InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Wasn't In The Job Description ❯ Archery Practice ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13

 

Archery Practice

 

Around them lay the debris from InuYasha's latest deliveries. Kagome sat back on her heels and surveyed the mess after she and InuYasha had set up her new computer and desk in a corner of his office. She looked up and watched as he started the computer up, and took out the software he had ordered for it.

 

“InuYasha, I'm going to clean some of this up, okay?” Kagome said, pushing up off the floor and deciding what to tackle first.

 

“Alright,” InuYasha answered. “Shouldn't take me long to get this started and the software loaded.”

 

Grabbing the nearest empty box, Kagome started stuffing it with the surrounding packing materials. Fifteen minutes later, the office was in some semblance of order, if you disregarded the mess on InuYasha's desk.

 

“All done over here, for now,” said InuYasha, standing up straight and turning away from the humming computer. “Just have to let the programs finish loading.”

 

“I'm done too,” said Kagome, pushing the boxes in a corner until it was time for garbage collection.

 

“So, how do you feel about doing some archery practice?” InuYasha said.

 

`Archery practice?' Kagome thought. `Well, he did say he wanted me to keep my archery skills sharp. But now, I can't help wondering if it's because he intends me to actually use them.'

 

“Uh, sure,” Kagome said with a hesitant smile. “But can I get changed first? Then I'll be right down with the new things you bought me.”

 

“Fine, get changed - that suit is definitely not the type of clothes to be wearing when you practice,” he replied. “Bring your equipment down to me and I'll set up the target for you in the backyard.”

 

When she got back to her room, Kagome decided to opt for comfort. Going to her drawers, she pulled out a pair of pale blue sweats and changed into them. After hanging up her suit, she decided it would be easier to bring her archery equipment down if she took it back out of the boxes. Soon she had the quiver of arrows and bow slung over her shoulder and picked up the target, carrying them back to InuYasha's office.

 

“Good,” said InuYasha, when she walked in. “Follow me.”

 

InuYasha led her back through entertainment room, to the back door off a large porch that led to a veranda. Laid out before them were immaculately kept lawns, with cherry trees and beds of late summer flowers. It was quite beautiful, and Kagome took a deep breath of the sweetly scented air as a breeze came and ruffled her hair. InuYasha took the target from her, and went and mounted it on a sturdy tree. Then he came back to her.

 

“So,” InuYasha said, gesturing. “Show me.”

 

Kagome reached back for an arrow, and notched it on to the bow. Sighting along the arrows length, she drew back the string and shot. The arrow flew unerringly, and hit the edge of the bulls-eye. InuYasha raised his brows, and smiled slightly in approval.

 

“I can do better,” said Kagome, and reached for another arrow.

 

In five minutes, the bulls-eye was completely obscured by arrows.

 

`She's a good shot,' thought InuYasha. `Just as good as Kikyo. Well, it seems this is another good reason for me to have hired her. I only hope she can handle it if a dangerous situation arises.'

 

“Good,” InuYasha grunted aloud. “Continue your practice, and meet me back in the office in an hour.”

 

With a faint, wondering smile, Kagome watched InuYasha walk back in the house. Would she really need to use her archery skills in combat? A thrill of fear went through her briefly at the thought of accompanying InuYasha when he went on his obviously dangerous missions to track down the mysterious Shikon no Tama formula. With a sigh, she put down the bow and went to retrieve her arrows.

 

It was late, and Kagome was getting weary. Muscles that had not been used in a while were aching in her arms, and her legs were tired from riding on the back of InuYasha's bike and standing for an hour, practicing her archery.

 

`I better head inside,' Kagome thought as she gathered up her archery equipment. `I'll check in with InuYasha, and if he has nothing further for me, I'll see if Kaede needs help with dinner.'

 

After going back to her room and putting the equipment away, she headed downstairs. She ran into Kaede in the hallway.

 

“I have some shopping to do before dinner,” the housekeeper said. “InuYasha asked you go up to his quarters and see him when you got in.”

 

“Alright, I'll see you later,” said Kagome, and headed back upstairs.

 

At the door to InuYasha's quarters, Kagome stopped and knocked.

 

“Kagome?” she heard InuYasha say.

 

“It's me,” she answered.

 

“Come in,” InuYasha said, and she opened the door and walked into his quarters.

 

InuYasha was sitting in a chair, surrounded by the files of documents that he had taken from Kikyo. So this is what had happened to them.

 

Suddenly, a beeping noise sounded, loud and fast, startling Kagome and making her look around.

 

“Fuck!” shouted InuYasha, jumping out of his chair, his eyes angry and slightly panicked.

 

“What is that?” Kagome squeaked.

 

“The alarm, we have an intruder!” InuYasha growled.

 

There was a series of loud crashes, and then the door behind Kagome exploded inward, forcing her against the wall where the old sword was kept in its case. She yelled and raised her arm to block her head, as a majestic-looking man with blazing golden eyes came into the room. With a gasp, she thought she was imagining things; he looked just like the illustrations from the “Feudal Fairy Tales” book. He was tall, with long, straight, shining silver-white hair, a crescent moon on his forehead, and blue stripes on his cheeks. His ears were pointed, his skin very fair, and he had claws and fangs. The clothes were the same as worn in the book, and he had a sword in his sash. He had an unearthly beauty, despite his cold demeanor.

 

`Taiyoukai…' Kagome thought in shock.

 

“Sesshomaru!” InuYasha growled, flexing his claws and baring his fangs. “What the fuck are you doing here!”

 

The taiyoukai's cold eyes searched the room, and landed on the sword in its case behind Kagome.

 

“I've come for Tessaiga,” Sesshomaru said, and lashed out with a clawed hand at the case.

 

“Kagome!” InuYasha yelled in alarm, and pulled her away as Sesshomaru cracked the glass of the case with his hand and reached for the sword.

 

Kagome reacted with out thinking. “You can't have that, it belongs to InuYasha!”

 

She grabbed the sheathed sword just as Sesshomaru moved to take it. Weird, yellow sparks of energy came off the weapon as he tried to grab it at the same time Kagome grasped it, and the sword repelled him.

 

“Do not meddle in my affairs, human,” Sesshomaru said and tried to grab her.

 

“Get behind me so I can protect you!” InuYasha yelled, pulling Kagome away and making her stumble against him.

 

“Take the sword, InuYasha!” Kagome said, and pushed the hilt of the sword into his hand.

 

As he grabbed it, it slid out of its sheath still clutched by Kagome, and they all gasped. The sword had transformed into a huge, powerful-looking curved blade. Sesshomaru stepped back, his eyes narrowing.

 

“Get out of my fucking house, bastard!” InuYasha spat, and lunged for the momentarily surprised Taiyoukai, slicing into his left arm and nearly severing it.

 

Sesshomaru howled in rage, his eyes turning red and his fangs extending. He turned and crashed through a window, taking the window and part of the wall with him as he fled.

 

InuYasha held Kagome pressed up to his side, the sword held in his other hand. She was shaking violently, and he was still growling, his eyes blazing. He put down the sword, which transformed back into its original state and grabbed her other arm, holding her against him and looking in her face with the first unguarded expression she had ever seen from him. The naked fear and concern for her took her breath away.

 

“What the fuck do you think you were doing?” he hissed. “Can't you see how dangerous Sesshomaru is? He's a Taiyoukai, for fuck's sake!”

 

Kagome looked up at him, pale and shaken, but couldn't find the words to answer him. She had acted out of an inner emotional impulse that had nothing to do with logic. The sword was InuYasha's, his only heirloom from his father, and that is all she had felt and thought at the time.

 

Suddenly, InuYasha crushed her to him, and she heard his breath catch in his throat. Pressed up against his chest, she could feel how fast his heart was beating.

 

“Are you alright?” he said softly, then moved to look in her face. “He didn't hurt you, did he?”

 

“No,” Kagome whispered, looking up into his face which was suddenly only inches from her own.

 

Their eyes met and locked, and Kagome gasped softly as he bent towards her and his lips brushed hers.

 

Suddenly, the phone rang, and InuYasha startled, as if woken from a trance, and pulled his face away from Kagome's.

 

“Ah, I'm sorry,” he said, blushing as he let her go. “Where is that fucking phone?”

 

Kagome staggered a little as he released her to look for the phone. Her heart was racing like it wanted to jump out of her chest, and she was breathing heavy.

 

InuYasha found the phone beneath a pile of papers that had been knocked down when Sesshomaru had fled. He lunged for it before it stopped ringing.

 

“Yeah?” he growled. “Masahito…yeah, Miroku told me…you want to meet me? How about now…we can get some dinner…you want to go there? Fine, I'll see you in a half hour.”

 

InuYasha turned, but could not meet her eyes.

 

“I gotta go,” he muttered. “Collect these documents, would you, and bring them back to my office.”

 

“Alright…” Kagome breathed. “But what about the window?”

 

It was too late - InuYasha was gone, fleeing like the devil was after him.