ne?”

Sesshoumaru merely growled again. Kagome patted his arm like he was a puppy.

“Come on Lord Grumpy-Buttocks, let's go home!”

Unsurprisingly Kagome was bitten on her ear for being insolent. So she pinched his arm, he bit her other ear and it devolved into a fight. Hide, rolling her eyes, rounded them up and carted them off back home.

***

Sesshoumaru was following his nose. The hunter was on the prowl and he would not rest until he found his intended victim. No matter how well she seemed to have hidden herself.

Eventually he found himself on the roof with the harsh wind whipping his long hair about his face and the harsh sun beating down on his head and shoulders.

Kagome was sprawled out on her stomach across the roof, her hair dancing above her in the wind. She was wearing her favourite blue leggings and she had pilfered Sesshoumaru's dark blue shirt, which she wore over her white vest top. Her Ipod was tucked into her ears and it was obvious she was oblivious to his approach.

He smirked; he liked a naïve victim.

Prowling until he was stood over her, he made sure his shadow did not forewarn her of his presence and, quick as a cobra's strike, his hand snapped out and grabbed her ankle.

She shrieked and looked at him in bemused shock.

Smirking, he slowly lifted her by her ankle until she was dangling, upside down, in front of his face. Her eyes level with his waist.

“Huh?” she asked “Why am I upside down Sesshoumaru?”

“Do you not see my little Miko?”

“Um... no.”

“Earlier today Hiromasa lost.”

“Technically he gave up.” She pointed out. He shook her up and down a few times; she shut up.

“Which means, Kagome,” she shivered at the emphasis he put on her name and tried to ignore the sensation of blood rushing to her head. “I win and therefore I claim you as my prize.”

“Huh?”

The world spun on its axis for Kagome as Sesshoumaru abruptly righted her onto her feet and proceeded to kiss her stupid with such ferocity that her legs effectively turned into jelly.

If this was what happened when he fought another guy over her, he could do it more often.

“Mmm Sesshoumaru!” she gasped as her back arched under his teasing caresses to her neck.

Yes, she definitely liked it when he won.

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha. A huge hug goes to whoever nominated Strike a Pose for best AU best Romance and best Sesshoumaru portrayal in the Dokuga awards. Please review!