Lord Sesshomaru's Shocking Case of Obsession

Chapter 4 Inuyasha's Acceptance

“Damn it Kagome! We’ve got jewel shards to find! We don’t have time for you to be wondering off to flirt with Sesshomaru like a love sick puppy!” yelled Inuyasha. “This is getting ridiculous! It’s been three weeks now, and every other night you’re off doing Kami knows what with that heartless bastard. You never get enough sleep and then your grouchy as Hell the next day. Well, I for one, am sick of it!”

Kagome spun around at Inuyasha’s harsh words. She’d had enough as well. “Inuyasha you baka! Do you honestly think that’s why I’ve been grouchy?! Well if you would open your eyes you might notice that I haven’t had an attitude with anyone else! Only YOU! And you want to know why? Well I’m gonna tell you whether you want to hear it or not! It’s YOU! It’s YOUR bad attitude! It’s YOUR constant chip on your shoulder. It’s YOUR snappy words. I’m sick of it! Just because I’m seeing your brother does not mean you get to treat me like you do him! Now I’m telling you this right now, either you change your attitude, or I will continue to hunt shards with Sesshomaru, and every one except YOU, will be welcome to come with me!”

Miroku turned away to hide the smile that planted itself on his face. That had been a long time coming, indeed. For three weeks Kagome had been taking Inuyasha’s abuse. His hurt pride, had produced a flurry of insults and a seemingly endless foul attitude. He and Sango had watched as Kagome put up with it day after day, holding her tongue, as she felt guilty over the hanyou’s bruised ego. Until today. Today she had finally had enough, and praise be to Buddha, she had let it fly. He looked over to Sango, whose eyes were as wide as saucers, and Shippo had apparently decided that it would be safer to crouch behind the demon exterminator’s legs. Smart kitsune.

“Go ahead! See if I care!” Inuyasha shouted back, but he really didn’t mean it. He didn’t want to hunt shards alone. They were a family. The only family he had ever had. He was just having a hard time accepting Sesshomaru, his brother, as part of their family. The bastard never wanted anything to do with him, and now he wanted Kagome. Sesshomaru was trying to tear his family apart. He looked down to the ground, a weary expression on his handsome face. He was tired of being mad at Kagome. He was tired of arguing with her every day. They used to have so much fun together, but now all they did was fight. He knew it was his fault, but he didn’t know any other way to stop this from happening. Kagome had just made it clear, that he couldn’t. He was driving her away from him, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Kagome was about to leave him standing right there and head in the opposite direction, but she stopped as she noticed the look on Inuyasha’s face. He looked defeated. Sad. She knew it had been hard for him to accept her new relationship with Sesshomaru. She had hoped he would learn to deal with it before it came to this. She meant it when she threatened to leave, and she knew Sesshomaru would be more than happy to take Inuyasha’s place as protector. She didn’t want that, though, and she could now see that Inuyasha didn’t want that either.

Inuyasha never raised his eyes as he softly said, “I’m sorry Kagome, I’ve been an ass.”

Kagome didn’t say a word she just ran up and hugged him tight. “Oh Inuyasha, it would have broke my heart to have had to leave you!” She couldn’t stop the tears that began to pour from her eyes. She didn’t want to stop them. It felt too good.

The rest of the day went along wonderfully. It was like old times. Their feet seemed lighter, and the road seemed a little softer. The shard hunters arrived at the village, just in time for a nice hot bath before supper. Kagome had some herbs to pick before the sun went down, so she waited for her turn in the springs. Instead she followed Kaede to the fields. She and the old woman, spent a nice bit of time together. They talked of various medicinal plants and spells. Kagome had become quite the miko in the last three years. Her natural abilities had become finely tuned. Her archery could hardly be matched, and her miko power grew to a proportion even she was unaware of, and Kagome did it all thanks to Kaede’s patient guidance.

“Tell me child, it’s been a week since I seen ye last, praytell are ye still visiting with the dog demon?” The old woman asked. She hated to pry, but this courting of her prodigy by the fierce demon lord had been a worry on her old mind.

Kagome felt that need to rise to Sesshomaru’s defense, but quickly calmed it as she knew Kaede was only concerned for her well being. “Yes Kaede. He comes to me often.” Now was her chance to throw in a good word, “He takes me to the most lovely places where we talk, if we feel like it, and sometimes we just sit, and enjoy the beauty of the scenery.”

The old miko nodded with a bit of a smile. She never looked up as she said, “Perhaps the beautiful scenery ye speak of could appear where ever the demon lord is at?”

Kagome laughed at Kaede’s little jibe. “I will admit, he is very handsome.”

“Aye, that he is, girl. That he is.” Kaede dropped the subject after that. She had thought to mention the dangers of courting a full demon, especially a taiyoukai, but she could tell that Kagome had made up her mind. Nothing she could say would deter the young woman now.

Kaede reached over to pick a patch of deer tongue, and asked, “Have ye spoken with ye mother about ye new suitor?” Silence. Ah, she had struck a nerve.

Kagome knew what Kaede was getting at, and had been avoiding the subject herself. She had been home three times since she agreed to meet with Sesshomaru, and she still had not gathered the nerve to tell her mother. She knew her mom was not going to be pleased, since she never liked the guys she dated. Her mom only liked Inuyasha because he didn’t return her feeling for him. It wasn’t really that she disliked the guys she was interested in, it was more that her mom was worried about her. Kagome knew full well that her mom was going to freak when she heard that she had taken up with Sesshomaru. The only good thing that had ever been said about Sesshomaru was that he kept a little human girl as his ward. She was pretty sure that wouldn’t out-weigh the other stuff.

“No, I still haven’t gotten my courage up for that yet. I know I need to tell her, I just don’t want her to worry over me,” Kagome said miserably.

Kaede, the ever-faithful fountain of good advice, looked up to her young miko friend. “Kagome, do ye not think that ye mother worries for ye safety each and every day? Take a little advice from an old woman. Ye mother, may not be as apt to dislike her daughter courting the most powerful taiyoukai in all of Japan as you think.” Kaede could still see doubt in young Kagome’s eyes. “Mayhap she could feel that her daughter would be much safer under his protection.”

Now that was a possibility. Hmm she’d never really looked at it that way. She made up her mind right then that she would return home that very evening to break the news to her mom. “Thanks Kaede. You always know what to say.”

The old miko just shook her head as if to dismiss the compliment. Both women, young and old, stood to return to the old miko’s hut. Kagome gathered her things and told her friends that she needed to go home.

“Hell no, Kagome. We are only staying here for two days then we are heading North. You don’t have time to go frolicking around in the mall!” Inuyasha began his usual arguments. Never willing to part with Kagome. The nervousness in the pit of his stomach had started as soon as she mentioned it. He would never admit to anyone why he really hated for her to go. Never for all the Ramen in the world. It had nothing to do with the sacred jewel. He hated to feel weak, and that’s how he felt when she was not by his side. His fighting was always off. His mind never focused. The damn Tetseiga seemed to gain twenty pounds. Nothing ever worked out right when Kagome was not there to cheer him on.

“Kami Inuyasha! Do we have to go through this every single time I go home?” She stomped her foot at him and narrowed her eyes, ready to take it to the next level. She hadn’t started screaming yet, but damn if she wasn’t ready. She had made up her mind to speak with her mom about her feelings for Sesshomaru, and that’s what she was going to do... before she chickened out.

“I just don’t see why you gotta run off to your time, when we were only supposed to be taking a couple of days!” Inuyasha pressed.

“I’m going and that’s final! I’m not going to the stupid mall, you selfish baka! I’m going home to see my mother for tonight, and I will be back tomorrow afternoon! Now get over it!” Kagome yelled back, her shrill voice causing Inuyasha to grab his ears and slink back from the enraged female. “Fine, but if you ain’t back, don’t think I won’t come get you!”

“Whatever.” Kagome replied as she hoisted her backpack over her shoulders. “Bye everyone, I’ll see you tomorrow. Come on Inuyasha, the longer you stand there pouting, the longer it’ll take me.” Kagome watched as Inuyasha huffed and rolled his eyes, but soon followed her out of the hut towards the well.

Kagome said goodbye to Inuyasha, who only grumbled something unintelligible back at her, then leapt over the edge. The magical blue light engulfed her and she soon found herself back at the shrine. Kagome crawled up the side and headed for her house.

“Mom, I’m home!” Kagome called, as she turned the knob. ‘Hmm... it’s locked. They must have ran to the store.’ Kagome set her pack down and dug around for her key. She opened the door and flipped on the kitchen light. She walked over to the refrigerator to grab a soda. There on the door she found a note. Dearest Kagome... I’m sorry if we’ve missed you, but your aunt Kani invited us over for the week, and you know how Souta loves to swim in her pool. It’s been two months since I saw my sister, so I couldn’t refuse. There’s plenty of food in the fridge, so help yourself. We miss you, as always. Love.. Mom.

‘Dang! Of all the times for her not to be here.’ Kagome thought miserably. “Oh well, may as well get a bath.”

After her bath, Kagome fixed her a sandwich and sat down to watch a little TV before heading off for at least one good night of comfortable sleep.

The next morning, Kagome rose and grabbed together her things. She pulled out a few changes of clothes, and donned a pair of navy blue carpenter pants and a red halter-top. Kagome stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a bit to eat. She left her mom a quick note and headed out the door. ‘No since hanging around if no one is home’. Kagome locked the door behind her and soon found herself, once again, engulfed in the magical blue light of the old Bone Eater’s Well.

Kagome looked up to the crystal blue sky of feudal Japan. She climbed the vines and through her heavy pack over the edge. She looked around for a minute, enjoying the beauty of the forest, before heading to the village.