Yes! I'm alive! Though it was a close call with all the tests and assignments and stuff. The Linkin Park concert was FANTASTIC for those who asked about it. I cut out early though cuz of all the pot smokers makes a face I'm not a fan. And! I promise to try to update more, I really do. Life was crazy for a while but it's getting better now! I promised my friend I'd update at least one more since I'm
starting a new one
(called Kinda Weird, you should ALL read it! Please!) and this one is one of the winners. Just cuz I'm in the mood. Anyways, SO SORRY for the delays!
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It took Inuyasha less than three complete strides to make it to where Jason was standing. Kagome kept her head lifted just enough to watch his progress, ignoring the pain searing through her skull and down her neck.
Jason had paled when he first heard Inuyasha, but regained his color when he caught site of the intruder. The white-haired boy didn't seem to be any older than him, and Jason knew he could handle himself in a fight. All it took was one glance at Kagome's beaten, tear-streaked form to make his confidence sky rocket. He turned back to Inuyasha, the corner of his lips curving into a smirk.
"And who might you be?" He made his voice as mocking as possible, casting another vicious glare at Kagome. "Was this whore cheating on me?" He sneered at her, and to her disgust she felt herself wilt under his gaze.
Inuyasha didn't even deign to respond. He grabbed Jason by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall. "You're an idiot." He spat, reveling in the fear rolling off the human in waves.
Kagome's eyes widened at the murder in the hanyou's eyes. Ignoring her aching body, she got to her feet, hastening to his side. "Inuyasha." Her voice was hardly a whisper. "Don't kill him!" She placed a hand on his arm, pleading him with her eyes.
"Why not?" He turned his glare on her. "Because you love him? I don't know why I bother saving such a pathetic wench like you." That hurt. She stepped back, stung as if he'd slapped her. Inuyasha didn't back down though, hiding his hurt at her defense of the human.
"No." She insisted, brushing off the pain that came with his words. "Because people can't go around killing people here! This isn't ancient Japan! There are laws we have to follow!" She was terrified. If he killed Jason, in her kitchen, there would be trouble for her family. Her voice wasn't as forceful as it could have been though, and she cowed under his glare.
"I don't have to follow them." He argued, his grip on Jason's throat tightening. "He hit you Kagome! Doesn't that matter to you at ALL!"
"Why does it matter to you?" She muttered. Hurt registered in his eyes, but she was too far gone to care. Yes, Jason hit her. Yes, it mattered to her. But Inuyasha was conveniently forgetting her submissiveness, making her feel even more weak and pathetic. She just wanted him to go away so she wouldn't have to face him anymore.
Inuyasha froze. "It matters Kagome." He was trying to meet her eyes, but she continued to stare stubbornly at the ground. "Why doesn't it matter to you?" His voice was so soft, so confused, it made her want to cry.
Fighting back tears, she pressed her back against the wall and slid to the ground. "Because she's a pathetic piece of filth." Jason spat, his face twisted in anger. His eyes were wide, almost unseeing. He looked as if he'd lost his mind to his rage. If she would have looked at him then, she wouldn't have been able to remember what it was about him that drew her to him. But her eyes were focused listlessly on the ground.
Inuyasha growled in response, tightening his chokehold. Jason would have been dead in a matter of seconds if Inuyasha's ears hadn't twitched in response to a familiar and unwelcome sound. Kagome was crying.
Her shoulders heaving in silent sobs, tears streamed down her face. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her knees, hugging them close against her, her fingers entwined with each other, as if it would stop the spasmodic shaking coursing throughout her body. Inuyasha's heart went out to her.
He slammed Jason against the wall again with just enough force to knock him unconscious, and let him fall to the ground. Then he focused all his attention on Kagome. "What's wrong?" It was a stupid question. But he sounded so lost asking it, there was no doubt it was genuine. He squatted down in front of her, trying once again to meet her eyes. "It's going to be okay." He whispered, wondering himself if it was true.
Kagome didn't even try to speak. She just cried. When her shaking grew stronger, moving her limbs in violent spasms, Inuyasha reached out and held her to steady her. The more she shook, the tighter he held on. Eventually she began to grab at him, clutching at his haori with both hands, finally letting out her pent up sobs. He held her like that until she cried herself to sleep, and than picked her up completely and tucked her into bed. He didn't look back as he slid out her window and down into the well.
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When morning came, Kagome was still in bed, exhausted. It wasn't until early afternoon that she both woke up and had the strength to get out of bed. Souta was waiting by her door.
"Hi." He said quietly. He looked so mature right then. He wasn't looking at her like she was just his bossy older sister, there was some amount of respect in his dark brown eyes. She followed him to her bed and sat next to him.
"How are you doing?" She asked tiredly. She felt like she had aged too. Suddenly she didn't want to keep up with the world anymore.
He grinned at her then, reminding her of her little brother. "I should be asking you that. You have a nasty looking bump on your head, and there's a not so pretty bruise forming on your cheek too." He paused, and looked down before continuing. "Is Jason gone for good?"
Kagome hadn't actually seen him leave, but since her mom hadn't come home from work and freaked over a body in the kitchen, she assumed he'd regained consciousness and left. He wouldn't be coming back. "Yeah." She said softly.
"Good." Souta reached over and took her hand in his. "I don't want him hurting you anymore." Kagome nodded silently, trying not to cry. She squeezed his hand gently.
"Me neither." She whispered. He nodded. He looked so mature right then, meeting her gaze with such adult quiet compassion. He was growing up. Or maybe he was being forced to act that way since she obviously wasn't playing the part herself. She squeezed his hand again. "I'm okay." She assured him, schooling her features to show a confidence she didn't feel. She couldn't lean on him anymore, it wasn't fair to him.
He squeezed back. "I'm glad." There was a pause. "Kagome?" He started tentatively, than stopped. She gave him a reassuring look and he continued. "Are you mad that Inuyasha came?" He sounded his age again, and she could see the genuine worry in his eyes.
She squatted down in front of him, cupping his shoulders in her hands. "No." Briefly, she wondered if that was true. "He saved me. I don't know what Jason would have done if he hadn't of come." That was a lie. He would have killed her. Sighing, she brushed her brother's hair back, behind his ear. "Why are you so worried about that?"
He bit his lip, a habit when he was nervous. "It's my fault."
She was confused. "It's not your fault Souta. You were in your room when he came."
He shook his head. "Hojo came over today, before you got home from school." He looked at her, as if gauging her reaction. "He was really worried about you. He asked me," He hesitated. She started to say something but stopped when he continued talking.
"He asked me who you loved. He knew you liked someone, from before, but that maybe it didn't work out or something. He knew Jason was bad. I don't know if he knew how bad, but he knew. And so I gave him a jewel shard."
Kagome froze. "What?" She had to have heard wrong. First of all, talking about ancient Japan with outsiders was a no-no, Souta knew that. And secondly, Inuyasha would kill Hojo on sight.
"I didn't really tell him anything." He hastened to explain. "I gave it to him and had him jump down the well. I guess he found Inuyasha."
Hopefully he was alive. Kagome knew she should be more stressed than she was, but she really didn't have the energy for it. Instead she released her hold on Souta's shoulders and got to her feet. "Yeah." Her voice was tired, even to her own ears. "I guess he did."
She patted him absently on the shoulder as she left the room. As she headed down the hall, she got a glimpse of her reflection on the mirror. Yeah, Jason had really been pissed. Gently, she pressed the tip of her fingers against the tender flesh. Wincing, she jerked them away again.
Once she made it down the stairs, she walked straight through the house until she made it to the first door that would take her outside. She was done with Jason. Refusing to hide what he'd done to her felt like a small act of defiance. But she still didn't want her mom seeing her face clear of all make up.
Wandering aimlessly, she suddenly found herself in front of the well. She would have to go back . . . eventually. In her own time, she'd have to have a long talk with her mother, and at least try to explain some of what had happened. She'd have to talk to Hojo too, and thank him. If he was still alive. She needed to spend more time with her brother, time where he could be a little boy again.
Her friends would also demand some kind of explanation for why she'd broken up with the perfect boyfriend. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell them the truth, not when they'd been so oblivious to it. But it was her own fault. If she hadn't been the spineless wimp she'd turned out to be, than she could have stood up for herself, or told them the truth. It wasn't their fault she made a good liar.
And then there was the past . . .
Sango probably suspected something. They'd talked about Jason before, and of all her friends, Sango was the only one who knew how much Inuyasha's indifference had hurt her. But she was also afraid of losing her respect. In all honesty, she expected to lose it, but the idea of Sango seeing her as just another helpless female hurt.
Miroku would be the easiest to talk to. Damsels in distress were his specialty, and she was pretty sure an abusive boyfriend put her in that category. He'd be understanding, and kind, and probably a little lecherous but that was to be expected. His perception of her would change, however, and like Sango, it would hurt for him to think of her as weak.
She wished she could just keep it all from Shippou. He didn't need to know that the person he regarded as a mother figure was pathetic. He didn't need to have the things he believed to be true proven as lies at such a young age. But who was she kidding? Keeping the truth from him would benefit her most of all. Someone would still look at her with that innocent expression on idolized love that she had taken for granted. But she didn't deserve it, and somewhere inside her she still had enough pride to grimly promise herself that Shippou would find out the truth, from her own lips.
She'd have to face Inuyasha too.
Even though he already knew the truth, in a way it'd be harder to deal with him than anyone else. She wouldn't be telling him how pathetic she was, he had seen it for himself. He had found her broken, bloody on the floor, and cowering under Jason's glare. He had witnessed first hand how weak she was, and she knew that weakness was a trait he abhorred above all others.
With a resignation that felt more like giving up than 'doing the right thing', she squared her shoulders and stepped into the well.
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Okay! Yay! An update! And since summer's here, I promise it won't be forever and a day until I update again! Scouts honor! I hope you like this fic. There wasn't much action, but Inuyasha couldn't kill him or I'd have to write about the trial. Also, Kagome forgot to think about seeing Jason in school... so maybe he's not as out of her life as she'd like to think. I hope you guys like this!
starting a new one
(called Kinda Weird, you should ALL read it! Please!) and this one is one of the winners. Just cuz I'm in the mood. Anyways, SO SORRY for the delays!
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It took Inuyasha less than three complete strides to make it to where Jason was standing. Kagome kept her head lifted just enough to watch his progress, ignoring the pain searing through her skull and down her neck.
Jason had paled when he first heard Inuyasha, but regained his color when he caught site of the intruder. The white-haired boy didn't seem to be any older than him, and Jason knew he could handle himself in a fight. All it took was one glance at Kagome's beaten, tear-streaked form to make his confidence sky rocket. He turned back to Inuyasha, the corner of his lips curving into a smirk.
"And who might you be?" He made his voice as mocking as possible, casting another vicious glare at Kagome. "Was this whore cheating on me?" He sneered at her, and to her disgust she felt herself wilt under his gaze.
Inuyasha didn't even deign to respond. He grabbed Jason by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground, slamming him against the wall. "You're an idiot." He spat, reveling in the fear rolling off the human in waves.
Kagome's eyes widened at the murder in the hanyou's eyes. Ignoring her aching body, she got to her feet, hastening to his side. "Inuyasha." Her voice was hardly a whisper. "Don't kill him!" She placed a hand on his arm, pleading him with her eyes.
"Why not?" He turned his glare on her. "Because you love him? I don't know why I bother saving such a pathetic wench like you." That hurt. She stepped back, stung as if he'd slapped her. Inuyasha didn't back down though, hiding his hurt at her defense of the human.
"No." She insisted, brushing off the pain that came with his words. "Because people can't go around killing people here! This isn't ancient Japan! There are laws we have to follow!" She was terrified. If he killed Jason, in her kitchen, there would be trouble for her family. Her voice wasn't as forceful as it could have been though, and she cowed under his glare.
"I don't have to follow them." He argued, his grip on Jason's throat tightening. "He hit you Kagome! Doesn't that matter to you at ALL!"
"Why does it matter to you?" She muttered. Hurt registered in his eyes, but she was too far gone to care. Yes, Jason hit her. Yes, it mattered to her. But Inuyasha was conveniently forgetting her submissiveness, making her feel even more weak and pathetic. She just wanted him to go away so she wouldn't have to face him anymore.
Inuyasha froze. "It matters Kagome." He was trying to meet her eyes, but she continued to stare stubbornly at the ground. "Why doesn't it matter to you?" His voice was so soft, so confused, it made her want to cry.
Fighting back tears, she pressed her back against the wall and slid to the ground. "Because she's a pathetic piece of filth." Jason spat, his face twisted in anger. His eyes were wide, almost unseeing. He looked as if he'd lost his mind to his rage. If she would have looked at him then, she wouldn't have been able to remember what it was about him that drew her to him. But her eyes were focused listlessly on the ground.
Inuyasha growled in response, tightening his chokehold. Jason would have been dead in a matter of seconds if Inuyasha's ears hadn't twitched in response to a familiar and unwelcome sound. Kagome was crying.
Her shoulders heaving in silent sobs, tears streamed down her face. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her knees, hugging them close against her, her fingers entwined with each other, as if it would stop the spasmodic shaking coursing throughout her body. Inuyasha's heart went out to her.
He slammed Jason against the wall again with just enough force to knock him unconscious, and let him fall to the ground. Then he focused all his attention on Kagome. "What's wrong?" It was a stupid question. But he sounded so lost asking it, there was no doubt it was genuine. He squatted down in front of her, trying once again to meet her eyes. "It's going to be okay." He whispered, wondering himself if it was true.
Kagome didn't even try to speak. She just cried. When her shaking grew stronger, moving her limbs in violent spasms, Inuyasha reached out and held her to steady her. The more she shook, the tighter he held on. Eventually she began to grab at him, clutching at his haori with both hands, finally letting out her pent up sobs. He held her like that until she cried herself to sleep, and than picked her up completely and tucked her into bed. He didn't look back as he slid out her window and down into the well.
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When morning came, Kagome was still in bed, exhausted. It wasn't until early afternoon that she both woke up and had the strength to get out of bed. Souta was waiting by her door.
"Hi." He said quietly. He looked so mature right then. He wasn't looking at her like she was just his bossy older sister, there was some amount of respect in his dark brown eyes. She followed him to her bed and sat next to him.
"How are you doing?" She asked tiredly. She felt like she had aged too. Suddenly she didn't want to keep up with the world anymore.
He grinned at her then, reminding her of her little brother. "I should be asking you that. You have a nasty looking bump on your head, and there's a not so pretty bruise forming on your cheek too." He paused, and looked down before continuing. "Is Jason gone for good?"
Kagome hadn't actually seen him leave, but since her mom hadn't come home from work and freaked over a body in the kitchen, she assumed he'd regained consciousness and left. He wouldn't be coming back. "Yeah." She said softly.
"Good." Souta reached over and took her hand in his. "I don't want him hurting you anymore." Kagome nodded silently, trying not to cry. She squeezed his hand gently.
"Me neither." She whispered. He nodded. He looked so mature right then, meeting her gaze with such adult quiet compassion. He was growing up. Or maybe he was being forced to act that way since she obviously wasn't playing the part herself. She squeezed his hand again. "I'm okay." She assured him, schooling her features to show a confidence she didn't feel. She couldn't lean on him anymore, it wasn't fair to him.
He squeezed back. "I'm glad." There was a pause. "Kagome?" He started tentatively, than stopped. She gave him a reassuring look and he continued. "Are you mad that Inuyasha came?" He sounded his age again, and she could see the genuine worry in his eyes.
She squatted down in front of him, cupping his shoulders in her hands. "No." Briefly, she wondered if that was true. "He saved me. I don't know what Jason would have done if he hadn't of come." That was a lie. He would have killed her. Sighing, she brushed her brother's hair back, behind his ear. "Why are you so worried about that?"
He bit his lip, a habit when he was nervous. "It's my fault."
She was confused. "It's not your fault Souta. You were in your room when he came."
He shook his head. "Hojo came over today, before you got home from school." He looked at her, as if gauging her reaction. "He was really worried about you. He asked me," He hesitated. She started to say something but stopped when he continued talking.
"He asked me who you loved. He knew you liked someone, from before, but that maybe it didn't work out or something. He knew Jason was bad. I don't know if he knew how bad, but he knew. And so I gave him a jewel shard."
Kagome froze. "What?" She had to have heard wrong. First of all, talking about ancient Japan with outsiders was a no-no, Souta knew that. And secondly, Inuyasha would kill Hojo on sight.
"I didn't really tell him anything." He hastened to explain. "I gave it to him and had him jump down the well. I guess he found Inuyasha."
Hopefully he was alive. Kagome knew she should be more stressed than she was, but she really didn't have the energy for it. Instead she released her hold on Souta's shoulders and got to her feet. "Yeah." Her voice was tired, even to her own ears. "I guess he did."
She patted him absently on the shoulder as she left the room. As she headed down the hall, she got a glimpse of her reflection on the mirror. Yeah, Jason had really been pissed. Gently, she pressed the tip of her fingers against the tender flesh. Wincing, she jerked them away again.
Once she made it down the stairs, she walked straight through the house until she made it to the first door that would take her outside. She was done with Jason. Refusing to hide what he'd done to her felt like a small act of defiance. But she still didn't want her mom seeing her face clear of all make up.
Wandering aimlessly, she suddenly found herself in front of the well. She would have to go back . . . eventually. In her own time, she'd have to have a long talk with her mother, and at least try to explain some of what had happened. She'd have to talk to Hojo too, and thank him. If he was still alive. She needed to spend more time with her brother, time where he could be a little boy again.
Her friends would also demand some kind of explanation for why she'd broken up with the perfect boyfriend. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell them the truth, not when they'd been so oblivious to it. But it was her own fault. If she hadn't been the spineless wimp she'd turned out to be, than she could have stood up for herself, or told them the truth. It wasn't their fault she made a good liar.
And then there was the past . . .
Sango probably suspected something. They'd talked about Jason before, and of all her friends, Sango was the only one who knew how much Inuyasha's indifference had hurt her. But she was also afraid of losing her respect. In all honesty, she expected to lose it, but the idea of Sango seeing her as just another helpless female hurt.
Miroku would be the easiest to talk to. Damsels in distress were his specialty, and she was pretty sure an abusive boyfriend put her in that category. He'd be understanding, and kind, and probably a little lecherous but that was to be expected. His perception of her would change, however, and like Sango, it would hurt for him to think of her as weak.
She wished she could just keep it all from Shippou. He didn't need to know that the person he regarded as a mother figure was pathetic. He didn't need to have the things he believed to be true proven as lies at such a young age. But who was she kidding? Keeping the truth from him would benefit her most of all. Someone would still look at her with that innocent expression on idolized love that she had taken for granted. But she didn't deserve it, and somewhere inside her she still had enough pride to grimly promise herself that Shippou would find out the truth, from her own lips.
She'd have to face Inuyasha too.
Even though he already knew the truth, in a way it'd be harder to deal with him than anyone else. She wouldn't be telling him how pathetic she was, he had seen it for himself. He had found her broken, bloody on the floor, and cowering under Jason's glare. He had witnessed first hand how weak she was, and she knew that weakness was a trait he abhorred above all others.
With a resignation that felt more like giving up than 'doing the right thing', she squared her shoulders and stepped into the well.
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Okay! Yay! An update! And since summer's here, I promise it won't be forever and a day until I update again! Scouts honor! I hope you like this fic. There wasn't much action, but Inuyasha couldn't kill him or I'd have to write about the trial. Also, Kagome forgot to think about seeing Jason in school... so maybe he's not as out of her life as she'd like to think. I hope you guys like this!