InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 13

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

Chapter 13

Inusouta took a deep breath as he stood outside the door to Amber's apartment. He hoped she wasn't at work yet- it was only eight in the morning, but still…

Dressed comfortably in a forest green t-shirt and blue jeans, he had pulled his hair back in the usual ponytail at the nape of his neck. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Lifting a hand, he knocked on her door. Pausing, he listened as well as he could with his ningen hearing. He couldn't hear any sounds within. He knocked again, louder.

A few moments passed, then he could hear the door opening, held by a chain. A sapphire blue eye peered out at him through the space between the door and the jamb.

(“What do you want?”)

He let out the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. (“I want to talk to you. We did not finish our conversation yesterday.”)

(“I finished it. Go home.”)

Inusouta sighed. (“Amb- Ryoushi-san, onegai. Let me in.”)

She regarded him for a moment before closing the door again. He could hear the sounds of the chain being removed and then the door opened again, revealing a dripping wet girl- woman- wrapped in a fluffy lavender towel. Her delightful appearance was somewhat marred by her scowl. She gestured for him to enter.

(“Fine. But I have to get dressed. You'll have to wait.”)

(“Very well.”) He nodded politely and walked to her couch, a beige, well-worn item that he guessed had been purchased from a second-hand store.

She turned around, long golden hair swishing and flinging water droplets behind her as she headed for the bedroom.

Taking a seat on the couch, he gazed around the small but comfortable living room. She had furnished it nicely, with a few tasteful knick-knacks that suited her well. A shelf on the wall displayed a half dozen ceramic wolf figurines, realistically done despite their small size.

A framed picture of a young girl and an elderly woman dressed in a simple kimono and obi sat on a side table next to a simple table lamp. The resemblance between the two was obvious. That must be Amber and her obaasan…

His gaze moved around the room, taking note of a framed picture on the wall. He stood up, stepping closer.

It was the drawing that Amber had been sketching and coloring during all those months at the shrine. The great white inu-youkai stood majestically amid pale clouds, the mountains and streams of Japan below him, signifying his reign over the land. Jagged purple crests were evident on the inu-youkai's cheek. It was marvelously done in colored pencil, really bringing the tai-youkai to life.

Otousan… you have the same crests Ojii-sama did…

He had never really thought about his father's sire. The Inu no Taishou had died when Inuyasha was just a newborn, so there was no one to ask to find out what he was like. Except perhaps his Oji-sama Sesshoumaru, but that seemed like suicide.

Inuyasha himself had no idea what his father even looked like.

Otousan should see this… he thought.

He turned around abruptly to see Amber standing behind him, eyeing him warily. She was dressed very nicely in a short light blue skirt and white short-sleeve blouse. Her golden hair was pulled back in a haphazard twist secured by a hairclip. A few stray tendrils escaped, dancing around her face. “I finished the drawing,” she murmured. “So I decided to frame it and display it until I can take it to my obaasan's grave in California.”

“You did an exceptional job. You have extraordinary talent.”

She bowed slightly. (“Arigatou.”)

Gesturing toward the couch, she perched at one end as he sat at the other. “What is it you wanted to talk about?” she asked bluntly. “I thought we were done talking.”

Never… “I want… no, I need to know. You never answered my question yesterday.”

Desperately, she tried to look blank and confused. “What question? I answered all your questions.”

“What did you mean when you said you loved me the way I am?”

She waved him off dismissively. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

He glared at her. “I think you do. Remember the night I showed you I was a hanyou? You told me you loved me the way I was. I need to know: did you mean that you loved the fact I was a hanyou or… are you in love with me?”

Rage and sorrow filled her. His words to his father all those months ago drifted across her mind. …I would be interested in dating her, but no, I am not in love with her…

(“No.”)

He blinked at the raspy sound of her voice, noting that she had shifted back to Japanese. (“What?”)

Sapphire eyes looked at him, blank and emotionless. Her face was completely neutral. (“No, I am not… in love with you.”)

Inusouta nearly narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Somehow, he felt she was lying. (“You sure?”)

Still no expression. (“Hai. I feel… nothing for you.”) She raised an eyebrow at him. ("Why are you so insistent about this? Why do you keep coming around here, looking for me?")

Don't answer that. He sighed. Time to change the subject. (“Did… did you ever discover anything more about your ancestors?”)

Ah. Safe territory. (“Hai. I discovered a couple living in a small village near the southern tip of Japan about 500 years ago- a man named Kohaku and his wife, Kuri. It appears that they had a daughter whom they named Kohaku, after her otousan.”)

He nodded. (“That's wonderful. I'm… glad that you've been making progress.”)

She tilted her head to the side, regarding him for a moment. (“You… you're talking different. You're not quite so proper.”)

Flushing slightly, the black-haired man shrugged. (“I… hadn't realized.”)

Momentarily, she grinned. (“You're actually using normal language. I'm impressed.”)

Inusouta raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes glittering dangerously. (“Are you?”) he asked, the velvety texture back in his voice.

Her mouth went dry. Blinking, she tried to recover her previous indifference. (“V-very.”)

Abruptly he stood, grasping one of her hands and pulling her to her feet as well. He stood very close to her, gazing down at her with those topaz eyes. (“Does anything else… impress you?”)

She swallowed, unable to look away. God… I want him… I want him to kiss me, to hold me… to take me… ("L-like I-I'd ever admit something like t-that,") she managed to whisper.

Taking that as an invitation, he lowered his head as he pulled her closer, his arms snaking around her waist and pulling her flush against his body.

He never noticed the dark blue stripes appearing on his forearms, right below the elbow.

Strong hands slid down her back, cupping the curves of her backside through the satiny material of her skirt. She gasped against his mouth and he took the opportunity to dip his tongue inside to touch hers.

She could feel the heat of his skin through their clothing. The taste of him was intoxicating, bringing to life the dreams she had only the night before.

Inusouta released her mouth to place his lips on her neck instead, nibbling and licking at the tender skin he found there. Her scent of roses and coconut filled his dulled human nose, reminding him of their dreamy interlude mere hours ago.

Amber whimpered softly. “Inusouta-kun…” she whispered.

“Bad dog.”

It was like a douse of cold water to her system. She couldn't believe she actually said that out loud.

Inusouta nearly chuckled, but refrained himself. Instead he pulled back slightly, looking at her with those warm amber eyes. “Bad dog?” he repeated curiously.

She tried to pull out of his grasp, embarrassed. (“Gomen nasai… I didn't mean…”)

He refused to let her go. “I rather think you did mean it. Am I… a bad dog?” he asked with his father's “I'm-a-bad-ass” grin.

She glared at him. “Quite often.” Especially in my dreams…

“Woof.”

I know he did not just say that…

Amber managed to disengage herself from his arms, much to the regret of both of them. (“I think you should leave. You got your answer.”)

The breathtakingly gorgeous man looking at her simply shook his head. (“I wanted to ask you to return with me to the shrine. Now that you have names, I am certain my okaasan and otousan would be able to assist you more.”)

She raised an eyebrow at him. (“Your parents? How could they help me find people that have been dead for centuries?”)

He gave her a mysterious shrug. (“They… have their ways. Come with me- at least for today. Onegai.”) He held out his hand.

Amber glanced at the appendage. She did a double take as she saw the blue mark on his upper forearm. (“Um… Inusouta-kun? Did you draw on your arm?”)

Inusouta stared at the blue stripe. It was thicker on the inside part of his arm, maybe a half inch across, narrowing to a point on either side as it trailed behind toward his elbow. A matching stripe decorated his other arm.

Fuck. What the hell is this now?

(“No, I did not draw on myself. I do not know what these are. It looks like I will have to consult my otousan.”)

She sighed. (“There you are, talking like you're a lord or something. I think I liked you better when you spoke like a normal…”) she broke off, realizing what she just said.

He grinned. (“Like a normal human being?”) he teased.

Amber blushed furiously. (“Yeah, well… sort of.”)

Stepping closer, he delicately grasped her chin with his fingers, looking her straight in the eye. (“Would you rather I was a ningen than a hanyou?”) he asked softly.

Sapphire eyes hardened. (“Does my preference really matter?”) she replied coldly.

(“It does to me.”)

Those eyes blinked in confusion. (“Why?”)

He paused. (“I… It just does.”)

She rolled her eyes. (“If you can't give me a better reason then that, then I won't tell you which I prefer.”)

She's got a point…

Shut up, you.

(“So… will you return with me to the shrine? For today, at least?”)

Amber sighed. She had off today and tomorrow… should she go and see if she could discover anything else about her ancestors? I might not have another lead like this, and if Kagome-san and Inuyasha-dono could help me…

(“Very well. But only today.”)

He grinned as he kissed her suddenly on the lips. (“Excellent. Let's go.”)