Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me.
Chapter Eighteen: The Rosary
Inuyasha looked at the rosary around his neck with mixed feelings. Three days ago he turned into a full demon, thirsting for blood. Sure it had happened while they were fighting a huge dragon demon and their lives were on the line, but the dog demon knew that he hadn't cared about friend or foe, only about killing. Would I have turned these claws on Kagome? He couldn't imagine doing it. After all, even as a demon his instincts were to protect her… at all costs. But there was still a chance…
Out of the corner of his eye Inuyasha looked at Sango and Miroku. Would I have killed those two? And what about Shippo? Kagome wouldn't be strong enough to bring them all back from the dead.
"They look nice…they suit you…" Kagome sadly touched one of the fangs on the rosary, before giving him a smile. "Very manly, you know."
"Keh."
He knew she didn't want to do it. But the group felt they had no choice. Inuyasha knew that Sango and Miroku had been getting nervous around him and Shippo for the past couple of weeks. It wasn't until he turned full demon with blood red eyes, elongated fangs and claws, and purple stripes on his face did Kagome start getting worried. But she worried about him, not about her own safety. For that Inuyasha was grateful. But HE did worry about her.
Turning full demon had scared him. Really really scared him. It was as if something else was in control of his body. So reluctantly he agreed to go find Kaede to see if she had any solutions to their problem. She was the only computer character that seemed to have any answers to anything.
And the old woman's solution was to put a collar on the dog.
Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head as he glared at Kaede. With a simple spell, the beads and fangs had appeared out of thin air and surrounded his neck, creating an unbreakable rosary. And Inuyasha did try to break it. He also found that he was unable to pull it off of his neck or even cut the strings with his claws. In fact, the stupid thing did absolutely nothing at all.
Until Kagome spoke her command.
Sit boy.
Inuyasha let his glare fall on the young miko. It was the command for a dog. Is that how she sees me? As a dog? A pet? He knew he was being unreasonable, that this was just a game, that she knew that he was a man and not a dog. But that didn't make him feel any better when he went crashing to the ground every time she said the word. So far she said it three times. The first time was for the spell. The second times had been on accident. But accident or not it still stung.
He hated the rosary. Even though he had only had it for less than an hour he already hated it with a passion.
"Sit boy!"
Inuyasha cringed, prepared to slam into the ground again. When the rosary didn't react he opened his eyes.
"Miroku! That was mean!" Kagome admonished the monk with her hands on her hips.
But the lecherous monk was too busy falling on the ground and laughing to pay much attention to the censure in her words. "Did you see? Haaaa ha ha ha… Did you see him flinch? That was priceless!"
Inuyasha prepared to leap at his friend and maybe scratch him up a bit. Nothing fatal. Probably. Maybe.
"Sit boy!"
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
"Shippo, that wasn't funny!"
"Sure it was, Kagome!" the kit laughed.
Inuyasha crouched on the floor, glaring at the kit. He was a dispensable member of the team wasn't he? Kagome wouldn't miss him… much….
"Sit boy!"
Kagome gasped and Inuyasha growled. "Sango!"
The demon exterminator giggled. "Well, at least now we know it only works for you, Kagome." She reached down to pat Inuyasha on the head, but he jerked away from her. "Good boy," she laughed.
With a few choice swear words involving creative suggestions of what they should do with themselves, Inuyasha left the hut. He would have slammed the door if it had one. I'm sure they'll be laughing at the pit of the next dragon demon's stomach. Ha! Their crazy if they think I'll save them now… He jumped into a tree and snarled.
Against his will, the dog demon's ear twitched at the sounds coming from the hut. Voices were being raised… well… one voice in particular. Then there was silence. After a moment the monk, demon exterminator, and kit all filed out of the hut with their heads down and blushes on their cheeks. But the angry dog demon refused to acknowledge their apologies. They groveled a little bit, then eventually left him alone. He heard them return to the hut.
Soft footsteps made their way to his tree and stopped underneath. He didn't need his nose to tell him it was Kagome. The footsteps gave her away. The comforting smell was just a bonus.
"They really are sorry, Inuyasha."
"Keh."
"I don't think they realized they hurt your feelings until too late. They took their teasing too far and they know it. Forgive them?"
He refused to answer. He was still mad.
"Please come down so I can apologize."
Silence.
Sigh. "Don't make me say 'it' Inuyasha."
That did it. Inuyasha dropped and landed in a crouch in front of the miko. He was glaring at her with eyes practically glowing. "Already abusing your power, are you? Enjoying it?" He knew he was snarling, but he couldn't help it. It hurt. Not the falling, that he could handle. But it hurt that she would control him like that. That she could.
Kagome sighed and stepped towards him. He took a step back, feeling a bit like a cornered animal. He dug his claws into the earth, preparing to bolt. "Inuyasha, please stand still for a second, will you?"
"Or what? Or you'll punish me, oh great and powerful mistress?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "No, you idiot. If you hate the stupid thing that much I'll just take it off of you!" She lunged forward and grabbed the rosary.
Images of himself as a demon ripping into his friends made Inuyasha's hands grab her wrists before she could lift the necklace. "No. Wait."
Kagome cocked her head to one side, obviously confused by his sudden change of attitude. "Don't you hate it?
"Yes."
"Don't you want it off?"
"Yes."
"Then let go of my hands and I'll take it off of you."
He sighed heavily, clutching her hands tighter. "What if I turn into a demon again?"
She shrugged. "We'll figure it out when the time comes."
"What if I attack you?"
"You won't."
"But how do you KNOW?"
She gave him a sweet smile and a short laugh. "I just know. So let go and I'll get this stupid thing off you."
Pictures of Kagome covered in blood, dead by his claws, filled Inuyasha's head. He just couldn't shake it. She trusts me. He looked into her eyes and saw the truth in that. She really did trust him. But Inuyasha wasn't so sure he could trust himself, not as a demon. It wasn't worth the gamble.
"I want to keep it."
"But…"
He pulled her hand from the rosary and brought them down to her sides. He let go of her right hand but kept her left hand in his as he started pulling her back towards the hut.
"After all, it suits me."
Kagome grinned up at him. "Oh yes. Did I mention they look very manly on you?"
Inuyasha touched his rosary. He still hated it. But if it could protect Kagome… maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
"They do, don't they?" he smirked.
