CH. 1 - Thoughts
Synopsis: Kagome finally clears up any confusion between her, Inuyasha and Koga by choosing one of them. Set during the Band of Seven arc.
A/N: An Inuyasha/Kagome story I wrote when I first joined FFN, I'm re-uploading it.
Still in search of Naraku and his castle, Inuyasha and the gang stop by a clearing near a river for night. It also happens to be the night of a new moon – when Inuyasha loses his demon powers and becomes mortal.
As Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Shippo gather around the campfire frying fish, Inuyasha in his mortal form sits cross-armed and legged by the riverbank alone, lost in thought.
He wasn't thinking about Naraku or how the group intends to pursue him but rather about Kagome. It had been her who set him free, her who had stayed by his side even after his meeting with Kikyo where he proclaimed to always protect her so that they wouldn't have to fight anymore. But while he said that to Kikyo, he always looked out for and protected Kagome – he always put her protection before anyone else in the group. He cares for her deeply and deep down knows she is the one he loves, not Kikyo. He also knows that deep down Kagome feels the same. Even if she doesn't show it. Although in several run-ins with Kouga she still stays with him, her efforts however, to help Kouga escape his wrath or injury makes him wonder – is it he or Kouga she wants in spite of her brushback responses to Kouga's advances?
Meanwhile, back at the campsite Shippo is eagerly chewing his fried fish when he suddenly stops seeing that Kagome had stopped eating.
"What the matter, Kagome?" The little fox demon asks.
This prompts Sango and Miroku to stop and look up.
Kagome simply replies, "Oh, it's nothing, just Inuyasha, he's just sitting there alone."
"Well this is the one night when his is most vulnerable, perhaps he just wants to be left alone." Miroku suggests.
"Hmm," agrees Kagome, "still..."
A short while later, while the rest move up to a grass clearing, preparing to go to sleep, Kagome sits staring at Inuyasha, who still has yet to move.
I should go down there and see what's bothering him, she thinks. Kagome kicking over a pebble as she sits down next to him suddenly interrupts Inuyasha's train of thought.
"Hey." She says simply. "Hey." He replies back still not moving.
"Are you all right, Inuyasha? Kagome finally asks after what seemed like hours.
"I'm okay," Inuyasha replies again not moving and not a change in his deadpan voice.
"You're lying," Kagome, whispers looking down.
He didn't respond. They both sit there, neither saying a word until Kagome finally begins again, "Really, what's bothering you, maybe I can help? It is Naraku? Sesshomaru? The Band of Seven? Kouga?" She guesses.
The last one struck a nerve, apparently, as Inuyasha turns and faces her, his auburn eyes staring into her deep brown ones as he takes her hand. Kagome slightly confused looks down at them.
"Kagome…" he says. "I- I- don't love… Kikyo," he manages.
Still confused all she could say was, "Huh?" with a confused look. "I don't know what you're talking about?" she replies.
"Look, I'm not as dense as you or others think I am and I'm not blind either, I know or at least I think I know how you feel about me," Inuyasha continues semi-cryptically.
"Inuyasha…" was Kagome's response.
Inuyasha then got up and said, "I'll see you in the morning," once again in his deadpan voice and left.