InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Early December ❯ Sixteen ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Inu-Yasha. Then I wouldn't have to write fanfiction- I could publish it.

Author's Note: Hello, people! ^_^ It's really weird over at my house right now. We were planning on going to visit relatives for Xmas, but then one of my brother's got sick so we're postponing our travels a day. Now we can't decide if we're going to go or just stay home. @_@ So updates might be a little weird until we decide what to do.

One: How old is Shippo?

In this story he is 11. I think that was discussed in `Stupid, Stupid, Stupid'.

Two: Did you name Kaguya after the bad guy in the second movie on purpose?

I feel like I've answered this question before, but here I go again. No, I did not. I began writing this story before I'd seen the second movie. By the time I did see it, it was too late. I chose Kaguya's name because of its meaning. This will all be discussed later in the story. ^_^

Anyway, I'll try to update this fic a few times over break, but it's not gonna be my main focus, kay?

I think that was all. . .

So here I go!

~*~

~Chapter Sixteen: Kikyo Part II~

~Kagome's PoV~

I slowly blink my eyes open, trying to block out the mid-July morning sunlight as it creeps into the hut, trying to blind me with it's rays.

Morning always comes so soon. . .

Oh well.

Best to get up.

Rolling over, I expect to see Inu-Yasha beside me- - -

But instead notice that he's gone.

. . . ?

Huh. . . ?

Where is he- - - ?

Sitting up and scratching my head, I glance towards the door- - -

And find my hanyou- wearing only his pants and undershirt- staring seriously out the window and into the cheerful day.

"What's going on. . . ?" I ask sleepily.

He jumps slightly in surprise.

"Oh! Kagome," Inu-chan turns and smiles at me, though he seems rather weary. Walking quickly over to my side he insists on helping me stand, kissing me quickly on the forehead as he does so.

. . .

He looks even more tired close up- and- though I know half of that is my fault (blame the hormones)- the other half of it seems. . .

New. . . ?

"What's wrong?" I frown, pushing a strand of my unruly bed-head hair behind my ear. "You look like someone's died."

He chuckles darkly, leading me to the window. "No, no one's died."

As soon we stop and I see what's floating around outside, I understand.

He sighs, wrapping his arms (the best he can) around my waist and resting his chin on my head.

"This someone's already dead."

*

No. . .

Not her again!

"You have to go talk to her, don't you?" I choke, closing my eyes against the light of the once-considered-cheerful day.

He said nothing, but his silence told it all.

"But why?" I question, not being able to control the jealous feeling that's taking hold of me. "Can't we just ignore her?"

"Kag-chan," he whispers in my ear, "All I'm going to do is give Kikyo my final good bye."

. . .

I nod wordlessly- - -

But am unable to conquer my fear of him deserting me.

"I promise," he adds gently.

I continue to nod.

Kissing my cheek softly, he slowly turned to grab his over shirt, careful to keep quiet so as not to awaken Sango, Miroku, Kaguya, Kirara, or Shippo.

But the kitsune is already up, though he's trying not to let anyone else know.

He's not a very good actor.

"Shippo," I whisper, "want to go outside with me?"

He grudgingly opens his emerald eyes, admitting defeat. Getting to his feet, he glances at Inu-Yasha's solemn face before taking my hand and leading me carefully to the porch as if I was made of glass.

*

"Is it true? Soul skimmers? So early in the morning?" Shippo questions worriedly as we sit down, careful to keep our voices low so that Inu-Yasha- who still hasn't left the hut- doesn't hear us.

"Yeah," I reply sadly. "At least ten of them."

The kitsune frowns and gazes off into the forest, watching those stupid insect-things dive in and out of the tree tops, like dolphins in water.

. . .

"I'm worried. . ." I admit, fiddling with the edge of my extra extra large T-shirt. "I. . ."

I swallow, trying to hold back tears.

I know we have discussed this, Inu-chan and I, but. . .

I still can't help. . .

Help thinking that. . .

. . .

"Hey," Shippo grins, turning back to me and patting my hand in a comforting manner. "You're being silly. You know Daddy will come back to you, Mama."

. . .

. . . ?

. . . Mama. . . ?

. . . Daddy. . . ?

I turn to him in confusion, but find he's already looking away, blush on his cheeks.

. . .

Awww!

I smile as I put my arm around him. It feels. . . right. . . for him to call me and Inu-chan that. Kissing his forehead, I tweak his red cheeks.

He's so cute!

And. . . if Shippo truly thinks that. . . about Inu. . . given their history. . . I'd say he's correct. "You're right," I beam, feeling a little bit better.

"'Course he is," Inu-Yasha grunts as he walks outside, strapping his sword to his waist and ruffling the kit's hair. "Though `silly' wouldn't be my choice of words."

Shippo giggles and bats my hanyou's hand away, still rather pink in the face at the attention.

Frowning playfully at Inu-Yasha I tug on his hand, pulling him down next to us as I lean against his shoulder.

"Come back soon," I tell him quietly.

"I'm just going to say my final good-bye," he whispers, kissing my forehead. "Nothing more."

Then he turns his attention to Shippo. "Oy. Kit."

"What?"

"I hear Kaguya waking up. Will you watch her and make sure she leaves the village boys alone? We don't want a repeat of the- - -"

The kitsune winces slightly, remembering what is now being called the `Cherry Incident' by the villagers. "You got it."

"Good."

Getting to his feet, Inu-Yasha smiles at us before turning down the path, walking towards the forest and those stupid, soul-snatching, flying bugs.

*

I continue to sit there on the porch, late into the morning. Shippo tries to bring me inside, where it's shadier, but- - -

I downright refuse. I want to wait for my Inu-chan. Understanding, the kitsune remains outside with me without complaint for as long as he can.

But eventually he has to leave to watch the restless Kaguya, leaving me alone. Not that I really mind, though. It's nice to have some silence, for once. Or semi-silence, really, since Miroku and Sango are trying to clean the house together and. . . well. . .

Yeah.

After you get used to the occasional yells of `pervert!' and `give me that, NOW!' it's just like sitting in silence.

Sorta.

. . .

Oh, never mind.

Anyway. . .

I decide to sit here, waiting for my Inu-chan to come back.

It's not that I don't trust him to come back-

I do trust him!

I just don't trust my incarnation.

She'd leap at the chance to enchant him and drag him with her to hell- I know she would!

So no, it's not that I don't trust him- - -

I'm just worried about him, really. . .

. . .

I hope he gets back soon. . .

*

He's still not here. . .

It's almost noon. . .

What could be taking so long?!

I should just go inside!

Yes!

I will!

"Kagome-chan?" Sango calls, sticking her head out the door and smiling kindly at me. "Aren't you going to come in for some lunch?"

. . .

"No. I want to wait out here. But thanks anyway, Sango-chan."

*

Finally, just as late afternoon rolls around, I see a little dot coming closer and closer.

Inu-chan?

. . .

Yes! It is him!

"Inu-chan!" I call happily, overjoyed to see him.

Okay, okay, so I was worried he wouldn't come back- leave me alone!

Beaming joyfully, I get to my feet-

Maybe a little too quickly.

Wincing slightly and clutching my stomach, I thankfully fall into Inu-Yasha's embrace as he races to my side; beaming as he wraps his steadying arms around me.

"Be careful! You don't want to hurt yourself or the pup. . ." he gently reprimands, smiling softly as he kisses me on the tip of the nose.

He then buries his face in my hair, inhaling deeply. "Sorry it took so long," he whispers. "It's a bitch to find someone in that huge forest- even with bugs to help. And then Kikyo's so clingy. . ."

"All you said was good-bye, right?" I ask softly, looking for confirmation.

"More or less," he grins, taking my hand and helping me up the steps. "Might have added a thing or two about you."

"So is she really gonna leave us alone now?" I question, excited , the prospect too good to be true.

"I sure hope so," he sighs, flopping to the floor as soon as we step inside, ignoring the: "Let go!"s and "You let go!"s and "PERVERT! Don't touch me there!"s and "I want a turn with it!"s.

But he doesn't have to ignore them for long-

(Thankfully. They were driving me crazy!)

-For those cries stop as soon as the screamers- AKA our friends- break apart from their tug-of-war fight- - -

Over a feather duster.

. . .

I kid you not.

They were fighting over a feather duster.

. . .

I think they just like to fight.

We all stare at each other for a moment before some sanity returns- probably coming through the still half-open door.

"You okay?" the exterminator asks, letting go of the duster so suddenly that Miroku falls to the ground, his behind slamming into the floor with a loud `thump!'

"Yeah," Inu-Yasha replies, leaning back against the wall. "Just been a long day. What's for dinner?"

"Guess what?!" Kaguya cries happily as she bursts through the door with a half-dead Shippo. "There's gonna be another incident named `cause of me!"

. . .

"Forget dinner. Where's the sake?"

*

"Kagome?"

The quiet voice of my Inu-chan wakes me from my half sleep.

Blinking through the darkness I roll over to face my hanyou. "What is it?"

He's silent for a moment, then- - -

"Were you really that scared? Didn't you trust me when I said I was going to come back?"

. . .

I chew the inside of the my cheeks for a moment before snuggling closer to him.

"It wasn't that I didn't trust you," I whisper, "It was Kikyo that I didn't trust. I was afraid she might enchant you. She has before and. . . and then. . . That was why I was afraid."

. . .

I gasp slightly as I feel his warm lips dance across my neck.

"I wouldn't let her do that, you know," he tells me gently, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer so my back and his chest are aligned. "I'd always come back to you. We'll always be together."

"I know," I murmur, but then- - -

A thought strikes me.

A terrible, heart stopping thought.

. . .

"Inu-Yasha?"

"Mmm?"

I swallow hard.

". . . Always. . . ?"

. . .

He blinks at me, confused. "Yes. Always."

"How can you promise that?" I inquire, worry creasing my brow as I glance up at him. "When. . .

When you're going to live so much longer then me. . .?"

I watch him silently as he opens and closes his mouth, as if trying to find something to say. Then he gives up and simply nuzzles my cheek.

"Don't worry," he finally murmurs. "We'll find a way, Kag-chan. Now, relax; to much stress will hurt the pup. Tell you what, we can go have a picnic tomorrow. How about that?"

. . .

I almost literally melt at his kindness.

He's so sweet sometimes. . .

"That would be nice. . ." I smile, trying my best to push my nagging worries away.

"Good," he grins in return. "Now go to sleep."

"I love you," I say softly, taking in his calming scent as I roll over and bury my face in his chest. The best I can, anyway.

"I love you, too," he echoes, holding me tightly as I fall asleep.

~*~

There ya go. Kinda depressing, but it'll get better. ^_^

Hope you liked it anyway!

Oh, and hey- you wanna know what Inu and Kikyo talked about, etc.? Then go read my one-shot, `Are You Happy Now'. ^_^

Now that I'm done with that shameless plugging. . .

^_^;;

Please R&R!

Ja ne!

PS. Happy Holidays and Merry Xmas Eve! ^_^_^_^