Chapter Four: The Full moon

Inuyasha's POV

Ya know, I didn't mean to like, throw her off the edge with depression or anything but I mean she was avoiding every one all day today! Including Shippo, who just seems to adore her. Bleh.

It was getting close to nightfall, and we sat across from each other in Kaede's hut, waiting on supper. She was real jittery and totally alert, in a paranoid way. I was frequently raising my eyebrow to her behavior.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I finally asked. "This ain't over two nights ago is it?" She shook her head vigorously.

"No, no. Not at all." She answered. "I'm fine, really. I don't know why you're asking about something wrong." She seemed to stammer occasionally.

"Well I do have some instinct when it comes to you females…And you all seem to act nervous in the same ways." I stated defiantly. Her ears revealed her attitude at the moment.

"What do you mean?" Kaori asked sternly. I shrugged in response, merely to piss her off. I've come to realize that sort of answer eats at her nerves like a caterpillar on a leaf.

"I mean you look around the room anxious," I began. "you avoid people, you deny anything's up," I was cut off.

"Ha, ha like you don't do that yourself right?" Oh it was on now.

"Your ears fold in this real funny position flat on your hollow head," I began to try the patience a little.

"Yours twitch in an unusual manner." Kaori fired back.

"Your tail swishes in annoying directions." I said trying to sound condescending.

"You don't even have a tail, and how are directions annoying?" She smirked; tail swishing to and fro. I growled a little.

"Like that, that's how…" I grumbled.

"Oh, what? Jealous are we, Inuyasha?" Kaori teased.

"Ha!" I scoffed. "In your wildest dreams." Truthfully, I was tired of everybody asking where my tail was.

"Oooh you're jealous alright." Kaori stated sounding sly.

"Ah, shaddup, Kagome." I instantly smacked myself in the face.

"Who is 'Kagome'?" Kaori asked confused. I just sat there stunned at myself. How did that slip out? I quickly got up.

"Just…just…I've gotta go." I stated quickly, not really comprehending anything. I can't believe I just called her Kagome!

Kaori's POV

Who is Kagome? Why did he just suddenly leave? I have never met a man so moody in my entire life! I mean we were seriously just joking around then all out of the blue comes this meltdown! I sighed and growled in frustration. I got up and went into my room. I could see out the window, it was becoming nightfall. The moon would be rising shortly.

And so I'll hide.

Inuyasha's POV

I seriously can't believe I called her that. That's like, an insult to Kagome, addressing Kaori as her. I ran off to the woods, just running around mostly to blow of the steam.

I wanted to think this was her fault, but it wasn't. I wanted to be mad at somebody. But there was no one but myself.

Naraku's gone, Kagome couldn't help it, Kaori has no god damn clue, and I'm the only one left to be blamed.

I brought this on myself. I remembered her name, and her laugh, the way she and I argued because we just could never seem to let each other have the last word. How could I let myself look so stupid back there? Everything wasn't clear, all I know is; I wasn't going to confront this problem. Not now, probably never if the opportunity to avoid it stands. I stopped once I blindly made it to the sacred tree.

I stood in the clearing, right before it. The patch of grass that separated it from the rest of the woods. From the rest of the world. I gazed up at it, and could almost see myself those couple of years ago, just hanging there. Pinned, incapable of movement, not aging, in peace…

I wiped a single tear off my cheek.

Kagome was the one who had freed me from the curse. I can't escape this. No matter how hard I tried. I walked closer to the tree. I looked at the small indention in the tree where the arrow held me under a spell. I tried to imagine what it looked like when she released me. I remember fighting that centipede lady. But anything right up to that point was from 50 years prior.

I wasn't sure of how long I was standing there, but reality caught up with me when my stomach growled. I placed my hand over it. I totally forgot I stormed out of there before dinner was served. I walked away from the tree, back into the woods, trying very hard to not look back at it.

I lost all sense of time, I made it back and only Kaede was up. She was tending the fire one last time I guess. I don't know but she's always up late like I am.

"Inuyasha! Where have ye been?" She asked sounding totally shocked.

"Out…" I answered vaguely.

"I don't know what ye did but, Kaori has been in her room since ye scrambled out of here!" Kaede stated concerned.

I totally forgot about her. Guess she was confused as hell, and didn't feel like dealing with anyone like me. I didn't blame her; I would be pretty rattled by my behavior. Bet she thinks she did something wrong. Well, at least it probably has her thinking about leaving. I scoffed and sat down across from Kaede.

"Ye need to go apologize to her. Whatever ye did was wrong." Kaede nagged.

"I didn't really do anything…wrong. I just called her by a different name." I lowered my voice. Kaede nodded.

"Well then you need to apologize for your actions. Probably scared her. She might leave, ye know?" Kaede added.

"Well then good riddance." I stated crossing my arms. I went over to the corner I normally slept in and got settled in facing away from her. Kaede shook her head and doused the flame.

"Good luck sleeping with that guilty conscious, Inuyasha." She stated.

God damn it…

Kaori's POV

What the hell did I do to him? What did I do that makes him hate me so? I don't get it! Bad enough I've lost my powers tonight, I don't know him well enough to go out like this, besides that I feel so helpless without my half demon powers.

I lied extremely still in my bed, facing away from the door. I sighed. I still don't get it. I really do like it here, Miroku and Sango are so nice to me, and Shippo is as well. Kaede seems to have no problem with me. I'm wondering, is the problem really me, or is it him?

I'm beginning to think it's him. From what I heard, it has to be something about that name he called me earlier.

Kagome…

Who was she?

I heard the swish of the cloth door moved to the side. I immediately retreated deeper into the blankets to hide my "earless" head. I didn't know who it was because I couldn't use my keen sense of smell until the night was up.

Inuyasha's POV

I couldn't tell if she was asleep or not, she was completely covered by the blanket. I sighed. Thanks to Kaede, I now felt terrible about earlier. I guess that if I were in her position, I'd feel pretty lost, and get mad. I walked over to the bedside and knelt down next to her. I could see shallow breathing.

"Hey," I began, no turning back now, no matter how stupid I'm gonna make myself look. "I-I'm sorry…'bout earlier. You know, freaking out on you over what I did." I scoffed. "I don't know if you're even awake…" I muttered under my breath. I tried to crane my neck just right so I could see over the blankets. I couldn't, but apparently she thought I could; she recoiled as she sensed me get closer. "Oh c'mon! You can't even face me?" I stated angrily. I placed a hand on her shoulder trying to gently push her over to face me. She flipped out and from out of no where there was a knife in her hand and she had swiftly gotten to her feet in a crouching attack position. I held my hands up.

"Can a guy even apologize anymo-," I was stunned by the fact she looked mortal. No cat-like ears, no tail, just regular ears and no more claws. "Well, well." I smirked. She had a stern look on her face. I just sat down cross-legged, and waited for her to explain. Kaori took a good look at my smirk and finally decided to say something.

"Why are you smiling?" she finally asked.

"So, you weren't really upset about what happened earlier? You were in here because it was the time your powers go away?" I responded, my grin growing. Kaori hesitated.

"Yes and no…" She replied lowering the knife. I cocked an eyebrow.

"How?"

"Yes, I was upset about earlier but it's not the reason I'm secluding myself." She stated defiantly. I nodded, still smirking. "Why are you smirking?" She nearly shouted.

"Because it irritates you, and now I can sleep with a pretty clean conscious." I replied.

Kaori's POV

I am now officially lost. Gone. My brain has totally abandoned my body behind.

"Whoa wait time out…You have a conscious?" I inquired sarcastically as I lowered the knife.

"Ouch. Here I was actually concerned with how you felt, and that's what I get for trying to apologize." He retorted pointing at the knife. "Almost attacked and a smart ass remark." He shook his head. If my ears were in their usual spot they would be folded down right now. I groaned, and made my way back to the bed.

"I appreciate your apology, Inuyasha." I stated pulling the covers back over me. He scoffed.

"Yeah you better." He laughed.

"Good night." I threw back. He laughed a bit more and left the room; I could almost see the smug look on his face. I sighed out of anger and turned my face into the pillow.