InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 8

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

Chapter 8

Inusouta grinned as he wandered along the crowded sidewalks of downtown, taking no notice of the curious looks of the people he passed who wondered why the handsome man in black was smiling like that.

It had been several months now since Amber had joined their strange family, and she had fit right in. His father tended to stay away when she was around, and although Inusouta had his suspicions, he couldn't say for certain what the reasons were.

He lifted a hand and brushed a stray lock of hair behind his human ear, causing two young women to pause and stare as he walked past them. He wore black sunglasses, black leather coat, black jeans, and a dark blue shirt- nothing out of the ordinary, yet more and more women would stop and watch him pass, practically drooling in his wake.

Disgusting, all of them. He had no problems with ningens, male or female, but they just didn't understand his dual nature. He wanted someone who would understand him, both as a hanyou and as a man.

He paused as he passed in front of a toy store. In the window sat a small stuffed black dog, complete with a “gold” leather collar. The intriguing creature looked back at him with realistic-looking tan plastic eyes- almost an amber color. He grinned. Just like his own.

Entering the store, his grin broadened. What are the odds?

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

(“Very good, Amber! I'm very impressed with how quickly you've caught on!”)

The young girl beamed up at Inusouta's mother. (“Arigatou, Kagome-san. I've had wonderful teachers.”)

Indeed, Amber had taken to learning Japanese like Inuyasha took to trees. Hesitant and uncertain at first, the girl had blossomed as Inusouta had gently and patiently devoted hours and hours to her studies. Now she spoke it like a native.

And Kagome had noticed something else blossoming between the two.

Inusouta was past the age of consent, at least in Sengoku Jidai, so if he chose to pursue a relationship with the young American, she couldn't gainsay him.

Not that she wanted to, anyway. Amber was truly a lovely girl, both physically and spiritually. She possessed a true gift of artistic skill that rivaled professionals, as well as being so friendly that Izayoi and Suki couldn't help but become friends with her. She was truly a sweet girl, perfect for her little boy.

Kagome mentally giggled at the thought. He hadn't been her “little boy” for so many years… yet a part of her would always think of him as a small child, reading books and bringing home injured animals for her to tend.

The miko noticed Amber's gaze drifting to the steps of the shrine yet again, for the tenth time that afternoon. She smiled, remembering how she would look for Inuyasha that same way, all those years ago. The young girl must be really attracted to her handsome son.

(“Do you think you'll find your ancestors soon?”) Kagome asked, pulling the girl out of her reverie.

Amber blushed, ashamed at having been caught looking for Inusouta. (“I hope so. My obaasan said it was very important that I discover who I really am.”) She gave Kagome a bright smile, winking. (“Maybe I'm a lost princess,”) she joked.

Kagome laughed. (“You never know, Amber-chan. Maybe you're a hime, with a whole castle of servants, just waiting for your return.”)

(“I wish.”)

Sadness tugged at the older woman's heart. Amber had told her how her parents had abandoned her as a child, not wanting to raise her themselves. Instead, they had sent her to live with her grandmother, who welcomed her with a plate of warm cookies and stories about youkai and hanyous from the days when their ancestors lived in Japan.

A dark shape caught Kagome's eye and she smiled. (“I think Inusouta has returned.”)

Immediately the girl transformed. Her face flushed and she straightened ever so slightly. A sparkle entered those sapphire eyes, making the girl even more lovely. Her gaze locked onto Inusouta and refused to relinquish him as he walked over to where the two women sat under Goshinboku.

(“Good afternoon, ladies,”) he murmured with a half-smile. His hands were behind his back and he nodded at his mother. (“I trust you have both had a delightful afternoon?”)

Kagome rolled her eyes at her son's impeccable language, his velvet voice. (“Kami, Inusouta, sometimes you really do remind me of your ojisan. No wonder your otousan constantly asks me if you're Sesshoumaru's son.”)

Amber jumped slightly and managed to pry her attention off the tall, dark, and incredibly gorgeous man next to her. ("Did you just say Sesshoumaru?")

Both Inusouta and his mother looked confused. (“Hai… I did. Why? Is something wrong?”) Kagome asked.

Amber smiled like a child who had just put together the pieces of a particularly difficult puzzle. (“Sesshoumaru- that was the name of the Inu no Taishou's eldest son- the one who inherited the Western Lands!”) She nearly bounced with excitement. ("I couldn't remember for the life of me what it was until you said it!") Then she giggled. ("You have no idea how frustrated I've been at not being able to remember the name!")

They both froze.

Then she paused, looking rather confused. ("Did you just say your ojisan's name is Sesshoumaru?")

Shit.

Kagome struggled to change the subject. (“Inusouta? What are you hiding behind your back?”)

Relief flooded Inusouta's body, making it much easier to breathe again. (“Oi! I almost forgot!”) He turned to Amber, who was still staring at him strangely. (“I… I bought this for you.”)

Bringing his arms in front of him, she gasped in surprise as he held a small stuffed black dog in his hands. It had realistic golden eyes and there was even a strip of leather, painted a gold color, around its neck as a collar. Her eyes absolutely lit up as she gazed in delight at the offering.

(“For me? Really?”) she breathed, enchanted.

(“Hai. He is all yours.”)

Kagome managed to silently stand up and walk back towards the house, leaving the young couple alone. She had wanted to melt when her son had presented the little black dog to Amber. Could he get any sappier, she thought with a broad grin. Black dog, gold eyes, and he's giving it to her. He's practically giving her his heart.

Inuyasha was going to grump.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Amber looked down at the little black dog in her lap with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Inusouta sat down next to her, slightly concerned. (“What is wrong? Do you not like him?”)

She sniffled, petting the little dog between his triangular black ears. (“He's perfect,”) she whispered. (“I absolutely love him.”)

Inusouta's heart started to race. Calm down, baka. It wasn't like she was saying she loved you.

Leaning down she nuzzled her nose against the hard plastic nose of the stuffed dog. Inusouta started to worry. (“My obaasan… she's the only one who ever gave me anything like this. She got me that ratty old fox that sits on my bed from a yard sale when I was four,”) she said softly, laughing lightly. (“Nothing as sweet as this. Because he's from you.”)

(“I... I am pleased that you approve of him,”) he managed to say.

(“He's so adorable,”) she murmured before placing a kiss on the dog's nose.

Inusouta paused, something inside shifting.

She looked over at him, smiling brightly as a tear slid down her cheek. (“Arigatou, Inusouta-kun.”)

He blinked. It was the first time in the nearly 8 months they'd known each other that she called him by his first name. It made him... happy.

He reached up, wiping the tear away with gentle fingers. He was abruptly captivated by the sight of her, sitting serenely on the bench, protected by Goshinboku's broad branches, and the last light of the setting sun shining behind her, making her appear to be glowing. He knew he should go inside before the sun went down, before he transformed, but he simply didn't want to. He was sick of hiding from her, keeping his true nature from this sweet, lovely girl who was probably his closest friend. His hand lingered on her cheek, unable to let go.

(“Is… the dog… the only one… who gets a kiss?”) he murmured without really thinking, his half-open golden eyes locked onto her sapphire ones.

Her breath caught as he leaned closer and oh-so-delicately placed his lips on hers.

Another tear slipped down her cheek as all her hopes and longing were realized in that one moment. She slowly lifted one hand and touched his smooth cheek, sliding her fingers lightly along his jaw and down his neck before reaching into his hair.

His luxurious, silky black hair.

Oh, God, it felt wonderful. Both the sensation of his lips pressing more firmly against hers and the soft strands of hair caught between her fingers.

She slightly pulled away, looking into his eyes as she flushed prettily. His gold eyes seemed more intense in the encroaching darkness. She smiled, reaching up and brushing his silky bangs back from his face so she could see his gold eyes better.

That is, until her hand encountered a strange, fuzzy object on top of his head, slightly to the side.

Amber's eyes didn't lift from Inusouta's, and she saw his eyes widen in sudden tenseness. Gently, she grasped the warm, furry object under her hand between two fingers and gently rubbed.

He made a sound between a purr and a growl.

Intrigued, she rubbed again, marveling at the velvety texture of whatever it was she held.

He whined, sounding just like…

Like a dog. Begging for more.

Slowly… ever so slowly, she pulled back, lifting her eyes to the top of his head, looking at the object still resting in her hand.

It was an ear. A black, furry, triangular ear.

The same ears she had dreamt she saw after her near-assault all those months ago. Similar to the ones Suki had that night she ran into her in the kitchen, raiding the fridge. The ones she claimed were from a cosplay party.

Disbelieving, she rubbed her thumb along the inside of the ear.

Inusouta whined again, lowering his head slightly to give her better access.

Yup… those are ears… and they're real… they're really attached to his head…

Instead of being completely and utterly freaked out, she was oddly… delighted. She knew what he was, knew that her belief in her grandmother's stories wasn't complete nonsense.

She stopped rubbing and he lifted his head slightly, looking at her intently with those glowing golden eyes.

“This… this is what I am, Amber,” he whispered in English, deliberately leaving off the honorific. He lifted his hand up to brush her cheek- and she saw the same sharp claws on each finger that Izayoi had. The same ones she had painted. She could see the flash of pearly white fangs as he spoke.

“I knew it,” she whispered back, smiling brightly as she cupped his face in her hands. (“I knew you were a hanyou. I just knew it. I knew it in my heart.”)

He looked at her, slightly taken aback. (“You… you are not bothered by the fact that I have youkai blood in me?”)

(“Why should I be? You know how I feel about youkai and hanyou. I believe you've called me `obsessed' more than once.”)

He grinned. (“I thought you would only like me if I were ningen.”)

(“Don't be absurd. I love you just the way you are.”)

His breath caught and he swore his heart stopped. She gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth although the words had already escaped. Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had just confessed. She turned away, clutching the little black dog to her chest. He could scent her embarrassment, but also he could tell she had spoken the truth. There was no deceit in her scent.

(“Gomen nasai,”) she whispered, standing up. (“I… I…”)

Unable to finish, she ran into the house, hugging the stuffed dog to her chest in a death grip. Her scent of roses, coconut and the saltiness of tears wafted back to him on the breeze.

Blinking a few times in surprise, he finally grinned and leaned back, looking up into the swaying branches of Goshinboku, twitching his ears merrily.