Chapter Text
Taisho Inukimi was mad. And not because she’d been waitlisted for the latest Birkin bag again, and not because her personal tailor had only shortened her favorite dress one inch, instead of two.
No, Taisho Inukimi was mad because her son was in love.
Her only son. The apple of her eye. The star in her sky.
Yes, Taisho Sesshōmaru was all the cheesy metaphors that Inukimi thought of often, but would never dare admit in public (or in private, for that matter). He might have been the product of an arranged marriage, one that had ended in divorce (amicably, but divorce still) when Sesshōmaru was a child, but he was everything she had ever wanted in life—she just hadn’t known it until he was born.
It had always been the two of them against the world. And when Inukimi’s ex-husband, Tōga, remarried—to a human woman, no less!—and then had a son (an annoying, albeit adorable child they called Inuyasha —a horrifying name), it had become even more Inukimi and Sesshōmaru, on their own. And they had liked it that way. Even when Tōga invited them to birthday parties for Inuyasha, even when Tōga paid for Sesshōmaru’s college education, and even when Tōga offered Inukimi, and later, Sesshōmaru, a job at the family company…
Every night, Sesshōmaru came home to have dinner with his mother.
That’s how it was, and how it would always be.
Or at least, that was what Inukimi had thought.
Then, Kaze Kagura had come into Sesshōmaru’s life.
An elemental yōkai—wind, Inukimi thought—Kagura was a stunningly beautiful woman, a successful businesswoman, and clearly very fond of Inukimi’s son.
She just wasn’t…well?
She wasn’t good enough for Sesshōmaru.
Because no one was good enough for Sesshōmaru.
They had just spent an hour at a lunch that had felt like five: “they” meaning Inukimi, Sesshōmaru, and Kagura. It was supposed to be the “meet the mother” lunch, and instead it turned into an awkward “mother hates the new girlfriend so son tries to overextend himself and everyone ends up sullen” lunch.
And really, Kagura wasn’t that bad.
She just wasn’t…
She wasn’t Taisho Sesshōmaru wife material.
(But, then again, no one was.)
So imagine Inukimi’s surprise when, after they dropped Kagura off at her office building and were returning to Taisho Corp., Sesshōmaru had the nerve to suggest that he was thinking of proposing to Kagura, and Inukimi had done all she could to not throw her son out of the car right then and there.
She had always hoped that Sesshōmaru would marry someone who was…well, maybe an inu yōkai, like them, sure, but definitely someone with considerable yōki, who would be able to help carry on the Taisho line. And Kagura seemed to be formidable, but really, most elemental yōkai were temperamental at best, and their yōkai was as volatile as their personalities. Wind yōkai in particular were known for their penchant for changing direction swiftly, and Inukimi was sure that Kagura would be true to the other wind yōkai Inukimi had known.
Besides, was there any woman who could measure up to her handsome, intelligent, perfect son?
Of course not. In fact, much of what Inukimi held against Kagura wasn’t really all that personal; it was merely the extension of years and years of convincing herself that she was the only one who truly understood her son, that she was the only one on whom he could completely and wholly rely. (Not even his idiot of a father, who Inukimi also didn’t really resent…after all, theirs had been a business arrangement, not a marriage of love, which was what Tōga’s current marriage, to his human wife Izayoi, was.)
No, Inukimi was of the very singular opinion that no one could compare to her , and thus, there could be no one who would ever compete with her for Sesshōmaru’s affections.
Until Kaze Kagura, that is.
And Inukimi…well. She just couldn’t have that.
When she proceeded to tell Sesshōmaru exactly what she thought of Kagura, her usually expressionless son flashed golden eyes of anger, but coolly and calmly said, “Okaasama, you cannot stop me from marrying whomever I choose. I only hope that you will see Kagura for the vibrant, witty, kind woman that she is, and give us your blessing. Because, with or without it, I do intend to marry her.”
No. Inukimi pushed back in her desk chair and got to her feet, her blood raging at the thought of Sesshōmaru marrying Kagura—marrying anyone. He was her son, her only son, and she had to make sure that the person was perfect, because if they weren’t, then things could go so very wrong…
Like they had for her and Tōga.
And deep down, Inukimi knew that Sesshōmaru was right. She could not stop him from marrying whoever he wanted.
She stood by the large picture window and looked down; Shibuya was busy this time of day, with schools getting out, and students heading to part-time jobs, to arcades, to fast food restaurants, to stores. Everywhere, the streets were filled with people, going from place to place, with destinations in mind.
Inukimi snorted in disgust. Peons.
As she stared down into the city, Sesshōmaru and Kagura once again took over her mind: the idea that Sesshōmaru would want to marry anyone not chosen by Inukimi herself was appalling to her. She, after all, knew her son best, and thus she would know who would be the best match for him.
“Okaasama, you cannot stop me from marrying whomever I choose.”
Sesshōmaru’s words echoed in her mind, and she scoffed, turning away from the window. Of course Sesshōmaru couldn’t marry whomever he chose. What kind of world would they live in if everyone just got to marry a person because they felt like it?
Marry a person because they…
Yes.
In a flash, Inukimi was back at her desk, picking up her phone, and dialing an extension. “Yes, hello, Shiori?” she said when the bat hanyō executive assistant answered the phone. “Is he in?” She smiled at Shiori’s response. “Good,” she said. “Tell him that Inukimi wants to see him. Immediately.”
She hung up the phone, leaned back in her chair, and crossed her arms.
So, Sesshōmaru thought he could marry whoever he wanted, huh?
Taisho Inukimi could play that game, as well.
The sound of heavy footsteps and a loud, gruff voice outside of Inukimi’s office made her frown and momentarily reconsider her decision to go forward with this act. But she grit her teeth—this was for her son, after all!—and when she heard the “Why the fuck does Inukimi want to see me, anyway?” she sighed, and got to her feet, and opened her door to see her son’s half-brother, looming over her assistant’s desk, Kohaku grimacing and looking back at her, the relief plain on his face.
“Taisho-san!” he exclaimed. “You—you didn’t tell me that Inuyasha-san was coming to see you.”
“That’s because I only called Shiori fifteen minutes ago, Kohaku-kun,” she said, glaring at her son’s half-brother with disdain. The hanyō was slovenly and unkempt, unlike her son, who was the pinnacle of dignity and grace. Inuyasha today was wearing a white button-down shirt, of which he had (disgustingly!) rolled up the shirtsleeves. His dark blue tie was loosened, and his herringbone pants were slightly wrinkled. And was he wearing slip-on shoes, instead of proper tie shoes?
“I’m here, Inukimi.” His voice was harsh, and his golden eyes—so like her son’s, dammit!—flashed at her. His annoying ears—perched on top of his head, a marker of his hanyō heritage—flicked at her, and he let out a low growl. “What do you want?”
Inukimi rolled her eyes at his obnoxious display of masculinity. “In my office, Inuyasha.” Her eyes narrowed at him, and she let loose her yōki, just enough to show him that she was serious. “Now.”
Inuyasha huffed, but stormed past her into her office, muttering, “The fuck did I do now?”
“Have a seat, Inuyasha,” Inukimi said, closing the door first, then seating herself behind her desk and watching Inuyasha fold his long, muscular form into one of the desk chairs opposite her. “We need to have a chat.”
“I ain’t doing any extra work for ya, Inukimi,” he grunted uncouthly. “Sess just saddled me with a new account, and I already told him I’m gonna have to work extra to get caught up with all the background and the data and the figures that have already been put together.”
“It is ‘work,’ Inuyasha,” Inukimi told him, now leaning forward and placing her forearms on the desk, “but not in the way you think.”
Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed, and Inukimi had to give it to him—he was right to be suspicious. “Then what do you want with me?” he asked.
Inukimi sighed, leaned back, and reached into her top right desk drawer. She pulled out a nail file, and began to absently file her long, treacherous nails, staring at Inuyasha as she did so. She saw his body tremble when she dragged the file along her nail, and she smirked at his discomfort.
Good. She wanted him uncomfortable.
“I have a proposition for you,” she said after a moment, still filing her nails absently. “One that involves you…and me…and your brother.”
“Half-brother,” Inuyasha said immediately, but from the way his eyes were gleaming, Inukimi could tell that he was interested. “What about Sess?”
“Do you know about Kaze Kagura?” Inukimi asked.
Inuyasha snorted. “I can’t understand why anyone like her would date Sesshōmaru,” he snarked.
Inukimi chose to ignore that remark. “Sesshōmaru has informed me today that he plans to propose to this…Kagura person,” she continued. “And that I cannot control who he marries.”
“He’s not wrong about that,” Inuyasha pointed out.
“Perhaps,” Inukimi countered, “but he does, at the very least, need my approval.”
“And you don’t plan to give it?” he asked, clearly surprised. “Why would you keep Sesshōmaru from getting married? He’s an ice prince, and an ass, and to find someone who tolerates all that…”
“If I cannot control who he marries,” Inukimi said loudly, interrupting him, “then he cannot control who I marry.”
“Wait.” Inuyasha’s face was twisted in confusion, one fang poking unceremoniously below his lower lip as he tried to sort out what she was saying. “I didn’t even know you were dating anyone, Inukimi. But you’re getting married, too?”
Inukimi’s laugh was bright, and tinkling. “Oh, my poor, dear boy,” she said, leaning forward to take one of Inuyasha’s hands across the desk, “of course I’m not dating anyone.”
Inuyasha’s brow furrowed even more. “Then…then why…” His ears suddenly perked up. “Oh,” he said, the realization and the horror dawning on his face. “Oh, fuck no…”
“Come on, Inuyasha,” Inukimi cajoled. “This would be the perfect way to teach your brother a lesson, don’t you think? He thinks he can marry anyone he wants? Sure, let’s let him marry whoever he wants. But that also means that I get to marry who I want, and it just so happens, that…
“I want to marry you.”
Inukimi watched, amused, as Inuyasha’s face drained of color.
“You—you want to marry—you want to—” He couldn’t even get the words out, and Inukimi laughed again.
“Yes, Inuyasha,” she purred, his hand still in hers. “I want to marry you.”
“But why?” he burst out.
Inukimi dropped his hand, got to her feet, and began to pace around the room. “Just picture it,” she told him. “Your brother thinks that, when it comes to love and marriage, he can do whatever he wants. But he’s forgotten that I am the one who raised him, that I am the one who knows him best. He’s forgotten that I am the one who has loved him, unconditionally, his entire life. The only one,” she said, and then finished with, “in addition to your father, I suppose,” when Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest.
“But now he thinks he can just do whatever he wants,” she said, “and that he can marry anyone who he desires. But marriage is much more than just being in love, or being sexually attracted to anyone—oh, don’t make that face, Inuyasha, I’m older than you, but I’m still a vibrant, beautiful yōkai with needs,” she added at the look of disgust on his face. “Anyway, he wants to marry Kagura? Fine. Let him. But in return, he’s going to see what it’s like when a person he cares about marries someone he disapproves of.”
“And I guess I’m the person he would disapprove of most, huh?” Inuyasha leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Inukimi nodded. “Absolutely,” she replied. She strode over to Inuyasha, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Tell me, Inuyasha,” she said, “do you like your brother much?”
“He’s—he’s a bit of an ass,” Inuyasha admitted after a moment, “but he’s not the worst person in the world.” His eyes lingered on Inukimi for a little bit too long after that comment, and she hissed under her breath, and he frowned at her.
“If—if I were to do this,” he said slowly, “what’s in it for me?”
Inukimi was…surprised. She hadn’t expected him to agree, really, and if he had, she figured it would just be for the joy of sticking it to his brother. “The glory of pranking your brother?” she replied. “Is that not enough?”
Inuyasha cleared his throat and tugged on the collar of his shirt. “Uh, yeah,” he said, “that’s kind of the whole big draw. But, you see, Inukimi…” His voice got softer. “There’s…this girl…that I like…like, a lot…and I’ve planning a big confession and everything, but…”
“Girl?” Inukimi said abruptly. “What girl?”
“Oh,” Inuyasha said with a wave of his hand, “you know her, I think? Higurashi Kagome. Higurashi Kenji’s granddaughter. He and Jaken are great friends. Kagome’s been coming to the family compound to hang out with me while her ojiji and Jaken play Go since she was a kid. We…that is, I…” He paused; Inukimi could see that he was blushing, and she suppressed a laugh. Really, he was just such a child about some things!
“She’s always been…really nice to me,” he continued, “and I think that maybe, she likes me, and I definitely like her, and…”
“Then why haven’t you told her how you feel yet?” Inukimi demanded impatiently. She felt like stamping her foot—this little piece of information was threatening to foil her perfect plan!
“Because—” he tugged at the collar of his shirt again “—I just—what if she doesn’t like me back, and I’ve ruined our friendship for nothing? What if she does, and we date, and things fall apart, and we can’t be friends anymore? What if—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Inuyasha,” Inukimi snapped, clapping her hands in frustration, “you need to get yourself together!” His eyes snapped up at her harsh words, and he growled, but she growled right back, and rubbed her face with her hands.
“All right,” she said after a moment. “You like this girl. You don’t know if she likes you back. So you’re hesitating telling her how you feel, because you like being friends with her, too, and are afraid that she will stop being friends with you if she knows you like her.”
Inuyasha cleared his throat again (so many bodily noises; what kind of child had Izayoi raised?). “That—that sounds about right,” he said.
Inukimi thought rapidly. There had to be a way they could work something out.
“I’ll help you,” she said at last. “You help me teach Sesshōmaru a lesson, and I’ll help you figure out a way to confess to this Kagon girl.”
“Kagome.” Inuyasha’s voice was dark.
“Right,” Inukimi replied hurriedly, “Kagome.” She went back around to her seat and eased herself down, crossing her legs and setting her hands in a fist on the desk. “You want…this girl,” Inukimi said. “And I want to show my son that he just can’t go off and do whatever he feels like doing when it comes to his love life. What do you think, Inuyasha?” she said at last, turning her gaze on him fully. “Are you in?”
“You’ll really help me with Kagome?” Gods, he was pitiful with those little begging golden eyes and sad little face.
Inukimi sighed. “Yes, Inuyasha,” she said. “I’ll help you confess to Kagon—me.”
Inuyasha leaned forward, pressing his hands into the table, a slow grin spreading over his face.
“All right, Inukimi,” he said, “but I want more than just your help confessing to Kagome.”
“But…you want…” Inukimi was confused, and trying hard to retain her icy exterior. He had just said…why would he change his mind?
“Fine,” she huffed out. “What else do you want?”
“That.” His finger was pointing at her chest…NO.
At the amulet Inukimi always wore around her neck.
“Absolutely not,” she hissed, her hand coming up to protect her necklace. “This is a family heirloom. I’m not going to give it to you.”
For him to ask for her amulet was…unheard of. Uncalled for. All of the above.
The necklace was long, beaded with large, flawless pearls; the pendant itself was pure gold, with a large, vibrant amethyst set in the center. It has been given to her by her grandmother on the day of her wedding to Tōga; she’d worn it all these years, even though the marriage was long over.
She…she couldn’t…
“Not a chance,” she snapped, tightening her grip on the pendant. “As I said, Inuyasha, this is a family heirloom.”
“And I thought you didn’t want Sess to get married?” he snarked. “Who would you have to give it to, then?”
Inukimi couldn’t answer him. She’d thought, of course, about giving it to a granddaughter someday, but…
Inuyasha pushed his chair back. “No necklace, no deal, Inukimi,” he said, getting to his feet. “And looks like Sess will marry Kagura, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“What would you do with it?” Inukimi cried, suddenly desperate to get him to stay, to listen.
Inuyasha shrugged. “Give it to Kagome,” he said, “as a sign of my commitment to her.”
Inukimi groaned. That was even worse than what she had expected!
“But if you can’t give me what I’m asking for, Inukimi-okaasan,” he added, his fangs glinting, “then you’ll have to come up with another plan.” He waved offhandedly at her. “I’ll see myself out.”
“Wait!” Her body was moving of its own accord; she dashed after him and, his hand on the doorknob, she reached out and grabbed his other wrist. He paused, and turned his head, and met her pleading stare with a harsh gaze of his own.
“What’ll it be, Inukimi?” he asked. “Last chance.”
She couldn’t…she wouldn’t…
“Fine!” she exclaimed, tugging him away from the door. “Fine.” She went back to her chair and plopped down in it. “You help me get Sesshōmaru to see reason, and I’ll…I’ll give you the necklace.”
She watched as Inuyasha’s grin became a smirk. He settled himself back into his chair and leaned forward, his chin in his hands.
“All right,” he said, offering his hand to seal the deal. “One prevented marriage, for one family heirloom. Deal?”
I can’t believe I am about to do this…
“Deal,” Inukimi ground out, shaking Inuyasha’s hand, making sure her claws caught the flesh of his palm. He growled, took his hand away, and scowled.
“All right, Inukimi-okaasan,” he said, folding his arms over his chest as she growled at his use of the honorific, “tell me what you have in mind.”