A Rather Rough Day
Chapter Four
Kagome crept through the forest carefully, avoiding the branches in her way, and trying not to step on too many dried leaves.
She'd been walking about for about fifteen minutes without any results, when she began to get frustrated. Refusing to stoop to the level of calling out his name, Kagome stilled and began to concentrate hard, trying to locate and pinpoint his distinctive aura.
"Aha!" she whispered, proud of herself when she succeeded and began gingerly making her way to where she felt Inuyasha's aura.
When she reached the spot and couldn't find see and tell-tale red or silver, began looking around confusedly. Suddenly realising something, she shook her head at her own silliness, and began to crane her neck and search for Inuyasha among the tree tops.
When she caught a flash of red, she tried her best to discern what he was doing, but could barely see. Frustrated, she stood on tip toes, and thought she saw some yellow there too. Enraged, and wanting to catch him in the act without giving him time for excuses, Kagome quickly spotted a tree next to the tall one Inuyasha was in and appraised it critically, wondering if she could climb it.
Shrugging, and deciding she could do it, Kagome set her bow down, and carefully began scaling the relatively short tree. She did her best to remain quiet and reached a considerable height when she felt a little winded. Settling herself against a branch, she clung onto it with one hand, and parted the leaves in front of her with the other.
She had a clear view of Inuyasha; he seemed to have his face buried in her bag. Anger and humiliation over the day's events overcame her and she yelled, "Inuyasha! What do you think you are doing? Let go of my bag right now! BAKA!"
Inuyasha jumped a mile out of his skin and goggled at her, "Kagome?!"
"Give it back to me!" Kagome continued screaming, "It's mine, and I don't want you touching it!"
Clearly shocked out of his wits, he asked, "What the hell are you doing in a tree? How did you get up there?"
"None of your business!" she shot back. "Let. Go. Of my. BAG!"
"Kagome," said Inuyasha, most alarmed, "Calm down...you'll fall down..."
"No!" Kagome shouted, actually shaking her fist at him, "You don't get to tell me to calm down! I've had it with you, you hear? Up till here!"
And as she tried to gestures until where exactly she had had it with him, her grip on the branch slipped a little and she desperately scrambled to regain a proper hold over it.
Inuyasha was very worried now, and entreated, "Kagome, come down to the ground, and we can...talk...'bout this, okay? You'll fall if you keep screamin' from there!"
"No!" she hissed. "I am not going to fa- kyaaa!"
And with a panicked screech, Kagome began slipping down the tree, her grip completely lost.
Leaping off his branch, Inuyasha reached Kagome in one bound and when he caught her in a secure embrace, her hands scrabbled desperately at the front of his haori for purchase. She squeezed her eyes shut, and opened them only when she felt Inuyasha step lightly onto the ground.
Letting go of him immediately, Kagome ran to the tree Inuyasha was in, and finding her bag and its contents all over the ground, she began hastily throwing in all her things, refusing to look at Inuyasha.
"Kagome," began Inuyasha, walking swiftly towards her, "You hurt? You might have gotten yourself a nasty scratch as you tumbled down..." And in concern, he reached towards her, but she recoiled, and jumped back. As she stood a distance away from him, panting, he could see blood staining through the torn sleeve of her right arm, and few cuts on the side of her face.
"No." said Kagome firmly, clutching her bag to her chest, "You stay away."
"K'gome...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of the shit I said." whispered Inuyasha, looking at his feet.
"Then why did you say it?" demanded Kagome.
"I was... I was having a bad day."
"So?" she snapped, "Doesn't mean you treat me and everyone like rubbish, especially when we're trying to help you!"
Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head in shame, but he looked up and said, "Let me explain?"
"You better!" glared Kagome.
And so, Inuyasha launched into the tale of his day of woe, stuttering and hemming and hawing over words many times, but ultimately managing to get it all out.
"...and add to all the screw up, my head was fucking killing me. I'm sorry, Kagome. I'll apologise to the others in the morning. All that stuff I said about having had enough... I didn't mean a word. I was really frustrated with everything that had happened, I was angry with myself for behaving that way, and Kikyou just made it all worse. I don't see you as a duty. The promise to protect you is incidental. You're... my friend. I'd give my life up for you, promise or no. I'm also sorry I didn't come back and apologise earlier. I just... ah, fuck, I don't know..."
The fight slowly sagged out of Kagome's tense shoulders as she listened to Inuyasha blunder his way through one of the most sincere apologies she had ever heard. Suddenly though, she narrowed her eyes and pointing a finger at him accusingly, asked, "And what exactly, were you doing with my bag? Planning to raid all my candy?"
At that, Inuyasha's face went red and he began shuffling his toes, scuffing the dirt.
"Aha!" exclaimed Kagome, "You were planning on stealing my candy!"
"No!" said Inuyasha, still unable to look at her, "I was... I was smelling it..."
"What?"
"I told you, I had a really hard day. Everything felt upside down, and I felt so fucking rotten after yelling at you, I needed to calm down real bad. You were mad at me, and you were sleeping. The only thing other than you that has your scent that strong is your bag. I'm sorry..." mumbled Inuyasha miserably.
"Oh..." said Kagome softly, not knowing what to say.
"Yeah..." replied Inuyasha.
"So..." began Kagome with a tremulous smile, "You yelled at Kikyou, huh?"
"Yeah." smiled Inuyasha with a weak chuckle. "Shouldn't have done that."
"No." agreed Kagome.
"Whatever. I was a worse bastard toward you. I shouldn't have gone at all."
"No, don't say that, Inuyasha. It could have been information on Naraku; you weren't to know. You should go when she calls you."
Inuyasha cleared his throat, rather overwhelmed. Then suddenly remembering Kagome's tumble down the tree, stepped forward to check her arm.
"You're still bleeding a little. Have to clean up the cuts at any rate. I'm pretty sure there's a tiny stream a few miles down here. Let's go; your bag's with us anyhow."
"Okay," nodded Kagome, feeling equally awkward and carefully strapping her bag to her uninjured arm, climbed on Inuyasha's proffered back.
In just a few minutes, they were by a little babbling brook, the surface of whose water shone, reflecting muddled fragments of the bright gibbous moon above them all.
They stood by the stream, and Kagome noticed with dismay that her sleeve was ripped.
"Just take it off," she said a little mournfully to Inuyasha.
Nodding apologetically, Inuyasha carefully severed the sleeve from the shirt using his claws. He then proceeded to gently wipe her arm down and daub a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic onto the cuts. He did all this with exceeding care, making soothing noises every time Kagome hissed in pain, or winced.
Next, Inuyasha made sure Kagome was seated on a large rock comfortably before he sat in front of her and began cleaning her face. Kagome's eyes fluttered shut under his gentle touch and when his fingers stilled, she opened them, only to find his closed. Inuyasha was taking deep breaths with his palm cupping Kagome's check, a contented expression on his face.
Not wanting the magical moment to end, Kagome said nothing, but Inuyasha felt as well as heard the hitch in her breath. He slowly opened his own eyes.
Suddenly, Kagome found herself staring into eyes of molten gold, darkened by an emotion she did not allow herself to name.
Inuyasha let himself sink into the most unusual eyes he had ever seen; startling blue-grey, but then again, they befitted the most unusual girl he had ever met.
They stayed that way, a hair's breadth away from each other, for how long neither knew, but when he leaned forward imperceptibly, she did too, and then Inuyasha knew this was right.
It was nothing more than the chastest of kisses, lips lightly pressed against each other, but it was perfect.
They drew apart slowly, bowing their heads, but with small smiles on their faces.
And suddenly, Kagome looked at Inuyasha, the radiance of her smile momentarily stealing him of his breath. Closing her eyes, Kagome leaned forward again, and let her head rest on Inuyasha's chest. His arms wound around her, mindful of her cuts.
It was when they were still in this position that Inuyasha heard a muffled, "Your day get better yet?"
Chuckling Inuyasha replied, "What do you know, your kisses work even better than your scent."
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