Chapter Seven

"Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost."

― Erol Ozan

Kagome was irate. It had been twenty-four hours, and her mood hadn't changed. This had to do with what Inuyasha told her and with what he asked her. It also had to do with Inuyasha hanging around Kagome all weekend, expecting an answer from her.

The rational part of her brain told her that Inuyasha was just considerate. And considering his past, he thought it was best to tell her all these things and then ask her if she wanted to stay by his side.

But the other part of her brain, as well as Kagome's heart, was wholly offended…and pissed that he would even ask her such a thing. Most people would at least consider the idea of living with a person who admitted to not having control. How was this any different from a drug addict? She was going to be a doctor; of course, she wasn't going to run away!

At least it was Monday, and she had classes as a reprieve. As soon as she got home, Inuyasha would be hanging around her, expecting an answer. Wasn't her silence one? Normally, she would be thrilled at her boss's closeness (not that she would ever tell anyone that); however, now it just ticked her off more. Had she been this pushy with his story?

No, no, she hadn't been.

Breakfast had been strained. Inuyasha wasn't wearing his hat or gloves anymore. In Kagome's opinion, this was a step in the right direction, yet it only reminded her of the whole story. How Inuyasha was once a full demon, and his fiancé went behind his back to change him into something he wasn't. Then leave him when it didn't work like Kikyo imagined, leaving her mess behind for Inuyasha to live with. With Kikyo dead, even Kagome couldn't do anything about it and therefore had a rage inside her that had nowhere to go. She knew it had to be worse for Inuyasha, which made her sad. How bitter this all had to make him… no wonder he struggled to contain his inner demon now!

He didn't seem like much of a demon now; arms crossed over his chest while he pouted, and she served breakfast in silence. Kagome grabbed some toast and made for the door to get some space and ignored his calls after her. That had been hours ago, and now she had to return. Where else could she go? It wasn't like she didn't want to go home or see Inuyasha. Kagome was just angry.

Her classes had helped distract her from it, and the distance helped her calm down. It was why Kagome entered the house with her previous rage simmering in the back of her mind now.

Inuyasha was nowhere in sight, so she didn't press her luck, going straight to work. He'd been home the entire weekend with her; Kagome figured he had gone to his new girlfriend's to make up for not seeing her. That still made Kagome burn, but it wasn't anger. It was something else.

She still had planting to do, heading outside straight away. The past several days had been so warm and pleasant. It was going to be summer soon. The pool was still a mess, but Kagome imagined it full of crystal clear water and Souta splashing around while Gramps fussed and her and her mom sunbathed. With her mother still in the ICU, it was a pipe dream. But it was a lovely one. Better than the dream of holding Souta while they stood next to their mother's grave.

"You're home?"

Jumping, Inuyasha had snuck up on her. Not that it was hard, she was staring off into space and daydreaming. Before she turned, Kagome wiped the tears that had fallen off her face and ducked her head as she made for the flower bed. "I live here."

It came out as a whisper thanks to her tears clogging her throat. She hoped to pass by Inuyasha unnoticed, but he stopped her, grabbing her bicep and holding her still. "Why are you crying?"

Kagome wasn't sure how he knew that. It wasn't like she was wailing when he came out, and he had yet to see her face. Inuyasha saw through Kagome, and it had the anger from simmering to a soft boil as she ripped her arm from his hold. Then, saying nothing, she went to the small flower bed and started taking her anger out on the weeds. Inuyasha stood behind her and watched.

"You still haven't answered me…."

She could take no more, turning back to throw a clump of weeds at his feet. "Yes, I have!"

"Why are you so damn pissed?! I gave you a choice; you don't have to stay here with me…."

"Did you ever think that I would take you up on it? That I would leave you? I'm not Kikyo."

"No… no, you're not."

She turned, ready to find out what happens when a human punches a half-demon, but the look on Inuyasha's face… was a mixture of somber and wistful. "Inuyasha… friends don't leave at the first sign of adversity."

"We're friends?" There was genuine confusion in his tone, and it hurt her all the more. It showed on her face, and she knew it; she didn't try to hide it and saw the grin on Inuyasha's face drop instantly, "Kagome…."

"You stupid asshole!"

They both turned to the angry voice as a woman raged towards them. Inuyasha jumped between Kagome and the strange woman… who punched him hard in the jaw and back several steps. In shock, Kagome watched as Inuyasha gripped his face and glared back at the fuming woman. "I should have you arrested for assault."

"Like anyone would believe a little girl like me hurt you, dumbass!"

"What are you doing here!" Inuyasha screamed back.

The woman stepped towards Inuyasha, and he stepped back as if afraid. "You skipped your 'classes' this weekend. And with you taking in innocent bystanders, I had to make sure you didn't completely lose it!"

"I don't need you coming around to fucking 'check up' on me, dammit. That's not the agreement we had…."

Inuyasha was cut off by the woman tossing him a sword. "Shut up and nut up, Hanyou."

Inuyasha growled as he ran back at the woman. She pulled out another sword and caught Inuyasha's before it sliced her in half. Kagome stood in awe. Not only at their equal strength and skill but also at how the woman had two swords on her. Now, Kagome was peeking towards the front of the house. No way the woman came here on the train with those swords on her; she had to have driven here. It was then that Kagome noticed Miroku, standing off to the side of the house, watching.

Carefully leaving the pair behind while they went to town on each other, Kagome made her way to Miroku's side. He was grinning creepily, but Kagome was used to it now. "Isn't she amazing?"

With his stare on the pair, Kagome assumed he was talking about the woman. "She sure is."

Miroku turned half his attention to her as he spoke. "I'm glad he told you. You deserved to know."

"Yeah? Now he's trying to get me to leave even more than he did before."

Miroku chuckled to himself. "Of course, he is. Kagome, if he ever hurt you… he would never forgive himself." She frowned back at him, but he just chuckled more. "It was why I was surprised when I got a call from Sango saying he didn't show up this weekend."

"I think… he was trying to make me break and move out." She mumbled.

"The last thing Inuyasha wants is for you to move out. Trust me. Why, since you showed up, he hasn't needed to see Sango as much. You just being here has helped to calm his demon."

"Great. So I calm Inuyasha's demon. What does that even mean?"

Miroku turned to her fully now and looked down. "It means you're what he needs. What he's been waiting for."

"HEY!" They both turned, and Inuyasha pointed his sword at the two of them. "Stop talking about me, dammit."

The woman interrupted anything more, but Kagome was busy looking at the sword Inuyasha held. It was five times the size it had been when the woman handed it over. "Damn his sensitive hearing. I forget about it sometimes." Miroku grumbled. "What do you think?" Kagome wasn't listening, looking back up at Miroku with a 'Huh?' while he smirked. "What do you think of Sango?"

"I've never met her."

"You have now."

Miroku pointed to the strange woman, and Kagome took her in wholly. Sango was built; muscles in her arms and back were taut with tension as she held her own against Inuyasha. Dark black hair was pulled up to her crown and swished with her movements. Kagome hadn't noticed at first, but Sango was in a Gi with hakama and lightly padded armor. With her fast movements, it was hard to keep up with Sango as well as Inuyasha. Kagome could still see the occasional hit she took from the half-demon from his fists or claws.

"Wait… so that's Sango?" Miroku nodded with a goofy grin on his face. "Is this what they do when they're together?"

"Yes. Why? What did you think they did?"

"I thought they were dating." She said with a shrug while her heart did a jig.

Miroku laughed so hard he nearly fell to the ground. "Oh my, and just what did you think they were up to with Inuyasha coming home so tired?"

A rock hit Miroku in the chest so hard that it knocked him down. Inuyasha had stopped, and Sango was growling towards the fallen man. Kagome pressed her cold hands to her flushed face and refused to look at anyone.

Miroku was silent after that, and Kagome wasn't entirely sure he didn't have an injured rib. The 'class' went on for over an hour, and eventually, Kagome went back to weeding while the sounds of grunts and metal clanging got so loud, she had to put in her earbuds. It was why when a hand fell to her shoulder, Kagome squealed and slipped off her toes to her butt.

Ripping out her headphones, Sango and Miroku chuckled over her while Inuyasha held out a hand for her to take. "She's this jumpy and yet, agreed to live with you?" Sango teased, giving Kagome's shoulder a gentle shove. "You should start coming with Inuyasha to class. You could –and should- learn a few things."

"I took a few self-defense classes…" she muttered, but Kagome had a feeling that wasn't the kind of thing Sango was teaching.

"I'll bring her this weekend," Inuyasha answered for both of them.

Kagome was busy staring at his back; instead of bothering with being agitated, Inuyasha made plans for her without asking. Because he was coated in sweat, causing his t-shirt to stick to his back and become transparent. But Sango wasn't the least bit enamored with Inuyasha and his bossy ways. "Is that how you treat her? You can't ask her to come. You have to tell her?"

"I didn't tell her…."

"I know it's been a while, Inuyasha, but that's not how you ask a girl out." Miroku mused.

Inuyasha growled and started pushing the pair away. "Get the fuck off my property before I call the cops."

They laughed, and Kagome got to her feet to help send them off. Sango turned back once more to her. "See you Saturday?"

Kagome nodded and watched for a few more moments as they drove away. When she turned back, Inuyasha was right behind her, watching her. "So… that's what you and Sango do on the weekends? Beat the crap out of each other and play with swords?"

Sango had taken the swords with her, and at the mention of it, Inuyasha flexed and then shook his hand—the one that held the aforementioned sword. "It's more than that."

They were walking, heading back inside the house while the sun leaked its last bits of light across the land and home. "How is Sango able to keep up with you? Are you holding back with her?"

"Sango's family… comes from a long line of demon hunters. Now retired, she trains others with the guise of it being 'self-defense' or 'working out'."

Standing at the bottom of the back set of stairs, they tiptoed around one another. Their previous conversation (the one where Inuyasha laughed at Kagome's declaration of friendship) still hung in the air between them in awkwardness. However, Kagome was determined to ignore it and move on as best she could for now.

"So someone that is supposed to be your mortal enemy is your best friend? How did you manage that?" She said with a small smile.

Inuyasha grimaced at the floor. "Miroku set all that up. Sango couldn't care less about me; she just doesn't want me losing control and killing people.."

"You wouldn't do that."

His attention flicked back up to her, and he still wore a frown. "That sword she has me use? It's called tessaiga, and it's not a regular sword. Instead, it feeds off my demonic energy. Using that sword depletes the demon, so I'm easier to handle." Inuyasha pulled his hands from his pockets to wrap his arms around his chest instead. Her heart tripped a bit at the sight of his muscles as they flexed and the way his eyes were trained on her chest; she worried he heard it. "If you're scared… then you should leave."

And they were back at this again. Kagome brushed past him and started up the stairs. He followed close behind until they reached the top, where he went around and blocked her path instead. "I already told you…."

"That was before. Before you saw me with Sango. I don't have friends, Kagome. I can't afford to."

"What do you call Miroku and Sango?! They care about you, and just because you're too dense to see it doesn't make it any less true! What about me? What do you call me?" He was silent, his gilded eyes locked on her in a wide stare. "I suppose I'm just a cleaning lady to you?"

When he remained unspeaking, she tried to pass by him while her heart tumbled painfully in her chest. He grabbed her, taking hold of her bicep with a bit of force that was close to painful. "There! I heard it! Your heart; it gives away your fear!" Kagome was scared but not of him. Not of his demon. Not the way he thought she was afraid. "You say that you're not scared of me, but I keep hearing your body tell a different story! You can't lie to me, Kagome!"

Really? She couldn't? It felt like she had been lying to him and herself for a while now. And now it was difficult to breathe, forced to be in the skinny hall with Inuyasha and her secret feelings crowding her. It made the space feel so much smaller. There wasn't enough on the landing for how much she cared about Inuyasha. How much she liked him.

The hand he had on her didn't lessen; it only got tighter in its grip. She didn't look back at him, continuing to stare down the hall at her freedom while his seething eyes dug into her head. "Just admit it, Kagome. Admit it!"

At some point, she had started to shake. But so was Inuyasha. Tears rolled down her cheeks with her quaking while he not so softly growled next to her. "You say… you hear my heart? You hear it showing my fear?"

"I know what fear sounds like…."

"You're so fucking stupid, Inuyasha."

She took her eyes off her goal to brush her cheeks with her free hand while Inuyasha spun her to face him, releasing the hold he had on her right after. "Excuse me?!"

It was becoming clear, Inuyasha would never listen and believe her words. It made her wonder how many times Sango or Miroku had told them they were his friends while he still refused to believe them? So she let go of her inhibitions because he was already trying to get rid of her. There was nothing else for her to lose at this point as she flung her arms around his neck and grabbed onto him tightly.

With her ear against his chest, she could hear his heart now, and it was beating wildly against her cheek. It matched hers in speed and strength, and she hugged Inuyasha with all her might. "What is my heart doing now?"

Inuyasha wasn't touching her; Kagome was doing all the touching. If she released him enough to look, she was sure she would see his hands up in the air, refusing to put his hands on her. "It's… going fucking nuts."

"So is yours. Are you scared, Inuyasha?"

"…. Yes."

"But not of my demon." She said with a small chuckle.

"You don't need one to hurt me, Kagome."

She only tightened her hold on him, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "You don't need a demon to hurt me either."

He shifted a little under her. Like he moved to do something but changed his mind at the last second. "I could… rip you to pieces right now…."

"I know. And if you did… it would tickle in comparison to how you could hurt me. The pain that I'm afraid you will cause me has nothing to do with you being a hanyou."

She felt pressure on her back, fingers gliding across it as Inuyasha wrapped her up in his arms. Once securely around, he caved into her. His head on top of Kagome's, Inuyasha curled his body as much as he could into hers and breathed in deep. His heart calmed down a little but still hit against her face hard as she rested her head on his chest. Without his gloves on, she could feel the heat of his hands as they pressed into her sides. The thin sweater she wore changed none of this, especially when Inuyasha gripped the fabric under his hands in a death hold. It felt… it felt as if his life depended on her. But Kagome was just imagining that.

"No one has… been this close to me… in a long time." She nodded in understanding as tears made her throat closed up. Inuyasha must have been so lonely for so long. "I lied… or rather I've… been lying. You can't leave Kagome." Her heart tripped in her chest again, so she tightened her hold, telling him the best she could that she wasn't afraid. "Looks like you were right. I am fucking stupid."

Inuyasha's hold on her tightened as well with that, molding Kagome into him while she relaxed in his arms to allow it. She would be his puddy, letting him shape her as he pleased. However, he needed Kagome would be the piece he was missing to heal all the aches in his heart. "I'm not going anywhere."

When she giggled a little, Inuyasha chuckled in response until they were both laughing softly in a mixture of euphoria and irony.

Because neither could leave one another with how tightly they clung to each other. But also, Kagome would never leave Inuyasha even without his python grip.