InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Lost & Found ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine, but it sure would be nice… thanks, Takahashi-sama!

 

A/N: First off, domo arigato and a big cheery banzai to all my wonderful reviewers…you people are terrific!

 

The 21st century Inuyasha will be known as Yashita in this chapter, just to keep everybody clear…why doesn't the SJ Inuyasha pick up on any of the demon scent in the present? Depleted-uranium-strength concealing spells, my dears…

 

The usual OOC alert and a bit of coarse language…

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter Thirteen: Lost & Found

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Present Day

 

Kagome parked in an unoccupied stall two down from Sensei Yashita's; she wasn't feeling cocky enough to tangle with him this morning. Hurrying up the stairs, she saluted the Imperial guardsmen correctly, and then headed down the ancient welter of hallways towards the Armoury. Before she went in to bat her eyelashes at Sensei Shimano, she paused in one breezeway to view the cloistered garden.

 

Delicate maples in all shades of green, punctuated by burgundy and wine-hued examples, stood sentinel over still reflecting ponds bordered by carefully-selected craggy chunks of granite. A meticulously raked gravel path beckoned; she left her helmet and gloves by the doorway after she calculated that she had enough time for a quick breather before tackling the Armoury.

 

She strolled the meandering path, pausing at the strategically-placed viewpoints to marvel at the play of shades of foliage and textures of leaves successfully disguising the fact that this garden was actually completely surrounded by the Academy on three sides and the Palace proper on the fourth. She found a shady bench to sit on, and contemplate just how much trouble she might be in.

 

A familiar presence slid onto the bench beside her.

 

“Heavy thoughts for a lovely morning?” She looked up at a lopsided smirk…and bolted upright and back five paces, bowing stiffly to Sensei Yashita, who stood up, grinning, and returned the bow. He sat back down first, and patted the bench beside him. “Rest yourself, Higurashi…you're looking a little flustered this morning…is anything the matter?”

 

Kagome cautiously perched on the edge of the bench, pressing her trembling hands flat onto the stone surface. She jumped when his hand covered hers, and took it between his own. “Your hands are freezing, girl…are you okay?” His warm voice, rich with concern, broke her resistance.

 

“I'm going to be in a lot of trouble, sensei. I seem to have misplaced my ceremonial kimono, and my first public appearance as Celestial Bodyguard is in four days…” He went very silent, contemplating something in the distance. “Do you have any advice as to how I can break this to Lord Sessaki?” He brought his golden-brown eyes back to meet hers, and smiled cheerfully.

 

“Don't mention it at all, Higurashi. Leave it up to me; I'll talk to Shimano…I'm sure there is a spare stashed somewhere. I'll get it to you tomorrow, all right?” Her face lit up, and she almost threw her arms around him. She stopped herself, blushing furiously. He grinned.

 

“Thank you so much, sir…how can I repay you?” His grin became wider; he looked around conspiratorially, and brought his lips to near-touching distance of her ear.

 

“How about when I drop off the kimono, you join me for dinner?” She inhaled sharply. His hand was stroking hers gently; then he turned it over and brought it up to his lips, kissing her palm.

 

“I-I think I could manage that, sir…”

 

“I know a little place that serves great oden…I'll pick you up around six o'clock, okay?”

 

“Er, what should I wear?” He looked her over; she blushed even harder.

 

“What you have on is fine…we'll take my bike…and please, call me Yash.” She looked up at him through fluttering lashes.

 

“Please call me Kagome, sir…er, Yash.”

 

“Done…don't worry about Sessaki…his bark is worse than his bite most of the time…what did he want to see you about?” He was distracting her by stroking little circles on her palm with his fingertip, and his knee was very lightly touching hers.

 

“Ummm…about going over the protocols for my duties during the New Moon Festival…where do I sleep, by the way? Please, not in the barracks with a bunch of farting cadets…” Yashita stood up, bringing her with him, and began walking her back towards the gateway she had entered.

 

“No, you get to bunk in the Imperial wing, over there…don't forget your toothbrush.” At the entrance, he scooped her helmet and gloves without letting go of her, and as he handed them to her, stepped in close. Her eyes were very wide. Her palm received another lingering kiss, his eyes never leaving hers, and then he winked roguishly. “Until tomorrow, then…” She could barely squeak out a reply, as he sashayed away, his dark braid swaying across his backside.

 

Kagome fought the sudden sensation that her knees were about to buckle, and toddled off in the opposite direction, to find the stairs to Lord Sessaki's office. She made it to the landing before she had to sit down, because she was shaking so badly.

 

I've got a date…with Sensei Yashita!

He's pretty hot…nice braid.

Am I out of my mind?

Probably…how ya gonna break this to dog-boy?

Why would he care?

He seemed to be pretty determined to make you his mate the other day…

Yeah, well, now I'm just the shard detector…

Uh-huh…

What's that supposed to mean? Do not fuck with my mind!

Suit yourself…you're doing a fine job of it all by yourself…

 

She jumped up, and stomped up the rest of the stairs, modifying her heavy tread only when she hit the polished wooden floors of the ancient hallways and started making the screens rattle. She found the correct door easily, and took a deep breath before sliding it open and stepping through. The wizened old secretary looked up. “Ah, Celestial Bodyguard Higurashi-san…I'll show you right in…my lord is expecting you…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Several hours later, in the elegantly appointed office of Lord Sessaki…

 

“You are planning to do WHAT?” Yashita winced, his ears actually ringing from Sessaki's roar. He continued to trace circles on the windowsill of the office, affecting nonchalance. “Impudent whelp! After all this planning, and waiting…you couldn't miss a chance to screw it all up, could you!!” Yashita took a deep breath, more to control his voice than anything else. He and his brother hadn't had a knock-down-drag-out fight for a few hundred years, and he doubted the venerable wood framing of the Palace could cope…

 

“I'm simply taking her out to dinner…that's it, Sess!” His brother glared furiously at him, his eyes flaring brilliant gold instead of dark golden-brown.

 

“Just what impact do you think you will have if you forget yourself and shove your tongue down her throat, brother?” He had the grace to flinch from the comment; his voice was low.

 

“I've learned a few things about self-control the last five hundred years…I can promise you I won't bend her over my bike and take her, if that's all you're worried about.” The tall courtier groaned, and rubbed his silvering temples.

 

“I'm counting on you, Yash…the situation is still so delicate…”

 

“I know, I know…we've discussed this how many times in the last five centuries? I will honour the spirit of the plan…I swear on our father's fangs.”

 

“If I detect the faintest whiff of you on her in any place where it shouldn't be…”

 

Yashita rolled his eyes. “I'll be sent back to the fortress until the final battle? Try it…I will protect my mate, as that is my right, brother…” They glared at each other, but Yashita knew he had won the right to see Kagome without interference, at least this once…

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Early the next afternoon, Inuyasha found Kagome sitting cross-legged against the fence under the Goshinboku, polishing the silverwork on her bow and quiver. Two dozen perfectly fletched arrows awaited a beeswax polish, and her sword was propped casually up against the pickets, a tumble of wax, chamois cloths and grease indicating that it had yet to be worked on. He approached warily, and waited for her to acknowledge him. Kagome waved him over with a flick of her cloth.

 

“Pull up some gravel, dog-boy…I won't bite you, I promise.” Once he had seated himself, she continued. “Sorry for barking at you the other day, but I meant it when I said not to call me…that name anymore.” He blinked, opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish a few times, and decided to change the subject.

 

“How did your interview at the Armoury go?”

 

“Great! Problem solved…hand me that cloth beside you, please?” He tossed her the buffing cloth; she worked away at the silver end caps until they shone. Eyeing the bow critically and touching it up here and there, she nodded in satisfaction and placed it in the quiver.

 

She started in on the arrows, rubbing each shaft with a beeswax-saturated cloth until they gleamed. Carefully they were arranged in two rows, the one slightly higher than the other, and all the fletchings lined up exactly so. Putting the quiver aside, she took her katana across her lap, and glanced briefly at the hanyou, who made no comment. She drew the blade, set it aside and began cleaning the leather scabbard.

 

“Is the monk behaving himself?” Inuyasha seemed startled after the long silence.

 

“Keh…he and Kaede-baba are getting along like a house on fire, playing with sutras…”

 

“Of course he's charming her…she's out of his age range. I meant, is he keeping his hands off the village girls?”

 

“So far…what did you say to him, anyways?” Kagome smiled fiercely.

 

“I told him that the village is our base of operations, and if he made himself unwelcome by causing trouble, he'd be short a dick and a hand, as well as staying outside village limits when we come back for supplies.” Inuyasha resisted the urge to cover himself, as the tone in Kagome's voice made him nervous. That, and the fact she was now enthusiastically honing her blade didn't help. She changed topics.

 

“How's Shippo? Have you started teaching him how to hunt yet?”

 

“The little runt misses you…he's found a few kids to play with, and yeah, I've taken him out to chase rabbits a couple of times…so far, the bunnies are winning…”

 

“I'll give you some treats to take back for him…are you staying for dinner with my family tonight?”

 

“Keh…okaa-san already asked me…aren't you going to be there?” Kagome tensed, but kept her voice carefully neutral.

 

“No. I have a dinner date.” She didn't look at him. He made no response. She was just starting to relax when he spoke.

 

“What's a `date'?” Her knuckles went white where she was gripping the leather chamois, and sweat beaded on her brow.

 

“I-it's when two people who want to get to know each other better spend some time together alone… Sensei Yashita is taking me out tonight…” He was on her so fast, she couldn't even think about slowing him down. The sword went skating across the ground; he wasn't too gentle about yanking her upright and off the ground, his claws digging into her biceps, and his face right in hers. Bracing her hands against his chest, she leaned her face away from him as far as she could; he looked like he was evenly split between biting her and kissing her, with biting the most likely.

 

“No.” His eyes were golden flames. Swiftly over her initial shock, Kagome glared right back, feeling her anger rising.

 

“You have no right to tell me what to do, dog-boy…you don't own me!” His claws dug deeper; she yelped and twisted; he didn't loosen his grip. She snarled and started working on a barrier, but was distracted by a truly hair-raising growl.

 

“You are mine, bitch…I have chosen you…” Kagome blinked, startled by the intensity in his voice. What the hell? He's chosen me…yeah, as official shard detector…

 

“So what are you going to do? Pee on my leg to mark your territory? Yashita's a human; the gesture would be lost on him, and my shoe probably ruined…”

 

“You won't be safe with him…”

 

“I'm safer with him than you right now, dog-boy…put me down, dammit!”

 

“I should have finished what I started the other day…” She inhaled sharply. He leaned in close, and began lightly, delicately nibbling on the side of her neck. Kagome couldn't pull away, as her toes were still dangling an inch or two above the ground, and if she twisted the wrong way, she'd bare her neck to him…no submission cues here, thank you very much! Verbal attack, short of a kick to the groin, was the only way…

 

“That would include an issue of consent, dog-boy…and you're not getting it from me. You try anything, and consider yourself neutered…hey, wait a minute…” She thumped on his chest with a fist, her eyes crackling. “This isn't about you wanting to bed me at all, is it? You're just afraid that Yashita might take my attention away from the shard hunt!” He was stunned at her ability to breach wide gaps in logic effortlessly; she was now completely incandescent.

 

In an effort to regain control of the situation, he bared his teeth at her, growling furiously, and actually shook her slightly, like a disobedient pup.

 

Way to go, hot stuff…you're goin' down…

 

“Sit, asshole! Sit! Sit!” The long-unused command embedded him. She deliberately landed with an elbow driving into his back, and scrambled off, diving for her sword. The vapours were racing around the blade; she squared up, bracing herself against the recoil. She didn't have to use it. The barely-recovered hanyou leapt to his feet and stalked off towards the well enclosure without a backwards glance. She watched him go, surprisingly mixed emotions careening around her heart.

 

Well, that went well…

Get bent.

That may have been exactly what he had in mind…*sighs*

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Inuyasha shot out of the well, and stormed furiously towards the village. Halfway there, he changed his mind, and took off into the forest canopy, racing through the foliage. He did a few circuits, then finally came to rest in the Goshinboku. Shoving his hands into his sleeves, he sat there and glowered. Damn bitch…why does she have to be so difficult?

 

“Inuyasha?” He looked over the side to see Miroku looking back up. Shit. The monk had slipped right up under his perch without him noticing…damn Kagome anyways. She'd be the death of him yet…

 

“What, houshi?”

 

“Is anything the matter?”

 

“Keh!”

 

“It was difficult to not notice the oddly coloured blur whirling around the forest just now…”

 

“What are you doing out here, monk?”

 

“Meditating, and avoiding temptation...” The hanyou grinned.

 

“Keh! Kagome will be impressed that you're following her instructions so thoroughly…” Miroku blushed and shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“Kagome-sama is very, uh, persuasive when she cares to be…come down, Inuyasha…I'm getting a crick in my neck…” The hanyou dropped out of the tree. Miroku took a step back. Flattened ears, impressive scowl…yup, the inu was definitely upset. “Where is Kagome-sama right now, Inuyasha?” His reply was an irritated shrug that attempted to convey indifference.

 

“Keh! Back in her time, planning to go out on a date.” Miroku was cautious, due to the bitter tone, but curiosity got the better of him.

 

“I'm afraid I don't understand…I thought she was preparing for an Imperial festival…what is a `date'?” The glare he received from the hanyou would have sent a lesser man scurrying for cover. Instead, Miroku waited patiently until Inuyasha ground out a reply.

 

“She's going to share food with some sensei of hers…”

 

“As long as she is properly chaperoned, Inuyasha, I fail to see the difficulty…” Glowing golden eyes were suddenly scant inches from his nose.

 

“She's going to be alone with him, monk…what if he's anything like you?” Miroku refused to be drawn.

 

“Kagome-sama is more than capable of defending herself from unwanted advances, Inuyasha.” This did not seem to reassure the hanyou, but he did move off a bit and put his back to Miroku. His ears were flattened against his skull, almost disappearing in his hair. Suddenly, the oil lamp in Miroku's brain went on. “Inuyasha, are you disturbed because you actually have…feelings for Kagome-sama? Feelings that extend beyond her abilities as a shard detector? And you are afraid that she won't fend off this sensei if he, er, approaches her?” He watched the ears straighten up, and the hanyou turned to look at him.

 

“Keh…if it's so damn obvious to you, houshi, how come she can't see it?” Miroku decided that looking thoughtful rather than smug was a good idea.

 

“I've made an exhaustive study of the fair sex, Inuyasha…” he ignored the hanyou's derisive snort. “…and I can safely say that they only see what they wish to, especially if they feel that they have been slighted in some way…I believe that Kagome-sama may have been perturbed at being identified for her abilities, not her place in your heart.” Inuyasha rubbed his chin.

 

“The wench does keep bringing it up…it must be part of the reason why she's gone off me since I tried to…”

 

Miroku's voice was too innocent. “Tried to what, Inuyasha?”

 

The hanyou leered broadly. “Wouldn't you like to know, houshi…I'm going back…I have a bitch to straighten out…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

At precisely ten minutes to six, the high-pitched whine of a racing engine announced her date's approach. Kagome hopped from one foot to the other, straightening her leather jacket nervously. She was feeling mildly guilty and extremely excited all at the same time. The silver motorcycle purred up the access road, and came towards her, the black-clad rider gearing down on approach. Her mother came out of the door, wiping her hands on her apron, and slipped her arm through Kagome's.

 

Yashita doffed his helmet as he put down the kickstand. Pulling off his gloves, he swung off and walked up to the welcoming committee, smiling broadly. He bowed deeply to her mother, his thick braid swinging over his shoulder. “A good evening to you, Higurashi-san.” Her mother, smiling winsomely, returned it. Someone else stood behind her shoulder; she expected it was Sota, checking out the competition to his hanyou hero. When Yashita straightened, he looked over her shoulder, and his eyes widened.

 

“Oh, this is my dear friend's son, Inuyasha Nishiyori. He stays with us off and on…” her mother's voice was very cheery. Yashita inclined his head stiffly.

 

“Pleased to meet you, Nishiyori-san.” Kagome heard Inuyasha grunt in response. She was afraid to turn around, to see how they had disguised his hair and ears…she was going to kill someone when she came home…she started edging away from the bristling presence behind her.

 

Yashita tossed his braid back, opened his leather jacket and pulled out two parcels, one considerably larger and bulkier than the other. The larger one he handed to Kagome with a flourish. “As promised, one phoenix-and-flame patterned crimson kimono…,” and he gave the other to her mother “…sugared lychees and ginger for you, Higurashi-san.” Her mother was pleased, Kagome knew…how did Yashita know those were her mother's weaknesses?

 

“Thank you, Yashita-san…don't keep my daughter out too late…I'm sure you know she must return to the Academy for more training tomorrow…”

 

“Hai, Higurashi-san. We will return by ten o'clock without fail. We can't have a cranky bodyguard, can we?” Kagome handed the packaged kimono to her mother, and moved to pull on her helmet. Her elbow was gripped firmly, and a tight voice hissed for her ear alone.

 

“I'll be waiting for you to come back, wench…” She jerked free and did up the chinstrap, then marched over and slid onto the bike behind Yashita. Swapping glares with the hanyou, who was wearing some kind of headscarf low on his forehead, she snapped down her visor and slid her arms around Yashita's waist, mentally sticking her tongue out as she did so. He fired the engine, and tipped a salute at her mother as they backed up. As they rolled down the driveway, he gave her clasped hands a comforting squeeze, and then they accelerated with a roar out the gates.

 

In front of the house, Mrs. Higurashi pulled the scarf off of Inuyasha's head, releasing his ears, and slipped her arm through the angry hanyou's . “Come inside, dear…it does you no good to stew about it, and you need to calm down before she comes back…” He shot a final glare in the direction of the gate, and followed her in the door, pulling the thick silver braid out of the back of his haori with an impatient yank.

 

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Kagome had never been a passenger on a motorcycle before; she was aware of the rush of air and speed, but mostly how nice it was to be pressed up against a broad back, holding tightly around a trim waist. The trip was all too short; they pulled up in front of a restaurant that obviously catered to a slightly raffish clientele, judging by the number of impressive bikes and boy-racer cars cluttering the street outside.

 

“This is it, Kagome…how was the ride?”

 

“Really smooth…I wasn't sure how I'd like being a passenger, but that was great!” He smiled at her, and took her hand in his.

 

“Have to confess, you're the first passenger I've had on the bike. You've spoiled me for anybody else because you know how to ride properly.” Kagome blushed lightly at the compliment. When's the last time dog-boy ever said anything nice to me?…

 

They were shown to their table, Kagome hanging her jacket over the back of her chair. After much internal debate, she'd chosen a dark v-neck top to tone down the bright red of her leathers; it wasn't low-cut enough to cause a riot, but it hugged all the right curves. Yashita didn't seem to mind; he was able to keep his eyes mostly on her face. He was wearing a black tee-shirt that showed off his lean build and an unusual wide leather cuff on his right wrist that she remembered from the Academy. Apparently, it wasn't some kind of wrist guard like she had assumed.

 

“Who was that guy at your house, again?”

 

“Uhhh…his mom and mine were best friends all through school…he's had some issues for a while, so he comes to our house when it's too intense at home.”

 

“Really unusual eye colour...”

 

“He inherited it from his dad. His brother's are the same shade.”

 

“That was some interesting outfit he was sporting…”

 

“He helps my grandfather around the shrine when he's here, and traditional clothing is part of the job.”

 

“He seems rather protective of you…”

 

“Like an older brother…” Kagome was very glad when the waiter arrived. Yashita winked at her.

 

“Oden for two, please…and a pot of tea as well.”

 

The rest of the evening flew by. It was like talking to an old friend… She was very curious as to how he came by the job at the Academy, and wasn't surprised to find out it was a family tradition. The talk then turned to the events of the upcoming festival, and he casually mentioned that he, too, would be staying at the Palace over the two nights. The oden was delicious; the meal was punctuated by people stopping by to say hello to her date. She noticed that they all bowed to him, while he merely inclined his head in return. After the last had left, she leaned forward.

 

“Why do you return my bow, but not theirs'?” He smiled, twirling the teacup in his hand.

 

“You and I are colleagues now, Kagome. You have an official Imperial posting as Celestial Bodyguard. Why do you think the Armoury is open to you the same as me? These people are former cadets, or their families were vassals of mine in the old days. As you know, Japanese traditions die hard…” She chuckled, nodding.

 

He held her jacket for her as they left, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders for a moment, and then guided her out with a hand on the small of her back. Just before she put her helmet on, she stopped him from doing the same. He looked at her, an eyebrow arched. She blushed.

 

“I-I just wanted to say thank you now, just in case Inuyasha is sitting at the front door when we get home…” He gave her that lopsided grin.

 

“Are you sure he's only like a big brother?”

 

“He has a girlfriend…” She steadied herself with a hand on his forearm, and leaned up on tiptoe to brush his cheek lightly with her lips. He had a lightening-fast response. Five centuries of longing were too much; he swept her against him with his free arm, and captured her mouth in a sweet, prolonged kiss. He let her go reluctantly, and smiled apologetically at her pink-cheeked face.

 

“Sorry, Kagome…I've wanted to do that for a few years now…I just couldn't while you were my student…” Sudden understanding burst in on her.

 

“Is that why you scorched me so severely over dating Shikoro?” Now he blushed.

 

“Yeah…I was totally jealous…sorry about that.” He looked so adorably contrite that Kagome had to lean up for another kiss.

 

“Consider yourself forgiven…I've had a serious crush on you for a few years, too…” They parted slowly, and Kagome slid onto the seat behind him. This time, she was very conscious of how intimately she was pressed against him. At red lights, he kept taking her hands from around his waist and holding them in his own until the lights changed and he had to put them back.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

At the shrine, when Kagome pulled off her helmet, he raised a gloved hand to her cheek, and then rumbled away. She watched until he disappeared through the gates, and turned to go into the house. She was grabbed from behind, her arms pinned to her sides, and then she was airborne before she could yell. They landed in the Goshinboku, and she was roughly arranged across a lap. The asshole thought this through…no sword, and if I `sit' him, I'll drop thirty feet and break my neck… She was mentally sorting some choice invective into piles of ammo, until the look in his amber eyes stopped her cold.

 

Keeping her arms pinned, Inuyasha started sniffing her thoroughly. She closed her eyes, as his breath delicately puffed across her brows and along her cheekbones. The breaths stopped at her lips. His voice was a snarling growl.

 

“The bastard kissed you…” She squirmed against his grip, but he didn't relent. He continued his olfactory inspection of her face and neck.

 

“Are you going to sniff my crotch, too? Actually, I kissed him, Inuyasha…I've had the hots for him for a while, and it was a great evening…dammit, let me go, already…you don't own me, remember?” He jerked her hard against him, and gripped her chin in steel bands, forcing her to meet his eyes.

 

“You do belong to me, bitch…did you honestly think I was kidding when I said I would take you for my mate?” She gulped, and stilled for a moment. His eyes were glowing pools; she couldn't look away even if he wasn't holding her chin so tightly that it hurt. “You are not going anywhere again with this Ya-shit-a; I forbid it.”

 

“I have to work with him at the Festival, so nuts to you, dog-boy…dammit, are you quite finished with the alpha-male crap? I have a really busy day tomorrow…” They stared each other down; Kagome suddenly aware that his fingers were trembling where they touched her skin. His eyes shifted from golden flame to smoking embers, and she realized he was aiming for a kiss that would melt her resistance and lead to something else…not if she could help it. Kissing two different guys in one night was a little too much for her to cope with… Inuyasha's voice was low and intense.

 

“You mean more to me than you can possibly know, Kagome, or else you wouldn't think that I'm only interested in your shard-detection abilities…” She was open-mouthed; he moved in on her, intent perfectly clear. She quickly put a hand up in front of his face.

 

“How can you say that, when the first time you were challenged publicly to define our relationship, you told Miroku that I was the shard detector? What am I supposed to think? You say one thing to me, and another to the rest of the world…and you still have ex-girlfriend issues, namely, she didn't stay dead, thanks to you…” She started struggling against him; he merely contained her until she grew tired.

 

“I have to protect Kikyo, now that I know that we were tricked by Naraku. She has to know that so that she can find peace…”

 

“Well fine, you make peace with her first, and then we'll discuss any rights, mating or otherwise, that you're trying to claim over me. Until then, I'll date who I choose, and you'll keep out of it…”

 

“No.”

 

“Dammit, Inuyasha, you're really starting to piss me off…I can see a purification arrow in your immediate future if you don't back off!”

 

“Kagome? Inuyasha? What's all the shouting about?” Her mother's voice floated up to them. Inuyasha shrugged, and dropped both of them down to the ground. He set her on her feet, but kept a tight grip on her shoulders.

 

“Sorry, okaa-san. Kagome got a little upset when I was talking to her.”

 

“Talking? More like interrogating…leggo, dog-boy!” She jerked herself away from him, his claws scoring the leather jacket, and marched past her mother. “I know I can't expect any sympathy from you, since you've obviously chosen sides in this…goodnight!” The door slammed hard enough to finally come off its tracks; Kagome's annoyed tread could be heard all the way to her room, when all the windows shook in their frames.

 

Mrs. Higurashi reached over and patted Inuyasha's arm. “Well, it didn't go quite as you hoped…be patient, dear. Kagome is worth the effort…though if I were you, I'd make a point of not calling her `your bitch'…humans don't see it as an endearment…”

 

“Keh…I know…but that's what she is to me, dammit!”