A/N: 05/28 *pokes head out from under rock*
Well, that happened... Thank you ALL for your patience while I struggled to get this chapter out. Kiyomi took a little trip out of my brain and I lost her for a bit.
Before we get to the story, I need to say a warm thank you to my good friend Youkai55. Without his encouragement, support, and proofreading this chapter would not have seen the light of day... or even the dark of night. Thanks for not giving up on me and Kiyomi, friend, I'm sure she's thankful you've helped her find her way back to me! It wouldn't be here without you. (Send him a fruit basket.)
Let me know your thoughts if you feel so inclined. I always love to hear feedback!
"Psst… Kagome…"
All Inuyasha receives in return is a series of unintelligible grumbles from his mate. He worriedly peers at the ticking mechanism. The small hand is hovering over the seven and the big hand is almost perfectly straight. He doesn't understand it, but he knows that she likes to be awake long before now. Now, she will be panicking, getting ready to depart for her studies. He doesn't like her scent when she worries about things like preparing for school.
He drops his chin onto her bed, staring at her for an extra moment. What a strange world for her to live in… He can hardly imagine a life where a normal person has so many opportunities. In his time education is precious; being able to read and write is a rarity and he considers himself fortunate to even know the bare minimum. According to Kagome, her world expects that and so much more out of every child, not just the nobles; sons and daughters of lords and princesses.
Princesses like his mother.
Well, it does no good to dwell on such memories; he has a mate to rouse. With his lower lip jutting out and his brows furrowed in thought. If he doesn't act quickly then she really will be late… Now, he could just shake her shoulders but where's the fun in that? With a wide grin he hovers inches from her face to lick all the way from her chin to her forehead. As predicted, Kagome's eyes fly open and her spine goes as stiff as a sturdy branch. He has to hold back earnest chuckles while Kagome's sleep-addled mind pieces together what he's just done. As it comes together her eyes grow wider and wider.
But, hey, she's up ain't she?
"I-Inu… Did you just…"
He doesn't answer; instead, he points to the "ticker" by her bed. He didn't think it was possible but her eyes double in size and she squawks like an exotic bird before rolling off her bed and landing on her feet. He's actually rather impressed, he didn't realize that she could be quite so graceful. With nothing more than a squeak, she's tearing through the house like a madwoman. Before he can offer his enhanced speed, she's dressed and bolting out the front door.
With a shrug, he pads down the hall to go back to the guest room and bug the pup only to find that he's been intercepted by Mama in the kitchen. He's ushered to the table with the promise of a warm breakfast courtesy of the matron. He can smell her chopping veggies from where he's sitting. Occasionally, she will turn around to make polite conversation with him and sip from a large mug.
"Sleep well? How was the guest bed?" she inquires kindly.
He doesn't know what to say to that. He normally sleeps in a tree so the bed is… different but in a good way. Ah, he should probably answer Mrs Higurashi, shouldn't he?
"Erm, uh, it was nice. Thank you."
For the life of him, he can't explain just what it is about mothers that makes him so dang nervous sometimes. Maybe it's the knowledge that her daughter is his mate? That's gotta be it. There is still a part of him that can't imagine any mother being pleased that their daughter is romantically involved with a hanyou. Granted, that anxiety is abating the more time he spends with Mrs Higurashi. Desperate to distract himself, he inhales deeply to assess all of the various scents in the kitchen. There is one that is standing out rather strongly. It's coming from Kagome's mother, some sort of cup with a handle.
What is that she's drinking? It smells delightful...
She catches his stare and follows it to the mug of steaming coffee in her hands. "Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"What's that?" he asks interestedly. Now, this is a subject he likes! Food!
Mrs. Higurashi rises from her seat to pour Inuyasha a mug of coffee and pulls the cream from the fridge door. Rightfully assuming that Inuyasha has never had coffee before, she dresses it to her tastes. That way if he doesn't like it then she can just drink it herself.
"This is coffee, the secret to being a good parent," she informs him with a wink.
Is this her magic secret? He'd better drink two cups in that case. Eagerly, he gulps down the mug's contents. Well, that wasn't so bad, it has a funny aftertaste though; definitely does not taste as good as it smells. It was also kinda hot… Why is she looking at him like that? Was he not supposed to do that? Oh no…
"Most of the time you just sip it," she explains with a light laugh.
"Oh," he responds, staring at his now empty cup and, politely, sips the last drop from it. "Like this?"
"How about I just pour you another one?"
He beams at her. "Thanks!"
"Is the baby still sleeping?"
Inuyasha looks up at her confused before he realizes she's talking about Kiyomi. "Yeah, the brat's still asleep. Just a warning, don't let her hear you call her a baby."
If he has to sit through one more lecture about how she's a "big kid" he'll rip his own ears off. Mama smiles as she hands him the steaming mug. He takes a sip and his ears twitch. It tastes different when you drink it like this, it's not as good as he thought it was.
"How old is she?" Mama asks curiously.
"Eh, not really sure but she thinks she's six springs so I guess we will go with that," he replies. Watching as Mama rises to put together breakfast for her guests.
"Really? She looks younger than that. I thought she was around four or five…"
"Yeah well, she's a runt. That's why," he answers, his nose working double-time to sort out the foods she's preparing.
He can smell eggs, some kind of milk though he's not sure which animal it's from, rice, peppers, and the pungent odor of onion. Those scents should rouse the kid in no time.
Mama looks remarkably confused by his statement. "A runt? Like the runt of a litter?"
She's heard the word used as a term of endearment but Mama is under the impression that Inuyasha is speaking quite literally right now.
"Eh, yeah… I don't think she's going to end up very tall." If experience has taught him anything, she's going to be a shortstop for her entire life. "There's no telling her that though. She's got it in her head that she's going to sprout any day now."
Mama chuckles. "Yes, I believe she said something about growing as tall as you."
Inuyasha frowns and takes another swig of coffee. If this is a reference to that dirtbag, Koga, then he's going to have to work extra hard to avoid that creep. The way he fawns over Kagome is maddening and the way Kiyomi prattles on about him is annoying. He won't stand for it, goddamnit! This is his pack, thank you; Koga can take his furry ass and shove it elsewhere! He won't let that wolf near his family, damnit!
Mama is surprised by the cross look on his face. "Is something the matter?"
She distinctly hears him grumble something about wolves and fleas before he answers with a haughty, "No."
"You've found her at a fun age," Mama continues. "She's old enough to understand what's happening around her and, unlike younger children, you can actually have a conversation with her."
That frustrated scowl fades and his ears twerk a bit when she says that. "You think?"
"Oh yeah!" Mama says, excitedly peering at him over her shoulder. "Six-year-olds are fun. You'll see."
Fun? He's pretty sure what Mama is trying to say is "pain in the damn ass". Okay, she's not that bad but she is the definition of a spoiled brat sometimes. He really wishes that he knew how to get her to—
"Oh yeah," he pipes up, "how do you do that thing?"
She looks at him over her shoulder, her brows lifting with confusion. "What thing? Make the eggs? It's easy… I could show you if you'd like."
"No," Inuyasha says with a shake of his head, "it's not that. I mean you actually get her to listen to you. Like with the butterflies or whatever you call them."
Oh, this is the parental wisdom that she'd intended on sharing with him!
She winks at him, half-turning so that she can address him better. "I think you'll find that distraction is a very useful tool. She's curious enough where it will work too."
So that's why she brought out the bubbles or whatever they are called… It's all starting to come together!
"Let's see… what else? Oh, I've noticed that she's very independent. Rather than commands, she is more likely to respond to gentle persuasion. I've also found that she's more receptive when you talk at her level. You may want to crouch down a bit when you need her to really listen closely. That one used to always work for Kagome."
"What? Kagome?"
Mama chortles, eyeing Inuyasha tellingly. "She was a very willful little girl."
Hmm, he hadn't really thought of that; his Kagome being a stubborn little girl… Funny, he'd been a little terror as a boy or at least Myoga likes to tell him so. Their pups are going to be a handful if that's the case. Okay, where did that thought come from?! Crap, Kiyomi really has made him go soft…
Mama H plates the omelet and brings it to the table, effectively diverting the hungry half-demon's attention; a welcome sanctuary from his current line of thinking. He doesn't even wait for it to cool before he helps himself to a mouthful. He can't help but smile as all of the flavors mingle together. Damn, this stuff is good. Kagome's lucky that her mom makes such delicious food. Crap, he should probably learn how to cook some stuff… He probably won't be able to get away with feeding his mate nothing but fish skewers for much longer.
"Do you like it?" Mama asks sweetly, rising from her seat and grabbing her purse from the coat hook.
"Mmm! It's really good!" He watches as Mama pulls a few crumpled pieces of paper and leaves it on the counter with a note. Inuyasha looks on interestedly. Are those sutras? Maybe Mama H is a spiritualist as well, like the old man… "What're those papers?"
She giggles a little. "I suppose it does seem strange to use paper as currency if you are used to coins. It's money. I'm leaving some for Sota when he gets home. It's his allowance."
"What's an "allowant"?
Mama giggles, "It's money. I give Sota money every week for doing his chores and he gets to spend it however he wants. I know he used some yesterday; he said something about wanting Kiyomi to have things to play with while she's here so that she doesn't miss her Temari ball."
He frowns, the boy had spent his own money on those humiliating toys? That's hardly fair! Kiyomi is his responsibility, not Sota's… He'll have to make it up to him. Oh! He'll just do Sota's chores for him. That will work, right?
"I'd like to pay him back," he tells Mrs. Higurashi seriously. "If I do his chores will you still give him his money?"
Where he is from, children's toys are an expensive luxury. If Sota spent all of that money on the girl then he can't let this stand! He's a man of honor and his mother taught him to always repay his debts. It's one of the first things he learned besides his manners and, let's be honest, his manners went to shit a long time ago. The least he can do for his mother is honor one of her teachings.
Mama looks surprised. "Are you sure? I'm sure he doesn't mind."
Inuyasha nods seriously. "Yeah."
"Well, aren't you a knight in shining armor? All right, I'll give you his list for the week after breakfast." She pauses and smiles brightly. His ears flit backward as he hears the telltale patter of bare feet approaching. "Well, good morning there."
A sleepy yawn sounds behind him. He turns to see Kiyomi yawning and pushing her mane of tangled locks from her face with the hand that isn't clutching a blanket. She doesn't bother opening her eyes when she finishes her yawn but somehow she manages to find him in the myriad of scents in the room and toddles over. It takes her all of thirty seconds to clamber onto his lap in a sleepy daze.
"Mornin'… s'at bref'fas'?"
"Excuse you!"
'Pup hungry!'
This little brat wants his food! She peers up at him with half-lidded, bleary eyes and he finds himself unable to stay truly angry. "Feh, go ahead and have it, damn runt."
She wastes no time digging right into his breakfast. Mama doesn't miss the consternated scowl on the young man's face so she makes quick work of starting a second omelet. Kiyomi has chosen to forgo any semblance of manners and is picking up fistfuls of eggs merrily and shoving them in her face. After a moment she shifts so that she can hold a handful out for him too.
His brow twitches. "Get yer dirty paws outta my face, brat."
After a snooty scoff from the girl, he decides it is in his best interests to drink more of this coffee or whatever the heck Kagome's mom called it. She did say it was the secret to being a good parent…
~.~.~
It would seem that drinking the coffee was not in his best interests at all.
Mrs. Higurashi failed to tell him that this potion gives you energy, lots and lots of energy. Ever since he'd finished his third cup of the stuff he's had the strangest impulse to move and to move quickly. So far he's done most of Sota's chores—taking out the trash, putting away the dishes, he tried to do something called "vacuum the rug" but he couldn't stand the horrible noise that comes along with it—and now he is sweeping the grounds. Mind you, he doesn't want to sweep the grounds. He's doing it because he can't sit still now for the life of him!
The secret to good parenting indeed, all it's done is give him more work than he'd wanted to do.
Kiyomi is watching him from the branches of the Goshinboku moodily. She climbed up there once the vacuum started up and he hasn't been able to persuade her to come back down since. She did not like that contraption one bit. He snorts and the kerchief over his nose and mouth billows up.
"Yo," he calls up to her again, "get down here and help me!"
She scowls and sticks her tongue out at him. "No way! Not until you let me kill the noisy thing!"
"You're not gonna be killing anything! It ain't ours to kill!"
Mama knows how to fix this. Kagome will be home soon and she recalls her daughter saying something about visiting the other side of the well with Inuyasha so that they can plan a safe return for the little girl. The sooner Kiyomi is indoors and distracted, the sooner those two will be able to carry out whatever it is they need to.
And, hopefully, spend a little more time alone together…
"Oh, Kiyomi," she calls from the front door, "would you like to help me bake some cookies?"
Both pairs of ears perk up when they hear the word "cookie". Before Inuyasha can protest that Kiyomi has had enough cookies, cakes, popsicles, sweets, and treats in general Kiyomi is skirting past him on all fours. This damn era is going to bring him nothing but trouble from both girls! He can just feel it.
Come to think of it, what is he going to do once this whole thing blows over? Now that Kiyomi can get through the well he highly doubts that he'll be able to get away with visiting Kagome alone. She'll want to come along too. Great, just what he needs, more places for the kid to wander off to and get herself into trouble. One more damn reason he should seal up the well and keep Kagome and the pup all to himself!
"I can eat that?" an awed voice tinkles from the open window. "MMMMMM! It's gooey!"
Okay, maybe her having an older lady around to spoil her isn't the worst thing in the world. Look at that, she went from being all by herself to having all of these people adoring her. Lucky kid…
"Inuyasha!" Kagome calls out, grinning as she hops up the last two steps to the shrine.
He smiles and goes to greet her when, with a disturbingly loud clash and an equally loud thump, Kiyomi is racing out the front door. She is a mess and that is putting it lightly. She's covered in flour and some sort of sticky goo that Inuyasha can't identify in the little time he has between seeing her in the doorway and her race to Kagome. He smirks as he notes that her happy yips are calling Kagome her mother again and he's pretty sure she doesn't even realize she's doing it either. The girl is running so fast that she actually darts past Kagome and slides right off of the stairwell. After tumbling down three or four steps, she quickly recovers and Inuyasha watches her dart back up to latch her arms around a startled Kagome's leg.
"Miss Kagome! Miss Kagome!" the girl yammers excitedly. "I'm making cookies! Come see them! You don't have to cook them you know! Mama says it's called cookie dough!"
Without waiting for a reply, Kiyomi immediately grabs Kagome's hand and begins to pull her forward. Kagome smiles lovingly at the little girl before running her free hand through her hair to calm her down.
"Someone's having a good day," she says bemusedly. "You shouldn't eat raw cookie dough, it can make you sick."
Kagome might as well have been talking to herself. Kiyomi has decided that she loves cookie dough just as much as she loves cookies. Inuyasha rolls his eyes and joins the two of them, taking Kagome's remarkably heavy—well, not really heavy to him but it's more weight than he thought it would be—backpack. Now that Kagome is home they can finally go back to his world for a little while. He's sure that Shippo is pouting and complaining without her around. It'll be good for the boy to see Kagome.
He treats his mate to another one of those little pecks to her cheek which makes her blush and makes him smirk. Sometimes it is just too easy to get Kagome to blush and he thinks it's one of his favorite things to see… Well, besides a bag full of noodles. Maybe when they get back Kagome can take him to her special food store again!
"Inuyasha has been doing chores all day," Kiyomi complains with a huff. "Make him play with me, Miss Kagome!"
"Feh!" Stupid brat, he wouldn't have to do those damn chores if Sota hadn't bought her all of those ridiculous puppy toys that she keeps going on about. He wouldn't be caught dead playing with one of those! "I don't see you helping out, punk."
"Hmph!" she scoffs, turning her face away from him. "Mrs. Higurashi didn't tell me I needed to help and she's the grownup around here."
This little…
Rather than retaliate and start an argument, he directs his attention to Kagome. They have to go back to his time for a little while to get everyone up to speed. Miroku and Sango will have probably come up with some kind of plan to protect the village and he thinks that he has a pretty decent idea on how to protect Kiyomi and Kagome while he deals with Kane and the others. He's pretty sure neither one of them is going to like it but he'll deal with that later on.
"You ready to go, woman?" he asks her once they are through the front door. He doesn't want to rush her but… Okay, maybe he does.
He really just wants to have some time alone with his mate; no pups, no kits, no lechers, slayers, or neko-youkai. Just Kagome all to himself like on their "date" yesterday. Yeah, that would be really nice…
Kiyomi doesn't miss his question and looks up at him. "Go where?"
He fixes her with a glare before informing her, "Through the well where you're not going."
Nope, she's got no interest trying to go through that well by herself again; not no way, not no how. He can go there all he likes. She shrugs disinterestedly before skipping into the living room to play with one of the many puppy toys she's been given, her work in the kitchen completely forgotten. Ugh, he needs to gather all of those toys and bury them somewhere, it's humiliating.
His ears twitch as Kiyomi let's out a playful yip, bending down to snarl at a bug roaming across the front step.
"Damnit!"
Rather than acknowledging the fact that his pup really does exhibit more canine tendencies than he'd care to admit, he directs his attention to Kagome. "Well, what're ya waiting for? Let's go!"
"Can I have just a couple of minutes?" Kagome snaps. "Jeez, I just walked in the door!"
"You've been home for days," he complains, all of these damn smells are bothering him. He wants to breathe in some clean air for a change.
"I didn't realize being home was such a crime!"
He glowers at her, sometimes Kagome can be just as frustrating as the kid. "It is when we got shit to do!"
"Miss Kagome!" Kiyomi calls out dutifully. "Inuyasha said that bad word again!"
"You stay out of this!"
Kagome glares at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you realize how much I have to catch up on? We can leave in a few minutes, I just want to put my stuff down and talk to Mama for a minute."
"Argh! Fine!" he concedes however begrudgingly. "Just hurry up, we don't got all day."
She rolls her eyes but thanks him before stomping down the hall. He's not trying to be an asshole, he's really not. But he's not exaggerating when he tells Kagome that they have a lot they need to do to set this plan in motion. This whole damn thing has made him nervous and he doesn't like that feeling. He'll feel better once they have a concrete plan.
If Kagome would stop dragging her feet then he could—
"She's real mad at you," Kiyomi informs him needlessly, a chew toy decorated to look like a dumpling in her hands. "That's no way to win over a lady, you know."
He snorts and glares down at her. "And what would you know about that?"
"I am a lady after all."
"You're a child," he reminds her pointedly.
She glares up at him. "No'm not! Mrs. Higurashi says I'm real grown-up for my age!"
"Says the brat playing with a dog toy."
"You're changing the subject," she snips, hiding the toy behind her back.
"That's because we are not talking about it."
Really, does this pipsqueak think that she knows anything about romance? She's what? Six years old? She's got absolutely no experience in that department. Not that he's got a ton of experience either but it's definitely more than her. His refusal only serves to irritate the girl and she stomps away from him with a dismissive harrumph.
"Hmph! No wonder Miss Kagome is mad at you all the time. You're a big jerk!"
"Who're you calling a jerk?!"
She spins on her heels and points to him. "Y-O-U, mister! I bet she's never gonna kiss you again with your bad attitude! I would never be that mean to Mister Koga!"
There she goes with that damn wolf again! Doesn't he give him enough trouble with Kagome? "Listen, kid—"
"MISS KAGOME!" she hollers before he can get a word or a step in. "Inuyasha's picking on me again!"
"Inuyasha, leave her alone! I'll be down in a minute!" his mate snaps from the top of the stairs.
This pup needs an attitude adjustment and now. Every time he starts in on her, she goes crying to Kagome. How the hell is he supposed to teach the damn kid anything if she keeps pulling that kind of crap. He growls and grabs the back of her sweater, effectively halting all escape attempts.
"Let me remind you, pup," he warns, watching the stairs carefully for Kagome before he directs his gaze to the little punk. If she catches him now there will be hell to pay. "Kagome's not the alpha around here. I am."
He won't mention the fact that Kagome has got him wrapped around her finger and he knows it. He doesn't even mind it. He'd walk through hellfire for Kagome. Now this little hellion… Fuck, he'd do it for her too. But he will be damned if he tells her that. She already gets away with far too much. Kiyomi gives him a matching glower and a "Hmph!".
"Consider this a friendly warning," he rumbles, putting her down and digging his knuckles into her head. "Yeh've gotten pretty bold these past couple of days."
He'd think it was funny if he wasn't the one that had to deal with her when she's like this. She peers up at him with a knowing smirk, as if she's noticed something that he hasn't. Almost as if Kagome is—
Goddamnit. He'd better put the kid down now before he squishes her under what's coming…
"Inuyasha! Can't you last five minutes without tormenting the poor girl?!" a familiar and irritated voice rings through the hall. "SIT!"
~.~.~
"Kagome!" Shippo's voice echoes as he skids through the dusty streets to reach them.
Inuyasha should have known that the boy would come. Shippo's sense of smell isn't as great as his but the boy is still leagues ahead of his human friends when it comes to that. Not to mention, Shippo always gets antsy when Kagome is gone. It's a pup thing. Shippo sees Kagome as his mother so it makes sense that he would be uncomfortable when she's away. Kiyomi does the same thing with him.
Still, he wishes he'd had a little more time alone with Kagome. Even when she's annoyed with him she's still better company than anyone else he knows. He could do without all the sits though… Yes, fewer sits and more kisses… Ah, crap, he's blushing again.
"Hi, Shippo!" she carols, letting the boy take a flying leap into her welcoming arms.
"Kagome, how come Kiyomi can get through the well and I can't?" the kitsune complains, snuggling against her. "Can I have a blessing too? Can I?"
She smiles warmly, "I don't know if that's how it works but we can try."
The boy pouts but doesn't argue with her. Instead, he curls up inside Kagome's arms and all but purrs under her embrace. Feh, the boy is turning out just as spoiled as the girl. The trio walks through the village, Inuyasha breathing in every scent he possibly can. Again, he can smell what he thinks could be Kiyomi's attackers lingering around the village. They seem to be biding their time by circling the village until she returns.
He can hardly keep her on the other side of the well forever.
"Kagome!" Sango greets, smiling genially when her friend enters the shared hut.
Feh, figures. Everyone is always excited to see Kagome. They all clamor for her attention the moment she enters the room; him, not so much. As a matter of fact, the only ones that seem to be excited to see him are Kagome and Kiyomi. That's fine, he doesn't need the fanfare; just as long as his mate and his pup are happy to see him then that's all he really cares about. Even those two simple things are more than he'd ever thought he'd have.
He's so fucking grateful not that he's going to announce that or nothin'.
And there is a distinct chance that he could lose some of that. Fighting off three inu-youkai at once is hard. If Sesshomaru doesn't show up he really doesn't know which way this battle is going to turn. That's why he's got a plan to get the kid and Kagome as far away and behind a barrier as early as he possibly can.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asks, interrupting his musings. Had she been talking to him?
"Sorry, uh, what?" Crap, she was talking to him.
Sango is the one who answers him. "I asked if you could still smell them? There's a chance they may have retreated."
He shakes his head. "Nah, I can still smell them. Circling like vultures. I've got a plan though."
And he does have one. Get the kid out of the well, use her scent to lure out her pursuers, get Kagome and the pups behind one of Miroku's barriers with Sango to protect them. Then, once his family is safe he can blast these fuckers to kingdom come with Tetsusaiga and—
"Inuyasha," Kagome clips in a warning tone, "if this is another one of your harebrained 'you go and escape while I throw myself in danger' plans then you'd better rethink it."
Hm. That certainly throws a stick in his millstone, don't it?
Wait, he's not about to put his plan down without a fight! He's the alpha around here, goddamnit! He can't just let these girls walk all over him! Ugh, but they already do… No! That's not how this works, goddamnit! For their own damn good, he needs them to listen to him and agree to this plan! Wait, maybe there is a way he can use both of his girls' stubborn ways to his advantage… Yep, that's using the old noggin!
"Kagome," he starts, "if you don't go with Kiyomi she'll never agree to any part of this. She can't be anywhere near these guys…"
She narrows her eyes challengingly at him. She doesn't seem to be falling for it… Shit, what's he gonna do now?
"S-Sango," he pleads, his voice a slightly higher pitch than usual, "back me up here."
The taijiya looks flummoxed at best. "I don't even know what's going on."
Inuyasha scowls. Great, as per usual, no goddamned back up around here. Doesn't Kagome understand that he's trying to keep her safe? There are three inu-youkai out there and once they figure out that she's connected to Kiyomi she's in as much danger as the girl. If he's going to have a hope or a prayer of defeating them then he needs Kagome and Kiyomi out of the damn way. Otherwise, he'll be too distracted…
"I think it would be best to move during the day," Miroku interjects before Inuyasha can start arguing with Kagome over her lack of cooperation. "It's difficult to move around in the dark and it doesn't benefit us in any way to try and move Kiyomi to safety if we cannot see. If Inuyasha's sense of smell is any indicator, hiding isn't exactly helpful."
"One problem at a time, monk," Inuyasha rumbles, directing his attention to Kagome again. "Kagome, you're the beta of the pack to her. If you go somewhere she'll follow you. I need her as far away from those fuckers as possible."
Nope, she still doesn't look that convinced and she's making it a point to cover Shippo's ears now that he's cursed in front of them. Damn, this is going to be more work than he thought. Gods, Kiyomi is going to be even more difficult to contend with. She's not going to like this plan any more than Kagome does and he has no doubts that she will very vocal about her opposition. The difference is that he can reason with Kagome. Kiyomi is likely not going to let him have a word in edgewise. It's okay though, he's got a plan for that too.
But if Kagome works with him then he actually stands a chance of getting it through her head that she's got to hide.
Kagome finally backs down just a little under his firm glare. She knows he's right, she's come to know Kiyomi just as well as he has. She won't want to leave him behind if she thinks he's in danger. Still, that doesn't mean she wants to leave him behind either. Why do all of his stupid plans always end in him throwing himself into the path of most resistance and telling her to run? Her spiritual powers could really be useful at a time like this, hell, she'd even feel better if he kept Sango and Kirara with him.
"Fine," she finally concedes, "but you can't do this alone. Keep Sango and Kirara with you at least."
He shakes his head. "Not happening. Kirara can get you farther and faster than your clumsy ass could. If I let you run alone they will catch up to you in seconds."
"Miroku?" she tries.
"Putting up the barrier."
Miroku frowns. "I'm putting up a what now?"
Sango clears her throat loudly. "Inuyasha, how about you share your plan with us first, and then we can decide whether or not to enact it."
That final statement was meant for Kagome, meaning that Sango was likely going to take Kagome's side. Do they even have an alternative plan? If they do, it's surely not as ironclad as this. Inuyasha growls at his remarkably uncooperative mate but turns to look at the others.
"My plan's simple," he says frustratedly through his teeth, "hide Kagome and the kids then blast those fu— furry inu-youkai all to hell where they belong with Tetsusaiga."
"That's a little too simplistic," Sango chides. "How do you plan on accomplishing this?"
Ah, he supposes that was the shorthand version, wasn't it?
"There's a house not too far from the well," he elaborates, looking at Miroku. "You remember the one, monk? You and that old bag sealed me inside of it way back when."
How could Miroku forget? The half-demon had literally spent hours demanding to be released from his confinement that evening. That was when he'd sent Kagome away in the interest of protecting her; which he is attempting to do again apparently. It seems the hanyou has a modus operandi. He nods to Inuyasha, not daring to speak these thoughts aloud.
"That's where you guys'll take her on Kirara and I'll deal with the rest."
"You want me to seal Kiyomi in a hut?" Miroku asks dryly. "I hope you don't mind my saying this but I have heard stories of your brother's transformations. I doubt a shabby storehouse is going to stop three daiyoukai."
Inuyasha smirks as he reminds himself that he really has thought of everything.
"That's why you're going to put up a barrier around the joint too. Besides, they ain't gonna get past me."
"Then why bother with the pretense of sealing the hut in the first place?" Paper for sutras is expensive. Not to suggest that he doesn't have the supplies, he'd merely rather not waste them.
Inuyasha grins, still proud of his strategic mastermind. "Have you met the girl? The last time we put her behind just a barrier she busted outta it. Which is not"—he directs a dark, telling look at Shippo who shrinks a little in Kagome's arms—" going to happen again, am I right?"
Shippo gulps loudly under the threatening tone. Nope, he's got no interest in going without supper again. He also has a sinking feeling that he'd be in for more than just a hungry tummy if he helps Kiyomi break the rules again. The beatings would be endless! He'd be left with brain damage! He meekly shakes his head. Inuyasha nods and, in an unusual display of affection, ruffles the kit's hair.
"That's what I thought."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome argues. "You and I both know that Kiyomi will never agree to something like this!"
"She doesn't have a choice. Unless you can think of a better way, my plan's the only one we've got."
"What about," she shudders to think of the repercussions of this question but proceeds anyway, "Sesshomaru? Isn't he coming?"
Yep, Inuyasha's face freezes in a nearly intimidating, extremely scornful expression.
"We don't need him," he snaps after a moment of sheer brooding. "The damn flea's probably gone into hiding anyway. You know how he is."
"Don't you think it's a good idea to wait and see what he says?" Sango broaches. "You did say that your brother was good friends with her mother. Maybe he'll—"
Inuyasha rolls his eyes and taps Tetsusaiga's hilt. "I've got this. I don't care who he was friends with. Kiyomi is my responsibility, not his."
"She's my damn pup," he complains internally but does not share this sentiment with the others."Like hell, I'm going to give Sesshomaru a chance to say I'm not good enough to look out for her."
He hasn't forgotten the fear he felt when Sesshomaru had nearly trounced off with her. In its own way, it was different from the time she'd taken off on her own. When she'd been her own he knew he'd eventually catch up with her and it would be okay. But Sesshomaru taking her had introduced a fear that he couldn't shake; a fear that proved to him that there was something bigger than he'd initially planned underway. If Sesshomaru had actually fought with him and won…
"Heh," he tells himself as a means to settle the pound of his heart, "Kiyomi would have driven that cold bastard to the brink of insanity."
Kagome sighs heavily, she knows that he's not going to budge on this idea. Usually, she's able to talk some sense into him but she knows that when it comes to Kiyomi it's usually all bets off. It's not just his humanity she needs to reckon with when it comes to her but his instincts as well. That's the part that's tough to get through.
Sango frowns, watching the exchange. "What am I going to be doing?"
Inuyasha looks at her a little guiltily. "So here's the thing…"
Kagome picks up on that tone, one that suggests he's about to stoop to lower than average levels to get his way. He jerks his head towards the entrance, indicating that he'd like to step outside with Sango. He can feel the confused looks on Miroku and Kagome's faces and he's got a feeling that they are going to eavesdrop on him anyway. He just wants a chance to ask Sango for an extra hand just in case he can't persuade the girl to agree to his plan, preferably without Kagome interrupting. Because he knows for a fact that she's going to interrupt him the second she hears this idea.
Sango looks at him expectantly once they step out of the hut. "I don't see why we needed to step outside for this?"
"You see…" he starts, his guilt swiftly hidden by crossed arms and surly looks off to the side. "The girl is stubborn."
"The girl?"
"Kiyomi."
Sango snickers lightly, "Is this a new revelation?"
He snorts. "Kagome is going to be mad at me for suggesting this. But I need to borrow some… supplies."
Anything that Kagome is going to be angry with him about is likely going to piss her off as well, but Sango politely asks, "Supplies?"
"You keep those slayer powders and tricks on you still, right?"
Sango nods, starting to get the gist of this conversation. She tersely replies, "Yes."
"It's not my first option," he murmurs, he'd never admit this to a living soul but Sango can be intimidating when she wants to be, "but if the kid doesn't take the plan well… I was kind of hoping that you could…"
"I could what?"
Ah, there is a little spice in her tone when she says that; one that suggests caution.
"I'm just saying— Ah, as a last resort— Yeh could just knock the girl out and she'd be none the wiser! You slayers always have sleeping powder on you and—"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome thunders as she rips the front flap open in an impressively loud display for such a small woman.
Both women have rounded on him now and the boy too. Miroku is, conveniently, keeping himself out of this discussion, sipping his tea politely as if nothing of significance were happening. Inuyasha backs up exactly two steps into the street. Instinct has alerted him to one indisputable fact: an angry mate is not to be trifled with.
Sango reaches a hand out to deter Kagome and huffs, "If you can't convince Kiyomi that this is a good plan then maybe you need to come up with a better one. I'm not going to do that to her."
Inuyasha's ears dip. "C'mon, Sango, you know that she'll—"
"She'll what?" Kagome barks. "Be angry that someone she cares about is going to throw himself in harm's way? Who could imagine that?!"
"You don't have to bite my head off, ya know," he complains. Kagome's statement has struck a bit of a nerve because she's absolutely right and he hates admitting that. "I'm just saying if I can't talk her into going with you once they start moving in on us— I…"
He falters, not at all comfortable with this vulnerable declaration in front of Sango or the boy. Kagome, maybe, she wouldn't judge him. The boy definitely will though.
"You what?" Kagome snaps, her eyes narrowed.
The next sentence comes out as a reluctant whisper. "I don't want her to get hurt."
His proclamation seems to have softened Kagome's furrowed brow. Well, now she feels a bit sorry for being so harsh with him. Of course, she should have known he'd try to do something stupid. He's not exactly tactful when he's stressed like this. With a knowing look, she nods for Shippo to hop onto Sango's shoulder and the slayer brings the boy inside. Kagome is sure they will be listening from the door but at least now Inuyasha can pretend that no one will hear him.
"You're worried?"
"Do you need to ask that?" he huffs irritably. "Look, I don't like it either. I'm not excited to do it but I know she ain't going to hear me out. We don't really have a lot of options though."
Kagome places her soft hand into his calloused palm. "How about you give her a little more credit than that? If you explain to her why it's so important that she runs, I'm sure she will understand."
"Feh. I'm sure she understands plenty, doesn't mean she ain't a stubborn little shit who won't rest until she's done things her way."
"Well, if you are that sure that she'll oppose this plan then why go through with it?" Kagome suggests kindly. "I wouldn't blame her for being upset with you for suggesting that she runs and hides while you take on her battles. She loves you, Inuyasha. You've saved her in so many ways. She'll be just as worried about you as you are about her."
Goddamnit, she's right. Kagome is always fucking right. It's not even fair sometimes.
He scoffs, "Fine, woman. I'll talk to the kid and see what she thinks of it."
"That's better," she chides, boldly standing on tiptoes to peck his cheek lightly.
That peck quickly becomes something a little deeper as Inuyasha pulls her close to him and his lips brush hers lightly. That light touch deepens and both miko and hanyou can hardly think past the warm flutter in their bellies. Once again, even if it is only for a moment, there is no world beyond the two of them. Triumphantly, Inuyasha acknowledges that he is never going to get tired of kissing his mate!
From inside, Shippo snickers in Sango's arms while the slayer and the monk share a satisfied grin. It seems that someone has finally manned up and told Kagome how he really feels.
And if you were to ask them, it's about freaking time.
~.~.~
When Kagome and Inuyasha finally arrive back in her era, much to Shippo's consternation, he's surprised to notice how quiet it is at the shrine. It's too nice outside for Kiyomi to tolerate being cooped up indoors and Sota should be running around too… It's odd to see the place so quiet… Sota's scent is stale, he must be out somewhere in the metal village.
Then Kagome's mother steps outside the house, the only indication that she's worried is the pinch in between her brows and the slight scent of anxiety.
"Oh, you're back!" Mama Higurashi murmurs, relief smoothing those worried creases he's noticed. "Thank goodness."
It seems Kagome knows that look all too well. "Is something wrong, Mama?"
She frowns. "Well, not exactly… I just can't seem to find Kiyomi… I can't imagine she's gone too far on her own but I've been calling for her for a while now and she's not responding."
"Feh, brat's probably napping somewhere," he scoffs. "Leave her be!"
Just to satisfy himself, he raises his nose to the air. Yup, sure enough, he can smell the kid on the wind. She's up in the branches of the Goshinboku. Hmm… doesn't smell like she's sleeping though, she smells too anxious to be in dreamland. Tellingly, he points up to the tree.
Mama looks like he'd just taken the weight of the world off of her shoulders. "Oh, good! She'd had me worried for a bit."
Well, that's not right. The kid knows better than that if she's awake. He can smell how worried Mrs. Higurashi had been, it lingers in the air for a bit even though she's calmed down. The kid will be able to smell it too. So what gives?
"It's fine," he mutters, glancing at Kagome. "How about you guys go inside and I'll see if I can wake the brat up."
He can't tell whether or not Kagome's also figured out that the kid's not asleep and is hiding on purpose but she nods her head with a knowing smile. He waits while the two ladies stroll back into the house before he approaches the tree. It looks older and less sturdy than it does in his time and he'd rather not have to climb it.
"Yo," he calls up her, "I know you're awake up there."
A watery sniffle is all he receives in return. Okay, looks like she's not letting him get away with not having to climb. Damn brat. Being mindful of how hard he digs his claws into the trunk, he quickly makes his way up the tree. Somewhere in the middle of lush green branches is where Kiyomi's chosen to hide. She's precariously perched on a branch, stubbornly facing the trunk and she seems to have curled herself around some unidentifiable object.
If Inuyasha had to guess, it's probably food.
"What the heck's your problem? You know you made Kagome's mom worry about ya. You know better than that, let's go down and tell her your—"
A loud sniffle. "I can't."
"Why the heck not?"
She peers at him over her shoulder woefully, her lower lip trembling. After a little shuffle, she faces him with a look that implies that she is nothing short of a monster, the lowest of the low, and whatever other euphemism you can think of to describe pure evil. It takes him a couple of bewildered seconds watching the shame on her face for him to realize that she's looking down at something in her hands, something black and white and undeniably flat. It looks vaguely familiar if slightly misshapen.
A big fat tear drips down her chin. "I-I killed it!"
"Eh?"
"It's Sota's sock ball!" she informs him, holding it out to him desperately as if it were a wounded sparrow that needs tender care. "He— He said it's his favorite'n I just wanted to play'n I didn't mean to do it! It got stuck in my claws!"
She's all worked up about a toy? If this kid's not the most reactive child on the planet…
"Fix it?" she asks hopefully, her puppy dog gaze aimed at him.
Is there a way to fix those kinds of toys? He'd have to ask Kagome. Better yet, she needs to ask Kagome. She can't keep looking at him to solve all her problems as much as he'd like to. This is a good a time as any to start that; this is far from an insurmountable task.
"Uh, we'd have to ask Kagome or her mom…"
Her face falls. "No! They'll be mad at me! Sota will be mad at me!"
Now, this is getting a little ridiculous. It is just a toy. "Quit your squallin'. Sitting here crying won't help you fix it, will it?"
She shakes her head.
"Then man up and go tell them what happened. That's the only way you'll be able to fix it."
She looks at him like he's stupid. "I can't man up, I'm a girl."
"Same concept. You keep telling me that you're grown up, right?"
She nods her head.
"Well, then go down there and ask how to fix it."
"W-will you stay with me? In case they get angry?"
"Feh! Stupid! No one is going to get mad at you," he rumbles, folding his arms over his chest. Her puppy stare doesn't let up and after a moment he finally caves. "Fine, runt, get going."
Stupid kid just spent who knows how long up here cryin' over nothin'. How exactly did she manage to live on her own for so long? She's too damn sensitive sometimes. Well, it doesn't really matter, does it? He's secretly a little flattered that she relies on him to face her fears. The two of them climb down the Goshinboku, one more gracefully than the other, and make their way to the house.
"Oh, Kiyomi! I'm so glad you're okay!" Mama exclaims when they enter the kitchen. "How was your nap?"
The pup opens her mouth to speak but abruptly starts crying again instead. Kagome—bless her for having more patience than he does—crouches down and brushes her tears away lovingly. Inuyasha's chest swells with pride at the sight although he keeps it under tight wraps. It wouldn't do any good to get all mushy on them. Still, the sight is more than he ever could have hoped for. He can't help but be gratified. His mate will be a good provider as well, a source of comfort which is a department where he sorely lacks.
"Kiyomi-chan, what's the matter?" Kagome asks.
The pup looks at Kagome and presents the punctured ball but her eyes are on Mrs. Higurashi. "I-I didn't mean to kill Sota's toy! I really didn't!"
Kagome's perplexed stare drifts up to him and he shrugs. He's got no clue what all the fuss is about. Kiyomi watches Mama with bated breath, almost as if she's waiting for Mama to scold her or put her out. Kiyomi is surprised when Kagome's mom crouches down to run her hand over Kiyomi's ears.
"That's nothing to be upset about," she assures, smiling blithely. "It's only a soccer ball."
"We can just go get him a new one," Kagome adds.
That look of dread is finally fading. "W-we can?"
"Uh-huh! How about we go to the toy store with Inuyasha?"
Two small hands grab him and pull on his arm. "Can we go? Please! Please!"
Feh! After all that fuss, she sure cheered up quickly. He snorts and peers down at her over his nose but nods after another moment. He is rewarded by happy yips and a very unwelcome snuggle to the leg. Does this kid always have to make him look like such a softie? He really had a nice reputation going for himself before she showed up.
After much arguing about his current attire, a couple of "sit"s, and being forced into a pair of sneakers, the three finally take off for Kagome's "toy store". The fact that her village has a shop that is specifically dedicated to toys only confirms his belief that Kagome's world is far too extravagant. Arguably, these people live better than any lord in his era. He vaguely wonders if Kiyomi would be better off living here…
On second thought, no. They feed her too much. She'd be a roly-poly, spoiled pup in no time.
He feels a slight pressure in his hand. Oh, that's right, ever since Mama Higurashi told the girl that she needs to hold hands with someone she's been adamant about it. So adamant, in fact, that she refused to take even one step off of the grounds before she had both Inuyasha and Kagome's hands in her grasp. Then she, miraculously of course, finally allowed their trip to begin. Once again, Inuyasha is wondering if maybe this was all a ploy from the start.
"It's a stall filled with toys?" she asks Kagome. "Will they have Temari balls?"
Kagome smiles down at the girl affectionately, "I'm afraid not. They aren't very popular in my time."
Kiyomi frowns earnestly. "Well, that's stupid!"
"Oh, I don't know," Kagome muses. "I have a feeling you're really going to like this place…"
"Really? How come?"
Since those two are so preoccupied in their conversation she shouldn't mind if he frees his damn hand up. However, the moment he goes to pull his hand away to tuck it in his pocket the girl's head swivels towards him so fast that she could end up with whiplash. Ah, she's not letting him off the hook that easily, is she?
"You gotta hold hands," she admonishes. "Right, Miss Kagome?"
She turns her head to confirm with Kagome but keeps a tight grip on his; her little way of telling him that she'll notice if he tries again. Heh, damn brat is getting pretty pushy. Kagome laughs lightheartedly.
"I'm pretty sure it only applies to little ones," she answers. "You can probably let one of us go."
She shakes her head. "No! Mrs. Higurashi said that we have to hold hands so we don't get lost! You don't want me to get lost, do you?"
That last question is directed towards him. Kagome smiles and gives him an "I tried" shrug. He harrumphs but that seems to do very little to satisfy Kiyomi who continues to stare at him to the point she nearly trips.
"No," he brusquely answers. "Not that you could with my nose."
Kiyomi nods decisively and squeezes his fingers together with her much smaller hand. "Good, I don't want you to get lost either. You said families stick together."
Ah crap, it's like she knows what his plan is and is already telling him she's not okay with it. No, no! He can't think like that. Kagome told him to give the kid some credit. Okay, no need to worry himself yet. Ah, crap, who is he kidding? Kagome's right, she's going to be mad at him when he tells her that he wants her to run and hide while he takes care of her grandparents.
"We're here!" Kagome announces.
Kiyomi lurches to a stop and digs her heels the moment she sees the magic door swing open. "What's that?!"
Kagome smiles down at her. "It's just the door. Come on, let's go inside."
Kiyomi looks up at him expectantly; if he enters too, then she'll really know it's safe to do so. With a grumble that is unbefitting the joy associated with a toy store he marches in with his pup—and thus his mate as the three of them are linked together—in tow. The building is filled with displays for all the latest toys, old classics, sections for girl's toys, sections for boy's toys. In the center of the store to greet them is a model train chugging along a plastic mountain and imaginary village. Inuyasha immediately raises his nose to the air, relying on his senses to tell him just how safe this place is. Kiyomi is looking around, completely awestruck. She's never seen so many colors in one place in all her life!
Anything a child could possibly want is on these shelves. Well, anything a child in the modern era could want. Kiyomi—and Inuyasha for that matter—has absolutely no idea what any of this stuff is.
"Okay," Kagome says, looking around, "I think the sports equipment is over—"
"What's that?!" Kiyomi gasps, pointing to the display model train completely gobsmacked.
It's moving by itself! It's like a magic metal snake!
Without giving them much of a choice, she's immediately dragging her guardians to the station. She's hardly strong enough to pull Inuyasha but she's got Kagome beat by leaps and bounds. The only reason she'd been able to move Inuyasha is the simple fact that he's mildly interested in this, what appears to be, magic toy.
"Oh! This is just a model train, these toys are old," Kagome explains.
"Oh?!" She looks up very seriously at Kagome and asks, "How do you train with it? Are you supposed to catch it? It's not very fast…"
Kiyomi finally releases Inuyasha's hand only to reach over and try to grab the train. This immediately earns the trio a squawk of disapproval from the store's manager and Inuyasha yanks the girl back before she can get herself, and Inuyasha and Kagome by association, into trouble.
"It's magic," the little girl whispers. "I wanna catch it!"
"Um, not right now…" Kagome flounders for a moment before she gives up on trying to explain the concept of trains. "How about we go find that soccer ball for Sota, huh?"
"Oh yeah! What stand do they keep the— What's that over there?!"
Kiyomi immediately starts wriggling to pull away from Inuyasha. Kagome gives him a bemused smile and shrugs her shoulders in a manner that tells him to release the proverbial hound. The moment she's no longer being held captive by him, she darts forward into one of the shelves. She comes back with a whole manner of stuffed creatures in her arms, at least two or three to an arm. Clamped in her teeth is what looks like some sort of masterly crafted doll. She brings her "prey" to her adoptive parents brimming with pride.
"Tou-san?" she asks while struggling to hold her prize.
She's now holding the doll by its arm using her pinky and her ring finger. Inuyasha can distinctly hear confused and blatantly disapproving hiss when a shopkeeper hears her refer to him as "dad". Shifting with a smirk to face the middle aged, portly man who is glaring at him as if he's some sort of rouge hound who's rutted every bitch in the village, Inuyasha makes a point to pull both Kagome—who yelps in surprise—and Kiyomi closer to him in a blatant display of possessiveness. His demon is rumbling contentedly, brimming with pride at the notion of proudly displaying his mate and pup. This old sack could be so lucky as to have a mate as beautiful as Kagome! Scoff all you want, buddy!
While tugging on his sweatpants Kiyomi glares up at him. She doesn't quite understand why Inuyasha is ignoring her in favor of trying to intimidate a smelly old man. What is so special about that fat old geezer that he can't pay attention to her?!
"Tou-san!" she repeats a little more forcefully, using a soft whine in the back of her throat to attract his canine ears which perk to attention instinctively. "What's wrong with this dolly… It has no ears!"
There is nothing wrong at all with the doll. It's stitched together perfectly, wearing a purple dress and it has yellow yarn for hair. Even under further scrutinization, Kagome can't find anything wrong with it. Suddenly, it dawns on Kagome…
Kagome frowns, wondering how to broach this rather delicate subject. "But it does have ears, sweetie. They are just…"
Kiyomi looks confused before holding the stuffed doll out in front of her, dropping the other toys to the dirty floor. Maybe she just missed them? Kagome leans forward and tugs on two little nubs on the side of the doll's face before she takes the doll from the girl's outstretched hands. Kiyomi is not impressed. That's all wrong! Those ears don't look like hers do at all! Wait… maybe it's not everyone else's ears that are different like she's always thought.
Maybe she's the different one…
Well, that's stupid!
"They're not like my ears," she informs Kagome resentfully and Kagome can see the appendages flicking underneath her beanie. "Do you think there's a dolly with my ears?"
"I don't think there is one at this store, but let me check other stores for you, okay?" Kiyomi deliberates for a moment before nodding. "Very good, can you put those toys back now so we can get Sota his new soccer ball?"
Inuyasha scoffs as Kiyomi scampers back down the aisle she'd come from with her arms laden with stuffies again. Kagome might be able to fool the runt but she can't fool him. Even in this world he and Kiyomi are different. Kagome is never going to find anything that even comes close to resembling the pup.
But Kagome's got a plan… While Kiyomi is busy putting the stuffed toys away and Inuyasha is busy grumbling and about having to be out in public "wearing these ridiculous clothes" Kagome leans into the aisle and grabs a stuffed animal of her own. While no one is paying attention to her she jogs to the sports section and grabs the soccer ball. At the cash register, she pays for three items: a soccer ball, the doll Kiyomi had picked up, and a mini stuffed corgi.
After checking out, she looks for her two hanyou who have gathered at the model train again. Inuyasha is holding Kiyomi up so that she can see over the edge of the display stand to watch it circle the little village. Both of them are whispering excitedly to the other.
"Inuyasha, Kiyomi!" Kagome calls out from the shop entrance. "Let's go, you two, I need someone to hold my hand, don't I?"
Kiyomi nods and, before he can protest, climbs over his shoulder so that she can piggyback on Inuyasha. He snorts and makes some vague threat that he knows she'll ignore while he goes and joins Kagome. The moment they step outside, Inuyasha a little overwhelmed by all of the scents, Kiyomi yelps right in his ear.
"What the heck?!" he barks, his hand flying up to rub his now flattened ear. "What the hell was that for?"
Kiyomi looks down at their unclasped hands disapprovingly. "You're not holding hands! She'll get lost!"
He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. "She's not gonna get lost, runt."
"Uh-huh! Mama Higurashi said that if you don't hold hands you'll get lost!" she repeats studiously. "I don't want Miss Kagome to be lost…"
Inuyasha can hear the pout in her voice now. Well, guess there is no winning that argument. If Mama Higurashi says it then it must be true around here. With a halfhearted grumble, he reaches over to grip Kagome's hand in his. This simple action lights a fire in Kagome's cheeks, his as well. He's pretty sure Kiyomi is just doing this to make him hold hands with Kagome and be all mushy.
He doesn't mind it as much as he thought he would.
"There, now will ya be quiet?"
Her response is to yip softly to him and drop her chin onto his baseball cap. She rides his shoulders the whole way back to the shrine, watching this strange new world interestedly from the safety of her guardian's shoulders.
With a little smile she thinks to herself, "So this is what it's like to have a real papa…"
~.~.~
"I don't like it'n I'm not doin' it."
Feh, he should have expected that answer. As a matter of fact, this is the exact reaction he'd thought he'd get. He can't say he didn't try to warn Kagome that this would be the outcome! He's done what Kagome said and told Kiyomi about his plan for when they return and it went exactly as he thought it would: not well.
"Well, that's too bad, it's the only plan we've got."
Kiyomi shakes her head adamantly at him, eyes full of pint-sized rage. "I'm not leaving you behind…"
It's not like he wants to leave her behind to fight off a bunch big demons. But he doesn't have a choice. He can't think of a way to keep Kiyomi safe without separating the group. He needs all hands on deck to keep her and Kagome sealed away from those daiyoukia so it's not like he can keep Sango or Miroku as backup. This is the best case scenario because he can't count on Sesshomaru to help, or at least he doesn't think so.
His brother has never lifted a finger to help him before; why would he start now?
"There isn't another way to—"
"I don't care!" she snaps and he's treated to a very nice view of the back of Kiyomi's head. "You asked what I thought and I'm tellin' you it's stupid!"
Hmph! He'd thought it was a pretty solid plan. Okay, he may have left out the tiny detail about the sutras keeping her locked inside the hut. Judging by her reaction with the limited details she has, he's made the right judgment call. All right, this isn't a disaster yet. He's just got to find a way to reason with the kid. He's sure he's done it before…
He has, right? She can be reasoned with, can't she?
As if she can read his mind, she glowers scornfully at him over her shoulder and warns him, "Unless you think of a better idea, then I'm not going back. Ever."
"Don't be ridiculous," he retorts. "You can't stay here, pup."
"Oh yes I can!"
"Really? Then who's gonna look after ya? 'Cause I'm not sticking around this smelly place forever."
Hey, there's the back of her head! Didn't think he'd see that again!
She snorts and announces, "Imma live here with Mama Higurashi!"
"She tell you that?"
Two little ears dip just enough to give him his answer. "Fine! Then I'll look after myself! I'm too big to have a grownup!"
"What about Shippo, and the monk? You don't think Sango would want to see you?"
Ha! Hit her with the pack card! Whatcha gonna do now, girl?! Her eyes widen as she considers this information. She'd ask him if they could come through the well and live with them too but she's got a feeling that she already knows that answer.
"Well… Um… I…"
She's gonna crack any second now… Time to up the ante!
"And what about that scrawny wolf-boy, huh? You don't wanna see him again either?"
It pains him to use Koga as bait but, as they say, any port in the storm. That should get the girl on his side. She looks utterly confused as she stares at him from over her shoulder again. He growls, stomach churning as he thinks about having to utter that dirtbag's name. It's fine, he can do it. He's just gotta think about the end game!
He is unable to hide the displeasure as he utters through a clenched jaw, "Koga."
Her face falls even more. "Oh… Koga…"
"Hah! Gotcha now, pup!"
"Yeah, him; you don't want to leave your little boyfriend behind, do you?"
That crestfallen face perks right on up. Oh shit. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea to bring him up…
"You… You think he'd be sad if I lived here?"
Inuyasha rolls his eyes. "Yeah, completely devastated. Listen, pup, I know you're worried that I ain't gonna come back but you're forgettin' something pretty big."
She narrows her eyes at him, her tolerance waning now that the subject has changed. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
He pats Tetsusaiga knowingly. "Didn't you say I was the strongest person you know?"
She finally shifts so that she's facing him again. She nods at him slowly. "Yeah. So?"
"So…" he pauses for dramatic effect, "do you remember what I did to my brother's arm?"
She sucks in a breath. "You're gonna cut off all their arms!"
He nods with a smirk, his chest puffing with pride. "Yup! And legs!"
Her mouth makes an "o" shape and whispers. "Wow…"
"Knock, knock," Kagome calls, hands hidden behind her back. "What's so exciting over here?"
Before Inuyasha can even think of a less graphic version of their conversation Kiyomi twists and shouts in an unnecessarily loud squeal, "Inuyasha is going to cut off their arms and their legs!"
Kagome looks perplexed before she peers up at Inuyasha for answers. "O-oh?"
He's about to try and explain when Kiyomi decides to butt in again with something far worse, something he could have gone his whole life without hearing. "Inuyasha said Mister Koga is my boyfriend!"
Well, that's a shock to Kagome. She'd never imagine Inuyasha saying such a thing about Koga of all people. In fact, she can't imagine him discussing boys with Kiyomi at all… She looks down at his mortified face and can hardly suppress a light giggle. She'll be teasing him about that one for a long time coming.
"Listen, kid," he rambles, his voice cracking a little, "I-I didn't mean it like that! The wolf's—"
Kiyomi, ignoring Inuyasha completely, sniffs the air and looks up at Kagome suspiciously. "What're you hiding? It's not something bad, is it?"
"Oh!" Kagome beams. "No! I have a little present for you. Close your eyes."
The girl looks at Kagome speculatively before she does as she's told. As far as Kiyomi knows, Miss Kagome has never led her astray. Inuyasha watches interestedly as Kagome pulls the little doll from the toy store out from behind her back; only this time a few alterations have been made. The little human ears have been carefully snipped away and the triangular ears from the corgi toy that she'd surreptitiously purchased under their very keen noses adorn the top of the doll's head.
Kagome places the doll in Kiyomi's lap. "All right, you can open them!"
The moment she sees the modified doll in her lap her eyes grow at least double their normal size. She holds it tightly to her chest beaming just as happily as she had when she saw the Temari ball. Inuyasha can hardly quell the pride he feels when he thinks about how his mate has gone through the trouble of building a doll to look like the girl. It's just the sentimental thing he wouldn't think to do.
"You found one?" the kid asks, completely awestruck. "C-Can I keep it?"
Kagome's smile is warm and genuine. "Of course you can."
Inuyasha is sure that the toy had been altered but he doesn't have the heart to tell her that, she's too excited. The girl happily pats the triangles carefully sewn underneath the yarn. Finally, something that looks like her for a change! She's so happy that she's not a weirdo! Well, technically her and Inuyasha.
"Kiyomi, did Inuyasha tell you what will happen tomorrow?"
Kiyomi's cheerful smile fades. "Yeah… I don't like it."
Kagome nods sagely. "I don't like it either but I think we should trust him."
The girl frowns and squeezes her new doll tightly, almost like a lifeline. "But he's so stupid."
"He is, isn't he?"
"Excuse you! I'm right here you know!"
Kiyomi sticks her tongue out at him and continues to talk to Kagome as if he were nothing more than a statue. "And he doesn't listen! I told him it's a bad idea."
"It's not a very good one, is it?" Kagome agrees. "But it is one of the only plans we have. You know how strong he is. If anyone could take those people down, it's him."
Ah, he sees what she's doing here. Good work, Kagome! Kiyomi seems to deliberate for a moment, chewing that thought over in her mind. She doesn't like it, that is obvious in her expression: a combined effort of exasperation and worry. After a long sigh she finally nods her head before curling into Kagome's lap, her new doll pressed against her protectively while the older girl pulls her into a tight hug.
"Inuyasha will be very careful," the older girl soothes, running her hand over her head and massaging her ears. "It'll be all right."
Kiyomi nods but she finds she's unable to quell how worried she really is. But that's the worst part about being a kid, there's nothing she can do to change their minds. All she can do is wait and see what happens and hope that it turns out okay in the end…
Yep, it really does suck to be a kid. She can't wait to be a grownup.