InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Out of Time ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 7 )

~~Chapter 7~~

~Reunion~

 

The room was silent as the grave; the only sound now and again was the subtle clink of crystal on the mahogany desk. Staring pensively into the dancing blue flames on the gas-light hearth, he looked sad, weary. It had been a long time.

 

He'd put off the inevitable for far too long. There were too many things that he was sure were better left unsaid. Yet there were other things that must be known. Her soft movements as she swept into the room. She smiled her gentle smile, her beautiful face seemed untouched by the passage of time. One of the most beautiful things in his life, she'd remained when the others had faded. Now she stood beside him with an unvoiced question awash in her violet stare.

 

`She is dear to me,' he mused, patting the hand that she laid on his forearm. `Necessary to me . . .'

 

“Do you wish for me to fetch him for you?”

 

He smiled vaguely. “All in good time. Soon enough.”

 

“And you think he will come willingly?”

 

“I care not if he comes willingly or if he must be dragged. If you find her, he will come.”

 

The musical tinkling of ice falling into the crystal glass as she poured herself ice water. “I wonder if he will remember me?”

 

“You, darling, are unforgettable.”

 

She giggled softly, the sound as light and comforting as the clink of the ice sloshing in the glass. “I was but a child when I last saw him. It would be understandable if he doesn't recall having met me.”

 

“Come here; you're too far away.”

 

Complying with his wishes, she drew near. He reached out, captured her, brought her into his lap. She curled against him, content to be held. “Time has stood still far too long,” he said at last, dragging his fingers along her jaw line. She shivered, her eyes drifting closed. “You tremble?”

 

Her eyes opened slightly. She smiled and kissed his cheek. “Always, for you.”

 

His deep rumble, his husky chuckle . . . She amused him. She always did. “And you cannot wait until later, my mate?” he asked, deliberately provoking her, deliberately teasing her.

 

“Not if you continue with that,” she assured him. “Now what is it you wished of me?”

 

His chuckle escalated into a lazy laugh. “Always impatient, aren't you? Very well. Send Yukio to fetch him.”

 

Standing slowly, she winked at her mate. “I'll do one better. I'll bring him, myself.”

 

With a soft sigh, he nodded once. “On second thought, bring them all. I think this is something they all should hear.”

 

Blowing him a kiss before she let herself out of the study, she grinned at him again. “As you wish.”

 

Steepling his fingers together, he leaned back in his chair. The confrontation would not be pleasant, he was certain, but it was necessary—very necessary.

 

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

 

“Law enforcement?”

 

“Feh!”

 

Kagome reigned in the desire to roll her eyes and stared at the career guide again. “Does anything interest you?”

 

InuYasha sighed. “How should I know? I haven't been here long enough to know yet.”

 

She made a face. He was right. “You're right,” she remarked as she rolled over on to her back. “It's a big decision, what you want to do for a career.”

 

“Congratulate me; I'm going to study pre-med.”

 

Kagome leaned up enough to stare at Miroku, who had just come outside. “Pre-med?”

 

Sango, who had come out with Miroku, rolled her eyes. “Ask him what sort of pre-med.”

 

Kagome's gaze turned suspicious. “I don't think that's a good idea, Miroku. In this day and age, men are prosecuted for not being able to keep their hands to themselves.

 

Miroku seemed to rethink his choice of professions as he sank down on the ground with a rather dejected sigh. “I am so misunderstood,” he complained.

 

InuYasha snorted. “About as misunderstood as a fox in a henhouse.”

 

“What about you, InuYasha? Have you decided on anything?”

 

“Feh!”

 

Kagome sat up and reached over, picking at a string hanging off InuYasha's sleeve. The hanyou didn't seem to notice her attention, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Sango nudged Miroku's arm and nodded almost imperceptibly at the two. Miroku grinned, raising his eyebrows at her in reply.

 

InuYasha finally seemed to notice what Kagome was doing. He leaned toward her, obviously entertained by her antics. “What are you doing?”

 

She peeked up at him. She had been leaning in to bite the string as she tugged on it. She grinned sheepishly. “I don't have any scissors.”

 

“It ain't bothering me,” he replied, indicating the string. InuYasha chuckled softly, a sound he rarely made in front of anyone other than just her. He seemed to have forgotten that Sango and Miroku were sitting right there, as well.

 

Kagome flushed slightly. “Maybe not you,” she answered, “but it bothers me.”

 

“Then don't let me stop you. Chew on it as long as you want.”

 

She narrowed her eyes at him but finally managed to pull the string lose. She held it up, victorious. InuYasha leaned over and tweaked her nose. She giggled.

 

“And there's nothing that even remotely interested you? Besides Kagome, that is,” Miroku asked, drawing InuYasha's attention.

 

The hanyou had forgotten their audience. He flushed. “Miroku—”

 

Sango sighed and started to say something to save the monk from the thumping that she figured was coming. Kirara transformed into her huge form and growled, staring at the gates of the shrine.

 

InuYasha stood slowly, sniffing the air. His eyes flared wider, and he growled under his breath. “No fucking way,” he snarled quietly.

 

Kagome got to her feet and started to step toward the gates. InuYasha caught her wrist and pulled her back. “InuYasha?”

 

“What is it?” Sango asked Kirara. The youkai cat growled. Miroku was the last to stand. Shippou leapt onto his shoulder.

 

The bluish silvery hair shined in the wan street lamp behind her. The woman who approached them was undoubtedly hanyou. Vivid violet eyes that Kagome thought she knew. InuYasha stared at the woman with a frown. Kagome could tell that he didn't recognize her even though he ought to. His expression said as much.

 

She sauntered slowly toward the gathering. Hair caught up in a long braid down her back, wispy strands escaping to frame her face, the woman was as tall as InuYasha, and Kagome frowned, unsure why she felt as though she ought to know the woman. Those violet eyes, though, were friendly, smiling, and she sounded amused when she finally spoke. “InuYasha, Kagome. It's so nice to see you both again.”

 

“We know you?” Kagome asked slowly, staring hard at the woman.

 

Miroku hissed. He was clutching his hand again. Sango tore her attention off the female hanyou to gently pull Miroku's hand away from his chest and inspect it.

 

The woman didn't seem to notice the ex-monk's strange reaction. “It has been a long time. The last time we saw one another, you saved me . . . from my grandfather, InuYasha.”

 

Kagome's eyes widened. “Shiori?”

 

InuYasha hadn't moved nor had he blinked. He glowered at Shiori as though he was trying to see into her head.

 

“Miroku, your hand's bleeding,” Sango gasped.

 

“It's all right,” Miroku managed to say. His face was ashen again, and he looked like sheer will was the only thing keeping him from passing out. “I must have cut it on . . . something.”

 

“Like what?” Sango demanded. She'd been sitting beside the monk the entire time and apparently hadn't noticed a thing.

 

“Please,” Shiori spoke up. “You all need to come with me.”

 

“Not until you tell me,” InuYasha bit out, “why the fuck you smell like my bastard brother.”

 

 

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

A/N:

 

Yukio: gets what he wants; God will nourish.

 

Shiori is a bat hanyou introduced in Episodes 73-74, the Red Tetsusaiga arc.

 

Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Out of Time): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

 

~Sue~