Disclaimer: Yeah! That's right! We own Inuyasha! And who ever wants to get
to us, has to go through Sesshy first! ::PoF pulls her aside and whispers
something in her ear:: Oh. wait. K, sorry. In this world we don't own
Inuyasha. However, in our cozy fuzzy lil' world we do.
AN: AyumiH: Ooooohhhhh a drunk Inu. I LIKE the idea! Then again. I like almost every idea involving Inu.
Eidolon Griffin: I laughed very hard when I read your review. I laughed so hard I hurt my butt on the floor, when I fell from my chair. Thank you!
LilNezumi LilInu: Wasted. But in a good way!
Storymind: Hmmm. Well, it IS a pirate ship. So, Sake a plenty I guess! No?
Glass Thorn: Thank you so much!!! PoF is to blame for this great Sango. We also promise to have more of her in the future!
DemonKitty: ::sighs:: I know! Murphy (or in this case PoF's and I) is SO cruel!
SummerWind8585: * POUNCE * Our 100th reviewer! Thank you!! We hope you enjoy this chapter. and that it'll push you off the edge of your seat ^_~
Tranador, Junsei Hyakuhei, bllazkh, Sammy -.-zzz and all the other WONDERFUL people who reviewed and/or read our fanfic, THANK YOU SO MUCH For all of the wonderful reviews!!! They really warm our hearts and encourage us to write more (not to mention cause us to do a crazy happy dance, while drinking a lot of sugar)! We are DELIGHTED everyone is enjoying the story so far and we hope you enjoy this next chapter!! Please read and review!!
* * * *
Miroku sat on the bed playing with a rune marker between his fingers. That was... The most... Exciting morning he had probably ever had. Miroku thought to himself and watched her as she dressed. He wouldn't be surprised if she would be with child already; but then again the thought for some reason bothered him. He wanted to enjoy her bed a little more. Demon slayer or not, the moment he had stepped foot on the island and saw her, he knew she was the one. Oh, but the lush curve of her butt... It was all it took! While he searched for the ingredients he had also spied on her, and that finalized his knowledge that she was the one. Willful, powerful and beautiful. "Sango..."
Her mind had cleared enough that now she wondered if he was aware of her many hidden weapons in her clothes and jewelry. She tied her hair back up in a ponytail, making sure that the angle would give him a good view. "Yes, lover?" she drawled, still not believing that she was calling a demon 'lover'. Still, no human could have ever compared to Miroku, that was for damn sure.
Now the only problem was what to do with him when she went on a killing spree and took out all the other demons on the ship, including the half- breed next door. He'd be the easiest. She just had to slip through the hidden door when she was sure the dog-demon was sleeping.
"Do you tend to get drunk often?" Miroku asked then glanced out at the sky through the window. "Because Sake is hard to come by in the other world, there are wines but no real Sakes. I'm sure I'll be able to find something for your taste." Miroku said licking his lips. "Your knife is showing." Miroku said wondering for a moment if by marrying a demon that still didn't annihilate her profession for killing his type. "Yura would love you, no one is as flexible as that... Well, actually she might ask you for tips... Maybe you should stay away from Yura for a while."
* * * *
Inuyasha was still towel drying his hair when he came back into his rooms. He found Kagome sitting on the bed with her head in her hands. Inuyasha was glad to see she was awake, and his expression was concerned when he looked at her. "Feeling any better yet? I've never seen anybody be that sick before in my life, and I've seen a lot of drunk people.." He stood across from her. Now that he'd pulled himself away from her so she could take a nap, she didn't seem so dangerous. How could his hands have been shaking from a girl like this?
"Yeah well... I didn't eat or drink for two days. My nights weren't th-" Kagome stopped and peeked up from between her fingers. 'Sure Kagome, tell him about the dreams. Why not? That'd make you sleep better at night for sure!' Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm not a big drinker." Kagome murmured and touched her lips, glad that her stomach had stopped whirling about. "Can we drop the subject of my being sick?" Kagome asked of him. Looking at him, Kagome smiled for a moment. "Sorry about your robes by the way..." She said shyly.
"Not like it hasn't happened before." Inuyasha reflected on that thought. "Well, actually that hasn't happened before. But there's a first time for everything. Isn't that what you humans say? And now that you're sober, let's see how much you retained, shall we?" He held up his hands as he spoke. "No talking about blood, and we do have human food, so next time I offer you something to eat, you don't have to refuse because you're afraid of eating demonic food, okay?"
"Blood?" Kagome asked thinking about something, there seemed like there was some... Eh, she couldn't remember it. Never mind. "I have a favor to ask you." Kagome said abruptly, as she stood up and pulled her kimono off of the hanger.
Favor. That was a word Inuyasha didn't particularly care to hear right now? He politely faced away so she could get changed without feeling his eyes on her. "And what type of favor would this be?"
Pulling the kimono on, Kagome turned around and with her back facing Inuyasha, pulled his shirt out from underneath then began tying up the kimono neatly. Raking her fingers through her hair, Kagome brushed it back and turned around to face him. Her black hair looking even darker. "Since," Kagome looked around. "We reached an understanding. I want to go top-deck. See things." Kagome said folding her arms over her chest. "Your shift is till midnight - Shippo told me." Kagome said and shifted around restlessly. "I slept a lot anyway, I'm refreshed. I want to go up with you, I'll watch what you do." Kagome said nibbling on the inside of her cheek. "Learn what the others do. But, since I don't want you to get into trouble..." Taking a deep breath, Kagome walked up to him and pulled his claw across her arm. "Make it look real."
He stayed rooted to the spot, unable to believe his ears. "Kagome, I don't mind taking you up to the top deck, but I don't really do anything. I just make sure everything runs smoothly while Sesshomaru is off duty, and if people fuck up, then I beat the shit out of them. That's the way punishments are dealt on our ship. And while I have no problem beating up the rest of the bastards on this ship, I couldn't do it to you."
Inuyasha closed his eyes as he thought, his resolve cementing when he saw the determination in her eyes. Well, he could be just as stubborn! "Kagome, I've only struck you once, minus the pillows from this morning, and that was once too many for me."
Kagome smiled at him and pressed her hands against his chest. "Yes, but the others don't have to know that. They need to think you are treating me like a real prisoner..." Kagome leaned up and kissed him, biting his lip. Hard. "And believe I put up a fight." Kagome hissed and stepped back, rubbing her mouth with the back of her hand.
"They don't have to know you don't like me, or want sex or anything. They do however need to think you are doing just what any other one of them would, rape me and hurt me." Kagome said looking at him for a moment, her look softening. "I won't hold it against you. It's my wish. A black eye, some cuts... You order me around. The crew won't suspect a thing, they would though, if I came with you looking prim and proper."
She was right. They'd think Kagome was another Kikyo. He sucked on his lip. The pain felt good, in it's own way. It made his chest feel a little bit better. She still thought that he didn't like her. Kagome seemed to have forgotten everything he'd said when she was drunk. That made it all the more harder. If she at least had an inkling as to how he really felt about her, then maybe she would understand why he didn't want to. It wasn't that he didn't want Kagome mad at him, as true as that was, it was that he didn't want to look at her and know that it had been his own hand that had caused her all those bruises. Inuyasha just hoped that she'd been telling the truth, and that she wasn't frightened.
"You have to look down at the ground," he said quietly. "You have to call me 'Master', never say my name. You're not supposed to know it. I can't call you by your name. If I talk to you directly, it's 'human', and worse. You're supposed to be nothing but a broken object. Don't fight if any of the other guys touch you, even if they hurt you or touch you... in other places. I'll take care of them. And stay away from the edge. I don't want you falling or being pushed overboard."
He reached out and pulled her close. "And you have to make me hate you."
Kagome nodded, feeling apprehensive about this but somehow still trusting him enough to go through with it, even though it was insane. It was the only way. There was no other choice. She had to do this, and she had to play the part, she only wished she'd play it good. Otherwise it wasn't only her life at risk, but his as well, and she didn't want to put his life at risk. Not because of any emotional attachment or anything of course, but because.. Well, he was helping her out after all, wasn't he? So she couldn't be ungrateful.
"How do I do that?" She asked curling her fingers at her sides. Didn't he hate her already?
"I don't know!" he roared. "Say something mean! Call me names! Defy me! Kick me, stab me! Just make mad at you!" He wondered how she could ask him to do something like this. She hadn't been able to shoot him, and this was no different.
"I hate you." Kagome said and her voice sounded hollow and fake even to her own ears, so she sucked in a deep breath and built up her courage. Fine. She could do this, sneering at him she slapped him and felt the slap herself. "I rather be with any other demon on this ship then with you. You are. Mean!" Kagome said and shook her head, this wasn't going to get them anywhere. She had to get more personal, that's the only way about it. Breathing in another ragged breath, Kagome steeled her will. "I'm glad you don't want to sleep with me, because I rather die then ever sleep with you." Kagome said in disgust. "You're worthless. You're." Kagome didn't know what she could say. She didn't have any bad claim against him except that he had kidnapped her. And he already knew that. "You're to blame for Kikyo and you deserved everything Sesshomaru did." Kagome whispered feeling as though she had just punched herself with that last one. "You'll never be your brother, he's so much better then you."
The comment about Kikyo made him see red. He could hear it in her voice. She didn't mean the other stuff, even as he tried to imagine it was somebody else saying them. When she said that she'd rather die than sleep with him, the ground seemed to fall away, but when she said Kikyo's name, it was pure and total anger. He never even heard the last one, otherwise he might have said something.
She hadn't been there. She hadn't seen what he had done, to him or to Kikyo. She'd never deserved what that bastard had done to her. He'd broken the law: he had deserved every shattered bone he had received, but she hadn't done anything wrong. He struck out without even thinking, hitting her right in the cheekbone. He felt her blood on his knuckles. His eyes were so filled with tears that he didn't see his blow had knocked her to the ground.
Crumbling to the ground, Kagome instinctively lifted her hand to her cheek and felt the swelling and the pain and the blood. Shit... She had pushed him too far... Kagome's eyes softened. There was more pain in his eyes then anger. "Master...?" She whispered hoping it would anger him some more. They needed more then just this.
"Don't call me that," he mumbled, hanging his head in shame. He bent down to her level. He couldn't believe that he had done that. He knew he didn't have the heart to hit her again. But there were other things he could do.
Inuyasha seized her shoulders and dug his nails into her flesh. Hopefully it meant she wouldn't be able to straighten much. Hopefully, what the hell was he thinking? He pressed his lips to hers. Fuck his oaths! He'd already broken most of them, so he might as well break the rest! His lips were gentle, even as one hand went down to her wrist, the one that she'd hurt the day before, and he began to squeeze. Yet all the while his lips were touching hers, tender in the sorrowful ministrations.
'Oh god. It's not suppose to be like this.' Kagome thought and kissed him back, deepening the kiss with passion and care. A warmth growing in her heart along with sorrow and regret trying to compensate. Letting out a slight whimper, Kagome kissed him stronger.
No. It had to be worse. It had to be more visible.
The pain meant nothing. Could mean nothing. Wounds would heal. Kagome kept thinking to herself but looking at Inuyasha, she knew that wasn't true. Not the wounds she was inflicting. But she had to, for those girls. For herself.
"LOOK AT ME!" Kagome shouted, "I look like Kikyo, don't I? Don't I?! I'm a priestess too. What type of a screwed up bastard are you? You like us. You like kidnapping us, playing your games of being sweet and loving and then hearing us scream. And you know it'll happen again, I'll die just the same way she did." Kagome threw in his face, this time the tears of doubt and fright clouding her vision. "You're worthless." Kagome spat and lowered her eyes. 'And I'm actually caring for you.' She thought hating herself for that last one. 'I wonder if Kikyo cared for you too..' Kagome thought suddenly. "Oh god." Kagome whispered placing her hand over her mouth, as though just now understanding what she had said. "I am so sorry. Inuyasha. I. You know I didn't mean." Kagome shook her head and threw herself at him. "I'm sorry."
God, she had it all wrong. He didn't like it at all. He hated it. He felt like shit for kidnapping her and Kikyo. But it was his fault that she had died. He'd never wanted to hear her scream. He never meant to hurt Kagome, and now she was asking him to. And he was such a sick bastard he was actually doing it! But maybe this might save her. Maybe this would be what saves her from ending up like Kikyo. They'd see she was injured, and they would assume that he was sick as them. Which Inuyasha didn't doubt, now that her wrist was held tightly in his hands.
He was proud of her for not crying out, though. "Is it enough?"
Shaking all over, Kagome was lost in her own emotions. Why was she doing this? To him. To her. He would protect her, he swore it. And those girls, how did she know they were even still alive? She could be perfectly happy as. As what? Kagome thought to herself. A trapped bird? No. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Kagome felt a well of despair give way in her mind. This was all wrong. Nothing about it was right. Except for those kisses, they felt too right. Like a half of a circle being completed, an motion like that couldn't be wrong, could it? Well, it had to be. Otherwise, things wouldn't be like this.
"No." Kagome said shaking her head. "I. It needs to be more believable." Kagome whispered. "Kiss me?" She asked of him, swallowing the lump in her throat that was threatening to choke her. "Then, it'll be enough."
His heart felt like shattering when she asked him to kiss her. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for what he knew had to be done, just to prolong Kagome's life. But at the same time it would increase her pain. Why couldn't she ask him to kiss her when they weren't fighting? It would be a dream come true if Inuyasha walked into his room and have Kagome run into his arms and kiss him until the last thing he'd want to do is leave her side.
But he was being a fool if he ever thought that would happen.
His grip on her wrist lessened as he leaned forward, touching her lips softly. He pulled away again just for moment, enjoying the feeling of her breath touching his mouth. Inuyasha pulled her forward until she was practically in his lap, his mouth never leaving hers. His kisses were slow, and bittersweet. He felt his need to be with her helplessly pouring out of him, as if drawn out by her returning affections. He wanted to make it as pleasurable for her as he could, before he hurt her.
He mumbled her name, as if that were enough for an apology. No words of sorrow Inuyasha knew would make the situation better. When he kissed her again, he did so with renewed vigor, as if hungry, as if his body and soul were begging for something only she could give him. Recalling the kisses she had given him only moments before, and how he prayed that the feelings behind them were earnest and the warmth that had spread through him from the sensation, his embrace become passionate, and for a brief moment all the ice and unshed tears Inuyasha had been drowning in for years were destroyed by that warmth.
Then his hand tightened, and he felt her already fragile limb snap in his powerful hand, and all the ice and came water came surging back down.
Warm passionate murmurs of his name under her breath turned into shrieking hiss when the bone broke and the pain hit her like a ship hitting an iceberg. Letting out a scream of pure pain, Kagome cradled her now limp hand to her chest. The pain was shooting up her shoulder to her chest and clenching there so tight. Heat waves flashed over her, mixing with a dark cloud that threatened her senses.
The momentary fantasy she was experiencing had shattered into thousand different pieces. The flash of warmth and companionship, the split second of feeling like she was walking on air broke and became a harsh reality. This was a dangerous game and a gamble without any safety nets. He wasn't a sweet innocent lover, he was a pirate demon, who had enough strength in him to shatter bone with his bare hands. And she wasn't some young maiden free of care and worries who could just enjoy. she was a priestess with responsibilities towards those girls, she was a prisoner.
She was doomed.
Unbidden tears ran down her face as the pain continued to gnaw and chew away at her like an animal. For a few moments she actually thought she might collapse from the pain. When the black spots in front of her eyes bled away, Kagome sniffed and looked at him without any condemnation, just pure pain and sadness.
Releasing her nails from his shoulder, where her good hand had dug them in. Kagome lowered her eyes and looked at his hand, still tightly clenched around hers. "Inuyasha." Kagome said in a gulp.
"Sorry," he quickly mumbled, taking his hand away. He pulled back as far as he could, which wasn't very far. Inuyasha lowered his head. He couldn't look at her. He couldn't look at Kagome now that the dirty deed was done. Even his ears went backwards, like a dog expecting a beating. 'Really, that's all I am. A mutt. A damned dog.'
Words wouldn't excuse his actions, or his feelings of regret, and no logic would be able to explain to him why, now that he had felt his excoriation of power over her. He never wanted to do that again. And that was the thing. He wouldn't need to. She could go with him all over the ship, and she'd never have to ask him to hurt her again. The pirates would see the wrist and think.... and think whatever they wanted to think. She could heal it herself when they reached the island, and then she could defend herself after he had left for the main land. Inuyasha would never do it again.
Kagome was still lost in her pain, didn't notice his pulling away. But she did feel panic and a certain stubbornness fall over this situation. There was no turning back, and her wrist only testified to that. "This is going to be dangerous, isn't it?" Kagome asked rhetorically. Cradling her wrist to her chest, Kagome allowed her voice to mouth out the thoughts she was keeping inside. "You know, I really wish we didn't have to do this." She whispered sadly. "Oh, not because of the wrist!" Kagome assured him, blushing furiously and accepting that it was all done because she had asked. He otherwise would never had hurt her, Kagome realized with sudden clarity. He didn't mean to. "Because." She said softly, looking at him and figuring that if this sham didn't work, one of them was going to pay dearly and either way she didn't want that to happen and figured all bets were off. "The time spent in this room wasn't that bad." Kagome whispered, her blush growing as she smiled privately more to herself then to him. Remembering the pillow fight, and even how she snuggled close to him at night and laid her head on his chest.
"But I can't always stay in here. I'm a Priestess. I have duties. I have to watch out for those girls, therefor I can't let those girls die, and this is their only choice." Kagome said without noticing that she stopped referring to the escape as her choice as well. "You made me forget I'm a prisoner and you made me feel safe."
"I've never felt that safe in all of my years, I think maybe I even felt so before our deal." She confided then reached out with her good hand to touch his cheek. "I really wish there was another way. Lets make this a good show. Okay?" Kagome asked passing the back of her knuckles over his jaw. "You know, I kinda wanted to go top side to see what you do too." She said feeling very embarrassed. "I. I'm safe in the room when you are not here, I mean the other demons know this is your room and not come near me. I can even put up a barrier if I need too. but. Out there, I really am free game, and still I rather be up there with you then in the room alone." She said and shrugged her shoulders back, feeling her muscles defying the movement, she was thankful she could move her shoulders back.
Kagome only hoped the wounds were as impressive as they felt. "I'll play my part well, so Sesshomaru won't get word." Kagome promised him then pulled back from him and looked down at her feet. Taking up the poise needed for her part and allowed all the self doubt and fright she had been feeling for the past few days gnaw away at her until she fell into the role completely without need to act. "At midnight we'll come back here and it'll all be back to the way it was this morning." Kagome whispered, causing a smile to touch her lips. "Won't it Inuyasha?" Kagome asked looking up for the answer she was hoping to receive in his eyes.
He slowly stood up. He did his best to stand as he had before he had met Kagome, with his shoulders pulled back with pride and his back rigid with anger. He managed to lift up his chin, taking pride in everything Kagome had just said. Miraculously, it worked, and he felt stronger than ever before. It was as if before he had been made out of metal that was stiff and cold, and break if it moved too much. Now, as drowned as he was in the ice that had covered him for years, he felt like he was made out of the elements themselves, as if fire seared his veins and his feet were silenced by clouds.
Suddenly he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her every little thing about himself, and tell her every thought that had ever crossed his mind when he looked at her. But he couldn't. He could never say them out loud so long as his brother's shadow lurked in the recesses of his room.
His skin itching to reach out and touch her, wishing to give up every power that came from being a demon simply for a chance to heal her just once. But he couldn't. All Inuyasha could do was destroy. She was the healer. So instead he nodded, secretly wishing that she would let him sleep beside her and that he would wake up and be tickled, just so that he could laugh again.
'God, does she even know what she does to me?' He stopped nodding to stare at her, wanting to dry her cheeks but terrified that she would flinch away from the hands that had so recently crushed her. "It'll be as normal as it can be, for a demon pirate and a priestess."
Kagome looked up at him from under long bangs and began to laugh, a sad laugh that was blended all too much in with tears. "Is it okay if I go top deck crying?" Kagome asked rubbing her cheeks dry with the back of her one good hand.
"Yeah," he said in a low breath. "It'll just add to the... reality." He was going to say illusion, but it wasn't. Not now. "But I can't. I'm not, am I?"
Kagome blinked and looked up at him startled. "N-no..." Kagome said searching his face. Was there something happening here that she didn't understand? Was she missing out on something? Her heart, for whatever reason made a funny jump. "Why would you?" Kagome asked innocently.
He made sure the sword was around his waist. They were going to be late. Oh well. He'd lie about what he'd been doing, and get it from Sesshomaru later. Inuyasha wondered when he'd become such a sadist. Or was it masochist? Since when did he like getting the crap beaten out of him by his big brother? He held the door open for her, looking every much the demon prince he was supposed to be. "Because I broke a promise." He didn't say the rest out loud. 'To someone who's starting to mean more than life to me.'
Kagome looked at him with a puzzled expression then stepped out of the room and cringed. This, was going to be painful. Closing her eyes, Kagome's taunt face turned to Inuyasha and looked down the hall before lowering her head and biting her lower lip. "After you, master." She whispered wondering how many hours were there till midnight...?
Oh right.
Too many.
* * *
Sango had been searching Miroku's room for anything that might help her break the seal on the door. It seemed that only the hand of a demon could open it. There was the secret door, of course, but she dare not go through that until she knew that Inuyasha were out of there and Kagome were by herself. Because, of course, she couldn't leave a priestess, a girl on a ship full of pirates, and above all else, her new drinking buddy there all by herself! Sango had found nothing but some scrolls, and a whole lot of things that made her grin as she imagined trying them out on Miroku.
Damn it, what was going to do about him, anyway?
Then she'd heard the voices. Wisps of conversation were always coming to Sango through the walls, but Kagome's scream came through loud and clear. The demon hunter had her hand on the wall to swing open the hidden door, before she realized that her bravery had crossed the boundary into insanity. Who knew what the demon was doing to that poor girl, but the facts were still clear: he didn't care about hurting her, and Sango couldn't fight through her new companion just to kill the pirate prince. Half demon or not, it was still the blood of kings in him. Did she have enough strength to take him down?
She pressed her ear against the wood, and the words she heard shocked her. Sango couldn't believe them. Kagome had to have been brainwashed or bewitched or something! But his words, though brief, seemed just as tender.
Backing away from the wall, she fell on the floor, staring at the wall, too stunned to make it to the bed. "Oh my God," she breathed, blinking rapidly. It seemed impossible! "They love each other."
AN: AyumiH: Ooooohhhhh a drunk Inu. I LIKE the idea! Then again. I like almost every idea involving Inu.
Eidolon Griffin: I laughed very hard when I read your review. I laughed so hard I hurt my butt on the floor, when I fell from my chair. Thank you!
LilNezumi LilInu: Wasted. But in a good way!
Storymind: Hmmm. Well, it IS a pirate ship. So, Sake a plenty I guess! No?
Glass Thorn: Thank you so much!!! PoF is to blame for this great Sango. We also promise to have more of her in the future!
DemonKitty: ::sighs:: I know! Murphy (or in this case PoF's and I) is SO cruel!
SummerWind8585: * POUNCE * Our 100th reviewer! Thank you!! We hope you enjoy this chapter. and that it'll push you off the edge of your seat ^_~
Tranador, Junsei Hyakuhei, bllazkh, Sammy -.-zzz and all the other WONDERFUL people who reviewed and/or read our fanfic, THANK YOU SO MUCH For all of the wonderful reviews!!! They really warm our hearts and encourage us to write more (not to mention cause us to do a crazy happy dance, while drinking a lot of sugar)! We are DELIGHTED everyone is enjoying the story so far and we hope you enjoy this next chapter!! Please read and review!!
* * * *
Miroku sat on the bed playing with a rune marker between his fingers. That was... The most... Exciting morning he had probably ever had. Miroku thought to himself and watched her as she dressed. He wouldn't be surprised if she would be with child already; but then again the thought for some reason bothered him. He wanted to enjoy her bed a little more. Demon slayer or not, the moment he had stepped foot on the island and saw her, he knew she was the one. Oh, but the lush curve of her butt... It was all it took! While he searched for the ingredients he had also spied on her, and that finalized his knowledge that she was the one. Willful, powerful and beautiful. "Sango..."
Her mind had cleared enough that now she wondered if he was aware of her many hidden weapons in her clothes and jewelry. She tied her hair back up in a ponytail, making sure that the angle would give him a good view. "Yes, lover?" she drawled, still not believing that she was calling a demon 'lover'. Still, no human could have ever compared to Miroku, that was for damn sure.
Now the only problem was what to do with him when she went on a killing spree and took out all the other demons on the ship, including the half- breed next door. He'd be the easiest. She just had to slip through the hidden door when she was sure the dog-demon was sleeping.
"Do you tend to get drunk often?" Miroku asked then glanced out at the sky through the window. "Because Sake is hard to come by in the other world, there are wines but no real Sakes. I'm sure I'll be able to find something for your taste." Miroku said licking his lips. "Your knife is showing." Miroku said wondering for a moment if by marrying a demon that still didn't annihilate her profession for killing his type. "Yura would love you, no one is as flexible as that... Well, actually she might ask you for tips... Maybe you should stay away from Yura for a while."
* * * *
Inuyasha was still towel drying his hair when he came back into his rooms. He found Kagome sitting on the bed with her head in her hands. Inuyasha was glad to see she was awake, and his expression was concerned when he looked at her. "Feeling any better yet? I've never seen anybody be that sick before in my life, and I've seen a lot of drunk people.." He stood across from her. Now that he'd pulled himself away from her so she could take a nap, she didn't seem so dangerous. How could his hands have been shaking from a girl like this?
"Yeah well... I didn't eat or drink for two days. My nights weren't th-" Kagome stopped and peeked up from between her fingers. 'Sure Kagome, tell him about the dreams. Why not? That'd make you sleep better at night for sure!' Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm not a big drinker." Kagome murmured and touched her lips, glad that her stomach had stopped whirling about. "Can we drop the subject of my being sick?" Kagome asked of him. Looking at him, Kagome smiled for a moment. "Sorry about your robes by the way..." She said shyly.
"Not like it hasn't happened before." Inuyasha reflected on that thought. "Well, actually that hasn't happened before. But there's a first time for everything. Isn't that what you humans say? And now that you're sober, let's see how much you retained, shall we?" He held up his hands as he spoke. "No talking about blood, and we do have human food, so next time I offer you something to eat, you don't have to refuse because you're afraid of eating demonic food, okay?"
"Blood?" Kagome asked thinking about something, there seemed like there was some... Eh, she couldn't remember it. Never mind. "I have a favor to ask you." Kagome said abruptly, as she stood up and pulled her kimono off of the hanger.
Favor. That was a word Inuyasha didn't particularly care to hear right now? He politely faced away so she could get changed without feeling his eyes on her. "And what type of favor would this be?"
Pulling the kimono on, Kagome turned around and with her back facing Inuyasha, pulled his shirt out from underneath then began tying up the kimono neatly. Raking her fingers through her hair, Kagome brushed it back and turned around to face him. Her black hair looking even darker. "Since," Kagome looked around. "We reached an understanding. I want to go top-deck. See things." Kagome said folding her arms over her chest. "Your shift is till midnight - Shippo told me." Kagome said and shifted around restlessly. "I slept a lot anyway, I'm refreshed. I want to go up with you, I'll watch what you do." Kagome said nibbling on the inside of her cheek. "Learn what the others do. But, since I don't want you to get into trouble..." Taking a deep breath, Kagome walked up to him and pulled his claw across her arm. "Make it look real."
He stayed rooted to the spot, unable to believe his ears. "Kagome, I don't mind taking you up to the top deck, but I don't really do anything. I just make sure everything runs smoothly while Sesshomaru is off duty, and if people fuck up, then I beat the shit out of them. That's the way punishments are dealt on our ship. And while I have no problem beating up the rest of the bastards on this ship, I couldn't do it to you."
Inuyasha closed his eyes as he thought, his resolve cementing when he saw the determination in her eyes. Well, he could be just as stubborn! "Kagome, I've only struck you once, minus the pillows from this morning, and that was once too many for me."
Kagome smiled at him and pressed her hands against his chest. "Yes, but the others don't have to know that. They need to think you are treating me like a real prisoner..." Kagome leaned up and kissed him, biting his lip. Hard. "And believe I put up a fight." Kagome hissed and stepped back, rubbing her mouth with the back of her hand.
"They don't have to know you don't like me, or want sex or anything. They do however need to think you are doing just what any other one of them would, rape me and hurt me." Kagome said looking at him for a moment, her look softening. "I won't hold it against you. It's my wish. A black eye, some cuts... You order me around. The crew won't suspect a thing, they would though, if I came with you looking prim and proper."
She was right. They'd think Kagome was another Kikyo. He sucked on his lip. The pain felt good, in it's own way. It made his chest feel a little bit better. She still thought that he didn't like her. Kagome seemed to have forgotten everything he'd said when she was drunk. That made it all the more harder. If she at least had an inkling as to how he really felt about her, then maybe she would understand why he didn't want to. It wasn't that he didn't want Kagome mad at him, as true as that was, it was that he didn't want to look at her and know that it had been his own hand that had caused her all those bruises. Inuyasha just hoped that she'd been telling the truth, and that she wasn't frightened.
"You have to look down at the ground," he said quietly. "You have to call me 'Master', never say my name. You're not supposed to know it. I can't call you by your name. If I talk to you directly, it's 'human', and worse. You're supposed to be nothing but a broken object. Don't fight if any of the other guys touch you, even if they hurt you or touch you... in other places. I'll take care of them. And stay away from the edge. I don't want you falling or being pushed overboard."
He reached out and pulled her close. "And you have to make me hate you."
Kagome nodded, feeling apprehensive about this but somehow still trusting him enough to go through with it, even though it was insane. It was the only way. There was no other choice. She had to do this, and she had to play the part, she only wished she'd play it good. Otherwise it wasn't only her life at risk, but his as well, and she didn't want to put his life at risk. Not because of any emotional attachment or anything of course, but because.. Well, he was helping her out after all, wasn't he? So she couldn't be ungrateful.
"How do I do that?" She asked curling her fingers at her sides. Didn't he hate her already?
"I don't know!" he roared. "Say something mean! Call me names! Defy me! Kick me, stab me! Just make mad at you!" He wondered how she could ask him to do something like this. She hadn't been able to shoot him, and this was no different.
"I hate you." Kagome said and her voice sounded hollow and fake even to her own ears, so she sucked in a deep breath and built up her courage. Fine. She could do this, sneering at him she slapped him and felt the slap herself. "I rather be with any other demon on this ship then with you. You are. Mean!" Kagome said and shook her head, this wasn't going to get them anywhere. She had to get more personal, that's the only way about it. Breathing in another ragged breath, Kagome steeled her will. "I'm glad you don't want to sleep with me, because I rather die then ever sleep with you." Kagome said in disgust. "You're worthless. You're." Kagome didn't know what she could say. She didn't have any bad claim against him except that he had kidnapped her. And he already knew that. "You're to blame for Kikyo and you deserved everything Sesshomaru did." Kagome whispered feeling as though she had just punched herself with that last one. "You'll never be your brother, he's so much better then you."
The comment about Kikyo made him see red. He could hear it in her voice. She didn't mean the other stuff, even as he tried to imagine it was somebody else saying them. When she said that she'd rather die than sleep with him, the ground seemed to fall away, but when she said Kikyo's name, it was pure and total anger. He never even heard the last one, otherwise he might have said something.
She hadn't been there. She hadn't seen what he had done, to him or to Kikyo. She'd never deserved what that bastard had done to her. He'd broken the law: he had deserved every shattered bone he had received, but she hadn't done anything wrong. He struck out without even thinking, hitting her right in the cheekbone. He felt her blood on his knuckles. His eyes were so filled with tears that he didn't see his blow had knocked her to the ground.
Crumbling to the ground, Kagome instinctively lifted her hand to her cheek and felt the swelling and the pain and the blood. Shit... She had pushed him too far... Kagome's eyes softened. There was more pain in his eyes then anger. "Master...?" She whispered hoping it would anger him some more. They needed more then just this.
"Don't call me that," he mumbled, hanging his head in shame. He bent down to her level. He couldn't believe that he had done that. He knew he didn't have the heart to hit her again. But there were other things he could do.
Inuyasha seized her shoulders and dug his nails into her flesh. Hopefully it meant she wouldn't be able to straighten much. Hopefully, what the hell was he thinking? He pressed his lips to hers. Fuck his oaths! He'd already broken most of them, so he might as well break the rest! His lips were gentle, even as one hand went down to her wrist, the one that she'd hurt the day before, and he began to squeeze. Yet all the while his lips were touching hers, tender in the sorrowful ministrations.
'Oh god. It's not suppose to be like this.' Kagome thought and kissed him back, deepening the kiss with passion and care. A warmth growing in her heart along with sorrow and regret trying to compensate. Letting out a slight whimper, Kagome kissed him stronger.
No. It had to be worse. It had to be more visible.
The pain meant nothing. Could mean nothing. Wounds would heal. Kagome kept thinking to herself but looking at Inuyasha, she knew that wasn't true. Not the wounds she was inflicting. But she had to, for those girls. For herself.
"LOOK AT ME!" Kagome shouted, "I look like Kikyo, don't I? Don't I?! I'm a priestess too. What type of a screwed up bastard are you? You like us. You like kidnapping us, playing your games of being sweet and loving and then hearing us scream. And you know it'll happen again, I'll die just the same way she did." Kagome threw in his face, this time the tears of doubt and fright clouding her vision. "You're worthless." Kagome spat and lowered her eyes. 'And I'm actually caring for you.' She thought hating herself for that last one. 'I wonder if Kikyo cared for you too..' Kagome thought suddenly. "Oh god." Kagome whispered placing her hand over her mouth, as though just now understanding what she had said. "I am so sorry. Inuyasha. I. You know I didn't mean." Kagome shook her head and threw herself at him. "I'm sorry."
God, she had it all wrong. He didn't like it at all. He hated it. He felt like shit for kidnapping her and Kikyo. But it was his fault that she had died. He'd never wanted to hear her scream. He never meant to hurt Kagome, and now she was asking him to. And he was such a sick bastard he was actually doing it! But maybe this might save her. Maybe this would be what saves her from ending up like Kikyo. They'd see she was injured, and they would assume that he was sick as them. Which Inuyasha didn't doubt, now that her wrist was held tightly in his hands.
He was proud of her for not crying out, though. "Is it enough?"
Shaking all over, Kagome was lost in her own emotions. Why was she doing this? To him. To her. He would protect her, he swore it. And those girls, how did she know they were even still alive? She could be perfectly happy as. As what? Kagome thought to herself. A trapped bird? No. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, Kagome felt a well of despair give way in her mind. This was all wrong. Nothing about it was right. Except for those kisses, they felt too right. Like a half of a circle being completed, an motion like that couldn't be wrong, could it? Well, it had to be. Otherwise, things wouldn't be like this.
"No." Kagome said shaking her head. "I. It needs to be more believable." Kagome whispered. "Kiss me?" She asked of him, swallowing the lump in her throat that was threatening to choke her. "Then, it'll be enough."
His heart felt like shattering when she asked him to kiss her. He closed his eyes, steeling himself for what he knew had to be done, just to prolong Kagome's life. But at the same time it would increase her pain. Why couldn't she ask him to kiss her when they weren't fighting? It would be a dream come true if Inuyasha walked into his room and have Kagome run into his arms and kiss him until the last thing he'd want to do is leave her side.
But he was being a fool if he ever thought that would happen.
His grip on her wrist lessened as he leaned forward, touching her lips softly. He pulled away again just for moment, enjoying the feeling of her breath touching his mouth. Inuyasha pulled her forward until she was practically in his lap, his mouth never leaving hers. His kisses were slow, and bittersweet. He felt his need to be with her helplessly pouring out of him, as if drawn out by her returning affections. He wanted to make it as pleasurable for her as he could, before he hurt her.
He mumbled her name, as if that were enough for an apology. No words of sorrow Inuyasha knew would make the situation better. When he kissed her again, he did so with renewed vigor, as if hungry, as if his body and soul were begging for something only she could give him. Recalling the kisses she had given him only moments before, and how he prayed that the feelings behind them were earnest and the warmth that had spread through him from the sensation, his embrace become passionate, and for a brief moment all the ice and unshed tears Inuyasha had been drowning in for years were destroyed by that warmth.
Then his hand tightened, and he felt her already fragile limb snap in his powerful hand, and all the ice and came water came surging back down.
Warm passionate murmurs of his name under her breath turned into shrieking hiss when the bone broke and the pain hit her like a ship hitting an iceberg. Letting out a scream of pure pain, Kagome cradled her now limp hand to her chest. The pain was shooting up her shoulder to her chest and clenching there so tight. Heat waves flashed over her, mixing with a dark cloud that threatened her senses.
The momentary fantasy she was experiencing had shattered into thousand different pieces. The flash of warmth and companionship, the split second of feeling like she was walking on air broke and became a harsh reality. This was a dangerous game and a gamble without any safety nets. He wasn't a sweet innocent lover, he was a pirate demon, who had enough strength in him to shatter bone with his bare hands. And she wasn't some young maiden free of care and worries who could just enjoy. she was a priestess with responsibilities towards those girls, she was a prisoner.
She was doomed.
Unbidden tears ran down her face as the pain continued to gnaw and chew away at her like an animal. For a few moments she actually thought she might collapse from the pain. When the black spots in front of her eyes bled away, Kagome sniffed and looked at him without any condemnation, just pure pain and sadness.
Releasing her nails from his shoulder, where her good hand had dug them in. Kagome lowered her eyes and looked at his hand, still tightly clenched around hers. "Inuyasha." Kagome said in a gulp.
"Sorry," he quickly mumbled, taking his hand away. He pulled back as far as he could, which wasn't very far. Inuyasha lowered his head. He couldn't look at her. He couldn't look at Kagome now that the dirty deed was done. Even his ears went backwards, like a dog expecting a beating. 'Really, that's all I am. A mutt. A damned dog.'
Words wouldn't excuse his actions, or his feelings of regret, and no logic would be able to explain to him why, now that he had felt his excoriation of power over her. He never wanted to do that again. And that was the thing. He wouldn't need to. She could go with him all over the ship, and she'd never have to ask him to hurt her again. The pirates would see the wrist and think.... and think whatever they wanted to think. She could heal it herself when they reached the island, and then she could defend herself after he had left for the main land. Inuyasha would never do it again.
Kagome was still lost in her pain, didn't notice his pulling away. But she did feel panic and a certain stubbornness fall over this situation. There was no turning back, and her wrist only testified to that. "This is going to be dangerous, isn't it?" Kagome asked rhetorically. Cradling her wrist to her chest, Kagome allowed her voice to mouth out the thoughts she was keeping inside. "You know, I really wish we didn't have to do this." She whispered sadly. "Oh, not because of the wrist!" Kagome assured him, blushing furiously and accepting that it was all done because she had asked. He otherwise would never had hurt her, Kagome realized with sudden clarity. He didn't mean to. "Because." She said softly, looking at him and figuring that if this sham didn't work, one of them was going to pay dearly and either way she didn't want that to happen and figured all bets were off. "The time spent in this room wasn't that bad." Kagome whispered, her blush growing as she smiled privately more to herself then to him. Remembering the pillow fight, and even how she snuggled close to him at night and laid her head on his chest.
"But I can't always stay in here. I'm a Priestess. I have duties. I have to watch out for those girls, therefor I can't let those girls die, and this is their only choice." Kagome said without noticing that she stopped referring to the escape as her choice as well. "You made me forget I'm a prisoner and you made me feel safe."
"I've never felt that safe in all of my years, I think maybe I even felt so before our deal." She confided then reached out with her good hand to touch his cheek. "I really wish there was another way. Lets make this a good show. Okay?" Kagome asked passing the back of her knuckles over his jaw. "You know, I kinda wanted to go top side to see what you do too." She said feeling very embarrassed. "I. I'm safe in the room when you are not here, I mean the other demons know this is your room and not come near me. I can even put up a barrier if I need too. but. Out there, I really am free game, and still I rather be up there with you then in the room alone." She said and shrugged her shoulders back, feeling her muscles defying the movement, she was thankful she could move her shoulders back.
Kagome only hoped the wounds were as impressive as they felt. "I'll play my part well, so Sesshomaru won't get word." Kagome promised him then pulled back from him and looked down at her feet. Taking up the poise needed for her part and allowed all the self doubt and fright she had been feeling for the past few days gnaw away at her until she fell into the role completely without need to act. "At midnight we'll come back here and it'll all be back to the way it was this morning." Kagome whispered, causing a smile to touch her lips. "Won't it Inuyasha?" Kagome asked looking up for the answer she was hoping to receive in his eyes.
He slowly stood up. He did his best to stand as he had before he had met Kagome, with his shoulders pulled back with pride and his back rigid with anger. He managed to lift up his chin, taking pride in everything Kagome had just said. Miraculously, it worked, and he felt stronger than ever before. It was as if before he had been made out of metal that was stiff and cold, and break if it moved too much. Now, as drowned as he was in the ice that had covered him for years, he felt like he was made out of the elements themselves, as if fire seared his veins and his feet were silenced by clouds.
Suddenly he wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her every little thing about himself, and tell her every thought that had ever crossed his mind when he looked at her. But he couldn't. He could never say them out loud so long as his brother's shadow lurked in the recesses of his room.
His skin itching to reach out and touch her, wishing to give up every power that came from being a demon simply for a chance to heal her just once. But he couldn't. All Inuyasha could do was destroy. She was the healer. So instead he nodded, secretly wishing that she would let him sleep beside her and that he would wake up and be tickled, just so that he could laugh again.
'God, does she even know what she does to me?' He stopped nodding to stare at her, wanting to dry her cheeks but terrified that she would flinch away from the hands that had so recently crushed her. "It'll be as normal as it can be, for a demon pirate and a priestess."
Kagome looked up at him from under long bangs and began to laugh, a sad laugh that was blended all too much in with tears. "Is it okay if I go top deck crying?" Kagome asked rubbing her cheeks dry with the back of her one good hand.
"Yeah," he said in a low breath. "It'll just add to the... reality." He was going to say illusion, but it wasn't. Not now. "But I can't. I'm not, am I?"
Kagome blinked and looked up at him startled. "N-no..." Kagome said searching his face. Was there something happening here that she didn't understand? Was she missing out on something? Her heart, for whatever reason made a funny jump. "Why would you?" Kagome asked innocently.
He made sure the sword was around his waist. They were going to be late. Oh well. He'd lie about what he'd been doing, and get it from Sesshomaru later. Inuyasha wondered when he'd become such a sadist. Or was it masochist? Since when did he like getting the crap beaten out of him by his big brother? He held the door open for her, looking every much the demon prince he was supposed to be. "Because I broke a promise." He didn't say the rest out loud. 'To someone who's starting to mean more than life to me.'
Kagome looked at him with a puzzled expression then stepped out of the room and cringed. This, was going to be painful. Closing her eyes, Kagome's taunt face turned to Inuyasha and looked down the hall before lowering her head and biting her lower lip. "After you, master." She whispered wondering how many hours were there till midnight...?
Oh right.
Too many.
* * *
Sango had been searching Miroku's room for anything that might help her break the seal on the door. It seemed that only the hand of a demon could open it. There was the secret door, of course, but she dare not go through that until she knew that Inuyasha were out of there and Kagome were by herself. Because, of course, she couldn't leave a priestess, a girl on a ship full of pirates, and above all else, her new drinking buddy there all by herself! Sango had found nothing but some scrolls, and a whole lot of things that made her grin as she imagined trying them out on Miroku.
Damn it, what was going to do about him, anyway?
Then she'd heard the voices. Wisps of conversation were always coming to Sango through the walls, but Kagome's scream came through loud and clear. The demon hunter had her hand on the wall to swing open the hidden door, before she realized that her bravery had crossed the boundary into insanity. Who knew what the demon was doing to that poor girl, but the facts were still clear: he didn't care about hurting her, and Sango couldn't fight through her new companion just to kill the pirate prince. Half demon or not, it was still the blood of kings in him. Did she have enough strength to take him down?
She pressed her ear against the wood, and the words she heard shocked her. Sango couldn't believe them. Kagome had to have been brainwashed or bewitched or something! But his words, though brief, seemed just as tender.
Backing away from the wall, she fell on the floor, staring at the wall, too stunned to make it to the bed. "Oh my God," she breathed, blinking rapidly. It seemed impossible! "They love each other."