Still Life
By: Vyle Gohana Aris Lucina Giovanni the III...or just Vyle
******* Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and owned as her rightful property. *******
Chapter II: A Rise to Fall
Last chapter:
Kagome's eyes widenly curiously as she cocked her head to the side slightly and blinked in wonder. "--Um , Inuyasha? What's...Why are you looking like that?" His purple eyes darted away at her question as he closed them sharply, sat up straighter slowly and inhaled softly.
"Kagome...how bad is it now?" He couldn't help coating his voice the the suppressed concern he had hid for the same girl in many past occassions. Only the fire pit cracked and roused noises in the softly lit hut as the duo sat still in the essence to the time-consuming whisper.
*****
Kagome's face was instantly tight as her eyes lingered on the backs of her own hands. Then to drift up to spot the object of his direct question. "Kagome?" the light voice sailed softly through the silent hut again as the raven haired miko's expression turned harder for a brief flash before she tossed her head up abruptly and smiled a soft smile. "It's actually feeling quite better. Thanks for asking."
Inuyasha's own trust in that response begin to waver as his glare turned incredulous when Kagome immediately went back to tending her cooking. He followed her motions with concerned eyes that didn't move from the soft skin of the girl's profile. "Uh, Kagome. You said that last time and remember what happened? You broke out in a cry right after. Don't lie to me; are you really okay?" The sudden drop of a wooden ladel caught Inuyasha off guard as he darted to glance at the fallen instrument before turning back around to see Kagome rising to take the metal pot over to a smaller wooden table used to cool it. A bowl of water sat on top as she dipped the bottom of the hot container in it rhythmically.
"Oh course Inuyasha. I swear, if you worried half as much as you do now for me years ago, I think I'd be beyond smothered by now." A small laugh escaped her lips as she glanced over her shoulder again to smile quickly at him. But when the girl turned back around, the noted gaze from the boy didn't deter.
"...". Another clank and swish of liquid was heard as Kagome turned back on her heels to sit back down across from Inuyasha. "I'm making some tea? Do you want any?" The boy nodded loosely as she smiled and sighed softly again, her head turning to admire something unseen out of a window. "Such a hot day to be drinking hot as tea but if I could, I'd bring some ice cream back." She giggled softly again. All the meanwhile, Inuyasha was slightly slumped in his posture and was looking at Kagome's averted, soft face with some unnamed, saddening hint. 'Why do you hide everything from me now, wench? Just because....just because of the circumstances doesn't change anything.'
His eyes drifted to her casual wear absentmindedly. She wore a plain but fine pink kimono with simplistic floral print down the left hand side that wrapped around her mature, full form graciously. A bright yellow sash adorned her waist and her hair was longer than it had been all those years ago. Kagome had a more mature face now. Where large, childish eyes had been now lay smoother, more assured eyes although still windows to her vivid soul, hiding no emotions she ever felt. Her face was a bit longer and smoother as the once shoulder-length hair, now grazing just the tip of her derriere, was pinned up in a plain trinket from her time. Perhaps it was with one of those 'roo-ber ban-des' she always talked about. It was amazing she kept them for so long but then again Inuyasha concurred that the girl cherished anything she could hold on to that linked her to her lost world.
The long obsidian locks were pinned back neatly with the trinket and then wrapped into a tight bun by another of some other color that resembled her pink wear. A few stray strands accented her well-shaped face. As to be said, she was the past and future intricately blended with a faint aura of mystery surrounding her form. But she was Kagome.
"So how's the family? How is Izuto?" her voice again sliced through his muffled mind as he shook his head quickly, ridding of the mental haze. 'I really got to stop this shit.' Kagome smiled at Inuyasha as she observed his actions and chuckled softly. "So?" "--Oh, yeah. Um, they're good. Izuto sends his love. Like always." The once-hanyou mumbled the last part out of habit as Kagome nodded and patted one of his crossed-legged knees. There was never a time when Izuto, his two-years old son, whined about wanting to see 'Auntie Kagome'. "In that case, tell him hi for me. And tell Kikyou hello too."
Inuyasha nodded as he habitually looked at Kagome's expression swiftly as if trying to uncover any hurt from her very own words. But none came as the girl stood up to retrieve the cooled tea. "I think it has had enough time to cool. Would you mind getting the cups for me please, Inuyasha?" "Yeah, sure" he replied softly while he pushed himself up to walk over to a larger table with six clay-colored teacups neatly placed upside-down on a simple brown mat. He grabbed two as he walked back across the soft wood floor to her. "Kagome, I wanted to as--" An abrupt, loud bang of the hot water pot rang out aloud as a quick yell broke through the hut. Inuyasha's eyes widened sharply as he quickly but carelessly tossed the teacups on the large table again and shot across the room in a rushing flow of heigtened worry toward the young miko. "Dammit, Kagome! What the fuck-- are you okay?!" He immediately grabbed her and swallowed her pained form in his large robes as he pulled her away from the accident. His heel bucked the pot as it rolled away.
Kagome's whimpers were potent and steady as her uneven, pained breath flared sharpened into the black-haired boy's shoulder. When the pair was pulled safely away from the spilled warm water and the fallen instruments by the boy, Inuyasha pulled Kagome down into his lap as he hugged her form. "Dammit. How many years will you continue to be so damn clusmy?" His smile warmed a bit as her whimpers were smothered to sniffles which were soon leveled. "I..ughn! I'm sorry. Now I messed up our tea." Inuyasha's eyes turned incredulously to the top of the black head tucked under his chin as he pat Kagome's back and she shifted to nestle in his lap a tiny bit more.
"You just damn near scorched your whole left hand and all you can think about is that fucking pot of tea?!" his voiced held a sliver of bafflement to the girl's actions. Was she that concerned about knocking over that pot of water? All he recieved as a response was a faint sniffle as he glared at her face from an angle to try to catch her eyes. "Let me see it. How back is it?" When his hand went to recieve Kagome's, she shrunk more at the light pressure of his fingers accidently on her wrist. "Ouch!" Inuyasha's face grimaced some as he pulled her whole body back from his chest some. "Come on Kagome. It can't be that damn bad." Again he smirked faintly. "Stop being such a big bab--" "It wasn't the water, Inuyasha. It's the bruise."
The second those barely audible words left the miko's mouth, the 'hanyou' froze as his body went ridged with fright. "What?" his voice was now lower and expecting. Kagome turned her head up and pulled herself lightly further out of his lap with her opposite hand as she held the wrapped one close to her bosom. Her face fell as she looked directly down upon it. "It's...It's okay. I just got to go tend to it. Maybe the strain of the pot finally got to it. I'll be okay. Just let me get something. I'll be right back." As she went to settle into a kneel to push herself up, a larger, tan hand latched out and caught her uninjured wrist tightly without him being aware of it. "No, Kagome. I'll get it. Just...just stay here." Her eyes shot up to meet his gaze as she stared openly at his answer. Within a while of reflecting each other's gaze, the girl smiled a wry smile and nodded slightly. "Thank you, Inuyasha."
With a hidden, pained sighed, he rose up and went down the short hall of Kagome's hut. "It's by the futon, right?" She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just on the short table next to my side of the bed." Nodding briefly, Inuyasha took one more unnoticed glance as Kagome back as he left to bring back her herbal treatment and more clean wraps.
Upon entering the room, he stopped in his wake as his eyes met with the unfamiliar scene. It was Kagome's room; he could smell her scent clearly, even his demon sense of smell wasn't needed for that but the room was more different. Almost...stranger-different. Taking slow, focused steps, the red-clad figure expertly took in the new visions before him. 'This is...her room?' Inuyasha inspected each wall, arch and angle quietly as the efforts for Kagome's aid were momentarily forgotten. The light from the sun lighting through the window shade bathed the area in a subtle glow as he took in the changes. Where a bamboo wall mural of a white crane had once been on the wall opposite the bed now hung a sword case and a red- leather hilted sword, still submerged neatly in its scabbard.
On the smooth, soft wood floor, beside the futon against the wall, where there once lay a stout dressing cabinet with figurines in top now had moved to the other side opposite of where it had been on Kagome's side. The bed was turnedto where the head board was now toward the window and the covers were now a subtle dark green instead of pale blue. Inuyasha dismissed himself of the overview and went briskly to get the items Kagome called for. As his hands went to pick them up, his eyes caught sight of the bed. It looked as if it hadn't been touched, much less breathed on in ages. The covers were evenly spreaded across the mattress and the pillows were identically reflecting each other's position along the top. The bottom shift of the futon had a simple vanilla covered cloth draped across it.
Inuyasha groaned in light annoyance as he turned to exit the room with the required items in hand. 'One of these day... She's got to change that cursed room to something less 'familiar'.' As he made his way back down the dark, small hallway, Inuyasha exhaled deeply at the instant reminder of the reason why he was retrieving the medical aid. "...I'm still here." He froze. How was...was that Kagome talking? To herself? "What the?" the boy walked some more but slowed as the miko's emotionally-apparent voice sailed to his ears much clearer. It appeared Kagome was indeed talking to herself. But whom about?
He converted his steps to soft, patter tiptoes as he edged to the side of the ending hallway wall and turned to listen intently at the conversation the girl was having. It may have been eavesdropping but hell, she wasn't even talking to anyone in particular. As far as he knew, Kagome could have just been reciting something she heard or had seen earilier. And that is what he intended to find out. He had known the girl for too long to recognize any change in her character if he asked her about what she was talking of would and she would openly respond. Not since five summers ago had she ever done that. It seemed nowadays he always had to sneak up on her just to get a chip of whatever she spoke about. As aggravating and hintedly hurtful it was, he respected her but still pried...in his own way.
"...I'm not doing anything today in particular, Mama. I'm sorry yesterday I didn't speak to you or Grandpa or Souta but I've been really busy lately as the villager's miko. I pray for you all though. I want you to know that." Kagome took a uncertain glance over her shoulder but when she didn't see Inuyasha she smiled as she clasped her wounded wrist lightly and bowed her head again. Inuyasha could hear the faint crack in her voice and swore to the smell of her tears.
"Oh Kouga. I know you've told me to be strong and I am but..." He could practically feel the swallow she hesitantly made as she paused. The black haired male figure's back slid unbeknownst to himself down the dark hallway wall as his eyes clouded over and focused on nothing at all. His face was laced in a gently pained expression as his hands began to pulse and tighten around the items. She had mentioned...that wimpy wolf. She was thinking of that wimpy sleaze. Many may have thought that upon first glance that Inuyasha was just plain odd to have a grudge against the absent worlf demon but there was more. Oh so much more.
"...*Sigh*...but I don't know how long I'll hold out." Her voice the whole time through was soft and wispy as her tone lay heavy with emotional drainage. "But I'll keep waiting until you can come back. I know you'll be wanting to here that." She glanced down at her wound once again, shutting her eyelids tighter as a sad frown grazed his lips. "I don't want you to hate me for deciding to do what I did one year ago but I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. You still have to leave everytime and I feel like we can't...do anything because you're in that stupid youkai war and I'm a miko. Heh, man I'm such a baby. Inuyasha always says I am and sometimes it makes sense. I'm supposed to be strong and I'm your wife so it's my job. I just wish though...."
The footsteps abruptly opening up behind the mentally-involved girl made her shake her up some as she quickly regain posture and turned to see Inuyasha walk up to her. Was he okay? Why was his face almost stony? And...why was he clenching her linen wraps so harshly. "Inuyasha?" the girl turned around to stand and meet up with him half across the room. "You okay?" His face was so betraying but he nodded as he swiftly pressed the items into Kagome's chest firmly but gently and pointed to one of the sitting mats as she grabbed them almost clumsily. "Mmm hmm. Come sit down and I'll help you get clean.
The both of them walked over to sit down on two of the mats under the eating table as Kagome began to pluck and unravel her old wraps. Inuyasha mechanically worked to prepare her herbal treatment as he didn't make contact with her eyes. Kagome noticed this too, her own confused gaze marking his serious and solid one. "Um...Inuyasha, if you don't want to do this you don't have to. I don't mean to hold you here as a prisoner." she joked lightly, trying to lighten up the sudden taking-a-turn for the worse thick air. "No, no. I want to do this. Stop thinking I don't want to all the time, Kagome." The girl went to respond but immediately pursed her lips and nodded as she tucked her old wrapped into a knotted ball and placed it on the edge of the table.
Inuyasha face grimaced internally as he saw the whole basis of his dear friend's pain for the last year. It was a large bluish bruise-like marking that masked from her wrist to the half point near her elbow. It was dark and sharply contrasted with her flawless skin surrounding it. His affected purple orbs stared up to see if Kagome was seeing this but found her head turned to look back out that same window as she had done earlier. He just couldn't stop the next words from coming out his mouth as he applied the antibacterial tincture to her arm. "Does it hurt?" his voice was tight and hoarse. Kagome's voice soon followed but Inuyasha didn't turn to look up at her. "No, not now atleast. It just gets painful when I touch it at times, hit it or if I rub it too hard." He absorbed the calmness amd sureness in her voice as he cleansed her wound with the room temperature tincture and then set out to dry it briskly before opening up a small container of light green cream. The two were silent as the sun outside was slowly setting against the insipid horizon.
It was almost on the edge of ironic as to how long ago she would be the one to tend to him as to where now it was inverted. Like it was said, it would have been almost ironic had not it been for the hatred behind the reason of this fastidious wound. When Inuyasha was finishing on wrapping up the wound, Kagome was humming nothings until his voice opened up. "Your room's different. Why?" She turned her head to make contact with the bent arch of his own. "Huh?" "I said your room. Why is it different?" Kagome thought on it a bit as she felt the small tugs and squeezes from the wraps on her arm. "Oh, well, I guess I wanted to change it." "But the way you changed it...." Kagome stared at his focused face innocently as she relaxed under his ministrations. "What about it?" "It makes the room protrude him so vividly." She pulled in a whispery intake of air as her vision jumped to glue on something other than him.
Her voice softened some as her gaze turned emotion-felt. "It's not really anything more than that. I just...I just wanted it like that I guess." How could she tell the guy who once held her heart...and still did in ways...that she had just about remodeled her sleeping quarters to say that she thought of Kouga alot since he left. She knew that even though both Inuyasha and her had finally lined the limits of their lives, there would always be those childish throes of her affections for him and his jealously of the wolf. And as weird as it may have seemed, Kagome had begun to think alot about him since he left one year ago to go off in the youkai war that was waged just on the outskirts of the county.
Inuyasha, had he still been a hanyou, maybe would have went but the measures had shown that many youkai had been pulled and volunterringly left to go fight off the spawns who still lingered after the death of Narku; the ones that were free of servitude but because the Inuyasha-tachi had failed to considered the possiblity, they were out there trying to recreate the image Naraku had wanted for himself. Sango and Miroku had decided that if the war spilled into the county, that would fight in it with whoever else. Kagome herself had agreed she would lend her miko powers and knew Inuyasha would have went too. Had he not had a young son and wife at home. Ever since Kagome had officially started having feelings for the wolf-demon, he was always whimsical and elusive (just like when the group was traveling) and while she stayed in the village as the miko, he still lived in the mountains with his clan but often visited her. At first Inuyasha had clearly shown his dislike of this but Kagome had told him of how he couldn't be selfish of everyone else and always expect her and Kikyou to be bouncing him back and forth. Besides, she may have made the wish but he made the choice.
The soft mumbled of complete from Inuyasha made Kagome look back down at her new, finely wrapped arm as she grabbed it gently and smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Inuyasha." He grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms again. Kagome stayed quiet in the thought that he might have wanted to say something else but when he just breathed evenly, she went to clean up the mess.
"Tell me how you got that mark. What is it and why did you hide it from me for nearly six months."A gruff,hard voice filtered out. Kagome froze. "Inuyasha?" She looked back over at him but he was still poised sternly. His arms wers crossed, eyes shut close in a faint scowl and feet tucked under the othe leg. "I want to finally know Kagome. What is happening to you?"*
____________________________
R/R
~Vyle
By: Vyle Gohana Aris Lucina Giovanni the III...or just Vyle
******* Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and owned as her rightful property. *******
Chapter II: A Rise to Fall
Last chapter:
Kagome's eyes widenly curiously as she cocked her head to the side slightly and blinked in wonder. "--Um , Inuyasha? What's...Why are you looking like that?" His purple eyes darted away at her question as he closed them sharply, sat up straighter slowly and inhaled softly.
"Kagome...how bad is it now?" He couldn't help coating his voice the the suppressed concern he had hid for the same girl in many past occassions. Only the fire pit cracked and roused noises in the softly lit hut as the duo sat still in the essence to the time-consuming whisper.
*****
Kagome's face was instantly tight as her eyes lingered on the backs of her own hands. Then to drift up to spot the object of his direct question. "Kagome?" the light voice sailed softly through the silent hut again as the raven haired miko's expression turned harder for a brief flash before she tossed her head up abruptly and smiled a soft smile. "It's actually feeling quite better. Thanks for asking."
Inuyasha's own trust in that response begin to waver as his glare turned incredulous when Kagome immediately went back to tending her cooking. He followed her motions with concerned eyes that didn't move from the soft skin of the girl's profile. "Uh, Kagome. You said that last time and remember what happened? You broke out in a cry right after. Don't lie to me; are you really okay?" The sudden drop of a wooden ladel caught Inuyasha off guard as he darted to glance at the fallen instrument before turning back around to see Kagome rising to take the metal pot over to a smaller wooden table used to cool it. A bowl of water sat on top as she dipped the bottom of the hot container in it rhythmically.
"Oh course Inuyasha. I swear, if you worried half as much as you do now for me years ago, I think I'd be beyond smothered by now." A small laugh escaped her lips as she glanced over her shoulder again to smile quickly at him. But when the girl turned back around, the noted gaze from the boy didn't deter.
"...". Another clank and swish of liquid was heard as Kagome turned back on her heels to sit back down across from Inuyasha. "I'm making some tea? Do you want any?" The boy nodded loosely as she smiled and sighed softly again, her head turning to admire something unseen out of a window. "Such a hot day to be drinking hot as tea but if I could, I'd bring some ice cream back." She giggled softly again. All the meanwhile, Inuyasha was slightly slumped in his posture and was looking at Kagome's averted, soft face with some unnamed, saddening hint. 'Why do you hide everything from me now, wench? Just because....just because of the circumstances doesn't change anything.'
His eyes drifted to her casual wear absentmindedly. She wore a plain but fine pink kimono with simplistic floral print down the left hand side that wrapped around her mature, full form graciously. A bright yellow sash adorned her waist and her hair was longer than it had been all those years ago. Kagome had a more mature face now. Where large, childish eyes had been now lay smoother, more assured eyes although still windows to her vivid soul, hiding no emotions she ever felt. Her face was a bit longer and smoother as the once shoulder-length hair, now grazing just the tip of her derriere, was pinned up in a plain trinket from her time. Perhaps it was with one of those 'roo-ber ban-des' she always talked about. It was amazing she kept them for so long but then again Inuyasha concurred that the girl cherished anything she could hold on to that linked her to her lost world.
The long obsidian locks were pinned back neatly with the trinket and then wrapped into a tight bun by another of some other color that resembled her pink wear. A few stray strands accented her well-shaped face. As to be said, she was the past and future intricately blended with a faint aura of mystery surrounding her form. But she was Kagome.
"So how's the family? How is Izuto?" her voice again sliced through his muffled mind as he shook his head quickly, ridding of the mental haze. 'I really got to stop this shit.' Kagome smiled at Inuyasha as she observed his actions and chuckled softly. "So?" "--Oh, yeah. Um, they're good. Izuto sends his love. Like always." The once-hanyou mumbled the last part out of habit as Kagome nodded and patted one of his crossed-legged knees. There was never a time when Izuto, his two-years old son, whined about wanting to see 'Auntie Kagome'. "In that case, tell him hi for me. And tell Kikyou hello too."
Inuyasha nodded as he habitually looked at Kagome's expression swiftly as if trying to uncover any hurt from her very own words. But none came as the girl stood up to retrieve the cooled tea. "I think it has had enough time to cool. Would you mind getting the cups for me please, Inuyasha?" "Yeah, sure" he replied softly while he pushed himself up to walk over to a larger table with six clay-colored teacups neatly placed upside-down on a simple brown mat. He grabbed two as he walked back across the soft wood floor to her. "Kagome, I wanted to as--" An abrupt, loud bang of the hot water pot rang out aloud as a quick yell broke through the hut. Inuyasha's eyes widened sharply as he quickly but carelessly tossed the teacups on the large table again and shot across the room in a rushing flow of heigtened worry toward the young miko. "Dammit, Kagome! What the fuck-- are you okay?!" He immediately grabbed her and swallowed her pained form in his large robes as he pulled her away from the accident. His heel bucked the pot as it rolled away.
Kagome's whimpers were potent and steady as her uneven, pained breath flared sharpened into the black-haired boy's shoulder. When the pair was pulled safely away from the spilled warm water and the fallen instruments by the boy, Inuyasha pulled Kagome down into his lap as he hugged her form. "Dammit. How many years will you continue to be so damn clusmy?" His smile warmed a bit as her whimpers were smothered to sniffles which were soon leveled. "I..ughn! I'm sorry. Now I messed up our tea." Inuyasha's eyes turned incredulously to the top of the black head tucked under his chin as he pat Kagome's back and she shifted to nestle in his lap a tiny bit more.
"You just damn near scorched your whole left hand and all you can think about is that fucking pot of tea?!" his voiced held a sliver of bafflement to the girl's actions. Was she that concerned about knocking over that pot of water? All he recieved as a response was a faint sniffle as he glared at her face from an angle to try to catch her eyes. "Let me see it. How back is it?" When his hand went to recieve Kagome's, she shrunk more at the light pressure of his fingers accidently on her wrist. "Ouch!" Inuyasha's face grimaced some as he pulled her whole body back from his chest some. "Come on Kagome. It can't be that damn bad." Again he smirked faintly. "Stop being such a big bab--" "It wasn't the water, Inuyasha. It's the bruise."
The second those barely audible words left the miko's mouth, the 'hanyou' froze as his body went ridged with fright. "What?" his voice was now lower and expecting. Kagome turned her head up and pulled herself lightly further out of his lap with her opposite hand as she held the wrapped one close to her bosom. Her face fell as she looked directly down upon it. "It's...It's okay. I just got to go tend to it. Maybe the strain of the pot finally got to it. I'll be okay. Just let me get something. I'll be right back." As she went to settle into a kneel to push herself up, a larger, tan hand latched out and caught her uninjured wrist tightly without him being aware of it. "No, Kagome. I'll get it. Just...just stay here." Her eyes shot up to meet his gaze as she stared openly at his answer. Within a while of reflecting each other's gaze, the girl smiled a wry smile and nodded slightly. "Thank you, Inuyasha."
With a hidden, pained sighed, he rose up and went down the short hall of Kagome's hut. "It's by the futon, right?" She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, just on the short table next to my side of the bed." Nodding briefly, Inuyasha took one more unnoticed glance as Kagome back as he left to bring back her herbal treatment and more clean wraps.
Upon entering the room, he stopped in his wake as his eyes met with the unfamiliar scene. It was Kagome's room; he could smell her scent clearly, even his demon sense of smell wasn't needed for that but the room was more different. Almost...stranger-different. Taking slow, focused steps, the red-clad figure expertly took in the new visions before him. 'This is...her room?' Inuyasha inspected each wall, arch and angle quietly as the efforts for Kagome's aid were momentarily forgotten. The light from the sun lighting through the window shade bathed the area in a subtle glow as he took in the changes. Where a bamboo wall mural of a white crane had once been on the wall opposite the bed now hung a sword case and a red- leather hilted sword, still submerged neatly in its scabbard.
On the smooth, soft wood floor, beside the futon against the wall, where there once lay a stout dressing cabinet with figurines in top now had moved to the other side opposite of where it had been on Kagome's side. The bed was turnedto where the head board was now toward the window and the covers were now a subtle dark green instead of pale blue. Inuyasha dismissed himself of the overview and went briskly to get the items Kagome called for. As his hands went to pick them up, his eyes caught sight of the bed. It looked as if it hadn't been touched, much less breathed on in ages. The covers were evenly spreaded across the mattress and the pillows were identically reflecting each other's position along the top. The bottom shift of the futon had a simple vanilla covered cloth draped across it.
Inuyasha groaned in light annoyance as he turned to exit the room with the required items in hand. 'One of these day... She's got to change that cursed room to something less 'familiar'.' As he made his way back down the dark, small hallway, Inuyasha exhaled deeply at the instant reminder of the reason why he was retrieving the medical aid. "...I'm still here." He froze. How was...was that Kagome talking? To herself? "What the?" the boy walked some more but slowed as the miko's emotionally-apparent voice sailed to his ears much clearer. It appeared Kagome was indeed talking to herself. But whom about?
He converted his steps to soft, patter tiptoes as he edged to the side of the ending hallway wall and turned to listen intently at the conversation the girl was having. It may have been eavesdropping but hell, she wasn't even talking to anyone in particular. As far as he knew, Kagome could have just been reciting something she heard or had seen earilier. And that is what he intended to find out. He had known the girl for too long to recognize any change in her character if he asked her about what she was talking of would and she would openly respond. Not since five summers ago had she ever done that. It seemed nowadays he always had to sneak up on her just to get a chip of whatever she spoke about. As aggravating and hintedly hurtful it was, he respected her but still pried...in his own way.
"...I'm not doing anything today in particular, Mama. I'm sorry yesterday I didn't speak to you or Grandpa or Souta but I've been really busy lately as the villager's miko. I pray for you all though. I want you to know that." Kagome took a uncertain glance over her shoulder but when she didn't see Inuyasha she smiled as she clasped her wounded wrist lightly and bowed her head again. Inuyasha could hear the faint crack in her voice and swore to the smell of her tears.
"Oh Kouga. I know you've told me to be strong and I am but..." He could practically feel the swallow she hesitantly made as she paused. The black haired male figure's back slid unbeknownst to himself down the dark hallway wall as his eyes clouded over and focused on nothing at all. His face was laced in a gently pained expression as his hands began to pulse and tighten around the items. She had mentioned...that wimpy wolf. She was thinking of that wimpy sleaze. Many may have thought that upon first glance that Inuyasha was just plain odd to have a grudge against the absent worlf demon but there was more. Oh so much more.
"...*Sigh*...but I don't know how long I'll hold out." Her voice the whole time through was soft and wispy as her tone lay heavy with emotional drainage. "But I'll keep waiting until you can come back. I know you'll be wanting to here that." She glanced down at her wound once again, shutting her eyelids tighter as a sad frown grazed his lips. "I don't want you to hate me for deciding to do what I did one year ago but I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. You still have to leave everytime and I feel like we can't...do anything because you're in that stupid youkai war and I'm a miko. Heh, man I'm such a baby. Inuyasha always says I am and sometimes it makes sense. I'm supposed to be strong and I'm your wife so it's my job. I just wish though...."
The footsteps abruptly opening up behind the mentally-involved girl made her shake her up some as she quickly regain posture and turned to see Inuyasha walk up to her. Was he okay? Why was his face almost stony? And...why was he clenching her linen wraps so harshly. "Inuyasha?" the girl turned around to stand and meet up with him half across the room. "You okay?" His face was so betraying but he nodded as he swiftly pressed the items into Kagome's chest firmly but gently and pointed to one of the sitting mats as she grabbed them almost clumsily. "Mmm hmm. Come sit down and I'll help you get clean.
The both of them walked over to sit down on two of the mats under the eating table as Kagome began to pluck and unravel her old wraps. Inuyasha mechanically worked to prepare her herbal treatment as he didn't make contact with her eyes. Kagome noticed this too, her own confused gaze marking his serious and solid one. "Um...Inuyasha, if you don't want to do this you don't have to. I don't mean to hold you here as a prisoner." she joked lightly, trying to lighten up the sudden taking-a-turn for the worse thick air. "No, no. I want to do this. Stop thinking I don't want to all the time, Kagome." The girl went to respond but immediately pursed her lips and nodded as she tucked her old wrapped into a knotted ball and placed it on the edge of the table.
Inuyasha face grimaced internally as he saw the whole basis of his dear friend's pain for the last year. It was a large bluish bruise-like marking that masked from her wrist to the half point near her elbow. It was dark and sharply contrasted with her flawless skin surrounding it. His affected purple orbs stared up to see if Kagome was seeing this but found her head turned to look back out that same window as she had done earlier. He just couldn't stop the next words from coming out his mouth as he applied the antibacterial tincture to her arm. "Does it hurt?" his voice was tight and hoarse. Kagome's voice soon followed but Inuyasha didn't turn to look up at her. "No, not now atleast. It just gets painful when I touch it at times, hit it or if I rub it too hard." He absorbed the calmness amd sureness in her voice as he cleansed her wound with the room temperature tincture and then set out to dry it briskly before opening up a small container of light green cream. The two were silent as the sun outside was slowly setting against the insipid horizon.
It was almost on the edge of ironic as to how long ago she would be the one to tend to him as to where now it was inverted. Like it was said, it would have been almost ironic had not it been for the hatred behind the reason of this fastidious wound. When Inuyasha was finishing on wrapping up the wound, Kagome was humming nothings until his voice opened up. "Your room's different. Why?" She turned her head to make contact with the bent arch of his own. "Huh?" "I said your room. Why is it different?" Kagome thought on it a bit as she felt the small tugs and squeezes from the wraps on her arm. "Oh, well, I guess I wanted to change it." "But the way you changed it...." Kagome stared at his focused face innocently as she relaxed under his ministrations. "What about it?" "It makes the room protrude him so vividly." She pulled in a whispery intake of air as her vision jumped to glue on something other than him.
Her voice softened some as her gaze turned emotion-felt. "It's not really anything more than that. I just...I just wanted it like that I guess." How could she tell the guy who once held her heart...and still did in ways...that she had just about remodeled her sleeping quarters to say that she thought of Kouga alot since he left. She knew that even though both Inuyasha and her had finally lined the limits of their lives, there would always be those childish throes of her affections for him and his jealously of the wolf. And as weird as it may have seemed, Kagome had begun to think alot about him since he left one year ago to go off in the youkai war that was waged just on the outskirts of the county.
Inuyasha, had he still been a hanyou, maybe would have went but the measures had shown that many youkai had been pulled and volunterringly left to go fight off the spawns who still lingered after the death of Narku; the ones that were free of servitude but because the Inuyasha-tachi had failed to considered the possiblity, they were out there trying to recreate the image Naraku had wanted for himself. Sango and Miroku had decided that if the war spilled into the county, that would fight in it with whoever else. Kagome herself had agreed she would lend her miko powers and knew Inuyasha would have went too. Had he not had a young son and wife at home. Ever since Kagome had officially started having feelings for the wolf-demon, he was always whimsical and elusive (just like when the group was traveling) and while she stayed in the village as the miko, he still lived in the mountains with his clan but often visited her. At first Inuyasha had clearly shown his dislike of this but Kagome had told him of how he couldn't be selfish of everyone else and always expect her and Kikyou to be bouncing him back and forth. Besides, she may have made the wish but he made the choice.
The soft mumbled of complete from Inuyasha made Kagome look back down at her new, finely wrapped arm as she grabbed it gently and smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Inuyasha." He grumbled under his breath and crossed his arms again. Kagome stayed quiet in the thought that he might have wanted to say something else but when he just breathed evenly, she went to clean up the mess.
"Tell me how you got that mark. What is it and why did you hide it from me for nearly six months."A gruff,hard voice filtered out. Kagome froze. "Inuyasha?" She looked back over at him but he was still poised sternly. His arms wers crossed, eyes shut close in a faint scowl and feet tucked under the othe leg. "I want to finally know Kagome. What is happening to you?"*
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R/R
~Vyle