InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shrine Prostitute ❯ Stupefaction ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: Not mine of course, silly. Trix are for rabbits.

 

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A/N: Thank you again to my lovely betas for reading through this for me even with their busy lives, especially seren1tystar01 getting back to me after having someone in the hospital - both of your support boosts me so much.

 

This story is kind of taking away with me. This was supposed to be the second half to last chapter but it ended up morphing as the plot bunnies attacked me. (I'm actually attempting to de-smut a version I can post on ff.net that'll be entirely plot driven…I'm a little backward, ne? Haha)

 

So just a warning, there are large portions of this that are un-beta'd, but I figured I'd promised you one week for an update and it's been two. Granted, you're getting much more than originally planned, but I didn't want to hold out any longer. Hope it's okay but feel free to point out any mistakes.

 

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

 

For those reading on MediaMiner: This version is slightly altered and censored. Full lemon can be found on adultfanfiction.

 

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Shrine Prostitute by FlameTwirler

 

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Chapter 8: Stupefaction

----- The act or an instance of stupefying; the state of being stupefied.

----- Great astonishment or consternation.

 

~ ~ ~

 

The next morning Inuyasha showed up at her door promptly at 6 a.m. again and Kagome could tell from the lack of mutilation showing on his body that he must have been with Kikyou again. She refused to contemplate the subject any further because she was still torn dreadfully between her increasing sense of jealousy and gratefulness to the woman for keeping him safe for the night. Part of her had hoped that he'd take the next four days off from work so that it could be something of a vacation for him but obviously that wasn't to be.

 

The first thing he'd done upon arriving was hop into the shower and stay there for a good half-hour, during which Kagome fell asleep. She'd tried, unsuccessfully, to catch up on her rest during the night since she wanted to be awake the entire time he was here. She wasn't entirely sure how long he'd stay, though she hoped it'd be all day as she couldn't see the draw of hanging around the Shrine any more than necessary, but she wasn't at all certain what his plans would be.

 

Still, her plans for sleep had been fruitless as she couldn't calm her racing mind and eventually gave up and studied her books. Hence, when Inuyasha came out of the bathroom toweling his hair, steam streaming from the door, he smirked to find her sleeping on the table where the meal she'd made for him was already laid out.

 

He ate in silence, contemplating the silly ningen girl next to him. Part of him wondered why he was risking so much for her but the majority of his mind was busy planning what he was going to be doing for the next four days. Gently he roused her and proceeded to do such things to her on that table that she wasn't able to look at the piece of furniture again without bursting into a flaming blush.

 

The only complaint she had about the whole deal was how business he was. He stuck strictly to the one-hour time limit that was applied to all normal Shrine sessions which sometimes made her wish she hadn't opened her apartment so gratuitously to him. When she was there alone with him for hours on end, though one or both were typically sleeping for some portion of it, it took a tremendous amount of will power for her to not jump him. That was a problem she most definitely had not foreseen.

 

The second day of their agreement he arrived a little after noon, obviously still worn out and in some pain from his night's work. Kagome gently helped strip him and he headed straight to the shower, more grateful than he would admit for his free access to the amenity. It cleaned and purged so much better than what he typically had freedom to use at the Shrine, which usually consisted of no more than a sponge bath in his room.

 

When he got out she took the towel from him, urging him down onto the bed, and proceeded to dry his hair and body. Normally he wouldn't stand for this kind of coddling from anyone but he saw how unsettled she was; besides, he figured he may as well get something out of this agreement and a little pampering wasn't such a bad thing. When she pushed him flat on his back and began kissing each of his rapidly healing wounds the tears never stopped flowing from her eyes.

 

The following day he didn't even look at her as he made his way straight to the shower, shedding pieces of clothing on the way in his haste to get under the scalding water. Kagome reasoned it must have been an exceptionally bad session, the feeling reaffirmed when he came straight out of the shower and crawled into the bed behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against him. He was asleep within seconds and she just lay there a few moments more, brushing her fingers delicately along the intricate line of lacerations, bruises, and even burns she could see on his forearms. Pushing back against him, trying to offer him all the comfort she could, she followed him into oblivion.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Inuyasha glared at Kagome, not buying her story at all. One night he could understand, two were passable, but three of only miming eating at dinner? He knew she needed the energy, what with the workout I put her through everyday, he thought with an inward smirk. There was only so much he'd fall for lame excuses.

 

He'd hoped the trusty old “stare at her until she caves” method would prevail this time and he wouldn't need to start an argument but it seemed a more direct approach would be needed as she continued to pointedly ignore him.

 

“Kagome.” No response was forthcoming as she shuffled her fork loudly against the nothingness that was on her plate. Of course he could wait her out but the sound alone might drive him crazy.

 

He growled at her, “Kagome…”

 

She huffed a sigh and laid down her fork. She knew she'd been beaten but that still didn't mean she had to make it easy for him.

 

“Why aren't you eating?”

 

Grabbing the dejected fork she thrust it into the empty bowl in the middle of the table that she'd served them - though really just him - from. “Oh my, it seems there's nothing there for me to eat.” Her voice carried a sickly falsetto that she quickly dropped much to his relief as it made him cringe. “Seems I made just the perfect amount then, ne?”

 

She grabbed her dishes and started to rise from the table but was prevented from doing so when his hand clamped around her forearm.

 

“Oh no you don't, not tonight. Why. Aren't. You. Eating?” he asked between gritted teeth, carefully enunciating each word in his growing frustration.

 

“I wasn't very hungry. A couple of bites were all I needed…”

 

He raised a supercilious eyebrow. “Try me again.”

 

“No, really, I had a big lunch.”

 

The eyebrow was still up and his grip hadn't let up at all. Still she was nothing if not his match in stubbornness and she was prepared to stand by her defenses, no matter how paltry they seemed now, until her stomach decided to turn traitor and let out a long, high squeak.

 

She didn't need to glance in a mirror to know that she had color rising on her cheeks. She did make the mistake though of taking the break in tension to look down at Inuyasha and saw the poorly concealed concern on his face, instantly knowing the jig was up.

 

“It's fine,” she said softly down to him, “it's really not that big a deal.”

 

This, however, had the opposite effect on him than what she'd expected and he snapped at her in anger, tackling her to the bed in one swift movement. “It's because of me, isn't it?”

 

Kagome couldn't do anything other than look away. She'd die before making such an admission but there was no way she could lie directly to his face.

 

“Tell me,” he demanded again, shaking her slightly.

 

She was getting worried about how seriously he was taking this, about how he might twist it around in his head into some form of guilt. Some levity was definitely needed and poking him in the ribs sounded like a particularly marvelous idea.

 

He stared down at her with such a mix of confusion, frustration, and apoplexy that she couldn't help but grin widely at how cute he looked.

 

“Oh come off it, Inuyasha, it's not the end of the world if I skip a couple of meals. Worst thing that'll happen is I'll lose some of this.” With one hand she pinched together as much flab and fat as she could on the underside of her other arm while simultaneously blowing out her cheeks, tucking her chin into her neck, and crossing her eyes.

 

Inuyasha fought well and hard but couldn't help the little snigger that escaped. She grinned cheekily up at him, proud of herself for getting “The mighty and angry hanyou-ness”TM to crack and smile.

 

“Besides, it's not your fault at all, it's mine.” She continued under her breath, “Or rather it's the fault of over-priced leather shops and stupid rules and…”

 

“That's why?!” he yelled, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin at the tremendous sound thrown directly into her face. Unfortunately it was taking her a while to constantly be on guard against his super-human sense of hearing - it really wasn't fair he'd been able to catch that traitorous mumble.

 

She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting and didn't know how to react to him so she fell back on her automatic default: she began to babble. “So you see, it's not faulted to either of us. It's all those dang capitalist shops here in this town. Yeah, they're the ones to blame.”

 

He nipped at her chin and she immediately stopped her jabbering.

 

“You mean you spent all your money, all of it, on that stupid outfit?!”

 

“Hey!” she shot back, attempting to strike the universal `indignant woman' pose by putting her hands on her hips but having little success due to the position they were in. “It wasn't simply a stupid outfit, you jerk! It's what got me in there to see you that night! You should be grateful!”

 

“Yeah,” he surprised her by grudgingly agreeing. Licking his lips and smiling, his eyes unfocused in a way that let her know he was recalling just exactly how she'd looked in that particular getup that night. She wasn't sure whether to be complimented, offended, or scandalized, and Inuyasha jumped on her confusion immediately, pressing his point.

 

“So if you have no money - ”

 

“Some money,” she interrupted.

 

“Very little money,” he corrected with a stern look, “then why am I eating while you're not?”

 

“I promised you that I'd cook for you if you stayed with me the first night here, remember?”

 

He sighed heavily and laid his head against her collarbone in an attempt to keep his temper from enflaming. “Well then what else do you have that you can cook with this very little remaining money you have?”

 

She choked back a reply and resumed her game of playing “pretend you don't see or hear the pushy hanyou…who's sitting on top of you…” Shaking her head she decided the latter part of that certainly made it harder to play her game.

 

“Kagome!” She didn't like the playful edge she heard in that voice. It hinted at dire, dire, silly, fun, fruitful consequences if she didn't answer like the good little girl she was, and maybe even better ones if she did.

 

“Ramen.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“I bought an entire case of ramen, enough to last me through the next ice age if need be.”

 

“Not global warming though?”

 

She shook her head. “Nope, thought it through. We could tie the packs together to make a raft but then they'd turn into soup and the fish would have good food but we'd drown.”

 

He contemplated for a moment then nodded. “Ramen it is then. Don't move.” Before she even had a chance to blink he'd jumped over to the table, picked up the bowl of food she'd made him for dinner, then was back on top of her as if he'd never left.

 

“Now,” he said, setting the bowl down on the desk beside her bed after fishing out a chunk of beef, “I think it's time we fed the chef and her poorly abused stomach.” He must've known she'd put up a resistance as had already grabbed a hand in each of his. The piece of meat was firmly between his teeth and as he dipped his head he touched it to her mouth.

 

Kagome wasn't feeling particularly cooperative and at first she sealed her lips, but his proximity and the movement of him rubbing the cube back and forth repeatedly across the sensitive flesh had her giving in quickly. As soon as he sensed the slightest relaxation in her he used his tongue to transfer the food from his mouth to hers, lingering for a moment where their mouths connected to make sure she had it all in. When he leaned back Kagome wondered if she had the same slightly dazed look in her eyes.

 

“Are you chewing?” he asked over his shoulder as he reached for the bowl. Despite knowing he couldn't see her she nodded her head, slowly masticating the food as she watched his every move.

 

He knew there were other, perhaps even more effective ways to do what he was attempting, but after his first taste of her he couldn't help himself. And if he could pretend he really was only interested in her welfare, well then all the better. He took in a large mouthful of broth and before she could connect the thought with his actions his mouth was on her again, force feeding her the liquid, shoving his tongue inside her mouth and swirling it around to make sure her food was ready to be swallowed. He was prepared to plug her nose in case she was still going to be obstinate and refuse to eat but he didn't have to worry. As he leaned back he saw her attention was focused much more on him than on the food.

 

At this point his resistance was weak and when he saw the droplets of broth next to her mouth he had no other choice than to bend to her and suck them off, alternately using tongue and lips. Realizing what he was doing an instant too late he stilled then slowly rose from her again. He watched as she leisurely rolled her tongue around in her mouth as if feeling for vestiges of him still in there.

 

“Inuyasha, was that…”

 

“No,” he answered, gradually shaking his head from side to side. There was no way that was a kiss in any form. He was just feeding her, that was all. The silly wench would have starved if he hadn't done it…

 

He stiffened when he felt her hand against his cheek. “Okay,” she whispered, nuzzling up against him and kissing his neck.

 

“Kagome,” he pulled her gently from him, “you need to eat first.”

 

“Eat, eat, eat,” she mocked. “That's all that's on your mind tonight, isn't it. What is it with you men?” She forestalled him when he opened his mouth. “No, don't answer that. Fine, I'll eat if that's what you want. I could really go for a big, fat, juicy piece of meat, you know? Maybe a thick, beefy chunk of sausage, something smooth that'll slide right down my throat.” She batted her eyelashes at him, reveling in the way his adam's apple was bobbing and his throat was convulsing.

 

Pushing away from him she rose to get off the bed. “I think I have some in the freezer that'll cook up just fine if I - ”

 

Inuyasha hauled her back to the bed and pinned her beneath him, ragged breath panting in her face. “Something you want, Inuyasha?”

 

He was bound and determined to spend the rest of the day wiping that smug smile off her face.

 

It wasn't until much later that day when the sun started going down that Inuyasha discovered that she really did have sausage in her freezer.

 

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The pair was rudely awoken from their short nap by the phone ringing and the voice mail clicking on. “Kagome, this is your mother, call me immediately when you hear this. I have some news for you.”

 

She groaned; her mother's voice was the last she wished to hear when she was curled up warm and naked in bed with someone, still basking in a post-coital glow. Not only that but `immediately' and `news' didn't sound too promising.

 

Inuyasha rolled out of the bed, smirking down at her as she cracked a tongue-curling yawn, then kissed the top of her head and told her to go back to sleep as he made his way to the shower to get cleaned up before work. She decided that sounded like an absolutely splendid idea and resolved to call home when she woke up. Silently she begrudged him his hanyou heritage that gave him his extra stamina, not able to comprehend how he was on his feet when she wasn't entirely sure she could even feel hers.

 

Slinking into blissful slumber she only vaguely heard the door close when he left, yet despite being worn out she only slept for about three more hours and was able to call her mom back that night. Her nerves were on fire but she was instantly relieved when her mother picked up the phone and sounded happier than she had in months.

 

“Oh, Kagome, you will never guess what's happened! Business is booming - the shrine is doing magnificently! Whatever you're doing over there it must be pleasing the kamis to no end.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes, glad her mother wasn't there to see her reaction.

 

“So guess what?” Wow, Kagome decided. Things must be going really well for her mom to be speaking like this. “We're doing so splendidly that the only logical thing to do is extend the amount of time for your worship.”

 

She went blank for a moment, completely blindsided by the turn of events, but when the cogs in her mind started working again she immediately began to protest but was cut off just as quickly.

 

“Now I know you have obligations here and such,” she heard on the other end, “and we would never want to pull you away from that, but we'll do whatever we have to in order to accommodate you...”

 

When she heard the word `we' Kagome immediately grew wary and frantic. She knew that even if she didn't feel obligated there was no way she'd be able to talk them out of it if both her mother and her grandfather were together against her.

 

“You can count on us to fix anything over here you need or send you anything. Just for another month…” Kagome's hearing faded as her mother trailed on and on about endless plans and preparations. Her world was spinning. She'd barely figured out how to mentally survive one month here, and now her family wanted two?

 

What on earth had she just gotten into?

 

Despite the decent amount of sleep she and Inuyasha had gotten during the day (and the sleep stored up from small cat naps the previous two days when she'd been bored out of her mind after declining Kouga's day-dates when he couldn't keep them `friendly'), Kagome found that after he left and she spoke with her mother she just couldn't keep her eyes open. She lay on her bed, stunned by her family's proclamation, attempting to wrap her mind around any feasible options she had to complete the deed and not simultaneously go insane, but she'd found the task incredibly daunting and mentally tasking and before she knew it she was deeply asleep. Unfortunately, her sleep wasn't very sound and she woke groggy and troubled but determined to face the new day, or still night rather in this case, straight on. She headed out the door to the one place she could think of to pound through her muddled thoughts and possibly make some headway.

 

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Ryu's night was not going well. It was supposed to be a slow evening but three workers had called in sick, an entire bus of tourists had just pulled out front and spilled forth a gaggle of worshippers who hadn't made so much as a reservation, and he was worried sick about Inuyasha. After seeing the hanyou sneak out every day - and sighing a breath of relief upon seeing him slink back before dusk - he was tired and frazzled. As such he was in no mood to see an obviously distraught Kagome come striding through his doors on what was supposed to be her second to last day at the Shrine, especially not when he hadn't expected to see her again after they'd said their goodbyes three days prior when she'd informed him of her little agreement with his charge.

 

Before she could say a word he held out a hand, palm up, to forestall her. “Don't even start. I see this will take a while and I don't have time for it right now.”

 

She chewed her lip and glared at him stonily, perturbed that he'd seen through her so well.

 

“I assume you're busy come daybreak?” He raised his eyebrow, knowing she understood the need for vagueness within the confines of the Shrine walls. When she nodded he sighed. “There's no way I'll be able to get out of here before then and I see you'll want to be meeting alone,” he said, lowering his voice lest anyone become suspicious of just what kind of meeting they'd be having.

 

He ran his finger down the ledger and grimaced at the name in the reserved spot next to Inuyasha's. “Unfortunately it looks like we won't have to worry about company until at least noon.”

 

Kagome blanched but Ryu shook his head, warning her of where they were. “I'll meet you as soon as we get off here. How private?”

 

“Can we meet at your place?”

 

He shook his head in the negative. “Not a good idea,” he indicated all the curious glances already directed their way. Some of the more regular workers and milling tetsudai on break recognized her and knew she hadn't been there for a couple days. “I know a place, a nice restaurant where they reserve private rooms in back. The owner's a friend of mine and reliable enough in this town.” He tore off a piece of paper, hastily scribbled the establishment's information, then thrust it at her as he made a shooing motion with his hands.

 

“Now go,” he almost cried, frustration lacing his voice, “I've got work to do.” Not waiting for any response he turned over his shoulder and yelled at one of his helpers, calling two other people to come over.

 

Kagome slowly turned, suddenly realizing that she should leave the room as soon as possible as it could raise many uncomfortable questions if she were seen hanging around; many people were under the impression she had left town when she'd stopped coming to the Shrine and that was not a topic she felt like trying to talk her way around if anyone recognized her. She made a quick dash for the door, completely oblivious to the gleaming pair of cold eyes that followed her every movement from the shadows behind Ryu's office.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Kagome squirmed in her seat across from the middle aged man. Normally he was all set to cooperate and collaborate with her but now he was glaring at her like a wayward child and she couldn't escape the fact that it must be due to the fact that she was putting Inuyasha in danger. Not like you're doing much to protect him with how he's treated in the Shrine all the time, she thought snidely, but this didn't make her next request any easier.

 

“Look, I know you might think I'm just using Inuyasha for convenience or comfort, but I really do…care about him,” she said, looking down at her hands in admission.

 

Ryu's eyes immediately softened. “I know,” he relented. “You're a nice girl, Kagome, I just don't want to see either of you get hurt just because you don't know the gravity of the situation or are stuck in the `It can't happen to me' mindset. You think what happens inside the Shrine is bad? That's nothing compared to what could happen if he gets caught outside.”

 

He saw her wince slightly, though she tried to hide it, and he knew that her feelings for his charge ran on more than just a superficial level. She might not know the entire story and so wasn't protecting him nearly as well as she could, but she wanted to spend time with him and treat him as an individual, a being that actually mattered, and that was something he wasn't able to get anywhere else.

 

“You are putting him in more danger than he's been in ages, but at the same time I haven't seen him this happy in years.”

 

She raised her head and stared at him, eyes sheening from relief. “If you know he's so miserable, though, why do you keep him locked up there?”

 

Ryu threw up his hands in exasperation. “You think I would if I had a choice? I'd rather have him safe.”

 

“I'd rather have him happy,” she said defiantly.

 

Suddenly he started laughing, completely throwing Kagome off her stride. “What a pair we make, kiddo; two sides of the same coin who just want to help out a stubborn hanyou.” He sobered quickly but still smiled ruefully. “I'd do anything I could for that boy, heck, I'd even adopt him if I thought it would afford him any more security than what he's got now.”

 

`Adopt?' Kagome mouthed quietly.

 

“Did you know that I knew his parents?”

 

She shook her head mutely.

 

“First year I was working here his mom wound up pregnant. She was one of the tetsudai - a rich girl descended from princesses but her family had hit hard times and was close to bankruptcy. It was considered a very honorable profession then, even more than it is now, and so her family sent her here. She was a quiet little thing but always smiled, regardless of what was going on around her, but never so much as when Inuyasha's father was around. He was a demon lord, one of the last few true bloods. They fell in love immediately and I'm sure he would've stayed months, years, forever even if he could have, but he still had his business and an estate to take care of.

 

“Inu no Taisho left after his initial two week stint but came probably every other week to see her, going so far as to pay us her nightly fee when he was away in order to ensure she wasn't with anyone else. This was a flagrant disregard for Shrine policy, of course, but he was rich and powerful, two things that speak very loudly here. Every time he left and went home he was making arrangements in the household to accept a human, and their hanyou child.”

 

Kagome looked at him sharply and he nodded in accession. “Yes, he not only knew she was pregnant and wanted to keep her, but he wanted their baby to be brought up in the public eye as a normal child, not shunned and kept in a locked room for no one to see.”

 

“Then why didn't that happen?” she cried, the anguish plain in her voice.

 

He sighed solemnly, feeling every moment his age. “He died before he was able to finish preparation and take them home.”

 

Shock filtered through her system, not so much for the words since she had always known that something dreadful must have occurred to produce such horrible circumstances for Inuyasha, but at her own reaction to such injustice and how she felt like her heart was being squeezed to dust and might whither at any moment. Nothing in his life was fair.

 

“Izaoyi died when Inuyasha was six years old. Before that they had both been somewhat shielded as the lord's former household was afraid to go completely against his wishes, but they were not going to affirm any connection to someone they termed a `bastard half-breed' after the lord's lover was gone. He hadn't spoken to any of them outright about his son, wanting to make sure he'd had all his preparations set first because he knew there'd be a fight against him.”

 

They sat silently for a moment, Kagome soaking in the words of his story, Ryu reliving the past.

 

She broke the quiet timidly, asking, “How is it you know so much of Inuyasha's history?”

 

“I was the one who helped them break the rules.” He cracked a soft sort of smirk that oddly reminded her of Inuyasha. “I was still young enough and green enough to not be overly-worried about losing my job and still believe that love conquered all and won out in the end. I was their go-between, helping Inu no Taisho get messages in when he wasn't here, making sure his money was getting into the right hands to pay off those who would create a fuss about Izaoyi's exclusivity, setting up the logistics on the human side for some of the paperwork he was creating, and so on.

 

“After he died I kept channeling the funds in the account he left for Izaoyi in such a circumstance - she was able to stay here with her son, where he would be afforded a modicum of safety, but she wasn't forced to work. Even though life was hard for him here and he had to endure the sneers and snide comments from the other tetsudai and workers he was with his mother and was able to walk around as he wished, even venture outside on rare occasions since he was in the care of his mother and they were still associated with the Shrine and so afforded a certain degree of respect.”

 

He looked up at her from where he had been dazing off in recollection. “I don't suppose you know what happens to hanyou normally?” Kagome shook her head, knowing it must be absolutely horrid for this lifestyle to be a favorable alternative.

 

“Do you remember what used to happen when insanity ran in a family?”

 

She cringed, recalling some of the less savory aspects of the last year's senior history lessons. Up until about a century ago the `crazy aunt' everyone joked about in their families was actually locked away as an embarrassment, never seeing anything aside from the one tiny room. If insanity was visible when the child was still a baby then it was killed out of hand.

 

She sat aghast at the implications. “You mean there are that many hanyou around, hidden?”

 

Nodding Ryu continued. “If you think his isolation is bad here consider what it would be if he were stuck in the same room and never allowed to leave and having few if any visitors - that is if he had a family willing put up with the `embarrassment' and take on his continued care in the first place. Some who would otherwise be normal, capable members of society get a bit demented from the oppressive solitude.” He sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Still, it was never supposed to turn out this way - he wasn't supposed to end up how he is now but events just happened that I wasn't able to prevent.”

 

Kagome gazed at him and could only guess at the heartbreak this man must endure watching someone he obviously cared much for go through such tortures while being powerless to do almost anything. She was overflowing with frustration after only a month and she didn't see how he could manage to it.

 

Suddenly she recalled something he had mentioned. “Why did you bring up adoption?”

 

He sighed heavily, almost wishing he hadn't brought that part up, never knowing where this head-strong girl might draw ideas from. “That was part of the paperwork that Inu no Taisho was trying to draw up; he instigated a system where a full member of either youkai or ningen society can `claim' a hanyou member as his own and take full responsibility for him - still in the same vein as though the hanyou were insane or a child or otherwise incapable of caring for himself and interacting safely with society on a whole. It was very remedial and not what he wanted to be the ultimate situation for his son, but it was the quickest method he could think of to start things moving and provide at least the basics of a safety net for a hanyou. Both he and Izaoyi would have claimed Inuyasha and then he could have been a part of both societies and actually be about as close to free as he could be.”

 

This brought Kagome up short and she sat up straighter. “Then why didn't his mother ever file the necessary paperwork? She had six full years to do so, right?” She was beginning to wonder just what kind of mother Inuyasha had.

 

“The same reason that I don't do so now. She knew what would happen when she died - the same thing that will happen when I die. Neither of us has any family left that would take on a hanyou charge and he would revert back to a ward of the state, a state that wouldn't want him mind you, and his situation would be worse than it is now.”

 

She blinked at him, disbelieving.

 

“Yes, Kagome, it still can get worse for him.”

 

“You would do so much for him? What would happen if you claimed him and then he broke a ningen law?”

 

“Then I would be tried at the same time he would and we would receive the same punishment, though we would thankfully be tried under ningen law and not the martial law that rules his life now. Yet if he were found guilty I'm sure we'd have the book thrown at us.”

 

“You really care for him that much?” she choked out. Ryu nodded and if she hadn't been seated across from him she would have flung her arms about him. “Thank you, thank you so much. I know that must sound odd coming from me, when you've known him so much longer, but it just makes me so happy to know that he has someone like you in his life everyday, even if you do feel you aren't able to do much.”

 

He swallowed past the emotion such a sentiment evoked, surprised that she'd been able to read his secret insecurity about feeling useless in the hanyou's life.

 

“Then I have something to ask you. You know where he's been the last three days, where he'll be later today once he recuperates from last night's activities, and you yourself said you've seen him happier in those days than you recall in recent memory, despite the danger.” He raised a suspicious eyebrow and she paused, knowing he wouldn't like what she said next.

 

“My family requested another month.”

 

“No,” Ryu said forcefully, striking his hand through the air for emphasis, “absolutely not. I will not allow you to continue this cat and mouse game with him for another four weeks where he could potentially be caught on the street at any time.”

 

“I know it's dangerous and I should hope that by now you know that I don't want to pose any sort of threat to Inuyasha.” She grew excited as the force of her new idea took hold of her. “What if I took him home?”

 

He stared at her, dumbfounded. “What on earth do you mean by that? It could be lethal for him anywhere outside the Shrine walls and you want to take him that far away? To do what - lock him away in your room there? Even then he could still be found.”

 

She started to argue, “You mentioned paperwork - ”

 

“That paperwork is for adoption, for lack of a better term - a full-fledged, life-long commitment that will be carried on by your family and descendants after you die, not for some little one-month excursion to satisfy your sense of worth because you don't like the touch of the other tetsudai.” She winced at his words and Ryu knew he might have been too harsh but he couldn't regret his words. Though he had spoken roughly he said what he believed; Kagome, for all her good intentions, wasn't looking at the big picture.

 

“I'm sorry to have to say it like that,” he said to the girl, her eyes downcast, “but you're not thinking this through. Your momentary infatuation with heroism won't only cost you, but your family and friends as well. It makes a commitment in their names, not only yours, and that's not fair to anyone involved.””

 

She paused for a moment, staring at her hands as she pondered her next words. “What if I did do it though?” she breathed.

 

He turned on her, seething. “Don't even joke about such things, little girl. You have no idea the kind of life you'd be forced to live if you took on a hanyou husband and you know nothing about him outside the bedroom. I don't care if you think he's a great lover or that he's your friend, there is no way you have built up enough loyalty to someone in two weeks and four days to withstand the things that you would have to go through. Make sure you never even breathe the existence of such an idea to Inuyasha,” he hissed. “I won't have you confusing him or raising his hopes just to dash them when the going gets too tough for you.”

 

Kagome glared back at him now, riled at his lack of faith in her. “Do you really think I'm that stupid? Of course I know all of that. I didn't know a thing about hanyou before I came here and I don't expect to be an expert overnight, especially with the severe lack of information to be found anywhere,” she growled, exasperated at her fruitless studies during many sleepless nights. “I care about Inuyasha and I would never do something so dim-witted. Besides, I plan to be in love when I get married and it has been far too short a time period for me to even begin to know him, let alone love him. I was merely asking what if…” She sighed irritably, trying to reign in her temper.

 

“Please give me some credit,” she continued. “I know he has no rights as a hanyou but he does have some as a tetsudai and that is why he remains in the Shrine. I also know that tetsudai are able to go out with clients in cases of extended visits or if the client is otherwise tied to a locale not within convenient distance from the Shrine.”

 

He glanced at her askew, knowing the only time such a subject was typically brought up after a worshipper had already come to the Shrine was typically by one of the demon tetsudai seeking a match. “Kouga?”

 

Kagome nodded, blushing. “Yes. He made me an offer.”

 

“What was wrong that you refused?”

 

She looked away, biting her lip as she decided whether or not to tell him something she hadn't even confided in Inuyasha. “Promise you won't tell anyone, not a soul?”

 

“If you ask, then of course.”

 

She sighed in resignation. “He reminded me of my brother.”

 

Ryu looked puzzled. “What's so wrong with that? Even if your brother is annoying at least you know that you're comfortable with Kouga if he can make you reminisce of someone so close.”

 

Kagome grimaced. “Even in bed?” She flushed at the admission.

 

“Ah,” he mused, eyes widening. “Point taken.”

 

They sat in silence for a moment, both making points for arguments in their heads, knowing the debate wasn't over just yet.

 

“Would it really be so bad if I took him home with me? I know you must have regulations that would protect him in such a happenstance in case one of his wackos needed him,” She started.

 

“Yes, it would be bad. You would take him out of his cage, show him a taste of freedom and what the world could really be like, then throw him back here when you were done. He'd be the worse off for it, now knowing what it was he was missing.”

 

“Throw him away?” She asked, appalled. “You make it sound like I treat him like refuse or something. No, I can't guarantee him a life of freedom - I don't know that anyone or any power could aside from the kamis themselves - but neither would I condemn him to a life of little to no joy. We have fun together, Ryu, fun. When was the last time that happened for him?” Glaring she crossed her arms over her chest, knowing she'd made a point he couldn't refute.

 

“ I can't make it last forever but at least he'll have a respite from the hatred and derision thrown on him every night as he's beaten half to death. If nothing else maybe I can give his body a break to really heal for a while so he's not forced into an early grave. He may be healing fine every night but do you think it can truly be healthy for him to be subjected to such torment on a daily basis and not take any permanent damage from it?”

 

He looked at her sad but determined. “If it were that simple Kagome then perhaps it might be possible, but it's more complicated than that. There are still just too many variables and too many risks.”

 

Again he hated to say these things to such a sweet girl but the world she was trying to enter had no room for niceties or soft blows. “I know you think it would actually be good for him, but it would be good for you too and I think that's marring your perception right now. After all, it's oft said but still rings with truth - the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” She drew back slightly in her chair and he was glad to know she was taking seriously what he had to say, actually pondering it and not just throwing it aside because she didn't want to hear it. It was just another thing that he knew drew both he and the distrustful hanyou to her.

 

“I know you wouldn't mean to get him in trouble, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't happen. What would you do if someone saw you on the street and pulled a gun? Let me tell you that a cop wouldn't stop to hear your arguments before shooting someone so obviously wearing the markings of a hanyou.”

 

She sniffed, refusing to show him how upset and angry he'd made her with his comments. “It comes down to the fact that you don't trust me Ryu. You don't think an 18 year old girl can take care of him and protect him.”

 

He sadly shook his head. “No, I don't. You know I like you, otherwise I wouldn't be meeting with you right now, but you're too young and fresh to the situation to know how to handle it. I'm sorry, but there's no way I can let Inuyasha go with you. Maybe I can manage to let you two meet up a couple nights during your stay here. After all if you're here a full two months then the strictness of the two week limit is usually a bit more malleable…” He trailed off as she pushed back from the table and stood up.

 

“Don't worry about it Ryu.” She waved him off, stung but still understanding where he was coming from and the depth of his care for his charge. “I'll figure something out though. Don't think you've heard the last from me on the subject though.”

 

With her declaration made and the gauntlet thrown down she strode from the room, intent on her mission. She focused her mind on this task solely, refusing to entertain the fleeting questions of why she was so determined in this effort. She shut away the ghosting thoughts that perhaps the reason she couldn't stand being with other men was just because they weren't Inuyasha, or that mayhap she enjoyed being with him too much.

 

No, she wouldn't think on those at all, because then she'd have to question her own motivation and her mind wouldn't be zeroed in on her goal: getting Inuyasha to herself for a full month…for worship purposes only, of course.

 

~ ~ ~

 

Original posting: April 14, 2007