Love & Hate: The Collection

Feelings of Betrayal

It was a warm, sunny day. Nothing had occurred in weeks. Neither Naraku nor any jewel fragments had unearthed to shatter the unusual serenity.

Inuyasha was in an unexplainable good mood. His bright golden eyes held a sparkle that had rarely ever been seen. He snorted less. His famous 'Feh' had disappeared from his colorful vocabulary. His movements were fluid, calm, and almost graceful.

His good disposition set everybody in an excellent spirit. Much laughter and friendly banter was passed around without hesitation. Smiles were exchanged and the gloom and undeniable hell that awaited them all seemed impossible. Being alive had never been as exciting for anyone.

Until the tranquil afternoon came to a crashing halt.

When the long, drawn out shriek resounded throughout the forest, Inuyasha was immediately on edge. He sniffed the trouble and picked up her scent.

Kikyo.

Without explaining why he was leaving, the hanyou bolted up from his mid-afternoon nap and was gone. A trial of debris was left behind, proving whatever he fled from or ran to, was important. And in this case, it was his beloved.

Weaving and flying, almost recklessly crashing through the trees, the gang followed. Kagome especially, because every time they fought, he got hurt. He won most of the battles, but not without half way losing his life. She would never say, but she was always concerned over him. Always thinking of him. He stayed on her mind and heart....

Until she hard the roar of the wind scar and the triumph yell of her companion. As she, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo burst into the clearing, it was to Inuyasha bending over a bleeding woman.

With loud, pain filled screams, he called her name. The blood she spilt wetting the clay of her body. She seemed to soften, and a sigh escaped her.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered raising her hand.

With the eyes of the dead, she gazed at him in wonder. Here was the man she desired. Here was the love of her pervious life.

With a feather light touch, she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her too, face still frozen in shock and fright.

Kagome watched with the saddest of smiles on her face. As tears slid silently down her cheeks, she watched. The realization that Inuyasha was beyond her reach slapped her in her beautiful face. Slowly she turned away from them, and walked back towards camp.

He's hers again. He belongs to her once again. What a fool I am, what a fool. And to think that he was ever mine. That he could forget her and love me.

One foot before the other, she stepped away, blinded by every drop of liquid grief.

He looked up at the fading shadow of ever sweet Kagome. He felt her pain and heartbreak as if it were his own. His love and admiration for the young girl ran deep. For months they'd traveled side by side. For weeks he tried desperately to deny the fact she'd somehow become important in his life. Her tears annoyed him at times, true, as well as her confusing behavior. He wanted her, not only to look like Kikyo, but to act like her too...

Well until he finally understood that he was dealing with the ying and yang of one soul. On was long dead, taken away pre-maturely. The other lived. Beautiful, bright, innocent and pure, she was Kikyo's better half.

As he watched her disappear, and his human friends glare death upon him, a sense of dread filled him. Kikyo would go, as she always did, once she figured out that admitting her feelings would be betrayal to her plans of revenge. Not to mention, she'd always felt vulnerable when others knew of her dependence on him.

And just as he figured, she turned away, using her weak arms to hoist her to her wobbling feet.

"Inuyasha, I do not understand you," she whispered to him. He turned to her slowly, golden orbs cleverly hidden behind his silver bangs. He saw her gazing in Kagome's direction, pity written on her face.

"You seek me, when what you want has been with you all along."

His head snapped up. He tried to get her to look at him, but she refused, instead focusing on Kagome's escape route.

"What do you mean? Kikyo I LOVE you!" he yelled without caring others heard. "I don't care what happened fifty years ago! You being back is just a second chance!"

She was silent for a full minute, wherein she glanced at every present soul. Her eyes held a longing but also a release that disturbed him greatly.

"How genuine was our love, if were so quick to hate?" she asked finally meeting his boring gaze. His mouth fell open, and he started to shake all over.

Is she letting me go? Is she saying that she no longer cares for me? What is she doing? She hates Kagome, so why would she willingly give her what we had!? Doesn't she know that I'd die for her! I'd go to hell with her! Why doesn't she see?!

Kikyo turned with a frown towards the two disgusted onlookers.

"You're the reincarnation's friends?" she asked.

"Kagome is much more than just a reincarnation or jewel detector, Kikyo!" Sango hissed brandishing her boomerang. Inuyasha's clawed hand shot up.

"Don't you dare attack her!" he growled at the young exterminator. Sango's mouth twisted into a scornful smile.

"I don't take orders from you, half-breed," she shot, venomously at him. He'd never had such contempt directed at him, and it was enough to have him shake. But Sango put the weapon back, and turned on heel towards the camp site after her young friend.

"You're an idiot, ol' boy. Still ignorant on the ways of the world, and women. How could you long to be dead with her, instead of alive and happy with Kagome?" with an equal amount of disgusted hate, he followed Sango's stomping form.

Inuyasha finally rose from his undignified spot on the ground.

"Kikyo-"

"You gave it all up for me, didn't you?" she whispered, almost awe struck.

"Yea," he muttered, only partially guilty for breaking Kagome's heart and earning extreme loathing from what he'd started to see as his pack.

"The monk was right. You are an idiot."

Inuyasha's face fell as Kikyo, too, walked away from him, and into the quiet forest. Thoughts tumbled in his head. Kagome or Kikyo. Kagome or Kikyo. Kagome or Kikyo. Kagome or Kikyo. Kagome or Kikyo. Life or death?

Kagome had never felt so angry and low in her life. To be dissed for the dead. To be pushed away for a corpse, for something among the unliving. Her heart twisted painfully in her chest as feelings of betrayal flooded her senses.

Inuyasha I love you. Why can't you see that? Why can't I take her place? Why can't you love me?

(End)

BGLI

Okay. That went well. I'm sorry for the delay. I my notebook, which contained my chapter outlines. So all my stories will be recieving an update.

Thanks for your patience. I'm sorry.