InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 21

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

Chapter 21

Shippou glanced at Kagome, who was stirring the kettle over the fire pit. (“So this girl is from the era you originally come from, Kagome-chan?”)

The miko nodded, somewhat unable to take her eyes off the man sitting across the fire from her, as if by staring she could get her little kitsune boy back, ready to fling himself at her and hug her.

He gave her a familiar grin, completely Shippou-esque. (“Did you bring any pocky?”)

Inuyasha actually thumped the man over the head. (“Brat! Eleven years have passed since we've seen you and you still haven't grown up!”) Kuri and Kohaku looked at the hanyou in something akin to shock.

Shippou rubbed the top of his head. (“You never grow out of pocky.”)

The girls had gone out to visit with their friends- mostly Miroku and Sango's kids. The five adults- Shippou, Kohaku, Kuri, Inuyasha and Kagome- all sat around the fire pit, silently worrying about Amber. The little hanyou Kohaku- known affectionatly as 'Haku- was out with Sango and Ren, spending time with the little girl just his age. It had been a long day.

For Inusouta, it just seemed to get longer.

He had been cloistered away in the sleeping quarters since he had carried Amber to the village after his mother and Minako had tended her wounds.

Kagome smiled at her old friend. (“It's so good to see you again, Shippou. I've been so worried about you since you disappeared.”)

The kitsune blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. (“Yeah… I missed you too, Kagome-chan. Sorry about leaving like that. I just… couldn't stay here with Miroku and Sango-chan any longer.”)

She paused. (“Was it… was it because of their children?”)

Inuyasha snorted. (“Their vast litter, you mean?”)

His mate shot him a glare. (“Baka.”)

Shippou shook his head. (“No… it wasn't that. They've treated me very well. I just… I don't know.”) He looked at her with sad, green eyes. (“I do know, but I just don't know if I can admit it.”)

She smiled at him warmly. (“Shippou, you can tell us anything. You know that.”)

He sighed, giving Inuyasha a look that clearly stated he didn't believe that. (“I couldn't stay with them… because they weren't you.”)

Kagome blinked in surprise. (“Weren't us?”)

(“No. They weren't you, Kagome-chan. You were the only one I wanted as my okaasan. But then you got pregnant with the twins… and then you left…”) He looked down at the fire sadly, suddenly looking like a little boy again. (“You gave me up to Sango-chan and Miroku. For your sake, I stayed with them until I was able to take care of myself. Then, I went out on my own, determined to live my own life, find my own family.”)

The miko smiled at Kohaku and Kuri. (“Which you found, I see.”)

(“Hai. I met Kohaku and her okaasan about four years ago, when she was fifteen and I was twenty-one. We fell in love, and her okaasan approved, so they moved from their village to the forest I had been living in. I built them a house immediately, and a little over a year later, I took Kohaku as my mate.”) He grinned. (“Our son, 'Haku, was born nine months later.”)

Inuyasha flopped down on the floor. (“So then you are Amber's ancestor.”)

(“I have no idea. I'll have to see for myself when she awakens.”)

Changing the subject, Kagome glared at her mate. (“You know she thinks your son propositioned her.”)

The hanyou snorted, closing his eyes and stuffing his hands into his sleeves. (“He did no such thing!”) Then he cracked an eye at her. (“What does `propositioned' mean anyway?”)

She rolled her eyes. (“It means she thinks he asked her to have sex with him with no long-term commitment.”)

(“Nani? He can't do that! Just once is all it takes and they're mated for life! Well, I mean…”) he stopped suddenly, flushing slightly.

Shippou gave him a Look. (“You know what has to happen for the mating to be considered official in the eyes of the youkai.”) Kohaku nodded.

Kagome looked confused. (“What do you mean? Does something special have to happen for them to be considered mated by youkai tradition?”) She turned to her mate, who stared stubbornly at the wall. (“Are… are we officially mated?”)

(“Keh! Of course we are! We fulfilled the requirements!”) he sniffed as if she should know better.

Shippou took a deep breath. (“Kagome-chan… a mating isn't considered valid until… a child is conceived. When you and Inuyasha… well, when you made the twins, you were officially mated by youkai law.”)

Brown eyes went wide. (“So you and Kohaku… when you mated…”)

Nod. (“She conceived that first time, so she was legitimately recognized as my true mate.”) Kohaku blushed and Shippou grinned proudly. (“She's pregnant again, you know. We're going to have another kit in about five months.”)

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. (“You're turning into another Miroku.”)

Kohaku laughed softly. (“No… I don't want that many, and neither does Shippou. But a couple more should do it.”)

Kagome smiled softly. Two more after this one's born, she thought, remembering Amber's family tree.

Suddenly Shippou's words registered in her mind. …a mating isn't considered valid until a child is conceived… Then Inuyasha's voice. His crests have appeared… it means his youkai has found his mate… She immediately stood up and looked at the kitsune in absolute horror. (“Did you just say… that in order for Inusouta to claim Amber as his mate, he has to get her pregnant?!”)

The poor man froze when faced with her ire. Dimly, he nodded. (“That's… how it is…”)

Furious, she whirled on her unsuspecting mate. (“You! Did you know any of this? When you got me pregnant all those years ago?”)

Inuyasha's ears were flattened against his skull and he looked up at her with fear in his eyes as he waved his hands back and forth negatively. (“N-n-no! I swear! I got you pregnant by accident! I didn't even know about this rule until later!”)

Shippou shrugged. (“It's a youkai thing. If he had asked Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm sure he would've told him sooner.”) He looked up, thoughtful. (“Then again… he might not have, just to make Inuyasha suffer…”)

If Kagome had claws, both males would've been in some serious trouble. As it was, she simply held her hand up as if she were about to crack her knuckles like her mate and son so often did. (“My baby boy… is not old enough… to be fathering a child!”) she hissed.

Inuyasha, who should've known better than to open his big mouth, spoke up. (“He's not exactly your `baby boy' anymore. Besides, you'd be an obaasan.”)

He blanched when she slowly turned towards him, her eyes on fire. (“I am not old enough to be an obaasan either,”) she said in a deadly voice.

(“Weren't you just complaining that you were getting old?”)

(“OSUWARI!”) she snarled loudly, causing her mate to create a rather deep crater in the wooden floor. Kohaku and Kuri stared at the prone hanyou amidst the splintered boards in mute surprise.

Shippou grinned as he looked at the poor hanyou buried in the floor. (“That never gets old,”) he chuckled.

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

Inusouta leaned his forehead against the wall, his face solemn and sad. He had reverted back to human once Amber was safe in Minako's hut, but even without his exceptional hanyou hearing, he had heard every word his parents and Shippou had said.

So… in order to claim Amber as your mate, you have to get her pregnant. Simple enough, I should think.

He winced. Am… am I ready to be a father? I'm only eighteen. I haven't even dated that many girls. Now, because youchose Amber as my mate, I'm supposed to just roll over and submit?

What are you complaining about? You're in love with the girl, she loves you in return… where is the problem?

Golden eyes moved over to the bed where the unconscious girl laid, her long amber hair draped over the pillow like a blanket. Her feet were bare under a soft blanket, revealing the twin lavender stripes around each ankle. Her bloodied clothing had been removed by Minako and his mother and she was demurely clothed in a simple lavender yukata, courtesy of his sister. The problem is that I don't think she'll believe me if I tell her.

His youkai sighed. Can't hurt to try. Once she wakes up, you'll have to break down and tell her the truth.

Then, and only then, will I take her as my mate. Not until she believes and accepts that I love her. That I want to make this permanent.

Good dog.

Inusouta gave a weak smile. No… bad dog, remember? I'm Amber's bad dog.

He moved over to her bedside, unable to stay away from her for even a few minutes. Gently he stroked her hair back from her beautiful face, motionless and pale in the restorative sleep she was in.

I'm so sorry, Amber. I should've told you sooner how I really felt about you. Then maybe I could've protected you better… you wouldn't have gotten hurt, and you wouldn't be lying here looking like… like…

Like you're about to die on me.

His chest constricted with grief. The last three months without her had been pure hell, although he thought he covered up the majority of his agony rather well. It felt like someone had ripped out something vital, like a lung or a kidney… or his heart. Now, that lonely sadness was nothing compared to the misery he was experiencing now.

He nearly broke down in tears again. Why was he so morose? She was here in front of him, alive- why wasn't he feeling better?

Because he knew he'd been an ass. He had fucked everything up, just like his father had done, over and over again during the two years he had been traveling with his mother in Sengoku Jidai.

Baka. You've tried so hard not to be like your old man, and you end up just like him anyway.

Inusouta sighed. It was true. He constantly argued with his father that he was no longer a pup, yet it was obvious he still was. It was time to stop and grow up. Past time.

He sat by the sleeping mat and took one of Amber's limp hands in both of his. “I promise you, sweetheart… I will prove to you how much I love you,” he whispered in English, just for her. “I will make you see that you are the only one for me. You are my mate and I swear I will protect you forever. You, and our pups.”

Taking one hand away from hers he placed it reverently on her flat belly, just below her navel, where their pup would quicken and grow, once he convinced her that he loved her and she allowed him to take her as his mate.

“I'll try to be a good mate and father, Amber. I promise you that. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy… just please… please wake up. I can't stand to see you like this. It's killing me.” Moisture gathered in his eyes as he rested his forehead against her hand. “Please…”

He sat there, hunched over with her hand in his and his other hand splayed on her stomach as if protecting her.

Her hand moved slightly, giving his hand a weak squeeze that had him staring at her, barely able to restrain his hope.

Sapphire eyes opened and looked tiredly at him. “Inu… sou…ta…” she whispered hoarsely. “Am… am I dead…?”

The tears that fell were now tears of absolute joy and relief. “No, itoshii. You're not dead. You are very much alive, and I plan to keep you that way for a long, long time.”