InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfettered ❯ Strength ( Chapter 9 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: inufan625 
Back home and a family outing... Warning CITRUS AHEAD...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.20.2006 | Updated On: 01.04.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 2.6K | Status: Work In Progress
Back home and a family outing... Warning CITRUS AHEAD...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 06.20.2006 | Updated On: 01.04.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 2.6K | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed so far and please let me know what you think...
Disclaimer: I don’t own InuYasha or any of its characters and will make no profit from this...
Also I now have a live journal on which I will post updates and notices about the progress of each chapter as well as any new stories (or one shots) I have posted. I may also from time to time post teasers before updates. The address is http://inufan625.livejournal.com
“Hi mama, baa-chan,” Taro said.
Kagome burst into tears and fell to her knees, taking her son into her arms. She kissed him all over his face. “My baby,” she cried. “My sweet baby. I love you so much. I was so worried about you.”
“Don’t cry mama. I’m all right," Taro said. Kagome’s mother joined her daughter in smothering the little boy. “Mama, jii-chan said he’s proud of you and baa-chan. He told me to tell you that he couldn’t be happier with the way you are raising his children. He loves you both and uncle Souta too.” Suddenly Taro turned to his father. “I forgot to tell you papa, Ojii-san said he was proud of you, too.”
“Taro?” Kagome said softly. “How did you hear all this?”
The boy frowned. “First when it stopped hurting, it was really dark and I was afraid; but then, it started to get light, and I could feel people with me, people that loved me and told me not to be afraid, that soon I would be back with you and papa. Then jii-chan, obaa-san and ojii-san all told me things to tell you and papa when I came back. I felt warm all over, and they said they would help me remember everything when the time came. Then I was back with papa.”
Kagome couldn’t believe it, but knew that it had to be true. Taro had been in the place between worlds for most of the day. She noticed that InuYasha had turned away and was staring out at the Goshinboku. She stood and went to him. His eyes were glassy. She took his hand and led him outside.
Under the Goshinboku she threw her arms around his neck and held tightly to him. He wrapped his arms around her. “Do you think it really was them; your father, mine, and my mother, that spoke to him?”
Kagome looked up at him. “Yes, I do. Do you?”
“Yeah,” InuYasha said quietly. “I’m sorry about what happened, Kagome. I won’t fail to protect you again, I promise.”
She took his face in her hands. “This was not your fault. You saved me. You found a way to give us our son back. I will never forget that. If anyone is to blame, it’s me.”
“No you don’t, wench,” InuYasha told her. “If I can’t blame myself, then you can’t either.”
“Okay,” Kagome agreed for the time being. “How did you get Sesshomaru to help you?”
“I asked, then I begged, and then I offered him my sword, my arm and my life,” InuYasha replied. “What I can’t figure out is why he didn’t take any of them. He looked sort of strange after Taro told him that my mother was the reincarnation of his, and then he told me to be more careful, and left.”
“Oh well, I don’t care why he did it,” Kagome said at last. “I’m just thankful that he did, and I’m thankful to have a mate who would do anything to save our child. I love you, InuYasha.”
InuYasha leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. “My K’gome,” he muttered against her mouth.
“Mama, Papa,” Taro called. “Baa-chan wants to know if you’re hungry.”
“Yeah,” InuYasha called back. “We’ll be right in.”
After a very late dinner, Asami took Taro and put him to bed in Souta’s room. Her brother was at a weekend soccer camp, and so Kagome and InuYasha could have her old room to themselves.
There was a certain tension between them, and Kagome undressed facing away from him before slipping into bed. Things weren’t supposed to be like this, not with him. As he wrapped his arms around her, she began to sob into his chest.
InuYasha didn’t say anything as he held her. He hadn’t expected it to be so hard for them to find their way back into each other’s lives. She was Kagome, his best friend, and the woman he loved, so it should have been easy, but things had changed between them.
Slowly her tears subsided. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” InuYasha said gently.
Kagome raised her head to look at him. “It’s not supposed to be like this, not with us. We’re supposed to be happy. We love each other and we have a beautiful little boy. I know it’s my fault, but I thought that if I loved you enough, nothing else would matter. But then he showed back up and you... you’re keeping things from me because you don’t trust me anymore, and I don’t blame you... I just...”
InuYasha sat up and Kagome sat up beside him. He grabbed her face with both hands. “Is that really what you think? Kagome, my mate, you couldn’t be more wrong. There is no one that I trust more than you. I should have told you. I thought I was protecting you. I was stupid.”
“Still, our baby, our sweet little boy, he died... Oh kami, he died, and that was my fault,” Kagome broke down again.
InuYasha gathered her into his arms. “What that bastard did was not your fault. Do you hear me? Kagome, if you ain’t happy, if you can’t be happy with me, then you can leave. I won’t force you to stay with me... Just, let me see our pup. I didn’t know my old man. I didn’t have him around to teach me. I don’t want my son to go through that.”
“Do you ... Do you want me to leave?” Kagome asked.
“Fuck no,” InuYasha replied forcefully. “Never. Maybe things ain’t been going the way I thought they would, but I know that I want you with me. We can get through this. I know we can be happy together, and I know I can’t be happy without you. Tell me, will you stay with me?”
Kagome nodded as she spoke, “Yes, yes. I want to be with you. You’re right, I know you are. We belong together as a family with our son.”
InuYasha smiled at her as he caressed her cheek. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned back, pulling him down on top of her.
Kagome knew that she would never tire of the way his weight felt against her body, of how they fitted together. She reached up to rub his ear and he growled softly. Her back arched off the bed as his lips trailed down her body, and he captured one of her breasts in his mouth.
“InuYasha...” she breathed. “Please, just make love to me... I need to feel you inside me.”
He studied her face for a moment and then gently pressed himself inside her. He covered her mouth with his own to swallow her cry. He rocked his hips gently. “Is this what you need?”
“Yes,” she rasped. "Gods, yes."
He checked to make sure they were completely covered by the blanket and then called out quietly, “Come on in.”
The little boy peeked into the room first and then stepped inside. He approached the bed and glanced at his mother, who was still asleep, and snoring very softly before returning his attention to his father. “Papa, baa-chan said breakfast will be ready soon. Are you and mama going to come eat with us?”
“Yeah. We’ll be down as soon as I wake your mother, okay?” the adult hanyou replied.
The boy graced him with a brilliant smile. “Okay.”
InuYasha watched his son leave the room, and then turned to the sleeping woman in his arms. One of his hands was already conveniently placed on one of her breasts, and the other was on her hip. He decided that there was no reason not to have a little fun in waking her.
He slipped his hand downwards until his fingers brushed the neatly trimmed bed of curls and then lower. Kagome began to stir and moaned softly as he toyed with her nipple. Her legs parted slightly as she leaned back against him, and he took full advantage slipping two fingers inside her.
Kagome gasped as he moved within her and fought her way to consciousness, not wanting to miss his wonderful torture. His lips scorched her skin as he nipped and sucked on her neck and shoulder. Her body strained against him as he worked her with his hand. She struggled to turn her head enough so that she could look at him, and he smirked down at her.
She reached for him, grabbing a fist full of his hair, and pulled him down into a kiss. Her body tensed and she cried out into his mouth as her climax over took her. Several moments after his hand stilled and her body relaxed, she released him.
Kagome turned in his arms, and placed her hand over the one on her hip. “Mmm... What was that for?”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “You complaining?”
“No, definitely not. In fact, I think you should wake me up like that more often,” she told him with a smile.
“Keh, I’ll remember that,” he said huskily, leaning down to kiss her again, but stopping her as her hand wrapped around him.
“What’s wrong?” Kagome asked with a frown.
“The kid wants us to have breakfast with him,” InuYasha replied.
“Oh.”
InuYasha chuckled as she pouted. “Don’t worry, woman, I’ll let you have your fun with me later.”
Kagome blushed but smiled. She tweaked one of his ears gently and then slipped out of bed. She pulled on her robe. “I guess we shouldn’t keep our son waiting. I’ll be down as soon as I grab a quick shower.”
InuYasha watched the door close behind his mate and rose from the bed. Sometimes he wished she didn’t bathe so often, since he liked the way he could smell himself all over her after they had coupled; but he figured, if that was the worst of her faults, then he was damn lucky. He pulled on his own clothing and headed down stairs.
By midday, however, they realized that spending the entire day indoors with an exuberant four and half year old wasn’t going to work, and so Kagome suggested a family outing. For the sake of the older hanyou, it was decided that a trip to the park would be the best choice; and so with concealing spells in place, they headed out.
InuYasha drew many looks from people they passed on the street. Of course some were for his unusual clothing, but for the most part, those who passed offered polite smiles at seeing the joyful boy riding on his father’s shoulders.
As soon as they arrived at the park and Taro was on his feet, he took off to join some of the other children who were playing nearby. Kagome found a bench and urged her hanyou to sit beside her. She took his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched their son. She didn’t care at all that she was being a bit more intimate than was considered acceptable for such a public setting. When he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she knew it meant that he didn’t care, either.
“I don’t know what I would have done...” she said quietly.
InuYasha, keeping an ear on his son, turned to his mate and, for once, dropped all pretenses. “Me neither, but we can’t let what could have been get in the way of what is. He’s all right. Hell, the pup’s tougher than both of us, smarter too.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Kagome asked with a small smile.
InuYasha was about to agree, but instead, frowned as his ear twitched. Still holding Kagome’s hand, he pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
Kagome looked around frantically, not seeing Taro. “Where is he? Is he okay?”
“Keh, he's fine, but we should get to him before that changes,” InuYasha replied, pulling her along with him.
Coming around a small bend in the path, they could see their son standing between a little girl about his age, who was sitting on the ground crying, and three boys who were perhaps two or three years older. He was scowling and had his arms crossed over his chest. Kagome made to go and intervene, but InuYasha shook his head.
“You leave her alone,” Taro said firmly.
The older boys laughed and the one in the center spoke. “Or what? You’ll beat us up? Or tell your parents?”
“No,” Taro replied. “My papa says that anyone who picks on someone weaker or smaller than them is nothing but a coward, and I don’t fight cowards.”
Then, while the boys were staring at him in stunned silence, he offered the girl his hand to help her to her feet. She took it hesitantly, and Taro started to lead her away in their direction.
“Look at the scared little babies,” the older boys taunted. “Run away, baby, and find your mommy and daddy.”
“Just ignore them,” Taro told the little girl. “My mama and papa are right over there, and they’ll help us find your mama, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed between sniffles. “M-m-my name’s Aiko. What’s yours?”
“Mama calls me Taro, but that’s not my real name,” he told her. “I’ll tell you, if you promise not to laugh.”
“I won’t,” Aiko promised solemnly.
“It’s InuTaro.”
“I like it. I’ve never heard anyone with that name before,” the girl said with a smile.
“Taro,” Kagome called.
“Mama, this is Aiko. She’s lost, and I told her that we could help her find her mama,” the boy explained. “We can help her, right?”
“Keh, of course we can,” InuYasha replied. “Sounds like she’s not too far.”
InuYasha led the way down the path and through a large grouping of trees. As soon as they stepped out into the open area, a woman holding a boy of about two began to hurry towards them, and Aiko ran to meet her. The woman bent down and hugged her daughter with one arm.
“Where did you go? Mommy was so worried about you,” the woman cried.
“I’m sorry, mommy,” Aiko sobbed. “I got lost, and then these mean boys pushed me down; but Taro helped me, and then his mommy and daddy helped me find you.”
The woman looked up at them. “Thank you so much. I swear I was only gone for a minute. Keiji got away from me and by the time I caught him and turned back, she was gone. I don’t know what I would have done... Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” Kagome offered with a smile. “I know Taro can be quite a handful by himself. We were glad to be able to help.”
“Even still, I really can’t thank you enough,” Aiko’s mother insisted, coming to her feet with her daughter’s hand gripped tightly in her own. “Aiko, say goodbye to your friend. I’ve had about all the excitement I can stand for the day, and I think it best we go ahead and go home.”
“Bye!” the little girl called as her mother led her away.
“Mama, papa, can I go play some more now?” Taro asked.
“For a little bit longer,” Kagome agreed. “But this time, don’t go quite so far, okay?”
The young hanyou nodded his agreement, and as he took off, InuYasha again took hold of his mate’s hand. Kagome sighed and leaned into her husband.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of him, or of you,” she commented.
“I get why you’re proud of the pup,” InuYasha agreed. “But I didn’t do nothing.”
“Yes, you did. You’re a wonderful father to our son and he adores you, just like I do,” Kagome explained, looking up at him. “I’ve told him that he shouldn’t get into fights, but you, you’re teaching him how to be an honorable man. In the past he would have come to me crying when someone made fun of him. Even though I’ve told him that it doesn’t matter what others think of him, it was your words, the things you told him when we went to see Sango and Miroku, that finally made him believe.
“Things could have gone so differently between the two of you. I always, always, tried to make it clear to him that it was my fault his father wasn’t around; that you were a good man, and that is was my choices that kept the two of you apart. Then with him... so many times our son asked me why you didn’t come and take us away, why we didn’t leave and try and find you. I couldn’t tell him that it was because I was afraid you might take him from me. First, because I was ashamed of myself for thinking something like that about you; and second, because I was afraid you would be ashamed of me, for who I let myself become, and that I would deserve it if you did.
“I was worried that if you ever did come, and find out about him, that he would blame you, or be angry with you, for not coming sooner, that he wouldn’t understand; but instead, the two of you... It’s almost like you’ve been with us all along. I still don’t know how you were able to forgive me.”
“I told you, there wasn’t nothing for me to forgive,” InuYasha replied. “So don’t worry about it.”
Kagome nodded absently. “I guess we should head back to the shrine now. It’s not that close to dinnertime, but I was thinking, it might be nice to stop for a treat on the way home. I think our son deserves a reward for the way he handled things with those boys. What do you think?”
The older hanyou nodded and called out to his son, who came running. “Time to go.”
“Do we have to?”
“Well, guess we could stay but then we won’t be able to stop for ice cream on the way home,” Kagome said thoughtfully.
“Ice cream?!” the little boy exclaimed. “Really?”
Kagome laughed. “That was the plan, since you were such a good boy today, and made us so proud with the way you helped Aiko.”
“You were proud of me?” Taro asked. Kagome nodded. “And papa, too?”
InuYasha ruffled his son’s hair affectionately. “Yep.”
“So are we ready to go?” Kagome asked.
The little boy nodded enthusiastically and laughed as his father lifted him onto his shoulders. “Mama, since there’s two of you and both of you were proud of me, does that mean I can get two scoops of ice cream?”
InuYasha chuckled and Kagome couldn’t help but join in.
Disclaimer: I don’t own InuYasha or any of its characters and will make no profit from this...
Also I now have a live journal on which I will post updates and notices about the progress of each chapter as well as any new stories (or one shots) I have posted. I may also from time to time post teasers before updates. The address is http://inufan625.livejournal.com
~ * ~
InuYasha jumped out of the well with Taro in his arms. He set the boy down, and they headed for the house. He slid open the shoji and was met with two sets of red eyes and tear stained faces.“Hi mama, baa-chan,” Taro said.
Kagome burst into tears and fell to her knees, taking her son into her arms. She kissed him all over his face. “My baby,” she cried. “My sweet baby. I love you so much. I was so worried about you.”
“Don’t cry mama. I’m all right," Taro said. Kagome’s mother joined her daughter in smothering the little boy. “Mama, jii-chan said he’s proud of you and baa-chan. He told me to tell you that he couldn’t be happier with the way you are raising his children. He loves you both and uncle Souta too.” Suddenly Taro turned to his father. “I forgot to tell you papa, Ojii-san said he was proud of you, too.”
“Taro?” Kagome said softly. “How did you hear all this?”
The boy frowned. “First when it stopped hurting, it was really dark and I was afraid; but then, it started to get light, and I could feel people with me, people that loved me and told me not to be afraid, that soon I would be back with you and papa. Then jii-chan, obaa-san and ojii-san all told me things to tell you and papa when I came back. I felt warm all over, and they said they would help me remember everything when the time came. Then I was back with papa.”
Kagome couldn’t believe it, but knew that it had to be true. Taro had been in the place between worlds for most of the day. She noticed that InuYasha had turned away and was staring out at the Goshinboku. She stood and went to him. His eyes were glassy. She took his hand and led him outside.
Under the Goshinboku she threw her arms around his neck and held tightly to him. He wrapped his arms around her. “Do you think it really was them; your father, mine, and my mother, that spoke to him?”
Kagome looked up at him. “Yes, I do. Do you?”
“Yeah,” InuYasha said quietly. “I’m sorry about what happened, Kagome. I won’t fail to protect you again, I promise.”
She took his face in her hands. “This was not your fault. You saved me. You found a way to give us our son back. I will never forget that. If anyone is to blame, it’s me.”
“No you don’t, wench,” InuYasha told her. “If I can’t blame myself, then you can’t either.”
“Okay,” Kagome agreed for the time being. “How did you get Sesshomaru to help you?”
“I asked, then I begged, and then I offered him my sword, my arm and my life,” InuYasha replied. “What I can’t figure out is why he didn’t take any of them. He looked sort of strange after Taro told him that my mother was the reincarnation of his, and then he told me to be more careful, and left.”
“Oh well, I don’t care why he did it,” Kagome said at last. “I’m just thankful that he did, and I’m thankful to have a mate who would do anything to save our child. I love you, InuYasha.”
InuYasha leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. “My K’gome,” he muttered against her mouth.
“Mama, Papa,” Taro called. “Baa-chan wants to know if you’re hungry.”
“Yeah,” InuYasha called back. “We’ll be right in.”
After a very late dinner, Asami took Taro and put him to bed in Souta’s room. Her brother was at a weekend soccer camp, and so Kagome and InuYasha could have her old room to themselves.
There was a certain tension between them, and Kagome undressed facing away from him before slipping into bed. Things weren’t supposed to be like this, not with him. As he wrapped his arms around her, she began to sob into his chest.
InuYasha didn’t say anything as he held her. He hadn’t expected it to be so hard for them to find their way back into each other’s lives. She was Kagome, his best friend, and the woman he loved, so it should have been easy, but things had changed between them.
Slowly her tears subsided. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” InuYasha said gently.
Kagome raised her head to look at him. “It’s not supposed to be like this, not with us. We’re supposed to be happy. We love each other and we have a beautiful little boy. I know it’s my fault, but I thought that if I loved you enough, nothing else would matter. But then he showed back up and you... you’re keeping things from me because you don’t trust me anymore, and I don’t blame you... I just...”
InuYasha sat up and Kagome sat up beside him. He grabbed her face with both hands. “Is that really what you think? Kagome, my mate, you couldn’t be more wrong. There is no one that I trust more than you. I should have told you. I thought I was protecting you. I was stupid.”
“Still, our baby, our sweet little boy, he died... Oh kami, he died, and that was my fault,” Kagome broke down again.
InuYasha gathered her into his arms. “What that bastard did was not your fault. Do you hear me? Kagome, if you ain’t happy, if you can’t be happy with me, then you can leave. I won’t force you to stay with me... Just, let me see our pup. I didn’t know my old man. I didn’t have him around to teach me. I don’t want my son to go through that.”
“Do you ... Do you want me to leave?” Kagome asked.
“Fuck no,” InuYasha replied forcefully. “Never. Maybe things ain’t been going the way I thought they would, but I know that I want you with me. We can get through this. I know we can be happy together, and I know I can’t be happy without you. Tell me, will you stay with me?”
Kagome nodded as she spoke, “Yes, yes. I want to be with you. You’re right, I know you are. We belong together as a family with our son.”
InuYasha smiled at her as he caressed her cheek. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned back, pulling him down on top of her.
Kagome knew that she would never tire of the way his weight felt against her body, of how they fitted together. She reached up to rub his ear and he growled softly. Her back arched off the bed as his lips trailed down her body, and he captured one of her breasts in his mouth.
“InuYasha...” she breathed. “Please, just make love to me... I need to feel you inside me.”
He studied her face for a moment and then gently pressed himself inside her. He covered her mouth with his own to swallow her cry. He rocked his hips gently. “Is this what you need?”
“Yes,” she rasped. "Gods, yes."
~ * ~
A soft knock at the door drew the relaxing hanyou’s attention. For the last hour or so he had been awake, but far too comfortable, and enjoying too much simply holding his mate in his arms, to get up. Of course he could tell by scent that it was their son just outside.He checked to make sure they were completely covered by the blanket and then called out quietly, “Come on in.”
The little boy peeked into the room first and then stepped inside. He approached the bed and glanced at his mother, who was still asleep, and snoring very softly before returning his attention to his father. “Papa, baa-chan said breakfast will be ready soon. Are you and mama going to come eat with us?”
“Yeah. We’ll be down as soon as I wake your mother, okay?” the adult hanyou replied.
The boy graced him with a brilliant smile. “Okay.”
InuYasha watched his son leave the room, and then turned to the sleeping woman in his arms. One of his hands was already conveniently placed on one of her breasts, and the other was on her hip. He decided that there was no reason not to have a little fun in waking her.
He slipped his hand downwards until his fingers brushed the neatly trimmed bed of curls and then lower. Kagome began to stir and moaned softly as he toyed with her nipple. Her legs parted slightly as she leaned back against him, and he took full advantage slipping two fingers inside her.
Kagome gasped as he moved within her and fought her way to consciousness, not wanting to miss his wonderful torture. His lips scorched her skin as he nipped and sucked on her neck and shoulder. Her body strained against him as he worked her with his hand. She struggled to turn her head enough so that she could look at him, and he smirked down at her.
She reached for him, grabbing a fist full of his hair, and pulled him down into a kiss. Her body tensed and she cried out into his mouth as her climax over took her. Several moments after his hand stilled and her body relaxed, she released him.
Kagome turned in his arms, and placed her hand over the one on her hip. “Mmm... What was that for?”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “You complaining?”
“No, definitely not. In fact, I think you should wake me up like that more often,” she told him with a smile.
“Keh, I’ll remember that,” he said huskily, leaning down to kiss her again, but stopping her as her hand wrapped around him.
“What’s wrong?” Kagome asked with a frown.
“The kid wants us to have breakfast with him,” InuYasha replied.
“Oh.”
InuYasha chuckled as she pouted. “Don’t worry, woman, I’ll let you have your fun with me later.”
Kagome blushed but smiled. She tweaked one of his ears gently and then slipped out of bed. She pulled on her robe. “I guess we shouldn’t keep our son waiting. I’ll be down as soon as I grab a quick shower.”
InuYasha watched the door close behind his mate and rose from the bed. Sometimes he wished she didn’t bathe so often, since he liked the way he could smell himself all over her after they had coupled; but he figured, if that was the worst of her faults, then he was damn lucky. He pulled on his own clothing and headed down stairs.
~ * ~
For obvious reasons, both InuYasha and Kagome were more than a little reluctant to be separated from each other, or from their son. And since neither was ready to return to the past, to a world of dangerous youkai, they decided to stay in the modern era.By midday, however, they realized that spending the entire day indoors with an exuberant four and half year old wasn’t going to work, and so Kagome suggested a family outing. For the sake of the older hanyou, it was decided that a trip to the park would be the best choice; and so with concealing spells in place, they headed out.
InuYasha drew many looks from people they passed on the street. Of course some were for his unusual clothing, but for the most part, those who passed offered polite smiles at seeing the joyful boy riding on his father’s shoulders.
As soon as they arrived at the park and Taro was on his feet, he took off to join some of the other children who were playing nearby. Kagome found a bench and urged her hanyou to sit beside her. She took his hand and leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched their son. She didn’t care at all that she was being a bit more intimate than was considered acceptable for such a public setting. When he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, she knew it meant that he didn’t care, either.
“I don’t know what I would have done...” she said quietly.
InuYasha, keeping an ear on his son, turned to his mate and, for once, dropped all pretenses. “Me neither, but we can’t let what could have been get in the way of what is. He’s all right. Hell, the pup’s tougher than both of us, smarter too.”
“He is, isn’t he?” Kagome asked with a small smile.
InuYasha was about to agree, but instead, frowned as his ear twitched. Still holding Kagome’s hand, he pulled her to her feet. “Come on.”
Kagome looked around frantically, not seeing Taro. “Where is he? Is he okay?”
“Keh, he's fine, but we should get to him before that changes,” InuYasha replied, pulling her along with him.
Coming around a small bend in the path, they could see their son standing between a little girl about his age, who was sitting on the ground crying, and three boys who were perhaps two or three years older. He was scowling and had his arms crossed over his chest. Kagome made to go and intervene, but InuYasha shook his head.
“You leave her alone,” Taro said firmly.
The older boys laughed and the one in the center spoke. “Or what? You’ll beat us up? Or tell your parents?”
“No,” Taro replied. “My papa says that anyone who picks on someone weaker or smaller than them is nothing but a coward, and I don’t fight cowards.”
Then, while the boys were staring at him in stunned silence, he offered the girl his hand to help her to her feet. She took it hesitantly, and Taro started to lead her away in their direction.
“Look at the scared little babies,” the older boys taunted. “Run away, baby, and find your mommy and daddy.”
“Just ignore them,” Taro told the little girl. “My mama and papa are right over there, and they’ll help us find your mama, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed between sniffles. “M-m-my name’s Aiko. What’s yours?”
“Mama calls me Taro, but that’s not my real name,” he told her. “I’ll tell you, if you promise not to laugh.”
“I won’t,” Aiko promised solemnly.
“It’s InuTaro.”
“I like it. I’ve never heard anyone with that name before,” the girl said with a smile.
“Taro,” Kagome called.
“Mama, this is Aiko. She’s lost, and I told her that we could help her find her mama,” the boy explained. “We can help her, right?”
“Keh, of course we can,” InuYasha replied. “Sounds like she’s not too far.”
InuYasha led the way down the path and through a large grouping of trees. As soon as they stepped out into the open area, a woman holding a boy of about two began to hurry towards them, and Aiko ran to meet her. The woman bent down and hugged her daughter with one arm.
“Where did you go? Mommy was so worried about you,” the woman cried.
“I’m sorry, mommy,” Aiko sobbed. “I got lost, and then these mean boys pushed me down; but Taro helped me, and then his mommy and daddy helped me find you.”
The woman looked up at them. “Thank you so much. I swear I was only gone for a minute. Keiji got away from me and by the time I caught him and turned back, she was gone. I don’t know what I would have done... Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” Kagome offered with a smile. “I know Taro can be quite a handful by himself. We were glad to be able to help.”
“Even still, I really can’t thank you enough,” Aiko’s mother insisted, coming to her feet with her daughter’s hand gripped tightly in her own. “Aiko, say goodbye to your friend. I’ve had about all the excitement I can stand for the day, and I think it best we go ahead and go home.”
“Bye!” the little girl called as her mother led her away.
“Mama, papa, can I go play some more now?” Taro asked.
“For a little bit longer,” Kagome agreed. “But this time, don’t go quite so far, okay?”
The young hanyou nodded his agreement, and as he took off, InuYasha again took hold of his mate’s hand. Kagome sighed and leaned into her husband.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of him, or of you,” she commented.
“I get why you’re proud of the pup,” InuYasha agreed. “But I didn’t do nothing.”
“Yes, you did. You’re a wonderful father to our son and he adores you, just like I do,” Kagome explained, looking up at him. “I’ve told him that he shouldn’t get into fights, but you, you’re teaching him how to be an honorable man. In the past he would have come to me crying when someone made fun of him. Even though I’ve told him that it doesn’t matter what others think of him, it was your words, the things you told him when we went to see Sango and Miroku, that finally made him believe.
“Things could have gone so differently between the two of you. I always, always, tried to make it clear to him that it was my fault his father wasn’t around; that you were a good man, and that is was my choices that kept the two of you apart. Then with him... so many times our son asked me why you didn’t come and take us away, why we didn’t leave and try and find you. I couldn’t tell him that it was because I was afraid you might take him from me. First, because I was ashamed of myself for thinking something like that about you; and second, because I was afraid you would be ashamed of me, for who I let myself become, and that I would deserve it if you did.
“I was worried that if you ever did come, and find out about him, that he would blame you, or be angry with you, for not coming sooner, that he wouldn’t understand; but instead, the two of you... It’s almost like you’ve been with us all along. I still don’t know how you were able to forgive me.”
“I told you, there wasn’t nothing for me to forgive,” InuYasha replied. “So don’t worry about it.”
Kagome nodded absently. “I guess we should head back to the shrine now. It’s not that close to dinnertime, but I was thinking, it might be nice to stop for a treat on the way home. I think our son deserves a reward for the way he handled things with those boys. What do you think?”
The older hanyou nodded and called out to his son, who came running. “Time to go.”
“Do we have to?”
“Well, guess we could stay but then we won’t be able to stop for ice cream on the way home,” Kagome said thoughtfully.
“Ice cream?!” the little boy exclaimed. “Really?”
Kagome laughed. “That was the plan, since you were such a good boy today, and made us so proud with the way you helped Aiko.”
“You were proud of me?” Taro asked. Kagome nodded. “And papa, too?”
InuYasha ruffled his son’s hair affectionately. “Yep.”
“So are we ready to go?” Kagome asked.
The little boy nodded enthusiastically and laughed as his father lifted him onto his shoulders. “Mama, since there’s two of you and both of you were proud of me, does that mean I can get two scoops of ice cream?”
InuYasha chuckled and Kagome couldn’t help but join in.