InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Art of Tea - ON HOLD ❯ Chapter 17 - All Too Much ( Chapter 20 )

DISCLAIMER - The ownership and general brilliance that is the original Feudal Fairy Tale remains the property of its honored and rightfully revered creator Rumiko Takahashi without whose brilliance, we would not have fodder.

 

Reviews are fuel.

 

Namaste

 

By: ElegantPaws

 

Edited by: Meara the Celt

 

Chapter Seventeen is dedicated to those who have shown extraordinary patience with me and my infrequent updates of late, what with moving, setting up house and just plain rampant, joyful anarchy in RL. Rest assured, updates will be plentiful within the next week or two since yours truly is on vacation.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

"Sail me on a silver sun

 

Where I know that I'm free

 

Show me that I'm everywhere

 

And get me home for tea."

 

-

~ The Beatles - "All Too Much" ~

 

Chapter 17 - All Too Much

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

He didn't like it.

 

The dark sedan with the tinted windows had been sitting there for near on two hours now, its occupant or occupants remaining ominously unseen.

 

Oshi's nervous hands continued to buff the wooden chestnut surface of the antique schoolhouse clock to a rich, dark sheen as he clutched it protectively to his chest. Miss Higurashi had yet to return to close for the day. She should have been back by now. It was a simple delivery. Perhaps he should have done it himself?

 

His eyes furtively looked above the entrance to the faded outline where the clock usually was mounted before gazing beyond the store's window at the offending vehicle. No, Oshi didn't like the look of it one bit. Nor the decidedly tall, powerfully built Asian male that uncoiled from the driver's seat and strode purposefully toward the store's entrance.

The elderly male's spine turned to gelatin, oblivious to a set of piercing green eyes watching from the back alley.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

She was livid, no question about it.

 

Naraku's eyes passed appreciatively over Raku's legs as she fitfully crossed and uncrossed them with tightly pursed lips.

 

Yes, she was livid.

 

Withdrawing the ornate cigarette case from her clutch, Raku retrieved another cigarillo and set about finding her lighter with muffled curses. He noted with amusement she had abandoned the previous smoke in the crystal ashtray as she snipped and lit the new.

 

“At least your lungs are not in danger, my love.” he purred seductively, chivalrously handing her a drink.

 

Raku snorted. Her bright, vicious green eyes sizing up the male hovering over her with the pro-offered goblet.

 

“Step back! You offend me with that foul cologne you insist on wearing.”

 

His eyes flashed with a deadly gleam as his full, pale lips curled maliciously before his palm connected full force with her right cheek.

 

It was a testament to her character that she did not flinch, though her porcelain skin burnt red from the impact of the blow. Casually, as though nothing untoward had occurred, Raku downed the contents of the goblet with a smirk and then lazily retrieved her compact to apply a quick dust of powder to her nose and cheeks.

 

“Not a bad year.” she offered casually and inspected her cheek while working her lower jaw. She meticulously touched up her lipstick. “Your tastes have improved over time. I commend you, Naraku.”

 

His eyes narrowed in the Westering sun's light, becoming the color of merlot as he attempted to take her full measure, but too late. In the blink of an eye she pounced. Long talons entered his chest and twisted where a heart should have been.

 

Naraku gasped in pain, realizing his error far too late.

 

The sickly stench that entered the room caused Raku to sniff in disgust as she sat astride his hips and squeezed the malformed organs within is chest with malevolent glee, ignoring the tentacles that attempted to grasp her hand.

 

She dispatched them summarily with the claws of her left hand with a huff at the mess the slime was making of her favorite dress.

 

“Once a disgustingly, weak hanyou, always...”

 

Naraku snarled in anger. He bucked the female inuyoukai off his torn torso with great effort and pinned her under him. He rolled atop her, his chest repairing itself rapidly before frightened forest green eyes that glared up at him in shock.

 

“Get off me, you filth half-breed!” she commanded in sudden rage. Somewhere in the last three hundred years he had grown stronger. This wasn't good. The balance of power had shifted in his favor. The being she once seen as a pawn and the idle plaything of an hour or two suddenly required, dare she think it, respect.

 

Onyx tresses billowed about the hanyou above her with a life of their own as he looked down at her impassively and smirked.

 

“You mistake me for your Lord Sesshoumaru, Raku,” he purred maliciously into her ear, caressing a clawed hand over her still reddened cheekbone. “Do not deign to give me orders,” he continued smoothly lowering his mouth to her angry pursed lips, forcing them open with his importunate blackened tongue which muffled her protests as he savored the tang of her mouth.

 

She was quite right - excellent vintage.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

The bell above the shop's door tolled, heralding the entrance of the towering and rather formidable looking male with tanned, Asiatic features.

 

Oshi's death grip loosened about the clock as the door was closed with a final eerie click.

 

Tatsumi gracefully glided forward across the tatami and caught the clock just in the nick of time. Casually removing his shades and pocketing them, he inspected the antique. A thick finger caressed the wooden surface with reverence. His eyed with delight the celluloid face with embossed kanji where traditional roman numerals would have been.

 

“Very nice, workmanship like this is extinct. I don't suppose it's for sale?”

 

He gave Oshi an apologetic smile and handed the object of sudden affection back to the frightened old man whose head remained bowed in abject fear for whatever was to come. Oshi took the Aichiken clock with trembling cold fingers, carefully avoiding the stranger's eyes as he hunched and looked about him for possible escape routes.

 

There was none.

 

Life had taught Oshi very well that it was never a good idea to look into a predator's eyes.

 

Tatsumi peered at Oshi with a playfully, mischievous expression and sighed. Oshi gulped and met the stranger's piercing gaze with a sudden gasp of surprise.

 

In an otherwise handsome, Asiatic face, cool cerulean eyes assessed the little bent male with patience and understanding. Oshi found no immediate threat there, merely speculation and humor.

 

The little shopkeeper bristled, thoroughly affronted. He was in charge when Miss Higurashi was not there.

 

“May I help you, Sir?” he stuttered, raising his head with as much dignity as he could muster.

 

Lazily Tatsumi took in his surrounding and reached into his coat pocket removing an ear piece which he adjusted over one lobe.

 

“No. Relax, old man. I am here to help you.”

 

“Who are you?”

 

Ignoring the elderly male's query, the tall, broad shouldered man quietly retraced his steps to the door and with a self-satisfied smirk, yanked it open, depositing a frightened, little red-haired boy at his shod feet with an impish grin.

 

“All clear at this end, Miroku.”

 

The shop attendant sighed with relief, finally regaining his composure. Laying the Seikosha clock on the counter carefully, he slowly returned his attention to the petrified child who had yet to move.

 

A soft chuckle escaped Tatsumi's lips as he responded to something Oshi was not privy to, carefully watching as the little man stepped over the still prone child with the large green eyes.

 

“Allow me to close. I shall make us some tea.”

 

Tatsumi bowed reverently and watched with interest as the bent old man turned the sign to `Closed'.

 

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

Miroku had overstepped, as per usual.

 

`It will cost him dearly one day.'

 

Sesshoumaru sheathed his katana resolutely. Exhaling slowly he assumed his favored position in lotus in an attempt to regain his equilibrium. The Taipan glared at the gift she had brought him willing the inoffensive bonsai to die. He was unaccountably irritated.

 

He gritted his teeth wondering, not for the first time, how he had become saddled with two such emotional beings. One was his brother and the other his lawyer and, if truth be told, his trusted ally. Miroku had the uncanny ability of putting him in a quandary where most mortals could not. Then again, most mortals upon doing so always found themselves at the business end of his sword and or claws. It disturbed Sesshoumaru to no end why, to this day, the thought of offing the licentiously inclined mouthpiece held little appeal.

 

The dissonance of the burbling stream beyond the dojo did nothing to improve Sesshoumaru's current mood. The boulder did not sit right and it was her fault entirely. With luck she was still sleeping off their afternoon's passion, giving him much needed time to think. He would attend his ward shortly after discussing her ills with the wretchedly, useless healer, Kaede.

 

Raku was back. Decidedly ill-timed and unwanted considering that he had finally found a female that suited his sporadic carnal needs with a minimum of fuss once he had put the more than advantageous proposition to her. It was all a matter of timing.

 

`What woman in her right mind would refuse what he offered for what amounted to nothing more than a little pleasurable friction on occasion for all concerned?'

 

He focused on his breathing in an attempt to forestall further thoughts of an afternoon spent in heightened sensory bliss. The female in question was exceptional and he intended to keep her. She had an innate gift for giving and receiving pleasure; a quality rarely found. Unbeknownst to the Western Lord, his lips curled into a lewd smile as he licked his lips with a satisfied groan.

 

Sesshoumaru's features stiffened in renewed irritation at the sudden intrusion. There was that telltale scent, a mix of earth, freshly showered skin, pheromones perpetually at war, and an inordinate amount of curiosity.

 

“Praise the Kami, you finally got laid and not by some gold digging shit either. Waaaaaay overdue in my opinion,” Inuyasha said.

 

Well sculpted, pale patrician features remained immobile but for a threatening growl filling the room and rattling the weaponry mounted on the walls.

 

Inuyasha snorted and continued. “Maybe it'll get rid of that stick up your high and mighty white ass,” he teased as he propped up the wall of the dojo and inspected his claws.

 

Yet another threatening growl that had no discernable effect on its intended victim as Sesshoumaru gracefully stood and glared.

 

“Do you actually have a reason for disturbing my practice?

 

“Yeah whatever, Lord Stuffshirt, Rin's not better. Her temperature is through the roof. We might need to call one of those Western doctors you hate so much. The kid's gonna' cough up a lung at this rate.”

 

With a cool, vaguely annoyed expression in place, the Taipan brushed past the irritating male and headed for his ward's chamber.

 

This was all he needed.

 

~~~~TAoT~~~~

 

A cough...then another and yet, another disturbed the petite woman's restful sleep as she pounded the pillow and adjusted the soft sheets about her more comfortably. Everything ached but pleasurably so. A soft, sleepy smile graced her lips as she stretched and hunkered down again.

 

`There it was again, but closer this time.'

 

Large almond shaped eyes flew open taking stock of their surroundings including the head occupying the adjacent pillow.

 

Kagome blinked, thoroughly mortified.

 

Apparently, she had been the subject of curious study for some time by a set of unflinching eyes whose color closely mirrored her own, but set in a small angelic face.

 

Blinking slowly, Kagome pasted a sheepish smile on her blush reddened face.

 

“Hello, Rin.”

 

Covering her mouth with chubby fingers, Rin smiled weakly.

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she extricated a hand from beneath the warm sheets and touched the damp little forehead with a gasp.

 

“Honey, you're burning up,” she affirmed rising to a fully seated position and pulling the small, fragile body within her outstretched arms into a comforting hug. All previous thoughts of embarrassment banished just as the Taipan entered the room.

 

“Sesshoumaru, Rin is sick. Have your lizard get some lukewarm mint tea and a doctor!”

 

The Taiyoukai's brows worked in tandem, a sight rarely seen as he assessed the current situation with growing trepidation.

 

`She was actually giving him orders. Did she not know her place?'

 

The mild pressure at his temples gave way to throbbing.

 

`This was all too much.' he thought as he dialed the phone and glared at the curvaceous female within his bed rocking the wretched child as though she were her own.

 

 

Author's Note:

 

I hope you enjoyed. Now the characters are in play and the scenes are set.

 

Namaste

 

ElegantPaws