Chapter 147

Constant interruptions

“MAI!” Inuyasha’s voice yelled.

Abruptly, Sesshomaru pulled back and Mai swiftly readjusted her haori, horribly blushing.

“Come in!” she called in a slightly trembling voice, as she and Sesshomaru were nearly caught red-handed on making out. Dear god, that was the second time today!

The door slid open and to the main room marched Inuyasha, Kagome, along with Sango, Miroku and Shippo with Kirara in his hands. Jaken and Ah-Un also came.

“I’m soaked!” Kagome complained.

“Um… guys, what are you all doing here?” Mai asked, as all of them already invited themselves in and began making themselves comfortable, while happily ignoring the glares full of hatred, that Sesshomaru was sending them. 

Inuyasha shook of the water in a typically dog-like way, wetting everything around him.

“It’s raining outside.” He said, as though explained everything. Kagome sighed and came closer to Mai.

“Kaede’s hut is destroyed, so we don’t have any place to sleep. 

We wanted to camp outside, but it started to rain and we met Rin-chan, who told us, that you live here alone, starting today.” She explained thoroughly.

“We hope, that we’re not making you too much trouble, Mai.” Sango added. Mai stared at them bewildered, not having an idea, what to say without blowing her and Sesshomaru’s cover.

“Keh!” Inuyasha folded his arms. “It’s a big house, there’s plenty place for us.”

“I guess, that you can stay tonight.” The girl said, feeling Sesshomaru’s angry glare boring into her back. 

Inuyasha’s group made themselves comfortable, while Ah-Un and Jaken curled in the corner. 

The hanyou looked around and eventually his gaze landed on his older brother. He frowned.

“Hey, Sesshomaru, what are you doing here anyway?” he asked rudely as ever. 

The inu-youkai glared at him with clearly murderous intentions, barely refraining himself from stating, that it was his house as well.

“Hn. I was merely escorting the human women here.” He said through the clenched teeth.

“Huh?” Inuyasha arched his eyebrow, grinning smugly. “She has been escorted. Now get your ass out of here!”

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and growled at his younger brother, while clenching his fist. Mai cursed, seeing that the dog demon was preparing to punch the hanyou. Crap, they’ll destroy her house. She grabbed firmly the sleeve of her husband’s haori.

“There will be no fighting in this house!” she stated in a voice, that allowed no objections. “Inuyasha, Sesshomaru stays here. Sesshomaru, don’t break the walls with Inuyasha.”

“Keh!” Inuyasha marched to sit in one corner of the room.

“Hn.” Sesshomaru moved to rest under the opposite wall.

Once the brothers had been pacified, Kagome grabbed Sango and Mai and dragged them to the neighboring room. The girl cast a longing look at her husband, as Kagome slammed the door shut. Crap, this was not how she pictured her first night with Sesshomaru in her new home. There was supposed to be some cuddling and kissing instead of bunch of her friends storming into the house.

Kagome didn’t let Mai’s desperate face expression bother her. She took out her sleeping bag and unrolled it, slipping inside. Mai and Sango laid on the floor. The girl sighed. It would be extremely suspicious if she went to see Sesshomaru in the middle of the night. Besides, Inuyasha would surely wake up.

“Mai, we’ve been wondering all day, where you were.” Kagome accused her humorously. Mai faked a smile.

“You know, I had to take a look at the house and such…” she blushed, thinking of the other activities, the one including certain passionate dog demon…

“Whatever. It’s a nice house, although a little bit ruined.” Kagome said casually. “Anyway, we should talk about Sango’s wedding.”

“When it’s taking place?” Mai asked. 

Sango blushed.

“The day after tomorrow.” The demon-slayer explained. “Miroku and I decided, that the ceremony will take place on a clearing in the forest, you know, because of the effects of Naraku’s miasma.”

Mai nodded. Right, the ground near the village was bare. She had this luck, that her house was in the still green area.

“We’ll make garlands.” Kagome said with a dreamy look on her face, suspiciously looking at Mai. 

The girl shook her head.

“Don’t look at me. I have no talent for that. Ask Rin.” The girl said, yawning.

“Mushin-sama will conduct the ceremony, Kaede and I have almost everything ready. We must only get kimonos for Sango and Miroku, but Inuyasha and me will handle this in the morning.” Kagome bragged on about the wedding. Sango seemed to be excited and Mai was plainly happy, that none of the tasks was hers. She relaxed and closed her eyes, listening to her friend’s blabbering. “When you hold a Shinto wedding, there must be two mikos to assist the priest. I can be the one, but Kaede is too old for such things. I thought, that you could replace her, Mai.”

Mai’s eyes snapped open.

“No way.” She rejected Kagome’s idea. “I’m not a miko anyway.”

“Mai,” Sango begun. “There’s no need for you to be a miko. You have to only be a maiden, that’s all. I am counting on you!” The demon-slayer said with a hopeful smile on her lips.

“Eh…” Mai had no idea, how should she refuse. She was definitely NOT a maiden – she was a married woman, even though she was still a virgin. 

However, given Sesshomaru’s enthusiasm, her virgin days would soon be over. Either way, she should decline.

“Sango, I’m sorry, but no. I get nervous during public events and I’d just spoil everything.” She made an unconvincing excuse.

“Mai!” Kagome protested.

“Pick someone else!” Mai snapped.

“It’s all right.” Sango cut, preventing the argument. “I won’t make you, Mai. Oh, I’m so nervous, that something will go wrong!” She said with a worried face. 

“The ceremony is long.” Kagome agreed with a look of concern.

“Nah, no worries!” Mai yawned. “All you have to do is to remember the vows. The other thing you need is a butt of steel, cause it’s going to be boring.”

 

Sango and Kagome gawked at her. The demon-slayer giggled.

“Mai, you said with such a confidence, that one could think, that you’re went through a wedding ceremony!” Sango laughed.

“Don’t be silly.” Mai mumbled, rolling onto the other side, so that the girls wouldn’t see her scarlet face.

Suddenly, she stood up.

“Mai, where you’re going?” Kagome questioned her.

“Bathe.” The girl answered shortly. 

Earlier there was much going on, but now she noticed, that she was smelling really badly – she was still in the clothes stolen from the Asakura castle five days ago. She opened the door and went to the room, that served as a bathing room. She heard footsteps behind her – Kagome and Sango were following her. The girl sighed. It couldn’t be helped. At least Kagome had shampoo and hair conditioner. Along the way Mai snatched one of her few remaining kimonos from packs on Ah-Un’s back and three of them went into the old bathing room.

The room was quite spacious and in the tub could fit three persons with ease. Everything was dusty.

“I wonder if it works.” Sango said, unscrewing the tap, that conducted the rainwater. 

Luckily it did. The water was cold, but better cold than none. The girls undressed and got into the tub. Mai was worried about her horrible abrasions and bruises, but needlessly, as the three of them looked like some veterans.

“The bath is great!” Kagome sighed, washing her hair.

“God, I didn’t wash myself for five days, it’s like heaven!” Mai exclaimed.

Sango nodded, relaxing. Suddenly she squinted her eyes, looking at Mai’s neck.

“Mai,” she began, brushing the girl’s hair out of the way. “are those kiss marks again?”

Mai stiffened, cursing Sesshomaru for making the damn hickeys. She stared at the demon-slayer, feeling like a deer in the headlights.

“Eh…” she muttered, when all of them heard a strange sound, like scratching. 

The girls tensed.

“I don’t sense any youki.” Sango whispered.

“Neither do I.” Kagome agreed. Mai didn’t have a faintest idea, what were they talking about, as she lacked such abilities. The demon slayer slowly got out of the tub, reaching for a knife hidden in her kimono. Mai and Kagome followed her. The scratching stilled.

Suddenly, the girl felt something slimy wrap around her leg. She looked down, terrified and saw a tentacle.

“SESSHOMARU!” Mai shrieked, trying to kick off the tentacle.

“INUYASHA!” Kagome screamed, as her leg was also captured, while Sango clenched her hand around the hilt of the blade and the knife danced.

Miroku sighed heavily. Somehow he couldn’t sleep with two silver-haired brothers glaring at each other from the opposite corners of the room. The atmosphere was so thick, that it could be cut with the knife.

“Sesshomaru!”

“Inuyasha!”

The monk recognized Mai’s and Kagome’s voices. Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru jumped on their feet and rushed towards the source of the screams, with Miroku right behind them.

Sango just managed to slay the octopus demon, as the door to the bathing room flew inside, being kicked out. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha leapt into the room with Miroku running behind them.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha yelled and the uncomfortable silence fell as the men stared first at the dead octopus-youkai and then at the three completely naked girls.

And then the chaos ensued. 

“OSUWARI!” Kagome shouted, covering herself with her hands. Inuyasha with a surprised yelp got slammed into the floor. Mai blushed fiercely and attempted to cover herself as well. Sesshomaru got over the first shock - he decided to defend his wife’s honor and hide her from the eyes of other males. He leapt towards her, stepping on Inuyasha, who was just trying to get up.

“You pervert!” Sango shrieked at Miroku, grabbing the shampoo and throwing it at her fiancé. Sesshomaru dodged it only thanks to his demonic speed and landed before Mai.

“Sesshomaru.” She mumbled, blushing. The demon averted his gaze from her naked body and put his arms around her, so that the long sleeves of his haori would cover her. The girl sent him a grateful look.

“Kagome!” Inuyasha yelled, getting up.

“Don’t look! OSUWARI!” she shouted back at him, slamming him back into the floor. Mai winced at the sight. She was now standing with her back to Sesshomaru, observing the whole commotion, safely wrapped in the white fabric.

“If she keeps doing that, our floor will be ruined.” Mai commented.

“Indeed.” The dog demon answered, slightly pitying his hanyou brother.

“Sango, honey…” the monk began, but was instantly hit with something.

“Get out!” the demon-slayer shrieked. Miroku fled the bathroom and Sango leapt for her kimono. Mai decided to call her.

“Sango, can you please throw me my kimono as well?” she called to the demon slayer. Sango snatched Mai’s clothes, once she was dressed and turned to Mai, looking shocked.

“Um… Mai?” she began, pointing at Sesshomaru, who was standing behind her all the time, patiently covering her with his sleeves. Inuyasha lifted his head from the ground and also stared at the pair, tilting his head.

“Eh? What the hell are you doing, Sesshomaru?” he asked suspiciously. “Are you and Mai…”

His older brother sent him a murderous glare the girl’s face went red from embarrassment.

“Do not be foolish, Inuyasha. I merely protect my belonging from the filthy eyes of a hanyou.” Sesshomaru snapped and turned to Sango. “Demon-slayer, are you going to give her that kimono or not?”

Dumbfounded Sango quickly passed the clothes to Mai and the inu-youkai’s glare made everyone to turn around to let the girl dress in privacy.

Once she got dressed, Inuyasha looked at his brother and a wide grin appeared on his face.

“Something tells me, that Sesshomaru has a thing for a human!” he mocked the demon. Sesshomaru got really pissed. His eyes turned red and youki swirled around him.

“Shit.” Mai cursed and ran to Kagome. “Sit him before Sesshomaru destroys the house!”

Her friend cast a quick look at Mai and then at the brothers. Inuyasha was already ripping out Tessaiga.

“Osuwari!” she shouted, sending the hanyou to the floor again.

“What was that for?!” Inuyasha complained, jumping on his feet right in time to get punched by Sesshomaru’s fist and crash trough the wall. Mai felt her blood boiling in her at the sight of devastated bathroom. She took a deep breath.

“Out!” she yelled. “Both of you! I don’t care if you stupid dogs want to kill each other, but do it outside!” 

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stared at her, the identical looks of disbelief on their faces, as Mai turned on her heel and marched out of the bathing room, pissed. Kagome and Sango trotted behind her.

“Mai…” Kagome began, but Mai interrupted her.

“Just drop it.” The girl sighed heavily.

“Mai, wake up!” Kagome’s voice nagged. Mai slowly opened her one eye.

“Hmm…what?” she muttered, yawning.

“Get up! Sango needs help with the decorations!” her friend kept pestering Mai.

The girl cursed under her nose and sat up, only to see the demon-slayer’s hopeful face.

“Okay.” She agreed finally and Kagome yanked her up.

The black-haired girl took Inuyasha and flew on Kirara away, as she had to get the wedding kimonos for Miroku and Sango. Mai had the time only to look at Sesshomaru, before she was whisked away by the demon-slayer, who made her manufacture some ribbon decorations. The girl sighed, as it wasn’t they way it should be. Damn, she and Sesshomaru would have to tell everyone about their marriage eventually. 

She was sitting in the clearing, that was picked for the place of ceremony and tying the damn ribbons, accompanied by Sango and Shippo. Rin was playing with Shiori with Jaken watching the kids, Miroku had to oversee the building of his future newlyweds’ nest and Sesshomaru was nowhere to be seen since morning – probably he was fed up by the presence of the humans.

“Sister!” Mai and Sango turned, hearing Kohaku’s voice. The boy ran onto the clearing. “Sister, miko Kaede needs to see you now. Oh, and Shippo too.” He breathed out quickly.

“Oh.” Sango stood up and looked at Mai. “Mai, you’re going too?”

“No!” Kohaku cut in, before the girl managed to think of an answer. 

The fox demon sent the younger demon-slayer a suspicious look, as the boy was dragging him and his sister towards the village. Kohaku looked over his shoulder and blinked at Mai. The girl furrowed her brows, wondering what was that for. Shrugging her shoulders, she sat down and continued tying the colorful ribbons.

Suddenly, she heard rustling behind her. She whirled around, expecting the danger, but there was someone else standing on the edge of the forest.

“Sesshomaru!” she exclaimed, getting up and making her way to the dog demon.

“Kohaku managed to do his part.” The inu-youkai stated, closing the distance between him and his spouse. 

“Oh.” Mai muttered, slightly surprised that the boy was Sesshomaru’s accomplice.

“Those stupid humans interfere too much.” He stated. The girl sighed.

“We should tell them after the wedding. If we don’t, your brother will be living with us.” She said. 

The dog demon frowned at the mention of Inuyasha.

“Yes.” He agreed and smirked mischievously, pulling her closer. 

Mai looked at him and closed her eyes, parting her lips slightly, expecting the kiss. Sesshomaru leaned down and was about to claim her lips, when his youkai ears picked up the noisy humans coming back. Irritated, he pulled back from Mai, who gazed at him questioningly.

“Sneak out of the house at midnight. I will meet you in the woods.” He told her shortly before letting go of her and leaping into the woods.

Mai sighed, disappointed. This secret was a pain in the ass. Soon Sango and Shippo came back, accompanied by Kagome and Inuyasha, who returned already. The rest of the day the girl spent on making the wedding preparations and taking part in countless rehearsals, eagerly anticipating her secret night date with Sesshomaru. Actually it was kind of exciting – meeting a handsome youkai at midnight…. 

Kagome looked suspiciously at Mai’s dreamy smile. She had a hunch, that his friend was hiding something from her and she would find out what. She even made some preparations already.

Author Note:

Hey, guys. Here was another helping of comedy before... you know... surprise.
Thank you for all your wonderful reviews. Be sure to send me more, because today I'm in an especially good mood, eager to update once again!