InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 18

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

Chapter 18

Amber nearly died when he kissed her. The voice in her head urged her on, shamelessly.

This is it! Take him! At least have this one memory to keep with you once you go back home!

Back… home…

Home. To her, the word was synonymous with the Higurashi shrine. Yet she knew she couldn't stay here in Japan. She didn't belong here. There was no reason to stay.

Am I not a good enough reason? Inusouta's voice came back to her.

God, yes. He's the best reason of all.

She closed her eyes and slowly lifted her hands to his chest, pausing when they encountered something… lumpy. Her eyes snapped open and stared into his, which were now open and looking at her.

(“Right. I forgot about him.”)

Sitting up, he reached into his dark blue haori and pulled out the little black stuffed dog he had bought her all those months ago.

Carefully she took the dog from his clawed hands. She stared at the toy for a moment before looking up at Inusouta, who was still crouched, half over her. She grinned.

These two look just alike. Maybe I should see if I can get my bad dog to wear a gold collar.

He raised an eyebrow as if to say “I don't want to know what you're thinking.” Instead, he said (“Do you still want him?”) Do you still want me?

Amber nodded as she placed a kiss on the stuffed dog's nose. Inusouta bristled slightly.

This time she raised an eyebrow at him. (“Are you jealous of a little stuffed dog?”)

He snorted most indignantly. ("I am not jealous.”)

She blinked. Gently setting the dog aside, next to her ratty little fox, she gave him a rather mischievous smile. (“I think you are.”)

He practically pounced on her, wrapping one arm around her slender waist and pulling her slightly off the mat to press against his body. (“I have no reason to be jealous. You are going to be kissing me a lot more than that stupid toy.”)

The grin broadened. (“Oh, really? Pretty confident in yourself, aren't you?”)

(“Damn straight. You are my mate- not his.”)

Amber blinked at him in confusion. (“Excuse me? I'm your what?”)

Oh, shit. Nice going, baka inu.

Shaddup. I am not my otousan.

Could've fooled me.

He actually blushed. (“You… you're… my…”)

Sapphire eyes narrowed at him. She was so mad she shifted to English. “So… I'm just a `mate' am I? Is that the hanyou term for someone you fuck once and then go your merry way? Hell no.” She placed her hands on his chest in an attempt to push him off.

He caught her wrists and trapped them on either side of her head. “That's not it!” he tried to explain.

“I don't want to hear it!”

She struggled against him and, much to the surprise of both them, she pushed him off.

For a moment, Inusouta simply stared at her in wonder. In return, she glared at him. “I want you out. Now.”

“But-!”

“No! I want you out of here!” She stood up and pulled on her yukata, walking very quickly from the room. He followed like a little lost puppy, his ears drooping.

Now how am I supposed to convince her?

Don't ask me.

Taking up a stance next to the patio door, she crossed her arms and gave him a seriously pissed-off glare. “Good night.”

He nodded sadly before stepping outside and perching on the edge of the balcony railing. “Sleep well,” he murmured before leaping off. Itoshii…

Amber heaved a huge sigh after Inusouta finally left. Bad dog! Should've beat him with a rolled up newspaper.

There's a novel idea. I'll remember that.

She walked to the bathroom and started water running into the tub. While she waited for the tub to fill, she brushed her hair, thoroughly tangled by her run-in with that naughty hanyou.

Why does he keep coming around here? Can't he just leave well enough alone?

Couldn't tell you. Why are you complaining though? It's not like he's not devastatingly attractive.

There's more to men than just looks, you know.

The voice laughed merrily as she got into the tub, her eyes not focusing on much of anything. If you say so, honey.

Amber picked up the washcloth and the bottle of her favorite bodywash. Lathering up the cloth, she scrubbed herself as clean as she could get, trying to get the feel of Inusouta's body off of her.

Stretching to reach her feet, she paused, staring in confusion at her ankle. There were two lavender stripes wrapped around it. Lifting her other leg, she was even more puzzled to see a pair of matching ones on the other ankle. What the hell are those?

Vigorously she scrubbed at the marks, but they refused to come off. Well, bloody hell. This is embarrassing. I'll look like a freak if I walk around with these things. What are they, anyway?

The voice inside her head was mysteriously silent for once.

Fine. Be that way. I'm going to bed.

In the morning, we're going back to the Higurashi shrine.

I remember.

The last thoughts she had as she drifted off to sleep were of a certain black-haired hanyou with irresistible ears.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

A bright flash of pink light signaled the return of Inusouta's parents early the next morning. Inusouta, dressed in a black t-shirt and blue jeans, was right there to meet them.

Kagome glanced up at her obviously ticked-off son. (“Inusouta? Is something the matter?”)

The young man examined his nails as if they were distressfully important. (“Oh, nothing much… Let's see… where to begin… I discovered that these marks on my arms are actually my crests,”) he said sarcastically, his voice growing louder as he continued, (“and that they've appeared because my youkai has chosen my mate!”)

Inuyasha snorted. (“Tell us something we don't know.”)

Golden eyes blinked at his father. (“You… already knew that?”)

(“Of course. I realized it when I saw them the other night. Now, how about some information you don't know?”)

Kagome nodded. (“We found Shippou.”)

Inusouta shrugged. (“So? Congratulations. It's about time.”)

(“He… he's the missing name on Amber's family tree. He's her ancestor.”)

His jaw dropped. (“Shippou is? The Shippou we know? You sure?”)

Kagome nodded again. (“There's no mistaking it. His mate's name is Kohaku, and their son's got the same name.”)

“Bloody hell.”

Inuyasha's eyebrows rose up under his silver bangs. (“Oi! What the hell did you just say?”)

Kagome looked at her mate somewhat helplessly. (“It… looses something in translation.”) She gave her son a Look. (“Where did you pick up that particular phrase anyway?”)

The younger hanyou actually blushed. (“Amber-chan,”) he muttered.

Inuyasha looked around. (“Where is that girl anyway? We need to tell her what we found out.”)

(“She's gone. She went back to her apartment. I went to see her, but… she doesn't want to see me.”)

Kagome laid her hand on her son's arm. (“She doesn't want to see you? Are you sure about that?”)

He nodded miserably. (“Every time I've tried to talk to her and tell her… how I feel about her… she either leaves or tells me to get out.”)

Inuyasha scowled. (“You've been in her apartment, have you?”)

Another nod. (“Hai, sir.”)

(“Last night?”)

(“Hai, sir.”)

Kagome sighed. (“Well, if your youkai has chosen her, but you're not sure about her feelings for you, you'll just have to try and prove your feelings to her. It can only help.”)

(“If you say so, Okaasan.”)

She gave him a warm smile. (“Don't worry so much. Now that we know who her ancestors are, we can take her through the well to meet them.”)

Inusouta looked up, startled. (“Take her though the well? You really think that will work?”)

(“Can't hurt to try.”)

Inuyasha nodded. (“Shippou, his mate, their son and his mate's mother are all waiting in Kaede's village for us to return with Amber. They really want to meet her.”)

(“You do not believe that having a kitsune as an ancestor is going to distress her a little bit?”)

His father snorted. (“Something tells me she'll be thrilled.”)

The younger hanyou nodded. (“Then… I guess I will have to go back and try to get Amber-chan to come back with me.”)

(“And don't let her get away this time.”)

(“Hai, sir.”)

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Racing down the steps of the shrine, Inusouta pulled out his motorcycle keys as he leaped onto the bike. His mind on the golden-haired girl of his dreams, he revved the engine and screeched off, heading for Ukyo's Restaurant.

Sure enough, she was working. Looking good enough to eat in that damned uniform, too. He walked inside, where he was promptly seated in a booth in the corner by the manager.

Amber walked over, unaware it was him until she was actually next to the table. Her sapphire eyes narrowed. (“What are you doing here?”) she hissed.

He gave her a benevolent smile. “Maybe I am here for the chocolate pie?”

She snorted delicately. (“Chocolate is bad for dogs.”)

(“Don't care. For you, I'd eat a whole vat.”)

She glared. (“Flattery will get you nowhere.”)

(“Damn. That was my last hope.”)

(“Why are you here?”)

His face went solemn. (“My parents are back. They have some news for you. Something really serious.”)

(“I doubt that.”)

He looked surprised. (“Nani? Why?”)

(“You're just here to bother me. Now go away. You're taking up space.”)

(“I am a paying customer. I would like a breakfast special and a glass of milk.”)

Rolling her eyes, she took the order. “Bad dog,” she muttered in English as she walked away.

You have no idea, he thought with a grin.

And so it went. All day long. He actually sat through her entire eight hour shift, eating and drinking more than she would have thought possible. Of course, he was not a normal guy- he was a hanyou in ningen skin.

Standing in the back, she stared at him in confusion. He continually tried to talk to her, flattering her and trying to get under her skin. It was working too… that was the problem. His last comment stuck in her mind and made her hide in the back, afraid to go back out there.

You look absolutely delicious, he had said with a seductive smirk. You make me wish I were an ookami hanyou rather than an inu hanyou. You could be Little Red Riding Hood and I could be your Big Bad Wolf.

She blushed at the echo of his words, the look of pure possessiveness on his face. The cook called her name, telling her that Inusouta's order was up- a bowl of soup.

Taking a deep breath, she took the bowl to his table. His golden eyes watched her, sparkling in delight.

(“I am glad you came back. I missed you.”)

She glared. (“I told you to go away.”)

He sighed. (“Will you sit down, please? Just for a minute?”)

Glancing around for her manager, she huffed and sat on the edge of the booth. (“Make it quick.”)

(“Gomen nasai.”)

She blinked. (“Nani?”)

He looked at her, his face full of naked emotion. There was no seduction, no teasing looks, nothing untoward in his gaze. Nothing but truth.

(“I've been an ass… and I'm sorry. Onegai. You… you don't know how much… you really mean to me.”)

She absorbed that. He was telling the truth. She'd bet her paycheck on it. (“I'll go.”)

He looked up, hope clear in his golden eyes. (“Nani?”)

She sighed. (“I'll go to the shrine to talk to your parents. Tomorrow, after work.”)

He grinned, standing up. (“Arigatou! Really… I am… I'm so happy that you will come. I promise you… you won't be sorry.”)

Pulling out his wallet he handed her a bunch of bills- more than enough to cover what he had eaten and then some, leaving her an extremely outrageous tip. She stared at him in confusion.

You… you don't know how much you mean to me…

She smiled, looking a little goofy, but she didn't care. You didn't hear things like that every day.