InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chronicles ❯ Kagome's Surprise ( Chapter 73 )

~~Chapter 73~~

~Kagome's Surprise~

 

“Can I come?”

 

Kagome grabbed InuYasha's arm as she stopped to wait for the kitsune to catch up with them. “Yeah, just don't do anything to make Kagome's mother hate me more.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Mama doesn't hate you, InuYasha!”

 

“Keh.”

 

“Don't do anything over there we wouldn't do,” Miroku piped up cheerfully. Sango rolled her eyes.

 

Kagome stopped suddenly, staring at her friends with a thoughtful frown. “Why don't you guys see if you can come with us?”

 

Miroku and Sango exchanged worried glances. “Do you think it's safe?” Sango asked.

 

“We've never been able to get through before,” Miroku said dubiously.

 

“Suit yourself, monk,” InuYasha tossed over his shoulder as he held Shippou over the well and dropped him. The kitsune shrieked as he fell, and InuYasha peeked inside. Satisfied that the kit had made it through the time slip, he turned back to his incredulous mate.

 

Kagome's eyes flew open wide, and she gasped as she ran over to the well. “InuYasha!”

 

“What? He'll be fine. Stop worrying.”

 

“I can't believe you did that! What if he had hurt himself?”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes. “Come on. I'll see if I can take Sango through, first. That way, if she don't make it, she won't get hurt at the bottom.”

 

Sango didn't look convinced. InuYasha picked her up and hopped into the well. Kagome leaned over the well, watching anxiously as Miroku knelt beside her. Sure enough, the time slip opened up and allowed both InuYasha and Sango through.

 

“Your turn, Miroku. You coming?” Kagome asked as she shifted so her feet were dangling in the well.

 

Miroku shook his head slowly. “Do you think this is the best idea? I mean, if we can all go through, then isn't that a bad omen?”

 

Kagome sighed. “I wondered about that, too, but I wonder if maybe, since the warp was created by Tetsusaiga, if it has something to do with InuYasha's feelings for people.”

 

Miroku nodded in understanding. “So you think that, so long as InuYasha cares for someone then they can utilize the time slip?”

 

Kagome nodded. “I think so . . . .” She shrugged and grinned impishly. “Only one way to try it out . . . unless you want me to send InuYasha back to carry you through, too?”

 

Miroku made a face. “I'll jump, thanks.”

 

Kagome took his hand. “Ready?”

 

Miroku looked anything but ready. He drew a deep breath then nodded as Kagome pushed off the ground, dragging Miroku down with her.

 

He squeezed his eyes closed until Kagome let go of his hand as the warmth of the time slip wrapped around them. Cautiously, he opened one eye and gasped at the sapphire light that illuminated their path. “I can't believe it,” Miroku muttered.

 

Kagome grinned. If he thought this was unbelievable, wait till he saw modern Tokyo . . . .

 

She clamored up the ladder after Miroku on her side of the well. InuYasha caught her hands and pulled her out of the well, letting his hands linger on hers for a few seconds longer than necessary. She smiled.

 

Sango stood in the courtyard, staring up at Goshinboku with awe. “I can't believe it,” she remarked quietly. “Goshinboku looks the same . . . .”

 

Miroku stepped up beside Sango and shook his head. “I can't believe it . . . so this is where Kagome lives.”

 

For some reason, InuYasha uttered a low growl at Miroku's assessment. Kagome glanced up at the hanyou. He looked almost sad. “InuYasha? Are you okay?”

 

“Keh.” Picking up Kagome's bag, InuYasha strode off toward the shrine with Shippou fast on his heels. She sighed. She wasn't sure what was bothering him now, but he'd tell her when he was ready, wouldn't he? He didn't like Miroku's inference that this was her home, she realized. It wasn't exactly true anymore. Wherever InuYasha was, was where she belonged.

 

Watching him disappear into the shrine, Kagome sighed. She'd have to tell him that later. Maybe he'd be more at ease if he knew what she really thought. Shaking off the worry, Kagome grabbed her friends by the hands and dragged them toward the house. “You've got to meet my family,” she insisted.

 

“Kagome, I would truly love to see this `grocery store' that InuYasha has mentioned before?” Miroku asked, his expression almost child-like.

 

“Okay,” Kagome agreed as she opened the door and let the others go in first.

 

“I don't think I like what you're implying,” InuYasha was mid-growl when they entered the back door. Glowering at her grandfather, the hanyou looked like he was about to tear into the old man. Kagome gasped and hurried to separate the two. Ever since the Great Tetsusaiga Taping incident, InuYasha hadn't been overly pleased with Grandpa. Kagome had a feeling that InuYasha was just looking for a reason to light into him . . . . She could only hope that her overzealous grandfather hadn't said anything too bothersome.

 

“What's wrong?” Kagome asked as she tugged InuYasha's arm, leading him away from her grandfather.

 

InuYasha glared at the old man but allowed Kagome to pull him back. “Nothing,” he growled, his cheeks reddening, growing darker by the second.

 

“And I say he is! He has your aura!” Grandpa stated haughtily. “There's no mistaking it! That child is yours!” An odd expression passed over her grandfather's face as he stared from Shippou to InuYasha and on to Kagome, almost as though he was figuring something out. Face reddening in his righteous indignation, Grandpa gasped and wagged a finger in Kagome's direction. “Young lady! You have some explaining to do!”

 

Kagome backed up a step with a puzzled expression. “What? Grandpa?”

 

Straightening his back proudly, Grandpa shook his head. “You promised your mother, Kagome!”

 

“What?”

 

InuYasha reflexively pushed Kagome behind his back and rested his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. “Now I know I don't like what you're implying, old man . . . . Don't you think you would have noticed if Kagome had been carrying a pup at any time? And just how old do you think he is?”

 

“Huh?” Kagome gasped. “A . . . what?”

 

Grandpa pointed at Shippou, who darted over to cower behind InuYasha and Kagome. “That child is yours!”

 

“He's Shippou! Remember Shippou? I've told you about him! His parents were killed, and we take care of him,” Kagome hurried to explain as she fought down a flush of her own. She didn't dare glance over at Sango or Miroku. Knowing the monk, he was fighting hard not to laugh. “So I guess you could say he's ours . . . maybe that's what you sense, Grandpa.”

 

Grandpa shook his head slowly. “No, that's not it . . .” he said with a sigh, though her explanation did remove the hostility from his tone. He cast Sango and Miroku a suspicious stare. “And who are they? They can't be yours . . . .”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes as InuYasha, satisfied that he was no longer under scrutiny, slouched back with his arms crossed in the folds of his haori sleeves. “Grandpa, this is Sango and Miroku.”

 

Grandpa's eyes lit with recognition as he suddenly took on a friendly air. “Ah, Miroku! Another holy man, like me!”

 

Miroku bowed to Grandpa but shook his head slightly. “I apologize. Kagome hasn't told you that I've changed professions? I'm now a youkai exterminator, not a monk.”

 

Grandpa looked like he was going to cry . . . or launch into one of his `young people these days' speeches. In Kagome's opinion, neither option was good. “Where's Mama?” she asked to stave off whatever tirade Grandpa had brewing in his head.

 

“Your mother is out at the moment.”

 

She sighed. “I'm going to go change. Then I suppose we'll go to the grocery store.” She shot a quick look at InuYasha, who was still glaring at Grandpa even if he didn't look like he was going to try to take the old man's head off . . . . “InuYasha? Can you keep everyone out of trouble until I get done?”

 

He nodded once as she turned to leave, a little grin breaking over her features. `Since when do I ask him to be the voice of reason?' she thought with a giggle as she hit the stairs, taking them two at a time.

 

Down the hallway and rounding the corner into her bedroom, Kagome flicked on the light switch and stopped dead in her tracks. Her scream had to have been heard downstairs because seconds later, everyone was trying to crowd into the room to see what was wrong. InuYasha figured it out first. “Oi, wench. Where's all your junk?”

 

Shaking her head in silent confusion, Kagome couldn't even manage a whisper. Everything—bed, dresser, clothes—everything was gone.

 

“Bedrooms don't look very different nowadays,” Miroku commented, drawing a scowl from everyone except the shocked miko.

 

“Grandpa!” Kagome shouted, finally finding her voice as she pushed past her friends and back down the hallway again. “Grandpa! Where are my clothes? And my bed?”

 

Grandpa pulled a stubborn expression and folded his arms together, much like InuYasha normally did. “You'll have to wait until your mother gets back.”

 

Kagome growled and stomped back upstairs, heading for Souta's room this time. Her brother was probably at soccer practice. His room was just as he'd left it. Apparently Kagome was the only one whose things were mysteriously disappearing . . . . Digging around in her brother's dresser, Kagome snatched out a pair of heather gray sweat shorts. Souta had grown a lot over the last three years. luckily these had a drawstring since he was much more muscular than she was. Last time she'd checked, he was nearly as tall as she was, too . . . .

 

After dragging out one of InuYasha's tee shirts, she huffed out of Souta's room. Ignoring the questions that she heard being directed at InuYasha, who probably couldn't really answer any of them to anyone's satisfaction, Kagome headed for the bathroom. Hopefully by the time she was finished, her mother would be home—and she'd find out what happened to her things.

 

 

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

 

 

“I can't believe it,” Kagome murmured as she stared around the small `house' that her family had renovated for her late birthday present. The row of store buildings had been turned into a tiny house, of sorts, complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms with a cute little living room connecting it all. “Mama? This is fantastic!” she remarked as she hugged her mother. “Thank you so much!”

 

“We had thought that this would be just for you, but since you and InuYasha . . . . It just seemed a bit more appropriate than for you to continue to live in the shrine house. But I suppose that since you can go back again, you won't be here as often, anyway.”

 

“We hadn't really talked about it,” Kagome hedged. “We had some trouble, and . . . but . . . there is someone you haven't really gotten to meet yet.” She turned and waved for Shippou to come over. He did, staring at Mrs. Higurashi with his wide green eyes. “Mama, this is Shippou.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi's expression brightened as she knelt down before the kitsune. “I've heard so many things about you! You're just as cute as Kagome said you where.”

 

“Are you like my grandmother?” Shippou asked.

 

“No wonder the old man thought he was ours,” InuYasha muttered under his breath. “Little runt . . . .”

 

“You can call me that, if you'd like. Why don't you come with me for awhile? Kagome's brother will be home shortly, and I'll bet he'll like you.” Shippou nodded and broke into a grin as Mrs. Higurashi stood up again. “How long will you be staying?”

 

InuYasha glanced at Kagome. Surprised by his acceptance of whatever time frame she set, she smiled as a light blush rose to her cheeks. “How long, InuYasha?”

 

He shrugged. “Dunno . . . I had a few more questions to ask Sesshoumaru, anyway . . . if I can stand to be in the same room as him without wanting to shove Tetsusaiga—”

 

“A week,” Kagome cut in before he could give voice to the visual that he'd already offered.

 

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, pleased that her daughter was so enthusiastic. “I'll leave you alone now . . . will you all be joining us in the shrine for dinner, or would you rather test out your new kitchen? I've made oden . . . .”

 

Kagome's eyes widened. “Oden?”

 

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled as she backed out of the small dwelling. Miroku managed to turn on the television. He jerked back as the box came to life then leaned forward as he hesitantly reached out to touch the screen. “Remarkable!” he murmured. Sango watched over his shoulder.

 

Kagome grinned before heading back to her bedroom to change out of Souta's shorts and into her own clothing.

 

Selecting a pink skirt and lighter pink blouse, Kagome closed the door and stripped off the foreign clothing. Pulling the blouse over her head, she sighed as a sudden sense of well-being ebbed through her.

 

“Kagome, I—”

 

Stopping dead in his tracks, InuYasha stared as he entered the room. Leaning back against the closing door, he gaped as she scrambled for the skirt, painfully aware that the blouse wasn't closed all the way, and that he was staring at her as though he wanted nothing more than to leap on her, which brought on a new round of blushes.

 

“Was there something you needed?” she asked quietly as she pulled the skirt up over her hips.

 

He made a strange croaking noise as he pushed away from the door. In a blur of movement, he caught her as she gasped, dragging her impossibly close with one arm while the other hand gently cradled her cheek. He didn't give her a second to come up with excuses as his mouth fell on hers, hungry, hot, commanding her body as he knees collapsed. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close but not close enough. The open blouse left her skin exposed, and his haori chafed her. The delicate satin of her bra didn't provide any sort of barrier against it. The coarse fabric rubbed against her anyway, and he growled when she moaned.

 

“S-Sango,” she murmured as he dragged his lips away only to forge a trail to her neck. “Miroku . . . .”

 

“Can purify his own fucking jewel,” InuYasha snarled low. “Now be quiet, will you? I'd rather not be thinking about that pervert just now.”

 

She smiled vaguely then gasped as he nipped at her flesh. “But—”

 

Bringing her up flush against his body cut off her protests. The feel of him even through his clothes was enough to send the rest of her coherent thought skittering away. “I told you . . .” he whispered between kisses, “you can't argue with your mate.”

 

“I . . . can't . . .” she agreed readily enough as he lowered her on the bed. His fangs were a formidable adversary, raking against her flesh, grazing her skin in a wild yet controlled way. As if he could tell what he was doing to her body, he slowed his movements, flicking his tongue against the skin that he'd already accosted. Moments spilled over in time, locked in a place where nothing really mattered but the touch of his hands, the ragged breathing, the feel of his body against hers.

 

The ache that grew inside her surged and demanded, manifested itself in a rise of the flesh, of her body arching to meet his. She wasn't sure if it had been worse, the first time when she hadn't realized what the feelings meant or now, since she knew, and she knew that he could soothe that ache, that burning, that intensity that coiled around her like a balloon ready to burst. Stubbornly trying to force more air into it, the fire that he kindled would engulf her very being if he didn't do something soon . . . .

 

As though he understood, as though he knew, he brought his lips up to hers again, gentle, teasing, altogether comforting, easing her back to earth as he tamed her with his touch on her cheeks, smoothing back her hair. She knew it was as much for himself that he did it as it was for her. Still the warmth of his actions stung her eyes with unshed tears, as she reveled in the gentleness that he reserved just for her. He called to mind every beautiful thing, every magnificent sight, every living moment that she could remember. The sun rose in his touch, set in his heartbeat, surrounded her with the powerful knowledge that she was loved, that she was protected. Those who had mocked him, ridiculed him, cast him out . . . none of them mattered. His heart was beautiful, his heart was hers, just as hers was his, forever.

 

A female's cry of outrage followed by hearty male laughter cut through the idyll. InuYasha dropped his forehead against her shoulder with a muffled groan. Kagome knew the feeling. With a wry grin, she pushed InuYasha's shoulders until he rolled to the side. “I think I'll kill him now,” InuYasha growled as he sat up, too.

 

Kagome hurriedly buttoned up her blouse and tucked it into her skirt. “What were they doing when you came in here?”

 

InuYasha snorted as he stomped toward the door. “Watching that box-thingy.” He frowned and waved his hand, as though trying to grasp something that he couldn't quite reach. “Bay—watch?”

 

Kagome's hands rose to cover her mouth as her eyes widened. “No . . . .”

 

“I didn't get a good look at it,” InuYasha went on as he tugged open the door. “Why?”

 

Kagome suddenly giggled. “Go see if it's still on,” she remarked with a giggle as she hopped off the bed to follow. `Baywatch, huh . . . no wonder Miroku's in trouble . . . .'

 

“What the hell—!”

 

Sango sat on a cushion with a scowl on her blushing face as Miroku held onto InuYasha's arm, forcing the hanyou to watch the television, too. InuYasha snarled at the monk, bearing his fangs in a grimace as Miroku pointed at the women on the show. “How can that many different women make the same swimming suit look so different?” Miroku asked in awe.

 

InuYasha's cheeks pinked. “I don't know, and I don't give a damn, lecher! Get your hands off me.”

 

Saved by a commercial, or so she thought, Kagome reached down and grabbed Sango's hand to pull her friend to her feet. Now that they were watching an uninteresting ramen commercial—debatable since InuYasha happened to love the stuff—Miroku turned his attention on the two of them, instead. “You two were gone awhile . . . find another Shikon no Tama that needed purifying?”

 

“Why, you . . . !” InuYasha snarled as he grabbed for the monk. Miroku dodged. Kagome tried not to blush as she dragged Sango back toward her bedroom.

 

“If it makes you feel any better, the only reason that show's still on is because of the women,” Kagome remarked when Sango remained quiet.

 

Sango sighed. “It wasn't that . . . .”

 

Kagome blinked in surprise as she shifted hangers in her closet. “What was it, then?”

 

Sango sighed again. “It was the men . . . Kagome . . . Are they supposed to look like that?”

 

Turning away from the closet, Kagome stared thoughtfully at her friend. “Like what, exactly?”

 

She made a face. “Well, one of them was all . . . hairy and strange-looking, and . . . . Oh, Kagome, I don't know . . . .”

 

Kagome giggled. “They come in all shapes and sizes, Sango . . . was Miroku teasing you?”

 

The exterminator nodded, her cheeks reddening as her gaze fell away. “I was . . . staring . . . a little . . . .” Her expression clouded over. “But he was staring a lot.”

 

Kagome managed to hide her amusement at that. Figuring that she ought to change the subject, she turned to shuffle through her clothes again, looking for something that Sango would wear. Dragging out a short sleeved shapeless dress that would easily reach Sango's knees, Kagome turned to show it. “Put this on. After dinner, I'll take you guys on a tour of Tokyo.”

 

Sango eyed the dress dubiously. Not nearly as short as most of Kagome's skirts, she hesitated then nodded.

 

Kagome grinned as she dug through one of her drawers for her hair accessories. `I've always wondered what it'd be like to play dress up with your sister,' she thought with a small grin. `This is just as good . . . .'

 

“Now,” Kagome commented as she pulled an engraved gold barrette from the pile, “let's give Miroku something worth looking at . . . .”

 

Sango slowly nodded.

 

 

 

 

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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~