By Midoriko-sama
August 17 2003
"That stinky, surely, annoying, moody, dumb JERK" yelled Kagome, throwing her nearly empty pack onto the table in irritation.
"You have just contradicted yourself honey" said her mother from the kitchen bench, switching the hop off and wiping her hands in her apron and then moving on the stir the contents of one of the pots
"What do you mean mamma?" asked Kagome in confusion, absently peeling some flakes of dry Inuyasha blood from her uniform blouse.
"I mean that a person who is moody can never be dumb" her mother replied, putting the lid onto the pot to let it simmer.
"Well Inuyasha's the exception then" retorted her daughter, moving to the sink to wash her soiled hands and splash some water onto her face to get the blood off "He is extremely moody, and he never listens to me when I try to talk to him and explain! He's impossible"
"I don't think he's that bad dear" said her mother, laughing at her daughter's temper "In fact, I don't think you're that bad either"
"Me?" asked Kagome "What have I got to do with it mamma?"
"It's very simple" her mum replied, sitting at the table and setting two cups of tea down. Kagome sat in front of her and started sipping at once "You have your own faults too, like we all do, like Souta and Grandpa and me too"
"But at least we don't go over the self same argument over and over again and won't listen to the same reasons every time" said Kagome, resting her chin on the table tiredly.
"So I take it that he didn't want to let you come home again, isn't it?" smiled her mother over the tea cup. "Have you ever thought that maybe he misses you?"
"Oh mum . . . I wish it was like that . . . but it's all about the Shards" she replied dejectedly, her chin still on the table as she poked her mug
"But lately he hasn't been coming here to drag you shouting about the jewel ne?" said her mum
"Oh but what did you mean about the moodiness mum?" Kagome said, trying to change the subject
"Oh that's simple dear, Inuyasha has lived on his own for most of his life, isn't that what you said?"
"Well hai. Even when we go to the villages sometimes, people are nice to me Sango and Miroku, but when they see him . . . once they came out with pitchforks mamma" Kagome said with a sigh
"That must give him a terrible feeling honey, all the time. And that gave him only one person to talk to and reason with all the time" the older woman said
"Myoga? I don't think so mamma . ."
"No" laughed her mother "I was talking about himself"
"Nani? Mamma?"
"Well, he has had to take decisions on his own all his life? Do I run or fight? Do I eat or is it too dangerous to attack that prey? Do I risk appearing weak but save my skin or do I stay and maybe die?" Mrs Higurashi stopped and sighed "From what you tell me about that world, this seems to be how he lived. He only had his own head to discuss decisions with, so he has grown used to thinking things through very, very thoroughly on his own and then sticking to that decision no matter what"
Kagome blinked at her and straitened
"That would . . . sure explain why he's so headstrong all the time" she stammered
"And why he's so proud too" her mother went on "he's made it on his own, and he must know that there aren't many who have. And he's a powerful demon, if all you have told me is true, he knows he's a powerful demon"
"Oh he's big headed alright" giggle Kagome. Her mother joined in.
"But that doesn't make it any easier for him to get used to you" said her mum, stirring her tea some more "think about it, if you lived on your own all your life-"
"Oh I know mamma, that's why I still stand him. I know he doesn't really know how to deal with people, so I don't hold it against him. Only that sometimes, it gets to me too"
"Oh I understand that it can be a hard job, but I think you're doing well dear, if only for those sits"
"Huh?"
"Well, seeing that that poor boy hasn't really had any human contact for years, you sitting him attacks the only thing he has- his pride- and it doesn't exactly make him want to trust you, or any one else for that matter"
"Oh . . ." murmured the girl thoughtfully "He did once say that he never trusts anyone"
"It's not surprising" nodded Mrs Higurashi
"But still mamma, what has all this got anything to do with Inuyasha being smart?" asked Kagome again "I know he really isn't stupid or anything, but smart?"
"Oh well, I'm surprised you haven't put what I have told you together honey" smiled her mum "He has lived on his own with no one to teach him how to tell people what he thinks, and making his decisions entirely on his own. That makes him think a lot, Kagome, and talk little. Have you ever seen him staring for a long stretch of time without talking to anyone and then coming out with an idea that looks right off his head a moment after?"
Kagome blinked again
"Mamma, I didn't know you had been observing Inuyasha so closely when he comes here on the new moon" she commented
"Oh I don't" smiled her mother again "I'm guessing. And let me guess again; when any of you contest one of such ideas, he blows up without any apparent reason and won't listen to anyone, until you sit him, right?"
Kagome narrowed her eyes
"Mamma, when were you planning to tell me that you could pass through the well too?". This caused her mother to laugh heartily
"That was as good a joke as I have heard dear" she said in a chuckle "but I can assure that I have never in any way even tried the well. I take that answer of yours as confirmation that Inuyasha actually does that doesn't he". Kagome nodded
"He does mum, and sometimes he even throws a fit about it, especially when I am the one who nicely says something against it" she scowled
"Again Kagome, you don't seem to be adding up" said her mother "It's simple really if you think about it. He's not used to being contradicted, and he's not used to trusting"
"You're saying that he trusts me?" said Kagome almost derisively "He didn't even tell me his human night when his life depended on it"
"But that was almost two years ago now isn't it?" her mother went on "He trusts you very much Kagome, enough to let you drag him here when he's human. He doesn't trust us, and especially grandpa who keeps throwing his papers at him"
"I still remember the face grandpa made the first time Inu-chan came through and told him his 'wards' were useless" she giggled helplessly. Her mother smiled at the endearment Kagome had placed along with the hanyou's name.
"But the point still stands. He trusts you enough to follow you when you assure him he is in no danger, even if he himself doesn't trust us". Kagome looked thoughtfully down at her cooling tea.
"I guess . . but then, why does he yell so much when I say something? If he trusts me, wouldn't he trust my judgement too?"
"Kagome-chan, can't you see? By contradicting him, you are showing that you do not trust his judgement, and that's hard on him, since he feels that he does trust you"
"I did think about it like that once . ." said Kagome ducking her head "but mamma, you're not there, you don't know what he says. Sometimes they're so horrible that I have to start yelling at him and sit him so he doesn't see I'm crying."
"I was afraid he would end up hurting you unknowingly the moment I saw him drag you away that first time. I saw it, he realised that he was hurting your arm only after you moaned and looked at it, and then he let you go at once". Kagome unconsciously covered her arm with her hand. Her mother sighed "Inuyasha is not only not dumb dear, but he is very smart. How many times did his quick thinking save you?"
"Oh, countless" admitted Kagome, swirling her tea about as she absently went on "His quick thinking, his strength, his courage . ."she blushed and shut up.
"Kagome-chan, this won't take either of you anywhere you know" said Mrs Higurashi sadly. Kagome kept looking at her tea "You have to tell him dear, one of these days"
"No mamma, we've been through this already" her daughter replied "It would only make us all uncomfortable and make it even more impossible to live with that baka. More than it is already at any rate"
"And I still say that you are wrong dear. I don't think Inuyasha would be all that hostile towards you if he didn't like you as much as you do him" smiled her mother
"Nani? Mom, now that made a lot of sense" she laughed, then she stopped short "You think he might be . . . afraid mum?"
"Precisely" she replied, tilting her mug and drinking the last of the tea "He was betrayed the first time he trusted in his whole life, that would make anyone spiteful. He already trusts you against his will, so now he tries to hide it or at least go against that instinct by pushing you away"
"He can be nice sometimes. . . but it's always after I or him nearly died . . ." she sighed in defeat "It can't work out anyway mamma, our worlds are too different. He doesn't belong here, and I don't belong there". Her mother looked at her pityingly
"Look dear, I'm sure this will work out, you know about my gut feelings" she waited to see her daughter nod, although she never lifted her eyes "I think if you show him some more trust, you'll see things starting to turn. Won't you try it?"
"I trust him with my life" Kagome smiled "I might as well start trusting him with his decisions"
"I'm glad you think so too dear, now how about you go up to take a nice bath before dinner's ready? There's enough time left". Kagome's mother followed her daughter with her eyes until she was out of earshot, and then sighed
"Are you sure we're doing the right thing? I feel terribly like I'm forcing the past like this" she said out loud
"No, this is the right thing" the person behind her answered "We are doing what needs be so that the past isn't changed, trust me"
"So you think this little talk . ."
"Oh, you have no idea how much it worked" there was a smile in his voice "She did tell me she had acted on her mother's words afterwards"
"Afterwards?"
"Erm . . . well, it took me rather off guard . . and I was too happy to stop to think in reality. . so . ." he broke off with a laugh
"I do seem to remember that she came back to show it to you at once though"
"It?" Mrs Higurashi stood up to tend to the simmering food again
"The ring I gave her. Why, what were you thinking?" he laughed "No need to answer that, I know"
"You still need to hone your communications skills I see" she laughed
"I didn't talk to many over 500 years. None were of worth as much as your daughter"
"She would love to hear that you know" said Mrs Higurashi "That would have her right in tears"
"Not yet" he sighed "Especially since at the moment, I'm waiting in her room and she'll starts throwing things at me as soon as she's in"
"And why's that?"
"She'll only be wearing her underwear" he chuckled in response "I can't mess with the past. I don't want to lose her, and my older self will now appreciate having to share her, even with himself. I have trouble with it myself". Kagome's mother chuckled, then turned round to find him gone
"Mamma?". Kagome poked her head around the corner
"Yes dear"
"How did you know all that? About the moodiness and stuff I mean"
"Well dear, I had psychology at university, and I am a mother after all". Kagome smiled and went to her filling bath
"Not to mention a little help from the source" she muttered as she saw him wave goodbye, his shirt sleeves rolled up in the heat, his white hair following behind him.
End
I'll let you wonder what happed to get Kagome separated from Inuyasha, but I guess you figured out he lived into the future and now does fit into Kagome's world. What shall happen between them is also up to your imagination, both in the past and the present, as this is a one shot. Uuuu I'm so evil ^.~