InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Endeavors ❯ The Deal: Day 1 ( Chapter 2 )

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

Arc 1: The Deal

Chapter 2: Day 1



The group was packing up camp; finally deciding to go out and search for their last party member. They were silent and tense, unsure of how to act or what to say. Kagome looked like she was ready to burst into tears.

Or tear something apart. It was hard to tell.

Kirara’s ears perked up as a noise caught her attention. She mewed a warning to her owner. Moments later Inuyasha came crashing through the underbrush into their small clearing. He was cussing a blue streak. “Thanks for coming to look for me, assholes.”

“You’re welcome,” Miroku replied snidely.

Inuyasha stopped to stare at him. He was use to Miroku being a smart ass, but usually Kagome would have spoken up by now. “Sorry Inuyasha-san,” Sango began. “We thought it would be easier for you to find us. Then...well, things happened and we were delayed. We were just packing up to go find you.”

Inuyasha huffed; crossing his arms into his sleeves. “What a lazy bunch of humans you are. what was so important that delayed you?”

Sango and Miroku looked at Kagome; who was still eerily quiet. Shippo was standing next to her, a paw resting softly on her leg. “Kagome,” Inuyasha called. His voice was soft and tender; somehow unconsciously knowing she was upset. He could smell salt on her skin, but didn’t know if it was from tears or sweat. “What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

He turned to the other humans. “If she’s hurt you shouldn’t have waited. She needs to go back to see Kaede.”

“It’s not what you’re thinking,” Sango tried to explain.

“Then what is it?”

A silence fell over the group. No one really wanted to break the news to the hanyou, and yet they knew it had to be done. And soon, Inuyasha looked like he was about to pop from the silent tension.

“Sesshomaru-dono was here,” Shippo finally said. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you can’t smell him, baka.”

“Sesshomaru was here?!” Inuyasha screeched.

“Now Shippo-chan,” Miroku chided. “Insulting Inuyasha isn’t the best way to go about this.”

The hanyou disregarded the other two men. He walked over to Kagome, circling around her slowly. Moving as he did, he came out of his upwind spot and the overbearing scent of his elder brother overtook him. His eyes widened. Stepping closer to Kagome, he sniffed carefully. “He touched you!”

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome’s arms and brought her even closer. “Are you okay? Did he do anything to hurt you?”

Kagome shook her head, averting her eyes. Inuyasha looked over at the other members of the group. They shook their heads too. “So he didn’t hurt you, but something he did upset you? You won’t even look me in the eyes.” He swallowed. When he continued his voice was little and etched with a panicked worry that he rarely ever showed. “Did he do anything....well, to you?”

Again Kagome shook her head. Then, as Inuyasha was known to do, he jumped to conclusions. He let Kagome go and looked around. “This isn’t some fucked up way he’s trying to get Tetsaiga, is it? ‘Cause it won’t work.”

Sango sighed. “This isn’t about Tetsaiga.”

Kagome finally spoke up. “Sesshomaru-dono came to ask me...a favor and I accidentally agreed. I mean, I didn’t even know what he was saying was related and then he said he would meet my stipulations and the deal was made and how I have two weeks to ‘get ready’ until he returns on the night of the new moon.”

The young miko was babbling and close to hysterics. Inuyasha was looking at her like she had gone mad. His ears were plastered to the side of his head, his unconscious way of showing his hurt.“Night of the new moon? Are...are you sure you aren’t lying. This really is about Tetsaiga, isn’t it? Why else would he come at that time? What did you agree to do? Steal it for him? You--you wouldn’t really do that to me, would you?”

Kagome felt horrible. He thought she was betraying him. “This isn’t about your stupid sword,” Sango all but growled. “This is more important.”

Inuyasha looked at Sango, insulted. “More important how?”

“Sesshomaru-dono wants Kagome-san to have his son,” Shippo finally blurted out.

The group went silent, waiting for Inuyasha’s response; fully expecting him to explode.

They weren’t expecting him to begin laughing. It started slowly then dissolved into what--if it had been anyone other than Inuyasha--sounded suspiciously like giggles. “That’s ridiculous! What a stupid joke,” Inuyasha wheezed out. “The only thing Sesshomaru hates more than humans are hanyous.”

“Obviously not,” Sango stated.

She rested her hands on her hips, waiting for Inuyasha’s laughter to stop. “Shippo’s telling the truth.”

The hanyou stood straight at that; the scalding words washing away any laughter that might remain. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would he...”

Then he got it. His attention had been on Sango and Shippo but he turned again to face Kagome. At the rate he was going, he would soon have whiplash. A look of horror had overtaken his normally boyish face. “You--you said you agreed?!”

“It was an accident!” the miko defended. “He made it really confusing.”

“But you AGREED?! How could you do this? He’ll probably use you then kill you! And what about the shikon--are you just going to abandon your duties for restoring it? You’re the one who broke it to begin with! How stupid are you?!”

Under the berating, Kagome could no longer hold back her tears. She sunk to her knees and covered her face with her hands. Unfortunately, the tears that normally affected in Inuyasha into calming down only served to flame the fires. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Sango repeated back. The hanyou’s jaw closed with an audible click at the sound of the normally well-mannered female cuss aloud. “Can’t you tell she’s not happy about this? She didn’t mean to make this deal and it’s not like she can really get out of it.”

Sango paused to catch her breath and reign in her own temper. “Why would she want this, Inuyasha? He isn’t--he isn’t who she loves.”

The hanyou’s ears swiveled around uncomfortably. His own guilt over not being able to reciprocate the young miko’s affections were always heavy on his mind and heart.

Sensing a lull in the storm, Miroku jumped in. “I think we should head back to Kaede-san’s. Perhaps someone removed from the situation can give us better insight.”

“I want my mother,” Kagome whimpered.

Inuyasha scoffed. “Fine, we’ll talk to Kaede.”

Not wasting a moment, the hanyou took off.

“I suppose that means we’ll be on our own on the way back,” Sango sighed.

“All the better,” Miroku replied. “He’s horrible company when in a foul mood.”

Kirara transformed, knowing her roll. “We’ll be too heavy for you,” Sango commented.

The firecat answered with a low growl. The Taijiya sighed before looking over to Miroku. He was helping Kagome up and trying to sooth her. “Kirara says she will take us; that she can handle the four of us.”

“Thank you,” Miroku replied. “Let’s get going then.”



When they got back there was no sign of Inuyasha, but Kaede was waiting outside her hutch. She was looking at them questioningly, hands clasped behind her back. “What seems to be troubling you all?” she asked as they approached.

Kirara and Shippo were being carried by Sango and Miroku respectively. Kirara was already asleep, exhausted. Shippo was yawning, as was Kagome. The day was almost over and it had been eventful.

“Do we look that bad?” Miroku asked.

Kaede shook her head. “No, but Inuyasha has already arrived, upset and foul-mouthed, and has taken up residence in the Goshinboku. He’s probably scared away all the animals.” The woman laughed at the hanyou.

“I was wondering what spooked that flock of birds awhile back,” Miroku commented, joining in on her laughter.

“An ornery hanyou frightens many a fowl. Now, not that I don’t enjoy making light of our youkai friend, but why don’t we go inside and you can tell me what is ailing Kagome.”

The young miko’s head shot up at the sound of her name. “What?”

Miroku chuckled. “I think she’s worn herself out.”

“I’m fine,” she protested. It would have been more convincing if she hadn’t punctuated the sentence with another yawn.

“Uh-huh,” Sango teased. “You aren’t tired at all.”

The Taijiya threw an arm around her best friend and guided her towards Kaede’s home. “You can sleep while we explain everything to Kaede.”

“I’m really not that tired. Yawns are just the expelling of excess carbon dioxide from the lungs. It doesn’t actually mean--” she yawned again. “Oh, screw it.”

Kagome slumped her shoulders and let the bone-deep exhaustion take over her.

Once inside, Shippo helped Kagome set out her sleeping ear before he joined her in the sleeping bag. Miroku and Sango, with sleeping Kirara in her lap, waited until they were certain Kagome was asleep before explaining everything.

Kaede sighed at the quick rundown. The three humans made the unanimous proclamation that only Kagome could get herself into such a mess.