InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chronicles ❯ InuYasha's Wish ( Chapter 58 )

~~Chapter 58~~

~InuYasha's Wish~

 

“It's none of your business.”

 

InuYasha flexed his claws as he contemplated whether or not it would be worth the effort to rip into his demented half-brother. “The hell it ain't.”

 

Sesshoumaru glared at InuYasha with undisguised loathing. “Remember your place, half-breed. You dare to demand answers from me?”

 

InuYasha didn't back down. “Yes, I do. Your fucking uncle came after Kagome, and he knew I was human. Now you tell me how he knew that, and you tell me where the hell I can find him.”

 

“Norimitsu is no one to me,” Sesshoumaru articulated coldly. “The brother of my mother means nothing.”

 

“Well, great, then you won't care if I cut the bastard down. Just tell me where to find him.”

 

Staring over the horizon at the open forest below the cliff and the sea beyond, Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly and shifted his gaze to the side. “And you think that a pathetic hanyou can defeat a youkai of Norimitsu's ilk?”

 

“Hide and watch.”

 

Sesshoumaru regarded the landscape as the gentle afternoon breeze ruffled his hair. “Why do you seek him? If he wishes to kill you, he will seek you out again.”

 

InuYasha shrugged. “What does it matter to you?”

 

“It matters not to me, InuYasha. Whether you live or whether you die, This Sesshoumaru is finished trifling with the petty likes of you.”

 

“Long speech for you, bastard. If you didn't know where to find Norimitsu, you should have just said so.” InuYasha turned to go.

 

Sesshoumaru's voice stopped him. “He is the tai-youkai of the Southern Realm. Now tell me what it is you seek.”

 

InuYasha nodded slowly, hiding his amazement that Sesshoumaru had actually told him anything. “He's got Mother's diary.”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at him a few moments. It seemed as though the stoic youkai was almost surprised. “Do you think so?”

 

“I know so.”

 

“What makes you so certain?”

 

InuYasha snorted and shrugged, as if he thought the entire situation were easy to understand. “He knows too much. Anyway, since you apparently don't know where to find him, then I'm wasting my time.” InuYasha started away then suddenly turned back with a pronounced glower. “Oh, yeah . . . I met a friend of yours. Ayama—something . . . She seemed to know you, anyway. What's with her?”

 

To InuYasha's unabashed amazement, Sesshoumaru turned away without answering though not before InuYasha had seen the trace of surprise and irritation on his features. “Mind your own business, baka.”

 

“Did I hit a nerve?” InuYasha couldn't resist asking.

 

Sesshoumaru dismissed him with a toss of his head.

 

InuYasha grinned and turned away again, sniffing the air to find Kagome.

 

Rin had dragged Kagome off the second she had seen her. He followed Kagome's scent around the castle. In the carefully secluded gardens, he heard whispering female voices as Kagome and Rin chatted. Kagome had worried a few times, that Rin wouldn't be taught the things she should know. So far as InuYasha could tell, the human girl was fine under Sesshoumaru's protection. Of course, he had to admit that he knew next to nothing about children in general, and human girls, he thought with a grimace, were completely beyond his comprehension.

 

Since the fiasco with the lynx youkai, Kagome had said a grand total of four words to him. Apparently she really did think that he had somehow encouraged Ayamakita, even though he didn't do anything of the sort.

 

`Keh! You'd think I asked her to lick me! You'd think I wanted her to lick me . . . as if! Damn it . . . .' He wiped his cheek on his sleeve again as he closed in on the sound of Kagome's voice.

 

He scowled, rubbing his arm where Kagome had burned him. It wasn't severe, at least he didn't think so, but it did hurt in the same way that a skinned knee hurt when you bent it. He hadn't told her about that. Maybe he ought to. Then again, he thought with a snort, she'd find a way to blame him for that, too . . . .

 

“Come on, wench!” he called as he stepped into the rows of hedges. “We're leaving.”

 

“Bye, Rin!” Kagome called over her shoulder. She ambled out from under the shade of the cherry trees. InuYasha turned and started away without waiting to see if she was following or not.

 

The evening shadows were falling, the elongating darkness of the majestic trees silently crept over the land. With the evening came a mellow breeze. It ruffled Kagome's hair, blew her fragrance right to him. Engulfed as he was in the sweetness of her, he couldn't help the bemused smile as she sighed in a contented way, lifting her face into the wind as the air kissed her flesh, caressed her skin, culminated in a fragrance so intoxicating it nearly brought the hanyou to his knees.

 

With a stifled whine and drooping ears, InuYasha caught Kagome and dropped her on his back before lunging forward, intent on putting as much distance between himself and his brother as he could before stopping for the night. At least, that was the reason he had formed, in case Kagome wanted to know. The real reason was because he knew that Kagome couldn't stay mad at him when they traveled this way. Whether she simply enjoyed their closeness at the time or because of the invigorating sense of freedom that she got as he ran with her, jumped with her, he wasn't sure. It would be enough if she just stopped being upset with him.

 

“Did you find out anything?” Kagome finally asked.

 

“Not really. Getting information out of him is like pulling teeth. He did mention that Norimitsu is Lord of the Southern Realm, whatever that means.”

 

“Did you expect to get anything out of him?”

 

InuYasha sighed. Honestly he wasn't sure what he had hoped. He'd sort of hoped that his baka brother would let something slip. He should have known better. “Keh! Whose side are you on, wench?”

 

“Yours, of course!” she answered as she snuggled closer.

 

“You about ready to stop for the night?” he asked, suddenly needing to distance himself from the absolute and welcome warmth of her body.

 

She shrugged. “Whenever you are.”

 

He kept going until he found a nice clearing near a small lake. `I don't care how much of a fuss she puts up, she is absolutely not taking a bath tonight.'

 

As Kagome slid off his back, her hand brushed against the burn she'd left on him earlier. He hissed before he could stop himself. Kagome jerked her hand back. “InuYasha? What's wrong?” she asked as she came around to stand in front of him.

 

“Keh. Nothing,” he lied as he snatched up some kindling wood.

 

“When did you get hurt?” she pressed.

 

“I didn't.”

 

“You're lying.”

 

“Keh.”

 

“Let me see.”

 

“I'm fine.”

 

“InuYasha!”

 

“No!”

 

She stood in his way, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. “Let me see,” she demanded, reaching up to pull his shirt open. He held it closed. She slapped his hands back. Staring at her with his mouth agape, InuYasha was shocked enough to stop fighting. “Did you—you didn't—you couldn't—did you slap my hands?”

 

“I wouldn't have had to if you'd let me look. Now let me see.” She gasped when she pulled his sleeve down to reveal the deep crimson burn on his arm. “How did this happen?” she asked quietly as she dug into her bag for the first aid kit. She gestured at a fallen log, indicating that he should sit.

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes but did as she ordered. “You burned me when that lynx youkai was talking to us.”

 

Kagome's eyes shot up to lock with his. She dropped the first aid kit as he face paled. “I did that? Why didn't you tell me?”

 

He shrugged, still ruffled about having his hands slapped away like he was a pup. “You weren't exactly being open-minded at the time,” he grumbled.

 

“Still—”

 

“It don't hurt. Just a little raw, is all,” he assured her.

 

Her expression said that she didn't believe him. Finally she picked up the first aid kit and set about cleaning the burn. The cream she applied helped a lot. Cooling the burn instantly, she took extra care in bandaging the spot even though he didn't really need it. She hopped up and put away the kit as he repaired his clothes. He watched with mild bemusement as she finished gathering wood and started a little fire before dumping water into the pot and pulling out two cups of ramen. “Aren't you the one always grumbling about `real food'?”

 

Kagome shrugged. “I'm fine. One night of ramen won't hurt you.”

 

`She feels bad,' he realized. `Really bad . . . .' It was an interesting concept. Normally he was the one who felt horrible for saying or doing something that hurt or upset her. That she was the one feeling guilty . . . InuYasha made a face. He didn't like it, not at all . . . .

 

He didn't say anything else until after she gave him a cup of ramen and sat down next to him. “I'm sorry,” she mumbled, staring into her cup as her cheeks pinked.

 

“Keh. I told you, I'm fine,” he told her. “Don't worry about it.”

 

She shook her head. “What can I do to make up for it?”

 

He blinked in surprise. “You don't need to.”

 

She shrugged and sighed. “I want to.”

 

“Like what?” he couldn't resist asking.

 

“I could rub your ears?”

 

“Keh. That's for you.”

 

Kagome thought it over a few minutes then shook her head. “Why don't you tell me what you want?”

 

InuYasha felt his chest constrict. A thousand thoughts, a million images raced through his mind at her simple question. `I want . . . you, Kagome, forever.'

 

`Why don't you tell me what you want?'

 

It was such a simple question, and he knew that she was talking about doing something nice for him, not asking him to tell her what he really, really wanted. `The wishing stone . . . my wish . . . Kagome . . . . Did she somehow know?' Still . . . . `Now's your chance! Tell her what you really want . . . .'

 

Kagome smiled a little shyly and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Give it some thought, and let me know?”

 

All he could do was blink and swallow . . . hard.

 

 

:::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8:::

 

 

“Watch carefully, ladies and gentleman! Before your very eyes, I'll make this rock disappear!”

 

Sango leaned toward Miroku to whisper in his ear. “Do you think he's figured it out yet?”

 

“Don't make fun of the Great Shippouni!” Shippou remarked haughtily, shooting Sango a sidelong glower.

 

Sango hid her smile. “Apologies, Great Shippouni.”

 

“Sango! Disparaging the little one! I'm shocked,” Miroku whispered back.

 

Sango nudged him with her elbow as Shippou waved the `magic wand'.

 

Kaede laughed as Shippou moved his hand to drop the rock down his sleeve. All three of them saw the rock. None of them mentioned it.

 

Shippou preformed another few tricks, much to the amusement of his audience. By the time he was finished, he was very proud of himself and very tired. Curling up with Kirara on the mat near the fire, the kitsune was asleep within minutes.

 

Miroku tugged on Sango's hand. “Come for a walk with me, Sango?”

 

Kaede cleared her throat before Sango could answer. “We must finish discussing the ceremony, Sango . . . and there will be no `walks' till after ye are wed, Miroku . . . .”

 

“Kaede!” Miroku intoned, covering his heart with his hand as though the old miko's words had wounded him. “I would never—”

 

“Kaede stubbornly shook her head. “I am not blind, Miroku. I see how ye watch young Sango . . . There will be no `walks' until after ye are wed.”

 

Sango blushed but smiled and shrugged.

 

“I am so misunderstood,” Miroku complained.

 

“Kaede would be the same with InuYasha and Kagome, if they were here. Wouldn't you, Kaede?” Sango said, hoping to make Miroku feel better.

 

For some reason, Miroku highly doubted that. Kaede sighed. “Those two are too timid to get into much mischief the way ye would, Miroku.”

 

Miroku nearly choked on his indignant sputtering. Sango's gentle laughter kept him silent. `InuYasha's too timid to get into mischief, is he? Interesting . . . . Kaede wouldn't think that if she had seen half of what Sango and I have . . . .'

 

He sighed and wondered if there was any way to hurry the wedding along . . . .

 

 

:::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8::8:::

 

 

Kagome stared at the configuration with a thoughtful frown before slowly picking one of her checkers and carefully placing it. “There,” she said but didn't take her finger off of it while she decided if she wanted to leave it there.

 

“Are you sure you want to do that?” InuYasha teased, stretched out on his side, one knee propped up with his arm draped over it. His other hand supported his head, and he yawned in a completely exaggerated fashion as he waited impatiently for Kagome to finish her move.

 

“Shh!” she breathed, lifting her finger to her lips to shush him.

 

He reached over and flicked her nose. “Keh! You can't shush me!”

 

She reached over and flicked him in return. “And you can't heckle me while I'm trying to make up my mind.”

 

“You didn't tell me it was going to take you hours to make up your mind every turn,” he grumbled.

 

With a heavy sigh, she lifted her finger off her game piece. He promptly took his nearest piece and effectively ended the game by taking all three of her remaining checkers out of commission.

 

“All right, that's enough of that,” she said dourly as she put the wooden checkers back in the small plastic pouch and folded up the game board. “You're no fun. Don't you ever lose?”

 

He snorted. “Keh! You ought to know by now, wench, I don't lose anything. In fact, I—” he trailed off with a low growl as she dug the damned calculus book out of her bag. “Oi! What do you think you're doing?”

 

She shook her head. “I've got to study! I've got midterm exams coming up, and—”

 

He frowned, which she would have seen if she could have dragged her face out of that book. Minutes passed as she scribbled problems and worked them in her notebook. InuYasha raked his claws over the ground as he glared at the book, unaware of the low growl that was coming from his own throat.

 

`I hate that book, I hate that book, I fucking hate that damn book!' he fumed as she continued to ignore him. “I thought of what I want,” he suddenly blurted, face reddening as she glanced up at him.

 

“What you want? Oh, okay.” Kagome sat up and closed the book to offer him her full attention.

 

“I want that fucking book,” he growled, leaning forward and snatching her calculus book.

 

Her mouth dropped open. “InuYasha? You can't have my textbook!”

 

“You said anything, and I want this.”

 

“But—”

 

“Keh! You can't go back on your word!”

 

“What do you want it for?”

 

“That's easy! I want it so you can't study it.”

 

Kagome stared in drop-mouthed amazement as InuYasha stalked over to the base of an old magnolia tree and proceeded to dig a hole, obviously not trusting her at all since he had the book cinched in his jaws. When he was satisfied with the depth of the hole, he dropped the book with a heavy thump and proceeded to bury it.

 

“InuYasha! I have to have that book!” she gasped.

 

“Now you're forgiven,” he remarked as he started back toward her. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared at her, and, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, `sneaky wench,' he stomped right back and sat on the soft ground.

 

She crossed to him and sat on her knees, hands in her lap, the absolute personification of patience as she smiled sweetly, tilting her head to the side. “InuYasha, now I know you realize that I need that book.”

 

“Keh.”

 

The sweet tone grew even more syrupy. “And I know you really want to be nice and give the book back.”

 

“Keh.”

 

Syrup dissolved in honey, and she added the `peeking through her lashes' look for good measure. “And I'll promise that I'll put the book away from now on, whenever you say, if you'll just dig it up and give it back to me.”

 

InuYasha forced his gaze away, steeling himself against the effects of said-look. “K-k-keh-h-h-h.”

 

“I'll let you beat me at checkers?”

 

“I already do.”

 

“I won't complain when you tweak my nose.”

 

“That's a lie.”

 

She sighed and then narrowed her gaze on him, apparently deciding that if sweetness didn't work, she needed to try another tactic. “I won't mention the lynx that had her paws all over you and licked you.”

 

InuYasha snorted and sputtered at her suddenly angry tone. “I didn't like that! You make it sound like I wanted her to do that! Besides, it was only one finger, not her whole paw, so they definitely weren't her `paw-zuh'!”

 

Kagome made a sound suspiciously close to his infamous `Keh!' She shot him a dour look and said mildly, “Oh, really? You were paying that much attention to her `paw-zuh'? And tell me why you're always allowed get so mad whenever Kouga came around, but I'm not allowed to get irritated over a youkai who can't keep her `paw-zuh' off of you! At least he never licked me!”

 

“The difference,” he snarled, leaning forward with a fierce light in his eyes, “is that I never acted like I liked her! You always had to fawn all over Kouga! Keh!”

 

“You take that back!”

 

“Keh!”

 

“I mean it, InuYasha, you take that back or else!”

 

“Or else what?”

 

“Or else . . . ohh!”

 

Since she couldn't think of anything quite good enough to `or else' him with, Kagome shot to her feet and stalked over to her bedroll.

 

“Oi! We're not done talking!” InuYasha yelled.

 

“We're not talking! You're yelling!”

 

“So are you!”

 

“You yelled first!”

 

“You're yelling louder!”

 

“Baka!”

 

“You'd better quit yelling at me because—”

 

Kagome rolled over, leaning up on her elbows. “Because what?”

 

“Because mates don't yell at each other, damn it!” As though the words he'd bellowed had taken all of his irritation to say, InuYasha shook his head, stared the other way, drawing a deep breath before he continued. “Are you going to yell at me after we . . . if we . . . ?”

 

Kagome felt as though her heart had stopped. She couldn't remember that she had to breathe, either, until dizziness nearly overcame her. “InuYasha? Are you . . . asking . . . me?”

 

He lifted his hand in an empty gesture and sighed, feeling the burn of complete embarrassment wash over him in relentless waves. “It wasn't how I wanted to ask, but—”

 

She gulped, swallowing a suspicious lump that rose to choke her. “That's forever, right?” she asked quietly.

 

He flinched and shook his head, his ears drooping as his eyes took on a sad, guarded, confused glow. “Forget I said anything . . . .”

 

How she managed to launch herself out of her blankets and straight into his arms was a mystery to him but suddenly she was there, her lips on his, her body wrapping around him as she laughed and cried at the same time.

 

“Ka—go—me,” he mumbled between her kisses, before he lost the will to say it. With every kiss, every breath, every sigh and every sob, his resistance weakened, but claiming her now was something that he could not do . . . . “We—can't—”

 

“Can't what?” she muttered back as she kissed his cheek, his jaw. He whined softly, wishing that he could let himself be lost in her. Forcing his eyes open, he stared at the full moon. It mocked him, laughed at him, and it gave him the strength to refrain from the lure of her, of what he knew she would give him.

 

With a deep breath, he gently pushed her away. A ragged breath, a shaking hand, a trembling in his limbs that he couldn't control as he cleared his throat to say, “We can't. Tonight is the full moon . . . . You'd better go over there.”

 

She frowned and shook her head as she struggled to understand. “Well,” she said slowly, “I can understand that children wouldn't be great just yet. I'm not really ready for them, either, right now, but maybe if I just sat with you and—”

 

“Kagome, please,” he rasped out, his whisper harsh, grating. “Just go to bed.”

 

Her confusion lingered, and she opened her mouth to reason with him. “Not even—?”

 

`Fuck, no!' He shook his head quickly though it took another few seconds until he trusted himself enough to spare a glance at her. Her face was flushed, mouth a darker pink, and she breathed hard, lips parted, trembling precariously, as though she was near tears. He quickly looked away again. “There are still too many things that I have to figure out,” he said slowly, pleading with her to understand. “Too many things that don't make sense, and if you sit here with me, I'll smell you, and if I smell you, I'll want to . . . please . . . just go to bed, all right?”

 

She sighed and leaned forward, brushing a kiss across his cheek before he heard her stand up to return to her bedroll. Only after she was safely ensconced in the blankets did he heave a sigh of his own. The desire to claim her was fierce, unrelenting. The ache in his body was nearly enough to kill him. As desperately as he wanted to seek the calm of the cold lake water, he didn't dare leave her alone, didn't dare leave her unprotected. Digging his claws into his palms until he smelled the metallic scent of his own blood, he closed his eyes with a measure of relief. `Baka, what will you do? Maim yourself all night just so you can't smell Kagome?'

 

He growled low as her fragrance came at him once more, forcing away the more familiar scent of his blood.

 

`Keh . . . it's gonna be a long fucking night,' he thought with a pained grimace.

 

They were both still awake when the sun rose.

 

 

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A/N:

 

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Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Chronicles): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

 

~Sue~