Kagome figured Inuyasha had said something she shouldn’t have, knowing her husband as well as she knew herself. This situation seemed to add to the list of many that began because of his temper. However, unlike in their teen years, he was admitting it outright and felt regret for it. That alone showed how he wasn’t the same boy she unpinned from the tree all those years back, and for that, she was proud.
“No wonder she seemed so confused…” She speaks, her tone soft as she stares into her husband’s golden hues with her wooden ones. “You told her one thing, but your temper made it seem like the opposite. She is only six. It’s understandable she wouldn’t be able to fully understand things like this, and instead latched onto how you were talking.”
Though, she could not totally blame Inuyasha for his reaction. Considering his childhood and what he had gone through, it only made sense. He was a very protective individual, especially of her and the little one they together had brought into this world. That was why she wanted to at least try to ease the concept into Moroha, knowing the day like today would come.
Her heart aches though to see him being so hard on himself, hearing the sounds of his claws into the wooden floor below them. At this rate, he might get so upset they could break. So, there was only one thing a woman like her could do to help. She moves her position behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders as her lead then leans on his. It’s a position he should know full well by now, one that meant she was here for him. Kagome was his own rock as much as he was her own.
“I know. I understand, Inuyasha. Believe me, I do. I’m not mad.” Her words are as sincere as always, Kagome herself not exactly being the best liar. She then moves to kiss him on the cheek before returning to her point. “That’s the last thing I or you want for Moroha. We’ve tried to make sure she is surrounded by family and friends who love her for who she is, and considering she knew to run off to Sango’s where her cousin Hisui is, I think we’ve managed to do that. Though, we can’t protect her from everything. We just need to be sure to be there for her. We’ll explain things to her when she comes back. Don’t be so hard on yourself, okay?”
He exhales softly through his nose, tilting his head back to lean back against his wife’s. He brings his hand up from the floor, clutching her hand tightly, but not so tight as to cause her any harm. Kagome always had that sort of calming effect on him; much as he sometimes hated to, hated letting her see him in any sort of weakness, he could lean on her just as much as he let her lean on him.
“I should’ve done better,” he mutters, half to himself. Years ago, he’d always felt like the world was ending whenever he saw Kagome get upset, especially when he was the cause, intentional or not. Now that feeling was back, tenfold, at seeing his daughter get upset and knowing he was the cause of it. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper in front of her.”
Kagome’s logic is a blessing as much as it is a curse; her words make sense, but do little to sooth his already-troubled mind. Moroha was still so little. She was tough, sure, tougher than most kids at her age would be, but she was still small. Whenever Inuyasha looked at her, all he could see was the fragile little bundle in her mother’s arms from the first night he’d ever laid eyes on her.
Who could fault him for just wanting to protect her, from lashing out when he felt like he had failed? But he’d misdirected his anger, and his daughter had been caught up in it instead. How could he not blame himself for the fear in Moroha’s eyes, fear that his temper had caused?
“I should be able to protect her from everything. I’m strong enough.” Never mind the fact that there’s some threats he can’t take care of by hitting them with his sword a few times. “I know what it’s like growin’ up and having everyone hate me just for existing. Why shouldn’t I be able to keep her safe from that?”