InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Summon a Mate ❯ November 6 ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I am making no money off this story

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November 6

Clickclickclick. Clickclickclick. Clickclickclick.

Kagome glared at Inuyasha's claws and reminded herself it would really hurt to reach across and rip his stupid nails off his stupid fingers.

Then again, it could be more painful to listen to his damn clicking for another fifteen minutes.

She shifted on the stretcher, forgetting it would hurt, and let out a pained hiss when her rib throbbed. Inuyasha paused his tapping to look over at her, a whine catching in his throat.

She watched Inuyasha's eyes glance up at the clock, and sensed his annoyance at not being able to read it. He had finally understood how her digital one worked but he didn't know the purpose of those two stick looking things.

He growled quietly, not noticing Souta watching him intently. Very, very slowly, Souta rested his hand on the table beside Inuyasha's and gently tapped his fingers into the fake wood in unison.

Clickclickclick. Taptaptap. Clickclickclick. Taptaptap. Clicktapclicktapclicktap-

"Stop it! God fuck." Kagome groaned in agony, feeling like a giant hand had snapped her rib like a twig

Inuyasha shot up from his seat, his eyes panicked. "Damn it M-Kagome, don't hurt yourself!" he snarled at the closed door before looking back at the clock, figuring out that one of the stick things had moved to far right for his liking. "Where the hell is that doctor?"

As if on cue, the door swung open and Dr. Maeda swept in, Kagome's grandfather following behind him closely.

Dr. Maede sent a brilliant white smile to Kagome as her grandfather stole Inuyasha's seat, leaving him leaning against the wall while Dr. Maeda flipped on the x-ray display.

"And how are we doing Miss. Higurashi?" he asked cheerfully, sliding her x-rays into the frame.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Oh, we're just peachy doc. Her side really only hurts like hell just a little bit." he growled, his foot taking up the tapping.

The doctor nodded sympathetically, either ignoring or completely missing the sarcasm. "I'm afraid it's going to hurt for awhile. Kagome has broken one of her ribs. See here-" Dr. Maeda pointed to a spot on the x-ray and Kagome nodded as if she knew what he was talking about while Inuyasha snarled quietly, "This rib is broken. We're actually very lucky it showed up in the x-ray." he beamed and shut the box off. "Really the only thing you can do is go home and rest for one to two months-"

Kagome's mouth dropped open, "That long?"

Dr. Maeda nodded, "The bone is nearly shattered Kagome, you'll be lucky if it only takes two months. That means no school for awhile to." Dr. Maeda sat down to write a prescription out for her, completely missing the way Inuyasha's grim look turned into a smirk at the thought of her missing 'skool'. "These are some pain pills, and I'll give your grandfather instructions on your care. Just take it easy and you should be up and running in no time."

He smartly ripped the note off the pad and handed a little folder to her grandfather. "Would you like me to ask my son to collect your schoolwork for you?" he asked.

Kagome hid a grimace. Hojo was...sweet. But still a huge annoyance. "That would be great Dr. Maeda." she said politely.

He nodded his head, "I'll let him know as soon as I see him." he paused in front of Inuyasha and waggled his finger in his face. "And you young man, next time don't move a person who you think has a broken rib. You could have punctured her lung, which could have easily killed her."

Click

Please, please, please don't kill him! I need him for the pain meds! Kagome begged, recognizing Inuyasha's sudden tense form.

He stared right at the doctor, but thankfully didn't say anything.

Kagome sighed in relief while the doctor removed the IV from her arm. "The morphine should wear off in a few hours, but it should last long enough for you to get your meds once the drug stores open in...three hours." He confirmed after looking at the clock. "Let me have a nurse give you a wheelchair and you're all set to go home!"

Dr. Maeda finally left, leaving Inuyasha glaring at his back. Souta noticed his idol, and quickly twisted his face into a scowl as well, though he wasn't sure what Inuyasha was mad about.

Kagome drew in a deep breath and whimpered when her rib throbbed. Inuyasha winced, sharing her pain, but he didn't walk over and take her hand to comfort her like he wanted to. He had a feeling his mate wouldn't appreciate that kind of intimacy in front of her family just yet.

Gramps sighed and sat back in the plastic chair, tucking the prescription in his pocket. "Now who's going to take care of everything?" he mumbled, realizing the extent he had been depending on his granddaughter. What was he supposed to do now that she could barely breath without being in pain?

"Well it looks like the hoodlum is going to have to earn his keep." Grandpa decided suddenly with a firm nod, ignoring the way Kagome's mouth dropped.

"Gramps!" she protested, her ribs flaring up again. "His name isn't hoodlum, it's Inuyasha, second, what keep? He doesn't live at home-" As far as her family knew anyway..., "and you can't just expect him-

"Fine." Inuyasha interrupted her. "I'll take care of her."

"And the house. And the cooking, and the cleaning, and the rest of her chores?" Grandpa confirmed.

"Everything. I'll do anything for Kagome...and your family." he added at his mate's glare.

Grandpa nodded again, "Then it's settled, you can move off the streets and into our home for free while you're Kagome's nanny and the housekeeper."

"GRAMPS!" Kagome yelled before hissing in pain.

"Done." Inuyasha agreed immediately.

Stop shouting! He ordered frantically. I know it hurts you, so just calm down and let me take care of you!

"This is going to be so cool!" Souta cheered. "Inuyasha's going to live with us!"

At least I don't have to sneak back through the window anymore. He mused. This should be fun

Gramps got up, "I'm going to go see where that wheelchair is." he said, moving out the door.

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, before quickly following him, "Mr. Higurashi." he called down the hall.

Gramps looked back over his shoulder, waiting for Inuyasha to speak.

"Thank you for uh...trusting me with Kagome." He sneezed, the chemicals from the hospital screwing with his nose.

He shrugged, "You're cheap."

Inuyasha nearly fell over in shock and sneezed again, his eyes starting to water. "You'd trust Kagome with anyone then?" he nearly growled, the effect ruined by his rapidly stuffed up nose. Damn hallway. He should have stayed in the room where the smell wasn't nearly as bad.

"You're cheap and you reacted right away to save her." Gramps added. He nodded again firmly, "I can trust you."

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Inuyasha's arms were unmoving as he slowly walked up the stairs; Kagome nestled close to his chest. Still fine sweetheart?

Kagome rested her head on his shoulder, taking quick, shallow breaths. The morphine's fading she grumbled, Inuyasha feeling the answering twitch in his own side.

Inuyasha grunted, knowing the drug stores still had an hour before they opened at nine. Dumb ass doctor

He looked over his shoulder once he had finally reached the top of the stairs to Souta standing anxiously close to his back. "Go sleep, I've got it from here." He called down, still moving slowly.

Souta rushed off to his room, glad he was absolved of all responsibility, leaving Inuyasha staring down at Kagome, his jaw tight. She was pale, and looked so fragile in his arms.

"I'm sorry mate, this is my fault." He said, pissed off. "If I hadn't left you alone-"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Or, you know, maybe if you hadn't picked a fight..."

"Feh." Inuyasha walked into her room and carefully set her on her desk for a moment while he stripped her quilt to the foot of the bed. Ignoring her glare, he placed her on her injured side, the doctor mentioning that help her breath easier. "That bastard had the problem, not me." He adjusted the pillow under her head, wondering if it was to firm for her.

Kagome batted his hand away weakly, not used to someone taking care of her for a change. "I know I haven't had a chance to discuss modern laws with you yet, but it is illegal to start a brawl in public."

Inuyasha's eyebrow arched. "So I can start one in private then?"

Kagome growled, "You're deliberately missing the point!" She snapped, trying to fight a yawn.

Inuyasha's face softened and he brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Just try to rest mate. I'll wake you when your pills are here." He sat crossed legged against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. "Don't worry sweetheart, you'll be safe." He looked over at her rib, his lips tightening. "You won't ever be hurt again."

Slowly, Kagome's eyes flickered closed. "Thanks Inuyasha." She murmured.

Inuyasha dropped his head into his hands once Kagome was asleep, their shared pain fading as she became less aware of it. Goddamn it, what was he doing making promises to her he couldn't keep? He couldn't promise she would never be hurt, especially if the person who would hurt her next was him.

He shouldn't care. She was only a mate, there was no cosmic force compelling him to fall in love with her, or even to like her.

He scowled at her, annoyed by the sudden lightness in his chest when he noticed her peaceful face. She looked so innocent, angel-like.

So he liked Kagome, but what about Kikyo? What about all the plans they had made together? Kikyo wasn't his mate, but she had been first. Shouldn't that count for something?

He went still when Kagome frowned in her sleep, his every nerve on end. He had bonded to her without thinking about the consequences; he could feel the link between them now, growing stronger everyday. Could she feel his guilt and hesitance even in her sleep?

He shook his head firmly. His connection to Kagome shouldn't matter...didn't matter. Now that his mate was out of danger, he had calmed down and realized regardless of what Fate, or God, or whatever had set up for him, he had chosen Kikyo. All he needed from Kagome was her absolute trust in him. And that was just going to be how it was.

Kagome's forehead furrowed in distress, and Inuyasha's chest tightened in return.

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Miroku held the spoon up to Sango's ashen lips, sighing as she only clamped down even more stubbornly.

"Sango, please, you need to eat." Miroku compelled, "Really, it's not poisonous." He brought the spoon up to his own mouth and swallowed, the heat spreading throughout his body. "See? And it's delicious."

If they could have, Sango's eyes would have pitched daggers at him. She turned her head mulishly, and even if it was to defy him he was glad to see she had found enough strength to do so.

He dipped the spoon back into the bowl of soup and lifted it to her mouth again. She stared back at him scornfully, not giving an inch.

Miroku dropped the spoon back into the bowl and placed the soup onto the floor, giving up for now. "Do you want something else?" he asked a little desperately. "A sandwich? Sushi? Grilled beef tenderloin?"

Sango looked at him disgustingly, "I'll…feed…myself. Want…nothing…from…you." She forced out slowly.

"Sango, you barely have the strength to talk! How are you supposed to feed yourself?" he snapped, regretting his words the second they left his mouth and she became even more closed off.

She kept her head turned away, her lips pressed tightly together. "Go...to...hell."

He could just barely feel her anger beating at him from the weak bond they had managed to form years ago. The link wasn't strong enough to feel anything else, just her constant fury.

"Sango, I know you're furious with me, but what else could I have done? You were trying to kill them!"

Sango let her eyes slid closed, the tension fading from her face to be replaced by weariness. "Needs...to...be...stopped before...she can use them." she muttered, her head twitching on the pillow. "Need her dead. And him."

Miroku looked down at his mate, confused. "Her? Him? Sango, you've never mentioned any of this before. Who are 'her and him'? Do you mean Kagome and Inuyasha?"

She panted slightly, a small flush rising to her cheeks. "Need them dead...my duty...my curse." she gasped suddenly, her eyes jerking open.

Miroku laid his hand on her forehead and hissed in pain at the heat radiating off it. "Oh hell." he muttered, as clammy sweat beaded on her skin. She had gotten a fever.

From his damn prayer beads.

With a curse, he ripped them off his hand and into the wall, not caring his mark was open for the entire world to see. "I'm sorry Sango. Never again." he promised, before running to get wet cloths and whatever scroll he could find on saving a demon mate's life.

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Kagome pushed her head further into the pillow, praying that strange noise was only from a dream.

ssssQQQQQQuuuEaaaakkkkkkkkkkk

She scowled into the fabric, the throbbing pain in her ribs distracting her from sleep. And that damn noise.

Slowly, she cracked her eyes open, more then ready to be in a very, very bad mood. Not only was she in pain, tired, confused, and unable to write a list of questions for Inuyasha while it hurt to even breathe, that damn noise was intent on puncturing her ear drums.

Inuyasha's back was to her as he squirted Windex onto her windows and wiped the cloth across the glass, pushing so hard the window squeaked and left huge streaks.

He turned and looked back at her, "You should still be sleeping." He said almost as an accusation.

SSSSSSQQQQUUUUEEEAAAAKKKKKKKK

Kagome frowned and closed her eyes to concentrate, trying to recognize his conflicting emotions. He was glad to see she was safe and awake yes; he was also worried she wasn't getting enough rest and subjecting herself to unnecessary pain. And there was…something else there? Guilt? Determination? Resignation?

Love...but not completely for me that feeling inside her whispered, getting louder the more she bonded with Inuyasha.

Fingers drifted across her forehead, and Kagome opened her eyes to see Inuyasha gazing down at her, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You feel like you're still in pain." he murmured. "Your grandfather should be here soon with your medicine. You didn't sleep long enough." he repeated again. He studied her clothing, still in the jeans and now dirty shirt she had thrown on yesterday. "You need to change into something else. I should have done that before putting you down."

Kagome bristled at the term while he started going through her drawers. "I'm not a baby that needs to be 'put down' for a nap-not that drawer!" she winced, finally starting to notice her ribs hurt more when she got angry.

Inuyasha sighed and closed her underwear drawer. "Fine, but only because I plan on seeing them on you very soon sweetheart." he purred, his back to her while he picked through her T-shirts.

Kagome rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet. She was afraid if she started arguing with him, she might not stop until she knew everything.

And she wasn't sure she wanted to yet.

She watched Inuyasha as he draped a shirt over his shoulder before digging for something to cover her legs. She wanted to delude herself into thinking for a little while longer that Inuyasha wasn't hiding something. She knew it was stupid, dangerous and hell on her nerves, but her need not to know yet, to have something good in her life outweighed her common sense for once.

"These should work." he stood up, her black yoga pants clutched in his hand.

She watched him warily, knowing in her condition she was going to need a lot of help. Which would involve a lot of physical contact with Inuyasha.

She gulped and focused on the burning pain in her ribs. Her side ached like mad, there was no way her hormones wouldn't behave themselves. Even if she wanted to-which she didn't since the Guide advised against it-she really couldn't do anything with Inuyasha without irritating her injury. So yep. She would definitely be safe.

Inuyasha drew her covers back and tossed the clothes on top of her sheets. "You ready mate? It might hurt." he warned.

"It already hurts." she said dryly and let Inuyasha carefully pull her up.

Kagome chocked on her gasp, red-hot pain erupting in her side. It was like someone had jabbed thousands of glass slivers into her bone and muscle and then started melting them. She tried to catch her breath, only for every drawn in pant to grind the pain in deeper.

Inuyasha swore and hurriedly laid her back down on her side. "Fuck. Ok sweetheart, ok, just calm down now." he stroked her hair, his fingers getting tangled in the feather barrette he had slid in last night. He took it out and spread her hair over her pillow before turning his attention to her sweat-covered face.

His tongue lapped against her cheek, noticing Kagome's taste was nearly drowned out by the salt. "How much do you like this shirt?" his lips brushed her skin.

The shirt in question was snow white and covered in dirt and grass stains. "It's probably unsavable." she muttered, slightly annoyed. First her favorite summer dress and now this.

Inuyasha flexed his claws and in one, clean rip he sliced her shirt open through from her neckline to the hem. While her mouth dropped and she gaped at him, he stripped her sleeves away and pulled the fabric back, leaving her topless in only her black bra and bruises.

His mouth tightened as he stared at the blue and black mark creeping around her side before he gently turned her onto her back.

Kagome stared down at him, resisting the urge to cover herself. "Inuyasha. What are you doing?"

He licked his lips, but Kagome had the sense it wasn't so he could be a horny pervert, "What do you think?" he asked before bending down and dragging his tongue against the bruise.

After a moment, her skin absorbed the healing agents in his salvia and soothed the throbbing slightly.

"Your rib (Lick) won't heal (lick)as fast as your neck did (lick). But it shouldn't (lick) be as painful (lick) over a period of time. (Lickkkkk)"

Kagome sighed, the painful heat in her ribs cooling a degree. Her hand moved to tangle her fingers into the ends of his soft hair. It smelled faintly like her vanilla shampoo and she wondered absently how he had figured out how to use the shower.

"You really are useful." she said dreamily, and Inuyasha snorted in laughter against her skin.

"Trust me mate. I live only to see you happy." Under her hand, his head jerked and wouldn't stop until she turned her head to see what was so important.

Stacked in the corner of her room was every single one of the stuffed animals he had won for her. He had gone back for them.

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Kikyo frowned, staring at the calendar. She should have gotten a call by now.

She poured herself a second glass of wine, needing it after another morning dealing with idiots. Whine, whine, whine was all they ever did.

Kikyo chucked suddenly, swirling the red wine in her glass, realizing her pun. She was so funny. And beautiful, intelligent, extremely powerful, a sharp dresser and rich after all her centuries of living and careful stock decisions. Inuyasha should be grateful she allowed him to even share the same air as her.

So where the hell was he?

She took an angry swallow from her glass. She didn't expect it to take this long. Kagome Higurashi should have been incredibly easy to woo. Her father was recently dead, her mother insane, her entire family depended on her and she had no male attention.

This Hojo Maeda didn't count, she had him checked out.

Inuyasha should have won her over by now. What was his problem? Was he that rusty after 500 years locked away? After all her coaching however, he should be the demon equivalent of Casanova.

She scowled and glanced back at her calendar. She would give it some more time. Maybe the Higurashi girl was frigid or something.

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The giant gorilla's fur was soft under her cheek, the fresh clothes comforting, and the pain wasn't as bad with the pills and Inuyasha's...treatment. Kagome tugged on the towel under her that kept the ice from melting onto the bed and hugged the gorilla closer.

"Is this light or dark?" Inuyasha asked, shoving fabric in front of her face.

"Dark." she said, barely looking at Souta's gray boxers.

"This one?"

"White."

"And this one?"

"Inuyasha." Kagome said instead. "Are you color blind?"

Inuyasha sat back among the piles of clothes he was making. "No."

"So is there some reason you need to ask me the difference between colors?" Kagome asked in exasperation.

"Feh. I'm making sure I'm doing it right." he shot back.

Inuyasha slapped a white shirt into the light pile, and when Kagome didn't protest, he threw a light green pant in as well.

"Inuyasha." Kagome murmured, barely breaking a dent in his concentration on the laundry. "Who was that man last night?"

Inuyasha froze, and Kagome wondered if she shouldn't have waited until she could write her lists again. "He's no one important." He brushed off her question and dropped another shirt into the light pile. "Just some asshole who pissed me off."

"Liar." Kagome shot back, staring at him steadily."Who was he Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha frowned before setting the clothes aside and trying to tuck his hands into his sleeves. He grunted when they wouldn't fit and settled for crossing his arms over his chest instead. "He was a...a friend once." Inuyasha finally admitted, his head bowed. "We grew up together, we trained in martial arts and were sparring partners."

Kagome listened closely to him and the voice that often spoke up when he was lying, glad it wasn't pipping up now. "So what happened? Shouldn't you have been happy to see him?"

Inuyasha uncrossed his arms and tossed a red shirt into the dark pile, obviously needing something to do with his hands. "We had a fight before I was imprisoned. He was wrong about something and didn't want to admit it." Inuyasha frowned, and Kagome had the sense something was bothering him. "The bastard shouldn't have still been mad though."

Kagome shifted slightly on the ice, trying to find a colder spot then the one she was laying on. "Can I ask you something?"

Inuyasha cocked his head, "Haven't you been asking me stuff?"

Kagome waved it away. "This is more personal though."

Inuyasha snorted, "And the others weren't?" He sighed at her look. "Fine, go ahead."

"What was it like in the mirror?" Kagome asked, genuinely interested. She suddenly grinned, "I could see you like Rapunzel hidden away in her castle with that hair of yours."

Inuyasha slowed his movements and Kagome saw as well as felt his instant reluctance. He shrugged, and tossed a bright pink sock into the dark pile. "It's not a pretty story like that." he warned, a bright orange and white striped shirt following the sock.

Kagome snuggled closer to the gorilla, feeling the urge to give Inuyasha a hug at the bleak look on his face. "Tell me anyway."

Inuyasha finally put the clothes down, his hands trying to shove themselves back into his sleeves again. He frowned and forced them to stay still. "Well it's a mirror. And mirrors reflect images back to you, right? So depending on what my mirror was facing was what I lived with until the mirror was moved." he shrugged again, attempting to be casual about it. "Most of the time I was placed in living rooms or bedrooms and I could have something soft to sleep on, and I could see the outside world."

"What about times you weren't, like that bag Dr. Saito held the mirror in?" Kagome asked.

"Then it was dark, airless, and really hot from all that damn velvet." He threw a pair of Souta's shorts in her trash basket by accident.

"So how exactly did you leave?" she questioned, thinking maybe she didn't need lists after all.

"You freed me. Your blood weakened the magic seal on the glass, and by breaking the mirror you released me." Inuyasha tossed her blue shirt into the dark pile. "I'm out of my prison because of you."

Kagome nodded as she yawned. "Can I ask something else?" she asked sleepily, surprised by how tired she was.

Inuyasha started to gather the white pile up now that he had finished sorting the laundry. "No way I can stop you obviously."

Kagome nestled closer to the gorilla, her eyes fluttering shut despite her determination to keep them open. "Who's Kikyo?"

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Miroku tipped the cloth back into the bowl of ice water, growing more and more worried with every passing moment. Sango was becoming so hot, he nearly burnt himself on skin-to-skin contact, she was so weak she couldn't even toss and turn in her feverish state and for the first time in all their years together, he had heard her whimper.

Miroku rapidly flipped through his scrolls, trying to find a solution, a clue, anything that would help him fix this. But there was nothing. What was worse, according to these damn books, she shouldn't even be sick.

Frustrated, Miroku pushed the ancient books and scrolls out of his lap to land on the floor in a heap and leaned forward to bury his head in his hands.

This was his fault. It must be. Somehow, he had managed to get his nearly immortal mate sick with something he couldn't even fix.

Goddamn it, he knew he had screwed up but he never thought it would lead to something like this.

Oh God...she might die.

Miroku lunged for the scrolls, praying he would find someway to save his mate.