Chapter Three:

Can't Fight This Feeling

A red blur raced through the treetops in the forest of InuYasha's forest as the late afternoon sun shone bright and low in the Western sky.

Once he felt that he and the flea were far enough away from the others to not be overheard he stopped and settled himself in the highest branch in some random tree that would hold his weight.

He unclenched his fist and looked down at the small old demon in his hand.

"Now you wanna tell me why you wanted to just blurt out my coming of age as if it were suppose to be common fucking knowledge?" he growled as he glared at his vassal.

Myoga sat in the middle of his Lord's palm as he waited for the dizziness to pass. Then once his vision cleared and the world righted itself Myoga looked up to the hanyo that he had watched over since he had been put a child, orphaned after his mother's untimely death, and as the old man looked at the youth's face he could see apprehension and stress reflected in his golden Inu eyes.

"I apologize my Lord, I thought you would have informed the others of what might happen during this spring."

InuYasha scoffed and glared into the green leaves of the tree he sat in. How the hell was he supposed to just announce something so freaking private? How was it any of their business what was going on with his body?

Besides how would they ever understand, they're only humans after all.

"They don't need to know it's my problem."

Myoga blinked in surprise.

"My Lord forgive me but I fail to see how you coming of age is a problem. You have finally become a full-grown man and your demon nature is ready to sire pups and continue your family line. You have no idea how your own dearly departed mother feared that you would never make it to this stage in your life."

InuYasha gave the flea a glare that promised death if he continued talking and then he looked back toward the sun. His instincts were less then a mere annoyance at the moment but as the spring continued into summer they would become more insistent and bothersome until he finally gave in and took Kagome for his bride, in the demon sense anyway.

"Feh," he scoffed as he avoided eye contact with the flea that had been with him nearly his whole life. "What kind of woman would want me Myoga?" he asked sadly as his ears drooped to show his emotions though he tried to keep his face a blank slate. "Any demon woman I approached would kill me before I even opened my mouth and human women would run screaming as soon as I came into view. No one wants a half breed for a husband and they sure as hell don't want a half demon to father their children."

"But Lord InuYasha," Myoga knew that the hanyo's life hadn't been easy and having spent his childhood completely ostracized by the mortals he had lived around hadn't done much for his sense of self worth or his self image but Myoga had thought that he'd at least be eager to take a mate.

"I thought Lady Kagome would have been happy to become your mate."

InuYasha blinked in surprise and then he turned toward the flea with the promise of death in his eyes. The half demon then grabbed the flea from where he sat on his knee and brought him close so that he had the tiny demon were looking each other in the eye.

"Kagome is not to know about this! Especially that it's her that my demon wants do you understand? You tell her and I'll kill you got that old man?"

"Y-yes of course my Lord!" Myoga squeaked and breathed a sigh of relief. Once he was sure that his young Lord had calmed down he decided to offer one more piece of advice.

"Lord InuYasha if your demon has chosen Lady Kagome then you must tell her. You can only fight your instincts for so long before your demon emerges and takes her by force!"

"NO!" InuYasha snarled. "That will not happen! Now go away you stupid flea!" InuYasha then flicked the flea off into the distance and once he was sure he was alone he sat back and thought on what he had learned. He didn't want his Kagome hurt in any way so if he had to leave to keep her safe he would.

With Kagome and the Others

"So when a demon reaches a certain age they're basically grown?" Kagome asked after Sango had explained the concept of the coming of age in demon males, especially canine demons.

"In a way," Sango explained. "InuYasha is still considered a child in the demonic world but he has come to the age where he is ready to settle down and start a family. His instincts have matured to the point where it might drive him to be a little more protective and possessive of all of us and only when he has mated, or found a wife, and she has become pregnant will his instincts die down a little. Of course that would just be because he'll have his wife and unborn child that will need most of his attention."

Kagome nodded.

"Okay, so who is his mate?" Miroku asked, as he got ready to tease the half demon without mercy.

Sango having already figured out where the perverted monk's thoughts were going answered the question with a dangerous glare.

"Its hard to say considering it could be any female that sparks his demon's interest. It'll probably be someone he knows though and if you want to live to see another year monk I wouldn't tease him. Demons are known to get testy when their lovers are involved whether it's a battle or mere teasing a male demon will kill you and I'm pretty sure a hanyo would be no different."

Kagome had become quiet as she cradled little Shippo to her chest for comfort.

What if he chooses Kikyo? She wondered. What will I do? I guess I'll have to go home for good.

"I would never tease InuYasha about his love life… Okay maybe I would for the first few months but after I get it out of my system I'm sure I'll be fine."

Sango glared at the monk.

How did I ever fall for such a baka? She wondered as she looked back to her dearest friend that had become more like a sister to her. What she saw broke her heart. Kagome looked miserable and defeated as if she had just lost her best friend and her entire family all in one day.

Sango moved to the miko's side and put her arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

"Kagome are you alright?" The taijiya asked. She knew how Kagome felt about their hanyo friend and knew that if she was wrong and Kagome wasn't the one that he would choose it would break the miko completely.

"I'm fine Sango. It's getting late and I'm sure we'll be heading out soon. I'm going to go on to bed."

Kagome then stood and carried the sleeping fox in her arms to the spot she had chosen and once her bag was out and set up she slipped inside, after changing into her pajamas behind a screen, and fell asleep.

Soon the others followed the sixteen-year-old's example and retired for the night.

Late that night InuYasha returned to the hut to find everyone already fast asleep, though he knew that Miroku and Kirara would only be in a light doze and alert. The hanyo made his way to the back of the room where Kagome was curled up in her sleeping bag, no doubt with Shippo curled against her stomach, and sat down as close to her as he was comfortable with and just watched her sleep for a minute.

She seemed to look very innocent when she slept; like a child who felt safe and content in her environment because she knew that those near by would protect her as she slept. As the dimming fire light danced across her pale skin InuYasha felt the urge to brush his fingers against her face just to feel the softness of her skin.

"Kagome." He whispered as he watched her.

How can you resist her? Yokai InuYasha asked as he watched his woman through the hanyo's eyes. She was beautiful, perfect even. Her long black tresses felt like silk between his claws and her pink lips tempted him to kiss her every day. He couldn't understand why his half human counter part was so against taking the girl as their mate. He knew that he loved her just as much as he, the demon, did.

Not only did she have the physical characteristics fit to pass on to future pups but she also had the perfect personality to mother children as well.

She deserves a human man and human children. InuYasha answered his more primitive side. She deserves a happy life where she's not shunned and her children aren't despised for their blood.

You know I'll never let her leave our side. No matter what she will be ours and she will mother our pups.

Then the voice faded leaving InuYasha alone with his own normal thoughts until he drifted into his light sleep with the woman he loved at his side.

A/N: I had so many feels writing this chapter. InuYasha wants Kagome with him forever but he doesn't want her and her children to be mistreated. Poor InuYasha what's a hanyo to do? Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought about the chapter.

Vocabulary:

Baka: Idiot, stupid, fool.

Also I looked up the spelling for hanyo. From what I can tell it can be spelled either way but it is a word created from Han meaning Half and Yo meaning apparition. According to a website I found Hanyo was created by manga artists for their half demon characters.