InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko Malice ❯ Hair Care for Kids ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

 

A/N: Yay for my new compi! I heart it. Not only that, but even though Microsoft Word on my old computer ate all my Word documents, I was able to open them on my new one. Thank god, I was sooo worried, especially because I had written bits and pieces of this story and I was afraid I would have to try and re-write them. I doubt it would have been pretty.

 

Also, I've forgotten my time line for this story. I don't know if I said they were going to the family dinner the same day they went to Kaede's or the day after. I'll make everything sync up when I edit, but for now the family dinner is the day after they visit Kaede.

 

Chapter 9

 

 

“Kagome?” Inuyasha called from his bed room. He had been mulling over something Sango had said before she left them yesterday: “Your mother would like you to look nice tomorrow night. Maybe Kagome could do something with your hair?” She stared pointedly at his head. They both had known at that moment his hair was tolerable, but what would it look like later? With a growl, Inuyasha agreed to ask the neko, though he dreaded the thought.

 

Picking herself off of the floor where she had been scrubbing one of the many long-lasting stains and Kagome silently made her way to the hanyou. He was standing before his full length mirror, dressed like a proper gentleman: the red fire rat outfit he usually wore had been replaced by baggy black trousers and a loose white shirt of a much higher quality. However Inuyasha's slouch, downcast eyes, and rat's nest of hair spoke otherwise to any posh outerwear. It was clear the inu hanyou was more than a little nervous about something by the way he fidgeted.

 

Kagome offered him a reassuring smile as she waited for his instructions.

 

Staring at the floor, Inuyasha searched for the words he needed. “My father, there's a dinner at…my father's house. And since I have an um, a maid living with me,” he paused for a moment. Kagome took a step closer, waiting for him to finish.

 

Catching her look, so calm and comforting, calmed him enough to finish.

 

Kami! This is so embarrassing!

 

“SinceIhavetogotothisfancydinnermymomwantsmyhairtolooknice, ” Inuyasha paused to suck in a breath. “Its just that its usually so,” he motioned to the mirror, now speaking more slowly. “Messy. And Sango thought that maybe since your hair is always so nice, that well…you could do something with mine.”

 

Even more embarrassed, Inuyasha stared at the floor, his face red. He hated asking for help—usually there was nothing that he couldn't do. But his long hair was never something he had mastered. When he was little, his mother had brushed his locks for him, but that had been long ago. Now if it didn't fall straight after he'd washed it, there was little else he could manage.

 

Before he noticed her movement, Kagome was before him. She guided him over to the mirror and turned him to face it, then motioned for him to sit in the stool that set before it.

 

Begrudgingly, Inuyasha handed Kagome the hair brush he had hidden up his sleeve and mentally braced himself for the agony he knew was coming. Brushing his hair pulled at his ears in the most painful way, and only his mother had ever been able to do it without making him want to pull the appendages from his scalp.

 

He felt Kagome moving his hair, playing with it. It took several moments before he realized he had his eyes closed tightly. When he finally opened them, he found he was looking at himself in the mirror. Moving his gaze upward toward Kagome, he saw that she was already carefully brushing his hair. She held a section in her hand, and worked the knots out bit by bit, not allowing any pull on his scalp, meaning no pain to his ears.

 

He visibly relaxed, sighing heavily. This wasn't so bad. It was actually soothing to have someone fuss over him like this. He leaned a little more into Kagome's touch.

 

When she finally finished untangling his hair and had brushed it smooth, she braided it low and loose so it hung neatly but carelessly down his back.

 

He looked at her reflection again to see her staring curiously at his ears. Inuyasha felt a moment of panic. Was she going to touch his ears? That had never been a pleasant experience.

 

Without warning, her hand reached out tickled an ear, and Inuyasha received his second surprise of the night.

 

Having his ears touched felt good.

 

Almost too good.

 

Before he knew it, a growl sounding suspiciously like a purr erupted from his throat. Instantly, Inuyasha's face was stained red. Kagome mercifully stopped, but when Inuyasha looked at her reflection in the mirror he could see she trying not to laugh at him.

 

If one were to ask Inuyasha even an hour later why he did what he did, the poor hanyou probably would not have been able to say for sure. One minute he was trying to hide his frightful blush, the next Inuyasha found he was leaning toward Kagome.

 

For a moment she looked afraid and took a stumbling step back, but Inuyasha's hand lashed out and grasped her wrist. He was careful, remembering the bruises that had once ringed her arms. Standing, Inuyasha looked at Kagome, watching with interest as the fear slowly drained from her eyes.

 

Taking another stride toward her, Inuyasha was at first discouraged when Kagome also moved backward. However, looking in her eyes the hanyou was surprised to see a gleam that had not been there before. Inuyasha really did not know if this was Kagome being mischievous…or what.

 

Then the corner of her mouth turned up in the tiniest of smirks and then, without warning, his ear was tweaked his ear and the neko was dashing away.

 

Inuyasha stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then it dawned on him. He was supposed to chase her.

 

And with that, Inuyasha was tracking Kagome through the tiny cabin.

 

There was not much floor space to begin with, and Kagome seemed to be lagging intentionally, but what really played in Inuyasha's favor was the bucket of soapy water and scrubber she had left out on the floor.

 

Even though Kagome had been the one to put them there, Inuyasha was the one to spot them just before the neko's foot made contact with the brush, slid, and collided with the pail. Without allowing himself a moment to process what was happening, Inuyasha lunged into the air, scooped Kagome into his body and let gravity bring his body crashing into the ground.

 

He landed with a predictable thud, and only moved enough to make sure Kagome had not been injured. She didn't make a sound, but that was perfectly normal. Instead, she was clutching his clothes with her little cat claws and her eyes were scrunched shut tight. No apparent hurt. Inuyasha allowed his head drop back to the found, a rare—but still small—smile gracing his face.

 

There was something comfortable about this.

 

Feeling Kagome shift, Inuyasha raised his head again to find the neko staring at him. Her expression matched his: calm and ever-so-slightly happy.

 

The air between them hummed. It took him a moment, but Inuyasha realized that they were inching closer together. Both of them.

 

Inuyasha began to panic. What am I doing? What is she doing? What happens when we actually meet? The poor little inu hanyou was certain his heart was about ready to burst from his chest and explode. Part of him wanted to get up and run away.

 

But she's so beautiful.

 

And part of him wanted to stay right where he was.

 

Kagome was having similar feelings from slightly different thoughts. Yes, she couldn't help but think Inuyasha was beautiful, but she was a tad more introspective about her own actions.

 

Why is this so easy? Why am I not afraid at all?

 

Something more occurred to her.

 

What is he doing? Why would he want to kiss me?

 

Kagome was torn. She was unsure if this was such a good idea; if she even wanted to start anything physical with him. It was as though by doing so, she would be cheapening their friendship. And Inuyasha? What was he thinking? Was he doing this because he found her shoddy or, she gulped, something more?

 

But when they were a little less than a foot apart, Inuyasha's hand came up, cupping the side of Kagome's face, halting her now shaky progress.

 

“Kagome,” he breathed. Leaning in, he covered most of the remaining distance between them, but stopped when he noticed the fear had returned to her scent. She was no longer sickly afraid of him as she had been before, but there was a hint of worry around her and the playful glint hard completely left her eyes.

 

She's not ready for this, something instinctive instructed the hanyou.

 

Trying to smile reassuringly, Inuyasha backed away before managing to get to a sitting position, helping Kagome up as he went. The neko looked a little worried, but she returned his smile, and allowed him to help her to her feet.

 

“Come on, I'd better get ready to go,” Inuyasha said, trying to dispel the tension that was suddenly between them.

 

Kagome nodded. She could not for the life of her decide if she was grateful or disappointed Inuyasha had stopped when he had.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Feeling strange that his hair wasn't a rat's nest, Inuyasha fidgeted as Sango's cart meandered toward the manor. He didn't like the fact that the maid had practically demanded Kagome come along too, but Sango did have a point that she needed help with the cooking. Since it was only for a night, she had promised to watch over the neko like a hawk, but Inuyasha still wasn't comfortable with the idea. But Sango was his friend and she was pregnant and needed Kagome to help her pick up some of the slack since she had been falling behind in her chores.

 

Kagome was quiet as always, but she did seem nervous. Not to mention every time their eyes met, a faint blush would paint her face. If Inuyasha was honest with himself, he would admit that he was blushing an awful lot too.

 

Of course Kagome doesn't want to be at the manor, the last time she was here, she was attacked. And that after all had been done to her…. I should have known better. I am the only one who would protect her.

 

Shaking his head, Inuyasha further cemented the resolve in his mind to speak to his father that night. He and Kagome had been so close to something earlier that Inuyasha was more positive than ever that he was doing the right thing.

 

Now he just had to convince the old man of the same.

 

When they arrived at the manor, Sango pulled the cart around to the kitchen entrance, promising yet again to watch over Kagome. Once he had given Kagome's hand a squeeze in farewell, Inuyasha ducked through the kitchen and into the main part of the manor.

 

The hanyou hardly had time to look around before his mother had found him.

 

“Inuyasha,” Izayoi said with a warm smile, glad to see her son home after so long. Embracing him, she pulled back to give him a good look. There was something different about him, something she could not place at the moment.

 

Remembering that she needed to talk to him about the girl, for his father surely hadn't, Izayoi's lips turned down in a tiny scowl: “Inuyasha, your father—”

 

“Actually, I needed to speak to dad before dinner,” Inuyasha glanced around, half expecting to see his father near. He completely missed the look his mother was giving him.

 

Izayoi's frown deepened, but she shrugged it off. If Taro was going to make his son's life miserable, he could be the one to break the news. “He's in his study, or will be soon. I know he was going to check on something with the stables, but he also has to finish some work in the office.”

 

“Thanks mom,” Inuyasha beamed, kissing her on her cheek before heading off in the direction of Inu Taishou's study. “I'll see you at dinner,” he called over his shoulder.

 

“And I hope you are still speaking to me and your father at that point,” Izayoi muttered under her breath as she turn toward the kitchen to finish with the supper arrangements.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

Inuyasha did not have to wait long to see his father. He had only been sitting in the study for a few minutes when the older inu youkai burst in the door, sucking out most of the room's space with his mere presence.

 

“Inuyasha!” He cried, pleased to see his son after such a long absence. The two men embraced, showing rare affection.

 

When Taro had pulled back from his considerably shorter son, he smiled down at the boy. “Your mother said you wanted to see me. About something important, judging by that woman's look—sour as a wet cat.” He scowled as they both took their seats together.

 

Izayoi was still upset about the Higurashi girl.

 

There was no fixing that matter now. It was far too late to back out, especially since Kikyou was already in their home and in a short time her family would come for the wedding.

 

Inuyasha tried to ignore the jib at his mother, and focused on what he needed to say. “Father,” he began with a deep breath ere he completely forgot what he was going to say, “I won a girl,” he blurted out instead. Just having his father stare down at him with that intense gaze, all of his thoughts fled from his head.

 

Inu Taishou quirked an eye brow. “Come again? You said you won a girl?”

 

Inuyasha nodded, feeling like his legs had become melted butter as his father regarded him with his unreadable gaze.

 

“Forgive me son,” the lord said with a laugh, shaking his head, “but how did you come into possession of this woman?”

 

“At the tavern. I was playing cards.”

 

Taro thought for a few moments before answering, “I really won't call the tavern by the cross roads an acceptable place to be looking for your future wife, but I suppose that doesn't matter now.”

 

Inuyasha gapped at his father. Had he heard him right? How had he guessed what he was going to say so quickly?

 

“I suppose that doesn't matter now.”

 

The words fueled Inuyasha's resolve. “You mean it? I can make Kagome my mate?”

 

That was so much easier than I thought it would be.

 

“Yes of course you can—er—who the hell is Kagome?” Worry tinged the Inu lord's voice.

 

Or maybe not.

 

Both men were looking at one another with matching looks of confusion.

 

Gulping, Inuyasha tried to explain. “The—er—woman I won? Her name is Kagome.”

 

“You want to marry a woman you met—no, no—won in a tavern?”

 

In the face of what he could only call his father's shock, Inuyasha could only nod a response.

 

“But wh-why?” Taro sputtered.

 

A million answers whizzed past Inuyasha's mind, but none of them appeared capable of making it to his mouth.

 

Because I almost kissed her this afternoon.

 

Because she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen.

 

Because I need to protect her—no one else will.

 

Because she's just like me.

 

Because she's mine.

 

“Dad,” Inuyasha managed at long last, “Kagome is a neko. A neko hanyou.” He was really starting to sweat; he pushed a hand through his bangs. “And she's been living at the cabin with me for a few weeks. I tried to give her to Sango so she could work in the kitchens, but all the other youkai and humans they attacked her.” Inuyasha warmed as he remembered he was doing this for Kagome. It did not hurt to think of what Kaede had told him. “She's not just a neko, she's a neko hanyou, and I would rather she be my mate than anyone else.” He decided it would be better not to mention the miko part at the moment. Neko and hanyou would be enough for his father.

 

There. He had said it.

 

Taro regarded his son carefully. Of his two sons, Inuyasha rarely asked for anything. Well, Sesshomaru may not have frequently made demands, but he took what he wanted. The woman he had married was not the best match—not the kind of woman he approved of. But Sesshomaru had married and mated her before Inu Taishou could have his say as father.

 

Here was Inuyasha honoring his right as lord and father, and Taro was quickly realizing he could not return the favor by giving Inuyasha his approval. Even if he did not already have a perfectly suitable woman waiting in the other room to marry him, from the sound of the girl his son had described, she was not up to the Takahashi standards. A hanyou slave? Now that was something he really could not allow.

 

Taro pushed back the nagging questions of how exactly a neko hanyou had survived so long in the demon lands and what Izayoi was going to say when she heard about this.

 

“Inuyasha,” the demon lord began in a heavy voice of warning. “You are a son of this house and such you know as well as I do that you cannot go around marrying just anyone.”

 

Inuyasha's ears drooped a bit—an action his father failed to notice as the older man had turned his away from his son.

 

“I know your brother went out and married a wind youkai of all things, and while this would not have been my choice for him, at least Kagura comes from a good family. Do you even know this Keiko's surname?”

 

Inuyasha only shook his head and did not bother to correct the older man's mistake. His ears were threatening to sink down into his hair and his gaze had dropped to the floor.

 

“See there? Now I'm sure she's a sweet girl…in more ways than one to have you acting this way, but,” again, Taro was not looking at his son and did not see Inuyasha eyes flicker red, “we can find better matches. For the both of you.”

 

This time, Inu Tashio was forced to look at the hanyou when he heard a growl ripple from the boy's throat. What he saw made even his blood run cold—if only for a moment.

 

Inuyasha was sitting in his chair, looking very much as though he was about to pounce on something with all his muscles tensed. His feet dug into his floor, hands clutching the velour of the armrests in an attempt to restrain himself. More than anything, the hanyou's eyes frightened Taro: they were flickering red. Thankfully none of the other traits that came when Inuyasha's demon was dominate were there, but Taro did not like what he saw.

 

In two strides he stepped across the room, picked up his youngest son by the scruff of his jacket and hair and after dangling him over the ground, promptly dumped him on the floor.

 

“Oi! What was that for old man?” Inuyasha growled, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head.

 

Inu Taishou quirked and eye brow. “Your demon was fluctuating.” Inuyasha could only stare at his father, so the older demon took the opportunity to pick up the conversation they had been having: “Now son, I know you've taken a fancy to this…girl, but not only does she sound completely unsuitable, but I have already arranged bride for you.”

 

“A bride? She wants to marry me?” Inuyasha's mouth hung open. Clumsily, he managed back up to his feet. “Does she know I'm a hanyou?”

 

Taro chuckled. “Of course she knows,” he reassured, though he really did not know. Her father had told her, hadn't he? Not that you've told Inuyasha she's a miko…

 

Inuyasha stared at ground. His father had found a woman to marry him? There had to be more to it.

 

“So she just decided she wanted to move to the Demon Lands? Sounds unusual for a human woman,” Inuyasha said, clearly suspicious.

 

“There is a treaty involved,” Taro conceded. He stepped over to the study's bar and began to mix himself a drink. “The girl comes here to live and marries you and I get some land on the other side of the border. A fair trade.”

 

Sitting down quietly, Inuyasha wasn't sure if he completely agreed with his father, but there were much bigger things weighing on his mind.

 

“How long have you known?”

 

“Her father agreed to my final terms about…I would say a week ago. And his daughter—your future wife—arrived yesterday morning.”

 

“You mean she's here!” Inuyasha yelped, finding himself inexplicably on his feet. What about Kagome? Something primal was howling.

 

Taro nodded. “Why else would I ask you to come out of the Cabin?”

Inuyasha wondered why he hadn't figured it out earlier. Why else would I be called back?

 

He knew why he hadn't even thought about the why of coming home for dinner. He had been thinking about Kagome. Focusing on her story, being around her. There hadn't really been another possibility for him.

 

And now his dad had gone and set up a treaty with a human lord in trade for the man's daughter.

 

Inuyasha wanted to be angry. But this was his father, and he clearly thought this was good for him.

 

What's going to happen to Kagome?

 

“I hope you won't be stubborn about this, Inuyasha. I will admit I am mostly doing this for your own good, but this treaty will aid me greatly.”

Inuyasha shrugged. “What else can I do?” He was going to leave it at that, but something nagged at him. No, not nagged. It was starting to eat away at him. “But I would like Kagome to be taken care of. Maybe she could go help Kaede.” Inuyasha said sadly.

 

His son's melancholy was not missed on Inu Tashio, but there was nothing he could say. What did one do with a hanyou slave anyway?

 

“Come on. Why don't you go find you mother and I'll see you in the hall for dinner. Just think, Inuyasha, you will soon meet your future wife.”

 

The hanyou nodded sadly and trudged out of the study.

 

Again, Taro prayed his wife did not find out about the hanyou girl his son had stashed away. That certainly would not be good—for him or the shaky ground his marriage stood.

 

XXXXXXXXX

 

Inuyasha could hear them long before he saw them and it was not because of his overly sensitive ears.

 

The first tangible sign was a gust of wind whipping all of the hall's tapestries and curtains into such a frenzy, Inuyasha was sure that they would come crashing down onto his head. Then there was flash of blue spiritual energy crackling the very air around them.

 

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha prayed the two did not destroy the dinner table (with all the food) like the last time he had been at home. He was hungry and after the conversation he had just had with his father, he was in no mood to starve any longer; especially because of a marital tiff. Preferably, he would have had a few moments of silence to try and figure out what to do with Kagome.

 

“Are they at it again?” Izayoi asked, coming into the room, seeing the breeze in her drapes and the sizzle flickering in the air. The Lady seemed particularly annoyed as she took the chair next to her son. Considering this must go on in her home constantly, Inuyasha understood his mother's lack of patience. He only hoped the human woman his father had chosen for him would be able to agree with on a few issues. He didn't think he could stand to be in constant conflict with this mate.

 

Would Kagome and I argue this much?

 

“You just washed your hair this morning!” A female voice roared into the hall. There was another slash of wind just before Sesshomaru slid into the room on his rear. “It was my turn to use the hot water! I needed to take a bath!”

 

That explained part of it, Inuyasha conceded. Even though they lived in a manor, hot water was still a rare commodity to come by. It appeared the two `beauty queens,' as Inuyasha referred them, were having problems sharing. Rumor had it that their mutual love of personal hygiene was the bonding point between Sesshomaru and his young bride.

 

Sesshomaru only growled in response. He flicked his whip at his wife's foot, but Kagura nimbly leaped away.

 

“You dog!” She retorted back, lowering herself down to rest on the rafters from the height she had bound. “What? Are you not demon enough to hand a breeze?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she tapped her closed fan on her arm and smirked at the snarling youkai below her. Kagura's calm taunted him more than anything else could.

 

And she knew it. Her grin became toothy as fangs poked out of her lips. “Did I hurt the puppy-wuppy's hair?”

 

“Not this,” Izayoi moaned to Inuyasha. “Last time it took a week to repair the ceiling.”

 

Sesshomaru was currently attempting to leap high enough to reach Kagura where she stood calmly on one of the Hall's rafters. He barred his own fangs and howled. The normally stoic youkai looked something like a little girl reaching for a toy held over her head and a cat who was being dunked into water.

 

“Why are you even mad? You're the one who stole my water!” Kagura growled. “I was retaliating you son of a bitch! And don't wail like that, dog shit, it's getting on my nerves.” Raising her fan, she whipped it down, sending blades of wind directly onto her husband.

 

Sesshomaru stood stock still once the attack had passed. He seemed to be in deep contemplation as his head lowered so his line of sight was parallel with the ground at his feet.

 

“My hair,” the youkai said in a hushed tone. “You cut my hair.”

 

“Deal with it fucker!” Kagura taunted.

 

Though there was some hair on the floor, it was hardly enough to notice from Sesshomaru's long locks. Or at least Inuyasha thought. His brother, on the other hand, was perfectly livid on the loss of a few of his hairs. Even from across the hall where Inuyasha sat at the table, he could make out the purple markings on his brother's face darkening, his normally golden eyes turning a bloody red.

 

Letting out an impossible roar, Sesshomaru leaped into the air, he was propelled upward to where he latched onto the beam Kagura stood, pulling it down with him.

 

“I can't look,” Izayoi groaned, turning her head and covering her eyes so she didn't have to watch.

 

There was a snapping sound, followed quickly by a crash as the beam tumbled to the ground. When the dust settled, Sesshomaru was buried under the pile of debris, twitching, as Kagura fluttered down, side stepping the mess with her easy grace.

 

This was the scene Inu Taishou walked into as he led Inuyasha's new bride to dinner. The hanyou hardly took notice of the woman walking paces behind his father. His focus was on Sesshomaru.

 

“Not again,” the lord grumbled under his breath, surveying the damage.

 

“My Lord,” Kagura called out as she came up the bow before her father-in-law. “Your honored son and I had a small accident, I hope you are not angered.” Flashing him her winning smile to cover her sarcasm, Kagura sashayed over to her place at the dinner table, living her `honored husband' to deal with his father's wrath.

 

Sesshomaru had dug himself out of the rubble and muttering apologies to his father, he took his seat across from his wife, glaring at her the entire time.

 

Rolling his eyes, Inu Taishou stepped up to his younger son who stood as his father approached. The mess in the hall could be dealt with later; there were more pressing matters to handle at the moment.

 

“Inuyasha,” Taro's voice boomed, “allow me to introduce you to someone.” Standing aside, he allowed the figure who had been following him to step to the forefront. “This is Kikyou Higurashi,” the girl lifted the veil she had been wearing, “your bride to be.”

 

His father was smiling, Sesshomaru was hiding what for him might be called a chuckle, and Izayoi looked on sadly.

 

Inuyasha could see that girl met his gaze, though he could not tell what she was thinking or feeling—even by her scent. She smelt of nothing but peace.

 

If he had had time to think more on it, he might have pieced together that she was a miko from her serene scent, but only one thought was going through Inuyasha's mind.

 

She looks just like Kagome.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

 

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story even though I haven't updated in a while.

 

If anyone actually reads my other stories, I will be working on those too. If you have a preference, please let me know.

 

Happy Holidays to all.