InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ House of Fire ❯ Chapter 1

“Building a house of fire, baby,

building it with our love.

We are building a house of fire

every time we touch.

We are building this house together, baby,

standing on solid ground.

We are building a house of fire

that you can't tear down.”

- House of Fire, Alice Cooper

 

Somehow, their lips had found each other. They didn't really know how it had happened nor could they recall as to why. It simply . . . happened. Before they knew it, they were laying in each other's arms, naked and under several fur pelts.

 

As they lay there, Inuyasha idly caressed the soft red tresses of the wolf demoness. Things had gotten complicated as of late. Extremely complicated. And he had no idea as to how everything could be remedied.

 

At the moment, though, remedying his current situation was the furthest thing from his mind. He just wanted to enjoy Ayame's company . . . before they had to go their separate ways in the morning.

 

`If only the night would last just a little while longer,' he thought with a sleepy sigh. `Then I'd really be in heaven . . .'

 

 

Several weeks before . . .

 

The blood rushed to his face but not from any form of embarrassment or anger. It happened every time he said something to either anger or embarrass the young miko that traveled with him and she used her little charm that Kaede had given her to make him eat the ground.

 

At first, the rosary had been placed on him to keep him from harming Kagome. Not that he really would have killed her or anything. It was just . . . she reminded him a lot of Kikyou and, to him, he'd just been pinned to the Goshinboku tree by the priestess. Inuyasha had still been angry at Kikyou for it and for betraying him. It was what he felt he had to do to protect his heart. Opening his heart up had cost him dearly. He didn't want to feel that pain ever again.

 

Now . . . now the damned rosary was being used to keep him in line, as it were, and to control him. He was being conditioned to like things that he didn't like (like some of the foods that Kagome prepared - they were awful and nothing could save them, as far as he was concerned) and to like people that he didn't really want to like.

 

Like that damned wolf. Inuyasha could practically hear the smug tone in Kouga's voice as he bid Kagome farewell then took off.

 

As the binding spell began to wear off, Inuyasha pushed himself off the ground. He felt more than saw the glares that were being aimed at him, but it was to be expected. After all, according to Kagome, he was being ridiculous. Kouga was a friend and an ally. Nothing more. And his petty jealousy was driving her insane.

 

`But he's infringing on what's mine . . . why can't anyone see that? He isn't the one protecting Kagome. He isn't the one that's nearly died for her and would die for her. I'm the one who's protecting her. I'm the one that's nearly died for her and would die for her. Why can't they see that? Why can't they see . . . how much it hurts . . .'

 

The whole situation was enough to drive anyone crazy, and Inuyasha wanted to shout at them, make them see things as how he saw them, to make them see . . . how insulted he was every time Kouga called him “mutt-face” or “dog-turd.” He may not have been proud of his human heritage but he had always loved his mother. She'd been the only human to truly love him and to trust him. For Inuyasha, the insults ran deep and it pained him when no one else came to his defense. Kouga wasn't insulting just his youkai heritage. He was insulting his human heritage as well . . . and his mother.

 

“Inuyasha, why can't you . . .” Kagome began, quite intent on giving him one of her lectures on how he should be a little nicer to the wolf youkai. He could tell just by her tone.

 

“Shut up,” he growled out, keeping his eyes on the ground. “I don't want to hear it.”

 

“You didn't let me finish,” she stated. “What I was about to say was. . .”

 

“Why can't I be a little nicer to Kouga?” he spat. “Spare me. I've heard it before.”

 

“Inuyasha . . .”

 

“I said I don't want to hear it!” the hanyou snapped. Before they knew it and before he could comprehend what was he doing, he took off, running as fast as his legs would go.

 

* * *

 

With his lungs burning, Inuyasha came to a stop by a stream. He didn't know how far he had run. At the moment, he didn't care. He was reaching his breaking point, and he knew it. The last thing he wanted to do was break down in front of his friends.

 

`I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't . . . I can't . . .'

 

He collapsed to the ground, gulping in huge amounts of air in an effort to control his emotions. It took him several moments but he managed to eventually push the frustration, anger, and hurt aside. Still, he had no desire to return to his companions just yet. He liked to have a few moments to himself, and he needed it. For some reason, his friends found it unusual for him to have his quiet, thoughtful moments and, to him, seemed to go out of their way to get him back to the way they felt he should be.

Which was just about the opposite of what Kagome wanted him to be.

 

`How the hell did I get myself into this mess?' Inuyasha sighed, sitting next to the water. For a while, he just gazed into the cool, crystal blue depths of the stream as it rolled on by. Soon his expression became relaxed, tired almost, his thoughts becoming hazy. Moments later, he was on his feet and his arms were outstretched.

 

`How easy it would be . . . to just let go . . .'

 

With his eyes closed and his face turned towards the sun, Inuyasha took a few steps forward . . .