InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Home for Kagome ❯ Discussions ( Chapter 11 )

DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi, now and forever, owns 'Inuyasha' and all characters involved. I, now and forever, own nothing but my own twisted plot and any original characters I might add. Hope this settles any confusion. Please don't sue me, I'm broke.

 

Now updated, with thanks to my wonderful Beta Chanda

 

Chapter 11 - Discussions

 

Kagome sank happily into the hot water with a sigh. She loved her hot baths and always found them so relaxing. This time however, she knew she would not be allowed to simply sit here and enjoy herself.

 

Sango sat opposite from Kagome, visibly struggling to find the words to start the conversation. Finally, Kagome couldn't take the silence anymore.

 

“Just go ahead and say whatever you're thinking.” Kagome spoke up after five solid minutes of silence. “We're good enough friends that I'm not going to be insulted if whatever you're thinking doesn't come out exactly right.”

 

Sango still hesitated for a moment. “It's just… Kagome are you sure you're ready for something like this? I mean, it still seems like it's too soon after what happened to you.”

 

Kagome sighed. “I understand what you're saying Sango, and I know you're just worried about me. But really, I'm fine.”

 

“Are you sure?” Sango asked again. “If Inuyasha was pushing you or something…”

 

“No, Inuyasha didn't push me!” Kagome snapped, now annoyed. “God damn it Sango! You should know Inuyasha better than that! Do you really think the man who has been trying so hard to help me recover over the last six months would really try to push me into something I wasn't ready for? And do you think I would let him? In case you've forgotten, the Beads of Subjugation are still are still in place, even if I haven't used them in months. If things had gone any further than I wanted, I would have been able to stop it easily.”

 

Sango felt rather guilty. She did know Inuyasha better than that, she should have realised he wouldn't do anything that would hurt Kagome's recovery. Hell, she had thought a couple of times over the winter that he was being too careful around Kagome. She had also forgotten about the Beads as well, it had been so long since Kagome had last used them.

 

Kagome was still talking, only now she was looking down at the water and not meeting Sango's eyes. “The truth is Sango, I was the one pushing things last night. I mean, I wasn't planning too. I couldn't sleep last night, I realised I'm not used to sleeping alone anymore. Ever since I was attacked, there's always been someone sleeping in the room with me. After a while I gave up trying, and decided to go see if Inuyasha was still awake, and wanted to talk or something. He was, and we did talk for a while about… well, things that needed to be talked about. Then he kissed me. I think, no I know he meant for it to be short and sweet, but I kind of took control of the kiss and made it more passionate. We kept kissing for a few minutes, when I realised I was ready and I wanted more and I told him so. Inuyasha actually tried to stop things a couple of times. Like you, he was worried that I wasn't ready, and he didn't want to hurt me. But… I wouldn't let him. And I don't regret it. Last night was one of the best experiences of my life, if not the best.”

 

Kagome was a little worried about what Sango's reaction to her tale would be. She knew things in this time were different and that women weren't supposed to be so forward. Part of her was also worried that her story might make Sango think that maybe she did do something to encourage being raped, as willing as she had been with Inuyasha. While most of her knew that Sango wasn't the kind of person to think this way, she couldn't help but worry.

 

Sango, while a little shocked by Kagome's story, was nevertheless happy for her friend and moved forward to engulf her in a hug. “If that's true and this is what you want, then I'm happy for you and Inuyasha.” Sango said. “I've thought for a long time that the two of you belong together, I just didn't want to see you get hurt by rushing into anything you weren't ready for. You and Inuyasha are like family to me, and I didn't want to see either of you hurt.”

 

“You're like family to me too Sango.” Kagome said as she hugged the Slayer back. “Don't worry, this is what I want. And trust me, the way Inuyasha was acting last night, it's what he wanted too. While he might have been trying to be noble and not push me, the look in his eyes clearly told me he wanted it as much as I did.”

 

Sango smiled and moved back as another thought occurred to her. “By the way Kagome, if you don't mind me asking, are you and Inuyasha full mates now? It's not that I think either you or Inuyasha would be the kind to just sleep together without some kind of commitment, but I don't see any bite marks on you.” Every kind of Youkai mating that Sango knew about involved biting and sharing blood.

 

Kagome wasn't insulted. “Apparently Inu Youkai are one species that don't share blood as part of mating. They bond their souls together instead. It leaves a mark in Kanji on your arm.” Kagome said, holding out her arm so that Sango could see it. “The soul bonding also gave me Inuyasha's lifespan, I'll live as long as he will now.”

 

Sango nodded. She hadn't known about the soul bonding, but she did know that certain Youkai species could give a human mate a Youkai lifespan. She found herself smiling when she saw Kagome's mark and read what it said. For once, Inuyasha appeared to have expressed his feelings perfectly.

 

###

 

Inuyasha was feeling rather nervous. Once the girls had left, Miroku had `suggested' that they move to their rooms where they could have some privacy to `discuss things'. Inuyasha wasn't that stupid, no matter how he may act sometimes; he knew that translated into `grill the Hanyou about his relationship with the Miko'. And in Miroku's case, most likely `get as many perverted details as possible'. In all, it wasn't a conversation Inuyasha was looking forward to. However, now that he, the monk, and Shippo were all sitting in Miroku's room no one was saying anything and Inuyasha was quickly finding the silence to be even worse.

 

Miroku had been sitting, appearing to be perfectly calm, watching Inuyasha squirm for the last few minutes. In truth, he was more troubled than he let on. On one hand, he trusted Inuyasha. The Hanyou had saved his life more times than he could count, and he knew that despite all the hardships Inuyasha had endured so far in his life that he was an honourable man. On the other hand, he had come over the years to consider Kagome something akin to the little sister he had never had, and he knew that she had recently been forced to endure something no woman should have to. He was struggling to put those two thoughts together with what he knew had happened between his two friends last night.

 

“So,” Miroku finally spoke up. “What happened? No scratch that, we all know what happened. Why did it happen? I thought you had more respect and concern for Kagome than to push her like that.”

 

“I didn't push her!” Inuyasha snapped. He was hurt that his friend thought he would do such a thing to Kagome. He could understand why he might think that, all things considered, but still it hurt. “She's the one that came to me.”

 

Miroku was taken back, whatever he had been expecting to hear, that wasn't it. Inuyasha wasn't finished talking though.

 

“Look monk, whatever you might think I wouldn't push Kagome like that. I care about her too much for that. I've told her repeatedly the last six months that I wanted to be with her but that I didn't want to do anything until she was ready and that I was willing to wait for as long as she needed me to. Last night she said she was ready. I gave her the opportunity to back out if she felt uncomfortable, but she said she wanted it.”

 

Miroku took a moment to think about this. “She may have felt willing last night, but I imagine she was likely feeling very good last night, having just defeated Naraku and everything. What happens next time you want to be with her, if without that emotional high she's once again feeling fragile?”

 

“Then I'll back off until she feels ready again.” Inuyasha answered instantly. “I promised I'd give her as much time as she needed to recover and I meant it. Just because we're mates now doesn't mean I'm going to start pushing her into something she doesn't feel ready for.”

 

Miroku smiled to himself and nodded. He could clearly see that Inuyasha meant every word. He felt convinced now that Kagome would be safe with Inuyasha.

 

“Is she really your mate, or did you just mate with her?” Shippo demanded suddenly. Both Inuyasha and Miroku were startled by such a question coming from one as young as Shippo. Both being raised by humans, they had forgotten for a moment how Youkai generally learnt such things at early ages.

 

“She's really my mate.” Inuyasha said, pulling back his sleeve so that Shippo could see his mark. Although Inu and Kitsune Youkai had vastly different mating customs, their marks were similar enough that Shippo could easily tell what it meant.

 

“Good.” Shippo said, sitting back with his arms folded, now convinced that his foster-mother's honour was well taken care of. However, Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the faint scent of fear that now came from the Kit, and was confused by it. Before he had a chance to ask Shippo what was wrong though, Miroku started to (rather predicably) grill Inuyasha for perverted details about him and Kagome. Very quickly Inuyasha found himself recanting his earlier thought; he much preferred the silence.

 

###

 

Despite their late start, the group was well on their way home by noon. As sunset approached, they set up camp in a clearing by a stream that Inuyasha managed to find. Once they had a makeshift camp set up, Inuyasha asked Kagome if she would be willing to come and talk to him about a few things. Kagome agreed and the two set off. Although, not before Miroku made a few perverted comments about how he hoped they had fun talking and Sango knocked him unconscious with her Hiraikotsu.

 

Moving away from the camp to get some privacy, Inuyasha pulled his new mate to him for a gentle kiss before he spoke.

 

“Kagome, you don't regret last night do you?” He asked hesitantly. He knew that she said last night that she didn't, and that she hadn't acted like she did this morning, but still he worried that maybe Miroku was right and it was just too soon for her.

 

“No, I do not regret it.” Kagome said firmly. “I love you, and I wanted to be with you. Last night was one of the best experiences of my life. You… you don't regret it, do you?”

 

Inuyasha quickly pulled Kagome back into his arms, and buried his nose in her hair to better take in her scent. “Never.” He said firmly.

 

Kagome smiled, content to let her mate hold her for as long as he wished. To two of them stood there in companionable silence for a few minutes, before Inuyasha remembered something else he had wanted to ask her.

 

“Kagome, have you noticed Shippo acting weird today?”

 

Kagome frowned. “A little, he seems nervous and a little depressed for some reason. Do you know why?”

 

“Not really.” Inuyasha answered. “Well, actually, not at all, but I first noticed the fear smell coming from him when he found out I'd really made you my mate rather than just, well, mating with you. Do you have any ideas as to why?”

 

Kagome frowned, suddenly remembering something from her own childhood. “Actually, yeah, I think I might.” She said. “I think he might be worried about where he fits in now that we're together. I'm the closet thing he has to a mother, and now that I'm with you he's probably afraid I won't have time for him anymore.”

 

Inuyasha was surprised by her insight, but it did fit with how the Kit had been acting. “How did you figure that out?”

 

“When I was eight, Ayumi's mother got remarried.” Kagome explained. “Her father had died when she was two and it was just the two of them for a long time. When her new stepfather came into the picture, she was worried that maybe her mother wouldn't have time for her anymore. That wasn't true of course, her mother and her stepfather loved her dearly, but it took a long time for her to accept that. I probably should have realised this would be a problem before now, but I guess I didn't think about it because you were always there anyway.”

 

Inuyasha frowned slightly as he thought this over. “Well then, I guess we'll just have to make sure the runt knows he's still wanted. Just cause we're together doesn't mean we're going to kick him out of the pack, right?”

 

“Right.” Kagome said with a grin. “But come on, we better get back before Miroku wakes up and has time to think up any wisecracks.”

 

The two returned to camp to find that Miroku was indeed awake. He was sitting slightly apart from the others with a handprint on his face, while Shippo and a clearly annoyed Sango built a fire.

 

Inuyasha looked over at the stream, wondering if there were maybe any fish in there he could catch for dinner. He was about to go over and check it out when he got an idea.

 

“Come on runt, get up.” Inuyasha said, causing Shippo to look up in surprise. “You can help me try to catch some dinner.”

 

Shippo's eyes instantly bugged out. “You, you want me to help you catch dinner?”

 

Inuyasha shrugged. “It's about time someone started teaching you how to fish. When we get back to the village, you should probably start learning how to track and hunt as well, but it's too late in the day to start practicing that now.”

 

Shippo could barely believe his ears. All day he had been worried about where he would fit in now that his foster-mother had become the mate of their pack leader, but here was Inuyasha offering to teach him how to hunt and fish. For a moment he wondered if Inuyasha was aware of the fact that traditionally in demon society, it was a father's job to teach the skills Inuyasha was talking about. Looking closely at Inuyasha's face, Shippo realised that Inuyasha did know, and that was why he was offering.

 

Grinning, now no longer so worried, Shippo jumped to his feet and followed his new foster-father towards the stream.

 

 

Author's Notes:

 

Wahoo! `Home For Kagome' has now been viewed over SIX AND A HALF THOUSAND times! I feel so appreciated. I'm so glad people apparently like my story so much.

 

Due to a suggestion by Angel-up-above-heaven, `Home For Kagome' and another one of my stories `A Child's Wish' have both been entered in `MediaMiner's Second Annual Maximum Challenge Fan Fiction Contest'. Thanks for pointing this out to me Angel, I didn't even know about this contest until you told me. This is the first time I've entered a contest like this, so wish me luck!

 

Replies to reviews

 

Sorry Purefire16, but I've read too many stories with that happening, and I want mine to keep at least some individually. Kagome's still human, and she'd not going to be having any kids right now. Maybe later.