InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A gift ❯ A gift ( Chapter 1 )

She watched.

 

A ghostly smile on her face, Kagome sat on the porch with her favorite book forgotten on her lap as she stared at her two heroes. Or - better said - her two devils.

 

Her boys were so predictable. Grunting, cursing, shouting ensued from the yard, but she no longer found it annoying.

 

Light punches thrown in one's way, a few kicks from the other then a few frustrated growls to prove they were still themselves. And she loved them. Her boys, they were a couple of idiots.

 

However, her knees melted whenever one of them cast a grin her way or said anything related to her. Kagome was whipped. Unfortunately, they knew it and took advantage of it fully. But not today. Today, she had no weakness for them whatsoever.

 

The wind tried its best to soothe the world, but it only excited. Leaves falling everywhere. It was autumn, but Kagome couldn't help but think of Christmas and winter. Her wish was… Her wish had always been to spend a happy, calm Christmas in the Feudal Era, but she had missed her chance. It couldn't be helped though, right?

 

Her eye twitched and nervous teeth found her bottom lip to nip it when her boys stopped suddenly. There was an odd tension in the air for a moment, until she understood their hesitation. They were both so see-through. She steeled her nerves to be able to resist the fight, to win the war.

 

In a flash, her little angel was before her, eyes wide and pleading; puppy-eyes. His smile seemed innocent, but she knew better.

 

“Please, mom,” she heard him beg with false regret. This brought a smile to her face. No matter how much, little Ryouta never felt sorry for anything. Breaking vases, scaring children on Halloween, chasing cats - that one was pretty adorable, too, eating like a pig, and the list was endless.

 

“Yeah,” the other interfered, “please, mom.” His toothy grin was almost contagious, and Kagome was once again amazed by her husband's constant good mood and how he could still grow butterflies in her stomach with every twinkle in his amber orbs. She sometimes wanted to think he kept this happiness up to show her he wasn't angry at her for having made him stay here, in her time. There were times when she felt self-destructive for it. It was her fault, it really was. No matter how much her husband protested, in the end, her heart had been the one that had made the change for them. Selfishness. Her selfishness. She had wanted them all - Inuyasha and her family.

 

But the past was just that.

 

And Kagome only lived for the future.

 

Smiling to herself, the young woman shook her head defiantly. “No. Dream on.”

 

She wanted to giggle at the suddenly grim faces her boys had. They were so alike, the two of them. Ryouta took after his father almost entirely, except his fluffy dog-ears that were as dark as her hair. This was one of their jokes - one that really annoyed her, but she supposed it could be fun sometimes. Since the ears were the only fur-covered part of her boys' bodies, Inuyasha always commented about how Ryouta `got his fur from his mother.'

 

She gulped almost painfully at the quick, male look they shot to one another and found herself wondering what their big plan was this time. She swore, they were both on the same wavelength all the time! Neither seemingly had to say anything, because the other would know right away.

 

A wink, a smirk, a “Race you there!” and they were both gone. Naturally, Kagome had predicted such a thing, knowing perfectly well that there was no place in the entire house they wouldn't find their damned ball in. Geez, she expected such a childish thing from Ryouta, but seriously, Inuyasha? He was a grown up, wasn't he? Then again…

 

Half an hour, an hour, and still nothing.

 

“Honey,” she called normally, knowing they both heard her perfectly fine from wherever they were, “you won't find it.” Her voice was firm and she knew they believed her, but their hope was voracious and it spread like a disease. A small smile tugged at her lips.

 

“Seriously, boys,” she said next, knowing how much Inuyasha disliked being called that, “you should come back and play without the ball. I can't have you kill any more of my roses.”

 

But they wouldn't give up so easily. She knew. She'd been through this. What was that word again?

 

“Déjà vu. Hey, chotto matte yo! What are you scheming up there?” she asked loud enough so it would sound like shouting to them, throwing in a few Japanese words, just so she'd make sure she didn't forget them. America was so nice and it had been the perfect choice to get away from Japan and the well, but sometimes, she missed her old house. She missed her old school friends, who were in fact spread all around Asia now. She missed her old life. But this new one was so much more than she had ever dreamed. A life in a world where she could have it all.

 

Carefully, she started looking for the `fabulous duo' that gave her so many headaches, but so much love, too. A step, two, three, the stairs, their old carpet and hard wood floor, complete and utter silence and no sign of her family. Were they playing tricks on her?

 

Most likely.

 

“Demo,” she said after a while, “it doesn't really matter. You won't find it.” She'd buried it. Literally.

 

First, their bedroom, then Ryouta's play room, the bathroom, balcony. They were nowhere to be seen.

 

“The attic, boys?” she asked, the question meant more for herself than anyone else.

 

But they weren't there, either. That left only one more place.

 

“You know I might fall if I chase you on the roof,” she called, meaning to get their attention. Still no answer.

 

“Fine,” she huffed, “I'm coming!”

 

Her heart stopped, “You'd better be.” His husky voice, his warm breath caressing the sensitive skin on her neck, his tight embrace. Gods, this was toxicity. Amazing, mind-numbing, heart-stopping toxicity.

 

“Ryouta?” she asked hesitantly.

 

“Sent him to dig out the ball from the courtyard,” he replied promptly and Hell if he didn't enjoy watching her pout.

 

Alright, so there was no real war, because no matter what, she couldn't seem to win. But that had its perks, didn't it?

 

“'Nuff time?” she asked.

 

He seemed to be thinking, “Mm.” Wetting his lips, he showed her a glimpse of heaven, then crushed her hopes, “No.”

 

“Oh.” Was her disappointment so obvious? Was she so transparent? She knew that answer. Inuyasha saw her. The real Kagome. The one that wasn't always fearless and courageous and adorable. The one that sometimes cried at night for her husband, for what she thought she'd put him through, for what couldn't be taken back. She cried for their lost friends, for Sango, Miroku and Shippou. She cried for Kaede, too. Inuyasha knew Kagome's soul.

 

“Don't worry. Tonight, Ryouta is sleeping over.”

 

“Oh?” Her excitement popped up, her ears loving the sound of her husband's last statement. Smiling, she allowed herself to hope, “You fit in quite well, didn't you?”

 

In her world. In their world.

 

“Ya think?” he replied, rolling his eyes.

 

A scolding finger pressed against his chest, “Stop saying `ya'. You know how much that irks me.”

 

Inuyasha flashed her a lopsided smirk, pressing her against the wall while making sure she had no way of escaping his calculated torture. She would pay for hiding the ball, of course, of course. “What else irks you?” he asked, his lips inches away from her skin. Even her pores begged to be touched, covered by his comforting scent, sheltered by his masculine strength.

 

And she was happy to endure her punishment.

 

Christmas was far, but she'd anxiously wait for it. It wasn't winter, it wasn't the Feudal Era, but she didn't need a better Christmas present: her boys were her entire world.