Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are not mine. Nekoyasha is mine.
"Spoken"
Thoughts
Chapter 27: The Morning Rush
"Neko-chan, when did your eyes turn gold?"
She laughed. "About a hundred and fifty years ago. Come on we need to get you inside. You need a bath and those clothes need to be washed again. I bet I had just washed them." Inuyasha gave her an expression of a hurt puppy.
They walked into the house. Neko looked at one of the clocks in the living room. "There is still a little time before Souta has to get ready for school. Why don't you go ahead and take a quick bath." She opened the suitcase that Yoshi had left and pulled out some clothes for Inuyasha. She led him to a bathroom and found him a towel that he could use.
"Here is a towel and some clothes. If you need any help just let me know." She closed the door and went back to the living room. She knelt by the girl on the floor.
Kagome was still asleep. Her wounds were healing nicely and the girl was not running a fever. Neko changed the bandages and pulled the blanket up around her some more.
When she was done, she turned around to go back to her book. Souta was looking back at her.
"Good morning," she said.
Souta sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Good morning." He looked around and saw that his sister was the only one there on the floor. "Where is Inu no niichan?"
"He is in the bathroom." Souta nodded. "You're awake early."
"Sunshine was in my eyes." He looked at the clock. "Wow I still have a while before I have to be at school." He grabbed the remote and started watching early morning cartoons. Neko shook her head. She sat down by him and went back to her book.
About half-way through the cartoon, they heard a commotion come from the bathroom. Neko looked at Souta.
"I think you might want to go help him."
Souta nodded and went to the bathroom. He gently tapped on the door. "Inu no niichan? It's Souta. I'm coming in."
Souta burst into giggles when he saw Inuyasha. He had a towel wrapped about his waist, the boxer shorts on his head, and was holding the white T-shirt out in front of him trying to figure it out.
Inuyasha glared at Souta for his laughter and the young boy got his giggles under control. Inuyasha thrust the shirt at him.
"There are not ties. How is one suppose to wear this?"
"You put it on over your head, but I think that Neko-san will want to check your wounds so don't worry about it right now. Now those," he pointed to the boxers on Inuyasha's head, "go on like pants. Make sure that the opening goes in the front." He picked up the sweat pants, "And these go on over the shorts."
Inuyasha nodded. He couldn't understand why both items had to be put on, but he didn't really want to ask. He dropped the towel to put on the clothes.
Souta quickly turned away. "Sorry, Inu no niichan."
"Why?" We're both males here. Then Inuyasha remembered. "Oh, it's ok." That modesty thing that Kagome has. Must be a part of this time. But she doesn't have a problem with Sango.
Age difference, another part of his mind said. He shrugged and finished dressing. He grabbed the towel to finish drying his hair with. As he passed by Souta, he patted the boy's shoulder.
"Thank you."
Souta smiled up at him. "Not a problem." He ran out of the bathroom to his own room to start getting ready.
Inuyasha went back to the living room, where Neko was waiting with bandages. She took the towel and the shirt from him. She laid the shirt on the couch.
"Flip your hair over." Inuyasha gave her an odd look and then did it. She gathered his locks in the towel and tied it up. "While I bandage you."
She proceeded to examine his wounds. They were doing a lot better this morning. Apparently the rest helped and they did not look so deadly anymore. Of course the rising of the sun more than likely helped as well, letting his demon blood take care of the healing. When she finished bandaging him, she went and sat on the couch.
She tapped the pillow in front of her with her foot. "Sit," she said.
Inuyasha flinched at the word. Neko blushed. "Sorry, I forgot how that word affects you. Come, have a seat."
She proceeded to dry his hair working from the bottom up and combing it as she went. While she was working with it they heard the rest of the family start getting up and moving around. Mrs. H. came downstairs and noticed the cousins.
Surprising they did look a lot alike. The exception of course being the hair color. And Neko seemed to look a few years older than the boy did. She smiled at them.
"Good morning," she said. They replied in turn. "Inuyasha, it's good to see you are well. You gave us quite a scare last night." Inuyasha looked at the floor. Mrs. H. noticed that her daughter was in a different position than she had been. She looked up hopefully at the healer. "Did Kagome wake up sometime during the night?"
Neko shook her head. "She mumbled in her sleep and turned over." She patted Inuyasha's head. "Looks like Inuyasha being here has helped some, I think."
Mrs. H. nodded. "Well, I am going to go make breakfast now. Any special request?"
The cousins shook their heads. Mrs. H. went to the kitchen. Neko went back to Inuyasha's hair. When she had it combed and mostly dry, she put it into a very loose braid. Inuyasha had growled at her about it, but she patiently explained that it would be better and wouldn't get in his way as much. He fehed.
"So what was that music you were listening to this morning? It sounded a little bit like kabuki but I couldn't understand what they were saying," Inuyasha asked a few minutes later. He hadn't moved from the spot after Neko had finished. He didn't want to admit it, but he was tired.
Neko laughed. "You couldn't understand it because it was in a language called German. It is an opera called 'Die Zauberflöte' or 'The Magic Flute.' It is a theatre art form from another part of the world. Not really like kabuki. There isn't as much dancing."
Inuyasha nodded. Grandpa came down muttering about what needed to be done around the Shrine that day. Souta came running down the stairs and started looking for various school supplies. Mrs. H. called everyone to breakfast. Inuayasha gave Neko a pleading look.
She got up and went to the kitchen. A moment later she came back with a dish of sausage, eggs, bacon, and toast and a glass of milk. She handed it to Inuyasha. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."
Inuyasha nodded. He started eating uncharacteristically neat. His eyes almost never went to the plate. He watched Kagome as she slept. He was worried. He could still smell the blood from her wounds. He could also smell the sweat that lingered from the fever. She looked so pale. There was a part of him that screamed that he should have made her stay.
Ah, but then, you would have been human around Sesshomaru.
Inuyasha frowned. Yeah, but he has been acting a bit differently lately. He shook his head. Only because we are at Neko's.
When he had finished, he got up and wondered into the kitchen. Souta whizzed by him in a blur, to find the rest of his school things. Mrs. H. looked up at Inuyasha.
"Ummm... where do I need to put these?" He thrusted out the dishes.
Mrs. H. smiled and got up. "I'll take them," as she took the dishes.
Inuyasha went back to the living room. He saw Kagome shivering. He softly dropped down to lie beside her. He put his arms around her and pulled her close to him. He closed his eyes but was still very much awake. He heard Souta say bye and run out the door, Grandpa was puttering around with the new boxes that must have come yesterday. Grandpa looked in their direction and said, "Hmpf." Inuyasha didn't care if he approved or not. Just as long as it is helping Kagome.
His arms tightened around the girl. "I can't lose you. I need you to fight. I need you so I can fight. I need you," he whispered to the girl.
*****
Miroku had awoken when the sun arose. But he did not want to move, for fear that he would disturb Sango. The night before had been wonderful. He didn't think that Sango would have let him do that. He smiled and hugged the demon slayer to him.
There had been a part of him that had wanted more though. But he had heard the fear in Sango's voice. I can wait for that. I love her that much.
The thought shocked him. He looked down at the demon slayer. It was true. He could wait until they defeated Naraku and he got rid of the Air Rip. Then it would be for the two of them expressing their love for each other, not for the sole purpose of providing an heir. He couldn't do that to her.
He had closed his eyes to meditate (although it was hard with Sango's soft breath on his chest). He had sensed Shippo's presence and how it had changed from eagerness to embarrassment. He also felt Sesshomaru for a brief moment. The smells of Nekoyasha's cooking whaffed through the air.
He knew it was time to get up. He gently shook the girl in his arms. "Sango. Sango, time to get up. Breakfast is almost ready."
She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Good morning, Miroku." She leaned up and kissed him. Then she stretched.
She also smelled breakfast. She extracted herself from Miroku's hold (much to his disappointment), and got dressed. Together they made their way to the kitchen for breakfast.
*****
Thank you to everyone that has reviewed! It lets me know that I should continue this story while I'm in Florida.
Ok, in response to 2lazy2signin: ::sigh:: Thank you for the information. I am going to choose that it is constructive critism rather than a flame. When I asked the question it was in a reviewer response, becasue that person asked me how I was going to do it. Thanks for giving me the episode numbers, but I don't remember that simply because I haven't seen those. I have only seen eps 1-56, 90 (which I randomly watched... don't ask) and both movies. I know I should have said that before now, and I apologize for that. I have seen other fanfics that are also confused with Japan being the western lands. So I am going to say that this is now a slight AU.
Other news: I will try to get the rest of what I written up on ff.net today. Which means that you will be reading everything I have written. This is because I will be at my parents for a week (with no internet) and then I don't know when I'll get my access in Florida. Don't worry when I get access, there will be more chapters (what else am I going to do at my parents with no internet access or cable? :) ).
