Temporary Home
Summary: Kagome would be the first to tell you that life wasn't easy. She would also tell you that she didn't want it to be. If not for the hard life she had, she wouldn't have the life she did...all thanks to them...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Prince of Tennis
Genre: Romance/Drama
Pairing: Kagome (None)
Rated: T
-x-x-x-
Having split from the large group of teens, it was Kagome, Eiji and Fuji now. The three were in a pet store, and while Kagome was sitting and petting a Guinea Pig, Fuji and Eiji were leaning against the counter watching her.
"Gomen, Eijiko."
"Iie, Fujiko." Eiji sighed, "I'm still learning too. I say this too lightly, but I picked her. She is perfect. Not because she's smart, or adorable...but because..." he leaned back on his elbows and stared up at the ceiling, "when I met her at the Orphanage, I was drawn to her. She drew me too her. I went home only thinking of her. The next day, I dragged my mom back, demanding that she meet her. It's weird, but there's something about her that makes you want to hold her and take care of her. Spoil her and love her. I want to see Kagome-Chan happy, and I mean, really happy."
Fuji smiled, "then let's do our best to make her happy."
"Is it so easy?" lifting his head, he looked to the little girl, "she looked really upset when you said that. You saw her eyes, right? I can't read them like she can, I don't understand half of what she was talking about earlier either. However, even I could see the light go out in her eyes for a moment. The smile after that...it's like the one you wear all the time."
Sighing, Fuji nodded. She truly was a lot like him. Smiles like theirs hid dark secrets. Hurts and scars that the world could dream of seeing. He wondered about hers, he could only speak confidently about his skeletons, but he was sure that she had her own. "Nai, Eijiko. Would it be okay if I walk her home alone? I'd like to talk to her..."
Eiji looked at Fuji, not that he didn't trust Fuji, but this was his baby sister. "What about?"
"Well, it's as you say, she and I are a lot alike. I'd like to talk to her and see if I can find out more about the shadows that loom behind her eyes."
Heaving a heavy sigh, he called out to Kagome who came up to him with the Guinea Pig in her arms. "I have to run to the convenient store to pick up something, Fujiko is going to start taking you home and I'll meet you guys there. Is that okay?"
Kagome looked curiously at the two before nodding her head, "yes, that's fine."
Eiji grinned, "do you want something from the store too?"
"...um...a―no, it's fine." She smiled, "be safe and I'll see you at home."
Eiji felt his heart constrict in his chest as he left the pet store, 'what did she want to ask for? She wanted something...right? Of course she did, nyan. However, what it was―I doubt she'll tell me anytime soon.'
-x-x-x-
"What did Eiji-nii need to get from the store?"
Fuji frowned, "he didn't say," he watched her hand the small animal over to the gentleman that had been following her and the Guinea Pig around the small shop. She apologized for making him worry and he laughed it off.
"You were very gentle with him. I'm happy he got to play with someone so nice today."
Kagome blushed, but smiled as she gave the Guinea Pig one final, gentle pat on the head, before returning to Fuji's side. She stared curiously at the outstretched hand before she resigned herself to clenching her dress in her hands and walking beside him without touching.
Chuckling out loud to himself, he felt the familiarity of the situation painfully so. Walking in the direction of Eiji's home, he decided to take the scenic route, knowing full well that Kagome wouldn't know one way or the other. He started off towards the park. "Do you like photography, Kagome-Chan?"
"Do I like it? I don't know. That's taking pictures, and I've never had a camera or anything that took photos. Phones, cameras and camcorders, things like that, I've never had them." She smiled, slightly, "though, I guess I do like looking at pictures. If it wasn't for photography, I wouldn't have that one."
'That one?' He closed his eyes; the park wasn't too far now. He could tell that Eiji was following behind them too, too far for Kagome to notice, but close enough that he had noticed. "You have a picture that's important to you?"
"Yeah," she stopped walking, he paused in his step and glanced back at her. "Hey, this is..." she looked around and frowned, "this isn't the way to Eiji-nii's house."
"Ah, you noticed." He smiled, "Kagome-Chan is surprisingly sharp for her age." He continued walking onto the park and walked over to the swings. His eyes opened as Kagome walked after him and, after a moment, she too sat down on a swing. "Eijiko knows where we are, you needn't worry. Besides, you can get to the Kikumaru home from here too."
"I have no choice but to trust you, Fujiko-Senpai."
"Gomen," he laughed, "say, Kagome-Chan, can you tell me about the photo you have. The one that's important to you?" Even from where he sat facing away from the street, he picked up Eiji's red hair from his peripheral vision. He was a sneaky little neko when he wanted to be. Fuji smirked at his childish friend.
"...my family."
He turned his eyes to Kagome, opening them as he paid close attention to what she had to say.
"The picture was taken five months before the accident. I was almost seven years old when they died. That day, they were on their way back from the hospital with my baby brother. When mama went into labor, papa took me to our neighbor and asked her to watch me while he took mama to the hospital. He didn't want me to be stuck alone in the waiting room..."
She walked herself backwards on the ground before jumping up into the seat and closing her eyes to the wind against her face as she kicked her legs out as she went forward and brought her legs back as she went backwards. Continuing the motion over and over as she got higher and higher.
"Mama called me at our neighbors. "Kagome, mama and papa are heading home, you'll get to meet your new baby brother soon." Mama was so excited, after spending most of the day and all of the night before at the hospital, she was ready to come home. His name was Souta...all I learned about my brother was his name. I never got to meet him. I heard it...my mom yelling for my dad to look out, the sound of the tires on the road dragging and screeching in the phone. I heard the crash, and then I heard mama say his name for the first time. She was crying...Souta. The picture, has all four of us in it, even if Souta was in my mom's belly at the time, he's there too."
Fuji hadn't moved the entire time she spoke about her family. He could hardly remember how to breathe, reminding himself to inhale and exhale before he heard the soft sniffles to his right. Standing suddenly, he walked to the swing and stopped it as it came down. The swing jerked a bit and Kagome looked up at him with wide eyes. When he leaned forward and pulled her into a hug, he felt her shatter in his arms. 'Of course, she's not being honest with herself. It hurts to be honest. "I don't deserve to be happy," she must be thinking along those lines. Big words and fancy topics aside, she's still...just a scarred ten-year-old girl.' He rubbed soothing circles along her back as he let her cry into his shoulder. Lifting her into his arms as she wrapped her legs and arms tightly around him. She was small enough that he could still carry her like a small child, he closed his eyes and started off towards the Kikumaru residence with Eiji watching and following from a distance.
-x-x-x-
Me: So, Fuji got the chance to get a bit closer to Kagome-Chan and was even the first to hear about her parents and baby brother. How will our little Kagome's heart heal? Will the meddling of a certain Fujiko make things better, or will she only get worse from here on out? And with school about to start for Kagome-Chan...she'll be all alone at school, or will she? Anyways, hope you guys are enjoying the new chapters!