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.

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"Get away, you filthy half-breed!"

The ball bounced away and a young demon blinked a few times with a confused expression on his face. Half-breed?

He ran to his mother sitting not too far off.

"Mother!" he called. "What's a half-breed?"

Tears began collecting behind her eyelids and she cast her eyes downwards. "Oh, baby…" She pulled her child into her arms and hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. "Don't listen to them—they don't know what they're saying…"

The young child was stiff in his mother's arms. Half-breed? he thought... Because my father was a demon? Is that what it means...?

He felt his mother's tear hit his cheek and roll down his face...

"Mother!" Inuyasha breathed, waking up rather suddenly. Sweat was beading down his forehead and his sudden jerk woke Kagome up, with a slightly annoyed expression evident on her face. As soon as she saw the condition her fiancé was in and her expression turned to worry.

"What's wrong? Inuyasha?" Her voice was frantic, her hands touching his forehead, cheek and neck to see if he was running a temperature. "Did something attack you? Bite you? Did you sense something— What's wrong?"

Inuyasha looked down at the woman in his arms. "Um... I had a bad dream. Don't worry about it."

Kagome frowned. "Bad dream? What happened?"

"I said don't worry about it! Go back to sleep!"

"Not until you tell me what happened!"

"I said don't worry about it." Inuyasha's voice had a note of finality to it. This caused Kagome to frown as she turned around in a huff and moved a bit away from him. Inuyasha sighed. "Kagome, seriously, don't act like that now. I said I don't wanna talk about it so take it for what it is."

She glanced idly over at him. "Can you get me down? I need to pee."

Holy fuck. She gets mad over the dumbest things. He cursed inwardly as he leapt off the tree with Kagome safely in his arms. Without another word, she huffed off into the forest but Inuyasha kept his ears trained: he heard her release her urine (Ewww... I can hear her pee!) and then wipe herself clean with those "nap-kin" things she brings back from her time.

She came back and looked at him. "Done."

Nodding, he lifted her up and jumped back into the tree, acutely aware of the diamond on her ring finger glinting underneath the moonlight. He got comfortable against the tree trunk and waited for Kagome to get comfortable. As soon as she finished shifting, he wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her body melt into his, the contours of his shape fit perfectly against her curves. She closed her eyes and he listened to the rhythmic pattern of her breathing…

"I dreamt of my mother," he whispered and Kagome's eyes snapped open. "Of the time she cried for me… when I first learned what a half-breed meant."

Kagome didn't dare shift. It took a lot for Inuyasha to open up to her and now that he was doing it she didn't dare interrupt him. His voice seemed faraway, as if he was no longer aware of reality; he was living an unforgotten memory. Kagome felt the pain emitting from him and it tore her heart with every word he spoke.

"The villagers didn't want to play with me… The humans didn't want their kids to interact with me and the demons thought I was disgusting." Kagome knew about his past to a certain extent. Never did he tell a story with such emotion. "My mother died for me," Inuyasha's voice cracked. "And," he paused and inhaled deeply, "I miss her…"

Kagome's eyes widened.

"You get to go home to your mother, your brother…" Inuyasha swallowed. "I don't have either. The only brother I have wants me dead…"

At this, Kagome turned around and caught his face with her hands. "You have me," she whispered. "Even before we decided to mate, you always had me. The day I released you from the Goshinboku up till today and until forever, you will never go a day by without somebody to turn to, somebody to call your own." Kagome smiled as she stared deep into his eyes.

"Your father loved your mother beyond words. He died to protect her and she loved you with the same force. She died for your happiness too. You can't do this to yourself." She let go of his face and wrapped her arms around his torso. "She wants you to be happy and so do I. I'm your family now—my mother is your mother, my brother is yours…" She pulled away and he noted the tears in her eyes. "I'm yours."

Leaning forward, he caught her lips instantly. Her tears fell and she returned the kiss with deep meaning and a hot passion. His hands were placed gently on her shoulders and her arms were still wrapped around his torso. "Don't cry," he whispered in her lips. "I hate it when you cry…"

The stars above were twinkling and Kagome buried her face in his chest. "I don't know why I'm crying."

Inuyasha laughed quietly. "You're uh… yeah… near that… time." He said that rather hesitantly and watched the many emotions on Kagome's face.

Kagome groaned. "You can smell it?"

"…Kind of?"

"That's gross."

"Not really." He pulled her out of his chest. "Thank you." He caressed her cheek. "I'm just… you know… not used to it? This emotional thing and talking about it."

Kagome giggled. "Don't worry. You were human only six nights ago, we can just blame it on the lingering weak human emotions."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, alright let's do that. Save me face."

"Oops," Kagome teased, "the demon's back."

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment before speaking softly. "You just…" He paused and Kagome watched him expectantly. Breathing in deeply, he began speaking again. "You just have this way of making me feel vulnerable. Especially at night." He looked away from her and up at the sky instead. "When everything's asleep and nothing's out to attack us… When it's just you and I, you know?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I know. I didn't sleep most nights when Sango and Miroku travelled with us."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. "But your breathing was so steady; I always thought you slept."

Kagome giggled. "After travelling with you for years I managed to learn how to manipulate my breathing and chest patterns to make it seem like I'm sleeping."

The half-demon rolled his eyes. "You're a brat, you know that?"

"Yep!" Kagome grinned. "You feeling better now?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. Thanks to you." He kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep?"

Kagome nodded. "Can we say goodbye to Miroku and Sango in the morning before we leave for Hijiri?"

"Sure. Now sleep, wench."

Kagome nestled into his arms, Goodnight, Inuyasha. she thought as sleep almost immediately consumed her.

.xx.

"And you two are off again?" Sango pouted as she packed a bento box for her two best friends. "I swear to you I am the sorriest demon slayer alive—what kinda idiot gets pregnant in the middle of a big hunt that's going to lead to an even bigger battle!"

"I know," Inuyasha snorted. "I'm still wondering how the stupid monk lost control and got his way with you. You were doing so damn well throughout the years."

Miroku grinned in victory. "Her patience wore thin—as did yours." He smirked over at Kagome. She blushed and Inuyasha scowled.

"That's none of your fucking business! You better hope it's a stinkin' girl because…" Inuyasha trailed off knowing the rest was a touchy subject for the couple. They hadn't realized the consequences of their actions until after Sango learned she was pregnant—they weren't counting on such an early pregnancy either. If Sango had a son, he'd be born with the kazanna in his right hand, ultimately sucking Sango into his void right after his birth.

That is unless Kagome and Inuyasha defeated Naraku before such a time.

"We better get going!" Kagome said hurriedly. They bade their friends farewell and Kagome took the pack of food before leaving with Inuyasha. When she was sure they were out of earshot, she turned to him angrily.

"WHY DID YOU HAVE TO OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH?"

Inuyasha glowered at her. "I shut up, didn't I?"

"Doesn't mean you had to bring up such a touchy topic!"

"You think I meant to?"

"You never think before you speak, do you?"

"I do so!"

"Do not!"

"Do so!"

"Do NOT, NOT, NOT!"

"Do SO, SO, SO!"

"If you did, half the demon population wouldn't hate you for being a moron!"

"The demon population is fucking moronic as it is, they wouldn't know moron if it danced in front of them naked because EVERYONE is a moron!"

Kagome paused. "…Huh…?"

"Exactly."

"You're so childish."

"Nuh uh, you are."

"No you are!"

"Noo, you are."

"INUYASHA!"

"If you sit me, I'm taking you down with me!" And instantly he picked her up bridal style and began walking. Kagome's eyebrow twitched.

Why you…

"Wow," Inuyasha whistled low, "I should've thought of this years ago. I'm such a genius. And you were calling me a moron earl— Aww fuck my life!"

"What NOW?" Kagome roared impatiently.

"The mangy wolf is headed our way."

Kagome paused for a moment, trying to catch the traces of Kouga's jewel shards. There it is. "…Yeah I sense his shards now. This ought to be interesting." She murmured more to herself than Inuyasha as he placed her down gently before taking his stance in front of her.

"OHAYO, KAGOMEEE!" Kouga's voice echoed through the trees as his lightening speed brought him closer to Kagome and Inuyasha. She could already envision the fight about to occur in front of them… And the fact she had a bite mark on her neck thanks to Inuyasha? It was gonna be that much more interesting.

Kouga arrived to where the two were and immediately began sniffing Kagome. He frowned. "I hate it when you smell like dog-shit over there… Can you please stop smelling like him?"

"SHE'S MINE, WOLF CUB!" Inuyasha growled, getting his face all up in Kouga's personal bubble. The wolf demon twitched.

"Was I talking to you?"

"No but you were talking to my mate!"

Kouga scoffed. "MATE! HA! Don't make me laugh! Actually, TOO LATE! Ha ha HA HAAA!"

Kagome twitched. "What's wrong with being his mate?"

Kouga turned to Kagome. "Because he's a piece of dog shit? You could have such a stronger mate Kagome—such as me. So let's go back to my den and make loads of pups together and run the Wolf Clan for all eternity!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Hey, idiot, don't you see the mark on her neck? Hell, forget seeing it, can't you SMELL her? Or is your nose fucking broken? I wouldn't be surprised!"

Kagome screamed and moved out of the way as Kouga pushed her hair off her neck. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she roared. "Don't you know anything about something called the bubble of personal space?"

"I can get up in my woman's personal bubble as much as I like," he muttered. "And when the hell did you let dog-boy mark you?"

Inuyasha grinned broadly. "See asshole? She's MINE! So you can't touch her or else dogs from MY Clan will wipe the floor with YOUR Clan's ass!"

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Inuyasha, your Clan doesn't even like you."

"They like me enough to abide by the Demon laws if you touch my mate," Inuyasha muttered. "Especially Sesshomaru." Inuyasha inwardly grinned. Sesshomaru would be overjoyed (in his usual stoic way) to know that Kagome and Inuyasha are to mate and would probably more than just wipe the floor with Kouga's ass if he touched Kagome.

"Your brother?" Kouga burst into laughter again. "He's trying to kill you and you think he'd help your sorry ass to wipe the floor with my sexy ass?"

"HE WOULD!"

"Would not!"

"WOULD TOO!"

"WOULD NOT, NOT, NOT!"

"WOULD TOO, TOO, TOO!"

Kagome rubbed her temples. Those two fight more than Inuyasha and I do… Oh God.

"Guys stop… Stop, please?" Kagome tried. The both seemed to not hear her over the sound of their own voices so she did the next best thing.

"Inuyasha, osuwari."

He fell and Kouga cackled. Kagome then turned to him. "Oh, trust me, if I could, I would to you." Kouga's grin dropped. "You ought to respect the fact that I have accepted Inuyasha's proposal."

"He posed a what?"

Kagome rubbed her temples again, these two always gave her headaches when they were around each other. I swear, Inuyasha said the same thing when we found out Miroku proposed to Sango.

"Proposed to me: asked me to be his mate? You should respect the fact I said yes and move on. If I wanted you, trust me I would've said yes a long time ago." Kouga's face fell. "But Ayame on the other hand…"

Kouga rolled his eyes. "Why does everybody always think she likes me?"

"Because she does, you blind, dumb and mute bat," Inuyasha murmured.

"Just talk to her?" Kagome ignored Inuyasha; Kouga sighed.

"Whatever. If you get tired of poodle pup there, you know where to find me." Before Inuyasha could react to the insulting new name, Kouga ran off and Kagome turned and began walking towards their destination. Inuyasha twitched.

"POODLE PUP?" he roared. "You let him talk about your mate like that?"

"You can defend yourself," Kagome muttered. "Besides, I tried to get him off my case."

"It didn't work!"

"Yeah it did. He ran away, didn't he?"

Okay, well, the woman has a point. Pouting, Inuyasha shoved his hands into his sleeves and walked silently beside Kagome. She had her backpack on and her bow in her right hand. Her left hand was swinging in place beside her and her ring glinted in the sunlight.

"You cut him a lot of slack," Inuyasha muttered and Kagome giggled.

"Yeah but I'm going to mate you, shouldn't that say a lot?"

"…" He paused. "I guess…"

.xx.

"I am so tired." Kagome complained. They had walked most of the day, stopped for food (at which point they warmed up Sango's box full of food, quickly ate and resumed their journey), and stopped twice so that Kagome could use the Ladies Tree. "It's probably way past midnight."

"We have to cover for two days of lost time," Inuyasha muttered. "If you want, your ass could sleep on my back while I continue walking?"

"I have a giant backpack," Kagome muttered. "I don't think that'll be such a fun idea for you."

"Keh," he scoffed. "I've carried shit fifteen times your size and you think I can't carry you and your bag?" He dropped to his knees. "Get on, wench. You can rest and I can run, this way we'll get closer to Hijiri Island a lot faster."

Not wanting to argue with him, Kagome clambered onto his back and he began to sprint almost right away. The wind lashing against Kagome's face felt refreshing and she was somewhat glad she took the weight off her feet. Inuyasha's agility helped him leap from treetop to treetop as he scaled through the lands quickly, heading towards their next appointed destination to find jewel shards.

"Isn't it weird how Naraku hasn't dropped any hints yet as to where he is?" Kagome roared over the sound of the whipping wind.

"No," Inuyasha replied. "I wouldn't put it past Naraku to be a snake like that."

"True. But at least some clue? We haven't even gotten a lead!"

"Maybe the hanyou's on Hijiri heard something," Inuyasha suggested. "I know Shiori moved there shortly after we finished that mission."

"Did she?"

"Hmm…"

"Maybe she'll know something?"

"I hope." Inuyasha jumped off a giant boulder. "This hunt is getting very annoying. I want it to end so we can make a stupid wish and get the damn thing to disappear and move on with our lives."

Kagome laughed. "It is annoying. Hey," she tugged on his locks, "shouldn't we tell your brother about our decision?"

Inuyasha snorted. "No. Let that asshole quiver in fear for a bit longer before we tell him we're here to save the Dog Demon race. We're such Godsends."

"You're so cocky."

"No," Inuyasha muttered. "I am just quite aware of how amazing I am. It doesn't make me cocky, wench."

"Ahh, yes it does." Kagome laughed. "But it suits you, no doubt."

Inuyasha didn't respond but simply concentrated on taking him and Kagome towards the island for half-demons; a place he spent numerous years of his life after his mother passed away. Stupid dream, he inwardly growled. Mother died a long time ago. I can't get all fucking sad about it now— I'm an idiot; getting all depressed and needy in front of Kagome. I can't do that. She depends on me, not the other way around.

Inuyasha decided to shut his mind before he got into another internal turmoil featuring Angel Inuyasha and Devil Inuyasha. Kagome was also silent and it didn't take long for Inuyasha to realize that she had fallen asleep. Tightening his grip on her, he decided to pick up speed. Usually Kagome chided him about going too fast while she was awake, but at that point she was in the world of her dreams and he was still in reality, so what he says, goes.

.xx.

It was almost daybreak and Inuyasha was still running. Kagome hadn't woken up yet so he took that as a good sign, trying to cover as much grounds as possible before she did wake up and make them stop for breakfast and pee breaks and other bullshit like that. Inuyasha could faintly see the tip of Mount Hakurei so he knew he was close to both destinations of choice. Hijiri Island was in the middle of the river that separated Mount Hakurei from the Continent. They would have to pass Hijiri to get to Hakurei so it was killing two birds with one stone.

Inuyasha felt Kagome breathe deeply suddenly and he knew she was awake.

"Inu-ya-sha?" She broke his name down into its distinct syllables. He slowed to a halt.

"Rested?"

Kagome blinked a few times and Inuyasha knelt forward so that she could slide off his back. "Have I slept all night?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded. "I covered a lot of ground. We're almost there." He ushered up to the tip of Mount Hakurei.

Kagome nodded. "That's good. Can we eat? You should get some rest too, while you can." And as the words escaped her mouth, a loud grumble came from her stomach. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Humans…"

"Shut up," Kagome muttered. "Go find food while I wash up and start camp?"

"Yeah, yeah," he waved his hand, "I hear a stream just a couple hundred steps that way." He pointed to their left. "Take your weapons, woman."

"Yes, sir." She saluted playfully before taking off her backpack and beginning her mission to wash up. With one last look at Kagome, Inuyasha went to find them breakfast.

We better destroy Naraku fast. He thought as he sensed a wild coyote. I have enough shit to think about without that bastard running around Japan like a headless chicken.

.xx.

Beta-edited: Sakura-chan Master of the Clow