InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When a door closes... ❯ The Talks ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Namiyo11 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 246 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 246 | Status: Completed
Chapter 8- The Talks
Recap: Kagome’s new bow is supposedly powerful, but it cost her dearly, as she has sworn herself to Sesshomaru’s pack. She knows the truth behind Inuyasha’s recent actions and has begun to use her new powers...what now?
No, I don’t own Inuyasha, and I’m certain you know that.
Evening came and they had reached the edge of civilized lands, but no villages were nearby. Inuyasha located a clearing near a hot spring that would do for the night and they began to set up camp. It didn’t take long, they were all seasoned travelers, and soon a fire was built and the sleeping bags Kagome had brought them long ago were set up.
“Well, I need a bath! Sango?” Kagome asked, grabbing her battered yellow backpack.
“Good idea, those streams weren’t much use,” she agreed, rising to join her friend.
“Could I perhaps assist you ladies-”
“Pervert!” Sango snapped as the pair left. Miroku grinned at her retreating back.
“Don’t take too long! I’m hungry,” Inuyasha barked after them as he settled by the fire to stare into it. The monk waited until the women were out of earshot, and looked serious as he studied his friend. When he wasn’t spying on the women, they often talked while they waited for them, and it was usually interesting. He’d come to value the hanyou’s opinions on certain things, not to mention most monks would never get the chance to talk to any youkai like this.
“We need to talk, Inuyasha. I’d like to help with what’s troubling you,” he said gravely.
***
Not too far away, Sango stripped and jumped into the spring with a sigh.
“Hot water! Ahhh,” she stretched her arms and dunked her head.
“Yeah,” Kagome tried to casually follow her lead, and take off the moon pendant with her shirt to conceal it from her friend. It didn’t budge. ‘I can’t take it off??’ She thought, shocked. The hanyouyanked hard, pulling and twisting.
“Kagome? What’s wrong?” Sango asked, getting out as Kagome seemingly fought with her own clothes.
“Nothing! Everything’s fine!”
“No, it’s not. Are you stuck on something?” Sango reached over to help her, wondering if she’d gotten tangled somehow.
“No!” Too late. The pendant caught her eye and Sango grabbed it in her hand, gaping.
“This is a youkai mark pendant! Kagome, where did you get this?! That’s-that’s Sessh-mnph!” Sango’s voice rose until Kagome clapped a clawed hand over her mouth.
“You can’t tell them! You have to promise, Sango! Please!” Kagome pleaded in a hiss.
Sesshomaru hadn’t said she couldn’t tell other people, just not Inuyasha yet. Perhaps it just as well, she needed advice! Sango hesitated and nodded slowly, one of Kagome’s hands still over her mouth. Kagome let her go and finished stripping, getting into the water herself.
“Tell me everything, Kagome!” the tajiya demanded, eyes wide and tone worried.
“Only if you tell me what’s wrong with you and Miroku!” Kagome replied, she was worried about them.
“A-alright,” Sango sighed. “Who first?”
***
“What do mean, monk? There’s nothing wrong!” Inuyasha growled.
“Oh? And I suppose you didn’t bite her on the neck in a mating ritual. Finally,” Miroku had the pleasure of watching the hanyou twitch.
“Does everybody know? What’s wrong with you people? Stay out of it! Or is a little privacy too much to ask?” he snapped at the monk.
“When you’re friends with people trained in the ways of youkai, you should expect these things to be noticed,” the monk chided, not unkindly. “I personally expect to officiate at the wedding, since it took you two long enough.”
“Huh?” Inuyasha blinked.
“What? You want Kaede instead? I’m hurt. Or did you plan on only a youkai ceremony?”
“No, wait...you said you expected us to get together before! Miroku, until three weeks ago, she was a mortal!”
“And? Where did you come from?” Miroku asked easily, getting a confused look.
“That’s different!”
“How?” Miroku studied the hanyou intently.
“I’m not my father. I would never put Kagome through that kind of life,” Inuyasha looked down at the ground, clutching the Tetsusaiga where it rested against his chest.
“Hm. Too noble for your own good, my friend. I’d have snapped her up as soon as she ripened.”
“Oh? Like Sango? You sure haven’t gotten far there in three years,” Inuyasha said dryly, looking up.
“Hey! She agreed to m-marry me,” Miroku replied, looking faintly panicked as he said ‘marry’.
“Uh huh. Run, and she’ll hunt you down,” Inuyasha said.
“I know,” the monk sighed.
“Heh, might as well spill whatever’s bothering you before you keel over. Not that I care,” Inuyasha said, leaning back on his hands with a fine show of unconcern.
“Ah...of course not. Perhaps confession is good for the soul. Here’s the problem,” he started to talk.
***
“Why did you ever agree, Kagome? You can’t undo a pack oath!” Sango said, stunned as Kagome, unable to look at her, confessed everything. The tree incident, Sesshomaru’s demand, and her oath.
“I didn’t have a choice, Sango. I’ve already almost turned once, and...I couldn’t put you all in danger.”
“Maybe we could’ve done something else! The oath’s for life, if he wants you to do something you have to do it! Oh, Kagome,” Sango looked so upset Kagome apologized at once.
“I’m sorry, I know I should’ve gotten advice before I said yes, but when Inuyasha tried to sleep with me, and then Totosai...I guess I screwed up,” she sighed.
“You have to tell Inuyasha. He loves you, he can help! Even if he was a baka for not explaining.”
“No! I...I can’t,” Kagome told her sadly.
“Why-he ordered you not to, didn’t he,” it wasn‘t a question. “That sneaky-oh! That’s what he wants. I’d bet on it,” Sango suddenly said.
“What? Why did he do that, you think?” Kagome leaned forward in interest.
“Sesshomaru’s a pack leader, right? I think...he wants Inuyasha under his control, so he can‘t ever challenge him. If he claims you and mates to you now, he’s allied to Sesshomaru and beholden to him for permitting him to have a female of his pack. You and Inuyasha could never form your own pack and threaten his, your bond would keep you from it. He could even annul your mating if he wished to. Father told me so once,” Sango said with concern. This was no casual alliance she’d entered into!
“No. He wouldn’t do that,” Kagome shook her head decisively.
“How can you be sure?” Sango asked, and Kagome met her gaze without flinching.
“He wouldn’t part us. I know it. He wants Inuyasha with him, yes. I think it has to do with the truce. Naraku‘s gone, and he doesn’t want to fight anymore. He could never join our pack or clan any other way, you know he wouldn’t ever show proper throat to Sesshomaru,” Kagome argued, not even noticing the self-identification as a packmate and clanswoman, but Sango did. Also that she had automatically said ‘proper throat’.
‘Already? The packbond is as strong as father said...’ Sango thought in concern.
“I hope you're right about his intentions. At least it would be good for them to stop fighting. If it can‘t be undone, we‘ll have to make the most of it. The bond works both ways, Kagome. He is responsible for you, and you have to help him, but you have us too,” she noted. Kagome shook her head in refusal.
“It doesn’t obligate you!”
“We’re your friends. We stick together,” Sango said without hesitation.
“Thanks, Sango. I’m dreading when Inuyasha finds out about this...and Kikyou.”
“Kikyou?” Sango looked confused.
***
“You gotta tell her, monk. What are you going to do, pretend everything’s fine? You’ll hate each other after awhile, I even know that!” Inuyasha said bluntly.
“True. But how? She has her heart set on living in the village,” Miroku said sadly.
“She can visit. Besides, the land is crawling with youkai now that Naraku’s gone. You should’ve seen her jump right into saying she’d take them down. Maybe she ain’t ready to retire yet,” the hanyou said thoughtfully.
“She did? When was this?”
“When you were out of it with your injuries. We’ve just been lucky so far we haven’t been attacked,” Inuyasha pointed out.
“Huh. She never said anything,” Miroku commented.
“Might take years, taking out the dangerous ones,” he continued as the monk considered.
“Years?” Seeing the monk perk up, Inuyasha tossed a pebble at him.
“You’re telling her before then you don‘t want to settle down! ‘Course, you‘ll have to stop grabbing asses too,” he ordered.
“I know.” Miroku sighed mournfully.
***
“You laid her to rest? Kagome, I-”
“Yeah. He loved her, Sango, but she-she wasn’t there anymore. She died fifty years ago. What was left should’ve been killed long ago, even she knew it at the end. But he’ll never forgive me.”
“It sounds like you had no choice! She was going to use you, I’m no priestess, but it doesn’t sound like she meant for anything to be left of you. If he can’t understand that, he shouldn’t be your mate, husband or anything else!” Sango said hotly, gesturing for emphasis.
“Speaking of...what about Miroku? All we’ve done is talk about me,” Kagome asked. The woman’s face fell at the question.
“Oh, Kagome, what am I going to say?”
“You haven’t told him your...not, um,” Kagome blushed.
“No. I couldn’t. I tried though! I know I have to, he has the right to know and he will anyway as soon as we...well, you know. Besides, even if he overlooks it, I don’t want to be stuck in a hut somewhere. I can’t live like that, I am the last tajiya, it can’t end like that!” Sango said bleakly as her head tilted back against the rocks.
“It doesn’t have to! Sango, maybe you and he can work something out. Like...a career woman back in my time. Lots of women there work and have families, and were with guys before they married,” Kagome offered, adding staunchly, “and if he’s stuck on some idea like you have to be a virgin...he doesn’t deserve you either!” Sango had to grin at that, bolstered by her friend’s support as she passed her a towel.
***
“As for you and Kagome, Inuyasha, my advice is to take your own and be honest with her. If she knew what you truly intended, she’ll be angry, yes, and maybe Osuwari you a few times, but she does love you. She’s put up with you for this long. The love and devotion of a woman is a precious thing, and Kagome has given you hers,” Miroku said mildly as Inuyasha’s ears lowered at the horrible word.
“But she said no, I mean, she totally rejected me,” he admitted awkwardly with a glare at Miroku. He had informed him he’d beg for the mercy of death if he ever told anyone what happened!
“Because she thought you were trying to sleep with her out of nowhere, probably. You’ve never even fondled her, after all. Even when she’s been right there, bouncing against you all day. Considering how firm and supple-” Miroku broke off at the low growl.
“Sorry. Old habit,” he waved a hand. “If you were to properly approach her, I have no doubt she’d agree at once,” the monk reassured the nervy hanyou.
“You...really think so? I mean, I don’t have much to offer her. You really wouldn‘t have minded before?” Inuyasha said with a silly expression, the same one he’d flashed for almost three years every single time her name came up during their talks. The one that he wasn’t even aware of.
“Mind? None of us would have even before this happened. Kaede, Sango, even Shippo feel the same as I do. You’re a fine person, and so is she, and we all have seen how you feel. You both might as well have carried signs around saying you belonged to each other,” Miroku said, chuckling.
“Feh! We’d probably be together by now if you hadn’t kept screwing up with Sango with your ‘cursed’ hands,” Inuyasha accused.
“Ahhh...but those were good times, my friend. Good times. It was one hell of an excuse!” The monk said with a grin.
Original Author’s notes- ‘Whoot! I’m really pleased with this one, I hope it reads well! Thanks for reading. I wanted to say it's a pleasure to entertain you. Namiyo’
Recap: Kagome’s new bow is supposedly powerful, but it cost her dearly, as she has sworn herself to Sesshomaru’s pack. She knows the truth behind Inuyasha’s recent actions and has begun to use her new powers...what now?
No, I don’t own Inuyasha, and I’m certain you know that.
Evening came and they had reached the edge of civilized lands, but no villages were nearby. Inuyasha located a clearing near a hot spring that would do for the night and they began to set up camp. It didn’t take long, they were all seasoned travelers, and soon a fire was built and the sleeping bags Kagome had brought them long ago were set up.
“Well, I need a bath! Sango?” Kagome asked, grabbing her battered yellow backpack.
“Good idea, those streams weren’t much use,” she agreed, rising to join her friend.
“Could I perhaps assist you ladies-”
“Pervert!” Sango snapped as the pair left. Miroku grinned at her retreating back.
“Don’t take too long! I’m hungry,” Inuyasha barked after them as he settled by the fire to stare into it. The monk waited until the women were out of earshot, and looked serious as he studied his friend. When he wasn’t spying on the women, they often talked while they waited for them, and it was usually interesting. He’d come to value the hanyou’s opinions on certain things, not to mention most monks would never get the chance to talk to any youkai like this.
“We need to talk, Inuyasha. I’d like to help with what’s troubling you,” he said gravely.
***
Not too far away, Sango stripped and jumped into the spring with a sigh.
“Hot water! Ahhh,” she stretched her arms and dunked her head.
“Yeah,” Kagome tried to casually follow her lead, and take off the moon pendant with her shirt to conceal it from her friend. It didn’t budge. ‘I can’t take it off??’ She thought, shocked. The hanyouyanked hard, pulling and twisting.
“Kagome? What’s wrong?” Sango asked, getting out as Kagome seemingly fought with her own clothes.
“Nothing! Everything’s fine!”
“No, it’s not. Are you stuck on something?” Sango reached over to help her, wondering if she’d gotten tangled somehow.
“No!” Too late. The pendant caught her eye and Sango grabbed it in her hand, gaping.
“This is a youkai mark pendant! Kagome, where did you get this?! That’s-that’s Sessh-mnph!” Sango’s voice rose until Kagome clapped a clawed hand over her mouth.
“You can’t tell them! You have to promise, Sango! Please!” Kagome pleaded in a hiss.
Sesshomaru hadn’t said she couldn’t tell other people, just not Inuyasha yet. Perhaps it just as well, she needed advice! Sango hesitated and nodded slowly, one of Kagome’s hands still over her mouth. Kagome let her go and finished stripping, getting into the water herself.
“Tell me everything, Kagome!” the tajiya demanded, eyes wide and tone worried.
“Only if you tell me what’s wrong with you and Miroku!” Kagome replied, she was worried about them.
“A-alright,” Sango sighed. “Who first?”
***
“What do mean, monk? There’s nothing wrong!” Inuyasha growled.
“Oh? And I suppose you didn’t bite her on the neck in a mating ritual. Finally,” Miroku had the pleasure of watching the hanyou twitch.
“Does everybody know? What’s wrong with you people? Stay out of it! Or is a little privacy too much to ask?” he snapped at the monk.
“When you’re friends with people trained in the ways of youkai, you should expect these things to be noticed,” the monk chided, not unkindly. “I personally expect to officiate at the wedding, since it took you two long enough.”
“Huh?” Inuyasha blinked.
“What? You want Kaede instead? I’m hurt. Or did you plan on only a youkai ceremony?”
“No, wait...you said you expected us to get together before! Miroku, until three weeks ago, she was a mortal!”
“And? Where did you come from?” Miroku asked easily, getting a confused look.
“That’s different!”
“How?” Miroku studied the hanyou intently.
“I’m not my father. I would never put Kagome through that kind of life,” Inuyasha looked down at the ground, clutching the Tetsusaiga where it rested against his chest.
“Hm. Too noble for your own good, my friend. I’d have snapped her up as soon as she ripened.”
“Oh? Like Sango? You sure haven’t gotten far there in three years,” Inuyasha said dryly, looking up.
“Hey! She agreed to m-marry me,” Miroku replied, looking faintly panicked as he said ‘marry’.
“Uh huh. Run, and she’ll hunt you down,” Inuyasha said.
“I know,” the monk sighed.
“Heh, might as well spill whatever’s bothering you before you keel over. Not that I care,” Inuyasha said, leaning back on his hands with a fine show of unconcern.
“Ah...of course not. Perhaps confession is good for the soul. Here’s the problem,” he started to talk.
***
“Why did you ever agree, Kagome? You can’t undo a pack oath!” Sango said, stunned as Kagome, unable to look at her, confessed everything. The tree incident, Sesshomaru’s demand, and her oath.
“I didn’t have a choice, Sango. I’ve already almost turned once, and...I couldn’t put you all in danger.”
“Maybe we could’ve done something else! The oath’s for life, if he wants you to do something you have to do it! Oh, Kagome,” Sango looked so upset Kagome apologized at once.
“I’m sorry, I know I should’ve gotten advice before I said yes, but when Inuyasha tried to sleep with me, and then Totosai...I guess I screwed up,” she sighed.
“You have to tell Inuyasha. He loves you, he can help! Even if he was a baka for not explaining.”
“No! I...I can’t,” Kagome told her sadly.
“Why-he ordered you not to, didn’t he,” it wasn‘t a question. “That sneaky-oh! That’s what he wants. I’d bet on it,” Sango suddenly said.
“What? Why did he do that, you think?” Kagome leaned forward in interest.
“Sesshomaru’s a pack leader, right? I think...he wants Inuyasha under his control, so he can‘t ever challenge him. If he claims you and mates to you now, he’s allied to Sesshomaru and beholden to him for permitting him to have a female of his pack. You and Inuyasha could never form your own pack and threaten his, your bond would keep you from it. He could even annul your mating if he wished to. Father told me so once,” Sango said with concern. This was no casual alliance she’d entered into!
“No. He wouldn’t do that,” Kagome shook her head decisively.
“How can you be sure?” Sango asked, and Kagome met her gaze without flinching.
“He wouldn’t part us. I know it. He wants Inuyasha with him, yes. I think it has to do with the truce. Naraku‘s gone, and he doesn’t want to fight anymore. He could never join our pack or clan any other way, you know he wouldn’t ever show proper throat to Sesshomaru,” Kagome argued, not even noticing the self-identification as a packmate and clanswoman, but Sango did. Also that she had automatically said ‘proper throat’.
‘Already? The packbond is as strong as father said...’ Sango thought in concern.
“I hope you're right about his intentions. At least it would be good for them to stop fighting. If it can‘t be undone, we‘ll have to make the most of it. The bond works both ways, Kagome. He is responsible for you, and you have to help him, but you have us too,” she noted. Kagome shook her head in refusal.
“It doesn’t obligate you!”
“We’re your friends. We stick together,” Sango said without hesitation.
“Thanks, Sango. I’m dreading when Inuyasha finds out about this...and Kikyou.”
“Kikyou?” Sango looked confused.
***
“You gotta tell her, monk. What are you going to do, pretend everything’s fine? You’ll hate each other after awhile, I even know that!” Inuyasha said bluntly.
“True. But how? She has her heart set on living in the village,” Miroku said sadly.
“She can visit. Besides, the land is crawling with youkai now that Naraku’s gone. You should’ve seen her jump right into saying she’d take them down. Maybe she ain’t ready to retire yet,” the hanyou said thoughtfully.
“She did? When was this?”
“When you were out of it with your injuries. We’ve just been lucky so far we haven’t been attacked,” Inuyasha pointed out.
“Huh. She never said anything,” Miroku commented.
“Might take years, taking out the dangerous ones,” he continued as the monk considered.
“Years?” Seeing the monk perk up, Inuyasha tossed a pebble at him.
“You’re telling her before then you don‘t want to settle down! ‘Course, you‘ll have to stop grabbing asses too,” he ordered.
“I know.” Miroku sighed mournfully.
***
“You laid her to rest? Kagome, I-”
“Yeah. He loved her, Sango, but she-she wasn’t there anymore. She died fifty years ago. What was left should’ve been killed long ago, even she knew it at the end. But he’ll never forgive me.”
“It sounds like you had no choice! She was going to use you, I’m no priestess, but it doesn’t sound like she meant for anything to be left of you. If he can’t understand that, he shouldn’t be your mate, husband or anything else!” Sango said hotly, gesturing for emphasis.
“Speaking of...what about Miroku? All we’ve done is talk about me,” Kagome asked. The woman’s face fell at the question.
“Oh, Kagome, what am I going to say?”
“You haven’t told him your...not, um,” Kagome blushed.
“No. I couldn’t. I tried though! I know I have to, he has the right to know and he will anyway as soon as we...well, you know. Besides, even if he overlooks it, I don’t want to be stuck in a hut somewhere. I can’t live like that, I am the last tajiya, it can’t end like that!” Sango said bleakly as her head tilted back against the rocks.
“It doesn’t have to! Sango, maybe you and he can work something out. Like...a career woman back in my time. Lots of women there work and have families, and were with guys before they married,” Kagome offered, adding staunchly, “and if he’s stuck on some idea like you have to be a virgin...he doesn’t deserve you either!” Sango had to grin at that, bolstered by her friend’s support as she passed her a towel.
***
“As for you and Kagome, Inuyasha, my advice is to take your own and be honest with her. If she knew what you truly intended, she’ll be angry, yes, and maybe Osuwari you a few times, but she does love you. She’s put up with you for this long. The love and devotion of a woman is a precious thing, and Kagome has given you hers,” Miroku said mildly as Inuyasha’s ears lowered at the horrible word.
“But she said no, I mean, she totally rejected me,” he admitted awkwardly with a glare at Miroku. He had informed him he’d beg for the mercy of death if he ever told anyone what happened!
“Because she thought you were trying to sleep with her out of nowhere, probably. You’ve never even fondled her, after all. Even when she’s been right there, bouncing against you all day. Considering how firm and supple-” Miroku broke off at the low growl.
“Sorry. Old habit,” he waved a hand. “If you were to properly approach her, I have no doubt she’d agree at once,” the monk reassured the nervy hanyou.
“You...really think so? I mean, I don’t have much to offer her. You really wouldn‘t have minded before?” Inuyasha said with a silly expression, the same one he’d flashed for almost three years every single time her name came up during their talks. The one that he wasn’t even aware of.
“Mind? None of us would have even before this happened. Kaede, Sango, even Shippo feel the same as I do. You’re a fine person, and so is she, and we all have seen how you feel. You both might as well have carried signs around saying you belonged to each other,” Miroku said, chuckling.
“Feh! We’d probably be together by now if you hadn’t kept screwing up with Sango with your ‘cursed’ hands,” Inuyasha accused.
“Ahhh...but those were good times, my friend. Good times. It was one hell of an excuse!” The monk said with a grin.
Original Author’s notes- ‘Whoot! I’m really pleased with this one, I hope it reads well! Thanks for reading. I wanted to say it's a pleasure to entertain you. Namiyo’