InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Can Only Wander For So Long ❯ More Than What He Seems ( Chapter 5 )

Revisions! Wording changed, plot tweaked and shifted between later chapters, descriptions added (or removed if they sucked... ;p)

Note, I'm revising EVERY chapter before I post a new one. You can ignore reading these revisions if you'd like; the plot will remain the same, but I'm shifting story elements around in the chapters to organize my thoughts a bit better. But if you ARE reading this fic, please understand that anything that hasn't been revised yet can quite possibly conflict or repeat something that's already been revised.... Wait till I revise to read, please? :D If you'd like an email when I've added a FOR-REAL new chapter, message me or send me an email through my profile. (I made a distro list today to keep track of who wants them)

Disclaimer - Of course, I don't own the Inuyasha characters.

 

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One Can Only Wander for So Long

By Alesyira

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Chapter Five - More Than What He Seems

 

Kagome was fifteen minutes away from her home when she flipped open her cell phone and pressed a button to speed dial.

 

"...Hello?" A soft voice answered.

 

"Sango, it's me. I need you to come over for a while and help me out. Long story short, I'm gonna need a hand with this dog I picked up," Kagome said.

 

"Ok, I'll be over soon. ...Are you at home?" Sango asked.

 

"Ten to fifteen minutes away, the sooner you get there the better. Bring your bag, this poor thing took a beating, and has some nasty looking cuts that I want you to look at. He's been out cold for at least three hours now, but showed slight signs of consciousness for a few moments about two hours ago," Kagome said, casting a concerned glance at the canine sleeping on her passenger seat.

 

"I'm already out of the driveway. See you in a sec, Kagome."

 

The other side of the line went silent, and Kagome set her phone in the center console. A short while later, she was driving down the quiet street that ran in front of her house. The gate sensors picked up her vehicle's approach and the front entrance swung open automatically, allowing her truck to enter the grounds. She hit a switch on the dash to force the gate to stay open behind her as she parked in front of her home. She knew Sango would be arriving within a few minutes.

 

Putting the vehicle into park, she hopped out of her side of the truck and rushed up to the front door, unlocking it and pushing it open. She went back to the truck and eased open the passenger side door, finding the white canine still fast asleep on the seat. She lifted the dog from the seat, settling its sleeping form in her arms, noting the steady rise and fall of its chest.

 

She smiled, her savior no longer seemed to be doing so badly. She walked carefully back into the house and set the dog on the loveseat in her library. Standing, she took one more glance at her sleeping charge before she walked into the kitchen to make some tea.

 

~~~

 

Sango sighed as she clicked off the phone. She had been expecting her boyfriend, Miroku, over that afternoon for an early dinner and a movie, but it looked like her plans had changed. Kagome wouldn't have called for her help if it weren't something serious. Especially on a weekday... Sango usually spent the weekends over at Kagome's, when they would go for runs or sit and read in her lovely library.

 

Sango's job during the week was usually not very busy, just taking care of the few pampered patients in town. Being a vet in such a small neighborhood shouldn't pay as much as it did, but the residents in the area were all high-paying owners who worried over the slightest changes in their pet's demeanor. Earlier that day she had to do a full examination on a cat that had been meowing louder than usual.

 

Sango laughed to herself at the memory of that particular owner's complaints as she pulled into Kagome's driveway through the open gate. She could see the silver truck parked up ahead, and both of the vehicle's doors were still wide open. Sango's smile faded. `What could cause Kagome to rush like that...?' she thought to herself.

 

Sango parked behind the pickup and grabbed up her doctor's bag from the passenger seat. She glanced at her watch. "Four pm..." she said quietly. Miroku had said he'd be over at four-thirty, but she could always give him a call and have him bring over something for them all to eat. She walked up the front steps and upon entrance turned slightly to her left, her gaze sweeping over the library. Kagome sat in a small chair next to the loveseat with a teacup to her lips, seemingly petting the dog that was lying just out of Sango's vision.

 

"What happened, Kagome?" Sango asked quietly. Kagome looked up with a start, nearly spilling her cup of tea.

 

Kagome smiled brightly at her best friend. "Have a seat," she said, gesturing to the chair across from the small table in front of her. "This is quite a story..."

 

~~~

 

She told Sango everything from arriving at the forest to when she returned home, including the incredible healing rate the dog and herself seemed to have displayed in the short time since the attack. She saw the confusion etched on Sango's face as her glance went back and forth between the two of them. Sango finally stood and stepped in front of her slumbering savior. She examined the dog for a short while, listening to the heartbeat and checking the almost healed wounds.

 

"Are you sure he got these wounds today? Not remnants from an earlier fight he may have been in?" Sango asked quietly. Kagome nodded.

 

"They were bleeding pretty badly earlier, the way the blood was drying when I woke, they couldn't have been there very long," Kagome reasoned. Sango frowned and went back to shifting the fur around each wound, carefully removing the tape Kagome had used to help keep the wounds closed.

 

"These wounds look like they've had a week of healing..." Sango muttered. "How curious... Let's wait till he wakes, then get him bathed. Once the dirt and blood is gone, he'll look good as new. Any idea on who owns him?”

 

Kagome frowned as she let the information sift in her thoughts. `I wonder what his name is?' she considered, thinking of what to call him when he woke...

 

Sango prodded for a response again, “...Kagome?"

 

Kagome looked up suddenly. She had been lost in her thoughts. "Hmm? Oh, ah, no... no clue on who might own him... He has a strange sort of collar around his neck, but I didn't see any tags on it. If he does have an owner... I'm kind of worried on how long he has been lost. Where I found him, there isn't anyone living nearby. Not for years, at least..." Kagome looked back down at dog and scratched gently behind an ear. `This little guy saved me...'

 

"I can call around, see if anyone has reported a missing dog with his description," she said, looking at her watch. "I'm supposed to meet Miroku for dinner this evening, would you like me to get him to bring over something to eat while we wait for your little charge to wake?"

 

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Yeah... would you like a cup of tea? I forgot to ask you when you came in..." Sango nodded as she pulled out her cell phone and called her boyfriend.

 

~~~

 

`Tea. I can definitely smell tea. That girl... I can smell her too... along with another person...' he shifted slightly, vaguely aware of needing to be somewhere. `or away from somewhere...' He wasn't sure where he was yet, but he knew with a dark sense of foreboding that he shouldn't be wherever he was currently. The curse was unforgiving and remarkably swift when he was closer to someone, as reflecting on his past had shown. `...Need to leave...' he thought in misery, `or she'll die...'

 

His emotions were conflicted, however. He knew her life was in danger, regardless of if he left now or later. Somehow, she'd be violently eliminated even if he managed to escape her soft petting and heavenly scent.

 

`Stay,' his tiny voice of reason whispered. `Stay, and protect what is yours.'

 

`Mine?' Inuyasha had no claim over the woman: no verbal mention of intent, nor any cute little bites or scent markings, so how the hell could she be considered his? Maybe... maybe she could be his if he stayed; his to keep... But he wouldn't stay; it was futile to fight the curse. He quickly made up his mind, deciding to leave as soon as he was able to walk out of here.

 

His stomach rumbled loudly as his nose processed two new scents coming into the room: a male and - `Fooooooood,' his internal voice echoed with enthusiasm, stilling any thoughts of escape in favor of the mouth-watering sustenance he could smell quite clearly. Ok, so maybe he'd stay long enough to eat, but then he'd be leaving. Without a doubt. He slit open the eye that wasn't smushed into a cushion for a stealthy glance around the room, trying to keep his ears from flicking about in his alertness.

 

“Miroku! You took long enough... I was starving...” the girl said in what sounded to be a false whine. He could see the adorable pout she displayed add weight to the statement.

 

“Ah, Kagome,” Miroku said as Inuyasha could hear him moving just out of sight with the food, “You know I would never keep two lovely ladies waiting for my return without good reason!” Thin box material shifted before he heard the girl and another woman sitting somewhere beyond his peripheral vision make noises of barely contained glee. A new - and nearly forgotten - scent slipped over him, `Chocolate...'

 

The other woman spoke this time, “Oh, Miroku! You know that's my favorite... you're forgiven.” By this time, poor Inuyasha was ready and willing end his little charade of sleep to taste some of the tantalizing goods being held within feet of him. Playing on human sympathy for adorable wounded animals - for he knew he was a good-looking specimen of canine; anyone with his bloodlines was bound to be attractive! - he shifted and let loose a pitiful whine, which would have been utterly degrading under circumstances not involving chocolate.

 

The immediate response of concern from the girl was pleasing as she bent over him, running her slim fingers through the thick fur on his neck. `Kagome...' he thought back to what Miroku had called her, suppressing a shiver as she trailed fingers up to his sensitive ear and scratched gently. `I really shouldn't be letting her do this...' he thought, but inwardly reveling in the much-desired physical contact.

 

`This is the first time in fifty years that I've been touched for pleasure of another...' he thought with an inner scowl. Regardless of how good it felt, the memory of physical contact with another brought to the surface a multitude of feelings and memories he'd lost since forced from active thought. The last person to have touched him left a permanent mark: the body of a dog where his should have been a lean, handsome hanyou. She had cursed him for his belligerence at her strange attempts of... whatever it was that she'd been trying. ...Seduction through violence? Even as a half-demon, the idea still appalled him.

 

He realized the girl was still scratching his head in that perfect spot, but the deluge of bad memories made him shudder and flick his ear to get away from her slender fingers. His attempts at evasion didn't faze her, as she sought the other ear for more tender caresses.

 

“So he's awake now, is he?” the other woman in the room spoke, moving into his line of sight with the soft sound of silk shifting. Kagome finally released his ear and moved to sit back in her seat next to the couch. Inuyasha felt a twinge of unease at this woman's appearance. She was lithe and held herself with a subtle deadly grace, and he knew well to be wary of this woman. She leaned forward, watching his face for something while reaching out for one of his healing wounds.

 

He narrowed his visible eye at her scrutiny, flicking his gaze over to the girl that he had saved for any notion of what was going on. Kagome was carefully watching the other woman's actions, tapping her mouth with an extended finger. The unfamiliar woman brushed her fingertips across his fur, and he couldn't suppress the instinctual growl of warning.

 

She frowned down at him, speaking clearly, “I'm going to check these wounds, with or without your permission. Don't make me tranquilize you to do so...” she murmured, carefully peeling back the bandages to examine the new skin she could see. “These are looking very good. Kagome, I think I was right earlier... With a bath and some food, he'll definitely be as good as new. He should be able to get up and walk around shortly, if he can't already.” She said with a smile.

 

“Thanks, Sango,” Kagome said with a smile, looking back down on Inuyasha with a happy grin. Inuyasha was glad to see such a pleased expression on her face, although he was unsure why. `Stupid women.' He huffed internally. `I need to get out of here,' he thought to himself in irritation.

 

`Right after I eat,' he amended. He looked expectantly at the small box sitting on the short table next to them, licking his chops in a very canine-like manner to signal his desire to eat the food Miroku had brought.

 

The message was apparently clear as Kagome smiled in understanding, rising to get him a plate of the food they were about to eat. She ladled out some cooked beef strips with a generous helping of lightly seasoned noodles onto a wide plate, setting it on the floor near his spot on the couch. Inuyasha could barely contain his glee at the sight of such mouthwatering treats that lay before him. It had been so long since he'd had the pleasure of spices and seasonings in his meals. Raw meat was good for him, but nothing brought back old memories like good cooking.

 

“It's not a very healthy selection for a dog,” Kagome began with a slight smirk, “but I think you deserve some spoiling for saving my life.” She smiled down at him fondly, running her fingers through the hair on his neck. He gingerly stepped from the couch, testing his muscles with brief stretches and nearly indiscernible twists before sitting on his haunches to take a careful bite of the prized morsels.

 

`I've died. It's official: I've gone to heaven, and I'm never leaving,' he thought to himself as he savored the food. Kagome even gave him a small slice of the chocolate treat Miroku had brought. He heaved a great sigh once the food was gone, looking in remorse at the empty plate before him. He could have easily eaten another ten platefuls.

 

He took a moment to study the three others sitting in the room: Miroku was clad in the most ridiculous shade of purple Inuyasha had ever seen on a man... but it strangely seemed to match his eye color. He was staring down at Inuyasha with a knowing expression, as though he could see through the curse to his true form. Bemused, Inuyasha glanced up at Sango, who was currently helping herself to a third slice of the dessert with a dreamy expression on her face. `She must be some sort of fighter,' he guessed, gauging from her muscle tone and weathered hands. Without seeing her in action, though, he wouldn't be sure... But Kagome... Kagome was...

 

His eyebrow twitched in amusement. `What the hell is with this woman... does she think I can understand her or something? I'm only a dog.' His glance went back to the strange man sitting across from him. That man had a strange expression, as though he knew something the others didn't. The other woman started speaking again.

 

Sango finished her last bite, setting her plate on the table and wiping her fingers clean with a napkin. “Kagome,” she began, dragging Inuyasha away from his perusal of the girl, “Miroku and I are going to head back to my apartment now. If you need anything else from us, call, ok?” She smiled as the two stood. “I'll stop by tomorrow to check up on him, if you'd like. If I get any word back on his owner, I'll call you..."

 

`Owner?' he thought with alarm. `What the hell is she talking about?' He looked up at Sango with a scowl, for certainly she couldn't possibly think that he was someone else's property... But Kagome caught his attention as she moved forward to embrace Sango with a grateful smile.

 

“Thanks for your help today, Sango. I was really worried about him,” she said, moving back to stand beside Inuyasha with a strange glance at Miroku.

 

“Aw, Kagome, don't I deserve a hug too? I did, after all, bring dinner...” he said, a look of hurt in his eyes.

 

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him. “When you can receive hugs without groping, you pervert, you'll `deserve' the attention again.”

 

He smirked at her response, flinging his coat over his shoulder before dropping into a more serious look. He looked between Kagome and Inuyasha with a thoughtful expression, seemingly considering his next words carefully. “Be careful with the dog, Kagome. I don't think he's quite what he seems to be.” Wrapping an arm around the other woman, he continued, "Come on Sango, there's not much else we can do here tonight. Let's let them get some rest."

 

Inuyasha watched as Miroku escorted Sango from the house, both of them waving at Kagome. She followed to close and lock her front door, then walked to a nearby wall to pressed some buttons on a small box. Inuyasha's sensitive hearing picked up the sound of two engines starting and the barely audible crunch of gravel as they drove away from the house.

 

"The gate will close after they pull out of the estate,” she began, looking down at him with a soft smile. “You know, you need a bath. Would you be terribly difficult in sitting in a bathtub, or are you a really well behaved dog?" Kagome squatted down in front of him, meeting his gaze at eye-level. Inuyasha's jaw fell open in surprise, but the hanyou's appearance of shock translated into a lolling-tongue dog grin. Kagome laughed. "Such a cute little inu - I'll take that as a yes. Come on, we need to get that blood washed out of your fur."

 

She stood and turned, tapping her finger against her mouth as she considered her options. She made her decision and began walking across the foyer to another hallway, turning to look back and see if he followed.

 

`I already told myself I'd be leaving as soon as I'd eaten...' he frowned. `But a warm bath?' He considered for a moment. `It's been a while since I've had a warm bath... Maybe as soon as I'm dry, I can leave... She's bound to leave me alone sooner or later, and I can escape then, while she doesn't see...'

 

His mind whirled in confusion. `Why am I waiting until she doesn't know I've left? Why not just leave now?! I could just run out the...'

 

“Well, come on,” she said, interrupting his internal argument with a soft laugh. “I'm not going to bite you.”

 

Inuyasha couldn't help but stand and follow her beckoning voice. He padded slowly in her direction, considering his actions. `...Would it be so bad... to acknowledge that she's talking to me... and I understand her? Maybe I should just play dog for a while...' He was hesitant; concerned that he might end up liking her presence too much to want to leave her, safe and in peace... But that thought brought a moment of pause. `If I leave her now, wouldn't she just die anyways?'

 

Most likely... They always died...

 

But maybe...

 

...just maybe, if he stuck around...

 

...he could delay it.