CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Pain and Intermission
The smell of fresh herbs and medicines bombarded Inuyasha's nose. Slowly opening his eyes to total darkness he needn't ask where he was. Lady Kaede's hut had always been a safe haven for them when they were injured and he had grown quite fond of the smell. It was dark as he weakly propped himself on his shoulders. The silhouettes of his friends were outlined in the black confines of the hut by a few rays of moon light that strayed in from a tiny crack in the bamboo door. Inuyasha counted the outlines to find one missing… Kagome. He frowned as he realized she wasn't there. Had she gone back to her time? Why hadn't she told him anything? Images of his latest battle with Naraku flooded Inuyasha's mind.
'I was hurt pretty bad.'
He looked down at his chest. All of his other wounds had healed except for the two that Inu had bore into him. The wound from Sango's katana and also the one from the blade Naraken still stung as he shifted sideways. A fleeting thought struck Inuyasha suddenly.
'Maybe we should have destroyed that sword….'
He didn't give it a second thought and moved to get up when a hand rested itself on his shoulder. Turning slightly Inuyasha caught sight of the hand and traced it back to meet the gaze of a very tired looking pair of beautiful brown eyes. Kagome smiled sleepily.
"Where do you think you're going? Go back to sleep. You need some rest." She whispered lovingly to him.
Inuyasha looked down and realized that he had been sleeping on her lap. He moved to sit up and lean against the wall, but her grip tightened slightly and pulled him back to her lap. Inuyasha blushed as he laid his head on her warm legs.
A roaming set of fingers explored his head and then stopped at his ears. Kagome scratched his ears lazily and drifted back to sleep.
In a way Inuyasha was upset that Kagome was scratching his ears as it made him look like a dog and he hated that…. However, he quickly found that it was quite comforting and even a bit enjoyable.
'I'll let it slide…. Just this once.'
The hanyou yawned as he felt the fingers scratching him stop moving. She had fallen asleep. Inuyasha frowned inwardly for a moment, wanting Kagome to keep scratching his ears, but then dismissed it and relaxed his body so that he too could get some rest.
Inuyasha woke up hours later as the sunlight peeked in from the open door and splashed against his face. Grimacing at the bright light Inuyasha moved his head around to check where everyone was. Kaede was nowhere to be found; probably out tending to her little garden as usual. Shippou was just outside chasing Kirara around. Kagome was still sleeping with her hand on his head… and right across from them Miroku was lying in almost the exact same position with his head on Sango's chest. The hanyou moved slightly and one of the monk's eyes shot open. Inuyasha turned to face him.
"So you're awake Miroku? How're you feeling?"
The monk gave Inuyasha a devilish smile and looked up at Sango who was still fast asleep. "Much better Inuyasha. I think I should get hurt more often. How are you? The last I remember seeing they were carrying you in and you were covered in blood."
Again images of the battle flashed through Inuyasha's mind. He snorted softly. "I let the bastard get away. I was this close Miroku." The hanyou raised his thumb and forefinger to symbolize how close he had been to destroying Naraku. Miroku let out a stifled laugh. "Well I see you at least you got a very good night's rest." The monk pointed to Inuyasha's human pillow with his head. The hanyou's eyes narrowed, "Watch it letch… I don't see you moving either." Miroku raised his hands slowly, the smile on his face widening more. "I was simply implying that you slept well. Besides… do you hear me complaining?" Inuyasha wanted to get up and smack Miroku on the head, but he found himself too comfortable to move. He simply grumbled a bit and put his head back on Kagome's inviting lap. Almost drifting back to sleep Inuyasha was very annoyed to hear Miroku's voice again.
"Inuyasha… What are those bandages on your chest?"
The hanyou opened his eyes. He propped himself up on one elbow, carefully as to not disturb Kagome, and opened his haori slightly so that Miroku could see better. "This is the cut from that sword the dog demon had. And this one's from Sango's katana." Miroku's eyes flew open. Inuyasha noticed the monk's reaction and rephrased his words. "It's also from the dog demon… remember he pulled it out of his back and stabbed me with it." Miroku's face changed and reflected his understanding. He stayed silent for a moment.
"Then… the demon's blood..."
Inuyasha nodded as if he knew what Miroku was about to say.
"… It was more poisonous than Naraku's. All your other wounds have healed except for those. Interesting. Looks like that coward has nothing to do but plan on ways to kill you."
Inuyasha nodded on agreement and then looked up at Miroku with a sly smile on his face. "That's not all monk… tessaiga absorbed the dog demon's blood. The nest time we fight a demon I'll show you the attack it does. It's pretty effective," The hanyou's smile widened as he continued, "Especially on Naraku."
Miroku's eyes widened and then he too cracked a mischievous grin. "A taste of his own medicine… I like that. Well, if you'll please excuse me Inuyasha," he looked up again at Sango, "I'd hate to waste this precious moment. Don't wake me unless the world is coming to an end." With that Miroku got back in his original position and closed his eyes.
'Heh, damn perv.'
Inuyasha was going to follow the monk's example when the light was blocked from the doorway for a second. Kaede walked in carrying a large bucket of water. Immediately Inuyasha sprung up and took it from her.
"What's wrong with you old bag? You're gonna break your freakin' back." As Inuyasha quietly scolded Kaede he placed the bucket where it belonged and then turned to go back to…. Lightning struck his brain and his face flushed.
'Damn… I can't get back on Kagome's lap now. SHIT!'
Scowling Inuyasha turned back around and was walking out the door when Kaede's voice stopped him.
"And good morning to you too Inuyasha." The old lady always had a knack for getting under his skin. "I trust that you're feeling better." Kaede glanced at the bandages on his chest which showed the two streaks of blood where the wounds were still quite fresh. Inuyasha pulled his haori closed and scowled at the old bat.
"I'm fine hag, worry about your own damn health. You shouldn't be carrying heavy shit you know, old as you are." Kaede didn't reply but simply chuckled and strolled back outside. She had gotten used to his foul language and bad attitude. It seemed that no matter how angry he got or how much he said, in the end he was only doing it because he worried about her. To anyone it would seem that he really hated her, but that was about as caring as Inuyasha was. Kaede went to her garden and tended to the vegetables that were almost ready to pick.
Inuyasha watched Kaede go back outside. His gaze then fell upon Kagome. He longed to return to her lap… but decided against it. Walking over to Kagome Inuyasha tipped her over slightly and laid her out gently on the floor. He then slipped off his haori and draped it over her slender frame.
'There. This way she'll know I haven't left and get mad.'
Next Inuyasha located his tessaiga resting in a corner of the hut, scooped it up, and slipped it through his belt. The hanyou then walked out the door, stealing one more glimpse at his sleeping beauty before breaking into a run. As he passed Shippou and Kirara the tiny kitsune called out to him, but he didn't stop. He had something to do before he could rest easy. Lifting his nose to the skies Inuyasha inhaled deeply and one of his eyes twitched as he found what he was looking for.
'It's not far off judging by the smell of it.' His clothes billowed in the wind as he sprinted towards his destination. 'I'll just take care of this and come back in time for breakfast. I can't believe we were this close.' The hanyou picked up speed and leapt over some trees to another path. As he landed the wounds on his chest pulsated. The pain was slowly subsiding, but it was quite annoying. 'Damn… this it taking forever to heal. Oh man!' Inuyasha didn't stop running as he looked down to see blood seeping out of the bandages. Apparently the jump had reopened the wounds. Inuyasha skidded to a stop and pulled off his white shirt. Then he tightened the bandages a bit. He did a sloppy job, but it was good enough to last until he could get back to Kaede's village. 'I'm not far off… this'll do.' Putting his arms back though the sleeves of his shirt and tying it back up Inuyasha took a step forward and rocketed into the forest with a renowned speed.
Kagome blinked lazily as she picked her head up off the ground. Clutching her blanket tightly she sat up and looked out the door. 'Wait a minute… I didn't bring a blanket!' She looked down and realized that she was actually holding Inuyasha's haori. He heart skipped a beat. With the crimson cloth in her hands Kagome took a few steps out the door. He didn't seem to be outside. She remembered how last night it had been difficult to clean all the blood off of him. Was he better already? She wouldn't have doubted it… but there was something about the wounds he had on his chest and abdomen. Those two cuts seemed to be healing slowly. Even slower than it would take a human. Kagome went back inside the hut. She smiled at the pair sleeping on the other end of the hut and sat down, pulling the haori closer around her. She silently wished that a certain hanyou were wrapped around her instead of just his haori. With sweet thoughts in her mind Kagome stared out through the door at the sky and let herself drift off once more into a deep sleep.
Sango woke up a few moments after Kagome had gone back to sleep. She was going to get up when she realized there was a little extra weight on her chest. She looked down and blushed as she remembered how she had fallen asleep while holding Miroku. Slipping carefully out from under him, the demon exterminator put his head on the ground and was going to walk outside to stretch her legs when she noticed the raven haired girl bundled up in a red blanket sleeping by the door. She walked up to Kagome and shook her gently. The sleepy girl raised her head and smiled weakly at Sango. She looked very tired. "Good morning Sango-chan" Sango smiled and returned the greeting. She looked around and pondered for a moment. "Where's Inuyasha-sama?" Kagome shrugged lazily and held the haori tightly. "But he left this behind so he has to come back for it." She grinned as she waved the red cloth around a bit. Sango smiled.
"Do you want to go for a walk Kagome-chan? I was going to get some herbs for Miroku and how better to take with me than a miko that knows about those things?" Kagome nodded slowly and stood up. Sango thought she was going to fold the haori and place it on the floor, but instead she tied it around her waist and walked over to the door. "Let's go Sango-chan… I'll show you which ones Kaede-sama showed me are good for deep cuts." The two girls walked out the door leaving a very disappointed monk lying by himself on the floor wide awake.
Miroku contemplated getting up to stretch and get some air but he was still rather weak. His arms shook violently as he tried to lift himself up. Letting his body fall back to the floor the monk turned away from the door and closed his eyes, letting himself fall prey to the lazy that had bitten him.
Outside Shippou and Kirara were playing when they saw Sango and Kagome coming up the path. Shippou ran to them like a small child would run to his mother. "Hey, where are you going?" Kagome explained that they needed some herbs so that Miroku could get better. "You want to come with us?" Kagome asked him. Shippou nodded vigorously and called Kirara to join them. The two girls walked into the forest all the while with the little kitsune and the mononoke running circles around them.
Inuyasha had been running at full pelt for quite a while when he came upon the clearing. Unlike the rest of the forest here there were fallen trees, blood covered patches of grass, mauled boulders, and at the center of it all a sword… Naraken. Inuyasha walked up to the sinister blade. Even now its purple aura seemed bright and full of life. The hanyou thumbed the hilt of his tessaiga, clutched a hand around it, and withdrew it from the confines of its sheath. Holding the large demon fang over the Naraken, Inuyasha slashed at the blade with all of his might. The instant the two swords met a brilliant light engulfed the area. Inuyasha pushed down using all of his strength, but in the end he was pushed back and fell on the ground with his blade next to him.
"You can't destroy it like that."
Inuyasha flung himself off the ground and instinctively brandished his blade before him. The voice was coming from within the forest. He waited patiently as his unexpected guest came into view. Walking slowly out into the open, wearing her usual red and white attire, Kikyou spoke calmly as if talking to a five year old.
"This sword is super powered extension of Naraku's body. It is odd that he chose to make into a weapon instead of armor for him…" the miko paused and stared at Inuyasha who hadn't dropped his guard. The hanyou still held his tessaiga directly in front of him as if expecting her to attack. Kikyou looked him with a hurt face. "Inuyasha, do you hate me so?" It was then that the hanyou noticed that his sword was in front of him.
"Sorry, nervous habit."
He lowered his blade and looked up at Kikyou. His confusion reflected on his face. "Why are you here?" Kikyou Walked around the Naraken. She shifted her gaze from the hanyou to the sword. "I guard a village that is close by. Last night I felt a tremendous spike of energy and went into the forest to investigate. That was when I found you and the other demon fighting. Only by the time I got here I was too late. You were sparing his life and the coward took the opportunity to put his blade through you. I was the one that preserved the small kindling of life you had left. When your friends came I was gathering water. I told them how to free you and returned to my village. I returned a few hours ago to find this solitary sword lying here. I can tell its Naraku's."
Inuyasha looked down. So Kikyou had saved his life. He looked up again only to find her inches away from his face. Instinctively the hanyou stumbled backwards. Kikyou gave a light laugh and turned her gaze back to the Naraken.
"Only a strong blade can slice this sword in two. You're wasting your time."
This time it was Inuyasha's turn to laugh. "Things have changed Kikyou. Stand back." The hanyou lifted his blade and held it over his head. He concentrated on the section of the sword that was between the tip and the hilt. Then, gripping his tessaiga tighter, Inuyasha allowed it to crystallize completely. He grinned inwardly at Kikyou's surprised expression. Gathering his strength the hanyou let his arms fall and watched his blade follow through. Again a harsh light surrounded him… only this time he would not be denied. The power of the unbreakable crystal tessaiga shattered the Naraken to tiny pieces.
"Heh, how's that Kikyou... Kikyou?"
Inuyasha looked around but couldn't find the miko anywhere. He shrugged it off. Inuyasha was used to Kikyou appearing and disappearing constantly by now. As he sheathed his tessaiga the hanyou leapt forward and followed a rich scent back to Kaede's village. The scent of wildflowers… The scent of Kagome.
Kikyou walked silently back to her village with a hint of a smile on her face. 'So Inuyasha is getting stronger… just like he had always wanted to.'
Kagome and Sango walked through the forest back to the village. Shippou and Kirara followed closely behind. In each of their hands were different herbs and plants that could be used to make medicines. Even the tiny mononoke had a handkerchief in her mouth that contained aloe for Inuyasha's wounds. It was close to the afternoon when they got back to the hut. Miroku was still asleep so they tried to make as little noise as possible. It was all to no avail however when the monk's eyes flew open. He saw them all there, yawned sleepily, and cracked a smile. Sango went over to him and placed a hand on his forehead. "How do you feel houshi-sama?" Miroku placed his hand over hers and looked into her eyes. "My fever is gone thanks to your wonderful care Sango. I don't deserve such attention." With that he let his hand roam onto her thigh and cringed in pain as Sango pinched it tightly. She gave him a maniacal smile and spoke through gritted teeth. "It's nothing houshi-sama…" Miroku took his injured hand in the other and nursed it like a mother carrying her child. Sango sighed deeply and muttered under her breath, "At least he's back to normal." Kagome hadn't noticed the spectacle going on in the hut. She was busy getting medicines ready for when Inuyasha came back. She also planned on making him something to eat. As she finished crushing the herbs and started boiling some ramen the hanyou came in and sat down in a corner of the hut. He directed his eyes to Kagome and spoke rather softly.
"Kagome… do you think you can change my bandages?"
Kagome immediately abandoned the boiling ramen and picked up her first aid box to help Inuyasha. She kept her eyes trained on his hand which was over his chest. He moved it aside to reveal the blood soaked shirt underneath. Kagome sighed deeply and opened her box. "You know Inuyasha you shouldn't be running around while those wounds haven't healed yet."
"I wasn't running around, I had to take care of something!" He growled in response. He resented Kagome for not even asking him why the cuts had opened. Kagome shook her head. "Whatever. Come here." The hanyou closed in on her and removed his white shirt. His haori draped on Kagome's shoulders caught his sight for a second, but he shut them tight when Kagome placed an alcohol patch on his chest. The stinging was unbearable. Kagome cleaned the cut and then used some of the ointment she had made to spread across it. "There," she smiled, "this will numb it a bit so it won't bother you." She looked up into the hanyou's golden eyes. "Now do you want to tell me what you were doing?"
Inuyasha sighed. He was about to put his shirt back on but Kagome snatched it from him, saying that it was dirty and that she'd wash it for him. He shrugged and stared out the window.
"I went back to were I fought that dog demon and destroyed his sword."
Miroku shifted slightly. He was obviously listening. Kagome stood up and folded Inuyasha's shirt neatly in her hands. She then walked out the door, pausing at the threshold.
"You know, it wouldn't kill you to tell someone." With that she walked out of the hut.
Inuyasha turned to Miroku who shrugged and nodded in a "she's right" sort of way. "So you got rid of that sword? Well it was for the better. The last thing we need is some demon picking that up and using it on defenseless villagers." Miroku turned and
Inuyasha nodded in agreement then stood up. He walked out the door and sniffed the air.
'wildflowers'
It only took a few seconds for Inuyasha to find Kagome by the river that intersected Kaede's village. The raven haired girl was pouting slightly and kicking a rock down a path. Inuyasha leapt over a bridge and across the river, landing gracefully at her side. Astounded Kagome stepped back, but realizing who it was her face of surprise turned into a scowl.
"What did I tell you about jumping around Baka!" She yelled as she pointed an accusatory finger at the hanyou.
Inuyasha was about to yell in return when he remembered why he was there. He closed his mouth and looked into the river. After his anger subsided he looked back up at Kagome. She had also calmed down and was now staring at him with her little puppy dog eyes. "What's wrong?" Her voice was suddenly tender and kind. Inuyasha lost himself in her gaze. It was only when she called his name again that he responded.
"Inuyasha?"
The hanyou whipped around so her eyes wouldn't be a distraction anymore and spoke. "I was thinking… let's go back to your time until my wounds are healed. You haven't been there in a while so your old lady's probably having a cow."
Kagome couldn't help but smile. Usually Inuyasha would always go to her time to drag Kagome back, but this time he wanted not only for her to go back… but to go along with her. Inuyasha had cocked his head sideways to se e her reaction and she nodded vigorously. The hanyou then turned completely around. "Ok, let's go tell everyone." He easily picked up Kagome and leapt off with her towards the hut.
"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT JUMPING AROUND INUYASHA!"
When they got to the hut Kagome was a bit angry but went inside with a slight spring in her step to gather her things. Everyone looked up at her. She smiled and explained that she was going back to her time and that Inuyasha was going with her on account of his injuries. Miroku and Sango wished her a safe trip and Shippou asked her to bring back lots of those "candies" he liked so much. Kaede bade her farewell and wished her luck. Packing all of her stuff into her beige knapsack Kagome slung it over her shoulder, waved one last goodbye at her friends, and walked out the door.
Outside the burden of her knapsack's weight was suddenly lifted as Inuyasha took it from her and she tossed his shirt back at him telling that she'd wash it when they got to her time. He slipped the shirt on, slung the knapsack over his own shoulder, and walked with Kagome to the well. He had planned on just picking her up and taking a few short leaps there, but had decided against it. Kagome was mad enough. All of the villagers seemed to stop and admire them as both hanyou and miko made their way through the village towards the forest where there stood a well that would take them to another time. After having protected them from youkai time and time again, the villagers became accustomed to the group staying with Kaede-sama every now and then.
When they got to the well Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the waist, causing her to turn away her blushing face, and leapt into the dark abyss. An eerie blue light surrounded the pair as they were flung forward through time into the modern world. Seconds passed and the light dissipated leaving them standing in a dark well. Only this well wasn't draped with sunlight overhead but covered by a wooden roof. Inuyasha again held the blushing raven haired girl close to him and with one swift movement jumped upwards and cleared the well. He put Kagome down and walked outside with Kagome following in his wake.
The back door slid open and Kagome led Inuyasha into the kitchen to find her grandfather sitting at the breakfast table.
"Kagome, you're back? Oh… and you've brought Inuyasha… excuse me, I need to go hide all of my breakable artifacts." Her grandfather folded the newspaper he was reading and headed into the living room where he proceeded to calmly pull all of the trinkets passed down through his family for generations off the shelves and put them in a wooden box which he slid into the corner. He dusted his hands and came back into the kitchen. He looked for a moment at Inuyasha's bloody shirt but then quickly dismissed it. Things like this were normal when a hanyou visited often.
"There. Well, what brings you kids here?"
Inuyasha scoffed and folded his arms over his chest. "I wasn't gonna break anything old man." Kagome looked sternly at Inuyasha and then directed her gaze back at her grandfather. "Hey, try to get along you two. Grandpa… where's mama and Souta?" Kagome's grandfather pointed up the stairs. "Souta's playing videogames in his room and your mother is at the store." Kagome nodded. "Thanks grandpa." She turned and went up stairs closely followed by Inuyasha. When she got to her room Kagome pulled off Inuyasha's haori and folded it neatly on her bed. She then proceeded to unpack her things from the knapsack Inuyasha had dumped unceremoniously on her bed. After everything was put away she left the room for a minute and came back with a shirt.
"Here. Give me your shirt and put this one on." The hanyou begrudgingly obliged and slipped on the tight shirt. Kagome admired it for a moment and then looked up to realize that Inuyasha was giving her a puzzled look.
"This damn shirt is tiny. Where the hell'd you get it?"
Kagome turned away, "I got it from Souta's room. It's either that or Grandpa's kimonos… take your pick." Inuyasha imagined himself wearing the old man's clothes and recoiled in disgust. "I'll use this one." Kagome smiled and again found herself admiring how he looked in Souta's shirt. Granted Inuyasha didn't have huge muscles or anything, but every move he made seemed to make the shirt expand and contort according to his well toned chest and abdomen. Kagome felt flustered when she realized what she was doing.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT!"
Inuyasha hated it when Kagome stared at him and there she was gawking like he was some kind of freak. "That's it! I'm taking this thing off!"
Kagome imagined Inuyasha without a shirt and felt her temperature rise. Quickly she grabbed at his hands as they tried to pull the cloth apart. "What are you, crazy? You can't walk around here without a shirt on! Just keep it on until I finish with your clothes." She paused for a moment and then left the room. After a moment she came back with a pair of pants.
"Here. One of Souta's friends left these here after a sleepover and he's always wearing baggy clothes so these should fit you."
Inuyasha eyed the pair of camouflage pants that Kagome was holding out in front of her. He shrugged and started to undo his pants. Instantly Kagome turned red and shoved him into the restroom.
"IN THERE BAKA!"
Again the hanyou shrugged and changed into the loose camouflage pants. He looked down. They didn't look that different from his regular crimson pants aside from the color. They were pretty big and gave him room to fight. Grabbing his pants Inuyasha walked out into Kagome's room again. She was sitting on her bed and staring outside when he walked out. She turned around and her eyes widened.
"He looks like a thug. I don't know if it's the clothes or his attitude."
Inuyasha was standing there with his eyes narrowed as usual and the red clothes in his hand. Kagome got up and accepted them from him. She then went down stairs to deposit them in the washing machine along with some of her school uniform.
Inuyasha walked around the room for a bit to get used to the clothes Kagome had given him. He practiced a few swings and was going to reach for his tessaiga, but remembered that he had already told the old man he wouldn't break anything. Inuyasha smirked.
'Keh! Just let some prick try to get his hands on Kagome… I'll…' Inuyasha made a slashing motion and accidentally murdered Kagome's bed sheets. He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and quickly sat on the bed to cover the ripped quilt. The door knob turned and Inuyasha made one more adjustment to make sure that he covered as much of the damage as possible before Kagome entered the room. When Kagome walked in Inuyasha let his jaw drop for a moment. She had put her hair in a bun and was wearing a tight pink shirt with a picture of a cat on it. Completing the ensemble with a tight fitting pair of white shorts Kagome strolled across the room and went straight to her desk. Inuyasha watched her cross and felt his head spin when she let her hair loose. The initial wave of her hair had filled the room with her scent. Inuyasha was sent reeling into a world of pure bliss and wildflowers when her voice brought him crashing back to reality.
"Inuyasha?"
The hanyou quickly sat up straight and looked out the window. "Huh?"
Kagome crossed the room again and sat next to him. For the first time since he had met Kagome Inuyasha realized just how close they would be when they talked. His stomach did a back flip and he looked up into her coffee brown eyes.
"How are your wounds? Let me see." Her fingers reached out and brushed against his chest. The hanyou reluctantly obliged and pulled the shirt up. The bandages were still mostly white but were already showing a trace of pink where the blood was seeping through the layers of cloth. Kagome looked at them and put her warm hand against Inuyasha's skin. "Does that hurt?" The hanyou shook his head. "Good, that means that it's healing. Come on," she grabbed his hand and pulled him up, "let's go get some food. I haven't eaten all day."
Inuyasha briefly remembered a boiling pot of ramen that they left back in his time. 'Eh, the brat can have it.'
Back in the past Shippou sneezed loudly as he wolfed down some ramen soup that Kagome had left. Sango knelt down next to him and placed a hand on his head. "Are you ok Shippou? You're no catching a cold are you?" The little kitsune shook his head vigorously and returned to his feast.
Kagome bounded into the kitchen and flung the refrigerator door wide open. She was in high spirits since things seemed to be going her way today. Looking through the fridge Kagome let herself get lost in her thoughts.
'I'm going to make the best food he's ever had. He'll love it.'
Kagome grinned as she continued to sift through the items in the cooler. She had just taken out some vegetables and ground beef to make some ohagi when she heard a loud crunch behind her. Kagome turned around and almost fell to pieces when she saw Inuyasha eating a packet of instant ramen.
"Inuyasha… put that DOWN!"
The hanyou looked at him through narrow eyes and talked with his mouth full. "No. It's good."
Kagome gave Inuyasha a dangerous glare that made the hanyou atop for a second, but he quickly regained his composure and side stepped as Kagome lunged forward and attempted to wrench the uncooked crispy ramen from his hands. Using his demon speed and agility, Inuyasha leapt over the table and ran into the living room. He was in the process of flying over the couch when a fearsome yell came from the kitchen.
"OSUWARI!"
The hanyou came crashing down on the couch as Kagome rushed out and picked up the half eaten packet of ramen he had been eating. Kagome stuck her tongue out at the subdued hanyou and strolled back into the kitchen. "Wait for your food idiot."
Inuyasha picked himself up off the couch and growled after the human. "But you take too long to make it! Besides, it tastes the same like that!" The hanyou had no time to dodge as a pan came hurtling out of the kitchen and made contact with his face. The loud PANG attracted Kagome's grandfather's attention for a moment. He walked into the living room and found Inuyasha lying on the floor with a frying pan next to him. He grunted and laughed.
"I see Kagome's cooking again."
In no time a rolling pin flew out of the kitchen and knocked the old man unconscious.
By the time Inuyasha came to there was a tasty smell coming from the dining area. He rubbed his head and walked in. Kagome was wearing an apron over her clothes and was busy setting a pair some plates on the table. Inuyasha stepped up to the table and smelled the air wafting around the food. His stomach grumbled and his mind reminded him about how hungry he was. The hanyou sat down and looked up at his beautiful hostess. Kagome's hair created a curtain over her face which covered her features. Yet even though Inuyasha couldn't see her face he could feel her eyes on him. Doing his best to pretend that this wasn't true he started scarfing down the meal laid out before him. Seconds later Kagome's grandfather had joined him and was also busily stuffing his face when Souta came down and Kagome's mother got home. Soon everyone was sitting down and eating noisily except Kagome. Inuyasha looked up and turned his head to the right to get Kagome in his peripheral vision. She was standing right behind him. Greedily the hanyou shoved a ball of rice in his mouth and spoke with his mouth full.
"Hey Kagome… why aren't you eating?"
Kagome spread a pleasant smile as she watched the scene roll out in front of her. Her family was eating the food she had taken so much time to make and they were all enjoying it… At the center of her attention was, of course, Inuyasha who had been eating non-stop. 'Where does he put it all?' She thought to herself as she recalled the countless time Inuyasha gorged himself like a madman. She stretched, removed her apron, and turned on her heel. "I'll be right back. I just need to go upstairs and get you some fresh bandages. 'And change.' I'll be back."
Inuyasha's ears twitched and he looked down at his chest. It didn't look bad or anything. He looked off after Kagome as she went up the stairs. 'Why do I need fresh banda...!' It was sudden, but it was there. The dark tinge of fear that had begun as a tiny pebble rolling around his insides suddenly became larger than life. He had to act fast. Jumping up and ignoring the bewildered faces of the other Inuyasha ran through the living room and raced up the stairs. 'I'll never make it!' He suspicions were brought to rest when he heard Kagome's voice call out to him from her room.
"INUYASHA! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SHEETS BAKA! O-S-U-W-A-R-I!"
'Damn!' Was all he could get out before he lost balance at mid stairs and slammed into the hard wood. His head began to spin as the pain coursed through his body.
Kagome stood at the doorway of her room fuming. How could he? Stupid Inuyasha. He was going to fix this if he had to sew it himself! The hanyou approached her with a hand over his possibly broken nose. He looked about to lace into Kagome about her command, but whether he was or wasn't they would never know because at that moment she yelled it out again. "Osuwari!"
Once more Inuyasha's face slammed into the floor. The hanyou propped himself up on his shoulders. "Damn necklace…"
He was cut short by Kagome's maniacal raving. "Look at that," she yelled as she pointed into the room, "How the hell did that happen?"
"Well…" He knew that he didn't have a good reason so Inuyasha decided to keep his mouth shut. Kagome was looking down at him with hellish eyes when her mother walked up the stairs. It was an odd sight to see the hanyou lying face down in front of Kagome as she yelled her lungs out at him. Not wasting any time Kagome's mother gently stepped around the dog demon and peered into the room. That blanket was ruined of course. She smiled sweetly and turned to Kagome.
"Calm down Kagome-chan. At least now with that old thing gone you can get a new one."
Kagome grinned sheepishly at her mother. She didn't like arguing with Inuyasha in front of her but sometimes he gave her no other option. By this time Inuyasha had picked himself up and was sitting cross legged on the floor staring at something mildly interesting on the ground in front of him. Immediately a tidal wave of guilt washed over Kagome as she looked down at the sad hanyou. Her harsh glare softened and her fists unclenched. She still hated the fact that her mother was defending him but couldn't find it in her heart to yell anymore. The words "lost puppy" came to her mind as she sighed and looked up at her mother. "Ok mama. Inuyasha and I will go to the store tomorrow to get a new one. It's too late right now." Kagome went downstairs to eat and wash the dishes. As she descended the stairs her mother looked at Inuyasha who was getting up now.
"She'll be fine. That was an amazing innocent act Inuyasha-kun… where did you learn it?"
The hanyou's face was surprised, but then little by little it turned into an evil grin. He looked down to make sure Kagome was gone and then leaned into Kagome's mother.
"Souta."
Kagome's mother smiled.
(A/N: Sorry for the long chapter all, but I thought it would be a nice change from all the fighting… but worry not. This story is about to get good)