Toyfriend
Chapter 21: Possibility of Proposal

Laughter tore through the break room from Shippou's little stunt. It wasn't hard for the boy with fox magic to transfer into one of their boss, mimic his voice, and mock him heavily. Everyone found it amusing, everyone thought he was brilliant for doing it, and even Kagome found herself laughing even though she knew she shouldn't. After all, what happened if that boss walked in on them in the midst of all his acting?

Well, at least Shippou would be the one in trouble and not her. In a puff he was back in his normal form and bowing to the mass amount of applause he got for his performance. He shot Kagome in particular a grand grin when he noticed how amused she was by it. Maybe … just maybe over the past month of working with him she had notice him acting particularly friendly with her.

There was a slim possibility that after everything, he did have a bit of a crush on her. But he must have realized how futile it was, she was with Inuyasha, and there was no way she'd end that relationship. So she just pretended as if she didn't notice the slightly special way Shippou treated her.

"Can you do one of the VPs?" someone asked. "Like Takamoru Sesshomaru?"

"Sure I can," Shippou said before he placed a leaf upon his head and transformed into a perfect duplicate of Sesshomaru. "What are you people doing smiling and laughing?" he asked, managing to match even Sesshomaru's voice perfectly. "There is no purpose in that! Stop it right now. You never see me smiling or laughing. No. I have to keep this perfect face of mine wrinkle free so I show as little emotions as possible!"

Another set of laughter tore through the break room at that. Before someone else called out, "Do another! Do his brother!"

Giddy from all the attention, Shippou was eager to please his audience and didn't seem to even remember that Takamoru Inuyasha's girlfriend just so happened to be leaning against the counter drinking her tea while she watched him perform. Without hesitation, Shippou shifted into Inuyasha's form, too, to mock his short-temper.

He looked just like him … and voice matched Inuyasha's exactly. She was hardly offended by all that Shippou did, it was just there was an eerie feeling in the pit of her gut after watching him perform. Like she had seen it before, so she waited until the end when he had gone through all four of the VPs and everyone decided to start to clear out to go up to Shippou.

"You're really good at that, mimicking others," she stated.

"Thanks, that whole Inuyasha thing didn't offend you or anything, did it?"

She shook her head lightly while she looked him over briefly. "Not really … it just seemed really familiar to me."

"That's good, I guess I hit him spot on then, huh?" Shippou asked with a laugh.

"That or," Kagome hated to say it, to accuse him of something so cruel, but at the time it seemed so right. "Or you did it on the camping trip we all went on."

"Wh … What are you talking about?" Shippou stuttered. He took a step towards the door.

"You know someone tried to trick me into thinking Inuyasha broke up with me on that trip," she said with narrow eyes of accusation. "Shippou, I hate to blame you but … you do Inuyasha well. Very well. So well that it even fooled me and no one else on that trip had the ability to do something like that."

"Uh," he started before turning his green gaze to the door. "Of course not, Kagome. It wasn't me. I need to get back to work."

And just like that he was out the door. If he had acted less nervous, more hurt by her even thinking it could have been him, then she might have bought it. But not when he acted like that … of all the people, how could Shippou have done that?

"Probably figured it was the quickest way to end you two so he could have a shot at you," Ayame said with a shrug of her shoulder when Kagome told her what she thought might have happened. "Stupid little spitfuck."

"But … how could he have known about the whole Naraku thing? How it was him that tore Inuyasha and Kikyou apart, and how he's my dad, not many people know that," Kagome countered. After all, the shapeshifter - or whatever it was - did mention all of that.

"Obviously, his dad told him," Ayame answered. "You're so oblivious to things sometimes, Kagome. His dad is a high up in the company. He's Inutaisho's right-hand man, like Miroku to Inuyasha. I'm sure they talk about this stuff together. The two are good friends. He probably told Shippou everything, too."

"But … I can't believe Shippou would do something so spiteful." She couldn't help but pout at the idea. That incident had caused her so much pain, and had put a temporary damper in her relationship with Inuyasha. It took time for her to prove that she really trusted him after that.

"Guys'll do stupid things for the girls they like," Ayame said. She leaned back in her chair and turned her green gaze from her friend, who's desk was right next to hers luckily, over to a deliveryman that was making his way through the floor with a large bouquet of exotic flowers. "Case and point, looks like some idiot pissed his girlfriend off so he thinks buying her flowers will magically make it better."

"Hey, if Inuyasha bought me flowers I'd be happy," Kagome countered. He got her things sometimes, like the emerald earrings for her birthday last year and now an apartment but she wished he'd just get her small things instead. Like some chocolates or flowers, or even a card that says I love you instead of the big things. A smirk slipped up her lips when she noticed that the deliveryman was there to set the flowers on Ayame's desk.

"Aoki Ayame?" the man asked.

"Yeah," she answered wearily while she sat up straight.

"These are for you, have a nice day," he replied with a bow of his head before he was off again.

"Aw, Ayame, who are they from?" Kagome teased. She slid her chair over to her friend. Ayame just shot her a weary look before she plucked out the card and opened it, after she read it she just rolled her eyes and flung it in the trash. "Ayame?"

"Kouga," Ayame answered. She picked up the flowers and walked over to set them on Kagome's desk. "There, now I've gotten you flowers! See, I'm ten times better than any boyfriend."

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "So, Kouga's getting you flowers…? You wanna talk about it?"

"He keeps sending me shit all of a sudden, like just because I no longer have any interest in him I'm so hot." She shook her head as she sat back down. "I don't have time to deal with that type of bull. He's not worth the effort. I'm sure if I start to show interest back again, he'll just be out of it like he was before. Nope, I need to find someone better than that."

"I hope you do," Kagome assured her. A bright smile swiftly swept up her lips when she saw her boyfriend start to walk over to her. She did suppose it was lunch time and she had agreed to go out to eat with him. So she started to gather her things while he made his way over.

"Who are the flowers from?" Inuyasha asked right away. He cocked a brow and looked over the large boutique. No one should be giving his woman flowers but him.

"Me!" Ayame chimed as she raised her hand. "Just because she's so awesome."

"Oh," he replied, that hardly made sense to him. The flowers probably cost a lot, and he was sure that Kagome's twenty-second birthday wasn't for at least another week. But whatever made Ayame happy, he supposed.

"Come on," Kagome requested as she wrapped an arm around Inuyasha's and waved goodbye to her friend.

.oooOoOooo.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed to try to get her hot-headed boyfriend's attention but he just waved her off. She knew he wouldn't take the news that she thought Shippou might have been behind the camping trip troubles well, but she didn't except him to suddenly pay their meal's bill and rush out of the restaurant they had walked to just so he could go "beat the shit of out of the little fuck" as he so delicately put it. "I don't know for sure if he did it or not!"

"Then I'll beat him until he confesses!" Inuyasha answered. He stopped sharply and turned down an alleyway, it would be the quickest way to Gami. Of course, Kagome had to run to keep up with him. As soon as she turned down into the alleyway she was stopped swiftly by a large hand wrapping itself around her neck, choking her.

"Hey! Who the fuck are you?" shouted Inuyasha as he turned on his heels to see the rather massive person.

"Kyoukotsu, of the Shichinintai," he retorted. "I've been ordered to get a hold of this girl here and kill you. Well, Naraku said I could eat you if I'd like. From what Jakotsu tells me about your blood, you sound delicious."

"Fucking hell," Inuyasha grumbled to his, yet again they were just going to attack him in the midst of the city? In broad fucking daylight no less? At least they were in an alleyway were less people would see him. "Let her go or I'll kill you," he warned while he began to fiddle with his ring.

"I'd like to see you try," Kyoukotsu chuckled.

Fine, if that was the way the fucker wanted it then that was what would happen. Inuyasha swiftly slid off his ring into his pocket so he could rush at Kyoukotsu with his full speed and slice the arm that held Kagome right off with his razor sharp claws. Quickly he grabbed her and jumped back while Kyoukotsu cried out in pain as he grabbed the bleeding stub that was left.

"You asked for it," Inuyasha warned. "Leave now and I won't kill you."

"You fucker!" Kyoukotsu cried out before he began to rush towards him. Inuyasha just jumped out of the way again, this time holding Kagome tightly to him to avoid the attack that ended up leaving a hole in the wall of one of the buildings. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Just stay right here, scream if something happens," Inuyasha ordered. He put her down to draw Kyoukotsu's attention away from here. The big lug of a demon rushed towards him again. Instead of avoiding the attack like before, Inuyasha charged at him to slice his claws through his neck to end his life. It was Kyoukotsu's own fault, he should have just left when Inuyasha gave him the chance to.

All the while, Kagome cringed, turned her cheek, and closed her eyes. The last thing she really wanted to see was that much blood…. She knew it was in self defense, but was it really that easy for Inuyasha to kill someone? It only gave her an awful pang to see, once she finally pried her eyes open to make sure he was alright, something akin to a smirk on his face as he flicked some of the blood off of his claws.

How many people had he killed before? Once he told her back in the old days supernatural creatures of all types used to get into clashes all the time. That he had gotten in plenty himself and winning a lot of them was what had given him higher status in the community. But by winning she always assumed he meant defeating them … not killing them. Now she wasn't so sure.

That smirk-like-smile of his was whipped clear off of his face, though, when he felt a jab of a sword through his side.

"Poor Kyoukotsu," Jakotsu said with a pout as he removed his sword to lick it. Inuyasha stumbled forward and grabbed his wound, weakly turning around to see the demon. "First you kill Mukotsu and now Kyoukotsu? I suppose they were our weakest links but … for someone as cute as you, I can forgive you."

"Leave him alone!" Kagome ordered as she ran in between the two.

"Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled between clenched teeth, not that he could really stop her. He could feel the blood rushing out from between his fingers and could barely stand up, let alone keep her back.

"Oh, it's you," Jakotsu grumbled bitterly with narrowed eyes. "You're daddy wants you back, so step aside or I might have to ruin that face of yours. Well, more than it already is."

"Ah!" Kagome gripped while she folded her arms. "So says the man that looks like a woman!"

"I said move or I'll do worse to you than I did your boyfriend," Jakotsu warned. He pointed the tip of his sword to her. Usually she'd be very, very afraid of such a situation, but when she could see some sliver in the corner of her eyes she knew there was no need. After all, Gami wasn't far away and as soon as Inuyasha had left her side to go fight that giant ugly thing, she knew she should probably call someone in case he needed help.

Who better to call that his dad, right?

Jakotsu seemed to notice Inutaisho's arrival, too, because a lopsided smirk slipped up his face. "Oh! You must be his daddy! Well aren't you handsome, I hear you're other son is cute as well!"

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho whispered once he got to his side and placed his arms around his son, to keep him propped up. All he got in reply was a disgruntled grunt.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat," Jakotsu said as he began to back away. "I know better than to attempt at fight with Takamoru Inutaisho."

Before any of them could look up from the wounded Inuyasha, Jakotsu was gone.

"Let's get him back to mine," Inutaisho stated while he grabbed one of Inuyasha's arms to put over his shoulders. "I'll summon someone to tend to his wounds there."

.oooOoOooo.

Oddly peaceful, her lover, maybe even love of her life, rested on the bed as if he didn't have a huge gash in his gut, but instead simply fell asleep after a session of twisting under the sheets with her. He was out cold only moving to take in a series of deep breaths. His injury was so severe … she had expected it to be a huge problem.

She had been in a panic the entire time that they traveled in Inutaisho's car back to his home. Thousands of torturing questions coursed through her tattered mind as she watched Inuyasha try to stay conscious and not show how much pain he was really in. What if the wound was too severe? What if he lost too much blood? What if … what if she lost him?

The thought made her heart clench, her throat close, and her lungs burn for a need for air that she couldn't seem to find. That couldn't happen because … more than anything, she loved Inuyasha.

Her mind went blank with the possibility of what she would do if he died. What could she do? She had no idea what to do if that happened. She couldn't live without him. She had no idea how to anymore. Her heart couldn't take losing him. It had hurt almost too much when she lost her dad … she couldn't go through that again.

As soon as they got to Inutaisho's house he had a healer waiting who seemed to be able to work magic. The elder man had everything under control. Apparently she didn't need to worry in the least. That had to be why, even when she was in a panic making a fool of herself from worry, Inutaisho could be silently stoic. For a while, she was furious with him for being like that. How could he act like nothing was wrong? How could he look so untouched by what was going on?

His son might die, didn't that bother him?

But it turned out Inutaisho knew best, that while she was being useless he had already gotten them back to his place and summoned someone to help his son. He knew everything was going to be alright because he had made sure of it.

"How is he?" Startled her, but it only took a short while for her to realize who it was. With a smile, she looked over her shoulder to see Inutaisho standing there, his golden gaze fixated upon his youngest son.

"He's been asleep for a solid hour now," Kagome replied as her hazels shifted back to the man before her. "He seems much better now."

"Good," he whispered. He walked into the room to pull up a seat next to Inuyasha as well. "He does such rash things sometimes and fails to take in his surroundings as well as he should…. I often worry more about him than Sesshomaru for such reasons."

It was true. Inutaisho was worried ever so much about his son. It was apparent in everything he had done, and the expression now etched into his face. He loved Inuyasha, very much. Kagome found that sweet … so what was it that continuously hindered the two's relationship? Why did Inuyasha refuse to respect his dad, or love?

"Will he get into trouble?" Kagome asked. "For showing himself in public again? He can't really take another pay cut this year … then he'd be making no money."

"He was almost killed. It was a necessity that he remove his ring, this time there will be no punishment. I will make sure of it." Inutaisho said staunchly. "Last time, I thought that he shouldn't be punished, either. Sometimes our rules are so … ridiculous."

"I agree," she whispered softly. She didn't understand everything yet in the supernatural world that she had entered, but she didn't see how it was wrong for Inuyasha to expose himself when it saved the both of them. It was stupid.

"He loves you, very much," Inutaisho stated to her surprise. "I can tell. He's not good about saying such things, probably even poor at expressing that love, but it is there. I think you're good for my son. I would appreciate you staying with him."

"Of course I will," Kagome replied. It was ridiculous to think she wouldn't. Of course she was going to stay with him. "Why would I leave?"

"He can be difficult." That was the leading complaint Inutaisho got.

"I like that about him," she assured him softly while she took one of Inuyasha's hands gently into hers. "I like everything about him. I love him."

"I'm glad to hear it. He needs someone sensible, someone that can counteract his stupidity sometimes." It was a bit cruel, yes, but true nonetheless. His son's brains was never something outwardly impressive. Often he did stupid shit, that was just a fact.

"I'll be back," whispered Kagome as she rose up to leave the room. It seemed like the two needed some alone time together. She had plenty and would just continue to get plenty, but it was probably only when Inuyasha was unconscious that he and his father would ever have peaceful one-on-one time.

Inutaisho had left Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi, before Inuyasha was even born. She knew that much, Inuyasha had ranted on about it once when she inquired as to why he couldn't seem to stand his father. Because his father did that, and Izayoi wasn't aware that Inutaisho was a demon. Inuyasha was not only a bastard child born to an unwed mother 250 years ago - when such were highly unacceptable - but also a freak of nature. He was born with such strange features, no one knew what to make of him.

He was a monster. A freak.

He had no idea what he was for the first twenty or so years of his life. That must have been hard … but Inutaisho did come back for him once he found out Inuyasha even existed. Since then, from what Kagome could tell. It appeared he was trying his best to make up for that lost time. For all the trauma Inuyasha had to endure. It was his stubborn son that refused to allow their relationship to mend.

She really did love Inuyasha, so much, but he could really be a stubborn jackass sometimes. If she were to ever do something that he deemed horrible enough to form a grudge…. She shivered at the very thought. He'd never let it go. If his own father couldn't get him to forget and forgive then there really wasn't any hope for her.

"I guess I'll just never have to do anything grudge-worthy," Kagome mumbled to herself as she walked into the kitchen to make some tea. But things like that were always easier to say than actually do. It wasn't long after she finished making her tea that a knock on the door caught her attention and since Inutaisho was preoccupied with tending to his son she figured she might as well go see who it was.

First, she looked through the peep-hole to see if she recognized whoever it was. Instantly she did, Izanagi, so she supposed it would be alright to answer it. Inutaisho probably wouldn't want her refusing entry to one of his bosses, after all.

"Somehow, I am not surprised to see you here," Izanagi stated, rather condescendingly, as he bypassed Kagome to enter the apartment.

.oooOoOooo.

"If this is about Inuyasha taking off his ring again and killing a demon," Inutaisho began carefully after he had led Izanagi into his study so that they could talk in private, but he didn't get to finish his thought. Izanagi just raised a hand to silence him and when the strongest god of them all did that, one would shut the hell up instantly.

"No, Inuyasha won't be punished for that. No mortals saw him this time and it was purely out of self-defense. He almost got himself killed, after all," Izanagi said, giving Inutaisho instant relief. He had worried about how well he was going to be able to keep Inuyasha out of trouble for that. After all, he was just CEO, he could only argue with the chairmen for so long and it was really up to them what happened. But if Izanagi, the leader of all chairmen, said Inuyasha would not be punished then that meant he wasn't.

"Then what are you here about?" Inuatisho asked cautiously. It wasn't like Izanagi to make house-calls and he hardly thought that the god cared enough about Inuyasha's well being to come to check on him himself.

"Higurashi Kagome's the root cause of your son's sudden series of fights. His former punishment and now his life-threatening injury. Naraku has only sent the Shichinintai members after him because he always seems to be with his daughter. While it does appear that one member, a Jakotsu, has taken an interest in Inuyasha the rest wouldn't bother him if not for the fact that he is with Naraku's daughter."

"Yes, I'm aware of that," but what did that have to do with Izanagi? Though, Inutaisho wanted to ask just that he bit his tongue and waited. Surely the god would explain himself.

"She's a shikon nymph, those are rare, we don't have many nymphs at all left in Japan. Most are spread around Europe. It would be an asset to Gami if we could keep her here. But, unfortunately, she is also Naraku's daughter. This will continuously put your son at risk, if he has plans of staying with her that is."

The pause Izanagi gave then probably meant something, and if Inutaisho had to guess he would say that he wanted to know if Inuyasha did have such plans. "My son has no intention of leaving her because of all of this. If anything, the danger she is in only makes him want to be with her more. He has a very protective nature to him."

"Then he'll probably be getting himself into a great deal of trouble for her sake, won't he?" Izanagi waited for Inutaisho to give a small nod. "I am going to be blunt with you, Inutaisho. We gods have worries about Higurashi Kagome and her connection with Naraku. If he were to return the shikon to her, tainted as it is now, she would be very powerful. It would be the first time in ages that a shikon nymph would actually possess an entire shikon. We believe that's why Naraku is trying to get her back, to give her that jewel and use her to complete his mission."

"You've met Kagome," Inutaisho dared to interrupt. "Do you honestly believe she would do something like that? She's a very good natured girl. She wouldn't wish harm upon anyone, particularly Gami."

"A tainted shikon would taint the nymph. Regardless of how kind she might be now, if the shikon were given back to her as it is then she wouldn't have much of a choice. It's been tainted with Naraku's ill intention, with his wishes, and he'd be able to control it and her. We don't want to have to deal with that."

"So … what would you like me to do about it?" Inutaisho inquired with a lifted brow. It was hardly like he was close to the girl or he could somehow locate Naraku when no one else could.

"We need her tied tighter to Gami, to our community, to an important family which we all can trust." Izanagi stated staunchly.

"Ah," Inutaisho drew out while he nodded his head. Now that made sense. Inuyasha had mentioned to him that Izanami and Izanagi had bothered him a couple times about marriage. "You're asking me to… request my son marry Higurashi Kagome, then?"

"No, I not asking nor do I want you to merely request." Izanagi corrected. "I am telling you to get your son to marry her. I do not care what their feelings are on the subject. We need her connected more to this company and your bloodline is one of the oldest in Japan. She would be lucky to take on the Takamoru name instead of having a mere mortal family surname. There would be many benefits here, for the both of them, and I am sure that I don't need to explain that to you."

"Of course not." Inutaisho knew a couple off of the top of his head. As a half-breed his son had issues keeping a high status in their society and even harder time being taken seriously as a Vice President. If he married a shikon nymph then his status would be sealed where it was. But … getting the two to agree to marriage would be difficult. Inuyasha had been fairly firm in that regard. They hadn't been together long enough to even consider such things, he often told Inutaisho.

"In the old days this wouldn't have been such a problem," Izanagi complained bitterly. "Many sups marry merely because we arrange it. Your son and Higurashi Kagome will be no different. They are not special. They will not be exempt from our orders."

"Of course," Inutaisho replied again. That was the way things were. If the gods said jump, then the proper answer was 'how high?' not 'why'. They were the leaders in their society. In most cases, the gods were the ones that created the supernatural beings that worked at Gami. "You truly believe that this will somehow keep Naraku from getting Kagome, though?"

"I truly believe that it'll make it far more difficult for him to. After all, if she were your son's wife than he would be allowed to do anything it took to protect her without fear of any sort of punishment. Perhaps it would not mean much to Naraku, but it would to those that worked for him. Even someone so stupid enough to pledge their allegiance to him must fear the notion of making an enemy out of a family like yours. Didn't one of the Shichinintai members flee merely at the sight of you?"

"That is true."

"Then get it done, Inutaisho. I expect this to be resolved swiftly," Izanagi stated as he stood up and left, without another word.

Inutaisho couldn't help but sigh … it wasn't as if he had much control over Inuyasha anyway. This was going to be a problem.

.oooOoOooo.

"She's not here," was what Inuyasha heard when he wandered into the living room. When he awoke in the spare bedroom, he could hardly remember where he was, let alone what happened and why he felt such pain in his side. But with time his memories slowly started to come back to him. He was at his dad's place and had almost gotten himself killed by fucking Jakotsu.

Kagome had been there, he remembered seeing her nearly every time he woke up - regardless of how briefly that was. Yet now that he felt good enough to get up and walk around, he couldn't seem to find her. When he heard his father say that she wasn't there, he supposed he should have noticed, since her scent was faint in the place at best.

"She had to go to work," Inutaisho explained once Inuyasha took a seat on the couch.

"Right." Of course she did. He wasn't in a life-threatening situation anymore so she didn't need to stay by his side to make sure he'd actually wake up. Kagome always hated to miss work, so he wasn't surprised to hear that she had gone in even on a day he wouldn't be. With a bent brow he looked over to his dad. "Why aren't you at work?"

"And leave you alone?" he questioned back before shaking his head lightly. "Work's not that important. I didn't have anything scheduled for today that couldn't be put off until later."

"Okay," he murmured back. He was hardly going to give him a 'Father of the Year Award' for doing that.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." Though his side was still sore and bending was painful. He figured in a couple of weeks he'd be fine again. Within a day or so he'd be back to work. Having sex with such an injury was going to be a problem, but not a big enough one that he was going to try and avoid the act. Convincing Kagome that everything would be alright was going to be the hard part in that plan.

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho slowly started, so wearily that it got his son to look over at him curiously. "We need to discuss a few matters."

"I couldn't avoid taking off my ring, that bastard would have killed Kagome and me-"

"It's not that," Inutaisho asserted. "You won't be getting in trouble. It was pure self-defense and no mortals saw you this time."

"That's bullshit. I shouldn't have gotten in trouble last time, it was in self-defense then, too," he gripped.

His father just shrugged one of his shoulders in reply to that. He agreed, he hardly thought his son should have been punished for defending himself. They were able to find all the mortals that witnessed it and whip their memories before it became a problem. But that wasn't the point.

"Izanagi stopped by earlier…. He made a very interesting case for why you and Higurashi Kagome should get married." Just as he expected, a hard glare was all his son gave him in reply. They had discussed this before and Inuyasha had already told him how he felt about the subject. Did he really have to repeat himself?

"Izanagi and Izanami are no longer telling you to merely think about it. They are telling you to do it. As am I, Inuyasha."

Instantly, his brows bent together as he sat up straight. "I don't fucking get it. What the fuck does it matter if Kagome and I get married?"

"It'd protect her."

That got his son's attention, enough so that his temper seemed to die down some. For a while Inutaisho had just been sitting there, trying to figure out the best way to address the matter with his son. How to actually get Inuyasha to consent to the proposal. To protect her, it was clear Inuyasha was about to do just about anything. Thus, Inutaisho decided to use that as not only the leading point but the main one.

"Naraku will continue to come after her. If she was connected to the Takamoru family then those that worked for him would be far more reluctant to try and harm or take her. That Shichinintai member fled instead of fighting with me. Whether you respect me or not, Inuyasha, others do. Plenty still fear me, just as many fear your brother, few would do something stupid enough to incur the wrath of our family. Marriage would bind her to us, far more than merely dating."

While all that was true, Inuyasha was still unsure. There was another question on his mind, one that just didn't make any sense to him. So he said, "That can't be why Izanagi and Izanami want us to marry… why do they?"

"She's a shikon nymph, there are almost no nymphs left in Japan. They want her to stay and continue to be connected to Gami. She's also Naraku's daughter, they want to make it as difficult as possible for him to get to her. This would make it very difficult," Inutaisho answered. "But, Inuyasha, the truth of the matter is that it does not matter why they want it to happen. What is important is that Izanagi and Izanami, the gods of all gods, demand that it does happen. You must understand the magnitude of that."

He did … he really, really did.

"So," he stared warily while he leaned back in the couch again. "This would be like an arranged marriage, then, huh?"

"That's one way of looking at it."

"What's another?" he grumbled.

"You do love her, it could be an actual marriage." Inutaisho had never seen his son act the same way he did with Higurashi Kagome before. Even when he was with Kikyou he wasn't so … at peace, so happy.

"I may love her," well, he did, he knew that, "but I don't think I love her enough to get married to her…"

"It could just be for show for now, Inuyasha," Inutaisho suggested, which once again got his son to turn his golden gaze to him. "You could continue to think of it just as dating. Once Naraku is dealt with you could even terminate that marriage if you two so desire. Or, if by that point you decide you truly love her, then you could remain married. For real."

"It … would really protect her, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would."

He sighed heavily then as he squirmed around in his seat, trying to find a way to be comfortable in the midst of such an uncomfortable conversation and with an aching side still. "I don't think Kagome will agree to this. She loves me, I know, but not enough to get married. Not yet. She also doesn't understand what it means when Izanami and Izanagi say to do something. She was brought up as a mortal, she's just now learning our ways."

"Then make her understand."

"You think I'm stubborn, you haven't had to try and change Kagome's mind before," Inuyasha muttered. "She's more stubborn than I am sometimes. I just … I don't know if this is going to work."

Inutaisho just nodded at that first while he stood up and stretched. "Sleep on it tonight, make a decision tomorrow. I hope you make the right one, Inuyasha. For your sake as well as hers."

"Hey," Inuyasha called out before Inutaisho could leave the living room. "That little spitfuck, Shippou."

"Manabu's son? What of him?"

"He was that fucker that did the whole shape-shifting shit back when Kagome and I went camping, at least that's what she thinks."

"You want me to verify that?" he guessed. All he got in reply was a simple nod. "Alright, I'll talk to him about it tomorrow. And if it was, what will you do? That's not against any rules, Manabe might punish him some."

"I'll beat the shit out of him," Inuyasha retorted, that was a stupid question. His father just sighed as he shook his head and left the room. Sometimes, his son could be too much of a hot-head. He really had no idea where he got it from. It obviously wasn't from him, he liked to think of himself level-headed, but it couldn't have been Izayoi either. She was the sweetest woman he had ever met, and too meek to ever do anything of the sort.

But, really, a parent could only do so much.

A/N: Gasp, Shippou was the shape-shifter! I'm sure some people will be upset with that but… I've never been fond of the little spitfuck, as I "affectionately" call him. He always seemed so, so, so very useless in my opinion. I get his was meant to be some sort of comic relief or something of the sorts but… as you might be able to tell from most my stories, I can do without such things. So, personally, I have no qualms with him getting beaten up.

Anyway, thank you everyone for all the reviews. I appreciate them all, short or long.

Oh, and I've had most of this chapter written for a while, it took me like two days just to get the last section written... I'm finding it hard to write for Toyfriend or Damned Deed right now. I think I might have a bit of writer's block. Hopefully I'll get over that shortly.

Next Chapter: Right Decision, Wrong Reasons?