InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Torn ❯ Reluctant Patient ( Chapter 2 )

 

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Chapter Two

 

Reluctant Patient

 

 

(This chapter received quite a bit of sprucing up; added description and re-arranged sentence structuring. Special thanks to Hellfyrre for beta'ing and helping me to fix this up for mm.org., and to Koga's Hentai Luver for her help on the first posting)

 

 

Outside the old priestess's hut, Kagome sat with the Jewel of Four Souls cradled in the palm of her hand. Inuyasha sat next to her, gazing off into the distance. Sango and Miroku watched the two with trepidation.

 

“I told you, I don't want it. I don't need to make a wish on it,” Inuyasha sighed as he turned to look at her.

 

“But…that's all you've talked about the past three years. Why not?” asked Kagome.

 

“Look Kagome, that thing has done nothing but corrupt and destroy. If I were to use it, there's no telling what I would become. I don't want that. Only you can purify the evil that it seems to crave. I can't do it. You've made me happy being what I am. I don't want to be a full demon anymore.”

 

Kagome nodded her head. “What am I supposed to do with it?”

 

“Go home and use it to seal the well,” he said, pain etched in his face.

 

“But…that's all you've talked about the past three years and…and I won't be able to see all of you again!” she exclaimed.

 

“You can't live in two different times, Kagome. What if you have children here? Where would they belong? Where would their home be? You weren't meant to stay here. The jewel was inside of you. It doesn't belong here either. It wasn't meant for me. Go home to the future and…be happy,” he muttered with finality, shifting his face to the ground and swallowing the lump in his throat.

 

“You're right. You know, you're pretty smart for such a hard-headed idiot,” she conceded, giving him a weak smile while tears streaked down her face.

 

Then she surprised him. “You won't need these anymore,” she whispered, lifting the enchanted beads from around his neck. “I want to keep them so I will know that this was all real. That it really did happen.”

 

Inuyasha nodded before raising his eyebrows and making a surprising demand. “I want your backpack and everything that's in it.”

 

“Not my school books, Inuyasha. You can't have those. Besides, leaving that kind of knowledge here in the past could be dangerous. Promise me that one day you will burn the backpack. It can't be found in my time by people digging up old bones.”

 

Inuyasha sighed. “Isn't there something I can keep?”

 

Kagome emptied all the contents of her backpack, spilling it onto the ground. She sifted through everything then something sparkling in the sunlight caught her attention.

 

“How did that get in there?” she asked herself, picking up a pair of gold studded earrings. “Oh! I had to take them out when I took a shower after gym at school.”

 

She looked up at Inuyasha's ears, imagining what they would look like. “Here, keep one of these in your ear and I'll keep one in mine. I'll show you.” She proceeded to demonstrate by putting one of the earrings in her ear.

 

“Mmm. When I put it in my ear, the skin will grow around it and it will never come out.” Inuyasha was silent for a moment while he contemplated whether or not he wanted such a permanent reminder of his relationship with her then took the one earring out of her hand and studied it. “Take that thing off the back. My claws are too big.”

 

Kagome took the back from the earring post and handed it to him. She held up her mirror while he proceeded to pierce his right ear, lodging the earring permanently near the base. Though she knew it had to hurt his very sensitive ears, he didn't even wince.

 

Kagome took hers out. “I know you can do this fast enough that it won't hurt me too much. Put it in the top of my ear. It will stay better up there.”

 

As Kagome held her breath, Inuyasha did as he was asked, even though he was afraid of slicing her with his claws. A rush of air escaped her lungs when he was finished. He had been so quick that she hadn't even felt it.

 

“Happy now?” she asked, smiling at the connection that would bind them across five hundred years.

 

“Yes. Let's take you home.”

 

After saying her sad goodbyes, Inuyasha escorted Kagome through the well and gave his last farewell to her family. They stood at the lip of the well in her time, not wanting to part, not wanting it to be the end.

 

“Inuyasha?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Can I have a goodbye kiss?” she asked as a flaming blush lit up her cheeks.

 

Inuyasha gaped at her in stunned silence.

 

`I guess that's a “no”,' she sighed to herself. “Stupid jerk!”

 

“Oi, wench! What was that for?” Inuyasha grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers, hard and rough, but chaste. “Be happy, Kagome,” he whispered in her ear.

 

In a flash he was gone…forever. By some power he possessed, perhaps not belonging in Kagome's time, the well had waited for him. Once he was through, the portal to her time closed behind him, never to be opened again.

 

Back in the feudal era, Shippou was waiting for Inuyasha on the other side of the well. “Can I stay with you, Inuyasha? You can teach me how to be a strong youkai.”

 

Inuyasha studied the whelp for a moment. “Sure Shippou. Just don't piss me off and I won't have to bonk you on the head. You can't go running to Kagome now.”

 

Tears started forming in the kitsune's eyes.

 

“I know. I'll miss her too,” Inuyasha said as his features softened.

 

“Oi, dog breath! Where's my woman?” called Kouga, the wolf prince as he sped toward the well.

 

“She's already gone home and she's not coming back. You should've gotten here sooner, stupid idiot. She wanted to say goodbye to you,” reprimanded Inuyasha. “Though I have no idea why, you wimpy wolf,” he added, glaring at his rival for Kagome's affections.

 

Kouga was crestfallen and once again Inuyasha felt like scum. They were all hurting with Kagome's departure. There was no reason for him and the wolf prince to be at odds with each other anymore.

 

“Come on. You can come with us to check on Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha softly offered without even glancing at Kouga.

 

Inuyasha picked up Shippou by the tail and set the kitsune on his shoulder. “Just don't touch the ears, kid.”

 

The bronze-skinned wolf demon fell into step beside Inuyasha as they headed toward the village. A flowing white mane of waist length hair was met by the raven hair of the wolf's long ponytail as a breeze wafted through their path. Steely blue eyes glanced at the hanyou and Kouga wondered how Inuyasha would live without his Kagome now that the priestess Kikyou was also gone. Kouga had watched her new clay body when it had been destroyed on the battlefield at the hands of Naraku. For a fraction of a moment, Inuyasha's eyes had reflected the fifty year void that had been taken from him and Kikyou. Then it had vanished, as the priestess had over fifty years ago. But Kagome had remained, so Inuyasha had continued to have a reason to defeat Naraku. Both women were out of Inuyasha's reach now.

 

In Inuyasha's long centuries, they had been the first to accept him, the first to offer him friendship. Through them, he had, for the first time in his life, developed bonds with others. Now, once again, his rival would be alone; no one to speak with, no one to protect and no one to comfort him.

 

Kouga worried that the sensitive half-breed might not have the will to live once his friends went their separate ways. The monk and demon exterminator would be leaving to rebuild their village. They would become their own pack. There was Shippou, but how long could the temperamental hanyou be able to handle raising a fox kit? Not that he really had a reason to even consider it. However, strangely enough, it did concern him. Over the past few years, the entire crew had lived through a series of life and death struggles. That camaraderie created an unbreakable bond. For Inuyasha, all of those ties would be broken. The humans would go their separate ways, and he doubted that Inuyasha would continue to keep the kit around.

 

Kouga had thought long and hard about it. He and Inuyasha weren't exactly mortal enemies. Perhaps he should poke around and see if Inuyasha might be willing to come home with him to his own pack. Of course, he would have to approach the subject carefully. Wouldn't want to hurt Inuyasha's pride.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“You know, you can be such a fucking asshole!? I should have left you with the old priestess, Kaede,” Inuyasha huffed.

 

Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a bored glance before turning his gaze back to the ceiling. He was back in his auspicious castle, in his own bed and feeling right at home tormenting his half-brother. It wasn't as though he had the ability to kill the hanyou. Not yet.

 

“I brought fresh meat with the blood still hot, just how you like it, mister `I don't eat human food',” Inuyasha sneered.

 

Kouga watched in amusement while the two brothers battled it out. They might not be using swords, but their tongues were just as sharp.

 

“I said I was not hungry, hanyou. My servants will see to my care. Leave my lands.”

 

“Humph, like I trust them. You can't even sit up yet,” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Why do you not leave me in peace?” Sesshoumaru sighed, closing his eyes in exasperation.

 

“It's the least I can do for you since you saved all our lives,” said Inuyasha as he strode over to the side table and once again picked up a strip of meat.

 

“See? Look, fresh.” He waved the piece of meat under Sesshoumaru's nose.

 

Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha and, growling, raised his right hand, dripping with noxious fumes and acidic gas. Inuyasha scoffed as he slapped Sesshoumaru's hand down and sat on it.

 

“You don't have the strength to threaten me, you overgrown brat.”

 

“You do not comprehend your fate. As soon as I am able, I will kill you,” growled Sesshoumaru.

 

“I know. You've only said it ten times this morning. It's not like I didn't already know that. So don't keep repeating yourself. You're just wasting your energy. Here, eat.”

 

“I am in hell,” muttered Sesshoumaru as he closed his eyes. He had no idea just how close it sounded to whining.

 

The sound of light footfalls drew the brothers' attention to the doorway. Sesshoumaru's little human ward, Rin, stood just outside the room with a cup in her hand. Her dark eyes looked at them questioningly.

 

“Rin has some cold water for Sesshoumaru-sama. Can Rin come in?”

 

Inuyasha was pleased to have the chance to annoy Sesshoumaru even more. He didn't give the great lord the opportunity to make his own decision.

 

“Sure, sweetheart. Just be careful not to touch him too hard,” he said as he rose from the bed.

 

Sesshoumaru glared at him once again, but his gaze softened as he watched the dark haired girl carefully walk to the bed so that not a drop spilled from the cup. She was so small that the massive bed needed for the tall youkai was as high as her chest.

 

She was a pathetic human, but Sesshoumaru's healing sword had prompted him to save her life. After taking to following him, Sesshoumaru had decided it was his responsibility to care for her. Since he had given her life back to her, she essentially belonged to him. He had accepted that. What he hadn't expected was to become fond of the little human, not that he would ever admit that to anyone, much less to himself.

 

Rin looked helplessly at the big bed in front of her. It would be difficult enough to climb onto it without the cup, but impossible to do so with a full cup of water occupying her hands and, from where she stood, she couldn't even reach far enough to hand Sesshoumaru the cup.

 

“Here ya go,” said Inuyasha, gently lifting her to the bed while being careful of his long, sharp claws.

 

“Thank you Inuyasha-sama,” Rin said, smiling up at him.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama? Rin got this right from a cold spring all by herself and already drank some when she was there to make sure it wouldn't hurt you. So, it's okay,” she said, holding the cup out to him.

 

'Even though she thought it might be contaminated, she drank it. For me?' That little bit of knowledge helped to further his understanding of just how attached Rin had become. 'I must show proper respect for such a sacrifice.'

 

Sesshoumaru took the cup from Rin and, slightly raising his head, took a drink.

 

“Thank you, Rin,” he solemnly told her. “You have shown great courage,” he nodded. `Why did I do that? I am becoming soft, weak.' Sesshoumaru growled under his breath.

 

“Oh, does it hurt, Sesshoumaru-sama? Can Rin help?” she asked, concern pouring from her.

 

How he hated pity. However, she was just a child. What was unexpected was her hand going up to brush his bangs from his face.

 

“Rin is sorry Sesshoumaru-sama got hurt. But, Inuyasha-sama said you did some very great things. You beat Naraku and saved him and his friends. He said you weren't as much of a baka as he thought you were.”

 

“Rin!” Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. “That word is not appropriate for a lady. You will never speak thus in my presence again,” said Sesshoumaru as his golden gaze gradually narrowed and slid its way to Inuyasha. “You will not use such inappropriate language in the presence of my daughter, Inuyasha.”

 

“Did I just say `daughter'?” Sesshoumaru groaned, not realizing he had spoken aloud.

 

“Yup,” said Inuyasha with a very pleased smile on his face.

 

`I would never say anything like that. It has to be the injuries. They should have been healed by now though. Strange.'

 

“You are going to die, hanyou. I will see to it personally,” muttered Sesshoumaru, covering his eyes with his hand.

 

`He is driving me insane. Killing him is my first priority once I am able to move.'

 

“But Sesshoumaru-sama? Inuyasha took care of you. He loves you.” The innocent declaration left both males completely speechless. “And you love him because you don't talk to anyone else so much.”

 

The little girl looked back and forth between them with wide-eyes. “Please don't fight,” she pleaded with them.

 

“Okay Rin-chan. We won't fight. I promise. Now let's go and let `Sesshoumaru-sama' get some rest,” said Inuyasha while lifting her from the bed.

 

“As for you, eat!” shot Inuyasha from over his shoulder as he carried Rin from the room. “Kouga, you mind keeping an eye on him so he doesn't do anything stupid like trying to get out of bed again?”

 

“Sure thing, Inuyasha.”

 

It was amazing. With Kagome out of the picture, Inuyasha and Kouga had actually become quite close. Of course, tending to a dangerous, wounded taiyoukai proved to be a bonding experience. Kouga always found his thoughts coming back to Inuyasha anytime he wandered off alone. Perhaps it was time to check in on his pack. Having been gone so long must have made him lonely. At least, that was his reasoning.

 

`I swear by the seven hells, I am going to kill him.' Sesshoumaru frowned for a moment. `But what Rin said is true. I have not spoken so many words in the past few months. No, I do not love him. I simply cannot escape the constant irritation of his presence.'

 

He almost had himself convinced too.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Inuyasha-sama? Can we go pick some flowers for Sesshoumaru-sama?”

 

Inuyasha thought for a moment, unable to stop himself from picturing Sesshoumaru with flowers woven throughout his hair. A wicked grin spread across his face.

 

“Sure, Rin! We'll pick a whole bunch. One basket for you and one basket for me. But we can't take them to him until he's asleep. Okay?”

 

Rin's eyes lit up as she gave him her brightest smile. `Sesshoumaru-sama will be happy that his brother is bringing him a present. Maybe they won't be so mean to each other.'

 

“Oh, Shippou will want to come with us! I'll go and get him.” With that, Rin took off while Inuyasha went in search of baskets, being sure to grab one for Shippou.

 

Once the troupe was ready to move out—albeit with fervent protestations from Sesshoumaru's toad of a servant—Rin led them to her favorite flower garden. She informed them that Sesshoumaru seemed to have a special liking for the yellow poppies. Of course, Inuyasha made certain that they picked a variety of flowers so that there would be something left. Their next stop was a field filled with wild flowers, another place that Sesshoumaru often took her.

 

“Rin wishes she had claws like yours, Inuyasha-sama. You can pick flowers so much faster!”

 

“Feh,” Inuyasha shrugged without giving it much thought as he swiped through the stems of a cluster of pink flowers.

 

All that work had paid off and, by late afternoon, they had arrived back at the castle loaded down with all manner of flowers.

 

“Let's go see if your `father' is awake, okay? But we need to be quiet,” Inuyasha whispered.

 

“Okay,” Rin whispered then giggled.

 

Inuyasha, Rin and Shippou tiptoed up to the door and peeked inside. Well aware of Inuyasha's pending prank, Jakken's sense of survival aided him and he slip off to some safe, dark corner. Kouga was sitting in his chair, looking exhausted, when Inuyasha motioned him out into the corridor.

 

“Is he asleep?” Inuyasha whispered.

 

“That dumbass better be. I had to fight with him for an hour to keep his mangy ass in bed. He started bleeding all over the place again. We had to change all the bed coverings. I swear I wanted to kick his arrogant ass so bad.”

 

“Hey! Watch your language around Rin unless you want him to lop off your head,” Inuyasha grinned, “I have something much better than kicking his…behind. Watch this,” he said, waving the baskets in front of Kouga.

 

“Come on, Rin, but be very quiet. I want you to put flowers in his hair first and then we'll put the rest all over the bed. He will like the pretty colors and all the pretty smells.”

 

Rin nodded and motioned for Shippou to follow. Sure enough, Sesshoumaru was dead to the world and slightly snoring.

 

`How undignified! He must've worn himself out fighting with Kouga.'

 

Inuyasha had to squelch a snicker. He pulled a lock of silver hair over each of Sesshoumaru's shoulders, the breathtaking porcelain beauty of his brother not going unnoticed. After shaking his head in annoyance at his own thoughts, he lifted Rin above his brother. With her hands full of flowers, she carefully tucked their stems between the long, silvery strands. Together, they silently filled the bed with the rest then Inuyasha led the children out of the room.

 

“You kids go play. Kouga, would you keep an eye on him for a few more minutes?”

 

“Yeah. Whatcha gonna do?”

 

“Nothin'. I'll be right back.”

 

With that, Inuyasha took off at breakneck speed. He cut a swath through the field they had recently visited then rushed back loaded down with even more flowers. Carefully, he arranged them in the various vases he had found sitting about the castle then hauled them to Sesshoumaru's room.

 

Kouga waited and watched with incredulity while Inuyasha studiously selected each spot that suited him, arranging the vases in a wide array around the room then followed him back out into the corridor.

 

“What's this all about?” he asked, motioning toward the room.

 

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and stared at the floor, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment at his odd display. “Just felt like it.”

 

“I think you like your brother,” Kouga teased, though the accusation rang true.

 

“Do not!” Inuyasha protested.

 

“Could've fooled me,” Kouga smirked, cocking an eyebrow before all teasing left his tone of voice.

 

“Why you…” Inuyasha raised a clawed hand and Kouga took off running.

 

“Too slow, dog breath,” Kouga called out as he sped away. “I'm going home, but I'll be back!”

 

Instead of following, Inuyasha went back into the room, grumbling at Kouga's audacity. Sure, he wanted to see the annoyance on Sesshoumaru's face when his brother realized he was covered in flowers. Maybe Kouga was right. He had felt compelled to make some gesture of appreciation, even though he wasn't about to confess that to his baka brother. Inuyasha frowned. There was no sense lying to himself. It wasn't just appreciation.

 

`I care for the stupid baka. I guess, even if he hates me, that's okay.'

 

The thought that Sesshoumaru would always hate him sent a twinge through his chest.

 

As he sat there, sulking in his chair, something unpleasant began to tickle his nose, a scent that was slowly poisoning the room, making its stench known even through the fragrant perfume of the flowers. Inuyasha sniffed and rose from his chair to find the source. Treading lightly so as to not disturb his brother's sleep, he followed it.

 

The closer he came to Sesshoumaru, the stronger the scent became until he was leaning over Sesshoumaru's prone form, sniffing up and down. There it was, under the covers. He no longer cared if he woke the sleeping lord. Inuyasha tore back the sheet and blanket. At each wound, thick black liquid stained Sesshoumaru's white sleeping garments.

 

“Sesshoumaru?”

 

No movement.

 

“Sesshoumaru.”

 

No response.

 

Inuyasha put his nose to his brother's face. There was breath, but only the barest wisp, and tepid. Sesshoumaru needed warmth.

 

“Damn Naraku and his poison miasma. You should be immune to that shit, bastard! You should have eaten to stay strong. Damn it to hell. Jakken! Jakken!”

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

Reviewer Recognition

I Lurv You All

 

I apologize to all of the original reviewers. I didn't know how to edit a fic without taking it down and all of the reviews went with it. Keh, doesn't help that I have since learned the process.

 

 

MM.ORG

 

Mirokusgirl

Thanks for your review on the first posting of this fic!

 

Polka Dot

I believe that you may be confusing this one with `A Day to Play'. Glad you like the first beta'd chapter. We are going to get ridiculously angsty soon and Inuyasha may seem out of character. But hey, he just lost everyone and everything.

 

DemonGoddess061

It is always a compliment when someone says that they have read the fic more than once! I didn't know, or don't remember that. Kewl.

 

 

 

 

AFF

 

definite effervescence

Dante

YoukaiObsessed

Atocha

Kogas Hentai Luver

rin136

voyuerer

Oboro

ahanchan

 

 

 

~*~

 

 

 

*Disclaimer*

 

Inuyasha and all associated characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I make no profit from this story, nor do I intend to. My only goal is to occupy my demented mind with delusions of actually owning a life-sized, anatomically correct Sesshoumaru.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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