A/N:
~~ This chapter was revised. ~~
Chapter 8: Pain, Challenges and Games
They have been walking for about twenty minutes and were about half way to their destination. The girls had changed a few times the topic of their discussion and Inuyasha had ignored it for the most part. Shippo altered from walking with the girls and hitching a ride on Miroku's shoulder. He didn't dare just yet to inconvenience the hanyou. They had stopped along the way a few times and now the boys walked in front of the girls and unknowingly presented them a very interesting topic for discussion.
"My, my, dear Sango, I think you're starting to drool..." said Kagome, giggling.
"Yeah, but not as badly as you," remarked Sango with a grin on her lips, though her staring was for different reasons than her friend's. Kagome turned as red as the royal red of Inuyasha's haori, safely stuffed in the blanket she carried. Since it had been washed and mended she thought he'd like to have something of his along. "Ah, I see you admit it." At this, she turned even redder, if possible while Sango laughed.
"Sango, please keep it down will ya?" she stole a glance back at those flickering ears. She had no idea how good his hearing was, it differed from a specie to another. But if he did hear, she didn't know how she will live with it. Her laughter slowly calmed as her own eyes turned to those dog ears.
"Okay, I will... but we have to talk about this." she said with a serious expression. Sango rarely used that expression with her.
"Thanks." she breathed relieve at having this conversation postponed.
The man walked more in sync with him despite the load he carried. He watched him from the corner of his eye. He had recovered some of his strength but he wasn't at half of it yet. He was still in the red zone so he'd be extra cautious with this human's observing eyes.
"Inuyasha?" he leaned in his field of view, or the one he considered he had. He could almost laugh.
"Hmm?" He turned to Miroku slightly. No reason to let him in on his limitations.
"Can you hear what they are talking about?" Inyasha's chin lowered, and his bangs hid hie eyes. He felt a bit of heat raise to his cheeks because he had just heard the beginning of the girls' new conversation. Kagome's admit from Sango's words to be exact. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." Miroku nodded slightly and remained quiet for a moment. "So?" he insisted. His ears flattened slightly. he didn't mean to but the seriousness in her voice put him slightly on edge.
"'So', what?" he spat out eyebrow raised, trying to look annoyed despite his embarrassment at being caught eavesdropping on the girls.
"What are they talking about?" Inuyasha was about to tell him off in the rudest way he knew of, when Shippo covered his mouth with his hands.
"Don't tell him anything!" he said then yelped when he was held at arm's length by the tail.
"Why?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the little brat. Like he'd say anything. He knew all to well what happened to loose tongues. He had helped in dealing with some.
"Kagome doesn't like it, and she would get angry at you and the whole day would be ruined. And Sango would beat you up for it, too, because Kagome is sad most of the time since her dad was killed by youkai. She can easily do that, she's a youkai exterminator." the kit ranted away despite Miroku's frantic waving. He sighed and slapped his forehead. He should have known Shippo was too young to understand his worries. Till now he could hear them just fine but Sango had widen the distance between the two groups. He was just curious about this new addition to their group. And about their conversation he could always ask Sango. She was easy for him to read.
Inuyasha froze in mid step at the seriousness in Sango's voice. He could bet she was suspicious towards him since this morning and more so since they met up to leave on this trip. He was male, hanyou and an unwelcome sight besides the inexperienced princess. Anything he did would be interpreted in that light... that he had a hidden agenda. It practically wrote on his forehead, 'to be killed on sight' in bright red kanji.
Kagome saw from the corner of her eye as Inuyasha stopped in mid step, dropped Shippo to the ground, shoulders stiff. And then the things he carried dropped as well as he started shaking forcefully. Her heart filled with worry. She rushed to his side trying to figure out what was wrong with him.
"Inuyasha, are you all right?" Kagome's worried voice called out to him. When her words didn't reach him, she raised her hand to see if he had a fever from the way he was sweating. The shadow of her hand crossed his face and he immediately started to panic. Her first sentiment was that he thought he had done something wrong and that she was going to strike him.
"Kagome, I didn't know...I didn't tell him anything, I swear, please don't punish me." By the time he finished, he was on his knees, begging.
"Inuyasha, I didn't say anything about punishing you, and I don't know what you are talking about."
"He told me..." he started, pointing at Shippo and continuing with Miroku without looking at her. "That if I tell him what you were discussing about, I will be punished..." Kagome eyes widened, and she asked surprised.
"You heard what we were talking about?!" He nodded. "Oh."Kagome never turned as red she did now. Inuyasha panicked even more when he saw her face. His forehead touched the ground and his hands were mere inches from Kagome's feet.
'I don't want him to come out...I don't know if I can control him...' he thought desperately. Inuyasha didn't want to lose it to the one inside him. Like those times he didn't want to destroy the little he had gained.
"Inuyasha?!..." She knelt in front of Inuyasha and stroked his back in attempt to calm him. He was shaking really badly, and her actions didn't seem to help at all.
"So, this is all your fault, you...you hentai jerk!" shouted a fuming Sango, kicking Miroku in the gut. He crouched on the ground in pain. She would be suspicious of any male's actions but she did know of Kagome's talent of making others to open up to her and then befriend them. She would befriend a caterpillar if it didn't have so many legs and be covered in hair that gave her allergic reactions. They had turned it to something grouse to cover this weakness. But back to the problem at hand, her eyes narrowed with murder intent at the rolling monk.
"How was I supposed to know he would freak out?!" He swallowed and breathed in at the same time when Kagome stood to her feet. He could already the flames of hell behind her, waiting for him which resulted in him choking on his own saliva.
"He's been a slave all his life, what did you expect?!" her voice screeched with her rage. Sango wanted to kick him again, but she knew Kagome deserved that chance.
"I'm... sorry... okay? I won't... do it... again!" he managed through coughs.
"You'd better!" Kagome gave Miroku a death promise look. "On second thought, Miroku, I hope you choke to death!" she said in a fit of anger. Inuyasha cried out in pain, and the collar around his neck glowed. Kagome shrieked in surprise. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha!" she took hold of his yukata. His eyes closed in pain. "Sango, Miroku! What?! What's happening?!" she exclaimed as Inuyasha fought for air.
"You must have activated a punishment!" Sango said quickly pulling Kagome away from the enlarging claws. Kagome's eyes widened in horror, she fought and freed herself from her friend's grasp.
"Inuyasha!" she took hold of his face, and made him look at her. "How- how do I stop this?!" his eyes flashed.
He fought the demon inside. He knew the command wasn't directed at him, he knew that, but the collar would respond to the word leaving his master's lips and him... he just wanted blood on his claws. His claws dug into the ground unless they'd dig into her flesh. Her small hands lifted his face and he was forced to look into her worried eyes. He couldn't hear the words she spoke because of the growls filling his head. He saw red and with the last breath his lungs had managed to take, he spoke.
"Re-... leas... say... re-... lease!" remorseful tears run down her cheeks.
"Release! Release!" she hurried and said. The glow subsided and he fell forward into her arms.
He had blacked out, for how long he didn't know. His eyes slowly opened and he was greeted by the relived ones of Kagome. She was bent over him making even more shade for his sensitive eyes than the tree under which they stood. He blinked at the spots of light the breeze made in the trees crown. He took a deep breath. There were no bars, it made him chuckle despite the claw like pain he felt around his throat.
"I'm glad you're back. You scared me..." she smiled in spite of her tear stained face. He turned to the side at a loss of words. Why would she be worried or shed tears for him. All could see the glow the steel band made as it tightened around his neck. His hand instinctively went to feel for the collar. For all the time he had spent near Kagome he couldn't feel the cold weight biting into his skin. Under his fingertips he felt a damp cloth calming the bruised and crushed skin. He lifted it and narrowed his eyes at the cotton strips weaved together. They smelled strongly of him. His other hand grabbed the hand stroking his ear gently. He brought it into view. Her hand was bandage free, confirming his supposition.
"Why would you do this?" he asked in a whisper, eyes narrowed. She swallowed and looked to the side blushing. She retracted her hand from his grip. She should have kept the bandage on a while longer.
"I thought you would... die. The splits were deep and you were having trouble breathing." she whispered back. Inuyasha moved to a sitting position, raising his head from her lap.
"I am fine. I will not die from something so small." he stated brushing silver hair away from his face. Though he did appreciate the sincere concern in her scent.
"Thank goodness." she breathed relived and lifted the red haori from her lap. She then stood and brushed away the dirt from her yukata.
"I am sorry... your hands..." he whispered. Kagome blinked unsure what she had heard, but instead of asking she shook her head.
"I won't say I never get angry, since I do get mad quite often because I am an emotional person... but I rarely get violent and it is towards the one who angered me. I'm not mad at you, you didn't know... and it couldn't even be helped if you have good hearing... and once and for all get this through that thick skull of yours: I'm telling you again, and this time pay attention to what I'm saying. You're not going to be punished if you make mistakes. Do you understand what I am saying?" she asked with a gentle voice while raising his chin with her hand as if he was a child, making him look her in the eyes. Her eyes were soft, like a mother's would be when she would comfort her hurting child. "I haven't heard it yet but you look like someone who finds it hard to speak what he feels, and sometimes you might even be rude and I might get mad at that..." she sighed. "But we'll deal with it when it happens. Alright?"
"Yes." He was in a trance almost, hypnotized even. He had calmed down, her voice comforting him somewhat, but it was her presence itself that calmed him the most. He looked around for the others.
"I sent them on ahead." she supplied and held her hand out. He nodded and roused, taking her outstretched hand. It was smaller and so much more delicate compared to his, but the tight hold she had on him spoke volumes of her determination to change things. Even as they started walking again, she wouldn't let go of his hand. It seemed that all the warmth her hand shared with his, tingled throughout his whole being before finally stopping at his cheeks, though the small blush went unnoticed by her. "Inuyasha..." she started with a deep sigh after a while. "Miroku, Sango and Shippo are my overprotective friends, so don't mind them. If you're not sure of something, just ask, okay? And I'd stick my hand into the fire that you wouldn't have told Miroku anything anyway. You don't feel like that..." his ears twitched at the conviction in her voice.
"Keh." she turned with a smile at his unique response. Inuyasha smiled a small, but very sad smile. Friends, he had never had one before, except for the old innkeeper who used to care for him while he was out doing missions for Naraku. But even then, he considered the man as fair trade instead of a friend. He always went hunting to pay for his keep. Besides, no one could ever care for a filthy, hanyou slave like him.
"I would be your friend Inuyasha, and so would they. That stupid question was undoubtedly Miroku's failed attempt at making friends." she giggled. "If you just give us a chance you'll see that it doesn't matter to me, or them, if you're a slave or a prince. We all hope you'll be free soon." her smile was dropping a bit so she looked back up ahead. "I'm sure you have opinions, likes and dislikes, and you just don't voice them." Kagome stated, as if reading his mind. "Try and put aside that stupid protocol. I want you to be yourself, at least among us." Through her thick eyelashes, she looked at him. If only he could see her begging eyes… 'Be yourself with me, Inuyasha. I want to know the real you...'
Inuyasha smiled even wider and walked side by side with her. Seeing his new smile caused Kagome to grin widely and pull him forward along the road to catch up to the rest of the group. One of the walls he built around him went down, and for now and hopefully forever, he would be more open and caring, and he would smile and laugh and be happy with them and most importantly he would forget that he was a slave. That was what she hopped.
They continued the trip differently from how they started. Sango, Shippo and a very hurt Miroku were in front and had reached the lake with all their things. Carrying most of them had been Miroku's punishment. While Inuyasha and Kagome had arrived when the other had already set their small picnic. They reached the lake, and Kagome broke the silence, letting go of Inuyasha's hand to stretch.
"If you can, please put that incident behind us and enjoy this trip." Why did he feel...so empty at the lost of her hand's warmth?
"Sure." he sighed.
"Here at last!" Kagome announced their presence. The three sighed relived at seeing Inuyasha back on his feet. Sango stood and waved, while Shippo run happily into Kagome's arms.
"Hey, you're okay!" he said grinning widely, looking over her shoulder.
"Keh, why wouldn't I be runt?" Kagome's eyebrow twitched. 'That was fast...' she was going to say something but held herself back. Inuyasha was smiling as he passed her. Shippo laughed giving up on straightening his ruffled hair. She shook her head when Shippo leaped from her arms on top of his head. Inuyasha picked him by the back of his kimono and set him down. They all gathered at the spread blankets. Kagome tapped Sango on the shoulder.
"Yes?"
"I dare you to jump in first." A mischievous smile played on her lips, yet Sango failed to notice it.
"You're on. Um, what do I get if I jump?" she asked after she thought for a moment.
"A kiss from Miroku." Inuyasha observed as the glint in Kagome's eyes grew as each moment passed. She was up to something...should he play along if she hinted at anything?
"What?! And if I refuse?"
"Two kisses." She giggled.
"All right, I'll jump if...um...Inuyasha will hang Miroku up in a tree for two hours." Inuyasha looked first at Kagome, then at Miroku who was begging him with his eyes to accept.
"Fine by me." he shrugged. Maybe the branch will break and the monk would fall through the tree's branches.
"Great. Thank you, Inuyasha," said a very happy Miroku.
"Oh, brother!" he muttered under his breath. He felt like slapping himself. He would probably like the feel of that.
"Ah, come on Inuyasha, it will be great, you don't see this too often," she said, nudging him in the ribs playfully.
"If you say so, Kagome." He rubbed the spot, but smiled as he turned to see the scene.
"Well, Sango, are you going to jump or not?"
"I guess it could be worse…" she said, looking at Miroku's perverted smile.
"Yeah, like if you had to kiss him on the lips," said Shippo, amused at the face Miroku pulled when he heard this.
"What?! Not on the lips? I've been double-crossed. It's not fair." He did the hurting heart pose.
"Now, Miroku, you know better than that, I won't make Sango suffer that much!" said Kagome with a grin on her face. During this, Sango was undressing.
"And you say you are my friend. Thanks a lot Kag!"
"Here I go! Yahoo!" *Splash!*
"How's the water?" Kagome asked a wet Sango.
"Great! Come in." she waved in encouragement.
"Hey, what about my kiss?" Miroku protested.
"You have to catch her first," said Inuyasha after he saw the look on Sango's face when her debt was mentioned. 'I hope you drown trying you bastard.' he thought with a grin.
"That's right, Inuyasha." Kagome gave him a sweet smile. 'At least he knows how to play along.' "And not to mention that he has to do it in the next three minutes," said Kagome, laughing.
"Way to go Kagome!" cheered Shippo.
"You're not being fair at all. It's four against one." Miroku was getting undressed but too late.
"You're too slow monk, and the time is up, that means no kiss!" Inuyasha shouted, walking to the water's edge.
"You are mean. Do you know that?" Miroku pouted half undressed.
"Come to think about it...Yes, we do." Kagome grinned, joining Inuyasha.
"At least you don't have to hang around in a tree for two hours," said Shippo trying to cheer him up as he entered the water.
"Maybe. But I really preferred that kiss, even if it meant that I had to sit in a tree for a while." he said dreamily before dodging a rock thrown his way. After that he hurried to join Sango. Now the only ones who were dressed were Inuyasha and Kagome.
"Inuyasha, you're not shy, are you?" asked Sango, curious. Though the blush stated she remembered the day before just fine. He looked at her. she was dressed in a kimono top with short hakama though it was far more decent than Kagome's attire.
"No. I was just looking for a good spot to lay in the sun," he answered keeping eye contact with Sango before Miroku ruined it by pouncing on her. 'And fighting to stay sane, damn that piece of clothing...' he thought, referring to Kagome's choice of swim wear, as he unintentionally looked her over again as she too entered the water. She stopped when the water reached her knees to adjust her swim wear before going further. He watched her every move. When it reached her shoulders, Inuyasha could safely get undressed, revealing his well-developed muscles and perfect tan. He couldn't get it why she was so sure she was safe like that. It screamed 'Come and get it!' to every male around and he knew humans to be more easily influenced by their carnal needs, all year round.
Sango was staring now and she was so easy for Kagome to tease. The other day she didn't dare stare so much and today she just thought it would be easier looking at the hanyou than Miroku. How wrong had she been.
"Psst...Sango? Do you want to have a closer look?" Kagome asked, approaching her friend.
"What?! No, I was just..." she stammered after being startled by Kagome's suggesting voice.
"It's okay. I did the same last night but..." Kagome blushed and stole a glance at the male. Miroku was handsome but Inuyasha just plainly drew her eyes to him.
"But what?"
"Hmm, can't tell," she said with a big grin, and now Sango was really curious.
"Oh, come on Kagome, please." She gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes she could. they shared just about anything, but not without some convincing work. It kept them bonded and out of subjects to fight on.
"Okay, but don't tell. Come here." She requested for Sango to come closer so she could whisper. In a hushed voice, she said,
"I got this close to him" her arms wrapped around her and she hugged her tightly." Sango's face bloomed. "...and to touch." she added in a husky voice. Air left her lungs just at the thought of yesterday's, last night's and this morning's happenings. Which she will keep to herself.
"You can't be serious!" Sango exclaimed. Kagome nodded. "And how was it?" she asked in an equally hushed voice.
"Warm," she said with a smile, blush calming a bit. "Last night, I actually slept."
"You really must have felt safe then."
"Yeah, I guess I did."eyes shifted to the male standing some distance to her left. 'Hard not to with one like him around... kinda reminds me of Uncle's powerful aura... some how.' she thought looking over Inuyasha's stretched form before being splashed in the face. "Hey!" she narrowed her eyes in mock anger at Shippo.
"Aw, come on Kagome, quit spacing out and let's have some fun."
"Okay." she smiled. "Lets play tag, I'm it!"
"Yay!"the small demon cried in joy as Kagome started chasing Sango around. After a while they got tired and resumed at floating in the water than anything else.
"Kagome! Can we eat now?" Shippo asked hopefully.
"Sure, though we haven't been here for that long..." they started getting out of the water one by one. Miroku, Sango and Shippo were already unpacking the food as Kagome and Inuyasha were still in the shallow water. She stopped to watch Inuyasha stretch as water dripped from his hair down his muscles in the suns rays. She hadn't seen much of him since they started playing. He didn't tag in at their game. He much preferred to go diving for minutes at a time. It kept her on edge but she refrained from calling him. She didn't want to startled him while under water. His pulsing aura assured her of his location as that had to be enough.
Inuyasha stopped to stretch. He closed his eyes and combed his hair, shaking off the water from it with his claws.
'This feels so good.' he unconsciously smiled before looking towards the sun. He couldn't remember the last time he got such a good stretch, if it ever happened. Again he pulled at all his muscles and even popping his spine.
The sight took her breath away the sun's rays bounced off his steel restrains right before he opened his eyes to look at the sun.
'So this is a male...' the thought startled her. She had seen men and was very much aware of their differences from women. Till now her example of a male had been Sesshomaru, the other men from her family and a general or two. But this was so much different, she reacted different to him. To her delight he smiled, his molten gold eyes sparkling and then...
He could feel someone watching him intensely, breathing in he could tell that no one except them was around for a mile around, Sango, Miroku and that brat were on the shore. So it left only...
'Kagome.' he thought and turned towards her. She was standing to the side of him. The water glittered in the sun's light, reflecting it's rays on her wet skin. Her swim suit now partly see through was clenching to her body and instead of covering it, it was accentuating her form as if she wasn't even wearing it, the silver bands of the swim wear reflecting powerful light helped the illusion. 'Is she na...?' Inuyasha's throat went dry. And when he looked up, their eyes locked. He saw them before, their sky blue color changing in intensity. He swallowed. A cold breeze blew and she shivered, his eyes went to her purple-blue lips. 'Cold.' the word rang unconsciously through his mind. She looked away but then locked her gaze with his again.
"I'm sorry, just forget about it. Forgive me." Kagome said when she realized she was staring and then tried to move but she seamed paralyzed as he came closer. Without warning he took hold of both of her hands and took them to his face, touching her knuckles with his lips, his eyes closed.
"You're cold..." he whispered blowing his hot breath over them. Opening his eyes he realized what he had just done, eyes widening but not looking away. Kagome blushed. In the blink of an eye his hand reached back and caught a pretty large stone that was aiming at his head. Looking towards the shore he saw Sango holding another stone in her hand and readying to aim again. Besides her was Miroku, giving him a very suspicious look. Inuyasha lowered the other hand, in which he was holding both of Kagome's hands, before letting go of them and stepping away from her. Never the nonchalant expression he changed to when he looked towards the shore slipped. Kagome's expression saddened as she took one hand in the other and bringing them to her chest, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her hands fell at her side and she opened her eyes. Kagome started slowly to walk towards the shore, Inuyasha following close by.
"Of course I'm cold..." she whispered to no one. But Inuyasha heard her clear as crystal and her voice made shivers run up his spine as it seamed that it was cold as ice. "I'm made of ice, no one can get near me and live." Inuyasha didn't dare to even think of what her words might mean. They ate quietly and afterwards everyone got themselves busy for a while. Shippo took a small nap while Inuyasha retreated in one of the tallest trees efficiently ignoring Miroku for the time being. Leaving the two girls to talk in peace as they sat on a few rocks with their feet in the water. Inuyasha's whereabouts soon became unknown as Miroku lost sight of him a while back. without someone to talk to, he returned to the blanket and helped himself from the remaining food before deciding to meditate for a bit. perhaps he could sense where had the hanyou disappeared to.
A/N: and that's 8! Thank you all for reading! And if you have thoughts to share I'd love to hear(read) them! ^_^
