Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha
Strings of Destiny by Natala
Early September
Chapter 4
Thread One
Kagome sighed, wincing as one particularly sore muscle protested as she forced herself and her overlarge bag up over the edge of the well. She closed her eyes briefly, letting the weariness she didn't let show in the feudal era wash over her. It would be nice to take a bath, have some nice hot oden and go to bed. Hopefully without Yusuke noticing she was home until tomorrow. She doubted she could do much more than stare stupidly at him if he tried some training today.
A grimace situated itself on Kagome's as she sensed a familiar aura. A moment later it changed to curiosity at the numerous other auras. Botan she recognized, and Kurama. There was another strong demon and another female demon with a similar aura but who seemed gentler just by the difference in the energy. Kagome concentrated a bit and then her senses cleared and the two humans became distinct. Humans were always harder to place than demons with miko senses, but both seemed fairly strong, if not as strong as Yusuke and the other male demons.
Her hand hovered near the door and she hesitated. They were having a conversation, and she could have sworn she'd heard her name. She strained her hearing and unbeknownst to her a soft smile appeared in the darkness of the well house as she heard Yusuke's familiar grumbling. Kami, as much as she might try to deny it while in the feudal era, she had missed him.
Inuyasha had been giving her a thousand different looks these past weeks that had showed her everything from anger at the point of over boiling rage to quiet understanding and much more painful hurt. She grimaced softly, sighing as she remembered the pained look in his golden eyes. Of course, that same look had been in her eyes after a week when Kikyou had visited them. Graceful, calm, beautiful Kikyou who made Inuyasha forget that she even existed, nevermind that she had kissed another boy.
Only Sango had the whole story of who the boy was. She hadn't asked about the kiss, no, Sango would have been too embarrassed to ask about that. But it had been the other female who had noticed her improved skills in battle and who had even tested her on them. Kagome smiled ruefully as she remembered the sparring session. She'd managed to hold out for a while, and even trip the taijya up a bit, but in the end she had lost.
Kagome smiled slightly, remembering Sango's teasing as she heard about the boy, and her comforting when Kikyou had appeared. Little Shippo had joined in with that as well as getting "revenge" for her by chewing on Inuyasha's head.
Kagome was jolted from her thoughts as a loud, amused, and chuckling voice boomed across the property. "Ha! This is where you work, Urameshi? What do you do here, pet sit?"
The ebony haired girl stifled a yawn and thought again about opening the door. Finally she decided it was too much effort to meet new people right at this moment and, mindful of demon hearing, let her bag slide to the well house floor, her own body following.
"I've already told you a million times what I do here Kuwabara. Do I really need to repeat myself again?" Yusuke sounded annoyed and exasperated, Kagome noted tiredly. Not just from the boy - man - talking to him.
"Oh, is Kagome still gone in the feudal era?" Botan asked with what sounded like amusement in her voice. She couldn't be sure; she hadn't talked to the spirit guide a lot.
"No she's not! She's probably just be lazy in the well house!" Ah, that voice she knew well. Annoying, young, and bursting with teenage cheerfulness. Kagome smiled softly, clambering to her feet, one hand dragging her bag behind her wearily while the other opened the door.
"Nice to see you too, Souta. Make yourself useful and get my bag to house, would ya squirt?" Kagome grinned as the boy took offense. She knew he didn't like the nickname. Blue eyes looked her little brother up and down and she privately admitted that she'd have to give up that nickname soon. He would end up taller than her in the end, if his height - barely under hers - at the moment was any indication.
Souta stuck out his tongue at her, earning himself an "Oh, that's mature" as an answer. He grinned; going to pick up her bag then frowned, staring at one side of her uniform. There was a long jagged rip in one side. Unthinking and curious as always and somehow managing to ignore the crowd of people studying his miko sister, he asked, "What did that?"
There was an immediate response as Yusuke stiffened and his eyes narrowed. "What did what?"
Souta's eyes widened at the demanding tone and the fourteen year old looked to his older sister for guidance, his eyes guilty and pleading for forgiveness. He knew she didn't like anybody else worrying or even knowing about any injuries she received. She was always trying to keep it from their mother.
Kagome smiled gently at her brother and simply tilted her head towards the house. "Go ahead Souta. Tell Mama to make oden if she can please?"
Souta looked at her intensely, a worried frown on his face. "You don't want to sleep first? You look... well, you don't look good sis."
Kagome scowled, huffing slightly. "I'm not stepping anywhere near my room while I'm this dirty!"
Souta shook his head then proceeded to drag her bag towards the house, like her not bothering to waste energy picking it up. Kagome winced at the glare she could feel from her side and answered before she had even finished turning. "Demon with shards, long but shallow, it's long healed and I was distracted at the time."
Kagome silently decided not to tell him the distraction had been one of Inuyasha's hysterical yells of her name. Automatically, she'd turned her head towards him and then found herself with a claw in her side. She blinked realizing Yusuke had said something. "What?"
Yusuke scowled at her blank look. "I said, what happened to the demon?"
Kagome shrugged. "Purified it. We got its shards." Kagome struggled not to smirk at the teeth she could see him gnashing from there. But that was it. The difficulties had been afterwards when Inuyasha panicked at a little blood and then Kouga showed up, and only Shippo had understood that all she wanted was for them to leave her alone for a few moments.
"Purified it how? Hands, arrows, what?" Kagome frowned slightly and tilted her head, ignoring the question and looking behind him. Instead she looked to the people around him and directed her question towards them.
"So, why's he being so pissy today?" Her honest question, so unlike her usual more polite questions had Yusuke blinking in surprise. The others, knowing nothing of her usual personality, didn't seem to realize just how tired the miko was to say that. There were a few chuckles and Hiei even lifted his lips into the slightest smirk.
Kagome sighed inwardly, trying to shove all the problems from the feudal era away from her mind. Kouga, easy enough, he wasn't an actual problem, he just annoyed Inuyasha. But he was a good friend, and his crush seemed to have waned, especially with Ayame hanging around. Kikyou... That one she definitely couldn't think about now. Naraku as well, with his brief appearance, Kohaku, Kanna, and Kagura in solid, mostly silent attendance. There, she'd gone through them, that was enough for now, she needed to focus her attention on Yusuke, who was staring at her awfully suspiciously.
Strangely enough, a green haired girl was looking at her sympathetically, her voice soft. "You look tired. Perhaps we should come back later?"
Kagome hesitated and realized she couldn't just do that. These were, apparently, Yusuke's friends, and she doubted there'd be another chance like this. "Actually, why don't you all stay for dinner? I'm sure Mama wouldn't mind, it's been awhile since we've had a dinner guest without dog-ears."
Yukina smiled brightly and without a word herded everyone into her house. Kagome blinked suddenly, realizing the girl was attempting to leave her alone with Yusuke. The miko peered around the door to see her mother greeting everyone and asking his or her names. All that was left was an old human woman, regarding her steadily before pacing into her house. Kagome blinked and looked at Yusuke. "Who was that?"
"Genkai." The one-word answer was terse, because Yusuke was regarding her in the same studying manner his master had been and the young woman squirmed beneath his gaze, fighting not to snap at him, tired as she was.
"So, you're all healed right?" Kagome jumped, because the Toushin's voice was behind her, looking at the rip in the side of her uniform. She gave a half yell of frustration. Yusuke was acting oddly, usually if he was going to do that he'd give her some kind of warning.
"Right?" Kagome frowned again at the sudden emotion in his tone and quickly nodded her head. "I'm fine Yusuke. Really, I am. We didn't even run into anything that bad."
The lie slipped out surprisingly easily. But, there had been nothing physically bad. She shook herself and turned around, disrupting his scrutiny of her long healed side. "Why are you acting so odd?"
Yusuke raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, countering with his own question. "Why are you?"
"Don't be so immature. I asked first." Kagome huffed and mirrored his position. She glared, feeling confused and a little hurt by the reception.
He glared back and opened his mouth, snapping at her, glaring and letting all his frustration at his own inability to be there carry through. "Now who's being immature? Maybe if you answered mine I'd answer yours!"
"Maybe I should just stay in the feudal era if this is how you're going to act every time I return!" Inside the house, a number of people paused in surprise when the silence stretched out and Genkai lifted her head to look out the window at the two arguing. Soon Souta had joined her, then Kurama.
Yusuke found he couldn't speak for a few seconds at the hurtful screech. They'd never had an argument this bad, and he'd certainly never heard her say she'd even considered staying in the feudal era. When he finally did find his voice, he flung the comment back at her. "Maybe you should. Stay with the hanyou, the dog who only pays attention to you when she's not around."
Kagome froze and Yusuke flinched, swearing she couldn't even be breathing, she was so still. Fuck, he hadn't meant to say that. He opened his mouth, but was cut off.
"I missed you." It was unexpected and cut through the tension and the anger. Because Kagome had let the response slide off her after a moment, accepting the truth in the statement and putting it aside like so many other things. "And I didn't mean it. I wouldn't stay there."
"Oh," There was a snort from inside the house from the general direction of an old pink haired woman. Even Souta rolled his eyes at the articulate response. Kagome's mother was peering out in fascinated delight at the miniature drama that had fortunately taken a nice turn.
"He's a dimwit," Genkai muttered, but there was a small smile on her face. He was a dimwit, but at least he didn't totally mess things up anymore.
Outside both teenagers were fidgeting and Souta broke it by leaning his head out the window. "The oden's ready!"
The half shout had both of them jumping and Yusuke glared half-heartedly at Souta, who grinned in reply and swiftly ducked back into the house. Kagome and Yusuke exchanged quick embarrassed glances before walking side by side to the door. Kagome slipped in first while Yusuke lingered a moment and grinned as he watched her before swiftly catching up and seating himself next to her at the table.
There was a quick shy smile from Kagome before the oden was placed on the table and Yusuke was suitable shocked by her love of oden. He made a mental note to learn how to make oden quickly. It would certainly help if she ever became truly mad at him.
----
He knew she wasn't there the instant the fresh air hit his nose. Not that it was very fresh in this era. It didn't matter. He had another reason for being there this day than just bringing her back. With that in mind he jumped to the top of her house and sniffed, growling slightly. The other male's scent was all around the grounds. But it wasn't here today.
The sound of familiar laughter had his ears twitching and then a group of teens stepped up the stairs. Almost instantly most of them stiffened. Kagome's smile faded slightly and he flinched, but then she grinned up at him, her eyes finding his before the others had even begun looking around. His half smile was given in return, the warmth in their eyes overshadowed by the fact they were both being pulled in other directions.
"There's a-" Kurama began, one of his hands holding a rose in his hand. He was cut off when a hanyou dropped in front of them.
"Time already?" Kagome's questions had many confused, except for Botan and Yusuke, the latter stiffening. It had only been a couple of weeks since she had come back.
"Past it," He was oddly quiet and Kagome saw the way his eyes had hardened as they focused on Yusuke. She also could feel the seriousness in him. Trying to divert the disaster she could already see happening she cleared her throat.
"Any more rumors?" Inuyasha didn't take his golden eyes off of Yusuke's brown ones as she questioned him and his claws were twitching a bit oddly.
"Yeah. There are. Kouga came by. We'll be checking out a few things. We should get this done as quickly as possible. You don't need anymore distractions." The last part seemed a bit odd if you didn't take into account the two boys glaring at each other, Yusuke's hands in fists, Inuyasha's claws stretched be his side.
"I'm training her. You could wait a bit longer until she's better." Kagome closed her eyes as both boys began ignoring her and Yusuke spoke. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming, "SIT!" and running off to pack.
"Why? So she thinks she can go off and actually fight? She'll just get herself killed. You can't be doing much training when you're kissing her. Leave her the fuck alone. I can protect her." Inuyasha's voice lowered into a growl and Yusuke sneered at him.
"Oh yeah, you were protecting her real well when you ripped her open, weren't you?" Inuyasha snarled and Kagome bit off her shriek of surprise when they sped at each other and turned it into, "SIT!"
Her shriek had Inuyasha falling under the punch that would have thrown him across the shrine and Kagome skidded between them. The other three boys there were staring at the two in shock. Kurama tilted his head and both Kurama and Hiei narrowed there eyes and looked back and forth between Kagome and the two boys.
"Fucking hell. Stay out of this wench." Kagome turned from where she had been glaring towards Yusuke to turn angry eyes on her hanyou. "Shut up Inuyasha. This is my property and my era. I have more right to 'be in this' than you do. Stop the macho crap, both of you. Really, what do you think you're proving? The most you could have done was torn each other to shreds and then I wouldn't ever speak to either of you ever again."
"It's our business," Yusuke pointed out. Angry blue-gray eyes flashed and the demons all shuddered as one as her ki flashed out in time with her anger rising.
"Oh? And what exactly are you fighting about? Because I'd say it's my business as well." Both boys fell silent but looked beyond her to glare at each other.
"Why couldn't I be attracted to a normal boy? Why not Houjo? How about even Kouga? Not the two most stubborn cantankerous males in existence!" Kagome turned on her heel and stomped towards the house.
"She's attracted to me?" Yusuke asked, unfazed by the glare she sent him at his smug tone as just before she slammed the door. Inuyasha climbed to his feet and let his ears flatten. "Fuck it. Damn jewel. Damn Naraku. Damn Jewel Guardians."
Inuyasha snarled and turned, golden light flying from his claws to rip a few nearby trees to shreds. The modern era citizens watched in surprise as the hanyou took one last dark glare at Yusuke and narrowed his eyes. "You haven't won her yet."
"I don't have to 'win' her. It's her own choice, dumbass." Yusuke and Inuyasha were standing off again before Yusuke actually grinned and stepped back, his expression much more cocky than it had been a second ago. "Besides, it's taken you months to get where you are now. I only met her a few months ago. What does that tell you?"
"That you'll break her heart," Inuyasha snarled, taking a step forward.
"Me? Nah, you seem to have made it a hobby. You're much more skilled at it than I am."
"Fuck off."
"Make me, bastard."
Kuwabara frowned as the two flew at each other again, scuffling around in the grass, claws and fists flying. "Shouldn't we stop them?"
"Not our business. They're courting the miko, it's only proper they should fight for her." Kuwabara stared at Hiei but both Yukina and Kurama sighed.
"Hiei has a point. Inuyasha especially is fighting, even if only instinctually, for his future mate. Yusuke needs no explanation, but I doubt he's think that way at least. By what I can gather, Yusuke's protecting her the only way he knows how."
Hiei snorted at Kurama's observations. "He's a demon too, what makes you think he isn't?"
"Yusuke was born and raised as a human. He may have always been a bit more violent but... Perhaps he has developed some instincts of that kind, but at least consciously, he is trying to protect the girl from someone who has hurt her before." Kurama's emerald green eyes watched as the door opened and Kagome hurried out with her yellow backpack. Strangely she simply placed it by the well house and then leaned there, watching the two with pained eyes.
"She knows what they're doing too," Yukina murmured.
"They'd only fight later if she split them up now. They're both similar that way." Everyone, including Botan, jumped as the youngest Higurashi spoke from his previously unnoticed place beside Kuwabara.
"They aren't fighting at full strength. At least, Yusuke isn't," Kuwabara frowned as he noticed this.
"They can't. They'd destroy the shrine. Yusuke especially." Kurama fell silent and everyone else followed as suddenly Yusuke lashed out with a foot and sent the hanyou flying across the shrine to slam into the God Tree. When Inuyasha stumbled up Kagome was by his side, whispering low words in his ear.
Kurama tried to focus and only caught bits of the conversation. "Please Inuyasha........Kikyou and I.........Kouga's waiting...........Naraku...........My era......."
Inuyasha murmured something back and Kurama caught a few words. "After he's gone, we can....."
"You know we can't. You promised her." Kurama relaxed and closed his eyes, beginning to hear them more clearly since he couldn't read their lips from this angle.
"We could. I could..."
"It isn't you. You couldn't ever break a promise. You know that."
"Then you've already chosen." Kagome didn't answer the statement and instead slid down to sit beside her first love and best friend.
The familiar way they were sitting only had Yusuke glaring. Kurama tilted his head and observed them. They had so much history. You could see it as they sat together. This was when they were closest. But never touching. In Kurama's head something clicked. It was in the quiet they were most like themselves. But even now Kagome was drifting away and the hanyou was desperately trying to keep his grasp on her even as his other hand reached for another. He couldn't have both, and he had tried to long. Kagome had chosen for him.
Kurama motioned them all back to the edge of the shrine as Kagome leaned back a moment and then scratched Inuyasha's ears. He tilted his head into her touch for a moment before snarling half-heartedly and batting her hand away. She gave the smallest giggle before turning serious and standing up, sending a warning glance back at the hanyou as she walked towards Yusuke.
"You're going with him."
"I'll be back."
"You sure about that?" Kagome sighed as Yusuke glared at a space to one side of her head.
"Yes, I am." Yusuke finally looked down at her, his dark eyes narrowed in jealousy as she stared at him.
"You'd better be. I'll find a way down that well myself if you aren't back soon." He managed a half smirk that widened into a grin when she returned it and took a hesitant step towards him. He leaned down and touched his lips to hers. When she leaned in and deepened the kiss on her own accord, Yusuke wrapped an arm around her waist and his other was at the back of her neck.
"Oh, gross. They're making out," Souta muttered as he peered over the fire apparitions point hair towards his sister. Hiei turned and glared at the spunky teen that was much to close and definitely invading his space. "Do you mind?"
Souta grinned brightly at the cold and threatening glare and shook his head, bounding away to look around Kuwabara's bulk instead. "Not at all. Jeez, that's really a place tongues shouldn't go."
Kagome broke off the kiss that was quickly turning a bit too heated for a second kiss and glared at her kid brother. "You shut up or I swear mother will be hearing stories about where you really are when you're staying after school. As will all of the girls."
"You wouldn't!" Souta tried to be surprised, but knew his sister a bit too well.
"You want to test that theory?" but Kagome was smiling and she pecked Yusuke lightly on the lips, drawing back before it could go further than that and looked towards where Inuyasha was showing a magnificent amount of control after watching the two be so close.
"I have to go. I have a feeling Inuyasha's going to try and throw me in the river once we get back." Kagome sighed and dreaded the feeling of the cold water she knew would be coming.
Yusuke's answering grin was positively wicked as he slipped out of his jacket and handed it to her. "Ya know, I think it would be a bit cold on the other side. It is getting to be cold these nights."
Kagome looked at him and her eyes told him she wasn't fooled at all. He tried an innocent smile but it was a bit too smug and Yusuke was a bit too not innocent to make it work. With an affectionate roll of her eyes she slipped into his jacket. "You're cruel."
"Maybe a little." Yusuke waved a hand mockingly at the hanyou when he came over snarling and turned Kagome towards the well. He quickly put it down when she turned back suspiciously.
The whole group watched them disappear into the well and then Botan and Yukina gave deep, heartfelt sighs. "Oh. She's in love with them both, poor girl."
All the boys turned to give them strange looks and saw them looking at each other with tears in there eyes. "And she's cursed to guard that jewel too. it's like... like..."
"One of those novels. Love, adventure, being torn apart, near escapes with death, and in the end she'll be with her true love." Yukina smiled slightly, until Botan gave a slight sob.
"Unless it's a tragedy novel. What if she comes back and it looks like they'll be happy and then something kills her? Or him? Or... What if she never comes back at all? What if Naraku wins? Oh, Yukina, the poor girl." Yukina nodded in agreements, a few tears dropping to the ground and rolling around as she joined her friend in the dramatics.
"We have to hope for the best. But... Oh, she just has to have a happy ending, she just has too, you see?" Both girls nodded and slowly dried their eyes to find all the boys staring at them warily. Only Souta was grinning, in fact he was laughing his ass off. Remembering sleepovers when there were fours girls all in the same house watching tragedy movies, he knew this was only a six or seven on a scale of ten. Dramatic, maybe a bit over the top, but definitely manageable. The he suddenly stopped as he looked at them in horror. Kagome hadn't had friends over in awhile. What if these two started it all over again?
"Are, uh.... You two girls ok?" Kurama skittishly moved back. Hiei was glaring at Yusuke, eventually deciding it was his fault his sister had spilled some of her precious tears and wondering how he could get away with murdering him.
"Of course we are Kurama... It's just... Oh, did you see the way she looked at him? And then the way she looked at Yusuke? It's so-" Botan was cut off by Kuwabara sizing up the situation and exchanging a glance with the younger boy who had grown up with an older sister. His sister was usually less dramatic, but even she had her moments.
"So, who wants ice cream?" Kuwabara exclaimed loudly, getting the attention of the two girls about to burst into tears again. Immediately he led the girls away, even Souta following as he decided he could tag along for a free treat... and hopefully run into one of those girls his sister had threatened him about.
Yusuke was the last to leave and he glared darkly at the well before muttering again, "You'd better."
The well was left alone and in the god tree a creature stirred. It gave a sigh, a bit surprised by the scene that had just played out. "Well, that was close, wasn't it?"
It dropped to the ground and sighed. "It won't be long now. I hope you can take care of her, toushin. Or I swear Youko's cruelty will have nothing on me."
-------
Hmmm, now who could that be? -cackles- If any of you guess, I'll give you a cyber cookie. Or maybe a one-shot. Or something. Or maybe I'll just say "Good job!" That will depend on my mood and how many of you get it right. (Hopefully not many of you, I didn't make it too obvious, did I?)
Responses:
Thank you to Ouatic7, crazy-punk-gurl, inu.-sess.fan(he's taken), eriee, Nytingale, Dapster, Cheeza-13, liz, anime-lavuh, Absent Angel(Actually I had them prewritten), Anonymous, HieiKagomeForever, vicky, lil-sis4556, Inuyashasnuna(yes), and matt zero for reviewing.
Foxylilraven: Sorry, I started this around Christmas last year, or I started Under the Mistletoe then anyway, which is how this was all started in a way. So no, no Yukina and Inuyasha, sorry.
Yenai: -grins- Ah, Shippo. Well, he does have a larger part later in the story, but not for a few chapters. I can't say anything more without giving something away.
Kanna Fan: Sorry, but that's not my story. That's another author on that sight. i have never written a Kagome/Hiei.
Winged Knight: They wanted to be in the story, but they won't be. There are only a few stories I have planned that could have any OCs besides mine and most of them would have to be evil. Sorry again. And Yusuke won't ever go to the feudal era, unfortunately. He gets to be frustrated and stay on his side of the well.