Title:  The God of the Well

Rating: PG

Disclaimer:  I don't own Inuyasha, this is merely for craps and giggles and my own amusement as well as those of other deranged fan girls because, damnit, don't they belong together?  I mean, really?!

Summary:  Erm…. Set a couple of years after the big bad as been stopped.  I have only read the first few books of Inuyasha, and those were  years ago, so just step around the demon-sized plotholes and let your imagination take you into that place mine affectionately calls, "The Happy Place".

The God of the Well

"They say that a god lives there!"  The girl smiled at Sota.  She changed the topic before suddenly turning back to answer Sota's question.  "You look cute in your uniform.  But they say there's a god at your shrine, Sota!  People say that if somebody goes to the well and asks for his help, that he will arrive from it a blue light that sparkles like sapphires and he'll give you all the help you need.  Some kids say that's frightened away monsters under the bed, while others say he's watched over them at the toughest times of their lives.  My mother doesn't believe it's a god, she says it's a guardian angel."

Sota leaned forward, his cheeks going red.  He liked Ai, after all.  "What do people say he looks like?"

"They say he has the fangs of a vampire and the ears of a wolf, with hair that looks like the glow of a full moon.  And he dresses all in red.  There's even a necklace around his neck.  One girl asked him about it and he said that it was special to him because it reminded him of someone he cared for very much."  Ai blinked her sea blue eyes at him.  "I can't believe that you live at the well, and yet you ask me to tell that story. A lot.  That's, what, the second time this month?  What is it about the tale that you like hearing so much?"

The boy smiled at her gently.  "I'm waiting for the ending."

Ai blinked curiously.  "Whatever do you mean?  There is no ending.  It's a legend."

"Not true.  It's the truth.  I've seen the so-called god myself.  He was my hero when I was younger."  He caught her staring at him with a dropped jaw.  "I'm not lying, Ai."

"I know.  I've seen him too.  At least, I think I've seen him."  She went a bit red herself.  "Except that when I saw him, he didn't have fangs or ears, or even silver hair.  But he still dressed in red, and he carried a sword with him.  Is he really a god, Sota?"

"His name is Inuyasha.  He's a demon.  Are the stories as wide spread as you say they are?"  The blue-eyed girl nodded.  Sota sighed.  "Then I guess Kagome should hear it from me.  Thank you, Ai.  And thank you for the chocolate!"

Her blush increased ten-fold.  She stared at her lunch, poking at her rice.  "You're very welcome, Sota.  Where are you going?"

"Home.  I need to call my sister.  She should be here tonight.  It should be done tonight.  I bet you she's still making chocolate for him still.  But then she never comes home, and I she ends up eating all the homemade chocolate herself." 

"Kagome makes chocolate for who?"

Sota glanced over his shoulder.  "Well, for Inuyasha, of course.  Who else?"

Ai stared at him a moment before she slammed her lunch away and bolted after him.  "Hey!  Sota!  Wait up!  I'm coming too! So-TA!"

~*~

Throwing her bag on the floor of her residence apartment, Kagome slammed the door shut and stared her accursed knapsack.  Stupid homework.  One would think that with balancing destroying demons -watching Inuyasha destroy them, really- and studying for school all at the same time, Kagome would have gotten used to balancing her time better, but no.  Of course, she was working a job, and. . . .


"Higurashi Kagome, open up this door right now!"  He sounded angry, but Kagome knew that Hojo didn't really get angry.  She meekly opened up the door and stared at him.  She'd kill whichever of her roommates allowed Hojo entrance.  He looked hurt.  "You still like him.  No, I don't care that I don't care who 'he' is!  You still like him, this guy that made you get a dreamy look in your eyes back when we were in junior high!  Kagome. . . ."

"What, Hojo?  Are you going to tell me that I should let him go just because I haven't seen him in a few years?  I don't care.  I don't care how long I must wait, the fact is that I told him that I'd wait for him.  I'd wait for him to come and get me, or to give me a message for me to go to him.  I'll even wait for us both to die!"  She felt tears of outrage sting her eyes.  "I love him, Hojo!  I love him, and I never even told him!  And I let him push me away, and now I can't go back!  He's... keeping me here.  I let him push me, and now I have to wait until he's ready to accept me again.  And I will wait as long as I have to!"

Hojo suddenly leaned forward and kissed her cheek.  "I admire you.  I thought I could be like you, Kagome.  But I don't have that kind of patience.  I hope that you get him, Kagome, and when you do, I'm going to shake the hand of the man who was lucky enough to win your heart.  See ya at school tomorrow, Kagome!"

She stared after him as he walked down the hall, whistling to himself cheerfully.  She touched her cheek, shook her head, and shut the door.  Hojo had never been her boyfriend.  She had never returned his feelings.  For a long time he'd hoped that she might, but they had been strictly friends for many years.  His words were special to her, and made her care for him all the more, but Hojo had spoken them for himself, as if he had needed to hear them out loud before he could really move on.

The ringing phone interrupted her thoughts.  She cursed her bag again as she walked over it.  "Hello?"

"Hiya, sis."

"Sota!  How are you?  And Mom and Grandpa?"

"Everybody's fine."

Kagome giggled.  "Good.  But if everybody's fine, then why do you sound so serious, Sota?"

She sensed her brother shrugged on the other side of the phone line.  "I... I was just thinking.  Look, Kagome, can you catch a train tonight to come home?  I know it'll be late, but it is a Friday, after all, and, good!  Great, even!  And you made chocolates, didn't you?  Great!  Can you bring them?  Ai didn't give me any this year."  She heard a giggle in the background.  "So, when will you be here?"

~*~

Running up the steps of the shrine made Kagome think, which she did a lot as a university student.  But she liked thinking.  It kept her from worrying about whether or not Inuyasha and all the others were alright.  Which she also did often.  Maybe too often.  Her friends would catch her with a far-off look in her eyes and nobody could drag her out of it but herself.  For the first time in a long time she was running to her house not of out fear, habit, or excitement, but curiosity.  Her brother was already running at her when she reached the top step.  His hug nearly sent her toppling over the edge again, and then she'd have to walk all the way back up.


"I missed you too, Sota."  She kissed his head and hugged him back.  Her brother towered over her.  Spotting the girl meekly standing behind her brother, Kagome smiled and offered her hand.  "And this must be Ai!  I'm very pleased to meet you."  Sota would admit that his sister had changed greatly since the day when she had first fallen in the well, but as strong she was, she was first and foremost still kind and polite.

The other girl bowed.  "Sota and I are very sorry about what we have to do." 

Then, suddenly, there were arms around her and she was being pushed.  She looked around and saw the arms belonged to her brother's friends, she even recognized Satoru, who last year had told Kagome that he still saw his sister now and then and had been asked to say hi from the young spirit.

She saw that they were pushing her towards the well, and began to squirm.  Kagome couldn't actually fight them off, but she could try and wiggle away.  "Sota!  Sota what are you doing?  This is what you dragged me on three hours of buses and subways for?  Sota!!"  The arms and hands threw her in the well-house and slammed the door shut.  She pounded on it.  "Sota!  Let me out!"

"Not until you talk to him, Kagome!  Call him up and talk to him!  Ask him what he's been up to!  Ask him what he's been doing since you left town, Kagome!  Ask Inuyasha what trouble he's been causing since he knew that he wouldn't run the risk of meeting with you!  Just call him up and talk to him!"  His brother's voice changed.  "Please, Kagome?  You're not the only one who misses him, you know."

Kagome didn't have to think about it for very long.  In her pain, she'd somehow forgotten how much her brother had respected Inuyasha.  Of course she wasn't the only one who missed him!  Nonetheless, she nibbled a finger and paced for a moment.  Then she chewed a piece of gum and fixed her clothes and hair, even slapping on a bit of lip balm.  Then she felt stupid.  Finally, she paced again, until her heart couldn't take it anymore.

Leaning over the well, she was tempted to go over there, and... well, why shouldn't she?  It would be a bit more private, after all.  Urg!  Or what it?  She'd bet Myoga was still hanging around, unless Inuyasha had recently been fighting.  Shippo might still be hanging around.  After all, where else would he go?  And then there was Sango, Kaede, and Miroku.  She'd love to see them all again, but.... so she slowly climbed down the well, her foot touching solid ground.  She sat down in the dirt of the well.  She doodled in the dirt, and then realized that she'd drawn a happy face with fangs and puppy ears.

She swiped the picture away.  What did she have to be worried about?

'Worried that he doesn't show up. . . .'

A tear rolled down her cheek, and splashed on the ground.  She closed her eyes and told her that she was being stupid.

When she opened her eyes, a nose was touching hers.  She screamed and fell over.  His laughter was infuriating, but she'd missed it.  Kagome sat back up and yelled 'sit'. There was a heavy thump, and then she was the one laughing.  "Sota says that I'm to ask you what you've been doing these past few years."

Inuyasha picked himself up out of the dirt.  "Gee, you don't cut around the bushes, do you?  Whatever happened to asking me how I was, or how your friends are or how I... Ack!"  He hadn't even sat up before Kagome tackled him, hugging him.  He'd been knocked flat on his back, and her head nuzzled his chest.  He didn't need words to know what she was feeling.  "I missed you too, Kagome.  Why are you crying?  You're too old to be crying."

"Stupid Inuyasha!  I'm crying because I missed you!" 


'Oh.'

"How is everybody?  Has anything happened in the time I've been gone?  What have you been up to?  How's the village? How did you get here so fast? Tell me everything!"

He rubbed his nose.  "Well, I don't think that I have a lot of time to explain everything."  Then he recalled what Sota had told her to do.  He really didn't want to answer that question.  "I heard you calling to me and I came."

She sat up a bit.  "But I never. . . ."

"Not with your voice, you didn't," he said, placing a finger on her lips.  He tapped her heart with his finger.  "You called me with this.  I can always hear it when you call me, but I can't always come.  Somebody needs to defend that village, but Shippo's doing a good job himself, now that he's older.  One of the girls in the village even has a crush on him."

"Inuyasha, are you gossiping?  Answer my other questions!"

"That's what I'm trying to do, woman!"  She asks him all these questions, and then she tells him to answer them when that's what he was already doing!  Inuyasha wondered why he'd vowed to be on his best behaviour until he remembered that he was trying to impress her.

"Okay, then in that case just answer me the one question.  How come Sota asked me to come see you?"  She lifted herself off him and sat back, staring at him intently.  He'd changed a lot.  The basic things were still the same: hair colour, the adorable ears, the eyes that made her think of phrases she'd only heard in romance novels, like "burning with passion".  But there were cares on his face that had not been there before.  Now she traced them with her fingers, wondering what had been going on in the past.  Kagome had been sent here for a reason, and she wouldn't leave until her quest had been fulfilled, and then she would ask him about other things.

Glancing at Kagome from the corner of his eye, he turned to face her when she touched his face.  He was surprised to see that she was slightly paler than the last time they'd seen each other.  She'd gotten older, too, it was obvious.  She hadn't grown or anything, but she had filled out.  Her hair didn't seem as thick as before, and now it framed her face and shoulders.  It still smelled the same.  She seemed shapelier too.  But she was still his Kagome, that was obvious to him.

"I've been coming back to Earth!"

Without a twitch, she slapped him.  "What do you mean you've been coming back to Earth?"

He rubbed his cheek.  "I mean what I said, Kagome!  I've.  Been.  Coming.  Back.  To.  Earth.  Back to here, to this time!  Things have quieted down and now I have to try and watch over things here, too.  What is it they call me?  Oh yes, the god of the well.  If somebody comes in and asks for help, I'll come and help them.  You'd be surprised at how many things are related to spirits or demons.  I especially like to help little kids.  They don't question what they see.  And they don't pull on my ears so much."

"Sorry!" She blushed and stopped feeling them.  For hinting that he didn't like it, his cheeks certainly were red!  "Inuyasha... why didn't you say something?  Why didn't you tell me that you were doing this?  It could have been like before, Inuyasha! We could have been partners!"

"Because I need to do it alone, Kagome."  His words caught her off-guard.  Inuyasha's eyes were like pure gold as he looked at her. "Kagome, I've taken a lot of lives.  Demon or not, they were still lives, and I need to pay for that.  I don't expect you to understand, but. . . ."


"I do understand, Inuyasha."  He found a smile growing on her face.  "All right, I don't understand all of it, but I know what you mean, and I can accept it.  So I'm sorry for slapping you like that."

"Feh.  That's okay.  You didn't hurt me anyway."  They stared at each other a moment.  "You know, I expected you to try and call me a lot sooner than you did."

"Really? Why?"

"Because you never listen to me!"  She took a good-natured swing at him.  He ducked under it and leaned in close, his forehead against hers.  "I've been thinking about you just as much as you have me, you know."

She felt herself starting to cry again, and her tears only came harder when he dried her cheeks.  He rested his hand on her skin, as he felt the heat rise to her face.  "What I don't get is why you never phoned, or left a message for me or anything why you were here!  How come you couldn't tell me what you were doing?  It would have given me a renewed sense of hope, knowing that my prince was out slaying dragons and rescuing princesses to turn into somebody that he'll be proud to present to his one true love."

He closed his eyes.  He'd never noticed how dark and long his lashes were.  No wonder his eyes always looked as though they were glowing!  "Because I didn't know how you would react.  I was scared."  Inuyasha knew Kagome was aware of hard it was for him to admit that.  "Come back with me."

Kagome sighed.  "Oh, Inuyasha, I can't."

"Not even for a visit?"

She grinned at him, and rubbed her nose against his.  Kagome noticed that they were sitting closer together and wondered when that had happened.  "I can't tonight.  I have a job and everything now, Inuyasha.  But let me have some time to book a weekend off of work, and I swear that I'll come.  I'll spend the whole weekend!"

"Really?"  She nodded, and he smiled at her.  Kagome couldn't recall seeing him look so handsome, or so happy.  "Then that's all I need.  Whenever you need me, just say my name out loud and I'll be there as soon as I can.  But even when you just think of me, I'll hear you and I'll be thinking of you too.  See ya, Kagome!"

Before she could react, he was gone, vanished in a flash of blue light. 

She felt abandoned.  Then she glanced behind her and remembered what day it was.  "I forgot to give it to Inuyasha!"

"Already?  I've been gone two whole seconds and you call me back already!"  She leapt at him, almost knocking him over again.  This time he was prepared and caught her, even laughing already.  "If you keep on taking advantage of my kind heart and speed, I might just need to make a different offer to you.  What's the matter, Kagome?  Couldn't get enough of me?"

"Yes!" she honestly bellowed.  "I haven't seen you in years and then you just up and leave me like that before I could tell you everything I wanted or even say a proper goodbye!  And no, it couldn't wait for a week or two!  Here, I made this for you."  She dug into her trusty yellow knapsack and pulled out a small pink package.  Her face matched the package.  "Today's Valentine's Day.  It's traditional for people to give loved ones chocolate or a gift on Valentine's Day."

His head shot up from the package to look at her, wondering if she'd known what she'd implied.  "Kagome, I. . . ."

"I love you.  I couldn't say it back then, Inuyasha, but I can now.  I think I've always loved you.  And if you don't feel the same way, then at least I've told you how I feel about you!"


"Kagome, will you shut up and let me finish?"  His angry look melted away, and he put the package down gently on the ground, as if it were a treasured item to him instead of just a piece of candy.  His back was straight, but his eyes were soft.  "I love you, too."

"Really?"

"Well, fuck, Kagome!  Do you think I'd lie about something like that?"

She lowered her eyes, and gentle lips bent down to touch hers.  It was just a peck on the lips, and barely lasted a second, but Kagome knew she'd never forget it.  His lips were dry and gentle, and his eyes were a mixture of nervousness and happiness that made it seem that the past few years had never been, and they were once again young adults hunting down shards of the Shikon jewel. 

"The only thing is, Kagome, that I don't have anything to give you back."

Kagome reached out and took his hand.  "You've already given me enough.  You've given me more than enough.  You've protected me, saved my life, saved that of my friends and family... and now you've given me your heart, and a kiss I've wanted for ages, and... and. . . ."

He kissed her again, this one a little bit longer, but short and sweet none the less.  It was just enough to keep her from rambling.  Kagome squeezed his hand.  "Are you going to be kissing me like that when I come and visit you?"  He nodded, and Kagome wished she could have left with him then.  She wished they could have stayed together, but she respected his desire to do good works before he decided to settle down.  The demon needed to become a prince before there could finally be a happy ending.  "Inuyasha, it might take you forever to become what it is you want to become.  I just want you to know that I'll wait.  However long it takes for you to become happy with yourself, I'll be waiting."

"I know you will, Kagome."  He ran his fingers through her hair.  "That's part of why I love you after all.  So I guess until I am happy with myself, you'll continue guarding the jewel, and I'll continue being the god of the well, helping people when they need it."

"Do you need to be back right now?"  He shook his head and she drew him close.  "Then kiss me again. And don't leave until you have to."

~*~

Everyone had left except for Ai and Sota.  She yawned and put her head on his shoulder.  "Do you think they're still talking?  I haven't heard any raised voices for awhile."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you that eavesdropping is a bad habit?" 

They both shot up.  Ai stared at the handsome man who didn't really quite look like a man at all.  Sota grinned and gave him a bear hug.  Kagome laughed behind Inuyasha.  Sota turned to Ai.  "Meet Inuyasha in his demon form, Ai!"

"I remember you."  He ruffled her hair.  "You were the one who was afraid of the monster in the closet.  I hope he's not bothering you anymore."

She bowed her head.  "No, he isn't, thank you sir. Talking to him helped me a lot!  In fact, we quite often have conversations together."  Ai laughed at the funny looks.  "What?"

Sota looked between his sister and the demon.  "Did you to get everything worked out?"

They beamed at each other and he noticed they were holding hands.  Kagome leaned down and pecked him on the cheek.  "Yes, we did, thank you, Sota.  And we're going to be seeing a lot more of each other from now on.  But it's nice to know that.  And it's nice to hear those words out loud.  So I expect to hear them a lot more, Inuyasha!"


He looked at them eagerly.  "Then is this the ending?"

Inuyasha laughed at him.  "Sota, I was impaled to a tree.  We've been to the edge of hell and back.  It'll never end for us.  The wheel of life will keep on turning, and well keep's running with it.  But the running will be easier now, because we have each other.  There won't be an ending until the legend is over, and this story's far from being over."

"And what legend is that, sir?"

Kagome smiled at everybody.  "Life, Ai, life."