This Sesshoumaru Doesn't Do Christmas by SunsetMiko

Betrayal

This Sesshoumaru Doesn’t Do Christmas

Chapter 28 - Betrayal

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

*Discord* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"Kagome, dear! So wonderful to see you! You're just in time. Dinner is almost done." Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed before turning to the taiyoukai at her daughter's side. "Sesshoumaru, welcome."

Sesshoumaru nodded, staying close to his miko as he always did when visiting her family. If he was concerned about Kagome's acceptance of his being a demon, he was doubly so for them. It was more common for the younger generations to blend human and demon, but the older generations still clung to their ideals of separatism, especially those of holy blood.

"Can I set the table?" Kagome offered.

"No, Souta's already done it. Just go sit in the living room, and I'll call you when it's time to eat."

"Okay, Mama," the miko said, taking Sesshoumaru's hand and leading him to the couch. "I don't know why you're always so tense when we're here," she whispered. "My family loves you!"

The taiyoukai merely shrugged, refusing to explain how it felt like the exact opposite sometimes. Her grandfather, especially, gave him the impression that he wasn't welcome there at all. The old man had never said anything directly, but small, seemingly innocuous statements here and there said it for him. Kagome never seemed to notice, however, and so he allowed her to continue to believe what she did. He would never wish to come between her and her family. They clearly meant the world to her, just as she did to him.

- *Upheaval* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"So, Kagome told me that you'll be playing Santa for the children at the orphanage this year," Mrs. Higurashi said with a grin. "I was surprised when she told me that."

"Kagome asked me to. The children are very important to her, and so I agreed," Sesshoumaru replied. The thinly veiled negative comment on his personality slipped right past the miko, who merely smiled. The taiyoukai tried to ignore it. She was correct in her assumption anyway. He didn't like the idea and it certainly wasn't something he would normally do.

"I don't know why you bother, Kagome," Gramps said. He had been having a bad day and wasn't in the mood for masking his true feelings towards demons. He didn't appreciate the fact that his sweet granddaughter shared the bed of a taiyoukai, and the longer it went on the more he feared she would become the inu's mate, something he would definitely be against.

"What do you mean, Gramps?"

"Why do you bother with the demon runts? There's more human orphans than demon, and I'm sure they could use your attention as well."

Kagome gasped. "Gramps! The demon children don't get any other visitors besides me! There are always people volunteering with the human kids. Why do you care anyway?"

*Last Words* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"Because you don't need any more demons in your life, young lady. This one here is bad enough!"

"Father!" Mrs. Higurashi scolded. Sure, she might agree somewhat, but she loved her daughter and wanted her to be happy more than she wanted her to be dating a human man. It was clear that Sesshoumaru made her happy, which was why she always held her tongue. "You don't mean that!"

"I certainly do. I'm tired of walking on eggshells and staying quiet while my granddaughter plays whore to a demon."

That was all Kagome could take, and she was on her feet, tugging Sesshoumaru along with her. "If you can't accept the man I love, that's too bad, but I won't sit here and listen to your bigotry. Come on, Sesshoumaru. Let's go home."

"Oh, no, Kagome. Please, stay." Kagome's mother rose to her feet and followed after her daughter, pleading with her to ignore her grandfather's hateful words. "Please, Grandpa had a long day, and the weather causes him a lot of pain. He's just in a bad mood.”

"That," Kagome said while pointing back toward the dining room, "was not because of a bad mood. That was the truth finally coming out. Now, we're leaving."

- *Touchy Subject* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"I'm so sorry, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said, her tone full of shame. "I had no idea. Gramps has always been weird about me dating demons, but I've never heard him talk like that before. It was awful, and you didn't deserve that."

"It is not your fault, Kagome," Sesshoumaru replied; worry lacing his words. Now that she knew the truth about her family's feelings, or at least her grandfather's, would she refuse to be his mate? He already knew if he asked them for permission he would be denied, which was why he hadn't planned to, even if it was tradition to do so. Kagome was a good girl, and he feared that she would do as she was told if she were ordered not to mate him. She respected her elders, and even though she was outraged by what she heard, she might get over that and do her duty as daughter and granddaughter, marrying a nice human man like they would want her to.

"I can't believe he called me a whore!"

"It was uncalled for," the taiyoukai replied through gritted teeth. He had been hard pressed not to fly across the table and make the old man pay for his words.

"Tell me about it. I'm not a whore. I'm with the man I love, the demon I love, and if he can't handle that, he can just go to hell."

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smirk at her outrage. She was beautiful when she was angry, but he very rarely saw it as he did everything he could to keep her happy. They rarely fought, and when they did, it was usually over Inuyasha and his outrageous behavior. The miko was always making excuses for his little brother, but the taiyoukai was relieved to hear that she had no intention of making excuses for her grandfather. Perhaps his worries were unfounded after all.

*Slipstream* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

As they continued their walk home, a frigid gust of wind caught them, and he realized Kagome was shivering. Sesshoumaru shifted, blocking her body with his own, and leaned down to kiss her softly.

"I never intended to cause problems for you with your family."

"This isn't your problem. It's theirs. You didn't do anything wrong," she replied softly, running her fingers along the stripes on his cheeks. "I honestly had no idea. They always treated you so nicely."

"It was fake," he explained. "I knew they did not approve of our relationship.

"How could you tell?"

Sesshoumaru hesitated for a moment before deciding to just say it. He already made such a huge mistake trying to hide everything from her. This time he would tell her the truth and trust that she would not turn her back on him for it.

*Till a World Without Betrayal* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"Their scents gave away their true feelings."

"You can smell a lie?" she asked, surprised. She had no idea he could do that.

"I can indeed, among other things."

"Like what?" she inquired before a thought struck her. "Wait, they?"

"Yes," he replied regretfully. "Your mother feels the same way as your grandfather. She is simply better at hiding it."

"I would never have expected that from her. She supported my decision not to take the miko classes. Why would she do that if she was prejudiced, too?"

"I do not know," Sesshoumaru said, nudging Kagome to start walking again. He wanted to get her inside out of the cold. He continued to block the wind with his body the whole way home while they talked. By the time they arrived, Sesshoumaru was convinced that his miko would never allow her family to come between them. She basically said that while she would miss them, she wouldn't be seeing her mother and grandfather for a good long time. At least not until they apologized profusely to the couple for the way they had been treated. She chose him over her family. Sure, her mother and grandfather wouldn't approve, but she would continue their relationship. As long as she didn't leave him when she found out what he'd been hiding from her for so long, that is.