InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sealed Fate ❯ Chapter 26

In Kagomes time, no one looked the same. The people here came in all sorts of shapes and sizes. He had never seen people quiet as round as when they ventured to the market. It never stopped surprising him how different they humans of this time were compared to his own. Woman could crop their hair shorter than a mans if she so wished. They could color it the shade of grass or make it stand straight up on top of their heads. The clothing they wore could make even Kagomes seem modest.

Most of the people he came across eyed him momentarily, but Kagome insisted that was he dressed in such traditional grab. Traditional? It really was no different than what the others wore in his time. She acted like he was out of date.

The shrine was different. It was a preserved piece of time. If he walked the grounds there with a hat on to cover his ears of course, no one seemed to pay him any mind. The old man, Kagome's gramps, wore clothing more suited to Inuyashas tastes. The patrons were always quiet and respectful. He could come and go whether in the high tops of the trees or on the path from the well to her house without being bothered.

That is, until today. Currently, there was some asshole who dared touch him. This strangers hand was on his shoulder, the grip strong, for a human, and demanding he halt his progress.

Inuyasha turned to look the bastard in the eyes. He found that they were cold and threatening, yet a friendly smile played on his lips. It was an obligatory one, lacking any warmth. He supposed to anyone else, it would seem unnerving. But the hanyou had faced foes far more menacing than this guy. The only thing that made Inuyasha shake with fear was when Kagome was ticked off. That had him running with his tail between his legs. This asshole, he didn't know who he was, but he immediately didn't like him.

“Excuse me, patron, but the shrine grounds are this way.” Jiro said in a cool tone.

“Keh, I know where the hell the shrine grounds are.” Inuyasha said as he removed Jiros hand from his shoulder. He set hard eyes on him.

The man looked the dog demon up and down. It was not the first time a cosplayer had come.

“Then I must ask you to return to them. The house is off limits.”

Inuyasha gripped his sword. Who the hell was this bastard to tell him he couldn't go in the house? In Kagomes house?

Jiro eyed the sword and quickly spoke.

“Actually, patron, Im afraid I must ask you to leave. We do not permit weapons on the shrine grounds. I appreciate that you came dressed in the traditional clothing, and from the look of it, as the demon of legend, but for the safety of others we cannot allow such things on the premise. You understand, don't you?”

Now he was really pissed. Inuyasha let a low growl escape.

“I aint going anywhere except in that damn house.”

The smile left Jiro lips. He reached out and grabbed Inuyashas arm, holding tightly as if to lead him away.

“Your not going anywhere near my fucking house, asshole. It would be in your best interest if you found your way to the stairs before I kick your sorry ass down them.”

~.~

Shippo walked through the forest excitedly. Kagome had said she would be back soon! She hadn't had much time to discuss what had happened between her and that dummy Inuyasha, but from what he gathered, something good had taken place.

Finally. They were due for something good for a change.

This last year had been especially hard on the kit. He had lost not just the warmth and compassion of Kagome, but of the joy and happiness of his group. While he knew that the journeys they had taken had always had serious undertones, it was time spent in loving company and it couldn't help but have a light feel to it.

They all needed it. They had each suffered from Narakus deceit and the jewels power. If it wasn't for the support of one another, Shippo was certain that they would have never healed from their past. They were a band of misfits- a hanyou who was in love with a dead miko, a female slayer, who lost her entire village and searched for her brother, a lecherous monk with a wind tunnel in his hand, and of course, his Kagome. The future born girl who could time travel. Who leapt into a well and returned with goodies and a smile.

Out of all of his friends, she was indeed the strangest.

She had the uncanny ability to make others happy. She shouldered their burdens and left them with a warmth they had not known they had been missing. She was a healer of not just flesh wounds, but those of the spirit.

He had always loved to watch her. She had so much grace, for a girl who was destined to be clumsy. It was not just that he simply liked to be near her, it was that he needed to keep close incase she needed his assistance.

Of course, that damned Inuyasha was always around. He was bigger and stronger than he was, so it was naturally him that Kagome had leaned on. That bastard didn't deserve it. He always took her for granted.

Until the day she left.

Then, he had no problems expressing his love of Kagome. Only after she was gone, was he able to put into words his inner thoughts and ultimately, his decisions. In many ways, Shippo looked up to the hanyou, but his love life was definitely not one of them.

He had watched Inuyasha pine over Kikyo. He had seen the look i his eyes whenever the soul collectors ushered him overhead. And he always left Kagome, in the dust, as she stared at the retreating demons back.

During those times, Shippo had idly wondered if Inuyasha would run as fast for Kagome as he did for Kikyo.

As much as the hanyou had sulked this past year, it had taken him by surprise how quickly he came when he caught her scent. All he had caught was a blur or red. The fox hadn't even been able to catch of a glimpse of her! And when he threw her over his shoulder like a bag of rice, he felt rage boiling in him at Inuyasha.

But then he looked at his eyes. It was a completely differnet expression than the one he had whenever he took off to see Kikyo. In those times, he had always gotten the impression of sadness, of longing.

Then, he had seen a fierceness, a determination. A challenge for anyone who came between him and his mate. It had struck Shippo, that that look had never left the hanyous face since Kagome left. Had he been reading the situation wrong with Kikyo the entire time? Had… had it been guilt in the dog demons eyes, not only from hurting Kagome, but from what his own soul carried? There was none of that then. For the first time in a year, Inuyasha looked alive.

He had wanted to take off after them. He wanted to claw apart Inuyasha for taking Kagome away again. He had always monoplolized her time, her attention. She wasn't back for one minute and already he took her! It had been a quick whack from Mirokus staff that stopped him in his tracks.

“Now, now Shippo, we must let those two work things out.”

“Yeah but-“

“Im sure Inuyasha has much to say to Lady Kagome. You know as well as I that he loves her. Give him the benefit of the doubt that he will win her over.”

“But what if he makes things worse! What if she decides never to come again?” He had asked feverishly.

“Something tells me that that was the intended purpose of her trip today, Shippo. Why else would she have come on a day that Inuyasha could detect her scent?”

This had struck the fox dumb. Had she really come here to say goodbye?

“Perhaps we should be rooting for Inuyasha, that he can properly convey his feelings. She would surely return then.”

Shippo drew his brows together in consideration. Inuyasha was an idiot. He always hurt Kagome. He always made her run off. He had wished countless times that the dog demon would put Kagome first for once.

If… if he really meant to prioritize Kagome… then maybe it wouldn't be so bad handing her off to him. He would have to have a conversation with the hanyou, a threatening one, but he knew deep down that Kagome loved Inuyasha. She worked so hard to make everyone else happy. Didn't she… didn't she deserve the same in return? If Inuyasha was serious, then the fox would support them. No matter how underserving that mutt was.

When they came back, to quickly update the group, Shippo cried tears of joy. She was returning, but would be back quickly. She was going home to get supplies. She was going to return to the shard hunt with them! It was more than he could have hoped for.

He wanted to offer something to Kagome, to thank her for her return. He remembered the lazy days in the fields, when he would gather her flowers and she would thread them together to make crowns. The smile she wore when he presented them to her had been burned in his mind. Kagome loved flowers!

The kit set out to the meadow to gather as much as his little arms could carry. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face! He-

Things suddenly became hazy for the fox. His body felt heavy, as it fell to the hard ground. His vision blurred. The last thing he remembered was the scent of death and the bright red pants of a miko as she walked his way.

~.~

“Your house? This aint your house. This is Kagomes. Who the hell do you think you're threatening? I fight off worse than you in my sleep. I don't need my damned sword to finish you off. I could knock you to the ground with one punch, you puny asshole.” Inuyasha said with a cocky smirk.

“Very sure of yourself, aren't you?”

Inuyasha considered the situation. He was at Kagomes family home, in her time. She was always telling him how things were different, how he couldn't go around using violence like he did on the other side of the well. She said it simply wasn't tolerated. No matter who you were or how badly they deserved it.

He didn't know who the fuck this bastard was, but he wasn't about to make Kagome mad. Not now. He had to show her that he changed, that he really listened to what she had to say.

So for once, he would back down.

“Keh! I aint got time for this.” He said, shrugging the man off. He turned to the house, and with lightning speed opened the door and crossed the barrier.

“Kagome!” He called.

The man was hot on his heels.

“I thought I told you-“ He started.

“Inuyasha?” She said, running down the steps. He heard her groan. “Oh Gods, Jiro? What are you guys doing?”

Inuyasha turned his attention to the man who was attempting to push him out of the kitchen. So, this was Jiro, was it? The man that Kagome was looking to start over with?

Well, he couldn't back down now. The dog demon gave a crooked smile to the pest at his side.

“Jiro huh?” He asked raising a brow. “What the fuck is this guy doing here Kagome?”

“I could ask you the same thing!” He shouted. “If you're not going to move, I'll let the authorities make you do it.” He said. The dog demon didn't bat a lash.

“No! Jiro, don't do that. Inuyasha is welcome here.”

“This lunatic just walked right into our house Kagome! Hes wandering around with some replica sword!” He shouted at the girl. Kagome worried her bottom lip. This was a disaster.

“Your house?” He asked. “This fucking asshole lives here Kagome?” He said, setting an unpleasant look at the girl.

“I.. I told you Inuyasha, Jiro was hired to help at the shrine.”

“Yeah help, not fucking live with you!”

“Well, that's just how it is! It was part of the deal.” She countered.

“And everyone is just okay with this? I thought your damned gramps had more sense than that. Look at this asshole. Hes been sniffing around you for Gods knows how long.”

The dog demon took a step closer to Kagome, bringing his angry face to hover above hers. She looked at him with determination. Fire.

“Inuyasha, it isn't like-“

“Get the fuck away from Kagome.” Jiro said “Who the hell do you think you are? What gives you the right to-“

“Keh! What gives me the right?” Inuyasha spat, looking at Jio. “Kagome, is mine.” He said, pulling Kagome closer to him.

For a moment, all Jiro saw was red. He was flushed with rage. He felt his fist move of its own accord, and strike at the man holding his Kagome so possessively. He felt his knuckles come in contact.

With the odd mans palm. It covered his own. He felt the sharp sting of his nails press into his skin. They were damn sharp. Almost like claws.

And the speed. He had never seen anyone move so quickly to block a punch.

The man was growling. Like a dog. Who the hell was this guy? Why in the world was Kagome associating with such a strange man like this? Inuyasha, that's what she had called him. It sounded familiar.

“You dare to challenge me? I don't typically kill humans, Kagome doesn't like it. But for you, I think I'll make an exception. You've really pissed me off.”

Jiro was trying to process what this lunatic was saying. Why wasn't Kagome calling the police? Clearly this ma had escaped from the nut house!

“Inuyasha, please, calm down.” She pleaded.

“Keh, I don't like this asshole Kagome. I don't like that he's been living in the same house as you. I don't like his attitude. He wants you, I can smell it all over him.” He bared his teeth at Jiro. Were… were those fangs?

“Inuyasha, please, let me handle this. I have to talk to Jiro honestly.”

“I'm not leaving you alone with this bastard Kagome! Hes worse than Kouga! I can just fucking tell-“

“Can you seriously have a little faith in me?” She asked, slightly annoyed. “Go make yourself some ramen. There's a ton in the cupboard. I'll let you know when I need you.”

Ramen. He hadn't had it in a year. He basically heard his stomach beg him. Whatever. This asshole wasn't worth missing ramen. And…

And he had to trust her. She was right. Damn it, she was always right.

“Keh. I'll be in in ten minutes. You've got that long.” He said looking at kagome. He fixed his stare at Jiro. “You so much as lay one fucking finger on her, and I'll chop your entire hand off.” He said before turning.

Kagome bit her lip as she looked at Jiro. This was not the way she had wanted things to go. At all.

“Kagome, who the hell was that? Why did you let him in the house? Are you okay?!” He asked, scrambling to her side. He patted her arm, inspected her for wounds.

“I'm fine Jiro. Inuyasha… Inuyasha would never hurt me.”

“We have to call the cops. He belongs in an institution!” He said, reaching for the phone.

“No! Jiro! You, you don't understand. Please, sit down. I have a lot to tell you…”

~.~