InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Love at First Sight ( Chapter 31 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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In the days and weeks following that pivotal battle with Naraku, the group had managed to keep him on the run, and he was getting more and more desperate - which meant he was making mistakes.

One of those mistakes was letting his miasma leak just enough, time and time again, to draw his enemies towards him.

Unfortunately for Kagome, one of those enemies was her erstwhile suitor, Koga.

Now, Kagome was fond enough of the ookami youkai, but only as a friend, and she was definitely tired of all the 'my woman' claims he put on her. He just completely ignored the fact that she'd denied his claims over and over - and the fact that she refused his advances every single time he showed up.

He was what modern teens called 'dense'.

With the way things were now, she wasn't sure what would happen when he showed up... would Sesshoumaru feel he was enough of a threat to her state of mind to actually defend her against the ookami, or would he leave her to deal with the hardheaded, stubborn wolf?

What actually happened when they finally ran into him again about two weeks after that last battle with the wicked hanyou, however, wasn't what she'd expected in the least.

She'd had no idea that her mothering instincts would kick in so fast - or so hard.

The beginning of the encounter went the same as they always did - save for the fact that while Inuyasha did try to defend her, he was much more mature about it, not allowing the discussion to degenerate into a fight.

No... the fight was started by two tiny children. One human, and one youkai.

"She isn't your woman, you stupid wolf! She's our momma, and you can't have her!"

The entire group froze, looking down in shock on none other than Shippo, as he ran up and kicked Koga in the shin - followed by a very upset Rin.

"Oi, you stupid runt, she's my woman, she ain't your mother, so stay away and stop callin' her that!"

Rin was in tears, and Kagome could tell that for some reason, the tiny child was terrified. Kneeling in the dirt and hugging the little girl's shaking body to her, she asked, "Rin, honey, what's wrong?"

Rin shuddered as Koga growled at the two, and Kagome immediately snapped a look up at him that promised death, causing him to back up and quiet down immediately.

"When Rin first found Sesshoumaru-sama, he was hurt and Rin helped him get better, but one day, Rin's village was attacked by wolves... his wolves. They killed Rin - but Sesshoumaru-sama saved Rin," she whispered. "And now, he wants to take my new mother away."

Kagome was horrified, and just as Sesshoumaru lighted in the clearing, she stood, holding the shaking child and stormed over to him. Handing Rin gently to him, she turned and stomped back over to a very confused Koga - and slapped him right across the face.

"How dare you growl at my children and tell them I'm not their mother! Let me reiterate, Koga, I AM NOT YOUR WOMAN!!! I never have been, and I never will be. What I am is a mother to these two children, and that will also never change!" She glared into his shocked face, almost growling in her rage.

"Now, since it was you and your wolves that killed my daughter, I do not want you to come around here, ever, do we have an understanding? And if you ever try that claiming thing again with me, I'll purify you, got it?" By this time, she was poking her finger into his chest hard, and everyone in the group was staring open-mouthed at her - including Koga - and the children.

Even Sesshoumaru evinced astonishment, although that was mostly just the look in his eyes, since his expression was the same cold, hard one he usually wore when presented with something unpleasant.

"B-but, K-kagome..! I - we... were supposed..."

"No!" she cut him right off. "We weren't supposed to be anything! Now, be a good boy and hand over the shards." She held out a hand for them, and Koga, rather dazedly, plucked the shards from his legs and handed them to her. "Good. Now, it's time for you to leave. Remember, don't come here again. I won't have you upsetting my children."

Koga left without another word, still too stunned to even think of arguing.

As Rin shimmied down from Sesshoumaru's arms, and she and Shippo ran to her, Kagome caught sight of Inuyasha moving to where the ookami had stood, and bending to retrieve something.

With a curious expression, he held his hand out to her.

She set the children back down and looked at the hanyou - who was holding a single, thornless rose.

Oh, jeez...

She rolled her eyes as everyone looked at it, then up at her.

"It means 'love at first sight'."

Sesshoumaru considered that for a moment, then said, "That is a false flower, then. You cannot love someone the first time you see them. Love is something that grows over time."

Kagome's eyes twinkled at him, and she smiled, nodding. "Koga doesn't really love me - he doesn't even know me. He just wanted me for my ability to see the shards."

Inuyasha flinched as she said that. How many times did I say that to her?

Then she chuckled. "Love at first sight, I believe, really only applies to your children. For when you first hold them after they are born, you love them."

And she smiled down at the two children still staring up at her with love, taking the rose and handing it to them. "This is for you both - from me."

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment, his mind caught in that imagery - a parent holding their child for the first time.

Yes... that - to love instantly your child - that I can see.

He looked at her.

And any child that could call the miko 'mother' would be blessed, indeed - as the kit and Rin are.

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A/N: Wonder what Sesshoumaru's thinking? Could it be the same thing Kagome was thinking last chapter?

Amber