InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Yozora ❯ Guilt ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I in no way gain any profit from writing this story. Inuyasha and co. belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I OWN NOTHING!!!!

Chapter 8

Guilt~**~**

Inuyasha knew that he was only making the situation worse for himself. She was attached to him! He could feel it and after yesterdays events it only became more apparent. Yozora would NOT leave his side. He couldn't even take a piss!

Sure, she'd gotten a bad scare yesterday, but damn! She was incorrigible, and starting to get annoying. He was partly mad at himself too. He'd let her get so close to becoming wolf chow!

He growled irritably, which was heard by everyone.

“Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, “Are you okay? You've been in a bad mood all day.”

He shrugged. There was no way he would tell her he almost got Yozora killed! Oh yeah, he'd never hear the end of it. `You're so irresponsible! You're such a jerk! You're a horrible father!'

“Did something happen?” Miroku inquired.

Inuyasha didn't even look at them. “No! Just drop it okay?!”

“You're a horrible liar, you know that right?” Miroku pointed out with a sly look.

“Just shut up!” He snapped curtly, slightly baring his fangs. Yozora's only thought was, `Those idiots! The alpha wants to be left alone! Leave him alone!' She was much too shy to say it aloud however.

“We are only trying to help.” Sango frowned, petting Kirara, who was resting on her shoulders.

Inuyasha scoffed. “Keh! I don't need your help!”

Kagome, who had tried to stay out of this one, was getting a headache and growing tired of their banter. “Osuwari.” She sighed, massaging her temples.

Inuyasha let out a gasp of protest as he tried to fight the effects of the beads, but to no avail. His les gave out and he crashed into the ground, making an Inuyasha shaped crater.

Yozora jumped back quickly to avoid being caught in his journey into the dirt. She threw a disgusted glare at Kagome, and then proceeded to help him out of the ground. She grabbed a sleeve of his kariginu and tried to pull him up.

Inuyasha shook his arm away from the girl cantankerously and growled fiercely as he rolled over and sat up. Yozora drew back, but wasn't too put off. The older half demon Jumped in front of Kagome. “What the hell was that for!!” He shouted.

Kagome just wrinkled her nose and groaned. “You're giving me a headache!”

“What kind of excuse is that?!”

“Just be quiet please.” She asked.

“Hmph!” Inuyasha turned away and walked away. Yozora close behind…

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Inuyasha bit his lip in irritation. “What do you want?” He snapped.

Her ears twitched in surprise then she pointed to his chest.

“What?” He asked again. “These?” He held up the kotodama beads.

She nodded and growled. “Why do they hurt you when she says that word?”

“It's a stupid curse Kagome put on me.” He answered with a slight snarl.

“Why?” She whined irritably.

Inuyasha caught her tone and raised an eyebrow. “You really don't like Kagome, do you?”

She shook her head in disgust at the mention of her.

“Why don't you like her? Sure she's annoying and too pampered for her own good, but what's your reason?”

She frowned and crossed her arms. “She's disrespectful of you! You're the alpha, but she keeps undercutting you! It's not right! She isn't following pack rules! Why don't you punish her?”

Inuyasha was taken aback from her outburst. He paused for a second, trying to find the words. “She's a human. They all are. They don't have the same guidelines. Humans aren't as organized as us. Sure, sometimes she goes overboard, but I can't say that she never does it without justification. I kind of deserved these…” he said with obvious shame.

“What do you mean?” she whimpered.

“I've done a lot of things I'm… less than proud of…” the older hanyou muttered. “I've hurt a lot of people… I don't even deserve to have them as my friends…”

He though of them as his friends?! “But they're humes!” She growled.

“And? You're half human too.”

She looked unhappy about his comment.

“Kagome put these on me because I attacked her. I lowered myself to attacking a defenseless girl… I more than deserved these. I'm a monster…”

Yozora snuggled into side. “No you're not!”

“Thanks kid…” He growled with a slight smirk, tousling her hair. “Kagome's not all bad. She just doesn't understand out ways. Besides… it's not everyday you find someone who doesn't care whether you're a hanyou or not… She's never judged me, or anyone because of what they are. She's the most trustworthy person I know... Please, be nice to her, she's a great friend and a powerful ally. At first she's kind of annoying, but she grows on you, ya know?”

Yozora nodded. She would try, for her daddy, she would try her hardest. Yet somehow, she felt those words meant more to her daddy than to her. Perhaps she was more to him than she thought. She cocked her head to the side slightly as the wheels in her head began to turn.

“C'mon kid. Let's get back before Kagome gets mad and sits me again.” He ushered.

A person hidden in the bushes wiped her eyes in sadness and shame in herself. She would definitely need to make this up to him. She had abused her power for much too long.

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Inuyasha was in a slightly better mood, but still pretty bad. Shippo hadn't made it any better by saying “Hey grumpy! What's wrong with you, can't you be in a good mood some time in your life?”

Inuyasha swallowed his anger as best he could, not wanting to eat dirt again, and vowed to get revenge somehow.

And he did. Six hours of it, straight hiking, all through lunch and it was nearing night time.

Kagome hated what she had to do now. She didn't feel like fighting, so sitting was out of the question. She was so tired and so were the others. They hadn't stopped since dawn and it was almost sunset now. She did the only thing she could now... Beg.

“Inuyasha, can we please stop? I'm tired, Sango's tired, Miroku's tried, we're all tired! We just can't keep up with you! It's cruel for you to think we can.”

“Keh!” He grunted, but didn't stop.

“Inuyasha! What about Yozora?” She pleaded.

He looked down at said girl. She was red-faced with exertion and looked miserable. He sighed in defeat. “Okay…”

They set up camp not too far from there, all relived to rest. Inuyasha was getting glares from every one, except Yozora who was snuggled against him. But he thought it annoying more than nice.

He tapped his foot in annoyance as Yozora linked her little arm through his and rubbed her head against his upper arm. Couldn't she tell he didn't like to be touched? That he wanted to be left alone?

While Sango, Kirara, and Miroku were fairly quiet, Kagome and Shippo were singing some annoying little song as they cooked dinner that was really getting on his nerves. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He needed some space to think right now. He needed to figure out what he was going to do now. Was he still fit to take care of her after what had happened?

Finally, he couldn't take it! He growled harshly at her and gave her one loud, sharp bark. “Leave me alone brat!”

Yozora drew back suddenly, as if she'd be struck. Her ears went flat and she began a high pitched whine, tears welling in her eyes.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, he hadn't been thinking! He hadn't meant to be so harsh!

“Awesome parenting skills, Inuyasha.” Shippou sneered. Inuyasha gulped, not knowing what to do, or how to console her. He did what he did when he made Kagome mad. He left.

Kagome rolled her eyes as Inuyasha quickly wandered off. “Sorry about him… He's a jerk sometimes.”

Yozora looked up to her and nodded, only slightly. “W-why i-is… he… ma-mad?” She sniffled.

Kagome had never heard he speak before, at least not in anything other than Inu. He voice was soft, gentle, like chimes in the spring breeze. Kagome sighed as she looked over her shoulder at where he'd disappeared into the forest. “He's just grumpy sometimes. Don't take it to heart, he doesn't mean half of what he says.”

Yozora looked at her questioningly. Could she trust this hume's explanation? This Kagome, she didn't like her, but she'd known her daddy for much longer. She promised him that she'd be nicer, so this was her chance.

Kagome saw the confliction in the girl's eyes. “I'll go talk to him for you okay?” She smiled. Yozora gave her a silent `yes' with her head.

Kagome turned to the others. “I'm gonna go find him before he gets into any more trouble.” Her companions agreed to watch Yozora until they came back.

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Inuyasha was in a nearby field, flat and had white flowers spread in bunches here and there. He looked up at the sky, which had turned a deep navy blue, stars dotting the horizon. He sighed, everything about the night seemed to remind him of the little girl back at camp, whose feelings he'd crushed.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Kagome coming toward him.

“Hey, can I sit here?” Kagome asked softly, kneeling close to him. He looked a little surprised, but nodded with a slight blush. She lay next to him in he flowers. He was propped up by only his arms.

“Are you okay?” Kagome inquired sincerely.

“Yeah, I guess… I'm just… mad.” He muttered.

“At what? Or who?”

“Myself, mostly…”

She looked at him with understanding. “Why?”

“Just a lot of stupid things…” He explained. “I keep messing up. I'm not cut out to do the dad-thing. Probably why I was born a half-demon.” He smirked sardonically.

She smiled, seeing the small bit of sarcastic humor in his voice. “You aren't that bad… I mean, you just need some more experience is all. What happened?”

“No… Just being out here, chasing after Naraku, I'm putting her so much danger it's sad. I almost let her get eaten!” He sighed heavily.

Kagome blinked a couple of times, “Eaten?!”

“Yeah, see even you agree…”

“Whoa, wait, wait, wait! Eaten? Did I hear you right?” Kagome was practically speechless.

“Not helping…” He said in sing-song voice.

“Sorry,” She apologized quickly. “What happened exactly?”

“I fell asleep. She wandered off and when I woke up, she was screaming for her life. A bunch of Kouga's wolves thought they might have Inu-hanyou for lunch.” Inuyasha growled.

“Kouga's wolves?!” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah, he even showed up. I'd know his stench anywhere. What pisses me off more is that he was right! ” He grumbled dejectedly. “I let her stare death in the face, I let her wander off, and I didn't even notice there was danger near!”

“What did he say?”

“Does it matter?…” He asked back, “He's right… I'm just not a dad-type…”

“Oh, please, don't tell me you let him get to you? We both know he's as much, if not more of an idiot as you. What would he know about children?” Kagome scoffed.

Inuyasha looked at her with a slight smile.

“He's just trying to make you feel bad. Isn't that what guys do? Insult each other, then brawl and make up? You're possibly the only person who can understand Yozora fully. Don't let anyone tell you you're a worse parent than you are. You don't beat her, or abuse her, or treat her like she's different. You just need some practice. Embrace parenthood; don't treat her like she's some kind of burden.”

All he could do was nod. “I guess so… I'm just not comfortable with it completely… I'll…try… I guess…”

Kagome gave him a light shove on the shoulder “Loosen up! She's just a kid. Why don't you play tag with her or something tomorrow? Miroku is a jerk sometimes, ignore him. Besides, he's been trying to get a child for years. You didn't even try and got one. He's just jealous.” She laughed.

He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, “Fine. But I'm not promising anything.”

“Good enough.” She smiled. Kagome looked over at him, her eyes catching the kotodama beads. They sat like that a while, until Kagome broke the silence once more. “Can you do something for me?” She asked gently.

He cocked an eyebrow and answered, “Depends…”

“Just… close your eyes.”

“Kay…” Inuyasha gulped, half scared, half excited. He felt some movement then she said,

“Okay, open.”

He touched around his neck, the familiar weight wasn't there. He saw his kotodama beads in her hands. “Wha- Why?” He asked with surprise.

“I've been abusing the power of the beads… I shouldn't take out my anger on you all the time…” She admitted.

His eyes widened and he grabbed her hand with the beads, trying to take them back, “No, I need them. What about when I turn demon?”

“I know you won't let that happen.” She assured him. “Besides, I have other methods of making you stop…” She blushed deeply at her own words and looked away.

“I still want them…” He said with flushed cheeks. He loved those beads. Yet, he hated them. They were what connected him to Kagome. They were the first thing she'd ever given him and a constant reminder of her. The Inu-hanyou felt oddly naked without the familiar weight around his neck.

Kagome looked at him in confusion, then took the kotodama beads with both hands and shut her eyes for a second, making them glow. She turned them over in her hands a few times, examining them closely. Satisfied, she placed them around Inuyasha's neck again.

“What did you do to them?” He wondered out loud.

“Osuwari!” She yelled suddenly.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and braced for the impact, but none came. He looked at her with amazement.

“I took off the spell.” She smiled.

In a rare moment of happiness, he smiled. “Thanks…”

Inuyasha lay down completely next to her, putting his hands behind his head, watching the stars. He couldn't believe how entirely peaceful he felt and how lucky he was. Maybe he'd do something nice for her next time they were alone, or in her time. Her scent permeated the air and was enough to send him reeling or calm him to the core.

He looked at her, amber orbs meeting brown. She could have gotten lost in his burning amber eyes. Suddenly, both realized they were staring and with a deep blush, they looked away quickly. Inuyasha decided to sit up, to cover his deep red cheeks, which Kagome copied.

She was feeling brave. It had been a long time since they had been anywhere alone. The girl of the future had to admit, she missed the time they had before they met Shippo and the others. The privacy had been nice. He was a different man when they were alone. He didn't need to put up a front; he could be nice and caring around her. She secretly guessed that was how he wanted to be, but was too afraid of being ridiculed.

Inuyasha felt her lay her head down on his shoulder gently. He took a minute to take in her scent, letting her aura wash over him. Slightly self-consciously and slowly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him. Had he imagined it or had she really smiled as he hugged her?

Neither knew how long they had been like that, nor did they care. Both were just enjoying this rare moment together. Before long, Kagome had fallen asleep. He allowed himself one large, contented smile as he pulled off his kariginu and put it around Kagome. He knew the others would be asleep by now and carefully picked her up, wary not to wake her, and took her back to camp.

He laid her down on her sleeping bag, his robe still around her. In the past he'd done it a lot more, and now he saw his opportunity and bent down, placing his lips on her cheek. He let they rest there for but a moment, then drew away. He knew it was no use wishing for what he couldn't have, but it made him feel better.

“Goodnight Kagome…” He whispered softly, brushing the hair from her face.

As he began to pick out a sleeping tree, an odd swishing sound caught his attention. Over in the forest, a familiar blue light glowed in the forest and the scent of bones and graveyard soil. He sighed, knowing he'd have to go. He got up slowly and headed out into the forest once more.

Unbeknownst to him, there was a witness to his actions. A little girl with liquid silver eyes and short navy hair followed him dutifully into the woods with more questions than answers.

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A/N:Ohemgee….I cannot BELIEVE it! I just cannotFATHOM the fact that some of you think I, the Kikyo hater extraordinaire; hate Kagome, one of THE most awesome characters ever created!!! I can't stop laughing at the absurdness of your reviews!If you need any reassurance, look at my MM.org name! Inuyasha_Luvs_Kagome_Forever!!!!!I keep telling you, this is an Inu/KAG fic! They will be together, E-VEN-TU-A-LLY. I personally hate when an author rushes to get to the fluff! I will not rush my story because you think it is too slow. This is a fic by me. I may not own the characters but I will not let anyone else force me to write something I don't want to. Any good author can tell you that a successful, fulfilling story takes time to build up characters and their personalities.

Anyone who has beenaround children for more than, oh say, three minutes, knows that they are extremely self centered and biased, therefore, how I got Yozora's mentality that Kagome (for now) is the enemy. She won't be for long, because of Inuyasha's obvious feelings for Kagome, but for now, she still needs to get used to the fact that not all humans are evil.

This will be an angsty story in later chapters. I expect this story to be somewhere in the twenties or thirties or more in chapters, so this is only the beginning. I would love for you all to keep reading, but I'm not forcing you to. If you hate my story so much, then don't read. Just click that little x. But if you do, like most people, like a long or mid-length story, please, by all means, review, tell me what you think, just don't rush me.

Now that I'm doneranting…

LUV!

Fullmetal-chibi-chan AKA Inuyasha_Luvs_Kagome_Forever