InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Noble House ❯ chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Alijandrah 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.03.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 337 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 03.03.2004 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 337 | Status: Completed
When they arrived, they found Kaede awake and calling out instructions to Suzume, who was rummaging through their medical supply chests. Shippou was doing the same, and Kagome laughed when she saw him leaning waist-deep into the bin, his feet kicking in the air and his tail flicking back and forth for balance. Startled, the kit jumped about a foot into the air as a deep blush stained his cheeks. His eyes flickered back and forth meaningfully between Kagome and Suzume, obviously trying to tell his okasan not to embarrass him in the girls' presence. The girl in question remained oblivious, as she was preoccupied with caring for her patients. Kagome stepped forward, playfully ruffling his red hair and earning another glare from her son. "Kag~o~mee" he whined, his tone sounding all too similar to the common whine of 'Mo~om' that she had heard from other children to their parents.
"Gomen ne, Shippou-chan" Kagome apologized, smiling warmly when she heard her husband's snort of laughter from beside her. Inu Yasha darted a hand out and grabbed the kit by the arm, pulling him into a headlock. He walked towards the door, dragging the squirming kit along with him.
"The runt and I are going hunting for dinner... you ladies hungry for anything in particular?" he inquired. He watched as one woman after another nodded their heads in the negative until he got to his wife. She pondered her response for a minute or two, idly tapping a finger against her lower lip. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but stopped and shook her head, apparently having already changed her mind. 'What, does she think I'm going to one of her supermarkets on the other side of the well? My options are kinda limited here.' he thought impatiently, but held his tongue. Fortunately, Kaede decided to rescue him again before he lost control of his less than tactful mouth.
"Make up thy mind, child. It will be nightfall before you decide at this rate."
"Pork... I want pork." Kagome demanded. Inu Yasha could hear Shippou sigh from his position in the headlock, and the hanyou tightened his hold on the young youkai. His meaning was clear, and Shippou stopped the comment that was about to fall from his lips. The kit had picked up many of his bad habits over the years, including his smart mouth. Inu Yasha nodded to the group and took off into the forest, dragging the kit behind him. A safe distance away from his home, he released the kit so he could assist in locating a boar. Shippou turned to him, a confused expression on his face.
"Last week she said she hated pork... why would she want it now?" he asked.
"I don't bother questioning it anymore, pup. I'm just glad she didn't ask me to find rutabaga's again."
"Oh." Shippou scrunched up his face, obviously thinking hard about something. "What the hell is a rutabaga?" He watched as Inu Yasha shrugged.
"Damned if I know."
sat beside Sango, checking the progress of the wounds on her neck. They were finally closed and showed no signs of infection, but it was apparent that there would be scarring. She rubbed some salve onto the hard pink flesh, hoping that it would prevent more scar tissue from forming. Sango relaxed and leaned into the touch, the gentle rubbing of Kagome's fingers relieving the itching sensations of the abused skin. "Arigato, Kagome-chan. That really helps the itch." She sighed as Kagome began to work at the knots in her shoulders, and smiled as she remembered all the times they rubbed each other's shoulders while on the quest for the shard. Kagome was like the sister she never had, and her presence had always lessened the pain of loosing her family. They had even started addressing each other as sisters towards the very end of they're journey through Nippon. She just hoped with all her heart that Kagome wouldn't turn away from her because of their awkward situation. The last thing she wanted was to intrude on her sister's happiness.
"Ne, Sango-chan, what happened?" Kagome's inquiry sounded timid, almost as if she were afraid to ask. She stopped her attentions to Sango's shoulders so that the taijia could turn and face her. As Sango recounted the events from earlier in the day, Kagome's countenance became more closed and distant. The taijia knew that Kagome was thinking about her possible marriage to Inu Yasha. She had that same forlorn expression on her face that appeared only in the past when Kikyo made an appearance. When she repeated Sesshomaru's threat to return for her and the child, Kagome stood and began to pace beside the door. She was biting her nails, and looked as if she were ready to start crying at any second. Kaede shooed Suzume from the room, knowing she should not be present for this conversation.
"Kagome... please don't be upset. I'm sure we can find a way to defeat him eventually . We don't need to do anything... hasty.. to prevent him from taking me in the meantime. The last thing I want is to disrupt your family." Sango paused when she saw the tears begin to fall from her dear friends eyes. She was hesitant to continue, but she knew it needed to be said. "I don't want him, Kagome... he loves you and only you. I am afraid though... I do not want to raise this child by myself." She paused for another moment, gathering her courage to say what she had to next. "The thought that Sesshomaru would take me scares me to death, and I would rather die by my own hand than allow that bastard to take me or my child. I don't ever want him to touch me again, and if he takes me from here.. I'm afraid that he'll... " Her own eye filled with tears as the memories of her rape flashed before her minds eye. Kagome's watery eyes met hers, and the miko's eyes softened in sympathy from the pain she saw there. Her next words were pleading and choppy from emotion. "Please don't hate me for this Kagome-chan... I know its partially my fault, but please just don't hate me."
regarded her for a moment, mulling Sango's words over in her head. Her heart ached for the taijia; she was trapped in her current situation, just as they all were. In reality they were all victims of the taiyoukai's act, and Kagome fought the urge to track him down while he was injured and purify him into oblivion. She could not do that however, while she was still pregnant. The child within her possessed demon blood and youki, and if she used her powers to purify, the child would die as well. That was how she had miscarried the first time, after all. Sango was not really at fault, but she couldn't help the small selfish part of her soul from resenting her. She was certain that when Inu Yasha heard of this, he would try and take her as wife to protect her. "I don't hate you, Sango. I want to.. but I just cant." she finally replied. Kagome turned and fled, heading for the sanctuary of her bedroom. She slammed the shoji shut, closing the small but sturdy locks on the door so she could have her privacy. Back in the recovery room, a heartbroken Sango cried on Kaede's shoulder. Inu Yasha sloshed his way back to the house, a dead boar slung over his shoulder. Shippou occasionally broke into a fit of snickers, and the hanyou would send a death glare back his way. They had found the boar rooting in a rice field, and when Inu Yasha leapt to slash its neck, the startled boar managed to evade him and take off across the muddy field. The hanyou pursued the prey, but the soles of his bare feet against the slick mud caused for a messy chase. He managed to kill the animal, but not until after he fell several times and became caked with mud and the blood of his prey. His sodden fire-rat clothing clung to his skin, and occasionally a large clump of soil or vegetation would fall from his clothes or hair, initiating another giggle fit from Shippou.
"One word out of your mouth, runt, and I'll pound you." His verbal threat was diminished when another clump of sod slid free of his clothing, landing on the ground with a loud 'splat'. The hanyou sighed and shook his head in defeat, too thoroughly tired to care anymore. "Just go to my room when we get home, and get me something to wear. I don't want to track mud through the house." Shippou snickered again and nodded, hoping to get the chance to borrow Kagome's camera. The image of the great and powerful Inu Yasha caked with mud and looking utterly pathetic needed to be preserved for future generations, after all.
arrived at their destination with very little incident, the only disturbance coming from the village men guarding the house when they appeared. They visibly struggled to contain their laughter, clutching their sides and covering their mouths to prevent the sound from escaping their lips. Inu Yasha unceremoniously tossed the boar to the ground in front of them before heading in the direction of the bath house, located in back of the main building. Kagome had insisted on a relatively modern bath, and after a while even the hanyou had to admit that constructing the thing was well worth the trouble. He lit a fire under the heater, pleased to think he would soon be able to relax in the warm water. He entered the small building and peeled the soiled clothing from his body, depositing them in a plastic hamper Kagome placed by the door for occasions such as these. He sat on a small stool in the middle of the room, and attempted to wash off the majority of the mud with buckets of cold water kept for pre-washing.
knocked hesitantly on Kagome's door. Kaede told him what had transpired between his okasan and Sango, and that Kagome was seeking solitude in her room. He needed to get the hanyou something to wear, but he didn't want to intrude. He knew about Myoga's solution of Inu Yasha marrying Sango, and while he didn't want to see Kagome hurt, he didn't really have any objection. It was perfectly proper by youkai custom. Inu Yasha was of noble blood, and perfectly capable of supporting multiple wives. Once a woman was formally married, she could not be taken away by another youkai. It simply wasn't done. If the taiyoukai did take Sango, he would loose even more face than when he violated her. The kit had heard of the ceremony that Myoga mentioned, and it would prevent Sesshomaru from ever taking the child. By right, the child would be considered Inu Yasha's second born. Granted he would have to bed Sango as part of the ceremony, but if it kept Sesshomaru from claiming mother or child, it was a small sacrifice.
youkai could take many wives, but he could only take one life-mate. Shippou knew that Inu Yasha wanted that to be Kagome. Their souls would be bound together for eternity, and even possessing the desire to go through with that ceremony showed that he was utterly devoted to her. The hanyou had even asked her after the customary first year of marriage. Kagome had declined, not fully understanding the ceremony and not too keen on the idea of being bitten so it would leave a scar. Inu Yasha was devastated by that, and had convinced himself for quite some time that she was rejecting him. 'They really are hopeless.' Shippou thought to himself.
had been waiting at Kagome's door with no response for several minutes now, and he pressed a pointed ear against the shoji. He heard her breathing, deep and even, coming from inside. Realizing she was asleep, he tried to slide the shoji open. When it didn't budge, he manifested tiny balls of kitsune-bi inside the locks. When they expanded with a tiny 'pop', the force drove the locks open. He slipped inside, grinning over how clever he was becoming with his powers. He snuck over to the corner where Inu Yasha's trunk lay, opened the lid, and started rifling through his things in search of a sleeping yukata he could wear.
"Shippou, what are you doing?" Kagome's voice held a hint of warning, much like when she caught him sneaking candy from the pantry right before dinner. Shippou turned to see his mother now alert and sitting upright, and eyeing him suspiciously. He laughed nervously, and snatched what he hoped was a yukata from the top of the pile.
"Um.. Inu Yasha's clothes got dirty getting you what you wanted for dinner. He's in the bath house, and he wanted me to bring this to him." Kagome eyed the garment he was holding and laughed to herself. Shippou had grabbed a clean fundoshi from the top of the pile in his nervous state. She stood and walked over to the trunk, pulling out a yukata from the bottom. She took the fundoshi from the kit, and started walking towards the door.
"I'll take it to him. We need to talk after all."
"Okasan... you aren't going to leave, are you? I don't want you to go.. I love you too much. I know Inu Yasha feels the same way, too."
"I'm not going anywhere Shippou. I just need... some time, I think." With that, she went to take her husband something to wear, leaving a worried kit alone in her room.
knocked on the bath house door before going inside. "Oi, Shippou, just leave it beside the door." he said. She made a disgusted face when she saw the pile of soiled clothes in the hamper, seriously hoping that her husband would take care of washing those himself. She moved further into the room, and saw her husband sitting on the washing stool. His long hair was covered in suds, and he was reaching for a bucket to wash them out. Kagome knew he didn't sense her presence, he was turned away from her and the soap suds interfered with his sense of smell. She caught herself licking her lips as she watched him lift the bucket above his head, firm muscles rippling beneath his smooth, soap-slicked skin. He poured the liquid over his head, washing away the soap and causing his thick silver hair to cling to his back and shoulders. Her vision followed the line of his hair down his back, enjoying a nice view of his firm backside as he leaned forward to drop the bucket on the floor with the others. She giggled when he flicked his ears to get the water out, and watched one of the little pick and white triangles swivel towards the source of the noise.
stood and turned to face her, his body slick with water and his hair clinging to him like a second skin. His countenance was serious and solemn, but his eyes betrayed the desire he felt at that moment. She came to him many times in the past like this, offering to "wash his back and perhaps something else." She quickly scanned his form, her breath hitching in her throat at the effect of the rooms lantern light and the water. The moisture on his skin was reflecting the light, making it appear he was glowing. "Kagome" he called, his voice slightly husky. He was just as affected by the season as any other adult youkai, and it was easy to tell his control was being strained to its limit. She fought back the swell of desire that threatened to engulf her, reminding herself of the reason she was here to begin with.
"We.... need to talk about Sango" she said, her voice quavering with nervousness. She started to wring the fabric in her hands, desperate for something to take away some of the tension that consumed her. He nodded as all traces of desire fled from his now haunted eyes. He pulled a folded towel from a shelf and placed it on the stool, guiding her by her hand to sit.
"Is it ok if we talk while I finish?" he asked. She nodded in the affirmative, and he stepped into the steaming water of the bath. He disappeared beneath the water for a moment, and when he resurfaced his skin was flushed from the heat and his bangs slicked back away from his face. He started combing the snarls out of his hair with his claws working in some of Kagome's conditioner into the more stubborn tangles. Both sat in awkward silence for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts and unsure where to begin.
"Sesshomaru knows she's pregnant." Kagome blurted out, feeling the need to break the silence. She watched as a pained expression graced his face and he swore loudly.
"Kuso.... I take it the bastard said he'd be back for Sango and the kid." he replied. She heard the pain and anger in his voice, and wondered if she had made the right decision telling him this first.
"Hai... he did." she replied.
"Fuck!" was his furious response. She cast her gaze to the mats on the floor, unable to look at him. She heard him stand and step out of the tub, the water splashing on the floor as it dripped from his hair and body. He grabbed a towel and dried himself, wrapping it around his waist. He sat on the edge of the tub, and rubbed his temples in an attempt to relieve the headache that seemed to instantly appear with her answer. A silence fell between them again, but it was Inu Yasha who broke it this time. "I don't have a choice now." he muttered.
's eyes shot up to meet his at his last statement. Tears flooded her eyes as anguish filled her heart, and she felt faint for a brief moment. She swayed on the stool, and Inu Yasha grabbed her by the shoulders in an attempt to steady her. Once she regained control of her equilibrium she swatted his hands away violently, yelling out an order not to touch her. "Do you want her so badly, Inu Yasha?" she hissed. "Its a nice arrangement for you, don't you think? You can't sleep with your wife, so you take another one?" she spat. All of her insecurities were bubbling to the surface, and she did not possess the will to hold them at bay.
"Kagome, what the hell are you talking about?! I don't WANT to marry her. I don't have a fucking choice! If I don't, my asshole brother can take her away and do whatever the fuck he wants to her!" He grew increasingly angry at her foolishness, wondering what thoughts were running through her mind that she could even question his loyalty and intentions. "Is that what you want? To let a good friend suffer even more than she already has? I can't leave you to go track the bastard down and kill him, and this is the only option left in the meantime!"
"What I want, is to have you to myself for a change! It's bad enough I had to share you with Kikyo, and now another woman? I could even tolerate this if you didn't have to sleep with her, but it's awfully convenient that you have to do that as well. You probably just want me out of the way so you can screw a woman who doesn't have my problems staying pregnant!" Her accusations grew wilder as she gained momentum, riding the veritable tidal wave of her anger. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, not hard enough to harm but a strong enough grip that she had no chance of getting free.
"Kagome, look at me." he ordered. When she averted her eyes to the floor, he gave her a gentle shake. "Damnit woman, look at me!" Her eyes snapped to his, her furious glare meeting his own. When he resumed speaking, his voice was slow and controlled, with a deep rumbling growl reverberating through his chest. "I do not, in any way, shape, or form love or desire Sango. I am not marrying her because I want to sleep with her, and I am certainly not marrying her because I want to replace you!" His gaze and voice became soft, and one hand left her shoulder to tenderly stroke her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "And I thought we agreed not to blame ourselves about your pregnancies. This will happen as long as I have demon blood, and you won't let me become human for you. You still have the jewel... I can still change." He didn't want to be human, but if it spared her the grief of another miscarriage, he would. He would do anything in his power to make her happy, but he could not neglect his duty.
"I don't want you to be human.... I love you the way you are." She let the subject drop, feeling that he would only yell at her more if she voiced her opinion that it was her fault. She was the one who had purified their babies, after all. "I don't want you to do this." she whispered, her head now hanging low so her bangs obscured her eyes.
"I'm sorry Kagome. I don't have a choice." came his hushed reply. She began to tremble, whether from sadness or rage he couldn't tell. The answer was made clear to him when she pushed away from his arms, and took a deep breath to prepare herself. 'Oh fuck...'
"OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI!!!!!" she screamed, the long unused spell activating and slamming him repeatedly against the floor of the bath house. The wood floor miraculously held strong, long after even his back gave out from the repeated trauma. Kagome snatched the towel from his waist, as well as all the others on the shelf, and stuffed them, his yukata and fundoshi in the basket with his dirty clothing. She picked up the basket and stormed out of the bath house, and as she stormed back to the house she balled up his clothing and threw it into various trees.
heard his mother screaming "osuwari" from the bath house from where he sat by the fire of the common room with Kaede and Suzume. Kagome literally ran through the front door and back into her room, slamming the shoji shut behind her for the second time that day. The boy sighed and excused himself, walking outside and towards the bath house. He tugged the yukata from a relatively high branch of a nearby maple, idly noting to himself Kagome must have a good arm. He entered the bath house, and tossed the fabric over to where Inu Yasha lay pressed against the floor with his arms wrapped over his head. The hanyou made no move to acknowledge his presence, and Shippou decided it was best to leave him be when his nose picked up the scent of the older man's tears.
read, reflect, review...
"Gomen ne, Shippou-chan" Kagome apologized, smiling warmly when she heard her husband's snort of laughter from beside her. Inu Yasha darted a hand out and grabbed the kit by the arm, pulling him into a headlock. He walked towards the door, dragging the squirming kit along with him.
"The runt and I are going hunting for dinner... you ladies hungry for anything in particular?" he inquired. He watched as one woman after another nodded their heads in the negative until he got to his wife. She pondered her response for a minute or two, idly tapping a finger against her lower lip. She opened her mouth several times to speak, but stopped and shook her head, apparently having already changed her mind. 'What, does she think I'm going to one of her supermarkets on the other side of the well? My options are kinda limited here.' he thought impatiently, but held his tongue. Fortunately, Kaede decided to rescue him again before he lost control of his less than tactful mouth.
"Make up thy mind, child. It will be nightfall before you decide at this rate."
"Pork... I want pork." Kagome demanded. Inu Yasha could hear Shippou sigh from his position in the headlock, and the hanyou tightened his hold on the young youkai. His meaning was clear, and Shippou stopped the comment that was about to fall from his lips. The kit had picked up many of his bad habits over the years, including his smart mouth. Inu Yasha nodded to the group and took off into the forest, dragging the kit behind him. A safe distance away from his home, he released the kit so he could assist in locating a boar. Shippou turned to him, a confused expression on his face.
"Last week she said she hated pork... why would she want it now?" he asked.
"I don't bother questioning it anymore, pup. I'm just glad she didn't ask me to find rutabaga's again."
"Oh." Shippou scrunched up his face, obviously thinking hard about something. "What the hell is a rutabaga?" He watched as Inu Yasha shrugged.
"Damned if I know."
sat beside Sango, checking the progress of the wounds on her neck. They were finally closed and showed no signs of infection, but it was apparent that there would be scarring. She rubbed some salve onto the hard pink flesh, hoping that it would prevent more scar tissue from forming. Sango relaxed and leaned into the touch, the gentle rubbing of Kagome's fingers relieving the itching sensations of the abused skin. "Arigato, Kagome-chan. That really helps the itch." She sighed as Kagome began to work at the knots in her shoulders, and smiled as she remembered all the times they rubbed each other's shoulders while on the quest for the shard. Kagome was like the sister she never had, and her presence had always lessened the pain of loosing her family. They had even started addressing each other as sisters towards the very end of they're journey through Nippon. She just hoped with all her heart that Kagome wouldn't turn away from her because of their awkward situation. The last thing she wanted was to intrude on her sister's happiness.
"Ne, Sango-chan, what happened?" Kagome's inquiry sounded timid, almost as if she were afraid to ask. She stopped her attentions to Sango's shoulders so that the taijia could turn and face her. As Sango recounted the events from earlier in the day, Kagome's countenance became more closed and distant. The taijia knew that Kagome was thinking about her possible marriage to Inu Yasha. She had that same forlorn expression on her face that appeared only in the past when Kikyo made an appearance. When she repeated Sesshomaru's threat to return for her and the child, Kagome stood and began to pace beside the door. She was biting her nails, and looked as if she were ready to start crying at any second. Kaede shooed Suzume from the room, knowing she should not be present for this conversation.
"Kagome... please don't be upset. I'm sure we can find a way to defeat him eventually . We don't need to do anything... hasty.. to prevent him from taking me in the meantime. The last thing I want is to disrupt your family." Sango paused when she saw the tears begin to fall from her dear friends eyes. She was hesitant to continue, but she knew it needed to be said. "I don't want him, Kagome... he loves you and only you. I am afraid though... I do not want to raise this child by myself." She paused for another moment, gathering her courage to say what she had to next. "The thought that Sesshomaru would take me scares me to death, and I would rather die by my own hand than allow that bastard to take me or my child. I don't ever want him to touch me again, and if he takes me from here.. I'm afraid that he'll... " Her own eye filled with tears as the memories of her rape flashed before her minds eye. Kagome's watery eyes met hers, and the miko's eyes softened in sympathy from the pain she saw there. Her next words were pleading and choppy from emotion. "Please don't hate me for this Kagome-chan... I know its partially my fault, but please just don't hate me."
regarded her for a moment, mulling Sango's words over in her head. Her heart ached for the taijia; she was trapped in her current situation, just as they all were. In reality they were all victims of the taiyoukai's act, and Kagome fought the urge to track him down while he was injured and purify him into oblivion. She could not do that however, while she was still pregnant. The child within her possessed demon blood and youki, and if she used her powers to purify, the child would die as well. That was how she had miscarried the first time, after all. Sango was not really at fault, but she couldn't help the small selfish part of her soul from resenting her. She was certain that when Inu Yasha heard of this, he would try and take her as wife to protect her. "I don't hate you, Sango. I want to.. but I just cant." she finally replied. Kagome turned and fled, heading for the sanctuary of her bedroom. She slammed the shoji shut, closing the small but sturdy locks on the door so she could have her privacy. Back in the recovery room, a heartbroken Sango cried on Kaede's shoulder. Inu Yasha sloshed his way back to the house, a dead boar slung over his shoulder. Shippou occasionally broke into a fit of snickers, and the hanyou would send a death glare back his way. They had found the boar rooting in a rice field, and when Inu Yasha leapt to slash its neck, the startled boar managed to evade him and take off across the muddy field. The hanyou pursued the prey, but the soles of his bare feet against the slick mud caused for a messy chase. He managed to kill the animal, but not until after he fell several times and became caked with mud and the blood of his prey. His sodden fire-rat clothing clung to his skin, and occasionally a large clump of soil or vegetation would fall from his clothes or hair, initiating another giggle fit from Shippou.
"One word out of your mouth, runt, and I'll pound you." His verbal threat was diminished when another clump of sod slid free of his clothing, landing on the ground with a loud 'splat'. The hanyou sighed and shook his head in defeat, too thoroughly tired to care anymore. "Just go to my room when we get home, and get me something to wear. I don't want to track mud through the house." Shippou snickered again and nodded, hoping to get the chance to borrow Kagome's camera. The image of the great and powerful Inu Yasha caked with mud and looking utterly pathetic needed to be preserved for future generations, after all.
arrived at their destination with very little incident, the only disturbance coming from the village men guarding the house when they appeared. They visibly struggled to contain their laughter, clutching their sides and covering their mouths to prevent the sound from escaping their lips. Inu Yasha unceremoniously tossed the boar to the ground in front of them before heading in the direction of the bath house, located in back of the main building. Kagome had insisted on a relatively modern bath, and after a while even the hanyou had to admit that constructing the thing was well worth the trouble. He lit a fire under the heater, pleased to think he would soon be able to relax in the warm water. He entered the small building and peeled the soiled clothing from his body, depositing them in a plastic hamper Kagome placed by the door for occasions such as these. He sat on a small stool in the middle of the room, and attempted to wash off the majority of the mud with buckets of cold water kept for pre-washing.
knocked hesitantly on Kagome's door. Kaede told him what had transpired between his okasan and Sango, and that Kagome was seeking solitude in her room. He needed to get the hanyou something to wear, but he didn't want to intrude. He knew about Myoga's solution of Inu Yasha marrying Sango, and while he didn't want to see Kagome hurt, he didn't really have any objection. It was perfectly proper by youkai custom. Inu Yasha was of noble blood, and perfectly capable of supporting multiple wives. Once a woman was formally married, she could not be taken away by another youkai. It simply wasn't done. If the taiyoukai did take Sango, he would loose even more face than when he violated her. The kit had heard of the ceremony that Myoga mentioned, and it would prevent Sesshomaru from ever taking the child. By right, the child would be considered Inu Yasha's second born. Granted he would have to bed Sango as part of the ceremony, but if it kept Sesshomaru from claiming mother or child, it was a small sacrifice.
youkai could take many wives, but he could only take one life-mate. Shippou knew that Inu Yasha wanted that to be Kagome. Their souls would be bound together for eternity, and even possessing the desire to go through with that ceremony showed that he was utterly devoted to her. The hanyou had even asked her after the customary first year of marriage. Kagome had declined, not fully understanding the ceremony and not too keen on the idea of being bitten so it would leave a scar. Inu Yasha was devastated by that, and had convinced himself for quite some time that she was rejecting him. 'They really are hopeless.' Shippou thought to himself.
had been waiting at Kagome's door with no response for several minutes now, and he pressed a pointed ear against the shoji. He heard her breathing, deep and even, coming from inside. Realizing she was asleep, he tried to slide the shoji open. When it didn't budge, he manifested tiny balls of kitsune-bi inside the locks. When they expanded with a tiny 'pop', the force drove the locks open. He slipped inside, grinning over how clever he was becoming with his powers. He snuck over to the corner where Inu Yasha's trunk lay, opened the lid, and started rifling through his things in search of a sleeping yukata he could wear.
"Shippou, what are you doing?" Kagome's voice held a hint of warning, much like when she caught him sneaking candy from the pantry right before dinner. Shippou turned to see his mother now alert and sitting upright, and eyeing him suspiciously. He laughed nervously, and snatched what he hoped was a yukata from the top of the pile.
"Um.. Inu Yasha's clothes got dirty getting you what you wanted for dinner. He's in the bath house, and he wanted me to bring this to him." Kagome eyed the garment he was holding and laughed to herself. Shippou had grabbed a clean fundoshi from the top of the pile in his nervous state. She stood and walked over to the trunk, pulling out a yukata from the bottom. She took the fundoshi from the kit, and started walking towards the door.
"I'll take it to him. We need to talk after all."
"Okasan... you aren't going to leave, are you? I don't want you to go.. I love you too much. I know Inu Yasha feels the same way, too."
"I'm not going anywhere Shippou. I just need... some time, I think." With that, she went to take her husband something to wear, leaving a worried kit alone in her room.
knocked on the bath house door before going inside. "Oi, Shippou, just leave it beside the door." he said. She made a disgusted face when she saw the pile of soiled clothes in the hamper, seriously hoping that her husband would take care of washing those himself. She moved further into the room, and saw her husband sitting on the washing stool. His long hair was covered in suds, and he was reaching for a bucket to wash them out. Kagome knew he didn't sense her presence, he was turned away from her and the soap suds interfered with his sense of smell. She caught herself licking her lips as she watched him lift the bucket above his head, firm muscles rippling beneath his smooth, soap-slicked skin. He poured the liquid over his head, washing away the soap and causing his thick silver hair to cling to his back and shoulders. Her vision followed the line of his hair down his back, enjoying a nice view of his firm backside as he leaned forward to drop the bucket on the floor with the others. She giggled when he flicked his ears to get the water out, and watched one of the little pick and white triangles swivel towards the source of the noise.
stood and turned to face her, his body slick with water and his hair clinging to him like a second skin. His countenance was serious and solemn, but his eyes betrayed the desire he felt at that moment. She came to him many times in the past like this, offering to "wash his back and perhaps something else." She quickly scanned his form, her breath hitching in her throat at the effect of the rooms lantern light and the water. The moisture on his skin was reflecting the light, making it appear he was glowing. "Kagome" he called, his voice slightly husky. He was just as affected by the season as any other adult youkai, and it was easy to tell his control was being strained to its limit. She fought back the swell of desire that threatened to engulf her, reminding herself of the reason she was here to begin with.
"We.... need to talk about Sango" she said, her voice quavering with nervousness. She started to wring the fabric in her hands, desperate for something to take away some of the tension that consumed her. He nodded as all traces of desire fled from his now haunted eyes. He pulled a folded towel from a shelf and placed it on the stool, guiding her by her hand to sit.
"Is it ok if we talk while I finish?" he asked. She nodded in the affirmative, and he stepped into the steaming water of the bath. He disappeared beneath the water for a moment, and when he resurfaced his skin was flushed from the heat and his bangs slicked back away from his face. He started combing the snarls out of his hair with his claws working in some of Kagome's conditioner into the more stubborn tangles. Both sat in awkward silence for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts and unsure where to begin.
"Sesshomaru knows she's pregnant." Kagome blurted out, feeling the need to break the silence. She watched as a pained expression graced his face and he swore loudly.
"Kuso.... I take it the bastard said he'd be back for Sango and the kid." he replied. She heard the pain and anger in his voice, and wondered if she had made the right decision telling him this first.
"Hai... he did." she replied.
"Fuck!" was his furious response. She cast her gaze to the mats on the floor, unable to look at him. She heard him stand and step out of the tub, the water splashing on the floor as it dripped from his hair and body. He grabbed a towel and dried himself, wrapping it around his waist. He sat on the edge of the tub, and rubbed his temples in an attempt to relieve the headache that seemed to instantly appear with her answer. A silence fell between them again, but it was Inu Yasha who broke it this time. "I don't have a choice now." he muttered.
's eyes shot up to meet his at his last statement. Tears flooded her eyes as anguish filled her heart, and she felt faint for a brief moment. She swayed on the stool, and Inu Yasha grabbed her by the shoulders in an attempt to steady her. Once she regained control of her equilibrium she swatted his hands away violently, yelling out an order not to touch her. "Do you want her so badly, Inu Yasha?" she hissed. "Its a nice arrangement for you, don't you think? You can't sleep with your wife, so you take another one?" she spat. All of her insecurities were bubbling to the surface, and she did not possess the will to hold them at bay.
"Kagome, what the hell are you talking about?! I don't WANT to marry her. I don't have a fucking choice! If I don't, my asshole brother can take her away and do whatever the fuck he wants to her!" He grew increasingly angry at her foolishness, wondering what thoughts were running through her mind that she could even question his loyalty and intentions. "Is that what you want? To let a good friend suffer even more than she already has? I can't leave you to go track the bastard down and kill him, and this is the only option left in the meantime!"
"What I want, is to have you to myself for a change! It's bad enough I had to share you with Kikyo, and now another woman? I could even tolerate this if you didn't have to sleep with her, but it's awfully convenient that you have to do that as well. You probably just want me out of the way so you can screw a woman who doesn't have my problems staying pregnant!" Her accusations grew wilder as she gained momentum, riding the veritable tidal wave of her anger. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, not hard enough to harm but a strong enough grip that she had no chance of getting free.
"Kagome, look at me." he ordered. When she averted her eyes to the floor, he gave her a gentle shake. "Damnit woman, look at me!" Her eyes snapped to his, her furious glare meeting his own. When he resumed speaking, his voice was slow and controlled, with a deep rumbling growl reverberating through his chest. "I do not, in any way, shape, or form love or desire Sango. I am not marrying her because I want to sleep with her, and I am certainly not marrying her because I want to replace you!" His gaze and voice became soft, and one hand left her shoulder to tenderly stroke her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "And I thought we agreed not to blame ourselves about your pregnancies. This will happen as long as I have demon blood, and you won't let me become human for you. You still have the jewel... I can still change." He didn't want to be human, but if it spared her the grief of another miscarriage, he would. He would do anything in his power to make her happy, but he could not neglect his duty.
"I don't want you to be human.... I love you the way you are." She let the subject drop, feeling that he would only yell at her more if she voiced her opinion that it was her fault. She was the one who had purified their babies, after all. "I don't want you to do this." she whispered, her head now hanging low so her bangs obscured her eyes.
"I'm sorry Kagome. I don't have a choice." came his hushed reply. She began to tremble, whether from sadness or rage he couldn't tell. The answer was made clear to him when she pushed away from his arms, and took a deep breath to prepare herself. 'Oh fuck...'
"OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI!!!!!" she screamed, the long unused spell activating and slamming him repeatedly against the floor of the bath house. The wood floor miraculously held strong, long after even his back gave out from the repeated trauma. Kagome snatched the towel from his waist, as well as all the others on the shelf, and stuffed them, his yukata and fundoshi in the basket with his dirty clothing. She picked up the basket and stormed out of the bath house, and as she stormed back to the house she balled up his clothing and threw it into various trees.
heard his mother screaming "osuwari" from the bath house from where he sat by the fire of the common room with Kaede and Suzume. Kagome literally ran through the front door and back into her room, slamming the shoji shut behind her for the second time that day. The boy sighed and excused himself, walking outside and towards the bath house. He tugged the yukata from a relatively high branch of a nearby maple, idly noting to himself Kagome must have a good arm. He entered the bath house, and tossed the fabric over to where Inu Yasha lay pressed against the floor with his arms wrapped over his head. The hanyou made no move to acknowledge his presence, and Shippou decided it was best to leave him be when his nose picked up the scent of the older man's tears.
read, reflect, review...