InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfettered ❯ Departure ( Chapter 15 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

InuYasha was surprised to see Sesshomaru appear at the tree line in the field where he and his son were training. Though, it had been awhile since he had dropped by, he supposed that it shouldn’t have been too much of a shock. He guessed that having his brother drop in was just something he was going to have to get used to.

Taro ran along side him as he went to meet his brother. “Uncle...” Taro cried as he stepped out of the trees. “Did Rin-san come with you?”

“She is with your mother,” Sesshomaru replied.

“Papa, can I go see Rin-san?” Taro asked.

InuYasha nodded his head in the direction of their home and said, "Go on then."

“Thank you, papa. I’ll train extra hard tomorrow since we’re stopping early today, I promise,” the little boy said earnestly.

InuYasha watched Taro run toward their home with a smile.

“He may resemble you in appearance, little brother, but there is no question who his mother is,” Sesshomaru offered. “Now, as to why I have come... I wish to make an arrangement with you. I will go to Totosai and give him one of my fangs to make a sealing sword for your son; and in exchange, you will return with me to the castle and accept a challenge from my strongest general.”

“Why?” InuYasha asked. “You aren’t telling me that you can’t take him yourself, are you, because then I’d have to say you can’t be my arrogant bastard of a brother.”

“This Sesshomaru could easily defeat any of his men,” the youkai replied flatly. “If you will not, then I will have no choice but to fight him. It seems my intentions for Rin have been made known, and now I am being challenged on the basis that my offspring will be hanyou, and not strong enough to deserve the title Inu no Taisho.”

“And you want me to come and kick the sorry bastard’s ass so that you can prove that it's possible for a hanyou to defeat a full youkai,” InuYasha finished.

“All the members of court have already agreed. If you are able to defeat Kenmaru, then they will accept Rin as my mate and Lady of the Western Lands, and recognize our first born son as the rightful heir,” Sesshomaru told him.

“Since you don’t want me dead, I guess that means you are confident that I can beat this general of yours. When do I need to be there?” InuYasha asked.

InuYasha didn’t miss the slight surprise that flashed behind his brother’s normally unreadable gaze.

“You will do this?” Sesshomaru asked. “Will you not first speak to your mate?”

“You’re my brother. You deserve to mate whoever you want, and I know Kagome would agree with me on that. She understands about family and honor,” InuYasha replied. “She’ll be worried about me, but she’ll support me. Besides, if I get killed you can always use that sword of yours and bring me back. There is just one thing... I can’t leave them until I know they’ll be safe while I’m gone.”

“There are several loyal to me that I would trust to watch over Rin. If you would permit them to come, I will make it known that their own lives depend on the safety of your mate and son as well,” Sesshomaru informed his brother.

“Keh, fine, but there is someone else I want here, too,” InuYasha agreed. “So, does Rin know?”

“I have decided not to tell her until after,” Sesshomaru told him. “I would ask that you allow Rin to stay in your home until I return from Totosai’s, and then remain here until after her place has been secured.”

“Kagome will be glad to have her here, I’m sure,” InuYasha offered.

“Then it is settled. Tell Rin I will return,” Sesshomaru said before taking on his energy form and disappearing into the distance.

InuYasha entered his home to find Taro showing his mother and Rin some of the things he had been learning in his training. “Kagome, I need to talk to you.”

Both women looked to him. “Where is Sesshomaru-sama?” Rin asked.

“He wants you to stay with us until he gets back,” InuYasha told her. “He wanted me to tell you that he will be back, so don’t worry.” Rin nodded her acceptance, and Kagome followed InuYasha outside.

“Where did Sesshomaru go?” Kagome asked.

“To see Totosai to commission a sword made from his fang, for Taro,” InuYasha replied.

Kagome frowned. “Taro doesn’t need a sword yet.”

“I know, and he ain’t getting it until he can handle it, but it was part of a deal I made with Sesshomaru,” InuYasha told her. “The other inu youkai don’t want him to take Rin as his mate and if he does, they are going to challenge him as Inu no Taisho. His pups will be hanyou, and they don’t think a hanyou can be strong enough to deserve that position. There’s only one way that they will accept his choice, and that’s if a hanyou takes on his strongest general and defeats him, proving that a hanyou can be as strong as any full youkai.”

“A hanyou... You... You’ve already agreed haven’t you?” Kagome asked.

“Kagome, I have to do this. I....” InuYasha started.

“I know,” Kagome interrupted. “He’s your brother.”

InuYasha hugged her. “I knew you would understand.”

“Of course I do,” Kagome said. “It’s what a family does. They support each other and help each other; and I know that this is also a way to prove that you are every bit your father’s son that Sesshomaru is. While I can’t say that I won’t be worried about you, I know that he wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t think that you could win. You aren’t going to let me come with you, are you?”

“You sound like you’re not going to argue with me about staying here,” InuYasha said, disbelief evident in his tone.

“Honestly, I want to be with you, but what if things don’t go like they’re supposed to? We can’t take Taro. I also wouldn’t want to leave him with mama, where he would be afraid for us, for however long it took us to return,” Kagome explained. “And I am assuming that Rin is staying here as well, and I can’t leave her alone. I just need you to promise that you’ll do anything and everything to see that you come back to me.”

“I promise,” InuYasha told her. “And you shouldn’t have to worry about anything. I am going to make sure you have plenty of protection while I’m gone.”

“I wasn’t worried,” she said with a smile. “I know you would never leave us if you didn’t think we’d be safe, and I’m not exactly helpless anymore, either.”

“You were never helpless. Clumsy, maybe, but not helpless,” he teased.

Kagome snorted and slapped his arm playfully. “Idiot.”

“Yeah that too,” he agreed with a laugh.

Kagome struggled half-heartedly in his arms. “You’re so insufferable sometimes. I don’t know how I put up with you.”

“You love me,” he breathed against her ear.

It wasn’t quite a question, but she answered him anyway, “Yes, always.”

Once Sesshomaru returned with the sword as promised, InuYasha took off on a mission of his own. It wasn’t one he was looking forward too, but it had to be done just the same. That it would be painful beyond measure didn’t matter; not when it came to the safety of Kagome and their child.

As soon as he entered the territory of the wolf demon, he found himself surrounded by a pack of wolves. Conveniently enough, they stank like the very youkai he was here to see.

“Oi, dog breath, what the hell are you doing here?” Kouga called as he joined his brothers.

InuYasha took a deep breath and prepared himself. “I need your help.”

Understandably shocked, Kouga stood gaping for several moments before deciding that he had heard the hanyou incorrectly and then asked, “What?”

With an audible sigh, InuYasha repeated, “I need your help.”

Granted, they had been on better terms when they last parted, when he lost his shards, but Kouga was still taken aback by being asked for his help by the half demon. So much was this the case, that he was prompted to skip all their usual taunting and get straight to the point. “With what?”

Relieved that the wolf youkai was at least going to hear him out, InuYasha explained, “I want you to protect Kagome and our son for me while I go to the Western Lands to help my brother secure a place for his future mate.”

Kouga hadn’t thought anything would render him more speechless than learning that the mutt needed his help with something, but he had been wrong. There was just so much to take in: Kagome was back, she had a son, and InuYasha was actually working with his full youkai older brother.

InuYasha waited impatiently while he allowed Kouga a few moments to process all the information he had just imparted.

Finally Kouga blinked several times and then spoke, “You said our son, so does that really mean that you and Kagome...”

“She’s my mate,” InuYasha said firmly, wanting there to be no confusion. “If you don’t want to help, then I’ll understand; but I figured since you once claimed to love her, that you might. I also know that if you agree that you’ll die before you let anything hurt her.”

“Why would anyone go after Kagome? The Shikon no Tama is gone, and I’m sure she could take care of any measly youkai that would attack her as a meal,” Kouga pressed.

InuYasha hadn’t really wanted to tell Kouga everything, but he figured that the wolf youkai did deserve to know the chance he would be taking. “The jewel ain’t gone exactly. It ain’t a jewel anymore either. Somehow our son holds the power of the shikon no tama inside of him, and there is something out there that wants that power. Kagome can take care of herself, but I don’t want to take any chances.”

Kouga crossed his arms. “Then why leave them at all?”

InuYasha closed his eyes briefly and dug his claws in to his palms. “Look, you don’t have any fucking clue how it feels to be completely alone. You’ve always had your pack, your brothers with you. For a long time I didn’t have anyone, then Kikyou came along. Now she’s dead and something that ain’t her is walking around trying to hurt Kagome, and maybe even take my son. I have Kagome and our pup, but I also have a chance to have a brother, too; and he needs my help, just like I need yours. So, will you fucking do it or not?”

“You really trust me to protect them?” the wolf youkai asked quietly.

Resolute and knowing that it was the truth, InuYasha answered, “Yes.”

Kouga nodded solemnly and then grinned. “I still don’t know what the hell Kagome sees in you, but you must be smarter than I thought. I’ll do it.”

“Keh, thanks,” InuYasha offered reluctantly.

“Damn that must have been hard for you,” Kouga laughed. “You must really care about her to go through all this for her, and it’s a good thing too, since it’s what she deserves. So, when do you leave?”

“As soon as possible,” InuYasha replied.

“Okay. I have to go let the others know where I am going, and then I’ll head your way. Hell, I’ll probably even beat you there, as slow as you are. It’ll give me and Kagome time to get reacquainted with out you barking and drooling all over us,” he taunted.

“Whatever, flea bag,” InuYasha snorted. “It don’t make no difference who gets there first, since Kagome is already my mate. Not that I’m saying you could beat me there or anything.”

“We’ll see,” Kouga called with a wave as he took off.

“Yeah we will!” InuYasha yelled after him and then headed for home muttering under his breath, “Arrogant bastard.”

InuYasha was cursing loudly as his home came into sight. The damn wolf had beaten him through no fault of his own. The blame fell on the nest of serpent youkai he had stumbled into in his haste. If he hadn’t had to waste time killing the bastards, and then even more time cleaning their guts out of his hair, he surely would have beaten Kouga. As he could see it, the only plus was that Kouga was currently standing very far away from his mate, and keeping a wary eye on Sesshomaru.

He smirked as Kouga called out to him, “Oi, mutt face, call off your dog already.”

InuYasha was hard pressed not to laugh as Sesshomaru growled menacingly. “You would do well to remember who it is you are speaking to, wolf. This Sesshomaru does not tolerate disrespect towards any member of his family.”

“It’s okay, Sesshomaru. I asked him to come,” InuYasha said at last.

“Then I am to assume that you asked him to embrace your mate when he arrived, and that he had your permission to attempt to persuade her into leaving you,” his brother questioned.

“He did what!” The hanyou bellowed.

“InuYasha,” Kagome said, attempting to soothe her hanyou. “It was just a friendly hug. It has been years since we’ve seen each other, after all, and I’m sure he was only joking about the other part. Right, Kouga?”

“You can’t blame a guy for trying, can you?” Kouga asked with a cocky grin.

“The hell I can’t,” InuYasha snarled, lunging at the wolf youkai.

“InuYasha!” Kagome cried.

Kouga jumped out of the way. “Easy, dog breath! I was just fucking with you. I don’t know why she chose you, but she did. It was just for old time’s sake.”

InuYasha stopped trying to attack Kouga and narrowed his eyes at the wolf youkai. “Fine, but keep your hands off of my mate from now on. Got it! I only asked you to come because I thought I could trust you to take care of her for me, not to try and take her from me.”

“Oh, InuYasha, don’t you understand by now that no one could ever do that?” Kagome asked quietly, reaching for his hand.

“Keh,” InuYasha muttered, trying not to blush.

“I love you, and only you, you big dummy,” she teased.

“What about me mama? Don’t you love me too?” Taro asked, tugging on the hem of her kimono.

“Of course I do, baby,” Kagome told her son with a smile. “Now let’s all go inside. Rin must be wondering what all the fuss is about.”

InuYasha brought up the rear of the group with his son walking beside him. He glanced down as Taro grabbed his hand. “Something the matter?”

“Is that man going to be staying here while you’re gone?” he questioned.

“Yeah. He’s going to watch out for you and your mother,” InuYasha replied.

“Does he have to?” Taro pressed.

“What’s wrong? Did he say something to you?” InuYasha demanded, kneeling down to look his son in the eyes.

The little boy shook his head. “He was nice to me, and said I was actually a pretty cute kid for being half dog, but... Never mind.”

InuYasha frowned. “Tell me.”

“I don’t want you to get mad at me. When I asked you why Kikyou-sama stank you got upset...” the boy admitted.

InuYasha’s lips twisted up into a smile and he actually started to laugh. “So you don’t want him staying with you and your mother because you think he smells bad?”

The boy nodded and InuYasha laughed harder.

“So you aren’t mad at me?” Taro asked.

“I ain’t mad. He does stink, and it’s his own fault for being a filthy wolf. Don’t worry. You get used to it after a while, and he won’t be staying in the house. The truth is, I wouldn’t want him here either, but he’s one of the few people I know that I trust to protect you and your mother,” InuYasha explained. “Understand?”

“I can protect mama,” Taro said indignantly.

“I know you can,” InuYasha agreed. “But it can’t hurt to have more people looking out for her, and it’s just for a little while.”

Taro sighed heavily. “Okay, but only because I don’t want anything bad to happen to mama. And you’ll be back as fast as you can, right?”

“You can count on it,” InuYasha replied. “Now, it smells like your mother is making ramen, and I, for one, don’t want that stinking wolf getting mine.”

Dinner wasn’t what anyone could call a comfortable affair; but it didn’t last overly long, and no one tried to kill anyone, so it went as well as could be expected. Kouga left as soon as he finished eating, and Sesshomaru followed so that the wolf could be introduced to the guards he had sent for as a precautionary measure.

When Rin offered to put Taro to bed, and the little boy seemed excited by the idea, Kagome and InuYasha gratefully accepted. With InuYasha leaving in the morning, it would be good to have this time alone, together, especially considering that they had only recently made up.

The spoke in low, serious tones for quite some time of precautions that should be taken, and of what should be done if different things came to pass, before setting into each others arms. They made love quietly, since Rin and Taro were likely sleeping, but InuYasha doubted that they had been quiet enough to keep the youkai nearby from hearing. When he realized that would mean that the wolf was hearing them as well, he roused a drowsing Kagome for another round; and when he finally fell asleep, it was with a satisfied smile. Now, the mangy bastard sure as hell couldn’t claim that Kagome wasn’t happy and satisfied with him. Nope, he had definitely satisfied her, multiple times in fact.

Morning came far too soon for either of them, but there was nothing to be done about it. They shared a quiet breakfast before it was time for InuYasha and Sesshomaru to head out. Most likely the trip would take at least four days: one day to get there, one to prepare, one to fight, and one to return.

“Rin, you will be safe here until I return,” Sesshomaru told the tearful young woman.

While she did not know exactly what was going on, she sensed the seriousness of the situation, and was worried about the youkai lord. “Yes, Sesshomaru-sama.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” InuYasha told his son. “Take care of your mother for me.”

“I will,” the boy said seriously.

The older hanyou looked at Kagome, trying to convey to her all of the things he couldn’t say with so many people around, watching and listening. “Stay safe.”

She smiled and nodded. “I’ll miss you. Hurry back.” She stepped closer to him and kissed his lips softly. “I love you.” When his hand cupped her cheek she whispered, “It’s okay, I know.”

“Oi, wolf!” InuYasha called. “I’m trusting you. Don’t fuck up.”

Kouga wanted to tease the hanyou, but instead nodded solemnly.

With a last look back, both brothers headed off into the west.