Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Chapter Four:
"What's going on here?" Kagome repeated, the surprise on her face quickly being replaced by a gradually darkening distrust. Inuyasha glanced desperately from Sango's shocked face and Miroku's deeply amused knowing glance for some sort of intervention before quickly releasing Ayame from his arms. They both stepped away, Inuyasha glaring furiously at the ground and Ayame turning away. An awkward, tense silence ensued for a few long moments before Miroku found his voice, stepping up and saying,
"We've been, er… looking for you," Miroku said, breaking the silence while shooting Inuyasha a quizzical look.
"Where have you been!" Kagome demanded, reclaiming the atmosphere as she stepped forward, clenched hands hidden at her sides. Almost immediately Inuyasha's temper flared at the accusatory tone.
"Keh, none of your business," he snapped defiantly, folding his arms and leaning against a tree, causing Kagome's eyes to narrow. After a moment of closing his eyes, Inuyasha snuck a glance at the red haired wolf demoness. She wasn't looking at him, but rather at an increasingly irritated and irrational Kagome. She stood, pulling her furs around her shoulders tightly. Her stance was anxious, but after a moment she glanced back at Inuyasha, who was prepared to look away before he caught her look; one both of thanks and warning. Don't tell, her emerald eyes flashed pleadingly. She quickly looked away, but not quickly enough. Kagome saw the look exchanged between them, which only served to fuel her growing suspicions. Sango, seeing the storm cloud brewing in her friend, hurriedly suggested to the group,
"Miroku! Shippo! Let's go, er… to the stream! Come on," she said, grabbing Shippo and Kilala and turning about. Miroku caught the hint and did an about-turn, but the young kitsune was slightly more oblivious.
"The stream? But why?" asked Shippo, confused. "We just found Inuyasha and-"
"Come on," Sango hissed in his ear, herding them along until they were out of earshot. Ayame stood apprehensively on the edge on the scene, backing away from the growing tension between the two. Inuyasha was still determinedly ignoring Kagome, who shot Ayame a piercing glare as she faded into the forest. As she left, the angry voices and shouts followed her into the trees.
-
Later, Inuyasha came striding angrily out of the trees. Miroku was there waiting.
"Inuyasha! Wait up," he exclaimed, running after him; matching the hanyou's pace. Inuyasha barely glanced at him, still seething from his confrontation with Kagome. How the hell was I supposed to explain to her! he fumed. I was supposed to rescue her in the first place! She didn't even give me a chance to explain! he ended this thought with a snarl, then added resolutely, not that I care.
"Aren't you going to tell me what that was all about?" Miroku asked incredulously, stepping in front of him the moment he caught up.
"Tell you what what was about?" Inuyasha growled, darting around him.
"Come on, you have know how that looked…," Miroku said dubiously. "Walking in on you and Ayame like that? With Kagome there?" he stepped in front of him again, raising his eyebrows. "If that's the way it is then just say so," he said flatly, looking Inuyasha in the eye.
"It's not!" Inuyasha said angrily.
"It's not…" Miroku repeated, looking doubtful. "Then what were you guys doing?" he asked, a daring look in his eye.
"Nothing. You wouldn't understand," Inuyasha said, shrugging away.
"I wouldn't understand? Who understands things like these better than I do?" Miroku laughed.
"I told you, it's not like that!" Inuyasha evaded.
"Sure it isn't," said Miroku lightly, turning away. Inuyasha stopped.
"I told you it's not!" he repeated.
"Whatever you say, Inuyasha." Inuyasha let out a growl of frustration, fighting the urge to strangle Miroku. Sensing this, Miroku asked again, doubtfully, "You're sure you don't-"
"No!"
"Okay," Miroku said, shrugging it off. After a final glare, satisfied Miroku was going to leave the issue alone, Inuyasha stalked off. Miroku called after him,
"If you're not, does that mean I can-"
"NO!"
(that night…)
Ayame sat beneath a tree, letting the wind breeze along her arms and legs, tracing up and down the purple marks left there that were already beginning to heal. Looking away from them, she shivered, trying to forget the sensation of his hungry, desperate hands pressed into her skin. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts beneath the starry night sky, she almost didn't catch the crackling of twigs that signaled another presence nearby. Immediately all her muscles tensed, and she readied herself to spring. Her heart began pounding in her chest at the possibilities of who it could be as a shadow flickered in the trees, but at the moment the wind chose to blow its scent her way. She recognized it at once. Inuyasha, she breathed, as the tension lessened fluidly throughout her body.
"Inuyasha?" she spoke into the dark night. Only the blowing wind answered, rustling through the forest, but once again it reassured her of his presence. "I know you're there," she added quietly.
Damnit, he thought fiercely, standing perfectly still. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped out from the shadows, silver strands of hair blowing in the breeze. Ayame looked up at him from where she sat, examining his features highlighted in the moonlight.
"What are you doing out here?" she asked softly when it was obvious he wasn't willing to break the silence. It wasn't an accusation.
"I… I just… you shouldn't be out here alone," he finished gruffly, "Koga could still come back… unless that's what you want." His voice was unreadable as he stood, stone still. Ayame's face, which had, until now, been filled with white light, was cast almost entirely with shadows as she hung her head. The darkness reflected in her voice as she replied quietly,
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" she stopped, discouraged, then forged on, "I… I never did thank you."
"No," agreed Inuyasha harshly. The shadows on her face shifted almost imperceptably.
"Thank you," she said after a minute of wounded silence, breath catching in her throat. Inuyasha watched her from his position in the shadows, amber eyes flickering slightly. Even as she hung her head in defeat, the proud curve of her cheek was still visible. Must be the royal blood, a voice sounded in Inuyasha's head, as he remembered with some surprise that he was looking down on the princess of the wolf demon tribe. A princess. And perhaps not such a child after all. His eyes traveled over her curves and trailed along her arms, taking in the bruises that still lingered, bathed in moonlight. Youkai heal fast, a practical voice resonated to himself, even as remnants of the anger that carried him the last time bubbled up inside. With it, Inuyasha realized, swiftly rose a fiercely protective feeling as he regarded the small female.
During the long silence, Ayame's thoughts, too, were spinning. Stupid, she blamed herself. All you are is an inconvenience. He probably wishes he had let Koga have me… why didn't he? she wondered desperately. And why come tonight…?
"Where will you go now?" Inuyasha broke the silence, surprising them both. Ayame looked into the distance, suddenly afraid to meet his eyes.
"I'll go back to the mountain." she said, making it sound as though she was telling herself, even though she wasn't sure.
And if Koga appears? Inuyasha thought angrily. Will it all have been useless?
"And your people?"
Ayame clenched her fists. My people. I owe it to them to return. She fought the urge to give in the the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness at the thought of the great battle still awaiting them... Awaiting those that remain. She closed her eyes, tightly. I can't think about that right now, she scolded herself, without any real conviction. What could she do?
"I… I don't know."
The wind rustled in the trees, filling the silence. Ayame lifted her head in surprise as Inuyasha moved from his cover in the trees to a spot nearer her, bathing his entire figure in moonlight.
"What will you do about the demons?" he asked, his voice hard and low. Ayame looked up, regarding him with a strange light in her eyes.
"I don't know that either." After a moment, she added impulsively, "I don't know much of anything; you might as well say it." It was his turn to watch her closely. Ayame quickly regretted she had said anything, turning her head away again. What was he thinking about? she wondered.Immediately flashes of him running into the cave filled her head, and a flush crept up her cheeks as she lowered her face ever further; hot shame spreading throughout her body. Quickly she dropped her arms from view. Another few moments passed, before Inuyasha spoke.
"You should come back to camp." His voice had returned to an inscrutable state. A breeze rustled Ayame's hair as she laughed, thinking of Kagome's glare,
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."
They stayed there a long time in silence. Ayame had almost fallen asleep before, wordlessly, Inuyasha moved swiftly up the trunk of the tree he was leaning against. She opened her eyes in surprised as he curled up in a branch, closing his eyes. After a time, just as he was asleep, a voice came from below…
"Good-night, Inuyasha."
(A/N: This isn't really a necessary note, but... it seems to me that in most Aym/Inu stories, they end up being so bitter. I realized after I had written this chapter that that was how it was turning out in this story too; and attempts to right this didn't seem... well, right. That's not how I envision their relationship as being, though, if all goes well it will get better.)