After saving a village, the gang are treated to a feast in their honor. Kagome notices Inuyasha not taking part in the festivities and tries to encourage him to join only to discover what the problem is.
1. A Hero's Welcome by ananova
Originally posted to The Inuyasha Fanfic Contest on August 5, 2011 for Prompt #258 Unsung Hero. Won 1st Place.
Title: A Hero's Welcome
Author: ananova
Rating: K+
Prompt: Unsung Hero (The Inuyasha Fanfic Contest)
Genre: Friendship
Word Count: 973
Warnings: None
Summary: After saving a village, the gang are treated to a feast in their honor. Kagome notices Inuyasha not taking part in the festivities and tries to encourage him to join only to discover what the problem is.
Kagome smiled as she accepted the plate of food, thanking the server. She could see Shippou playing with Kirara and some of the village children nearby and Miroku trying to convince Sango to join him in the festivities and dancing taking place near the bonfire, with little success. 'If he can manage to keep his hands to himself,' she reflected as she saw the faint blush on Sango's cheeks, 'he might have a chance.'
A loud slap echoed throughout the area and she shook her head as she watched Sango storm away. “He'll never learn” she sighed before searching for her other companion. She frowned, not seeing him at first. Finally, a flash of silver caught her attention as the light of a nearby torch reflected off of his hair. She couldn't help the frown that formed on her face. Why was he hiding in the shadows by himself? Excusing herself from the nearby villagers she quickly headed in his direction.
“Hey” Kagome began with a smile. “What are doing all the way over here? The party's that way” she pointed back toward the festivities.
“Keh!” He crossed his arms over his chest, face set in an angry scowl before he turned it away. “Don't feel like it” he muttered petulantly.
“Come on Inuyasha, the party's in our honor. Since when do you turn down free food, not to mention boasting about winning a battle?” She reached out to tug on his hand, trying to pull him towards the party.
He resisted, pulling his hand free. “Leave me alone” he growled at her.
Kagome smile fell, her good mood evaporating. “Inuyasha? What's wrong?” Something was clearly bothering her hanyou friend.
“Nothing's wrong wench. Go enjoy your party.” He snorted derisively and Kagome couldn't miss his emphasis on the word your.
“The party's for you too, you know. I mean, you are the one who defeated the youkai and saved the village.”
“Feh!” Then quietly, so quiet she probably wasn't supposed to hear he said “wouldn't know it by the way they acted.”
That gave Kagome pause. 'What?' she wondered. 'He was feeling left out?' Her mind quickly replayed the day's events, especially their return to the village after defeating the youkai that had been plaguing it.
Flashback
“Thank you so much Houshi-sama, Taijiya-sama, Miko-sama. You have saved our humble village. Come we will have a feast in your honor tonight.” The headman waved off all of their half-hearted protests. “No, if not for you our village would have been doomed. It is the least we can do.”
End Flashback
He had made no mention of Inuyasha, she realized belatedly. And when he had given his speech, again he had only thanked her, Miroku and Sango, never saying anything about Inuyasha. In fact, you could recall no one offering him any sort of thanks, even when they were told that it was Inuyasha who took out the youkai. No wonder Inuyasha was feeling left out. It was definitely not the hero's welcome that he so rightly deserved. She felt the urge to go over there and berate them but brushed it off, knowing it wouldn't do any good. People were too set in their ways to change overnight. And with the amount of drinking that had been done in celebration, she doubted anyone would be willing to listen. Instead she focused her attention on the hanyou in front of her, unwilling to let him sulk alone the whole night.
'Well' she decided, her face settling into a firm look of determination. 'No way is he going to be an unsung hero. Not while I'm around.' She glanced from the surly hanyou to the bright festivities taking place only a few feet away before shaking her head. No, once he was like this there was a better chance of pigs flying then him changing his mind and joining in on the party. So instead she pasted a bright smile on her face and said “Come on.”
“I already told you, I don't wanna.” He fixed one golden eye on her in a glare.
“Not that silly. I have some ramen in my bag. We can have our own celebration, just the two of us.”
He turned his face to stare at her, eyebrows raised in surprise. Then realization dawned and he scowled. “I don't want your pity.”
Kagome shook her head, her smile still bright but somehow softening, a knowing look in her eyes. “It's not pity. If they can't see what a great guy you are, then that's their loss. I'd rather spend my time with you than them, any day.” She reached for his hand again, her smile growing wider when he didn't shrug her off this time. Looking him straight in the eye, she gathered her courage and spoke from her heart. “In my eyes, you will always be a hero. My hero. You are a strong, caring, and good person. Even if others are too blind or ignorant to realize that, you can count on me to be there, proving them wrong.” She blinked, blushing as her words sunk in for both of them. “Now, how about that ramen?”
“Keh.” A blush staining his own cheeks, Inuyasha allowed the miko from the future to lead him away from his solitude. Unable to verbalize just what her words meant to him, how deeply they had touched him, he settled for giving her hand a firm squeeze. He may be her hero but she was his, he realized.
Kagome looked back at him, a knowing look on her face and a smile brightening the night. 'Let the villagers have their party to themselves' she thought. 'I've definitely got the better deal.'