A/n: Guys, I'm terribly sorry for the delay. November sucks. First I found out that I have 3 pinched nerves in my back, because of 3 deteriorating disks... it hurts. And then, 2 weeks later, my Gramps died, and it was a huge shock. So... I didn't feel much like writing. And then this weekend I got the flu. November suuuucked for me, you guys. So I'm glad to have this chapter out, and I'll do my best to update as soon as I can. Thanks.
Chapter 12 - The Revelation
Kagome looked around at the familiar scenery with a smile; she went to the clearing without waiting for Inuyasha to call her.
She saw him as she usually did, his head down until she entered. And no matter how many times it happened, she still fell into his eyes every time they looked upon her. Lately she'd been getting better at hiding it though.
This was her fourth time seeing Inuyasha in dreams. The second time, they'd simply sat, and Kagome would occasionally ask questions. After the first two were answered only with smiles, she'd given up conversation. Nevertheless, it was nice to simply sit and relax with the hanyou.
The third time she'd come, he'd held her in his arms. But even in this dream world, he'd been hesitant. And when his arms had circled around her he'd been a little tense, and very nervous. But it got easier, with time.
So tonight when she saw him, dappled in moonlight, she wasn't surprised to see a smile light his face when he saw her. He jumped down off the familiar tree and hugged her briefly before sitting on the grass. He then beckoned for her to do the same.
"Kagome," he said as she made herself comfortable. "Do you know who I am?" She looked up, startled. What an odd question.
"You're Inuyasha... aren't you?" He smiled.
"Not really." As Kagome's eyes widened, he waved his arms frantically. "No! I mean, I am, sort of." Kagome merely raised an eyebrow. He sighed.
"I'm... well, I'm sort of Inuyasha's soul." Kagome blinked.
"So, here, I'm not in my real body?" she asked with widened eyes. Inuyasha shook his head.
"This is the in-between. And I've called you here because I need you." He twiddled his thumbs, not really sure what else to say. "But I can't really tell you why, or it won't work."
"What won't work?" Inuyasha glared at her with a smile on his face.
"If I told you, then it really wouldn't work."
Kagome sighed. "But how can I help if I don't know what to do?" she asked impatiently. He smiled.
"Stay with him, keep him occupied however you can. Just..." he paused, thinking. "Just be there for him, whether or not he thinks he needs you." He reached out and lifted her chin with his fingers. "Because he does."
Slowly, tears came unbidden to Kagome's eyes. No one had ever really needed her before. Not this much. It was a new phenomenon, being needed. And maybe wanted.
With a smile, Inuyasha bent to capture Kagome's lips in a chaste kiss. She smiled.
Definitely wanted.
She woke as she always did from those dreams; with a smile from ear to ear. And somehow, the other something that always happened on these mornings, did.
"What are you smiling about?" said the usual voice from her vanity. She didn't even spare him a look.
"None of your business," she retorted dryly. She heard a growl, and then jumped slightly as the mattress gave a little under his weight as he pounced onto the bed.
"What?" he asked again. Slyly, Kagome scooted over close enough to the point where she knew he would mind. She lifted her face and smiled into his. She enjoyed the widening of his eyes for a brief moment.
"Do you really want to know?" she asked softly. He blushed and pushed her away... off the bed.
"Inuyasha!" she yelled, picking herself up off the ground. He gulped. He saw the mischievous gleam in her eye, and then she pounced.
She barely caught the edge of his sleeve; a second earlier and she wouldn't have missed. With a squeal, she chased him out of her room and down the hall. By this time, Inuyasha wore a smile that matched hers.
They ran through a few vacant rooms, dashing back out again after a few seconds. At one point she had him cornered on a balcony, but he jumped over her and back into the room. They were just running down the stairs when Inuyasha halted abruptly and Kagome slammed into his back.
"OW! Inuyasha! What -" suddenly a hand pressed against her mouth; Inuyasha had turned around and was jerking his head in the direction of the kitchen. His eyes were wide and he was biting his lip in an effort to keep the smile off his face. Curious, she looked, and was immediately thankful for his hand over her mouth.
There, oblivious to the rest of the world, were Miroku and Sango. With their arms around each other. And their lips locked together. Passionately.
Kagome and Inuyasha trembled with mirth, and finally Inuyasha gasped and fell against Kagome, cackling. Kagome, now devoid of his hand, joined him. The two servants jumped apart like startled rabbits, their faces snapping around to view the two on the stairs.
Sango, completely embarrassed, turned red in an instant and disappeared through the kitchen door. Miroku, meanwhile, simply grinned at the pair of them, shrugging one shoulder. Sango reappeared in the doorway and yanked on the edge of his robes, her face still beet red. He followed her with a wink at them, and they began laughing all over again.
After a while, both stopped laughing, and pulled apart from each other with a slight blush on their cheeks. And it was as Kagome looked away shyly that Inuyasha realized how much had changed in the last three months.
Had it really been that long? That long since the horrible first day, where she'd screamed at the sight of him? Three months since he'd had the urge to kill every single second. In fact...
He flexed his fingers in thought. The more he spent around Kagome, the better he felt. By this time, he felt entirely and completely hanyou when with her. When she was gone... he grimaced. The pain came back, but still loads less than before. And when he had those odd urges to kill, he'd run into the woods and kill a rabbit or two to vent.
And there was still that funny feeling...
"Inuyasha?" he looked up, his eyes wide and unguarded. Hers widened at the odd look she saw there, and then it was gone and she shook her head like he did his. She swallowed nervously. "Do you... do you have anywhere I could practice my archery?" His eyes narrowed.
"Why?" She almost smiled. He never talked, and when he did it was only questions. Or answers that led to more questions, she thought, thinking of that girl in the painting.
"Well, wench?" Or even lovely little names that made her want to slap him. She reined in her immediate irritation.
"Well I thought, even though it's been a long time since Kouga came..." she paused as Inuyasha spat on the floor. If he were an actual dog, his shackles would have been up. "I thought maybe it would be... safer if I could help, if something like that happened again."
"You think I can't take care of them?" his voice was low and full of a growling quality that made her shiver. She shook her head slowly.
"It's not that... just..." she shrugged. "I used to practice at home all the time, and if I don't practice here I might get rusty..." she trailed off, hoping he'd buy it. It was for his own good, after all. He blinked, and a hurt expression came into his face along with a frown.
"Do you want to leave?" he asked, his voice still low, but the growling quality was gone, replaced by... something else.
"No, of course not. I just want to practice," she said. Relief passed over his face and he nodded.
"Hmph. Follow me."
Kagome gazed at the room around her with something like awe. She'd never found weapons beautiful, necessarily, but this room was swiftly changing her view on such things.
The walls were adorned with swords and maces, staffs and knives. Her eyes widened as she beheld all the weapons. Inuyasha ran his hands along a few, smiling slightly at some while glaring at others. The room itself was large, and the walls were padded with what looked to be pillows. The floor was wooden, and had been roughened from use.
Kagome immediately ran to the side of the room with the airborne weapons, running her own hands along the varied bows, finally finding one to her liking. She held it in her hand and smiled; the exact weight and feel she looked for in a bow. She then took a few arrows from a large urn and turned to her guide.
He was swinging around a katana that he'd taken from the wall, and he spun around somewhat haphazardly with it, but there was great power behind every swing. He took deliberate steps and made calculated gestures, but they all seemed to be focusing on power rather than style.
Nevertheless, he looked amazing. His hair was flying every which way, his face tight and concentrated. A slight sheen of moisture was working itself over his face, and he blew some flyaway hairs from his forehead.
Eventually, he seemed to realize that he had an audience, and stopped abruptly, the sword pulling him to the side in its leftover momentum. He fought to stand still, and the sight drew a small laugh from Kagome. As expected, his cheeks flushed, and he sought to change the subject.
"What?" he asked, that ever familiar question. She reduced the giggle to a small smile.
"Is there a target or something that I could use?" He blinked. Then a smile slowly made its appearance, as he looked from his sword to her arrows.
"I have an idea," he said, and that was all it took for Kagome's eyes to roll.
"I doubt I'm going to like it."
"Keh," he said, and then shrugged. "Just shoot your arrows at me, and I'll deflect them with the sword." He waved said object in her direction. "Nothing wrong with that."
Kagome gaped. "What if I don't miss!" He smirked.
"Then I just need more practice." Before she could say anything else, he leapt to the far side of the room, then assumed a stance.
"GO!" he called, and his voice carried over, giving Kagome shivers. The command was oddly familiar.
Sighing, she shook her head with a smile. Then she aimed.
For five minutes, she tirelessly shot arrows at him, and he raised his sword just in time - every time - to deflect her powerful arrows. The first time, by accident, she'd released a little miko energy along with the arrow, and he'd squealed like a pig as he dived out of the way.
After a minute of prolonged apologizing, Inuyasha's pride recovered enough to let her try again.
Finally, Inuyasha's sword slowly fell to the ground, lodging itself in the floor. He sank against it, breathing heavily. Slightly worried for him, she ran over.
Just the simple touch of her hand was enough to make Inuyasha jump, but he relaxed as she set to check his vital signs, making sure that he was in no way injured. When she was finished, she slapped his back firmly with a smile.
"Everything seems fine," she said with a satisfactory tone of voice. He muttered something under his breath, but stood, replacing the intricately carved katana on the wall. She peered at it.
"That's a nice sword," she said, and he paused to look at it. He made a sound in his throat.
"I've seen better," he said critically, and paused, glancing at her. "My old man had a lot of nice swords." She swallowed nervously, wondering whether or not that was an invitation.
For no matter how much she conversed with his soul in her dreams, it didn't make any difference in her relationship with this Inuyasha. In dreams, she'd learned more about his parents and their lives than she knew about her own parents, and it had been interesting conversing with his soul. He was very much like his body, with the same attitude and personality. He was just... calmer.
Kagome cleared her throat. "So, where are all these nice swords?" she asked, thinking it was a safe question. From the dark look on his face, apparently it wasn't. She suddenly wished she hadn't said anything.
"I don't know," was all he said, and she sighed, thinking he might burst into a great fit about something or another. But he just stood there, smoldering quietly to himself.
"Oh," she said softly, and he nodded. They stood in an uncomfortable silence for a moment. Then he coughed.
"So," his red eyes flickered up to hers. "Where did you learn to shoot like that?" he asked. Kagome shrugged, stretching.
"My mom taught me, almost a year ago." She thought for a moment. "Maybe a little less that a year. She'd actually come here, and met a visiting miko, who taught her..." she paused. Inuyasha's face was slowly beginning to darken, and his eyes flickered. Immediately, she set her hands on his shoulders.
"Inuyasha? Inuyasha!" she shook him lightly, and when he blinked, his eyes were a clear red again. He looked down at her, half in shock. She stared back. "What was that? You haven't turned on me like that in months!" He looked away.
Kagome blinked. What was this? The last time he'd done this it was... Her eyes slowly began to widen.
"Wait," she said suddenly, and his eyes flickered to her in shock and worry. She was curious about that, but continued her thought. "Was that the same miko that was in that painting?" His lips tightened fractionally, and he nodded, looking away. She searched his eyes as well as she could. Finally she placed a cool hand on his cheek and turned his face to hers.
He didn't say anything, just stared down at her. And she saw the hurt in those great red eyes.
"What did she do to you?" she asked quietly. He shook his head. She moved her hand to his jaw and tightened, forcing him to look at her. "What did she do? I need to know, it might have to do with what's happened to you!" To her surprise, he laughed.
"Of course it does. She's the bitch that did this!" he growled, and then blushed as his words sank in. And just like he'd feared, a fire came into Kagome's eyes.
"You mean you knew this whole time, and never told me!? Inuyasha! I can help you, I know I can." Her voice softened to a whisper. "Don't you trust me, even a little?" Inuyasha blinked solemnly at her, and his red eyes drooped.
"Can you help me?" he asked just as softly, running a clawed finger gently down her cheek. She almost thought he was talking to himself. He seemed to be searching her face for the answer.
"Of course I can, Inuyasha." She smiled. "I care too much about you to not try to help." At her words, his eyes sought out hers.
He could feel his heart hammering in his ears; it was bordering on painful. That stupid feeling had come back, the one that twisted his stomach and shoved his heart in his throat. He gulped.
"Really?" he asked, but it came out as a whimper. She smiled.
"Yes."
And as Inuyasha looked down at her, he felt almost every emotional wall that he'd ever built come down. There she was, standing with hope in her eyes, hope for him. And he trusted her with himself, trusted that somehow, she would make everything all right.
So without much thought, (because if he thought about it, it would never happen), he stepped closer and carefully enveloped the girl in his arms. She inhaled swiftly, but as she exhaled her arms came around him in the same way. He closed his eyes.
Almost reverently, he lowered his head and pressed his lips briefly to the top of her head.
And then his eyes flew open, but he didn't move.
Kikyo... she'd said that to be whole again, he had to love, and be loved. Sure enough, as he knew it would be, that funny feeling in his gut was there when he took her in his arms. He swallowed nervously, subconsciously tightening his arms around her.
Was this what it was to love?
Dun dun duuuun. :) Poor Inuyasha. His little besotted mind doesn't know what to do. More fun for me. And anyone else doing Beauty and the Beast stories is welcome to use the dream idea. In the original the prince himself talks to Belle in her dreams. I took it from that, but improvised it. So the physical Inuyasha has no idea that his soul is conversing with Kagome, ok? He has no part in it... think of the dream-Inuyasha as his guardian angel, alright? Again, please, I'm happy to answer questions. Please review!
