The Next Stage:
Hot Springs 2

By Danyealle

(Fan Fiction/Inuyasha)

Chapter 4
Rabid Hanyou

The improvements in his attitude within the group didn’t extend to others outside their small pack.  Those had actually gotten worse.  To those that they weren’t familiar with or total strangers he could be more scary than he had ever been if they expressed an appreciation for Kagomes’ looks or dress.  Even if someone looked at her in a slightly lustful way it would set him off.  Sango was surprised that Kagome gave him free reign with it instead of ‘sitting’ him like she usually did.  When asked the young miko smiled and shook her head then said, “Give him some time and he’ll calm down.  When he finally gets it through his thick skull that I won’t leave him for anyone else he’ll lighten up.”

To Sango, that was a stunning statement but make sense.  It was obvious that the hanyou was insecure about the relationship.  Given his track record in that area it was understandable.

Worse than that though, in Inuyasha’s’ eyes, was Kouga...  Everyone, except Inuyasha and the wolf demon himself, could see that Kagome viewed him as nothing more than a friend.  She had never seen him in any kind of romantic light and most assuredly didn’t see herself as ‘his woman’, no matter what he may have thought on the matter.  Even Inuyasha had been slowly coming to that conclusion on his own.  After all the hanyou had rescued him from Naraku a couple times in the past since he had professed his want of Kagome.  One might have even said that they had become friends on some kind of level despite the insults they tossed back and forth whenever they crossed paths.  Months after the fact Miroku said he had actually felt genuinely sorry for Kouga when he tore into camp for the first time after things started changing.

It started out the same as it always did’ the normal tell-tale whirlwind blew into camp and stopped in front of where Kagome and Inuyasha had been sitting.  When the wind and dust had settled there was the wolf demon looking at Inuyasha.  Again, as normal, he started out with his usual greeting to the half-demon, “Hey Muttface!   Are you making sure nothing happens to my…”  Before the he could finish the sentence things stopped being normal.

Stepping in front of the black-haired miko, Inuyasha put one hand on her to make sure she stayed behind him.  His other hand already had the Tetsusaiga in it.  Within seconds the point of it was pressing into Kouga’s Adams’ apple.  Golden eyes were ablaze and Inuyasha was growling loudly, fangs barred.

It took at least a full minute for the scene to register in the wolf demons’ brain.  There was no doubt about it, Inuyasha was PISSED!  Blinking, he took a step back, wanting to get away from the feeling of the blade against his throat.  First, he glanced at the monk and slayer, bewildered.  Then he looked back at the half-demon.  He could see Kagome behind him.  She had one arm around Inuyasha’s, waist and the other hand on his shoulder.  From over his shoulder her eyes were on Kouga.  Normally she would have stepped between the two by now or at least have said something to the hanyou but that hadn’t happened nor did it look as though it would.

Blinking again, Kouga took another couple steps back, sliding beyond bewildered into the land of totally fucking confused.  It wasn’t until a light breeze carried a puff of her scent to him that he understood.  The hanyou hadn’t mated her but he had finally claimed her as his.  Mingled with that was the smell of sex.  Finally, the hanyou had quit the dance and had wised up.

Despite all his bluff and bullshit, Kouga had always known she wasn’t ‘his woman’.  It would have been obvious to a blind mind that her heart belonged to Inuyasha; it always had and probably always would, no matter what.  Despite his kidnapping her after they first met she had been his friend and he knew that was all it would ever be.  That was fine with him.  He had continued on with the ‘my woman’ routine to goad the hanyou and partially because it had been expected of him after a point in time.  Maybe somewhere in there was a bit because he was trying to prod the hard-headed Inuyasha in the right direction. 

Also, despite his bravado, and their scraps in the past, he knew he couldn’t defeat Inuyasha in a fight.  The half-demon was far too powerful for him to stand a snowballs chance in hell of winning.  To take on someone like that when they were defending their woman was suicidal and foolish.

Assessing the situation quickly he stepped back in front of Inuyasha.  Nodding, to let the hanyou know his intentions were benign, he looked at Kagome then said, “Can I have a minute alone with Dogbreath?”

Nodding, she smiled, “Sure Kouga.”  She rubbed Inuyasha’s shoulder lightly then walked over to join the monk and the slayer.

Watching her leave, Inuyasha then lowered the sword and stood up straight, looking at his rival, “What do you want you mangy wolf?”  He sneered but the anger that had been in his voice was gone.

Steeling himself, the wolf sighed then said, softly so none of the humans could hear, “It’s about time you come to your senses you fool.”

The hanyou’s eyes and ears flickered a bit but he nodded, acknowledging the truth of the statement.

Pointing a finger at him Kouga said, “And you take care of her.  Not because she is my woman but because she’s my friend.  If you hurt her we will fight.  I might not be able to beat you but I will give you a pounding you will never forget.”  He then held out his hand to the half-demon.

Nodding, Inuyasha took the hand and shook it, “Understood.”