InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Fairy Tale ❯ The Moonless Night ( Chapter 5 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Starlight Demon 22 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Comedy / Classic / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.03.2007 | Updated On: 12.21.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 370 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Comedy / Classic / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.03.2007 | Updated On: 12.21.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.1K | Visits: 370 | Status: Completed
A Feudal Fairy Tale
Starlight Demon 22
Warning: I do NOT own Inuyasha, the other characters, or the plot from the manga or anime. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and everyone involved with that whole thing. I only own my own character, Akemi, other than that no.
Chapter 5- The Moonless Night
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Kagome was quiet and uneasy for a while, worrying Kikyo would return to destroy the village or something thinking they wanted to destroy her. Kaede had cancelled her lessons for a few days to help calm everyone down after the mayhem caused by Kikyo's departure of the village. Most demanded to know what had happened, many rejoicing when told she had left and they could resume normal lives. Souta and Inuyasha started bringing in more food again, though now they knew to start drying some of it out and setting it aside for not only the winter, but should Kikyo be in the forest and decide at random to start playing with their traps again. When they weren't hunting or fishing, they were all off doing their own things.
"Inuyasha, want to go for a walk with me?" Kagome asked one afternoon. The hunting for the day was done and Li was already cooking the food for dinner. He shrugged and nodded as they both headed off towards the forest.
"Why the forest?" he asked her curiously.
"There's a tree there I love to play on, but since the forest has become so dense, and after Kikyo's death so many youkai had apparently moved in, I can't go there very often." Kagome said as Inuyasha nodded. He understood her reasoning for staying away most of the time. "Plus with all my training it's hard to get away for a bit."
"I understand that," Inuyasha said as he walked with her, his ears open and sniffing occasionally for any youkai that might be getting a little too close to the young miko he had decided to protect. Kagome smiled and sighed as they walked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just happy, I don't get to relax like this often." Kagome said as Inuyasha nodded again. That he also understood, especially now that he was training Souta and all, he was normally being followed around with millions of questions being asked about everything he wanted to know. Some of the answers he sent to other men of the village, not because he didn't know the answer, but because he figured it was better a human explain it to the boy.
"Since I know we're not going to be overheard here," Inuyasha said softly as Kagome nodded and walked with him. "Tonight's...it's my human night." He mumbled the last part that she had to strain to hear him. He thought she was going to ask him to repeat it but smiled and nodded at him as if it were truly not that big of a problem.
"Alright," Kagome said as Inuyasha looked at her baffled. "Do you want me to place a barrier around the hut so no one can see you?"
"Yeah, if you could, I don't normally like anyone to see me as such." Inuyasha said as Kagome looked at him confused. "I don't particularly like my human night."
"You don't like being human? Why not?" Kagome asked as they walked into a clearing, in the center stood a great tree with sutras strung around the trunk of it. Inuyasha looked at it surprised. It was easily one of the largest trees in the forest.
"Because, I don't like being vulnerable and that's a very vulnerable time." Inuyasha answered absentmindedly as he walked around the tree impressed with its size. He jumped up into the tree to look around it some more, Kagome watching him surprised by both his answer and his playful and impressed attitude with the tree. "This thing is huge!" he said as he landed lightly on his feet next to her. Kagome giggled and nodded as she sat down by the base of it.
"It's a God tree, it's name is Goshinboku," Kagome answered as he nodded and listened. "It's supposed to be connected through out time, the Bone Eater's Well, where we drop the bones of the youkai and hanyou that attack the village, was made from wood of another God Tree. I'm not quite sure where it's located though. Story has it that that tree was the center of a battle between two powerful youkai; a inu general and something else. The general won and sealed his opponent and his offspring in the other God Tree and this one was planted. That was quite a long time ago." Inuyasha nodded, it was an interesting story, to say the least.
"That's kind of neat," Inuyasha said as he looked up at the tree. He didn't know why but this tree felt like home.
"This is where we first met," Kagome said as Inuyasha looked around surprised. The path they had taken was different so he didn't recognize the area. Any scent he would have left has long since gone away since he wasn't around to renew it. "So, where were you going when you came through here and were found?"
"To see my half-brother, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha answered as if it didn't really matter. "To see if I could stay with him, though I had no doubt he'd throw me on my ass and laugh at me." Kagome looked at him surprised.
"Why would he do that?" Kagome asked him.
"He's a full youkai, like humans, full youkai don't like hanyou much. Sesshomaru's as biased as they come, though I don't know why." Inuyasha said as he leaned against the tree with a heavy sigh and enjoyed the peace of the forest. "I've only met him a handful of times and each time he showed me about as much courtesy as an insect deserves." Kagome looked at him sadly but nodded as she looked away and thought.
"I understand, most don't like hanyou, but why I don't know. I mean there's nothing wrong with you." Kagome said as Inuyasha smirked a little. "What? It's true! You took Souta and taught him how to hunt and fish and now look at all the food we have. Plus you saved me from a vicious youkai, though I still insist that you were following me to spy." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as she giggled at him.
"For the last time..." Inuyasha began.
"I know, I know," Kagome said smirking. "You were not trying to follow me, just fishing." They laughed together as they relaxed in the presence of the great tree before them, in the spot where they had met.
"Why did you take me in so willingly?" Inuyasha asked curiously. "I mean, what if I was some deranged creature that would have waited until that night to kill you and your family?"
"I knew you weren't, there was no darkness in your aura, you weren't destructive or you would have fought the men who had found you and hunted you to this spot." Kagome said with a smile. "And I don't think you would have touched the tree and not be purified with all those sutras if you were bad. They're there to protect the good. I realized it also meant animals and youkai when I saw one take refuge there." Inuyasha nodded as he thought about it. "I don't think Kaede wanted to purify you either, after she realized where we were." Inuyasha nodded.
"She's not too bad, for an old hag," he said as she shook her head.
"That's not nice," Kagome said as she smirked and looked like she was fighting not to laugh. Inuyasha shrugged and jumped down and sat at the base of the tree with her. It wasn't often they found peace, so this was something they both wanted to treasure.
"So, how much longer in your training do you have?" Inuyasha asked curiously. Kagome thought about it, a dreamy look crossing her face, it was obvious she was trying to figure out how long she had been training to figure out how much time was left.
"Not much, according to Kaede," Kagome said as he nodded. "She says I'm a natural at certain things, like shooting a bow and arrow, and am really quick at picking up the herbs and such." Inuyasha nodded as he listened. "Why?"
"Just wondering. Picking things up quickly must run in your family, Souta has picked up his lessons at amazing speeds." Inuyasha said as Kagome looked at him impressed. "Most of the food today was from him, not me." She smiled as she relaxed some, that was good to know.
"That's good, because I know the second I'm done with my training Grandpa will have Hojo begging for my hand in marriage again." Kagome said with a heavy sigh and shaking her head. "I wanted to see Souta at least take on some of the responsibilities of being the man of the hut." Inuyasha nodded as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Unless of course you two find another reason to keep him away."
"Do you want us to?" Inuyasha asked her curiously.
"Part of me does, because I know what kind of man Hojo is like and I don't think he'd be a good husband for me," Kagome said as she thought about it. "And part of me doesn't because it's dishonorable of me to be unmarried and I would like to make my family proud by marrying someone and having a family of my own, plus I'd like a family of my own one day anyway. That first part also doesn't like the idea of going with the first guy who wants me." Inuyasha nodded as he listened. It was obvious Kagome didn't like Hojo when he and her grandfather had started to talk about wedding preparations for the young couple, now if only they were a couple it wouldn't be a problem.
Inuyasha remained silent after listening to Kagome. He felt, after all she had done for him, that she deserved some kind of happiness. Everything she did was for the honor of her family, which was quite respectable considering she was losing out in the end at some point. Granted, Inuyasha did think Kagome was beautiful and yes, he did spy on her that morning she had gone to bathe, but he'd never admit to any of it. But he also knew he would never deserve a girl like her, he was a lowly hanyou, they normally get a kick in the ass and chased out of a village if they weren't lucky enough to be killed first. It almost depressed him to think he'd never be able to be with Kagome. But it did give him a bit of hope when he knew he had enough influence to help determine who she would marry.
The sun was setting when Kagome got up and helped Inuyasha up as well. They headed back to the hut knowing dinner would be done and that soon Inuyasha would transform. As they walked back, Kagome planned on what she would do, because she knew her grandfather would be a problem for her hanyou companion as a human. She wondered what he looked like as a human, did he still have his silvery hair? His beautiful liquid gold, amber eyes? Was he just as strong and quick? As they walked into the hut they saw that Souta was seated at the table with his and Kagome's grandfather, Li was just taking the food off the fire, and Kagome and Inuyasha were just in time. Li smiled as Kagome quickly helped her with the food while Inuyasha sat next to Souta.
"Did you two have a nice walk?" Li asked curiously.
"We went up to the Goshinboku and relaxed there, it's been so long since I could," Kagome said as Li nodded. She enjoyed knowing Inuyasha was there to protect her children, who were quite headstrong like her husband and his father. She figured it was a trait of the family. She smiled as Kagome sat next to Inuyasha and noticed a small blush cross their faces when their hands bumped. They were a cute couple.
"That's good, you both need to relax. You've been running around without a stop for quite a while, I worried you'd both burn out." Li said as she served her family the food. Kagome nodded as she listened. Her mother normally worried about the welfare of her family, it was one of her jobs. Her next biggest worry, Kagome surmised, would be when the male callers come to woo Kagome into being their wife. Of course, she knew Kagome was no fool but kids these days seemed to jump into such things and were never really ready. Li also knew this meant Kagome had to show interest in the boys of the village, something she was either very private about or had paid no attention to them when they showed off for her because there was no interest. That would change, of course, when Kagome's mind wasn't on her training.
Inuyasha, to the surprise of everyone, inhaled his portion of the food and vanished into the room he shared with Souta at record speeds. The sun was preparing to set and he worried the others would make fun of him when he turned human. Li and the others looked to Kagome as realization dawned on her and she turned and continued to eat in peace.
"Kagome, what's wrong with Inuyasha?" Li asked her worriedly.
"It's something I can't tell you about, mama, it's Inuyasha's decision for you to know." Kagome said as her mother nodded and thought about it. Her grandfather didn't look so accepting of that answer.
"It's my hut and if he doesn't like it he can leave, but I demand to know what he's hiding from us, now." her grandfather said darkly. He had been looking for an excuse to kick the hanyou out, anything would have done, but Kagome had prevented him several times now.
"Again, it's not for me to tell," Kagome said sharply. "Just leave him alone, Grandpa." Her grandfather looked at her surprised and angrily as Kagome finished her meal. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Inuyasha. If he says I can, I'll tell you all what's going on when I return." She got up and went into the room to find Inuyasha as Souta and Li returned to their food.
"Aren't you worried about your daughter and son?" her father-in-law demanded angrily. "What if he's turning into some blood thirsty beast?"
"Kagome can handle it," Li said confidently. "I can't tell her no anyway, you saw how well that went when you tried." Her father-in-law grumbled and glared at her as he resumed eating as well.
Kagome didn't come out until dinner was done and cleaned up. They were all sitting in the main room of the hut working on various things by firelight. Kagome sat down and looked at Souta. "Sorry, but I think you might need to share my room. Inuyasha's pretty private." She said apologetically.
"That's alright, are you allowed to tell us what's wrong with him?" Souta asked her. Kagome nodded as she thought about it.
"Yes," she said as she relaxed some, "he said if I thought it would be worth it, I can tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone." Li and Souta nodded as her grandfather said and did nothing, still waiting to hear. Instead Kagome got up and whispered it in her mother and brother's ears, leaving her grandfather to glare at her for answers.
"That makes sense, the poor dear," Li said as Souta jumped up. "Souta! You're staying in your sister's room tonight with her." Her brother stopped short and sighed as he nodded. He figured that was bound to come. Going back to the traps he was repairing from the day's hunting, Souta muttered about having the coolest secret and not actually seeing it. Grandpa looked livid around the room, he hated not knowing what was going on, let alone under his own roof.
"I demand to know what's going on!" he snapped.
"No worries Grandpa, by next month you won't even need to worry about it," Kagome said as she worked on some clothes. Her grandfather looked at her confused. "Inuyasha's building us a hut because he thinks this one is too small. You're welcome to join us if you want, but then you'll be under Inuyasha's roof, so if I were you I'd be careful of what I said and did." Her grandfather looked at her amazed as Souta chuckled and continued to work. He and Li knew this was going to happen and were more than happy to move into a new hut. Inuyasha was right, this was just getting too small now that there were five of them living there.
"Has he determined where he's going to put the hut?" Li asked curiously.
"We're building it closer to the forest, but not too far from the stream either." Souta said as he worked. "That way we won't have to travel so far with the animals we caught and we'll be protected some by the winds of winter and the heat of summer." Li nodded as Kagome smiled, she liked the forest.
"That's very wise," Li said as she smiled. "I think it'll be a lovely home for us."
"I agree, a place of our own would help," Kagome said happily.
"I forbid my granddaughter to move in with a single male hanyou!" Grandpa shouted furiously. "She's to marry Hojo upon completion of her training!"
"Grandpa, I don't want to marry Hojo," Kagome said softly. "And what does it matter if Inuyasha's a single male hanyou? Mama and Souta will be there." Her grandfather glared at her for telling him no. "Well?"
"You're falling in love with that half demon," he shot out, "or when Hojo originally asked for your hand, you would have accepted as you are honor bound to do!"
"Maybe I'm tired of being honorable!" Kagome shot out surprising everyone around her. "Everything I do is to honor the family, well what about what I want to do? I was forced away from my home to even come here because of father's death. All I want to do is be normal! Like every other girl in this stupid village!" She got up and stormed off into her room as everyone looked at her grandfather stunned. He sat there, speechless as he stared in the direction she flew off to. Never once had Kagome spoken to him like that, she always showed him the utmost respect. Since that cursed hanyou started coming around she's been rather short with him and smart, he didn't like that.
"That hanyou is to leave, immediately!" he thundered angrily. "Ever since his arrival, Kagome has been most disrespectful of me and the other elders of the village. He is a deceitful creature that has turned her against us! I want him removed from this hut and this village now!" Li just sighed and worked as Souta ignored his grandfather and continued to work on the traps for the next day's hunting.
"And as deceitful as this creature is, as Inuyasha is as you say, he has taught your grandson the finer points of being a man, the skills of hunting and fishing, teaching him how he knows to trust or distrust others. Ideas and things you are either too old or too senile to teach him. She's right, the children didn't want to move here upon the death of their father, but you insisted upon us living here. I felt it would have been better for the children for them to have been around a man from their father's family. Obviously, I was wrong. But ordering that boy out is not going to change things. She's becoming independent on her own, Inuyasha has nothing to do with it. You just only see the changes because you're so angry with Inuyasha being here. We're solving that problem with our own hut. Inuyasha was kind enough to build it for us, I invited him to live with us." Li said angrily. He gaped at her stunned as she returned to her work. Souta continued to work without a word, knowing it was best not to say anything at that moment.
Without being seen, Kagome snuck into Souta's room where Inuyasha was hidden. He jumped when she entered and only calmed when she whispered to him. He had heard everything, it was heart warming to hear her family defend him against her grandfather.
"Are you hungry still?" Kagome asked as she sat down beside him. Inuyasha shrugged, examining his long black hair to avoid looking at her. Kagome didn't deny falling in love with him, though he was also certain that she didn't truly hear her grandfather in her anger. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Inuyasha said looking at her sadly. His large violet eyes looking miserable as he seemed to hunch in his human form. “I don’t want to come between you and your family.”
“You’re not, Grandpa is just blaming you because he’s ignorant. Like mama said, I’ve been opposing him for a long time, he just was too blind by the idea of a powerful granddaughter to see it.” Kagome said shaking her head and placing a hand on his cheek. “None of this is your fault.” Inuyasha nodded and sighed heavily as he thought. “He’s demanding to know what’s going on.”
“I know, and I don’t want him to know so he doesn’t reveal my secret. I trust you, your mother, and Souta, but your grandfather is just too dangerous to me like this.” Inuyasha said as he sighed. Kagome nodded in understanding as she sat there. “Kagome...can I...can I rest my head...on...on...your lap?” Inuyasha asked weakly. Kagome blushed as she smiled at him.
“Sure...if you want...” Kagome said as she allowed him to lay. He laid down and rested his head on her lap, his face towards her.
“Your scent is nice,” he said sleepily. Kagome smiled and blushed a little as she thought of what to say. She didn’t think she smelt nice, she had been working all day and was sweaty and dirty. But she wasn’t going to argue if he thought she smelt nice. She relaxed against the wall and patted his hair back as she felt him sigh contently.
Li walked by and noticed them. She couldn’t help but smile a little. Yes, her daughter may love a hanyou, but it’s not the worse that she could do. Seeing the way Hojo reacted to things, she wouldn’t be surprised if he would abuse whatever wife he ended up with. And she certainly didn’t want that poor girl to be her daughter. And it’s not like the hanyou doesn’t love her. He’s defended her when she couldn’t defend herself, that was huge. And he’s handled her and her family as if they were his own, which was also good. No, Li wouldn’t deny her daughter the love of Inuyasha, or Inuyasha the love of her daughter, if they decided to ask her for permission to marry.
Starlight Demon 22
Warning: I do NOT own Inuyasha, the other characters, or the plot from the manga or anime. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and everyone involved with that whole thing. I only own my own character, Akemi, other than that no.
Chapter 5- The Moonless Night
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Kagome was quiet and uneasy for a while, worrying Kikyo would return to destroy the village or something thinking they wanted to destroy her. Kaede had cancelled her lessons for a few days to help calm everyone down after the mayhem caused by Kikyo's departure of the village. Most demanded to know what had happened, many rejoicing when told she had left and they could resume normal lives. Souta and Inuyasha started bringing in more food again, though now they knew to start drying some of it out and setting it aside for not only the winter, but should Kikyo be in the forest and decide at random to start playing with their traps again. When they weren't hunting or fishing, they were all off doing their own things.
"Inuyasha, want to go for a walk with me?" Kagome asked one afternoon. The hunting for the day was done and Li was already cooking the food for dinner. He shrugged and nodded as they both headed off towards the forest.
"Why the forest?" he asked her curiously.
"There's a tree there I love to play on, but since the forest has become so dense, and after Kikyo's death so many youkai had apparently moved in, I can't go there very often." Kagome said as Inuyasha nodded. He understood her reasoning for staying away most of the time. "Plus with all my training it's hard to get away for a bit."
"I understand that," Inuyasha said as he walked with her, his ears open and sniffing occasionally for any youkai that might be getting a little too close to the young miko he had decided to protect. Kagome smiled and sighed as they walked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just happy, I don't get to relax like this often." Kagome said as Inuyasha nodded again. That he also understood, especially now that he was training Souta and all, he was normally being followed around with millions of questions being asked about everything he wanted to know. Some of the answers he sent to other men of the village, not because he didn't know the answer, but because he figured it was better a human explain it to the boy.
"Since I know we're not going to be overheard here," Inuyasha said softly as Kagome nodded and walked with him. "Tonight's...it's my human night." He mumbled the last part that she had to strain to hear him. He thought she was going to ask him to repeat it but smiled and nodded at him as if it were truly not that big of a problem.
"Alright," Kagome said as Inuyasha looked at her baffled. "Do you want me to place a barrier around the hut so no one can see you?"
"Yeah, if you could, I don't normally like anyone to see me as such." Inuyasha said as Kagome looked at him confused. "I don't particularly like my human night."
"You don't like being human? Why not?" Kagome asked as they walked into a clearing, in the center stood a great tree with sutras strung around the trunk of it. Inuyasha looked at it surprised. It was easily one of the largest trees in the forest.
"Because, I don't like being vulnerable and that's a very vulnerable time." Inuyasha answered absentmindedly as he walked around the tree impressed with its size. He jumped up into the tree to look around it some more, Kagome watching him surprised by both his answer and his playful and impressed attitude with the tree. "This thing is huge!" he said as he landed lightly on his feet next to her. Kagome giggled and nodded as she sat down by the base of it.
"It's a God tree, it's name is Goshinboku," Kagome answered as he nodded and listened. "It's supposed to be connected through out time, the Bone Eater's Well, where we drop the bones of the youkai and hanyou that attack the village, was made from wood of another God Tree. I'm not quite sure where it's located though. Story has it that that tree was the center of a battle between two powerful youkai; a inu general and something else. The general won and sealed his opponent and his offspring in the other God Tree and this one was planted. That was quite a long time ago." Inuyasha nodded, it was an interesting story, to say the least.
"That's kind of neat," Inuyasha said as he looked up at the tree. He didn't know why but this tree felt like home.
"This is where we first met," Kagome said as Inuyasha looked around surprised. The path they had taken was different so he didn't recognize the area. Any scent he would have left has long since gone away since he wasn't around to renew it. "So, where were you going when you came through here and were found?"
"To see my half-brother, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha answered as if it didn't really matter. "To see if I could stay with him, though I had no doubt he'd throw me on my ass and laugh at me." Kagome looked at him surprised.
"Why would he do that?" Kagome asked him.
"He's a full youkai, like humans, full youkai don't like hanyou much. Sesshomaru's as biased as they come, though I don't know why." Inuyasha said as he leaned against the tree with a heavy sigh and enjoyed the peace of the forest. "I've only met him a handful of times and each time he showed me about as much courtesy as an insect deserves." Kagome looked at him sadly but nodded as she looked away and thought.
"I understand, most don't like hanyou, but why I don't know. I mean there's nothing wrong with you." Kagome said as Inuyasha smirked a little. "What? It's true! You took Souta and taught him how to hunt and fish and now look at all the food we have. Plus you saved me from a vicious youkai, though I still insist that you were following me to spy." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as she giggled at him.
"For the last time..." Inuyasha began.
"I know, I know," Kagome said smirking. "You were not trying to follow me, just fishing." They laughed together as they relaxed in the presence of the great tree before them, in the spot where they had met.
"Why did you take me in so willingly?" Inuyasha asked curiously. "I mean, what if I was some deranged creature that would have waited until that night to kill you and your family?"
"I knew you weren't, there was no darkness in your aura, you weren't destructive or you would have fought the men who had found you and hunted you to this spot." Kagome said with a smile. "And I don't think you would have touched the tree and not be purified with all those sutras if you were bad. They're there to protect the good. I realized it also meant animals and youkai when I saw one take refuge there." Inuyasha nodded as he thought about it. "I don't think Kaede wanted to purify you either, after she realized where we were." Inuyasha nodded.
"She's not too bad, for an old hag," he said as she shook her head.
"That's not nice," Kagome said as she smirked and looked like she was fighting not to laugh. Inuyasha shrugged and jumped down and sat at the base of the tree with her. It wasn't often they found peace, so this was something they both wanted to treasure.
"So, how much longer in your training do you have?" Inuyasha asked curiously. Kagome thought about it, a dreamy look crossing her face, it was obvious she was trying to figure out how long she had been training to figure out how much time was left.
"Not much, according to Kaede," Kagome said as he nodded. "She says I'm a natural at certain things, like shooting a bow and arrow, and am really quick at picking up the herbs and such." Inuyasha nodded as he listened. "Why?"
"Just wondering. Picking things up quickly must run in your family, Souta has picked up his lessons at amazing speeds." Inuyasha said as Kagome looked at him impressed. "Most of the food today was from him, not me." She smiled as she relaxed some, that was good to know.
"That's good, because I know the second I'm done with my training Grandpa will have Hojo begging for my hand in marriage again." Kagome said with a heavy sigh and shaking her head. "I wanted to see Souta at least take on some of the responsibilities of being the man of the hut." Inuyasha nodded as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Unless of course you two find another reason to keep him away."
"Do you want us to?" Inuyasha asked her curiously.
"Part of me does, because I know what kind of man Hojo is like and I don't think he'd be a good husband for me," Kagome said as she thought about it. "And part of me doesn't because it's dishonorable of me to be unmarried and I would like to make my family proud by marrying someone and having a family of my own, plus I'd like a family of my own one day anyway. That first part also doesn't like the idea of going with the first guy who wants me." Inuyasha nodded as he listened. It was obvious Kagome didn't like Hojo when he and her grandfather had started to talk about wedding preparations for the young couple, now if only they were a couple it wouldn't be a problem.
Inuyasha remained silent after listening to Kagome. He felt, after all she had done for him, that she deserved some kind of happiness. Everything she did was for the honor of her family, which was quite respectable considering she was losing out in the end at some point. Granted, Inuyasha did think Kagome was beautiful and yes, he did spy on her that morning she had gone to bathe, but he'd never admit to any of it. But he also knew he would never deserve a girl like her, he was a lowly hanyou, they normally get a kick in the ass and chased out of a village if they weren't lucky enough to be killed first. It almost depressed him to think he'd never be able to be with Kagome. But it did give him a bit of hope when he knew he had enough influence to help determine who she would marry.
The sun was setting when Kagome got up and helped Inuyasha up as well. They headed back to the hut knowing dinner would be done and that soon Inuyasha would transform. As they walked back, Kagome planned on what she would do, because she knew her grandfather would be a problem for her hanyou companion as a human. She wondered what he looked like as a human, did he still have his silvery hair? His beautiful liquid gold, amber eyes? Was he just as strong and quick? As they walked into the hut they saw that Souta was seated at the table with his and Kagome's grandfather, Li was just taking the food off the fire, and Kagome and Inuyasha were just in time. Li smiled as Kagome quickly helped her with the food while Inuyasha sat next to Souta.
"Did you two have a nice walk?" Li asked curiously.
"We went up to the Goshinboku and relaxed there, it's been so long since I could," Kagome said as Li nodded. She enjoyed knowing Inuyasha was there to protect her children, who were quite headstrong like her husband and his father. She figured it was a trait of the family. She smiled as Kagome sat next to Inuyasha and noticed a small blush cross their faces when their hands bumped. They were a cute couple.
"That's good, you both need to relax. You've been running around without a stop for quite a while, I worried you'd both burn out." Li said as she served her family the food. Kagome nodded as she listened. Her mother normally worried about the welfare of her family, it was one of her jobs. Her next biggest worry, Kagome surmised, would be when the male callers come to woo Kagome into being their wife. Of course, she knew Kagome was no fool but kids these days seemed to jump into such things and were never really ready. Li also knew this meant Kagome had to show interest in the boys of the village, something she was either very private about or had paid no attention to them when they showed off for her because there was no interest. That would change, of course, when Kagome's mind wasn't on her training.
Inuyasha, to the surprise of everyone, inhaled his portion of the food and vanished into the room he shared with Souta at record speeds. The sun was preparing to set and he worried the others would make fun of him when he turned human. Li and the others looked to Kagome as realization dawned on her and she turned and continued to eat in peace.
"Kagome, what's wrong with Inuyasha?" Li asked her worriedly.
"It's something I can't tell you about, mama, it's Inuyasha's decision for you to know." Kagome said as her mother nodded and thought about it. Her grandfather didn't look so accepting of that answer.
"It's my hut and if he doesn't like it he can leave, but I demand to know what he's hiding from us, now." her grandfather said darkly. He had been looking for an excuse to kick the hanyou out, anything would have done, but Kagome had prevented him several times now.
"Again, it's not for me to tell," Kagome said sharply. "Just leave him alone, Grandpa." Her grandfather looked at her surprised and angrily as Kagome finished her meal. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Inuyasha. If he says I can, I'll tell you all what's going on when I return." She got up and went into the room to find Inuyasha as Souta and Li returned to their food.
"Aren't you worried about your daughter and son?" her father-in-law demanded angrily. "What if he's turning into some blood thirsty beast?"
"Kagome can handle it," Li said confidently. "I can't tell her no anyway, you saw how well that went when you tried." Her father-in-law grumbled and glared at her as he resumed eating as well.
Kagome didn't come out until dinner was done and cleaned up. They were all sitting in the main room of the hut working on various things by firelight. Kagome sat down and looked at Souta. "Sorry, but I think you might need to share my room. Inuyasha's pretty private." She said apologetically.
"That's alright, are you allowed to tell us what's wrong with him?" Souta asked her. Kagome nodded as she thought about it.
"Yes," she said as she relaxed some, "he said if I thought it would be worth it, I can tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone." Li and Souta nodded as her grandfather said and did nothing, still waiting to hear. Instead Kagome got up and whispered it in her mother and brother's ears, leaving her grandfather to glare at her for answers.
"That makes sense, the poor dear," Li said as Souta jumped up. "Souta! You're staying in your sister's room tonight with her." Her brother stopped short and sighed as he nodded. He figured that was bound to come. Going back to the traps he was repairing from the day's hunting, Souta muttered about having the coolest secret and not actually seeing it. Grandpa looked livid around the room, he hated not knowing what was going on, let alone under his own roof.
"I demand to know what's going on!" he snapped.
"No worries Grandpa, by next month you won't even need to worry about it," Kagome said as she worked on some clothes. Her grandfather looked at her confused. "Inuyasha's building us a hut because he thinks this one is too small. You're welcome to join us if you want, but then you'll be under Inuyasha's roof, so if I were you I'd be careful of what I said and did." Her grandfather looked at her amazed as Souta chuckled and continued to work. He and Li knew this was going to happen and were more than happy to move into a new hut. Inuyasha was right, this was just getting too small now that there were five of them living there.
"Has he determined where he's going to put the hut?" Li asked curiously.
"We're building it closer to the forest, but not too far from the stream either." Souta said as he worked. "That way we won't have to travel so far with the animals we caught and we'll be protected some by the winds of winter and the heat of summer." Li nodded as Kagome smiled, she liked the forest.
"That's very wise," Li said as she smiled. "I think it'll be a lovely home for us."
"I agree, a place of our own would help," Kagome said happily.
"I forbid my granddaughter to move in with a single male hanyou!" Grandpa shouted furiously. "She's to marry Hojo upon completion of her training!"
"Grandpa, I don't want to marry Hojo," Kagome said softly. "And what does it matter if Inuyasha's a single male hanyou? Mama and Souta will be there." Her grandfather glared at her for telling him no. "Well?"
"You're falling in love with that half demon," he shot out, "or when Hojo originally asked for your hand, you would have accepted as you are honor bound to do!"
"Maybe I'm tired of being honorable!" Kagome shot out surprising everyone around her. "Everything I do is to honor the family, well what about what I want to do? I was forced away from my home to even come here because of father's death. All I want to do is be normal! Like every other girl in this stupid village!" She got up and stormed off into her room as everyone looked at her grandfather stunned. He sat there, speechless as he stared in the direction she flew off to. Never once had Kagome spoken to him like that, she always showed him the utmost respect. Since that cursed hanyou started coming around she's been rather short with him and smart, he didn't like that.
"That hanyou is to leave, immediately!" he thundered angrily. "Ever since his arrival, Kagome has been most disrespectful of me and the other elders of the village. He is a deceitful creature that has turned her against us! I want him removed from this hut and this village now!" Li just sighed and worked as Souta ignored his grandfather and continued to work on the traps for the next day's hunting.
"And as deceitful as this creature is, as Inuyasha is as you say, he has taught your grandson the finer points of being a man, the skills of hunting and fishing, teaching him how he knows to trust or distrust others. Ideas and things you are either too old or too senile to teach him. She's right, the children didn't want to move here upon the death of their father, but you insisted upon us living here. I felt it would have been better for the children for them to have been around a man from their father's family. Obviously, I was wrong. But ordering that boy out is not going to change things. She's becoming independent on her own, Inuyasha has nothing to do with it. You just only see the changes because you're so angry with Inuyasha being here. We're solving that problem with our own hut. Inuyasha was kind enough to build it for us, I invited him to live with us." Li said angrily. He gaped at her stunned as she returned to her work. Souta continued to work without a word, knowing it was best not to say anything at that moment.
Without being seen, Kagome snuck into Souta's room where Inuyasha was hidden. He jumped when she entered and only calmed when she whispered to him. He had heard everything, it was heart warming to hear her family defend him against her grandfather.
"Are you hungry still?" Kagome asked as she sat down beside him. Inuyasha shrugged, examining his long black hair to avoid looking at her. Kagome didn't deny falling in love with him, though he was also certain that she didn't truly hear her grandfather in her anger. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Inuyasha said looking at her sadly. His large violet eyes looking miserable as he seemed to hunch in his human form. “I don’t want to come between you and your family.”
“You’re not, Grandpa is just blaming you because he’s ignorant. Like mama said, I’ve been opposing him for a long time, he just was too blind by the idea of a powerful granddaughter to see it.” Kagome said shaking her head and placing a hand on his cheek. “None of this is your fault.” Inuyasha nodded and sighed heavily as he thought. “He’s demanding to know what’s going on.”
“I know, and I don’t want him to know so he doesn’t reveal my secret. I trust you, your mother, and Souta, but your grandfather is just too dangerous to me like this.” Inuyasha said as he sighed. Kagome nodded in understanding as she sat there. “Kagome...can I...can I rest my head...on...on...your lap?” Inuyasha asked weakly. Kagome blushed as she smiled at him.
“Sure...if you want...” Kagome said as she allowed him to lay. He laid down and rested his head on her lap, his face towards her.
“Your scent is nice,” he said sleepily. Kagome smiled and blushed a little as she thought of what to say. She didn’t think she smelt nice, she had been working all day and was sweaty and dirty. But she wasn’t going to argue if he thought she smelt nice. She relaxed against the wall and patted his hair back as she felt him sigh contently.
Li walked by and noticed them. She couldn’t help but smile a little. Yes, her daughter may love a hanyou, but it’s not the worse that she could do. Seeing the way Hojo reacted to things, she wouldn’t be surprised if he would abuse whatever wife he ended up with. And she certainly didn’t want that poor girl to be her daughter. And it’s not like the hanyou doesn’t love her. He’s defended her when she couldn’t defend herself, that was huge. And he’s handled her and her family as if they were his own, which was also good. No, Li wouldn’t deny her daughter the love of Inuyasha, or Inuyasha the love of her daughter, if they decided to ask her for permission to marry.