Author's Notes: Thanks so much for your support regarding the last chapter. This chapter is one I put a lot of work into, hence the delay. It's got a lot of pivotal scenes. I've actually been a bit bummed about writing due to personal issues lately, and then the latest event in the IY manga really threw me for a loop. (Chapter 374, and yes- because of it I did have to highly adapt a later event in this fic)
Also- I didn't mention this in my last chapter but- I do have an update notification mailing list. I share it with user Tailfluffgirl, and you can find the link to it- 'Sengoku Updates' in my user info.
Oh yah and the 8888's are my new dividers, since it eating my other ones. I know- they look kind of stupid. Sorry. :(
With that aside, here it is! Read, review, enjoy.
"A Fortuitous Blunder"
Chapter Ten
The Talk
By Kelly O'Connor
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There was a thick silence among the Higurashi family as they gathered around the table to eat their evening meal. The day had passed without further incident. And although normally, they would have inquired further to the young couple about their predicament or commented on issues pertaining to it, neither Souta nor Jiichan figured it to be the best idea due to InuYasha and Kagome's current behavior.
The two teenagers were clearly not paying attention to much of anything except their own thoughts… and each other. Catching gazes with one another every few moments time and again resulted in them looking away quickly- light blushes gracing their cheeks.
Mrs. Higurashi noted that her son and father weren't venturing further and was thankful for it. She could see that InuYasha and Kagome's earlier encounter had shaken them up and set their emotions in a whirl. Those two are so transparent. Shaking her head, Mama made a decision.
"Kagome, InuYasha…" She began, snapping the two out of their reverie. "May I speak to you in the other room?"
"But Mama, dinner..." Kagome excused, realizing what the older woman wanted to discuss with them.
"I think we're all done eating here," The dark haired woman chortled kindly as she gestured to their empty plates.
Sighing in resignation, Kagome glanced to the Hanyou and got to her feet, brushing off the front of her skirt. "All right Mama. Come on InuYasha." Making a sound of acknowledgment, he stood up to follow her as she and Mrs. Higurashi made their way out of the room.
"Shall we go upstairs to your room Kagome?" Mama suggested.
"Huh?"
"I just figured you two wouldn't want to talk about this where Souta and Jiichan can overhear it." She gave them a warm smile. Giving a firm and definite nod to express his opinion on the issue, InuYasha crossed his arms into his sleeves.
"All right, that's fine Mama." She agreed, and having come to a consensus- the trio made their way up to Kagome's bedroom.
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Sliding around the chair Kagome used for her study desk and sitting down, Mrs. Higurashi clasped her hands in her lap and took a deep breath.
Fidgeting nervously, the couple situated themselves in a sitting position on the bed.
"Kagome, InuYasha," Mrs. Higurashi finally broke the silence with a false cough. The couple darted their eyes toward her, fully attentive. "I think we should talk about this."
Blinking, the two of them looked towards each other, blushes crossing their cheeks. Mama let out a light laugh, and the pair snapped their gazes away from each other at the sound.
"When you fell on each other, I could tell that something has changed between you two."
"Mama, what do you mean?" Kagome let out a false laugh, gesturing with her hands in front of her as if to dissuade any thoughts her mother may be having. Mama smiled in bemusement.
"Kagome, I was in love once too." She replied, gaze flitting to the window toward the now starlit sky as if in reflection. Sighing in relent, she nodded. InuYasha let out a resigned 'Keh' as well.
"It's just… frustrating," The Hanyou admitted, staring down at his hands as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.
"I understand," Mama paused. "That's why I wanted to speak to you about it."
"Mama…"
"You two have been together for a long time, haven't you?" She mused.
"Three years," Kagome verified.
"Yes, yes I know." Mama tapped her chin. "I'm proud of you both, and have been for so long. The two of you have something truly special with each other." Simultaneously, Kagome and InuYasha's cheeks tinged pink. "But there comes a time when…"
InuYasha clenched his eyes shut.
"There comes a time when you two will have to investigate your relationship as it is…"
Kagome gulped.
"You're both frustrated with the situation now. That you can't touch, that you can't hug each other and hold each other like you did before."
InuYasha furrowed his brows and crossed his arms into his sleeves as if reminding himself of that.
"But perhaps this frustration means that what you need to do is something new…"
Kagome twisted her hands together and bit her lip.
"Something I can tell that neither of you have ever really done with each other…"
The two teenagers felt their cheeks redden as they looked towards Mrs. Higurashi.
"You want to show your love in some way, that's what's causing you so much irritation. So why don't you…"
Silence permeated among the pair as their eyes widened at the dark haired woman's possible implications.
"Why don't you tell each other?"
"What?!" InuYasha and Kagome exclaimed in unison, clearly completely thrown by where the discussion had gone.
"You know, use your words. If you can't express your feelings through touch, then tell each other how you feel."
"Mama, what do you mean? InuYasha knows how I feel." She trailed off, her voice nary a whisper by the time she'd finished her sentence.
"I know you know how you feel for each other."
"Keh, well what are we supposed to talk about?" InuYasha questioned, blush never leaving his cheeks.
"Talk about what you love about each other. Compliment each other, use words as if they were a physical action." Mrs. Higurashi leveled with the two teenagers. "When you hug each other, when you kiss--- whatever your thoughts are when you do that. Instead of performing the action, tell them what those thoughts are."
InuYasha sighed as his mind reverted back to the conversation he'd had with Miroku the night before, when the Houshi had advised him to express his feelings for Kagome in words. But I don't think about that when I touch her… or hold her… I don't think about that I love her, I just do it…
"I don't understand," InuYasha stated quietly, words coming out before his mind registered the thought.
"Turn your actions… into words. The feelings that go into them- let each other know those feelings in a new way."
The young couple nodded, Mrs. Higurashi's suggestion finally fully sinking in.
"And when you get the spell removed, you'll have something new." She paused and stood up, brushing the front of her skirt off. "Not only will you be able to show each other that you love, but you'll be able to tell each other as well."
"Mama…"
"And I guarantee that you'll be the better for it in the end," She smiled genially and placed her hands respectively on InuYasha and Kagome's shoulders. "Now I'm going to go back downstairs and see what Souta and Jiichan are up to, all right?" The Miko and the Hanyou nodded numbly and Mrs. Higurashi swiftly walked out of the bedroom, leaving the pair alone.
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Stepping into the dining room Mama sighed in relief when she noticed that Souta had already done her the favor of cleaning off the table of plates, chopsticks, and cups. Glancing over to the television, she noticed that Jiichan's attention was occupied by a sitcom.
Tapping him on the shoulder, she spoke when he looked up. "Thank you Jiichan, about Kagome and InuYasha."
"It's no problem. I figured once they'd calmed down… I do have this one artifact in the shed that I think may…"
"That won't be necessary. You're doing fine as is. They'll be fine as well."
"But…"
"Jiichan," Mama sighed. "This is something InuYasha and Kagome need to resolve on their own. No family artifacts, no seals, or potions… nothing."
The elderly man nodded in acquiescence. "Very well then."
"Thank you." Mama beamed at him and made her way into the kitchen where she could hear Souta turning on the faucet to wash the dishes.
"Souta," She called once she'd reached the kitchen. Glancing up from the sink the young boy acknowledged her. "You can stop, I'll handle the rest."
"Okay, thanks Mama."
"No problem. Why don't you go watch TV with Jiichan?" Mrs. Higurashi suggested.
"Mama, that sounds boring. I don't like the shows Jiichan watches…" Souta griped.
"Well I suppose… ah, you could…"
"You just want me to leave Inu-no-niichan and Kagome-neechan alone, right?" He reasoned. The dark-haired woman laughed.
"If you could."
"I know Mama…"
"Souta dear," She gave him a playful tap on the nose. "You weren't listening were you?" The young boy frowned.
"No Mama I wasn't! I just figured you took them upstairs and…"
"I'm just playing dear," She moved her hand down and placed her hand on his back, patting it a few times. "Actually though, it's getting a bit late. Why don't you go take a bath and get ready for bed? Then maybe you can watch another movie."
"Sounds good to me," Souta shrugged, and ran out of the kitchen, bare feet sliding across the tatami. Looking after him, Mama took a deep breath.
"Now it's just up to InuYasha and Kagome to do it on their own. There won't be any distractions…"
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The cicadas chirped loudly, the incessant noise filling the mid-summer night.
A low whine of irritation was the only other sound that was registering in Kagome's ears at the moment, before InuYasha spoke up.
"Those bugs are annoying."
"Aren't you used to them?"
"Keh, yes- but when they're the only sound I'm hearing then…"
"Then ignore them." Kagome interrupted. Her tone held no irritation, but instead sounded more contemplative.
"Kagome...?" He questioned, catching onto it.
"We could… try."
"Huh?"
Shifting her legs a bit to a more comfortable position on the bed, she bit her lip. "I don't really know how to do it either, but we could try."
Nodding, InuYasha leaned against the wall. Using her pillow as something to place behind his back- he looked her directly in the face.
Both of them sat on the bed, now having made full eye contact with each other, waiting for their respective other to make a move.
Moments, minutes passed before a heavy frown settled on InuYasha's face.
"Keh, what the hell are you still staring at?" He snapped, irritation over the lack of progress getting the best of him.
It won't work if neither of us take the first step, and I don't think that's going to be InuYasha…
"I… I was staring at you." She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "I mean… not staring… but."
Wondering if this could possibly initiate something, InuYasha prompted her. "Why?"
Kagome felt her cheeks flush bright red as she tried to form her words. "Because I like to look at you." She continued, a bit more confidently. "I think you're handsome InuYasha." The dark-haired girl had told him as much before, but to her- it felt different this time around. She meant it the first time, when he wasn't wearing a scowl- InuYasha was a very attractive boy. But now, I feel like I want to continue…
"Kagome…" The Hanyou whispered her name with a slight gulp. Hearing that was enough to give her the courage to venture forward.
"But it's a lot more than just that." Her voice raised a bit as she gained more security in what she was saying. "When I look at you, I'm reminded that you're there, always. I'm reminded of everything that I love about you." She heard InuYasha's throat catch at the word 'love.'
"I see the InuYasha that has always protected me with his life, yet who I feel often needs his own kind of protection… that I try my hardest to give. I see someone who has been through so much, yet still somehow manages to gain happiness at simple things, still retains his innocence." Clearing her throat, she continued. "I see the boy from the past… that has somehow come to mean more to me than… than anything." With a smile, she amended that.
"The boy from the past… who has somehow become, my future."
"Kagome…"
"So looking at you, it makes me happy. That's why I look at you."
"Ah," She recovered and let out a light laugh. "I think that's what Mama wanted us to do."
Somewhat speechless, InuYasha nodded mutely. Moving forward, InuYasha began to reach for her, stopping when he realized the error in his judgment. Shit, she can spill out her heart to you… and you just do the same thing you always do. You've showed her enough, now tell her… right?
"I look at you because…" He began, knot forming in his throat. "Because you are… everything." The Hanyou gulped and felt his face redden. "My home, what makes me happy, what gives me the strength to fight… what makes me strong."
"InuYasha you don't have to…"
"Without you, I'd… I don't want to think of what I'd be like. I don't want to know."
Unable to hold back, Kagome found herself pouncing forward and wrapping her arms around InuYasha's center, knocking them into a laying position on the bed. Impulsively, she took his lips in a kiss, as if satisfying the need for the one they'd been denied of that morning.
"Kagome…" He began breathlessly, once they'd pulled apart. "I don't want to… can I… hold you?"
We've told each other our feelings through words like Mama suggested, but now I—I just want to now I feel like it's even worse. I've told him, but now I also want to show him.
This didn't help at all, InuYasha grumbled to himself. Maybe it's something else that is making it so hard to not touch her… but what…?
"InuYasha," Kagome ventured. "I was thinking at dinner time. Do you think that… maybe we could possibly neutralize the curse."
"Huh?"
"Void it out… if we touched at the exact time, it couldn't do anything. Right?"
"Keh- I guess so."
"It's worth a try." Kagome pulled herself off InuYasha and looked him square in the eyes. "I'm going to count to three, and when I do- touch me. Anywhere." She looked away with a blush, not completely understanding why the addition of that last word had flustered her. Nodding, Kagome began the count. "One, two, three."
Placing their hands on each other's shoulders, Kagome groaned when she felt InuYasha crash down on her. Quickly, he sat up.
"Okay you did it too soon. It has to be the exact moment."
InuYasha shook his head in the positive, and the count began again. This time it resulted in her landing on him in a rather uncomfortable sideways position.
After a few more attempts, Kagome exhaled and gave InuYasha a resolved smile. "Okay, we have to hit it right on now."
"All right."
"One, two, three!" Kagome winced awaiting incoming impact, but then slid her eyes open when she saw that neither of them had moved. They were just sitting facing each other, with their hands on one another's shoulders. "We did it!" She grinned, happy she'd found a temporary situation to their problem. InuYasha felt himself crack a smile as well.
"Now InuYasha, don't take your hands off me. You can move them, but make sure at least one of them is still touching me, or some other body part." He nodded. "If I do the same then…"
"Can I… hold you?" He asked once again, blush apparent. Surprised, Kagome blinked.
"Yes, of course you can."
InuYasha made a noise of embarrassment in the back of his throat. "Can I hold you… tonight?"
Kagome felt her cheeks flush. "You mean… sleeping?" InuYasha shook his head in the positive, moving one hand off her to scratch the back of his head in a nervous gesture. The young woman leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "After what you said to me earlier, I think I'd let you do just about anything."
"That's why," He reached his free hand up to pull down the bedspread and adjust the pillow.
"What?" Kagome inquired as her companion scooted into a laying position. Wrapping her arms around his center, she adjusted herself comfortably as he pulled the bedspread over their forms.
"I'll never be as good with words as you, no matter how hard I try."
"But InuYasha those words meant a lot to me…"
"I know, but I can't tell you everything I want to tell you." He reached up to run a hand through her thick black hair. "There's too much to tell. So even though your Mom was kinda right… With me, I'll always be able to let you know better through actions."
He smiled when he felt Kagome snuggle into his chest a bit more, content look on her face.
"That's just the way I am… I'll always be able to let you know in this kind of way that…" He paused and yawned deeply.
"That I love you." His eyes widened as he realized the words that had unintentionally slipped out. In discomfiture he looked down to Kagome, only to notice that she was already… fast asleep. Keh, figures.
And with that, InuYasha tightened his grip on the girl in his arms… and drifted off into sleep himself.
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Next Chapter- With a new energy they've gained due to figuring out how to neutralize the spell, InuYasha and Kagome head on their journey to Shuurei's once again. But although that has been temporarily solved--- more confusing feelings keep arising.