InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Goodbye To Romance ❯ Something That You've Said's Burning In My Head ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own Inuyasha, or the characters within. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Entertainment.
Goodbye to Romance is a song by Ozzy Osbourne, so I don't even own that.

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Inuyasha sat alone in his tree, idly fingering his rosary. Currently, he was hiding from his friends and battle partners. He genuinely liked the monk, miko, demon slayer, and fox demon that he secretly called his family, but wished they'd learn the concept of boundaries. The miko, Kagome had left a couple of days ago for school, and of course Inuyasha put forth his token objection, and a mild argument had erupted, resulting in non-stop harassment from the others until finally, he managed to lose them in the thick forest surrounding their village.

“Blah, blah, apologize. Blah, blah, big jerk, be more sensitive. Don't hurt Kagome's feelings with your stupid words.” He griped mildly to himself, “they never mention not hurting Inuyasha's face with these stupid beads.” At this he gave the beads a mild tug, he knew they wouldn't come off, and in all honesty didn't really want them to. As much as he hated getting pounded into the ground, he hated having innocent blood on his hands even more. So it was with considerable shock when he felt the beads slide over his head. He was so surprised that he actually dropped them. He jumped from his perch and picked them up. Scrutinizing them closely, he poked them with a claw. They felt alright, so he slipped them back over his head. Then removed them and put them back on. He did this a few times, puzzling out what could have possibly happened in his head.

“Huh,” was his initial conclusion. Ultimately he decided, `I'd better see Kaede.'

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He silently snuck up on the old mik… err, hag's hut, quickly looking around to make sure his other friends weren't around. Like he griped before, nice group of people, but no sense of boundaries, or privacy. Taking some tentative sniffs, he tried to locate the others. Good, Kaede was home, and even better, the others were nowhere near here. Taking a moment to compose himself, he charged through her door, bellowing, “Hag, get out here, we've got a problem!”

“Inuyasha, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Kaede said dryly as she shuffled out of one of the smaller rooms. “Young Shippo and Miroku were looking for you earlier, something about your treatment of Kagome.”

“Yeah, what a fucking shock,” Inuyasha grumbled to himself. “Forget about that. This is more important. Something is very wrong.”

“So I gathered from your screaming, now are you going to tell me what's so bad you had to scare me half to death, or are you planning on keeping an old woman in suspense?”

Inuyasha pulled the rosary off, “this is what's wrong.” He looked over to Kaede to get some answers, and seeing her confused expression continued as if speaking to a particularly slow child, “the beads are broken.”

“No. I sense that they're perfectly fine.”

“Then why aren't they around my neck?” Inuyasha asked, exasperated.

“Didn't Kagome tell you?” Kaede asked, but seeing the baffled look on Inuyasha's face, guessed not. “It must have slipped her mind. She was supposed to tell you months ago.”

“Tell me what?” Inuyasha asked, starting to get even more confused.

Kaede took a deep breath as she prepared to give Inuyasha the same lecture about his beads that she had given Kagome months ago. “The nature of the spell put upon those beads. They were meant to protect Kagome when she first awoke you. You were so reckless and full of anger and hate that the beads decided you were a threat, hence, they would not permit you to remove them. Uou wouldn't have noticed, but you've really changed since then Inuyasha. Much more than anybody I've ever seen, you should be proud, you've really redeemed yourself. The beads are proof of that, they've decided that you're no longer a danger to Kagome.”

Inuyasha looked down at the ground, wincing at the memories of what he used to be like, and blushing at the rare praise from Kaede. He couldn't help but feel a little hurt, though, that Kagome had kept this from him. Kaede picked up on this and tried to reassure him, “I'm sure it just slipped her mind. You lot have been through so much.”

He had to concede that point, besides, he felt that the others and especially Kagome had earned the benefit of the doubt. “Keh, you're probably right.” He looked at the beads thoughtfully before speaking again. “Does the spell still work?”

Kaede nodded as Inuyasha put the beads back on, “the only thing that's changed is the spell is now voluntary. You're no longer forced to be bound to her. Though, I never thought I'd see you put them back on.”

“Yeah, well,” Inuyasha started, “it's just not safe. Besides, the things I've done, I probably deserve this spell. I mean, with my transformations…”

“But you've taken steps to curb that problem.” Kaede protested. She no longer agreed with Kagome's continued use of magical aid to control Inuyasha, and didn't want thoughts in Inuyasha's head that encouraged such actions. “That's probably why the beads have decided the way they have. You mustn't continue to blame yourself-“

“Because I wasn't in control of myself?” Inuyasha interrupted. “Because it wasn't really me? Because I couldn't help it?” He looked Kaede in the eye, “I can lift fully grown trees out of the ground with my bare hands and use them as weapons. I don't get to use that excuse.”

Inuyasha turned to leave, “I'm going to hide out before the others come back and give me another headache. This conversation never happened!” He called out as he left.

“As you wish,” Kaede called back.

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A couple of peaceful nights in his forest later, Kagome was due back. Inuyasha had decided it would be a good idea to let her cool down and let her come back on her own. Besides, he didn't know if he could stop himself from blowing up at her for not revealing that interesting bit of information about his rosary that he had found out a few days earlier. He wasn't really mad, just a bit miffed. Of course, a bit miffed could turn to absofuckinglutely furious if they got into one of their arguments again, so he thought it wise to let it rest a little. He strolled into Kaede's hut to find the others, including Kagome sitting down to supper.

“Inuyasha! Where have you been? Miroku and I looked for you for ages!” Shippo cried out.

“None of your business, runt.” Inuyasha growled as he took a seat on the floor.

“Inuyasha, don't be so rude!” Kagome lightly scolded. “And you've almost missed dinner! And you shouldn't go off without telling people, we were worried.”

“Keh, already ate. And I already had a mother, don't need another one.” He replied. “Any shard rumors?”

“I'm afraid not,” Miroku piped up. “It looks like we're going to have to go in a random direction again.”

“Don't worry,” Sango chimed in, noticing the disgruntled look on Inuyasha's face, “I'm sure we'll find plenty of trouble and things for you to kill.”

“Keh. Shippo, spin your top, see where it points. If we're going in a random direction anyway, we can at least pretend there's a reason behind our choice.”

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The sun was blazing in the sky, and the wind was non-existent as the group of demon fighters trudged toward their destination in the heat and humidity. 'We really couldn't have picked a worse time to travel. We're all going to bake out here!' Thought Kagome, as she chugged a bottle of water. To make things worse, the trail they were taking was too rough to take her bike, so she and Shippo were currently riding Inuyasha's back; Miroku, who was riding behind Sango on Kirara, was bored and thus, was being slapped by Sango more often than usual. All of this, and Shippo's whining was making Inuyasha even crankier than he already was. `What's up with him anyway?' Kagome wondered. `It can't be that I went back home. That argument wasn't even an argument. I didn't even have to sit him!'

“Not even the demons looking for shards are stupid enough to be out here today. Except for us!” Shippo groused. “Who's stupid idea was it to come this way anyway?”

“You spun the top,” Inuyasha replied.

“Yeah, but it was your dumb idea. We should have just taken another direction altogether!” The small fox whined some more. “And we're gonna roast to death out here if the exhaustion doesn't kill us first, all because you're an idiot and we decided to follow your stupid scheme!”

“What the hell are you whining about exhaustion for?” Inuyasha snapped. “You're mooching a free ride. It's me and Kirara doing all the actual work, but you don't hear us bitching!” A resounding smack interrupted his tirade, “Miroku, would you stop being yourself for five minutes! I don't feel like dealing with this all day!” With that Inuyasha swatted Shippo off his shoulder. “I'm done carrying your ungrateful ass. See if Sango and Miroku'll have you.”

“Inuyasha!” Kagome scolded, mortified. “What is wrong with you? You've been in a horrible mood since last night. Was it something I did?”

“Yeah.” He replied, but decided to reassure her. “I'll get over it soon enough.”

“Well, I'd like to know what it is I did!” Kagome said indignantly.

“Kaede told me something you forgot to mention, that's all. I'm just annoyed. And I can smell a bad storm coming, and there's been no sign of any shelter. It's been a shitty day. Aw, hell, it's about to get worse.” He moaned as a hated scent reached him. Soon enough, everyone saw the mini-whirlwinds that signaled the arrival of a certain wolf demon. Kagome climbed off Inuyasha's back, as Shippo, Miroku, and Sango got ready for the show.

“H-hey Kouga!” Kagome stuttered, thinking `why? Inuyasha's in a bad enough mood already!'

Kouga ran up to Kagome, shoving Inuyasha out of the way, grabbing her hands “how are you, my beautiful Kagome?”

“I'm fine Kouga,” Kagome replied pleasantly. `Please, just let this end without a fight.' She prayed.

“Back off wolf,” Inuyasha snarled. “I'm not in the mood.”

“Oh. He's still alive,” Kouga got a disgusted look on his face. “Kagome, my dear, why do you insist on traveling with the dirty half-breed? You and the others are more than welcome to join me and my pack.”

“Uh… We couldn't. We can't just leave Inuyasha…” Kagome tried to come up with a way of letting Kouga down gently.

“Yeah, they know what happens to members of your pack.” Inuyasha smirked.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome gasped. “That was uncalled for!”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Kouga stood nose to nose with Inuyasha.

“I think my meaning was clear.” Inuyasha said coldly.

“Guys, stop this, please.” Kagome pleaded.

“This won't end well,” Sango muttered to Miroku from the sidelines.

“No, but it'll be entertaining!” Shippo piped up, looking forward to the inevitable sitting.

“I think it's time for me to teach you a lesson, mutt.” Kouga growled, brandishing his claws threateningly.

“What're you gonna do?” Inuyasha mocked, “huff and puff, and lead more pack members to their deaths?”

“Inuyasha! Osuwari!” Inuyasha plunged to the ground as Kouga sent him a death glare. “I'm so sorry Kouga, I don't know what's gotten into him.”

“It's okay, my Kagome. Poor breeding can't be helped. Probably got it from his whore of a mother who was stupid enough to keep him. ”

“That's it, you son of a bitch.” Inuyasha fought the spell, and lunged for Kouga.

“Osuwari!” Kagome yelled, and turned to Kouga. “You'd better leave, Kouga before this gets even worse.”

“Until next time then, my fair Kagome!” Kouga turned and ran away. “That offer is still open!”

`Finally,' Kagome thought, only to find Inuyasha about to erupt at her.

“WHAT THE HELL KAGOME?” Inuyasha screamed. “WHAT IS IT WITH YOU ALWAYS TAKING HIS SIDE?”

“He wasn't the one acting like a maniac. Why'd you have to attack him?” Kagome argued back.

“You heard what he said! About my mother,” Inuyasha replied.

“You stared it when you got personal about his pack! You know how he feels about that!”

“Every slur about me being a half-breed and a mutt is a slur against her! And you always ignore it.” Inuyasha yelled at her. Seeing she was about to reply he continued. “And he's a horrible leader who's gotten what he deserves with his depleted pack!”

“He's a good man!” Kagome replied.

“Yeah, he's great, unless you're some random villager and his wolves are bored.” He responded bitterly. “The village I buried is proof of that.”

“Hey, you're not completely innocent either!” Kagome pointed out.

“That's right, but I tried, didn't I?” Inuyasha replied, taking his beads off. “That's why I kept these things on, even after Kaede told me they were voluntary. Thanks for not telling me months ago like she asked, by the way.”

Kagome's jaw dropped. “H-how long…”

“A couple of days ago.” He replied. “I actually thought I could redeem myself, by keeping these. How stupid of me. Actions don't matter to you do they? You condone the monk exploiting people's beliefs and fears because you find sleeping indoors comfortable, and he's good at talking. You let a known murderer keep jewel shards because he was good at flattering you. Yet, because I'm rude, I can't even get away with defending my mother's honour.” He slipped the beads back on.

“It's not like that, Inuyasha,” Kagome replied weakly.

“Save it. I'm going to scout ahead to find shelter. You guys stay here and do what you do best.”

“And what would that be?” Sango asked icily.

“You sit idly by.” Inuyasha replied as he leaped into the trees.

“Osuwari!” There was a loud crash as he fell from the top of a tree.

“Wow, I totally didn't see that coming at all!” Shippo enthused.

“It seems our hanyou friend is in a worse place than we thought,” Miroku mused.

“I can't believe he said all of that.” Kagome muttered.

“It's okay Kagome, you know how he is,” Sango comforted.

“No Sango. This was different. I've seen him be rude and mean. But I've never seen him be so deliberately hurtful like he just was.” Kagome replied.

“It seems he's been holding all of that in for a very long time, at the very least since we first met Kouga.” Miroku thought out loud. “I'm sure now that he's gotten it all out, that he'll be back to normal. That's a lot of anger he held in. I just wish he'd left me out of his tirade.”

“I hope you're right, monk.” Sango replied. “I don't know if I can take traveling with an even grumpier Inuyasha. Maybe we should increase his dosage for the time being?”

“That might be a good idea.” Miroku concluded.