“ i’m going to protect you, now. because that’s what we do for the ones we love. we keep them safe. “ 💜💜💜
Gradually getting through all these asks. Hopefully will have them done before 2022! Thanks @superpixie42 🥰😘
Dammit. Why did this sort of shit always go down on the night of the new moon?
Inuyasha staggered to his feet, gripping the untransformed Tessaiga tightly in his blood spattered fists, ignoring Shippou’s shrill protests. He knew Kagome would screech at him for heading back into battle again; she was always so worried about little things like head wounds, even when it wasn’t his human night. He was pretty sure the bleeding had stopped now anyway, and he was pretty sure dawn wasn’t too far off.
He blinked, trying to get his eyes back into focus, and did his best to ignore the pounding headache and ringing in his ear. His eye stung where his blood had dripped down past his eyebrow, but it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.
Apart from Shippou, who was currently tugging hard on his sleeve to get him to sit back down, everyone in his pack, everyone he cared about were all out there putting their lives on the line. He belonged out there with them.
He paused in the doorway of the broken down hut, trying to get a handle on what was happening. The large swarm of youkai still whirled overhead, the shrieks and yowls a cacophony that hurt even his human ears. A swarm that he could have easily taken out with one swing of his Tessaiga if only it hadn’t been the night he turned human. He gripped the currently useless katana in his fists angrily, swaying slightly as his head throbbed and his vision blurred.
Shaking his head slightly to see if it would dissipate the ringing in his ears, he spotted Miroku collapsed against a tree panting heavily, feebly clenching and unclenching his cursed hand. He’d obviously overused his kazaana.
Even though he couldn’t see her, he could hear Sango’s cries of ‘Hiraikotsu’ coming from above the swarm as she rode on Kirara, the flames from her paws just visible.
Kagome was standing out in the clearing, feet planted firmly as she shot arrow after arrow, the pink glow of her reiki trailing through the darkness. He couldn’t see her face, but could see the strain in her arms; they were shaking slightly as she took aim yet again. She ducked as a swooping youkai took a swipe at her arm, drawing blood.
With a snarl he lurched forward, ready to protect her, even as he almost stumbled over his own feet, his vision blurring.
“Are you stupid?! Get down! Kitsune-bi!”
A small ball of brilliant blue fox fire shot past his vision, incinerating the saimyōshō that had snuck its way out of the swarm of youkai.
“Inuyasha, get back inside!” Shippou hollered, trying to make his small voice heard over the whirling mass above. “Kagome told you to sit down because of your head!”
“Can’t”, he slurred. “Gotta see what’s goin’ on. Gotta help protect her.”
“Jeez. Fine, you can stay out here. But just sit before Kagome sits you.”
“Shippou, you don’ understand, I gotta-“
“I do understand you big dummy!”
Shippou’s small face was scowling, his tiny fists clenched.
“Why do you think Kagome’s out there right now? And Kirara and Sango and Miroku? You protect us all the time. But you’re hurt, so I’m going to protect you, now. Because that’s what we do for the ones we love. We keep them safe. So sit down before you fall down!”
With a grunt, Inuyasha slid down the wall, the creaking wood barely holding against his weight. As soon as he was down, Shippou climbed into his lap and whipped a leaf out of his sleeve, placing it on Inuyasha’s head.
“There, that should take care of those stupid hornets of Naraku’s – they won’t be able to see you now.”
Inuyasha did his best to wipe the blood out of his eyes, then draped his sleeve protectively over Shippou’s back. Even though the kit talked tough, he was still small, and right now he could feel the tiny kitsune shivering with fright, his tail fluffed up like a terrified cat’s. He patted his hand gently on the kit’s back.
Shippou didn’t answer, but he burrowed a little closer, his tiny hand clenching on Inuyasha’s sleeve. Inuyasha watched as Kagome concentrated on taking out the three final saimyōshō with her arrows.
“She’s amazing”, he slurred, eyes blinking as he struggled to keep them focused on the girl in front of him, ducking and weaving as she avoided attacks while taking aim.
“Don’t tell me, tell her”, muttered Shippou, his tiny paw digging him in the ribs.
“Miroku, Sango, Kirara, I got ‘em all!” Kagome yelled, and Miroku lurched to his feet, his arm at the ready.
As soon as Sango and Kirara were out of the way, he opened his kazaana, sucking in the remainder of the swarm and then collapsing to his knees as soon as it was sealed. In a moment Sango was at his side, hugging him close, while Kirara moved behind him to act as a support for Miroku to lean on, her loud purr obvious praise of his quick action.
Kagome tore past them into the hut, her frantic cry of Inuyasha’s name growing even louder when she couldn’t locate him and Shippou straight away.
“Out here Kagome!” called Shippou, carefully climbing onto Inuyasha’s shoulder so he could remove the leaf from his head.
Kagome dragged the medical kit out of her backpack, and was immediately on her knees at Inuyasha’s side, turning his head to inspect the wound on his temple with anxious eyes.
“At least it’s stopped bleeding”, she sighed in relief. “And you do have a big lump, but I don’t think you’ve cracked anything.” She put her fingers under his chin, turning his head from side to side to look into his eyes. “How do you feel?”
“Amazin’”, he mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open and locked onto hers.
Shippou snorted and rolled his eyes, wriggling off Inuyasha’s lap to go sit with Kirara.
Kagome’s cheeks pinked, but she rolled her eyes.
“And you are concussed. Why did you leap off Kirara like that?!”
“Cause tha’ big one was gonna hurt you. Hadda take him out. Cause-”, his eyes fluttered closed, and Kagome gently tapped him on the cheek.
“Gotta stay awake Inuyasha, it’s not good to sleep with a head wound like this. Stay with me, okay?”
“Always. Keep you safe. Protec you.”
Kagome sighed as she poured some alcohol onto some cotton wool, and began cleaning the edges of the wound as Inuyasha hissed in discomfort.
“I don’t like it when you get hurt like this Inuyasha. It makes me worry.”
“Me too. Your arm. Lemme see.” He pulled at her sleeve, trying to see the bloody scratch marks. Kagome gently removed his hand, smiling a little at his irritated huff.
“I’ll do you a deal. Tonight I’ll worry about you, and as soon as the sun comes up, you can worry about me.”
“Don’ work like that”, he whispered, hissing again as Kagome did her best to close up the wound with tape, knowing as soon as the sun rose that he would have no trouble healing this wound, but not wanting it to get dirty in the meantime.
“Oh? How does it work then?”
“I worry about you all the time”, he huffed. “Even though I know you’re smart. And you’re getting’ stronger. Too many bastards around wantin’ to hurt you.”
“Good thing I’ve got an even bigger bastard wanting to protect me then”, she joked.