AN: I forgot my disclaimer for the last chapter, so I fixed some of the errors with the chapter *cough* moonlight *cough* and I put the disclaimer; if you are a lawyer go back and read it, don't sue me! Not like they would get anything, I'm broke, but I am a Pre-law major and I think that would look bad on my record. I have an online journal now at Xanga under the same name, if anyone is interested. I'm sure your not, but o well. HAPPY READING AND ENJOY!
ejqHorseLady: Glad you liked my last chapter, hope you like this one as well.
Coyotesabre: Thanks for the compliment. I myself am extremely odd, just ask the gnomes.
baka-babe: Thanks for pointing out the mistake I made in the last chapter, sometimes I'm just so stupid.
The One above All: Thanks for the compliment, and I will continue to write until the story ends itself. I don't know when that will be though, seems to be a little ways off.
Sprite: Thanks for correcting my mistake, I don't mind picky people; I write late at night and tend to miss my own mistakes, but I wish I wouldn't make them.
Disclaimer: See, I remembered this time, HA! I don't own it, nor shall I ever, unfortunately.
Love Isn't Just a Memory
Chapter Sixteen: Revelations
By: Nimerin
Kagome and Inuyasha were still blushing from the fuzzy moment they had shared a moment ago, when they took their seats at the table. Everyone else was already seated and waiting for them to be seated before they could start eating. Kagome sat next to Souta and Shippo crawled onto her lap as Inuyasha took the seat on her left.
"Itadaimasu" Kagome and her little brother chorused as they picked up their chopsticks and dug into the delicious meal.
Everyone else soon followed suit; Inuyasha at much faster pace then the rest of course. Since he had practically inhaled his food, Inuyasha finished light years before anyone else and was now staring at his friends. He was surprised to observe that his friends were all very much at ease in this world; which he thought odd considering how different everything was in Kagome's time. He thought back to how he felt when he first started spending time in her world and realized why they felt so comfortable, 'The world may be strange, but the Higurashi's are more accepting than almost everyone we have ever met.' He knew that he wasn't very well accepted because he was a hanyou, but he wasn't blind to the way some of the people in the past treated his other friends. All of them were considered odd in their time for one reason or another, this was perhaps the first time they had ever met anyone other then Kagome who didn't seem to care at all.
Soon everyone finished and Mrs. Higurashi began to clear the plates away as everyone murmured their appreciation for the fine meal.
"Mama, let me help you with that." Kagome stood to help with the dishes, but she was slightly shaky in doing so.
"Iie, dear I think you should get some more rest." Mrs. Higurashi replied having noticed how weary her daughter was.
"I'm fine Mama, really." She replied stubbornly, "I'm not weak or anything."
Mrs. Higurashi looked at her daughter curiously, "I never said you were weak, why would you think that?"
The entire shard hunting group slightly glared at Inuyasha while he engaged the floor in a staring contest.
"I don't know Mama, gomen, I didn't mean to be rude." Kagome replied contritely.
"It's alright. I still think that you should lie down and get some rest though."
Kagome sighed, "Hai, I'm going up to bed now."
"Good night." Everyone but Inuyasha called after her.
He was still feeling guilty about her comment about being weak, 'I never realized that she took what I told her so seriously. Baka, after everything you would think she would realize that no one thinks she is weak.'
His voice was serious as it responded, 'How is she supposed to think any differently if you are always telling her that she is?'
'She's fought with enough demons, and argued with me enough times without backing down to have figured out she isn't weak.'
'You would think so, wouldn't you; but for some inane reason, she takes what you say about her very seriously.'
'Kuso, I just keep screwing up when it comes to her.'
'It's not too late to fix it.'
Inuyasha contemplated what the voice said and decided to have a talk with Kagome later that night. He would have gone after her then, but everyone was still sitting around the table and would notice if he went after her; he did not want anyone to eavesdrop on their conversation, as it promised to be a rather embarrassing one for him.
Soon enough Souta dragged Shippo off so that they could play video games, with a lazy Kirara trailing behind them. Jii-chan went into his room to search for a scroll that he wanted to show Miroku, but hadn't seen in a good while. Mrs. Higurashi was still washing the mountain of dishes, having declined help from anyone that offered. Sango and Miroku decided that they would go outside and enjoy the breeze before they turned in for the night. Seeing everyone occupied with various things, Inuyasha took his chance and went after Kagome.
~*~
Sango stepped out of the house and took a look around her. Everything was just so different she couldn't believe it, it was really disconcerting knowing how much everything would change; she idly wondered if Kagome felt the same. She had come outside to think, but the strange surroundings were making it rather difficult for her to concentration, so she decided to head for the Goshinboku. She looked up into the branches of the tall tree, amazed by how unchanged it really seemed to be; it was the link she had to her time. Sure there was the well, but it now had a house around it making it seem like a totally different place. She heard soft foot falls and turned to see the intruder, "Houshi-sama, what are you doing out here?"
"I decided to get a breath of fresh air. You?"
Sango nodded and took a seat at the base of the tree, motioning for Miroku to do the same, "I was doing the same. Kagome-chan's family is nice, but the surroundings are a bit much to handle all the time."
Miroku sat down next to her and stared out into the night deep in thought, "Kagome-sama's family is unusually nice aren't they."
"Hai, they are, but we should not be so surprised given the way Kagome acts."
"I suppose. Inuyasha is not on guard at all around them. He willingly showed all of them his human form without being obnoxious about it the whole time."
"Well, he trusts Kagome-chan completely and knows that she would never hurt him, so if she thinks her family is safe, then she must be right."
"They do seem very trustworthy."
Sango nodded absently, she was lost in the sea of her own thoughts at this point, only half paying attention to the conversation. Miroku observed this quietly, 'This would be the perfect time for me to get a grope in; but she seems a little sad about what she is thinking about. It would not be right. I wonder...'
"Sango," Miroku interrupted her thoughts.
"Hai, Houshi-sama?"
"What are you thinking about that makes you so sad?"
Sango looked at him surprised. Granted she was a little sad, but she did not expect him to notice it. In fact, she was expecting him to grope her at any moment given their close proximity and his wandering hands. "I was thinking about how much Souta reminds me of Kohaku." She replied quietly as she looked away, unable to meet his intense gaze.
"You have been spending a lot of time with him since we have arrived."
"Hai, I miss my little brother; and Souta treats me a lot like a sister."
"They have treated us a lot like a part of their family don't they?"
"Hai, I mean, I always thought of Kagome-chan as a little sister and knew she felt the same; but I had no idea her family would be so open about it."
"We are all have become used to being treated as outsiders. We have made a home out of Kaede-sama's village, but even they do not accept us fully. Inuyasha because he is a hanyou, Kirara and Shippo because they are youkai, me because of my kazaana"
"And perverted tendencies." Sango interjected dryly.
"Hai, I suppose that would cause some people to be wary of me." Miroku responded in an equal dry tone.
Sango sighed, "And I am an outsider because I am a female warrior."
Miroku looked at her before smiling a very debonair smile, "Hai, but I would not have you any other way. You are perfect as you are."
Sango looked at him sharply before quickly looking away with a very red face. She quickly got up and dusted the dirt off of her kimono before starting to head back to the house. Miroku got up and trailed after her, hypnotized by the sway of her hips as she walked, he could not resist.
"Houshi-sama!" Sango screamed outraged as she pummeled him with her fists.
She stormed off leaving a dazed Miroku laying in the dirt. Just before she entered the house, she turned back with a small smile on her face and whispered, "Arigato, Miroku, Arigato."
~*~
Inuyasha silently opened the door and took a look inside Kagome's room; the light was turned off and Kagome was buried under the blankets on her bed. Her breathing was deep and slow, indicating that she had fallen asleep. Inuyasha sighed, "Well, I was going to talk to you, but you must have been really tired and passed out."
Inuyasha turned to walk out of the room when he changed his mind and strode back over to the bed. Kagome had her back to him and was facing the wall, so he decided to take a seat on the middle of the bed. "You can still hear even if you are sleeping. This way it will be easier for me to say this stuff without feeling like an idiot. You won't realize that I talked to you tomorrow, and I'm not sure that I'll ever get enough courage to repeat this; but screw it, at least I can honestly say I told you, it's not my fault you were stupid enough to fall asleep before."
He took a deep breath and continued on with his speech, "Alright, so you know that little outburst after dinner about you not being weak; well I'm the reason you said that. I guess you remember more than you think. Anyways, I was always teasing you and telling you that you were weak and other things. I didn't realize you took them so seriously, I mean damn girl, you should know I get hostile when I'm irritated. Well, the point is, I don't really think your weak, in fact, your probably one of the strongest people I know. You have to be to keep coming to the past and facing what we do when you could be comfortable here in your time. Oh, and I don't think your stupid either, it's just fun to drive you nuts sometimes cause you're so much fun to argue with."
Inuyasha was silent as he listened to her steady breathing and thought a bit more about how he felt for the girl, "I wasn't going to tell you this, ever." he began quietly, "but seeing as how your sleeping I don't see what harm it could be for me to say it now. You know that feeling that you were describing earlier? The one that had you all confused? Well, I was sitting by the Goshinboku thinking about it, and I realized that I feel the same way about you. Kami, I don't know why I just told you that, you must be driving me insane."
Inuyasha stood up and leaned over Kagome, planting a brief soft kiss to her temple, "Good night Kagome, sleep well." He then walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.
Kagome snapped her eyes open as soon as she heard the door shut, one thought passing through her head, 'Oh Kami.'
AN: Well, there is another chapter for you, and another evil cliffhanger. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I like reviews and they help me write faster, and don't you want me to write faster and relieve you of the curiosity brought on by the cliff hanger?