InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Taisho's Darling ❯ Family Relations ( Chapter 13 )

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Disclaimer: I don't own these marvelous characters; they are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I merely torture them at will and put them in uncomfortable situations whenever possible.

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Chapter 13

Family Relations

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Sesshomaru awakened from his tortured sleep and automatically reached for Kagome's warmth. Before his hand hit the empty pillow, the rest of his senses alerted him to the woman's absence. He figured she was already awake; Kagome was an early riser, often arriving at the office shortly after Sesshomaru.

Still half asleep, he rolled onto his back and attempted to grab what additional rest his tired mind and body would allow. No sooner had he done so when a soft paw batted against his face, followed by the sound of a childish giggle. Apparently Shippo and Rin were wide awake and full of mischief. He forced his heavy lids to open and sent a freezing death glare to the two children standing next to the bed.

Although Shippo gave a small 'eep' and dove out of sight, the glare was completely lost on Rin. His daughter wasn't the slightest bit intimidated by him. Another giggle was heard, and this time Sesshomaru was awake enough to realize the sound was coming from Rin's smiling face. He bolted upright as an equal combination of shock and joy surged through him.

"Rin?" he asked hesitantly, afraid to break whatever spell had been cast upon his daughter. When she didn't respond, Sesshomaru was crushed. Had he imagined the sound escaping her lips?

A small pair of arms wrapped around his neck in an exuberant hug. Fighting back his disappointment, Sesshomaru clutched Rin tightly. Silent as she was, she meant the world to him. "Precious Rin," he murmured against her tiny ear.

Rin spoke then, a sound barely discernable even with youkai hearing. Her whisper was cracked and hoarse, but the emotions behind the noise were overwhelming. The chunk of ice residing in the vicinity of Sesshomaru's heart liquefied as the single word fell from her lips.

"Otou-san…"

……

"Kaede?" Miroku called softly as he slipped through the spell barrier and stepped into the room. "How is our master this morning? He didn't try to break the bonds again, did he?"

She staggered to her feet, the long night showing through the dark circles beneath her eyes. "Taisho-sama tried to break his restraints no less than three times, Miroku." Kaede huffed with exasperation. "Within his mind, he fights to protect the Shikon no Tama, and there is no convincing him that it is naught but a dream."

Miroku inspected the slowly-healing wounds. "He's faring better than he did last night, Kaede, but he's still not healed. I need to check the wounds on his back; assist me with turning him over, please."

"We may have troubles anew, child," Kaede informed the former monk as she helped move the inuyoukai. "In my exhausted state, I allowed the barrier to slip for a moment last night. I silenced the master as quickly as possible, but the others might have heard him yelling."

"Well, if they ask what the disturbance was, just tell them you were entertaining a gentleman friend. I have no doubt they will immediately drop the subject," he said cheerfully. "Hmm, it seems Taisho-sama has reopened a couple of the wounds on his back. Either that, or something is preventing them from healing properly," Miroku added as he observed the gashes.

"I suspect 'tis a type of poison," Kaede suggested, running a light finger across the skin. "See how these red lines shoot out from the injury? Hast thou a poultice to draw the offending substance from the wound?"

"Something can be made," Miroku answered. "Oh, and that reminds me, Kaede. I have something for you. Nursing a hurt youkai is never entertaining, but I know what will make the time pass more pleasantly for you." He unbuttoned his shirt.

"Whilst I am certain that would be entertaining, Miroku, I hardly think Taisho-sama would want us doing that in front of him," Kaede spoke in a teasing manner. "Also, I doubt I would appreciate thy gesture. Thou hast been more like a son to me, after all."

"Very funny," Miroku rolled his eyes as he pulled an object from where he'd hidden it beneath his shirt. "I had to sneak these out of my room without anyone seeing them. The others would never let me hear the end of it if they found out I had these in my possession." He handed her a thin plastic case containing several DVDs.

"All My Ningen…As the Youkai Turns…The Centuries of Our Lives…" Kaede read the titles aloud. "Miroku, are these what I think they are? I would not have suspected thee of being a soap-opera fanatic."

"It's a sad story of addiction, Kaede," Miroku admitted. "One of my lovers enjoyed them so much that she recorded the shows while she was at work. I watched a couple of them out of curiosity, and the next thing I know, I'm following The Immature and Attention-Deficit with something akin to religious devotion. May Buddha help me, I'm even writing fan-fiction."

He moved to leave. Kaede accompanied him through the barrier, allowing her 'old lady' disguise to fall into place as she did so. "Truly, Miroku, thou art a man of hidden depths." She kissed him fondly on the cheek and yawned. "I cannot say what I would have done without thee last night, and for that I thank thee sincerely. Now get away from here before thou art seen. I'll be down to breakfast shortly."

……

This was unexpected. Inu-Yasha stayed perfectly still, hidden from the view of Miroku and Kaede. He had heard the voices of his father's slaves as he passed Kaede's corridor on his way to the kitchen. What stopped him short and caused him to draw back into the shadowed recesses was the sight of Miroku leaving Kaede's room with his shirt unbuttoned.

I did not just hear her thanking him for last night, Inu-Yasha thought. Sango is going to flip when I tell her about this. Hell, is there anyone that pervert won't sleep with?

The idea that Sango herself might have enjoyed physical relations with Miroku in the past suddenly chased across his brain and lodged itself into his gut. Inu-Yasha bit his cheek to keep from snarling aloud. If the whoring bastard had ever dared to lay one lascivious finger on his Sango, he would kill him.

The scent of cooking food wafted through the house, carrying with it the unique smell associated with Sango. It was a heady aroma, layered lightly with spices and vanilla. Inu-Yasha relaxed immediately and basked in the scent. He was being stupid, he realized. Sango had far too much common sense to ever be taken in by Miroku's charms. And besides, her past was her own business. He himself was not without guilt, for he had once held another woman in his arms and vowed to turn his back on his heritage forever.

……

"Good morning, Rin-chan, Shippo-chan." Sango's normally cheerful voice was a bit subdued as she gave the children a hug. "And I wish you a good morning as well, Sesshomaru. It's a bit of a surprise to see you at my breakfast table," she commented.

Sesshomaru gave her a brief nod. "I have called the office and notified them of my late arrival, as I wish to enjoy breakfast with my daughter. Tell me Sango, however did you manage to fill the empty hours of your day before Kagome and I gifted you with the job of chasing two hyperactive pups around the house?" He said this last bit as Shippo flicked a piece of his food at Rin in retaliation for her pulling his tail.

He noticed Sango's look of surprise at his dry teasing. Did the woman really consider him to be so unapproachable? The thought gave Sesshomaru pause. True, he could be stiff and formal around others, and he often came across as being downright formidable. The former taijiya, though, was not the type to be so easily intimidated, was she?

For some reason, the thought of Sango being uneasy around him made Sesshomaru unhappy. As he pondered this, he realized that he was actually beginning to care what the humans in the mansion thought of him. With a sigh, Sesshomaru decided it was probably one more thing he could blame on Kagome. He cared about the others because she cared.

"Oi, Sess, what are you doing here? I thought you ate, bathed, and slept at your desk," Inu-Yasha said, striding into the kitchen with a cocky air. As usual, he looked as if he'd just fallen out of bed. His silver hair was slightly mussed, and his red shirt was hanging un-tucked from his slacks. His tie lay open around his upturned collar.

"You're still not dressed?" Sango scolded as she adjusted his collar and began to work on his tie. "Honestly, Inu-Yasha, how long does it take to throw on some clothes? You're going to be late getting to the office!"

"Nah," Inu-Yasha mumbled through a mouth full of toast. "I have plenty of time. Besides, if I show up too early, everyone thinks something's wrong." He eyed Sesshomaru, who was absentmindedly toying with his chopsticks. "You look a little out of it, Sess. Are you sick or something?"

"My health is fine, little brother," Sesshomaru answered. "Although I confess to being a bit tired. I found my rest somewhat…disturbed…last night."

"You too, huh?" Inu-Yasha hooted. "I figured you would have heard the racket, what with your youkai hearing and all." He grinned, shaking his head from side to side. "Oh man, I never would have thought it of the old bat…"

Sango flushed a deep red. "Inu-Yasha, shut up!" she hissed. "Not in front of the children! I can't believe you brought that up, anyway!" She yanked on his tie, hard.

"Better not destroy that tie, Sango," Jakotsu chirped as he entered the kitchen. "Kagome needs it to soothe the voracious appetite of her paper shredder." He leaned his tall frame against Inu-Yasha and ruffled the hanyou's hair. "Bankotsu and I were taken by surprise as well," he murmured. "Of course, the noise brought all kinds of delightful thoughts to my head. Just imagine the commotion the two of us could make, eh, Inu-Yasha?"

"Gah, get off of me!" Inu-Yasha growled, shoving the guard away. "I like women, dammit! How many times do I have to say it before you get the hint?"

"I can't help myself," Jakotsu pouted. "Those ears of yours are just so cute!" He reached out to touch them.

Inu-Yasha covered his ears with his hands and jerked away from the taller man. "Sango," he whined, "Do something about him, will ya?" He ducked behind the former taijiya.

"It's hard to be angry with Jakotsu when he's right," Sango teased as she turned to face the hanyou. "Your ears are cute! And you turn the prettiest shade of red when someone touches them!" She grasped one of the sensitive appendages between her fingers and rubbed it lightly. Inu-Yasha responded by grabbing her cooking tongs and brandishing them like a weapon. "Inu-Yasha! Give those back before I burn your breakfast!" she demanded between bouts of laughter.

Sesshomaru observed the domestic scene before him with interest. This was a lighter side of his younger brother he'd never seen before. Further proof he will make a good mate for Kagome, he thought. I will approach him with the proposition today. Really, it's in the best interests of both of them. He closed his eyes against the sharp pang this thought caused. The slave bond was affecting his desire to be apart from Kagome.

"Otou-san," Rin tugged at his sleeve. Her voice was gaining strength each time she said the word. "Otou-san," she repeated. He had dropped one of his cufflinks, and Rin was holding it up to him with a sticky hand.

"Thank you, Rin," Sesshomaru told his daughter. He allowed her to place the cufflink on his sleeve, for once not caring about the grime being smeared onto his pristine white shirt. Her task accomplished, Rin beamed at him and sat down to finish her breakfast.

"How - how long has she been…" Sango allowed her voice to trail off when Sesshomaru signaled for her not to speak. He didn't want attention drawn to Rin's speech for fear of silencing the girl once more.

"Since this morning," Sesshomaru answered Sango's unfinished question. "I would appreciate it if no special mention was made. I would ask, however, that you call me at the office if you find her discussing anything unusual."

"Such as events in her past?" Sango asked delicately. Sesshomaru nodded in agreement, grateful to this intelligent woman for picking up on his signals. If her experiences with Rin and Shippo were any sort of measure, the demon-slayer-turned-cook would be an excellent mother.

As Bankotsu entered the kitchen, Sesshomaru remembered something he had been meaning to ask. "How is security in this household managed?" He directed the question to Jakotsu, who was just finishing his food. "I see no surveillance cameras. Do you rely strictly on spells to restrict access?"

"Not a chance," Bankotsu said smoothly, flipping his braid over his shoulder. "Taisho-sama would never allow such flimsy security. Jakotsu and I are required to know the location of anyone on the mansion's grounds or inside the house at all times."

"You mean you have surveillance in the bedrooms and bath areas?" Inu-Yasha spluttered. "Dammit, Jakotsu, if you've been spying on me in the bath I'll tear your f-"

"Language!" Sango hissed, clamping a hand over Inu-Yasha's mouth. "Don't you dare use that word in front of Shippo and Rin! If Kagome and Sesshomaru don't wash your mouth out with soap, I will!"

"We don't have video cameras or spy holes, if that's what you're thinking," Bankotsu intervened. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see, how can I explain this in simple terms? It required a complicated spell to create, and for that reason alone it is unique. Taisho-sama is truly a magnificently powerful youkai."

"Imagine a three-dimensional model of the mansion and the grounds," Jakotsu began. "Within this model are several objects, each object representing a member or visitor to the household. For instance, the object representing Miroku is a string of prayer beads, and the object representing Sesshomaru is a white dog with a crescent moon on his forehead."

"At any time, the placement of these objects within the model tells us where each of you are located. They do not, however, tell us what you are actually doing in that particular room," Bankotsu added. "That can be a disappointment, as I would love to know why Kagome and Sesshomaru were in the fountain the other night. I don't suppose you'll enlighten us, Sesshomaru?"

"Ooh, you'd better watch your step, Bankotsu. Sesshomaru looks like he wants to rip your throat out. Really, all of you should have known you would be tracked. It's our business to protect you. In order to do that we need to know where you sleep - even when it's in someone else's room," Jakotsu trilled with a smile. "Not that we'd ever tell, of course. Our jobs rely on our discretion."

"That's quite interesting," Sesshomaru said coolly, leveling a hard stare at the guards. "Tell me," he asked casually, "can the system be circumvented? Is it possible, for instance, to disguise one's presence in another room via use of spells?"

Jakotsu bit his lip thoughtfully. "It would require a powerful youkai to do such a thing," he said. "Taisho-sama can circumvent the spell, but he's the one who created it. I suppose a strong miko could accomplish the task by breaking the spell, but I would think the spiritual power required for such an activity would alert anyone present."

"So," Sesshomaru continued, "you are aware of every individual in the mansion. And if the security system were to fail or be circumvented, is there a backup system in place? I would hate to think our safety relies on just one line of defense."

"We have other methods," Bankotsu assured Sesshomaru. The guard tilted his head to the side and studied the inuyoukai carefully. "You are worrying too much about this matter. Jakotsu and I identified all visitors to the mansion last night," he emphasized.

"Then perhaps you were as surprised by one of the visitors as I was," Sesshomaru replied evenly. "I had not expected to…hear…from this particular individual. Tell me, did this visitor leave any messages of interest with you?"

"We did not speak with each other," Bankotsu answered. "The visit was obviously a private matter. We do not intervene in the affairs of others."

"So you were not summoned to meet with this visitor? I find that interesting as well, Bankotsu." Pondering this new information, Sesshomaru returned to his neglected breakfast.

"You said the model of the mansion shows an object for each of us?" Inu-Yasha asked, breaking into the conversation. "What object is assigned to me? Can we see the system?"

Jakotsu laughed. "You're represented by a pair of fuzzy dog ears, Inu-Yasha. And no, you can't see it. Taisho-sama bound the spell to Bankotsu and me, so we can view the model no matter where we are. In doing so, he rendered the model invisible to anyone besides us."

"A pair of dog ears? Who chose that stupid symbol?" Inu-Yasha yelped. "I want something different!"

"Sorry, but we can't change it. The system selects the symbol," Bankotsu explained. "When someone new enters the grounds, the system looks at their aura and chooses a symbol. At the same time, a report is sent to us with the individual's name. If we desire further information, we check things out in person."

Their discussion was interrupted by the arrival of Miroku, followed soon after by Kaede. "Good morning to all of you," the handsome slave greeted them. "Your food smells wonderful as always, dear Sango. With such a wonderful repast, I'm astonished that three of us are missing." Miroku rested his purple eyes on Sesshomaru. "Is Kagome still asleep?"

"Okaa-san left early for work," Shippo piped up. "She said it was Sesshomaru-sama's turn to sleep late for once, 'cause he didn't sleep well last night. Did the storm scare you too, Sesshomaru-sama?" the little kit asked innocently. "I know it scared Okaa-san, because she was cuddled up real close to you."

Were it not certain to cause Kagome grief, Sesshomaru would have cheerfully throttled the fox demon. No wonder his irritating slave had skipped out before breakfast; she was trying to avoid this awkward situation. With an effort to keep a straight face, Sesshomaru chose the path of least resistance. "Yes, she was quite disturbed," he answered Shippo, without bothering to mention that he, Sesshomaru, had been the cause of her discomfort.

After sending Sesshomaru a curious stare, Inu-Yasha diverted attention elsewhere. "Well, you guys weren't the only ones suffering from a lack of sleep. I haven't lived in this mansion very long, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever seen Kaede come down to breakfast still wearing her sleeping robes." Inu-Yasha snickered in the direction of the elderly woman, who was currently resting her head on her arms and fighting sleep.

Kaede raised her head to glare at the hanyou. "So, Inu-Yasha...didst thou have a pleasant time at the club last night? After all, thou went to such great lengths to get there."

"No thanks to you, old lady," Inu-Yasha snapped. "Look, why the hell are you on my case, anyway? You have no right to keep me here under some kind of house arrest. And don't even lie and tell me that's not what you're doing!"

"Spoiled pup, guard thy foolish tongue! Thy father himself insisted I keep thee close at hand and away from my sister's reincarnation! Why must thou make things so difficult?" Kaede pinned Inu-Yasha with an angry glare.

"Your sister's reincarnation - you mean Kikyo?" Inu-Yasha shoved himself away from the table. "Listen, hag! I was with Sango and a couple of friends at the club last night, not Kikyo! And even if I was seeing Kikyo, what business is it of Father's?"

"It is the business of all of us if that woman's husband leads us to our deaths!" Kaede yelled angrily. She shook a finger in Inu-Yasha's face. "Kagewaki would dearly love to see us sent to hell, if only for his own nefarious purposes! Thou must not give him ammunition!"

"So that's what this is really about, isn't it?" Inu-Yasha shouted. "Father doesn't trust me! You would think, after all these years, that I wouldn't be surprised! Well, the hell with Father, and the hell with his non-compete agreements - I quit!" He stormed from the kitchen without a second look back.

Sango moved to follow, only to be stopped by Sesshomaru's hand upon her arm. "Allow me to speak with him," he instructed her. "There are things that must be clarified between us."

……

"Koharu, stop it!" Nazuna shrieked hysterically as the two slaves stumbled into the hallway. "You're going to make me start laughing again! I'm never going clubbing with you again, you crazy woman!"

"Piffle," Koharu waved her hand dismissively. "You had a great time, admit it! Hey, why's it so dark in here?" she asked no one in particular.

"It might help if you removed your sunglasses," Sango scoffed at the giggling girls. "Tell me you two haven't been partying all night." She took a slight sniff and stepped back, revolted. "Ugh, you guys reek of cigarette smoke and booze! Do us all a favor and take a bath before you destroy the youkai noses in the household."

"Good morning to you, too, Sango!" Nazuna sang, ignoring the other woman's lecture. She sat down next to Miroku and began to fill her bowl. "You should have gone out with us last night, Miroku. We hit a bunch of the clubs, and then we crashed this private party. We had a great time."

"Although our dates, Mr. Wonderful and Predator Boy, passed out before we did," Koharu added with a laugh. "Some youkai just can't hold their alcohol. Maybe we should have gone easy on them, Nazuna."

"It's not my fault Mr. Wonderful can't buy a winning hand at cards," Nazuna snorted. "I've never seen someone lose so spectacularly at strip poker! The poor guy - he was so sure he'd get to see what I was wearing next to my skin. And those boxers with lightning bolts on them - what's up with that?" She shook her head in mock sadness.

"For all you complained about him having an ego big enough to cover Japan, I noticed you enjoyed yourself last night," Koharu pointed out as she stretched out in a warm patch of sunlight on the carpet. "I didn't even have to break out the emergency 'We gotta go' excuses." She batted her eyes sleepily and curled into a ball.

Miroku slapped a palm on the table top. "I knew it! Women do have prepared excuses for every occasion! And Sango was actually trying to convince me otherwise." He gave Nazuna a salutatory grope as he said this, and she slapped him.

"I'm not that drunk, Miroku," Nazuna warned the lecher. "If anyone's hands are touching me, they'll belong to Mr. Wonderful. Mmm, how that demon can kiss!" She gave a delighted shiver.

"Spare us the sordid details," Sango broke into the conversation. "My stomach is queasy enough as it is. I don't need to add your sex life into the mix."

……

He found Inu-Yasha exactly where he thought he'd find him, resting on a limb in one of the tallest trees on the grounds. Sesshomaru joined him, watching his brother with amusement as he dug his nails repeatedly across the branch. "A few more swipes with your claws, and you'll send the both of us to the ground," he commented mildly. "That limb can't take much more abuse."

"Neither can I," Inu-Yasha grumbled, but he stopped hacking at the bark. "What do you want, Sesshomaru? Have you come to gloat? You have complete control of the company now; you should be happy."

"Hard as it is for you to believe this, Inu-Yasha, I never wanted the company. In fact, I warned Father this would happen." He rested sympathetic eyes on his angry brother. "I don't blame you for leaving. Father has treated you poorly in this matter."

"Yeah, well I finally understand why you chose to work overseas all these years," Inu-Yasha said as he blew his bangs from his eyes. "I've put up with Father's shit for the last time. I'd even leave the mansion if it didn't mean living on the streets," he added bitterly.

"I came to ask you to reconsider, Inu-Yasha. Not for Father's sake, but for my own." Sesshomaru plucked a nearby leaf and twirled it within his slender fingers. "I need your expertise; the ranks of our company are thin enough as it is. If you are truly unhappy working there, then I ask that you at least give me time to train your replacement."

"How long will it take Kagome to learn my job?" Inu-Yasha grunted. "She's your best bet to take over my duties. And as an added bonus, Father actually loves her."

"Father loves you as well, Inu-Yasha, if you would but realize it. His love for the both of us is not diminished by his love for the others. I understand this, now that I have a child of my own," Sesshomaru finished quietly.

"Aniki…"

Sesshomaru blinked at the familiar address. How many years had it been since Inu-Yasha called him that? Too many to remember…he should never have allowed the walls between them to be built so high.

"I know Father's never been happy with my choices. He didn't like Kikyo, even before she married Kagewaki. He hates Club Lavanda and everything it represents. He can't stand the friends I hang out with, because they can be so immature at times."

Inu-Yasha took a deep breath, and Sesshomaru could feel the hurt radiating from his brother. "But I never thought there'd come a day when he didn't trust me. Does he really think I'm so stupid that I'd endanger everyone he loves, just so I could sneak around with a married woman?"

"Father isn't thinking clearly at this point. Not for the first time in his life, he has allowed his love for a human to cloud his judgment," Sesshomaru said reluctantly as he settled himself against the trunk of the tree. "He sees Kikyo and Kagewaki as a threat to his beloved's existence and wishes to remove that threat. Would you not do the same for the woman you loved?"

Inu-Yasha jerked his head up at this statement. "A human? You mean one of the girls?" he asked, astonished. "Which one?"

"Does it matter?" Sesshomaru asked, not wanting to share this piece of information. He was still trying to process last night's revelations himself. "He obviously has no intention of becoming her mate, or he would stop the matchmaking process. Regardless, his love is affecting his decisions."

"And here I thought he was getting too old for this," Inu-Yasha groaned. His eyes widened. "Sess…what if he decides to have another pup? He wouldn't do that, would he?"

"Another hanyou in the family? I hope the fates preserve us from such a tragic occurrence," Sesshomaru said dryly as he slid down from the tree. "Will you stay with the company for a while longer, then?"

"You'll owe me," Inu-Yasha warned him. "I want an unspecified favor, payable whenever I ask for it. And I'm staying on just to train Kagome, got it?"

"Agreed…otouto."

……

The observer released a deep breath as the two inu brothers departed. He had almost been discovered that time, purely by accident. Who had ever heard of dog demons climbing trees?

He slid down from the tree with shaking limbs. The concealment spell his master placed upon him was extremely powerful, but it required all his strength to maintain it. And he still hadn't been able to move closer to the mansion without losing the spell entirely. Damn Taisho and his security system! The inuyoukai was more paranoid than a third-world dictator with a palace full of black-market weaponry.

So Taisho was in love with a human…his master would be delighted with this piece of information. No doubt the demon had designs on the lovely Higurashi or those two intoxicated women he'd seen this morning. It was also possible the pregnant cook was Taisho's love interest, but he doubted it. That left only the guards, the purple-eyed man, and the old woman with the eye-patch. There was no way any of them were candidates for Taisho's affections.

……

"Who stuck a spear up his butt?" Sango asked Bankotsu with more than a little irritation. Jakotsu had been acting catty towards her all morning. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was the one with the pregnancy hormones raging through his body.

Bankotsu pursed his lips. "Forgive him, Sango. He's always been a bit on the jealous side. He can't help but see you as competition."

"Jealous?" Sango queried as she began to sharpen her knives. A cook was only as good as her tools, and Sango never allowed her blades to become dull. "Jealous of me and you? Why would he think there was anything going on between us?"

"Not of us," Bankotsu corrected. "He is jealous of you and Inu-Yasha. Even though he knows his lust for the hanyou is pointless, Jakotsu is taking things rather hard."

"Let me get this straight." Sango's head was whirling. "Jakotsu is jealous of me and Inu-Yasha? Great kami, why? And Jakotsu is your lover; doesn't this bother you?"

"Someone like Jakotsu can never be tied down to one person," Bankotsu said sadly. "If I am to love him, I must allow him to wander on occasion. I know he will eventually return to my side. That's the way it has always been."

"That's awful, Bankotsu," Sango placed a comforting arm around the guard's shoulders. "I couldn't stand it, myself." She hugged him for a moment.

"That's just my life," Bankotsu shrugged as he disengaged from her embrace. "You asked why Jakotsu would be jealous, Sango. You have been around youkai for several hundred years; can you not see what is happening between you and Inu-Yasha?"

"He's just a friend," Sango protested. "We hang out together, that's all. Inu-Yasha and I share a lot of the same interests."

"You've been sleeping in his room every night," Bankotsu pointed out. "Remember, Jakotsu and I see your symbols on the security system. You go into his room after dinner and don't come out until morning."

Sango flushed. "That's not what you think," she said. "We usually stay up really late talking and just wind up asleep in the same room. It's completely innocent!"

"How can you be so naïve? Inu-Yasha touches you at every opportunity," Bankotsu informed her. "That may be normal for some humans, but it's not normal for Inu-Yasha. If all he was interested in was friendship, you wouldn't be waking up in his arms every morning. Inu-Yasha may not be aware of what he's doing, but the demon within him is trying to cover you with his scent."

"You've got it all wrong," Sango huffed as she returned to sharpening her knives. "Come on, do you really think Inu-Yasha would be interested in becoming the mate of some pregnant human slave? Like that's ever going to happen."

"Sango - no, perhaps I shouldn't say this," Bankotsu began.

"Whatever it is, you need to say it. You're supposed to be looking out for me, Bankotsu," Sango reminded the guard. "Be honest with me."

"His may intend to make you his mistress, not his mate. You are a very attractive woman, after all." Bankotsu looked uncomfortable. "Please choose your actions wisely. I would hate to see you mistreated."

Sango waited until Bankotsu left the kitchen before slamming her knife into the wooden chopping block. He's wrong; Inu-Yasha wouldn't use me like that, she reminded herself. If all he wanted was sex, he'd have tried something by now. This is stupid; we're just friends!

She held a trembling finger out to trace the scar she'd gouged into the wood. Then again, if he did want to fool around, would I refuse? Disliking the way her spine tingled at the thought, Sango tossed the knife aside and banished the image of the hanyou from her head. She was nothing more than a slave; there was no point in allowing hope to enter her heart.

……

A/N: Inspiration for the mansion's security system came straight from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. A Marauder's Map would come in handy. Sadly, I don't own one of those, either. - Lavender

Thanks for reading and reviewing! *tosses chocolate to her wonderful readers and her tireless beta-slave, TitianWren*