{The Road Between Souls}
~~~
Kagome hummed as she walked into the slaves' quarters. Sango was yelling at Tsuraiuta...but that was normal. In fact, most people seemed to yell at Tsuraiuta. It was the 'in' thing to do.
Therefore, she didn't think much of it. Instead, she stepped between the two, effectively breaking up the fight.
"Where's Yari-chan?"
"Yumeyari-" (Tsuraiuta never called people by their nicknames) "-is dead."
"Wha-what do you mean, she's dead?" Kagome stuttered, noticing for the first time the tears streaking Sango's face.
"Exactly what I said, Kagome." Tsurai's face was disgustingly calm and uncaring. "Deceased. Gone. Taken the big dirt nap. Kicked the bucket. Call it what you like, human."
"How?" Kagome whispered, sinking to her knees.
"She managed to anger Sesshoumaru-sama. He got tired of her and killed her. He does have poisoned claws at his disposal."
Abruptly, Kagome spun on her heel and ran as fast as she could, as far as she could get.
Into the rain.
Rain like tears.
~~~
Inuyasha wasn't exactly sure how he managed to get himself dashing out through the rain, searching for Kagome. All he remembered was sending a message to Tsuraiuta asking for Kagome...and her saying that Kagome had run out and she didn't know where she'd gone.
And Inuyasha wanted her. It had come as a shock.
He had been lying facedown on his futon, as usual, and his mind had wandered. Wandered to a certain human girl with beautiful hazel eyes and perfect skin and soft hair.
Inuyasha had thought of the time when he had undressed her in his room, letting the tattered old yukata fall to their feet. The disappointment felt when he discovered that white under-robe she wore.
And he wanted her. Wanted her so badly it hurt...and she wasn't even there. In a flash, he'd realized what his mother had known all along.
It was Kagome. He had fallen in love with her.
~~~
Kagome was curled up into a little ball, hugging her knees and rocking back and forth. Dead, dead, Yari-chan is dead. That bastard killed her. That bastard killed Yari-chan.
She closed her eyes, wishing she was dead. What's the point of caring for people anymore? she wondered. Everybody just dies anyhow.
"Kagome!" she jerked her head up. It was Inuyasha, standing there in the rain, the water coursing down his face, plastering his ears to the top of his head. Inuyasha walked toward her. He knelt in front of her.
"I heard," he said quietly. "I'm...I'm sorry."
"It wasn't your fault..."
"Remember what you said last night, that all you had was Sango and Yari?"
Kagome buried her head in her knees again. "Now all I have is Sango-chan."
"NO!" he roared, reaching out and shaking her by the shoulders. "You have me," he breathed.
Kagome looked up into his eyes. Beautiful golden orbs staring into her, pleading with her.
Slowly, ever so slowly, he tilted his head and kissed her. In the streaming rain he knelt there, kissing her, wanting her, loving her. Kagome reached up and pulled his head away from hers. She laid her head on his shoulder, and began to sob. Inuyasha rocked her back and forth, wishing he could say something to make her feel better.
He stood up and took to the air, carrying Kagome in his arms. He sped up, reaching the palace fairly quickly. Inuyasha strode through the halls until he reached his room, then slid the door open and put her down on the floor.
"What you said back there," Kagome whispered. "What did you mean by 'you have me'?"
"You have Sango...whoever the hell that is...and you have me."
Kagome shook her head. "I...don't get what you're trying to tell me..."
Roughly, he reached out and grabbed her, pressing his mouth harshly against hers, ripping her mouth open and shoving his tongue in. Kagome whimpered as Inuyasha's strong arms pulled her closer, his frenzied movements slowing down, his tongue becoming more gentle in its caresses. She bit back a moan, and placed her hands lightly on his chest.
He pulled back reluctantly, remembering that humans like Kagome benefit from air and the ability to breathe.
"Does that answer your question?" he asked quietly.
"Kind of...what am I to you?"
Inuyasha plopped down tiredly on the floor next to her, motioning for her to join him.
"When I was born, ofukuro took me to a Shinto temple. The priestess there looked at me for a long time, then said that when I received my father's blade Tetsusaiga, I wouldn't master it until I found...damn, I can't even remember the word she used.
"She predicted that I would fall in love and not realize it for a time." he smiled at her. "It's scary for me, really, because I don't care about mastering the sword anymore...I just want you. I...I love you, Kagome."
Kagome smiled. "How lucky for me...I love you, too." she reached over, cupping his face in her hands. "How did you do it...? You made me fall in love. I swore I wouldn't love, not real true marriage-love. But...you made me love you, you stubborn bastard."
Inuyasha chuckled, then stood up, pulling her with him. Reverently, he traced the hem of her wet yukata. "May I...?" he asked quietly. Kagome nodded, more than a little frightened. Will he be gentle? Like Kouga-kun was?
Inuyasha reached out, and pulled apart the knot on her obi, sliding the red pattern of the yukata off her shoulders, then moving to yank on the drenched white under-robe, kissing her as he went.
Slowly, he began to trail kisses down her neck, stroking her collarbone with his mouth. Kagome groaned, and Inuyasha smirked, then moved to place her hands on the sash of his kimono shirt. She got the hint, and began undressing him.
Inuyasha lifted Kagome into his arms, then moved towards the futon, gently climbing on top of her.
"I love you," he murmured into her hair, stroking the black waves.
Kagome could only moan.
~~~
Sango glared at the rushing river. Miroku sat down next to her. "You want to be alone, don't you, Sango?"
"Y-yeah, I do."
"I'll leave you, then." he had a beautiful smile, perfect. Sango felt her cheeks reddening.
"Ho-houshi-sama? You can't expect me to believe that's all you wanted!"
"Were you anticipating something, Sango?" so saying, Miroku's hand shot out and rubbed Sango's breasts. Sango pulled Hiraikotsu out and gave Miroku several bumps on the head.
"Hentai hentai hentai hentai hentai hentai!!!!!!!!!!" she shrieked.
"Why are you hitting the houshi-sama?" a small voice queried. A small kitsune popped out of nowhere. "Is is bad to touch you there?"
Sango abruptly stopped pounding upon Miroku. "Kawaii!!!" she cried out, hugging him. "You're so cute! What's your name?"
"I'm Shippou! You?"
"Sango. This is Miroku-sama. I'm...I'm his-"
"Servant. Sango is my personal servant."
Shippou smiled. "Can I stay with you, Sango? My okaa and otou are dead now."
"That's...that's so sad..." Sango sighed at the little kid's sorrows.
"It was some weird girl...she had a mirror. She was all white. She said she was working for some freak named Naraku." Miroku stiffened at the name. So, the fucking bastard is going around killing families...disgusting.
"Houshi-sama? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Sango. I think you and Kagome can take care of him."
"I'm not sure where she is now, though. I saw Inuyasha-sama carry her in, but I don't know where she went after that."
"I have a fairly good idea about where she is," Miroku said with an amused grin.
"Is she sleeping with Inuyasha? Okaa and otou did that a lot...they wanted me to stay away when they did that," Shippou put in. Sango's cheeks went pink.
"Yeah, I think that's where she is..."
On the way back, Sango explained her and Kagome's situation to the curious little child.
"You're not alone anymore, Shippou," the taji-ya girl promised.
~~~
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" the small child bounced on the youkai's stomach, jerking out of sleep. "Rin picked some flowers for Sesshoumaru-sama!" she beamed at him, her grin like a ray of sun. She thrust out her fist, a bunch of bright pink blossoms clenched in her chubby fingers. "See?"
Sesshoumaru gently shoved her off his stomach. "Good. Go tell Kagome that I want my breakfast. You can bring that, too." he wondered why he bothered with the child, but she'd attached herself to him more firmly than even her beloved 'Yume-ne-chan' who had finally annoyed her master enough to suffer at the attacking end of his poisoned claws.
Rin shook her head. "Rin can't get Kagome."
"Why not?" Sesshoumaru asked sharply.
"Sango says she's with Inuyasha. Rin doesn't know why. Her face was getting all red when she was telling Rin." Sesshoumaru snickered. Like father, like son. He's taken that human bitch to his bed.
"What's so funny, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin peered up into his snickering face.
"Nothing. You'd best get Dokukon, then. I'm hungry."
"'Kay!" Rin skipped off, cheerfully whistling a tune.
Sesshoumaru leaned back to contemplate this latest tidbit of information. Hn...so I was right about the yukata. Does this mean he'll finally master Tetsusaiga...? He shoved such thoughts out of his mind. Whether he masters it or not, I'm chichi-ue's true heir. He won't pass the titles onto a halfling, especially a second-born.
~~~
Tsuraiuta curled up into a ball, jealous of that human slave Sango for catching Miroku's eye. Couldn't she tell that his days were numbered? Tsuraiuta knew that the houshi didn't have more than five years at most to live, thanks to the Air Rip curse on his hand.
"Unfair." she told a passing bird. "And I don't get why Inuyasha-sama chose Kagome, either. There's nothing special about her!"
That was a total lie. Poor Tsurai, she told herself, nobody falls in love with the girl who sings the bitter song.
Tears coursed down her cheeks. She'd liked Yari, the girl was funny. Can you hear me? she asked silently. I would've been your friend...
Bitter song, bitter song. Sung by a bitter girl.
~~~
"I think it's Kagome," Shirobou announced to her mate, sitting down next to him. "He gave her the yukata and the obi, after all."
"If you think it's her, than it probably is," he replied. "But when will you tell Inuyasha that he can use the Shikon no Tama to lose his human blood?"
"I'm not sure...Kagome will, more than likely. She was one of the shrine maidens that protected it. She's no slouch."
Shuuraishi laughed, a deep baritone. "You want him to stay a hanyou, don't you? You can't make that choice for him."
"I know," she whispered. "but...I just don't want him to be like Sesshoumaru. I don't mean anything by that..."
"Yes you do. It's all right, though. I know what you're trying to say." Shirobou sighed.
"I just don't want him to become a youkai through and through. I want him to learn. It's a wonder that he even asked Kagome to teach him. And she still gives him lessons every day, you know. The odds of him making her his mate if he becomes a true youkai are incredibly slim."
"I don't think so. Inuyasha won't allow himself to be changed. His will is too strong for that." Shuuraishi said, confidence in his voice. "I believe, that no matter what, he'll follow his heart - like I did with you." Shirobou smiled.
"I hope so."
~~~
Argh. That took forever. And my butt hurts.
Review, people!!!
Yes, I know that was a little...erm...RISQUE-Y...but that's the ABSOLUTE worst of it!!!!
I swear!!! Read the next chapter.......after I write it. And yes, that was Kanna mentioned by Shippou. See, I said I'd add Naraku-tachi to the plot!!!! =D
