Demon Body, Human Heart
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Chapter 2: A Brief Interlude
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Kagome snuck towards the well, having left early that morning, in order to get out before Inuyasha woke up. Something that had been in his eyes last night had her heart thumping every time she caught a glimpse of white hair and red hakama. She wasn't sure why, but she knew that something between them had changed last night.
She shuddered, remembering.
There was something frightening about the memory of the moon glinting in those eyes, something formidable. She didn't know how to describe that gaze, but she knew that it made her knees weak and her pulse unsteady. She shook her head hard, trying to clear her mind of such thoughts. She loved him. She already knew that, but he loved Kikyou. His dead lover.
Pain clawed at her breast and she sniffled slightly, wiping a tear from her eyes. It hurt to see him with her. It hurt even more to think that he may see Kikyou when he was looking at Kagome. She looked up at the bright green of the Go Shinboku tree, her eyes red. She'd met him here for the first time. This was where she'd seen him and Kikyou share their passionate embrace. She'd met him under this tree when she'd returned from her time after their fights.
It would probably be where she saw him when she returned to him again.
She didn't know why she always came back here. It was much safer in her time, and she didn't have to worry about seeing him with his precious Kikyou. She shook her head hard. It would be much smarter to just stay in her time, seal the well again, so that no one would ever be able to bring her back.
"I must be stupid, then..." She said bitterly. She knew her heart would always be here, with Inuyasha, even if he didn't love her. She pushed her bike through the bushes, approaching the bone-gobbling well. Another place where millions of things had happened between herself and her stubborn dog- demon companion.
Here, where she had given him those eight sits in a row so she could go home and take that test. Here, where Inuyasha had shared an embrace with her, admitting that he was afraid that she would die. When she'd returned to him and wrapped him in a passionate embrace because she was afraid for him. Here...
She shook her head harshly, removing those thoughts from her head, lest she look nostalgic when she returned home. With a firm nod, she jumped into the well, feet-first. When she landed, she was smart enough to dodge the sake from her grandfather's 'come home' spell. She shot him a dirty look as she climbed from the well.
"Kagome-neechan! You're home!" Souta came bounding outside and glomped her around her legs. He looked positively giddy. "Did you bring Inu-no- niichan with you?" He asked, his eyes big and innocent.
Kagome snorted. "Why would I bring such a stubborn demon with me? I don't need him yelling at me that we need to continue our search for the jewel every waking hour." She dropped her empty pack on the ground and sighed, resting a hand on her hip. "Besides, I'm only here to get supplies. We're running really low on water."
She walked towards the kitchen, her brother following behind her. "Mama? Did you get anymore bottled water?" She asked, peering around the room. Her mother was standing at the sink, her arms in the water up to her elbows.
"Yes, dear." Mrs. Higurashi smiled gently at her daughter. "How is everything going?"
Kagome considered telling her mother about the demon's presence she felt but decided it wouldn't be a good idea. "They're in the middle of a really bad drought. I promised I'd bring water so we could get back to the mission as soon as possible." She brushed a hair from her face and spotted the water cooler and her eyes lit up. "Could we get one of those to take back, too? For the villagers?"
Her mother giggled. "Yes, dear. You can take the spare one, if you can get someone to carry it for you. I'll call the water company and tell them to deliver more next time."
Kagome giggled too. "I'll just bully Inuyasha into it." She went and poured herself a cup of water and chugged it quickly. "I better pack some stuff and get back. I didn't tell anyone I was leaving. They may think a demon ate me or something." Kagome grabbed a few gallon-sized water bottles and put them in her pack, the proceeded to try to lift it. It didn't work.
"Dangit...I knew I shoulda told Inuyasha I was going...then he coulda carried this for me..." She grunted as she drug it out to the well house.
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Somewhere, deep in the forest, the sun shines on dry, brittle leaves. A broken piece of glass lays on them, through which the sun shines, causing a very focused beam of light to strike the leaves.
Smoke starts to rise from that point and suddenly, the leaf bursts into flames, causing the surrounding ones to follow suit.
Inuyasha raises his eyes to the sky, his nose working over time. The wind was blowing a nearly familiar stench under his nose. The smell of fire. He closed his eyes, lifting his ear to the air. Yes, he could hear the crackling, smell the acrid scent. Another scent mingled with these.
Kagome.
His eyes flashed wide. Did that stupid git decide to go home now?! At such a time when she could get trapped in the forest by fire?!
He leapt up, and darted from the hut, leaving a confused group of humans in his wake. That IDIOT!
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Kagome decided to leave the bag in her time. She would get Inuyasha to help her to bring it back. He was strong enough to carry it. She blushed lightly at the thought as she began to climb up the vines. It wasn't an exaggeration when she thought for a skinny boy he's REALLY BUILT. She could remember the rippling of his shoulders as she rode on his back under her hands.
She could remember the feel of his arms around her, pulling her out of danger in the nick of time.
She could remember-
Wait a minute, when did THEY get here?! Kagome looked around herself, feeling panic rising in her throat. Demons. Lots of them. Every imaginable type was around the well, around HER, gazing at her through hungry eyes. Not hungry the way Inuyasha's were last night.
Hungry in a way that said: "Fresh meat."
A tremor wracked her body as she looked around herself. She was scared. That much was for certain. She considered just diving back into the well and going to her time, but she had no doubt that they'd wait until she returned, then they'd kill her. She trembled, her eyes darting back and forth.
They started closing in around her, and she whimpered, wishing she'd told Inuyasha how she felt before she died. She closed her eyes and screamed.
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He was almost at the well when he heard her scream. His eyes widened and he sprang through the brush, landing on all fours, his eyes carrying a demonic gleam. Who's hurting her?! The thought was passed from his mind to his eyes, and he saw a large group of demons surrounding the well. He straightened, his golden eyes glaring at all of them.
A growl was ripped deep from his throat and he sprung forwards, claws extended. He ripped through the one's nearest to him, his eyes showing a madness. You were hurting her, his eyes screamed. You were hurting her!
It was obvious to Kagome that Inuyasha's mind had slipped to a state better known as insanity. Before she could call him back to her, a clawed hand grabbed the front of her fuku, lifting her off the well. She screamed again, her eyes closed tightly in fear. Inuyasha...oh, gods, help...
He turned towards the sound of her scream and he realized he was too far away to go for a direct attack. He wouldn't make it in time. Even now the demon was raising it's claw, preparing to rip out Kagome's throat, an act that would silence her forever.
He moved quicker than he could think. There were too many demons for him to fight them all individually. Right now, he needed to get Kagome out of danger, for good. He whipped out Tetsusaiga, his eyes glaring around at the demons. With one mighty swing, he cut the youki, which caused the usual chain of events, destroying all of the demons within swinging distance.
Then, he dropped the sword, running over to Kagome, catching her seconds before she hit the ground. He was panting, out of breath, his eyes wide with fear of a sort that he didn't want to think about.
Kagome herself was breathless, tears leaking from her eyes, her entire body trembling. She looked up at Inuyasha's face and they stared at each other for a long time before she threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. She felt him tense, but was too thankful to release him. Soon, she felt his arms go around her, his clawed hands gently stroking her back. This action made her cry harder.
Inuyasha pressed his nose against her hair, inhaling deeply. "Kagome..." He whispered, pulling her tighter against his body, needing to make sure that she was uninjured. He sniffed down her hair, around her neck, brushing against her skin with his nose.
Kagome shivered slightly, resting her hands lightly on Inuyasha's shoulders, her face flushed. What was he doing? She wondered, yet, she didn't push him away, because she understood that what ever it was, was calming him. She squirmed a bit, running her hands through his hair. She stared down at him as he lifted his eyes to meet hers. Fiery gold met stormy gray and both of their breath caught.
He swallowed hard, seeing the flush on her face, realizing his face was level with her breasts, and his face began to flush as well. He began to release her, but felt her hands clutch his shoulders tighter, and she lowered herself to his lap. A tremor ran through him as her arms wrapped snuggly around his waist, her face burying itself into his chest. Gently, he nosed her hair aside, putting his arms around her as well. He had never acted like this before. He didn't know what had come over him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.
It gave him a feeling of power, knowing that he could make her tremble.
She began to gently stroke his back, and was rewarded by a gentle purring in her ear. The sound comforted her, made her realize that she was safe again. Finally, her mind returned to her and she pulled back slightly. They were in the middle of a forest, and she was supposed to be bringing water back for their mission...
"Where's your bag?" He asked, trying to put a gruffness into his voice. He was failing miserably. He only succeeded in making his voice sound husky and wanting. He winced at the sound.
"I...I left it, it was too heavy to carry with all the water bottles in it..." Her voice trembled just slightly and she stood slowly, her hands and knees shaking. "I was...hoping you'd carry it for me..."
He stood, and walked towards the well, trying to gain control of his emotions. A sigh escaped him. "Girl, sometimes you are useless..." He said, his gruff voice back as ever. He turned and saw Kagome smile weakly in apology. He was glad to see that he was not the only one affected by the moment they'd shared.
She walked over, standing beside him. "I managed to drag it into the well house, but..." She was cut short when Inuyasha picked her up and jumped into the well, his arm around her waist. She blushed, hiding her face in his shoulder.
His heart jumped into his throat when she put her face against his shoulder. Quickly, he shook the effects of having her so close off and landed carefully, then set her on her feet. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked softly, holding onto her upper arms.
She nodded, not looking at him. "Just a little shaken...I wasn't expecting that when I came out..."
He gave her one of his sexiest smirks and arched an eyebrow. "I bet this means next time you're going home, you'll tell someone, right?"
"I'm sorry..." She said softly. "I...I didn't want to fight with you after-" She stopped herself, but she knew by the look in his eyes he understood. She didn't want to fight with him after the moment they'd shared last night. She couldn't help but notice that they'd been sharing more and more moments recently. It made her hopeful.
He helped her climb out of the well and eyed the pack, which was bulging. "No wonder you were having trouble." He said, arching an eyebrow. He stalked over to the pack and picked it up effortlessly. He heard her gasp and felt a surge of masculine pride.
Kagome watched him, her eyes wide. Yet, even as he picked it up, she noticed there was a dark red stain on his back. "Inuyasha, you're bleeding!" She exclaimed, touching the stain.
He winced slightly, his eyes smarting. He turned to her abruptly. "I didn't feel anything. It's probably just a scratch." He grunted, walking back over to the well. "You coming?" He asked in a decidedly grumpy voice. He refused to admit that her concern touched him.
She sighed. "There you go again..." She complained, walking over towards the well. "Every time I try and express a little concern for you, you get angry with me. Is it wrong for me to want someone I-" She stopped herself abruptly, rethinking her words. "Someone I consider a friend to be okay?" She refused to meet his eyes.
"Oi, what were you going to say?!" His heart had leapt as she'd begun speaking, and plummeted back to earth when she'd finished. He watched her jump into the well and growled. "Oi! Don't ignore me, wench!" He jumped in after her.
Kagome was scrambling out of the well, wearing an angry expression when he got to the other side. He watched her climb, his face serious. Kagome...he thought, his eyes smarting. She didn't always have to be so damn sensitive did she?! With a grunt, he jumped out of the well, landing directly in front of her as she scrambled over the side. She let out a tiny squeal and backed against the edge of the well.
He set her bag down, glaring at her levelly. "What were you going to say?"
"I...I don't remember..." She lied, wishing he would just drop it. She spun away from him, her eyes sad. She didn't want to tell him. Not yet. Not when he still loved Kikyou. Maybe later, later, when he admitted he loved her. Two warm hands touched her upper arms, gently massaging them. She glanced back, looking up into his warm eyes.
He lifted a hand, gently stroking her face. "I shouldn't have pushed you to remember..." He said softly, his expression softening.
"Is it always going to be like this, Inuyasha?" She asked softly, looking back down into the well. "It's like we're playing a constant tug of war...Sometimes I feel like you're letting me in, and each time...I get shot down...You shut me out all over again..." She forced herself not to cry. She was strong. She wouldn't cry. "Is it because I look like- like...HER?!" She spun towards him, knowing her pain was showing in her eyes.
Inuyasha was taken aback. He stared down at her in confused shock. "Kagome, you're my best friend...you know that..." He grasped her hands in his, looking down into her eyes. "Kagome wa Kagome...Kikyou wa Kikyou...I've told you that before...and I still see Kagome when I look at you."
She pulled her hands away, unable to look up into those beautiful eyes anymore. "Don't..." She whispered. "Don't lie to me. You look at me with the same eyes you look at HER...and you don't feel that way for me, so why else would you look at me with eyes like that?!"
He stared down at her, about to reach out and grab her, but he stopped himself. It was her decision if he took her into his arms. He was pushing her to feel for him too hard. "Kagome...All I want from you is your friendship. I need someone I can confide in...can you do that for me?" He lifted a hand, touching her face gently. "Please? Until I'm ready to...move on..." He said, his eyes needing to see hers again.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to his, seeing the emotion swimming in them, seeing the need. She turned her face away from his so he couldn't see the pain in her own eyes. A friend...so that's all she was. Yet, if it was what he wanted, she'd give it to him. She knew she'd do anything for him. "Alright..." She whispered in an anguished tone. She looked back at him and saw a gentle smile on his face.
The look in her eyes wiped the smile off his face. It was like last night, the longing, the desperation. He swallowed hard, stepping backwards. "Kagome-"
She forced a smile. "We should get back to the village." She said, walking around him, and heading towards the Goshinboku tree.
He turned, watching her go. With a heavy sigh, he picked up the bag, and caught up with her, walking alongside her. She wasn't looking at him. She was staring at the ground, her eyes blank. It pained him to see her like that. He swallowed hard, and looked down at the ground as well. Suddenly, the wind changed direction, and a familiar scent swept under his nose. "Waitadamnminit! I smell-"
Kagome was already running towards the village. She gasped as Inuyasha grabbed the back of her shirt and looked up at him as he carried her across the ground so fast it felt as though they were flying. They broke free of the trees, and Inuyasha set her on her feet.
"Kaede!" Kagome burst into the hut, halfway panicking. She stopped abruptly, directly in front of Inuyasha. She pointed at the demon she knew was in the village, and gaped at him, her eyes confused.
Inuyasha wasn't in a much better state of shock. He looked from the very much living Kaede, towards the little girl running around, teasing the toad- demon, towards the tall, effeminate...
"Hello, little brother."
"SESSHOUMARU!"
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Chapter 2: A Brief Interlude
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Kagome snuck towards the well, having left early that morning, in order to get out before Inuyasha woke up. Something that had been in his eyes last night had her heart thumping every time she caught a glimpse of white hair and red hakama. She wasn't sure why, but she knew that something between them had changed last night.
She shuddered, remembering.
There was something frightening about the memory of the moon glinting in those eyes, something formidable. She didn't know how to describe that gaze, but she knew that it made her knees weak and her pulse unsteady. She shook her head hard, trying to clear her mind of such thoughts. She loved him. She already knew that, but he loved Kikyou. His dead lover.
Pain clawed at her breast and she sniffled slightly, wiping a tear from her eyes. It hurt to see him with her. It hurt even more to think that he may see Kikyou when he was looking at Kagome. She looked up at the bright green of the Go Shinboku tree, her eyes red. She'd met him here for the first time. This was where she'd seen him and Kikyou share their passionate embrace. She'd met him under this tree when she'd returned from her time after their fights.
It would probably be where she saw him when she returned to him again.
She didn't know why she always came back here. It was much safer in her time, and she didn't have to worry about seeing him with his precious Kikyou. She shook her head hard. It would be much smarter to just stay in her time, seal the well again, so that no one would ever be able to bring her back.
"I must be stupid, then..." She said bitterly. She knew her heart would always be here, with Inuyasha, even if he didn't love her. She pushed her bike through the bushes, approaching the bone-gobbling well. Another place where millions of things had happened between herself and her stubborn dog- demon companion.
Here, where she had given him those eight sits in a row so she could go home and take that test. Here, where Inuyasha had shared an embrace with her, admitting that he was afraid that she would die. When she'd returned to him and wrapped him in a passionate embrace because she was afraid for him. Here...
She shook her head harshly, removing those thoughts from her head, lest she look nostalgic when she returned home. With a firm nod, she jumped into the well, feet-first. When she landed, she was smart enough to dodge the sake from her grandfather's 'come home' spell. She shot him a dirty look as she climbed from the well.
"Kagome-neechan! You're home!" Souta came bounding outside and glomped her around her legs. He looked positively giddy. "Did you bring Inu-no- niichan with you?" He asked, his eyes big and innocent.
Kagome snorted. "Why would I bring such a stubborn demon with me? I don't need him yelling at me that we need to continue our search for the jewel every waking hour." She dropped her empty pack on the ground and sighed, resting a hand on her hip. "Besides, I'm only here to get supplies. We're running really low on water."
She walked towards the kitchen, her brother following behind her. "Mama? Did you get anymore bottled water?" She asked, peering around the room. Her mother was standing at the sink, her arms in the water up to her elbows.
"Yes, dear." Mrs. Higurashi smiled gently at her daughter. "How is everything going?"
Kagome considered telling her mother about the demon's presence she felt but decided it wouldn't be a good idea. "They're in the middle of a really bad drought. I promised I'd bring water so we could get back to the mission as soon as possible." She brushed a hair from her face and spotted the water cooler and her eyes lit up. "Could we get one of those to take back, too? For the villagers?"
Her mother giggled. "Yes, dear. You can take the spare one, if you can get someone to carry it for you. I'll call the water company and tell them to deliver more next time."
Kagome giggled too. "I'll just bully Inuyasha into it." She went and poured herself a cup of water and chugged it quickly. "I better pack some stuff and get back. I didn't tell anyone I was leaving. They may think a demon ate me or something." Kagome grabbed a few gallon-sized water bottles and put them in her pack, the proceeded to try to lift it. It didn't work.
"Dangit...I knew I shoulda told Inuyasha I was going...then he coulda carried this for me..." She grunted as she drug it out to the well house.
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Somewhere, deep in the forest, the sun shines on dry, brittle leaves. A broken piece of glass lays on them, through which the sun shines, causing a very focused beam of light to strike the leaves.
Smoke starts to rise from that point and suddenly, the leaf bursts into flames, causing the surrounding ones to follow suit.
Inuyasha raises his eyes to the sky, his nose working over time. The wind was blowing a nearly familiar stench under his nose. The smell of fire. He closed his eyes, lifting his ear to the air. Yes, he could hear the crackling, smell the acrid scent. Another scent mingled with these.
Kagome.
His eyes flashed wide. Did that stupid git decide to go home now?! At such a time when she could get trapped in the forest by fire?!
He leapt up, and darted from the hut, leaving a confused group of humans in his wake. That IDIOT!
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Kagome decided to leave the bag in her time. She would get Inuyasha to help her to bring it back. He was strong enough to carry it. She blushed lightly at the thought as she began to climb up the vines. It wasn't an exaggeration when she thought for a skinny boy he's REALLY BUILT. She could remember the rippling of his shoulders as she rode on his back under her hands.
She could remember the feel of his arms around her, pulling her out of danger in the nick of time.
She could remember-
Wait a minute, when did THEY get here?! Kagome looked around herself, feeling panic rising in her throat. Demons. Lots of them. Every imaginable type was around the well, around HER, gazing at her through hungry eyes. Not hungry the way Inuyasha's were last night.
Hungry in a way that said: "Fresh meat."
A tremor wracked her body as she looked around herself. She was scared. That much was for certain. She considered just diving back into the well and going to her time, but she had no doubt that they'd wait until she returned, then they'd kill her. She trembled, her eyes darting back and forth.
They started closing in around her, and she whimpered, wishing she'd told Inuyasha how she felt before she died. She closed her eyes and screamed.
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He was almost at the well when he heard her scream. His eyes widened and he sprang through the brush, landing on all fours, his eyes carrying a demonic gleam. Who's hurting her?! The thought was passed from his mind to his eyes, and he saw a large group of demons surrounding the well. He straightened, his golden eyes glaring at all of them.
A growl was ripped deep from his throat and he sprung forwards, claws extended. He ripped through the one's nearest to him, his eyes showing a madness. You were hurting her, his eyes screamed. You were hurting her!
It was obvious to Kagome that Inuyasha's mind had slipped to a state better known as insanity. Before she could call him back to her, a clawed hand grabbed the front of her fuku, lifting her off the well. She screamed again, her eyes closed tightly in fear. Inuyasha...oh, gods, help...
He turned towards the sound of her scream and he realized he was too far away to go for a direct attack. He wouldn't make it in time. Even now the demon was raising it's claw, preparing to rip out Kagome's throat, an act that would silence her forever.
He moved quicker than he could think. There were too many demons for him to fight them all individually. Right now, he needed to get Kagome out of danger, for good. He whipped out Tetsusaiga, his eyes glaring around at the demons. With one mighty swing, he cut the youki, which caused the usual chain of events, destroying all of the demons within swinging distance.
Then, he dropped the sword, running over to Kagome, catching her seconds before she hit the ground. He was panting, out of breath, his eyes wide with fear of a sort that he didn't want to think about.
Kagome herself was breathless, tears leaking from her eyes, her entire body trembling. She looked up at Inuyasha's face and they stared at each other for a long time before she threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. She felt him tense, but was too thankful to release him. Soon, she felt his arms go around her, his clawed hands gently stroking her back. This action made her cry harder.
Inuyasha pressed his nose against her hair, inhaling deeply. "Kagome..." He whispered, pulling her tighter against his body, needing to make sure that she was uninjured. He sniffed down her hair, around her neck, brushing against her skin with his nose.
Kagome shivered slightly, resting her hands lightly on Inuyasha's shoulders, her face flushed. What was he doing? She wondered, yet, she didn't push him away, because she understood that what ever it was, was calming him. She squirmed a bit, running her hands through his hair. She stared down at him as he lifted his eyes to meet hers. Fiery gold met stormy gray and both of their breath caught.
He swallowed hard, seeing the flush on her face, realizing his face was level with her breasts, and his face began to flush as well. He began to release her, but felt her hands clutch his shoulders tighter, and she lowered herself to his lap. A tremor ran through him as her arms wrapped snuggly around his waist, her face burying itself into his chest. Gently, he nosed her hair aside, putting his arms around her as well. He had never acted like this before. He didn't know what had come over him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.
It gave him a feeling of power, knowing that he could make her tremble.
She began to gently stroke his back, and was rewarded by a gentle purring in her ear. The sound comforted her, made her realize that she was safe again. Finally, her mind returned to her and she pulled back slightly. They were in the middle of a forest, and she was supposed to be bringing water back for their mission...
"Where's your bag?" He asked, trying to put a gruffness into his voice. He was failing miserably. He only succeeded in making his voice sound husky and wanting. He winced at the sound.
"I...I left it, it was too heavy to carry with all the water bottles in it..." Her voice trembled just slightly and she stood slowly, her hands and knees shaking. "I was...hoping you'd carry it for me..."
He stood, and walked towards the well, trying to gain control of his emotions. A sigh escaped him. "Girl, sometimes you are useless..." He said, his gruff voice back as ever. He turned and saw Kagome smile weakly in apology. He was glad to see that he was not the only one affected by the moment they'd shared.
She walked over, standing beside him. "I managed to drag it into the well house, but..." She was cut short when Inuyasha picked her up and jumped into the well, his arm around her waist. She blushed, hiding her face in his shoulder.
His heart jumped into his throat when she put her face against his shoulder. Quickly, he shook the effects of having her so close off and landed carefully, then set her on her feet. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked softly, holding onto her upper arms.
She nodded, not looking at him. "Just a little shaken...I wasn't expecting that when I came out..."
He gave her one of his sexiest smirks and arched an eyebrow. "I bet this means next time you're going home, you'll tell someone, right?"
"I'm sorry..." She said softly. "I...I didn't want to fight with you after-" She stopped herself, but she knew by the look in his eyes he understood. She didn't want to fight with him after the moment they'd shared last night. She couldn't help but notice that they'd been sharing more and more moments recently. It made her hopeful.
He helped her climb out of the well and eyed the pack, which was bulging. "No wonder you were having trouble." He said, arching an eyebrow. He stalked over to the pack and picked it up effortlessly. He heard her gasp and felt a surge of masculine pride.
Kagome watched him, her eyes wide. Yet, even as he picked it up, she noticed there was a dark red stain on his back. "Inuyasha, you're bleeding!" She exclaimed, touching the stain.
He winced slightly, his eyes smarting. He turned to her abruptly. "I didn't feel anything. It's probably just a scratch." He grunted, walking back over to the well. "You coming?" He asked in a decidedly grumpy voice. He refused to admit that her concern touched him.
She sighed. "There you go again..." She complained, walking over towards the well. "Every time I try and express a little concern for you, you get angry with me. Is it wrong for me to want someone I-" She stopped herself abruptly, rethinking her words. "Someone I consider a friend to be okay?" She refused to meet his eyes.
"Oi, what were you going to say?!" His heart had leapt as she'd begun speaking, and plummeted back to earth when she'd finished. He watched her jump into the well and growled. "Oi! Don't ignore me, wench!" He jumped in after her.
Kagome was scrambling out of the well, wearing an angry expression when he got to the other side. He watched her climb, his face serious. Kagome...he thought, his eyes smarting. She didn't always have to be so damn sensitive did she?! With a grunt, he jumped out of the well, landing directly in front of her as she scrambled over the side. She let out a tiny squeal and backed against the edge of the well.
He set her bag down, glaring at her levelly. "What were you going to say?"
"I...I don't remember..." She lied, wishing he would just drop it. She spun away from him, her eyes sad. She didn't want to tell him. Not yet. Not when he still loved Kikyou. Maybe later, later, when he admitted he loved her. Two warm hands touched her upper arms, gently massaging them. She glanced back, looking up into his warm eyes.
He lifted a hand, gently stroking her face. "I shouldn't have pushed you to remember..." He said softly, his expression softening.
"Is it always going to be like this, Inuyasha?" She asked softly, looking back down into the well. "It's like we're playing a constant tug of war...Sometimes I feel like you're letting me in, and each time...I get shot down...You shut me out all over again..." She forced herself not to cry. She was strong. She wouldn't cry. "Is it because I look like- like...HER?!" She spun towards him, knowing her pain was showing in her eyes.
Inuyasha was taken aback. He stared down at her in confused shock. "Kagome, you're my best friend...you know that..." He grasped her hands in his, looking down into her eyes. "Kagome wa Kagome...Kikyou wa Kikyou...I've told you that before...and I still see Kagome when I look at you."
She pulled her hands away, unable to look up into those beautiful eyes anymore. "Don't..." She whispered. "Don't lie to me. You look at me with the same eyes you look at HER...and you don't feel that way for me, so why else would you look at me with eyes like that?!"
He stared down at her, about to reach out and grab her, but he stopped himself. It was her decision if he took her into his arms. He was pushing her to feel for him too hard. "Kagome...All I want from you is your friendship. I need someone I can confide in...can you do that for me?" He lifted a hand, touching her face gently. "Please? Until I'm ready to...move on..." He said, his eyes needing to see hers again.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to his, seeing the emotion swimming in them, seeing the need. She turned her face away from his so he couldn't see the pain in her own eyes. A friend...so that's all she was. Yet, if it was what he wanted, she'd give it to him. She knew she'd do anything for him. "Alright..." She whispered in an anguished tone. She looked back at him and saw a gentle smile on his face.
The look in her eyes wiped the smile off his face. It was like last night, the longing, the desperation. He swallowed hard, stepping backwards. "Kagome-"
She forced a smile. "We should get back to the village." She said, walking around him, and heading towards the Goshinboku tree.
He turned, watching her go. With a heavy sigh, he picked up the bag, and caught up with her, walking alongside her. She wasn't looking at him. She was staring at the ground, her eyes blank. It pained him to see her like that. He swallowed hard, and looked down at the ground as well. Suddenly, the wind changed direction, and a familiar scent swept under his nose. "Waitadamnminit! I smell-"
Kagome was already running towards the village. She gasped as Inuyasha grabbed the back of her shirt and looked up at him as he carried her across the ground so fast it felt as though they were flying. They broke free of the trees, and Inuyasha set her on her feet.
"Kaede!" Kagome burst into the hut, halfway panicking. She stopped abruptly, directly in front of Inuyasha. She pointed at the demon she knew was in the village, and gaped at him, her eyes confused.
Inuyasha wasn't in a much better state of shock. He looked from the very much living Kaede, towards the little girl running around, teasing the toad- demon, towards the tall, effeminate...
"Hello, little brother."
"SESSHOUMARU!"