A/N: In case you were wondering where the second chapter went, I made the first two chapters into one. I think it's better this way because it's not so broken up and I think it flows better. I've edited this a lot and hopefully I can write the next chapter pretty soon..
DISCLAIMER: Usually people can come up with a funny or witty way to write this, but I got nothin, so I'll just say it (and it's the only time I'm going to, so listen up).. I don't own Inuyasha!!!! Happy now?
Anything but a Fairytale ch. 1
The late afternoon sun shown brightly through the trees. The light wind rustled their branches and the grass swayed gently in it's swift caress.
Kagome trailed behind her shard-hunting friends as they traveled on the dirt path. She was tired from all their traveling lately. They'd been traveling for three days straight without proper rest. She sighed, letting herself get lost in her own musings.
A lot had changed since she had first began her journey with Inuyasha and the others. Two years had pasted since then and Kagome had just turned eighteen not too long ago. Many hardcore study sessions and extra credit assignments later, Kagome would finally be graduating soon and despite all the missed days of school and retaken tests, she had been relieved to have passed through school without flunking.
She really had grown up a lot in the last couple years. She liked to think she was a little more mature, now.. Her eyes her still bright and full of life, but they had calmed a little. She wore her long raven hair that trailed all the way down to her lower back, free from any hair ties as it streamed wildly in the breeze.
She looked even more like Kikyou than she did before, though she was still nothing like her as far as personality went. She could see herself turning more and more into Kikyou every time she looked in the mirror, but she was unable to stop it. Though Kagome might have looked more like Kikyou, she was still Kagome. Not Kikyou, not anyone else, just same old Kagome..
There was no doubt Inuyasha had noticed how much she had changed too. When she had caught him staring at her, she knew it was really Kikyou he saw.. But deep down, she still couldn't help but to hope that maybe it was really her he was seeing. She knew hoping silly things like that was foolish of her.. It would only make it hurt worse in the end.
She dreamed of the day he would tell her he loved her, the day he'd marry her, and even the day when they'd have dog-eared babies. Kagome blushed at the thought.
She decided awhile back to just leave him alone and let him decide in his own time. No matter how much it hurt, she had told herself to move on and yet here she was, still as hung up over him as he hung up over Kikyou. She just couldn't see herself being with anyone else but him..
She hadn't dated anyone since Hojou and even then it really wasn't dating. She felt a little guilty blowing him off all the time and never showing up for their dates. She was actually relieved when he finally got the hint and started dating this new girl at their school. He still said 'hi' to her every time he saw her in the hallway and she guessed they were still friends.
She had also finally stopped wearing that silly school uniform all the time. Kagome glanced down at her clothes. She wore a simple black wife beater that clung to her slender body which had matured into a womanly figure. Though the tank top did leave a lot to the imagination, it did show off her long strong arms and the silky skin of her shoulders. Honestly, she didn't care much about what she looked like. It wasn't as if she was trying to impress anyone. It wasn't as if Inuyasha was interested.. At least he never seemed to be interested..
Kagome's dark jeans hugged her hips, but were still comfortable to move in and she also wore a pair of comfortable running shoes in case a demon were to attack. Her old loafers were very hard to run in and pinched her feet, giving her blisters. Kagome had even switched her old worn yellow back pack for a plain dark blue one after a raccoon demon had gotten a hold of it and ripped it shreds.
"Kagome, are you coming or what?" Inuyasha called to her.
Kagome smiled hearing her beloved hanyou's rough, familiar voice. She sighed. "Yes! Geese, I'm coming!" she shouted back at him, trying to sound irritated. Okay, so maybe she hadn't matured too much.. She also seemed to have picked up a certain cursing habit.. Inuyasha had no doubt rubbed off on her a little..
They usually never meant the things they said, but every once in awhile their 'arguments' still resulted in Kagome going home and Inuyasha having to go and drag her sorry ass back. Kagome had a feeling he sometimes tried to make her mad on purpose. Two years and they really hadn't changed that much.
"Yeah, well hurry it up! I'm growin old here!" He shouted back at her.
"Inuyasha, you don't grow old!" she countered.
"Yeah, well I'll die of old age before you learn to keep up!" He tried to hide his smirk as he heard her footsteps come to a halt. He could feel her eyes glaring at him, but he didn't dare turn around to face her. It wouldn't be long before she said..
"SIT!!" she shouted, sending him face-first into the ground. The poor half demon found himself eating dirt again in an Inuyasha-shaped hole in the hard ground.
Sango sighed as she, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippo just kept walking, ignoring the two bickering pair and leaving them behind.
It wasn't long before a slap echoed through the air along with cursing and a few insults resulting in a beat red hand print across Miroku's cheek.
No, none of them had really changed at all..
LATER THAT NIGHT..
Night had fallen and Miroku had conveniently discovered an 'evil presence' in the nicest looking house in the village. In appreciation, the group was offered a place to stay for the night.
They had traveled all day and had run into a couple of demons after their jewel shards, but the demons were pretty weak. They had easily killed them and continued on their way. But despite all that, they were still tired and worn out from their continuous traveling and due for a good night's rest. The group had become quite a team. Where one lacked, the others made up for. All of them had become a lot stronger over the last few years.
Kagome had learned a lot about different herbs and remedies from Kaede. Sango had even taught her a little about demon slaying. Kagome's archery had been perfected as well. She had become a little more graceful instead of the klutz that she used to be. Her powers had advanced, too. Kaede was helping her to master them. She could put up barriers and she knew a few spells and things of that sort. Her powers were getting stronger every time she trained.
Kagome had to admit, she was a little proud of herself. She actually stood a chance against powerful demons on her own, without any help from Inuyasha or the others.
It was dark out now and the others were already asleep, yet Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. Of coarse, that was to be expected when it was the night of the new moon..
'Maybe I should go look for Inuyasha..' Kagome thought, glancing down at the sleeping fox boy that rested beside her. Smiling slightly, she slipped out of her sleeping bag and stood up, careful not to wake him.
She quietly snuck out the hut and off to find Inuyasha.
When Kagome found him, Inuyasha sat quietly beside the river that ran through the village. His black hair brushed slightly in the light breeze. He looked thoughtful as he stared at his reflection in the water. He sighed and Kagome noticed the small hint of sadness in his expression.
He hated his human nights. He always felt so weak and helpless.
He sighed at his black hair, human ears, and violet eyes staring back at him through the water, seemingly mocking him.
He looked up at the moonless sky. He heard someone clear their throat and tensed, but relaxed a little when he saw it was only Kagome.
She quietly sat beside him and neither of them said anything.
He sighed again and decided to break the silence. "What do you want?" His tone had come out a little harsher than he had intended.
She didn't say anything and just kept staring at the running river that gave her a sense of peace and comfort. She couldn't help but to think it reminded her a little of Inuyasha. It was harsh and rapid, but calming and strong at the same time. It gave her a feeling of contentment and made her feel safe.
She smiled slightly.
He watched her from the corner of his eye. He wondered what she could be thinking..
It had been a long, hard few years for all of them. None of them knew how much longer their journey would last, but they kept going. Through the good times and hard times, making memories together the whole way.
They were family. Something Inuyasha had never got much of a chance to have. They were an odd family, but a family non the less. A perverted monk, violent demon slayer, a temperamental half demon, a kind-hearted young priestess, mischievous fox kit, and not to forget their fire cat companion. He knew the battle between Naraku would be hard and he wouldn't know what he would do without them if the worst should happen. There'd be no guarantee that they'd all make it out alive. No guarantee that even he would make it out alive.. But whatever happened, he could never forget them.
Though, why was it that he only thought about things like this when he was a human..? He'd never admit any of those things, even to himself, when he was a half demon. No matter how true it was..
This worried him. He never wanted them to leave him. He couldn't lose them. They were the only thing he had left to live for..
His thoughts turned to Kikyou and his expression darkened.
Did he still love her? He knew he had strong feelings toward Kagome, but he wasn't quite sure he loved her. He wasn't quite sure he knew what love felt like. They had a strong bond toward each other; he trusted her and she trusted him. He would always protect her.. No matter what happened. He'd seen her shed tears for him, she was the glue that held their small family together, she was strong and brave, though a little naïve at times.. She was Kagome. He knew that she was special in some way.. It was just..
Yep, there he went again. Damn human emotions..
"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice was quiet and there was slight hesitation in her tone.
Inuyasha looked at her. "What?"
She kept her gaze ahead of her and continued. "I.. I've been having these bad feelings lately.." her expression seemed troubled.
"What do you mean?" he asked skeptically.
"I've been having these feelings that something bad is going to happen." She looked at him, her worry shown in her eyes.
He snorted and rolled his violet eyes at her. "Nothing bad is ever going to happen, especially when I'm around." He said as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
Kagome glared at him for brushing her off. "I'm serious. I really am worried.."
Kagome remembered her dream she had two days ago. It had scared her to death. Maybe she was just over reacting, but still, it felt so real..
The blood was everywhere.. Shippo's body laying lifeless on the ground next to Kirara, Sango holding her lifeless brother while she was bleeding to death herself, Miroku losing control of his wind tunnel while Sango cried out and reach for him, yet she didn't have enough strength to get up.. And Inuyasha.. Kagome couldn't bare the image of Inuyasha collapsing to the ground. His body was badly beaten and yet he had pushed himself to keep fighting.. Naraku's evil smirk along with his crimson eyes.. It haunted her. What if that was really what was to become of them? What if it had been more of a premonition instead of a dream? Either way, it didn't help the dark feeling lurking in the pit of her stomach.
Inuyasha just looked at her as she glared at him. He tried not to smirk, but he couldn't help it with the way her nose slightly wrinkled, her cheeks tinted a light shade of pink, and her eyes narrowed at him.. And the way the corner of her perfect lips pouted.
Before it could register in his head, he found himself leaning closer her. Her eyes slid closed and his followed. His lips brushed gently against Kagome's, lingering there for several moments, her lips soft against his. The sensation caused a reaction from Inuyasha's body that he most definitely had not been expecting. He suddenly jerked away from her after realizing what he was doing. They both blushed furiously and neither of them looked at the other.
Inuyasha recovered first. He cleared his throat. "Uh, you should go back and get some sleep." he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Kagome nodded and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He still avoided her gaze. She stood up and started to walk back but stopped. She turned to face him. "Aren't you coming?"
He didn't say anything and Kagome sighed. 'I guess not..' She thought sadly, turning back toward the village and leaving him alone to think.
Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief after she was gone. What the hell had gotten into him? He silently willed his body to calm down and the painful throbbing in his groin to go away. He sighed again, trying to turn his thoughts from thinking about her. Inuyasha took his eyes off his reflection in the running water of the river.
He hated to see himself this way. His human days always made him feel depressed. His past always came back to haunt him on the night of the new moon. The memories were often too much to bare. On these nights, he would often think about his unhappy childhood.
Memories of other kids calling him names, throwing rocks at him, giving him suspecting looks, blaming him for things he didn't do.. But he was a half demon. It was always his fault. He'd often come home to his mother with scrapes and bruises and when she'd ask what happened, he'd say that he fell or some other excuse, but thinking back, he knew that his mother always knew the truth..
He'd grown to hate himself. Why not? Everyone else did.. Somewhere deep down the thought had taunted him that maybe he deserved all those beatings and looks of disgust. Maybe he didn't belong in the world after all. He might have deserved it, but his mother, who had been a kind and forgiving woman who had been simply punished for loving a demon; for loving her son. She had suffered maybe even more than he had. She had never deserved any of it..
Memories of his mother came back to him. He tried to push them back. He couldn't think about it.. He couldn't think about her.. The way she used to hold him as a child.. The way she used to comfort him, holding him close to her heart. Her warm embrace that he'd never feel again.. The way she used to smile down at him with her loving motherly warm eyes. The ones he'd never see again.. The first time he'd seen her cry. The bittersweet emotion in her tearful eyes.. And even the day she had died..
Anger rushed through him, eating away at him. He'd been there the day she had died. And he'd seen it happen. He had a front row seat.. Her blood.. He could still hear her screams echoing through his head..
He'd been force to live through more pain throughout his childhood than most would throughout their whole lives. He'd been forced to fend for himself at a young age, yet he had never cried, even as a child. He refused to breakdown. Not now, not ever. He wouldn't let himself be so weak. He wouldn't give the world the sick satisfaction of knowing that its endless torture had finally gotten to him.
His thoughts suddenly turned back to Kagome, bringing a warm feeling with them. She made him feel as though he wasn't just a 'worthless half breed'. She made him feel as though he belonged somewhere. That he had a place in the world and that his existence wasn't just an accident as he'd been told so many times. So many times, that he'd come to believe it.
Kagome was kind and forgiving and way too damn trusting for her own good. She'd stayed with him even though he was such a jerk to her sometimes. Even through he had caused her so much pain. She forgiven him many times over again. She knew how dangerous it was to be there with him during battles and even when he turned into a full demon. She had treated him with respect and kindness as if he deserved it. She had felt sympathy for him when nobody else did. But, he knew he didn't deserve sympathy from anyone. It wasn't as if he wanted it anyway.
Inuyasha had never spoken of his past to anyone. Not even Kagome or the others. He'd always push back the aching feeling in his chest and avoided talking or thinking about it. It was as if he shoved his emotions into a thick metal volt with fifty massive locks and bolts and hid them there. But when he was human, it was as if the locks suddenly melted away into acid and the bolted door swung wide open to let all his painful memories overflow and spill out where they weren't wanted. He could get away with locking his past away as a demon, but not as a human..
He found himself wanting to push Kagome away because he knew she deserved better. She deserved to live the normal life she always wanted, but he needed her now. He wanted her to move on, but he also wanted her to stay with him. He couldn't live without her. But then again, he didn't know what he wanted.. He was so confused..
Inuyasha turned his gaze at the sky and sighed again. These nights always seemed to last forever..
He froze as he saw something in the moonless night that was white and snake-like that slithered past his vision. They were Kikyou's soul collectors. That meant Kikyou was nearby..
The sudden urge to follow took hold of him. He knew he shouldn't, especially since he was human at the moment. He knew going to her would be betraying Kagome. But he had promised to protect Kikyou; just as he promised Kagome. He needed to make sure she was safe even though he knew Kikyou wasn't the same woman he'd once loved..
Wait.. did he just say Once loved? Did that mean he didn't love Kikyou anymore? He quickly shoved the thought away. He was pretty sure it had just come out wrong.
He turned his attention back to the sky. The soul-collectors were almost out of view by now. Without further thought, he found himself rising from his spot on the ground.
Kagome's heart fluttered in her chest as she took her time walking back to the village. She dropped her fingers from her lips and tried to wipe the dorky smile off her face. She could still feel his soft lips on hers. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Letting out something between a sigh and a yawn, she continued on her way to the hut.
Bed sounded so appealing.. She could almost hear it calling her name..
Kagome paused just as the village came into view. She had a feeling she was being followed.. And her 'feelings' were usually right. She turned around, but was met with nothing but trees and the light rustling of the wind.
She shook her head at herself, pushing the paranoia from the dark depths of her mind and started to walk again.
The wind picked up and it seemed as through all went silent. Kagome slightly shivered from the cold, in her thin sky blue tank top that said 'Dreamer' in silver lettering and matching pajama pants with little silver moons and stars scattered on them. Her long raven hair streamed across her face in the breeze.
She stiffened and let out a muffled gasp as felt a hand come from behind and covered her mouth. Before she had time to react, an object connected with the back of her head. Pain blurred her vision before she collapsed to the ground with a 'thud' and her world was swallowed in darkness.
Inuyasha had followed the soul collectors to a clearing where Kikyou sat leaned against the bottom of a tree. She appeared to be sleeping.
He hesitated to approach her. A slight feeling of dread washed over him. Maybe he shouldn't have come.
Sensing his presence, she opened her eyes. He watched as her cold glare faltered and changed to surprise as if she had just realized who he was.
He stood there and didn't make any movements toward her, nor to say anything. Why did he all of a sudden feel awkward being with her?
She stood using the tree for support as her soul collectors swirled around her.
Inuyasha watched hesitantly as she managed to stand.
She took a few steps toward him and stumbled. His strong arms came to her aid before she connected with the ground.
A ghost of a smile appeared at her lips. 'He's so predictable.' She thought as she looked up at him. Instead of gold, she met his deep violet eyes. He looked so much different as a human. She had always longed for him like this when she was alive. He would have made a perfectly good husband if only he had rid himself of his demon blood. They could have been happy together. She'd have been free of her priestess duties and she could finally settle down as a normal ordinary woman.. If only..
He only held her gaze briefly before he looked away.
She frowned. "Inuyasha, what is wrong?"
He hesitated to answer. "Kikyou, I.." He timidly turned his eyes to her again, but fought to find the right words to say to her.
She put her finger to his lips and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. Somewhere deep down, she knew what he wanted to say..
He tensed at her touch, having to resist the urge to pull away. He hesitated a moment.
She smiled inwardly when he returned the embrace.. as she knew he would.. She took her hand that rested on his chest and slid it into his haori.
He felt a cold chill run through him at her cold fingers before he jerked away. "I don't think it was a good idea I came here.." his voice was quiet and soft, lacking it's usual roughness.
She glared coldly at him, gritting her teeth. "Why? Is it because of that pathetic wench, Kagome?"
He blinked at her a few times, surprised at her bitterness. He refused to look at her again.
Kikyou felt rage and anger run through her when he didn't reply. She stepped toward him as he took a step back, roughly connecting with a tree that had seemingly somehow came out of nowhere. She came closer, taking in his appearance. If only she were still alive.. Suddenly, the thought of dying with him wasn't enough. She wanted him. He belonged to her and she wasn't about to let that fool of an reincarnation get in the way.
A/N: Let me know what you guys think!! This is only my second fic and I haven't even finished my first, so please go easy on me. Constructive criticism is welcomed; just try to hold back with flaming. No, there's not going to be any lemons in case any of you were wondering. I'm not ready to be writing that kind of stuff especially since I'm only fourteen years old and.. Well, let's just leave it at that.. Let me know what ya think!!