CHAPTER FIFTEEN
*
A dark figure crept to the edge of the balcony, and crouched just inside the shadows. He stared down at the puddles forming as the rain fell, watching his rippling reflection.
Behind him, Kagome was curled up under her raincoat. Inuyasha glanced back at her, letting his gaze linger on her face. Then he touched his chest. It still hurt where the Tenseiga had run through his heart. Not much, just a little.
It was nothing compared to the pain he remembered; it tingled through his body when he closed his eyes. He remembered breaking out of Naraku's bubble of poison vapors, feeling as if he were drowning in boiling oil. The next thing he had known, he was draped over Miroku and Sango's shoulders, trying not to whimper as they dragged him to the village. He didn't know how long he had been in Kaede's hut. His vision had blurred and gone dark. Every heartbeat pulled the poison deeper into him, and every touch set his skin on fire. And he couldn't breathe.
He had craved to hear Kagome's voice, but had only heard the sound of Shippo crying, and Miroku murmuring a prayer for the dying.
Inuyasha's eyes softened as he crouched down beside her, watching her just sleep. He wasn't sure what he owed her -- something massive -- but he'd find a way to make it up to her. Not just because she brought me back, he thought. Because she did it... because she wanted to stay with me.
She must've been scared, he thought. Kagome had more guts than almost anyone else he knew, but facing Sesshoumaru was a daunting task even for demons. For humans, it was all but unthinkable. His golden eyes narrowed slightly at the memory of his brother's face as he had twisted the knife, telling Inuyasha how fortunate he was. He'd meant it as a taunt.
But he was right.
Inuyasha touched her face. She thought I'd hate her, he thought. And she brought me back even then.
Kagome mumbled something in her sleep, ending with "... Inuyasha..."
Inuyasha sighed. Thunder was still booming in the distance, and the rain was pelting the balcony outside. A gust of wind blew a few stray drops onto Inuyasha's back. Without thinking he held his arm up to shield Kagome. When the wind died away, he relaxed, watching her sleep.
*
Kagome stirred, slowly waking up. She was resting against something warm and solid, and arms were holding her like a little child. A soft breeze made Kagome snuggle against him... Inuyasha... she could recognize that sort of vaguely doggy smell he had...
What the... she thought, suddenly awake. What happened last night? Why am I... sleeping with Inuyasha?
She opened her eyes. Inuyasha was sitting up against the stone wall, with Kagome curled up in his arms. Her head had been pillowed against his shoulder, with his arm curled under her back. He was fast asleep, with his head bowed over hers. A stray breeze ruffled his long white hair. Kagome brushed it out of his eyes.
Her touch woke him. Inuyasha blinked, then looked right down at her.
"How did I get here?" Kagome asked quietly.
"The floor looked pretty hard," Inuyasha said gruffly.
"Hey, I wasn't complaining," Kagome said, yawning.
She felt a little uneasy as Inuyasha stared at her for a moment longer, as if he wanted to speak but couldn't think of what exactly to say. Then he blushed. "We'd better get goin'," he said quietly. "The others will be worrying about where you went, Kagome."
"Sure," Kagome said, resting her head against his shoulder. "Just a little longer, okay?"
"Okay," Inuyasha agreed, resting his hand on her arm.
Kagome felt the heartbeat against her cheek getting a little faster. He's really back, she thought.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
A dark figure crept to the edge of the balcony, and crouched just inside the shadows. He stared down at the puddles forming as the rain fell, watching his rippling reflection.
Behind him, Kagome was curled up under her raincoat. Inuyasha glanced back at her, letting his gaze linger on her face. Then he touched his chest. It still hurt where the Tenseiga had run through his heart. Not much, just a little.
It was nothing compared to the pain he remembered; it tingled through his body when he closed his eyes. He remembered breaking out of Naraku's bubble of poison vapors, feeling as if he were drowning in boiling oil. The next thing he had known, he was draped over Miroku and Sango's shoulders, trying not to whimper as they dragged him to the village. He didn't know how long he had been in Kaede's hut. His vision had blurred and gone dark. Every heartbeat pulled the poison deeper into him, and every touch set his skin on fire. And he couldn't breathe.
He had craved to hear Kagome's voice, but had only heard the sound of Shippo crying, and Miroku murmuring a prayer for the dying.
Inuyasha's eyes softened as he crouched down beside her, watching her just sleep. He wasn't sure what he owed her -- something massive -- but he'd find a way to make it up to her. Not just because she brought me back, he thought. Because she did it... because she wanted to stay with me.
She must've been scared, he thought. Kagome had more guts than almost anyone else he knew, but facing Sesshoumaru was a daunting task even for demons. For humans, it was all but unthinkable. His golden eyes narrowed slightly at the memory of his brother's face as he had twisted the knife, telling Inuyasha how fortunate he was. He'd meant it as a taunt.
But he was right.
Inuyasha touched her face. She thought I'd hate her, he thought. And she brought me back even then.
Kagome mumbled something in her sleep, ending with "... Inuyasha..."
Inuyasha sighed. Thunder was still booming in the distance, and the rain was pelting the balcony outside. A gust of wind blew a few stray drops onto Inuyasha's back. Without thinking he held his arm up to shield Kagome. When the wind died away, he relaxed, watching her sleep.
*
Kagome stirred, slowly waking up. She was resting against something warm and solid, and arms were holding her like a little child. A soft breeze made Kagome snuggle against him... Inuyasha... she could recognize that sort of vaguely doggy smell he had...
What the... she thought, suddenly awake. What happened last night? Why am I... sleeping with Inuyasha?
She opened her eyes. Inuyasha was sitting up against the stone wall, with Kagome curled up in his arms. Her head had been pillowed against his shoulder, with his arm curled under her back. He was fast asleep, with his head bowed over hers. A stray breeze ruffled his long white hair. Kagome brushed it out of his eyes.
Her touch woke him. Inuyasha blinked, then looked right down at her.
"How did I get here?" Kagome asked quietly.
"The floor looked pretty hard," Inuyasha said gruffly.
"Hey, I wasn't complaining," Kagome said, yawning.
She felt a little uneasy as Inuyasha stared at her for a moment longer, as if he wanted to speak but couldn't think of what exactly to say. Then he blushed. "We'd better get goin'," he said quietly. "The others will be worrying about where you went, Kagome."
"Sure," Kagome said, resting her head against his shoulder. "Just a little longer, okay?"
"Okay," Inuyasha agreed, resting his hand on her arm.
Kagome felt the heartbeat against her cheek getting a little faster. He's really back, she thought.
TO BE CONTINUED