The Sickness

"I see you two are getting along just fine." Kanzi smiled at that, then got more serious. "I need to discuss something with you and Sesshomaru in private. Follow me please." She then lead Ruko to where Sesshomaru and Inuyasha still seemed to be talking about something of what she wasn't sure.

"I need to borrow Sesshomaru for a moment. Would you mind keeping Elsie company for a minute?" She asked Inuyasha, they hadn't had much interaction back when the brothers had their infamous feud. So when they actually met there was no exepcations or bad blood, so it was a new start in a way. They had an all right relationship; and Inuyasha had actually grown on her over time.

Sesshomaru's face was passive, but inside he was wondering just what his mother wanted to discuss.

Inuyasha blinked, then shrugged. "Eh, sure, I can watch the midget for a bit." Despite his words, he seemed a bit pleased. After all, family was family. That was something he'd learned over the years. He left, and Ruko went to stand next to Sesshomaru, taking his hand and smiling up at him before turning to Kanzenabi.

Kanzenabi wondered how exactly she was going to say this, but then decided just to be truthful and let the chips fall where they may. That was usually the best approach.

"I'm not going to dance around the issue, so I'll get straight to the point. You remember Fala leaving for family affairs, right?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes, that's why she had been gone according to her."

"That's just a cover." She said, and continued. "The truth is, Fala is in heat. I don't need to tell you what the effects of a female Neko in heat would have on a Dog Demon, hence why she left during those times. However, its getting progressively worse so without a mate.." Kanzi paused. "So I'm worried a bit about her as well because heat, if not taken care of long enough could have negative effects on the person in more ways then one."

"So that said.." She looked between the two. "What do you want to do?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, thinking. before opening them "..For once, I'm not sure. I wouldn't simply throw her out but...that heat however.."

Ruko was visibly shocked by the news. She went through her own heat as well, and she knew that at those times, she'd had trouble controlling herself even around that monster of a man, Viero. Thankfully, her instincts of fear had overridden her mating instincts in those cases. Fala, however, didn't have anything to temper her instincts toward mating. She was silent at first, thinking. After a long moment, she turned to Sesshomaru. "Master...can you and Mom take everyone else out somewhere for a bit? I'd like to talk to Fala alone. I had to spend several years repressing my own heat, so I think I can relate a bit...is that okay?"

Sesshomaru wouldn't know anything about heat of course so he didn't have any problems with Ruko wanting to talk to Fala a bit in private and neither did Kanzenabi.

"We'll leave it to you then, we'll be back in a bit. I'll make sure everyone stays unwounded and healthy when we return, except perhaps Jaken." Kanzi's voice was so matter a fact it was hard to tell if she was serious about the last part.

Not that anyone cared.

* *

About two hours passed before the group had came back to the mansion, Elsie was riding on her uncles shoulders as the two seem to hit it off fairly well. Other then that, things had been pretty routine and Kanzi had stayed by Leila's side most of the time or just talked with Inuyasha to catch up.

Both Kanzi and Sesshomaru were curious just what exactly Ruko and Fala had discussed, but more then likely at least Sesshomaru would hear about it soon since the heat Did involve him.

When everyone returned, if they cared to look, they would find Ruko and Fala in Sesshomaru's bedroom. Ruko was sitting on the bed, and Fala was laying on it, her head in Ruko's lap. Fala seemed to have been crying recently, but she was now fast asleep, looking rather peaceful as Ruko affectionately stroked the sleeping Neko's hair. At the same time, Leila made her way back to her room, looking rather tired. Inuyasha set Elsie down on the floor, ruffling her hair a bit, before citing that he needed to head back to headquarters.

Sesshomaru went to his room, picking up Fala and Ruko's scent both there and grew curious; even more so when he saw Fala and what appeared to be crying earlier. Like usual, he didn't show what he was thinking at least it was hard to read for people who didn't know him well, but he was worried.

"What happened?" He asked quitely, closing the door.

* *

Kanzenabi was a bit disappointed. "Leaving so soon? Hang on one minute. Before you leave I have to give you something." She went into the kitchen, coming back with a container of some sort, giving it to Inuyasha. "Here. It's my cookies I made the other day when I heard you were coming over."

"Aw, but I wanted some more." Shippo seemed to pout, she barely made those.

Kanzi chuckled and patted the young Fox Demon on the head. "I already made some for you, its only fair I give Inuyasha some too."

Ruko looked up at Sesshomaru, and smiled softly. "We talked, mostly. She tried to hide something from me, but it seems she underestimated me...I'm smarter than people think...that, and I'd recognize that emotion anywhere..." She was silent for a long moment, then frowned a bit sadly. "...Master...how long have you known Fala? And...what is she to you? I'm just curious how much she means to you."

~~~~

Inuyasha blinked, but accepted the cookies with barely hidden eagerness. "Yeah, sure, I can take these off your hands. Thanks." He wasn't one to instigate hugs except in the most dire of circumstances, but he almost gave in there. He'd never thought that Sesshomaru's mother, of all people, would ever adopt him, informally or otherwise, but he was glad she did. It was almost like having his mother back at times. "Anyway, I should get going." He started out the door, waving back as he went. "Later."

"I've known Fala for at least four years now. She's a dear friend, I'm not sure where things would be if she wasn't here.." Sesshomaru knew something was going on, and he started thinking Something was clicking. Fala crying, the fact Ruko understand the emotion..there was something else. He only had a fair guess. "..Ruko, does Fala have feelings for me?"

* *

"Stay safe." Kanzi waved back to him as Inuyasha left then turned to Elsie and Shippo, crouching down. "Now, as for you two, do you want to help me make dinner? Grandmother is getting quite old you see. She needs support from her adorable little granddaughter and the young handsome fox demon."

Ruko smiled a bit warmly, glancing down at Fala. "Only if you count love as a feeling, Master...that's why she leaves...because she doesn't think she could control herself. It's bad enough with her heat, but if she was around you, she knows she'd be unable to resist...also, the pheromones she'd give out would drive you crazy, and she said she knew you'd beat yourself up about it if you did something. She said you were the kind of person that would think you'd taken advantage of her..." She then looked at Sesshomaru with an oddly penetrating look, looking almost deathly serious. "What do you think is the best solution, Master?"

The old saying you could 'cut the tension with a knife' applied here, or more accurately you couldn't cut through it even with Inuyasha's over-sized sword. For a long time or perhaps it just seemed longer because of the silence, Sesshomaru seemed to be thinking and wrestling with a few things, of what who was to say.

Finally..

"I don't know." That was a first for Sesshomaru, admitting that but if nothing else he was honest. "I want to help Fala but I can't give her what she wants or needs and you're my mate now. That further complicates it. I can't just.." He paused for a while, looking at her. "What do you think?"

Ruko cocked her head to the side, running her fingers through Fala's hair. "I just want you and Fala to be happy, Master. I know what would make her happy, so what would make you happy? If you had the options, what would you want to do?" She just watched Sesshomaru still, though with less intensity than before.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "I would just be happy if she had a mate and this heat wasn't causing her to suffer anymore. But I know now its not just anyone but someone specific, me in particular. And that's the problem with things how they are now."

Ruko closed her eyes, the faintest of smiles forming on her lips. "...The fact that you aren't suggesting the obvious solution says alot about you...I'm glad you accepted me as your mate." She reopened her eyes, the faint smile growing into a warm, sweet one, before she turned her attention fully to Fala, stroking her hair again. After a moment of silence, she asked casually, "Master, if someone was so inclined, how many mates may they have, and it be recognized?"

"It depends. But for me it would be about four.." Sesshomaru looked at her more closely. "You're saying you wouldn't have a problem with me having another mate, in other words. Honestly, I wasn't looking for more then one mate but.." He glanced at Fala. "I would be willing to give it a try if its something you're truly all right with and it would make her happy."

Ruko looked up at Sesshomaru with curious eyes. "Four? How interesting....doesn't really matter at the moment though....though something Fala said made me think that there's another person with feelings for you. I have some ideas who it might be. Anyway, I would have hit you with a pillow if you'd said no." She smiled cutely. "And if you still said no, I'd just have had to make you say yes. I can be pretty persuasive when I want!" She puffed out her chest almost proudly, having fun with this.

Sesshomaru watched Ruko for a moment as she did this, something going through his head at the time for when they had some time alone. "Really now? I think I wouldn't mind seeing that."

Ruko was rather confused by what Seshomaru was getting at, but shrugged. "Master, what should I do with Fala for now though? Should I take her to bed, or let her sleep here in our bed? She will eventually, but not sure whether or not she could handle the shock of waking up in bed with us."

"For now? I think it would be best to take Fala back into her room, otherwise it might be a bit too much at once." We'll, he had another motive for doing this besides, but Ruko would find out soon enough. The only thing he wondered about if she was a bit more loud then normal. If so, Kanzi and Leila would likely tease and Elsie would wonder what was going on.

Ruko nodded, and stood, gently picking up the sleeping Fala and carrying her, funnily enough, like a bride as she carried her from the room. She returned a few minutes later, smiling at Sesshomaru warmly. "We'll tell her together in the morning, then?" She went over to the closet, looking for the pajama's that were there. Fala had taken it upon herself to take Ruko shopping when she'd been showing her around, and had moved Ruko's things into Sesshomaru's room once she found out about them becoming mates.

It was then Sesshomaru made his move, coming silently behind her with the stealth he was known for. His arms came around the slim waist of the female dragon, pulling er close to himself. He knew what he wanted and he had a feeling Ruko wouldn't refuse him. From there he began kissing the young dragons neck.

Ruko blinked in surprise as Sesshomaru's arms wound around her waist, stopping what she was doing to wait and see what he'd do. Then he kissed her neck, and she shuddered a bit, her eyes becoming lidded, a soft growl coming from her as she lightly pressed herself back against him. "...I was wondering when this was going to happen, Master. I assume this means what I think?"

The action actually caused Sesshomaru to growl a bit. Instincs were something he thought as a weakness in the past, a crutch or weak point of a feeble mind who couldn't keep a clear head. Now, however, he didn't really mind as much not anymore and not with Ruko.

Besides, I've learned that showing these feelings out in the open makes you strong. Not weak.

"Yes it does." Sesshomaru stopped kissing her a neck for a moment, his hands extending to sharper claws for a moment before he ripped Ruko's top off, revealing her large breast. Ruko was his now, and after tonight he intended to make sure everyone else knew it; or particularly other races that had a strong sense of smell.

"What kind of sounds will I be able to get you to make I wonder?" He seemed to ask the question more to himself, lifting her up a bit and moving her towards the bed. He let Ruko sit in his lap once there, continue to kiss her before going towards her breast. At the moment he was somewhat impatient, at the same time he wanted to see his Ruko like this for the first time so he could afford a bit more patience.

Ruko didn't seem surprised at all when her top was ripped off, though she glanced at the torn remains and sighed. 'Good thing Fala got me multiple uniforms.' She simply let Sesshomaru carry her to the bed, a soft smile on her lips. She rather calmly returned the kiss, and let out a low moan as his lips trailed toward her breasts. It had been years since a man had touched her, and she missed it. Of course, considering she'd had to suppress her heat during those years as well, she could only imagine what would happen when it came around again.

Sesshomaru was pleased to hear that, but he found his patience for this wasn't as good as he thought. So with that in mind, he stopped kissing her breast just enough to remove his shirt; and reluctantly had to move back a bit to get the rest of his clothes off. Ruko, however, took a much shorter time and after that he pushed her onto her back.

He didn't waste much time after that, his large length pushing inside his mate for the first time. She was tight, very much so and it had been a while since he bothered having sex. Either way, he was going to make sure Ruko enjoyed this as much as possible.