The Mists and the Moonlight
Prolog
It was near midnight, only a couple of days after the full moon. Inuyasha stirred slightly as he imagined that he had heard a noise coming from the well. He sat straight, straining to hear another sound, to hear Kagome climbing out, but nothing followed. A curse escaped beneath his breath. He cursed his anxiousness, he cursed Kagome's chronic tardiness, but most of all he cursed his pathetic hearing. Sounds felt so indistinct and muffled to him. He felt as though he were imagining half the things he was hearing.
A few moments later he heard a distinct thud from the well, and the frown upon his face grew more cross. Finally. Kagome didn't call to him for help. It was summer after all; her bag was much lighter. Besides, he sniffed, she probably assumed the company would be sleeping soundly in Kaede's hut. Feh, she should have known he'd be here, especially when the damn bitch is arriving so late at night. It isn't safe to allow her to wander alone, as much trouble as she gets herself into...
The moment Inuyasha spied to the top of Kagome's head rising above the rim of the well, he crossed his arms and legs and closed his eyes. Leaning against his tree, he waited for her to spot him. He did not want to draw too much attention to himself just then. Instead, he focused his hearing, listening for steps to fall. He did not finally find them until her felt her eyes boring into him. He did not give in, and continued to ignore her glare.
"Inuyasha?" she said. He opened his right eye in response, and focused on the teeth that dug a trench into her bottom lip. "Are you alright?"
"Don't I look okay to you?" he sneered and closed his eye again.
She did not falter, but continued to scrutinize his hair, his ears, his face, and his sour expression. He had rings under his eyes and sweat on his brow. The breeze chilled her and she shivered.
"You look fine, Inuyasha. It's just that..."
He opened both eyes and roused his eyebrows, daring her to say it. "It's just what?"
"Well, the moon's just been full . . . and you're human."
Prolog
It was near midnight, only a couple of days after the full moon. Inuyasha stirred slightly as he imagined that he had heard a noise coming from the well. He sat straight, straining to hear another sound, to hear Kagome climbing out, but nothing followed. A curse escaped beneath his breath. He cursed his anxiousness, he cursed Kagome's chronic tardiness, but most of all he cursed his pathetic hearing. Sounds felt so indistinct and muffled to him. He felt as though he were imagining half the things he was hearing.
A few moments later he heard a distinct thud from the well, and the frown upon his face grew more cross. Finally. Kagome didn't call to him for help. It was summer after all; her bag was much lighter. Besides, he sniffed, she probably assumed the company would be sleeping soundly in Kaede's hut. Feh, she should have known he'd be here, especially when the damn bitch is arriving so late at night. It isn't safe to allow her to wander alone, as much trouble as she gets herself into...
The moment Inuyasha spied to the top of Kagome's head rising above the rim of the well, he crossed his arms and legs and closed his eyes. Leaning against his tree, he waited for her to spot him. He did not want to draw too much attention to himself just then. Instead, he focused his hearing, listening for steps to fall. He did not finally find them until her felt her eyes boring into him. He did not give in, and continued to ignore her glare.
"Inuyasha?" she said. He opened his right eye in response, and focused on the teeth that dug a trench into her bottom lip. "Are you alright?"
"Don't I look okay to you?" he sneered and closed his eye again.
She did not falter, but continued to scrutinize his hair, his ears, his face, and his sour expression. He had rings under his eyes and sweat on his brow. The breeze chilled her and she shivered.
"You look fine, Inuyasha. It's just that..."
He opened both eyes and roused his eyebrows, daring her to say it. "It's just what?"
"Well, the moon's just been full . . . and you're human."