Bloodborne Duties

Bloodborne Duties

An ancient curse was placed upon the Inuyoukai family: if the youngest born heir does not produce an heir-apparent before his 205th birthday, the Dogs will surrender to the Panthers. Inuyasha is the youngest heir and it is his duty to avoid the curse.

---

Inuyasha watched the sunrise, his arms loosely around Kagome's waist as she continued snoozing in his arms high atop the tree. The previous night they had kissed, not once or twice but three times. He instigated it first, and then Kagome followed suit. After which he leaned forward and captured her lips a third time and she complied…

Inuyasha smiled. Well that was… interesting…

As much as he did not want to admit it, they had to find shards today as they had rested yesterday—although he wouldn't have minded spending another day with Kagome. She seemed at ease in his arms, her expression vulnerable as she lived in her world of dreams. Inuyasha took the time to study her, to take in everything about her that he loved so much. He took the time to forget their problems (something he rarely did) and just focus on Kagome. The argument the previous night was uncalled for and he knew Kagome was right: he had to think about the curse that was bestowed upon him.

He had to find a mate, get her pregnant - which could take a while depending on her fertility-, wait for the length of the pregnancy, and then have the pup.

Stupid grandfather, Inuyasha dryly muttered in his head. If it weren't for that fucking horn dog everything would be fine now. Keh…

Inuyasha felt Kagome stir in his arms and looked down at her. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a few moments to register where she was. "Morning," she mumbled, not even looking at Inuyasha as she released a jaw-splitting yawn.

"Morning, wench. How'd you sleep?"

"Good." She smiled looking back at him. "I haven't been that relaxed in ages. I think it's because we spent the day doing totally nothing yesterday." She giggled and Inuyasha smirked.

"Maybe. We have to get cracking today though—Hijiri Island and Mount Hakurei."

Kagome sighed. "Yeah, I know, I know… Why'd Sango ever get pregnant during the shard hunt is beyond me."

Inuyasha leapt out of the tree and gently placed Kagome and her backpack down. Kagome immediately went towards it to bring out her toothbrush and a towel along with a change of clothes.

"The monk finally got to her?" Inuyasha shrugged. "The funniest thing was after one night she became pregnant. So much for luck…"

Kagome snorted in laughter. "I know, after how many years of rejecting him, the first night they slept together she becomes pregnant. It was in the stars."

"The river is that way." Inuyasha pointed north as Kagome stood up. "And it was bound to happen, Sango and Miroku I mean."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah it was. Are you coming?"

The half-demon shook his head. "No, go wash up and I'll gather firewood. We have to set out as soon as we finish breakfast."

"Alright…"

.xx.

Kagome sat beside a few rocks near the quiet side of the river. She was taking the few moments in which Inuyasha wasn't around to get some thinking done. Are things going to be normal now? she asked herself slowly. After last night, he hasn't done anything to say that he remembers that we kissed.

Kagome hid a blush. It was the first time we kissed that didn't involve him being a full demon. Which was a nice change, in Kagome's opinion. The first time they kissed was because she was trying to break him out of his full demon bind from Kaguya… and the second time was the other day when he forced it upon her as full demon.

But last night…

Last night he was sober as hanyou and instigated the kiss. The look in his eyes was not something Kagome saw often and it made her heart jump…

I really want to kiss him again… she thought languidly. She still felt his soft lips on hers, his tongue seeking entry. Gah! She was getting anxious and it wasn't a good thing. Perhaps it was a mistake?

A lapse of judgement?

A moment?

"OI, WENCH!"

Kagome gasped and sunk deep into the water so that her head only popped out. "What do you think you're doing, pervert!?" she shrieked. "OSUWARI!"

"KYAH!"

Kagome took the moment of Inuyasha pummelling into the ground to grab her towel. She glowered at his figure on the floor and didn't even bother for the spell to wear off before stomping back to camp. Inuyasha pushed himself off the ground and glared at her direction. "WHY'D YOU DO THAT, BITCH?"

.xx.

Kagome quickly changed behind a few trees and strode towards the campfire. She saw Inuyasha walking back with a sordid look on his face. Kagome commended herself. Serves the jerk right for sneaking up on me while I'm bathing.

Kagome pulled out a few packs of ramen and a saucepan from her backpack and began making their breakfast, without a second look back at Inuyasha. He plopped down beside the fire and openly shot daggers at his priestess companion.

Stupid wench, he inwardly snorted. All I was doing was going to tell her to take her freakin' time bathing 'cuz we ain't heading out till later but she had to put my back out and come back. Last time I do something nice for her. Feh…

Kagome finished preparing the ramen and handed a cup to Inuyasha. He took it in haste and began slurping it down without chewing. Kagome watched him in amusement. It never ceases to amaze me…

Breakfast went by in silence. After cleaning up, Kagome faced Inuyasha with her backpack on. "So where are we headed?"

He rolled his eyes. "Northeast. I was gonna tell you to fucking take your time bathing but you had to go sit me. You could've had an extra hour or two wench."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "You… you what?"

"Whatever," he snorted, "let's go."

Kagome quickly grabbed his haori sleeve and he stopped, looking back at her. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed his jaw and looked down. "Sorry," she muttered. "Sitting you was first reaction… Old habits die hard I guess?" She smiled up at him. "We did travel three years with Miroku. I promise I won't do it again." Letting go of his arm, she began walking in the general direction they were headed. Inuyasha touched the spot where she kissed him…

I should've just snagged her lips.

.xx.

"Whatever happened to your bike?" Inuyasha asked randomly during their walk. Kagome looked over at him and frowned.

"You know, I don't remember… The last I saw it was when Akitoki decided to borrow it."

"I think he broke it. He is Hoho's ancestor."

"Hojo," Kagome automatically corrected him. "And I think it broke during battle. That bike served us good didn't it?"

"In the beginning." Inuyasha nodded in confirmation. "Eventually you stopped needing it."

"Eventually," Kagome repeated in a murmur. Inuyasha's hand and hers were brushing against each other and the urge to grab his hand and lace her fingers through it was impeccable. She wanted to stop him right there and catch his lips with her very own and kiss him like he has never been kissed before. She wanted him to push her up against a tree and roughly bruise her lips, leaving them swollen and tender.

I am so hopeless, she scolded herself. Inuyasha glanced at her and looked away.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, and Kagome's gaze snapped towards him.

"Huh? For what?"

"For snapping at you last night." The Inuyasha was apologizing to her. That was new! Kagome hardly ever got apologies from Inuyasha and she relished every time he did. Even still, her modesty kicked in.

"It isn't your fault," she consoled. "I did set you off."

"Yeah but I should be thinking about it. Youkai pregnancies take six months but to find a mate—somebody actually willing to mate a hanyou and get her pregnant—is what might take time."

Kagome bit her bottom lip. "Just find somebody who accepts you?" Kagome squeaked. "There have been many people during our journey who I'm sure wouldn't mind."

"Yeah," Inuyasha muttered sarcastically, "except youkai mate for life, especially canine demons. I ain't mating with a wench just to beat the curse and be stuck with her for eternity. That's kinda long…"

Kagome adjusted her backpack. "Yeah but would you rather submit to the panthers? Besides, aren't there youkai divorces?"

"There is," Inuyasha strained, "but it's long and tedious. They generally stick to eternity than go through the process of unmating."

"Is it that complicated?"

"Not complicated, just long." Inuyasha crossed his arms in front of him. "I heard mother telling some ladies in the village once, a long time ago—she apparently heard it from my father. It takes an entire moon cycle and there are a lot of rituals to unbind the female's blood from the male. A few demons have done it in the past but I guess they had no other way out. I probably wouldn't have the fucking patience to go through a divorce either way…"

Kagome tapped her chin and decided to fight her brain and go with her gut feeling. Her gut feeling got her this far in life and since Inuyasha knew what he was talking about than perhaps it wouldn't hurt to suggest: "Why don't you mate with me?"

Inuyasha looked like he saw a ghost. "WHAT?"

Kagome chewed on her cheek and looked at him timidly. "Yeah… why not? We've stuck together during our travels so it's not like you have to ground yourself in a static location. I know you better than anyone else and vice versa… and after I give birth to the pup we can just go through the divorce?"

"I just said I probably wouldn't have the patience to do it and I ain't putting you through that!" His voice rose. "What kind of fucked up suggestion is that, Kagome? Are you proposing I use you?"

"Not use me!" Kagome's voice matched his. "Think of it as a favour! I'm repaying you for all the times you saved my ass."

"HAVING MY PUP IS NOT RETURNING ANY FAVOUR!" He was pissed; his veins were popping in his head. "Do you understand what the hell mating ensues? ANY FUCKING CLUE?"

"No," Kagome boldly replied, "but you can teach me."

"THE HELL WITH TEACHING!" Inuyasha gripped her shoulders and shook her, gently. "You're suggesting that you'd fuck with me, get pregnant for six months, have our baby," the word "our" struck an unfamiliar chord in both Inuyasha and Kagome, "go through a divorce and then when you have to go back to your fucking time after the jewel is complete you leave our kid with me and go on with your life. The pup would have a half-breed father with no mother being raised in this era. Have you ever thought of that?"

"Have you?" Her voice was challenging. Inuyasha released her shoulder and took a step back.

"I have." His voice was cold. "And it isn't a good idea. We're friends, fine. Companions in this hunt, great. But we can't be mates."

"Why not?"

"Why the hell yes?"

"I just told you!" Kagome shrieked. "It would be beneficial for you!"

"WHAT ABOUT YOU?"

"WHAT ABOUT ME?"

Inuyasha snarled. "Forget it. It ain't fucking happening. I told you once it's my bloody curse so do not concern yourself with it. Let's get going."

Kagome didn't say another word and continued walking. Okay gut feeling didn't work. Inuyasha's points did make sense but Kagome still thought her idea was decent. What if they didn't have to divorce, she was sure they could live eternity. So what if he didn't love love her, he did care about her. He couldn't very well go mate with Kikyo, she was all clay and earth. Inuyasha could live a full life with her and everyday would be an adventure.

Kagome sighed. It is his choice too… Maybe I should keep my mouth shut for a while. I pissed him off two days in a row…

With that, Kagome decided not to speak to Inuyasha unless it was absolutely necessary. He seemed way too angry to have small talk with her anyway.

.xx.

They arrived at a small village and Kagome's senses went wild. "Five shards," she hissed and Inuyasha glanced at her nodding. They entered the village inconspicuously and spoke to a few of the villagers.

"You two are an odd pair," an elderly woman commented. "A half demon and a priestess?"

"Well, yes," Kagome spoke before Inuyasha could retort, "but we have our reasons."

"Oh." The woman looked around and leaned forward towards Kagome. "If you plan to stay here for the night I suggest you don't. Ominous things go about at night and the village headman said no visitors may ever stay the night."

Kagome frowned. "Ominous things? What ominous things?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched and focused on the old woman whispering to Kagome. He was a few feet off, watching his surroundings but he left the talking to Kagome, she was always better at it.

"Little boys and girls disappear at night, one or two at a time." The old woman murmured, "We don't know why or how but when we wake up in the morning, a child goes missing. Our men have tried to post throughout the village but they all end up dying… so we thought it best to leave the forces alone. Maybe they will go away."

"Why not try moving?" Kagome murmured.

"A few tried." She looked around before leaning closer to Kagome. "They're found dead in the morning. Child, I have already said too much. You may enjoy our village during the day but leave before sundown."

Kagome nodded and thanked her before turning back and going to Inuyasha. "Did you hear that?"

He nodded. "We'll camp outside the village tonight and come in when everyone is asleep."

"Sounds good."

.xx.

Inuyasha and Kagome were walking aimlessly through the village. She kept tabs on where the shards were and they seemed to be in a static location the entire time: within a great hut just at the center of the village. A few inquires told them that the hut belongs to the village head and that he was out and about running errands all day.

So what could be in the hut when he isn't?

Kagome saw a cute little jewellery hut and dragged Inuyasha there. She eyed every piece of jewellery before spotting a pair of heart shaped locket pendants. She asked to see it closer.

"You may keep your keepsakes in the locket," the shopkeeper stated. "It comes in a set of two, one for you and another for your friend."

Kagome opened the locket and saw that two pictures could be kept inside the heart. She bit her bottom lip. Oh why not! "I'll take it," she smiled and Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Women," he muttered as Kagome fished out twenty yen and handed it to the shopkeeper.

"Thank you." She smiled and Kagome walked away with Inuyasha, the locket in her hand.

"Why'd you buy that?"

Kagome shrugged. "Why not? I'll keep one and give another to a special friend."

Inuyasha snarled. "Better not be the coward!"

Kagome knew he was referring to Hojo. Rolling her eyes she slipped the lockets into the pockets of her cargo pants and stretched her arms above her head. Dropping them, she spoke without looking at Inuyasha. "Does it matter who I give it to?" Her voice was icy. Inuyasha growled and grabbed her shoulders, making her face him. They were towards the back of the village and not many villagers were present. A few elderly men were working in rice fields and four children were chasing a ball around; none of them were paying attention to the half demon and priestess.

"Yes," he hissed, "it does."

Kagome looked him in the eyes defiantly. "And why does it?"

Inuyasha growled, slamming his lips onto hers. Her body rocked with surprise, the feel of his lips was something she wanted all day but not like this. She wanted it to be soft and tender, as it was the night before, not rough and angry.

"Because you belong to me."

"No I don't." Kagome tried to wretch away from him. "If I did I'd be your mate. But I'm not, so I do not belong to you."

Way to go Kagome! she inwardly cheered, watching the many expressions of Inuyasha. First he was confused, and then the look of realization hit him, which followed suit with anger.

Inuyasha's grip on her shoulders tightened but it didn't hurt her. "If I say you belong to me, you do."

"I belong to the one I marry." Kagome was fighting fire with fire. "So unless you miraculously decide to marry me, tough luck, buddy. I may be your friend and shard detector, but I am by no means yours."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed red before going back to its regular ochre colour. "Kagome… you need to stop saying that if you know what's good for you."

Kagome shrugged him off of her. "Well it is the truth." And she turned her back and walked away from him. She didn't know what possessed her. All she knew was that Inuyasha needed to mate with somebody and she'd be damned if it was anybody else but her. She loved him for so long and was travelling with him for even longer that the thought of any woman other than her touching Inuyasha boiled her blood.

With a swift and fluid motion, he jumped in front of her. "You will learn your place, wench."

"I know my place." She tried to sidestep him but he blocked her. "Can you let me pass? The sun is about to set and we need to leave the village."

"Not until we finish this conversation first."

"There is no conversation. You believe something that isn't true and I'm just letting you know the real fact." Kagome tried to push him to the side again but he stopped her. "Seriously! We need to go!" Kagome enunciated the last part.

"Fine," Inuyasha dropped his hands, "you know what? Let's do it. Let's mate."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." He crossed his arms in front of him and looked at her with a hardcore intensity. "If you refuse to agree to the obvious truth, then I just gotta give you what you want, and if mating is what you want, then I'll give it to you."

"I am not mating with you because you're trying to prove a point!" Kagome shrilled. "That's just wrong!"

"What the hell is wrong with you, woman?" Inuyasha roared. "First you want to mate, then you try to get me to agree to mate with you and now you're yelling at me for wanting to mate with you? What do you want from me?"

"I want you to want to mate with me because of reasons other than proving a point to me. Gosh, Inuyasha the sun is setting we need to leave."

"We don't need to do anything, I'm the alpha male and whatever I say goes."

Kagome glowered at him. "When was the last time I listened to you because you're the alpha male?"

Inuyasha was stumped. Okay that was true but still, he wasn't about to show her that she was right. "What do you want, wench?"

"To leave the village?"

"Other than that."

Kagome sighed. "I'm trying to help you by suggesting mating with you. You didn't want to and then you go claiming that I belong to you. You're the one that's confused; I already told you what I want."

"And why do you want to mate with me?"

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Because you're my friend? And I care about you and I want to help you…"

"You'd mate with a half demon…?"

"You aren't just a half-demon," Kagome shot, "you're Inuyasha. There's a difference."

Inuyasha stared at her for a long time and she glanced around them. The village was beginning to shut down for the night and she was desperate to get out. The shards were still within the giant hut in the middle of the village but anytime now, the beast that lurks at night could pounce out and get the two unsuspecting visitors in the village.

"And you'd divorce me after?"

Kagome's eyes snapped to his and she looked into them. She saw desperation in his eyes, something she didn't see often. He was worried about his situation and her suggestion was beginning to sink into his head.

"Sure, if you want to… We don't have to."

Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows and stepped away from her. "We'll talk after we defeat Naraku."

"But what if that doesn't happen for another two years!" Kagome pressed.

"I said," he stated firmly, "we'll talk."

Kagome sighed. "Alright, but I was suggesting this for your own good, Inuyasha."

"I know." He dropped to his knees and ushered for her to get on. "Now get on. We gotta get outta here soon."

Nodding, she clambered onto his back and he swiftly began to run the length of the village. So she wants to mate with me because she cares about the curse, he began to think during his run out of the village. Maybe in time I could get her to fall in love with me… It isn't like the thought of mating her didn't cross my mind. He was faintly aware of her soft legs pressing against his hands. I just didn't think she'd want to mate with me.

He inhaled her scent. But she does… so why not, right?

"INUYASHA, LOOK OUT!" Kagome shrieked. Inuyasha whirled to his left and a giant rat demon twice the size of Miroku tackled him to the ground, shoving Kagome off his body.

"The shards are in the rat!" Kagome roared. "In his belly!"

The rat demon glanced at Kagome, its beady red eyes trained onto her. "You see the shards?" It smirked, it's ugly yellow teeth reflecting the moonlight. "You may be of assistance to me…" It began scurrying towards Kagome but Inuyasha unsheathed his Tetsusaiga and jumped in front of Kagome, stationing himself between her and the rat.

"You are not touching her, you fucking vermin," he hissed. "I'll hack your body into such little pieces, regular rats will eat you."

The rat grinned. "Let's see you try…"

"NEZUMI!" A middle-aged man began running towards the rat. It glanced over its shoulder before turning back to its two prey.

"The headman is coming." The rat smirked.

"Nezumi, what are you doing? Who the hell are these two?"

"I was just ridding the village of these two… pests."

"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered only so that he could hear, "there's a shard in that man's forehead."

Inuyasha nodded slowly.

"Alright, Nezumi," the headman took a step back, "finish them. And then we shall get some children for you to feast on tonight."

Kagome's eyes widened and the rat reared its ugly head towards her. "I shall enjoy this…"

"OH, NO YOU WON'T!" And Inuyasha leapt into the air, his sword raised high above his head.

.xx.

The pendant's that Kagome saw are the same ones in the second Inuyasha movie, The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass.

 

Even though in the context of the story they've been through Kaguya Hime (which is non-canon but part of the anime in essence), the pendants can be considered not-in-canon.

Beta-edited by: Sakura-chan Master of the Clow