InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ Of Wolves and Monkeys ( Chapter 10 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 04.10.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 04.10.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 1.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Of Wolves and Monkeys
A rabbit darted across the path, paused to eye them cautiously, then hopped into the underbrush and disappeared from view. Kagome thought Inuyasha might go after it, as it was getting late in the day, but aside from the casual flick of an ear the hanyou showed no interest. That probably meant he wanted ramen for dinner, which was fine with her since they hadn’t eaten it since starting this expedition. They were four days out from Kaede’s village and making good time, heading for the approximate area where they had previously turned back in order to resume their search for signs of Naraku. Inuyasha was pushing them, but not as hard as he could have.
Kagome glanced at him from her place by his side, perhaps a meter or so separating them. Normally she would walk with Sango, but lately she had been spending a portion of each day with Inuyasha. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, ever since they departed, his demeanor had been one of quiet contentment. Maybe he was just glad to be on the road again, but Kagome liked to imagine that it was at least in part because of what their encounter in her room must have revealed to him about her feelings. Whether that was true or simply a pipe dream, she couldn’t say. But surely he didn’t attribute her passion that day solely to pregnancy-related mood swings. She had learned that Inuyasha had in fact been speaking to Kaede about pregnancy, but the old miko refused to divulge any details about what they had discussed. In the end, Kagome decided to respect his privacy; she was simply grateful for his level of interest.
There was, however, one thing which she was not so pleased about. For as contented as Inuyasha seemed to be, he was also keeping his distance from her. It was subtle, so much so that the rest of their friends had probably not noticed it. But it was clear as day to Kagome. For example, if she tried to close the distance between them right now, he would slowly move away from her over the next several minutes. It didn’t interfere with their mobility; on the couple occasions when he’d had to carry her, he’d shown no hesitation in doing so. But the rest of the time, when there was no danger to be found, it seemed that he didn’t want to get too close. It had bothered her on the first day, and she had nearly called him on it. But in the end she bit her tongue in the interests of avoiding a fight. And eventually she had accepted that this was how it had to be for now. If he wanted a little more personal space, she would give it to him. At least he wasn’t pushing her away or withdrawing emotionally; when they talked, she didn’t notice any change in him at all. It was just the physical contact which seemed to worry him.
Understandably so, given recent events. Locked in their passionate embrace, neither of them would have noticed if the freaking house had come down around them. She wasn’t surprised that Inuyasha was a bit spooked by the whole thing. And she couldn’t really stay disappointed for too long, not when he’d been so incredibly sweet as well. She smiled at the memory.
The night before their departure from the modern era, and possibly because of what had happened the last time she was in the past, Kagome had woken up at about three o’clock in the morning with nightmares. Or rather, Inuyasha had woken her up. Judging by his guilt-ridden expression, he’d known exactly what she’d been dreaming about. She didn’t remember all the details, but Kikyou and Inuyasha had featured prominently. Enough said. She tried to go back to sleep afterwards, but the nightmare had left her too shaken.
Later that morning, as she was changing into the clothes she would wear in the feudal era, she pulled out a school uniform and stared at it. The garments looked so innocent, but all her fatigue-clouded mind could think about was what Kikyou had said. When a pretty girl dresses like a whore, she must be advertising herself as such. And suddenly she couldn’t stomach the idea of wearing that short skirt anymore. Whatever validity Kikyou’s comments might or might not possess, Kagome had to admit that her choice of garb was, by the standards of the age, very revealing in the leg for an adult woman. And in the eyes of the feudal era, she was an adult.
She opted instead for a sun dress which flowed almost down to her knees, with a long-sleeved blouse worn over it. She didn’t really like how the outfit looked on her, but that was probably because she was so used to wearing her uniform. She would get used to it, as would everyone else. She just hoped that nobody bugged her about it. This was, of course, a fool’s hope.
“What’re you wearing, wench?” Inuyasha asked when he saw her, openly curious. At this stage, Kagome thought she imagined the twinge of disappointment in his tone.
“Something different,” she answered curtly. At his questioning look, she groaned and muttered an excuse. “I’m pregnant, Inuyasha. I can’t be running around in my school uniform anymore.”
“Oh,” he replied somberly, leaving no doubt this time that his displeasure was real. “But you’re not big yet.”
“So?”
“So, uh…”
“Inuyasha, why do you even care what I wear?” Kagome demanded irritably.
“I don’t!” he retorted automatically, and for a moment Kagome thought he was going to throw an insult her way and storm off like he usually did in this sort of situation. Instead he bit his lip, rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, and spoke hesitantly.
“I mean, I…uh, I kinda like your uniform. It…suits you.”
Kagome’s jaw dropped; she was left utterly speechless. Her mind worked overtime to discern the meaning behind his statement. His desire to see her in the uniform could naturally be taken as lecherous, but no matter how hard she looked she couldn’t detect any hint of playfulness in his expression or tone. Nor was this about keeping her from looking like Kikyou, since their style of dress was still completely different and she wasn’t wearing red or white. No, he appeared to simply be offering his honest opinion, without any motives behind it except his personal preference. It took her a long time to come to terms with this, since that sort of statement was so unusual for him. All the while, she stared at him. But eventually, as his cheeks flushed and he started to fidget nervously, she could reach no other conclusion.
“F-forget it,” he told her gruffly, turning his back and crossing his arms over his chest. “Wear what you want.”
Still Kagome stared, taking in his slumped posture and drooped ears. Finally, she turned and walked back upstairs without a word. She sat on her bed, studying the uniform again. So innocent, yet so revealing. It was easy to forget the latter point at school, since every girl wore the same outfit. It was not so in the feudal era; to many, her choice of attire must seem rather scandalous. But was that truly important? Her friends didn’t think she dressed like a whore. Inuyasha didn’t think she dressed like a whore. He preferred to see her wearing the uniform, not because it was revealing but because he honestly liked how she looked in it. It suited her.
When she jogged down the stairs minutes later, her footsteps were light and practically whimsical. Inuyasha did not smile when he saw her, but his eyes glowed with relief. And later, when he thought she wasn’t looking, he grinned happily.
So that was the story of how Kagome had come to still be wearing her school uniform, short skirt and all. With her friends, she was as confident and comfortable as ever. She would have to see how it felt the next time they were around strangers, or Kikyou. But no matter what, she would draw her self-esteem from the people most important to her from now on. She would wear her uniform for as long as it looked and felt okay. Then Inuyasha would just have to get used to sweatpants and oversized shirts. But for now, she was happy to honor his preference.
She wasn’t really sure how long that would last. She was just starting to show now, her belly no longer completely flat. Her breasts were swelling as well and were sometimes quite tender, causing her to stuff her old bras into the bottom of her bag in favor of the new ones her mother had bought for her. Morning sickness was becoming more sporadic now, but she still carried a thermos of ginger tea at all times, making more as needed. The prenatal vitamins and healthy food options brought from her time aided with the maintenance of good general health. She had noticed a little moodiness at times, but nothing to write home about. Plenty of rest helped with that, which Inuyasha always made sure she got. On the first night in the feudal era, he’d let her sleep in a bit to catch up on sleep lost due to her nightmare the previous evening. He’d offered to carry her a couple times as well. So far she’d politely declined, but fairly soon she knew she’d be literally jumping at the chance to get off her feet for a while.
Overall, things were going very well. Aside from the physical distance Inuyasha had imposed, she had nothing to complain about. But somehow, even when the outlook seemed so positive, trouble was never far away.
She and Inuyasha froze and looked at each other simultaneously, one alerted by scent and the other by approaching shards of the Shikon no Tama. Both knew this was going to be unpleasant. Inuyasha placed his hand on Tetsusaiga, but left the sword undrawn.
“Kagome,” he stated seriously. “Whatever you do, don’t ‘osuwari’ me.”
Kagome didn’t have time to contemplate his meaning before the telltale whirlwind belonging to their unwelcome guest appeared on the horizon. Inuyasha moved to intercept, but Kouga dodged right around him and skidded to a halt in front of Kagome, grabbing her hands with an easy, confident smirk as he always did.
“Hey, Kagome.”
“H-hello, Kouga-kun.”
Even before the greeting was fully out of her mouth, Kagome knew the pleasantries were over. Kouga grabbed her upper arm none too gently, pulling her close so he could furiously sniff her neck. Then he stumbled back a step, still maintaining his harsh grip, and stared at her, his vivid blue eyes impossibly wide. His fanged lower jaw moved soundlessly, the muscles in his neck tensing repeatedly. Kagome stifled her sudden spike of fear, revisiting her belief that Kouga would never truly hurt her. She still adhered to that theory, but was disturbingly not as confident as she used to be. Inuyasha too seemed to sense the danger in the air.
“Let her go, wolf,” he ordered, voice low and hard as iron. That seemed to snap Kouga out of his trance. Kagome gasped at the way his jaw clenched in fury, the sudden glint of murderous intent in his eyes.
“Inu-kurro,” he snarled, rounding on Inuyasha. “What did you do to my woman?!”
“She ain’t your woman, bastard. And she never will be.”
With a sound that was half growl, half roar, Kouga charged, his form shifting into a sharp blur in a fraction of a second. Fortunately, Inuyasha was ready for this, and managed to dodge to the side. But even so, there wasn’t much room for error. The wolf’s ire had not slowed him down; if anything, the rage pumping through his system had made him faster.
“Kouga-kun, stop it!” Kagome cried, quickly seeing that it was no use. At least now she understood why Inuyasha had asked her not to ‘osuwari’ him; being subdued by the rosary now would spell disaster. Kouga was going all out, making full use of his claws. He was unlikely to be able to kill the tough hanyou in one strike, but a blow from claw or fist could do serious damage. Inuyasha was staying on the defensive, mostly dodging and retreating. Kagome realized that this was for her sake, as Inuyasha would never fight this way otherwise. He would go toe-to-toe with his enemy, willing to trade blow for blow and count on his body to hold up. And he might have drawn Tetsusaiga by now as well.
So clearly Inuyasha was holding himself back because she valued Kouga as a friend. That meant it was up to her to stop this. But how? A purifying arrow would get Kouga’s attention, but the two of them moved so fast that she didn’t trust herself to fire one between them. Kami forbid she hit Inuyasha and turn him human, or Kouga and kill him outright. If she was forced to choose between the two of them, she knew who she would save. And what she would have to do. But that was the last resort; she would exhaust all other possibilities before striking down a friend, even one crazed with anger and grief. But what else was there? How on earth could she get through to Kouga?
“Dammit!” she swore, beyond frustrated at her lack of ideas and general sense of helplessness. Then something magical happened. At her cry, both Inuyasha and Kouga turned to gaze at her for just a split-second, as if checking that the object of their dispute was okay before resuming the battle. And suddenly, Kagome had an idea. It was sneaky and underhanded, but she would use against them the one thing both antagonists shared—their concern for her.
“Oh, my head,” she announced, swooning. “I think I’m gonna faint.”
Then she closed her eyes and flopped onto the ground on her backside, seemingly on the verge of losing consciousness. And when she opened her eyes, she found both Kouga and Inuyasha kneeling before her side by side. They gazed at her with uninhibited worry, all thoughts of maiming each other temporarily forgotten. If there was a feudal era acting award, she was a freaking shoe-in.
She lunged, snatching one of their wrists in each of hers, and wedging herself between them. It was a snug fit at first, but both males backed up a bit so they could see what was going on. Kagome faced Kouga, both because he was the aggressor and she wanted him to see that she was willing to defend Inuyasha. But she didn’t need to look at the hanyou to know that he was just as pissed about this turn of events as the wolf prince. Thinking quickly, she put a small amount of spiritual energy into her hands, just enough to get their attention.
“I’m not letting go,” she declared resolutely. “If you pull away now, you’ll rip my arms off.”
It was a bluff, to be sure. She had no idea what affect the little bit of power in her hands would have on the strength of her grip, if any. But as long as Kouga believed her, or even had some doubt, he would not pull away. Or so she hoped.
“Let me go, Kagome,” the wolf prince snarled. “I’m gonna kill that bastard!”
“No, you’re not!” Kagome retorted before Inuyasha could butt in. Kouga appeared temporarily taken aback; this was the first time since they became friends that she had raised her voice to him. Seeing her opportunity, Kagome went on the attack.
“Kouga-kun, please,” she cooed, using every ounce of charm she possessed. “Calm down. Let me talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” the wolf ground out. “I know what he did!” he yelled, raising his free hand to drive it through Inuyasha’s skull. Kagome reacted automatically, driven by the instinctive desire to protect a loved one. She pushed against Kouga’s chest with both hands and called upon her spiritual energy. And with Inuyasha’s life at stake, her execution was perfect, right down to remembering to channel the energy around the baby.
Kouga screamed in agony as pure energy crackled around him, but the contact lasted only a fraction of a second. The momentum of her shove and a spasmodic firing of his leg muscles launched him into the air to land on his back with a dull thud a half dozen meters away. For several moments he lay still, the only movement the wisps of smoke rising from his chest, and Kagome thought she had killed him. Then a miserable groan escaped his throat, and he began to stir. Kagome stood, pure adrenaline surging through her veins. Yet her hands were steady, her eyes steely, utterly devoid of their usual compassion. This youkai had attacked the man she loved. He would not be allowed to do so again. Kagome nocked an arrow, drew back her bow, and waited.
It took Kouga almost a full minute to find the strength and coordination required to lean up on his elbows and gaze blearily at them. When his vision finally cleared, words failed him. He appeared understandably shocked to be staring down the shaft of Kagome’s arrow. Her expression left no doubt that she would fire if she had to, that slight quiver of her bottom lip notwithstanding. Inuyasha stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder providing silent support. His glare was angry as expected, but also accusing as if he, Kouga was the cause of this entire mess.
Kagome could tell when the wolf prince began to second-guess himself, when blind rage gave way to observation and reason. He sat up and leaned his elbows on raised knees, resting his forehead in his hands. When he eventually lifted his head, his expression was hard, guarded. But it could not completely conceal the hurt. Kagome felt a flash of sympathy, but did not lower her bow.
“He didn’t…force you, did he?”
Part of her wanted to smack Kouga for that comment. The very notion was ludicrous. Inuyasha was as sexually repressed as they came; he didn’t have it in him to rape anyone, least of all her. Not to mention the fact that he just wasn’t like that. Deep down, Kouga probably hadn’t even believed it; he had just needed an excuse to attack Inuyasha because the hanyou had taken ‘his woman.’ It pissed Kagome off to no end, but she reigned in her ire. Kouga had lost his cool, as everyone did sometimes. The difference was that as a youkai he was incredibly dangerous at those times. As was Inuyasha. Would the hanyou have reacted much differently if their situations were reversed? She wasn’t sure. But the bottom line was that she was willing to cut Kouga a little slack because no harm had been done thus far. If he was ready to be reasonable, then she would let him live. Whether their friendship would ever recover was not her primary concern at the moment.
“No, he didn’t,” she answered curtly, leaving no doubt as to what she thought of his question. She was satisfied at his flinch, but knew that this wasn’t the end of the inquiry.
“So, you chose him over me?”
There was that pesky sympathy again. Kouga looked and sounded so pathetic, like a lost puppy. If Kagome regretted one thing, it was allowing the wolf prince to think he had any chance with her. She should have set him straight months ago; that would have saved both of them a lot of stress and heartache. But as she could not change the past, the only thing to do was move forward. So despite her guilt, she would not sugar coat this for Kouga. There would be no misunderstandings this time.
“Yes, I did.”
Kouga frowned in consternation. “Why?”
It was a one-word query, but Kagome sensed so much meaning in that single syllable. There was old youkai prejudice rearing its ugly head. After all, why would anyone, including a human, choose a hanyou over a full-blood youkai? To a man like Kouga, raised to believe that youkai, and ookami in particular, were superior to all other races, it must have been quite a shock. Especially losing to a hanyou, who might be regarded as even lower than humans. Beyond the race issue, his unflattering opinion of Inuyasha as a person was clearly on display here as well. Some of the criticisms that Kouga could make of the hanyou were surely valid, but the wolf had also seen only a small part of the man Inuyasha was. He had not glimpsed the loving, caring side of the hanyou she had come to love. On the surface, Inuyasha was foul-mouthed, thick-headed, and often insulting. Kouga probably didn’t think that he treated her as she deserved to be treated. Again, that was because the wolf prince was only privy to a superficial fraction of their relationship. He didn’t know how Inuyasha treated her when they were alone, or with trusted friends. He had only observed their behavior when they were in danger or when a rival male was present.
In this case, Kagome found it hard to blame Kouga for his lack of insight. Most youkai looked down on hanyou, and Inuyasha only revealed his softer side around people he trusted. She herself was the only one who had ever glimpsed some of the true depths of his heart. And since the hanyou was naturally jealous and hostile when Kouga was around, what chance did the wolf have of seeing his good side?
So again, she would refrain from snapping at Kouga or chewing him out. He had asked a simple question, and it had a simple answer. Her dilemma was whether to reply with complete honesty. She could conjure up some rationale that would make sense to Kouga; for example, because Inuyasha protected her and provided for her better than she thought anyone else could. Or perhaps because he had grown so powerful and was well on the way to mastering Tetsusaiga, the strongest sword in existence. She could even confess the true circumstances of their child’s conception and explain their somewhat committed relationship as a product of bad luck. Ultimately, however, all of these options left a sour taste in her mouth. She wanted to do none of them. But she also was not comfortable being truly honest with Kouga, or Inuyasha, about the real reason she had chosen the hanyou. Their relationship was still too unsettled, too ambiguous, and she didn’t have the nerve. So she settled on a compromised approach, one which would hopefully satisfy Kouga without revealing too much about her feelings.
“Inuyasha is the only man I’ve ever seen in that way, Kouga-kun.”
A disturbing noise came from behind her, sounding like a barely-stifled gasp, and Inuyasha’s grip on her shoulder tightened. And suddenly Kagome was very glad she had decided against openly declaring her love, as she’d contemplated. If Inuyasha was shocked by her actual statement, he probably would have keeled over if she’d fully bared her heart.
In the end, Kouga’s facial expression seemed to indicate that he might actually have understood what she was really talking about. If so, all the better. Love was irrational, and a predominantly human emotion. Kouga could blame her decision on the unrivaled sentimentality of human females if he wanted to. But he would accept it as something he could never change, even if he couldn’t understand it.
Slowly and without further comment, the wolf prince rose gingerly to his feet. He turned his back to them, as if unable to stomach the sight of her and Inuyasha standing united any longer. Now that the danger had passed, Kagome felt her compassion swell. She could only imagine how hard this was for Kouga, in part because she had led him on for so long. She only wished she could make it right.
“Kouga-kun, y-you don’t have to leave,” she told him, her tone slightly pleading. “We can talk.”
“Like I said,” he replied sadly as air and dust began to swirl around his feet. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
In moments, Kouga’s whirlwind had disappeared over the horizon. It had moved significantly slower than normal at first, likely a result of the lingering effects of her purifying energy, but it seemed to be picking up speed as it vanished from view.
The strength in Kagome’s legs deserted her abruptly, and she collapsed onto her backside, this time unintentionally. All of the rampant emotions which she had held back in front of Kouga burst forth, no longer restrained by raw adrenaline and determination. She curled into a ball and rested her forehead on her knees, expecting to cry for a few minutes in solitude, or perhaps with Sango attempting to give comfort. When a hard male body settled behind her instead, she sobbed and threw herself into the owner’s chest. Inuyasha’s arms settled around her, his chin resting on the top of her head as she cried. Where his policy about personal space had gone, Kagome couldn’t say. But she was grateful that he had decided to grant her an exception in this instance.
Comforted by the fact that Inuyasha was still willing to comfort her, Kagome regained her composure fairly quickly. Mostly her tears were borne of guilt and sympathy, she reflected. Kouga was far from perfect, but he didn’t deserve to have his heart broken. She had taken enough damage to her own heart in the past to know what it felt like. Hopefully the wolf prince would heal in time, and would come to regard her as the friend she had always believed him to be.
Eventually her sobs wound down completely, and she lay limply in Inuyasha’s embrace, lulled by the gentle rise and fall of his chest. She did not expect him to speak, so when he did it took her a moment to comprehend his words.
“Why…why didn’t you tell Kouga what really happened that night?”
Kagome leaned back to look up at him, finding his gaze downcast and unreadable. She could understand his confusion, she supposed; from Inuyasha’s perspective, it must have seemed entirely possible for her to more or less continue the status quo with Kouga. All she would have needed to do is inform the wolf of the accidental nature of her pregnancy, thereby leaving her feelings completely out of the equation and opening the door for her to actually become his woman later. Instead, she had burned any romantic bridges which could ever potentially exist between them. To a hanyou unused to being chosen by anyone, it must have seemed a bold and reckless move. But ultimately, it came down to not letting anyone think for a second that she was only with Inuyasha because he had knocked her up. That was her choice, long before she became pregnant.
“He didn’t need to know,” she answered simply. This was true, and Inuyasha seemed to accept it. He nodded and took to gazing contemplatively over the horizon. Kagome settled down in his embrace once more, intent on enjoying every moment she could spend in his arms.
“Thank you.”
His soft words caused her breath to catch. He wasn’t looking at her, but she could see how much her discretion in front of Kouga meant to him. Or maybe it was the simple fact that she would tell a rival male without hesitation that she had chosen him.
“Y-you’re welcome,” Kagome stuttered, her cheeks heating for some reason. The solution was to duck her head and snuggle just a little closer to his chest. Inuyasha didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.
“Sango,” Miroku whispered in the taijiya’s ear, sidling up to her. “I believe they have forgotten that we are here.”
“Shh! If you bother them again, Inuyasha will give you another lump on your h—ack!”
A resounding slap rang out, followed by the sound of irritated footfalls and a helpless masculine chuckle. None of which bothered the hanyou and miko currently sitting together a few meters away.
“Dumbasses,” Inuyasha snorted, more amused than annoyed.
Kagome giggled. “Sango-chan should know better than to ever let her guard down.”
“Damn bouzu. We got rid of one letch, but he’s still here.”
“Kouga-kun isn’t a letch. Although…I guess you don’t have to worry about him saying I’m ‘his woman’ anymore, ne?” she teased.
“Keh! I never worried about that.”
Kagome laughed; he almost sounded completely serious. She might point out that Inuyasha got jealous every time Kouga came around. But why would she, when his embrace was so soothing and the sunset so beautiful?
They stayed like that, gazing together out to the western horizon, until the last sliver of the setting sun sank below the tree line.
“Little bastards,” the hanyou muttered, continuing to stalk forward with an annoyed scowl contorting his features.
Kagome sighed, disappointed but not surprised that he couldn’t quite let this go yet. Ultimately, no harm had been done by the monkeys’ deception, other than the couple ‘osuwari’ he’d had to endure for threatening the village. But Inuyasha hated being made a fool of, even if was just by a few impish children. Even reminding him that they’d gotten a good lead from Sarugami-sama wouldn’t alleviate his bad mood, she knew. He would just have to cool off on his own. A great evil passing over the village in the direction of Ushitora, then vanishing without a trace…it has to be Naraku. But what enemies will we face as we get closer to discovering his hiding place?
“Don’t be mad at them, Inuyasha,” Shippou told him with mild indignation. “Little youkai have to be good at tricking bigger youkai in order to survive.”
For a moment, Kagome thought an argument was about to break out, but Inuyasha just snorted, apparently not in the mood for conversation either. Though he did turn to her and bark out a brusque command.
“Wench, you just make sure our kid never pulls any shit like that.”
Kagome rolled her eyes. He probably wanted her to tell him that their child would be the most well-behaved offspring in the history of reproduction. Yes, and while they were being completely delusional, he could promise her that her delivery would be quick and painless.
“Kids are mischievous, Inuyasha,” she told him sagely. “When it’s your own, you won’t mind so much.”
“Keh,” he snorted, but he didn’t argue with her. Instead he briefly got a far-away look in his eyes, which seemed to take the edge off his sour mood. Seeing this, Kagome dared to sidle up to walk beside him, so they were almost touching but not quite. He glanced at her but made no attempt to move away.
Kagome grinned softly to herself. Since Kouga’s appearance, Inuyasha had stopped imposing so much distance between them. She hadn’t held his hand or hugged him or anything like that, but he didn’t seem to mind walking with her now. What had done it, she wondered? Her willingness to present them as a happy couple to Kouga, or simply time removed from that afternoon in her bedroom?
Whatever the reason, she was happy with the decisions she had made with regards to Kouga. Inuyasha had been grateful, and even the wolf prince would be better off. Yes, he was hurting now, but in the long run he would benefit from no longer entertaining romantic thoughts about her, thoughts which would never be reciprocated.
Still though, she wondered which encounter would be less pleasant: the next time they met Kouga or the next time they ran into Kikyou.
Their route brought them close to a small village, and they decided to take a slight detour to check for rumors of Naraku and possibly get a refreshing night of sleep indoors. They were nearly on the outskirts of the settlement when a gust of wind blew into their faces, and Inuyasha froze in his tracks, sniffing furiously.
“What is it, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked.
“You sense a jewel shard, Kagome?”
She focused her senses for a moment. “Yes, over there,” she answered, pointing to the village.
“It’s the same scent as before,” he declared with a smirk, cracking his knuckles. “A corpse and graveyard soil. We found another one of those damn zombies!”
Swiftly the Inu-gang prepared for battle. Sango donned her taijiya armour, and each human plus Shippou mounted their respective charges. Kagome felt a thrill of exhilaration; it had been a long time since she’d rode into battle on Inuyasha’s back. She gripped her bow tightly and drew an arrow, taking a steadying breath and finding her reserves of spiritual energy deep within.
“You ready, Kagome?” he asked quietly.
She nodded firmly. “Let’s go, Inuyasha.”
With a final fanged smirk, Inuyasha kicked himself into the air, Kirara following close behind. And woe to whatever enemy awaited them.
Of Wolves and Monkeys
A rabbit darted across the path, paused to eye them cautiously, then hopped into the underbrush and disappeared from view. Kagome thought Inuyasha might go after it, as it was getting late in the day, but aside from the casual flick of an ear the hanyou showed no interest. That probably meant he wanted ramen for dinner, which was fine with her since they hadn’t eaten it since starting this expedition. They were four days out from Kaede’s village and making good time, heading for the approximate area where they had previously turned back in order to resume their search for signs of Naraku. Inuyasha was pushing them, but not as hard as he could have.
Kagome glanced at him from her place by his side, perhaps a meter or so separating them. Normally she would walk with Sango, but lately she had been spending a portion of each day with Inuyasha. He didn’t seem to mind. In fact, ever since they departed, his demeanor had been one of quiet contentment. Maybe he was just glad to be on the road again, but Kagome liked to imagine that it was at least in part because of what their encounter in her room must have revealed to him about her feelings. Whether that was true or simply a pipe dream, she couldn’t say. But surely he didn’t attribute her passion that day solely to pregnancy-related mood swings. She had learned that Inuyasha had in fact been speaking to Kaede about pregnancy, but the old miko refused to divulge any details about what they had discussed. In the end, Kagome decided to respect his privacy; she was simply grateful for his level of interest.
There was, however, one thing which she was not so pleased about. For as contented as Inuyasha seemed to be, he was also keeping his distance from her. It was subtle, so much so that the rest of their friends had probably not noticed it. But it was clear as day to Kagome. For example, if she tried to close the distance between them right now, he would slowly move away from her over the next several minutes. It didn’t interfere with their mobility; on the couple occasions when he’d had to carry her, he’d shown no hesitation in doing so. But the rest of the time, when there was no danger to be found, it seemed that he didn’t want to get too close. It had bothered her on the first day, and she had nearly called him on it. But in the end she bit her tongue in the interests of avoiding a fight. And eventually she had accepted that this was how it had to be for now. If he wanted a little more personal space, she would give it to him. At least he wasn’t pushing her away or withdrawing emotionally; when they talked, she didn’t notice any change in him at all. It was just the physical contact which seemed to worry him.
Understandably so, given recent events. Locked in their passionate embrace, neither of them would have noticed if the freaking house had come down around them. She wasn’t surprised that Inuyasha was a bit spooked by the whole thing. And she couldn’t really stay disappointed for too long, not when he’d been so incredibly sweet as well. She smiled at the memory.
The night before their departure from the modern era, and possibly because of what had happened the last time she was in the past, Kagome had woken up at about three o’clock in the morning with nightmares. Or rather, Inuyasha had woken her up. Judging by his guilt-ridden expression, he’d known exactly what she’d been dreaming about. She didn’t remember all the details, but Kikyou and Inuyasha had featured prominently. Enough said. She tried to go back to sleep afterwards, but the nightmare had left her too shaken.
Later that morning, as she was changing into the clothes she would wear in the feudal era, she pulled out a school uniform and stared at it. The garments looked so innocent, but all her fatigue-clouded mind could think about was what Kikyou had said. When a pretty girl dresses like a whore, she must be advertising herself as such. And suddenly she couldn’t stomach the idea of wearing that short skirt anymore. Whatever validity Kikyou’s comments might or might not possess, Kagome had to admit that her choice of garb was, by the standards of the age, very revealing in the leg for an adult woman. And in the eyes of the feudal era, she was an adult.
She opted instead for a sun dress which flowed almost down to her knees, with a long-sleeved blouse worn over it. She didn’t really like how the outfit looked on her, but that was probably because she was so used to wearing her uniform. She would get used to it, as would everyone else. She just hoped that nobody bugged her about it. This was, of course, a fool’s hope.
“What’re you wearing, wench?” Inuyasha asked when he saw her, openly curious. At this stage, Kagome thought she imagined the twinge of disappointment in his tone.
“Something different,” she answered curtly. At his questioning look, she groaned and muttered an excuse. “I’m pregnant, Inuyasha. I can’t be running around in my school uniform anymore.”
“Oh,” he replied somberly, leaving no doubt this time that his displeasure was real. “But you’re not big yet.”
“So?”
“So, uh…”
“Inuyasha, why do you even care what I wear?” Kagome demanded irritably.
“I don’t!” he retorted automatically, and for a moment Kagome thought he was going to throw an insult her way and storm off like he usually did in this sort of situation. Instead he bit his lip, rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, and spoke hesitantly.
“I mean, I…uh, I kinda like your uniform. It…suits you.”
Kagome’s jaw dropped; she was left utterly speechless. Her mind worked overtime to discern the meaning behind his statement. His desire to see her in the uniform could naturally be taken as lecherous, but no matter how hard she looked she couldn’t detect any hint of playfulness in his expression or tone. Nor was this about keeping her from looking like Kikyou, since their style of dress was still completely different and she wasn’t wearing red or white. No, he appeared to simply be offering his honest opinion, without any motives behind it except his personal preference. It took her a long time to come to terms with this, since that sort of statement was so unusual for him. All the while, she stared at him. But eventually, as his cheeks flushed and he started to fidget nervously, she could reach no other conclusion.
“F-forget it,” he told her gruffly, turning his back and crossing his arms over his chest. “Wear what you want.”
Still Kagome stared, taking in his slumped posture and drooped ears. Finally, she turned and walked back upstairs without a word. She sat on her bed, studying the uniform again. So innocent, yet so revealing. It was easy to forget the latter point at school, since every girl wore the same outfit. It was not so in the feudal era; to many, her choice of attire must seem rather scandalous. But was that truly important? Her friends didn’t think she dressed like a whore. Inuyasha didn’t think she dressed like a whore. He preferred to see her wearing the uniform, not because it was revealing but because he honestly liked how she looked in it. It suited her.
When she jogged down the stairs minutes later, her footsteps were light and practically whimsical. Inuyasha did not smile when he saw her, but his eyes glowed with relief. And later, when he thought she wasn’t looking, he grinned happily.
So that was the story of how Kagome had come to still be wearing her school uniform, short skirt and all. With her friends, she was as confident and comfortable as ever. She would have to see how it felt the next time they were around strangers, or Kikyou. But no matter what, she would draw her self-esteem from the people most important to her from now on. She would wear her uniform for as long as it looked and felt okay. Then Inuyasha would just have to get used to sweatpants and oversized shirts. But for now, she was happy to honor his preference.
She wasn’t really sure how long that would last. She was just starting to show now, her belly no longer completely flat. Her breasts were swelling as well and were sometimes quite tender, causing her to stuff her old bras into the bottom of her bag in favor of the new ones her mother had bought for her. Morning sickness was becoming more sporadic now, but she still carried a thermos of ginger tea at all times, making more as needed. The prenatal vitamins and healthy food options brought from her time aided with the maintenance of good general health. She had noticed a little moodiness at times, but nothing to write home about. Plenty of rest helped with that, which Inuyasha always made sure she got. On the first night in the feudal era, he’d let her sleep in a bit to catch up on sleep lost due to her nightmare the previous evening. He’d offered to carry her a couple times as well. So far she’d politely declined, but fairly soon she knew she’d be literally jumping at the chance to get off her feet for a while.
Overall, things were going very well. Aside from the physical distance Inuyasha had imposed, she had nothing to complain about. But somehow, even when the outlook seemed so positive, trouble was never far away.
She and Inuyasha froze and looked at each other simultaneously, one alerted by scent and the other by approaching shards of the Shikon no Tama. Both knew this was going to be unpleasant. Inuyasha placed his hand on Tetsusaiga, but left the sword undrawn.
“Kagome,” he stated seriously. “Whatever you do, don’t ‘osuwari’ me.”
Kagome didn’t have time to contemplate his meaning before the telltale whirlwind belonging to their unwelcome guest appeared on the horizon. Inuyasha moved to intercept, but Kouga dodged right around him and skidded to a halt in front of Kagome, grabbing her hands with an easy, confident smirk as he always did.
“Hey, Kagome.”
“H-hello, Kouga-kun.”
Even before the greeting was fully out of her mouth, Kagome knew the pleasantries were over. Kouga grabbed her upper arm none too gently, pulling her close so he could furiously sniff her neck. Then he stumbled back a step, still maintaining his harsh grip, and stared at her, his vivid blue eyes impossibly wide. His fanged lower jaw moved soundlessly, the muscles in his neck tensing repeatedly. Kagome stifled her sudden spike of fear, revisiting her belief that Kouga would never truly hurt her. She still adhered to that theory, but was disturbingly not as confident as she used to be. Inuyasha too seemed to sense the danger in the air.
“Let her go, wolf,” he ordered, voice low and hard as iron. That seemed to snap Kouga out of his trance. Kagome gasped at the way his jaw clenched in fury, the sudden glint of murderous intent in his eyes.
“Inu-kurro,” he snarled, rounding on Inuyasha. “What did you do to my woman?!”
“She ain’t your woman, bastard. And she never will be.”
With a sound that was half growl, half roar, Kouga charged, his form shifting into a sharp blur in a fraction of a second. Fortunately, Inuyasha was ready for this, and managed to dodge to the side. But even so, there wasn’t much room for error. The wolf’s ire had not slowed him down; if anything, the rage pumping through his system had made him faster.
“Kouga-kun, stop it!” Kagome cried, quickly seeing that it was no use. At least now she understood why Inuyasha had asked her not to ‘osuwari’ him; being subdued by the rosary now would spell disaster. Kouga was going all out, making full use of his claws. He was unlikely to be able to kill the tough hanyou in one strike, but a blow from claw or fist could do serious damage. Inuyasha was staying on the defensive, mostly dodging and retreating. Kagome realized that this was for her sake, as Inuyasha would never fight this way otherwise. He would go toe-to-toe with his enemy, willing to trade blow for blow and count on his body to hold up. And he might have drawn Tetsusaiga by now as well.
So clearly Inuyasha was holding himself back because she valued Kouga as a friend. That meant it was up to her to stop this. But how? A purifying arrow would get Kouga’s attention, but the two of them moved so fast that she didn’t trust herself to fire one between them. Kami forbid she hit Inuyasha and turn him human, or Kouga and kill him outright. If she was forced to choose between the two of them, she knew who she would save. And what she would have to do. But that was the last resort; she would exhaust all other possibilities before striking down a friend, even one crazed with anger and grief. But what else was there? How on earth could she get through to Kouga?
“Dammit!” she swore, beyond frustrated at her lack of ideas and general sense of helplessness. Then something magical happened. At her cry, both Inuyasha and Kouga turned to gaze at her for just a split-second, as if checking that the object of their dispute was okay before resuming the battle. And suddenly, Kagome had an idea. It was sneaky and underhanded, but she would use against them the one thing both antagonists shared—their concern for her.
“Oh, my head,” she announced, swooning. “I think I’m gonna faint.”
Then she closed her eyes and flopped onto the ground on her backside, seemingly on the verge of losing consciousness. And when she opened her eyes, she found both Kouga and Inuyasha kneeling before her side by side. They gazed at her with uninhibited worry, all thoughts of maiming each other temporarily forgotten. If there was a feudal era acting award, she was a freaking shoe-in.
She lunged, snatching one of their wrists in each of hers, and wedging herself between them. It was a snug fit at first, but both males backed up a bit so they could see what was going on. Kagome faced Kouga, both because he was the aggressor and she wanted him to see that she was willing to defend Inuyasha. But she didn’t need to look at the hanyou to know that he was just as pissed about this turn of events as the wolf prince. Thinking quickly, she put a small amount of spiritual energy into her hands, just enough to get their attention.
“I’m not letting go,” she declared resolutely. “If you pull away now, you’ll rip my arms off.”
It was a bluff, to be sure. She had no idea what affect the little bit of power in her hands would have on the strength of her grip, if any. But as long as Kouga believed her, or even had some doubt, he would not pull away. Or so she hoped.
“Let me go, Kagome,” the wolf prince snarled. “I’m gonna kill that bastard!”
“No, you’re not!” Kagome retorted before Inuyasha could butt in. Kouga appeared temporarily taken aback; this was the first time since they became friends that she had raised her voice to him. Seeing her opportunity, Kagome went on the attack.
“Kouga-kun, please,” she cooed, using every ounce of charm she possessed. “Calm down. Let me talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” the wolf ground out. “I know what he did!” he yelled, raising his free hand to drive it through Inuyasha’s skull. Kagome reacted automatically, driven by the instinctive desire to protect a loved one. She pushed against Kouga’s chest with both hands and called upon her spiritual energy. And with Inuyasha’s life at stake, her execution was perfect, right down to remembering to channel the energy around the baby.
Kouga screamed in agony as pure energy crackled around him, but the contact lasted only a fraction of a second. The momentum of her shove and a spasmodic firing of his leg muscles launched him into the air to land on his back with a dull thud a half dozen meters away. For several moments he lay still, the only movement the wisps of smoke rising from his chest, and Kagome thought she had killed him. Then a miserable groan escaped his throat, and he began to stir. Kagome stood, pure adrenaline surging through her veins. Yet her hands were steady, her eyes steely, utterly devoid of their usual compassion. This youkai had attacked the man she loved. He would not be allowed to do so again. Kagome nocked an arrow, drew back her bow, and waited.
It took Kouga almost a full minute to find the strength and coordination required to lean up on his elbows and gaze blearily at them. When his vision finally cleared, words failed him. He appeared understandably shocked to be staring down the shaft of Kagome’s arrow. Her expression left no doubt that she would fire if she had to, that slight quiver of her bottom lip notwithstanding. Inuyasha stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder providing silent support. His glare was angry as expected, but also accusing as if he, Kouga was the cause of this entire mess.
Kagome could tell when the wolf prince began to second-guess himself, when blind rage gave way to observation and reason. He sat up and leaned his elbows on raised knees, resting his forehead in his hands. When he eventually lifted his head, his expression was hard, guarded. But it could not completely conceal the hurt. Kagome felt a flash of sympathy, but did not lower her bow.
“He didn’t…force you, did he?”
Part of her wanted to smack Kouga for that comment. The very notion was ludicrous. Inuyasha was as sexually repressed as they came; he didn’t have it in him to rape anyone, least of all her. Not to mention the fact that he just wasn’t like that. Deep down, Kouga probably hadn’t even believed it; he had just needed an excuse to attack Inuyasha because the hanyou had taken ‘his woman.’ It pissed Kagome off to no end, but she reigned in her ire. Kouga had lost his cool, as everyone did sometimes. The difference was that as a youkai he was incredibly dangerous at those times. As was Inuyasha. Would the hanyou have reacted much differently if their situations were reversed? She wasn’t sure. But the bottom line was that she was willing to cut Kouga a little slack because no harm had been done thus far. If he was ready to be reasonable, then she would let him live. Whether their friendship would ever recover was not her primary concern at the moment.
“No, he didn’t,” she answered curtly, leaving no doubt as to what she thought of his question. She was satisfied at his flinch, but knew that this wasn’t the end of the inquiry.
“So, you chose him over me?”
There was that pesky sympathy again. Kouga looked and sounded so pathetic, like a lost puppy. If Kagome regretted one thing, it was allowing the wolf prince to think he had any chance with her. She should have set him straight months ago; that would have saved both of them a lot of stress and heartache. But as she could not change the past, the only thing to do was move forward. So despite her guilt, she would not sugar coat this for Kouga. There would be no misunderstandings this time.
“Yes, I did.”
Kouga frowned in consternation. “Why?”
It was a one-word query, but Kagome sensed so much meaning in that single syllable. There was old youkai prejudice rearing its ugly head. After all, why would anyone, including a human, choose a hanyou over a full-blood youkai? To a man like Kouga, raised to believe that youkai, and ookami in particular, were superior to all other races, it must have been quite a shock. Especially losing to a hanyou, who might be regarded as even lower than humans. Beyond the race issue, his unflattering opinion of Inuyasha as a person was clearly on display here as well. Some of the criticisms that Kouga could make of the hanyou were surely valid, but the wolf had also seen only a small part of the man Inuyasha was. He had not glimpsed the loving, caring side of the hanyou she had come to love. On the surface, Inuyasha was foul-mouthed, thick-headed, and often insulting. Kouga probably didn’t think that he treated her as she deserved to be treated. Again, that was because the wolf prince was only privy to a superficial fraction of their relationship. He didn’t know how Inuyasha treated her when they were alone, or with trusted friends. He had only observed their behavior when they were in danger or when a rival male was present.
In this case, Kagome found it hard to blame Kouga for his lack of insight. Most youkai looked down on hanyou, and Inuyasha only revealed his softer side around people he trusted. She herself was the only one who had ever glimpsed some of the true depths of his heart. And since the hanyou was naturally jealous and hostile when Kouga was around, what chance did the wolf have of seeing his good side?
So again, she would refrain from snapping at Kouga or chewing him out. He had asked a simple question, and it had a simple answer. Her dilemma was whether to reply with complete honesty. She could conjure up some rationale that would make sense to Kouga; for example, because Inuyasha protected her and provided for her better than she thought anyone else could. Or perhaps because he had grown so powerful and was well on the way to mastering Tetsusaiga, the strongest sword in existence. She could even confess the true circumstances of their child’s conception and explain their somewhat committed relationship as a product of bad luck. Ultimately, however, all of these options left a sour taste in her mouth. She wanted to do none of them. But she also was not comfortable being truly honest with Kouga, or Inuyasha, about the real reason she had chosen the hanyou. Their relationship was still too unsettled, too ambiguous, and she didn’t have the nerve. So she settled on a compromised approach, one which would hopefully satisfy Kouga without revealing too much about her feelings.
“Inuyasha is the only man I’ve ever seen in that way, Kouga-kun.”
A disturbing noise came from behind her, sounding like a barely-stifled gasp, and Inuyasha’s grip on her shoulder tightened. And suddenly Kagome was very glad she had decided against openly declaring her love, as she’d contemplated. If Inuyasha was shocked by her actual statement, he probably would have keeled over if she’d fully bared her heart.
In the end, Kouga’s facial expression seemed to indicate that he might actually have understood what she was really talking about. If so, all the better. Love was irrational, and a predominantly human emotion. Kouga could blame her decision on the unrivaled sentimentality of human females if he wanted to. But he would accept it as something he could never change, even if he couldn’t understand it.
Slowly and without further comment, the wolf prince rose gingerly to his feet. He turned his back to them, as if unable to stomach the sight of her and Inuyasha standing united any longer. Now that the danger had passed, Kagome felt her compassion swell. She could only imagine how hard this was for Kouga, in part because she had led him on for so long. She only wished she could make it right.
“Kouga-kun, y-you don’t have to leave,” she told him, her tone slightly pleading. “We can talk.”
“Like I said,” he replied sadly as air and dust began to swirl around his feet. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
In moments, Kouga’s whirlwind had disappeared over the horizon. It had moved significantly slower than normal at first, likely a result of the lingering effects of her purifying energy, but it seemed to be picking up speed as it vanished from view.
The strength in Kagome’s legs deserted her abruptly, and she collapsed onto her backside, this time unintentionally. All of the rampant emotions which she had held back in front of Kouga burst forth, no longer restrained by raw adrenaline and determination. She curled into a ball and rested her forehead on her knees, expecting to cry for a few minutes in solitude, or perhaps with Sango attempting to give comfort. When a hard male body settled behind her instead, she sobbed and threw herself into the owner’s chest. Inuyasha’s arms settled around her, his chin resting on the top of her head as she cried. Where his policy about personal space had gone, Kagome couldn’t say. But she was grateful that he had decided to grant her an exception in this instance.
Comforted by the fact that Inuyasha was still willing to comfort her, Kagome regained her composure fairly quickly. Mostly her tears were borne of guilt and sympathy, she reflected. Kouga was far from perfect, but he didn’t deserve to have his heart broken. She had taken enough damage to her own heart in the past to know what it felt like. Hopefully the wolf prince would heal in time, and would come to regard her as the friend she had always believed him to be.
Eventually her sobs wound down completely, and she lay limply in Inuyasha’s embrace, lulled by the gentle rise and fall of his chest. She did not expect him to speak, so when he did it took her a moment to comprehend his words.
“Why…why didn’t you tell Kouga what really happened that night?”
Kagome leaned back to look up at him, finding his gaze downcast and unreadable. She could understand his confusion, she supposed; from Inuyasha’s perspective, it must have seemed entirely possible for her to more or less continue the status quo with Kouga. All she would have needed to do is inform the wolf of the accidental nature of her pregnancy, thereby leaving her feelings completely out of the equation and opening the door for her to actually become his woman later. Instead, she had burned any romantic bridges which could ever potentially exist between them. To a hanyou unused to being chosen by anyone, it must have seemed a bold and reckless move. But ultimately, it came down to not letting anyone think for a second that she was only with Inuyasha because he had knocked her up. That was her choice, long before she became pregnant.
“He didn’t need to know,” she answered simply. This was true, and Inuyasha seemed to accept it. He nodded and took to gazing contemplatively over the horizon. Kagome settled down in his embrace once more, intent on enjoying every moment she could spend in his arms.
“Thank you.”
His soft words caused her breath to catch. He wasn’t looking at her, but she could see how much her discretion in front of Kouga meant to him. Or maybe it was the simple fact that she would tell a rival male without hesitation that she had chosen him.
“Y-you’re welcome,” Kagome stuttered, her cheeks heating for some reason. The solution was to duck her head and snuggle just a little closer to his chest. Inuyasha didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.
“Sango,” Miroku whispered in the taijiya’s ear, sidling up to her. “I believe they have forgotten that we are here.”
“Shh! If you bother them again, Inuyasha will give you another lump on your h—ack!”
A resounding slap rang out, followed by the sound of irritated footfalls and a helpless masculine chuckle. None of which bothered the hanyou and miko currently sitting together a few meters away.
“Dumbasses,” Inuyasha snorted, more amused than annoyed.
Kagome giggled. “Sango-chan should know better than to ever let her guard down.”
“Damn bouzu. We got rid of one letch, but he’s still here.”
“Kouga-kun isn’t a letch. Although…I guess you don’t have to worry about him saying I’m ‘his woman’ anymore, ne?” she teased.
“Keh! I never worried about that.”
Kagome laughed; he almost sounded completely serious. She might point out that Inuyasha got jealous every time Kouga came around. But why would she, when his embrace was so soothing and the sunset so beautiful?
They stayed like that, gazing together out to the western horizon, until the last sliver of the setting sun sank below the tree line.
* * *
“Oh, quit pouting already, Inuyasha. So you got tricked by some monkey kids. It’s not a big deal.” “Little bastards,” the hanyou muttered, continuing to stalk forward with an annoyed scowl contorting his features.
Kagome sighed, disappointed but not surprised that he couldn’t quite let this go yet. Ultimately, no harm had been done by the monkeys’ deception, other than the couple ‘osuwari’ he’d had to endure for threatening the village. But Inuyasha hated being made a fool of, even if was just by a few impish children. Even reminding him that they’d gotten a good lead from Sarugami-sama wouldn’t alleviate his bad mood, she knew. He would just have to cool off on his own. A great evil passing over the village in the direction of Ushitora, then vanishing without a trace…it has to be Naraku. But what enemies will we face as we get closer to discovering his hiding place?
“Don’t be mad at them, Inuyasha,” Shippou told him with mild indignation. “Little youkai have to be good at tricking bigger youkai in order to survive.”
For a moment, Kagome thought an argument was about to break out, but Inuyasha just snorted, apparently not in the mood for conversation either. Though he did turn to her and bark out a brusque command.
“Wench, you just make sure our kid never pulls any shit like that.”
Kagome rolled her eyes. He probably wanted her to tell him that their child would be the most well-behaved offspring in the history of reproduction. Yes, and while they were being completely delusional, he could promise her that her delivery would be quick and painless.
“Kids are mischievous, Inuyasha,” she told him sagely. “When it’s your own, you won’t mind so much.”
“Keh,” he snorted, but he didn’t argue with her. Instead he briefly got a far-away look in his eyes, which seemed to take the edge off his sour mood. Seeing this, Kagome dared to sidle up to walk beside him, so they were almost touching but not quite. He glanced at her but made no attempt to move away.
Kagome grinned softly to herself. Since Kouga’s appearance, Inuyasha had stopped imposing so much distance between them. She hadn’t held his hand or hugged him or anything like that, but he didn’t seem to mind walking with her now. What had done it, she wondered? Her willingness to present them as a happy couple to Kouga, or simply time removed from that afternoon in her bedroom?
Whatever the reason, she was happy with the decisions she had made with regards to Kouga. Inuyasha had been grateful, and even the wolf prince would be better off. Yes, he was hurting now, but in the long run he would benefit from no longer entertaining romantic thoughts about her, thoughts which would never be reciprocated.
Still though, she wondered which encounter would be less pleasant: the next time they met Kouga or the next time they ran into Kikyou.
* * *
Two days later, not much had changed. They were still heading northeast; a forested mountain had come into view in the distance, so they were making for it. There were no other visible landmarks to speak of, and even from afar the mountain seemed unusual somehow. Their route brought them close to a small village, and they decided to take a slight detour to check for rumors of Naraku and possibly get a refreshing night of sleep indoors. They were nearly on the outskirts of the settlement when a gust of wind blew into their faces, and Inuyasha froze in his tracks, sniffing furiously.
“What is it, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked.
“You sense a jewel shard, Kagome?”
She focused her senses for a moment. “Yes, over there,” she answered, pointing to the village.
“It’s the same scent as before,” he declared with a smirk, cracking his knuckles. “A corpse and graveyard soil. We found another one of those damn zombies!”
Swiftly the Inu-gang prepared for battle. Sango donned her taijiya armour, and each human plus Shippou mounted their respective charges. Kagome felt a thrill of exhilaration; it had been a long time since she’d rode into battle on Inuyasha’s back. She gripped her bow tightly and drew an arrow, taking a steadying breath and finding her reserves of spiritual energy deep within.
“You ready, Kagome?” he asked quietly.
She nodded firmly. “Let’s go, Inuyasha.”
With a final fanged smirk, Inuyasha kicked himself into the air, Kirara following close behind. And woe to whatever enemy awaited them.