Someone to Protect: Toga x Izayoi

Chapter 3: Good Intentions - Part 1

GIF and Picture Credits: From the Inuyasha anime, property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media. 

***

Chapter 3: Good Intentions

Over seven years had passed since Izayoi and Takemaru had first met. Much to her displeasure, he had visited many times since then. In recent years he had obviously been trying to win her over, but his touch made her skin crawl, and the way he spoke about yokai when her parents weren't around-

She could never be with someone that showed such contempt for Lord Toga.

Why couldn't she have been lucky like Ika? Ika had married and moved away with Benjiro the day she turned 17. She had been so eager to start her life with him.

Ika was now expecting her second child and visited when she was able. She radiated joy.

Izayoi radiated dread.

As the days slipped by, Izayoi's anxiety increased. Her eighteenth birthday seemed to loom over her like a rusty sword. She envisioned the sword as barely dangling by a tiny, frayed thread. Each day, each hour, each second she remained with her parents caused that thread to stretch and fray a little bit more.

Her mother called her dramatic. Perhaps she was right. Izayoi figured that as often as her mother nagged, corrected, and admonished people that she was statistically guaranteed to be correct about something.

But not about Takemaru. No matter how often her mother talked with her about him, it did not change how she felt.

And her mother did talk, reminding her, daily, that she was extremely lucky to be entering a family as great as Takemaru's--especially as a second daughter to a lesser family like hers. Karin reminded Izayoi that her future-in-laws had even graciously agreed to extend the engagement until she was seventeen. Now she was pushing eighteen and in danger of breaking the contract and angering the powerful family.

But neither they nor her parents would agree to annul the contract.

"How much longer do you think you can keep that young man waiting, Izayoi?" Her mother had finally asked her. "If you're not careful, he will find somebody else!"

Outwardly she had quietly stated, "So be it."

Inwardly she had shouted, "Good! I hope that he does!"

Her mother had not liked that response, but Izayoi no longer cared. She simply did not like the young man. She knew her parents hoped familiarity would breed love, but it was instead breeding contempt.

Still, what choice did she have? She could run away, she supposed, but a woman on her own with no means to provide for herself... bandits and rogue yokai would be the least of her worries.

Well, in that case, she would hold out for as long as she could. Maybe he would eventually find somebody else.

She doubted it though. Ever since he had challenged Toga in the woods, he had become obsessed with her, with making her love him, with trying to make her denounce Lord Toga.

She hated his wandering hands and too-confident smirk. She hated his breath on her skin and her name on his lips.

At least she had a few more days before she had to see him again--

"Izayoi!" Her mother called. "We have a visitor!"

Her stomach dropped, and Izayoi felt physically sick. Not yet. She still had three more days!

"Tell him to go away! I don't want to see him!"

"And why is that, Izayoi?"

The voice did strange things to her stomach, and she turned with a surprised gasp, her face breaking into a bright, welcoming smile, "Doggie-sama! It's so good to see you! How long are you here for?"