InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fang of the Father ❯ Yokai Mating Season ( Chapter 5 )

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

LES: Just one more chapter before the Lemons start! Well… um… the first lemon is more of a limey-lemon, if that makes any sense at all… Oh well, never mind!

Chapter V: Yokai Mating Season

The hut that had been set aside for Inuyasha for Mating season was done barely a week before spring started. It had taken quite some time for Miroku to fix all the doors and windows with sutras and even longer to strengthen every inch of the place with his spiritual powers, aided by Kagome and Lady Kaede.

They posted signs of warning, so that villagers and visitors to the village would be warning to stay away for their own safety.

But… how to feed him? As he would be locked up for several weeks.

“The four of us can't do it.” Miroku said. “He would see Sango and Kagome as potential mates, and Shippo and myself as rival males. Our presence will just cause him to go berserk.”

It was Lady Kaede who suggested using a married woman with children of her own. Since she was neither a potential mate nor a rival male, she should be safe approaching the raging hanyou.

They exposed their chosen woman to Inuyasha the night before the Yokai Mating season would start, when he was completely irritable and as close to his rut as he could safely be. He did not react to her presence at all. The plan seemed to be in perfect order.

“The good news is that next week is the new moon.” Miroku said. “He might get a break that night, hopefully.”

“He'll be fine, won't he?” Kagome asked.

“Oh, he'll be fine.” Sango said. “I've cared for Kirara through her heat before. All we have to do is keep him well-fed, and it will be over within a month. Its other people we've got to worry about.”

Miroku stood up. “Well, I'll go find Inuyasha. He definitely should not be alone considering his condition.”

“Go ahead.” Sango said as Miroku left.

“If Inuyasha doesn't mate now, how much longer until he is next affected by the Mating season?” Kagome asked.

“About five years, judging by other hanyous.” Sango said. “Full Yokais cycle every ten years.”

Wow… to deny yourself a chance at love for so long… Kagome wondered to herself. But he's not really denying love… just his birth-right.

Miroku quickly found Inuyasha in the village. His Tetsusaiga was discarded on the ground next to him and he was trembling.

“You should keep the Tetsusaiga with you.” Miroku said. “It may make things easier on you.”

Inuyasha raised his right hand to reveal a strange burn mark on his palm. “It burned me.” Inuyasha said shortly. “I'll be unable to hold it again until Mating season is over.”

So Miroku gathered the Tetsusaiga. “I'll keep it safe for you. How do you feel?”

“Like my bones and blood are on fire.” Inuyasha said, trembling some more. Miroku finally noticed that his fangs looked slightly longer than normal and light magenta stripes were beginning to form on his face.

“Would you like me to seal you in the hut now? Before midnight hits?” Miroku asked.

“Yes.” Inuyasha said, standing up… barely. Miroku took pity on his hanyou friend and took his arm around his shoulder to support him.

The hanyou dug his claws into Miroku's shoulder. Perhaps unintentionally, but it still hurt. “Ow! Watch your claws!”

“Sorry.” Inuyasha said, loosening his grip.

Poor guy. He's in for a rough month. Miroku thought to himself.

Sango and Kagome met Miroku on the way to the hut. “How's Inu-“ Sango gasped, noticing his slow-motion transformation into a Yokai.

“He's harmless at the moment.” Miroku said. “But not for long. Help me get him to the hut.”

So the others joined in, and Shippo eventually tagged along, asking them what was wrong with Inuyasha. (They had not explained to the kitsune.) (Translation: Fox-Demon)

Once they reached the hut, Miroku opened the door with a quickly muttered spell and they wasted no time in depositing Inuyasha inside.

Kagome hung inside for a moment, pressing a kiss to the top of Inuyasha's head. “I love you, Inuyasha.”

“Love you too, now get out of here.” Inuyasha said as he gasped for breath, fighting the transformation as long as he could.

“Kagome!” Sango called. Kagome rushed out as Miroku sealed the door with a spell.

“There. That should be able to hold even the most powerful of Yokai or hanyous. He's as good as trapped until we let him out.”

“Well… there's no point in us sticking around here.” Sango said, leaving.

Shippo followed her. “Sango! What's going on? Why are you locking Inuyasha up? What's he done this time?” Miroku followed them with a laugh.

Kagome hesitated before going to the window to peer inside. Inuyasha sat in the middle of the room, looking completely vulnerable and alone. He looked like a lost child.

“Kagome?” Inuyasha gasped, glancing up at her. “Can you stay there until it happens?”

“Of course.” Kagome said. “I'm not afraid of you, Inuyasha, as a hanyou or a Yokai.”

Inuyasha grinned slightly. “You truly are unique, Kagome. Perhaps Myoga was right… perhaps we'd…” He trailed off with a groan, clutching his head.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome gasped.

When he looked up at her once again, Kagome gasped. The whites of his eyes had gone completely red and his irises were the deepest blue. He raised his head and let loose an unholy roar, and leapt at the window, a wild desire in his eyes.

Kagome instinctively back-pedaled, but Miroku's sutras effectively stopped the Yokai dead in his tracks.

The Yokai tried to claw his way through the barrier, but it held. Instead, he was reduced to pacing the length of the window, glaring daggers of lust at Kagome.

“You and I are mates, and you cannot deny it!” The Yokai spoke with Inuyasha's voice, only harsher. “Let me out, and you shall be mine forever!”

“You… you wanted it this way.” Kagome said, trying to ignore that lust his heated gaze provoked. She quickly walked away.

“You shall be mine, miko!” The Yokai yelled after her.

The hanyou wasn't the only one who suffered through the first week of Mating season leading up to the highly anticipated new moon. He seemed to have lost his need to sleep completely. His roars to be released did not stop day or night. To compliment his sleeplessness, he became extremely hungry all the time. Sango and Miroku insisted on feeding him at least eight times a day.

“When a Yokai is in heat, their body super-charges and begins to use up more energy than a Yokai can normally keep up with. Without this much food, he would not survive.” Miroku said.

“Well, we can't have that.” Kagome said with a sigh. “It's only been a week, but he's eaten the ramen that was meant to last all month.” He's gonna make my family go broke this month. “Well, I'd better go back to my time and bring back as much ramen as I can carry.”

“Be back tonight. It's the new moon, and he'll turn into a human and be free of the influence of Mating season… maybe…” Sango said, trailing off.

“Don't worry. I'll be back.” Kagome said, grabbing her worn backpack and sprinting to the well.

She hurriedly jumped into the well and was transferred back to her time. She quickly climbed out of the well via the ladder that her family put there some time ago. As soon as she was out of the well house, she was greeted by her younger brother.

“Hey, sis! Welcome back!” He called, running over. “Where's Inuyasha?”

“He's… ehm… sick.” Kagome lied. She was not about to explain to her little brother about Yokai Mating season. “You want to come to the store and help me get some ramen for him? It makes him feel better.”

“But… you took an awful lot last time you left.” Sota said. “Is it gone already?”

“Trust me; he eats like a dog; especially when he is sick. It's never enough.” Kagome said.

“Okay… if he's really that sick.” Sota said, following Kagome on the way to the nearest store.

Kagome knew that Sota would not be able to resist helping the hanyou. Sota hero-worshiped and idolized Inuyasha. Once, she actually had to talk him out of making Inuyasha the subject of a school essay on his hero. In the boy's eyes, there was no way Inuyasha could do wrong.

If only it were that simple. Kagome thought to herself. The Inuyasha she knew was selfish, rude, conceited, and hot-headed. But… he was also completely loyal and could be nice and understanding when he put his mind to it.

Kagome laughed out loud. He really is a dog!

“Sis? Whatcha laughing about?” Sota asked.

“Oh! Nothing!” Kagome giggled.

When they arrived home, both Kagome and Sota were laden with as much ramen as they both could carry. If this isn't enough to get him through mating season, I don't know what I'm going to do! Kagome sighed. My entire month's allowance… spent on ramen!

Kagome's mother saw them come into through the shrine's entrance. “Oh! Hello, Ka…” She trailed off, noticing their ramen-stuffed packages. “What's all that for?”

“Mom! Inuyasha's sick!” Sota cried.

“Oh my! That's too bad! Do you want me to get some medicine for him? What does he have? I'm sure I have something that could help.” Kagome's mother asked.

“Uh… no. It's just something he needs to get over.” Kagome said, blushing slightly.

Kagome's mother sighed. “Sota, give me those and go help your grandfather in storage.”

“But, Mom!”

“Go.” So Sota reluctantly handed over the ramen and headed off. “So, Kagome, what's really going on here?”

“Mom… it's really embarrassing for Inuyasha…” Kagome said.

“What he doesn't know won't hurt him.” Kagome's mother giggled to herself.

Kagome said. “It's… mating season.”

“Like an animal?”

“Yeah. And it's like puberty from Hell. He's a danger to himself, other men, and unmarried women. He's locked up, but he still needs an unholy amount of food. So I'm gonna take back as much ramen as I can carry and hope that it lasts three more weeks.”

“Well… it sounds like you're doing everything that you can do. I hope that everyone stays safe, including Inuyasha. A Yokai mating season doesn't seem like it would be fun at all.”

“Not really. The entire village is miserable.” Kagome said. “But, Inuyasha's saved them from Yokai invasions hundreds of times, so they are willing to turn a blind eye on him.”

“That's good.” Kagome's mother agreed.

“Well, I should get back. He'll need to eat soon.” Kagome said, waving to her mother.

“Bye, Kagome, be careful!” Her mother called after her as Kagome ran into the well house.

(Feudal Japan)

It seemed that the whole village was holding their breaths, hoping that Inuyasha's mortal night would give him a break from his heat.

Logically, it should, but hanyous had always been a wild-card when it came to mating season. The new moon could turn him into a mortal, back into a hanyou, or have no effect at all. Everyone prayed the last option wasn't correct.

Kagome ran up and stopped a safe distance from Inuyasha's hut. “How is he?” She asked, dropping a virtual mountain of ramen.

“A bit quieter now.” Sango said. “Hopefully, the new moon will give him a break before he had three more weeks of heat.”

“Any trouble from other Yokai?”

“No, surprisingly. Miroku thinks it's because of Inuyasha's presence here. To Yokai, this whole valley smells of Inuyasha. It's his `territory', and they dare not intrude, especially when he's in the throes of Mating season.”

“Even though he's locked up?”

“Yokai now know of Inuyasha's power, and that he's not your average hanyou. That alone is enough to keep them away.”

“Where's Shippo?”

“In Kaede's hut. Inuyasha goes berserk when Shippo comes near. Shippo's the only other Yokai in the valley. A young kitsune who isn't even close to maturity yet, but still a Yokai.” Sango said. “Miroku can't approach either.”

“What about you?” Kagome asked.

“I seem to be safe.” Sango said, glancing at the hut. “I've been sitting here for a while, and he's seen me, but he doesn't seem interested.”

“Sango! Have you… with Miroku?”

“Not yet.” Sango said. “Not for lack of his trying. No, Inuyasha's not interested in me because he's completely interested in you. The Yokai has made up his mind. He wants you as his mate.”

Kagome fell silent as she prepared Inuyasha's food. By then, the sun had set, and the stars had come out in full force with the absence of the moon. Once she was done, she handed the cup of ramen to Sango. “If he's not interested in you, you'll be safe taking his food?”

Sango smiled and accepted the ramen. “Sure.” She stood and made her way to the now-silent hut. She glanced in the window and gasped. “Kagome!”

Kagome instantly jumped up and rushed over to the hut, also peering inside.

There was no Yokai or hanyou inside, instead a figure with black, flowing hair laid sprawled on the floor of the hut.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome screamed. “Open it, Sango!”

Sango quickly uttered the spell for release that Miroku had taught her and the door opened. Kagome rushed in as the door opened and knelt down by him, cradling his head in her lap.

“Inuyasha! Are you all right?” Kagome cried, to which he didn't respond.

“He's still breathing.” Sango pointed out.

“Inuyasha!”

Upon hearing her words, the hanyou-turned-mortal opened his dark violet eyes, but only slightly. “Ka… gome?” he breathed, shutting his eyes again. “I'm so… tired.”

“That's not surprising. You haven't slept in a week.” Sango said, moving next to Kagome.

“Is that… how long it's been?” Inuyasha asked quietly. “It's felt much longer.” He sighed and rested his head on Kagome's lap.

Just like he did the first time I saw him as a mortal. Kagome thought, running her fingers through his midnight-black hair.

“Inuyasha? Are you hungry?” Kagome asked.

“Too… tired.” Inuyasha breathed.

“He needs to eat.” Sango said. “His body probably still thinks its Mating season, which would explain the weakness. We need to build up his strength again while we have the chance. Kagome…” She held out the chopsticks to her. “I'll hold the bowl, and you feed him.”

“What? Me?” Kagome gasped.

“Do you want to help Inuyasha or not?” Sango asked.

“Of course I do!”

“Then feed him!” Sango said.

Kagome sighed and took the chopsticks. Sango held the bowl for her. It's for Inuyasha's health. We have to keep him strong. Kagome said to herself. “It's just some ramen.” She told Inuyasha. “Finish it, and then you can sleep.”

Inuyasha nodded weakly. “Okay… I'll try.”

She helped him sit up somewhat by leaning on her, and she fed him slowly. As she did, she felt strangely like a mother soothing her sick child. She instantly recalled the times she had been sick as a young girl and her mother had fed her just like this when she was too weak to do it herself.

Once the ramen was gone, she softly embraced him. “There. That wasn't so bad, was it?” Her hands instinctively began to trace the pattern of a circle on his back, something her mother had done. She didn't even realize that she was doing it.

Inuyasha grinned lazily at her attentions. “Myoga was right. We'd make great mates.” And, with that, he fell asleep.

Sango and Kagome stared at each other, a little shocked. “Did he just say what I think he just said?” Kagome asked quietly.

“I heard it too.” Sango said. “It seems that you have achieved what Kikyo didn't, finding love in every aspect of Inuyasha: the Yokai, the hanyou, and the mortal.” Sango stood up. “You should stay here tonight. You'll be a comfort to him.”

“But…” Kagome said as Sango left.

Kagome stared fondly at the sleeping young man in her arms. Even without his beautiful silver hair and adorable dog ears, she still thought he was the most glorious being on the planet. “Inuyasha… you know… if you want me as your mate, I'll you have to do is ask. I'll become your mate in a heartbeat. I love you.”

It was about an hour until sun-rise when Inuyasha awoke. “Ka—Kagome?”

“Yes, Inuyasha?” Kagome leaned down and pressed a kiss to his nose.

“You are still with me?” Inuyasha asked. He seemed a lot better now that he was rested.

“I always have, and I always will be.” Kagome breathed.

“You shouldn't.” Inuyasha said. “My blood is starting to boil again.”

“Inuyasha… I've been thinking. I could save you weeks of pain.” Kagome said. “So… I offer myself to you as your mate… if you'll have me.”

Inuyasha suddenly sat up. “No, Kagome!”

“You refuse me?”

“No! I didn't mean it like that!” Inuyasha said, kissing her passionately. “My heart longs to accept, but my head won't let me. You don't know what it means to be my mate, and honestly, in light of this Lordship issue, I don't know what it means either.”

“I know that I love you, Inuyasha.” Kagome said, kissing him again.

“Kagome…” Inuyasha grit his teeth as his Yokai nature and urge to mate began to overpower even the power of the new moon.

Kagome embraced him. “I'm staying with you, Inuyasha. No matter what happens. Take me as yours forever.”

LES: The limey-lemon in the next chapter. It won't be the most descriptive sex-scene that I've ever written, but I actually have a reason for that. And I'll tell you… next time!