Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Standing In The Shadows ❯ Chapter 11

Standing In The Shadows 11

 

Disclaimer: Once again as much as I may wish otherwise, I do not own any part of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They are owned by their respective authors. I only claim ownership of this twisted plot and the muses that created it.

 

Chapter Eleven

 

 

“Because I haven't spent all these years of my life waiting and hoping for nothing. Your sister was meant to be with me and I her. Nothing you say is going to change my mind in the matter Souta. The decision isn't up to you anyway.” Hojo had been put off long enough, now he was determined that she would see things his way and finally give him the answer that he sought. If her brother wasn't going to approve of their marriage that was just too bad, he'd have to deal with it. Turning his attention back to Kagome he sidestepped the young man and took hold of Kagome's hands, his eyes turning soft with his obvious infatuation of her. “Any one of these new friends of yours might think they have a chance of being your boyfriend but they're going to have to understand and accept the fact that I was here first. We belong together, that's all there is to it.”

 

“You tread on dangerous ground.” Kurama really didn't care what happened to the human that was standing in front of him but he did care that the possibility existed that Hiei might do something that could get him banned forever from the Ningenkai. “All I have heard Kagome say is that she is not your girlfriend, if you persist in this pursuit I can not guarantee that you are not pursuing a far larger battle for her affections then you are prepared to fight. I would suggest that you think long and hard before you made any more statements proclaiming her as being yours. Until she tells me otherwise, your claim has no standing.”

 

“The hell it doesn't. Is it you who thinks you can win the affections of my future wife?” Hojo turned and sneered at Kurama. “I know who you are Shuichi Minamino, don't make the mistake of thinking Kagome could be interested in someone like you. She isn't going to be interested in someone for long who has girls chasing him every time he steps foot outside his door. My Kagome isn't like that, she's interested in someone who only wants one woman in his life, someone like me who can be devoted to her and her alone.”

 

“I dislike your insinuations.” Kurama's eyes were narrowed showing his displeasure at what Hojo was insinuating. “Almost as much as I have now decided that I dislike you. That's besides the fact that your assumptions are wrong, thus proving you have absolutely no idea what it is that you're talking about. I'm not a player as you seem to imagine but that's beside the point. My friend and Kagome's is the man who is interested in her and she hasn't turned him down as of yet. But be aware that he is even now on his way here to confront you concerning your brash statements. Are you prepared to fight for your nonexistent claim to her?”

 

“It won't come to that.” Hojo smiled, and then released one of Kagome's hands to dig deep inside his pocket. Withdrawing it with a flourish he opened his palm to reveal a dainty diamond ring nestled there, which he quickly slipped onto the stunned girls finger. He smirked again at Kurama as everyone's mouth fell open at his audacity. “There the problem is solved and it's now official. That's an engagement ring on her finger now. My engagement ring. That means your friend can just go back to wherever it is that he came from and forget about my Kagome.” He pulled Kagome up against his body, lowering his face to hers and claiming her lips in a kiss trying to enforce the words he'd just spoken despite the fact she now had her hands upon his chest and was trying to push him away.

 

“Oh hell no you don't!” Yusuke stepped over to Kagome's side and pulled her away from the young man, then snatched the ring off of her finger, throwing it to the ground and grinding it with his foot. “That was probably one of the most shitty proposals I've ever heard of. You can take your ring and shove it up your ass; there is no engagement between you and her. Don't think just because Hiei isn't here yet that I'm gonna stand by and let you try to move in like that.” He could feel Hiei's rapidly approaching youki but chose not to wait for his arrival in dealing with the young man. A fist smashed into Hojo's jaw sending him sprawling to the ground. “That's for being such an ass.”

 

Crimson eyes stared down at the fallen young man as Hiei skidded to a halt beside him. He had only been a short distance off when he had seen Yusuke pulled the obviously struggling girl away from the man that was currently lying on the ground and had seen the well-placed punch that the spirit detective had landed on his face. The thought was distasteful to him but the time had obviously come when he would have to address the problem this particular human posed. “I should kill you now.” His hand reached under his cloak for his katana even as he felt Kurama's hand upon his arm, silently warning him to think of the consequences of his actions. “However you can thank Yusuke and Shuichi for your life. Get out of my sight and never return.”

 

“I never wanted to be in your sight and I don't want you in mine! You're too ugly and you're short besides.” Hojo scrambled to his feet and stood staring at this unknown man standing before him. “In case you missed it somehow, we are in a public place and I was here first anyway. Just who do you think you are telling me what to do anyway? Besides I came here to see my girlfriend not you. Tell him Kagome.”

 

“Hojo, I keep telling you I'm not your girlfriend, I'm not your fiance' and I'm not in love with you. I keep trying to tell you that but you just don't want to believe me.” Kagome sighed and looked down at her feet wishing there was some way she could make him understand without crushing him but she still didn't see how that was going to be possible, if she didn't know better she could almost believe he had an obsession about her. “How many times do I have to tell you that all I wanted to be was your friend? That's all I've ever wanted to be. If you would have been paying attention it was Eri that's been in love with you all these years.” She looked up now into his eyes, silently willing him to understand. “I'm leaving now with my brother and my friends. Please don't follow us.”

 

Kuronue had been watching the scene play out with interest. `I guess maybe I have been out of touch a little too long. Apparently things must have changed and I wasn't aware of it. The girl doesn't have any marks on her, she was with Kurama and the one who claims to be interested in her had left to go home to bed. If he was that interested why didn't he just take her with him? He has to have known about this other males interest.' It just didn't make sense. He looked down at Shizuru; maybe the girl would have an explanation. “If Hiei isn't courting her then why is he so upset if another does? It doesn't appear that he has declared his intentions towards her, he hasn't marked her and she doesn't carry his scent. What have I missed here?”

 

Yusuke snickered when he overheard the question, trust someone new to get right to the heart of the matter, coming out and saying what everyone else had been thinking. “Oh he's made his intentions known Kuronue, he just hasn't made them known to her. He thinks he can do it simply by scaring other guys away and get around to telling her in his own sweet time. Don't you know she's supposed to be a mind reader?”

 

Hiei glowered at Kuronue and Yusuke. This was just not turning out to be his day, his plans had been to accompany his sister and work out in his mind if he had wanted to pursue his interest in Kagome. He had planned to make the decision today and if he had decided the answer was yes then he would have decided from there how to proceed with her. But the fates seemed to be against him this day, first with the artifacts and then having his sleep interrupted by a damnable human going after the very girl he had been considering. The situation was entirely unacceptable. Reaching out he grabbed Kagome's hand and stalked off taking her with him “I want to talk to you!”

 

“Well, either they'll end up as a couple in the next few minutes or there's going to be two very unhappy people by the end of the day.” Yusuke scratched his head as he watched them walking together a short distance away. “Although judging by the look of things this probably isn't the best time for Hiei to be doing the asking. He looks like he's about to take someone's head off. I can almost feel sorry for Kagome.” He turned to look at the girl standing next to him. “Wanna make any bets which direction it goes Keiko?”

 

“Nope, not me.” Keiko was watching the couple as well; their expressions were easily readable even at this distance. Kagome was looking more then a little stunned as Hiei was making his proclamations. Bits and pieces of the conversation were being carried to her ears on the wind; Keiko overheard what appeared to be ground rules being laid down if Kagome wanted to go out with him. She turned back to Yusuke whose mouth was slowly falling open as he overheard the same whispers of sound. “If you ever tried to tell me what I could and couldn't do I'd beat you so far into the ground you'd never see daylight.” Another whisper caught her interest and she stopped talking to listen for a moment, then spoke once again. “Hiei is going to have to realize she had a life before he met her. Inuyasha isn't going to disappear from her mind just because he says so.”

 

“Most likely not.” Kurama joined in the conversation. “But I'm sure this can't be easy for him either. I've never seen him take an interest in a human as a potential mate; to do so is going to take some serious readjusting of his ideas. You know as well as I do how difficult change is for him to come to terms with.” He glanced over to where Shizuru was standing with Kuronue and then over to where Botan was standing with Souta. “Something tells me it isn't just Hiei and Kagome that will be having to work out a lot of differences.”

 

“Don't make the mistake of thinking that my sister is going to be staying with him.” Kuwabara glared over to where Kuronue still had a hold on his sister's arm. “She's been happy all this time without anyone but us, she doesn't need him trying to weasel into her life now. She's smarter then that, she'll see right through him and if she doesn't do it on her own then I'll make sure to show her!”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Hiei was talking to Kagome telling her what he would expect from her if she wanted to go out with him as his girlfriend. “You will always conduct yourself as a proper girlfriend of mine should. This will include not allowing any males that I have not personally approved to touch you such as that fool that Yusuke just had to run off or that inu that's waiting back at your mothers house. You may have proper friends of course but you will make it perfectly clear that you are with me and are not available for courting to any interested males. I don't want to have to be worried about you if I am in the middle of a fight, that's a good way to get killed and not something I desire to do.” His eyes glowed as he thought about it, he wouldn't have had to explain this to a demoness but Kagome wasn't one and he wanted to be sure he didn't leave anything out. “I think that's it for now, would you like to be my girlfriend or not?”

 

Kagome was stunned, while what he had said somehow wasn't surprising to her or even unreasonable she'd never expected to hear it laid out to her in such harsh terms. `I would have sat Inuyasha if he had dared speak to me like that.' Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she searched for the right words to say without pissing the fire apparition off further. Just as she had been about to snap she had felt the dormant energy of the web become active in response to her emotions and it let her feel the underlying concern that he carried for her welfare. Now that she knew where it had come from perhaps she could overlook the brusque way he had said things and consider the intent behind them. “You could have been nicer about how you said all that. Besides, it wasn't like I asked Hojo to do what he did. You also have to realize that Inuyasha and I have been friends for several years, what would happen to him, say if he hugged me for instance? There was a point in time where I loved him and wanted to be with him you know. And we are still very good friends.”

 

“I am aware of this, that is all the more reason why he is not allowed to touch you. If you can not make him understand this then I am sure I will be able to.” There was now a hellish gleam in Hiei's eyes as he thought about the ways he could get his point across to the hanyou. “However if he chooses not listen to reason he will die, the choice will be his. Do you have any more questions?”

 

“What about you?” Kagome knew that the demon in front of her was bone tired and was willing to allow him that much leeway in his attitude for the moment but she could also tell that his patience was being tested by the look of irritation that flitted across his face. “I mean, you'd laid down all these so called ground rules for me, do the same rules apply to you as well?”

 

“If you're asking if I will be faithful to you then the answer is yes of course.” Distain filled his voice at the very idea that she might think otherwise of him. “If you truly have to wonder about that then you have no clue about who I really am. But, I tire of talking and am ready for your answer. What will it be?”

 

`I must be getting soft in the head. He's rude, he's arrogant and he's demanding. I'm not sure how I'll live up to all of his expectations.' Kagome turned all the thoughts over in her head. `He's also strong, smart and has a large capacity for caring if the way he treats Yukina is anything to judge him by, even if he doesn't like to show it. He's also one of the most handsome guys I've seen.'

 

`You are correct, he is all of those things and more.' Kurama had the feeling that Kagome had been very close to blowing her top from being talked to the way that she had been and decided to come to his partner's aid. While Hiei might not show it on the outside if he was turned down by this girl who he had decided he wanted there was no telling what the consequences might be and Kurama didn't really want to know the answer. `He's been alone all his life after being abandoned at birth and left for dead until he found Yukina. That should tell you how strong he is. In no way has it been easy for him. His honor is sacred to him and his word once given will not be broken. He may not always show it but he will love and value you. Can you honestly say these are all qualities in a man that you would wish to let pass you by?'

 

She could feel him shifting his weight next to her, as he grew impatient waiting. With a hesitant smile she gave him the answer he sought. “I'm not perfect Hiei and I won't claim to be so don't expect it. But yes, I would like to go out with you.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“She said yes? After all those things I heard him say to her she still said yes?” Yusuke couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him but he couldn't figure out any other reason that Hiei would have taken the girl in his arms and kissed her. He turned to Kurama who was looking at the scene before him with no amount degree of surprise as well. “I'll never understand women. I can't believe she did that, the question is why?”

 

“I suppose you'd have to ask her that question.” The fox wasn't about to admit that he'd had anything to do with swaying her decision in Hiei's favor or that in his opinion they'd be good for each other but inwardly he was proud of himself that he'd been able to help his friend. His face was impassive as he watched the two that had started to make their way back towards the group. Others might not be able to see it but Kurama could tell that Hiei was calmer then he had been before he'd taken the girl off to talk. `He's been alone far too long as it is, he needs her whether he wants to admit it or not.'

 

“Well, personally I'm happy for the both of them and I'm glad she did say yes. Hiei might be just the thing she needs to get over the rotten ways that Inuyasha has treated her in the past.” At the sidelong glances she received Keiko's face flushed with embarrassment and a little guilt knowing that what Kagome had told her was to have been held in confidence. `Now I've really gone and done it, she'll never trust me with her secrets again.'

 

“What exactly did you mean by that remark? Is there something we should know about Keiko? Has he been abusing her or something stupid like that?” Things had gotten so strange that Kuwabara wasn't taking anything for granted anymore and the hanyou was an unknown factor in his opinion. That he was unpredictable was a given, if he was an abuser as well he wouldn't live long. Kuwabara's honor simply wouldn't allow him to put up with such a thing. “If there is you need to let us know about it now, not when we're in the middle of something that could possibly get her or us killed.”

 

“Not that I am directly aware of.” Keiko didn't want to answer any probing questions that would further betray the confidences that Kagome had placed in her but she wasn't about to lie either. Her eyes betrayed her unease at being questioned, at the moment she looked like she wished she could disappear from their view. `The best that I can do is to be as vague as I can and hope they don't try to push for answers. Besides I feel sorry for him, it isn't like he asked to be dumped here. Maybe it'll get better when he makes some friends within the group and he can quit being so defensive about everything. At least I hope it works out that way. Besides he really doesn't seem to be any more unpredictable then Yusuke is.' As the pair neared the group she hissed to the men. “Don't ask me anything more about it.”

 

“Ask you more about what?” Kagome had heard the whisper and it filled her with a sense of dread. Whispers had never meant anything good she had learned and she wasn't about to take anything for granted anymore. If Keiko had found it necessary to whisper it obviously had something to do with her, it would be better to find out now what the conversation had been about now then to find out later by accident. Coming to a stop directly in front of the girl Kagome looked deeply into Keiko's eyes. “What was it that you were talking about?”

 

“They were only talking about Inuyasha.” Kuronue didn't see what the big deal was or why the younger girl had refused to answer so he had taken it upon himself to do so. He tossed his hair back over his shoulder and returned Keiko's angry glare with an amused smirk of his own. It could honestly be said that there was fun to be had in sparring with these humans and seeing how annoyed he could make them. “It wasn't a big deal they were only asking what his personality was like and what they could expect from him.”

 

“So are you guys a couple now?” Souta tried to divert the attention off of the hanyou that he had grown to like over time and considered a friend. He succeeded in part when his sister turned to look at him, a smile softening the hardness and pain that had been in her eyes only a few moments ago. “Well, I guess I have my answer if the look on your face is anything to go by. I hope this means that I won't have to worry about Hojo being at the door every other day now.”

 

“Hojo is not an acceptable person to be in Kagome's presence any longer.” Hiei growled out his answer, not even liking the mention of the young mans name. “The last time he dealt with Yusuke, any further dealings will be with me. It is my responsibility now, Kagome made it so when she accepted my courting her.” There was no doubt that he was being serious about what he said, the mere mention of Hojo's name had him reaching for his katana.

 

“But you still need your sleep if you're going to bring Yukina back to the festivals tonight with the rest of us.” Kagome laid a hand against his cheek, wondering how much longer he would be able to stay on his feet. Honestly she was worried about him, she could feel how drained he was at the moment even if he was too damned stubborn to admit to it. “I'll be fine, please go get some rest.” She looked around at the people and demons who were currently standing clustered in a group. “See, I won't be alone so you don't have anything to worry about. Besides, it isn't like you can be around me twenty four hours a day.”

 

Hiei was torn. His instincts were now warring against each other, demanding that he protect Kagome from any potential male rivals as well as protecting his sister. There was absolutely no way he could be in two places at the same time. His eyes fell upon Kagome. `Would she be willing to go back to Genkai's temple and stay there with Yukina? I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to protect both of them at the same time anyway unless Kagome will agree to live there too. But I don't know that she'd be willing to leave her family yet either.' It was a huge problem and one that he was currently at a loss how to solve. The more he thought about it the more agitated he was becoming, extremely disliking being put in a position where it was becoming more and more apparent that he was going to have to depend on others for help with his personal life. His aura began to darken in response to his mood which was what got Kurama's attention the most.

 

`Go get some sleep Hiei. It's obvious she isn't going to agree to miss all the festivities and she has duties tonight as a miko of the shrine, even if it is in pieces at the moment. Yusuke and I can keep an eye on her and protect her, now that you've made your intentions known we will both respect demon law. You know this is true. Besides that, no matter where you are if she needs you the energy of the web will let you know. Now go watch over your sister and get some sleep.' There was sympathy in the Kitsune's eyes for the dilemma his partner had found himself in, he himself would have felt the same way. He had offered the only solution he could reasonably think of, now it would be up to the fire apparition to make up his own mind.

 

`As much as I may dislike the idea I think you're right. If anything comes up rest assured I will be back and someone will die.' The warning would be heeded he knew, they had been partners for far to long for Kurama not to take him seriously. Gathering Kagome in his arms he nuzzled her hair for a brief moment taking in her scent and covering her with his own. “I will be leaving you for a time in Kurama's and Yusuke's protection. If you have need of me, you know how to get hold of me and so do they. I shall return this evening with my sister to attend to your duties.” With those words he reluctantly released her to turn and look at his team mates. “I am entrusting her into your care until I return.” Once he had received a nod from each of them he was gone, back to Genkai's temple and back to his sister.

 

~*~*~*~

 

In the far off distance a pair of soft golden eyes glowed as Tamamo-no-Mae watched the goings on with interest. Her lips pulled back into a feral grin, she had been tracking the artifacts ever since the spill over of power had reawakened her and given her the power she had only previously dreamed of possessing. The fact that she had happened to stumble across Itsuki's path and become interested enough in where he had been going to put the effort into tracking his travels had paid off handsomely. `This is going to be ever so much easier then I had thought and so much fun besides.'

 

~*~*~*~

 

Authors Note: So there you have it, Hiei and Kagome have had their talk (the first of several) and they are now a couple. Ah me, they are going to be a fun couple to play with and Mae has some interesting situations in store for them as well as the others. She is such a conniving little female. I hope you're curious to read it as well.

 

A huge thanks to you my loyal readers and to Ryu for the critique and being my beta reader. I'd be lost without any of you.

 

Please leave me a review and let me know if I should start working on the next chapter of this story or if I should go back to working on some of my one shots for a while. I'd appreciate the feedback, thanks so much…

Until next time * waves bye for now *