InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Can't Be Good ❯ No Matter What ( Chapter 4 )

KURAMA: I read the script. Were you on drugs?

Does caffiene count?

KURAMA: I think I've been more than compliant so far, but I have no intention of wearing this thing.

Stop being a baby.

KURAMA: Who picked it out, anyway? Some goth poseur who also happens to be a male prostitute?

Actually, that's Sephiroth's costume from Final Fantasy VII. You wouldn't believe what I had to do to get my hands on- never mind. Now get dressed before I cast you as the monster of the week in an X-Files 'fic.

KURAMA: Well that doesn't sound so-

Set in season eight.

KURAMA: You wouldn't!

.

.

.

.

.

"Inuyasha, you can let go of me now."

Inuyasha snorted and released Kagome's upper arm. There was a rustle of cloth as she tugged the sleeve straight.

"Inuyasha," his ears flinched back at the quiet bite in her voice, "I know you're not happy about Hojo being here-"

"-I'm not happy about Hobo in general now that you mention it-" he grumbled.

"-but I don't want you to be mean to him."

Inuyasha stopped walking and fixed her with a firm glare. "What do you mean 'mean to him'?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "I suppose it's too much to ask you to make him feel welcome, so I'll settle for getting him back to Tokyo in one piece."

Inuyasha growled, "I'm helping you look for Kaede, aren't I?" he huffed, "Beyond going back where he belongs as soon as possible, he'd better learn to watch his mouth and stay out of the way."

"Inuyasha," Kagome's voice turned serious. "If Hojo gets home safe, I won't do it for a whole week."

Inuyasha's ears flattened back as his eyes went very wide.

I couldn't have heard that right.

"You what?" he demanded.

"That spell that's on the beads around your neck. If you help me make sure Hojo gets back to my time safe and sound, I won't use it for one week," she held up her fingers. "Seven days."

Oh, is that what she meant. I thought for a second-

Wait...

Against his will, Inuyasha's hands flexed and he swallowed hard. His ears began twitching, but he hardly noticed.

"No matter what?" his voice was much softer than he'd intended, harsh from the back of his throat.

"No matter what," Kagome repeated.

Inuyasha's mind raced. No letting Shippo get away with his antics, no freebie demon-slayings for stupid villages, and no way was Kagome getting back through the well to that strange realm of hers for-

"Two weeks!" he called out.

"One, Inuyasha!"

"Grrr... Ten days!"

"Done!" Kagome grinned, "but that's only if Hojo goes home without a scratch!"

Inuyasha's thoughts skidded to a halt. His eyes narrowed, "Why?" he demanded.

"Why what?"

"Why this human?" he asked, poking a claw toward her collarbone. "I know he's from your time and all, but you've never offered to keep from sitting me before," his voice darkened. "Why him?"

Kagome put her hands on her hips, "He's a friend, Inuyasha."

"The real reason, Kagome," he said intently. "Don't be stupid; you lie worse than Shippo does, bitch."

Kagome kicked a pebble out of her way.

"Kagome-"

"Because he doesn't know about any of this, that's why!" she expressed into the ground. When she looked up her eyes were bright. Inuyasha cringed. At least she wasn't crying, not over that little scrap of a boy. "Even though we've told him that there are demons and monsters and cruelty in this world, he still doesn't understand," she looked away again.

"And I don't want him to."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha pressed. Sure, the whelp was a bit on the stupid side, but Kagome was describing a blind little baby. Surely Hojo hadn't been that sheltered.

But then... Kagome... The first time Kagome had seen a demon, she'd been so afraid... Inuyasha could still remember her shaking body pressed against the legs he couldn't move, as Mistress Centipede had wound herself around the Goshinboku to crush them both. That hadn't been a natural fear...

"I guess I..." Kagome was still talking. She smiled sadly into the dust at her feet, "I guess I just like the way he looks at me." Feeling the question in the air, she looked up again, "Like I'm just a girl," she explained, "and I've never heard of the Shikon no Tama."

For some reason, Kagome's words made his heart cold.

He makes you... he swallowed hard. He makes you forget...

And more: she wanted to forget.

Inuyasha shook his head. Best not to think of it.

"If he's so wonderful then why did you lie to him?"

"Lie?" she asked. "To who?"

"To who?" he exclaimed, "to your I'm-so-perfect-hit-me-in-the-face who!" he leaned in, "You do know that when I call you a bitch, I really do mean that you're a-"

"I know," she waved a weary hand, "You mean it, but not how he'd think you meant it. Inuyasha, things are different where we come from-"

Hm. So Hojo and Kagome are a "we," now?

"-in the modern world, if a girl lets a boy call her bad names, people will think..." Kagome frowned at the path for a moment. "People will think she's weak."

Inuyasha blinked. That certainly wasn't the answer he'd been expecting.

"You talk to me like that," Kagome went on, "but you're not trying to hurt me," she ignored Inuyasha's huff. "If we can't send him home right away, then Hojo's probably going to see you kill a demon or two, and he'll know how violent you can be. If Hojo thought you didn't respect me, next he'd think you'd start beating me up or something."

"What?!" Inuyasha's whole body went rigid. Of all the fucking stupid things...

"What kind of an idiot would he have to be to believe that? You're a frustrating little bitch-" oh gods, the blood "-but that's just fucked. Even if you couldn't-" you'd run down the well and leave me "-drop me with that fucking rosary-"

She held up both hands to quiet him.

The blood... The blood from Kikyo's wound. The look in her dead eyes when she thought-

"Why did you betray me, Inuyasha?"

That boy had no idea. No idea.

"Stupid," he seethed, unable to even form a better insult, "he's so fucking stupid!"

"Shhhh..." Kagome put her hands on his shoulders. "He doesn't think it. You wouldn't and he knows it; I just had to say it in a way he'd understand."

Inuyasha looked away.

They kept walking. Inuyasha continued to mutter under his breath. Stupid, tufty-haired little human! Even when Inuyasha didn't have claws and fangs, he didn't forget that they were supposed to be used on demons, or wicked humans with jewel shards, and not on- He shook his head and stuck his chin in the air.

"Well!" his voice was only a little strained, "I guess you and I have got a deal, but you better forget about that 'not a scratch' bit 'cause I'm not going to be saddled with babysitting anyone."

Kagome's eyes darkened and her voice dropped to barely audible, "Considering the job you do with Shippo, I wouldn't even consider it."

"What was that?" he demanded.

Kagome held up a hand, "Nothing. I trust Miroku will look after him until we find out where Kaede went."

Inuyasha folded his arms and looked away, "I'm surprised you trust that lecherous old con man with anything."

"Hm!" Kagome straightened, holding up one finger, "Miroku may have his faults, but he's got twice the maturity you do. At least he's not going to try to club him to death with a chunk of the sacred tree!"

"I did not club him!"

"You would have!"

"Damn right!"

"Oooooh! Sit!"

.

.

.

.

.

Reviews are most welcome.

KURAMA: That's it; I'm putting my real clothes back on. I don't care if you make me work with those no-talent hacks from the FOX network!

You're right; these don't become you...

KURAMA: Glad you agree.

You don't have the bulk. Have you considered working out?