InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis ❯ Role Reversal ( Chapter 8 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
A little role reversal never hurt anybody, right?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.06.2008 | Updated On: 12.17.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 4.6K | Status: Completed
A little role reversal never hurt anybody, right?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Suspense / Romance / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 12.06.2008 | Updated On: 12.17.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 4.6K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Fanfiction of the Week: Stolen Soul, by appelcline
Appelcline does an amazing job with the Inu/Kik/Kag love triangle, as Inuyasha slowly comes to terms with who Kikyou was, what she is now, and what Kagome is. Highly recommended.
Sovereignty – I laughed very hard at your comment. And if I truly was King of the Bakas, I’d rule over the whole planet! Everyone is a baka in their own special way, lol…
Role Reversal
“What have you and that woman done to our brother?!”
Kagome, who had rushed outside as the sounds of an argument passed through the doorway of the hut, groaned inwardly, recognizing the two youkai before her from the vision she had seen of Minoru’s past life. As she had separated his body from his spirit and purified that spirit of evil, all within the confines of her mind, she had seen these two. The orphan neko youkai’s memories became her own, and she had witnessed the moment when he met Sora, his future sister, for the first time. The young demon, only a little bigger than Shippou, had been desperately hungry. He watched as the graceful hawk-girl snared a rabbit in her powerful talons, and he brazenly tried to steal it. Though she was not quite his size, Sora easily overpowered the starving neko, pinning him to the ground. She could have killed him then, but something stopped her. Something in his eyes, something that showed her that this boy understood loneliness, the unrequited and despairing desire for some type of companionship. She let him live, and ended up surrendering most of her meager meal to his ravenous appetite. She taught him how to hunt, and they became inseparable. Later, they came across a miserable inu-youkai in a sorry state indeed, and nursed him back to health. Thus, the trio was created, and indissoluble, unbreakable bonds formed as they became the family that all three had once had, and lost.
But something had gone wrong as the three youkai got older. Centered in his desire to protect his family, to never again know the icy grip of bone-chilling loneliness, a lust for power grew in Minoru. And for the first time, he found himself taking human life. Slowly, the poison, the malice that had matured in their brother spread to Takehiko and Sora as well. As she looked at them now, Kagome was reminded so much of the Thunder Brothers. Two siblings, completely devoted to each other, but regarding the rest of the world with utter heartlessness, an absolute lack of caring. Still, Kagome couldn’t help the remorse that welled within her. She had broken their family, destroyed a part of their pack, and eliminated a full half of each of the survivor’s worlds. Logic told her it wasn’t her fault, that Minoru had attacked her, tried to kill her, but that provided little comfort the raw guilt welling inside her.
“Please,” she pleaded, locking cheerless eyes with each youkai in turn. “Let me explain.”
Brother and sister regarded her solemnly, but both nodded, remaining in silence as Kagome told her story. She told them about the rebirth spell, how she had defeated Minoru, how the neko’s spirit was finally at peace, and how his youki had come to reside in her body. By the time she was finished, she could no longer look at them, and lowered her gaze to the grass. The spiking scents told her all she needed to know about their reaction, as did Inuyasha stepping directly in front of her, shielding her from the unbridled hatred pulsing in the air.
“You little bitch! You killed our brother! I don’t care if he is at peace! He’s still dead, and I shall have my vengeance this day!”
“Wait, brother!” Sora cried out, latching onto Takehiko’s arm before the inu-youkai could attack. He bared his fangs, turning his rage on his sister, but the hawk didn’t even flinch. Instead, she leaned up to whisper in his ear so quietly that not even Inuyasha could pick it up. All eyes focused on Takehiko’s face as it shifted from fury to shock, and finally to a wicked smirk that sent a shiver coursing down Kagome’s spine.
“We’ll leave for now, bitch,” he snarled menacingly. “But we’ll be back!” With that, the two youkai turned and departed the way they came, an action which soured Inuyasha’s mood.
“Oi! Get back here and fight me! Cowards!” The belligerent hanyou had good reason to be upset; he had been expecting a fight, dammit! He’d gotten all worked up, his blood heated in anticipation, for nothing! Swearing colorfully under his breath, Inuyasha thought of another reason why he’d prefer to fight them now. If they were anything like Naraku, they would have concocted a devious plan by the time they returned. He hated that kind of battle; didn’t anyone just straight-up fight anymore?
“You didn’t happen to catch what that falcon youkai whispered, did you Inuyasha?” Miroku asked into the silence. Inuyasha merely shook his head. “I was afraid of that,” the monk continued. “Whatever those two are planning, I don’t like it. If they were simply after revenge, they wouldn’t have left. You’d best stay close to us, Kagome-sama, since they seem to be after you.”
“Alright, Miroku-sama. Let’s go inside and eat,” Kagome replied exhaustedly. Sometimes she grew tired of being a target. Unfortunately, for the Shikon miko, that came with the territory.
“And maybe we can figure out what those two youkai want with Kagome-chan,” Sango interjected as they made their way towards the hut. The resulting discussion yielded few concrete ideas, though several theories were floated around. In the end, they decided to take the same approach they used with Naraku—wait and see, because you never knew what evil scheme the dark hanyou would come up with next. The inu-gang settled down for the night, and the emerging stars found Inuyasha lounging on the rooftop, the hanyou much preferring the open air to the stuffy atmosphere of the one-room hut. As he gazed up at the moon, his eyes widened fractionally and he cursed softly. Shit…the moon is barely a sliver. Tomorrow night must be the new moon. And with that in mind, he resolved to try and get some sleep, since he wouldn’t be getting any while he was human.
“Inuyasha, may I ask what the hurry is? You’ve been driving us mercilessly all morning!”
Inuyasha grimaced. What Sango said was true; he had been keeping a brisk pace ever since they started walking a few hours ago. Usually, Kagome would be the first to complain about something like that, but her hanyou legs allowed her to keep up with him effortlessly. The same could not be said of the group’s two humans, who knew they would be bone tired and very sore by the end of the day if they didn’t slow down.
At their normal walking speed, the Inu-gang was probably about a day and a half from the village. With his dreaded night of mortality imminent, Inuyasha fully intended to be in Kaede’s village by dusk, and through the well by nightfall. He had always hated his human nights, partly because they were one of the rare times he felt fear. When he was alone, he feared for himself, that some youkai would slaughter him in his weakness, and all his years of struggling to strengthen himself would be for naught. Now, however, a different kind of fear loomed on the horizon. He didn’t fear for himself anymore; he feared for Kagome, that he wouldn’t be able to protect her. Kagome was the only one of their group who truly needed protecting. She was a miko, an archer, but she didn’t have the battle experience of Miroku or Sango, nor the escapability of Shippou or Kirara. At least, she didn’t used to. But the last thing Inuyasha wanted to rely on for Kagome’s safety was her new, untested hanyou powers. Hell, she hadn’t even been able to jog without tripping over herself!
No, it was far better to spend the evening in Kagome’s time, where in all likelihood he wouldn’t have to protect her from anything. Besides, all manner of shit had happened on his human nights in recent memory, and they were heading toward the village anyway. Not to mention the new enemies they met last night. Of course, Inuyasha had no intention of telling his companions any of this. Just the thought of doing that was enough to send his delicate pride into a frenzy. So, he did the next best thing—he told a half-truth.
“Feh! Just wanna hear what Myouga has to say, that’s all. Now come on, you lazy humans, let’s go! And no more bitching!”
“Bitching?” Sango repeated incredulously, brandishing hiraikotsu. “I’ll give him bitching. Right upside the head!”
“Now, Sango, you know how our confrontational friend here reacts to violence,” Miroku assuaged. “Inuyasha! Sango and I are slowing down. If you are in that much of a hurry, please feel free to go on ahead.”
Inuyasha swore under his breath, but slowed his pace nonetheless. Kagome was gazing contemplatively at him, obviously wondering what had him so antsy, but he’d be damned if he was going to tell her. The sad thing is that if he came out with the truth, she would probably agree with him. They could run the rest of the way and be back in Kagome’s world for dinner. Too bad his pride squashed that idea. Admitting the truth would be admitting his fear, and he just couldn’t do that.
As predicted, Kagome wanted to stop at the hot springs on the way back, and Inuyasha had no reason to refuse her since they were definitely not making it back to the village before nightfall. That didn’t stop him from putting up a fight, or grumbling after the argument turned against him. Whether this was out of spite, or for show, he didn’t know. What he did know was that he was damn hungry, and he let everyone in the camp know it.
“Why don’t you go catch some fish, Inuyasha?” Shippou inquired timidly, hiding behind Kagome’s leg in case the volatile hanyou decided to take exception to his suggestion.
“I’m pretty sure I won’t be catching anything tonight, runt,” Inuyasha replied bitterly as he stared at the last hint of sunlight barely visible over the horizon. Noticing the direction of Inuyasha’s gaze, Miroku was the first to put the pieces together.
“Is tonight the night of the new moon, Inuyasha?”
The hanyou merely grunted, choosing not to favor that question with an articulate reply.
“Oh, is that why you’ve been grouchy all day?” Shippou teased, emboldened by his victim’s pending transformation. Inuyasha growled, but the effect was ruined by the glow that enveloped his body as his ears, hair, eyes, and claws shifted. And as the debilitating numbness of his senses fully set in, he repressed the urge to pound the kit for making fun of him. He didn’t think Kagome would ‘osuwari’ him while he was human, but he knew from past experience that he would just make an ass of himself chasing Shippou around without his demonic speed and agility.
Kagome, as always, was mesmerized by his metamorphosis. She preferred his hanyou form, but he looked no less dashing as a human. Still, his doggie ears were one of her favorite features, and she would miss them terribly if they were gone for any serious length of time, especially since he had allowed her to touch them. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory, as she wondered when he would indulge her again, and for that matter, when he would rub her ears like he did that one time in her room…
Shaking her head to clear it, Kagome tried to focus on what Shippou had just said. That’s right; he has been grumpy all day. She had noticed the change in his scent, signaling the beginning of the recession of his youkai blood, perhaps a half hour ago, but had not immediately recognized it for what it was. By the time she did, it was too late to do anything about it. The time of the month perfectly explained his negative attitude, but there was something else that had been bothering her. It had to do with why he had wanted to move so quickly today… Kagome gasped as the realization struck her, followed by a wave of anger. Baka! Why can’t he be more open? Not being honest with me about his human night almost got him killed before!
“Inuyasha,” she said sweetly, immediately putting the hanyou-turned-human on edge. He knew that tone of voice, the one that told him he was about to have his head bitten off. It was the same tone she had used after he not so subtly asked her if she’d fooled around with Kouga in the wolf’s cave.
“Yeah, wench?” he asked as she stalked up to him, grabbing both forelocks and tilting his head up to look at her. He gulped.
“Do you realize how much of a BAKA you are?! If you wanted to spend the night in my time, you should have said so!”
Inuyasha stuttered, taken aback by just how well this girl could read him. Getting no response, Kagome continued more calmly, “you would have been safer in my time, so why didn’t you tell us tonight was the new moon?”
“K-keh! I don’t care about me! You’re the one with jewel shards hanging around her neck! You’re the one I constantly have to watch over, and you’re the one I can’t fuckin’ protect when I’m like this!”
By the time he was finished, Inuyasha was standing, looming over her as her own anger receded. The unguarded concern in his eyes belied the harshness of his words, and Kagome was once again reminded of the old adage, ‘a diamond in the rough is still a diamond.’ (1)
“Well you still should have said something,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Ah, quit bitchin’ about it, already,” Inuyasha replied, causing Kagome’s brow to twitch in irritation. He’s soooo lucky he’s human right now. “Besides, unless you’re gonna carry me, we ain’t makin’ it to your time tonight.”
He said the last part as a joke, something that shouldn’t even be seriously considered, but Kagome found herself doing just that. Hmmm, let’s see. Benefits? Warm bed, home-cooked meal, alone-time with Inuyasha. Negatives? One furious hanyou. Meh, he’s crabby anyway. So, before she could question her sanity, Kagome leapt into action. In a flash she flung Inuyasha over her shoulder, surprised at how effortlessly she could lift him, and took off into the trees.
The two humans and two youkai left in camp were stunned speechless for all of a three seconds, then burst into laughter that went on long into the night. Inuyasha’s face as it vanished from view had been utterly priceless, and as long as they lived they were never going to forget it. Said hanyou, however, was far from amused.
“Ah! Wench! What the fuck are you doing?! Put me down!”
Kagome didn’t reply, suddenly very glad she couldn’t see his face. The wind was whipping past them, but she could still smell his outrage and embarrassment. She felt a small twinge of guilt, but what was done was done. Steeling her concentration, she focused on the ground in front of her, seeking to avoid stumbling and throwing her precious cargo into a tree. If anything could piss him off more than he already was…
When he realized Kagome was no longer listening to him, Inuyasha too became aware of the precarious position he was in. In all likelihood, he was going to end up sprawled in the dirt, covered in cuts and bruises. So, despite how incredibly humiliating this was, he clammed up and let Kagome concentrate. They arrived at the well a little less than an hour later, and Kagome would never be able to explain how she managed to get them there without falling. Well, they said a mother could lift a car off her child, so maybe it was strength of will that kept her from dumping Inuyasha. That inner resolve vanished as soon as she set him down and looked at him. He was not blushing, but his entire face was flushed red in anger. His lips were a thin line, and his eyes burned with the force of a thousand suns, though they lacked their normal amber luminosity. His whole body was tense, drawn tight as a bowstring, and the creatures of the night went silent at the ominous sensation invading the atmosphere. Kagome gulped; she had never seen him quite so livid before.
“Wench,” he said quietly, “if you ever do that again, I’ll…I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do, but you won’t like it!” By the time he finished, he was screaming at the top of his lungs, and Kagome’s ears were plastered to her skull.
“Relax, Inuyasha! A little role reversal never hurt anybody.”
“Roll reversal?” he repeated incredulously. “Fuck, Kagome! That wasn’t ‘role reversal!’ It was YOU tossing ME over your shoulder and taking off!”
“So? You carry me all the time. How is that any different? And don’t even think about telling me you’ve never carried me over your shoulder,” she ordered, pointing a finger at him. Inuyasha hesitated; that had been exactly what he was going to say.
“It—it just is, ok?” he replied, folding his arms and looking away.
“No! It’s not ok! I knew you’d be embarrassed, but I didn’t expect you to be this pissed at me! What’s your prob—”
“You’re the helpless human, not me!” he blurted out, surprising both of them. But Kagome recovered quickly, her ire rising to do battle with his in a familiar clash.
“Oh, so I’m still helpless, am I? And I’m probably such a burden, too. In that case, I won’t be requiring your services any longer. Maybe I’ll go collect the jewel shards myself! See how strong these hanyou powers really are! Maybe I’ll—” Kagome was cut off suddenly, her face mashed into a hard chest.
“Don’t even fuckin’ think about it, Kagome,” Inuyasha voiced softly, his tone deadly serious. “Stay with me and let me protect you.” Kagome’s eyes widened; she hadn’t meant what she said, but apparently Inuyasha had taken her seriously. Pulling back and peering at his face, she confirmed it by the pleading look in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Inuyasha. I didn’t mean it; I was just angry. I’ll stay by your side as long as you’ll let me.”
“I’m sorry too,” Inuyasha answered, finding it much easier to apologize because of the relief and gratitude flooding his human body. For a split second there, when he though Kagome was going to leave…desperation wouldn’t begin to describe what he felt. “You’re not helpless. You were once, but even when you were human you got stronger. You’re a miko, Kagome; that’s your job. You’re the only one who can fire purifying arrows, the only one who can purify the sacred jewel, and the only one who can sense the shards. That’s what you do. Me? I’m a big fuckin’ ass-kicker. (2) That’s what I do. I don’t want you trying to fight like me, or charging into battle. Stay back and help us like you always have, ‘cause it’s worked just fine so far.”
Kagome almost laughed at his description of his ‘job,’ but was deeply touched by his assessment of her skills and role in battle. Stepping out of his embrace, she managed a sincere smile. “Deal. And I’m sorry I picked you up like that. I probably should have warned you first.”
“Feh! Just don’t ever do it again. And I’m definitely paying you back for that.”
Chuckling, Kagome brushed off his threat and grabbed him by the hand, proceeding to drag him towards the well.
“Wait, wench! What about Myouga?”
“Myouga will still be there in the morning.”
“But—”
“No buts! I want a bath now, and I’m not leaving you here!”
Sighing, Inuyasha gave in. Kagome seemed hell-bent on going through the well, and he much preferred traveling there on his own two feet, thank you very much.
Mrs. Higurashi was surprised to see them again so soon, and shocked to find Inuyasha human. Dinner included a nice, long discussion on why Inuyasha lost his powers, when they would be back, and some of the adventures he had been on while human. Somehow Togenkyo came up, and though Kagome conveniently left out the part about Inuyasha finding her naked in the tub, neither one could keep from blushing. Mrs. Higurashi gave them a knowing look, Souta demanded more stories, and her grandfather kept muttering about how ‘young people belong in school, not gallivanting around with demons,’ yada yada yada. Eventually, Kagome was able to excuse herself and take a bath, and to her astonishment she was actually able to get in the tub. Apparently, the small body of water didn’t alarm her youkai side as much as a hot spring would. The long, steamy soak left her feeling completely relaxed, and very drowsy. She emerged from the bathroom dressed her in pajamas and ready for a good night’s sleep. She groaned as soon as she entered her room and found Inuyasha on her bed. He was lying on his back near the edge, hands folded behind his head, one knee raised up and the other ankle resting atop it. It was a posture which suggested that he hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but the gentle rise and fall of his chest as well as the peaceful expression on his face said he had. This had happened before, and now, like then, Kagome didn’t have the heart to wake him. Last time, she had surrendered the bed and slept in the chair while trying to study. But this time, she had no studying to do, and really desired the feel of her cushy mattress underneath her. Besides, she liked to think they had both matured a little since then, and grown closer to each other. And it was a big bed…
So, before she could convince herself it was a mistake, Kagome closed her door, turned off the light, and tentatively climbed onto the mattress. She lay on her side, facing toward him with her back against the wall. There was about a foot of space between them, so it wasn’t like they were lying on top of one another. (3) Though that would certainly not be unpleasant.
“You know, you could have woken me up, wench.” Inuyasha’s soft voice startled her, and she glanced over into amused eyes.
“I know,” she said, grinning sheepishly. “But you looked so peaceful.”
“Keh. I’m never peaceful,” he replied jokingly before moving to stand. Kagome’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, halting his progress.
“Stay,” she whispered, cheeks heating to a rosy hue. Inuyasha blushed as well.
“I shouldn’t.”
“There’s plenty of room! I’m not letting you sleep on the floor while you’re human. You may not get a backache when you’re hanyou, but you will tonight.”
Inuyasha briefly considered arguing with her, but decided against it. What was the point? There was nobody else around and he definitely didn’t mind the idea of sharing a bed with Kagome. That thought darkened his face to a deeper shade of red, his mind toying with the not so innocent connotations of the phrase.
Kagome watched him as nervously eyed her, considering her proposition. She was just about to tell him to forget it when he gingerly settled down, lying on his side facing her. His eyes met hers for a moment before closing, expressing a flash of gratitude. Kagome grinned stupidly. You’re welcome. Still, sleep alluded her, and she spent the next half hour fidgeting, trying to get comfortable. Finally, she gave up.
“Hey, Inuyasha?” she whispered, just to see if he was still awake.
“What?” he replied a little snippily, tired of being constantly torn back from the brink of slumber by her moving around.
“Oh, didn’t realize you were awake.” Hurriedly she tried to think of something to say, voicing the first thought that came to mind. “Do you still hate your human nights as much as you used to?”
Inuyasha thought about that for a moment. “Well, being around a campfire with you lot sure beats sitting in a tree alone.”
“I’m glad.” A few more minutes of silence passed, and Inuyasha once again nearly dozed off.
“Hey, Inuyasha?”
“What, wench?” he replied, a little more irritably than before. Her comment washed all his exasperation away.
“You smell nice.”
“K-keh!”
Kagome giggled at his embarrassment, and decided to tease him a bit more. “I like your hanyou scent better, though.” At this point, Inuyasha’s face vanished into his haori, and Kagome had to forcibly stifle her amusement.
“Damn wench,” he mumbled, “thinks she’s so damn funny.” Inside, however, he was floored. Nobody had ever told him he smelled nice before. Most youkai hated his smell because it marked him as a hanyou. He mentally added it to the list of things Kagome had done first for him. After the girl’s subsequent laughter subsided, several more minutes of silence passed.
“Hey, Inuyasha?”
Grrrrrrrrr. “Dammit, wench! Go to sleep, already!”
“One more question.” When Inuyasha didn’t reply, she continued, “Do you still like my smell?”
Again Inuyasha hesitated, not because he didn’t know the answer, but because he wasn’t sure how much to reveal. Even after her transformation, Kagome’s scent was the single most tantalizing fragrance in the world. It put him at ease and electrified him at the same time. But he certainly couldn’t tell her that, so he toned down the truth a little.
“Your scent didn’t change a whole lot when you got youkai blood. You still smell like you, just with something extra added on. I can smell your youkai, but it’s like it’s yours now. You don’t smell like that bastard, if that’s what your wondering.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Inuyasha grimaced. Damn. “Yes, I still like your scent. Now. Go. To. Sleep!”
“Okay, okay! Goodnight, Inuyasha.”
“Feh.”
And so the couple returned to trying to fall asleep, with Kagome having no more luck than before. She was getting frustrated; she knew she was tired, but something didn’t feel right.
Inuyasha started to think that he was going to have to rub her ears again. But would the fact that he was in bed with her make that more awkward? He hesitated, and in the intervening few minutes he thought of another possible reason for her sleeplessness. He yanked the covers out from under Kagome’s body and placed them over her, all while keeping himself above them. Kagome snuggled into the familiar weight of the sheets and mumbled her gratitude, drowsiness already calling her. In moments she was sound asleep. Shaking his head, Inuyasha settled down and followed her into slumber soon after. (4)
(1) I was so proud of myself for coming up with this line before (see chapter 4), that I couldn’t resist using it again. And perhaps more—a lot of times, when Inuyasha says something nice or shows concern, he does so in the midst of a swearing and insult filled tirade. Kagome is able to look past the gruffness and see this diamond in the rough for what it truly is.
(2) Another line I’m very proud of. No, Inuyasha doesn’t have an ego…
(3) In the manga, Kagome’s bed is freakin’ enormous, so it’s entirely possible for both of them to fit on there with room in between. (See Chapter 138, among others)
(4) I wonder, after years of sleeping under sheets, would it be difficult to fall asleep without any covers? I, for one, am not going to try it. I don’t have the money to heat the apartment all night, lol.
A/N – sorry if I led you to believe there would be a battle in this chapter, but I had a last second change of heart. Takehiko and Sora will definitely be back. I’m a big fan of the blanket scenario, but I just couldn’t do it here. Remember, baby steps.
2010 Note – Another thing I’m noticing is that I originally made it way too easy for Kagome to start crying. I eliminated two whole crying scenes from the last two chapters alone! I’ll have to keep an eye on that going forward.
Converting /tmp/phpT1Xbzw to /dev/stdout
Fanfiction of the Week: Stolen Soul, by appelcline
Appelcline does an amazing job with the Inu/Kik/Kag love triangle, as Inuyasha slowly comes to terms with who Kikyou was, what she is now, and what Kagome is. Highly recommended.
Sovereignty – I laughed very hard at your comment. And if I truly was King of the Bakas, I’d rule over the whole planet! Everyone is a baka in their own special way, lol…
Role Reversal
“What have you and that woman done to our brother?!”
Kagome, who had rushed outside as the sounds of an argument passed through the doorway of the hut, groaned inwardly, recognizing the two youkai before her from the vision she had seen of Minoru’s past life. As she had separated his body from his spirit and purified that spirit of evil, all within the confines of her mind, she had seen these two. The orphan neko youkai’s memories became her own, and she had witnessed the moment when he met Sora, his future sister, for the first time. The young demon, only a little bigger than Shippou, had been desperately hungry. He watched as the graceful hawk-girl snared a rabbit in her powerful talons, and he brazenly tried to steal it. Though she was not quite his size, Sora easily overpowered the starving neko, pinning him to the ground. She could have killed him then, but something stopped her. Something in his eyes, something that showed her that this boy understood loneliness, the unrequited and despairing desire for some type of companionship. She let him live, and ended up surrendering most of her meager meal to his ravenous appetite. She taught him how to hunt, and they became inseparable. Later, they came across a miserable inu-youkai in a sorry state indeed, and nursed him back to health. Thus, the trio was created, and indissoluble, unbreakable bonds formed as they became the family that all three had once had, and lost.
But something had gone wrong as the three youkai got older. Centered in his desire to protect his family, to never again know the icy grip of bone-chilling loneliness, a lust for power grew in Minoru. And for the first time, he found himself taking human life. Slowly, the poison, the malice that had matured in their brother spread to Takehiko and Sora as well. As she looked at them now, Kagome was reminded so much of the Thunder Brothers. Two siblings, completely devoted to each other, but regarding the rest of the world with utter heartlessness, an absolute lack of caring. Still, Kagome couldn’t help the remorse that welled within her. She had broken their family, destroyed a part of their pack, and eliminated a full half of each of the survivor’s worlds. Logic told her it wasn’t her fault, that Minoru had attacked her, tried to kill her, but that provided little comfort the raw guilt welling inside her.
“Please,” she pleaded, locking cheerless eyes with each youkai in turn. “Let me explain.”
Brother and sister regarded her solemnly, but both nodded, remaining in silence as Kagome told her story. She told them about the rebirth spell, how she had defeated Minoru, how the neko’s spirit was finally at peace, and how his youki had come to reside in her body. By the time she was finished, she could no longer look at them, and lowered her gaze to the grass. The spiking scents told her all she needed to know about their reaction, as did Inuyasha stepping directly in front of her, shielding her from the unbridled hatred pulsing in the air.
“You little bitch! You killed our brother! I don’t care if he is at peace! He’s still dead, and I shall have my vengeance this day!”
“Wait, brother!” Sora cried out, latching onto Takehiko’s arm before the inu-youkai could attack. He bared his fangs, turning his rage on his sister, but the hawk didn’t even flinch. Instead, she leaned up to whisper in his ear so quietly that not even Inuyasha could pick it up. All eyes focused on Takehiko’s face as it shifted from fury to shock, and finally to a wicked smirk that sent a shiver coursing down Kagome’s spine.
“We’ll leave for now, bitch,” he snarled menacingly. “But we’ll be back!” With that, the two youkai turned and departed the way they came, an action which soured Inuyasha’s mood.
“Oi! Get back here and fight me! Cowards!” The belligerent hanyou had good reason to be upset; he had been expecting a fight, dammit! He’d gotten all worked up, his blood heated in anticipation, for nothing! Swearing colorfully under his breath, Inuyasha thought of another reason why he’d prefer to fight them now. If they were anything like Naraku, they would have concocted a devious plan by the time they returned. He hated that kind of battle; didn’t anyone just straight-up fight anymore?
“You didn’t happen to catch what that falcon youkai whispered, did you Inuyasha?” Miroku asked into the silence. Inuyasha merely shook his head. “I was afraid of that,” the monk continued. “Whatever those two are planning, I don’t like it. If they were simply after revenge, they wouldn’t have left. You’d best stay close to us, Kagome-sama, since they seem to be after you.”
“Alright, Miroku-sama. Let’s go inside and eat,” Kagome replied exhaustedly. Sometimes she grew tired of being a target. Unfortunately, for the Shikon miko, that came with the territory.
“And maybe we can figure out what those two youkai want with Kagome-chan,” Sango interjected as they made their way towards the hut. The resulting discussion yielded few concrete ideas, though several theories were floated around. In the end, they decided to take the same approach they used with Naraku—wait and see, because you never knew what evil scheme the dark hanyou would come up with next. The inu-gang settled down for the night, and the emerging stars found Inuyasha lounging on the rooftop, the hanyou much preferring the open air to the stuffy atmosphere of the one-room hut. As he gazed up at the moon, his eyes widened fractionally and he cursed softly. Shit…the moon is barely a sliver. Tomorrow night must be the new moon. And with that in mind, he resolved to try and get some sleep, since he wouldn’t be getting any while he was human.
“Inuyasha, may I ask what the hurry is? You’ve been driving us mercilessly all morning!”
Inuyasha grimaced. What Sango said was true; he had been keeping a brisk pace ever since they started walking a few hours ago. Usually, Kagome would be the first to complain about something like that, but her hanyou legs allowed her to keep up with him effortlessly. The same could not be said of the group’s two humans, who knew they would be bone tired and very sore by the end of the day if they didn’t slow down.
At their normal walking speed, the Inu-gang was probably about a day and a half from the village. With his dreaded night of mortality imminent, Inuyasha fully intended to be in Kaede’s village by dusk, and through the well by nightfall. He had always hated his human nights, partly because they were one of the rare times he felt fear. When he was alone, he feared for himself, that some youkai would slaughter him in his weakness, and all his years of struggling to strengthen himself would be for naught. Now, however, a different kind of fear loomed on the horizon. He didn’t fear for himself anymore; he feared for Kagome, that he wouldn’t be able to protect her. Kagome was the only one of their group who truly needed protecting. She was a miko, an archer, but she didn’t have the battle experience of Miroku or Sango, nor the escapability of Shippou or Kirara. At least, she didn’t used to. But the last thing Inuyasha wanted to rely on for Kagome’s safety was her new, untested hanyou powers. Hell, she hadn’t even been able to jog without tripping over herself!
No, it was far better to spend the evening in Kagome’s time, where in all likelihood he wouldn’t have to protect her from anything. Besides, all manner of shit had happened on his human nights in recent memory, and they were heading toward the village anyway. Not to mention the new enemies they met last night. Of course, Inuyasha had no intention of telling his companions any of this. Just the thought of doing that was enough to send his delicate pride into a frenzy. So, he did the next best thing—he told a half-truth.
“Feh! Just wanna hear what Myouga has to say, that’s all. Now come on, you lazy humans, let’s go! And no more bitching!”
“Bitching?” Sango repeated incredulously, brandishing hiraikotsu. “I’ll give him bitching. Right upside the head!”
“Now, Sango, you know how our confrontational friend here reacts to violence,” Miroku assuaged. “Inuyasha! Sango and I are slowing down. If you are in that much of a hurry, please feel free to go on ahead.”
Inuyasha swore under his breath, but slowed his pace nonetheless. Kagome was gazing contemplatively at him, obviously wondering what had him so antsy, but he’d be damned if he was going to tell her. The sad thing is that if he came out with the truth, she would probably agree with him. They could run the rest of the way and be back in Kagome’s world for dinner. Too bad his pride squashed that idea. Admitting the truth would be admitting his fear, and he just couldn’t do that.
As predicted, Kagome wanted to stop at the hot springs on the way back, and Inuyasha had no reason to refuse her since they were definitely not making it back to the village before nightfall. That didn’t stop him from putting up a fight, or grumbling after the argument turned against him. Whether this was out of spite, or for show, he didn’t know. What he did know was that he was damn hungry, and he let everyone in the camp know it.
“Why don’t you go catch some fish, Inuyasha?” Shippou inquired timidly, hiding behind Kagome’s leg in case the volatile hanyou decided to take exception to his suggestion.
“I’m pretty sure I won’t be catching anything tonight, runt,” Inuyasha replied bitterly as he stared at the last hint of sunlight barely visible over the horizon. Noticing the direction of Inuyasha’s gaze, Miroku was the first to put the pieces together.
“Is tonight the night of the new moon, Inuyasha?”
The hanyou merely grunted, choosing not to favor that question with an articulate reply.
“Oh, is that why you’ve been grouchy all day?” Shippou teased, emboldened by his victim’s pending transformation. Inuyasha growled, but the effect was ruined by the glow that enveloped his body as his ears, hair, eyes, and claws shifted. And as the debilitating numbness of his senses fully set in, he repressed the urge to pound the kit for making fun of him. He didn’t think Kagome would ‘osuwari’ him while he was human, but he knew from past experience that he would just make an ass of himself chasing Shippou around without his demonic speed and agility.
Kagome, as always, was mesmerized by his metamorphosis. She preferred his hanyou form, but he looked no less dashing as a human. Still, his doggie ears were one of her favorite features, and she would miss them terribly if they were gone for any serious length of time, especially since he had allowed her to touch them. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory, as she wondered when he would indulge her again, and for that matter, when he would rub her ears like he did that one time in her room…
Shaking her head to clear it, Kagome tried to focus on what Shippou had just said. That’s right; he has been grumpy all day. She had noticed the change in his scent, signaling the beginning of the recession of his youkai blood, perhaps a half hour ago, but had not immediately recognized it for what it was. By the time she did, it was too late to do anything about it. The time of the month perfectly explained his negative attitude, but there was something else that had been bothering her. It had to do with why he had wanted to move so quickly today… Kagome gasped as the realization struck her, followed by a wave of anger. Baka! Why can’t he be more open? Not being honest with me about his human night almost got him killed before!
“Inuyasha,” she said sweetly, immediately putting the hanyou-turned-human on edge. He knew that tone of voice, the one that told him he was about to have his head bitten off. It was the same tone she had used after he not so subtly asked her if she’d fooled around with Kouga in the wolf’s cave.
“Yeah, wench?” he asked as she stalked up to him, grabbing both forelocks and tilting his head up to look at her. He gulped.
“Do you realize how much of a BAKA you are?! If you wanted to spend the night in my time, you should have said so!”
Inuyasha stuttered, taken aback by just how well this girl could read him. Getting no response, Kagome continued more calmly, “you would have been safer in my time, so why didn’t you tell us tonight was the new moon?”
“K-keh! I don’t care about me! You’re the one with jewel shards hanging around her neck! You’re the one I constantly have to watch over, and you’re the one I can’t fuckin’ protect when I’m like this!”
By the time he was finished, Inuyasha was standing, looming over her as her own anger receded. The unguarded concern in his eyes belied the harshness of his words, and Kagome was once again reminded of the old adage, ‘a diamond in the rough is still a diamond.’ (1)
“Well you still should have said something,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Ah, quit bitchin’ about it, already,” Inuyasha replied, causing Kagome’s brow to twitch in irritation. He’s soooo lucky he’s human right now. “Besides, unless you’re gonna carry me, we ain’t makin’ it to your time tonight.”
He said the last part as a joke, something that shouldn’t even be seriously considered, but Kagome found herself doing just that. Hmmm, let’s see. Benefits? Warm bed, home-cooked meal, alone-time with Inuyasha. Negatives? One furious hanyou. Meh, he’s crabby anyway. So, before she could question her sanity, Kagome leapt into action. In a flash she flung Inuyasha over her shoulder, surprised at how effortlessly she could lift him, and took off into the trees.
The two humans and two youkai left in camp were stunned speechless for all of a three seconds, then burst into laughter that went on long into the night. Inuyasha’s face as it vanished from view had been utterly priceless, and as long as they lived they were never going to forget it. Said hanyou, however, was far from amused.
“Ah! Wench! What the fuck are you doing?! Put me down!”
Kagome didn’t reply, suddenly very glad she couldn’t see his face. The wind was whipping past them, but she could still smell his outrage and embarrassment. She felt a small twinge of guilt, but what was done was done. Steeling her concentration, she focused on the ground in front of her, seeking to avoid stumbling and throwing her precious cargo into a tree. If anything could piss him off more than he already was…
When he realized Kagome was no longer listening to him, Inuyasha too became aware of the precarious position he was in. In all likelihood, he was going to end up sprawled in the dirt, covered in cuts and bruises. So, despite how incredibly humiliating this was, he clammed up and let Kagome concentrate. They arrived at the well a little less than an hour later, and Kagome would never be able to explain how she managed to get them there without falling. Well, they said a mother could lift a car off her child, so maybe it was strength of will that kept her from dumping Inuyasha. That inner resolve vanished as soon as she set him down and looked at him. He was not blushing, but his entire face was flushed red in anger. His lips were a thin line, and his eyes burned with the force of a thousand suns, though they lacked their normal amber luminosity. His whole body was tense, drawn tight as a bowstring, and the creatures of the night went silent at the ominous sensation invading the atmosphere. Kagome gulped; she had never seen him quite so livid before.
“Wench,” he said quietly, “if you ever do that again, I’ll…I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do, but you won’t like it!” By the time he finished, he was screaming at the top of his lungs, and Kagome’s ears were plastered to her skull.
“Relax, Inuyasha! A little role reversal never hurt anybody.”
“Roll reversal?” he repeated incredulously. “Fuck, Kagome! That wasn’t ‘role reversal!’ It was YOU tossing ME over your shoulder and taking off!”
“So? You carry me all the time. How is that any different? And don’t even think about telling me you’ve never carried me over your shoulder,” she ordered, pointing a finger at him. Inuyasha hesitated; that had been exactly what he was going to say.
“It—it just is, ok?” he replied, folding his arms and looking away.
“No! It’s not ok! I knew you’d be embarrassed, but I didn’t expect you to be this pissed at me! What’s your prob—”
“You’re the helpless human, not me!” he blurted out, surprising both of them. But Kagome recovered quickly, her ire rising to do battle with his in a familiar clash.
“Oh, so I’m still helpless, am I? And I’m probably such a burden, too. In that case, I won’t be requiring your services any longer. Maybe I’ll go collect the jewel shards myself! See how strong these hanyou powers really are! Maybe I’ll—” Kagome was cut off suddenly, her face mashed into a hard chest.
“Don’t even fuckin’ think about it, Kagome,” Inuyasha voiced softly, his tone deadly serious. “Stay with me and let me protect you.” Kagome’s eyes widened; she hadn’t meant what she said, but apparently Inuyasha had taken her seriously. Pulling back and peering at his face, she confirmed it by the pleading look in his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Inuyasha. I didn’t mean it; I was just angry. I’ll stay by your side as long as you’ll let me.”
“I’m sorry too,” Inuyasha answered, finding it much easier to apologize because of the relief and gratitude flooding his human body. For a split second there, when he though Kagome was going to leave…desperation wouldn’t begin to describe what he felt. “You’re not helpless. You were once, but even when you were human you got stronger. You’re a miko, Kagome; that’s your job. You’re the only one who can fire purifying arrows, the only one who can purify the sacred jewel, and the only one who can sense the shards. That’s what you do. Me? I’m a big fuckin’ ass-kicker. (2) That’s what I do. I don’t want you trying to fight like me, or charging into battle. Stay back and help us like you always have, ‘cause it’s worked just fine so far.”
Kagome almost laughed at his description of his ‘job,’ but was deeply touched by his assessment of her skills and role in battle. Stepping out of his embrace, she managed a sincere smile. “Deal. And I’m sorry I picked you up like that. I probably should have warned you first.”
“Feh! Just don’t ever do it again. And I’m definitely paying you back for that.”
Chuckling, Kagome brushed off his threat and grabbed him by the hand, proceeding to drag him towards the well.
“Wait, wench! What about Myouga?”
“Myouga will still be there in the morning.”
“But—”
“No buts! I want a bath now, and I’m not leaving you here!”
Sighing, Inuyasha gave in. Kagome seemed hell-bent on going through the well, and he much preferred traveling there on his own two feet, thank you very much.
Mrs. Higurashi was surprised to see them again so soon, and shocked to find Inuyasha human. Dinner included a nice, long discussion on why Inuyasha lost his powers, when they would be back, and some of the adventures he had been on while human. Somehow Togenkyo came up, and though Kagome conveniently left out the part about Inuyasha finding her naked in the tub, neither one could keep from blushing. Mrs. Higurashi gave them a knowing look, Souta demanded more stories, and her grandfather kept muttering about how ‘young people belong in school, not gallivanting around with demons,’ yada yada yada. Eventually, Kagome was able to excuse herself and take a bath, and to her astonishment she was actually able to get in the tub. Apparently, the small body of water didn’t alarm her youkai side as much as a hot spring would. The long, steamy soak left her feeling completely relaxed, and very drowsy. She emerged from the bathroom dressed her in pajamas and ready for a good night’s sleep. She groaned as soon as she entered her room and found Inuyasha on her bed. He was lying on his back near the edge, hands folded behind his head, one knee raised up and the other ankle resting atop it. It was a posture which suggested that he hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but the gentle rise and fall of his chest as well as the peaceful expression on his face said he had. This had happened before, and now, like then, Kagome didn’t have the heart to wake him. Last time, she had surrendered the bed and slept in the chair while trying to study. But this time, she had no studying to do, and really desired the feel of her cushy mattress underneath her. Besides, she liked to think they had both matured a little since then, and grown closer to each other. And it was a big bed…
So, before she could convince herself it was a mistake, Kagome closed her door, turned off the light, and tentatively climbed onto the mattress. She lay on her side, facing toward him with her back against the wall. There was about a foot of space between them, so it wasn’t like they were lying on top of one another. (3) Though that would certainly not be unpleasant.
“You know, you could have woken me up, wench.” Inuyasha’s soft voice startled her, and she glanced over into amused eyes.
“I know,” she said, grinning sheepishly. “But you looked so peaceful.”
“Keh. I’m never peaceful,” he replied jokingly before moving to stand. Kagome’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, halting his progress.
“Stay,” she whispered, cheeks heating to a rosy hue. Inuyasha blushed as well.
“I shouldn’t.”
“There’s plenty of room! I’m not letting you sleep on the floor while you’re human. You may not get a backache when you’re hanyou, but you will tonight.”
Inuyasha briefly considered arguing with her, but decided against it. What was the point? There was nobody else around and he definitely didn’t mind the idea of sharing a bed with Kagome. That thought darkened his face to a deeper shade of red, his mind toying with the not so innocent connotations of the phrase.
Kagome watched him as nervously eyed her, considering her proposition. She was just about to tell him to forget it when he gingerly settled down, lying on his side facing her. His eyes met hers for a moment before closing, expressing a flash of gratitude. Kagome grinned stupidly. You’re welcome. Still, sleep alluded her, and she spent the next half hour fidgeting, trying to get comfortable. Finally, she gave up.
“Hey, Inuyasha?” she whispered, just to see if he was still awake.
“What?” he replied a little snippily, tired of being constantly torn back from the brink of slumber by her moving around.
“Oh, didn’t realize you were awake.” Hurriedly she tried to think of something to say, voicing the first thought that came to mind. “Do you still hate your human nights as much as you used to?”
Inuyasha thought about that for a moment. “Well, being around a campfire with you lot sure beats sitting in a tree alone.”
“I’m glad.” A few more minutes of silence passed, and Inuyasha once again nearly dozed off.
“Hey, Inuyasha?”
“What, wench?” he replied, a little more irritably than before. Her comment washed all his exasperation away.
“You smell nice.”
“K-keh!”
Kagome giggled at his embarrassment, and decided to tease him a bit more. “I like your hanyou scent better, though.” At this point, Inuyasha’s face vanished into his haori, and Kagome had to forcibly stifle her amusement.
“Damn wench,” he mumbled, “thinks she’s so damn funny.” Inside, however, he was floored. Nobody had ever told him he smelled nice before. Most youkai hated his smell because it marked him as a hanyou. He mentally added it to the list of things Kagome had done first for him. After the girl’s subsequent laughter subsided, several more minutes of silence passed.
“Hey, Inuyasha?”
Grrrrrrrrr. “Dammit, wench! Go to sleep, already!”
“One more question.” When Inuyasha didn’t reply, she continued, “Do you still like my smell?”
Again Inuyasha hesitated, not because he didn’t know the answer, but because he wasn’t sure how much to reveal. Even after her transformation, Kagome’s scent was the single most tantalizing fragrance in the world. It put him at ease and electrified him at the same time. But he certainly couldn’t tell her that, so he toned down the truth a little.
“Your scent didn’t change a whole lot when you got youkai blood. You still smell like you, just with something extra added on. I can smell your youkai, but it’s like it’s yours now. You don’t smell like that bastard, if that’s what your wondering.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Inuyasha grimaced. Damn. “Yes, I still like your scent. Now. Go. To. Sleep!”
“Okay, okay! Goodnight, Inuyasha.”
“Feh.”
And so the couple returned to trying to fall asleep, with Kagome having no more luck than before. She was getting frustrated; she knew she was tired, but something didn’t feel right.
Inuyasha started to think that he was going to have to rub her ears again. But would the fact that he was in bed with her make that more awkward? He hesitated, and in the intervening few minutes he thought of another possible reason for her sleeplessness. He yanked the covers out from under Kagome’s body and placed them over her, all while keeping himself above them. Kagome snuggled into the familiar weight of the sheets and mumbled her gratitude, drowsiness already calling her. In moments she was sound asleep. Shaking his head, Inuyasha settled down and followed her into slumber soon after. (4)
(1) I was so proud of myself for coming up with this line before (see chapter 4), that I couldn’t resist using it again. And perhaps more—a lot of times, when Inuyasha says something nice or shows concern, he does so in the midst of a swearing and insult filled tirade. Kagome is able to look past the gruffness and see this diamond in the rough for what it truly is.
(2) Another line I’m very proud of. No, Inuyasha doesn’t have an ego…
(3) In the manga, Kagome’s bed is freakin’ enormous, so it’s entirely possible for both of them to fit on there with room in between. (See Chapter 138, among others)
(4) I wonder, after years of sleeping under sheets, would it be difficult to fall asleep without any covers? I, for one, am not going to try it. I don’t have the money to heat the apartment all night, lol.
A/N – sorry if I led you to believe there would be a battle in this chapter, but I had a last second change of heart. Takehiko and Sora will definitely be back. I’m a big fan of the blanket scenario, but I just couldn’t do it here. Remember, baby steps.
2010 Note – Another thing I’m noticing is that I originally made it way too easy for Kagome to start crying. I eliminated two whole crying scenes from the last two chapters alone! I’ll have to keep an eye on that going forward.
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