Pack by NicoRavenPen
Jealousy and Surprises
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Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters…
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After the library, the two decided to get some lunch at a pleasant little café that Kagome frequented when she was home in her time. As they walked they talked conversationally, mostly with Kagome explaining the things around them that Sesshomaru found odd. Which, admittedly, there were a lot of.
When they got to the café Kagome drew them over to a booth in the corner, knowing that the other customers could potentially be loud and annoying to his ears. She ordered for them at the counter and then went to sit with her handsome suitor while they waited for their food.
“I just ordered you some green tea, but I hope you don’t mind if I eat something,” she smiled as she slid into the seat.
“That is fine.” He tilted his head with a small grin. “As I’m sure you are accustomed to, I generally have little appetite.”
“Hm. I figured as much.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Kagome swinging her feet in her seat, her hands under her thighs as she hummed happily.
“So, what do you think so far?”
“Of your time?”
“Yeah,” she smiled, leaning on her hands with her elbows on the table.
He was silent as he contemplated her question, his eyes focused out the window but his true focus on the cheery onna before him.
“It is…unnatural.”
Nodding, she understood entirely where he was coming from.
“Yeah. Sadly, you have to drive for a while before you can feel out in the open like in the Sengoku Jidai. Even at the parks you’re still fully surrounded by the city.”
“Parks?” His brow quirked.
“Yeah, they’re like designated spaces of nature where you can go whenever you like.”
He watched her dubiously.
“Nature must be designated?”
She giggled a little, sadly.
“Yeah, unfortunately. But like I said, that’s in the city. Out in the country it’s almost like in the old days. Almost.” She looked up into the sky through the window, a slight melancholy settling over her as it always did when she looked to the sky. “But the stars still don’t shine as bright.” She was quiet for a bit more, watching some birds flying from roof to roof. But then she turned to him smiling once more.
“We should go to the park after this!”
“If you like.”
Seeing a waitress coming their way with a tray, Kagome leaned back off of the table. Her food was placed before her, and Kagome took up her little dessert fork eagerly, but frowned when the waitress winked at Sesshomaru as she left his tea before turning to leave.
“Excuse me,” asked Kagome, rather bluntly, drawing the woman’s attention again. “Can I get a glass of water, please?” She tried very hard not to snarl at the other female, suddenly seeing red.
“Of course,” she woman smiled in false kindness before turning to leave again.
Eyebrows raised, Sesshomaru turned to her, a question in his eyes.
“Kagome, what did that gesture mean?” From her scent, he assumed that it wasn’t a good thing.
She huffed a little, stabbing her utensil into her food.
“She winked at you.” As an example she did the same.
“Is this an insult?”
“No.” She frowned darkly. “Quite the opposite actually,” she grumbled before looking back up at him, knowing that he’d want a clear answer. “It’s a form of flirting. It means she likes you.”
Grinning, he then understood why she was so unhappy.
As the waitress returned with the water, Kagome preened. She leaned forward on the table, her chest being displayed quite fully as she reached up and ran a hand through Sesshomaru’s hair, as if fixing it. She grinned when his eyes went to half-mast and she gently ran her blunt nails over his scalp, knowing that he would appreciate it. She smoothed her fingers through his bangs once more before smiling rather impishly.
“There, all better.”
He knew that she was looking for a reaction from him simply for the other female’s benefit and this pleased him. It showed that she would not be docile in the face of opponents for his affection, and she knew exactly how to bring out the best reactions in him.
“Here’s your water,” smiled the other woman a little stiffly as she set down the perspiring glass. Kagome glanced up at her, a sweet smile on her face.
“I’m sorry, but can I get a to-go box? I think I’ll bring the rest of this home.”
“Of course.”
Really it was just an excuse to toy with her a little. In all honesty Kagome normally wasn’t like this, but combine PMS and jealousy and this was what happened.
Kagome leaned back in her seat, satisfied when she heard her heels clicking angrily away.
She did not notice though that the other female glared back at her over her shoulder, and her scent was still saturated with desire for the Inu.
Kagome sat rather smugly for a moment, picking at her dessert as she lost herself in her thoughts, and the Inu couldn’t contain his grin at the way that his female was acting. It was rather amusing and he found that he liked her impish nature.
Waiting until the ‘waitress’- as Kagome had called her- neared again with the box, he turned his gaze to his miko, feeling that perhaps it was time to placate her.
“Kagome.”
She looked up, her smug grin still in place. Leaning forward across the table, he lifted her chin with a finger and pressed his lips to the smooth flesh under her jaw, trailing a few kisses down her throat slowly. When he pulled away she was watching him, confused but smiling shyly none-the-less.
The slightly affronted waitress retreated rather quickly.
“And what does that mean?” Kagome asked quietly when he sat back against his seat.
“It can mean several things, but I will leave it to your imagination.” He smirked rather devilishly at her over his tea cup, looking incredibly rogue-ish.
Kagome grinned in return as she took another slow bite of her dessert.
“Do you know, Sesshomaru, in another life you would have made a fantastic pirate.”
“Of course I would.”
“Do you even know what a pirate is?”
“I do not, but I would excel at anything that I wished.”
She laughed rather brightly.
“Well I bet they will appear soon in the past. Once Japan starts really trading with other nations they will sprout up like wildflowers. Maybe you should try your hand at pirate-try when you grow bored of ruling the west.” She put a finger to her chin thoughtfully for a moment. “They are generally considered thieves, but most women now-a-days love a swarthy pirate-esque type man.” She smiled over at him. “They’re thought to be daring, dangerous and handsome.”
He tilted his head to her in slight confusion.
“Koi, do I not already achieve this?”
She laughed at his audacity, but was unable to deny it.
“Of course! Which is why you would be perfect for the job. Trust me!”
She winked and then held up a forkful of her decadent chocolate mousse tri-layered cake.
“Want some?”
Just as he was leaning forward to try it he got a whiff of a male coming near.
Taking the fork and the delectable morsel into his mouth, he turned his gaze to the man now standing before their table at the same time as his mate-to-be. He slid back into his seat slowly as he chewed, taking in this rather troublesome oaf.
“Kagome-san! How are you?”
Kagome seemed a little flustered, her scent hinting at her slight surprise and annoyance.
“Hojo-san! It’s been a while!”
“Yes, it has. Have you been well? I went to your house this afternoon and your grandfather said that you’d just gotten over your recent bout of Emphysema. He directed me to this general direction so I thought I would see if you were doing anything tonight…But it seems you have a visitor,” he turned unsure eyes to the Inu who was currently licking the remaining chocolate from his lips rather languidly.
“Hn.”
“Oh yes, I do have company.” She still held the fork between her delicate fingers and she tapped the bottom of it on the table, the only sign of her impatience.
The male seemed to bristle a little and he ran a hand over his carefully trimmed hair, turning and putting Sesshomaru to his back rather deliberately.
“I don’t suppose you would be free for dinner tonight?”
“Umm, no I think I’ll be rather pre-occupied…,” she tilted her head in the Inu’s direction rather pointedly. “Seeing as my boyfriend is in town.” She said this slowly, as if she were talking to a child. Was the male really so blind?
“Your boyfriend? I wasn’t aware that you were seeing anyone.” He finally turned his eyes fully to Sesshomaru, appraisingly.
“Indeed. She is mine,” came a deep rumbling from the taiyoukai. The ningen male stood more upright.
Seeing the tattoos on his face Hojo decided that the man must truly be insane. No doubt he was involved with the Yakuza and as such he was an unsafe choice for his delicate Kagome. He would bet that she was only with him because of his obviously violent and controlling nature. He more than likely threatened her or her family.
Deciding that it would be his duty to save her from such a horrible man, he stepped closer.
“Kagome-san, will you step away with me for a moment, I think we should talk.”
“I really don’t think that’s necessary Hojo-san. Believe me when I say that I’m happily content where I am.”
Realizing that she wouldn’t be able to get away from the evil looking man at this moment in time, he resolved to help her in some way and knew that he would have to retreat for now.
“Alright then Kagome-san.” He leaned closer to her, not knowing that Sesshomaru would be able to hear everything despite his best efforts. “When you manage to get away from this beast, call me immediately. I will come running to your aid.”
Feeling his anger rise, Sesshomaru was pleased that the other male left hastily.
“Foolish creature,” he ground out bitterly.
Kagome sighed as she rested her forehead in her hand.
“Ugh. Hojo has never been tactful, and he certainly isn’t observant.”
“Why do I feel that this situation is similar to the wolf?”
“Because it is. Exactly. Except that Hojo doesn’t even have the natural instincts to know when to back down.” She felt herself smiling bitterly and gestured to him. “He doesn’t know a natural threat when it’s sitting before him.”
“Hn. A natural beast,” he smirked.
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As they began to walk about once more, Sesshomaru could feel Kagome’s mood turn south and she began to almost curl in on herself. Concerned, he steered her towards a bench on the sidewalk, his eyes never leaving her face.
“Are you unwell?” He brushed her bangs out of her face, holding them out of her eyes with a hand.
“My meds are wearing off,” she mumbled. When he appeared a little confused still, she clarified. “Cramps. They’re back. I tried to ignore them at first but now they’re getting pretty bad again.”
“Would you like to return home?”
“Yeah, we probably should.” She looked up to him forlornly. “We’ll have to go to the park another time.”
“It is of no matter,” he reassured, pulling her up to standing. Tucking her close to his side, he led them back to the shrine.
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When they got back Kagome went straight for the medicine cabinet and plugged in her heating pad, curling up on the couch and turning on the t.v.
Sesshomaru sat beside her, one hand in her hair as he mindlessly watched as well, his thoughts strangely placid. Eventually she nodded off and he turned off the strange appliance, remembering that the red button did so. He sat for a few moments, relaxing and breathing in her scent as he toyed with the ends of her wavy locks.
His gaze turned out the window, watching as the breeze danced through the trees. Seeing how much daylight was left, he gently removed himself from the miko and went outside.
He held his breath as his nose readjusted. It seemed impossible for him to get used to the strange smells.
Eventually he breathed in slowly, but a certain scent startled him and threw him off entirely.
Taking a deep whiff of it, he began to walk to the stairs of the shrine, his pace subconsciously quickening. It was such an impossibility, but he could not deny his senses.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs he turned to the right, his eyes darting about.
“Papa!” A small body rammed into his shins and his eyes widened enormously, feeling stunned. Slowly, ever so slowly, he looked down at the child clinging to him.
A small face turned up to him, her large cerulean blue eyes staring at him, just as curious, as her nose twitched.
“Papa…?”
“Kayo!”
Blinking rapidly, Sesshomaru looked up and found himself doing a double take.
Was that…?
“Kagome?” His voice was quiet and his hand went to rest on the top of the child’s head without a thought.
Before him stood his miko, but this wasn’t his miko. His miko was currently napping on the couch in her home. And she was most definitely not heavily pregnant.
The female before him shuffled her feet a little, glancing rapidly from the child attached to him up to his startled face.
She swallowed hard.
“Kayo, come here,” she beckoned quietly, holding her hand out for the child.
It was then that he noticed that her other hand was currently holding the hand of another. Tilting his head, he peered at the other small child who was trying very hard to hide behind his mother, but his curiosity was winning.
The pup clinging to him shook her head roughly, drawing his attention once more, reaching up and claiming his hand with her two small ones.
“No! I want papa!”
“Kayo, you know that papa is busy. You’ll see him this evening, I promise.”
The girl frowned, big fat tears forming in her eyes.
“Kagome,” he murmured again. He really had no idea how to take all this.
Frowning herself, the miko came closer to the Inu, sighing resignedly.
“Hello Sessh.” She smiled shyly. “You weren’t supposed to see us.”
Her hand rested on her taught belly, rubbing gentle circles as she watched him.
“I can’t resist coming back to the shrine once in a while. I miss it, ya know?” Her soft voice was silent for a moment. “Are you alright?”
His eyes watched her movements, taking it all in.
Before him stood his mate; healthy, well pupped and caring for two others. The sight was taunting and it was appealing to his most base paternal-youkai instincts.
“Sessh?” His eyes darted up to her dancing blue eyes. She watched him quietly, contemplative.
“I’ve seen that look before,” she mused. “You had that same exact expression on your face for months until our first was born.”
“First?” His eyes darted to the girl clinging to him.
“No, not Kayo.”
Curious, he glanced back up.
“Kayo is our seventeenth.”
His mind reeled and he had to catch himself from stumbling, mindful of the pup beside him.
“Seventeenth?”
“Mmm. Don’t sound so surprised, Sessh. It has been five centuries. And if I had let you have your way there’d be more.”
He blinked, looking down at two of his children.
His children.
He took in the silver hair that his stunned eyes had not registered before, falling in soft waves like their mothers’. He knelt, peering around Kagome’s legs to see their son.
She tried to help by tugging gently on his hand, drawing him forward.
“Come now, Kaname, say hello to your papa.”
The boy came forward hesitantly, blinking, and stood before his father.
Despite the churning in his stomach, Sesshomaru remained calm, one arm wrapped around his daughter, the other reaching out to his son.
“Kaname,” he murmured, testing it on his tongue.
The boy took his hand and stood before him proudly, his chin held high and his expression stony.
“Tell papa about your studies, Kaname,” Kagome suggested encouragingly.
Realizing that of course his children would be incredibly intelligent for their age and would no doubt begin studying prematurely, he went with the topic.
“Are you doing well?”
It felt so strange to be talking to his child; so strange that he couldn’t help but feel that perhaps he fell asleep on the couch as well.
The boy nodded solemnly.
“Hai.”
“And are you obeying your mother?” His father had asked him this frequently in his youth.
“Hai, Papa,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“Good.” He stood and placed a hand on top of his silver mane of hair, ruffling it.
Seeing his nod, Kagome reached forward and took Kayo’s hand from his. He released it rather reluctantly, feeling so unsure of his world.
“We really have to get going now,” she cooed to the children, bending down a little to be closer to their level. “Papa has a lot of work to do.” The children nodded and he noted the small tears working their way even into Kaname’s eyes.
“I will see you this evening,” he murmured before he realized what he was saying.
He knew that he had to keep up the charade that he was their father in this time, and did what he could to help his miko.
She stood before him, holding a child’s hand in each one of hers, and smiled at him.
“We will see you later Sesshomaru,” she smiled, her words full of hidden meanings.
Nodding, he watched as his family walked away from him. And he had to fight with every fiber of his being not to go to them.
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A/N: Man this chapter took me forever! But I turned it over so many times, figuring out what I was doing with it! And I’ll admit I got a little hasty with the beginning once I knew what I wanted to do with the end…And I know, it’s a twist, but hopefully it’s an understandable one that everyone will appreciate my reasoning for! :D I hope you guys liked it!