My dearest readers,
(if anyone is still there…)
I'm really sorry for the delay on this update. I bet most of you believed I had forgotten about this story...
Well I didn't! ;)
Life isn't beeing easy with me so I apologize for the late update.
Thank you all for your favorites and reviews of this story! :')
Without much more delay, here's chapter 3.
I'm sorry for any mistakes that may appear!
ENJOY!
DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha and his characters belong to his rightful owner, the brilliant genius that is Rumiko Takahashi! This story, once again, belongs only to me; Inuyasha's characters belong to me only in my dreams! ;)
Chapter 3 - From Hanyou To Hanyou
The baby coughed and turned and wailed and tried to escape the effective rubbing Kagome was applying to him. Slowly the blue color his limbs supported turned into a more pinkish one and Kagome slowed down her motions, now trying to coax him to calm down and slowly swinging him back and forth.
Sango watched, transfixed, as Miroku. Shippo could hardly contain his curiosity and Inuyasha…
Inuyasha lowered himself behind Kagome, placing his haori on her back and wrapping it around her. His arms rounded themselves on her waist, bringing her to his lap and placing her back against his torso. Kagome turned a little to watch him, surprised, but his answer was:
"You'll get cold."
"… Thank you." – she said, with a honest smile as she turned her attention to the baby in her arms.
"Keh." – he said, despite trying to seem not too curious about the baby. After a while his curiosity was bigger and he peeked over Kagome's shoulder.
The baby was hanyou, that he was sure. The triangular ears at the top of his black haired head were proof of it, no doubt. His father, he found out by the smell, should be a dog demon since the scent that was common to every dog demon was present in the baby, along with the smell of human. The first person he thought about was Sesshomaru, but Sesshomaru had a different smell and they weren't the only dog demons of the world.
He shouldn't be more than two or three months old, still his claws were already starting to appear and he was sure the baby was quite scared and confused with all the turmoil around them. Kagome was having a hard time in trying to calm him and he already smelt the sadness in her at her seemingly futile efforts.
Taking a deep breath (and knowing he would probably regret his decision later) Inuyasha moved Kagome until she was turned on his lap, sitting with her side pressed against his torso now so he could have easy access to the baby and he lowered his head to the baby's neck.
Softly, ever so low, Inuyasha whined and emitted a low grumble on his chest, as well as he nuzzled the baby's neck. The baby slowed down on his movements and turned his head in the direction of the sound, his head lowering to stay under Inuyasha's chin as the sound continued. Ever so slightly the baby would whine so Inuyasha lifted the tune and he would calm down. After a short while the older hanyou lifted his head and met with Kagome's surprised, soft and proud gaze. She gave him an honestly open smile.
"Thank you. You think you can teach me to do that too?"
He was taken aback by her surprise request. The baby squirmed on her arms and they both turned to look at him. Kagome was faster than him in taking action.
"What, you don't want to talk with me, is it?" – she told the baby in a soft voice. – "Well, too bad because I've already decided I want to at least learn how to say I love you in your language!"
The baby stood still, his big green eyes open in surprise with her speech and for a moment she thought he was going to cry. Then he made a small whining and smiled. As simple as that.
"He is trying to see who you are." – Inuyasha said, his eyes moving between Kagome's and the baby's.
"What do I do?"
"Nuzzle his nose."
"What?"
"Touch your nose with his and lick it."
Kagome wasted no time and did as she was told. The baby seemed to accept her gesture for he stood still as she tried to do exactly as Inuyasha had told her. The baby giggled.
When she stood back, Inuyasha's look of amazement was too slow in disappearing. She smirked and leaned a little bit more against him and took a better look at the baby.
The baby stared at her with big green eyes, his nose busy with smelling everything around, before opening his mouth wide open and cuddle against Kagome's arms, making the teenage girl become even more amazed.
"He's asleep…" - she whispered.
"He's decided he's safe. He feels he's safe, so I hope he'll sleep for quite a time…"
"Kagome-chan… perhaps I can hold him, while you change clothes. You could catch a cold… and you need to explain to us what happened."
"Thank you Sango-chan. Here…"
The baby squirmed a little but, to everyone's relief he didn't wake up through the transfer. Kagome walked out of Inuyasha's embrace, picked a few clothes and walked behind a bush to change clothes. Inuyasha kept a close eye on Miroku, just to make sure the monk was really staring only into the fire.
Meanwhile Shippo climbed onto Sango's back:
"Who is he? He's kind of cute…"
"He's a dog demon's pup." – Inuyasha said.
"He looks just like you… only with black hair. He even has years just like yours, Inuyasha!"
"I know, I noticed it already…"
"So I am safe to assume he's also a half-demon." – Miroku said, making Inuyasha simply nod.
"Are you sure this isn't your pup, Inuyasha?"
"Shut it, you runt!" – Inuyasha said, angry and clenching his fist to hit the fox-demon.
"That was the first thing I thought too…" - Miroku said, grinning.
"Look at him, you idiots! He looks nothing like me!"
"Kagome-chan, how did you come across him?" – Sango said, rocking the baby slowly and catching Miroku's gaze.
"Well, I was sitting by the river when I heard this kind of muffled cry. It lasted only a minute or so but I still went to check. It left me curious…" - Kagome came from behind the bushes, clasping her hair in her towel to have him dry faster. She tossed it aside as soon as she was done.
"If it had been a trap…" - Inuyasha started to say.
"It was not but I think I would prefer if it was." – the teenage girl said, holding out her arms to grab the baby once more. After he was settled on her arms once more, she sat down besides Inuyasha, who replaced the fire rat robe on her shoulders. – "Thanks."
"Why do you say so, Kagome-chan?" – Sango said, while sitting down too.
"I never thought I would see something as horrid as that, Sango-chan. That woman was trying to suffocate him!"
"Nani?!"
"No way!"
"It's the truth." – Kagome said to her incredulous friends, mentally taking notice of how Inuyasha's eyes stayed fixed on the baby on her lap and how the older hanyou stayed silent. – "She was using a pillow to try and muffle his cries! I was horrified…"
"How can someone hurt a baby like that?" – Sango was still disgusted.
"She was shouting how she hated half demons. It's not hard to figure out why she would try to put out her own son." – the older half demon said.
"Her son?! She was the baby's mother?" – Shippo said, surprised.
"Their smells were identical." – confirmed Inuyasha.
"And they have the same eyes." – Kagome said. – "I just… I couldn't stand and do nothing!"
"I swear… if I had known I would've beaten her up!" – Sango said, also quite riled up.
"Now, now… dear Sango, fortunately the baby is safe and nothing happened to our dear Kagome, shouldn't we be happy for that?" – Miroku said, approaching the demon slayer.
"Houshi-sama…"
A loud slap echoed.
"KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF! How is it possible for you to say so rightful things and be such a pervert at the same time!?"
"Ah, dear Sango… my hand is cursed, as you know…"
"Save it!"
"So what are we gonna do, Kagome? Are we keeping the baby with us?" – Shippo asked, curious.
"Of course! /No way."
Since they talked at the same time, the teenage girl and the half demon stared at each other
"I can't just abandon it!"
"So you want to travel through the whole land with a baby on your toll?"
"It's the only way!"
"A baby will only make us more vulnerable! Naraku is still after the shards…"
"I know that!"
"A baby will delay us! We have to get to the shards as fast as..."
"So what do you suggest? Should I throw him on the river once more?"
"He will delay our search!"
"Then I think it's for the best that you continue on your own, Inuyasha." – Kagome said, softly but firmly.
"Na… nani?"
"If the baby can't stay with us, I'm not going. I won't leave him here to die at the hands of the next demon that shows up!"
Inuyasha was beyond shock.
"What… what do you plan to do, then? Take the baby and raise it as your own?"
"If I have to!" – she answered, completely decided. – "I'll do everything I can to protect him!"
There was a heavy silence between them. Inuyasha couldn't decide if he should be shocked, surprised or enraged. At the same time, Kagome seemed to have her mind already made up, since she ended up sitting on the floor and didn't move for the rest of the afternoon.
So what did you think?
Did you like it? Did you hate it?
Hope to hear from you guys; read and review to your hearts content!
See ya guys next chapter!
