Chapter 11: Always Neuter Your Pets
Kagome's first day back in class after realizing the world was not what she thought it was….well, it was a bit shaky at first. She looked around at the bright faces of her students and couldn't believe they weren't wholly human. She paid close attention to the very somber Kazuto, whose otherworldliness was more apparent than that of the other students...or maybe that was because Kagome knew he was full hanyou, like Inuyasha.
After a shaky morning where more than once a student asked her if she was all right, Kagome settled back into her old routine. She loved these kids, and perhaps she could love them more, knowing now how rare and special they all really were.
Mr. Taisho had been very clear with Kagome that she was not to say anything unusual to the students, most of whom knew nothing of their demon ancestry. For those with diluted demon blood, demonic traits did not usually present themselves until after the onset of puberty, if at all. Usually at the school, students were told around the end of 5th grade. Every now and then, according to Mr. Taisho, a human parents would know enough to talk to one of the students about their ancestry before that, but most of the children were living in the dorm facility located on campus.
"Dorms?" Kagome had sputtered, when Mr. Taisho let this bomb drop.
"Yes, many students live in the outbuildings behind the gym."
"I haven't seen any outbuildings behind the gym!"
"You wouldn't, naturally, as they are concealed."
"Why do so many kids live at the school?" Kagome had asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Because many of them have lost both parents. We've made an effort to keep children with demonic blood out of foster care."
"Why do we have so many orphans?" Kagome wondered aloud.
Mr. Taisho had simply sighed and shaken his head. "That is a story for another day." He'd dismissed her from his office shortly thereafter, and a grouchy Inuyasha, who had been waiting outside, walked her to her classroom. They exchanged a few snide remarks before the bell rang and they had to rush to be in their respective classrooms in time to greet their students.
Currently, Kagome was watching the aforementioned hanyou instructing her students in basic self-defense technique. She'd been informed that she would continue her own training and so she thought it would be fun to participate in the kids' lesson as well. Inuyasha had merely grunted when she mentioned that she'd like to stay and participate in the lesson, but he'd tossed her a pair of sweatpants and put her in a group with two girls anyway.
Lizzy and Annie were currently giggling like mad at the prospect of "sparring" with their teacher, who they'd seen fall out of her chair after trying to inspect a run in her tights just an hour or so earlier. Kagome suspected they were amused by her presence in the class, but she played along just to keep them giggling (because it apparently annoyed Inuyasha a little bit). She imagined that his ears were twitching, but of course she couldn't see them through his concealment spell. More's the pity, she thought. A pair of adorable puppy ears was the only redeeming quality the hanyou seemed to possess.
"Now make sure your knees stay soft," Inuyasha was saying, "and arms up to protect your face."
Kagome slipped into a fighting stance and raised her eyebrows at her two smaller partners, who did the same, still holding back giggles. Inuyasha was wandering among the rows of children, stopping here and there to modify their positions. It was clear to Kagome that Inuyasha, despite his short temper and gruff manner, was a great favorite with the students. She could understand why. He had a way about him when he was working with kids. He knew how to speak to them without speaking down to them. He didn't use endearments and he rarely offered outright praise, but his keen observations and specific instructions made students feel like they were making progress.
Oops, he was coming over. She better look like she was doing something. Kagome rounded up Annie and Lizzy and whispered something to them as Inuyasha approached.
"Oy! Don't make me split your group up!" Inuyasha called, "I see you whisperin' over there!"
There was a chorus of giggles from the class, who were delighted to see their teacher reprimanded. Kagome just laughed with them and nodded casually to Annie and Lizzy. "Now," she said, and the two girls leapt into action. They screamed bloody murder and launched themselves at Inuyasha, whose eyes widened comically as he was pushed straight backwards onto the mat by a pair of giggling girls.
The hanyou caught on quickly, and allowed his arms to be pinned by his sides, grumbling protests and pretending to struggle.
"Remember, Sensei, always keep your hands up!" Annie shrieked gleefully.
"And never underestimate your apartment!" Lizzy chimed in with gusto.
"That's opponent, Liz-biz," Kagome laughed. "Now hold him down tight; it's time for the final blow."
The class crowded around their prone gym teacher as Kagome walked leisurely up to him, thinking she would perhaps offer to help him up and then trip him. Anything to show him she wasn't as much of a bumbling idiot as he thought she was.
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. What did she think she was doing? Kagome stalked towards him like a predator, and her smile didn't exactly meet her eyes. He actually felt a tiny bit nervous. Playing around with the kids was one thing-he did that all the time-but this was something else entirely! Surely she wouldn't zap him in front of her class?
Kagome smiled sexily (Inuyasha inwardly groaned as soon as he thought it) and leaned down, offering her hand. Lizzy and Annie released him so that he could reach up to take it. Kagome hoisted him to his feet, but her sudden movement unnerved him, and before he knew it he had dodged her leg (which was out, apparently, in order to trip him) and stepped in so he could force her down onto the mat below.
To Inuyasha, it was a routine sparring move. But to Kagome, for whom all of these things were very new, it felt threatening. The tiniest thread of spiritual power flickered like a spark in between their bodies. Inuyasha felt his hair stand on end as though he was experiencing static electricity. Kagome's eyes went wide suddenly and he could see that she was afraid she might lose control. He gripped her arm in what he hoped was a reassuring manner and helped her sit up. "You're okay, you're okay," He told her under his breath. "I'm sorry, you're okay."
"The kids," Kagome muttered, looking scared. Most of the students were beginning to crowd in on them.
"You're not going to hurt them," Inuyasha muttered, "You didn't even hurt me. Look, I'm fine. Just calm. Down."
Inuyasha did not feel it was necessary to point out to Kagome that she was glowing faintly pink. That would probably only make her more nervous, and therefore, pinker.
Kagome and Inuyasha's ride home that night was a quiet affair. They had both been thoroughly berated by Sesshomaru, who seemed to take their display during gym class very personally because it necessitated the initiation for the students that had been planned at a later time. Tomorrow Kagome's class would be told who they were and the process of working with their demonic powers would begin. Sesshomaru had apparently hoped that they could wait for at least another year before being told, but now that her entire class had seen Kagome light up like a Christmas tree, questions would have to be answered.
Kagome felt a little shell-shocked. Mr. Taisho was intimidating when he was in a good mood. His icy anger was nothing short of terrifying. Even Inuyasha, who normally blustered and swore in tense situations, stayed silent and grim throughout the whole experience. Well, he hadn't been exactly silent.
"Thanks for standing up for me," Kagome said softly, feeling that she owed the grouchy hanyou that much.
"Nah, it was nothin'", Inuyasha responded uncomfortably. "I just didn't want you to quit and then I'd have to follow you around to whatever new job you got. At least this way we work at the same place."
"You're saying if I quit you would still escort me to and from work?" Kagome asked incredulously. "That's like, serious stalker-stuff Inuyasha."
"Shut up. He would make me do it. Not like I would want to or anything."
"But why?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha glanced at her.
"You don't get it, Kags," He said, using a recently acquired nickname that she was beginning to loathe. "You're special. You have a lot of power, and as you can tell, it can get out of control."
"So I'm dangerous? You're here to keep me in line?" Kagome asked acerbically.
"You are dangerous, but what's really dangerous is the fact that every time you go pink, it's like you are painting a bullseye on your forehead. There are people around who know about demons, Kagome, and they don't particularly like it that we're here."
"Is this was Mr. Taisho decided not to tell me yet?"
"Part of it," Inuyasha allowed. "Right now I think he just wants to make sure we know where you are at all times, and that someone is watching out for you, even at night."
"Does that mean you camp out outside my house at night? That's so creepy." Kagome groaned.
"I do NOT camp out!" Inuyasha protested. "And it wouldn't be so creepy if you would just invest in some fucking pajamas…"
"Oh my fucking GOD!" Kagome yelled, causing the hanyou to wince. "You've been SPYING on me? Jesus Christ!"
"It's not spying when you leave the window open like that! Do you even know how to lower the blinds?! It's not like I want to see you naked all the time! It just keeps happening!"
"I'm going to kill you Inuyasha." Kagome said darkly. "I'm going to murder you in your sleep."
"Better me than some other bastard watching your naked ass waltz around your room!" Inuyasha spluttered. Kagome reeled back.
"I do not watz around my room naked for yours or anyone else's pleasure!" She shrieked. Inuyasha sneered.
"You don't, huh? Why do you always look so sexy, then?" He regretted it as soon as it came out of his mouth.
"SEXY? I'm getting ready for fucking bed! You think that's sexy?"
Inuyasha felt his only choice was to double down or reveal himself embarrassingly.
"Of course you're trying to be sexy!" He roared back, face reddening. "Skipping around with your toothbrush hanging out of your mouth, or standing in the front of the mirror brushing your hair. Who...er...who brushes their hair naked?"
"I'm sorry, I guess I didn't know someone was WATCHING me!" Kagome yelled. "Next time I'll cover up so as not to offend your delicate sensibilities!"
"Oh, don't cover up on my account!" Inuyasha said, "Just do what you normally do, especially the yoga, that part's really ni-"
"Stop the fucking car, we're here." Kagome said. Inuyasha brought the car to a stop in front of her house, feeling absurdly as though he were winning this fight. Kagome looked deeply flustered and embarrassed. He rejoiced inwardly.
"If you peep in on me again tonight I'll neuter you. With my teeth." She said, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut without even looking back at him.
Inuyasha no longer felt like rejoicing.
