InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Why Do You Defend Me? ❯ Why Do You Defend Me? ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha but I do own the plot

 

AN: This little snippet came to me out of the blue last night. I was thinking how Inuyasha must still be taunted for his heritage even though that isn't mentioned in the manga or movie, except for the Junenji episode. Enjoy!

 

Credits: I would like to thank a few people for helping my out with the grammar: Lillian, Moon Destiny, JJ and Loki. I would like to thank Fatima for tireless discussing story ideas with me. Thanks!

 

Why Do You Defend Me?

Started October 30, 2004 ~ Finished October 31, 2004

 

 

“Inuyasha, we've been walking for ages now, can we please stop?” Kagome moaned from behind a certain red- clad, dog-eared boy, limping along slowly. They have been traveling non-stop from Kaede's village. It was late afternoon, early dusk but the sun was still unrelenting as ever, scorching the poor girl. She stared wistfully down at her dirty brown loafers, thinking of the cluster of blisters that lay hidden under the leather.

 

Said dog demon turned his head back to glare at the human girl. She truly looked tired but they really hadn't walked for that long and besides, he wasn't going to give in so easily.

 

“Hurry up will you wench? Naraku isn't going to wait while you take your stupid little breaks.” He snorted and marched on with her bag draped over one shoulder. “You don't even have to carry this stupid bag of yours.” He tapped the yellow bulge with a claw.

 

He marched down the dirt road again in light steps, making it look like it was the easiest thing to do in the world, which of course was his intention.

 

“You inconsiderate jerk!” Kagome yelled as loud as she could muster in her current state, panting while trying to catch up.

 

Inuyasha ignored her and muttered something about `weak bitch'. That earned him a good sit into the mud. Somehow, Kagome always managed to have breath for that.

 

“Bitch! What the hell did you do that for?” The hanyou hollered indignantly as soon as the spell allowed him to remove his mouth from the dirt. “There's a fucking village down the hill, rest there!”

 

“Sit!” Kagome growled in frustration and stomped past him, stopping only to deal a kick to the immobile demon.

 

They continued to lumber down the dirt road, and across the grassy knoll that separated them from the village. It really was a very nice day, if only Inuyasha had been nicer and Kagome wasn't fuming and if the pair was enjoy each other's company instead of trying to bite each other's head off.

 

True to his word, there was a village not far down the hill. With lack of anything better to do, and certainly not talking to that insensitive idiot, Kagome let her eyes roam the rice paddies that surrounded the village. The settlement looked a lot like Kaede's village, with its small wooden huts with straw roofs. The rice crops were green and tall this time of the year, irrigated by the nearby river. But surprisingly, there was hardly a soul tending the fields, not even women and children working and playing outside their huts. She sighed and dismissed the matter, wishing for the umpteenth time that Miroku and Sango was there to keep her company. The couple had gone to Sango's old home to repair Hiraikotsu and naturally, Kagome sent Shippo to chaperone.

 

“What are you moping about for bitch?” Inuyasha muttered, throwing a glance back at his companion. “We're almost at the village.”

 

Kagome made a small sound of annoyance and jerked her head away. In response, the hanyou glared at her.

 

“What the fuck's wrong with you?” He proceeded in a high-pitched ridiculous imitation of her voice. “Oh please stop, I can't walk anymore because I'm a weak little—”

 

His little antic was cut short abruptly by a rotting orange fruit that came in contact with his face. The demon was too surprised to even utter a word. Kagome whipped her eyes up at him and her eyes widened when she saw the state he was in. The lumpy fruit was still attached to his hair, sticky residue dribbled down his forehead, eyes and face, covering him in an orange mess. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest. He must feel so terrible.

 

The source of the fruit was a small ways in front of them, gathered around the village's entrance gate was a swarm of peasants. The men carried threatening axes and hoes, while the women, children and some other men carried baskets of over ripe vegetables and fruit.

 

They began to pelt Inuyasha with fruit and vegetables, mushy rotting things that made horrid splattering noises as they connected with his body. Within seconds, he was covered in oozy liquid, his kimono no longer red, but a sickly combination of browns and greens. He was extremely quiet, hands clenched at his sides, not making a sound and not moving out of the way either.

 

“Stop it!” Kagome ordered as she stepped in front of Inuyasha and threw her arms up, blocking access to the half-demon. “Stop throwing stuff at him! What is wrong with you people?” She demanded angrily, brows furrowed while her heart ached for the poor boy behind her.

 

“What's it to you girl?” A villager sneered. “You better stand aside or we'll hit you too.”

 

Inuyasha placed a calming hand on her shoulder, careful not to get any juice on her odd outfit. She in turn, flashed a small smile at him and squeezed his hand reassuringly. Rapidly, her dainty hand dashed out to wipe some of the gunk off his handsome face.

 

“Why are you throwing things at him? What the hell did we do to you? We haven't even entered your village!” She demanded yet again.

 

`We,' Inuyasha thought to himself. `We, not me, but we. She's with me.'

 

“That's the point!” A woman yelled at her. “We don't want no disgusting hanyou in our village, soiling the ground with his dirty blood.”

 

An image flashed through Inuyasha's mind. A painful memory of long passed times, when he was just a small boy of eight, hungry and frightened, and had wandered into a village in search of food. That was when they saw his ears, which betrayed his heritage. They sneered at him and horrible words came out of their mouths. `Half-breed', `freak', and `mistake'. He had felt a heart wrenching despair and the vulnerability, like he did now.

 

 

Kagome just gaped. How could they say such things? How could they be so cruel to Inuyasha? Judge him even before he even said a thing? Her heart broke for him, the pain he must be going through and that thought triggered protectiveness deep inside her.

 

“You have no right to say that you hag!” She screamed hotly. “What makes him so bad? Oh I get it. It's because he's a demon isn't it? What does that have to do with anything? Why does everybody think a demon has to be bad?”

 

“He's a fucking hanyou! A dirty little half-breed that doesn't deserve human blood running in him!”

 

“Yeah, you're right.” Kagome muttered.

 

Inuyasha was shocked, she agreed with them?

 

“You're all just a bunch of conceited bastards! Yes, who would want such cold, heartless blood that runs through your veins?” She pointed an accusing finger at the crowd, barely containing her rage. “Inuyasha maybe be half demon and half human, but he's the best guy I've ever met! He sure as hell, is better than any other demon and judgmental humans like you!”

 

“He's just an abomination, a freak of nature and a worthless mistake! What can he do, huh? Nothing, he's just a worthless piece of junk! He better get out of here quick, or we'll kill him like we did the last hanyou boy.”

 

 

With that said, Inuyasha flinched violently behind her. Every single word was killing him, piercing and more damaging than any physical wound could ever be. Sword wounds were mere cuts, spears were needle pricks and even Sesshomaru's poison hand was nothing compared to this.

 

“Stupid wench! You're in alliance with a half demon, that makes you tainted as well!” With that a putrid fruit landed on her. “You should know better to side with your own kind!” The same loud spoken woman jeered at Kagome.

 

“Enough with the talking! Dumb half-breeds never understand anything!” The leader of the villages ordered. “Kill him!”

 

That was exactly what the villagers did ages ago, they attacked the defenseless, half starved hanyou child. They bashed him with wooden clubs, kicked him, opening long gashes and cuts in his tender skin, wounded him until all he could do was curl up in his own seeping blood and wish it would all end. And it did. They left him to die in the forest far away from their village.

 

“Not again.” He uttered. “No.”

 

Kagome heard his anguished voice and stepped back to wrap an arm around him. She was worried sick, not for his physical well-being, but his mental and emotional safety. Something broke inside her, like a river that surged and reduced a dam to pieces. Without a second thought, her hands reached for the bow and strung an arrow with the grace and skill of long practice.

 

“Anyone who dare to lay a finger on him will have to answer to my arrow.” She smirked when she saw the men back down and gulp visibly. The arrow was glowing pink with her power.

 

It seemed an eternity, with Kagome pointing an arrow at the men and the men contemplating what to do. Inuyasha was more than surprised, his Kagome, who resembled a lamb at most in her rage, was pointing an arrow at the villagers, her own kind? Meaning to hurt them? It was his fault; she was doing it to protect him. Truth was Kagome wasn't really sure what she was doing either.

 

 

At last, a masculine voice broke the silence.

 

“Get out of our village!”

 

They seemed to opt for the fruit instead of their weapons.

 

“We don't want you sullying our land!”

 

“Die you abomination!”

 

Kagome shielded herself from the flying objects with one hand.

 

“I don't give a damn about what you say! I know who to side with! I'll stick with Inuyasha anytime than to stay with the likes of you.” She yelled into the crowd and shook her weapon for emphasis.

 

She spun around ignoring the pelting fruit and grabbed the half-demon's hand. He was tense and extremely cold. She squeezed his fingers and led him gently away from the villagers, all the while receiving splats of decayed vegetables on her back.

 

The pair walked proudly up the hill ignoring the jeers, the taunts and the horrible stabbing insults that sounded behind them.

 

Soon enough they reached the safety of the forest. Kagome continued onwards until the tall trunks and thick leaves shielded the village from their view. She halted and turned to face her friend. Glazed, dull eyes met her hazel ones. They had lost the sparkle and seemed to be staring at somewhere beyond her. His beautiful hair was matted with thick goop and his ears were drooped so low betraying his state of mind. Worried, she reached up and cupped his face gently.

 

“Inuyasha? Are you alright?” She whispered, concern etched on her delicate features as she settled the hanyou down against a thick trunk of a nearby tree. “Talk to me, Inuyasha, please?”

 

The half-demon was still lost in his own nightmare of his childhood. He was seeing through the eyes of his younger self once more. Looking at the people, the monsters who yelled at him, hit him, dealt hard merciless blows to his fragile body as well as rendering his heart to pieces. He only remembered one distinct phrase: “You don't belong here you piece of shit!” It had been so long since he was so vulnerable; he had grown much stronger since then. He was fearless, yet why? Why did he become virtually powerless when things like this happen, when they said those words? Why hadn't he gotten used to them by now?

 

She gasped as a droplet of wetness slid down his tanned cheek onto her finger.

 

He closed his eyes. There was only a select few that accepted him, but to the rest of the world, he still remained the devil spawn that must be eliminated.

 

“Inuyasha?” She squeaked. His eyes opened tiredly and focused on her, although they remained lifeless.

 

“Kagome,” he croaked hoarsely, grief clouding his voice, which had lost all its confidence and usual spirit. “I didn't think it would happen again. It has been so long. I've grown stronger and people fear me. But,” He faltered. “Today, I didn't know how to react. I was like a child again.”

 

The girl choked on the overwhelming grief that filled her heart. Her poor hanyou had to suffer that and worse during his childhood. All that discrimination and violence was more than enough to break the strongest spirit. But it would be different now, with her by his side. She flung her arms around him.

 

“Don't worry Inuyasha. I'm here.” She whispered furiously. “I won't let them hurt you. Not if I can help it.” Her arms was painfully tight around his lean torso, face buried in the crook of his neck.

 

 

He responded by holding her tighter and burying his face in her soaked hair. He inhaled a shuddering breath.

 

“Come,” She smiled brightly at him, freeing him from her arms and grabbing his clawed hand again to pull him up. “Let's go clean you up.”

 

The couple made their way to the nearby river with the help of a certain hanyou's senses. The river was wide and bubbling, with clear sweet water that ran noisily and slapped the banks. Kagome made Inuyasha sit down close to the water and eased the weight of her backpack from his shoulders. She fished a towel from her pack and dipped it in the cool water. Gingerly, she lifted the soft cloth to his forehead and began to work out the stupid stains from his skin. She continued gently, carefully cleaning his beloved face as she repeatedly dipped the washcloth into the water to clean it. He sat still and allowed her to clean his face, his ears and hair. And little by little, he relaxed under her soothing hands and loving touches as she rubbed the fruit stains out of his skin, as well as the hurt from his heart. Neither said a word, but it was clear that she was calming him silently. Patiently, she laid him down on her lap, with his long mane submerged in the water. Her nimble fingers got to work at the silvery strands and brushed lightly against his scalp. He sighed softly and closed his eyes.

 

Little by little, his thoughts drifted away from the painful memories of the past and more towards the human girl who was tending to his hair at the moment. She was different from the other humans. She did not judge him or think him an abomination, a freak of nature. She defended him when no else would without the risk of being abandoned by the rest of his or her kind. Why? He did not know.

 

He stirred on her lap, openly his eyes slowly. She was thrilled that some of the original spark had returned to the rich golden orbs.

 

“Kagome?” He began softly as she lifted a hand to caress his face. “Why did you defend me?”

 

She gasped at the simple question. Then she smiled that sweet smile of hers, a smile for him alone.

 

“Because I care for you.” She explained gently. “I can't stand the way they treated you. And besides, I had to defend the truth, the truth of your nature.”

 

He shifted his eyes from her intense gaze to the sky now painted with the colors of the setting sun.

 

“The truth of my nature?” He inquired, his voice barely audible.

 

“Yes,” Her hands moved to his fluffy ears and hair again. “You aren't a freak. And mix blood doesn't mean you're dirty. I think… to me… you're the strongest and most caring person I've ever met, though you don't always act like it.”

 

He closed his eyes again. She said `person' not `youkai' or `human' or `hanyou'. That was enough, a `person' was enough, her affection and acceptance was enough. There was nothing more he needed.

 

“You know Kagome.” He spoke softly again. “My mother used to defend me too, when I was little. Mother died protecting me.”

 

He heard her sharp intake of breath and felt her hands tense against his head.

“And after she died, nobody bothered anymore about a stupid hanyou.” He finished bitterly. He was surprised when she hit him over the head.

 

“So what am I? A nobody? Don't you dare say anything like that about yourself again or I'll say the word until your back breaks!” She scolded him furiously. “A lot of people `bother' about you dog-boy, Sango, Miroku, Kaede, Shippo and ME!”

 

She threw her arms around the hanyou in her lap. He nodded in response and settled more comfortably within the circle of her slender arms.

 

**

 

He perched on a nearby rock, wrapped in one of her bath towels as he watched her wash their clothes. She had bathed behind a convenient rock and changed into an extra set of clothing. Light blue in color, it suited her form perfectly. She soaked their stained clothes in the river in hopes of rinsing out the stubborn fruit residue. She worked at the task diligently when all of a sudden, he heard a giggle and spied her mischievous smirk.

 

He raised an inquiring eyebrow. As if sensing his question, she turned towards him, grinning like a maniac.

 

“Oh I was just thinking, this river leads down to the village right?”

 

He nodded uncertainly, not sure where she was going.

 

“Well, I just have an incredible urge to pee in it! Like a `kiss my ass' kinda thing.” She giggled and went back to her work. “I've been hanging around you way too much. I'm starting to pick up your bad habits!”

 

“Hey, watch your mouth woman!” He growled in her direction, not seeing the hidden smile on her face as she acknowledged the fact that he was being his old self again.

 

**

The night was dark, the sky was a dreary gray and the moon was half hidden by wisps of smoky cloud. It reflected his feelings perfectly. The scorching heat in the day was now replaced with a slight chill. His amber glance darted to Kagome's small form in front of the roaring fire he had built a little while ago. Idly, he threw in an extra log from the pile beside him. He didn't want her to freeze to death, plus their clothes would dry faster. His under garments and that thing she called a kimono hung amusingly on a tree branch above the fire.

 

Kagome was currently stirring their dinner in a small tin pot she carried with her everywhere. The smells of ramen, mixed with her soft scent drifted to his sharp nose, two of his most well liked scents. He closed his eyes and leaned back.

 

He knew she loved him deeply and without a doubt accepted and cared for him as a whole. Not only as a human or a demon but both. She loved him for who he was, enough to defend him. She was precious to him. Before, he had no one to say anything in his favor or stand on his side. All they did was yell, accuse him, insult him and made him believe that he was worth about as much as a speck of dirt on the ground. But she was different; she loved him and stayed with him even if it made her fall out of grace with her own kind. She gave him so much.

 

A rustling sound beside him caused him to open his golden eyes again. Kagome was settling herself in the puffy `sleep-bag' which she insisted he share too, since he was only wearing his fire rat clothing, which dried the fastest. She beamed at him and handed him a large steaming bowl, which he gladly accepted.

 

The current scene reminded him of something similar, when he was a child, shivering and tending to himself in front of a tiny fire. Alone and abandoned. But he wasn't alone anymore and for that he was glad.

 

“Kagome,” he breathed softly and looked at the human girl beside him. Her cheeks were made pink by the fire's heat, ebony tresses flowed softly around a pleasing face. She was pressed softly against his side, warming herself with his body heat.

 

“Yes, Inuyasha?” She smiled brightly at him, happy that he wasn't so unresponsive anymore.

 

“I'm sorry,” he murmured under his breath.

 

“For what?” she exclaimed in surprise.

 

“If it wasn't for me, you'd be safe and warm inside a village hut, not here in the wilderness,” he explained, “with me.”

 

She cuffed him lightly around the ears.

 

“Silly,” she replied softly. “There's no other place I'd rather be than here, protected by my hanyou.”

 

There was a certain way she said that, a certain way that made `hanyou' sound like an endearment and not an insult. The word was like a pet name more than the horrible expression it was, like `dog-boy' that she frequently used. Maybe it was because she loved him.

 

“Thank you, Kagome.” He drew her into his embrace, not letting his love, the one he belonged with go, not ever.

 

End