InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Gambling Your Way to Freedom ❯ Well then...... ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Gambling Your Way to Freedom

Chapter 9: Well then...

Sesshoumaru watched Miroku meander slowly towards the stables. The monk really was getting too smart for his own good and cocky to boot. He definitely needed to find more distractions for him in the future. The problem was, the monk also had a point. They did need to spend more time together. The only problem was, how to do spend time with someone who wanted nothing to do with you?

Food. He thought with a nod. Always start with food.

Twenty minutes later, he knocked on the door of his bedroom, waiting a moment before entering. She was nowhere in sight, so, figuring she was in the bathroom, he set down the tray on the bedside table and then reached down to investigate her half finished crochet project. He assumed it was going to be a hat and was impressed that she’d caught onto the skill so quickly.

A moment later, the bathroom door opened and he dropped her hat, not wanting to appear like he’d been spying. Unable to think of anything to say, he motioned to the dinner tray he’d brought. “I made dinner.”

“Thanks,”

Her tone was soft. Her body language screamed avoidance. Miroku was right. This had to talk, or this awkwardness would be the death of them. Motioning to the TV, he said “I thought, maybe we could watch a movie together.”

She shifted slightly, shuffling her feet nervously for a moment before sighing. “Ok.”

Trying not to let the relief show on his face, he took a seat on the bed and waited for her to join him. He waited for her to get settled and then handed her a bowl, quirking an eyebrow at her when she giggled.

“What?”

“I just never expected someone like you to eat instant ramen.”

He shrugged. “I keep some around for when Inuyasha visits.”

“Inuyasha?”

“My half-brother.”

“I-I know who he is.” She said; her tone making him pause with his noodles halfway to his mouth. “I guess I just didn’t realize you were on speaking terms.”

It was his turn to be confused. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Her turn to shrug. “I was always told you guys hated each other.”

He cocked his head, unable to hide his smirk. “You studied me?”

She paused mid slurp, talking around her noodles. “Uh, yeah. I’m a miko.”

He snorted. “Point taken. So,” he motioned to the TV. “What should we watch?”

~~~

Sesshoumaru looked down, still somewhat surprised to see Kagome’s head still on his shoulder. She’d nodded off about twenty minutes ago and now he didn’t know what to do. The movie was over, but if he moved, she’d wake up and he was really enjoying her laying against him.

His phone buzzed and he strained to reach it without moving too much. Kagome sighed and he froze, but she merely shifted closer to him and settled back in. Waiting a moment to make sure she was asleep, he unlocked his phone and read the text from Inuyasha.

“No evidence linking Hojo to his father’s murder. Not that it looks like anyone tried too hard to find any. Stupid idiots.”

Sesshoumaru let his head fall back onto his shoulders. Granted, he’d known it was a long shot, but he still wanted to punch something. It was times like this he really missed the old days. Five hundred years ago, no one would have batted an eye at him for killing a scumbag like Hojo -- most likely because he would have killed them too -- but now everything was political. Red tape was everywhere, even for a tai.

“And the other thing?”

He waited, watching the shifting dots impatiently. Finally, his phone buzzed again.

“Her family is still looking for her. I paid off their debt anonymously as requested. The shrine still stands, but needs serious work. I can’t believe this place is still here. You should see Goshinboku.”

“Keep searching. I want to know why and how Kagome was sold.”

Looking down, he brushed a stray hair from her face. She sighed again, turning towards his touch. What would she do when she found out he’d bought her family’s shrine? Or that her mother most likely hadn’t sold her?

He knew he should tell her. Her family probably knew nothing about what she’d been through. But something told him to wait until Inuyasha found out more. Miroku had told him to be careful after all. There was no sense upsetting her before they had all the facts. His phone buzzed again and Sesshoumaru jerked from his thoughts, causing Kagome to mumble against him incoherently.

“And her family? What should I tell them?”

He paused, stroking his mate’s hair as he thought about how to respond. On one hand, they were probably worried about her, but on the other, if what Kagome said was true, they deserved any pain they felt. He would never understand how humans could simply cast out one of their own to save their own skins. But then again, hadn’t he done the same thing to Inuyasha?

Exhaling sharply he typed a reply to the brother he hadn’t let around him for almost six hundred years. “Tell them she is under the protection of the House of the Moon.”

~~~

Kagome woke feeling more refreshed than she’d felt in years. And what’s more, she was alone. He’d actually left her alone. Hmph. More likely he just woke up before me.

Stretching like a cat, she slowly willed herself to leave the comfort of the bed. She was surprised she’d slept so long. She didn’t even remember the end of the movie last night. It had been so nice to just sit with him. To talk about normal things, or well normal for a youkai and a miko, and just be. She wasn’t sure what exactly had happened. It wasn’t a truce persay, but there was definitely a lighter feel to the air.

And then she opened the bathroom door, and came face to face with a naked taiyoukai.

He was just standing here, staring at her as he toweled his hair dry. A stray droplet dripped onto his chest and she couldn’t stop herself from watching its path down the length of his body. Forcing her gaze to him, she felt her face flush scarlet at his smirk.

“Sorry,” she squeaked, bolting back out and slamming the door behind her.

He emerged a few minutes later, smirk still in place. “Shower’s free,” he rumbled, padding past her into the hall.

She could have imploded.

Come on Kagome. You can do this. She stood at the top of the stairs. She’d taken her shower, stalled as long as she could, and was now faced with going downstairs for breakfast. She didn’t think she could do it. Except, she could also smell his cooking and she was starving.

“Hey,”

She jumped, and immediately frowned at his chuckle.

“Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to come eat before your stomach gets so loud Miroku can hear it from the stables.”

She didn’t move.

“I promise I’ll behave…” he rumbled, flicking his gaze up to hers. “Unless you don’t want me to.”

She inhaled sharply, shocked by the fire in his eyes. He chuckled, turning slowly as he made his way back into the kitchen, leaving her clutching the railing.

Like I can go downstairs now!