InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lady Kagome ❯ Chapter 52 ( Chapter 52 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome felt guilty putting off Shippou, but she was busy and had a life. Her classes went by quickly and the museum curator gave her a light side project to finish, then she could leave.

As she rode the bus back home, she bit her lip as she held Shippou’s card in one hand and her cell phone in the other. She was nervous to call him.

‘This is Shippou! Come on, girl. Suck it up and just call him.’

She dialed and put the phone to her ear. After a few rings, she heard him say, “Hello?”

“Shippou, this is Kagome,” she began. “You still want to get together tonight.”

“Hai. Anywhere in particular, you’d like to meet?” he replied warmly.

“Remember the well, and the Goshinboku?” she asked.

“Of course. There’s a shrine there now,” he answered.

“That is where I live. Can you meet me there?” she bit her lip again.

“Hai. I am bringing someone with me. Is that okay?” he wondered.

“Whatever you wish,” she smiled, her nervousness melting away. “You can come after seven. The gals are cooking tonight so come hungry.”

“You bet,” Shippou chuckled. “Until then.”

Kagome smiled and shut her cell phone and then pulled the handle to stop the bus. Yukari was waiting for her at the bottom of the shrine steps.

“How was work?” she asked.

“The usual,” Kagome smiled. “So, what brings you down the shrine steps to greet me.”

“There is a elderly gentleman in the Goshinboku and he won’t come down. I was waiting for you to see what you would say before calling the police,” she replied as they climbed the long staircase.

“How odd. An elderly man, you say?” Kagome mulled over, quite perplexed.

‘Must be one fit old man.’

As she reached the top, the Goshinboku was in clear site and as Yukari had said, there was indeed someone in the tree.

“Gomen, sir, demo this is a sacred tree. You shouldn’t be up there,” she said, approaching it.

“Onna, you gotta be dense if you don’t know who I am,” the man said gruffly.

She noted that he was wearing a black hoody and had sufficiently covered his head, except for silver hairs poking out. The voice did seem familiar, but she knew a few people that spoke the way the man did to her, so she was at a loss.

“Gomen again, but I do not know you,” she said.

The man huffed and jumped down, hastily making his way towards leaving the shrine and said, “Well, wench, if you couldn’t figure out, why should I bother telling you.”

Kagome grabbed the man’s arm and replied, “If you’re going to be rude, then don’t bother coming to the Sunset Shrine again. I can’t say that I kn…”

His scent was sandalwood, pine, and a hint of morning dew.

‘Inu Yasha,’ she thought and grabbed his hood, shoving it back from the man’s head.

“Inu Yasha?” her eyes filled with tears as she saw him.

He had a red crescent on his forehead, and seemed quite mature, maybe in his fifties.

“Hai, wench. I’m an on old man now,” he replied sadly.

“How? I mean, sorry, it was your human side, right?” she asked, cupping his cheek with her hand.

“Hai. My hanyou blood has been unpredictable. I started aging drastically over the past century.

‘He waited all this time for me.’

“You waited all this time to see me,” she reiterated her thoughts out softly.

“Hai, but I can’t be your mate anymore. I mated Kagura. Sesshoumaru put me in charge and as an heir of the Western lands, it is my duty to carry the line on,” he sighed out, pulling away from the warmth of her hand.

Kagome was at a loss of words. Here was Inu Yasha and he was not hers. Only two years ago they had made out in her home, but over 500 years for him. Her heart clenched with reality. She could not be selfish.

‘He is right. He has to carry on the line. Only him and his brother were the last.’
“It’s okay, Inu Yasha. I understand. I am just glad to see you,” she said, the tears she tried holding back, rolling down her face.

Inu Yasha frowned and brought her close to him.

“Don’t cry, wench. I’ve always loved you. Kagura only stayed around to have our twin sons and then skipped out saying she was meant to be free like the wind. I never loved the bitch, but I was fond of her,” he said, wiping her tears from her face and then bent down to kiss her cheek.

Kagome had not thought Inu Yasha would age so quickly, but then again, she was not so familiar with how youkai aged. She had thought she would see him in his prime. Inu Yasha did though age gracefully. He was fit and held himself the same as always, but his face was definitely more mature, his thick eyebrows more pronounced and the beginning of thought lines were forming on his forehead. He still was handsome, but his eyes had lost some of the sparkle that they had in his youth. She could not find herself to pity him.

‘He doesn’t want pity.’

“Shippou and a friend of his are suppose to come over for dinner in a few more hours. Would you like to join us?” she asked hopefully.

“I’ll stay. There are some things that Shippou and myself have to explain to you. I didn’t plan on coming over, but the runt called me and I couldn’t help myself. To refuse to see you would be torture,” Inu Yasha replied, hugging her to his chest and then nuzzling into her hair. “Kami, I’ve missed your scent for so long.”

His hands perused through her hair and she found herself growling with content. She had missed his touch and reveled in what she could get.

“Quit purring, wench,” he teased.

Kagome pushed him and glared as he smirked. She then sighed and smiled lightly, hooking her arm with his and dragging him to the house.