Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Waiting on a Wish	By : Quillwing717 Category: InuYasha > General Views: 42891 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
CHAPTER
6

“So,
are demons as good in bed as everyone says they are?”

Kagome
choked, her tea burning her throat as surprise caused her to gulp
instead of sip. Sputtering, she slammed the cup down, the hot liquid
sloshing over the rim as she glared at her friend through a coughing
fit. People walking on the sidewalk glanced over in concern as they
passed, and other patrons in the little outdoor café had
turned to see the source of the disturbance. Blushing furiously,
Kagome waved weakly to show that she was all right, patting her chest
as she forced herself to relax and allow the fit to subside
naturally.

She
waited for their attention to turn elsewhere before she turned on her
best friend, who sat across the table waiting patiently--a small,
knowing smile on her lips. “And just how would I know
that, Sango?” Kagome hissed, ducking her burning face as
low as possible while still glowering at the young hunter. “I’ve
never been in bed with a demon.”

“Really?”
Sango looked mildly surprised, then studied her curiously. “How
interesting. And here I thought--after what we talked about the other
night…”

Kagome
groaned, picking up her chopsticks and attacking the food lying
uneaten on her plate, trying to ignore the redness staining her
cheeks. “I honestly don’t know what I was thinking,
calling you like that. Now I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Of
course you won‘t. So you might as well tell me everything now
and save yourself at least some difficulty.” Sango
waited, then sniffed at Kagome’s hesitation. “Come on,
Kagome. I just thought we could…talk about something important
in your life. Or…maybe something, period. I’m
tired of sitting here and talking to myself.”

Kagome
felt her blush deepen, and she poked at a pickled radish with her
chopsticks. “I’ve been listening,” she muttered
defensively.

Sango’s
eyebrows shot up in perfect imitation of a certain monk they both
knew, and she nodded slowly. “Of course you have.” She
paused. “So if I asked you what I’ve been talking about
for the last ten minutes or so, you could tell me.”

“Verbatim.”
Avoiding eye contact, Kagome delicately nibbled at the radish. After
about thirty seconds of Sango’s silent, knowing stare, she
broke.

They
both knew she couldn’t.

With
an exasperated sigh, she threw her chopsticks onto her plate, and
strummed her fingers on the table. “I’m sorry, Sango. I
haven’t forgotten how sacred we agreed these lunches were to
us…and I want to talk, I do. It’s…I’m a
little…distracted, and…” she trailed off
helplessly, and returned to picking at her food. “I’m
afraid I’m not very good conversation today.”

Sango
softened immediately, reaching out a hand to rest reassuringly on
Kagome’s arm. “Kagome…I’m worried about you.
I know InuYasha. I know what’s been going on between you two,
and I know what he’s like. I want to make sure that you’re
ok.”

Kagome
sighed. “I’m fine, Sango. Really, I’m ok. It’s
just…” She frowned down at her food.

Sango
blinked. “Just…”

“It’s
just that I’m so confused!” Kagome’s voice burst
out in quiet frustration. “I just met him--a patient that I
took care of one night, and let go the next day, just like I always
do.“ Her brows furrowed. “Except I didn’t. He
stayed with me. I couldn’t get him out of my head. I couldn’t
stop wondering if he was ok.” Her voice dropped to a murmur.
“And then he came back, and…it’s like…I
feel like I was waiting for him. Like I found a piece of
myself I didn’t even know I was missing.”

“Kagome….”

Bemused
midnight eyes focused pensively on her friend. “It’s so
strange, Sango. I’ve got this feeling…as if I’ve
known him for a long time. It’s so comfortable to just be
with him. I’ve never felt that before.” She paused,
biting at her lip for a moment. “I know he seems really rough
with everyone, that he’s rude and impatient. But I think he’s
nicer than he tries to make everyone think he is. I’ve seen him
be very gentle and kind.”

“He
has a temper, too,” Sango broke in warningly, picking up her
cup with a frown. “Be careful of it. He’s impulsive when
he’s angry, and he doesn’t always think through what he
says--or does.”

“Does
he?” Kagome leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her
gaze still distracted. “That’s what Miroku said, too.
Somehow, I’m not really surprised. I wouldn’t mind seeing
it, I think.”

Sango’s
cup stopped halfway to her mouth. “Miroku?”

Kagome
nodded. “Mm-hmm. He called me this morning. We had little talk
about InuYasha--although, he didn’t tell me much more than you
did.”

“Really?”
Sango stared down at her cup, grumbling to herself. “Humph. So
much for not interfering.” She looked up, startled. “You
wouldn’t?”

Kagome
shrugged. “Getting angry means you care, right? It would be
nice to know if he really cares or not, something that lets me know
what he thinks of this--of us.” She sighed again, softly, and
rolled her chopsticks around absently with her fingers. “I’m
a little afraid, I think. I don’t just like being with
him, you know--it’s a craving. I feel a need to be in his
presence, and I miss him when he’s not around. Even now,
sitting with you, a part of me is wondering where he is and what he’s
doing.” Her brows dipped in a vexed little frown. “I
just saw him last night, Sango!”

Sango’s
face filled with empathy. She understood what Kagome was saying
completely. She’d gone through the same kind of emotional
roller coaster with Miroku--not that she’d ever admit it to
him. The feeling of instant connection was strange, disconcerting,
and frightening until you got used to it.

“It
feels like more than just sex, though.”

Sango’s
eyebrow’s lifted in surprise at the sudden comment, and she
sent Kagome an inquiring look. Kagome colored slightly, but she
continued, sounding out her thoughts.

“I…Sango,
it’s never been like this before. I’ve never even been
tempted by anyone else before. With InuYasha…” Kagome
tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing at Sango briefly
before fixing her eyes on the hands folded in her lap. “I lose
myself every time he touches me. A look, or a word, and…it’s
like being intoxicated, without the numbing effect. I’ve never
felt anything so intense or demanding…” She broke off,
her color heightening, not quite believing the words coming out of
her mouth. “And it’s the same for him. I know it is.”

Sango's
eyes had softened with concern as she listened. "Kagome…"
She trailed off helplessly, staring. After a pause, her eyes
narrowed, gazing thoughtfully at her friend. "Is there something
I can do? Maybe if I get Miroku to talk to him…get him to
leave you alone--or at least to stop pressuring you."

Kagome
was shaking her head before Sango could finish her offer. “No.
Don’t interfere. I don’t think this is something you can
stop, and anyway I don’t really want it to. I’m just
having a hard time understanding it. It’s only been four days,
and already I’m--” She broke off, blushing again. “I
have this strange feeling…as if it’s right, or
inevitable that we met. I almost feel that I need him…“
She paused, her brows twisting as she considered her words. “…or
maybe that he needs me. Whatever‘s going on, I’m sure I
can‘t back away now.”

Her
expression suddenly cleared and she gave Sango a small, reassuring
smile. “It’s all right. I’m just missing
something--probably something important, and probably because he
doesn’t like to tell me much about himself. Whatever it is,
I’ll figure it out--hopefully soon. Things are moving so fast,
I can barely keep up. I feel so off balance, and it would be nice to
have my equilibrium back.”

Sango
gave a small, guilty frown at her plate of food. “Maybe you
just need to figure out what he wants from you,” she suggested,
her tone subdued.

Kagome
shook her head again, a wry smile forming on her lips. “I know
what he wants from me, Sango. I think what I need to figure out is
why.”

“That’s
what I thought, too.” Sango murmured to herself quietly, then
looked up at her friend, her eyes glinting. “But do you
really?” She hesitated. “Kagome…listen, there’s
something you should--”

A
soft musical tone chimed through the air, startling them both. Kagome
frowned, reaching underneath her chair and bringing her small bag up
onto her lap. The ringing stopped just as she pulled her cell phone
from the inner pocket. She flipped the face and frowned at her
screen. “Oh no.” Her brows wrinkled with worry. She
dialed another number, and held the phone to her ear, staring across
the table.

Sango’s
eyebrows rose in surprise. “Is everything all right?”

“That
was Mrs. Hashimoto’s cell number. She only calls me directly if
there’s an emergency.” She paused, her eyes going
unfocused as someone answered. “Miso! It’s Kagome. Has
Mrs. Hashimoto…” She stopped, listened, then nodded, her
brows scrunching together. “Uh-huh. Ok…yes. Call her
back and tell her I’ll be there in about twenty minutes. I’ll
drop by on my way--have my medical bag ready for me? And call in
someone to cover my shift while I’m gone. Yes…arigato.”

She
flipped the phone, and focused on Sango. “Oh, Sango, I’m
sorry. I have to go. One of the children came down with the flu the
other day, and now more have gotten sick.”

She
shook her head and rummaged inside her purse. “Miso said Mrs.
Hashimoto didn’t sound so well herself. I was worried about
this. Kina is a hanyou. If she caught this particular strain, then
the others could be susceptible too. I guess I didn’t get to
her in time.” She stood rapidly, throwing money onto the table.
“I’ll call you later, ok?”

Sango
shook her head, watching her best friend as she dashed through the
tables to reach the sidewalk. Not bothering to go all the way around
through the front of the restaurant, she climbed over the low hedge
bordering the café’s tabled area and onto the sidewalk,
splendidly ignoring the curious stares of the other patrons.

No
one could ever doubt her dedication to her profession. Kagome would
work herself sick for her patients--especially those orphanage
children.

She
sighed. Well, Miroku was right again. He usually was when it came to
InuYasha. Still…she really should sit down and have a talk
with one of those two. They were both making the whole thing harder
on themselves than they had to, and she hated to see Kagome in so
much turmoil. Maybe she could corner one of them later tonight.

She
frowned. Kagome. She wasn’t feeling too charitable
toward InuYasha at the moment.

Her
own cell phone chimed from the bag hooked over her chair. She
retrieved it, puckering in confusion when she read the message.
“Miroku?” The message was short, to the point, and very
uninformative:

‘Council
meeting room. Hunting dress. Now. Hurry. ’

Hunting?
Hmmmm. Maybe we can talk tomorrow night.

Sighing,
she picked up the bill and called over the waiter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dr.
Higurashi! Oh, thank the gods you’re here! Half of the children
are sick, the poor things, and mother has a very high fever. I can’t
get her to slow down taking care of the children, and I‘m
afraid she‘ll end up worse than the little ones if she doesn‘t
get some rest.”

Kagome
blinked at the vaguely familiar, agitated young woman who accosted
her as soon as she walked in the front door of the orphanage. Setting
down her bag, she glanced around the empty entranceway, sifting
through her mind until she identified the woman as Mrs. Hashimoto‘s
grown daughter. They both had the same harried expressions and
perpetually flyaway bun. She frequently helped her mother at the
orphanage, but Kagome had only met her once.

“Half
the children are sick?” She could feel her heart sinking. The
fact that Mrs. Hashimoto was sick as well as the children was a bad
sign. Concern suddenly clouded her features as she looked around
again. She’d wondered why Shippou hadn’t come charging at
her as he usually did. “Shippou?”

Mrs.
Hashimoto’s daughter noted the doctor’s worry and shook
her head reassuringly. “Don’t worry. He’s fine.
He’s upstairs, helping Lady Kaede treat the ones with the
highest fevers.” She smiled faintly. “He’s been
quite a helper today. He’s the one who convinced mother that
she might need my help, and ever since I arrived, he’s been
leading the other children, keeping them out of the way. He’d
managed to get all the sick children into a separate wing of the
house, and he had talked my mother into a chair by the time I walked
in.”

Kagome’s
focus latched onto one phrase, and her eyes widened. “Kaede’s
here?” Dismay and relief warred openly on her face. Damn.

Mrs.
Hashimoto’s daughter nodded, oblivious to Kagome’s
less-than-enthusiastic reaction. “She arrived not long after
me, and has been trying to take over for mother for the last few
hours. She’s been absolutely wonderful. She is the one who had
me summon you.”

Kagome
pressed her eyes closed, slightly irritated. “Summon…did
she?” Another sigh, this one resolute. “Oh well…I’ll
get your mother settled into a bed. You go take care of the children
who aren’t sick. Keep them downstairs--since the sick ones are
already upstairs, we’ll use that as the quarantine area.”

The
young woman nodded gratefully, turning to disappear into the back of
the house.

Kagome
found the stairs, and with one final, deeply resigned sigh, she
started climbing, her feet dragging slightly. Great. Lady Kaede.
I‘m sure she did a wonderful job with the children--she always
does. And it really is a good thing she‘s here--she knows so
much more than I do. She reached the second floor landing and
glanced idly down one of the hallways that led off in opposite
directions. “But I’ll bet she didn’t make you
listen to pain-in-the-ass lectures all day about the importance of
honing your so-called spiritual power, now did she?”

“Ume
has no spiritual powers to speak of, Kagome. I would not burden her
with such pain-in-the-ass lectures, as they would be
unwarranted, and quite a waste of both our time and my
breath.”

Kagome
winced, turning on the heel of her sandal.

A
short, heavy-set elderly woman watched her expectantly from the
hallway leading to the children‘s rooms, her wrinkled
expression calm and slightly amused. Her black eyes sparkled with a
knowing twinkle. Her thick gray hair was gathered into an elegant bun
low on her head, and her long-skirted, expensive gray business suit
fit nicely around her aged figure. She wore nothing but stockings on
her feet.

Kagome
closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief, silent groan. Fantastic.
Here we go again. Opening her eyes, she shook her head--and
couldn’t help the fond, spontaneous smile prompted by the old
woman‘s presence. “Gomenasai, Kaede. That was completely
unfair of me. It’s an honor to see you again. Arigato for your
consideration in coming to help us with the children.” She
bowed. “Your expertise is always greatly appreciated.”

Kaede
smiled. “It is only right that I would provide aid, Kagome. As
you know, I have a personal interest in these children, and I will
always help in whatever way this old body can.” She gestured
down the bare wooden hallway behind her. “Mrs. Hashimoto has
already been convinced that a small rest will do her good, and the
children who are sick are all resting comfortably in their beds.”

Kagome
relaxed slightly. As much as she might sometimes dread the older
woman‘s gentle lectures and stubborn insistence, she held a
genuine fondness for her--and an awe-filled respect for her wealth of
knowledge and skills in traditional healing. Working with her on a
medical level was always a learning experience. “Have you given
them anything yet?”

“Shippou
is serving them a little of the broth I made for the children when I
arrived. It will help bring down their fevers. After you examine
them, we shall have to determine the treatments. Because all the
children who are sick are hanyou, we will likely need a separate
mixture for each child.”

Kagome
nodded, turning towards the children‘s rooms further down the
hallway, hoping to escape the usual battle of wills.

“This
will serve as an excellent opportunity to put your training into
practice, Kagome.”

Kagome
sighed patiently, not stopping or turning around as she headed for
the nearest door. Oh well. Didn’t really think I could get
away.

Guilt
plagued her conscience every time they had this conversation. She
felt a deep affection for the old woman. Kaede had done so much good
in her life--putting her powerful name behind many different
children’s causes, supporting the orphanage and the clinic with
both her time and her money, always ready with a sound word of
advice. Kagome and everyone she worked with owed her a great deal,
but…

“Lady
Kaede, I’ve already given you my answer. Please forgive me, but
I don’t have either the time or the inclination to train
spiritual powers that I may or may not have. I cannot take any more
time out for pointless spiritual training. I already don’t have
enough time to get everything done in a day.”

She paused at the door, meeting calm black eyes with sincerity. “And
with great respect, I can’t see the need for it. I’ve
managed to get through my entire life without the spiritual powers
you sense in me. I think I can manage the rest of it without
developing them further. Please don’t take offense--I have
nothing but respect for your own spiritual powers and your
wisdom--but I have no desire to continue this training you insist
on.”

“Kagome,
your power is very real, and very strong. It is both your
responsibility and your fate to master what lies inside you. When the
time comes, you will not have a choice.”

Kagome
breathed out slowly. No argument--logical or otherwise--had ever
managed to penetrate the older woman‘s single-minded
determination on the subject. “And how would I ever use it,
Kaede? I can‘t feel it, I don‘t know what it is--I can‘t
use it! We‘ve already tried, remember? What‘s the point?”
Frustrated, Kagome shoved the door open.

A
small ball of orange hair and blond fur jumped out of the doorway and
into Kagome’s arms as soon as she slid it aside.

“Kagome!
You’re finally here.” Shippou shook his head sadly. “I
told Mrs. Hashimoto to call you as soon as she got sick--but she
wouldn’t listen to me. And I’ve been helping all the
grown-ups all day long. I even helped keep the children downstairs so
they wouldn’t get sick too.”

Kagome
smiled with delight, hugging him close, relieved to be free of a
never-ending subject. “That’s wonderful, Shippou. And all
that without getting sick too.”

Shippou
nodded firmly, blue eyes shining. “Of course not, Kagome. I’m
a youkai, remember? I never get sick. Besides, I’ve learned a
lot from you and Kaede obaa-san. I was a huge help today.
Right, Kaede?”

Kaede
nodded sagely. “The boy was indeed a great helper, Kagome. It
is a very good thing you trained him so well. He recognized Mrs.
Hashimoto’s symptoms before they became bad enough to threaten
her health. Strange that Shippou would need knowledge of medicine and
healing, don‘t you think? One would think that he could live
his entire life without ever knowing anything about it. Of course, he
wouldn‘t have been able to help today, and the situation would
have gotten much worse than it is now. Yes, I would say it is a very
good thing you taught Shippou something of your craft.” She
paused regally. “Of course, it is an even better thing that he
was willing to learn.”

With
another sage nod, Kaede swept passed her into the room and began
checking on the fevered children lying on their futons.

With
a harassed sigh, Kagome followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It
wasn‘t until early into the morning hours that Kagome was
finally satisfied that she and Kaede had done all they could for the
children who were sick. They had worked hard through the afternoon
and into the evening, determining the best treatments, and making
each child their own specific medicinal blend--a dose every few hours
until their fever broke, and then with every meal for the next week.
So far, it seemed to be working, although they wouldn‘t know
for sure until tomorrow.

They’d
also done their best to inoculate those who weren’t sick. They
were especially lucky that none of the human children had gotten
sick. Mrs. Hashimoto would be on bed-rest for several days, but her
infection had actually been very light. The human children would have
fared much worse. This particular strain of flu seemed to be quite
vicious.

Making
one last check that none of the healthier children were showing
symptoms, Kagome wandered into one of the multiple living
rooms--square, comfortable rooms with rugs and durable furniture. Her
gaze skimmed the room, glancing over the windows lining one
wall--noting with disappointment that the trees outside strangled
most of the moonlight, making it hard to see--and skipping over the
low couch on one side, dismissing its use. She focused instead on the
nearest comfortable armchair, and plopped her worn-out body down onto
the wide, cushioned seat. She kicked her sandals from her aching
feet, happy to be off them for a moment. Tucking her bare toes into a
corner, she allowed her body to relax, grateful that she wore an old,
comfortable pair of jeans instead of her customary skirt.

She
only intended to rest her feet for a minute before she walked herself
home.

Sighing,
she leaned her head down against the side rest, allowing her mind to
wander undisciplined, enjoying the silence that signified most of the
children now slept. Her thoughts skipped around the various tasks she
had to do the next day briefly, then stopped on the substantial walk
she still had ahead of her. It wouldn’t be pleasant so late at
night.

Glancing
around the darkened room, she chuckled softly, even though she
couldn’t find a wall clock. Well, not so pleasant this early in
the morning, anyway. At least I have an afternoon shift tomorrow.
She yawned, stretching her jaw. Still, it would be a nuisance when
she was this tired.

Surprisingly,
she found herself reluctant to walk home alone in the dark. Somehow,
it didn’t seem wise anymore. She sighed. InuYasha--his fault,
damn him. Still--I wish InuYasha were here. He’d tell me how
stupid I am for waiting so long, but he’d walk me home. Of
course, he’d probably grouse the whole way. She suddenly
remembered the end result of their previous walk, and an involuntary
grin tipped the corners of her mouth. Hmmm. Maybe it’s a
good thing he’s not here. Talk about something that could tire
me out. The grin faded. I wonder where he is, though. I didn’t
see him at all today. I felt sure he would show up again at some
point in the day.

Annoyed
with her mild distress over his absence, she forced her mind away
from the hanyou--instead, mentally reviewing the herbal charts she
and Kaede had developed earlier in the evening.

Her
eyes drifted closed. Just for a moment.

A
few moments later, her body stilled; her breathing evened out.

She
didn’t stir when small hands threw a large blanket over her, or
when a warm body with orange hair hopped up into her lap. But as he
snuggled in, her arms moved to enfold the small, furry bundle,
hugging tightly. Both creatures sighed and relaxed, comfortable and
content with the arrangement.

Around
them, the house remained utterly silent; minutes later, all lights
were finally extinguished, and those few still awake within--both old
and young--fell into weary slumber.

No
one was aware when, about an hour later, a solitary figure
effortlessly leapt the fence protecting the property, landing lightly
with a quiet swish of fabric. No one heard the flat, dull thud of
bare feet on a bare wooden floor, or saw the figure pause in an open
doorway. One clawed hand clutched tensely around the sword secured
close to the lean waist; soft, white ears twisted anxiously. A
sensitive nose tested the air, and an alert, tense amber gaze swept
the deep shadows of the room, finally settling on the chair in the
corner.

Allowing
himself a small sigh of relief, he let just a bit of the tautness
seep from his muscles. He shook his head, suppressing a snort.
Another chair. Why did I waste my time worrying about you? Damn
stupid girl. What the hell is wrong with your bed? Or the couch, for
the gods’ sake--there’s one right across from you!

He
walked quietly over to stare down at the two individuals curled
adorably around each other in the wide, well-cushioned chair. He
stood motionless, watching them breathe, their faces close together
and peaceful in sleep. With each gentle rise of her chest, more of
the apprehension that had gripped his body slipped away. His hand
reached out impulsively, the temptation to touch momentarily getting
the better of him.

A
sudden shock jolted his body, stealing the air from his lungs. His
hand fisted briefly in the material of one abundant sleeve as his
chest pounded in reaction. Golden eyes squeezed together in a brief
blink as the familiar pain cut through his mind. He froze, waiting it
out.

It
only lasted the merest moment--a breath, a second of time--before it
was gone, done. The hand dropped back to his side, and his eyes
opened to stare again, his expression soft, poignant, troubled.
So…this too, huh?

Swallowing,
he closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, shaking his head to clear it.
Turning, he pulled the sword from his side and allowed his body to
drop fluidly into a folded up sitting position, his back resting
against the side of the chair, head leaning against an arm. Holding
up the weapon by its black wooden sheath, he stared at it, his brows
drawing together in a serious frown.

Finally,
he tucked the length of the sword against his body, one hand grasping
it tightly as it rested against his shoulder. His head lowered and
his eyes closed--but his senses remained alert throughout the night,
and his hand never moved from its grip on the sheath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emerging
somewhat from her hazy dream state, Kagome’s eyelids parted
slightly, allowing herself to see out a window of two narrow slits. A
familiar figure leaned against the wall directly across from her,
silvery-white hair illuminated in one of the many rays of sunlight
diffused throughout the room. His arms hid from sight, folded inside
the brilliant red of an oh-so-familiar haori. One bare foot tapped
impatiently, his features arranged into a disgruntled scowl aimed
directly at her.

She
stared for a moment, her mind unable to comprehend why the figure
looked so familiar and seemed so important. After a half-hearted
struggle, she gave up, deciding that she was still dreaming. Her lids
promptly lost their fight with gravity, sliding back into place.

An
irritated growl interrupted her mental drift, pulling her back
abruptly. “Oi! Kagome! Are you planning to sleep all day?”

The
gruff tone raked over her senses like one of his claws, the immediate
tingle in her stomach convincing her of its veracity.

Midnight
eyes popped mostly open and she blinked twice. “InuYasha?”
Sleep added a slight husk to her voice.

“Keh! You were expecting someone else?”

She
blinked again and rubbed her fingers over her eyes, taking in the
chair she slept in, and the comfortable living area she immediately
identified as belonging at the orphanage. She sat up. Oh no. I
fell asleep. What time is it? A blanket fell from her shoulders
to her waist, and she was only mildly surprised to find Shippou
curled up comfortably on her lap, snoring quietly.

She
reached out a hand to stroke his puffy blond tail, and her gaze went
back to InuYasha. She blinked at him again, confused and still
half-asleep, her brow furrowing. The last thing she remembered was
wishing that InuYasha would come--and now here he was. It‘s
almost as if my wish brought him here.

The
beginnings of a smile formed on her lips at the ridiculous thought.
“Well I certainly wasn’t expecting you. What are
you doing here?”

His
scowl deepened as his golden eyes narrowed. “Waiting for you to
wake up, baka. What the hell were you thinking, anyway?”

Her
eyebrows shot up. “Thinking?”

“I
couldn’t find you last night! You weren’t at home. You
weren’t at work, and none of those idiots you work with could
tell me where the fuck you went. The only other place I could think
of was here, but if you hadn‘t been here--if you’d been
in trouble somewhere--it could have taken me too long to track your
scent through the city. Where the fuck is your brain? Next time be
where you’re supposed to be!”

“What?”
Kagome felt her jaw drop. “You’re kidding, right? I’m
a doctor, InuYasha--I‘m supposed to be here,
where all the sick people are!”

“Stupid.
You could have gotten hurt. Tell me when you change your
plans, godsdammit!”

Her
cheeks flushed. Well, there it was. The thing that both of her
friends had taken care to warn her about. She’d finally been
graced with his unreasonable temper.

She
couldn’t believe she’d actually wanted to see it.
He was right--stupid her. How dare he pull her from a sound sleep,
then growl at her for something utterly ridiculous?

Her
mouth snapped shut, and her eyes sparked as she turned her fiercest
glare on him. Indignation carried her out of the chair and onto her
feet, completely ignoring Shippou, who sprang reflexively to the
ground at her sudden movement, barely awake. The young kitsune stood
on the floor, blinking sleepy blue eyes up at them as he stared,
disoriented at the sudden yank from slumber.

“Excuse
me, but for your information this situation happened to be an
emergency. The children are all very sick, and I had to be
here to help. Who gave you the right to come barging in here yelling
at me at…at…” she glanced around, but still
couldn’t find a clock, “…at whatever time it is in
the morning, when you never said anything about wanting to see me
last night?”

“Besides--”
she turned her glare back at InuYasha, whose look had gone from angry
to apprehensive in three seconds flat as he pressed his back to the
wall, eyes wide, startled eyebrows raised “--just how am
I supposed to tell you anything?” She advanced on him,
one step for every point. “I don’t know where you live,
I don’t where you spend your free time, I don’t
have your phone number--InuYasha, I don’t even know your
family name! So just exactly how do you expect me to
let you know whenever I have to actually live my
life?”

A
strange look passed over his features--some unusual mixture of
surprise, confusion and embarrassment. “You…don’t
have my private cell phone number?”

Kagome
threw up her hands. “Of course I don’t have your cell
phone number, baka! How would I if you never gave it to me?”

He
scowled again, defensively lowering his ears and averting his gaze.
“Well…I…thought you had it,” he mumbled.

Kagome
felt her mouth open again, this time in utter amazement. She stared
at him, her eyes wide. Thirty seconds ticked by in silence, and his
glower deepened as he began to squirm under her gaze. Finally, she
shook her head and turned on her bare heel, stalking from the room,
eyes still blazing, muttering angrily to herself. “Baka. He
thought I had it, he says. What kind of answer is that…I
didn‘t even know he had a cell phone!”

InuYasha
watched her trail off into another part of the house, fuming aloud at
him. He waited until she was completely out of sight before he let
out a long breath, sagging against the wall, glancing askance at the
ceiling. “Shit. That was fast.” Worse, he
had probably deserved it. Maybe. Keh. And people say I have a
temper.

“Baka.”

Golden
eyes dropped swiftly to narrow on the tiny kitsune, who shook his
head accusingly as he glared up at the hanyou.

“What
did you say, shrimp?” His voice dropped to a low warning
rumble.

The
little fox-demon darted for the door, silent on furry paws. At the
doorway, he turned, throwing InuYasha a disdainful look. “You’re
an idiot. You made her mad. I was right, InuYasha--you are too
stupid for Kagome. You were probably lying about being a hunter, too.
You‘re not reliable enough to hunt youkai.”

In
a flash, the hanyou was across the room. A clawed hand wrapped around
the back of the kitsune’s tail, hauling the squealing kit into
the air, bringing them fright-to-scowl. InuYasha scowled
bad-temperedly, his lip curling to reveal his fangs. “You wanna
say that again, runt?” His tone made it clear that repeating
the insult would be a very bad idea.

Shippou
squeaked, his blue eyes widening to impossibly large, crocodile tears
beginning to pool in their depths. His mouth opened to wail, and
InuYasha snarled, his fist rising threateningly. “Try it,”
he taunted.

“Takagawa
InuYasha. Kindly do not take your frustration out on the child. I am
very fond of him--and I daresay that Kagome is as well.”

InuYasha
started, his anger temporarily overwhelmed by surprise. He dropped
the kitsune, who immediately scampered over to the source of the
stern, weathered voice that had spoken his name. Tucking his hands
into his sleeves, he turned to face the woman who studied him from
the hallway. Shippou had placed himself safely behind her long gray
skirt. He ignored the glaring kit, and stepped out to stand in front
of her, his tawny gaze studying the older woman curiously. It‘s
been a long time since I‘ve heard my full name. How the hell
does she know who I am?

He
didn’t recognize her. He was pretty sure he’d never
smelled her scent before--although, something familiar about it
nipped at his brain. He frowned in annoyance, his expression
cautious.

He
grunted, a neutral sound, as he met her knowing black gaze. “Who
are you, obaa-san?”

One
gray brow rose slightly. “You do not know me, InuYasha? Fair
enough. We have never met, you and I. I am Makiguchi Kaede, head of
the Makiguchi group. We provide the funds for both this orphanage and
the clinic that Kagome works at--as well as other things. I am also a
miko. It is my duty and my pleasure to help those in need, and I
often visit the children who live here.”

InuYasha
looked startled. “A miko?” Yes, now that she said it, he
could sense her energy--although it was much fainter than Kagome’s.

“And you are the infamous hunter, InuYasha--the
half-breed son of the great Lord InuTaisho and his mate Izayoi, both
of whom were killed many years ago. That was a tragic day indeed for
all involved in the Alliance. I have often wondered what you would
look like.”

InuYasha’s
teeth gritted, his eyes narrowing slightly through the old woman’s
speech. “I don’t know why you think you know me, old
woman, but--”

“I
do not know you, InuYasha.”

He
frowned.

Kaede
smiled slightly. “But I know of you. You seem to have quite an
interest in our young doctor. What exactly is it that you want from
her?”

His
eyebrows dipped low at the question, his features fierce. “Tch!
Since when is that any of your business, baba?”

Kaede
remained unimpressed. “She is an intriguing young woman, is she
not? Quite a brilliant doctor, with a kind spirit. She works so hard
for her patients--she puts her heart into every wound or illness she
treats. I assume your interest in her is more than platonic,
considering how closely you’ve been watching over her all
morning.“ She watched him closely. “Be warned, InuYasha.
Kagome has great power contained inside of her. Anyone who takes an
interest in her must be prepared to deal with such power.”

“Yeah,
I know already. Kagome’s a miko. So what?”

Kaede
shook her head. “Kagome is not just any miko, InuYasha. As a
hanyou, you should be able to sense her power. Can you?”

An
exasperated sigh. “Where are you going with this, old woman?”

“You
can sense it, can you not?”

He
hesitated, then rolled his eyes. “Of course I can. So what?
It’s not that strong. What does any of it have to do
with me?”

Her
eyes chided him gently. “You should learn to listen more
closely when someone speaks, InuYasha. Kagome is not yet able to
control her powers, Hunter. What you sense from her now is just the
smallest portion of what lies dormant within her spirit. There is a
great spiritual power within that she is unable to tap.”

InuYasha
scowled, then stilled as a possible significance of her words
occurred to him.

His
eyes widened, and he paled slightly. No. It can’t be.

“The
time will come when it will awaken, and when it does…”

Every
muscle in his body tensed. His jaw clenched against the mere thought.
Impossible. He spoke, his voice quiet, tone carefully
restrained. “What kind of power are we talking about, Kaede?”

“You
would know far better than I, InuYasha.”

He
swallowed. That meant…“Shit. You mean that she…”
He fell silent, absorbing her statement completely. Realization
struck, and shock slackened his features. Suspicious golden eyes
darted to hers. Her black gaze was still calm and serene, giving away
nothing. His fists clenched around the forearms hidden within his
sleeves. “You…“ He scowled blackly. “How do
you know, old woman?”

Again,
Kaede smiled that enigmatic smile. “A person very dear to me
told me many years ago.”

For
the second time in less than a minute, InuYasha stilled unnaturally
as he recognized why her scent bothered him so much. Makiguchi.
Oh…fuck.

Brief,
thought-numbing pain accompanied the realization, slicing into his
consciousness. The moment passed over his face--the slightest of
shadows, gone as soon as it came; a minor glazing of his eyes was the
only indication of his momentary distraction. He refocused on the old
miko instantly, allowing smoldering anger into his amber depths as
they clashed with shrewd obsidian ones.

“Stay
out of it, obaa-san.” His tone was little more than a deep
growl. “I’m handling it.”

Kaede
tilted her head, frowning slightly. “InuYasha, Kagome refuses
to continue the training I wish to give her. Unless she learns to
harness the power inside of her…”

He
snarled, turning to ram his fist into the wall behind him. The wood
cracked, splintered, but held. “I get your point, grandma.”

Kaede
nodded. “I have no doubt you do, InuYasha. I suppose you
understand better than anyone.”

He
growled again.

Silence
stretched between them, and Shippou, who had already perched himself
comfortably on Kaede’s shoulder, eyed them both with confusion.
He looked at InuYasha’s rigid back, and the damaged place on
the wall where his fist still planted firmly against the wood. Then
he looked at Kaede, who seemed completely unruffled by the sudden,
violent act. He shook his head, totally mystified. Adults in general
made very little sense.

InuYasha’s
ears perked, and he turned to stare warily at the end of the hallway.

Footsteps
sounded moments before Kagome appeared, hurrying towards them. From
the look on her face, her temper hadn’t yet settled. “InuYasha!
Why didn’t you tell me how late it was! Kami help me, it’s
almost noon! My shift starts at two. I still have to go home, shower,
and change my clothes. You could have woken me sooner, baka!”

He
face went from wary to incredulous. “What! You’re
the one who wanted to sleep all day. It’s not my fault that you
don‘t know when to rest!”

She
pivoted in front of him. Fiery eyes narrowed into a frown, she poked
a finger into his chest. “You followed me here, didn’t
you? You know my work schedule too, don’t you? You’re
the one who woke me up so rudely in the first place, right? How much
effort would it have taken on your part to yell at me a
little sooner?”

She
threw up her hands. “Ooooooh! Never mind.” Grumbling, she
whirled around him and into the living room. “At this rate,
I’ll be lucky if I can even find the time to eat--and I haven’t
had any breakfast, either.” Her footsteps stopped abruptly, and
her voice drifted back hesitantly. “Ummmm….InuYasha? Do
you know where my sandals are?”

The
second she was out of sight, he slouched back against the wall. The
anger slid from his face, and a vague, brooding look took its place
as he stared pensively at the floor. “Under your chair,
Kagome.” His voice had a strange, subdued quality to it.

Kaede
and Shippou both watched him curiously. He glanced up and scowled
when he caught their scrutiny.

Kagome
returned to the doorway, sandals in hand. “Kaede, I have to
hurry, or I’ll be late to the clinic. Please keep an eye on the
children for me, and I’ll be back tonight to check on their
progress.”

Kaede
nodded. “Of course, Kagome. I’ve already had my rooms
prepared. I had intended to spend some time here anyway.” Her
eyes cut briefly to InuYasha. “I believe that I’ll be
needed here for a while.”

InuYasha
ignored her, while Kagome smiled warmly. “Arigato, Kaede. I
really appreciate it.”

Shippou‘s
pleading gaze turned on Kagome. “Kagome do you really have to
go? Can’t Kaede obaa-san call and tell them that you don’t
have to be there? She does own the clinic, after all.”

Kagome
frowned. “Shippou! I have patients at work. I can’t just
not show up because I’m tired, or because I wish I could be
somewhere else. Besides, it would be wrong to use my friendship with
Kaede to shirk my responsibilities.”

“Oh.”
His face fell.

She softened immediately. She found herself unable to stay even
mildly cross with the little kitsune for long. “Hey, Shippou.
You’ve been such a wonderful help with Mrs. Hashimoto and
everyone getting sick. Maybe, as a reward, we can go out for ice
cream tomorrow.”

Shippou’s
countenance brightened and he nodded, content with the promise of an
eventual treat.

“Are
you done yet? Let‘s go already.”

Kagome
glanced over at InuYasha, who still scowled at them from his place
against the wall. “You’re walking me home? But you don’t
need to. It’s daylight. I’ll be perfectly fine walking
home by myself.”

“Keh.
I’m not walking you home. I’m carrying you.”

Images
from a few nights before assaulted her brain. Kagome felt the blush
that stained her cheeks. “You’re not going to carry me
again! Not in broad daylight! People will see!”

InuYasha
sighed impatiently. “Not like before, dummy. That won’t
get us anywhere fast. You’re worried about being late, right?
I’ll take you home and get you to work on time. Trust me, my
way is faster than yours.”

Kagome
looked at him uncertainly. “Well…” She was unsure
if she wanted him carrying her anywhere. She wasn’t quite over
her annoyance with his earlier attitude.

Shaking
his head, he grabbed her elbow and steered her gently towards the
front of the house.

“Take
good care of Kagome, InuYasha. The city is not safe for anyone
today.”

He
snorted, not stopping. “Don’t you think I know
that, baba?”

Kagome
pulled up short, twisting to look at Kaede over InuYasha‘s arm.
“What’s so dangerous about today?”

“You
have not heard, Kagome?” Kaede lifted an inquiring brow. “The
city was invaded by youkai yesterday.”

Kagome
looked startled. “What? Another rogue attack?”

“Indeed.
It seems that quite a number of rogues terrorized the city last
night. The youkai were mostly low-level, but dangerous nonetheless.
They swarmed several districts, destroying homes and businesses--some
were even eating people. It was quite a hazardous situation last
night.”

Kagome
frowned. “But I didn’t see--”

“According
to the news reports, the Alliance had already contracted with some of
their best hunters to put a stop to it. Apparently, several teams
have been hunting since yesterday afternoon.”

Kagome
drew in a sharp breath, her gaze flying immediately to InuYasha. Her
eyes widened as she took in his traditional dress, the sword at his
waist, and realized their significance. Inscrutable golden eyes met
hers briefly before turning away.

The
older woman looked at InuYasha. “Most of the youkai were
captured and destroyed, but a large-scale battle took place not far
from here, and several hunters were injured. Some of the youkai
escaped, and remain somewhere inside the city limits. Alliance and
Japanese authorities are urging the utmost caution by all citizens
until the remaining rogues are caught.”

Kaede
shook her head slowly in a very good imitation of the fox perched on
her shoulder. “I imagine it is a terrible thing, Kagome, to
know that someone you care about is wandering somewhere in the city,
completely unaware of the danger they could be putting themselves
in.” She focused knowingly on the young doctor. “I
imagine it could make one quite…irrational.”

Kagome
turned her gaze back to InuYasha’s suddenly uncomfortable,
self-conscious expression. Her features softened, and a small smile
curved her lips. “Yes, Kaede. I suppose it is.” She
glanced over at the two in the hallway and bowed. “I will be
careful. Thank you for the warning.”

Curling
her hands into the billowing sleeve of InuYasha's haori, she tugged
his arm in the direction of the front of the mansion. “All
right, InuYasha. Show me this faster method of yours.”

Throwing
a glance behind him, InuYasha let her pull him out of sight.

Shippou
stared down the hallway into which they’d disappeared. “Kaede?”

Kaede
sounded pleased. “Yes, Shippou?”

“Is
InuYasha really a hunter?”

“InuYasha
is perhaps one of the greatest hunters of our time, Shippou.”

Shippou
fell quiet for a minute. “That means that InuYasha was fighting
with youkai last night before he came looking for Kagome?”

“It
is the most likely possibility.” Kaede started moving off in
the direction of the kitchen.

Shippou
was quiet again, considering the implications. “So InuYasha
didn’t lie. And…Kagome was smiling when they left--even
though they were fighting just a little bit ago.” He frowned.
“Maybe InuYasha isn‘t absolutely terrible for
Kagome after all.” He shook his head. “That could be a
fluke, though...I think I’ll wait and see.”

“I
think that is an excellent idea, Shippou. It should be very
interesting to see how things progress from now on.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read
and review, and please feel free to criticize and make suggestions in
your reviews--it’s all about improving the quality. You guys
have been awesome do far. *Great, big, exhausted hug for everyone*
^_^

~~Cheers
and blessings, Quill
- 6
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Waiting on a Wish