AN: I am sick. I don't much feel like writing. PoF got a cool haircut. She is obsessing about Miroku's staff. I have issues with Inuyasha's sword. Well, we both like Inuyasha's sword. I want Kirara as a kitty. This rambling is the reason I shouldn't write AN's when I am sick and feverish….
Basically, here is the deal: We complicated things even more, if possible, in this chapter. We would really love to get some reviews, and insights into what people think, if you like it, or if you don't… We really wanna know. So please, review so we can know what you think. We need the info!
Now, as usual, we don't own the Inu gang. Though we damn do wish we did. I'm wondering… If I see a guy, dressed up as Sesshomaru at the anime convention, and jump him- Would that be bad? 0:)
P.S.
I just noticed there is a note from PoF all the way at the bottom.:) ;;
Chapter Five
He grumbled nearly all the way home. How could she have done that to him?
'She… she… The bitch! And to make matters worse, now I'm stuck wearing this uncomfortable—and not to mention tacky—necklace!'
He was so busy complaining to himself that he didn't see where he was going. Someone—maybe something—bumped into him. Before Inuyasha knew what he was doing, he had drawn his sword, as rusted as it was in that moment, and had grabbed the person's clothes, pointing the sword at his neck.
Miroku raised his eyes from the dusty road. Well, that is what he deserved for not paying attention to the road, instead day dreaming about grabbing Sango from behind.
"Well. Good day," Miroku said stretching his neck over the edge of the sword, one of his dark eyebrows arched up high into his black bangs. "Is there a reason you wish to harm a monk?" Miroku asked simply then noticed the twitching ears and realized just how like a dog growl the other man's anger sounded. "Well. That explains it. Though, I sense a pure aura about you."
Inuyasha's eyes seemed to focus suddenly. This wasn't an attack. This was some weird monk. Inuyasha released him, frowning. He somehow still managed to keep the odd beauty all demons had when he frowned. Inuyasha slowly sheathed his sword, his thumb rubbing the pommel as his hand wrapped around the sheath. "You're one of them too," he said absentmindedly.
"I'm one of many, my friend," Miroku replied, keeping diplomatic and a calm air about him. His body wasn't even charged to strike or fight. His arm simply caressed his staff. "Trouble?" Miroku asked looking behind him at the trail of broken and crushed branches this man left in his wake.
He snorted. "Women."
"Ah yes. The temptresses. Our mistresses and mysterious of the universe. Women, can't live without them," Miroku paraphrased. "Don't you just love them? Their supple bodies, the way they move, the sinuous languid rhythm of their walk... Their smell. Oh don't get me started on their curves..." Miroku day dreamed, his gaze far off and distant as he sighed heavily against his staff and picked up pace and resumed walking once more. "Little nymphs out to get us and tear our hearts out. Aren't they?" How did this man know his favorite subject was women?
"Right now I think I hate them and want to tear out their hearts," he grumbled. How could this man be so cheerful about women? What was he? A nymphomaniac? Inuyasha eyed him, and snorted. He was probably a lecher.
"Tear their hearts out? No... Too harsh a punishment. Bring them close to ecstasy and then get tired and stop. Leave them whimpering for more… Much more effective," Miroku joked. He rearranged his robe. "What did this woman do?" Miroku asked watching Inuyasha get frustrated and kick rocks out of their path.
Interesting chap. Was he really that upset or was he just annoyed that he didn't get any? Miroku wondered.
Inuyasha stopped kicking rocks. He really did want to spill, but… He raised an eyebrow. "What kind of monk are you, exactly?"
"A Highly Religious One," Miroku replied sternly, bringing his staff close by and giving the man the watchful-all-knowing-look of a true Monk of the order of Buddha.
"…riiiight…. Okay, Monk, maybe you can help me. See," he began, lifting his hand from his sword as he talked. He even stopped kicking rocks. "There's… this… well, this girl, and we're… betrothed." Inuyasha decided that would be the best way to phrase it. Once he had started, it become a little bit easier. "And all of a sudden, we started arguing. I don't even know how it happened, but the next thing I know, she's trying to turn me into her bitch because she feels she can't trust me… like, like I'm going to try and rape her just because I'm half-demon, or a man, or… or something!"
"Hmmm… Indeed. A problem." Miroku mused aloud, his thoughts and attention completely centered on the man beside him. Rubbing his chin absently, Miroku allowed himself time to process this. "Could it be that perhaps you did something to frighten her? Or that perhaps, she is frightened of herself and is trying to distance you that way? Or maybe she is just at that time of month and is bitchy," Miroku finally concluded. Sometimes it was the simplest reasons.
He rolled his eyes. "I don't really care what her problem is. I never want to see her again, not only she's going to lift the fucking spell she cast on me. Besides, I didn't do anything wrong. I tried to be a gentleman with her. Then, all of a sudden, she just says: 'this is for you so that you can't hurt me the way my friend suggested, so here you go and oh! Let me show you how it works!' That self-possessed drama queen," he added on to the end. He couldn't stress that enough.
"Hmmm... Influenced by friends, eh?" Miroku commented aloud. "Is she dear to you?"
He thought about that question a moment. The answer was a little disconcerting, but it didn't surprise him. "She is. She was the first human friend I ever had."
"Hmmm, I see. And you obviously hold that high and find that important. Did you tell her that this hurt you? Her lack of trust?" Miroku would bet all of his ill gotten and won wages from last night, that this hanyou wasn't much of a talker.
Inuyasha looked away from the monk. "Admitting one's emotions is bad where I come from. It implies weaknesses. We keep all our emotions tightly hidden so we never let our weaknesses be known." He looked up, meeting eyes with the lecherous monk. "Emotions are supposed to be a human quality. Demons don't like to admit that they have them too."
"You say you are betrothed… A union such as that can be bliss and if it is to a friend, then all the better. She must be very important to you. Are you sure you wish to throw it all away over a matter of trust? She didn't say she doesn't trust you to keep faithful, she didn't say she doesn't trust you not to lie to her, she didn't say that she can't find one ounce of reason to trust you and that in fact you are a cheat in every form possible, she merely said she wants to be with you: with precautions. The girl of my dreams doesn't say that. She just says she can't depend on me and throws me away from her.
"It seems your lady friend doesn't want to throw you away from her, otherwise she would kick you to the dogs and come up with a new excuse each time, ranging from 'I've got a headache, my back is sore, I rode all day, I dislocated my shoulder, I'm pissed off because of my day, I can't trust you, I can't be with you—meaning, I don't want to be with you.' Mine gives me those excuses each time."
Miroku was surprised at himself. He didn't mean to rant. But since they were both venting, he supposed it was a good enough opportunity. "As for demons, humans… Eh. What can I say? You speak true my friend. But there are always exceptions to the rule."
"She wants to keep me chained up," he grumbled. "It's degrading."
Miroku arched both brows. "Oh. I didn't realize... Maybe she likes role playing?"
"Not like that, you pervert. With this," he gestured to the necklace. He thought a moment. "And by the way, if your lady friend says that she can't trust you, maybe there's a reason for it. Like your obvious lechery, or maybe the subtle fact that this is a time of war. What happens if she dies? What happens if you die?"
"If she dies, I will mourn till I die and await to join her," Miroku answered in the most straight forward method he knew: to the point. His blue eyes were pale and honest. "If I die, I wish her to find happiness again," Miroku said simply and then his stern face melted into something of a lecherous grin. "Now, since I am an obvious lech and you found reason enough to support her claims, don't you perhaps think the same can be said about yourself? You have an obvious temper. And are quick to draw." Miroku rubbed the underside of his chin, where Inuyasha's sword had grazed earlier.
"And degrading me, embarrassing me, is supposed to help me avoid death now?" he demanded.
"Has she embarrassed you in public? Has she used that necklace… by the way, it is quite fetching on you. What has survival to do with it? Unless, you think you may drown in your marriage."
"No," he sourly admitted. "She hasn't embarrassed me in public." He shook his head. And then he sniffled. Inuyasha straightened a little. "Thanks for the help, Monk."
He met the man's eyes again, and he smirked, suddenly punching the man in the nose. Inuyasha stood, ready for retaliation. "And that was for getting involved in my love life, asshole. By the way, you need to scrub harder when you come back over to this side of the war. You still smell like Naraku… and like Sango."
Miroku grinned, the guy had more brains then he thought. But then again... Miroku had a few cards of his own up his sleeve. "Good to know you are all you were rumored to be, Inuyasha." Miroku rubbed his nose and tightened his hold on his staff. "I heard a lot about you, and seeing as you were just walking around... Well…" Miroku tried to breath through his nose. It felt swollen. He didn't want to see Sango with a red nose.
"You were the one who talked about it," Miroku muttered and in a lightening-swift movement banged Inuyasha atop his head with his staff. "By Buddha," Miroku proclaimed and bowed to him. "Now, don't fret about Kikyo. I am sure a good talk with her and she will remove that necklace," Miroku offered friendly advice, while still rubbing his nose tenderly.
Inuyasha just stared at him like he was crazy. "Have you ever MET Kikyo?" he asked, as if that was answer enough.
"Yes. Clever woman, very smart. Extremely beautiful. Warned me off with a gaze." Miroku finally managed to sniff through his nose and continued walking. "Kagome on the other hand... When she's sad, the birds in this area stop chirping. Have you noticed that?" Miroku asked spreading his arms wide and standing silently, as though the quiet reflection of the woods was proof. "Perhaps it would be better talking to her, before talking to Kikyo," Miroku advised, then looked sharply at Inuyasha. "And to remember, who you are betrothed too and who is just play acting."
Inuyasha was quiet for a long moment. "Shit," he said, suddenly having figured it all out.
Kagome finally after hours of cleaning up, was done. Putting away her broom, Kagome stood looking over her house proudly. "It's done! It's clean!" She cheered and turned to Shippo who was stuffing his face with sweets. "Go eat those outside, I don't want you to spread crumbs here." Kagome told him with a laugh in her voice.
Shippo started doing as she asked, and then there was a knock on the door. His bushy tail fanned out, and he dove under the table. The person was down-wind from him, and smelled like Inuyasha… but a lot in the house smelled like Inuyasha to Shippo: the wall he had leaned against, the chair he had sat in. They all gave out a lingered scent that was his.
"I'm not here!" he whispered to Kagome, afraid that it might be some demon who had come to take him back home.
"Kagome," Inuyasha voice called out from the other side of the door. "Please let me in."
"Shippo get out from under there, it's only Inuyasha," Kagome said crouching down beside the table, raising the table cover to look at Shippo. "You spilled your candy! Shippo! Come on, go out the back way and eat the rest of your candy, you'll help me clean this mess up later." Kagome held her hand out to him, taking his small hand in hers.
Walking him to the back of the house, Kagome only turned her attention to the visitor once Shippo was gone. She felt a clash of wills inside of her. On the one hand she wanted to let Inuyasha in. She missed his company and talking to him, even sparring verbal insults. On the other, he had really hurt her feelings and she didn't want another round of fighting.
Breathing in deeply, Kagome braced herself. Back straight, chin up, Kagome fanned her hair back away from her face allowing it to glide down her back. Walking regally over to the door, she opened it and stood in the door way.
"Yes?"
He inhaled deeply as soon as he saw her, trying to say what he had come to say. As soon as he saw her, he didn't want to admit any weaknesses. He swallowed, and looked away. Not looking at her made it a little easier. "Kagome…" Inuyasha started, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean the things I said. They were a blatant lie. I was hurt, and I wanted to hurt you back. It was improper of me and I apologize."
Kagome blinked. He had apologized? Inuyasha... Said he's sorry? He... Kagome stood there blinking. "Uh... Um. Thank you. I think," Kagome murmured, her hand slipping from the door knob to the door frame. "I suppose I owe you an apology also, I didn't mean to insult you with the necklace... I was just... Being selfish," Kagome ended up saying, casting her eyes everywhere but on him, she finally forced herself to meet his gaze. "I'll take it off for you, if you want."
He looked up at her, his eyes surprised. "Please do," he said, unable to hide the relief from his voice.
Kagome nodded and as simple as that, reached out and took it off. "Did Kikyo try to remove it?" she asked playing with the beads.
"No," he said, his hand going up to the back of his neck and rubbing it. Inuyasha leaned his head back, his silver hair fluttering a little, and cracked his neck. That made it feel a LOT better. "I figured that if I asked her, it would be like pitting the two of you against each other, and I didn't want that. Did you put the spell on that necklace yourself?"
"Yes," Kagome said simply and tossed the necklace back into her house, it landed in a basket full of beads. "Thank you."
His cheeks began to turn red, though he didn't understand why. Why was Kagome thanking him? He looked away again, as if the plants in front of her house interested him… which they kind of did. They didn't have many of these plants where he came from. Inuyasha said casually, "Yes, well, I was just wondering because I figured that next time you might want to ease up on the power you pour into something like that. At one point, while I was at the other shrine, I was in the tree and the necklace pulled me out of it."
He then looked at her anxiously, worried he might have offended her again. "But that was really impressive and, well, I can take it, so I'm not really… damn it, I'm shutting up now."
Kagome arched her brow and thought about it then jumped back appalled. "You did?" she asked biting her nails nervously. "I was yelling at Shippo to sit down while he ate... Oh, I'm sorry. I will be more careful in the future. I didn't mean to hurt you." Kagome meant the last both physically and emotionally. "Do you want to come in?"
Inuyasha smiled at her. "I would like to, yes…" He lifted his foot as if to enter, and at the last moment, he put it back down where it had been, continuing to stand looking ready to run at any moment, his stance light on his feet. "But, there's something else I need to say, okay? And I've thought about how to say this, and I don't know how. So, I know I'm going to screw it up, but just hear me out, okay?"
Kagome smiled heartedly. He had a unique way with the words. "Alright. I'll be good." She giggled and quickly made a zipping her mouth shut motion with her hand.
Smiling with relief that she was laughing, he first had to dismiss his smile. Inuyasha licked his lips, and looked at her, his gaze surprisingly gentle. "I enjoy my time with you, Kagome. You are the first friend I had on this side of the border. And for a moment, when I was with you, I did start to feel something, something I hadn't felt before with Kikyo. I felt… comfortable. But then we said goodbye and I remembered, that none of this is supposed to be real. It's all supposed to be fake. And I thought that you were just being nice to me, with letting me hold you and become close to you, to complete the illusion, and so I went away as quickly as I could."
Kagome stood silently and finally spoke. "I wasn't pretending... Inuyasha," Kagome whispered softly.
His inhaled so quickly it was audible. He stared back at her. The way she had said his name… he wanted to hear her say it like that again! It had sounded so treasured and secretive! "Neither was I." He glanced at the trees again. The birds had stopped singing in the air, but the bees were still steadily working away. "Can we continuing doing what we're supposed to do be doing, do you think? Can you be my teacher and can we pull off these roles with just pretending?"
"I think so. I could try at the least." Kagome could feel her heart picking up pace, and an odd itch she had never experienced before in her hands, something between sweet and painful, like when your leg falls asleep. Reaching out tentatively, she placed both hands on his shoulders and slowly guided him inside.
Once both were inside, Kagome closed the door behind her softly, the faintest click resounding as it locked. "What shall we do today?" Kagome asked, swallowing.
Inuyasha looked down at her pleadingly. "Shippo?"
"He's outside with his candies..." Kagome answered. "I don't know where," she added after walking to the window and looking out.
Inuyasha followed her, standing next to her at the window. He raised his hand and tentatively slipped it through her hair so his fingers were wrapped around the base of her neck. They itched to rub her skin, but he told himself to stay still. The touch was innocent. He was just holding her, just touching one part of her while he stood beside her. And yet, at the same time he wanted to work out the knots from her body and feel more of her. His hand suddenly found the heat of her body far too warm. He kept waiting for her to flinch, for her to look at him untrustingly…
"And just so that you know, scents don't wash off that well. They can remain in the air around you, on things we touched, and even on your skin after you've washed yourself for days. As long as you have canine blood in you, at least. It differs creature by creature. But dogs can follow a track days old because of how those scents linger. So you do still smell a little bit like me, but if we do anything more permanent… it may BE permanent."
Kagome had closed her eyes, centering her being on his touch. It was so pleasant and welcome. Opening them, she felt like she was waking from a dream, not cold and not hot, but terribly warm inside. Her pulse racing through her, Kagome turned away from the window, his hand still at the base of her neck, causing them to be practically hugging.
"Is that so?" she asked, considering his words, not noticing how her arms wrapped around his waist and that her cheek lay on his chest. She could hear his heart beating, and it was nice and strong, even comforting. It sounded like a lovely rhythmic dance. "What did you have in mind?"
He was taken by surprise, and he watched Shippo in the backyard, munching on cookies and watching the bees in the air. Shippo's tail flickered back and forth, and Inuyasha wondered if he was actually considering going after the bees. Shippo was smarter than what Inuyasha gave him credit for, he knew, but why was he eyeing the bees like that?
"Nothing," he said. "I'm not thinking about anything. The only thing I can think of that makes this kind of stuff more permanent is a marriage ceremony."
Kagome frowned. The perfect moment was ruined. "And we can't do that."
Looking up at him, her chin braced on his hard chest, Kagome considered a few ways of going about this. She needed the scent to be stronger. Canine demons might smell it, but other demons wouldn't. Shippo had picked Inuyasha up from the house, not as much from Kagome.
And seeing as the lord of dog demons was in alliance with them, she doubted many dog demons sided with Naraku except for mongrel mutts. Reaching up on the tips of her toes, she moved her hand up from his waist to his cheek and started caressing it. "We'll have to do something else then," she finally said, needing them to be closer so that any demon would pick up on their entwined scents.
He smiled down at her. "You could stop showering."
"Hmpf. No way." She replied and grinned like a little imp. Why were the bees so loud? She wondered hearing the faint buzz getting stronger. "I had something more of this in mind." Kagome reached up and kissed his lips quickly.
'This is just pretend,' she reminded herself when she met his eyes. "You ought to touch more of my skin. I wash my clothes too," Kagome added.
His eyes went deeper, darker gold for a minute. His body went stiff. He stared at Kagome, shocked that she had just done that. He could still feel her lips on his… "I wouldn't…." He stopped when he heard Shippo crying.
Inuyasha looked at the window to see Shippo running back towards the house, wailing loudly, a cloud of bees following him. Inuyasha swore and let go of Kagome, darting forward to shut the window and then running to the back door, opening it so that the kitsune could run straight into the house. He shut the door before the bees could follow, though one or two managed to make it inside.
Shippo skidded across the floor, wailing harder. He was crying so hard, he didn't even see Inuyasha, he just cried.
"Shippo!" Kagome cried. She pushed past Inuyasha, not angrily, simply hurriedly like a worried mother. "Shippo!" she exclaimed, seeing two big beestings popping up on him like boils.
Falling to her knees Kagome collected him in her arms in a vain attempt to calm him down and get a better look at those stings - they didn't look normal - when a loud horrible buzzing fluttered right beside her ear, cutting off her concentration and forcing her to turn around in panic. There wasn't anyone who didn't panic about bees. Something about them, and the ingrown human primal fear of stings and pain enforced it. It wasn't a fear you could fight. It was natural and it was instinct. "Seimushou!" she yelled recognizing Naraku's demon wasp spies.
BANG!
"What was that?" Inuyasha asked, casually slamming a book on to the intrusive bee. Inuyasha lifted it and grimaced at the mess he had made on the book. He grabbed a cloth and quickly wiped it away, throwing out the rag and placing the book of herbs back on the table. He then looked over Kagome's shoulder at Shippo, who continued to bawl. Fat tears drizzled down the kit's cheeks. He made a worried sound when he saw the bee stings.
"I… I'm… sorry!" Shippo wailed. "I just wanted honey!"
Inuyasha looked at Kagome. "Do you have some tweezers or something?" he asked, knowing that he needed to extract the poison sacks.
Kagome motioned to a small box on the counter. "In there," she replied and turned her attention to Shippo. "Hold still..." she whispered, one hand patting his back for comfort, the other grabbing the edge of an extended stinger between forefinger and thumb, pulling it out, she dropped it to the floor like a disgusting bird dropping.
"I'll go make an ointment for those," Kagome told him warmly, getting up on her knees, readying herself for the jump up.
Inuyasha grabbed the tweezers and they exchanged places in the blink of an eye. Inuyasha held Shippo gently, making soothing sounds. When Shippo still didn't stop apologizing and crying, Inuyasha became a little agitated. He threw another stinger into the pile they were making. "Shippo," he warned, snapping at the little fox-child. "If you don't start your crying right now, I'll give you something to cry about. You're a demon, for fuck's sake. Start acting like one. Be a man."
'Be a man,' Inuyasha repeated sullenly. 'God, that's just what Dad would have said to me.' But, as disgruntled as Inuyasha was about echoing his father, Shippo was quiet, and stopped fidgeting so much.
"Inuyasha, it's alright, crying is good. It lets it out," Kagome chided softly as she sat opposite him on the floor, with her legs crossed over each other. Pulling Shippo into her lap she smiled down at him softly. "There... You don't have to be a man just yet, you're a little boy. And next time, you just have to remember that bees like that don't carry honey. Only poison. Those aren't normal bees," Kagome explained gently, offering him a candy look alike. It was actually the antidote for the poison which by now would start seeping into his system and had another extra something in it to help make Shippo sleep. "Take this, alright?"
Shippo nodded tearfully, taking it obediently so as to appease both Inuyasha and Kagome. He sniffled and winced when Inuyasha dug deep into his arm to get out a stinger. He wasn't looking at Inuyasha, knowing that it would only make it worse to see Inuyasha digging into his arm. He was beginning to feel a little sleepy. "Inuyasha?" Shippo asked gently.
"Yes?"
"I missed you," Shippo admitted, yawning and closing his eyes. He was out like a light.
Inuyasha stared at her. Kagome worked some powerful, and odd, magic. He paused to look at the priestess. "Remind me not to take any food you offer me anymore."
"It wasn't food. It was medicine," Kagome shot back, grabbing a cloth and dipping it into the ointment and then dabbing it over the stings. "Against the bees. You're good with those," Kagome commented, watching him taking the stingers out of Shippo. "And you're careful... That's good."
He smiled, throwing another stinger on the floor. "I know it was medicine, Kagome. That's why I don't trust your food anymore. You could be slipping me vitamins and minerals and healthy stuff, and I wouldn't know." He peered at her briefly from behind his bangs. "I'm only teasing you.
"Anyway," he shrugged, "I don't want to hurt the kid. But god, he's got a lot of them. What'd he'do? Fall into a nest of spies?"
"Interrupted their spying and drew attention to them more like it," Kagome muttered. "That's why I kissed you. I hoped it would draw their attention from Shippo. If Naraku thinks his spies can escaped my senses... Oh wait, Inuyasha, do you know what this means?" Kagome asked. In her excitement she dabbed too much ointment over one of the stings, causing it to look like Shippo had a giant white spot in the center of his forehead.
Pausing, he held still for a moment longer, trying to cover up the fact that he didn't have a clue as to what anything meant. He creased his forehead and tried to make it look like he was figuring out what she was talking about…though he honestly didn't understand. She'd kissed him to draw attention from Shippo? Hadn't it been because she wanted something drastic so that his scent would linger on her?
Inuyasha, frankly, was a little insulted.
"What does it mean? That Naraku is watching us and that he's suspicious of us?"
"That he fell for it," Kagome put plainly.
"Wasn't that implied in what I said?"
"I had to say it for myself. So we did it!" Kagome cheered. "I could kiss you I'm so happy!" she let out before she understood what she had just said.
He frowned, licking his teeth nervously. Why did he feel like suddenly his mouth was the focus of much attention? Inuyasha pulled out another stinger before he responded, carefully undoing Shippo's shirt to make sure that there weren't any stingers hiding on his chest or his back. "Actually," he said, "that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I mean, kissing again, I mean. If we're going to pretend to be lovers, we're going to have to kiss eventually, right?"
Kagome didn't believe he was saying it. But, when she thought about it, the way he put it of course, not letting her imagination run away with her in anyway or allowing herself to think how wonderful that would be or to remember how soft his lips were and how warm... It made sense. "I think you're on to something," Kagome commented, looking at Shippo. "I think you got them all out, I'll put him in his bed."
"He has a bed?" Inuyasha asked out loud as Kagome took Shippo from him. He followed patiently, wanting to see this bedroom, and of course, also taking a peek around the rest of Kagome's house, looking for any ways in. He hadn't figured that they would be watched by Naraku. Everywhere he looked, he saw ways for Naraku to look at them, simply by sending one his spies up to one of the nice, bright windows. "What did you do, Kagome? Adopt him?"
"No... Well…" Kagome paused in thought while she tucked the little kitsune in under the covers, fluffing his pillow for him too. "I suppose you could say that. Shippo said he didn't have where to stay, and that he liked my stories, so he decided until you and Kikyo settle down he'll be here with me. Protecting me," Kagome added with a note of authorization, that was slightly adoring but obviously joking in her voice.
"I had this spare room, and so I just gave him one of my mattresses and the toys... Well, he has pretty deep pockets," Kagome muttered, barely avoiding stepping on any of the strewn around toys. "My bedroom is right there, and well, the rest you know really."
Inuyasha smiled, watching Kagome tuck Shippo into bed. "I see. So he's still hoping for me… I never should have helped that kid. He'll be the death of me," he said, watching Shippo with something close to adoration, despite his rough words. He leaned on the doorframe of the room, shaking his head. "He never should have come here. I should send him back home, where he's further away from the front."
"Probably. But he got away from the war once didn't he?" Kagome asked moving to stand beside him.
"Just barely. Did he tell you what happened?"
"Just that he came looking for you." Kagome replied, turning from the door and motioning for Inuyasha to do the same so that she could slide the door shut and let him sleep without disturbance.
Inuyasha followed, though he glanced back. "Shippo's farther was a general of one of our legions. I don't know if my father had some secret plans for him, or if his reputation merely exceeded him, but for whatever reason, Naraku sent two of his chief assassins, the Thunder Brothers, to kill Shippo's father. They claimed both of Shippo's parents and would have gotten Shippo too, but the kid somehow managed to get away. I found him by chance a few days later. He's been in an orphanage since then."
AN: It's probably a crappy place to end a chapter, but the next break wouldn't happen for another seven pages. Hopefully we'll update again soon… it all depends on how Emmie is feeling, as she's sick right now.