A/n: My my, how time flies when your...er...busy. :P I got online this evening and literally cursed out loud, "Oh shit!" My mom, who was luckily on the phone, didn't hear. I hadn't realized that it had been 2 damn weeks since my last update...shame shame. I will allow you to brutally bash me if you like for such a lack of updating...I'm very disappointed in myself, but can't help but blame a bit on stupid school and their college prep classes, they're all bitches. . .
Undiscovered
Chapter Twelve: If You Don't Trust Me Anymore...
.........
Both travelers were very tired after walking so late into the night and were rather groggy and grumpy. Neither had said a word as they rose from their 'beds'. Kagome had simply rubbed the sleep from her eyes, headed off into the woods to search for water and when she found none, headed back to their dying camp fire.
Inuyasha, who usually rose before Kagome, went off for food, but he too, did not find his goal. So the two ate a small meal of sandwiches that her mother had prepared before hand. They were a bit soggy by now, but if either noticed, they didn't say it.
When finished with breakfast, they gathered, well Kagome, gathered her things and they set off for the rest of the day's hike. Silence fell between them like a heavy cloak, concealing their heavy thoughts and revealing their brooding expressions. However, Inuyasha did grow uneasy at times like this with Kagome and had to break through it.
"You know," he finally muttered when it was nearly noon, "if you'd just let me carry you, we'd get there a hell of a lot faster."
Kagome looked up from following him and glared. "I'm fine with you carrying, but heaven forbid you smell Hojo."
Inuyasha turned on her, but she just walked on by. He no longer scared her the way he did on their very first encounter nearly a year ago. No, she was no longer fearful of him now that she had seen his softest, most vulnerable moments. He was nothing but a seventeen year old boy to her at the moment, not some fierce, angry half demon, bearing down upon her with an evil glare.
"You know if you hadn't brought him up, we could of had a decent conversation!"
Kagome snorted, gripping her backpack straps tighter than ever. "You don't know what a decent conversation is, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha just glared at the back of her head. How he hated her at times...
Kagome's thoughts were somewhat mirrored. She was still thoroughly pissed that he couldn't accept the fact that her relationship with Hojo was completely platonic. Hojo may think otherwise, but he never showed any doubt or insecurity about it. Unlike Inuyasha, who freaked at the mere mention of another male his age talking to her.
She didn't feel together right now, she felt broken and disjointed without being comfortable with him. She'd felt this way many times before and she hated it. With a glare to the sky above, she headed on, trying to forget him and his temper.
.........The day's heat was pounding on them, and the scent of a storm was still behind them, but moving slowly. Inuyasha wanted nothing more than for it to rain. He was praying to whoever he believed in, that it would rain before dusk. Rain could cool his temper and perhaps quench Kagome's bitter resentment towards him. Rain would strip Hojo's scent from her too.
'You're becoming obsessed with that,' snipped his inner voice.
Inuyasha frowned. 'I'm not obsessed, I just can't stand that smell on her. It's human and male...and she's mine, not that Howo's.'
He looked up as she abruptly stopped. Her eyes were quickly searching the horizon with a bit of curiousity. Her mouth was dropped slightly in thought as she frowned.
Inuyasha stepped beside her and followed her gaze. "What did ya stop for? We were making good time ya know," he growled. Kagome kept her gaze steady. "There's a jewel shard out there, Inuyasha...nearly four I think."
Inuyasha felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His first instincts told him...Naraku.
"Stand back, Kagome," he warned, placing a hand upon her stomach in a protective stance. Kagome, far too used to this by now to take it as a sign of affection, just nodded and obeyed.
Inuyasha rose up. That wasn't Nararku's scent. That was-
"Kouga!" yelped Kagome.
Inuyasha turned to find Kouga scooping Kagome in his arms with a soft chuckle as she gripped his neck in fear of falling.
Inuyasha snarled, the hairs upon his neck never falling. "Put her down, Kouga!"
Kouga's cerulean eyes turned from bright to deep and dark as he turned to the half demon standing before him. He gently set Kagome down, never dropping his glare. Kagome took a few steps back, standing ever closer to Inuyasha.
Kouga seemed to ignore this and replaced his threatening glare with his cocky grin.
"Hello half-breed. See you've picked up my mate for me," he chuckled. Kagome's eyes narrowed. She'd always liked Kouga and never, at any time, truly had a bone to pick with him...but when he called her his, it seemed so much different now that she and Inuyasha weren't together.
Kouga sniffed the air. "Well, she isn't free anymore, I can tell by the marks on her neck and her new scent...nicely done by whoever." He then frowned. "But that scent is much more foul than yours, mutt."
Inuyasha glared, his ears ignoring the cackling thunder above.
"I did that you stupid wolf," spat Inuyasha, motioning towards the markings on Kagome's neck. "Then...beg your pardon Miss Kagome, but she's obviously been off with someone else," replied Kouga.
Kagome, her new anger boiling over stepped between the two and placed her hands upon her hips defiantly.
Inuyasha watched her carefully, wondering what she would tell Kouga. He didn't know whether she were still angry with him or not. If it were he in the situation, would he admit that he was Kagome's to her enemy? He frowned, did Kagome, besides Naraku, have any threats against her? His frown deepened at that single name...Kikyo.
"You listen you to me, Kouga. These marks are from Inuyasha," she spat hotly, her angry voice tearing Inuyasha back to reality.
"I'm his now, and that's all that matters."
Inuyasha felt guilt hit his lower gut with a powerful impact. He stared at Kagome a moment, wishing that Kouga weren't here.
"I see," replied Kouga, looking into the beautiful girl's eyes.
"Well, you know who to call when he begins to bore you Miss Kagome."
Kagome just stared at him, her eyes never wavering, even as footsteps pounded up to them.
Inuyasha, however, did turn and saw their two wheezing companions.
Breathless, Miroku and Sango came storming up beside them, their cheeks bright red as a sheen of sweat glistened across their brows. Sango's stray hairs were clinging to her moist skin as she looked at Kouga, then Kagome.
"We...tried....to stop...," but when Miroku couldn't finish, he simply pointed to the lone wolf.
Kouga smirked confidently to Kagome. "Don't worry monk, I'm leaving." He walked up to Kagome and gave her hand a small squeeze. "Remember what I said, Kagome." She didn't reply as he turned, and in a whirlwind was gone.
Kagome just stood a there a moment, still deaf to her panting companions, now leaning on their knees and without voices, mouthed words to one another.
Inuyasha seemed to have forgotten them as well, for he strode up to her as the rain began to sprinkle about them. He stood directly behind Kagome with warm eyes. He had no clue what to say.
He couldn't explain how guitly he felt. He'd thought that surely she'd lie to Kouga, refuse her love for him and leave him disgraced and with little dignity...but she hadn't. She was better than that and would never imagine doing something so tacky. Instead she admitted, no told, Kouga that she was his.
He broke the space between them and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, bringing her close, breathing her hair as the soft scent of her shampoo tickled his senses.
"Inuyasha," she whispered.
He didn't reply.
Kagome turned in his arms and pushed him away. "Give me your shirt," she ordered. He gave her a quizzical look but it didn't make her drop her awaiting hand. He, his attitude withering away, obeyed.
She pulled it around her and turned away from him and the others.
Inuyasha watched her with great curiousity as she seemd to be searching for something in his clothes. His haori was loosely draped over her shoulders as she rummaged about with her back still to him. He watched as her skirt dropped down to her ankles and he frowned. 'What is she doing in there?'
Seconds later she turned to him with the haori clutched tightly to her chest, her school uniform in her hands. "Sango? Can I borrow your sash?" she asked the exterminator. Sango nodded, her lungs still burning.
Kagome took it quickly and tied it tightly around her middle. She then turned, still unanswering to Inuyasha's expression and put away her clothes. Inuyasha, feeling the rain soak through the thin white material that now hugged him, watched her walk back to him with cloudy eyes.
She then, standing before him, threw her arms around him . This time she wasn't crying, nor clinging to him as tightly. No, she was holding him to her.
"Can you smell him anymore?" she asked quietly.
Inuyasha shook his head, glad to smell only himself around her, mixed with her. "Well I've done all I can to prove to you that I belong to only you. I told Kouga that I was yours, I got rid of Hojo's scent...I'm clueless as to what to do now. If you don't trust me anymore...then maybe we shouldn't be together." She then stepped away from him and headed to the others.
They watched her step between them, patting them each on the back.
"Thanks guys for trying to stop Kouga."
They just nodded as the rain began to pour about them.
Kagome didn't look back as she followed the trail leading back to Kilala and Shippo. The rain hit her head on, stinging her cheeks as her own helpless tears streaked her skin.
She hated crying.
She was so sick of it, and she was sick of crying over Inuyasha. She didn't know that after admitting their love for another, it would bring on so much heartache. She was glad that the rain concealed her tears and washed away their salty scent. She didn't want him to know that she was crying over him again.
'I can't keep feeling this way,' she told herself, her eyes staring straight ahead.
Her footsteps thundered around her as she heard the others behind her. They were arguing, most likely scolding Inuyasha for hurting her once again. She was proud that they were so protective of her, but wasn't it becoming a chore to them? Yelling at that idiotic dog then running to comfort her, sitting amongst the shadows to listen to their apologies.
"Kagome!" she heard someone call.
'Don't look, just get to Shippo and Kilala.'
She obeyed herself and headed on against the rain with her thoughts troubled as usual.
"Kagome!" yelled Miroku against the howling winds.
Inuyasha looked at them bitterly as the rain made his hair and clothes cling to him. Sango and Miroku didn't look much better, both still red and now soaking wet.
"Why don't you trust her?!" snapped Sango for the third time.
Inuyasha glared. "Why do you always butt in? Can't you see this is between me and her?!" he snapped back.
Miroku turned to them. "I don't think she's listening."
Sango, ignoring Miroku, laughed helplessly. "If we didn't get involved, you two would never talk to each other! You always say something mean to her! I would never forgive you for half the things you've said!"
Inuyasha snorted. "But you'll forgive that pervert for anything! You know damn well why she forgives me! It's the same reason you forgive him!"
Sango's mouth snapped shut as Miroku looked at her. He wondered if Inuyasha were right for once...he hoped at least.
Inuyasha, taking this moment of silence to depart, took off at a run towards Kagome's diminshing figure, leaving the other two to stare at one another in bewilderment.
"Kagome!" he called out, thunder and lighting clashing malvolently above him. She didn't turn, but headed on.
"Kagome!" he called out again, his brow furrowed deep in a frown as he pounced on the ground just feet behind her. He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. She stared at him with glossy eyes, her lips parted in protest.
"Stop doing that!" he stated angrily, his grip on her arm tighter than ever, as if he were afraid she'd flee once again.
Kagome didn't speak as she looked at him. The rain was scaling down his cheeks and meeting in a point at his chin, where it then dripped onto his chest. He shivered involuntarily as the winds gusted about them. She too, was freezing in the low tempretures. She didn't feel sorry for him though, she was far too hurt to.
"If you were just going to tell me that, then let go! I've got to get to Shippo and Kilala. It's nearly dark by now!"
Inuyasha stared at her, wondering why he'd made such a mess.
"Kagome, shut up and listen to me for a minute. I'm sorry, okay?! I know I screwed up!"
Kagome eyed him carefully.
"You always say that Inuyasha! You're always sorry for calling me names, or leaving me, or now, not trusting me! When will you stop?!"
Inuyasha watched her a moment, her eyes spill with more tears.
"I don't know," he whispered, looking to the ground in shame. "I don't know when I'll get this right, when I will change."
Kagome lifted his chin to make him face her. "I don't want you to change, Inuyasha...if you did I wouldn't love the real you! I just want to you love ! You always have some reason for doubting me and I'm sick of it!" she replied.
Inuyasha sighed. "Why did you leave me then? You ran off too, ya know."
Kagome looked at him with serious eyes, her lips quivering in cold.
"I was scared okay? I had all these new feelings for you, I was in love...I'd made love...I wasn't ready for it all at once! And I don't know if I'm ready now."
Inuyasha frowned. "Ready for what? Me?"
Kagome shook her head. "No, for giving myself to you anytime you want me. For letting you touch me anywhere you please. I love you more than I can say...but I just don't know about the other part of it."
Inuyasha let go of her arm, the rain no longer an issue. He had no clue what she meant. Was she not ready for them? Or was she not ready for the physical part? She'd said she was, she said she trusted him...
"Then how am I supposed to trust you when you don't trust me?" he asked helplessly.
Kagome sniffled. "I don't know! I'm...I'm just fifteen Inuyasha!! You've made me feel things I didn't know I'd ever feel! You've done things to me, I was afraid to even think about doing!"
"So what?" he growled, his hurt bringing his temper up. "You regret it? Is that what you're saying Kagome?"
She shook her head, water sprinkling him from her bangs. "No! I wanted every minute of it! I'm just confused, okay? I thought I could come back and talk to you calmly and I thought you'd understand. I was wrong...you're taking this personally!"
Inuyasha looked down at her with boiling eyes. "How am I supposed to take it, Kagome?"
She stared at him with turmoil set in her brown eyes. 'I don't know, Inuyasha...'
.......A/n: There you have it! Bunch of drama, neh? Hee hee, I had to end it like that to give me something for the next chappie. I'll update when I can...can't make any promises obviously. BTW, don't forget to yell at me if you wish for the long update. SORRY!! I don't know how to make it up to ya'll. Also I know this chapter was a bit angsty I guess you could say, been listening to Avril Lavinge while writing it, so felt a bit of aggresion towards the male gender...but it's all good. Poor Inuyasha, poor Kagome...we'll hafta wait and see what happens! See ya, :P