What happened in the Snow
Ch 3Calm before the Storm
The small hut that held our traveling heroes was still and calm. Miroku was propped up on the wall of the far end of the room... sleeping. Sango wasn't too far away with Kilala by her side…sleeping. Kagome and Shippo were side-by-side… sleeping. The still room offered little company… For Inu-yasha's lonely nights it never did. Sometimes one of the group, suffering from insomnia as well, would stay up and talk with him…but he never felt much like talking on his 'time of the month'.
They're little shelter had warmed up considerably from when they had first come in. There were no windows and the door was the kind you could shut…There weren't many of those around in Sengoku Japan…but it kept the warm in. Inu-yasha didn't like sleeping inside this way…even as cold it was, he would rather be outside. Where he was free… But, he was human and would freeze. All of his comrades were in blankets Kagome had brought. Although he had refused, Kagome laid one down next to him just incase he changed his mind.
Since there were no windows to watch, he watched the fire dance, hypnotizing him with every fading flame. Violet eyes went dull as he seemed to leave this world, but quickly snapped out of it.
'I must never let my guard down…'The humans' eyes were heavy and itchy…his restless mind beckoned him for sleep…'Just a little'…his tired eyes whispered. Shippo moaned and rolled away from Kagome, tacking all of the covers with him. Kagome inhaled a sharp quick breath as her warm skin hit the cold night air. This noise jolted our hanyou back to reality where he would –hopefully- stay for the rest of the night.
Kagome's eyes quickly fluttered open. "Inu-yasha?" she asked. "What?" he answered gruffly. The now conscious girl rubbed her eyes wearily. 'She looks so cute when she does that…' thought Inu-yasha. "Why are your still up?" she said rising to her feet. Inu-yasha watched with suspicious eyes as she walked over and sat down beside him.
Kagome was in her pajamas now. She had set up covers like a certain earlier so she and anyone else who wanted to change could…however; she still had to have Shippo watch for lecherous behavior. Her pajamas were a soft pink and white 2 piece, being long sleeved, they were the warmest thing she had with her.
"Inu-yasha, aren't you cold?" Kagome asked sweetly. It was true… He was cold… But would never admit it… He was to stubborn. Not wanting to answer, he simply began to stroke what was left of his hair after Kagome had cut it. First Kagome's eyes filled with sorrow, then she looked down. "Sorry." She said quietly.
'Hn. This isn't as fun as I thought…I hate to see her this sad over me…' the boy thought. "Don't worry about it" he said, snapping Kagome out of distant thought.
"It'll grow back in a few days…"
"Really?" Kagome quipped.
Inu-yasha looked around the room, now realizing this less than comfortable situation. Trying to avoid conversation, he looked at the fire and started to daze into it again. Kagome noticed this and stared at her companion.
"What?…" Inu-yasha said, not even breaking eye contact with the fire. All Kagome could do was stutter and try to babble out some incoherent words. Thankfully, Shippo rolled over and made some moaning noises.
"Father…"
said Shippo in a distant voice. His small hands fisted around the covers as he fought dearly in his sleep. "Poor Shippo…" stated Kagome, now somehow over her stuttering spell. "I feel so bad for him…being alone at such a young age and all…" the raven haired girl pulled her knee's up to her chest and rested her head on them.
"Keh." Spat Inu-yasha, "this little vermin, he has it good. He has food, shelter, and people that are there for him." The human's words were harsh and decice…and almost…with a hint of jealousy in them. Inu-yasha tilted his head towards the ceiling of the shabby hut, closing his eyes as he did so. He had one knee up with his arm gently resting on it. Obviously trying to look macho. The only sound was the crackling symphony of the ever-constant fire.
"I never had any of that."
His words now were softer and so much different. Everything about him was becoming distant. Kagome stared on as the warm glows of the fire played on his face.
"It must have been hard."
Kagome had never thought of her protector as someone who was lost and abandoned. She tried to imagine a small hanyou left out in the cold…starving. For both attention and food. She could see it clearly…the heavily drifting snow…the bright red kimono…the only thing she couldn't see was a face. She just couldn't imagine the man she'd grown to know and love letting himself be treated like that.
Inu-yasha winced. He hated to be pitied. He hated this time of the month. This time when he felt such a spectrum of feelings. Love… hate. A full-blooded demon would have no use for these. He wished he had that jewel now. He wished that he could be pure. Finally rid of all these emotions. To run off in the sunset and never return!
But
What of Kagome?
What of the others?
What of…Kikyo?
Inu-yasha looked down. He felt as if he were going to cry. His shabby, black bangs covered his eyes. This was becoming almost more than he could stand! Why chase dreams that you can't have…
All he could do to keep the lonely dark inside was to grit his teeth. Inu-yasha's face snarled and twisted in the dulling glow of the fire. When Kagome noticed this, she couldn't help but ask
"Inu-yasha?"
He immediately shot up his dropping head and gasped.
For a moment he stared at the wall in front of him; his eyes full of fear. He didn't breath, he didn't move. He couldn't. being broken out of such deep thought like that. He'd forgotten were he was…even who he was with. Kagome jumped, who wouldn't? She began to worry about her friend.
What was going through his mind?...
Darting his vision around the room our skittish hanyou finally realized where he was. His gaze stopped at Kagome and he finally let out his breath.
Kagome was sitting there with her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide. Inu-yasha relaxed and stuck his feet out, putting his arms behind his head and resting against the wooden wall. This recent out-break of unsettling actions made Kagome even more curious.
"Umm…Inu-yasha?" Kagome began again. Inu-yasha just casually looked over at her as if nothing had happened, although he was still in a cold sweat.
"How did you get by as a child…being all alone and all…" Kagome continued in a timid manner. Inu-yasha just looked at her…almost confused.
He hated talking about himself, recalling the lonely nights of his past…but somehow… Kagome's pleading eyes always coursed him into talking. Inu-yasha sighed.
"I-if you don't wanna talk about it…"
"I don't know how old I was… when I was left all alone…the only way I got by was figuring out how to hunt."
Inu-yasha looked at the fire again. For some reason he can never bear to keep eye contact with anyone. Feeling uneasy, he shifted into his trademark pose by crossing his legs.
"I don't remember my father at all…but I'm told that's who named me. And I'm told he was a great man… At least that's what mom said."
"Yea…I know what you mean…I don't remember much about my father either…he died…on Sota's first birthday…" Kagome said solemnly.
Inu-yasha was oddly surprised by this. He hadn't ever really noticed the absence of his companion's father.
Kagome smiled, "He was on his way to the Birthday party…never saw it coming…an 18 wheeler hit him head on…D.O.A."
Inu-yasha perked his head up in an inquisitive manner. It was so easy for Kagome to forget, especially when he looked human, that they were from such distant times.
"D.O.A…" the girl began again in a soft sorrowful voice, "means dead on arrival…"
The two starred at the fire, both curious to hear more, yet unwilling to share there own pain full memories, just gaze into the all consuming fire. Ah yes, the fire, such a lovely scape-goat for times like these.
Its was all so clear for the misty eyed girl. Her mind began to fade back to that day.
Memories long forgotten began to slowly return.
Revealing every moment stuck in time.
Just seeming to loop in her head.
Replaying…
"Heh…I can still remember that phone call…" Kagome began, her head already facing down… ready for tears, "It was just Sota, Mom and me…Perfect. That's what it was…Perfect…blissful unawareness."
All Inu-yasha could do was watch. How he wished he could smell her tears…that way, at least, he felt like he was doing more for her…sensing more of her pain. Taking some of it and bearing it himself…he couldn't even tell if her breathing patterns had changed…curse this human form.
"It was some man from the morgue…he didn't say what was wrong…and how could we have known…"
How naïve Kagome felt now, spilling her heart out to the world.
No.
Not to the world.
To Inu-yasha.
The one person who has had more heartache than anyone.
She smiled.
She smiled at her cowardice.
A steady stream of gleaming tears was now timidly falling.
"Once we got there…the man…the man we talked to on the phone…lead us into a small white hall…"
Kagome chuckled bitterly and a cold smile gleamed.
"How were we to have known…the man took us to glass widow…Sota was too small to see…the man tapped on the glass…another man in the room we were staring in… lifted up a sheet…"
Kagome paused for a minute, hoping that she wouldn't have to go on…but obviously Inu-yasha wasn't catching the hint.
"It was my dad."
There was another awkward silence… in which every thing seemed to be engulfed …like by a black hole.
"They had called us there to identify the body…I can still remember that look on mom's face…such a look of horror…of disbelief."
A sob racked Kagome frail body as she leaned into the fire.
Inuyasha was surprised to see her so open like this.
'This doesn't even seem like the girl I know…I'm not used to seeing her so…sad. What can I do for her?'
Nothing came to the raven-haired boy as he fumbled his thoughts. All he could do was stare.
At Kagome
So serene in the fire light.
So sad…
Sobbing began to turn to easing tears and shortly there after, they stopped to. Nothing seemed to be left of the girl as she starred into the dying fire. The midnight air was clean and fresh, smelling lightly of dawn. It clung bitterly to the girls skin. Her tear stained face trembled in the nighttime cold. She put her arms around self in an attempt for warmth.
She looked so frail once again clinging desperately to heat.
Looking over at her companion, and noting that his breath was coming out in frigid puffs, she made her way across the room toward Inu-yasha. Her friend eyeing her suspiciously the whole time. Kagome grabbed the blanket she had set out for him earlier, then wrapped it around herself and sat down.
Inu-yasha glared at her. How dare she take his blanket…its not his fault that fox cub took hers. After all, he didn't even like Shippo!
"Inu-yasha?" Kagome said, sounding like she usually did when she wanted something ridicules.
"What?…" he answered gruffly, knowing he wouldn't want to do what ever it was she was going to ask.
And yet there was another moment of quite between the two, as only the fire and silence of the night was herd.
"Wanna share?" Kagome said sweetly, holding up the side nearest to Inu-yasha. Her eyes where so big they almost looked surreal…so innocent…how could he say no?…
Our hero scowled at her offer for a moment, looking from her hand to her face. But gave into temptation.
Kagome scooted over and handed one corner of the large blanket to our ever-blushing hanyou. Sitting awkwardly close, neither had much to say.
"ACHU" sneezed Kagome.
"Uh-Are still cold?" asked Inu-yasha thoughtfully.
"Just a little…but I'm alright…" she answered back.
"Here let me help."
Before he knew what he was doing Inu-yasha had wrapped Kagome and himself in the covers. Sitting up, and awkwardly close, they both did blushed.
"Better?" he asked
She leaned her head on his chest, placing her hand there as well.
"Um…yea."
Inu-yasha cupped his hand around her arm and gently began to rub warmth in. He tried to comfort her, now able to share some of her sorrow, to share as a kindred spirit, one who understands. Kagome moved her other arm around Inu-yasha's back and placed her hand on his shoulder, holding him tight. Almost afraid to loose him. Inu-yasha did the same. And they sat there. In the dying fire. Just enjoying each other. Kagome giving in to peaceful sleep, Inu-yasha enjoying embracing the one he loved as a human, not a monster, but as a human…for the first time.
"Goodnight…Kagome…"
''''''
Hey all, sorry it took me so long to put out this chapter! Yea…well…I have an excuse. I've been studing for state testing. So…I hope I passed…well I regret to inform you that there will be no more for a while. At least not until the end of school. (about 2 weeks I think) but after that you know I'll post lots of um. So very sorry for the inconvenience,
crim