Along Came a Kitsune

:Kurama:

Youko

Chapter Nine: The Annoyance, the Comfort, and the Threat

This was it.

She couldn't take any more of this.

If she'd had any doubt that this guy was a demon, she was certainly proven wrong. That damned nose of his…

Even stalkers—human stalkers, at least—had their limits. But this man—Youkai, she corrected herself—was prepared to track her through Hell or high water (the water being metaphorical, of course) with those enhanced demon senses, all the while smiling so patiently as if she was a child just now learning the ways of the world—one of those ways being that he would always win.

It was the same smile he wore now as he sat across from her in her favorite corner of the coffee shop a block or two away from her apartment and the college. That smile…

"Fancy meeting you here, darling."

It annoyed her to no end.

"Indeed."

But…at the same time, it made her feel…

No! she screamed in her mind before she accidentally put a name to that warm feeling.

Looking up at the innocent expression Kurama wore, she noted that it could only be matched by Miroku when he copped a feel or warned the richest inn owner that an ominous cloud hung over the building. And as such, she mentally congratulated herself on the forethought of putting up barriers around her apartment and the college. At the moment, if there was on thing she was grateful for it was that Kaede and Miroku had taught her how to better control her powers. She would have to burn extra incense for them tonight.

"So, what might a lovely maiden like yourself be doing on this beautiful day?" the red-head asked, allowing Youko to rise to the surface a little.

Kagome put a hand to her chest, feigning shock. "Why, an excellent stalker such as yourself doesn't already know my daily schedule. Mr. Minamino, I'm astonished!"

The man across from her sipped his tea. "Kurama, please. And I merely wished to demonstrate common courtesy of asking permission before resorting to drastic measures."

"Maybe I should go through with that restraining order after all," mused Kagome.

His smile slid into a smirk. "I regret to inform you that I work with lawyers who could very well turn that restraining order to an order that requires I be in the same room as you at all times."

Kagome returned his smugness in kind. "And I don't regret to inform you that judges aren't so incorruptible that they won't favor the side with the largest wallet."

"And where would a mere teacher have managed to collect such a great sum? No disrespect intended, of course."

"Friends in high places," she said simply and in a tone that signified that the subject was closed. Kurama decided to let her have her way this once.

He leaned back casually, planning his next comment. Kagome resisted the urge to edge closer to the end of her seat. As she learned in the Sengoku Jidai, it was better to face your stalkers than run because no matter what, they'd never go away. Like a cockroach. Fortunately, an attention span could only last so long.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed softly. On her pointer finger was a small, thin cut that began to turn pink with blood that was trapped too far away from the cut to drop free of her body. Kurama reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. "It's just a damned paper cut," she said, though there wasn't any paper in the vicinity. "I won't die from it. See?" She held it up to him. "It's not even bleeding." They settled back into a semi-uncomfortable silence.

"So…the brat—Shippou," he corrected himself, still getting used to the kit having a name (as he had never told Youko and Kuronue one), "told me that the two of you used to sleep together. I assume that's why you seem to know each other?"

Way to be blunt, hotshot, Youko drawled.

:Shut up. We need to find out how close they are.:

He received a mental image of his alter ego rolling his eyes, but ignored it as they both discreetly watched her, gauging her reaction to his comment.

Kagome was slightly shocked as she heard that, but only allowed the arching of an eyebrow to express this. So that must be how he explained it. I'll have to remember to pick him up some pocky. Or chocolate. Or both. Kagome's eyes adopted a dreamy quality and she smiled as if she was reminiscing about a first love.

"Oh, yes. For about three years, since I was fifteen. At first I thought he was too big and wouldn't fit"—in my sleeping bag—"but he certainly proved me wrong. After that we were together every day except for about a week every month." She refrained from telling him that she never spent that week all at once, nor that after she blushingly explained to Inuyasha that the female cycle was in no way dangerous, completely natural, that he had no qualms about dragging her around feudal Japan, chocolate shortage and cramps be damned.

Across from her, Kurama was wishing she had answered with a simple yes or no. Preferably a "hell, no." His eye twitched. "And…did your parents approve of this?"

Kagome flashed a charming smile. "Of course! My mother even encouraged it. I believe she said something along the lines of 'It's never too early to learn.'" …how to take care of children. She chugged the rest of her drink and glanced at her watch. "I have other business to attend to shortly. You have the ring you wanted, and I don't need any payment for it. After all, it's of no use to us humans. So there's no reason for us to be near each other any longer. Goodbye." With that, she made a beeline to the door while Kurama was still mulling over their conversation. She felt a strange tinge of regret when his aura fell off her radar, but brushed it off. Business didn't like to be kept waiting.

:But…she never gave us the ring.:

Kagome, to this day, was still amazed at how much livelier the city was at night than during the day. Some nights, she would even allow herself to become part of this vivacious nightlife, when the occasion called for it. But this night, she couldn't help but sag from exhaustion, feeling alone in the crowd as she slowly meandered back to her apartment, where she knew she would collapse—hopefully on her bed. If not, then hopefully nowhere near sharp edges.

She regretted not calling for a taxi, as she continually had to check her surroundings to make sure she was going in the right direction, and now it would be pointless because her building was in sight.

And for the hundredth time that night, and for the hundred thousandth time in her life, she prayed…

I shouldn't have done it. I shouldn't have accepted it.

She prayed that, someday soon, Sesshoumaru and Kagura would learn about—and use—contraceptives.

I swear, they're like a couple of horny teenagers. They see each other and they're ready to go at it. I don't think I can handle babysitting any more kids. But at the same time…

She managed to fit her key into the lock the right way. She flicked on the light switch and looked over the small area of the room. "I'm home…" Kagome said quietly, to no one in particular.

But at the same time…I wish I was them. I wish I had someone to love, who loved me, and we could have a big family together, and, and…and…

"Welcome home, Kagome," a voice called her out of her regrets. She looked up to find Shippou placing a tray of tea and teacups at the low table in the center of the room. Slowly, as if in a dream—or just feeling depleted as the case was—Kagome made her way to the table and slumped down to sit on her knees.

"Wha—How?"

Shippou turned what she imagined to be a serious—or seducing—glance to her. "Kagome, we are eternally bound by our experiences. No matter what I'll always be able to find you, even if you put those scent barriers around this place." At Kagome's raised eyebrow—for that was really all she had the energy for—he pouted, then returned to a normal, but moping, expression. "I told your mother I was courting you. She asked when to expect grandchildren." He paused, looked at her. "Can I stay here for a bit?"

At another time, she would have let loose a great peal of laughter, not stopping until she felt as if she would collapse. But instead, she merely raised the corners of her lips into a tired smile. "Kurama kicked you out, didn't he? Thought so, he did seem a bit perturbed this afternoon when he brought up that subject. Fine. Extra bedding is in that closet behind you. I'm going to bed now."

He watched her walk through a sliding door, looking overly burdened, and shut it, only to reopen it an inch or two a moment later. He busied himself pretending to be choosing the perfect bedding from the closet she had indicated earlier, knowing that she just needed that reassurance that he was there.

The door didn't close again.

It remembered. It remembered everything that had happened, how everything felt.

It remembered how her untrained, raw energy felt like.

It remembered the feeling, the smell of half-blood—the hanyou.

It remembered it's absolute hatred toward the both of them.

But that would soon be over.

Without the miko, the hanyou couldn't control himself.

Without the hanyou, the miko was less than useless.

One at a time…slowly…

It knew she was here, in this city.

And there were only so many shrines where the miko could hide.

It looked up the steps.

It could feel a young girl…

And she was filled with untrained, raw energy.