The Taisho fire

Interrogation

Many hours passed, and the former general had yet to find his elusive son. He had to fend off Towa's many ideas for a wedding at the Shiro, the final victory obtained when, at last, Gwen reminded the bubbly half demon that her family wouldn't be allowed to attend. The setback was efficient enough for them to consider what they really wanted, alone.

And once their minds were aligned, Gwen dragged Tōga to the piano room and they sat together. Her little fingers started the familiar dance over the instrument and he sighed, transported by the peacefulness of her chosen pieces for the evening. The former general closed his eyes and allowed the music to soothe his aches. The leg still pained him, and his shoulder felt stiff.

Gwen was inspired, tonight, and she jumped from piece to piece, quoting a certain Jacob composer he didn't know about. Tōga watched her as she played, satisfied by the gentleness of her features. Albeit her hands played deftly, she seemed completely relaxed, shoulders moving slowly with the rhythm. Her left arm brushed his and he shifted aside to allow more access to the low keys. His movement caused him to spot a familiar hip-length mane drifting away.

Tōga stood at once and kissed Gwen's brow. Striding to the shōji doors, he found Sesshōmaru sitting on the engawa, a tray of sake with two cups laid out beside him. The tall man folded his right leg, and extended the left as he settled beside his... son ? In the background, the piano still ran, like a record of peaceful ambient music.

Sesshōmaru would never admit it, but the little human's pieces brought him solace. They were not difficult, neither masterfully composed like Chopin's music, but they soothed the mind. For once, he found interest in, what he usually called, amateur's music.

"We would like to hold a ceremony here, and a wedding in Europe."

"Hnn."

Sesshōmaru poured a cup of sake for his companion, a sign of deference that wasn't lost on his reincarnated father who accepted it with a hopeful smile. The daiyōkai did not yet know what to make of Tōga, but he knew that his daughter had won this round. Or rather, they had found a compromise.

"Gwen wants her family to be able to attend a traditional marriage."

A smirk crept on Sesshōmaru's face, suppressed at once; despite her good character, Towa could be incredibly forceful. Warning his father would be counterproductive; if his little human wanted to join this family, she would have to learn to stand her ground against half and quarter demons.

"Congratulations, Chichi-ue."

The words were offered with formality and ice, as was his custom. But despite the chill of his demeanour, Tōga beamed with pride. He wanted to scoff at the almost goofy expression; how pathetic, that the great dog general would be overjoyed to marry a weakling. How far he had fallen, now that his soul was trapped in a human body.

The truth was that, even as a yōkai, he'd been just as happy to marry a ningen hime. In the past, such action had brought disdain, both at court and in his son's heart. But Sesshōmaru had known love since then, and wouldn't begrudge Tōga his happiness.

"Kanpai," his former father toasted, drowning the entire cup of sake in one go. Sesshōmaru hummed in his cup, wondering how much yōkai sake it would take to fall him. The daiyōkai took note to swap the liquor, next time, for his own amusement. Who knew what Tōga would unveil under influence ? Now that his demon blood was diluted, Sesshōmaru had a chance to win the battle.

"The wait killed me," the former general confessed. "I needed to be able to kneel to make a proper proposal, and I just couldn't bend that stupid leg !"

Sesshōmaru froze at that, images of his own proposal to Rin, centuries ago, flashing in his mind. Kagome had explained how things were done, and to her greatest surprise, he had agreed to have Totosai forge a ring. But it wasn't the most surprising of all, for he had followed all human traditions at the time.

"Before Rin, I abhorred the idea of kneeling in front of anyone, let alone a ningen."

His father would have been the type to disgrace himself thus without thinking twice; he cared so deeply for others, and died for it. Sesshōmaru has sworn never to take this path; to surpass his father and shield his heart from anyone. Rin had busted all those oaths. The daiyōkai swallowed, the next words scorching his throat.

"After she died, I regretted not doing it more."

My pride got in the way, he sadly thought. Rin deserved so much more than a taciturn daiyōkai.

"Did she say so herself ?"

Sesshōmaru eyed his father suspiciously, wondering why he was speaking so earnestly. Why regrets suddenly poured out of him. Was it because Tōga so obviously showed his affection to Gwen ? Or because she, sometimes, reminded him of Rin ?

I shouldn't have drunk this second glass whiskey before I came here.

"From what your daughters told me, Rin was happy by your side."

Tōga's rumble caused his body to vibrate, the memory of being a pup tucked against his father at night causing a great longing to squeeze his heart. Happiness long buried, almost fuzzy. Days before Izayoi, before he grew up and started taking the mantle of young lord.

"Yes, she was. Should I get another chance..."

I would do things differently.

Golden eyes bore into his, slightly dulled by the brownish hues of humanity. But the understanding within... yes, Tōga knew exactly what he meant, he whose death was laden with regrets.

"You are proof that it can happen," Sesshōmaru eventually concluded.

The tall man that had once been his father nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this without my support."

Silence.

Yes. Tōga's absence had been keenly felt, if only because his mother and himself had to battle for decades to keep the western lands strong. But not only. How many times had he wished for his Chichi-ue's experience when his callous manners hurt Rin ? So often, he saw her face fall, her shoulders sag, and he was none the wiser. Had Tōga been there...

"I'm not the yōkai I once was", his former father said. "But I'd like to keep you in my life."

The daiyōkai blank glance was a dead giveaway that Sesshōmaru wasn't entirely convinced by the wisdom of such possibility. And so, deciding that having his son in his life was worth grovelling, Tōga refused to let that stare intimidate him.

"It won't fix my past mistakes. Nothing will, but perhaps we can build another kind of trust ?"

Sesshōmaru's gaze shifted to the shadows, trees and nature stretching as far as a human could see, the barrier of both reiki and yōki keeping people, noises and pollution at bay in this haven. His makeshift father didn't push, didn't pry. Perhaps, Sesshōmaru mused that this creature knew him better than he'd surmised.

But what kind of relationship could they build. Should he allow it ?

Equals ? Impossible, this new man can never be my equal. But perhaps it doesn't matter.

Eventually, he responded coolly.

"You were who you were, and I no different. Time changed us both."

A sibylline answer, but one that Tōga understood for what it was; regrets and forgiveness. The great Dog General never was a fool; his battle prowess, if renowned, weren't the qualities that had brought him to the top after all.

"Sure," Tōga grinned. "So what do we do about your mother ?"

Sesshōmaru brought the cup to his lips to hide a smirk.

"Dinner shall suffice."