InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Minoue ❯ Discoveries and Confessions ( Chapter 14 )

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

Disclaimers: I do not own InuYasha or any of the manga/anime characters. They belong to the wonderful genius Rumiko Takahashi. Any original characters do belong to me.

AN: Thank you very much to inufan625 for acting as my beta once again. An additional thank you goes to Knittingknots for her help as well. I greatly appreciate the time they've taken to help make me a better writer and this a better story.

Thank you very much for the reviews. I read each and every one of them, and greatly appreciate those of you that took the time to leave one. For responses to your reviews, please check out my LiveJournal at doggieearlover.livejournal.com/168385.html .

Minoue

Chapter 14:Discoveries and Confessions

The rumbling of Kagome's stomach disrupted the easy silence between them as InuYasha held her close. He rubbed her back as he said, “We probably should see about dinner. I promised to take you out to celebrate, after all.”

Kagome couldn't help but to giggle. “My stomach seems to keep interrupting, doesn't it?” She looked down as she felt the reminders of their latest coupling running down her legs. “And I think I could use a shower.”

InuYasha leaned over to kiss her. “Had enough for the day?” he asked softly.

“I'll never have enough of you, but I am a little sore as well as hungry. Want to join me?” she replied.

He grinned as he took her hand and led her towards the master bath.

Kagome wasn't ready to put her skimpy undergarments and dress back on, so InuYasha gave her one of his yukata to wear. It swallowed her small frame, but it would do to wear around the house. She insisted that the hanyou not wear any more clothing than she did, so he was wearing one as well. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so happy and content as he dug through a drawer looking for the takeout menu. He rarely looked at it since he usually ordered the same thing, but he told Kagome that it was her celebration, so even if they ate in, she needed to make the selections. InuYasha then put on a pot of coffee to brew while she studied the menu.

~ ^~^ ~

Miroku shook his head as he saw the takeout van in the parking lot at the dojo. Some things would never change, at least not any time soon. InuYasha was actually a good cook, but he'd rather order Ramen from the place down the street. Grabbing his briefcase, he hurried through the gate towards the house.

He nodded at the delivery boy when he passed him on the path. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even stop to announce himself. It wasn't unusual for him to drop in on InuYasha on Sunday evening, anyway.

“InuYasha-” He was cut off when he felt a clawed hand at his throat as he was pushed roughly against a wall.

“Don't you ever stop?” InuYasha hissed, obviously upset at the intrusion.

“InuYasha… I… what… but…” Miroku was mortified. His briefcase hit the floor. What had he done?

“InuYasha, don't hurt him; he didn't know,” a soft voice said from the kitchen. “Weren't you just saying it wasn't unusual for him to drop in on Sundays?”

“Kag… Kagome? Kagome's here?” Miroku quailed from against the wall. “I'm sorry, InuYasha… You know… oh my gods, her birthday…”

“Yes, it's her birthday. Didn't you see her car in the lot?” the angry hanyou asked.

“No, only the delivery van. I'm sorry; I'll go,” Miroku apologized. “I didn't mean to intrude.”

“InuYasha, he's your best friend, and I don't want to be the one to come between you. We have plenty of food, so please ask him to stay. I'm sure he had a good reason for coming over,” the voice of reason suggested.

Miroku felt the hand relaxing from around his throat. He opened his eyes that he'd squeezed shut tight upon being shoved against the wall and was surprised to see InuYasha wearing his sleeping yukata. However, that was nothing compared to the shock of seeing Kagome wrapped in a yukata that swallowed her and was obviously one of the hanyou's.

InuYasha gave him a look that clearly said, “Don't say it,” so he didn't though Miroku was having a hard time controlling the grin that wanted to stretch from ear to ear. Instead, he said, “I found information on Sango. If you had a phone, I would have called. I couldn't wait to show you.”

“Can we eat first? I'm kind of hungry,” Kagome interrupted. “Though I'd like to see what you found out, too.”

InuYasha and Miroku followed her into the kitchen. “Good heavens, no Ramen? Are we having a celebration?” Miroku asked as he looked at the amount of food on the table.

InuYasha grudgingly answered, “Kagome ordered, and yes.”

Kagome blushed. “I was so hungry I couldn't make up my mind. InuYasha asked if I would become an instructor, and of course I said that I would love to. Help yourself. We've got Tempura, Gomaae with Spinach, Sushi, Yakitori, and there is Ramen since it's InuYasha's favorite.”

“Thanks, and I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to intrude on your party,” Miroku apologized again.

“Never mind, Monk. You're lucky… well, you're lucky we're even here. We were supposed to go out…” InuYasha started.

“But I didn't really want to… and then… well…” Kagome flushed bright red.

“So, did he give you a Keikogi like mine?” Miroku asked.

“Yes, and I love it. I've admired yours for so long,” she answered.

“Are we going to talk or eat?” the frustrated hanyou interrupted.

“Miroku, we'll be right back,” Kagome said. “InuYasha?”

Kagome led InuYasha to the sunken room which she knew he retreated to when he was troubled. “InuYasha, I meant what I said. Miroku has stood by you through thick and thin. At least we weren't… well… we weren't… you know… when he showed up. You're making the situation worse. Just settle down, will you? If anyone should be embarrassed, it's me. And I'll admit I was surprised when he burst in, but he is your best friend and has been for a long time. It can't be like this if I'm going to be working with the both of you. When I leave tonight, I want you to do whatever it is that guys do and sort it out. Understand?”

InuYasha wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He nuzzled the side of her face with his as he breathed in her calming scent. “I'm sorry. It's so new to me. I can't believe how angry I was when he showed up. I was… jealous… that he invaded our time together. And then I didn't want him to look at you. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I should have told him yesterday before we left the dojo.”

“This is new to both of us, and we'll have to learn together. I'll probably get envious sometimes when you have to work with female students at the dojo, but I'll have to remember it is part of who you are; it's what you do. Now, can we go back and have a civil conversation before our supper gets cold?” she responded.

“Keh,” InuYasha answered.

The rest of the meal went more peacefully. Once the dishes and containers were cleared away, Miroku retrieved his briefcase that he'd dropped in the entryway. Pulling out the articles he'd printed, he said, “I found these this afternoon. You won't believe what Sango has been through.”

Tears were streaming down Kagome's face as she read the accounts of what had happened. Brushing them away, she said softly, “I think I understand now.”

InuYasha wanted to wipe her tears away for her and hold her, but not in front of Miroku. “What, Kagome? What is it?”

Miroku had been sitting in silence as they poured over the articles.

Kagome looked up. “Just this look she sometimes gets… I noticed it first around Souta and then in Miroku's Buddhism class. Souta must remind her of her own brother and the class of the deaths. I mentioned about how Shinto only deals with life but Buddhism with everything else. All she would say is, `I know.'”

“The Buddhist monks in her area took care of the cremation and burial, as is their tradition. She had to make decisions that seem to worry her. I hope in the course of the class I can answer her questions,” Miroku said.

InuYasha was shaking his head. “And that certainly accounts for the scar on her back. I hadn't seen anything like it in over a hundred years. Well, now that you know what happened, do you intend to do anything?”

Miroku shook his head. “No, I'll follow your advice not to let her know that I suspect anything out of the ordinary about her. I think you're right in that it will scare her off. But I had to know. Kagome, promise me you won't say anything.”

Startled, Kagome looked up. “No, of course not, Miroku. I just thought she seemed so alone and then after seeing that scar in the dressing room… I'd wondered what happened, too. Thanks for telling us.”

Miroku nodded.

“Well, I'd better get dressed so I can go home,” Kagome said.

InuYasha's eyes widened at her statement, as did Miroku's.

Kagome looked down and blushed. “I… I… I spilled something on my dress. Hopefully it's dry now.” She stood from the table and added, “You two stay here. I'll just be a few minutes.”

First, she went to the entry and retrieved her jacket, and then made her way to InuYasha's bedroom where her clothes were scattered. Her body became flushed as she recalled the events of the afternoon. She donned her undergarments before slipping into the black dress, tugging the hem down as far as she could. Unfortunately, that wasn't very far. She sighed as she pulled the jacket on over it. Well, they were all adults and from his reputation, Miroku knew full well what they'd been doing. It was embarrassing to some extent, but maybe it was better to get it out into the open sooner rather than later.

“Well, I'm ready to go,” Kagome said as she returned to the kitchen, still flushed pink. She was clutching her new Keikogi she had retrieved from the living room.

Miroku's eyes sprang wide open at the sight of the girl in the very short form fitting dress. No wonder they hadn't made it out of the house.

Kagome couldn't help but notice and said, “I should have worn this for the first day of your class. I would have fit in better.”

InuYasha growled, and Miroku choked.

“I'll walk you to your car,” the hanyou stated before Miroku actually could say anything in response.

She smiled. “Thanks, InuYasha. Goodnight, Miroku. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Kagome. Be careful going home,” Miroku responded.

“Don't worry, I will.”

InuYasha waited for Kagome to put on her shoes and pick up her handbag and then followed her out of the house. She took his hand as he walked alongside her to follow the path that led back to the gate. Before they reached it, she stopped and turned into him. “Will you kiss me one more time?” she asked softly.

The hanyou had wanted to, so badly, before she left. He gladly lowered his mouth to hers, though they both had to work at not getting carried away.

When they finally pulled apart for air, Kagome wrapped her arm around him and nestled her head against his chest. Her other arm, clutching the Keikogi and her handbag, was pressed between them. “Promise me you'll talk to him and not be angry. Don't forget, he was your friend long before you met me.”

“Keh. You're right. I already scared him badly enough. I'll try not to do it again - unless he makes me,” InuYasha said.

“It's all so new. It'll work out,” she responded. “Come on, I'd better head home before it gets too late. I don't want Mama to worry.”

“Your mother is something else, isn't she?” he commented.

Kagome nodded. “Yeah, she is. All in all, I'm glad she's my mother.”

“Me, too,” InuYasha agreed.

Miroku had poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and was waiting apprehensively for the hanyou to return. Just once, why couldn't he do something without interrupting the couple? He realized how angry InuYasha was, and it was only the second time he could ever remember the hanyou's wrath being directed at him. However, in spite of that, he could no longer hold back the grin that had been threatening to overtake him ever since he saw the two and concluded how they'd spent the afternoon celebrating.

“What are you grinning about,” InuYasha said irately as he stalked back into the kitchen.

“You finally got laid!” Miroku exclaimed, followed promptly by, “Oh, shit, I can't believe I said that out loud.”

“Monk, don't make me break my promise to Kagome not to kill you,” the hanyou stated.

~ ^~^ ~

“So, what did you find out?” Kouga demanded.

Ginta and Hakkaku shrank away from him. They really didn't want to bear the brunt of his anger.

Kouga was practically shaking with fury. “Where have my students gone? Why have they not returned to my dojo?”

“I… well… we couldn't really find out,” Ginta started. “All they would tell us was that they didn't want to come back.”

“WHO told you? The cubs? What of their parents? What did they have to say in the matter?” The irate ookami asked.

Both of the lower ranked wolves looked at the ground, not wanting to meet his gaze. Hakkaku finally answered, “That was the parents. They support the cubs' decision not to return. They say you acted… dishonorably… in the public venue. They say that they were embarrassed that a half-breed and bunch of humans showed more honor than a youkai sensei did. They were humiliated that full youkai were defeated by mere humans. They have no interest in returning here for instruction from you.”

Ginta and Hakkaku both steeled themselves for the blows that were surely to come.

Instead, Kouga turned and stalked away before ordering, “You are to follow them. I don't care which ones. Find out if they've given up training completely, or if they have started going somewhere else. Don't come back until you have something definite to tell me. Understand?”

“Yes, Kouga, we will follow your instructions.” Both of the ookami youkai fled the dojo before Kouga changed his mind and wanted to take his rage out on them.

~ ^~^ ~

The house was quiet as Kagome entered and pulled off her flats to put them away in the shoe cupboard. The kitchen light was still on, so she padded towards it to see if her mother was waiting up on her.

“Hello, Dear. How did it go?” Mama asked her. “Would you like some tea?”

“Thanks, Mama,” Kagome responded softly. “He asked if I would teach with him, and of course I said yes. He told me you had already said it was okay, and he gave me this.” She slid the Keikogi across the table to her, embroidery side up, so she could see it.

“That's wonderful, Kagome. I know you've admired the one that Miroku wears. Did he tell you anything about this piece?” her mother questioned.

“Yes. InuYasha said it's a picture of his father in his true form. He said the original hangs in his brother's art gallery,” Kagome responded.

“There's another one like him?” Mama was surprised.

“I'm not sure… he mentioned he had a half-brother when Miroku and I stayed the night with him. I get the feeling they aren't very close. I think his brother may be a full youkai, but I'm not certain. Maybe I'll ask him one of these days if the time seems right,” Kagome said. She'd almost blurted out about InuYasha turning human that night but caught herself. It was also the fact that his brother was not allowed to know his secret that made her think he was a full demon, like their father.

“And how did everything else go?” Mama inquired.

Kagome blushed and looked at her cup of tea. “What…what do you mean?”

“Well, I think your dress is on backwards for starters.” Mama couldn't help but to chuckle.

Kagome looked down and realized that not only was the tag sticking up, but the seam that was supposed to run down the middle of her back was down the middle of her front. She couldn't help but to flush a deeper shade of red.

Mama ignored her embarrassment. “So, by any chance is that what the girls bought you for your birthday?”

The young woman only nodded in response.

“And I gather you didn't want to wear it when you went out with them?” she continued.

Kagome nodded but then shook her head and sighed.

“So, did InuYasha appreciate it?” Mama asked.

Kagome sipped her tea before she answered, “He said I was beautiful.”

“Was that before or after you took it off?”

“Mama!”

“No matter. Are you happy?” her mother asked quietly.

Kagome finally looked up to meet her eyes. “Yes, Mama, very.”

“Good, because that's all that really matters. To be honest, I was surprised you were home this early,” she commented.

Kagome sighed. “Miroku showed up. I was afraid InuYasha was going to kill him. I told him I was going home, and I wanted them to sort it out. They've been friends for too long for me to cause a rift between them.”

“That was very mature and understanding of you, Kagome. He's probably used to dropping in, since InuYasha doesn't have a phone.”

“He'd finally found some information on Sango. Oh, Mama…” her voice trailed away.

“Honey, what is it?”

Kagome proceeded to tell her everything that Miroku had dug up as her mother listened in silence. Tears clouded her vision as she relayed what she'd read and that she couldn't let on to Sango that she knew.

“Kagome, just be a friend to her like you have been. Feel free to ask her over anytime you want to. It sounds like she really is all alone. She probably came to Tokyo to get away from everything, but your past can have a way of catching up to you when you least expect it,” Mama suggested.

“Like InuYasha?” Kagome said softly.

“Exactly like that. But you already knew him for the man he really is. In fact, all of his students and their parents knew. I think he was more astonished than anyone, including that woman, at the show of support for him. Actions can speak far louder than words. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm about ready for bed. You certainly had a busy day for a Sunday. When you go back to the dojo, remember that InuYasha or Sango are welcome here anytime. If you stay late, I'll expect him to walk you home and have supper with you.”

Kagome giggled. “He does love your cooking as long as there's no curry involved.”

“I know. Of course the other alternative would be for you to just spend the night there, but I hope you would at least pick up the phone and call to let me know. Otherwise, I'd worry,” Mama suggested.

It took a minute for what her mother said to sink in, but when it did Kagome turned red and fled upstairs.

Mama picked up the tea cups and put them in the sink. They could wait until in the morning to be washed and put away. All she could think was that once they'd gotten past their own insecurities and stubbornness, those two had accomplished more in a single day than she'd ever expected. Humming to herself, she headed to her bedroom, grateful that one major obstacle in her daughter's happiness had finally been cleared.

To be continued…

*********************

Feudal Association News

The Feudal Association voting is currently underway. Thanks so much to quirkyslayer for the nomination received for Reminders on the Wind in the Best InuYasha/Kagome Fanfiction category.

If you are interested in checking it out, including previous winners and current nominees, try the Feudal Association Home Page at http://feudalassociation.cadkitten.com/. To join, go to the Feudal Association Yahoo!Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeudalAssociation/. The Feudal Association is unique in that you are allowed to nominate and vote on Fanart as well as Fanfiction. They do not close membership, so you are allowed to join and participate throughout the process.

IYFG News

The first round of InuYasha Fanfiction Guild Nominations for the Third Quarter of 2007 (July - September) is over and seconding will take place from November 1st - 10th. Thank you to Mage Delbene, Shannah, Patty, malitiadixie, farawayeyes, and Quirkyslayer for the nominations received. I really appreciate it!

Best AU/AR - Minoue

Best Drama - Minoue

Best InuYasha/Kagome Romance - Minoue

Best Lemon - Come Undone

Best Oneshot - Art is Life

Best InuYasha/Kagome Romance - Art is Life

Best Vignette - Reminders on the Wind

Best Canon - Reminders on the Wind

Best Characterization - Reminders on the Wind (Kagome)