InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Non-violent Communication ❯ Finding a Teacher ( Chapter 2 )

AN:

Our greatest fear is not that we suck but that we totally rock the casbot, to paraphrase Marianne Williamson. (I used to think that was a Nelson Mandela quote, and he often gets credited with it as he used it in his inauguration speech)

That said, my new motto is "fuck it" and just write and post, no matter how unfinished I think it is, no matter how crappy. Hey, it's all cause, right? (as in making a cause to get an effect).

 

 

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and the gang are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. I do not profit from writing about them, except for a feeling of vague accomplishment.

 

Series Summary: Inuyasha comes to modern Tokyo to learn how to communicate better with Kagome. He ends up taking a class at the local meditation center - Non-Violent Communication!

 

Chapter Summary: Inuyasha figures out that he needs to find someone who can help teach him how to communicate with Kagome. Who will he ask?

 

Reviews: are lovely indeed! Please be honest, but please be kind! I never really understood author's appreciation for reviews until I posted and got some reviews! My deepest appreciation and heart-felt thanks to all who took the time and care to do so.

 

Rating: although not yet terribly lemony, this fic is rated x for a reason. Don't read it if you don't like it (or it's illegal for you).

 

Check out past stories and other bits and pieces (well, eventually) at: http://tigerlillyhime.livejournal.com/

 

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Non-violent Communication

Chapter 2: Finding a Teacher

 

 

Inuyasha knew he needed a teacher. But not just any teacher. It had to be some one good, some one who actually understood women, who knew how to deal with him (he had no illusions he was easy to get along with), and most important of all, who was discreet.

 

Sango would never work. For one thing she would never be able to keep it a secret from Kagome. And she didn't have the best handle on male-female relationships, considering her own relationship with Miroku. Besides, Inuyasha wouldn't feel comfortable being so, well, vulnerable with Sango.

 

Kaede. Well, Kaede was certainly wise, and she might even be able to keep such a thing secret from the others, but would she be willing to do so? Even if she was, it would be practically impossible to get any private time with her away from the others. And she was way too close to the rest of the gang for Inuyasha to feel comfortable sharing so much with her - who knows what they could over hear or what she might let slip? He remembered Shippou's crayon drawings, pretending a `friend' needed advice. Those drawings had ended up all over the village.

 

`Besides,' he thought, `Kaede may understand women of this time, but Kagome is so different from the women here.' He caught himself smiling fondly at the thought, loving how unique his Kagome was. He scowled. This wasn't helping.

 

`Who, then? Who can I trust? Who would really understand Kagome? Have patience with me?'

 

It hit him in a flash. Mama Higurashi.

 

`Oh, shit.'

 

She would be perfect. But. But she was Kagome's mom, fer krissakes (a phrase he picked up from Souta). He couldn't ask her. He blushed crimson at the thought. Although, she would be utterly understanding he didn't want to be vulnerable before her - he was supposed to prove that he could protect Kagome, not go crawling to her for help. No, she couldn't help him.

 

But maybe she could lead him to some one who could.

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha leapt out of the well in modern Tokyo at the Higurashi's shrine. He could still smell Kagome's tears, though several hours had passed since she returned. Briefly, his heart clenched with sadness, knowing that he was the cause of her tears. But he shook it off, thinking, hoping, that he would soon learn how to prevent that.

 

Cautiously, he eased out of the well house and leapt up into some trees near the house to wait for Mama H to appear. He wanted to be in the Goshinbuku tree, but Kagome loved that tree and would be likely to look up into its branches, were she to come outside. Again, he caught himself smiling fondly, but this time he let himself.

 

He loved that she loved things so fully, so passionately. He loved that he knew her so well, that he could easily predict what she would do.

 

`Well, some things that she does. Not everything. That's why I'm sitting in this damn tree waiting for the chance to humiliate myself before her mother.'

 

Snarling to himself he thought, `The things I do for love!'

 

Wait.

 

Love? Could he admit that to himself?

 

`Oh, fuck it. Who the hell do I think I'm fooling? It's just me in here. Yes, alright! I love the damn girl!'

 

Granted, he didn't know what to do about it, but he knew he loved her. He loved her so much that he was willing to try things that every ounce of his pride told him would kill him. Well, it felt like it would kill him.

 

`But it won't fucking kill me, so just shut the hell up! God damn it, Kagome, I swear, I swear I'll do whatever I have to to learn how to make you understand what I really mean. I'll learn your god damn human-woman language, even if it fucking does kill me!'

 

Waiting for Mama H, Inuyasha leaned back along the tree branch. He started thinking about what he would do after he learned this mysterious new language and what he would want Kagome to understand first.

 

`For starters, she needs to understand that she can't just sit me every other fuckin second!'

 

He fingered the rosary around his neck.

 

`She should take this thing off! Can't she trust me YET???'

 

He imagined what it would be like not to have the rosary. At first, his mind filled with images of him being able to thump Shippou and steal as much ramen as he wanted. Oh, and he could finally kill that mangy wolf! It irked him that Kouga got to see him get `sat' so damn much.

 

`But then…if Kouga did see me without the rosary he might think…'

 

Inuyasha realized that the rosary marked his connection with Kagome. The rosary was useless with out her.

 

`I guess it kinda makes me hers…'

 

He liked that thought.

 

`Just like she is mine. I wish I could put a collar on her so every one would know.'

 

Inuyasha snorted.

 

`Apparently just having my fucking scent all over her isn't enough for certain dumber-than-shit youkai!'

 

A tightness began in his loins as he thought about ways to mark Kagome as his. He thought about licking her neck, then drawing a scent trail all the way down her body. His dick began to harden as he imagined his hands and mouth tasting every inch of her flesh, driving his scent deep into her body. He imagined their bodies entwined, slick with sweat, touching everywhere at once. Kissing her fiercely, her sweet voice moaning out his name…

 

Inuyasha moaned in reality, his dick rock hard and aching to be inside his Kagome.

 

`Shit! This is gonna kill me!'

 

He knew this was the other half of the reason he stuck his foot in his stupid mouth so much. Yeah, he might not understand human-woman speak, but more than that he wanted her so badly it scared him. And when he was scared he was cranky. Okay, an asshole. He knew she cared for him, but every time it seemed like he was getting somewhere with her he would say something so fucking stupid and drive her off. He didn't do it on purpose, he just didn't know what the fuck to say. He sure as hell hoped that he could find somebody to teach him how to talk to her.

 

`Otherwise, I really am gonna die!'

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha didn't get a chance to get Mama Higurashi alone until the next day, after Souta and Kagome left for school. Kagome's grandfather was easy enough to avoid, as Inuyasha slipped into the kitchen where Mama Higurashi was cleaning up after breakfast.

 

She didn't notice that he was there, so he awkwardly cleared his throat. Mama H turned around, and smiled when she saw who it was.

 

“Inuyasha! How are you? Kagome's gone to school.”

 

“Uh…yeah, I, uh, know.”

 

Mama H smiled at him again. She was so damn understanding without even saying a word. He wasn't sure how he felt about being so seen, so understood - but it made him very uncomfortable. Maybe he couldn't do this.

 

“Would you like some breakfast? I've still got some on the stove.”

 

He hesitated, tempted, but shook his head. This was too serious for food. Besides, if he didn't do it now, he'd lose his nerve.

 

“Thanks, but, uh, I gotta ask you something first.”

 

She continued to smile at him, sensing with her super-mama-powers that she shouldn't even suggest they sit down, in case he lost his nerve.

 

“Well, uh, I don't know if you've noticed, but, uh, me n Kagome, well, we don't always, uh… well, we don't really…that is, she thinks I … I mean, some times I find it hard to…”

 

He wanted to swear, but he wasn't going to do that in front of Mama H. He took a deep breath and said in a rush, “Things-don't-always-come-outta-my-mouth-like-I-mean-them-to-an-I'm-t ired-of Kagome-not-gettin-what-I-mean-an-I hate-it-when-I-hurt-her-an-I-need-somebody-to-teach-me-how-to-say-it-right- so-could-you-help-me-find-someone-to-teach-me-how-to-do-that.”

 

He stopped and looked away, trying to keep his cheeks from burning. He knew he was trying to act like he didn't care what her response would be. And he knew that Mama H would see right through him and realize that he did care. He cared a lot.

 

He didn't look up, but he could hear the gentle smile in her reply.

 

“That's a really good idea, Inuyasha. I think I might know some one who can help you. A friend of mine took a communication class at a local meditation center. She told me that it really helped her improve her relationship with her husband, and even her kids and friends. Would you like me to see if I could get you private lessons?”

 

He felt a huge wave of relief wash over him. Not only didn't she laugh at him, or think what he wanted to do was stupid, but she also understood that wanted privacy to learn this communication stuff. Still blushing, still looking away, he nodded.

 

“Okay, I'll call her today and see what I can arrange. Why don't you return this time tomorrow and I'll let you know what I've come up with?”

 

Again, he nodded. Then something occurred to him.

 

“Uh, is this gonna take some of that money stuff?” He was worried. He didn't have any way to earn the money they used in this era.

 

“I'm not sure. But even if it does, I might be able to arrange for you to do some kind of work exchange.” Mama Higurashi understood that Inuyasha would not want her paying for him, that he needed to earn his own way.

 

He nodded again. He looked down, scuffed his foot against the floor, and muttered a quiet but heartfelt, “Thanks.”

 

He turned to go when he heard, “I'm sure you want to keep this confidential, so don't worry, I'll keep this conversation between you and me. Oh, and Inuyasha?”

 

He looked up, into Mama Higurashi's gentle face. No one had smiled at him like that, like a mother, since his own mother passed, hundreds of years before. “I just wanted you to know…I'm very proud of you.”

 

He stared at her for a moment, stunned. He felt like he might burst into tears, but managed to contain himself to just giving her a quick hug before leaping out the door.

 

 

 

 

Back on the other side of the well, Inuyasha leapt from tree to tree with a huge shit-eating grin on his face. `She's proud of me! Kagome's mom is proud of me!'

 

Maybe this communication thing wouldn't be so bad.

 

 

 

 

 

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I deliberately did not give Kagome's mom a first name. It's pretty common in Japan to refer to people by inference, for example their relationship to others. I'm pretty sure that in the manga Kagome's friends don't even have names. Besides, I like the affectionate but slangy term “Mama H” (for “Mama Higurashi”) - seems so like Inuyasha! (No way is he gonna be disrespectin on Kagome's mom, that's for sure!)

 

(FYI - in the Japanese, Inuyasha calls Kaede, “Kaede-baba”. This often gets translated as “old woman” or “hag” but that isn't really an accurate feeling of the word. It's more like calling some one you are supposed to respect “gramps” or “pops”, instead of “Grandfather” or “Father”. With that in mind, it is very appropriate to have Inuyasha use the term “Mama H”, at least in his head, especially since Kagome calls her Mama anyway.)