InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ You Can't Hurry Love ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

You Can't Hurry Love

 

((The Fiction Formerly Known As, “Attack of the Warm Fuzzies”))

by: Crystal, a.k.a. Akane-Lovely (ff.net), Aquamarine (mmorg) & MissCrystalis(lj)

 

~ - ~

 

How many heartaches must I stand
Before I find the love to let me live again?
Right now the only thing that keeps me hangin on
When I feel my strength... Oh, it's almost gone.

 

~ - ~

 

Five hundred years ago, in a land not so very far away, the impartial sun was fast approaching the horizon - and never had there been a more welcomed end to a day. The previous twenty four hours had been nothing short of cruel to the strange party traveling across feudal Japan. In fact, Higurashi Kagome suspected the Powers That Be were rather enjoying watching them suffer.

 

She and her friends had received a wake-up call well before sunrise in the form of a boar-sized rat-demon sniffing around the camp. The dumb brute had thought to snatch away the sacred shards of the Shikon Jewel that Kagome carried with her at all times. If being wrenched from sweet dreams of hot showers, Wacdonalds, and your own half-demon true love, only to find that you are being poked and prodded by the wet nose of a giant rat, isn't enough to ruin your day, then having your "beloved" half-demon cut said rat into ribbons while it's still on top of you certainly is.

 

The trespasser lasted exactly eleven seconds, and that was long enough to ensure that no one would be able to get a decent night's rest. For her part, Kagome was convinced that she wouldn't be able to sleep soundly for weeks. What was worse, her rescuer flat-out refused to let her walk downhill to the river so that she might wash the rat guts from her person. Even the promise that she would take Sango, who was quite accustomed to exterminating oversized vermin, with her for protection was not enough to get the bull-headed Inuyasha to relent.

 

"That thing was ready to bite your head off, wench, and now you want to go wandering off into the forest? You ain't goin' nowhere tonight!"

 

Kagome opened her mouth to argue, to let him know that a double-negative equaled a positive and, furthermore, “ain't” wasn't even a word, when something wet and slimy dripped onto her lower lip from her gore-soaked bangs. The girl turned an alarming shade of green, and began spitting convulsively onto the ground. Sango patted her back sympathetically for a few seconds before glaring at Inuyasha, who had folded his arms and turned his head up in an attempt to look indifferent. From the sidelines, their other three companions, a monk and two demons, merely shook their heads in disbelief.

 

“What're you all looking at me like that for? I'm the one who just saved her ass!” Whenever he became flustered, Inuyasha tended to lose sight of reason, as was evidenced in the way he pointed his clawed finger at Kagome, as if she only had herself to blame for her current, blood-soaked state. "Maybe you should stop sleeping at the edge of camp, where any random demon that happens to pass by could easily get to you and the jewel!"

 

“Well, that's not really fair,” Shippo, the tiny fox-demon, pointed out.

 

Kagome, who had accepted Sango's offer of a towel from her own back pack, had just finished wiping her mouth when the half-demon made this comment. Her right eye twitched as she smiled dangerously. Inuyasha backed up a step, velvety white ears lowered against his skull. After traveling with the girl for so many months, it was safe to say that he knew her expressions well. This was not Kagome's "all's-right-with-the-world-and-I'm-oh-so-happy-to-be-here-with-you-Inuyash a" smile.

 

No, this was most definitely her "you-have-about-five-seconds-to-run-before-I-slam-you-to-the-ground" smile. 

 

"May I remind you," she began through clenched teeth, throwing the towel down and taking a step forward. Inuyasha figured he didn't have much time remaining with which to make his escape, but her hypnotic gaze held him in place, refusing to let him turn around and bolt. "We all sleep in a circle around the campfire. As such, we all sleep `at the edge of our camp.' So, unless you expect me to sleep in the fire, Inuyasha, I don't really think I can get any farther away from the forest when we're sleeping right in the middle of it!"

 

She had a point. In his mind, even Inuyasha had to admit that. Unfortunately, the same half-demon who could slay a hundred enemies in one fell swoop of his sword had yet to master the fine art of the apology. So, he stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, waiting for the inevitable.

 

And, thus, the inevitable came without mercy.

 

"Sit! Sit! Sit, you inconsiderate jerk! SIT!” The enchanted beads around Inuyasha's neck responded to the girl's commands, and dutifully slammed the half-demon face first into the forest floor.

 

That was when the ever-placating monk, Miroku, extended an invitation for Kagome to sleep next to him from then on out. This would, of course, be for her own protection. As a result, the poor monk would spend the rest of the day with a splitting headache, courtesy of Sango's fist against his skull. The two women then marched away from camp, towards the river, blatantly disregarding Inuyasha's command for them to stay put. The two-tailed demon cat, Kirara, shook her head, mewed in resignation and followed, wondering if everyone in her world had truly lost their mind, or if they simply weren't getting enough vitamins in their food.

 

~ - ~

 

The spirits of Inuyasha and his friends were not much improved by the time the last rays of sunlight started fading into gray. One rainstorm, eight hours of walking, four hours of exterminating random, violent demons, twenty-two petty arguments, and seven "sits" later, five weary travelers finally stopped to rest for the evening. With a collective sigh of relief, they sank to the ground, resting their backs against cherry blossom trees and stretching their sore arms and legs. The sixth member of their party may not have shown his exhaustion outwardly, but the scowl etched on Inuyasha's face was proof enough that he had enjoyed the day about as much as everyone else.

 

"Thank heavens! I thought this day would never end!" Kagome, who had refused to ride on Inuyasha's back after his inconsiderate treatment of her the morning before, was feeling slightly better now that she was no longer on her aching feet. She sent a smile to each of her companions in an effort to bring some cheer to the group and began digging through her backpack. "I have some rice crackers in here somewhere. It would be a nice treat to have after all our hard work."

 

"Lady Kagome, you are too good to us," Miroku leaned over, trying to see inside the girl's bulging, yellow pack and, if he was very lucky, down her lovely, green-collared shirt. "Now, if you happen to have any rice wine with you, I will bless your name forever."

 

Shippo, who had been leaning over Kagome's other shoulder in an attempt to see if there were any sweets left in the backpack, turned his inquisitive gaze on Miroku. "I didn't know monks were supposed to drink."

 

"Ah, Shippo," Miroku leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes as if preparing to share with the fox-child some deep truth about life, "you are mature in the ways of battle..."

 

"Eh!? You've gotta be joking!"

 

Kagome shot Inuyasha a warning look, but Miroku continued as if he hadn't been interrupted.

 

"Yet, you are still young in the ways of the world. One day, when you become a man, I shall educate you in the arts of drink and seduc - Owwww!" 

 

Sango grabbed hold of Miroku's ear and pulled him towards her, just as she had seen mothers in her village do to unruly children. "You will do no such thing!"

 

Inuyasha snickered. "Stinkin', corrupt monk."

 

Kagome, not sure she could trust herself to comment, went back to Miroku's original request. "I'm sorry, Miroku, but I don't think my grandfather would appreciate it very much if I got into his stash of `sacramental' sake."

 

"Keh! Not like he needs it, either! He's crazy enough as it is!"

 

"Inuyasha! Sit!"

 

"Gah!" A string of muffled curses filled the air as Inuyasha tried to remove himself from the newly-formed crater in the earth. "Dmmmd ffffnnnnng wnchh"

 

Much to Sango and Miroku's amusement, Kagome seemed to know exactly what Inuyasha had said through his mouth-full of dirt, and she was none too happy about it. Folding her arms, she snapped back at the hapless boy. "SIT! You stop calling me that!"

 

"Ssssstp ffffffnnnng-" (He choked and sputtered until his mouth was clear) “Stop using that damned spell!”

 

"I'll stop using it the day you stop being so insulting!"

 

"Hmph!" As soon as the subduing spell lifted, Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dirt off his haori with as much dignity as he could muster. With a snort and a final glare at everyone, he stomped off into the forest.

 

Kagome winced. Maybe she shouldn't have done that. None of them were in a very good mood at the moment, and making her friend eat dirt wasn't exactly the best way to sooth anyone's frayed nerves. If she didn't try to make peace soon, they were all going to be in for another bad night.

 

"I'll be back," she told the group. Crying for Inuyasha to wait, Kagome launched herself after him.

 

He hadn't gone far. She found him in a clearing, kneeling down to gather wood for a fire and she winced when he looked up at her. His face was filthy. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I shouldn't have done that. I know you haven't had a good day, either. I promise I won't say it again for the rest of the night. How's that?"

 

"Keh. It's not like it hurts or anything."

 

He had turned up his nose and looked away, but Kagome noted that his voice had lost its angry edge. She sighed and began searching the forest floor for sticks.

 

"So... You're not still angry at me for this morning?" He said, after a minute of silence. Kagome looked up. He was staring at her intently, as if trying to discern whether or not she still was harboring any bitterness for his actions earlier. She almost laughed at his expression, but stopped herself when she realized that he must have worried about it all day. The girl rewarded him with a genuine smile. It was the closest thing to an apology she was going to get and she wasn't about to pass it up. After all, a truce was a truce, and she really did hate fighting with Inuyasha.

 

"Nope. Not at all."

 

He blushed and turned away again. "Good. Otherwise, I'd be mad."

 

She giggled and resumed scanning the ground for dried leaves and twigs. Kagome had just realize that, with the rain earlier in the day, it would not be easy finding anything to work well as kindling, when she felt chills going up her spine and warning bells going off in her mind.

 

"Inuyasha. Something's coming -"

 

"Yeah, I smell another rat." A rustling could be heard in the bushes just in front of Kagome. In a heartbeat, Inuyasha had closed the distance between them. Unsheathing Tessaiga, he stood defensively between her and the approaching foe. "Oi! I know you're out there, so show yourself!"

 

Two red eyes peeked out from behind a tree and a low, feminine voice growled. "You two! I can smell my brother's blood on you both! You're the ones who killed him! Admit it!"

 

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." Kagome frowned. She had actually killed several demons that day, so the stranger in the shadows was going to have to be just a little more specific.

 

"Just stay behind me, Kagome!" Inuyasha flexed his claws menacingly and called to the intruder. "If we killed your brother, it was because he attacked us first, so he got what he deserved. But, if you still want to avenge him, you're welcome to try it. I'll be your opponent!"

 

"Don't make me laugh, half-demon! As if someone like you could possibly dream of defeating me! Nevertheless, prepare yourselves to feel the wrath of I, Hanataka of the Great Rat-Demon Tribe of the North East! I shall teach you the meaning of fear!"

 

Obligatory monolog out of the way, a rat, identical to the one who had been splattered all over Kagome's pajamas that same morning, leapt from her hiding spot and charged towards the rather bored-looking Inuyasha.

 

"Heh. Good, you've stopped talking and decided to start fighting!" Inuyasha cut upwards with his sword. The rat, however, was quicker than she looked and changed course mid-leap. Deadly winds from the Tessaiga tore at the foliage in front of the half-demon as his enemy shot forward again, this time charging from the left. He turned and made another swipe with the sword, coming closer to his target, but still missing as the demon jumped up above his head.

 

"What a joke! Do you mean to say that my brother was defeated by the likes of you? He must have been drunk..."

 

"Bitch! Stand still and let me kill you!"

 

"Um, Inuyasha, I don't think that's much incentive for her to stop fighting." Kagome reasoned.

 

"Hah! I have no desire to stop fighting until I have enacted my revenge!" Hanataka reached into a pouch at her hip and pulled out a tiny, leather purse. As air began whirling around Inuyasha's sword yet again, the rat threw her tiny purse at Inuyasha and Kagome. Kaze no kizu cut through the purse and the enemy demon, but Inuyasha's triumph was short-lived. The pouch exploded open, and a great cloud of black powder erupted from it just above his and Kagome's heads.

 

"What the -?" Inuyasha didn't know what the powder was for, but he wasn't going to take any chances with it. He whipped his haori off and threw it over Kagome before the dust had a chance to settle. Coughing as he inhaled some of the strange, black particles in the air, he lifted Kagome into his arms and sprinted away from the contaminated area.

 

~ - ~

 

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. This fan fiction is not owned, authorized or otherwise endorsed by anyone associated with Inuyasha.

 

Author's Note: Welcome to my little story. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this first part. Questions and constructive comments are much welcome ^_^