The One I Love
A/N:I want to give special thanks to AkaNeko-Sesshy for ideas on this chapter. I tweaked it a bit, but your idea is still there :) Thank you! Here's the latest installment! Enjoy.
Chapter 11:
Kagome's watery eyes looked up into Sesshoumaru's, which stared back at her with an emotion that Kagome could only describe as unpleasant. She looked away, down at his brother that was still lying on the ground and she chewed the inside of her cheek before she brought herself to speak.
"What do you want to know?" she asked, her voice croaking around the lump in her throat.
"How long has the half-breed been here?" he demanded. Kagome took a step away from the two of them, wrapping her arms around herself.
"Almost four years, now," Kagome said. "I found him in the river just outside the village..."
*Flashback*
"Get away from me, foolish human!" the demon growled, baring his fangs from behind the knots of the fishing net. Kagome glared back at him, putting her hands on her hips. She had just come down to fetch water when she had heard all the commotion coming from downstream. That was how she found herself face-to-face with this intruder, caught in a net that she herself, along with other women of the village, had spent weeks making.
"If you tear that net I swear I will end you!" she threatened, her eyes glaring daggers when he only continued to struggle.
"Heh, I am not afraid of you, woman!" he snarled. Kagome felt her own mouth starting to twist in annoyance and she knelt to snatch her bow from where she had dropped it and quickly grabbed an arrow from the quiver on her back and took aim at the demon. Immediately the boy stilled, and his golden eyes locked on her own. A flash of pure surprise filled those eyes, and was gone in an instant. He dropped his arms, his face still angry, but calmed.
"Get it off of me then, if you wish to spare it," he said in a low, deep voice. Kagome rose an eyebrow.
"Can I trust you not to attack me if I do?" she asked, searching his face for any hint of trickery.
"I'm no fool," he said, looking away. "What sane demon would willingly battle a priestess?"
It was Kagome's turn to look surprised. She slowly lowered her weapon, and stepped toward him, stopping when he was within arm's reach. He rolled his eyes and stepped up to her, out of the water, his eyes looking away from her. Kagome bent down, searching for the end of the net, where rocks were tied as weights to keep it from floating away, and slowly pulled it off of the demon. The second he was free, he jumped back, leaping across the water to the other side of the river.
"Wait!" Kagome said, dropping the net and really looking at him for the first time.
He was dirty, despite his time in the water. His clothes were in tatters, and his hair was a gray, tangled mess. She made out many scratches and bruises on his arms and face. Atop his head, two dog ears sat erect. Kagome gasped, and she watched as they flicked in her direction.
"You are a half-demon," she said quietly, her heart panging in sympathy. She knew the struggles his kind had to face. Not belonging in demon society, or human's. It was probably why he looked this way now. There was no telling what he had been through before finding his way into her village. She bit her lip, feeling awful for having taken aim at him.
"I am," he said, his demeanor suddenly angry. "It makes me no less of a threat. I've killed many full-blooded demons without difficulty."
Just then, his stomach growled loudly, and Kagome covered a smile with her hand. His cheeks colored and his bottom lip puckered in a stubborn pout. Kagome lowered her hand and smile at him fully, and she reached out a hand to him.
"Come on then," she said warmly. "Let's get you something to eat, and I'll see if my brother has any clothes you can borrow."
The boy just stood there, staring at her in utter disbelief. He frowned, shaking his head and jumping across the river to stand before her. Kagome gasped at his sudden closeness and blinked up at him with wide eyes. He stared deep into those eyes, his golden eyes questioning.
"You don't even know me," he almost whispered. Kagome smiled crookedly and took his right hand in her own and shook it firmly.
"I'm Kagome," she said cheerfully. The demon couldn't help but smile back, shaking his head in absolute wonder. He gripped her hand firmly in his own.
"Inuyasha."
*End of Flashback*
"He's been here ever since," Kagome said, turning to Sesshoumaru. He was staring down at his brother with no expression on his face. Kagome stepped closer to him, looking down at Inuyasha as well. "I loved him."
"You still do," Sesshoumaru said, his voice only the slightest bit disgusted. Kagome's head snapped up and she stared at him in surprise. "It is obvious, woman. Do not look so surprised."
Kagome frowned and looked past Sesshoumaru to the door that was still open. The door Kouga had rushed out of just moments ago. She bit her lip and felt her heart thud painfully.
"I don't want to," she whispered, knowing very well that Sesshoumaru could hear her. "I loved him uncondintionally. I loved him with everything I had. Then Kikyou came and he... He broke my heart. I accepted Kouga's proposal so that I would forget him. The day he hurt me, I vowed to never speak to him again. I never thought I would have to see him after I left with Kouga. I never wanted to. It hurts. It hurts to see him, knowing that our love was nothing but a lie. True love isn't so easily severed or replaced. It can't be."
"It isn't," Sesshoumaru said shortly. "I only asked about Inuyasha's presence, woman. I am not the one who needs to hear all of this."
"Kouga won't listen to me, not now," Kagome said sadly, looking back at Sesshoumaru.
"I have heard enough," another voice jumped in. Kagome spun around to see Kouga walking back into the house. Her mouth floundered as he approached her. He took her hands in his own, staring down into her eyes, searching for something.
"Kouga-" she began pleadingly.
"You have a past that I never thought to ask about, Kagome," Kouga said, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "When I met you, there was little on my mind besides the thought that I needed you to be mine. I had never seen anyone, anything so beautiful-"
"But that part of my life is over, Kouga!" Kagome interrupted. "I swear to you on my family's honor, I ended things with Inuyasha long ago. And yes, we once intended to marry, but-"
"But you didn't," Kouga finished for her. "And he broke your heart, which explains why you have kept it so distant from me all this time."
Kouga smiled sadly and shook his head, pulling Kagome close to him, burrying his nose in her hair. Kagome slowly wrapped her arms around his torso, unsure of what he would say next. His words were true. It was just sad that now he knew what the truth was. It wasn't her modesty that had kept them from being intimate, but her own fears that she had yet to conquer. She still loved Inuyasha. Until she was able to confront him about what had happened with Kikyou, she'd never be able to move on. She needed closure.
"I forgive you," Kouga finally spoke. "If you can forgive me as well."
"For what?" Kagome asked, pulling back to look at him.
"For not giving you the chance to explain," he answered, frustration with himself clear. "For not taking the time to get to know you, all of you, your past included. For being so blinded by my affection for you to realize that you have hurt all this time, and had no one to turn to because I did not offer my comfort. I am truly sorry, my love."
He pulled her to him again and Kagome could do nothing but hold him back. She blinked several times, almost unable to believe what exactly had just happened. Kouga was asking her to forgive him for him not knowing that she had been involved with someone before him?
"I must go speak with your mother and apologize that all of this happened in her home," Kouga said, stepping away from her. "Had I known that the half-demon would react this way, I wouldn't have behaved thus in front of her."
Kagome frowned. Was he saying that he would have behaved this way had he known what he knew now? Would he purposely try to upset Inuyasha? He only seemed bothered that the scene had upset her mother, not that Inuyasha had almost died from his actions. The thought seemed too childish for him to be serious, but Kouga did nothing to show her that he was only joking. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly, taking hold of her chin as he did so. Kagome would have considered it sweet had her thoughts not been troubled by the side of him that he had just revealed. He left her then, going out of the house, this time closing the door behind him, in search of her mother. The sound of the floorboards creaking reminded her that she wasn't alone.
She looked at Sesshoumaru out of the corner of her eye. He was staring at her, only a little annoyed, and Kagome assumed it was at having been forgotten. She flushed slightly, realizing that Sesshoumaru had been present for that entire display of affection between her and Kouga. The demon lord rolled his eyes and sniffed, lifting his chin slightly. Had she not been so embarrassed, Kagome might have considered the action humorous. It was so unlike the stiff, stoic Lord Sesshoumaru she had come to know but then again, the Sesshoumaru she knew wouldn't have listened to her talk about her pathetic, human feelings. And suddenly, a thought snapped into her head.
"You knew he was listening, didn't you?" she asked him, a small smile playing on her lips. Sesshoumaru looked at her from the corner of his eye briefly before looking away.
"Indeed," he admitted, stepping over his unconcious brother and toward the hallway that led to the room where Rin was waiting. "I would rather the rest of this trip go along smoothly, and I know the two of you would make discussing the situation far more complicated than need be. I have no patience for such things."
"Of course not," Kagome said, her smile widening. He had done something almost nice! Of course, he had had his own interests at heart, but in the process of helping himself, he had helped her. This man was full of surprises.
"Do not read into my actions, woman," he spit out, looking over his shoulder at her. "I know you humans tend to overthink even the simplest of actions."
Kagome's good mood evaporated, and just like that she was annoyed with him once more. He was impossible! How could one man be so infuriating? Kagome balled her hands into fists and opened her mouth to speak when the sound of Inuyasha stirring distracted her. Kagome looked down at him, almost forgetting about Sesshoumaru until he spoke to her again.
"I will say this because I doubt the half-breed has mentioned it, considering your... relationship," he said, his voice void of emotion once more. "That woman, your cousin-"
That snatched Kagome's attention. Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, holding her breath. What did he know about Kikyou? Kagome had a bad feeling in her stomach. Sesshoumaru was looking her in the eye, which explained the seriousness of what he was about to say. Something that would affect her personally. Kagome's hands started to shake at her sides, the anticipation of his words eating at her core. Though it had been mere seconds, she felt that that pause he had taken was dragging out for hours. She was ready to scream when he finally continued.
"He knew her long before he came to this village," Sesshoumaru told her. Turning to walk away. "We both did."
A/N: I wanted to write more, but I knew that it had been a while since I updated and I'd hate to lose followers. I'll try to be quicker with the next chapter!
On a different note, my baby is 6 months old! Time flies by so quickly! Considering I've been writing this since I was pregnant, I think I need to step up my game! Until then, please review!
