InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Gone With the Wind. ❯ A Crying Shame. ( Chapter 8 )

Gone with the Wind

Chapter 8

 

 

A repentant hanyou crouched perilously in a tree as he silently watched his compatriots slowly make their way through the forest while scanning the grass in front of them. A heavy feeling of guilt sat low in the apologetic young half demon's stomach as he witnessed his friends' futile attempts to find a certain miko's misplaced items. Inu Yasha had left his long time traveling companions under the pretense of running up ahead and locating the items with his keen puppy senses and hopefully saving the `weak humans' an extended and tedious journey. In actuality however, the reason for his departure had more to do with the fact that he knew they would never find the mislaid items, mostly because they were tucked safely away…. in his Kimono.

 

Inu Yasha huffed as he pulled one of the items, specifically a book, out of the voluminous sleeve of his hatori. As much as the young hanyou wanted to simply return the `borrowed' items, thusly allowing his group to continue their shard hunt and assuaging some of the guilt that plagued him, he simply couldn't. At least, he couldn't in their current condition.

 

`How did things get so out of hand?' The dog-eared boy questioned as he looked at the book remorsefully and relived the shameful night in question.

 

It had all started out so innocently.

 

`It was all that stupid Drake's fault.' Inu Yasha groused as he glared at the slightly damp book within his claws. He had been surprised at first, all though not entirely so, to read that Drake had indeed returned from war and had plans to reunite with Tiffany as soon as his plane, whatever that was, landed. Now, knowing Tiffany as he did, the hanyou expected tears, squeals, possibly some fainting, and probably a far too emotional hug thrown in for good measure when she was finally reconciled with the man she constantly obsessed over.

 

What he didn't expect, however, was what came after the passionate embrace; he noted while using the author's words as his own.

 

At first Inu Yasha thought Tiffany was going to be sick, what with all the heaving bosoms and trembling lips. It had to be the worst timing for food poisoning, he supposed, but this Tiffany wench seemed to have a multitude of timing issues. It had been the lines that followed her trembling lips that caused the hanyou to go back and reread then entire paragraph as he awkwardly realized Tiffany was most decidedly not ill(all though he was starting to feel a little queasy himself.)

 

`I couldn't have read that right….could I?' Inu Yasha wondered again as he momentarily flipped to the pages in question to verify with his own eyes, for the tenth time, that he had read it correctly. After all, some of the words were foreign to him and sometimes he had to assume their definitions based on their context, so maybe he had gotten it wrong?

 

The hanyou groaned as he reread the line that had eventually tipped him off to the nature of Kagome's much favored novel.

 

“Tiffany's body burned with a fire that only Drake could squelch.”

 

`What kind of hentai wrote such things?' Inu Yasha grumbled internally. This was the book he couldn't tear Kagome away from?! `What kind of hentai READ such things?!'

From there the puppy-eared boy simply had to continue reading. After all, how could he accuse anyone of being a hentai without knowing the full extent of their debauchery?

 

Unfortunately for Inu Yasha, from there, the imagery only grew more deviant. Sure the author never came right and said it, but he was positive someone as smart as Kagome would have no difficulty figuring out what was implied by his “throbbing proof of their love.”

 

Inu Yasha blushed all the way to his ears as he recalled the entire chapter. It was practically indecent! If he hadn't felt compelled to find out just how far this perverted book went he would have thrown it in the sleeping miko's face and demanded to know why she read such things.

 

That singular decision, of course, was what ended up delivering him into his current predicament.

 

At the time, he had attempted to comfort himself with the thought that he couldn't help that his body was reacting to what he was reading. In a similar fashion he had told himself that it wasn't his damn fault that the only to relieve some of the pressure to his groin was to adjust himself from time to time, noting that he was most definitely NOT touching himself while he read Kagome's naughty novel. Then, of course, when he finally gave up on decorum and WAS touching himself to the miko's reading material, deciding it would be easier then staying up all night and saluting the sunrise, he had told himself it wasn't his fault the night air was so dry.

 

Okay, so maybe deciding to use Kagome's lotion was the teeniest bit his fault, the hanyou accepted, but he couldn't help that he just happened to know where it was or that she constantly offered him the strange smelling slippery stuff when the air was so arid that it practically chapped his skin.

 

The unforeseen problem, Inu Yasha realized as he gave the steamy tome another hard scowl, was that he didn't know that books and Kagome's lotion stuff did not mix.

 

Why hadn't he put down the book the second he realized its secret?

 

Why hadn't he gone off in the woods to pleasure himself, instead of sitting up in a tree with a bottle of lotion precariously perched between his outstretched legs?

 

Probably the most embarrassing fact of all, Inu Yasha realized as he eyed the book and allowed the fact that he had no clue how to fix it sink in, was that only specific pages were marked. What was Kagome going to think when she turned to…those pages…and found them smudged, some parts beyond legibility, and smelling of lotion?

 

Inu Yasha huffed. There was only one solution to this mess. He would have to give the book back. Even worse, he would have to give the book back and pretend he had no clue what kind of …filth…Kagome was reading. If he even hinted toward the fact that he knew what was inside she would realize he was the one who accidentally ruined the book, and then inevitably ask how THOSE specific pages became disfigured.

 

“Stupid bitch.” Inu Yasha grumbled as he decided to stall for a few more minutes before emerging with a `look what I found,' as he delivered the items back to their original owner. Kami how it irritated him to know he couldn't call out the miko on such an indecent thing. It seemed even when Kagome had no clue what was going on she managed to outsmart him. She was really too smart for her own good, the hanyou noted.

 

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

 

Keiko trotted along soundlessly as she once again brought up the rear of the small group of wanderers. For once her eyes would not be wandering the tall dog demon's backside as she traversed the countryside. Not because his rear wasn't exquisite, the young girl noted, but more to the fact that she was far too confused with her reactions to events earlier that day to really put forth the effort to ogle. Never in her life had she been so discombobulated. Their respite had been brief and despite the burning in her legs she was grateful for the distraction. Nearly kissing the man that was holding her against her will, after knowing him for the better part of an afternoon, apparently had that effect on her. With a sort of bitter humor she noted that her original assessment of the great taiyoukai had been just the teeniest bit hasty.

 

Apparently Sesshoumaru wasn't dead from the waist down, and ironically threatening to kick him in the balls wasn't the turn off one would suspect.

 

The most disturbing fact out of all of this, Keiko noted as she stared into marching demon's back, making a point not to let her eyes travel south, was the fact that when he had leaned in to kiss her, she hadn't pulled away. Something about kissing him just made sense, even though, when she thought about it, it really didn't. He was snide, arrogant, mean, and seriously in need of a manicure, and yet when she was near him it was as if a piece of her soul could finally relax.

 

It had been that feeling, Keiko realized as she hastened her pace to match her rapid thoughts, which had caused her to ask the question regarding Kagura. It was the same disconnected and yet connected feeling she got whenever someone gave her a familiar smile or said the woman's name as if it were her own. If she allowed herself to linger in the feeling she would quickly become overwhelmed by a sadness and fear that simply…did not belong to her.

 

`Was it her sadness?' The young reincarnation had to question. Was she feeling the fear of a dead woman? Had Kagura led a sad and fearful life?

 

Keiko bit her lower lip and stared at the ground beneath her as she lost herself in a sea of confusing questions. She became so introverted that she completely missed the fact that she was gaining on the great dog demon ahead of her until she slammed, quite suddenly, into his unyielding back.

 

“Ow.” The young woman deadpanned as she raised her hand to her brow and wondered, for the briefest of moments, just how many trees she would run into.

 

`Not a tree!' Keiko's frantic mind pointed out as she suddenly snapped her head up to catch the cold gaze of a tall pale figure staring at her over his shoulder.

 

Sheepishly, she waved as she hoped the great dog demon would simply ignore her awkwardness and continue on with…whatever he was doing before she accidentally rear ended him.

 

`Speaking of rears…' Her hentai mind added appreciatively as her downcast eyes locked on the tall man's rump simply out of habit.

 

Keiko quickly turned away while stifling the urge to curse. Her face warmed as she felt a familiar tingle coursing through her system and she silently fought back the urge to swear again. She was blushing now? One look at Mr. High and Mighty's hiney and she was blushing? What the hell was wrong with her? Why was she blushing when she hated this guy ninety-nine percent of the time? He was just so cold and closed off. She couldn't even imagine a man like him taking off his clothes.

 

Keiko's eyes suddenly grew wide as an image of Sesshoumaru's ass, uncovered and flexing, popped into her brain.

 

`Okay,' The young woman admitted as she slowly rubbed at the recently agitated bump on her forehead while staring off into the distance, `Maybe ninety-eight percent of the time.' She scoffed as she continued to rub at the welt on her forehead; attempting to force the unbidden image from her mind.

 

The ass in question, somehow keeping itself on Keiko's hentai radar, began to turn from the young woman, causing her to snap to attention again as she noted her puppy companion seemed far too close for comfort. Casually, the young woman took several steps backward as she expanded the space bubble between them once again.

 

Keiko released a soft squeak as Mr. High and Mighty, as she liked to refer to him, apparently decided her puny space bubble was no match for his impressive footwear and stepped gingerly in her direction as he simultaneous squashed her beloved invisible barrier into the ground.

 

In probably the oddest display of self preservation in history, the raven-haired woman decided to simply take another step back as the demon lord approached, matching him step for step, until she was literally walking backwards while he advanced on her position. Why he was moving towards her, she hadn't a clue. Why she was slowly retreating, she couldn't begin to explain. There was only one thought that ran over and over in her head like a mantra, and she obeyed it without question, `Keep your distance.'

 

Sesshoumaru was the first to stop as he seemed to notice the young woman's strange behavior first. Silently the great taiyoukai realized that if he continued to `chase' her, if that's what you could call what they were doing, she would inevitably trip or back into a tree.

 

“Woman,” Sesshoumaru droned as he arched a delicate eyebrow, “what are you doing?”

 

“Who me?” Keiko questioned before looking over both shoulders as if she expected to find someone else there. “Nothing,” She added incredulously as she attempted to remain casual, “what are you doing?” She questioned rather awkwardly as she realized just how truly stupid she sounded. She had never been in a situation where she felt she couldn't control even her own reaction, and the whole experience was really starting to freak her out.

 

“Inspecting your wound.” The great taiyoukai responded flatly, lowering his recently raised eyebrow back into place. What did she believe he was doing? For that matter, what did she think she would accomplish by maneuvering in such a way? She simply made no sense.

 

“Oh.” Keiko laughed nervously as the absurdity of her actions truly began to sink in. He just wanted to make sure she didn't give herself brain damage when she ran into him. It made sense she supposed. After all, if she got injured that would slow them down, and he had made it quite clear how much he didn't want to be slowed down.

 

Silently and with a little mental berating the raven-haired woman walked up to give the taiyoukai a good view of her forehead. She refrained from making eye contact as she stood in place and stared off into the grass. Not once did the dog demon even attempt to touch the abrasion, the young woman noted, as his hand thankfully stayed at his side. Keiko fidgeted slightly as she waited for the demon to say something upon completion of his inspection.

 

Keiko snorted as she realized just how much her demeanor had changed. Where she once felt bold enough to jump all over him for a pack of cigarettes she was suddenly apprehensive just standing in his line of vision.

 

`It's so stupid.' Keiko protested internally as she attempted to ease her quaking nerves. `I don't even know for sure that's what he was going to do.' Her mind pointed out as she contemplated different scenarios where Mr. High and Mighty simply growled in her face to get his point across.

 

After all, he was a dog demon, maybe he was just about to bite her face off and the frog demon saved her?

 

`That would certainly make sense.' Keiko's inner voice reassured as it attempted to put a positive spin on things. Maybe all this kissing stuff was in her head? Hell, maybe she bumped her head a little too hard and she'll wake up in a hospital a month from now and realize this was all a freaky, painkiller induced dream. It could happen, right?

 

“We do not rest here.” Sesshoumaru stated authoritatively as he turned from the woman and continued on.

 

“More walking?” Keiko groaned; knowing full well her complaints would only fall on deaf ears. “Kami I hate walking.” She huffed.

 

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

 

“Here's your stupid book” A red-clad hanyou groused as he stood in front of a wide eyed miko, having dropped from the trees only moments before.

 

“Than--!” Kagome began, only to be cut off as Inu Yasha thrust another item in her direction.

 

“And your ~lotion~ crap.” He emphasized the word lotion, insinuating it was girly.

 

“Oh Inu Yasha!” The young girl squealed as her eyes lit up with pure, unadulterated happiness. It was simply such a load off her mind to know that these items weren't somehow influencing the timeline. She simply couldn't contain the joy and relief that reclaiming her lost property evoked. “Than--!”

 

“Don't get all mushy on me.” The hanyou barked as he interrupted her misplaced gratitude again. The guilt was bad enough, he decided, he didn't need Kagome getting all soppy over something….that was mostly his fault in the first place.

 

“You are just so…” Kagome cooed again as she clutched the items tightly to her chest and attempted to compliment her puppy-eared companion again.

 

“Okay!” Inu Yasha snorted. “You're happy to have your stuff back.” He acknowledge with agitation. “Can we get back to hunting shards now?”

 

“Inu Yasha.” The miko whispered, noticing her friends telling blush. `He's too shy to accept my gratitude. I'll have to do something special for him.' She noted with a grin.

 

“Of course Inu Yasha.” She smiled at him sweetly. Her trip home would just have to wait. If her hanyou friend wouldn't accept words of thanks, perhaps actions could speak louder?

 

“G-good.” Inu Yasha faltered as Kagome's dreamy expression became entirely unsettling. “Let's go then.” He added a bit more tersely.

 

“Of course Inu Yasha.” Kagome cooed again as she fell in line with the rest of her friends and silently wondered what she could do to make it up to her half-demon friend. `He can be so selfless sometimes.' The young girl noted wistfully as she shyly gazed at the dog demon beside her with nothing but admiration and trust in her eyes.

 

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

 

“Thank Kami!” Keiko groaned as she suddenly flopped forward before rolling onto her back. Moments after they had entered the small clearing Sesshoumaru had finally said those three little words she had been dying to hear, `we rest here.' It felt like they had walked across half of Japan by now, and while she did enjoy a leisurely stroll every now and then, their pace had been anything but leisurely.

 

“Please tell me we don't have to do that again tomorrow.” The young woman groaned as she contemplated scratching the end of her nose but found her limbs were simply too tired to cooperate.

 

“We do not.” Sesshoumaru responded, noting the young woman's relieved sigh and deciding his statement required a little elaboration. “Tomorrow we head west.”

 

“What?” Keiko questioned pathetically. She hadn't actually expected the demon lord to answer her, considering he didn't answer any of the other complaints she made during their journey, but now that he had, she was seriously regretting asking the question in the first place. He couldn't be serious could he, more walking? Was he trying to break her spirit or something?

 

She tilted her head to the side slightly and caught a glimpse of the small smiling child who seemed to bound about the clearing effortlessly. How the hell did she keep up this pace every day? Was she a demon as well?

 

`It would certainly explain why she travels with demons.' The young woman's mind pointed out.

 

“I can't.” Keiko finally exclaimed as she thought about forcing her legs to function for another minute, let alone a another whole day, and cringed.

 

“You will.” Sesshoumaru stated plainly as he took her response as yet another attempt to defy him.

 

“No seriously,” The young woman corrected, “I can't.” She huffed.

 

The demon lord's nostrils flared slightly as he attempted to find the truth hidden behind her words. `Is she injured?' He found himself wondering as he noted she at least believed she was incapable of the task that awaited her. He casually took a step in her direction as he decided he should at least inspect the woman for injuries, only to narrow his eyes as she pushed herself up from the ground and quickly scooted away from him.

 

`So she is uninjured.' Sesshoumaru noted with contempt. `Then why does she defy me?'

 

“You are uninjured.” The taiyoukai pointed out bluntly. “You will continue on tomorrow.”

 

“I won't!” Keiko amended as she began to feel the corner of her eyes sting. Damn it, now she was going to cry? She hadn't cried since she was a kid, but the events of the past two days were simply proving to be too much. He was so mean! She couldn't even find peace in her dreams! This had to be hell! It had to be!

 

“I don't care if you kill me!” The young woman sobbed as she sat against the grass and allowed herself this small mental breakdown. “I won't go any further!” She sobbed, every nerve in her body feeling raw and open. She was a mess. Everything in her body hurt, her brain throbbed angrily at her as it was cruelly denied its precious nicotine, and she had pushed herself past the point of exhaustion. She was so tired she was dizzy, and still he demanded more of her.

 

Keiko's body literally shook with sobs as Sesshoumaru calmly regarded her. If she had been any other human, or demon for that matter, he would have simply walked away from her. After all, it wasn't his duty to sit around and listen to other people's whining. This woman, however, was different. Even if he didn't understand the women herself, he understood her soul, and knowing what her soul had endured made him somehow care about her suffering.

 

From Sesshoumaru's point of view it was as if Kagura had somehow reclaimed the human woman's body so that she could shed the tears she had held back when she was alive. Upon that realization, the demon lord found himself lumbering in the young woman's direction as he could no longer fight the urge to console her.

 

Keiko had been so caught up in her outburst of emotion that she didn't realize the taiyoukai had settled in beside her until she felt her body being lifted and deposited into a silk clad lap. She sniffled softly as she suddenly became aware of the taiyoukai's claws lightly running over her hair and he seemed to shush her in a comforting, animalistic way.

 

The sound, Keiko noted, was more of a grunt then a shush but in it's own way it was comforting, and she supposed it made perfect sense for him to make it, considering he was a dog demon.

 

As the young woman actually found herself relaxing against the taiyoukai's ministrations she turned her red and irritated eyes to the frog demon and child slave that now seemed to be eyeing her with conflictingly looks.

 

The child, Keiko noted, was smiling, which really wasn't that unusual, considering the girl's sunny disposition. The frog youkai seemed to be in shock, and upon making eye contact with him, that shock seemed to give way to contempt. Her cheeks began to flush as she sat in her typically grumpy companions lap and contemplated her next move.

 

Of all the ways Sesshoumaru could have reacted, this was not what she expected.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru!” Jaken squawked as he finally broke the heated glare he had been sending the woman and addressed his master. “Should we not find food for Rin and the

wench?” He made a point to emphasize the last word as he shot the newly acquired female another dangerous look; making it apparent that he didn't appreciate the closeness the dog demon and woman shared.

 

“There is a stream near here,” Sesshoumaru responded in a lilting masculine tone that made the female in his lap shiver, “you will assist Rin in catching fish.”

 

“B-b-b-b-but my lord.” Jaken seemed to sputter as he looked at the woman and then to his master, apparently confused by the order.

 

“Come on Jaken-sama!” Rin squealed as her smile grew big and bright and she pulled on the toad demon's tiny arm. It was obvious to everyone within the clearing that the young girl apparently loved to fish, even if Jaken didn't.

 

Keiko's eyes grew large as three separate realizations hit her all at once while atched the diminutive figures walk off in the direction of the stream.

 

One, she was still sitting in Sesshoumaru's lap.

 

Two, all though the reassuring grunts had stopped he was still running his claws through her hair.

 

Three; and probably most disturbing of all, they had just been left alone, and he was making no move to push her out of his lap.

 

`Commence panicking!' Keiko's inner mind quipped comically before the taiyoukai behind and beneath her began to speak.

 

“Are you feeling better?” Sesshoumaru stated plainly as his voice remained as expressionless as ever.

 

“I ..am…uh..n--…m…huh?” The young woman attempted to question as the little voice in her head simply looked up at her with a deadpanned expression and shrugged. Apparently it was just as confused as she was.

 

“I'd feel a hell of a lot better if you'd just let me go home.” Keiko finally stated as she pulled her wits together and attempted to reason with the confusing man behind her.

 

“This Sesshoumaru has all ready stated…”

 

She huffed and cut him off. “Couldn't you just point me in the direction of the well….I could probably find the way myself and then...”

 

“No.” The taiyoukai retorted flatly.

 

“Can I have my cigarettes then?” The raven-haired woman questioned as she attempted to haggle.

 

“No.” The dog demon stated again causing Keiko to roll her eyes.

 

`He may be acting like he gives a fuck about my well being.' The young woman noted with a grumble, `but he's sure as hell not willing to seriously do anything about it.'

 

“Can we camp here tomorrow so I can rest my legs?” She haggled again, fully expecting an answer in the negative.

 

“No.” He stated again as his claws seemed to pause in the young woman's hair, the scent of her anger beginning to irritate his senses.

 

Keiko released a very unladylike snort as she grew entirely sick of this `game.' Maybe he felt compelled to act like a nice guy because she was crying? Yes, she decided, it had to be an act. The only thing this asshole cared about was himself, and possibly his sword, all though she still wasn't sure how the whole talking to his sword thing worked.

 

“Gee thanks,” The young woman exclaimed bitterly as she repositioned her throbbing legs and began to push herself out of the taiyoukai's lap. Her muscles were still sore of course, but her anger made it a little easier to move. “Well unless you intend to carry me tomorrow, I'm going to go lay down because my legs hurt like a mother fu--.” She gasped and stumbled backward into the tall dog demons lap as a smooth clawed palm lightly pulled on the back of her clothing, easily pulling her off her all ready wobbly legs.

 

“God damn it!” Keiko cursed as she became completely frustrated with her body's weak muscles and taiyoukai's ability, and propensity, to position her any way he pleased. “Why do you have to be such an a--!?”

 

“This Sesshoumaru,” He interrupted, “can accommodate your last request.”

 

“Huh?” Keiko remarked dimly as she tried to remember what her last request was. She had been so angry she couldn't even remember what she had asked for. `My cigarettes?' She remarked internally, `no that wasn't it….an extra day to rest maybe? No…I'm pretty sure he said no to that one…hmmm'

 

Keiko sighed and rolled her eyes as she slowly realized what which `request' the taiyoukai was referring to. She supposed she should give the dog demon points for attempting to at least meet one of her needs, but she was being sarcastic at the time, and didn't really want to be slung over his shoulder tomorrow.

 

“Ugh.” Keiko grimaced as she attempted to communicate her distress regarding the matter. “I can't spend the whole day against your shoulder. You're boney.” She whined as she poked her elbow lightly into his ribcage as if to demonstrate, but only met thick rippling muscle. She still hadn't turned around to look Sesshoumaru in the face and she supposed that's what made her next statement fall so easily off her lips. “Damn… Well your shoulders are boney,” she corrected, her face flushing as she stopped herself from rambling on and on about how built Sesshoumaru seemed.

 

“Hn.” The taikyoukai responded noncommittally as he resumed running his claws through her hair as she sat in his lap with a slightly bored expression.