InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Batsu ❯ Shattered Peacefulness ( Chapter 4 )

It was night by the time Kouga came back to the caves. After the elders had given him their decision, he'd felt the need to take off and cool down. Just because he said he'd live with what they had decided didn't mean he had to like it. But he also knew he had no one to blame but himself.

 

`Can't be helped,' he thought morosely, gazing up at the sky. `Guess I should just get used to it. And Ayame's not that bad . . . I think . . .'

 

He barely recalled the girl, but knew that she'd gone into the northern mountains with her grandfather to train. From what he could recall, she had long, red hair and the brightest green eyes he'd ever seen. Mating with her would certainly solidify his position as the pack leader.

 

`As long as Inuyasha and the pup are okay, that's all I care about. I just hope that Ayame won't mind having the pup around . . .'

 

Kouga passed by AoiAme's cave at that moment then paused. He thought he'd heard whimpering, but couldn't be sure. When it continued again, he crept into the cave, the sound increasing then decreasing in loudness. He knew who the noise was coming from and why. Guilt once more stabbed at his heart.

 

`This can't continue,' he told himself as he approached the slumbering hanyou. `There's got to be some way that I can correct this. There's got to be.'

 

He knelt next to Inuyasha, touching his shoulder and startling the hanyou awake. Fear and panic filled golden amber eyes, and Inuyasha recoiled back.

 

“Shhh . . . it's all right,” he soothed. “I'm not here to hurt you. I swear it.”

 

“I don't believe you,” came the whisper.

 

“I don't expect you to,” Kouga murmured, settling next to the silver-haired male. “But it is the truth. I'm not going to hurt you. I give you my word, on the honour of my pack.”

 

They sat in silence for a while, watching each other, their breathing the only sounds. Kouga couldn't help but notice the shattered, haunted look that had permeated the half-demon's eyes before he finally turned away. It had spread from his eyes to his face, making the hanyou appear to be older than what he had before. Inuyasha also looked exhausted, as if he'd gone several days without sleeping instead of having been unconscious for the last several. Kouga lost himself in thought, trying to figure out how to bring the fire back to the half-demon's spirit.

 

“AoiAme told me the news,” came the quiet murmur.

 

“Huh?” Kouga blinked, somewhat startled out of his thoughts. Inuyasha raised his head so that their gazes met. Blood started to rim the hanyou's eyes.

 

“Your healer . . . she told me the news . . . about the pup . . . that your elders decided they were going to have it killed . . . that I don't even get a say in what happens to me . . .”

 

“No,” Kouga stated firmly. “That isn't going to happen. I've already told them I wasn't going to allow it.”

 

“What?” Inuyasha started to sit up some, wincing as he put pressure on his wrist.

 

“Take it easy. You're still healing,” Kouga scolded gently, reaching over to help him. The hanyou cringed but ultimately allowed him to touch him. Kouga paid no attention to it as he continued, “I said I wasn't going to allow them to kill the pup. I'd refuse to accept their punishment if they carried it out.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because the pup isn't their responsibility. It's mine,” he stated calmly, making sure the hanyou stayed covered by the blankets. “Just as you're my responsibility.”

 

“I didn't realize I'd become one of your responsibilities,” Inuyasha murmured, averting his gaze. Kouga grasped his chin, bringing his head around so that their eyes met.

 

“I will make this right. I promise you . . .”

 

“Don't make promises you can't keep, Kouga. Especially to a worthless half-breed like me.”

 

Pain mirrored in those golden depths, the harshness of his words having become a very harsh reality to the hanyou.

 

“You aren't worthless,” Kouga growled, anger at himself for ever saying those words to Inuyasha flowing through his blood. “Don't ever say that again. Ever.”

 

Inuyasha shrank away from him, his entire form trembling. Fear tinged the air. Crimson streaked down the hanyou's cheeks. Kouga immediately pulled the silver-haired male to him, holding him close.

 

“Don't ever say those words again, Inuyasha,” he repeated. “You're not worthless and you're not weak. I was a fool for ever thinking such a thing and saying it. I will help you through this. I swear it.”

 

They sat there for a while, Inuyasha cradled in his arms and trembling. He knew that he should let the hanyou go, let him get whatever rest he could, but a part of Kouga didn't want to let him go. Not just yet. He had to let the silver-haired male know that he was sorry . . . and that he intended to make things right.

 

“I'll make this right, Inuyasha . . . I swear it . . . and don't worry about not having a voice . . . I'll be your voice . . . Speak through me . . . and the Council will know your wishes . . .”

“I . . . I can't . . . they're your kin . . . they'll believe you over me any day . . .”

 

“You want them to know the truth?”

 

He felt Inuyasha nod his head. Kouga smiled a little and kissed the top of the dog youkai's head, not even realizing that he'd done it.

 

“They already know . . . you were set up . . . that it was that wind demoness, Kagura, and some other youkai named Naraku.”

 

“Wind demoness?” Inuyasha raised his head. “What wind demoness?”

 

“The one who was at the castle . . . She was the one controlling the dead bodies of my men . . . somehow.”

 

“How do you know this?”

 

“She told me.”

 

“She . . . told you?”

 

“Hai . . . it was a part of Naraku's scheme . . . to see what I would do . . . and for the sacred jewel shards in my leg . . . you tried telling me . . . I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you . . .”

 

“I'm tired,” came the murmur. The hanyou was pulling away from him. Kouga sensed it. He let out a soft sigh and carefully eased Inuyasha back under his blankets. They both knew the apology was useless. All words had become useless. What was done was done. Neither of them could change it.

 

Once he was out of Kouga's arms, Inuyasha turned away, burying himself under the blankets as much as possible. Kouga moved away from the hanyou but not too far. He'd watch over him. Somehow, he'd find a way to prove to the puppy-eared male that he spoke the truth. He'd prove himself one way or another.

 

* * *

 

“Here you go,” AoiAme murmured, handing over a pile of folded clothing. “These should do for the moment.”

 

“Thank you,” Inuyasha murmured, bowing slightly. It had been about two or three days since he'd come to and had learned the news about his . . . unique condition, and he was starting to feel a bit restless. AoiAme's cave had been comforting, but the hanyou soon began to miss fresh air and the sun warming his cheeks.

 

However, when he'd gone to put on his fire-rat clothing, he'd started shaking, the memory of Kouga's act now attached to his normal attire. He'd been offered animal pelts, but they'd left him feeling naked and exposed. Finally, Kouga had come back with clothes stolen from a nearby village, assuring the half-demon that no one had been harmed.

 

The demoness turned and left, giving him some more time to himself to get dressed. His wrists still bothered him, but not nearly as bad as before. AoiAme had said he was lucky to be able to move them at all. Such injuries should have crippled him. They still crippled him. He had a hard time picking up the Tetsusaiga, couldn't even grasp the hilt.

 

Once he'd finished, Inuyasha slowly made his way out of her cave and into the sunlight. A wave of relief washed over him as he felt the warm on his cheeks. Sticking close to the rock base, Inuyasha leaned back and closed his eyes. For a moment, he could pretend that nothing had ever happened, that he hadn't been set up for a crime he hadn't committed, that he hadn't been raped as punishment for that crime. The scent of a female wolf approached and Inuyasha opened his eyes.

 

“Feeling better?” AoiAme smiled. He nodded a little.

 

“Hai . . . much better . . .”

 

“Good,” she winked, standing next to him and leaning against the wall. “Glad to hear that.”

 

“Yeah . . . AoiAme?”

 

“Yes, Inuyasha?” She turned her head to gaze at him.

 

“How . . . how is it that I'm carrying Kouga's pups?” he whispered. “I mean . . . I'm a male . . . Males can't carry pups . . . can they?”

 

“Among those of human blood? No,” she shook her head. “They can't. Among those with youkai blood, hai. It is entirely possible, though it normally takes multiple pairings before a male is expecting his mate's pups. Depends on the race, too. Frog and toad youkai are more like to conceive as males and take less mating sessions than among others.”

 

“Oh . . . how is it that I'm expecting, though?”

 

“Because you were wrongly punished, sweet one,” she murmured sadly. “If Kouga had stopped just before he violated you, you'd only cry the tears of blood.”

 

“But it didn't stop there,” he blinked, his ears drooping.

 

“I know.” She clasped his shoulder gently. “It is the Gods' way of determining Kouga's spirit and his honour . . . By youkai law, he has two choices. To either accept the consequences of his actions and take responsibility . . . or face death . . . something he's still quite unaware of.”

 

“He doesn't know about that?” Inuyasha glanced up at her.

 

“No,” AoiAme shook her head. “He doesn't know. He's acting on instinct when it comes you and your pup. His own code of honour prevents him from walking away from you to battle with this on your own. He truly does want to help you.”

 

“Yeah . . .”

 

AoiAme had spoken the truth. Since he'd come to, Kouga had gone out of his way to helpful and to reassure him. The wolf still insisted on touching him, though, and it made the hanyou's skin crawl. But he didn't dare speak out against the youkai leader. Kouga could easily overpower him at any moment and Inuyasha did not want a repeat experience.

 

A light breeze had picked up, carrying Kouga's scent to him. Inuyasha glanced up to see where the wolf was, noting that Kouga was watching him. He let out a little sigh and averted his gaze. He just wanted to enjoy the sun while he still could, before he was chased back in to get some more rest. Then he'd heard a voice he hadn't been expecting to hear, saying a word that had always filled him with dread.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome's voice rang out. “Sit boy!”

 

The all-so-familiar tug of the spell sent him crashing to the ground, face first into the hard rock. Pain shot through him as memories of the assault invaded his mind. Forgetting that it was Kagome and not Kouga dragging him to the ground, Inuyasha screamed.