InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Once Upon a Time ❯ Blackmail ( Chapter 6 )

Inuyasha lay on the bed as Kagome prepared dinner. Feh, he thought. It wasn't like she HAD to make dinner or anything, but he had to admit, did enjoy the break. He wasn't what you call a top chef, and he was somewhat reluctant to admit that it felt good to have a woman cook for him.

 

"Alrighty, all done!" she called, even though there was really no need. The kitchen was just the far end of the room. He could smell it, anyway. With a huff, he got out of bed and stalked over to the table. He stared at the dishes.

 

"When did YOU learn to cook like this?"

 

Kagome blushed. "Hey, it's not like I'm super busy in the castle life or anything. I just picked up a few things here and there."

 

"A few?" Inuyasha raised his eyebrow. If this extravagant feast was 'a few things,' then he couldn't even imagine what the real thing was. All of these dishes were of a much better quality than the ones in the best restaurant in town.

 

As he sat down and took the first bite, he thought to himself, hmm, the taste isn't too bad either. Maybe it was a better idea than I thought to let her stay here for a while.

 

"Do you like it?" Kagome watched hopefully as Inuyasha looked up at her.

 

"It's okay," Inuyasha mumbled, taking another bite.

 

Kagome sighed in frustration at his stubbornness. He could be so reluctant at times. She picked up her fork and was just about to start eating, when the door was wrenched open and a stranger walked in, uninvited.

 

She stared as he walked up to the table and looked at her. "Hello, your majesty."

 

Inuyasha was out of his seat in a heartbeat, growling. Without so much as a warning, he aimed to land a punch on the stranger's face. The man dodged it easily, and looked at Inuyasha skeptically. "As slow as ever, I see."

 

"What are YOU doing here!?" Inuyasha ground out.

 

Kagome looked from one to the other and back. What in the world was going on here? Oh, wait, had that other guy just called her 'your majesty'? Did that mean that he knew?

 

That wasn't good.

 

As if reading her thoughts, the man turned to her with a face devoid of expression. "Yes, I have acquired the knowledge that this imbecile fool was housing a member of the royal family. So I thought I'd drop by to visit."

 

Inuyasha let out another growl. It was different from the playful ones Kagome had heard him direct at his friends; it was a sound that held hatred, and Kagome didn't like it at all. "Um..I-Inuyasha, who is this man?"

 

The man in question looked over at Inuyasha, then back at Kagome. Seeing this, Inuyasha protectively moved in front of Kagome, so that Kagome was looking at his back.

 

As Kagome stood up slowly, the intruder inclined his head. "Inuyasha, I am truly disappointed that you have yet to introduce your own brother to your royal guest.”

 

Brother?? Kagome thought, openly shocked now.

 

"You're not fit enough to lick her shoes, Sesshomaru, and you expect me to introduce you?" Inuyasha growled again.

 

Sesshomaru seemed bored. It was obvious that he thought of Inuyasha as no more than a fly on his shoulder, ready to be flicked off at a moment's notice.

 

"I grow bored of this conversation. Let me give you the honor of knowing why I have come here. I come to make a profit."

 

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha growled.

 

"I have valuable knowledge that I have at my dispense. What do you want me to do with it?" Sesshomaru said smugly.

 

"Wait...!" Kagome yelled out. Both of the brothers looked at her. "You, you wouldn't."

 

Sesshomaru smiled. "Try me."

 

"B-but...."

 

"Don't bother, Kagome," Inuyasha said, "he won't comply to you even if you begged. He has quite an annoying arrogance streak. Besides, if he decides to spread it all over the place, than that won't matter. The palace would be notified, you would be taken back, Kikyo arrested, it's all well and good. He has nothing to threaten us with."

 

"Do you truly believe that?" Sesshomaru asked. "I could hire street thugs to spread the rumor as well; the palace spies won't be too keen on street gang rumors, don't you think?"

 

"Just what do you want?" Kagome asked, her voice shrill. She didn't want the entire town knowing about her. It would be too much to deal with. 

 

 “Nothing extravagant,” Sesshomaru said, “I merely want some information that my spies were unable to acquire. If you tell me what I want to know, I'll leave you and never bother you again.”

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes. “Swear on your honor as a demon.”

 

Inuyasha looked back at her, startled. How had she known that Sesshomaru was a demon? And more importantly, how had she known the one way to make Sesshomaru to keep a promise? It had taken Inuyasha years to figure it out.

 

Sesshomaru seemed amused. “I see that you were not idle in your studies.”

 

“If you don't swear I'm not telling you anything.”

 

Sesshomaru seemed impassive as he complied. “I swear on my honor as a demon.”

 

Kagome glared at him. “Continue….”

 

Sesshomaru definitely seemed amused now. “It's nice to work with someone with sense once in a while. Very well. I swear on my honor as a demon that I won't threaten you with the exposure of you status any longer.”

 

Kagome nodded her approval, then asked cautiously, “What do you want to know?”

 

“I wish to know what is held in the underground portion of the castle.”

 

Kagome seemed surprised. “You mean you don't know? The basement is basically the palace dungeons. It's where all the prisoners who have committed a serious crime go in to live out the rest of their lives.”

 

Inuyasha attempted to shove his brother towards the door. “Got your information? Now get out of my house.”

 

Sesshomaru sidestepped and inquired, “Then why is it that only members of the royal family are allowed to go in?”

 

Without missing a beat, Kagome replied, “That would be a precaution against friends or fellow conspirators setting them free. Can't have dangerous criminals exposed to everybody, can we?”

 

Sesshomaru looked slightly disappointed. "Is that all?"

 

"Yeah. What were you expecting?" Kagome asked with a frown.

 

"Very well. It has been pleasant, little brother. I hope to visit you again."

 

“Don't count on it,” was the irritated reply.

 

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief after Sesshomaru left out the door. That had been close. She had been secretly surprised. She hadn't expected anyone to find out about her so quickly.

 

I have to stop talking with Inuyasha about it, she thought regretfully, thinking back to their conversation earlier.

 

Inuyasha looked at her wide-eyed. "I've never seen anyone make a deal with Sesshomaru before, at least not where the other side actually had the advantage."

 

Kagome smiled humbly. "I didn't have the advantage, he did. I just worded it so that it sounded like I had the upper hand."

 

Inuyasha shook his head. His head wasn't made for politics. He perked his ears curiously and asked, "I didn't know the palace had a dungeon. What kinds of people are thrown down there, anyway?"

 

Kagome shrugged sheepishly. "I didn't know we had a dungeon, either. And I don't think anyone will think there is; at least not for a while."

 

Inuyasha's mouth dropped. "You mean...."

 

Kagome gave another shrug. "I made the whole thing up."

 

This was mind-blowing for Inuyasha. He hadn't imagined Kagome as the type to banter with powerful demons, let alone NOT keep HER end of the bargain.

 

"Bu...you...wha..."

 

Kagome laughed. "Hey, close your mouth before a bird decides to nest in there. Trust me, it was no big deal. My father said to tell that lie if anyone ever asked about the palace basement."

 

This sparked Inuyasha's curiousity. Shutting his mouth for a second, he asked, "So, what IS in the basement?"

 

Kagome stopped laughing. With a deadly serious face, she told him, "I don't know."

 

This threw Inuyasha back into turmoil. "But...you just said that the king told you to.."

 

"Yeah, because he knew that they would never believe me if I said 'I don't know.' He just wanted my safety, that's all."

 

"Who, then, DOES know what's in there?"

 

Kagome replied, "Only the heir to the throne is allowed in there, but Sota is probably too young to have gone in there yet. All I know is that it's something father doesn't want anyone else to know about."

 

She sat back down, and began to eat her dinner in silence. After a moment, Inuyasha followed suit.

 

Soon they were done, and as Kagome took care of the dishes, Inuyasha noticed a problem. It was soon time to sleep, but there was only one bed!

 

He didn't even have a couch or extra blankets to speak of. The only blankets were the ones that covered the bed.

 

"Hmph," he accidentally said aloud. There was no way he was giving up HIS bed for a penniless princess.

 

Kagome heard him, and turned around inquiringly. "What's wrong?"

 

"Oh, uh, nothing," Inuyasha said quickly, turning red in the face. Kagome shrugged and turned back to her dishes. Inuyasha went over and sat cross-legged on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest with his hands inside his kimono.

 

It was how he usually sat when he needed to calm down or think about something.

 

Stop blushing! He thought to himself, furious that the heat in his face wouldn't go away. She's sleeping on the ground for all you care. Get your mind out of the trash!

 

He glanced at her back. She seemed oblivious to the problem at hand; he could hear her quietly humming to herself as she put away the sparkling bowl in her hand.

 

After she was done, Kagome went over and sat down next to Inuyasha, who stiffened as soon as she bounced on the bed.

 

"What, do you think I'll break the bed or something? I'm not THAT overweight, you know," Kagome said jokingly.

 

Inuyasha mumbled something incoherently. Kagome leaned closer. "Huh?"

 

Inuyasha glanced at her sideways, and immediately regretted. He could feel his head boiling up again as he contemplated on how close they were. Kagome looked at him, a slight frown on her face. "Inuyasha, tell me what's on your mind."

 

He jumped slightly. "H-huh?"

 

Kagome sighed and leaned back. She just didn't get him. He had seemed so protective of her earlier when that creepy demon had come in, and now he was off in his own little world again. She smiled as she recalled how he had protectively stepped in front of her.

 

The smile vanished when Inuyasha spoke haltingly. "W-where are you going to sleep?"

 

Kagome looked around. No other furniture was present besides the bed and the table.

 

"Why, the bed, of course. Where else do you expect me to sleep?"

 

Inuyasha looked at her, appalled at her innocent stupidity. "Then where am I going to sleep?"

 

A look of realization dawned on her face. She looked down at her hands for a moment, than stood up and commanded, "Get off the bed."

 

Inuyasha doubted he had heard right, so he asked, "Huh?"

 

"Get off the bed. Do I have to repeat everything? I would think your hearing would be extra-sharp thanks to those ears of yours. Now get off the bed," she said in a firm voice.

 

Inuyasha felt like he had been hit in the head. Maybe this princess WAS spoiled. I mean, she was kicking him off his own...

 

"Too slow!" With that, Kagome pushed him off the bed. In the state of shock he was, Inuyasha easily tumbled down to land sprawled on the floor.

 

He watched as Kagome started to pull of the flimsy blanket off the bed. Inuyasha watched.

"What are you doing?"

 

Kagome glanced at him, than continued dragging the blanket off. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking this blanket. Do you expect me to sleep on the floor? Do you even realize how many different germs there are down there?"

 

Inuyasha sat there staring as Kagome spread the blanket on the floor, a respective distance from the bed.

 

"Wait....you're going to sleep on the floor?"

 

You're not going to argue over the bed? he added silently.

 

"No, of course I'm not sleeping on the floor," Kagome said crossly as she sat down on the shabby, worn blanket. "I'm sleeping on this blanket. It's the only one you have, right?"

 

Inuyasha nodded, not really knowing how else to respond to this selfless act.

 

"Well, at least be kind enough to donate your blanket to me; it's not like you'll be very cold without it." She indicated his thick, obviously very warm red haori.

 

"Yeah, I mean, but, uh....I thought you would want to sleep on the bed."

 

"Well, yeah," she answered, "but it IS your house, and I have no right to kick you off your own bed."

 

As Inuyasha pondered the truth value of this statement, Kagome yawned. "Oh, man, I'm beat. A day in the city is NOT something one can do everyday. I'll just have to get used to it. Inuyasha, I'm gonna retire early, ok? Goodnight."

 

With that, she lay down on her 'bed' with her back to him, closing her eyes and willing sleep to come.

 

Inuyasha looked at her for a moment longer, feeling guilty despite himself.

 

Come off it, he told himself, she volunteered to sleep on the ground. Be happy that you don't have to give up your bed.

 

Repeating these thoughts over and over, he went and laid down on the bed, glancing one last time on the strange girl before drifting off to sleep.

 

After about 15 minutes of trying to get comfortable, Kagome also fell into a restless sleep.

 

 

 

Inuyasha woke up in the middle of the night with a nod. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. A glance at the bordered-up window told him it was still a while before morning. He was about to go back to sleep, when he noticed a shivering figure on the ground.

 

There was a draft tonight, and there was nothing to keep the biting cold from penetrating Kagome's worn clothes. She lay there, asleep, curled up in a ball in an effort to escape the freezing air around her.

 

Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore. She was going to make him go crazy over guilt if this was going to happen night after night.

 

He got up noiselessly and crouched down next to her. He gently shook her shoulders. "Hey, Kagome."

 

She moaned in her sleep. "Princess, wake up."

 

That got her to open her eyes a bit. "Hnnn?"

 

"Wanna sleep on the bed?"

 

Kagome saw Inuyasha's lips moving, and heard the question a few minutes later. She defiantly shook her head.

 

As if reading her thoughts, Inuyasha sighed impatiently and added, "I won't be sleeping on the ground. I'll be sleeping on the bed, too."

 

Kagome was too tired to add things up; all she heard was that he wouldn't be inconvenienced if she took the liberty to get comfortable. She nodded her head and began to sit up.

 

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted effortlessly into the air and carried over to the bed. She was laid gently on the bed, and she felt someone lay down next to her.

 

She was so tired, she didn't comprehend it and just drifted back to sleep.

 

Inuyasha watched as she fell asleep. She seemed comfortable enough, and by the looks of it, wouldn't be up until morning, even if the roof caved in.

 

He tried to sleep with his back turned to her, but soon gave up. Her rhythmic breathing was about a foot away from her, and he felt drawn towards her scent again. Turning back around, he saw that her back was to him.

 

Still trying to convince himself to do otherwise, Inuyasha slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. She was warm; he could feel his whole body heating up just by holding her.

 

Smiling to himself, he pressed her body closer to his slowly went back to sleep.