Chapter 3 (aka sucky filler chapter.)
I am soooo sorry about not updating in.. 4 and a half months! I had writer's block. Yes. For 4 months. And I still sorta do, for this fic. So just bear with me. I know this is going a bit slow, but trust me, I'll make the next chapter amazing. And I'll try to make it super long. I might put a few chapters on here today. Just bearrrrr with meeeeeeeeeee.
These characters do not belong to me in any way. They belong to the almighty Rumiko Takahashi and I don't take credit for them and all that good stuff.
Enjoy the sucky filler chapter! 3
~nekos
Kagome sat in her new room that she shared with Yuka. Two twin beds, a couple desks, clothes strewn everywhere.
They'd only lived here a few weeks and it was already a mess. Now, Kagome regretted choosing to share a room with Yuka. She found out that she was very, very messy. And she was always staying out late and going to clubs. Why couldn't Kagome have roomed with Ayumi? Ayumi, the gentle, kind, nice, and clean one?
Leave it to Kagome to make messes of everything. She laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Yuka reminded her a lot of Sango for some reason. Yuka always stuck up for her and was a brave spirit.
Kagome used to think the Yuka was Sango's reincarnation. That was silly, though. They didn't look anything alike.
"Kagome-chan!" Kagome heard Ayumi call from the kitchen, "Can you help me cook something? Hojo's coming over in an hour and I haven't even made dinner!"
Oh, did Kagome mention that Ayumi was dating Hojo? Yeah, and they were engaged.
Hojo and Kagome had tried dating a few years ago, after the well had locked her out. Turns out it didn't work out. They didn't have anything to talk about, and all Hojo did was give her stuff for illnesses she didn't have. So, they broke up and Hojo and Ayumi started dating. And they hit it off real quick.
"Yeah, Ayumi-chan, I'll be right there!" Kagome stood up and tied her hair into a loose half-bun.
She sauntered into the kitchen and found Ayumi covered from head to toe in flour. The kitchen was a mess and something was burning.
"Um, Mi-chan, what happened here?" Kagome asked, bewildered. She knew Ayumi couldn't cook, but she didn't know she was this bad.
Ayumi gave her a small smile, "Um, I tried to make souffle, because it's his favourite and.." She bit her lip, "I don't have time to make another, and it's just so important to him.."
Kagome came forward and gave Ayumi a hug, "It's okay, Mi-chan, I'll help you, don't worry about it."
Ayumi sniffled and Kagome felt her nod. Kagome let go and began cleaning out the souffle pan. She should just throw it away, but she didn't want to shake Ayumi anymore.
Ayumi began to clean the countertops, "I'm so sorry about this, Kagome, I didn't mean to bother you,"
Kagome shrugged, "I wasn't busy or anything. I was just mentally complaining about Yuka's organisation skills."
Ayumi gave a dry chuckle, "Yeah, she is messy. Whenever she came over for sleepovers, we had to deep clean my room,"
Kagome and Ayumi talked for a while, until the kitchen was clean. Kagome wiped her brow, "All done!"
Ayumi smiled and hugged Kagome, "Thank you so much! I owe you one, okay?"
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Holy crap!" Ayumi shouted, suddenly frantic, "I haven't cooked anything, I'm not dressed, and he's already here! Where did the time go?!"
Kagome took her friend by the shoulders, "Mi-chan, calm down, just explain to him. You guys are engaged, he'll understand."
Ayumi nodded, "Okay, thanks Kagome. Um.. Could you..?"
Kagome knew what she meant. She was going to go check on her mom anyways.
"Yeah, of course," She patted Ayumi on her shoulder, slid on some sandals, and headed out the door, waving at Hojo as she went.
She walked down the countless flights of stairs. The elevators were always out of order around here, but she didn't mind. Walking around with InuYasha had strengthened her legs, and whenever she walked a lot, it reminded her of him.
"Kagome, don't leave me, okay?" InuYasha said, staring at the fire.
He'd caught her by surprise, saying that. He was only ever sentimental at night, when they had nothing to lose. When they were alone.
"Why would I leave you?" Kagome smiled. The one that she reserved for InuYasha.
InuYasha shook his head and leaned back against the tree, "I just feel like.. You'll leave. It's a nagging feeling, like, I'm never going to see you again."
Kagome laughed, but it wasn't humorous. What InuYasha had just said sent a ripple of fear through her.
"I promise, I won't. Swear on my life." Kagome whispered.
InuYasha nodded, "Go to sleep, we need to get up early tomorrow."
InuYasha had been right. Just a couple weeks after that conversation, the well had taken her in and she couldn't go back. She'd tried countless times to go back. And she hadn't stopped. She still tried to jump in every couple of months, like the well would change its mind.
Kagome sat in her car and started the engine. Her mom had got it for her as a going away present. It was used, but it was cute, and she knew her mom worked hard to get it for her. And she was glad she didn't have to walk to the store anymore. She turned out of the parking lot and played a random station on the radio.
00
Sesshoumaru sat under the cherry tree in the garden, staring at the falling cherry blossoms.
"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."
Sesshoumaru should have paid more attention to that. Should have killed Akira on the spot before he laid a finger on Rin.
Sesshoumaru should have sent her off to get married before any harm could come to her. Should have erased the scent of her from the Western Shiro and made her stay in the village of Edo.
When he had awoken the next morning, he couldn't find her. Couldn't pick up her fresh scent of wildflowers and wind.
"Sesshoumaru-Sama! Sesshoumaru-Sama!" He'd heard a servant call. It was Bunko, Rin's personal servant.
"What is it, Bunko?" Sesshoumaru said, trying to sound calm, trying to sound like he wasn't worried about Rin, because she was just a human, and he was a youkai and she wasn't supposed to matter.
"Rin! She has been stolen! She was not there when I came to check on her, and the only other person who is gone is Akira!" She sputtered frantically. Her eyes were wide and her arms were flapping, much like a flustered bird.
Sesshoumaru's eyebrows raised just a fraction. Akira? Surely Rin wasn't dead. He took a sniff. No, he didn't smell blood. He didn't smell her blood.
"She was here last night, yes?" Sesshoumaru asked calmly.
Bunko nodded rapidly, "Yes, M'Lord, I made sure she went to bed and took a bath. She was asleep the last time I saw her!" Sesshoumaru saw that Bunko was wringing her hands and sweating.
"Calm down, Bunko. I will find her. You are dismissed." Sesshoumaru said, already turning and walking away. He had to find Rin. Who knows what Akira has done to her?
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He tried to look on the bright side. If Rin did die, he wouldn't have to look after her anymore, wouldn't have to deal with countless youkai attacks because of her. He wouldn't have to worry about her being in danger.
He wouldn't seem weak to the other youkai.
He tried to convince himself that he didn't need her.
And that's how he ended up here, sitting under this cherry tree, thinking about her. He couldn't go looking for her when he had affairs to attend to. He certainly wanted to, but if he did now, his shiro would be taken over. Rin was his weakness, and Akira knew it.
He made plans to go to Edo and check if maybe, just maybe, she was there. He had business in the small village anyway, so it was a good excuse.
00
Kagome sat in the kitchen with her hands wrapped around a cup of tea. She had to babysit Souta because her mom was at the hospital, and Souta wasn't doing anything today. She barely even got to see her mom, because right when Kagome arrived, her mom was already heading out. She closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of her tea.
"Onee-chan!" She heard Souta yell from the living room, "Can I go out and skate with Kioshi? I'll be back in a couple hours!"
Kagome opened her eyes and sighed, "Yeah, sure, just don't go anywhere except the park, cause I'll find out, Souta. I've got psychic powers."
"Yeah, okay, sure. I'll be safe, promise." Souta said, coming out of the living room. He had on a backwards baseball cap and an old white t-shirt. He grew up so fast.
Kagome stood up and hugged Souta, "Be careful, Souta. I mean it. We don't have.. We don't have anyone to protect us anymore."
Souta pushed Kagome away gently, "What's gotten into you, sis? You never hug me."
Kagome shrugged and smiled, "I guess I'm in a good mood. Go have fun, okay?"
Souta nodded sharply and went out the door, and Kagome watched him go.
When he walked out of sight, Kagome closed her eyes and slid down to the floor. She remembered when Souta was just a little boy.. Why had she been hit with such a big rush of nostalgia all of the sudden?
She shook her head and got up, running a hand through her hair. She went outside and walked toward the shrine. Every once in awhile, she went out to visit it, to just sit on the lip and close her eyes.
Sometimes, when everything was still, she could almost smell the flowers that always blossomed and grew all over the well back in Edo.
She felt 15 again, sometimes.
She pushed open the door to the shrine and gazed at it.
"Hey, old friend." She said. She must've sounded crazy.
Kagome didn't care.
She sat in front of the well and rested her arms and chin on the lip. She closed her eyes.
"Miroku.. Sango, Shippou, InuYasha.." She muttered, "I miss you guys so much.. I wish.. I wish I could go back and see you again."
Kagome ran her thumb along the splintered wood of the well, as if she could rub it three times and make a wish.
She stood up and laughed at herself. The well isn't going to take me back, she told herself.
No use giving myself false hope, is there?
Kagome pulled the splinters that got stuck in the sleeves of her sweater and turned around.
She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. Then unclenched them. She tied her hair and untied it.
Maybe, if I try, just one more time..
She turned and faced the well.
Sat on the lip.
And jumped.