InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remembering You ❯ Settling In ( Chapter 11 )

"This is your measly little house?"

Inuyasha nonchalantly shrugged as he hauled a couple boxes out of the trunk. "I bought it a couple years ago when one of my clients was selling his house. We had always gotten along fairly well, so when he was in a tight spot to sell this house quickly so he could move to France I bought it off him. I needed a house anyways."

"Inuyasha, this" she pointed to the residence, "is NOT a house. This a mansion!"

"It's not that big."

Kagome dragged out a heavy suitcase from the back seat along with a duffle bag. "How many bedrooms do you have?"

"Ten? Twelve? I'm not sure. I don't make it a mission of mine to count."

"See! In Japan, four bedrooms is huge and you have a possible twelve?! My God. . ." With the suitcase and duffle on either side of her she looked back at Inuyasha who was skillfully balancing four cardboard boxes and a messenger bag. "I'm going to get lost in there aren't I?"

"Maybe." He made his way over to her and picked up the suitcase along with the piles of other things, "Come on let's put this stuff down."

Sighing she hefted up the duffle and climbed up the steps to large double doors to Inuyasha's house/debatable mansion. "Do you possibly have a map for this place?"

"Just follow me, and if you do get lost and I don't see you for a couple days I'll send out a search party."

"How about I just holler for you?"

"That'll work." Amazingly pulling out his keys while still maintaining balance, he opened the door and led her in. "I guess welcome to my house."

"Wow." With the bag still shouldered she twirled around to get an overview of the massive entrance. "This place is huge! And decorated!" With the momentum of the spin and the duffle she ended falling on her butt. Looking up toward the ceiling she rubbed her aching posterior. "Ow."

Shaking his head he gestured toward the stairs as he climbed up it, "Come on clumsy. Let me show you your room."

Glaring at him for not helping her up she crawled her way to the stairs to lift her self up. Dragging herself up the stairs with the heavy duffle, she could only wonder how Inuyasha was taking the steps four at a time with four boxes, a messenger bag, and her dead weight suitcase. Reaching the top of the stairs she noticed that Inuyasha was already down to the end of the hall and waiting for her.

"Pick up the pace wench."

Snarling she stomped down the hallway, "I'm coming, my God, there is no need to run."

"I wasn't running bitch, it's not my fault if you're so slow. You were slow in the feudal era too."

Looking at him flatly she brushed past him, "When the traveling companions include a half demon, freakishly athletic monk, and a professional demon slayer I don't think I should worry about keeping up with them." Going down the hall she turned her head toward him, "So which one is my room?"

"The last door at the left."

Reaching the door she swung it open to be met with a large room decorated in basic white. A large queen sized bead with the head post made out of curving vine-like iron frames, a dresser and nightstand going along with the bed's vine feature. The floor was hardwood; there was a door to a large closet. At the end of the room was a pair of French doors that led to a balcony. "Wow."

"You already said that."

She ignored him and continued to stare in awe, "This is probably what heaven looks like. All white."

"Too white?"

She shook her head, "I love it."

He smiled, "Good to hear. Well, I'll leave you alone to get settled. If you need me just go up the stairs to the third floor, it's the first door at the top of the stairs."

Before Kagome could turn and answer the door closed and she was left alone with her duffle, suitcase, and four cardboard boxes filled to breaking point. Shrugging she went to the first box to start unpacking.

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Setting the messenger bag down, Inuyasha lay down on the bed. He allowed his concealing spell to come down and his familiar dog-ears appeared to the top of his head. He swerved them around, feeling as if they were severely out of practice. His body wasn't tired, they had no reason to be, but he was emotionally drained. The possibility that Kagome might be a goddess still reeling through his head. How was he supposed to figure it out if that was true or not? Call up Amaterasu and ask her? Maybe Midoriko, she seemed to know a lot. . . then again how would he contact her? 1-800- MIDO-RIKO? He doubted it. He stared at the phone. . . maybe? No, not even Midoriko had the power to get an eight-digit number.

He sighed, too much angst for his sensitive hanyou soul. Then he snickered, sensitive? Maybe not. He killed enough demons in blind rage to know he was not a soft cookie. He knew he became softer through the years, but mostly toward Kagome. He had pent up emotions for the girl that he had to let out like a dam. He was afraid that he was starting to come off as a bumbling whimpy idiot. Then again, he is one of the most respected/feared youkai in existence. It happens when you live for a couple centuries. Yeah, he was way up there in the ranking with Seshoumaru, Kouga, Myouga (probably just by his age), Kirara (she won her fair share of battles), Shippou (by age, and surprisingly his knowledge of martial arts), and the different leaders that scattered the world of the Underground. Hanyou Inuyasha, respected youkai. Who saw that one coming? While his mind wandered on that topic he realized the dreaded time of the month was coming up. The new moon.

"Shit. I really don't need this, I have enough to deal with." He rolled over on to his stomach. His face planted down on the comforter he growled. A hanyou could only take so much stress.

~Now, now. Your life isn't so bad is it?~

Inuyasha growled even louder in anger. `You again?! Leave me the fuck alone.'

~Why Inuyasha, thought you would be happier to hear from me.~

`I have no idea who the hell you are, and get out of my head.'

~Believe me when I say I'm not here having a picnic. I would much rather be else where, such as in the passionate embrace of a certain miko who is right downstairs.~

`I told you to stay away from her!'

~How can I? Just thinking about her withering below me calling my name-~

"SHUT UP!!!!" This time Inuyasha sat up and said it aloud and the voice was gone, ripped out of his thoughts. The hanyou's eyes were beginning to bleed in red around the edges, but he did not notice this change and didn't try to calm down. He was on the edge. That voice in his head irritated him like none other. The reason why he didn't tell Kagome was because he wasn't sure if the voice was an outside voice. What happens if it was all in his head and he slowly going insane? Wouldn't really surprise him with all the crap that had been occurring recently.

There was a knock at the door. Inuyasha immediately snapped at it, "WHAT?!"

The door opened and a head popped into the room. "Bite my head off why don't you."

The sight of her mellowed him down slightly, "Kagome. . ."

"I heard you yelling." Noticing the red in his eyes she walked over to him and placed a hand on his cheek and gazed into his eyes. "What happened?"

He gave her a questioning look, "What do you mean?"

"Your eyes are red. Your demon side is at the surface." He reached up to his face, as if expecting to feel his eyes turned red and tattoos appeared on his face. She shook her head, "No your facial markings aren't there. But your eyes are red around the edges. What provoked your demon?"

Her reaction was different. It wasn't like the other times his youkai blood completely took over his body. She wasn't trying to sit him to bring him back to normal or running after his Tetsusaiga. She just stroked his cheek, worried what had upset him. Not a trace of fear on her. "Aren't you afraid I'm going to rip your throat out?"

"Not really."

He raised an eyebrow, as his eyes slowly became the warm gold she was used to seeing, "Not really?"

"I'm assuming that after a couple of centuries you can control your demon."

Inuyasha covered the hand that was stroking his cheek, "What happens if I didn't?"

She smiled, "Your demon never hurt me."

He turned his head to avert her gaze, he didn't want to see what she would think of him. "How can you be so sure he won't hurt you? He kills without remorse, he'd kill you."

She turned his face to look at him, "`He' like you say isn't some different entity. You are your youkai, and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. You don't kill without remorse, you lost control when in fury. They are two different things. I never saw you kill a single innocent person. You've slain other youkai, but you should feel guilty about killing humans? That's ridiculous. Some humans are far worse than any youkai." She learned forward and pulled him into an embrace that would have broken bones if he had been human, "And you would never hurt me. I know it. And deep down, you know it."

How could someone be so understanding? Wasn't this bordering on after school special? A girl so understanding that she could be friends with a demon?

Inuyasha hugged her back. Hey, any excuse to hug the girl he loves. "As great as that is to hear Kagome, if he. . . or I ever go into my full youkai mode I want you out of there. I'm not risking you."

She pulled away from the hug shrugging.

"Promise me Kagome." He said with an unwavering look.

She let out a sigh, "Fine. But don't expect me to be peachy afterwards."

He smiled, "But you'll be alive."

"You really worry about that don't you?" She sat down on the bed next to him.

"You being alive? Did you expect me not to?"

"You sometimes got distracted in battle because someone was trying to kill me. You almost got killed a couple of those times too. I was hoping you would have grown out of the habit of worrying so much."

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am." She stabbed an accusing finger into his chest, "I will not have your death upon my conscience if you die protecting me."

"What about my conscience if you die?!"

"It's bound to happen one day."

He glared at her, "You're talking about your death like it means nothing to you."

Letting out an exasperated sigh she leaned back on her hands, "I'm not saying I'm going to run into battle wishing for my death, and trust me, I don't want to die. But could I stand it if someone else died because of me? No."

He huffed and turned his head like a small child, "I don't care what you say, I'm protecting you anyways."

Suddenly he felt a small hand cover his. Inuyasha looked down toward it then up toward Kagome's face. She was smiling. "Thank you."

He blushed and turned away slightly, "Keh." `I don't understand women.'

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"So how did Inunii-chan take it?"

Seshoumaru sat on the sofa strumming his right hand fingers on the armrest and looked over at his mate that had just come into the living room. "Like usual, he's in complete denial."

Rin smiled and took the place next to Seshoumaru and snuggled into his side. The arm that had been resting on the back of the couch now pulled her in by the shoulder. He couldn't deny it, he was in love with this woman. They had their fair share of fights, after she got over the Seshoumaru-sama thing, and good share of happy moments. He continued to be the ice king of emotions and Rin was the epitome of bubbly cheer.

"I don't blame him."

"You don't?"

He could feel her shaking her head, "No. I mean, how would you feel if you suddenly found out you couldn't be with me?"

He didn't respond.

She shot up and looked him in the eye, "What?! You would go find some cheap floozy to replace me?!"

His raised an fine shaped eyebrow, "I didn't say anything."

"But your silence implies that you would just find a substitute!"

"It does?"

"Yes! It does!"

He didn't really know how to answer her without it being twisted around in Rin's complicated mind so he pulled her into a deep kiss. Seshoumaru was never one for words anyways. Pulling away from her he gave a rare smile, rarer than those of his half brother. Her face was flushed as she gazed up at him. The haze of the fiery kiss still engraved on her lips.

"So. . . you wouldn't just find a replacement?"

"No."

Giving a bright smile she cuddled into him again. "I'm glad."

He looked down at the small woman in his arms and shook his head slightly. `I don't get women.'

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"And this is the kitchen."

Kagome walked past Inuyasha into the aforementioned kitchen, "Thank you captain obvious."

"What? You're the one that wanted a tour of the house."

"I wasn't expecting you to point to the stairs and say `These are the stairs.'"

"Well, I didn't want you to ask any stupid questions like `What's this?'" He said indignantly, "I saved you a heap of embarrassment."

She stared at him flatly as she looked up from rummaging the fridge, "My hero."

"Don't patronize me."

"So what do you want for lunch?" She kept going through the contents of the fridge.

"And don't change the subject!"

"Ramen?" She continued ignoring him.

"I told you to not-. . . Wait, ramen?"

"That's the only thing I can think of to make with the very little food you have in the humongous house."

"Oh. . . we have to go to the supermarket again?"

She went over to the pantry to see that they were bare, "Looks that way."

He went over to her and took her hand to tug her toward the front door. Kagome blushed, she still wasn't used to holding hands with Inuyasha as if it was perfectly normal to do so. "Come on wench. We're going on our second date."

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"Is Kag coming around tomorrow?"

Grandpa Higurashi nodded to the tall man, "I would think so Guy. Never failed me once in helping out, don't expect her to start now."

Guy Donohue smiled and started to turn, "Okay then. Tell her I'll be coming by sometime during the day."

The old man nodded once again and waved to the boy, "Sure thing."

Going down the long steep stone steps of the shrine Guy crossed paths with Kagome's mom. "Hey Mrs. H."

The middle-aged woman smiled in response, "Oh hello Guy. Did you come here with Kagome?"

The tiger youkai in disguised shook his head, "No, but gave the message to Gramps to tell her that I'd be swinging by."

"Kagome will be so happy to see you! She's been a bit distant lately, you know with the whole HitoGin job she quit. That Matsuhito is a horrible man! Treating my dear Kagome that way is unacceptable."

Guy also seemed angry at the mentioned man, "I tried to get Kagome to testify but she won't do it! Says that she doesn't make a mess of a situation! Can you believe her?"

Satsuki, Kagome's mom, sighed, "That's just how she is sometimes. Out to be the super-hero for everyone else but herself. She was more worried about supporting Souta's tuition. I told her she didn't have to pay for Souta to go to private school but she insisted." She shook her head in exasperation, "Compassion: her tragic flaw."

He smiled, "But isn't that what everyone loves about her?"

She looked up to the man, "I suppose so."

"Well I'm off Mrs. H. I'll see you tomorrow."

Satsuki waved good-naturedly then climbed up the stairs. Seeing Grandpa she greeted him, "Sweeping the grounds again father?"

"Oh Satsuki, back from the errands already?"

"Yes. I just ran into Guy, isn't he such a nice boy?"

Grandpa stopped sweeping and nodded his head while looking pensive, "Yes good boy that one is. Would be good for our Kagome."

Her eyes became glossy with hope, "After finding out that Hojo's ulterior preferences, Kagome hasn't been the same. I've been hoping Guy and Kagome would get together."

"Who could be a better match?"

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"Achou!"

Kagome stared wide-eyed at Inuyasha after the huge sneeze. "Bless you."

"Thanks."

She reached over to his forehead, "Did you catch a cold?"

"Nah, demons don't get sick."

She sighed at the usually response he gave when she worried. "Then someone is saying something about you."

He smirked, "That's only a superstition."

"With all the supernatural stuff that goes on in my life, I'm willing to believe in superstitions too."

"Keh."

Kagome shrugged and continued to eat her Wacdonald's burger as Inuyasha scarfed down his second one. Then she suddenly remembered something, "Oh! I have to go to the shrine tomorrow. Can you drop me off?"

Looking up from his burger he scrunched his eyebrows, "Why are you going to the shrine?"

"I always go on Sundays. With Gramps getting old. . .er. . . older, he needs all the help he can get. Souta helps too, comes all the way from the college campus and everything."

"I'll take you."

She smiled, "Thanks."

"On one condition."

She slumped, "What?"

"I can stay and help out too."

Staring at him in wonder, "Are you serious? You want to help Gramps at the shrine? You do remember Gramps right? He's the one that attacked you with ofudas and annoyed you like no other?"

"Come on, he wasn't so bad."

She stared at him, "Okay. . ."

After finishing up their burgers they left Wacdonald's and headed back to the mansion. Upon arrival they decided that they would unpack Kagome's things together, being that she had left with only her clothes put away after hearing Inuyasha yelling. Each taking a box they began to unpack.

As Inuyasha was pulling stuff out of a box he came across a stuffed animal. It was a pink pig made out of soft plush material with tiny angel wings sprouting from its back. He suppressed laughing out loud, "Kagome?"

"Hmm?" She continued to rummage through her box, not turning around.

"What's this?" Finally turning around her eyes widened. She lunged and tried to reach for it but Inuayasha mockingly dangled it just out of reach above her head. "Come on Kag-chan, what's this? Still playing with stuffed animals?"

She huffed as she continued leaping for the pink piglet, "Give him to me!"

"So it's a him?"

"Yes! Now give him!"

He smirked and swung the pig right above her reaching fingers, "Does he have a name?"

She blushed, "N-no! Who names a stuffed animal?"

"Obviously you. You were never good at lying. So what's the name?"

"What does it matter?! Just give him to me."

"What's the big deal? If you didn't name it something like Naraku there's nothing to hide."

"I'm not telling you his name."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter!" She still jumped for it.

"What is his name Mr. Pinky?"

She was getting tired from reaching and jumping, "Touken."

He raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I named it Touken." She looked away in embarrassment.

There was a silence until Inuyasha yelled. "You named a pig after me?!"

"It seemed appropriate."

"A pig?!"

She sheepishly pointed to the pig, "It has wings."

She glared at her, "And that's supposed make me feel better?"

"You should be proud. . . kind of."

"I'm a pig!"

"It's my favorite stuffed animal though, I used to sleep with it by my side for years."

He was about yell about it being a pig when he stopped himself and conceited smirk adorned his face. "You slept with me for years."

A horrified look came over her face, "You just defiled my childhood toy with that one phrase."

He dropped the pig and it plopped on her head to bounce off into her arms. "Keh." But he continued smirking.

Blushing she turned around to continue unpacking.

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Inuyasha was in his room pacing and growling. On occasion he would glance out the window and the setting sun's rays would taunt him as they got lower and lower. He was not in the mood for this. Actually he was never in the mood for this. The night of the new moon. He would become human. Looking human was no big deal. It was something he had done when being Touken, but even then he had his youkai strength. He slumped down on the bed. Why did he have to be part human?

A knock came at the door.

After finishing up with packing the two of them decided that dinner was needed to be started. It seemed like the only thing they did was eat. But when Inuyasha was rolling up his sleeves to start making ramen he was shoved out of the kitchen by the miko and told to stay out until called.

She was probably done with making dinner. He went over to the door the sun slowly setting behind him. As he opened the door to find Kagome about to say something her eyes widened. His hair silver hair was getting a grayish tone to it until turning into the truest black. Warm amber eyes blended to violet and his dog-ears slid to human ears. After the transformation was over she pouted. "I just got to see your dog-ears back this morning and now they're already gone."

"It's only for the night."

She sighed, "I was hoping to be able to pet them later on."

"What the hell gave you the idea I would let you?"

She shrugged and headed down stairs, "Was planning to bribe you with food."

He drooled at the prospect of Kagome's food, which within the past few days and the two years in the feudal era, proved to be mouth-watering. He trailed after her to the kitchen, "You can still pet my human ears."

She pulled a bottle of tea out of the fridge and went to the cupboard for two glass cups. "Because that sounds all so exciting."

He smirked, she was full of easy jabs today. "So you find petting my dog-ears exciting?"

She blushed as she went over to the island where she had set dinner. "You know that's not what I mean."

He smirked, "I don't know that."

She glared at him, "Shut up Onii-chan." She slapped a hand over her mouth as he eyes widened.

He raised an eyebrow. "Confused are we?"

"It's the hair and the eyes. . ."

"I've turned human in front of you almost every time since I had met you when we were in the sengaku jidai."

"But you look older, and you look like Onii-chan. . . I mean you are Onii-chan. . . but. . . you know." Flashbacks for their birthday traditions flashed back to her she suddenly blushed profusely. "Oh. My. God."

"What?" He turned around, maybe there was something behind him that caught her attention. Nope, just the stove, and not a particularly interesting stove. "What?"

"I can't believe I asked that of you! Why didn't I realize it before?!" She hid her face in her hands, "This is so embarrassing."

"What in the seven hells are you talking about wench?"

"My first kiss! Oh my God. I can't believe I asked you for that. How bold was I?! I should have just let Hojo take my kiss than suffering this blackmailing embarrassment." She heard him growling at the comment about Hojo. Then she responded flatly, "Don't tell me you're jealous of my recently mutilated ex."

He gritted through his teeth, "No, not at all. Me? Jealous? That's a laugh."

She smiled, "You're a worse liar than I am."

He huffed and started scarfed down food. Kagome smiled at his antics. It was nice. She knew he cared, or else he would get jealous. Oh, the declaration of love really helped. Her eyes dimmed at that thought. It was still muddled to her. Love. Did she love him? She wasn't sure. Sure she cared for him deeply, but love? She didn't know what love was, it bothered her that Inuyasha seemed to know exactly and dead set on that he loved her. But what about her? She's gotten the definitions of love that people have thrown around but she didn't know if she could believe them. It's impossible to describe an emotion.

Was love the need to be with someone? That if you weren't with them the world seemed suffocating and air sucked out of your lungs? When a feeling of sadness comes over the heart when the person leaves the room? Was it seeing everything wrong about the person but still seeing them as perfect? Was it the tugging feeling in the heart that always lead back to the person? Was it staying by the person even when they chose someone else? Did you just know?

And Kagome knew. At that moment she knew. It hit her like a kick in the gut and she still doubled over from the emotion. The revelation wasn't ceremonious. He wasn't saving her life or declaring his love again. She gazed at the man that she now knew she loved, and had loved for sometime now. In hindsight, what did she have to think about? It was so obvious. Love had been staring at her, and slapping her around to wake up but she didn't understand it. Now she did, and could help but think how comical the situation was. Her revelation was when Inuyasha was scarfing down food with the manners of hyena.

But she had to tell him. "Inuyasha."

He looked up at her, mouth still full of food. "Yeah?" He spoke with his mouth full, he was rude, he said the wrong things at the wrong time, and caused so much pain. But she loved him.

She smiled and reached over for his hand and began to speak, "I lo-"

Her words were suddenly cut off with crash coming from the side of the kitchen. The French doors that led outside had been crashed in by a hideous moth-winged youkai. Without missing a beat the moth youkai grabbed the wide-eyed Kagome and raced out to the yard. Inuyasha soon collected himself to run out. They were nowhere to be seen on the ground, he looked and he was hovering over him a good fifty feet. Taunting him with the now unconscious miko gripped in his six arms. "You have been warned half-breed. My master desires her soul."

Inuyasha growled, the best he could being in his human form. The sun had just set and it would be hours until he was in his true form again. At the moment there was no way he could leap high enough, because of his martial arts training his jump was greater than the average Joe's but fifty feet? That was asking too much of him. The moth began to fly away. Inuyasha panicked. He wouldn't be able to trace her without his nose, and by the time he was back to normal the wind would have kicked away her scent anyways. So he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number he reserved for emergencies.

The other line picked up. "Hello?"

"Sesshoumaru. Don't ask questions. Just get over to my house now. Be ready to fight."

The phone clicked off without allowing the older dog demon to respond. But Sesshoumaru did not hesitate. With a quick nod to Rin and a knowing smile returned Sesshoumaru raced out the front doors. To soon arrive at his brother's house by flying at tremendous speeds in the air. It was only ten minutes later that he saw a human Inuyasha waiting anxiously for his arrival. "What happened?" His half-brother would never contact him if it wasn't for a dire situation, Inuyasha was too proud. But Sesshoumaru could see that the hanyou set pride aside as a trivial factor.

"A fucking moth youkai crashed into my kitchen and flew away with my Kagome." He stepped toward his brother, "I'm not asking you to fight my battles. It's my responsibility to protect Kagome. I need you to take me there. I can't follow her sent without my nose."

Sesshoumaru nodded. He was here to be a tracker, but he knew the desperation that comes over a youkai when a mate is in danger. He took the younger dog demon by the wrist and leaped through the trees the surrounded the house, closely following the sent of his potential sister-in-law.

A/N: Does anyone know Kagome's mom's name? If anyone does please tell me. . . at the moment I just made one up.

Also, here is something new that came up. A reviewer (which shall remain anonymous) asked if a lemon would be coming up. With the last chapter they said they were disappointed that it crushed the opportunity but would keep reading anyways (thank you!). I brushed the thought aside but then I go to thinking, a lemon? Could I do it? God no. If people read `Time Changes All' they know I had trouble writing the first kiss in. I'm more comfortable with it now, being that I'm older. But a full blow out lemon? Could I write one? No. But if someone was willing to write like a one-shot side story feeding off of this fic that would be fine. I wouldn't mind that it was getting the baseline from this fic, but can I choose when it would happen? I mean, it won't be for a WHILE. But if anyone has any suggestions I'm open to them. But I won't write one. It would come out cheesy, corny, and ridiculous. I'm assuming I'm not talented in the department, so let's just shove that in a lil' dark corner.