THE PROBLEM
Once all the excitement from the battle and events surrounding it had died down, things started getting slower, more relax. We still had to fight the occasional youkai that kept attacking the village since the jewel hadn't been wished upon yet. That alone seemed to be Inuyasha's excuse as to why I had to stay in the Feudal Era instead of going home.
We may have come to an understanding of how much we cared for each other, but we were still on uneven ground when it came to my comings and goings. I still needed to finish school and since the jewel had been collected and whole again, I had been going home more frequently. Weeks would be spent doing my studies and then I would go back to the feudal era on the weekends and when I had no homework of course. Inuyasha hadn't agreed with this arrangement and the whole thing had blown out of proportion so much that my mother had been involved.
Now, I can admit that I have my flaws, nobody's perfect right? One of my biggest flaws was my lack of patience with him. I had never stopped to think of the reasons behind his ranting about me not leaving. I had never just once stopped to ask him why it bothered him so much or explained the reasons behind me going. Well, I had explained that I HAD to go and that was it. I had never explained the benefits of it. My mother seemed to do that quite well.
"I know how much you miss her when she's here, I know she's needed there to protect the jewel, that it is her responsibility as it was the miko's before her, but what she learns here at school not only provides her with a stable future, it aids her in the past as well. The knowledge that she learns and takes back there could help people who don't yet have the conveniences that we do. Do you understand?" Mama has a way with words sometimes and her voice is so calming and gentle.
"She's already smart enough, why should she need to know more?" The glare I had been giving him turned into surprise even as he turn his nose up and crossed his arms. He hadn't even realized he had just complimented me. That figures. Mama just giggled, her warm smile lighting up the room as she reached out to pat his arm.
"We are all still learning, Inuyasha. Knowledge is never ending." After Mama's explanations, he had still been reluctant to let me go, but our arguments had been reduced and after a few weeks of his more than quiet attitude, I had decided to question him. The night I had picked so happened to be on the New Moon. He had told me, rather reluctantly, that he felt one day I wouldn't return. I couldn't promise him I wouldn't. Only that, if it came to that, it wouldn't be because I didn't want to. I always wanted to be by his side.
I suppose that's what got us where we are now. Maybe it really was my fault and I should have looked more into his fears. I was too naive to think of any other possibilities. Maybe I was just too optimistic. With these events in mind, I can draw closer now, analyzing the more recent events to better the decision I have to make. One that most might know by now.
One month ago today, I had decided that since it was the New Moon I would ask Inuyasha to come with me. I had a test in the morning, but I was more than positive that I would pass. Since I had started going to school more often, I had really picked up with my studies. Inuyasha had refused at first, claiming how he didn't need protection. Of course, one puppy eyed look and some refined begging hadn't worked until I made myself cry. It had been a dirty trick, but it worked.
We hadn't done much since I had that test in the morning. Supper went well and then we went to sit outside and look at the sky. He had asked me why the stars weren't as bright here and that had led me into a long conversation about the differences in our times. It was sad in a way. His time seemed so much more like home sometimes. So peaceful and clean, unlike our modern world. Right then it didn't matter to me what time I was in as long as he was there.
The next morning, I walked him to the well house promising to return and tell him how my test went. He rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and pretended to be indifferent about it. I ignored it of course. He was just hiding behind his usual mask. I never expected him to change the person he was just because I wanted a few nice words. He gave me plenty anyway. The content smile I always seem to wear whenever he's around doubled when he told me he knew I'd do fine. It was the compliment I would take with me to class in order to pass my test.
As soon as we entered the well house, he jumped the stairs and perched on the lip of the well before giving me a quick nod. I watched until the tip of his hair disappeared, then turned to leave. The dull thud of something heavy hitting the bottom of the well stopped me with a cold shiver going down my back.
Slowly, I turned my eyes back to the supposedly empty well and waited to see if I'd hear anymore of it. Sure enough, a scuffing noise entered my ears followed by the faintest intake of breath. My feet carried me down the stairs to the edge where I looked down to meet confused golden eyes.
"Kagome?" I watched as he looked around the closed in area of the well before looking back up to me for some kind of explanation. Not that I had any, being just as confused as he was.
"Maybe it's just a fluke?" I tossed the idea, but deep down I knew there was something wrong. Something seriously wrong that wasn't just one of those little things that would go away given time.
He jumped out, looked incredulously at the deep dark inside before jumping back in. Nothing happened. Two, three, four more times and still the well wouldn't open up and accept him. I could see the worry in his eyes even has he tried to hide it behind his anger. I was worried too. Not because he couldn't leave, but because the others would worry and the village would be unprotected without him.
Inuyasha's forest was peaceful now that Inuyasha had taken residence in the village. No youkai dared enter his territory and any that did hadn't lived long enough to flee and tell others. I knew that with Sango and Miroku now living in the village, it would be safe until Inuyasha's scent faded from the forest. Having a demon exterminator as a friend comes in handy.
Inuyasha's curses were coming more fluently and I was sure he was beginning to panic now. I could understand why of course. He was stuck here in a time he didn't know and hated. I was the only reason he had come in the first place. I bit my lip and watched as he tried again and again to get through the time slip.
"Maybe we should just wait a while..."
"For what? The well won't let me through Kagome! Will it even let you through?" Before I had a chance to answer, his hand shot out to grab my arm. I gave startled squeak as he pulled me against his chest and jumped into the well again. We both hit the bottom, him in a crouch and me on my behind where I had slid from his loose grasp. I could have sat him then. I really wanted to, but he apologized, dejectedly and helped me to my feet.
"Give it some time. Maybe there's a reason it's not working. I have go to school now, but if you're still here when I get back, we'll try to figure something out." I was using it as an excuse now. I could have just stayed home with him and tried to figure out the reason behind the well's sudden sealing, but that look on his face and the desperation he had to get back... it made my heart sink into the pit of my stomach. I couldn't face him then and I turned, hurrying out the door before he could say anything about it.
He never came to find me at school that day and I somehow managed to get through that test telling myself that it was just a fluke. The well had opened up and finally allowed him through. That was what I told myself throughout the day until I got up the stairs. Mama was waiting for me at the top. She looked worried and a little bit scared, which concerned me.
"He hasn't come out of the well house all day, Kagome. I'm afraid that if he keeps digging, that well won't be dry anymore. What's going on?" I sighed and explained what happened before walking toward the well house. Mama went back in the house and I assumed she had been trying to get him inside most of the day.
"Inuyasha?" I couldn't see him, but I could hear him scraping around at the bottom of the well.
"What?" He didn't sound happy and I couldn't blame him really. What could you expect from a person that just got locked away from his own home. I leaned over the edge and looked down to find him standing there, completely covered in filth, still digging away. I was scared to say anything much less think it.
"It didn't work..."
"Does it look like it worked?!"
Okay, so that had to be one of the stupidest things I could have said at the time. I guess I had just been leading myself on. Thinking that maybe by just saying that it didn't work, that it might just magically open up and he'd be gone. That he wouldn't be standing down there glaring up at me like I had something to do with the whole thing.
"I was just making an observation!" I had to heal my wounded pride. I mean, I had just been caught in a humiliating moment. There wasn't much time to think about that though. Just seconds after I had opened my mouth, he had jumped up through the well's opening. I only had few scant seconds to step back before he landed on me.
"This is no time to be messing around, Kagome! The well is sealed! Sealed! Can't you see that!?" He had me by the shoulders, shaking me slightly with every exclamation that left his mouth. I was overwhelmed then, torn between wanting to defend myself and comfort him. I broke away from him, pulling my arms away and silently thankful he hadn't had a tight grip.
"I'm sorry! I don't know why the well is sealed!" I turned away, wrapping my arms around myself. Did he really hate it here so much? I couldn't help but think these things. I couldn't even stop the tears from pricking behind my closed eyelids.
"I know how much you hate it here. I'll figure something out." Even though I mumbled it. Hardly hearing it myself as it passed my lips, he heard it plain as day. I cursed his ears sometimes. He was silent for a few moments before I heard him sigh and step closer.
"Kagome... I..."
"It's okay, Inuyasha. You don't have to say anything." I didn't want to hear him lie to me. I didn't want him to think he had to like it here because of me.
"Would you stop doing that! Just because this time stinks and it's noisy and crowded... it doesn't mean that I don't want to be here!" So I was more than shocked. He never gave any indication that he liked anything about this time. I knew he wouldn't get into detail about what it was exactly that he liked, but he was being honest when he told me that. He was always rather blunt when cornered. I think I must have been silent for too long. His hand reached out to catch my hand and I turned to look up at him.
"I'm sorry." I knew he wouldn't say it, so I decided it was time to start.
"Keh, don't worry about it. I'm hungry, lets go inside." I smiled and let him tug me toward the door.
"I promise, I'll find a way to get the well to open, Inuyasha." He just nodded and kept going. I knew it was still bothering him, but I didn't bother pressing the matter. He had told me he didn't mind being here. I didn't have to worry. Deep down, I wanted him to stay. In reality, I was being selfish.
AN: Okay, so now you can all take turns beating me around for not finishing this sooner. I kinda fell out of the writing mood. I just recently got motivated to write something and I wanted to finish this since I had been thinking about it at work. No, this isn't where it ends and I think I may have one or two more parts left which I'm already planning on writing. Hope you all enjoy. Sorry for leaving it for so long. Please, review. It helps my plot bunnies!