I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi
The Hero Thing
"You were gone so long," Kagome said, barely a whisper as her throat tightened. "I was so worried."
InuYasha cupped her cheek and rested his head on her forehead. "I'm sorry. I hate to scare you like that. His arm pulled her tight against him.
"We could see the smoke from here," she said. She rested her cheek on his shoulder.
"Keh," he said. "Stupid soldiers set the fields on fire, right as the wheat harvest was ready, too." His lips brushed her cheek, kissing away a single tear tracking downward. "It burned fast, but the wind shifted right, though. Fire started back toward the battle and Miroku and I were able to get by with no trouble. We're safe. The village is safe. They aren't coming this way."
"But what about the farmers there? What will they do?" she said. "I hate all this. And it'll be years before it stops."
"Some of'em got away. They know their mountain better than the soldiers. Miroku and I, we got a group of'em through the pass before the smoke cleared." He tilted her head up to look at him. "I suspect Sango and the other villagers are cooking soup for them right now. We did what we could. The Takada, you know what they do, round the women and children up and send them back to be sold to the highest bidders. I couldn't stop a whole army. But they didn't get them all."
She reached up and kissed him, gently at first, and then more desperately. "Do you always have to be the hero?" she asked.
"If it means keeping you safe, damn right." He returned her kiss, not as desperate, but with as much passion, then he pulled away, brushed her bangs out of her face. "The bath water hot? I'd sure like to get the smell of that fire out of my hair."
Kagome slapped her hands against his chest, not hard, and fought off a sobby laugh. "Scare me to death and then want to know if the bath is hot?"
He pulled her close again, trying to soothe her, brushing his hand through her hair. "Did I say something wrong?"
She shook her head. "No, no." She looked up at him, seeing the tired, confused man he was, his right ear twitching as he searched her face. "I suspect you'll want some dinner, too."
"I'm sorry this happened," he said. "But we're safe now."
"I know." She reached up and kissed his chin. "Waiting and not being able to do anything was just really hard. Yes, the bath water is hot, and I have dinner waiting for you."
"You know, you're the reason why it's worth me doing the hero thing, you and our kids," he said. "Sometimes, I'd rather go the other way."
Kagome nodded. Taking his hand, they walked back to the house, where their son and daughter ran out to greet them.
"But it's worth every bit of it," he said, and picking up Yukika, and ruffing Atae's hair first, InuYasha and his family all went inside, together.