Chapter Three
"What did you bring back
this time?" Inuyasha tried to snatch the bulging satchel out of
Kagome's arms.
"Wait a minute!
Here, take this first." She handed him a plastic bag full of
vegetables. "I'm going to chop these up for dinner tonight."
"You were gone long
enough," her husband huffed.
Kagome smiled to
herself. After two years of married life together, she knew that this was
the closest that she was going to get to "I missed you."
"I hadn't been back to
the modern era for months. Mother's told everyone that my husband is from
South America and I'm living in Argentina.
My friends kept asking me to say things in Spanish."
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
She handed him several packages of noodles. "Put these away."
It's good to be home she thought. Their house was small but
cozy, and the people of Kaede's village not only
accepted a half-demon in their midst, but welcomed the protection that his
presence entailed. There was the
occasional local trouble with demons now and then, but overall life was
peaceful.
Kagome pulled out a bag of
potato chips and held them behind her back, "Now you have to promise me
not to-- Inuyasha?"
He was standing motionless,
ears pointed upwards, brow furrowed.
"Kagome, reach behind you
and hand me my sword."
"What is it?"
"I think it's Sesshoumaru. Stay inside," he ordered,
pushing the door open and stepping outside. Ignoring him, Kagome tried to
follow and crashed into Inuyasha's outstretched arm. She peered through the doorway.
He was standing several yards away, near the edge of the forest. The youkai prince had not changed since the last time she had seen him – several years ago now. An aura of whiteness surrounded him – white hair, pale skin, white clothing. The subtle pulse of white demon light. His face was emotionless and unreadable, and only his hair moved slightly in the breeze.
"Inuyasha. I have come to speak to you."
"What is it Sesshoumaru? Need something from me?"
Sesshoumaru glared at him, and in a surprised flash of insight, Inuyasha realized that he had inadvertently hit on the reason for his older brother's visit. He smirked.
"So what is it then? What is it that you NEED MY HELP with?" He enunciated the words loudly and smiled.
"Inuyasha-" warned Kagome, standing behind him.
Sesshoumaru contained his annoyance and reverted to his usual cool façade. "You owe a debt to me for the lives of your human friends."
This was true. Sesshoumaru had used Tenseiga to revive both Sango and Miroku after their final confrontation with Naraku several years before. "Yeah, I haven't forgotten. What is it that you need? Somebody too big for you to handle that you NEED your half-demon brother's help?"
Sesshoumaru remained calm. "I intend to leave Rin here."
"Huh?" Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged surprised glances. "Why leave the kid with me?" asked Inuyasha.
"Idiot!" The cool façade was gone. "I am not leaving Rin with you. I am leaving Rin with Kagome. Your task is to ensure her safety." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and placed his hand on Toukijin. "If you allow any harm to come to her I will return to slay you and raze this village to the ground."
Inuyasha gripped the hilt of his sword. "I'd like to see you try—"
"Inuyasha!" It was Kagome's turn to glare. She stepped in front of her husband. "Sesshoumaru, Rin is—she's getting older, isn't she?"
The demon lord looked at her, and nodded once. "Yes."
"I understand." Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha and I would be very pleased to have Rin come and live with us!" she announced.
"What?" Inuyasha interrupted angrily.
She ignored him. "When will you bring her?"
"Tomorrow."
Kagome nodded her assent. Sesshoumaru turned and disappeared into the dusk.
"This is just great," Inuyasha fumed. "HE finally gets tired of having the kid around and WE get stuck with her."
Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed. "Inuyasha?"
"Yeah?"
"It was very sweet of you to agree to let Rin come and stay with us."
"I didn't have any say in the matter," he grumbled, and blushed as Kagome stood on her toes and kissed him on the side of his nose.