InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strength of Bond ❯ Family ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: Edited 11/11/05.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha characters. Story is my own creation.

Translation and Pronunciation Guide:

Aa- (ah-ah) Yes- usually only used by males.

Ani- (ah-knee) Elder brother.

Ano- (ah-noh) Umm, uh.

Baka- (bah-kah) Moron, idiot.

Chichiue- (che-chew-eh) Father.Gaki- (gah-key) Brat.

Domo arigatou gozaimasu- (Doh-moh ah-ree-gah-toe goh-zy-e-mahs) Thank you very much (extremely formal and polite).

Gohan- (goh-hahn) Food, friend rice.

Haiguusha- (hah-e-goo-shah) Husband, wife, mate.

Hikaru- (he-kah-roo) Shine.

Hokuro- (hoh-coo-roh) A mole, beauty spot.

Keitai- (keh-e-tie) Slang for Cell Phone.

Kitsune- (ke-sue-neh) Fox.

Konoama- (koh-noh-ah-ma) Bitch.

Manga- (mahn-gah) Japanese comic books.

Mina- (me-nah) All, everything, everyone.

Nara- (nah-rah) Japanese oak.

Ne- (neh) At the end of a sentence, this is typically a slang question mark, similar to Ka. Usually females and children will use this term.

Ohayou gozaimasu- (oh-hi-oh go-zy-e-mahs) Good morning (formal).

Okaasan- (oh-kaah-sah-n) Mother. To pronounce really stress the aah as a short ah will give you Aunt instead of Mother.

Otouto- (oh-toe-toh) Little brother.

Sokudo- (soh-coo-doh) Speed, velocity.

Tampopo- (tahm-poh-poh) Dandelion.

Tomodachi- (toh-moh-dah-chee) Friend, make friends.

Tsugunau- (sue-goo-nah-oo) Compensate.

Tsunami- (sue-nah-me) Big wave.

Yukata- (you-kah-tah) Cotton robe similar to Kimono but with shorter sleeves. Does not always have an obi.

Warnings: Fluff, angst

Chapter 22

Sunlight filtered through the large windows that faced east, the brightness intensifying every passing minute, as the day grew longer. The door to the playroom was flung open with a careless motion, the metal handle of the door hitting the wall with a resounding crash. Five bodies once curled tightly into each other, were now separate entities seeking wakefulness. As they rubbed sleep from their eyes, they eventually registered several faces that peered at them from the doorway.

“What do we have here?” Sesshoumaru announced, and he glided into the room, his nose scrunched ever so slightly at a smell he picked up. His face was drawn ever so slightly, as if he had aged a century before their eyes. Whatever the root of this youkai's problem, Kagome prayed that she and her bonded were not a part of it.

“Ohayou gozaimasu, mina,” came the familiar, and older female voice of her mother. Her mother looked far worse than she had ever witnessed, including the day her father passed away. Did they know something? What was going to happen now? Inuyasha and her no longer had a place to live and Inuyasha had been removed from active duty to what? Protect her? Why was he suspended from his work? What were they going to do without an income and a home? Or was her mother stressed because of Shippou? What had happened to his family?

Kagome shifted her body, only to find that she couldn't move. Her face heated as she caught the knowing glint that had previously been hidden by the gaunt faces of her brother-in-law and mother. Sometime during the night her body had moved and curled into her bonded, her upper body held securely by the hanyou's strong arms. Souta, Rin, and Shippou were curled into their frame, as if they were the chicks of two cranes. Overall, it was one of those moments in time that one wishes cameras never existed.

Inuyasha's arms clenched around her body, and pulled her deeper into him. Heedless of his audience, after he had overcome the initial annoyance of company, he buried his face into her exposed neck, his teeth grazing the skin in repetitive strokes. His soft breathing was accented by each drag of a canine deeper into the epidermis.

She shivered, goose flesh spiraling down her arms and legs. Thankful that her sleeping yukata hid this fact from the rest of her unannounced audience, she allowed the hanyou to continue his morning ritual with her neck. If her old friends from school could see her now, they would have tons of questions about why her neck and shoulders always sported rather incriminating bruises of his numerous love bites.

“Some demons should learn their place and keep their teeth off my granddaughter,” mumbled her disgruntled grandfather, whom stood outside the room refusing to enter the sanctum of a demon's nest. Apparently cursing all demonic creatures was going to remain a pastime of the old man for many more years to come, regardless of his demon relatives.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Houshi-sama.”

Kagome's eyes fell to the other inhabitants of the door, her eyes expanding in surprise. Sango was there and glared at Miroku, whom stood slightly behind her. Miroku, ignored the warning, his cursed hand already twitching right behind the poor girl's rear end, waiting for the opportune time to remember the `texture.'

There was also a worried looking boy that was attempting to warn the poor taiji-ya, but seemed to get nowhere with his feeble warnings. Kagome had never seen or met him, but with his short black-brown hair and cute freckles upon his nose, he reminded her of Sango. Lastly, there was the toad-like demon that stood beside the boy and peered into the room with a look of utmost dislike and disgust.

“Step aside, mina. I wish to see and speak with the miko.” Kaede meandered her way into the room, and pushed the toad demon into a wall.

“This Sesshoumaru believes that you should speak with the miko later. Aa. That would be best, as present company has only finally just awoken from their festivities of the night before. My servants shall attend to them, while the rest of the properly awake individuals shall convene in the dinning hall.” Sesshoumaru's gaze swung to the bonded pair. “You have one hour to join us, before you will be dragged out, ready or not.” His eyes narrowed in challenge to his brother emphasizing the time constraint. When no protest was given, due to the hanyou still quite absorbed in his own world inside Kagome's hair, he gave the miko a pointed look that preceded a decent blush. Without another word, he guided Counselor Higurashi and Kaede from the room, the doors closing behind him to shut out the rest of the onlookers.

Her mother's voice could still be heard behind the closed door, and it was highly ecstatic. “You were quite right, Sesshoumaru-sama. They'll do just fine with children. Very soon I should be seeing my first grandchild, I think.”

The blush upon her face could not have been brighter than a blooming red rose, but hers was nothing compared to the shocked, very white face of her mate as he finally snapped back to reality. What had he been lost in a moment ago that vanished at the mere hint of progeny? Did he not want to have children?

“Sheesh, Onee-chan. I thought I had it bad. Poor you and Inu-no-niichan,” Souta commented as he slipped his way out of the tangle of limbs. His short brown hair stuck up in random directions, but his brown eyes seemed far less tired than they had upon initial alarm from Sesshoumaru.

“Rin-chan would not mind having more tomodachi for Rin-chan to play with. Can Rin-chan have a girl from Inu-chan?” Hopeful mahogany eyes implored to her uncle and aunt for a new person. She had uncurled herself from the pile, and now stood in front of her uncle, her small fist clamped upon a lock of his hair.

“I don't think Kagome-chan and the Baka should have kids,” Shippou stated in a petulant tone. He was rewarded with a fist crashing upon the crown of his head. He whimpered a moment before turning tearing green eyes to his protector, Kagome. When he wailed, she turned to glare at her mate.

“Why you little…” growled Inuyasha.

Before other action could occur, the kitsune put away his pretend tears and leapt away from the pair. When out of arm range of the hanyou, he finished his previous statement, “The baka is too… well… too baka to have kids.”

Inuyasha snarled and rose slightly from the ground. “What did you say, gaki?!”

Laughter filled the room and all eyes looked at the smiling and laughing young miko. Still secured in the hanyou's embrace, her entire body trembled with giggles that spilled from her parted lips in waves. When was the last time she had laughed without reserve? It certainly had been awhile since she began her new situation in life.

“I think she's finally lost it,” Souta stated in a very serious voice. “Come on. Let's leave these semi-adults to their craziness and go get some gohan.” As the designated leader, he ushered the two younger children out of the room.

“Rin-chan would like pancakes. Shippou-chan will eat next to Rin-chan, ne?”

“I guess so. Can I have anything I want?”

“Rin-chan always gets what Rin-chan wants if Sesshoumaru-sama wishes.” Their voices died along the corridor leaving the two teenagers alone.

“I maintain that I still do not like waking up to large crowds in my bedroom or any other place I plan on sleeping,” Kagome sighed when her laughter had finally subsided. “What was the purpose of waking us up like that? Are we incapable of getting up on our own without help, let alone need an entire army of onlookers?”

Inuyasha grunted in agreement, his head dipped back down into her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking for injuries. What else would I be doing, girl?”

She scowled. “What does sniffing have to do with anything?”

He lifted his head. “You smell like blood, and it's fresh blood. I was trying to determine where it was coming from.”

She pinked. “I… uhhh… It's normal… the blood scent…”

“Normal? How can bleeding be normal?”

Her face darkened a shade of red. “It's my time… to shed blood.”

“That is not normal.” He turned her around, his nose working like mad, moving down from her shoulder. “Where are you bleeding, Kagome? If you won't tell me, I'll find it out for myself soon enough.”

“Inuyasha!” She gasped in surprise and his nose dipped down into her stomach area. “It's my time of the month… My period.”

He lifted his head again with confusion filling the depths of his honey colored eyes. “What's a period?”

“Ano… A girl goes through menses every month or so to shed the blood lining needed to carry… a child. It means I'm not pregnant.”

A dawning light glimmered in his eyes. “You're in heat.”

“Ano… it's not quite the same.”

Inuyasha's mouth curved in a slight smirk. “In some species it signifies fertility, but it is maintained as an exceptional joining time between inu-youkai haiguusha.” His head dipped back down to her belly. “We like the smell and taste of aroused blood, especially from our mates.”

She turned her head to look down at him. “Aroused blood?” she choked out.

He glanced upward and smiled slightly before he lifted his head to her mouth. He captured it with a gentle caress, just a reminders brush. She smiled into his mouth, her arms rose to his shoulders, and she pulled him closer to her. He yielded, deepened the gentle brush to a soft swallowing of her soul for their sweet good morning kiss.

~~~ ~~~

A while later, Inuyasha and Kagome were seated inside the hot bathing water. The need to just soak in each other's presence had been a nagging thought since the previous night, but it had been too hectic and ultimately futile in the end for them to truly have time to appreciate being together alone and alive. Kagome was seated between the hanyou's arms and legs, her head resting upon his left shoulder. Inuyasha's arms were wrapped securely around the girl's waist, his eyes half-closed and his head rested in the curve of her neck.

“Inuyasha?” He grunted and she took that as consent to continue with her line of thought. “What should we do about Shippou?”

His breath rasped against her wet flesh. “What do you mean, `what should we do about the gaki?'”

She sighed. “If his parents didn't survive the attack, what will happen to him? I can't… we can't just leave him in foster care, let alone in an adoption agency's care.”

“We're too young to legally adopt, wench. Not even in the youkai rules decreed to the Mageran council can we adopt a kitsune not blood related. We have to give him up to the proper authorities to take care of him.”

“But I don't want him to go,” she whimpered and pushed out her chin in a stubborn manner.

He lifted his head all the way upright, before he drew her face to his to look into her eyes. Rebellion sparked in her gray eyes, the blue lost in the swirl of her frustration and worry. She had the expression that clearly stated that she would not be swayed to change her opinion no matter who she had to go through to get her way. She, in short, looked possitively radiant to him. She was turning into a regular youkai konoama.

He gargled on his breath at that last thought, `youkai konoama.' With surprise, he wondered if this type of instinct should have been so quick to take between a human and a youkai not of her blood. Apparently, his bond with her was having some more side-affects that normally wouldn't or shouldn't be there. In fact, at times he could still hear her inner voice talking, especially when she was in high emotional turmoil. Right now, obscene amounts of her worry poured off of her in tsunami like waves that he was having a difficult time blocking them out.

The child, however, wasn't even her own. Why was this bond forming between her and the gaki? This kind of thing is practically unheard of, even between youkai species and mates. Maybe he was reading into things a little too much? He stared deeper into her eyes, seeking the life of her being through those gray windows. No, he wasn't reading too far into this. He could practically see the connection she had formed between herself and the kit. Heck, he felt the connection between himself and the kit too, which is probably why the poor kitsune was upset.

When his silence continued, her eyes turned downcast and her face fell. “Don't you want…” she trailed off.

Did he want… what? The brat? He paused in thought. Well, truth be told, he did want the boy. Nevertheless, he would prefer to have his own pups than someone else's. He paused again. Did he really want to have pups? Before Kagome, he would not believe that to be a possibility. Now…? He found himself really wanting to have children with this wonderful miko. Would he be able to accept the kitsune to make her happy? Would he be the link that would tie them both together until they were truly old enough to consider having children of their own?

“Aa.” The answer had been spoken lightly, with a strong conviction behind it. “I do want what you want,” he finished.

Her eyes snapped up to meet his, hopeful and leery at the same time.

“If the gaki has no other relatives that will take him, I will ask Sesshoumaru to pull some strings and we will keep him with us.”

Her eyes positively glowed and she moved to pull him down into a deep, soul-shattering kiss. It took a moment for him to get over the shock of her response and vowed her would do more to make those kind of responses more often.

~~~ ~~~

“And these?” Spoke a uniformed police officer to the young boy. Beside him sat Kagome, while Inuyasha stood with his brother behind the one-way glass. Another officer stood beside them, along with the police commissioner.

“So far, the boy has identified quite a number of people related to him, but I'm sorry to say that none he has recognized are survivors of last night's attack.”

“What happened to them?” Inuyasha asked his eyes trained on the boy.

“Let's see. The first three he identified were Tsugunau Nara, his aunt, and her daughters Tampopo and Hikaru. Those three died from the falling elevator crashing into their floor. A fire that sprouted toward the northeast of the complex killed Hokuro, Sokudo, the kitsune's cousin. Kawarichokki, Ami was an unfortunate victim to the centipede attack. His parents, however, had quite a different story. We determined that the fire was caused by a kindling of several elements, most likely paper and open flame, but his parents seemed to have been killed by electrocution, and at a very high voltage at that. This kind of power to kill youkai would have been virtually impossible, since the power was cut long before their accident.”

“Is there anyone left to take him in?” he asked in a subdued tone.

“It does not look very promising, Taishou-sama.”

“Can you leave Counselor Taishou and myself alone for a moment?”

The officer and police commissioner complied, bowing their way out of the room.

Sesshoumaru finally spoke, “Electrocution? I wonder by how high a charge to cause the death of two medium powered youkai.”

“Enough that normal means was ruled out instantly by the Mageran Police Chief and crime scene investigators.”

“In other words, there was more than one youkai attacking last evening.”

“Aa. I suspected that from last night when I first viewed the destruction of our building. That centipede had barely done anything to it. She was over on the wrong side of the street, yet the damage to our home was severe. Not to mention the Surveyors also concluded that multiple attacks had been carried out. The injuries are inconsistent with the death toll and the type and style property was destroyed. Furthermore, severe electrical burns were found on the ground, buildings, and several people. With the power outages and the strength of these electric currents, it was ruled out as anomaly caused by power surges. They don't think that was the cause though. Only lightning or an extremely powerful electrical current would suffice to explain what occurred.”

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. “I'm rather impressed by the extent of your language, hanyou. It could not have been from all those manga you read.” He ignored Inuyasha's warning growl and continued, “When did you gather all this information?”

“While you were on the phone, I took the liberty of making a few calls myself on my keitai.”

A long silence followed as the brothers watched the officers complete their business and leave the interrogation room. Kagome and Shippou were chatting rather animatedly; oblivious to the news Inuyasha would most likely have to break to the small boy.

“We were lucky,” Sesshoumaru commented.

“Some of us were. Why did Naraku have to involve so many lives like this in his scheme.” Inuyasha bowed his head, his body quivering with suppressed emotion. “Damn it! He's just a kid! How many lives does he have to destroy to get to his own means?!” He slammed his fist against the wall.

“Don't be pointing fingers, Otouto. It may be clear that these youkai are acting together and being lead by someone, but accusations to prominent people in the Mageran Community will send people on a witch hunt.”

“It is Naraku, Sesshoumaru! I know it! His stench is all over this. This is just his style: Send a bunch of low grade youkai to do his dirty work for him, and add a few higher levelers to do the covert attack to draw away potential aid.”

“I agree, but nonetheless we cannot go about this situation picking him to blame. It is well known that our family and friends despise Gehin, Naraku. If we start in on him without proof, we will be dishonored in front of the entire world. You forget that your miko is practically international headline news. For now, your duty is not in avenging the attack but taking care of your mate and seeing to the child.”

Inuyasha's eyes swung to his brother. “How did-”

“I will have Jaken draw up the necessary paperwork to place the kitsune into you and the miko's guardianship.”

He turned his gaze back to his mate and the new addition to his family. “She will be happy about that at least.” Sesshoumaru turned to leave, but was stopped by the hanyou's soft words, “Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Ani.”

The door closed slowly and Inuyasha stood there a moment longer looking into the room. What was he going to say to the boy, to Kagome? “I don't know if I am strong enough to do this.” His memories of his mother and father washed over him. It had been his brother to explain to him at the young age that his mother and father had both died, his father before he was born and his mother from Cancer soon after. He had handled the news poorly even without really knowing them, and he was sure the kit would handle this just as badly, perhaps even worse. His own wounds were still slightly raw, healing now thanks to his new mate. How could he heal the wounds of another suffering from a similar fate?

A laugh from the other room drew him from his melancholy thoughts. Kagome was playing some sort of game with Shippou that had the pair of them in laughter. He hadn't had someone like her to clean his wounds then, but each day he spent in the sphere of her kindness and warmth she became the best healing salve in the world. Could she be enough for both him and the boy?

He strode to the doorway and left the room. With a slow breath he turned to the other door, and peered through the window of the door. Kagome's gaze flew instantly to his. He saw her frown and turn to extricate herself from the kitsune. A few moments later she opened the door and stepped outside. The look on her bonded's face said more than words could say. She flung herself at her bonded's chest, tears and sobs spilling from her lips and eyes. He held her close for several long minutes drawing strength from her, knowing that she was what kept him from slipping over the edge into the abyss of despair.

“Will we-”

“He will be ours, if he wants us to be.”

“I'm glad,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “Will you-”

“Aa. I will tell him.”

“Do you-”

“Just your presence will suffice.”

She released him and pulled herself back to stare at the liquid gold of his eyes. “How did-”

“I will tell you later.” The fact that he could read her unspoken thoughts never seemed to bother the two as they hugged each other again for support. When they pulled back, he opened the door to the room, and with one hand clasped into the girl's own, entered the room.

The boy sat in an over-large chair, with a large table laid out before him. He appeared to be bored out of his mind as his eyes rolled back and forth along the ceiling. At their entrance into room, he turned to look at them with hopeful eyes. “Kagome-chan, did those police tell you if I could go home yet? I would like to see my parents now. My `kaasan is…” He trailed off, his eyes wide at the tear streaked face of the girl he had come attached to. He knew even before Inuyasha knelt before him.

“I was younger than you when my Chichiue died. My Okaasan followed a few years after him. Look, Gaki, Kagome and I discussed earlier that if anything happened to your family, we would do anything we could for you, including opening our door to our home for you. Our offer will always stand and be there for you, whether or not you accept if now, later, or never.” He took a steadying breath and held the boys eyes with his own. “Your family did not survive the attack last night.”

Shippou's eyes grew two sizes larger, tears glistened, and his mouth wobbled. “You're lying! Kagome! He's being mean to me!” One look back at the sobbing Kagome, and he knew this was one denial he could not keep. “IIE! That's not fair!” he screamed, tears spilling down in cheeks in torrents. He swatted away Kagome's hands as she reached for him. “IIE! Stay away!”

Inuyasha grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt and lifted him from the chair.

“Inuyasha, put him down!” Kagome snapped.

He ignored her and glared at the boy. “Cry all you like, kit, but that doesn't change the situation.” Then to the surprise to the other two, he brought the kid into his arms, close to his heart. “But you are not alone to face this,” he whispered.

The kit's eyes squeezed shut a moment and then with both his hands, he buried himself as far as he could into the hanyou's embrace. The dam that held back the tears broke completely. Kagome brought herself close, and Inuyasha drew her into his arms as well, holding them as the pair cried their sorrow.

When the trio left the room, a bedraggled hanyou “pillow” held the pair of kids with swollen, puffy eyes securely. Still, if one looked close enough, one could see that there was hope and joy in finding something that had finally been found. A glowing pure gold strand threaded itself between all three, twining in and out of the bond between the two mates, further strengthening their bond. They were a family. The Shikon no Tama lightened a fraction of a shade of softer pink, to reside now the color of a fresh pink carnation.

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