#11 guys. I...hope you'll be happy with this one. I like it, but you never know. Dozo!
Too slow Kagome...Sango's going to get you...
Inuyasha watches the fight going on before him, his light gaze taking in each of the miko's actions as she spars with the tajiya. The girl was getting better each day, and would soon surpass her teacher. The hanyou stifles a sigh and glances to his left.
Miroku is sitting a few feet away, a smirk plastered on his face as he watches the girls. The females are wearing keikogi--traditional japanese attire when practicing martial arts--but the monk doesn't seem to notice. His dark eyes take in everything Sango is doing, and would also be trained on Kagome if Inuyasha hadn't already threatened the hoshin's life.
Kilala and Shippo are between the boys, watching the faux-battle with excited expressions. Neither seems to know who to cheer for, so the fox and the cat simply keep a strained silence as their eyes dart back and forth from one girl to the other.
The half-demon turns his gaze back to the distant pair as a low yell gets his attention. His breath hitches in his throat as Kagome takes a knee to the stomach, falling forward a little before she gets her resolve back and lunges for the slayer. Sango grins and dodges before going on the offensive again. Inuyasha stifles another sigh.
Sango is teaching her hand-to-hand...she's already trained with Miroku on meditation and charms...Shippo taught her some of his fox-magic...and even Kilala wandered off with her a few times, but I don't know what she could have taught Kagome...
Inuyasha shifts his position so that his feet are now crossed loosely at the ankles. He leans back on his hands and tries not to feel too sorry for himself.
Kagome's been able to sleep on her own for several days now...and she's talking to everyone more, and even seems to be trying to smile again, though she's not there yet...I should be happy, but...
The boy looks toward the girls again, staring at the miko. He knows that Kagome has put back on the weight she had lost, and has even been gaining some, because of the muscles she's building. Her shot with the bow is essentially perfect, as are the spells Kaede had taught her a few weeks ago. Miroku's enchantments are still giving Kagome a little trouble, but she should be able to master those in a couple of days, along with the magic Shippo had taught the miko. And the girl would soon equal--if not pass--the demon slayer in hand fighting ability. What was left for Inuyasha to teach her?
The group had collected more jewel shards during this time, but had yet to run into Naraku. Kagome was taking full advantage of this lull to train as hard and as often as she could, which was made easier by the fact that she was no longer doing any schoolwork. The girl said that she was so confused and behind now, that there was no way she was going to pass this year, and she should just concentrate on the shards and Naraku. Her friends had argued, but the miko won in the end, saying that she hadn't brought her things with her and it was too late now to go back for them.
"She's getting much faster, Inuyasha."
The hanyou turns his head to the hoshin, narrowing his eyes at the smirk on the other boy's face.
"Yes...she is," Inuyasha answers bluntly, turning back to the girls with a scowl. He doesn't notice the concerned look Miroku is giving him.
The boy frowns at the women, watching the young miko swing her fist in an arc towards the tajiya's left shoulder. The slayer dodges, ducking low to the ground before bringing her opposite leg around to knock Kagome's own out from underneath her.
The miko gets caught on the backs of her calves, but manages to twist around so that her hands brace her fall. Kagome quickly kicks back with one leg, aiming for Sango's chest, but the tajiya is already out of range.
"Good, Kagome. Your reactions are getting much better," Sango breathes, blocking several of the miko's attempted hits.
The girl's eyes narrow slightly, but she doesn't say a word before abruptly changing tactics and trying the same move Sango had just used. The slayer barely manages to jump Kagome's swing, flipping over the girl to land on her opposite side.
The miko punches upward with one palm, catching Sango in the stomach, but the slayer is ready for her. She grabs Kagome's arm with both of her own, twisting it so that the miko has no choice but to follow if she doesn't want to break her arm. Kagome is on her back in a matter of seconds, glaring up at her teacher.
"You're learning quickly, Kagome. You'll probably be able to beat me within a week," she pants, flopping onto the ground beside her friend.
Kagome inhales deeply, trying to get her breathing back into a normal rhythm from the exercises she and Sango had just gone through. She glances over to the others, who are watching from the edge of the clearing, and catches Inuyasha's gaze. She can see the troubled look in his golden eyes from where she's lying. The miko frowns.
"I'm going to ask him tonight, Sango."
The slayer looks over to her pupil, slight surprise on her face. "You think you can handle that, too, Kagome? I know you're not doing schoolwork anymore, but you're still pushing yourself awfully hard. I feel like I'm being lazy compared to you..."
The miko quirks a brow at the other girl and sits up, pulling her hair out of the ponytail she now kept it in. She turns back to the boys and frowns again when she sees Inuyasha walking slowly back to where they'd made camp last night.
"Yes...," she whispers, feeling her heart speed up a little at what she was going to be doing...
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"Don't you want the rest of your noodles, Inuyasha?"
The half-demon looks down at the fox and fights the irritation rising in his chest. Shippo is staring at the half-eaten container of food sitting in front of him. Biting back a smart reply and an urge to punch the small demon in the head, Inuyasha slowly shakes his head.
"No, Shippo. You can have it," he says, ignoring the gaping stares he gets from everyone except Kagome, who simply gazes at him.
Inuyasha can see the spark in her dark eyes now without concentrating on them, and doesn't know if he should be glad or not. The miko had benefitted quite a lot from the hanyou's almost-nightly attentions, and he was happy--of course--that Kagome was getting better.
However, Inuyasha realized after only a few nights with the girl that he was benefitting just as much from their strange way of communication. The half-demon was less restless and more calm when Kagome's aura surrounded him, even if it wasn't taken to the same degree as his was. Also, the deep ache that Kikyo had left in his heart when she died was slowly being healed by the young priestess sitting across the fire.
But the less Kagome needed him to help her sleep, the more Inuyasha felt like he was missing something when she didn't. The hanyou could feel the unusual connection between them growing stronger, and was frankly both alarmed and intrigued by it. He wanted to talk to the girl about it, and about their sleeping arrangement, but how do you bring up a topic like that?
Add to that the fact that Kagome was learning things from everyone else in their group besides him, and you have a very upset and cranky half-demon on your hands. Not that Inuyasha would let them see anything but the irritation, of course.
Could Kagome really not learn anything from me? She already has a short temper...
Shippo's voice interrupts the hanyou's depressed musings, and he turns his head back to the fox.
The kitsune frowns. "Are you getting sick, too, Inuyasha? You never let me have any of your food," he says, taking the cup and beginning to eat.
Inuyasha shrugs. "Not really hungry tonight, I guess," he replies, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the log behind him.
The boy tilts his head back and sighs, staring up at the stars and full moon lighting the night sky. He doesn't notice the others exchange worried looks with one another across the fire, each of them frowning at the hanyou before turning back to the others. Sango and Miroku both nod in the same direction, and Kagome returns their gesture before standing.
Inuyasha looks back toward the center of camp as he hears the miko approach, thinking she's simply going to get ready to sleep, or clean up. He frowns slightly when the girl stops in front of him, his eyes widening when Kagome kneels and bows low to the ground before him, her palms face-down and stretched toward him.
"Inuyasha-sama," Kagome says.
The boy stares in awe at the miko. He doesn't make any sound, as his brain has jammed and Inuyasha can't seem to get past what Kagome had just called him.
Sama? But that's...that's...
"What?" the half-demon asks bluntly, his voice slightly higher than normal.
Inuyasha vaguely sees the others staring at him out of the corner of his eye, but the hanyou ignores them and concentrates on the top of the girl's head, waiting for her to sit up and explain what was going on. Kagome doesn't move. Instead, the miko keeps her face on the ground and speaks again.
"Inuyasha-sama. I, Kagome Higurashi, humbly wish to make a request of you."
The half-demon gapes, thoroughly confused as to why the girl was acting this way. He frowns at her hair.
"If you want to ask me something, Kagome, sit up on your..."
"Inuyasha."
The boy stops talking and turns toward the monk. He gives Miroku a confused look when the other boy glares at him.
"What?"
Miroku sighs and rolls his eyes. Inuyasha hadn't gotten it yet. The hoshin stands up and walks around behind the hanyou, kneeling to whisper in his ear. The demon's eyes widen.
"Why the hell would I say that?" Inuyasha growls. I never say things like that...
"To find out what Kagome wants."
The boys turn their heads to Sango. The slayer simply shrugs and waves one hand vaguely at Kagome. She obviously wanted Inuyasha to go on.
The boy frowns again while looking at the miko kneeling before him. Inuyasha didn't like this. Kagome was using an honorific with his name that was far above his station, and she was also being submissive to him. That alone was a feat worth noticing.
The hanyou thought that he was being tricked in some way, but couldn't figure out what it was. Especially after what Miroku had told him to say. He glances over his shoulder at the monk, who nods his head for Inuyasha to speak. The boy swallows.
"What is your request, Kagome...-kun?" he says in a strained voice.
Inuyasha can feel his cheeks getting warm. Why did Miroku want him to say that? Kun was only used...
"I wish to learn the way of the Samurai, Inuyasha-sama."
The half-demon gapes, his hands resting uselessly in his lap. He simply stares at the miko, his brain trying to process what Kagome had just said.
"S...samurai?" he asks dumbly.
"Hai."
Inuyasha takes a few more minutes for the girl's sentence to sink in. Samurai? Kagome wants to learn how to wield a...a sword? He finally speaks, his tone betraying his confusion.
"You...you want to learn how to use a sword?"
"Hai."
The half-demon continues to stare at the girl, his brain trying to wrap itself around her question. He glances to his right, where Tetsusaiga is leaning against the log beside him. He frowns.
"From me?" he asks, disbelief coating his simple words.
"Hai."
"Why?" he asks bluntly.
If Kagome wanted to learn to use a sword, that was fine, but why from him? Both Miroku and Sango knew how to handle one, and they would be far more patient and understanding teachers than he would be. Why should the miko want to study under him--a simple hanyou?
The others all glare at him when Inuyasha speaks--even Shippo and Kilala, who seemed uninterested in the conversation before. The boy suddenly realizes that everyone knew what Kagome was doing right now, and that they had known for awhile. He scowls at the girl as he waits for an answer.
"Inuyasha-sama. I wish to study with the person who knows their weapon inside and out. Who can teach me to handle the difficult and compex motions required when studying the way of the Samurai. That is you, Inuyasha-sama. Tetsusaiga an extension of you--as everyone who's seen you fight, knows. I wish to learn the same skills that you have taught yourself."
The half-demon stares in awe, trying to count all the compliments that Kagome had just paid him, with the most serious voice he had ever heard from her. His irritation about the rest of the group having known about this is now gone, and the boy is simply trying to decide how he should respond to the miko's very respectful and serious request.
Inuyasha frowns to himself for a minute before turning around and whispering in Miroku's ear, who grins, then quietly answers back. The hanyou turns back to the girl and speaks in a slightly arrogant tone, though it is tinged with nervousness.
"I accept your request, Kagome-kun. We will begin at dawn, tomorrow. Be dressed in your keikogi and ready to work when the sun breaches the horizon." Inuyasha pauses a minute before going on, his words now annoyed. "You will address me as Sensei or Master while we are training, and Inuyasha, when we are not. If I ever hear you call me -sama again, Kagome, the lessons will stop, and I will personally see to it that you...feed me noodles by hand for the rest of your life."
Inuyasha fights to hide the grin trying to surface on his face at the snickering noises the others are making. He concentrates instead on the girl kneeling before him, her fingers now digging a little ways into the dirt.
The miko doesn't say anything for several seconds, before speaking in a slightly strained voice. "Hai, Sensei."
Inuyasha doesn't know whether to keep his smirk or not. He can hear the anger in the girl's voice, but there's also something that sounds like amusement. He narrows his eyes at Kagome as she sits up onto her knees and catches his gaze. His breath hitches slightly when she smiles at him.
"Thank you, Inuyasha."
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"You think they knew we were still awake?"
"No. He wouldn't have come down if he thought we were."
"She was crying."
"Yes."
"He'll be back in the tree in the morning, if they're not training."
"I know."
"So why do you think they're doing this?"
Miroku hesitates. He turns his head toward the tajiya, who is lying on her blankets a few feet away, frowning slightly at him.
"To...help her sleep, I think," he whispers, glancing back to the miko and the hanyou on his other side. "You were right, Sango."
Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala had secretly been discussing the sleeping arrangement of the other two members of their group since the day the kitsune said he saw them together, though the last of these rarely had anything to contribute. The three who could talk made quiet observations, noting any other strange behavior and sharing it when Kagome and Inuyasha weren't paying attention. They had finally come to a few conclusions.
First, Kagome, was doing a fairly good job of hiding whatever was wrong with her, though her friends had still noticed. The girl acted fine most of the time, though she rarely smiled and was obviously not her usual happy self. None of them knew what would do this to their favorite miko, but the girl definitely needed help of some kind to get back to normal. Also, whatever it was had occurred in her time, as Kagome was fine when she went through the well, and was acting strangely when she came back.
Second, though Inuyasha seemed to have nothing to do with it, the hanyou was helping the girl. He was almost always at her side, and was trying harder than usual not to be rude or inconsiderate to not only Kagome, but the others as well. It seemed that the half-demon was doing everything he could to not upset the miko. In addition, whatever he was doing was working, because the miko was very slowly starting to act like her former bouncy self.
Thirdly, neither the half-demon nor the prietess would talk about what was going on between them. Anything that was going on. Anytime Kagome or Inuyasha heard one of the others mention 'sleeping' in even the vaguest sense, or asked the miko what was wrong, the pair would immediately change the topic, or disappear. If they knew that the others knew what they were trying to do, Kagome and Inuyasha were determined to ignore them.
Fourth, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala were not entirely convinced that Inuyasha knew what was bothering Kagome. He was helping her, yes, but the hanyou didn't actually seem to know what was going on. The boy would often be seen frowning to himself while watching the girl, and the rest of the group could almost see him trying to figure something out.
This puzzled them. Why would Kagome be hiding something from Inuyasha, when he was helping her?
Sango glances past the monk, her face falling as she watches the pair sleeping peacefully inside the miko's strange blankets.
"I wish she would talk to us," the slayer says, a hint of sadness in her tone. She sees Miroku nod out of the corner of her eye.
"Yes. Me, also. But Kagome seems determined that only she and Inuyasha should know."
The monk keeps his dark eyes on the hanyou and the priestess for a few seconds longer before turning to the tajiya with a smile.
"There is one good thing about their arrangment, though."
Sango gives the boy a confused look before scowling. "And what would that be monk?" she asks, warningly. The hoshin grins wider.
"They finally seem to be acting on their feelings for one another," he whispers.
The slayer raises her brows at Miroku's response, feeling a small smile tug on her own lips as she glances past him.
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Inuyasha grinds his teeth together and clenches one fist tightly against the legs of his keikogi, the other around the hilt of his bokkan.
I really might make her feed me noodles if she doesn't get this!
Slowly opening his eyes, the hanyou looks at the girl standing a few feet away from him, her own bokkan lying in front of her while she clutches her right shoulder. The girl's face is a mixture of anger, pain, and annoyance, her dark eyes narrowed as she stares at him. Inuyasha can almost see the bruise forming under the girl's sleeve and bites down the concern threatening to rise in his chest.
It will join the hundreds of others that Kagome is accumlating...
Sighing, the hanyou bends over to retreive the miko's bamboo practice sword, flipping it hilt-first toward her. Kagome slowly reaches out with her sore right arm and takes the bokkan.
"Arigato, Sensei," she whispers, her eyes trained on the grass below their feet. Inuyasha bites back another sigh; he can hear the tiredness in her voice.
"Once more, Kagome, then we'll stop for today."
The girl's head snaps up quickly. "B..." The miko immediately shuts her mouth at the scowl on the half-demon's face. Kagome bows and speaks hurredly. "Sumimasen, Master."
Inuyasha holds back a smirk. In every lesson she'd had so far, Kagome had managed to keep her temper in check, and treated him as a pupil would their teacher. For the most part. The girl still sometimes slipped, especially when the half-demon pushed her too hard. Like he was now.
That was why Inuyasha was going to give her a break. Kagome had been training with him every morning for a week, as well as fighting Sango in the evenings, working with Miroku and Shippo on her powers during the day, and traveling at the same time. Plus, they'd had three battles with minor demons, but hadn't collected any jewel shards from them.
The half-demon could see that working all the time was wearing the girl down, and he had decided that she needed a break. He would finish this lesson, then make Kagome rest for the remainder of the day. That included training with the others, too. She needed to stop before she snapped.
"Raise the sword to parry, but be ready to strike immediately after," he says, aiming his not-deadly-but-potentially-very-painful faux-weapon at Kagome's left hip.
He shows her the move in slow motion, which she blocks with her own before sliding it up his to the hanyou's arm. Inuyasha nods, then backs up a few feet before repeating it at normal speed. Well, normal speed for her. Inuyasha had to slow all of his actions down or Kagome would never be able to keep up with him.
The miko manages to parry his attack on her left side, but only takes her bokkan halfway up Inuyasha's before he swings it back toward her torso. Kagome ducks underneath, dropping her weapon low to take out the boy's ankles. He jumps over it, rolling to her right side and swinging his weapon toward her injured arm. She doesn't block the attack.
Inuyasha drops his bokkan as Kagome sinks onto her knees, holding her arm while tears stream down her face. Ignoring the fact that the lesson is still technically going on, the half-demon gathers the girl into his arms and whispers apologies in her ear.
"I'm sorry, Kagome. You were doing so good, I thought you..." He stops as the miko speaks through her sobs, shaking her head.
"No, Inuyasha. I should have been able to stop you. It's just...the pain...made me slower..."
"But I shouldn't have gone for your arm. I had just hit it; I knew it would be sore...," the boy says, regret making his voice sound choked.
Kagome grabs the front of his keikogi and lifts her head to look at the hanyou's face. She can see the sorrow in his eyes.
"No, Inuyasha. If I'm going to learn to use a katana properly, then you don't need to hold back. I know you have to keep your strength and speed in check, but anything else should be fair game. Enemies won't avoid an injury, so you shouldn't, either. I'll just have to learn to deal with the pain and keep going anyway."
The half-demon stares down at the girl in his arms, admiring the determined expression on her tear-stained face, but feeling his breath hitch at the suffering in her eyes. Inuyasha looks into the miko's dark orbs and feels his heart thump his chest. He stares at her for a moment before doing something that he hadn't done since the first day they returned from the Kagome's time.
He kisses her.
Ok? Huh? I'm debating about putting a lime-y scene in the next chap. No lemon; Kags can't do that--remember? Let me know if you want one...we'll see... ;) And I know I've neglected her power development, but I should take care of that in the next chap, too. Um...anything else...? Hrmmmm...