InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Comes with the Territory ❯ Moonless Night ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. Surprised? So am I.

Comes With the Territory

Ch. 2

By: Lara Winner

……………………& hellip;

Trouble was brewing and for Inuyasha it was just one more thing to tie himself in knots over.

The hanyou knew it was something he should be used to. All his life things had a way of twisting around and blowing up right in his face. No matter how good his intentions were fate was right there to remind him that he couldn't catch a break for shit.

He was pretty sure he had enough crap to deal with. After all, there was the Shikon jewel that was four shards shy of being complete and in Naraku's hands. Minus the two shards in Kouga's legs that left two shards they had to get their hands on pronto. Then there was Kikyo and the never-ending guilt trip. Add to that a bitchy Kagome and four days worth of repressed sexual frustration. And to top it off there was a new moon tonight and if he didn't come across the shard before sunset he was going to have hide like a fucking coward with his tail between his legs.

Inuyasha knew it was going to be a bad day when he woke up that morning and so far the day had yet to prove him wrong. Hell, if he wanted to be honest it had been going downhill since he and Kagome returned through the well.

It all started four days ago. First there was Shippo and his antics. That had thoroughly pissed Inuyasha off but it wasn't like he could beat the kit's ass in front Kagome without getting his back broken so he had been forced to bite his tongue and take the brat's attitude.

Then there was the "girly stuff" that Kagome and Sango had done when they went to get water that night. Whatever the hell happened had Kagome worked up into a state of near panic when she returned to the camp. To say that he was worried about his mate was understatement and the only thing that stopped him from asking questions was the way she calmed as soon as he held her.

The first explanation he came up with for Kagome's agitated state had been that she had changed her mind about becoming his mate. All through dinner he'd silently cursed himself for trusting her and becoming dependent on her. He berated himself mercilessly all the while expecting her to push him away at any moment. But she didn't and then he'd felt guilty for doubting her because this was Kagome and she would never betray him.

Still, Inuyasha had been unable to quiet his worried mind and spent the night watching Kagome sleep while trying to figure out what the hell they were supposed to do now.

If he thought things would smooth out as the days passed then he was sadly mistaken. Questions about the future continued to give him a headache, dealing with Shippo and his cold-shoulder treatment remained mildly annoying and the reprimanding looks Sango cast his way were beginning to grate on his nerves.

There was dissension among his companions and it was impossible to ignore due to the unsettling silence that had befallen their group. So Inuyasha did the only thing he knew to do. He snapped at anyone who dared talk to him and kept to himself just to show them that their approval didn't matter to him in the least. It was easier to be intimidating and rude then to ask why his supposed friends were suddenly turning against him.

After all the shit they gave him because of Kikyo he would have thought they'd be happy he was able to take Kagome as his mate. Wasn't that what they wanted all along? So why the fuck were they acting as if he committed some unforgivable sin?

Or was that the way he felt and his fears were only making him paranoid?

Inuyasha didn't the like path his thoughts were taking but there was no way to stop the self-destructive turn. It was the truth. If he really loved Kagome he wouldn't have tied her to someone like himself. As a mate to a hanyou this was only the beginning. Slowly she would become ostracized from everyone and people would begin to hate her simply because of her connection to him. It was inevitable. He'd seen it happen with his own mother.

It was easy to blame everybody else and say that they were wrong for not giving him a chance but that was bullshit. So many people couldn't be wrong could they? Of course not. He was a monster and if he had any self control he would have kept his filthy hands to himself despite how delicious Kagome smelled and spared her the ridicule she going to suffer.

Why didn't he think about this before? The driving force behind taking Kagome as his mate was the fear of loosing her to Kouga. Just thinking about her with that asshole made him want to kill something and then curl up and cry. It was stupid but it was also a very real possibility and he had been so intent on making her see that he could love and take care of her that he didn't think about what would be the best for her in the long run.

He was already failing in his duties as her mate.

Inuyasha's jaw clenched as another wave of anger flooded through him. It was building with every new realization that came to him. Even the clear blue sky and the bright mid-morning sun couldn't lift his mood. It served to remind him that night would come all too soon and when it did he would be no good to anyone.

Inuyasha needed something to kill. The monotonous countryside wasn't offering any distractions. Surrounded on both sides by rice paddies and outer-lying forests, the long dirt road stretched out for miles with no end in sight. There was nothing unusual or out of place. Nothing that he could vent his growing frustrations on…

"Ah fucking hell!" he cursed under his breath.

The heated exclamation did not go unnoticed by his mate who cast him an amused look through the corner of her eye as she fell in step beside him, offering him a small smile. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the tree this morning." She teased.

"I knew better than to wake up at all." he groused back.

"It's because of the new moon. That's why you're so grumpy today." Kagome caught his hand in her own slipping her fingers through his and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"Keh." was Inuyasha's reply.

It was uncanny how Kagome could take exactly what he was feeling and put it into words. She could read him like an open book. It was as if she had free reign over his mind and could delve into his thoughts any time she chose. But what really got under Inuyasha's skin and made his defenses want to rise was the way it felt completely natural to let her have that much control.

For the most part Inuyasha overlooked the invasion of privacy but right now it was another addition to the growing list of injustices leveled against him and it only proved that there were gods up in the heavens and they definitely had it in for him.

The fine thread holding his temper at bay snapped. He didn't even try and quell the growl that slipped into his sarcastic tone as he snorted, "Gee I bet you think you're smart now huh? Why don't you just tell the fucking world that in a few hours I'll be completely fucking useless."

"Inuyasha…"

"I know you're thinking it so just say it already. Tonight I'll be weak and pathetic just like you."

Kagome flinched and attempted to retract her hand making Inuyasha realize just how hurtful his words were. He didn't mean it. Hell, he never meant it when he said stupid shit like that but the words seemed to come flying out of his mouth before he could think better of it.

Too bad the damage was already done.

"Weak and pathetic… That's what you think of me?" she asked softly, her face pinched with surprise and hurt.

"Not you 'you', I meant you because you're human." Inuyasha's tightened grip on her delicate hand forcing her to remain by his side as he fumbled with his explanation. "You don't understand what its like to be rendered defenseless and know there ain't a damn thing you can do about it. I hate it."

Kagome's expression didn't change and his ears presses back in a show of distress. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded. You know that right?"

"Inuyasha to some degree you feel that way. If you didn't you wouldn't have said it." she pointed out a little too calmly.

Inuyasha had the sudden urge to panic. "Eh… Kagome?"

Like a bolt of lightening amidst deep turbulent storm clouds, her baby blues flashed in anger and he knew what was coming. His body stiffened as he prepared to kiss dirt.

"Osuw-" but the command was cut off in a gasp as Kagome's head jerked to the right and instantly her ire was replaced with concentration. "Jewel shard up ahead."

Jumping at the interruption Inuyasha pressed, "How far?

"I'm not sure. It's faint but coming closer."

Inuyasha smirked. "Then lets go!"

Kagome's announcement caught their companion's attention and with Inuyasha's go ahead Sango, Miroku and Shippo mounted Kirara while Kagome climbed onto his back. She clung to him tightly as he hooked his hands under her knees to hold her secure.

The feel of her soft skin was as much a blessing as a cruse and he almost shivered when her soft breath caressed his neck as she warned, "You're not off the hook yet. I'll deal with you later."

Kagome was annoyed, that much he could tell by her scent, and his volatile emotions picked up on her discontent letting it work them into a frenzy. If he thought he wanted a fight before he was fairly itching to get into one now.

Eager to face their opponent and get the job done, Inuyasha took off at a dead run. The wind rushed passed as he leapt into the air gaining momentum to sprint every time he touched the ground. Kirara kept pace behind him and they didn't slow until a loud screech filled the air.

Inuyasha dropped into a crouch, drawing tetsusaiga from its sheath at the same time Kagome got off his back. When the brush to the group's left came alive with activity, he put the young miko behind him protectively and the sword transformed just as a large scaled head emerged from the foliage.

Lucid silver eyes, reptilian in their opacity, sized up the hanyou and his companions as the creature's nostrils flared in agitation. It's long narrow jaw and deep prominent brow that sported four small horns gave it a menacing look. Deep green scales shimmered iridescent and its long razor sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight.

Inuyasha swore softly.

If there was one thing he hated it was dealing with a dragon youkai. Despite the many breeds that varied in shape, size and abilities they remained foul tempered creatures that were impressively agile and far too clever. In his opinion they were a royal pain in the ass.

It was better to get this over with quickly. Without taking his eyes from the massive beast he spoke over his shoulder to Kagome. "Where's the shard?"

"I can't tell yet." She complained.

Slowly the dragon came out from the cover of the forest revealing his compact body and long tail that curled back and forth along the ground. Raising up to puff out its chest in an unveiled challenge it splayed its wings threateningly. The dragon's head turned toward the sky as it let out another enraged shriek.

"Can you tell now wench?"

Kagome frowned. "It's in his tail but before you-"

Inuyasha didn't wait for his mate to say more. In two bounds he crossed the distance to stand before the angry dragon. Brandishing tetsusaiga, he smirked. "You probably think you're a smart lizard right? So why don't you do us both a favor and hand over the Shikon shard and I'll let you live tubby."

The dragon laughed but it wasn't a sound Inuyasha heard with his ears. It was more like a vague whisper in his head.

You'll let me live? How kind.

"The shard you fat fuck! Hand it over!"

No. I'm going to keep it.

Inuyasha bared his teeth, snarling. "Last chance."

Do you honestly think I will obey the will of a mere half-breed?

"I warned you." lifting tetsusaiga he brought it down and cried, "Kaze no Kizu!"

The wind-scar swirled to life feeding off the dragon's youki. In a blast of lethal energy the ground ripped up in muddy clumps as the driving force slammed directly into the beast's chest. The dragon howled in agony, becoming obscured by a cloud of light and dust.

"Fucking pussy!" Inuyasha laughed.

All fell silent and just as he was about to step forward Inuyasha felt the rumble of the ground a split second before the dragons tail came whipping through the haze of air-borne dirt and careened into his middle sending him flying into the nearest tree. He hit the trunk with a sickening thud and the breath left him in a painful whoosh.

"Inuyasha!"

Stunned and dazed he sank to the ground hearing Kagome scream his name over the ringing in his ears. He willed her to be quiet but it was too late, the dragon was already moving in her direction.

Using his sword for leverage, his rose to his feet and dragged in a painful breath to yell. "Hey fuckhead! I'm not dead yet. You missed."

It was a bid to gain the creature's attention but the dragon didn't even look his way. The beast was too intent on blocking hiraikotsu. Beating his wings to gain height it slammed it's tail to the ground sending a shock wave out for hundred yards that buckled the ground and sent Inuyasha and the others down to their knees.

Reacting quickly, Kagome readied her bow and let the arrow fly nicking the dragon in its wing. The creature hissed and was forced to land as the fine membrane ripped and disintegrated from her purifying energy. Silver eyes flashed as they landed on the girl.

For that you will die.

By the time Inuyasha heard the words bounce around his head and he was already moving for his mate as fast he was physically able. There was no thought, no reason, just simple reaction as the inu-youkai in his blood surged forth answering the threat to what he claimed as his own.

The hanyou wasn't a second too soon.

His body collided with Kagome's forcing the girl to sprawl out beneath him as the dragon lunged, jaws first. The dull clank of the creature's teeth meeting nothing but air was too close for Inuyasha's comfort. He could fell the bastards breath on the back of his neck.

The dragon was prepared and no sooner had it missed its target when it wrenched its tail around and aimed right for Inuyasha. There was no time to move, all he could do was hold Kagome down and out of harms way as the sharp scales nailed him it the torso slicing clean through his haori and down into his flesh.

The force of the blow pushed Inuyasha back causing him loose hold of tetsusaiga. The sword clattered to the ground retracting into a worn, rusty blade. The seal on his blood was broken and suddenly a red fog engulfed his vision bringing forth a well of rage that seemed endless.

The pain was long forgotten but still Inuyasha brought his fingers to the twin gashes in his chest and watched the blood well from the wound and seep into the scarlet material of his haori. Dipping his claws into the warm, sticky substance he smiled flashing his elongated canines.

"You shouldn't have done that." He growled.

With a savage snarl he leapt forward knocking the dragon's head away as it snapped at him and lashed out sinking his claws into the juncture at the youkai's throat. The soft fleshy hide gave way and Inuyasha tore his claws downward taking out a gaping chunk of the protective scales that covered the dragon's underbelly.

Seeing an opening Kagome fired another arrow that imbedded in the newly exposed muscle causing the dragon to throw its head back and screech as the violet energy that immersed the arrow began to pour into its body and eat away at it.

Dispassionately, Inuyasha watched the dying dragon convulse and begin to self-combust from the inside out. When the youkai exploded with a loud pop his crimson eyes followed the body parts and blood that fell from the sky with a wicked grin.

The blood lust wasn't done yet. There were others here that were still alive. They were fresh meat ripe for the kill.

"Inuyasha?"

He knew that voice.

"Gods Inuyasha…"

Slowly he turned toward the sound unsure why the fear he could smell made him want to back away.

Soft hands, gentle and soothing, cupped the sides of his face. Gray eyes sparking with unshed tears filled his vision driving out the fog that cluttered his rational mind. Her touch made him… feel.

Something deep inside Inuyasha grasped onto the way his heart fluttered and in degrees the unreasonable anger faded until abruptly the world around him became familiar. The carnage, his companions, the pain from his injuries, the blood spattered across Kagome's face…

"Kagome?"

Choking back a sob his mate threw herself into his arms ignoring the blood yet mindful of wounds. Her tears began to fall in wracking sobs and Inuyasha could only make out bits of what she was saying.

"… thought I'd lost you… never been so scared… could've been hurt worse… never listen…"

He let her ramble and cry patting her back awkwardly. She had good reason to be upset. The last thing he remembered was trying to keep her from being skewered and thinking that he might not make it.

Inuyasha shuddered.

If anything had happened to her…

…………………&hel lip;………………..

After the skirmish with the dragon youkai things began to take a turn for the better. Due to Inuyasha's injuries and the coming new moon the group feared having to camp out in the open for the night. However it was nearing sunset when a small village was spotted in the distance.

By the time they arrived Inuyasha's transformation into humanity was complete and along with it his stamina was down to nil. It was by a stroke of luck that they managed to secure a room at the small village inn giving the weary shard hunters a relatively safe place to rest for the night.

While Inuyasha was happy to stop traveling, another thing he'd never admit out loud, his mate was happy at the prospect of a bath. Kagome demurely claimed that his wounds needed to be cleaned and taking in the knowing smile Miroku cast their way with barely a blush, she had collected the first-aid and bathing supplies then led him along to the bath house that was connected along the rear of the inn.

He was amazed at Kagome's brazen behavior. He knew it was no secret that he and Kagome were fucking now but the way she had so casually mentioned taking a bath, obviously insinuating together, left him feeling a little nervous.

This would be the first time he was completely alone with her since they returned through the well.

Palms sweaty, heart pounding, semi erect and near bursting with anticipation, Inuyasha worried his bottom lip once inside the small room. As Kagome had requested, the wooden vat that stood in the center of the small space was filled with steaming hot water. Fine mist of steam circled the air raising the temperature. The warmth made him shiver.

Giving him an encouraging smile, Kagome began to undo the ties to his haori. He followed her hands breathlessly as she pushed the thick material off his shoulders. The white under kimono joined the haori and then she was working on the sash to his hakama.

Inuyasha the human was not nearly as bold as his hanyou counterpart. He couldn't stop the deep blush stained his cheeks when his hakama pooled around his ankles leaving him as naked as the day he was born. As the damp air caressed his bare flesh his member stiffened to a full erection. He fought the self-conscious urge to cover himself.

But Kagome's interest was riveted on the deep cuts that ran from his sternum down to his hip. Though they had stopped bleeding hours ago the flesh around the wounds was an angry purple, a shade that seemed unhealthy.

Gently she touched the tender flesh and he hissed in pain.

Her eyes rose to meet his, full of deep concern. "Sorry. I didn't mean to press so hard. I was just trying to see if your skin is feverish."

He sucked it up. "Its okay."

"Well don't just stand there. Go get in." she motioned to the water with a secretive smile, "And if you'd like I'll scrub your back."

He did as told and gently eased himself into the tub trying not to wince as the water rose up his chest. It was funny how it hurt like hell yet at the same time felt so damn good on his aching muscles. Once the cuts stopped smarting he was able to lean back in the water and finally relax.

There was enough room for two. It would take a little adjusting but could easily be done. Embarrassed to ask Kagome to join him and in the mood the be a little devious, Inuyasha waited until she was close enough to reach before wrapping his wet arms around her tiny waist and pulling her ass first into the tub.

She fell back against his chest and for few seconds he saw stars, but the pain was worth it when she let out a surprised "eeek!" and landed in his lap with a splash that sent water sloshing onto the floor. The fact that she was fully clothed made her predicament that much more amusing to the human boy.

"Inuyasha!" she fumed.

He tried not to laugh as he lifted the edge of her soaked school blouse out of the water. "You really should take this off. Its all wet." He remarked innocently.

"Thanks to you baka."

His violet eyes sparkled with mischief as he started pulling at the ruined shirt. It was ripped and bloodied from earlier that day. He wondered if Kagome had remembered to bring extra clothing with her this time.

Grumbling half-heartedly under her breath, Kagome kicked off her loafers and socks before shimmying around to face Inuyasha by straddling his legs. "You think this is funny don't you?"

"Yup."

Inuyasha was fairly certain that if she had the proper vocal cords to growl she would have. Instead she had to settle for glaring daggers at her mate as she asked, "What is with you today? Its like you're dead set on trying to get me angry."

His smile faltered as their near fight from that morning came to mind. Unlike the demon in him that refused to back down from a challenge or submit in any way, the human in him was not above admitting when he was wrong. Sometimes.

And this was one of those "sometimes". "I'm sorry about what I said today. I didn't mean it. I don't think you're weak. You're human so you have limitations but you can kick ass when you try."

"And don't forget pathetic." She reminded him.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't think you're pathetic either."

Kagome looked away guiltily. "Well you should. You almost got killed trying to save me today because I was stupid. I saw those really big teeth coming at me and I couldn't move. I just sat there putting you in danger…" she shivered.

One perk to being human was that Inuyasha had better control of his temper. Just thinking about how close that dragon had come to tearing her in two made his blood boil. It frightened him to think that the next time he might fail to protect her. Usually this was the part when the demon in him settled on getting angry and breaking things, both emotionally and physically.

But tonight it was easier to push the anger and fear aside and focus on the fact that she was here sharing his bath and perfectly fine… well mostly fine. She had her share of scrapes and bruises. There was a particularly nasty one just starting to darken on her upper thigh.

Inuyasha sighed, giving her a tolerant look. "You know what your problem is? You worry too much about me and not enough about yourself."

She matched his look. "I worry because I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"And if I can't take care of you then I don't deserve you." he countered, reaching up to tuck a lock of ebony hair behind her ear, "I want to deserve you so badly."

"Inuyasha…"

"Kagome if you love me then let me do what I can to prove that I love you."

What he was asking of her took trust and faith, two things that he hadn't known the meaning of until he met her. While he understood them now it was hard to acknowledge them. He was still so afraid that one day he would loose her and if he did he wasn't sure if he'd be able to trust in anything ever again. He put so much of himself into Kagome that all of his hopes for the future were built around her.

And to think that she had no idea how vulnerable she could make him with a simple look.

Her gray eyes shined with unshed tears that spoke more about her feelings than any words could. But the need to express what was there and savor the moment urged her closer and his breath caught in his throat as the distance between them closed and her soft lips pressed firmly to his.

Passion, basic and primal in its ferocity, exploded between them and Inuyasha surrendered to it without a fight. With his youki nearly non-existent he found he couldn't summon an ounce of resistance to the lead Kagome was taking. When her kiss turned demanding he was more than willing to submit.

Mouths sealed together and tongues battling, Inuyasha was getting harder by the second. Days of sexual frustration had wreaked havoc upon his body and now that the floodgates were opened there was no stopping the need that pored through his veins. She tasted too damn good.

His hands took on a mind of their own taking hold of her already ruined shirt and ripping the wet material with a hard tug. Kagome gasped against his lips and he chuckled tossing the sopping remains onto the floor. Blindly he fumbled with the button to her skirt but his fingers were shaking and his impatience only made it worse. Kagome leaned back, panting.

"Let me." she giggled, pushing his hands away. The green skirt joined the rest of their clothing on the floor as she gave him a naughty smirk and started on her bra.

The white cotton was wet and left nothing to the imagination but the agonizingly slow way in which she unhooked the back and let it slide down her arms twisted Inuyasha's gut with desire. There was no way he could keep his hands to himself, so risking her wrath he ripped her flimsy panties off and pulled her down onto his lap.

Inuyasha wriggled trying to find the right angle that would allow his length to slide inside of her but the gentle hands that settled on his shoulders and urged him to stop told him that Kagome had another idea.

He watched her curiously as she slid her hands down his chest careful to avoid touching his injuries. Her fingertips danced over his muscles as she shifted her hips against his drawing him closer to where he needed to be. But when he bucked into her she shook her head.

Leaning closer she trailed tiny kisses along his jaw and he held his breath when her lips moved to ease his normal ear. She licked the lobe before tugging it gently between her teeth and whispering, "Let me take care of you koi."

"Kagome…" he couldn't help but groan as she reached down between their bodies and stroked his rigid member before guiding it inside of her.

He wanted to crush her against him. He wanted to lay her down and thrust into her until she screamed his name. He wanted to watch her cum hard and fast. But as Kagome lowered herself into him rocking back and forth to take him deeper with each motion, he knew he was as good as putty in her hands and he let her have her way.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome led his hands up to her breasts. He cupped them and teased her stiff nipples with his thumb earning a soft whimper from his mate as she rode him harder. Her eyes fluttered shut in pleasure and her back arched as her hands slid along his arms to grip his biceps for balance.

"Ka..Kago…me!" he moaned, the name torn from him as her nails dug into his skin and the stinging pain threatened to send him over the edge.

He was there dangling on the borderline of ecstasy trying to hold off the orgasm until she joined him. His control was slipping and his human body lacked the staying power he had as a hanyou. He couldn't hold out much longer.

It was time for Inuyasha to take matters into his own hands… literally.

One hand fisted in Kagome's hair crushing her mouth to his while the other moved between her legs to play with her sweet spot. She gasped into his kiss as he rubbed the small nub in deliberate circles causing her to grind her hips down harder. Water splashed over the rim of the makeshift tub but neither noticed as their wild thrashing reached its peak.

Like he wanted she came hard and fast. With a muffled cry her body tensed, her nails broke through his skin and her inner muscles clamped down on his erection pulling him deeper than he thought possible. At least that's what it felt like to him as his senses exploded in rapture.

For a long time the only sound that filled the room was their soft breathing as they basked in the afterglow. Emotions were still running high and Inuyasha was reluctant to let his mate go but when Kagome pointed out that his chest was bleeding again he reluctantly let her fuss over him and his condition. And in all honesty he really didn't mind her fussing over him

Of course he'd never admit it.

……………………&hel lip;……………

It was well after midnight.

The room Inuyasha shared with his companions was dark to his human eyes even with the meager light coming from the glowing embers in the fire pit. Unable to sleep and not wanting to deprive Kagome of her needed rest he'd long since left the comfort of her side to pace in the deep shadows.

He should have expected it. This happened every new moon. No matter how safe he was, no matter how many people surrounded him the mind numbing panic threatened to overwhelm him once the depths of the night settled in.

Inuyasha hated to acknowledge fear no matter what the cause. To face it meant he had to face the fact the he had a weakness. But this wasn't normal fear and it couldn't be overlooked or ignored. This was stark terror in its rawest form and it made him feel like a caged animal while he watched the surrounding darkness waiting for things he couldn't see to consume him.

One consolation he had was that it was getting better. With every new moon that passed since forming this family unit with his friends, the nameless fear wasn't as suffocating. He guessed it had a lot to do with trusting his companions and knowing that they would do what they could to assist him while his guard was down.

And that was the source of the problem all together. He had no means to defend himself or his friends. That didn't mean he wouldn't die trying, but his senses were worse than pathetic and if it came down to it even tetsusaiga could help him now. If a demon were to find him like this, especially in the dead of night, he'd be a goner. As a child, alone and hunted, enduring the night of the new moon was a nightmare that still left its scarring effects even after all the years that had passed.

Another nifty trick he'd learned was that when the panic made it hard to breathe it was time to start moving. Pacing usually kept him preoccupied enough to take the edge off his agitation but sometimes even that didn't work. When it got that bad he was really in a fix.

But it hadn't been that bad since before he met Kagome.

Suddenly the silence was broken by a soft whisper. "Inuyasha?"

He paused mid step unable to tell who was awake. "Yeah?"

There was a low scurrying sound and then the solid weight of a certain kitsune cub landed on his shoulder almost knocking him over. To keep himself and the kit form hitting the floor he reached out for the wall to steady them, wincing as the wounds on his chest pulled.

"Oi runt, give me some kind warning next time!"

"Sorry Inuyasha."

When Shippo made no move to hop off of his new perch, Inuyasha resumed his pacing. The pair remained silent until finally the small kit drew in a breath to ask the one thing that had been on his mind for days.

"Inuyasha?" he nodded and Shippo fidgeted. "Um.. why do you want to make pups with Kagome?"

Inuyasha cursed softly and wondered if he should explain things to Shippo. If the kit wanted to know about sex then he could ask Kagome. This was one conversation he was not having with the brat.

"I ain't tellin' you how so don't even bother."

Close up he saw Shippo's nose wrinkle in distaste. "Eww. I don't want to know how. I just wanna know why."

"What do you mean why?"

"Baka why are you doing what my parents did with Kagome? It a simple question." The kit folded his arms angrily.

That kind of "why" was okay to ask but Inuyasha still had to think of the best way to explain. When in doubt go with the truth… "I guess because I realized I was going to loose her if I didn't."

Shippo bristled. "So you'll kill her instead?"

Inuyasha's pacing came to an abrupt stop as his eyes narrowed on the kit. Something cold curled around his heart as his stomach dropped in dread. His voice only hinted at the barely leashed violence that churned on the inside as he asked, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

All at once the kit's defensive anger deflated and his little head bowed as he confessed, "Kagome can't have babies because… because she might…" he looked up teary eyed and afraid, "she might end up like my mama."

Inuyasha blinked. "Like your mama?"

"Yeah," Shippo sniffed. "My mama died having a baby."

Oh shit.

Suddenly the kit's reaction to smelling his mating claim on Kagome began to make sense. Slowly the vice like grip that had squeezed Inuyasha's heart in fear eased and he found himself plagued with sympathy instead. Hell, he knew what it was like to be left alone in the world. He knew all too well.

"Sorry kiddo." He offered sincerely.

Shippo shrugged sadly. "I would've had a little sister but she died too. Dad said he couldn't stay in the den anymore because it smelled like mama so we were gonna make a new one and that's when they came…"

Inuyasha already knew who "they" were. Hiten and Manten, two assholes who killed an innocent Kitsune for his fucking pelt and they would have killed an innocent cub too. It was sickening.

Inuyasha patted the kit's arm in clumsy attempt at comfort. "Bad things happen Shippo. That's a fact of life. And most of the time the shit happens to those who don't deserve it."

"But I don't want it to happen to Kagome." Shippo said softly.

"Oi, she's not whelping yet and she won't for a while. There's a lot we have to do before I'm even gonna think about having pups. And when it happens I'm sure things will be fine. She knows a lot about medicine and her people do too. She'll know what to do. It'll be okay." Though he said it as much to reassure the kit as he did for himself.

"So you're not going to have pups right now?"

"No runt. Relax will ya."

Taking the older boy's advice, Shippo heaved a sigh and let the tension drain out of his little body. It made Inuyasha smile wryly in the darkness. He resumed his pacing with the kit sitting on his shoulder. As the silence stretched he almost forgot the kid was there but then…

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you make pups?"

……………………&hellip ;……

A.N. - A little bit of angst and little bit of fluff. Naturally the main course is lemon flavored. Most chapters, if not all, will have some NC-17 action but it probably won't be the focus of the entire chapter. I swear this story does have a plot. Really it does.