InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Six Feet ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Kouga hummed to himself as he ran, the reason for his happiness straight ahead of him. A smile spread across his face and he felt like leaping about for joy.

'I can't believe Kagome actually agreed to be my mate,' he thought, slowing down some. 'I thought for sure she'd have continued to reject me for mutt-face.'

That was how it had always been. He'd seek her out or catch her scent on the wind then run to greet her. Of course, Inuyasha would always be with her, and it annoyed Kouga. All he really wanted to do was see Kagome and reaffirm his claim on her. He'd bait the half-breed after she had very kindly rebuffed him, get Inuyasha riled up then the fight would be over with a “sit” from the young girl. When it was over, he'd declare his love for her and take off once more. He had a clan to avenge, after all, and he couldn't spend all day baiting the arrogant half-demon.

Then one day, about a week after he'd gotten into yet another baiting match with Inuyasha, Kagome had approached him without her traveling companions. To see her by herself had surprised him, to say the least, and had angered him. He'd been ready to go beat the living shit out of Inuyasha for letting her walk around unguarded. Fortunately for him, Kagome talked him out of it, explaining to him that no one knew that she was even there. Once he'd calmed down some, Kagome told him why she was there . . . and that she needed to keep it from Inuyasha. Because it would hurt him and she didn't want to do that to him.

Kouga scowled a little as he thought about the fact that his relationship with Kagome had been kept secret now for many months. He didn't like the thought but not because it would ultimately hurt Inuyasha. The wolf could have cared less about how it would affect the half-demon. He wanted the world to know that Kagome was his. Kouga wanted to rub it in Inuyasha's face that, because he was only half youkai, he wasn't the one for Kagome and her decision had proven it. However, he couldn't deny Kagome her wish. She wanted it to be kept from the hanyou until she was ready to tell him. Not before then.

'Anything for her,' he smiled as she came into view. The moment she saw him, she smiled back and waved.

“Kouga!”

The young girl glanced at the taijiya, who only nodded, then she ran towards him, her arms outstretched. He caught her in a warm and big hug, unaware that they were being watched and that his rendezvous with her would be short-lived.

* * *

Inuyasha kept his face steeled in determination as he ran towards his brother's scent. Why the older youkai had decided to start nosing around at that moment, he didn't know. Nor did he care. He just wanted his brother gone and away from his pack.

'If he's here to gloat,' he glowered darkly, 'I swear I'll rip out his fucking throat.'

He wove his way through the trees, slowing down some as Sesshomaru's scent grew stronger. With a tiny sigh of relief, he noted that none of Sesshomaru's companions were with him. It was just the youkai lord.

'Thank Kami for that,' Inuyasha thought to himself as he came to a stop. 'I don't think I could face her again . . . not after what she'd told me . . .'

Taking a deep breath and shoving his last conversation with Kikyou from his mind, Inuyasha strode towards his brother, his expression grim. He'd also detected Kagome and Sango close by as well but Sesshomaru wasn't that close to them. They were safe . . . for the moment. Another thing he could be grateful for. The older youkai slowly turned to face him, his expression stoic as always.

“Oi, Sesshomaru! What do you . . .”

Inuyasha paused as yet a fourth scent came to him, carried to him on a light breeze. It was a scent he knew all too well, and it was heading directly for Kagome and Sango.

“Damn him,” Inuyasha growled, his irritation at his brother forgotten. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at him.

“You know this wolf?” came the quiet inquiry.

“Kouga,” he breathed, his frame going rigid. “He keeps sniffing around Kagome, saying that she's his . . . and it pisses me off. She isn't his woman. She's said as much.”

“I see,” Sesshomaru murmured. “Then why did she greet him the way she did?”

“What?!”

“She's greeted him . . . the way a lover would.”

Inuyasha ran to his brother's side . . . just in time to see Kouga kiss Kagome . . . as Sango watched. Rage filled his vision at the sight.

'How dare he . . .'

Sesshomaru and his words were forgotten. All that mattered to him was he get Kagome, his Kagome, away from Kouga and shred the wolf into as many pieces as possible. He didn't care if it upset Kagome anymore. Kouga, in his opinion, had gone too far this time.

'I'll make him pay this time,' Inuyasha swore to himself. 'I swear I will. For every insult he's ever given me . . . and for not leaving Kagome alone. That wolf is mine.'

* * *

“Kikyou-sama?”

 

“Yes, Rin?” The doe-eyed woman glanced up from the fire that she'd been tending to. Across from her stood a young girl wearing a bright orange kimono, a little girl she'd started to become very fond of. Concern had made itself known on the child's face.

“When will Sesshomaru be back?” she inquired. The innocent question warmed the miko's heart and she smiled.

“He'll be back as soon as he can,” Kikyou told her. “Did you catch any fish for us to eat?”

“Yes, Kikyou-sama!” Rin nodded, holding up a very hearty catch.

“That's very good,” Kikyou smiled, patting the girl on the head. “Now let's fix us something to eat while we wait for Sesshomaru to come back.”

“Okay.”

As they set about cleaning the fish and preparing it for their meal, Kikyou glanced at the girl assisting her. She knew that if it hadn't been for Rin, she'd still be wandering aimlessly, collecting the souls of recently deceased young girls. Sesshomaru had taken her with him, stating that Rin needed a female's influence. The young girl was due for her first heat, he had said. There wasn't any way he could instruct her on how to cope with the changes that her young body was going to go through. She'd also teach the young girl her letters and herb lore, something that their group desperately needed. In exchange for her services, he'd bring her back to life. Kikyou had agreed. Before he had given her flesh and made her whole once more, she'd gone to see Inuyasha.

'He was hurt to hear that I would be traveling with his older brother,' she thought. 'But he was also happy . . . I relieved him of his promise . . . that way he could be with my reincarnation with no guilt or regret. He deserves that much.'

While their dinner cooked, Rin started to hum her song. Kikyou found herself smiling once more, her own wishes coinciding with the child's.

'Hurry back, Sesshomaru. Hurry back.'

* * *

Kagome glared angrily at the half-demon who now lay face-first on the ground. Her entire form shook with the anger that had enveloped her. He'd followed her . . . and Miroku had let him.

'He told,' was the thought that ran through her mind. 'He told Inuyasha after he promised me that he wouldn't.'

She waited for the charm to wear off and for Inuyasha to rise to his feet. Already, his fangs were bared and he was growling at Kouga, who had adopted a defensive stance. The young miko glanced at the taijiya. She needed to calm down . . . before she hurt someone. Namely Inuyasha.

“Sango, I'll be back,” she stated coolly. Without another word, she marched towards Kouga. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and started to leave.

“Where the hell do you think you're going, wench?” Inuyasha spat out. Kouga stiffened but Kagome gave him a reassuring pat. Then she whirled around to face the puppy-eared male, her anger still apparent.

“I am going with Kouga, whether you like it or not,” Kagome declared.

“No, you're not,” he barked out. “You're not going anywhere with that mangy wolf!”

“Oi, she isn't your woman anymore, Inuyasha!” Kouga snarled. “She's mine! So back off!”

Inuyasha started to say more but Kagome cut him off, her anger getting the better of her.

“He's right, Inuyasha. I'm not your woman anymore and I never will be. You have Kikyou, remember? You chose her over me, remember? You'd rather follow her to hell than stay here with me! That was your choice. Well, I've made my choice and it's Kouga so just learn to deal with it.”

Having said that, she stalked off, dragging Kouga with her.

* * *

Miroku winced at Kagome's tirade. He had always known that Inuyasha would eventually find out about her relationship with Kouga, but he had always envisioned the discussion to be a group thing, each one there to let the half-demon know where he had gone wrong. Not like this. Not in anger. Not where Kouga could gloat over him.

He stepped onto the road, ignoring the angry glare that Sango gave him. His eyes had focused on Inuyasha, the half-demon having become deathly still.

“Inuyasha?”

Miroku took a tentative step closer to the older boy, waiting for Inuyasha to say something, anything. When he didn't get a reply, he took another step.

“Inuyasha? Are you all right?”

“She . . . chose him . . . over me . . . I thought . . . she . . .”

The voice that floated back to him didn't sound like the brash and proud hanyou Miroku had come to know. It sounded like that of a child who had gotten lost and couldn't find anything familiar to guide him home. The hanyou's shoulders started to sag, his eyes still focused in the direction Kouga and Kagome had left in. Without warning, he dropped to his knees. Alarmed, Miroku ran to his side, Sango right behind him. The moment they reached him, golden eyes rose to meet them. Miroku felt sick to his stomach at the pain he saw there.

“She . . . said . . . she said she'd always be by my side . . . no matter what I decided . . . she . . .”

“She made a decision, Inuyasha,” Sango murmured gently. “We just have to accept it. That's all.”

“Kagome . . . she . . .” His eyes hardened as he gazed at them. “You knew . . . did you? You knew this whole time and you never said a word . . .”

“We gave her our word that we wouldn't say anything,” Miroku began, reaching for the half-demon. Inuyasha automatically skittered away from him.

“You knew . . . and you never told me . . .”

“Inuyasha . . .” Sango tried. “Please, just listen . . .”

'He isn't going to listen,' Miroku sighed, noting the way Inuyasha's body shook and trembled. 'He's too upset . . . probably think we've betrayed him . . . in a way, he's right. We did.'

“No,” he shook his head. “I'm not listening . . . I'm done listening . . . I can't . . . I . . . I was going to tell her . . . I tried to tell her . . .”

“Tell her what, Inuyasha?” Sango demanded. “That you were leaving for hell with Kikyou sooner than you'd intended?”

Miroku winced at the harshness in Sango's tone. He couldn't blame her for it, though. She and Kagome had become very close since they'd started traveling together. It was only natural that the taijiya felt protective of the miko. They were like sisters. He half-expected Inuyasha to show some semblance of his former self and snap at them, especially at Sango. It would have been better than what happened next.

Instead of snapping at them, Inuyasha gazed at them, intensified pain mirroring in his eyes. A single tear stole down his cheek as he whispered, “Kikyou released me from my promise . . . she chose to be with Sesshomaru.”