(A/N: For those few of you who might be thinking, "Hey, this looks familiar..." I originally posted it under my alternate account, Aningwel, because I couldn't remember the password for this one. Now that I've found it, I think this is a much better place for it.)
Title: A Deal With a Demon
Summary: Everyone knows not to make deals with the demon Naraku, but if it means seeing her family again, Kagome's willing to do anything. The pact she makes with him is the only hope she has left- it's also the start of a mission that sets her path to cross that of the hanyou Inuyasha. With him by her side, she sets forth into the unknown world in pursuit of the jewel shard.
Rating: Eventual T.
Features: AU and Pairings (Inu/Kag).The entirety of the fic is set in the Sengoku Jidai.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the related characters. This is simply the product of an enthused fanatic's imagination.
Chapter I. A Day Like Any Other
That summer day passed in a fashion greatly similar to the ones that came before, with nothing to suggest it would be the last of Kagome Higurashi's life as she knew it. As usual, the sun blazed bright in the cloudless sky above, casting its sticky heat on the village women who slaved away in the fields below. With the war between the states still raging and the able-bodied men out fighting to defend their lands, they had found themselves with a much heavier workload than the usual; in addition to house-hold tasks such as cooking and mending the clothes, they now faced the responsibility of harvesting the crops and the general upkeep of the village. Among these women, many were widowed or without children, faced with performing these duties all on their own. Though the work was taxing and the conditions uncomfortable at best, she was glad she and her younger brother were around to provide some assistance to their mother.
For as long as she could remember, Kagome had viewed her mother as one of the strongest women she knew, with the disposition and determination to take on the world at full force. She was, however, among the first to lose a husband to the war, and as strong as she was, the loss was recent enough that she still mourned from time to time. Of course, Kagome mourned the loss of her father as well – if her mother was strong, then he had to be unconquerable. She had loved him dearly and his absence was a constant ache between her ribs, but someone had to be able to take over when their mother was rendered incapable by their sadness. Sota, though almost a teenager now, was young at the time of his death and barely remember it. Despite the world around him, he was still too innocent to take on the responsibilities as man of the house.
Kagome rose to her feet with a sigh and gathered her basket of procured tomatoes and cucumbers.
That's enough for one day, she thought to herself, stretching her stiff muscles. She turned to look over her shoulder and gestured at her younger brother. "Sota, let's go. It's time to head back."
With a nod, Sota picked up his own basket, filled to bursting with carrots, a couple of melons, and a variety of potatoes. He blushed profusely when he staggered under its weight, attracting the attention of an elderly woman nearby, and then hastily ducked out of the field with his head down. Kagome sighed. Though the women didn't view it that way, Sota was one of the few boys in the village too young to join their elders in battle. He joined Kagome in the fields from time to time, with or without their mother, and he was very much aware that he was in the majority. With his father absent since his early childhood, it wasn't surprising he was lacking in the physical strength that came from earlier exposure to work outdoors, but even though he never said as much, she suspected her brother felt looked down upon and somewhat ineffective.
She was thankful that her arms were occupied. Had she had one to spare, she would have struggled with the urge to wrap it around his shoulders in consolation.
Their mother was waiting in the area designated as their dining room when they reached the hut. That morning had been a particularly rough one- when she'd woken to the light of dawn rather than a gentle nudge, Kagome had stumbled from her room to find her mother already awake in her room, a distant expression on her face as she stared from her dark, westward-facing window. Hearing her daughter's entrance, she'd turned and forced a smile. "Kagome, dear. I'm sorry I didn't wake you, I…"
"It's okay," Kagome reassured her, because she already knew. She knew that her mother had dreamed of her late husband again- she could see it in her bloodshot eyes. "Why don't you stay here today and get some more rest? Sota and I will go out to the fields."
She knew her mother well enough to know the woman was tempted to protest, but after a moment her smile softened into a pained grimace, and she nodded. "Thank you, Kagome. I'll have lunch waiting for you when you come back."
It was no surprise that she'd kept true to her words. Kagome didn't mind giving her mother the mornings to mourn; with two children to take care of, she'd never had the chance to do it properly in the first place – it was the least she could do now to give her some space and time alone when it was needed. Still, the woman was always careful to compose herself before her children returned with the efforts of the morning's work.
They ate their lunch of rice and tororo soup quietly, the silence only interrupted at rare intervals when their mother stopped to ask about the weather, wish for winter, or comment on the condition of the vegetables they'd brought back. "The carrots and potatoes will make for a lovely stew," she praised her youngest child with an encouraging smile. His cheeks burned a pale red, but Kagome knew how he longed for her commends. He was a mother's boy through and through.
After lunch, Kagome helped her mother with the dishes. Sota returned to his room while they ventured back out into the summer warmth to wash and hang the laundry. And so the afternoon passed in exactly the same way as the ones before. It was just an utterly normal day, and eventually Kagome would look back to wonder if there was some sign she'd missed, any hint of the trials to come. For then, she worked the hours away in sweet oblivion.
Dinner that night consisted of miso soup and an arrangement of chopped fruits and diced vegetables. They knelt at the same table, in the same spots as usual, and ensued in typical conversation. The only difference was the gentle tap that came on the wall as Kagome was settling down to sleep that night.
"Come in," she called out. Her mother pushed aside the cloth that served as a curtain between her room and the hallway and made her way into the room, crouching down beside her daughter's straw mat.
"Is everything okay?" Kagome asked.
Her mother smiled and reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Kagome's ear. "Everything's fine. I just wanted to thank you."
"Mama." Kagome sighed. "I've told you before, I understand."
"I know you do. And that's what I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for you and your brother and how selfless you've both grown up to be. I'm thankful you're both so much like your father, because I miss him terribly and it's nice to see he passed on all the things I admired about him."
By then, her mother sat back against the wall beside her, an arm draped over her shoulders. Kagome leaned into her mother's shoulder contently- it wasn't often she got the chance to feel like a child anymore. "What's this about, mama?"
Her mother laughed. "It's not about anything, silly girl." She squeezed her shoulders and rested her head against Kagome's hair. Her voice was soft and far away when she spoke again. "Do you know I was barely older than you when I met your father?"
Kagome nodded. "You've told me about it before."
"I dreamed about that day last night. This morning I was remembering how happy he made me, and I think it's the first time I'd really realized how much you've grown up. You're a young woman now!"
"Mama!" Kagome groaned.
The rare sound of her laughter filled the room again, like the chime of bells. "Don't worry. I'm not going to make you sit and listen to any awkward talks – yet. Keep in mind I am your mother, though. It is my maternal duty to make sure you are well informed when you need to be. Tonight I just wanted to tell you that I hope you'll find as much happiness for yourself one day. I promise it exists."
The furious warmth that had risen to Kagome's cheeks slowly began to fade. "I know it does, mama. I've seen it before, remember?"
With a final squeeze of her daughter's shoulder, the woman rose to her feet and smiled. "Good night, Kagome. Sleep well."
"Good night."
After the cloth fell back into place behind her, Kagome blew out the candle that rested on the small table beside her bed and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She fell asleep to the sound of her brother's sleep-heavy breathing in the room next to her and her mother settling down across the hall.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Even though this is a repost, the "Muffin of your choice of favor" thing still applies for those kind enough to leave a few words! :) And yes, it is still my first attempt at an Inuyasha fanfic.