InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Calming a Fight ❯ Calming a Fight ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

The fire crackled merrily yet the people who warmed their hands around it seemed oblivious to it.  Their faces each held a frown of anger or depression.  Except for one.  The most out of place girl in the group sat at a slight distance with a melancholy smile on her lips.  Her hair seemed a little duller as the light from the fire reflected off it and her light brown eyes seemed to be missing their normal spark of life.  Yet she still held a pleasant conversation with those closer to the fire.
“So who wants to play cards?”  She asked after a pause in the conversation.  She reached into her large yellow bag and drew out a well worn deck of cards and a box of pocky.  Upon seeing the familiar red packaging the rather sullen looking fox kit in the group jumped up and hurried to the girl, excited to get a treat.
With the young kit occupied, the girl, Kagome, turned back to the other two in the group.  Dealing out seven cards each, the three people started to play a rather intense game of ‘Go Fish’.
In the middle of the game, Kagome couldn’t help but smile as she noticed the guy sitting across from her slowing inching his hand closer the back side of her almost sister.  The guy, Miroku, had short black hair in a ponytail and was wearing traditional monk’s robes, though anyone who knew him knew he wasn’t much of a monk.
The aforementioned girl though was interesting.  Having lost her family, she joined the group after much persuasion.  She was currently wearing a green wrap skirt and a pretty printed blue wrap top that Miroku had conned off a very wealthy lord.  She rarely wore the top but right then her usual one was hanging on a branch as it dried after the blood had been washed from it.  But even then, she looked normal.  That is until you saw that underneath the outer clothing was a layer of close fitting clothing that protected her when she was slaying demons.
As Kagome fixed this mental image of the two sitting so close together and how different they were from the outside world, she heard a branch snap behind her.  With out glancing away from her cards, Kagome greeted the new comer.
“Did you learn anything knew while you were visiting Kikyo, Inuyasha?”  She asked in a soft voice that betrayed her desperate frustration.  And the frustration wasn’t due to the fact that she was loosing the game.  No, for she had finally had enough of being second best and had stopped trying to win over Inuyasha.  Hearing the sadness kindled in her voice, the half-demon stopped in his place, his eyes locked on the back of her head.
“Feh! Why would you care!”  He snapped, trying to cover the guilt he felt at causing her pain.  He knew that she felt sad every time he had left to talk to Kikyo and he longed to make her see that he was only talking to her, but every time he tried, she had shut down or he had put his foot in his mouth.  So now his only defense was to be rough and rude.
Kagome, bristling at Inuyasha’s tone of voice, silently matched the cards in her hand before she quit the game and turned to her bag.  Lying next to the bag was her sleeping case and she gingerly picked it up and laid it out on the ground, a good distance from any tree.  Happy with were it was, she scooped up the kit that had long since fallen asleep and climbed into the case.  Turning her back she cuddled with the kit and gave him a gentle kiss good night on the forehead before she herself attempted to sleep.
Oh no!  This would not stand.  Inuyasha was use to her cry or screaming or both but this silent treatment would not happen.  Crossing the fire and standing next to the bag, Inuyasha growled.
“Oi!  Wench!  Answer me!”  He ground out between his teeth.  Kagome still ignored him.
“I said answer me!”  He almost roared.  Sango jumped and was reaching for Hiraikotsu, as Miroku grabbed the subduing seals he had in his robes.  Neither had a chance to attack though as Inuyasha grabbed Kagome’s sleeping back and leapt of into the trees.
For some time, Inuyasha ran through the forest, alternating between hopping on the branches and running on the floor.  When he finally deemed the distance from camp far enough, he dropped his arms and watched as Kagome tumbled to the ground.  A grunt was heard as she rolled a little bit, her arms tightening around the now awakened Kitsune in her arms.  Gasping at the rudeness of such actions, Kagome stood up, glaring at Inuyasha.  Inuyasha, in all his dim witted-glory, glared back, growling lowly as he watched her
“You jerk!” Kagome bit out.  Shippo whimpered softly in her arms as he nuzzled closer to Kagome’s warmth.  Inuyasha saw this and took it as a sign of defiance.  Kagome was his and no pup was going to get that close to her with out any permission!  Increasing his growling, Inuyasha attempted to scare Shippo away from Kagome but he only succeeded in causing the kit to curl up closer to her, whimpering softly.
“Get away from her brat!”  He snarled, reaching out to grab the kit.  Shippo squeaked and held tightly to Kagome’s neck.
“BAKA!  Get away from him!”  Kagome screamed into the Hanyou’s ears.
“Ow!  Damn Bitch!”  Inuyasha cried, cupping his ringing ears.
“You jerk!  How dare you curse at me when you are the one being a darn fool!”
“I am not a fool!  You are the one caring for that insolent little brat!”
“Inuyasha!”  Kagome drew out the name slightly, pausing to add effect.  Inuyasha prepared himself to feel the ground.  But the sit never came.  Instead a softly cried “stop!” sounded from Kagome’s shoulder.
Turning stunned eyes towards the little kit, both Kagome and Inuyasha stared as the kit turned teary red eyes to them.  As they watched, Kagome noticed the tears making their way down her surrogate son’s cheek.
“Oh Shippo,” She cooed.
“Stop!  Please!  Okaa-san and Otou-san please stop fighting!”  The Kitsune cried loudly.  These words, spoken in a desperate cry gave pause to the two grown ups as they looked at the kit.
“Okaa-san?”  Kagome whispered, getting a feel for it on her tongue.  Shippo glanced up at her, sniffling pitifully.
“Shippo, do you see me as your Okaa-san?”  Kagome asked softly, pulling the kit away from her so she could look him in the eyes.  The young kit refused to look her in the eyes as he nodded his head, hiccupping slightly.
“Oh Shippo!”  Kagome cried happily as she hugged the little boy close.
“Y-you aren’t mad?”  Shippo whispered, looking up at Kagome.  Kagome smiled softly and tickled the boy on his belly before kissing his forehead.
“No, I’m not mad Shippo!  I would love to be your Okaa-san!”  She cooed and rubbed his nose with hers.
“Otou-san...” Inuyasha whispered as he thought over all that Shippo had said.  He was in shock from hearing such a thing from the young Kitsune he had taken under his wing like a father would with his pup.  The shock wore off though when he heard the childish giggling coming from the duo in front of him as they played a game of tickle war.  Smiling softly, Inuyasha again whispered Otou-san to himself before kneeling down in front of the two.
Kagome stopped her tickling as she noticed a splotch of red kneel next to her.  She saw the uncertainty in Inuyasha’s face as he watched them.
“Yes Inuyasha?”  She prompted softly.
“Feh!  I was just wondering if the kit actually meant what he said!”  Inuyasha humphed angrily. Shippo looked up at him before gently removing himself from Kagome’s motherly embrace.  Standing calmly in front of Inuyasha with his head bowed and his eyes downcast, he answered in the language of canines, knowing Inuyasha would understand the truth behind his words.  Inuyasha stared at the kit for some time before he slowly opened his arms wide.
“Otou-san?”  Shippo asked hesitantly.  Inuyasha nodded once before smiling wolfishly.  The kit grinned before launching himself into the Hanyou’s arms crying, ”Otou-san!”
Kagome smiled softly as she watched Inuyasha accepted the kit into his arms.  She felt so overjoyed that the little kit now had a father and mother to love him.  Suddenly it hit her though... Inuyasha was Shippo’s father now and she was his mother.  Did that make them a couple?  Glancing up at Inuyasha, Kagome eeped as the dog demon grinned, having obviously followed her train of thought.  Reaching out with his opposite arm, he pulled her towards her, grinning as she squeaked softly.  Shippo smiled happily as he looked up to find his Otou-san and Okaa-san sitting closely together.  Sighing once the young kit rested his hand on his Okaa-san’s shoulder as he laid his head on Inuyasha’s.  Not everything was perfect yet and there were still many more fights but as Inuyasha and Kagome sat there, cuddling and watching over their surrogate son as he slept peacefully in their embrace.