InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Itching for Trouble ❯ Chapter 5

As soon as InuYasha bounced away into the sunset, she could feel everyone's eyes turn towards her. No one knew what to do now that InuYasha had deviated so far off from the usual script. She knew why he felt he didn't have to make a scene anymore. They had shared with each other what they wanted, and she did intend to show him that she could be everything he needed and wanted. But still...

 

 

Koga's arm on her shoulder tore her away from her thoughts. Grabbing a hold of her hands once again, he began to recite something she was sure he thought was important. The wolf demon was an enigma to her. She had never been able to tell if his antics were for her or InuYasha's benefit. If his so called “love” was genuine or a way to get at the hanyou. When she had first been captured by him, she had helped him find the jewel shards he wore until this day, after that he had declared his undying devotion to her. But despite his sweet words, he seemed to appreciate her more for her perceived usefulness, because she was the “girl that could see the shards.” It was true that he had saved her several times in the heat of battle, but he had never been around her long enough one on one to know her, to understand her, to love her. Not like InuYasha had...

 

 

But still, it felt good to be told that you were beautiful and smart and to be given gifts for no reason at all. Whether Koga loved her or not really didn't matter because he made her feel that way, more so than InuYasha ever had—more than he probably ever would. And even if it wasn't real, she had to admit that she liked it, even the slightest of bits. Was she ready to give it all up for a chance with InuYasha? A chance for what? Love? Heartache? Sure he said he wanted them to try, but he never said what that meant exactly. All the security she thought they had built over the last few weeks was making her feel weak now that she was face to face with the fork in the road...

 

 

As the weeks flew by she was realizing more and more that Kikyo really wasn't a threat to them, but what about this new unnamed demoness? Could she, a human, really compete with a full Inugami? She had already been with him in ways that Kagome could only dream of. And InuYasha had yet to mention her since their talk, but had he seen her since that day? Was he with her now? With Koga still in front of her, she knew that he led to a road that she was familiar with. The road her and her hanyou had been on for a while now and although it wasn't the ideal, it was comfortable. InuYasha was on it, Koga, Akitoki, and in her time Hojo part deux, but the other road...

 

 

He said that his demoness made him feel free, well security made her feel the same way. Knowing that InuYasha would be there to catch her when she fell, and if not him then Koga, and if not him then Hojo in either era...gave her the opportunity to take as many risks as she wanted and she couldn't give that up. Why should she?

 

 

Without a second thought, Kagome put on her trademark smile and completed her lines to the age old script, satisfying the wolf. So many things seemed to be off that day without InuYasha's participation, but she would just have to let him know later that everything couldn't change just yet, not when some things needed to stay the same. For her to make it here in this unpredictable and ever changing world, she needed some security and her relationship with Koga was a part of that. She wouldn't give it up.

 

 

Except, too many things were already off course. After she thanked him for his thoughtfulness and promised him that she would be safe with InuYasha, Koga was supposed to leave with well wishes for their group and a smile; but today he didn't. Enthused by InuYasha's apparent apathy and her own encouragement, Koga decided to stick around and began to help make camp. When his two lackeys finally arrived, he ordered them too to get involved and had them search the area for usable firewood. She watched with wide eyes as the three demons worked hard to provide for her and her friends, lighting the fire and searching for a nearby stream to collect water. Despite what she had expected, the comfort everyone else seemed to exhibit didn't make her feel any more secure. She had hoped that one of the others would notice the sheer chaos that served as a foundation for all that was going on, but they too just went along with it. Maybe everything would end up alright and she was just overreacting. InuYasha was more tempered than he had ever been, maybe he would be okay with their new arrangement. “What's a meal between friends?”

 

 

 

 

 

He hated surprises and probably always would, especially when they historically resulted in him getting hurt, pinned to a tree, sat, or something pain related. So before he got too close to be noticed by the others he scented the camp area to get a sense of what he would find. He had prayed to the Kami that Kagome would do what she needed for both of their sakes, but apparently she had not. For Koga's scent still remained at the camp and there were other stenches that he knew belonged to the two idiots the wolf prince traveled with. He had decided when Koga first made his presence known that he would leave it all to Kagome, but with the messages from his nose confirming some of his deepest fears, he hoped to anyone who would listen that she would surprise him with anything other than what he knew awaited him.

 

 

When he arrived at camp, he was in fact surprised at what he found. Never in a million years would he have ever thought he would walk in on such a scene, but alas his group had surprised him yet again. Just like he had ordered before he left to hunt, camp was setup and a fire was burning. But what he had not counted on was Kagome, the woman who proudly and resolutely stated that she wanted to be his “everything” was currently giving everything that was meant for him to his self-proclaimed rival. With a smile he had naively hoped was only meant for him, Kagome served Koga what he guessed to be beef ramen, the flavor she said her mother had purchased exclusively for him. “I guess not...”

 

 

Dropping the rabbit carcasses to the ground, InuYasha watched as Sango scrambled to prepare them as a high pitched giggle from Kagome caught his attention. He could hear the others murmuring as she finally noticed his arrival. Snatching her hand from Koga's hold, she turned towards him, a cautiously sheepish expression on her face. She had made her decision; he didn't know why she looked so unsure now. It was what it was. There was no reason for him to be upset about it. She was her own woman, he realized that now. He couldn't get upset anymore about things he couldn't control. She had to do what was best for her, just like he had to do what was best for him. But he did want to roll his eyes as a devious smirk crawled onto the wolf's face as he stared at him from his position behind Kagome. If the fleabag considered flirting with Kagome a victory, then let him have it, it didn't mean anything to him. Preparing to jump up into a neighboring tree, he stopped when Kagome shouted out to him, “Wait InuYasha, I saved some ramen for you.”

 

 

He had to admit, he really hadn't expected there to be any left once he saw the wolves scoffing down his meal, but Kagome had always made sure he was taken care of in her own way, no matter what. “Maybe I need to work on my confidence in her too.”

 

 

Taking a seat next to the monk, the hanyou made himself comfortable as he waited to be served. After a few minutes of nothing, he peeked an eye open and watched Kagome shake out the contents of her humongous yellow backpack and search frantically for a cup of the tasty treat. When she found nothing she screeched out, “I left one more cup of ramen for InuYasha in my bag, have any of you seen it?” Looking around at the newly expanded group, she eyed everyone accusingly until she landed on the twitching kitsune. No words needed to be spoken, everyone knew he was the one who took it, but the kit found it necessary to defend himself. “I'm sorry Kagome, I didn't know that you were saving it for InuYasha. I just thought it was extra and since I was really hungry, I...I...ate it.” With a loud sob that was rather unnecessary considering the issue was about a cup of noodles, Shippo jumped into Kagome's arms and begged for her forgiveness. InuYasha looked on the pathetic scene with dark haunted eyes as the obvious finally hit home. No matter what he did to change, the rituals always seemed the same, and as he watched Kagome comfort the kit, he realized for the first time that it was because Kagome wanted it to be the same.

 

 

She wanted Shippo to remain Shippo, she wanted Koga to remain Koga, she wanted the monk and slayer to stick to their roles, and most importantly, she wanted him to continue to perform his. But he meant it when he told her that he needed change. He tasted freedom and now that he had, he craved it more and more each day. He wouldn't go back to who he was and if Kagome wasn't willing to go with him, then he would have to leave her behind. She was still a part of his pack, probably the most important person in his little world, and he would protect her with his life. But...but...he would no longer center it around her, not if she wouldn't center hers on him.

 

 

Standing up, he stood proud as all eyes focused on him. He knew that the others wouldn't understand the weight of what he was about to say, but the only one who mattered would. Making sure that his eyes spoke only to her, InuYasha stated in a proud resolute voice, “I don't really have a taste for ramen anymore. Just let me know when the rabbit is ready Sango, and I'll come have some of that.” With one more telling look to Kagome, InuYasha turned and bounded up into a high tree branch. Below he could see Kagome's shoulders fall, but she had made her decision and so had he.

 

After Sango called him down for dinner, the hanyou returned to his group mates to take his bowl before he leapt for his spot up high again. He could tell that everyone at the camp was becoming more and more sensitive to the changes that were going on, but he didn't care. No one considered his feelings when they made camp with the wolves, so hey, they could deal with the cold shoulder for a bit. After he finished his meal, he returned his bowl but refused the monk's call for him to join them all. All of them seemed so comfortable with the wolves being there, he wondered what they even wanted from him. When the night finally fell and the wolves made to take their leave, he tried to ignore Koga's big show as he bid Kagome goodbye, but his sappy words were captured by his acute hearing and he rolled his eyes in annoyance. He caught a distant, “See you later dog-shit” as the cowardly wolf sped off, but he couldn't or wouldn't muster up enough energy to care. He no longer had a fight with Koga, because as far as he was concerned there was nothing between them to fight over. If Koga wanted Kagome and if she wanted him back, he wouldn't interfere, that love triangle was one problem he could officially mark off of his list. Settling into his spot on the tree branch, he took a deep breath to check out the area around the site and smiled to himself, Koga was about to mess with the wrong Bitch.

 

 

 

 

 

He was avoiding her, she was convinced of it now. He had been less than a couple of miles away from her when he separated from the group, but still he did not come. If he was going to refuse her, she was just going to have to find satisfaction elsewhere. One wolf wouldn't be enough, but three…

 

 

The wolf actually thought he stood a chance against her, how foolish of him. But she had to admit, he put up a pretty good fight, especially when he used his claws. Shedding her own blood brought out the wild in her, and she showed him just how dirty an Inu Bitch could get. It had been a rough encounter when it had just been them two, but when she asked the others to join them…But still she yearned for her hanyou. He always brought out the best in her and she would have him all to herself soon enough. “You can't ignore me forever my sweet hanyou. I will find you, and when I do…”

 

 

 

The scent of the blood and sex was almost suffocating to an inu, but neither the neko nor the kitsune had senses keen enough to catch it. He was glad too, because if either of them alerted the humans to the scuffle happening only a few miles south, he would have to explain a whole lot more to the others than he wanted. Chuckling to himself he looked down at the campsite for his final check. Everything seemed to be in place, except the girl from the future who…It didn't matter anymore. What was done was done, she was much too young to really understand her words or her actions and he knew he probably shouldn't have taken her promise seriously. Humans, whether he liked to admit it or not, were a fickle and untrusting group that needed constant reassurance from a stable and constant source. Apparently, he hadn't provided her with enough stability, but he had put all he had out there and if she couldn't accept it, there was nothing else he could do. He could hear her quiet sniffles and sobs, but she had made her own bed and would have to lie in it. He made a promise that he would protect her from all that could harm her in his world and in hers, but he couldn't protect her from herself.

 

 

 

A/n

Trouble is a brewing between our favorite hanyou and Kagome. What does their future hold? Read to find out…Until the next one, thanks for reading and let me know what you think.