InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feel Like Makin' Love ❯ Play Ball ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16

 

 

Play Ball

 

 

The screen door to the house screeched and then slammed as Kagome and InuYasha entered. In the living room, Souta looked up from his video game to see who had come in. At the sight of InuYasha, he jumped up to meet them.

 

“InuYasha! Do you want to play my new video game with me?” Souta asked excitedly.

 

“Ah, sorry kid, but I think these might get in the way,” InuYasha replied, raising his sharp claws.

 

Souta looked crestfallen.

 

Wiping her hands on her apron, Mrs. Higurashi walked into the room and smiled. “Good to see you again InuYasha,” she said. “Will you be staying for dinner?”

 

“Yeah, sure,” InuYasha said.

 

Climbing the stairs to her room, Kagome turned. “I need to get some studying done before dinner, I am so behind,” she said. “Maybe you and Souta can find something to do before dinner?”

 

Souta smiled hopefully at InuYasha, but the youkai did not look so thrilled. His brows drew down over his eyes, and there was a wry twist to his mouth. He had come here to see Kagome - he missed her all the time…he had missed her for years. Who cared about homework? Looking up at Kagome, clutching her books wearily and watching him, he knew she cared.

 

“Okay, kid, you got me for a while,” InuYasha said. “But no video games.”

 

Souta smiled happily and thought a moment, hands behind his back. Arms swinging around, he slammed his fist into the palm of his other hand, and looked excited. Raising an eyebrow, InuYasha folded his arms.

 

“Let's go in the back yard and play softball,” Souta said.

 

“If the ball is soft, how is it supposed to bounce?” InuYasha asked, looking dubious.

 

“The ball doesn't bounce,” Souta said, grabbing his arm to lead him away. “You'll see - I'll show you how to play.”

 

“Have fun, you two, and stay out of trouble,” Kagome called after them, and then went to hit the books.

 

It was not easy for Kagome to concentrate. She sat at her desk with her English book open, rubbed her face and pushed her bangs out of the way. The words kept blurring on the page, and she clawed her hands in frustration. Her mind drifted, and she wondered how InuYasha and Souta were doing.

 

Outside, InuYasha gripped the bat and raised it as Souta had shown him. Holding it high, he waited for Souta to throw him the ball. The boy wound up his arm, and threw it with all his might. Lips pressed tightly together, InuYasha hit the ball, the impact an audible crack. Spinning around, Souta gaped as the ball flew high in the air, over the treetops…and disappeared.

 

“Ah, sorry about the ball kid,” InuYasha said, scratching behind one ear ruefully.

 

“It's okay, that was amazing!” Souta replied. “You should play on a professional team!”

 

“A team of humans?” InuYasha said. “I don't think so. Being youkai, I have an unfair advantage over them.”

 

“Yeah, guess you are right,” Souta said, looking at the ground and kicking it a bit. “I have another ball - why don't you throw and I will hit.”

 

Nodding his head, InuYasha took the ball from Souta and they switched places. Souta gripped the bat and waited, while InuYasha thought about how Souta had thrown the ball. Pulling back his arm, he wound up and pitched. Souta swung hard but missed the ball. It whizzed past his right ear, hit a tree behind him, and ricocheted off it.

 

Back in the house, Kagome had finally managed to concentrate. Her lips moved around the foreign words, as she made her way down the page. She even understood some of it.

 

CRASH!!

 

The sound of breaking glass made Kagome jump in her seat. Standing up quickly, she ran towards the sound, down the stairs to the living room. Her mother met her there at the same time, and Kagome gaped. The window facing the backyard was shattered…and there was a softball-sized hole in it. Outside the window, Souta was looking in with wide eyes and a pale face. There was a crack that was growing larger, and then a chunk of glass fell in the living room and snapped over the couch before landing on the floor. Souta's head quickly disappeared from view. Kagome recovered from her stunned silence, and was quickly exasperated. She sighed heavily and shook her head. InuYasha had to be partly to blame for this, if not totally to blame…

 

“Oh my,” Mrs. Higurashi said. “I better get the broom and dust pan.”

 

“Aren't you angry?” Kagome said. “Are you going to let Souta get away with this?”

 

“Accidents happen, dear,” Mrs. Higurashi replied. “I am sure he didn't mean to break the window.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi left for the kitchen, and Kagome decided she would find out what happened for herself. She went in the back yard, and looked for Souta and InuYasha. The only one she found was her brother who glanced at her and then looked at the ground, his cheeks flushing.

 

“What happened and where is InuYasha?” Kagome asked, placing her hands on her hips.

 

“Well, he went to find the ball he hit somewhere over that way,” Souta said, pointing behind him. “And don't blame him for the broken window. I missed his pitch and the ball ricocheted off a tree.”

 

Closing her eyes, Kagome shook her head. It figured that even a simple game of softball could turn into calamity when a youkai of InuYasha's strength was involved. She was already dreading the other mishaps that were likely to follow. Well, maybe Shippo and his daughter could ameliorate any future misadventures…

 

“Well, you can at least help Mom clean up the mess,” Kagome said, putting her hand on Souta's shoulder and marching him inside. “I'll see if I can find anything to board the window with.”

 

~*~

 

Nostrils flared, InuYasha leapt stealthily over fences and into backyards, sharp eyes squinted and long hair flying. He was tracking the smell of Souta, from the oils on the boy's hands when he handled the ball. A child peeked out a window, startled as InuYasha landed softly nearby, looking feral as he crouched on the ground sniffing. The smell was definitely stronger here. He finally spotted it under a bush. Before the child could alert an adult of his presence, he grabbed the ball and jumped away.

 

Walking into the house, InuYasha found Kagome and Souta taping cardboard over the broken window. Jii-chan watched them with a dour expression, his hands behind his back.

 

“I knew nothing good would come of a youkai in modern times,” Jii-chan intoned darkly.

 

“Sorry, old man,” InuYasha said, tossing the ball up and down in one hand. “There are more youkai in this time than you realize.”

 

They all turned around to look at him, Jii-chan sputtering and looking apoplectic. InuYasha grinned, and Souta grinned back when he saw InuYasha had his ball.

 

“You found it!” Souta cried happily, catching the ball as InuYasha tossed it to him…gently this time.

 

“Keh, did you really doubt I would?” InuYasha said.

 

At that moment, Mrs. Higurashi came into the room to announce that dinner was ready. They went and sat down at the kitchen table, and ate with little conversation. Kagome was feeling worn out, her brown eyes dull and mouth pinched. InuYasha watched her stealthily, her tiredness no deterrent from his overwhelming desire to have some time alone with her. He felt a twinge of guilt, but quickly over rode it. They needed each other, that was most important!

 

After dinner, Kagome helped her Mom clear the table. InuYasha waited until they were done, hands opening and closing under the table as he tried to quell his impatience. Kagome came out and when she walked near him, he put out a hand and touched her wrist. She looked into his face, questioningly.

 

“Walk with me, `Gome?” InuYasha said.

 

“I really should take a bath and try and study some more before bed,” Kagome answered, biting her lip.

 

InuYasha's hand dropped, and his face fell. He could not hide his disappointment. It made Kagome feel bad, and she sighed. A small smile on her face, she took his hand and he looked up hopefully.

 

“Okay, I can walk with you for a little while,” Kagome said.

 

They stepped outside together, and started walking in the direction of the well house. On impulse, InuYasha stopped and squatted down, beckoning Kagome to climb up on his back. For the first time that day, Kagome really smiled, lighting a small spark in her tired eyes.

 

Kagome nestled onto his back, her hands on his shoulders and rested her head on him. He gripped her thighs firmly and carefully, and she sighed. He was bigger and broader than she remembered, but she could not deny how safe and warm she felt.

 

“Take me to the well,” Kagome whispered.

 

“You know it does not work anymore,” InuYasha said.

 

“Yes, I know,” Kagome replied. “But take me there anyway.”

 

InuYasha walked up the stairs to the well house, and opened the door. It was pitch black inside. Kagome tapped his shoulder and he put her down. Walking in, she reached for a flashlight she had hung on a hook for those occasions that she came and went at night. With a click, she turned it on and descended, InuYasha behind her. They stood silently, looking into the well a moment.

 

“I still can hardly believe I won't see Miroku, Sango and Shippo again,” Kagome said softly. “Tell me about them, InuYasha.”

 

InuYasha shrugged, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops. “Well, Miroku and Sango got married. They had three kids by the time I decided to go to sleep.”

 

“Where were they living?” Kagome asked.

 

“They lived at Kaede's village, until I asked them to move to the mountains,” InuYasha replied. “They built a shrine to guard my resting place, and their descendants took care of it for almost five hundred years. It is the Shrine of the Mountain Inu Kami.”

 

Nodding, Kagome clasped her hands in front of her and looked up at him. “I have heard of that shrine, and all this time you were there.”

 

“Yeah, until the day of your final return to your own time,” InuYasha replied. “Then Shippo and Emiko came and got me, and took me to you.”

 

Shaking her head slowly, Kagome gave a short, rueful laugh. “I still can't believe that was Shippo, all grown up. And his daughter…she seems like a sweet girl.”

 

“Yeah, Emiko is too nice to be the daughter of that brat,” InuYasha said with a bark of laughter. “Her mother must be a saint!”

 

Kagome yawned wide, and covered her mouth with her hand. “Sorry, InuYasha, I'm really tired.”

 

“Come on, I'll take you back,” InuYasha said.

 

On the way back, Kagome slumped against InuYasha's back. He reveled in the feel of her, and smiled.

 

“When can I see you again?” InuYasha asked.

 

All he got in reply was a soft snore….

 

“Poor `Gome,” InuYasha whispered. “Aisheteru….”