QoH: I know, I know. I should be working on "Sweet Sorrow" right now, but it's kind of hard when you have a serious case of writer's block for it. So, I'm doing this one for the time being. This happens to be a special request, and I figured I should start working on it, before my friend strangles me. It's also my first true attempt at an Inu-Yasha fic (I tried one before, but thought it wasn't my best work) so please be honest in the reviews. Oh, and IY does NOT belong to me (no matter how much I wish to the contrary *sigh*), nor does the song "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling. I'm simply borrowing them for a bit of entertainment. ^_~
Never Leave You
Chapter 1: Omens And Ramen
~So lately, been wondering…~
Inu-Yasha sat on his favorite branch, with Tetsusaiga balanced on his drawn-up knees while he stared up at the sky. He'd had the oddest sensation all day, one that he couldn't quite place for the life of him. It was really starting to bug him, actually. No matter what else he tried thinking about, it somehow managed to worm it's way into his thoughts. It's strange, this feeling...
"Hey, dog-boy!" Shippou's voice called impatiently from the base of the tree.
He rolled his eyes and looked down at him through the leaves, "What?"
"Are you going to sit up there all day? You could help with the packing, you know, instead of doing nothing!"
The pint-sized fox-demon was intentionally goading him, knowing that Inu-Yasha could do absolutely nothing about it. It galled him to no end that the instant he even hinted about- oh he didn't know... hanging him by his fuzzy little tail in the nearest tree, maybe- Shippou would run straight to Kagome, and he would be on the wrong end of the dreaded S word. He leaned his head back against the bark. If he was honest with himself, though, that wasn't really why he restrained his instincts. Quite apart from not wanting to have his face planted in the dirt for the millionth time, he just didn't like when Kagome was mad at him, which she always was when he did something she considered "barbaric."
He smiled gently, thinking that it was odd, really, how much being around her had affected him. Never before had he cared about someone's opinion of him, not even Kikyou. Not that Kagome would believe it if I told her. He shook his head, laughing silently at how standoffish she always seemed to get when her previous incarnation was mentioned.
He twitched as an acorn bounced off his head, then floated so close to him that he had to cross his eyes just to see it. A minute, cartoonish face appeared and started screaming at him in Shippou's voice, "GET DOWN HERE, WOULD YOU?! WE COULD USE YOUR HELP, IF YOU DON'T MIND!"
Inu-Yasha swatted it away irritably, rubbing his ringing ears, then sighed heavily and hopped down from the tree. He glared at Shippou, "Why did you do that?! You know my ears are extremely sensitive!"
"Heh, one would never guess," he replied sarcastically as he turned back toward the village, "listening to all that shouting you're always doing."
That's it, Inu-Yasha thought as he yanked the kit up by that ever-handy tail of his. He ignored the expected yelps and threats as he started back. There's only so far one can push me before they get what they're asking for. Even though, in all likelihood, I'll be eating dirt soon, this is definitely worth it.
After a rather annoying trek for the both of them, he finally stood outside Kaede's house. Inu-Yasha leaned against the doorframe, as the still-dangling Shippou alerted their friends with his indignant yelling.
Kagome looked from her huge backpack and frowned, "Inu-Yasha, put him down! You know he hates that!"
Inu-Yasha shrugged and dropped him, "He was being a pain. Literally," he scowled and rubbed his head.
She bent and picked the little fox up, brushing him off. "How so this time?" she asked, her voice deceptively calm.
"He beaned me with one of those acorns of his, which proceeded to yell at me while practically sitting on my nose."
"Only because I was trying to get your attention, Mr. Space-Cadet!" Shippou retorted sourly, using one of his favorite terms he'd picked up from Kagome.
"Yeah, well, thanks to that, I now have a serious headache." Inu-Yasha replied, his eyes narrowed at him.
"Oh, really? You're sure it wasn't from 'thinking' too hard?" Shippou sneered from Kagome's arms, confident again.
"Watch it, brat..." he growled, his hands curling into fists.
"Now, Shippou, you know that wasn't nice!" Kagome scolded as she set him back down, "You should apologize!"
"To him! Why should I?" Shippou looked horrified at the idea, much to Inu-Yasha's amusement.
She smiled gently as she crouched in front of him, "Because that's what you father would want, isn't it?"
This, of course, stopped Shippou's sputtering then and there. He suddenly looked very ashamed as he muttered, eyes downcast, "You're right..." He looked up at Inu-Yasha, "I'm sorry for saying all that stuff, and the acorn, too."
Despite what certain people would say, he knew sincerity when he heard it, "And I'm sorry for doing the tail thing," he nodded slightly and walked over to inspect the traveling gear. "Where are we going this time?" he wondered as he picked through his stuff, then stopped, sniffing the air eagerly, "And do I smell ramen?"
Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Shippou all cracked up as Kaede walked out of the next room, carrying a couple steaming bowls, "I was wondering when you'd notice. This is particular one is tomato-flavored I believe."
Kagome grinned, "Yep. They had a giant sale at the store, so I bought a variety of them."
It made for a cheerful send-off, as everyone ate their fill, laughing when Miroku tried, once again, to get a little to close to Sango, and the demon huntress dumped his bowl over the lecherous monk's head.
QoH: Whatcha think? ^_^ I liked the ramen scene, myself. Tomato's my personal favorite flavor. lol Please review!