Hey guys! So, I'm posting a day early cause Imma be busy tomorrow and hey, better early than late? Especially since I'll be busy Thrusday too so... xD Anywho, hope you enjoy!
It had been a couple days since Inuyasha's drop in visit, and thus, a couple days since Kagome's possible run-in with that youkai. She still hadn't told Kouga about it, not wanting him to worry. She still wasn't even sure if it was real. However, she decided not to dwell on these thoughts. Right now, she was focusing on counting out a small portion of yen for Shippou to take and pick up a couple things for her.
The miko had been shocked when the kit told her he had never been sent on an errand by himself before. She had gone on hers at around age 4, and Shippou appeared to be about 7. She knew what she had to do and had talked to Kouga about it the night before. He had been a bit wary, but Kagome assured him that she was sure everything would be fine. She was going to send Shippou out here in a couple of minutes and it was in the middle of the afternoon. It was always really busy during this time and she knew that people would be watching over him, just like they had for her and eventually Souta as well.
She smiled as she closed up the coin purse and handed it to the nervous-looking kit. Kagome gave a soft sigh and pulled him into a hug. "You'll be fine, Shippou. I promise." she said, pressing a kiss to the top of his head as she pulled away.
"Are you sure?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes.
"Yes. It's something I did too when I was much younger than you are. I have faith in you, Shippou." she replied with a reassuring smile. Shippou sniffled and Kagome ruffled his hair. It never failed to make him laugh, and this time was no exception. The kit's worries faded as he let out a hearty laugh and Kagome pressed another kiss to his auburn locks. She then turned to the small slip of paper that was resting on the table and handed it to him. "This is what I need you to get, okay? Do you remember which shops to go to?" she asked.
"Yeah! I'll do my best!" he replied, determined now.
Kagome beamed, ruffling his hair once more. "I know you will."
With that, Kagome made sure he had everything, putting the coin purse and list in his backpack along with a bottle of water and a small snack, just in case. She walked Shippou to the door and waved him off, watching as he walked down the hall and then down the steps. Once he was on the street, she smiled and closed the door, going in to start what prep work she could before the kit returned.
Shippou stood there for a couple moments, looking at Kagome's bike in the bike rack and wringing his wrists. He knew he put on a big act, but he was actually quite nervous. He had never gone out on his own before… He took a few moments to calm himself before curling his hands into tiny fists. Determination flooded him, and he puffed out his chest before starting his walk to the grocery store. The sidewalk was quite crowded, but Shippou was able to weave his way through with ease, that was an advantage he had with being so short.
He rounded a few corners before he arrived at the butcher. Shippou stopped in front of the store, pulling off his bag and setting it down so he could rummage through it. He took a quick sip of his water before he reached in and pulled out the list Kagome had given him. He made sure to memorize the cut of meat she wanted, reading it over multiple times and mumbling it to himself under his breath a couple times. Satisfied, he smiled to himself and folded the note up, slipping it into his pocket. He zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder before opening the door to the shop and stepping in.
The shop was quite busy, but it seems that most of the people in there were waiting for their meat. Shippou waited for his turn in line and smiled up at the shop owner. He put in his order for a cut of top sirloin and was handed a number by the owner. The man also offered Shippou a lollipop, which the kit happily obliged. Lollipop in hand, he hopped away from the counter, clutching the number close to his chest, and stood by one of the windows. A woman standing next to him smiled down at him and he nervously returned it.
"Are you out running errands for your mother?" she asked.
"Yeah, it's my first time." he replied.
She beamed at this, and the look of pride in her eyes filled Shippou with a sense of confidence. "Well, I'm sure you're doing a great job, it certainly seems like it!" she said.
Shippou grinned and thanked her. He took that time then to unwrap his lollipop and shove it into his mouth. It didn't take too long for his order to be done. He rushed over and slipped his bag off, unzipping it and pulling out the coin purse. He paid the butcher and took the bag with his meat order in it. "Thank you!" he said, giving a quick bow as well. He turned to put his items away and noticed a bucket full of cubes of beef fat. He considered it for a moment. He had seen Kagome pick out a cube when they came, but he didn't know if they needed one.. or if it was free.
The butcher seemed to notice the kit's internal struggle and chuckled a bit. "You can take a cube if you'd like, free of charge. That's what it's there for." he said cheerily. Shippou looked up at him, astonished for a few moments. He soon broke out of it, grinning at him and thanking him once more. He plucked a cube of fat from the bucket, and put it in the grocery bag. He then picked his bag back up and slung it onto his shoulders before he left the shop, the shop owner smiling and waving as the kit left.
Now feeling more confident, Shippou walked down the sidewalk with ease, not a care in the world. He had successfully procured meat and even got a lollipop! This was honestly shaping up to be the best shopping trip he's ever been on yet! He just wished that Kagome was here to see him… He frowned slightly at this but was able to quickly pick himself back up. When he brought back everything, he'd see how proud she is of him. Yes, that would make it all worth it, being out here without her. With a pep in his step, the kit carried on his way to a local grocery store. He would be able to pick up the other items they needed from there.
As he made his way to the store, he passed by a small park. There, he saw kids playing, running around and chasing each other. He nibbled on his lower lip as he fiddled with his fingers. He had a growing urge to go join them, but he knew he had a mission. He let out a sigh and started to walk away when a ball came rolling up to him, fast. He was spooked slightly, but he was able to stop it with his foot. A girl came running up to him then. She had long black hair tied into low twin pigtails. Her eyes were dark red, which contrasted against her fair skin. As she got closer, Shippou could see that her ears were pointed, and she had a small aura of youki around her. Was she glamoured to dull it down, or was she just a weak youkai?
She grinned as she approached him. "Hey! Thanks for getting my ball, I'm Souten. Who're you?"
"I'm Shippou. And it's no problem!" he beamed, picking up the ball and handing it to her.
"Are you a kitsune?" she asked, looking at him curiously as she took the ball and held it close to her chest.
"Yeah! And what are you?"
"Oh! I'm a thunder youkai!" Shippou felt a surge of fear fill him, but just for a moment. There's more than just that youkai out there who have thunder powers. "So, Shippou, do you wanna play?" she asked, holding out the ball slightly, a huge grin on her face.
"Ah, I would, but I'm running errands. Maybe next time I'm out and I see you!" he said cheerfully.
She frowned a little, but quickly perked up. "Alright! I'll see you around then, maybe at school!"
"Yeah! I'll see you later Souten!"
"Bye Shippou!"
The two waved and the young kitsune was off on his journey again. He had an added pep to his step now, happy that he had seemed to make a new friend. He soon arrived at the grocery store and picked up a basket at the door. He also took this time to toss the stick of his lollipop into a nearby trash can. He then made his way down the aisles, pulling the list out of his pocket. He read it over a couple times before looking on the shelves. All he needed to get was some thread konjac, green onions, and Chinese cabbage. Shippou wandered through the produce aisle for a while, easily finding the last two on his list. The only problem he was having was finding the thread konjac. He knew they were a type of noodle, but for some reason he just couldn't find where they would be.
He grew a bit frustrated and felt a little defeated. However, a worker came up to him. "Hey, what are you looking for? You've been wandering around for a while." he said, a warm smile on his face.
Shippou looked up at him with a frown. "I'm trying to find thread konjac, but I don't know where it is…"
"That's alright, I'm here to help." The worker looked down at him, beaming. It cheered Shippou up. "Follow me, kid." From there, Shippou was led down one of the aisles and then the worker pulled down a package from near the top of the shelf. "Here you go, this was probably why you couldn't find it." he said with a bit of a laugh.
Shippou looked up at him with a huge smile on his face. "Thank you so much!"
"It's no problem at all. You're doing so well, don't let this get you down." he replied.
"I won't!"
The two said their goodbyes then and Shippou happily made his way to the check-out area. He set his basket on the counter and then slipped his bag off to pull out the coin purse. Once everything was rung up, he handed the money to the clerk and was then handed the produce. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Hurry on home now." she said with a warm smile. Shippou nodded, packed up his things, then left the store. He was proud of himself. He had done it! Now all he had to do was get home. He stopped by the doors, just before leaving the store, to pull out his water bottle. He took a long drink before closing the cap on it. He set the bottle on the ground and zipped up his bag before putting it back on his back. He decided to leave the water bottle out for now so he could have easy access. It was pretty hot out and he felt like he would need it to help keep himself cool.
Shippou then began his journey home, excited to see Kagome's reaction to him doing well on his first outing. He was practically skipping down the sidewalk. By now, the crowds had started to die down, so the street wasn't super crowded. It would've made him nervous if he wasn't just so excited and pleased with himself. It wasn't long before he was passing by the park. He stopped nearby and looked around for Souten. He didn't see her anywhere and he frowned a little. He had been hoping to talk to her a bit before he went home…
He let out a sigh and carried on his way. He soon rounded a corner and it quickly grew darker. Looking up, Shippou was confused to see a bunch of clouds in the sky. Was it supposed to rain today? A feeling of unease filled him, but he did his best to not show his fear. He needed to get home to Kagome. She was counting on him! The kit did his best to shake his fear, but he couldn't stop his legs and hands from trembling as he continued his walk down the sidewalk.
That feeling of dread continued to grow as he walked and tears started to well in his eyes. Why did he feel so uneasy? He felt something wet plop on top of his head and looking up he saw that the clouds had gotten even darker. He was certain it wasn't supposed to rain today… He didn't like this… Shippou was suddenly scooped up and he let out a scream, eyes screwed shut as he started to flail.
"Would ya shut it, you little twerp?"
He knew that voice… He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing a somewhat familiar face, or rather one he recognized. It was the dog hanyou that Kagome had been fighting with. Inuyasha? That sounded right… "Wh-what are you doing?" he asked, voice wavering.
"I'm taking you home. You're with Kagome, right? She sure picked a swell time to send you out on your first errand." he grumbled with a roll of his eyes.
Shippou wanted to speak up in Kagome's defense, but he couldn't work past the lump in his throat. He watched as Inuyasha pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. He saw the inu type out a message to Kagome and send it.
Hey, I'm bringing your kit home. And I've got some questions for you, and you better answer them.
Inuyasha adjusted Shippou in his arms then. "Hang on tight, kid." The kit did as he was told and then Inuyasha took off, running at full speed. The rain started off slow, just a small drizzle. With the speed Inuyasha ran at, the pair were able to make it back to the apartment before it started to really come down. Once they were at the door, he set Shippou down and knocked on the door. They listened as Kagome shuffled around and eventually came to the door, opening it.
"Hey." she said, smiling at the two of them. She then looked down at Shippou and beamed. "It looks like you did good, Shippou! Come in and we'll get everything set up, okay?" The kitsune nodded and hopped into the apartment, Inuyasha following behind with his arms crossed over his chest. Kagome closed and locked the door once they were both in and the trio walked into the living area. Shippou set the grocery bags down on the table and Kagome rifled through them. She praised Shippou for doing so well, ruffling his hair and pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Why don't you go to the room and pick out some candy? You've earned it." she grinned. The kit let out a cheer and took off for their room. Once she heard the door close, she turned to look at Inuyasha. "What happened?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"I don't know, why don't you tell me?" he asked.
Kagome groaned, rolling her eyes. She picked up the bags of ingredients and brought them into the kitchen so she could finish getting the food prepped. "I can't if you don't explain why you had to bring Shippou home." she stated matter-of-factly.
"Tch…" Inuyasha followed her into the kitchen, leaning against a nearby wall, his arms still crossed over his chest. "I was just walking through town to pick up something to eat when the sky got dark. I saw your kit from a distance and thought it was odd there was a strong youki aura following him." He was quick to catch the shift in her scent, rotting flesh swirling and quickly overtaking her normal spring-like scent. Her motions of cutting the sirloin had also stopped and he noticed the slight tremble in her hands.
"Did you see who it was?" she asked, her voice calm. If it wasn't for her scent and trembling, she might've fooled him.
"No, only the aura. Now, tell me what's going on."
He watched as Kagome set the knife down, her trembling increasing and the fear in her scent burning his nose. She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair, holding it back for a moment. Concern filled him instantly. Whatever this was, it was bad.
"About a month ago… I was coming home early from school because the weather had been so unpredictable. I heard a scream coming from an alley so, naturally, I went to go check it out. There, I found Shippou… and some kind of…. thunder youkai. He was trying to kill Shippou… he tried to kill me with some kind of, of.. lightning attack. It was.. terrifying. If I wasn't a miko I certainly would've died…" she said, mumbling the last part. He could smell the saltiness of her tears then and his ears flattened against his head. His arms slowly fell to his sides and he felt something tug in his chest as he saw her grip the counter, her knuckles turning white.
Nervously, Inuyasha approached Kagome and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, you're okay."
Kagome sniffled then let out a shaky breath. She brought a hand up to wipe away her tears. "I thought I had felt his presence the night before you stopped by. I stood out there for a while, trying to see if he was actually there or not. I thought I was just imagining things but…" She choked back a sob, a hand quickly coming up to cover her mouth. Inuyasha had to fight back a whine as wet soil and moss began to mix with the rotting flesh in her scent.
He brought his hand down to her back and began to rub it in soothing circles. He knew that had helped in the past, and he hoped it still helped. "I probably shouldn't have told you that… I still haven't told them yet.. Please Inuyasha… I'm begging you, keep it a secret, okay?"
"Yeah, I promise."
"Thank you.." she breathed out. He continued to rub her back for a little bit and it seemed to help. Her scent of fear and sorrow started to fade but were still somewhat present by the time she felt ready enough to get back to work. Inuyasha stood by and watched her for a few moments before he left to go to the living area and turn on the TV. Shippou soon came out of the room carrying several pieces of candy. Kagome laughed and rolled her eyes at the kit, but she let him keep them.
Just as Kagome was finished slicing the beef and moving onto the vegetables, Kouga arrived. The wolf was grumbling for a couple reasons. One, he was soaked from the rain and two, he was still sour from the text Kagome had sent him earlier. She had warned him that Inuyasha was coming over, but she hadn't provided any more details on the subject. As soon as he had opened the door to the apartment he had smelled the dog and it just worsened his mood.
He grumbled as he took off his shoes at the door, but he was quick to fix his expression as he walked into the living area. "Welcome home, Kouga!" Shippou said cheerfully.
"Yo." Inuyasha mumbled, not even looking at the wolf, too busy flipping through channels. Shippou looked over and frowned as he skipped past a cartoon.
"Go back, Inuyasha! That's my favorite show!"
"Tch, I don't care."
"Inuyasha, turn it back." Kagome called, focused on chopping the Chinese cabbage. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and changed it back to the cartoon. Kouga could already tell this was going to be a long night. He walked towards his room then, so he could go change. As he passed by the kitchen, he caught a whiff of Kagome's scent and he stopped in his tracks. It wasn't fully present anymore, but he could smell the lingering traces of fear and sorrow in her normally cheery scent. He fought the urge to snarl and rip the inu's head off, certain that the hanyou was to blame for her mood. He could question Kagome on this later. He continued on to his room, eager to get out of his wet clothes and into some dry ones.
It didn't take him long to change, and soon enough he was out of his room and joining Kagome in the kitchen. Inuyasha's eyes followed the wolf, narrowing slightly and his ears strained to hear over the sound of the TV next to him.
"Kagome, what happened?" Kouga asked, his voice a whisper.
"Nothing really. Inuyasha just thought Shippou needed some help getting back home, what with the rain starting all of a sudden." she answered with a shrug. She had made quick work of the cabbage and was now working on the green onions.
Kouga frowned. "You know you're a bad liar Kagome."
Kagome let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't really wanna talk about it right now, okay? I'll talk to you about this later. And can you please stop with the low-key fighting? Your youki is suffocating." she said. Something akin to smoke was filling her scent. The smell sent him back several hundred years when a small section of the forest had caught fire. It made him want to run, but he knew that there wasn't any actual fire. Was she getting angry now?
The youkai flushed slightly, ashamed of himself for not even realizing his aura had been growing to try and combat the hanyou's. "Sorry. I don't mean to push you it's just-"
"I know Kouga.. but please at least… try to get along? He won't be here for long." she mumbled.
Kouga nodded and reluctantly left her side to go join Shippou and Inuyasha at the table. The hanyou watched him closely, arms crossed over his chest. Kouga did his best to resist the urge to shoot the inu a glare. He had to be good, for Kagome's sake. He wasn't going to play into the hanyou's games. Inuyasha scoffed and turned his head away to look at the TV once more. The wolf simply rolled his eyes.
Before too long, Kagome had finished cooking their meal. She brought a small burner to the table and turned the flame on low. The miko then brought over the pot and set it down on the burner, then came back with four bowls, four sets of chopsticks, and a ladle. She set the bowls and chopsticks in front of everyone, then set the ladle in the pot, directing the handle towards Inuyasha. Seeing as how he was their guest, he should be served first. A huge grin crossed his features as he reached out and ladled out some of the sukiyaki into his bowl. Once he was done, Kagome reached for the ladle and Shippou's bowl and put together a portion for the kit.
She moved to offer the ladle to Kouga, but he motioned for her to serve herself. She smiled softly at him and began to dish up. Inuyasha watched the small interaction and it set him on edge. He didn't like how close they were. He fought back a growl and simply waited for them to get their bowls ready before he dug into his food. As they ate, Shippou talked animatedly about his errand. Kagome listened intently, as did Kouga.
Inuyasha was listening in as well, but he was also brooding to himself, trying to figure out what was going on between Kagome and that flea bag. What did she even see in him? He didn't like this at all, but he knew there wasn't really anything he could do. He had been out of Kagome's life for too long, apparently. Maybe he could talk to Miroku… He would go to Sango, but he knew that would get him nowhere. Miroku, however, had always given him some good advice. He would definitely be able to help the hanyou out now.
"Then everything started getting dark and it was really scary, but Inuyasha showed up and bought me home." the kit concluded with a shrug.
"Well, I'm glad he was there to help you get home." Kagome said with a warm smile, turning to send it the inu's way. She was honestly grateful he had been there, especially considering…
"Oh! And Kagome let me pick candy out of her stash for doing such a good job!" he added, turning a cheerful smile towards Kouga.
The wolf chuckled and ruffled Shippou's hair. "That's great. You did do a really good job, you got everything on the list." he said, smiling.
Shippou nodded enthusiastically, stars in his eyes. Kouga couldn't help but laugh more. The kit sure had a way of lightening the mood and making him feel better. It wasn't too long after that that the food was polished off and Kouga was gathering up the dishes. Kagome, meanwhile, was walking Inuyasha to the door. Kouga had been wary at first, but he knew Kagome could handle herself. However, he was still left feeling slightly insecure. She had told him that the inu was her first love, and even though she said they weren't meant to be, Kouga wasn't too sure her feelings for the hanyou were completely gone, or if they ever would be. He let out a sigh and tried not to focus on those thoughts, they would just bring him pain.
Kagome led Inuyasha to the door, the two of them slipping on their shoes. Inuyasha had quirked an eyebrow at that but didn't question it. They stepped outside, and Kagome closed the door behind them. He watched as she took in a deep breath, then slowly released it before she spoke. "I know I was a bit harsh on you, but I do appreciate you bringing Shippou home, safe." she said, giving the inu a soft smile.
He looked away, crossing his arms over his chest and scoffing. "Yeah yeah, whatever. Don't get all sappy on me."
Kagome giggled and Inuyasha turned to look at her, slightly surprised. "You sure haven't changed, have you?" she asked.
Inuyasha watched her for a few moments, then looked away, a sullen look on his face. "I wish I could say the same about you…" he mumbled.
She blinked, surprised, then let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair, eyes shifting down. "Inuyasha…"
"I know, Kagome…" She looked up at him and felt her chest constrict from the sullen look on his face. "I know I haven't always been the best, but I want to be a part of your life again." he said, turning to look at her then. The moonlight shining behind him gave him an ethereal glow, his silver hair and golden eyes only accentuating this. She hated the way he was looking at her right now… It felt like he was trying to play off of some feelings he hoped were still there. She wasn't sure if they were or not, and she didn't want to find out.
"How can I be sure you're not just saying that because there are other people in my life now?" she asked. She knew it would be best to build her defenses now. She knew his song and dance all too well.
A hurt look flashed in his eyes and Kagome did her best to not let it get to her. He stepped closer to her and brought a hand up to her cheek, cupping it softly. "I'm serious. I want to make up for what I did in the past…" She spent a few moments searching his expression, his eyes. She wanted to believe him, she really did.. but…
The miko let out a sigh, closing her eyes and pushing his hand away. Inuyasha felt a sharp pain in his chest as she turned away from him, reaching for the doorknob. "I'm not going to play these games with you, Inuyasha. Not again. If you're serious, then by all means, I'm fine with being friends again. However," her grip tightened on the doorknob, "I'm not going to let you toy with my emotions again."
And with that, she opened the door and quickly closed it behind her. If she let him get a response out there, she knew it would lead to an argument, one she didn't have the strength to deal with. She locked the door and then pressed her back against it, taking a moment to calm herself. It took a few moments before she felt his youki leave. There was a storm of emotions brewing inside her, but one stood out clear amongst the maelstrom.
Tired.
Kagome was just so tired. The day had started off so well, and then everything fell apart in an instant. It fell apart as soon as Inuyasha had sent her that text. She had known something was up, but she wasn't expecting what he told her. Her suspicions had been correct, and while she was glad to know she wasn't being paranoid, she wished she was. And now? Now she had to deal with Inuyasha trying to come back into her life. It had been close to three years. She had moved on, for the most part. Sure, she was still a little messed up from it, but that was to be expected.
She shook her head then. She just wanted to sleep. She didn't want to think anymore, she just wanted rest. Kagome took her shoes off and walked into the living area. She saw Kouga in the kitchen, now drying off the pot. It seemed like he had already put the bowls away. She smiled exhaustedly and started walking towards the wolf. He sensed her approach and set the pot in the drain board, putting the towel on the counter next to it.
"Hey Kagome, how're you-" His question was cut short as Kagome rested her forehead against his chest, letting out a sigh as soon as the connection was made. He stood there, dumbfounded for a couple seconds before a blush darkened his cheeks. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and she did the same, holding the wolf close and nuzzling her face further into his chest. Kouga felt his heart would burst.
"I'm tired, Kouga.." she whispered. He could hear the heartache in her voice, and that's when her scent hit him. It was… odd.. to say the least. The damp soil and moss were definitely prominent, but the undertone of a forest fire made things somewhat confusing. His first instinct as a wolf was to run away from the smell of a fire, but the scent of freshly dug, wet soil played on a whole other instinct.
Kouga let out a small sigh and tightened his grip on her, keeping the miko close to him. "What's wrong, Kagome?" he asked, his voice calm, soft, gentle.
Kagome let out a large huff of a breath through her nose and Kouga could tell she was slightly frustrated. "Where do I even begin with that?" she asked, a hint of humor in her voice. A chuckle rumbled through his chest and it made Kagome's heart pick up pace, just ever so slightly.
"You can start wherever you want." he answered. He felt the smile stretch across her face before she slowly removed herself from him. He couldn't help but feel somewhat sad at the loss from her, but the happiness he felt that she had come to him for comfort won out.
"Let me go put Shippou to bed."
He nodded and watched her go. He took a few moments to calm himself, trying his best to wipe the ear-splitting grin off his face as he went back to drying off the pot. Once it was dry, he put it away and folded up the towel and put it away as well. He walked over to the couch then, sitting down and leaning back against it. His heart was pounding in his chest and he had never felt more like a love-sick pup than he did in this exact moment. Gods he was hopeless, wasn't he?
Kagome was soon back in the room and he had thankfully calmed down, somewhat, since their encounter in the kitchen. He looked up at her and judging by the look on her face and the different smells in her scent, this was going to be a long chat. That didn't matter to him though; he'd be more than happy to spend the majority of the night talking with her. He wanted to prove to her that he would always be there for her, even if they only ever stayed friends. He wanted to do everything he could for her.
She smiled weakly as she walked towards him and sat down next to him on the couch. Multiple scents attacked his nose as her emotions swirled together in a tumultuous storm. He didn't let it get to him, however. He reached over, taking one of her hands in his and giving her a soft smile. "Tell me everything. I'm here for you, Kagome." She smiled brilliantly at him and he could see how much she appreciated him and the gesture. He gave her hand a small squeeze, and then she told him everything.
