Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or a dictionary right now because it got
burnt @_@. So excuse any heinous spelling mistakes of long wirds.
AN: I just saw the two trailers for the second movie of Inuyasha and had the shock of my life. Apparently Kagome 'kisses' Inuyasha (full blooded demon Inuyasha) to stop him going on a rampage or something and while this sounds too good to be true, they cut the trailer just before their lips met which could mean anything - which is frustrating but it did look promising. BUT, I don't believe they actually made it to meshing mouths, and if they did he would either forget later on when he goes back to normal (IF he goes back to normal *shrug* - he could die for all I know) or kill her... so maybe they did kiss? (At the time Inuyasha looked pretty eager to run away - I think Kagome was practically holding him down to kiss him)
Anyway - I can't wait to see this movie now and the wait is going to kill me! I haven't even seen the first movie yet OR any Inuyasha anime... so it's going to be a while before I get a chance to see if this is all true - but I swear this isn't a lie because you can go check out the trailers for yourself on the official movie sight - though it's all the Japanese.
This is the direct link to trailer that has the 'kiss' right at the end, if you're interested or can't be bothered searching through Japanese to find the right link:
http://newcgi.toho-ad.com/asx/inu_new60_row.asx
Type that into your browser up there and your media player or whatever should pop up and start to play it ^_^
Two Faced
In The Blood
"What do you think you'll miss most?" Kagome asked him as they walked side by side down the dirt track. And their idea of side by side nowadays was at least a five metre gap between then, causing them to both walk on the grassy verge on either side of the road.
"Cockroaches." Inuyasha replied thoughtfully.
"Noting the sarcasm." Kagome glanced over at him and saw his drawn expression. "Sorry... don't you want to talk about it?"
"No - it doesn't bother me." Inuyasha replied quickly. "It's just... you seem pretty hot today."
"Well thanks..." Kagome blushed.
Inuyasha clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Not that way! I meant literally you are hot because you're radiating heat!"
"Oh..." Kagome nodded with a frown. "I see..."
She looked slightly dejected, making Inuyasha feel bad. "But... just so you know... that saying works on both levels."
Kagome didn't say anything, or give any indication that she'd heard him at all as she stared at the ground before her. Maybe he'd offended her again? But before he could dwell on that thought she spoke again. "You know what I'll miss most when I'm gone?"
"What?" he stopped walking when she hesitated to move onwards.
"Everything." She sighed. "Summer... summer evenings watching the sun set on mom's porch... she has great views down where she lives."
"I'll miss chocolate."
"I'll miss the mornings where you just get to lie in bed for those two extra hours in the morning... blissfully half asleep and so cosy..." Kagome smiled and continued to walk.
"I'll miss... Monday night football on TV... I don't suppose anyone would record it for me."
"You're not taking this seriously." Kagome stopped suddenly and turned to face him. "We're going to die in less than a week and all you can think about is sport?"
"It's called hiding the erratic fear of dying behind humour." Inuyasha said dryly.
"Oh..."
"But you're right..." he sighed. "I'm not getting used to the idea yet."
"Well get used to it, because..." she took a step towards him, forcing him to stagger back like she had her own personal invisible shield around her. "Because it's happening whether we like it or not."
"You'll kill all demons..." he reminded her.
"I know..." Kagome looked pained for a moment. "The only way to stop it would be to kill me..."
"That wouldn't work. Your dad says that without you the Shikon will still exist... and without you become more defiled..."
"And yadda, yadda, till it wipes out humans too... I know..."
"Besides... I don't think anyone would put a price on your life if they knew you." Inuyasha said softly.
"You did."
"Mm..." he grunted and started down the slope on his side of the road, towards a pond.
Kagome followed. "But now that you know me... you wouldn't kill me?"
Inuyasha sat down heavily by the waters edge and pressed a hand to his head to try and suppress the headache. "I like you too much." He admitted, but saying it didn't really seem to express the full extent of his feelings. And he had no idea why...
Kagome smiled happily and hugged herself as she sat down. "Same here."
"You like yourself too much?" Inuyasha teased.
"You know what I mean." She laughed.
"You know..." Inuyasha glanced over at her conspiratorially. "Your father is onto us."
"Oh dear..." Kagome suddenly went red. "How much does he know?"
"That we apparently spent one passion filled afternoon together the same day he arrived back." Inuyasha grinned. "Miroku told me."
"Oh god... did he chew you out?" Kagome winced.
"Um... sort of..."
"I hope you set him straight."
"Um... sort of..."
"What does 'sort of' mean?"
"Um... no." he grinned over at her. "But he seemed cool with it. He thinks you're into Miroku for some insane, absolutely ballistic, stupid reason..." he watched her carefully. "Right?"
She didn't miss his worried tone. "You jealous?"
"Yes."
"Don't be. Dad often gets strange ideas." She smiled and blew him a kiss with a sweet smile. "you know you're still my favourite boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" he blinked with surprise.
"Oh come on... one of us had to say it." She smiled. "And granted we can't really do much of what the average couple can do... but... I wish we could. So I say that classes you as my boyfriend. Plus... you're a boy and you're my friend!"
"You still trust me?"
"Inuyasha - if I could I would fall back on you blindfolded and tied up to prove that I trust you." She said. "Trust me when I say I trust you."
"I trust you."
"I trust you too."
"So I trust you're telling me the truth."
"Truth is trust and I'm trusting you so that's the truth." She said simply with a solemn look, but when she saw his perplexed look she burst out laughing. "You don't have to say anything more."
"I couldn't even if I wanted to." Inuyasha shook his head, still trying to follow what she'd said.
It was when she turned back to face the pond and plucked a dandelion head from the grass beside her, did Inuyasha hit realisation with a sudden snap. Kagome was wonderful.
She was happy... even when she was about to face death and destruction. She laughed around him... he hadn't realised it before, thinking it had only been her and Hojo... but she DID laugh with him, if not AT him. She was smart, witty, bursting with life and kindness that had rubbed off on him during their time together. Had this been any other girl, such as Kikyo... Inuyasha probably wouldn't have changed his mind about terminating her. But this was Kagome... sweet, innocent little Kagome who needed him as much as he needed her.
He loved her.
When he was with Kagome he felt like he'd found that little lost piece of soul... and when she went away, he felt incomplete, especially when they were separated on bad terms. She was great company... even now as they just sat, saying nothing at all, he felt comfortable. In the past if he was with a girlfriend he'd always felt that he should fill the lagging quietness with conversation - or more like the girl did. Kagome was just comfortable being around him... something those girlfriends hadn't always had.
Kagome lifted the fluffy dandelion to her lips and blew to watch all the seeds scatter out across the pond with interest, watching them as they meandered a path through the light breeze to finally plummet into the water, much to her disappointment. "Oh darn it... didn't even make it to the other bank..."
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said suddenly.
"Yep?"
"Um..." Inuyasha struggled for a way to break this into the conversation. "You know what I'll miss the most?"
"Chocolate?"
"No.
"Football?"
"No - I'm serious now." He scowled.
"Then by all means tell me what you'll miss?" she turned her full attention on him, letting him know she was listening.
"You."
Kagome took a moment before breaking into a wide smile. "That's sweet. I'll miss you too, I guess."
I guess? What was that supposed to mean? Inuyasha frowned slightly. "Cause I love you."
"I love you too." Kagome smiled and went to pick another dandelion.
Inuyasha cocked his head thoughtfully. No... that hadn't worked. She hadn't taken that seriously... she'd thought he meant the love for a friend... not the serious kind of love. It was one of those times he wished he could just grab hold of her hands since her attention span was very small - that way he could tell her exactly how he felt without worrying that she wasn't listening.
"No, Kagome." He sighed like he was trying to explain something complicated to a little girl... which in some way he was. "Would you put the buttercup down and listen to me?"
"Ok..." Must have been serious by that tone of voice he used, so Kagome did as she was told and turned to him fully with a frown. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing... wrong exactly." He wished he could get closer somehow... this wasn't the kind of thing you told someone at a distance where you had to raise your voice slightly. "Why would you say you love me?"
Kagome smiled and shook her head like she didn't get him. "Because you're such a great friend to me. Even though you can't touch me you still stick around... that's more than a lot of my family would do. You protect me and you can be pleasant to talk to... providing you're in the right mood."
"I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere..." Inuyasha scowled.
"But that's why I love you. You're my best friend."
"You shouldn't throw that word around so easily." he sighed.
"Why not?" Kagome frowned now. "It's not like I don't mean it."
"You - you love everything! You love your dad, you love Sango - you love demons!" he snorted and turned away. "You toss the word love out like confetti."
"No I don't," Kagome protested, thinking he was treating her unfairly now. "It's not like you don't love those same things!"
"But I don't!" Inuyasha growled. "I don't have parents to love, my brother's a bastard, the sunset you love is just a sunset and getting to lie in for a few extra hours is just being lazy."
Kagome scoffed with disbelief. "Is there a reason to why you are degrading those things, or are you just off on one of your strops?"
"No..." He took a deep breath. "I'm just trying to say that... I don't say the L word as easily as you... and when I say I love you..."
Kagome didn't catch on so he continued.
"I mean... I'm IN love with you." He said quietly, looking down.
Kagome took a sharp intake of breath like she was about to say something, but no words were formed. For a while Inuyasha just watched the grass before him with amazing interest, before sparing a look up to see her expression. She wore a slightly confused expression and was staring at him openly.
"You... you really love me?" Kagome whispered almost too quietly, but Inuyasha caught the words.
"Not love... I'm IN love." Well now that he'd dropped that bombshell he wanted to get back on with life, so he stood up and started up the slope. "You coming back to the village?"
"Uh... no..." Kagome shook her head. "I want some time alone thanks..."
He shrugged, feigning indifference, and started back without her, heading to the village they'd travelled to from the Hotel, getting nearer to the airport even though they knew they wouldn't be flying anywhere any time soon. But it made Kagome feel better.
On the outside he may have looked all easy-going and calm, but inside his emotions were all over the place. Why hadn't she said she loved him as well. Ok, maybe she had said it technically... but not the kind of love he was talking about. Had he expected her to jump up and shout her love right back the minute he'd told her? Maybe... But there wasn't much else they could do. They were still restricted to keeping their distance - which meant no passionate embraces, no fevered kisses or there would be burnt flesh to pay... as well as protective fathers to face.
Inuyasha looked down at his hands as he walked back towards the village. Both hands were now bound up with crisp white bandages, testament to several accidents he'd had with Kagome recently. That girl stumbled so often these days that he had to catch her or risk her cracking her skull.
But she hadn't said she loved him like he loved her... so what did that mean?
^_^
She was certain that this was the right girl this time. The fact that Inuyasha had called her Kagome was proof enough... unless both girls had the same name like they had the same face, which was doubtful.
Kagura had held herself from attacking since Inuyasha was there next to her victim again. Last time she'd probably fancied her chances about being able to outrun him. But even though she'd had a massive head-start, he'd still caught up, overtaken and knocked her flying. She wasn't stupid enough to underestimate him twice. The rest of her cell all presumed her was the weakest, since he was a hanyou... but no one actually took time to realise who his father had been. The same demon had sired Sesshomaru... so how could Inuyasha be a weakling?
But then the fool had left the pond and left his little lover unguarded. Big mistake.
She sat at the bank staring out over the water with a vacant expression like she was deep in thought. Kagura smirked and pulled the vial of dark blood that Sesshomaru had given her, out of her folded kimono. She'd been lectured with detail on how to use it - just spill it on the girl's skin and the task would be complete. He'd only said this because he thought she was too incompetent to kill the girl... Kagura had plans of her own.
She slowly drew an arrow from her sleeve and dipped the end in the blood. She quietly snapped the bolt into place on the crossbow and lifted it to aim at the girl. Crossbow wasn't her speciality, but it was the only way to complete the task without screwing up.
She aimed and prepared to fire, before hesitating. Was it really going to be as easy as that? She could kill the girl right now without too much trouble... after all these years it couldn't be that simple.
Suddenly Kagome's head snapped up and she cracked her gaze on Kagura's location exactly. For a moment she looked surprised before Kagura quickly positioned herself to fire. Kagome gave a gasp of fear and threw herself to the side seconds before the shot was fired. The arrow skimmed across the grass and struck a boulder behind where she had been sitting.
With a curse Kagura threw the crossbow down. It was such an unreliable weapon that she decided then and there never to use it again. That had been her last arrow and now all she could do was overpower the girl and splash the blood on her.
Kagome was busily trying to scramble up the slope to the road to make a run for it, but her speed was no match for Kagura and when she glanced over her shoulder she knew she had no chance but to stop and fight. So she did stop... and she turned.
Kagura clasped the vial in her fist tightly and slowed her chase to a calm walk when Kagome turned. She smiled slowly as she approached, then she hit some turbulence. She staggered slightly as pain shot through her entire body, making her impulsively take a few steps back until the pain was gone. She looked up, a hand pressed to her head to stem the pain and realised it was coming from the girl. Such strong purifying powers... this was definitely the prophesised girl.
With a slight curl of her lips Kagura started forward again, ignoring the pain to get at least within twenty metres of her. She started coughing when she got to ten metres and had to stop again. She brought a hand to her mouth as the metallic taste filled it, and brought it away to reveal the blood she'd coughed up. She gritted her teeth as she looked up at Kagome who was watching her with a mixture of fear and anger. Did the girl realise what she was doing? Or was she hurting Kagura deliberately... somehow... Kagura didn't think she had any control over those powers.
"You'll burn in hell for eternity for what you will do!" Kagura spat blood onto the ground before turning and summoning her leaf to make a graceful exit.
Kagome almost collapsed when she'd gone from sight. Her knees had been shaking so bad she'd had doubts they would hold her weight for much longer. With a shaky sigh she clutched at the Shikon jewel and was for once thankful of it power. Without it she'd be a dead duck now... then again, without it she wouldn't be in the situation to be a dead duck.
Her eyes fell on the arrow that lay on the grass on the slope. It seemed to have blood already coating the tip - but it had missed, hadn't it? Kagome looked down at herself, checking for holes just in case, but she didn't appear to be bleeding.
With a frown she bent down to pick it up, carefully by the end to avoid touching the sticky substance at the tip. She held it up for inspection before realising that the 'blood' didn't really look like blood... it was too dark to be real blood. Hesitantly she touched it with her other hand and rubbed it between her fingers. Wrinkling her nose she figured it felt enough like blood to be disgusting enough.
She dropped the arrow and started back towards the village, cautiously looking around her for any more demons. Though she was sure if there were any, she'd sense them, but that still didn't ease her nerves. Glancing down at her hand again she stopped.
"What the...?"
The blood was gone from her fingers, like it had never been there. No stain, no moisture, nothing.
Feeling thoroughly creeped out and wondering if her mind was finally failing her in her recent stresses, she carried on back to the village. But by the time the first few houses and buildings came into sight she was having slight trouble breathing. By the time she reached those first few houses and buildings she knew she was having definite trouble.
Was she having an asthma attack or something?
Kagome slowed and rubbed her throat as if trying to get the air moving, but it wasn't helping. She must have had an allergic reaction to something... maybe she had hay-fever - but that would make no sense because it wasn't summer anymore...
"Hey Kagome!" Sango came strolling along. "Miroku just ate a whole bucket of ice cream in a contest with Inuyasha - you HAVE to see them now, they-"
She stopped herself short when she saw Kagome seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Kagome?" she ran forward, and Kagome seemed to give up and fell, none too gracefully onto her behind, gasping for air. "Kagome! What's wrong?!"
Kagome didn't have the air to breathe an answer and gestured wildly to her throat and chest as pain started to crawl through her insides and through her limbs. She didn't feel so good anymore...
"Come on, Kagome... Don't stop here." Sango said in that slightly determined voice she used when she was worried. She bent down to help Kagome up and started to walk her towards the inn they were staying at.
Kagome struggled to walk, even as Sango supported a lot of her weight, and she couldn't help wondering why all the bad things seemed to happen to her...
AN: Next chapter - 'I'm Sorry' and perhaps that will be me saying that...
AN: I just saw the two trailers for the second movie of Inuyasha and had the shock of my life. Apparently Kagome 'kisses' Inuyasha (full blooded demon Inuyasha) to stop him going on a rampage or something and while this sounds too good to be true, they cut the trailer just before their lips met which could mean anything - which is frustrating but it did look promising. BUT, I don't believe they actually made it to meshing mouths, and if they did he would either forget later on when he goes back to normal (IF he goes back to normal *shrug* - he could die for all I know) or kill her... so maybe they did kiss? (At the time Inuyasha looked pretty eager to run away - I think Kagome was practically holding him down to kiss him)
Anyway - I can't wait to see this movie now and the wait is going to kill me! I haven't even seen the first movie yet OR any Inuyasha anime... so it's going to be a while before I get a chance to see if this is all true - but I swear this isn't a lie because you can go check out the trailers for yourself on the official movie sight - though it's all the Japanese.
This is the direct link to trailer that has the 'kiss' right at the end, if you're interested or can't be bothered searching through Japanese to find the right link:
http://newcgi.toho-ad.com/asx/inu_new60_row.asx
Type that into your browser up there and your media player or whatever should pop up and start to play it ^_^
Two Faced
In The Blood
"What do you think you'll miss most?" Kagome asked him as they walked side by side down the dirt track. And their idea of side by side nowadays was at least a five metre gap between then, causing them to both walk on the grassy verge on either side of the road.
"Cockroaches." Inuyasha replied thoughtfully.
"Noting the sarcasm." Kagome glanced over at him and saw his drawn expression. "Sorry... don't you want to talk about it?"
"No - it doesn't bother me." Inuyasha replied quickly. "It's just... you seem pretty hot today."
"Well thanks..." Kagome blushed.
Inuyasha clucked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Not that way! I meant literally you are hot because you're radiating heat!"
"Oh..." Kagome nodded with a frown. "I see..."
She looked slightly dejected, making Inuyasha feel bad. "But... just so you know... that saying works on both levels."
Kagome didn't say anything, or give any indication that she'd heard him at all as she stared at the ground before her. Maybe he'd offended her again? But before he could dwell on that thought she spoke again. "You know what I'll miss most when I'm gone?"
"What?" he stopped walking when she hesitated to move onwards.
"Everything." She sighed. "Summer... summer evenings watching the sun set on mom's porch... she has great views down where she lives."
"I'll miss chocolate."
"I'll miss the mornings where you just get to lie in bed for those two extra hours in the morning... blissfully half asleep and so cosy..." Kagome smiled and continued to walk.
"I'll miss... Monday night football on TV... I don't suppose anyone would record it for me."
"You're not taking this seriously." Kagome stopped suddenly and turned to face him. "We're going to die in less than a week and all you can think about is sport?"
"It's called hiding the erratic fear of dying behind humour." Inuyasha said dryly.
"Oh..."
"But you're right..." he sighed. "I'm not getting used to the idea yet."
"Well get used to it, because..." she took a step towards him, forcing him to stagger back like she had her own personal invisible shield around her. "Because it's happening whether we like it or not."
"You'll kill all demons..." he reminded her.
"I know..." Kagome looked pained for a moment. "The only way to stop it would be to kill me..."
"That wouldn't work. Your dad says that without you the Shikon will still exist... and without you become more defiled..."
"And yadda, yadda, till it wipes out humans too... I know..."
"Besides... I don't think anyone would put a price on your life if they knew you." Inuyasha said softly.
"You did."
"Mm..." he grunted and started down the slope on his side of the road, towards a pond.
Kagome followed. "But now that you know me... you wouldn't kill me?"
Inuyasha sat down heavily by the waters edge and pressed a hand to his head to try and suppress the headache. "I like you too much." He admitted, but saying it didn't really seem to express the full extent of his feelings. And he had no idea why...
Kagome smiled happily and hugged herself as she sat down. "Same here."
"You like yourself too much?" Inuyasha teased.
"You know what I mean." She laughed.
"You know..." Inuyasha glanced over at her conspiratorially. "Your father is onto us."
"Oh dear..." Kagome suddenly went red. "How much does he know?"
"That we apparently spent one passion filled afternoon together the same day he arrived back." Inuyasha grinned. "Miroku told me."
"Oh god... did he chew you out?" Kagome winced.
"Um... sort of..."
"I hope you set him straight."
"Um... sort of..."
"What does 'sort of' mean?"
"Um... no." he grinned over at her. "But he seemed cool with it. He thinks you're into Miroku for some insane, absolutely ballistic, stupid reason..." he watched her carefully. "Right?"
She didn't miss his worried tone. "You jealous?"
"Yes."
"Don't be. Dad often gets strange ideas." She smiled and blew him a kiss with a sweet smile. "you know you're still my favourite boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" he blinked with surprise.
"Oh come on... one of us had to say it." She smiled. "And granted we can't really do much of what the average couple can do... but... I wish we could. So I say that classes you as my boyfriend. Plus... you're a boy and you're my friend!"
"You still trust me?"
"Inuyasha - if I could I would fall back on you blindfolded and tied up to prove that I trust you." She said. "Trust me when I say I trust you."
"I trust you."
"I trust you too."
"So I trust you're telling me the truth."
"Truth is trust and I'm trusting you so that's the truth." She said simply with a solemn look, but when she saw his perplexed look she burst out laughing. "You don't have to say anything more."
"I couldn't even if I wanted to." Inuyasha shook his head, still trying to follow what she'd said.
It was when she turned back to face the pond and plucked a dandelion head from the grass beside her, did Inuyasha hit realisation with a sudden snap. Kagome was wonderful.
She was happy... even when she was about to face death and destruction. She laughed around him... he hadn't realised it before, thinking it had only been her and Hojo... but she DID laugh with him, if not AT him. She was smart, witty, bursting with life and kindness that had rubbed off on him during their time together. Had this been any other girl, such as Kikyo... Inuyasha probably wouldn't have changed his mind about terminating her. But this was Kagome... sweet, innocent little Kagome who needed him as much as he needed her.
He loved her.
When he was with Kagome he felt like he'd found that little lost piece of soul... and when she went away, he felt incomplete, especially when they were separated on bad terms. She was great company... even now as they just sat, saying nothing at all, he felt comfortable. In the past if he was with a girlfriend he'd always felt that he should fill the lagging quietness with conversation - or more like the girl did. Kagome was just comfortable being around him... something those girlfriends hadn't always had.
Kagome lifted the fluffy dandelion to her lips and blew to watch all the seeds scatter out across the pond with interest, watching them as they meandered a path through the light breeze to finally plummet into the water, much to her disappointment. "Oh darn it... didn't even make it to the other bank..."
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said suddenly.
"Yep?"
"Um..." Inuyasha struggled for a way to break this into the conversation. "You know what I'll miss the most?"
"Chocolate?"
"No.
"Football?"
"No - I'm serious now." He scowled.
"Then by all means tell me what you'll miss?" she turned her full attention on him, letting him know she was listening.
"You."
Kagome took a moment before breaking into a wide smile. "That's sweet. I'll miss you too, I guess."
I guess? What was that supposed to mean? Inuyasha frowned slightly. "Cause I love you."
"I love you too." Kagome smiled and went to pick another dandelion.
Inuyasha cocked his head thoughtfully. No... that hadn't worked. She hadn't taken that seriously... she'd thought he meant the love for a friend... not the serious kind of love. It was one of those times he wished he could just grab hold of her hands since her attention span was very small - that way he could tell her exactly how he felt without worrying that she wasn't listening.
"No, Kagome." He sighed like he was trying to explain something complicated to a little girl... which in some way he was. "Would you put the buttercup down and listen to me?"
"Ok..." Must have been serious by that tone of voice he used, so Kagome did as she was told and turned to him fully with a frown. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing... wrong exactly." He wished he could get closer somehow... this wasn't the kind of thing you told someone at a distance where you had to raise your voice slightly. "Why would you say you love me?"
Kagome smiled and shook her head like she didn't get him. "Because you're such a great friend to me. Even though you can't touch me you still stick around... that's more than a lot of my family would do. You protect me and you can be pleasant to talk to... providing you're in the right mood."
"I'm sure there's a compliment in there somewhere..." Inuyasha scowled.
"But that's why I love you. You're my best friend."
"You shouldn't throw that word around so easily." he sighed.
"Why not?" Kagome frowned now. "It's not like I don't mean it."
"You - you love everything! You love your dad, you love Sango - you love demons!" he snorted and turned away. "You toss the word love out like confetti."
"No I don't," Kagome protested, thinking he was treating her unfairly now. "It's not like you don't love those same things!"
"But I don't!" Inuyasha growled. "I don't have parents to love, my brother's a bastard, the sunset you love is just a sunset and getting to lie in for a few extra hours is just being lazy."
Kagome scoffed with disbelief. "Is there a reason to why you are degrading those things, or are you just off on one of your strops?"
"No..." He took a deep breath. "I'm just trying to say that... I don't say the L word as easily as you... and when I say I love you..."
Kagome didn't catch on so he continued.
"I mean... I'm IN love with you." He said quietly, looking down.
Kagome took a sharp intake of breath like she was about to say something, but no words were formed. For a while Inuyasha just watched the grass before him with amazing interest, before sparing a look up to see her expression. She wore a slightly confused expression and was staring at him openly.
"You... you really love me?" Kagome whispered almost too quietly, but Inuyasha caught the words.
"Not love... I'm IN love." Well now that he'd dropped that bombshell he wanted to get back on with life, so he stood up and started up the slope. "You coming back to the village?"
"Uh... no..." Kagome shook her head. "I want some time alone thanks..."
He shrugged, feigning indifference, and started back without her, heading to the village they'd travelled to from the Hotel, getting nearer to the airport even though they knew they wouldn't be flying anywhere any time soon. But it made Kagome feel better.
On the outside he may have looked all easy-going and calm, but inside his emotions were all over the place. Why hadn't she said she loved him as well. Ok, maybe she had said it technically... but not the kind of love he was talking about. Had he expected her to jump up and shout her love right back the minute he'd told her? Maybe... But there wasn't much else they could do. They were still restricted to keeping their distance - which meant no passionate embraces, no fevered kisses or there would be burnt flesh to pay... as well as protective fathers to face.
Inuyasha looked down at his hands as he walked back towards the village. Both hands were now bound up with crisp white bandages, testament to several accidents he'd had with Kagome recently. That girl stumbled so often these days that he had to catch her or risk her cracking her skull.
But she hadn't said she loved him like he loved her... so what did that mean?
^_^
She was certain that this was the right girl this time. The fact that Inuyasha had called her Kagome was proof enough... unless both girls had the same name like they had the same face, which was doubtful.
Kagura had held herself from attacking since Inuyasha was there next to her victim again. Last time she'd probably fancied her chances about being able to outrun him. But even though she'd had a massive head-start, he'd still caught up, overtaken and knocked her flying. She wasn't stupid enough to underestimate him twice. The rest of her cell all presumed her was the weakest, since he was a hanyou... but no one actually took time to realise who his father had been. The same demon had sired Sesshomaru... so how could Inuyasha be a weakling?
But then the fool had left the pond and left his little lover unguarded. Big mistake.
She sat at the bank staring out over the water with a vacant expression like she was deep in thought. Kagura smirked and pulled the vial of dark blood that Sesshomaru had given her, out of her folded kimono. She'd been lectured with detail on how to use it - just spill it on the girl's skin and the task would be complete. He'd only said this because he thought she was too incompetent to kill the girl... Kagura had plans of her own.
She slowly drew an arrow from her sleeve and dipped the end in the blood. She quietly snapped the bolt into place on the crossbow and lifted it to aim at the girl. Crossbow wasn't her speciality, but it was the only way to complete the task without screwing up.
She aimed and prepared to fire, before hesitating. Was it really going to be as easy as that? She could kill the girl right now without too much trouble... after all these years it couldn't be that simple.
Suddenly Kagome's head snapped up and she cracked her gaze on Kagura's location exactly. For a moment she looked surprised before Kagura quickly positioned herself to fire. Kagome gave a gasp of fear and threw herself to the side seconds before the shot was fired. The arrow skimmed across the grass and struck a boulder behind where she had been sitting.
With a curse Kagura threw the crossbow down. It was such an unreliable weapon that she decided then and there never to use it again. That had been her last arrow and now all she could do was overpower the girl and splash the blood on her.
Kagome was busily trying to scramble up the slope to the road to make a run for it, but her speed was no match for Kagura and when she glanced over her shoulder she knew she had no chance but to stop and fight. So she did stop... and she turned.
Kagura clasped the vial in her fist tightly and slowed her chase to a calm walk when Kagome turned. She smiled slowly as she approached, then she hit some turbulence. She staggered slightly as pain shot through her entire body, making her impulsively take a few steps back until the pain was gone. She looked up, a hand pressed to her head to stem the pain and realised it was coming from the girl. Such strong purifying powers... this was definitely the prophesised girl.
With a slight curl of her lips Kagura started forward again, ignoring the pain to get at least within twenty metres of her. She started coughing when she got to ten metres and had to stop again. She brought a hand to her mouth as the metallic taste filled it, and brought it away to reveal the blood she'd coughed up. She gritted her teeth as she looked up at Kagome who was watching her with a mixture of fear and anger. Did the girl realise what she was doing? Or was she hurting Kagura deliberately... somehow... Kagura didn't think she had any control over those powers.
"You'll burn in hell for eternity for what you will do!" Kagura spat blood onto the ground before turning and summoning her leaf to make a graceful exit.
Kagome almost collapsed when she'd gone from sight. Her knees had been shaking so bad she'd had doubts they would hold her weight for much longer. With a shaky sigh she clutched at the Shikon jewel and was for once thankful of it power. Without it she'd be a dead duck now... then again, without it she wouldn't be in the situation to be a dead duck.
Her eyes fell on the arrow that lay on the grass on the slope. It seemed to have blood already coating the tip - but it had missed, hadn't it? Kagome looked down at herself, checking for holes just in case, but she didn't appear to be bleeding.
With a frown she bent down to pick it up, carefully by the end to avoid touching the sticky substance at the tip. She held it up for inspection before realising that the 'blood' didn't really look like blood... it was too dark to be real blood. Hesitantly she touched it with her other hand and rubbed it between her fingers. Wrinkling her nose she figured it felt enough like blood to be disgusting enough.
She dropped the arrow and started back towards the village, cautiously looking around her for any more demons. Though she was sure if there were any, she'd sense them, but that still didn't ease her nerves. Glancing down at her hand again she stopped.
"What the...?"
The blood was gone from her fingers, like it had never been there. No stain, no moisture, nothing.
Feeling thoroughly creeped out and wondering if her mind was finally failing her in her recent stresses, she carried on back to the village. But by the time the first few houses and buildings came into sight she was having slight trouble breathing. By the time she reached those first few houses and buildings she knew she was having definite trouble.
Was she having an asthma attack or something?
Kagome slowed and rubbed her throat as if trying to get the air moving, but it wasn't helping. She must have had an allergic reaction to something... maybe she had hay-fever - but that would make no sense because it wasn't summer anymore...
"Hey Kagome!" Sango came strolling along. "Miroku just ate a whole bucket of ice cream in a contest with Inuyasha - you HAVE to see them now, they-"
She stopped herself short when she saw Kagome seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Kagome?" she ran forward, and Kagome seemed to give up and fell, none too gracefully onto her behind, gasping for air. "Kagome! What's wrong?!"
Kagome didn't have the air to breathe an answer and gestured wildly to her throat and chest as pain started to crawl through her insides and through her limbs. She didn't feel so good anymore...
"Come on, Kagome... Don't stop here." Sango said in that slightly determined voice she used when she was worried. She bent down to help Kagome up and started to walk her towards the inn they were staying at.
Kagome struggled to walk, even as Sango supported a lot of her weight, and she couldn't help wondering why all the bad things seemed to happen to her...
AN: Next chapter - 'I'm Sorry' and perhaps that will be me saying that...