Note: This story is a coauthor of InuYasha, and neither I nor NeedlesofSeether own any part of this franchise. I'm hoping to have us each use a separate type of font, so that it'll be easier for you to tell who wrote what, though another way is that Needles shall write the Kagome Chapters, and I Shall Write the Inuyasha Chaps. This is my first attempt at a Coauthor, and it is in unfamiliar territory, I hope you enjoy it!
Why tonight of all nights did it have to be a full moon? One shard away, only one more shard, and the Shikon no tama would be complete! Of course it had to fall on the night of the full moon. Kagome wore the now nearly complete jewel around her neck, just as Kikyo once had. Looking at her, everything we had done together on this journey came flowing back to me. Damn these human emotions of mine. I remembered every moment; all the times we had spent gathering those shards together, and suddenly the shards seemed less important. Damnit, why did I always have to feel so emotional on these nights? No, I didn't feel more, I'd always felt this way toward her, but these nights made me fully realize just how much passion I truly held for her.
"What are you staring at?" Shippo asked, bouncing up on my shoulder. Hoping he hadn't realized I'd been spacing out for the last several minutes, I brushed him off and quickly denied anything in the gruff voice I used when I was pissed at something. It wasn't far from the truth as to how I felt though.
"What do you mean? I'm just thinking about the jewel, and how tomorrow I'll finally be a full-fledged demon." After recoiling from his fall Shippo bounded back onto my head, sniggering as he did so.
"So that's the only reason you were staring right at Kagome?" Shippo giggled until I grabbed him by the back of his neck and placed him right in front of my face, giving him the most evil glare I could manage.
"Would you like to repeat that, or should I just crush you right now? Shippo squirmed in my grip, trying desperately to free himself. Seeing no other option, he bit me as hard as he could. "Oww! Why you little..." I made to grab for him again, but he hopped out of my reach.
"I don't know why you try to act so tough, we all know you like Kagome, aside from her that is. How long are you going to make her suffer like this?" Shippo sounded wise beyond his years, but I quickly lost any admiration I had gained when he chucked a small rock right at my forehead, running off as soon as he had done so.
Once Shippo had left, I returned to my thoughts. What he had said was true. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all wondered why I held such feelings for Kagome if I always treated her so terribly. They often questioned me, or tried to get me to do something, but I always denied it and ran off, leaving Kagome feeling like shit. In truth, I had often caught myself wondering the same thing. What was it that was holding me back? I decided that tonight would be different. Tonight, I would talk to Kagome, and tell her how I really feel. Tonight would be perfect. In my human state, I could feel emotions much easier, so I should technically be able to tell Kagome exactly what I am feeling with relative ease, or so I hoped. I had a tendency to fumble over my words, or say something real stupid when I was like this as well, especially around the subject of me and Kagome.
I rose from my secluded area near the woods and walked over toward the campfire. Sango was resting with Kirara, both of them curled up in a ball together. Miroku sat Indian style near the camp, staff in hand. He may have been resting, but he was always ready to fight. Kagome sat secluded from the others as well, her back to the fire. She seemed deep in thought, but Shippo was trying to break her concentration. He was bouncing up and down in front of her, trying to cheer her up. Kagome not smiled for awhile. I missed her smile. Without it she seemed so distant from everyone, especially me.
It had been about a week since she'd even spoke to me, and I didn't understand why. She'd made a point of talking to no one but Sango; even Miroku was starting to grow worried. Hopefully I'd be able to break this cycle tonight.
"Kagome?" I said her name much softer than I ever had before as I drew closer to the fire. She turned toward me, completely ignoring Shippo. She must've been tuning him out the whole time. I thought of millions of different ways to ask her if she would come listen to what I had to say, but in the end my mind blanked, and I could only say the most simple of phrases. "Can I talk to you in private real quick?"
Kagome slowly rose to her feet, probably still unsure of whether or not to come at all. When she finally rose, I started off towards the woods, heading in the general direction of a meadow I knew of. As I walked, I signaled for her to follow me. I noticed Shippo starting to us, so I shot him a glance that told him we needed to be alone for this. He looked confused and hurt at first, but then it dawned on him what my intentions were. He nodded his approval then bounded over to Kirara and curled up underneath her giant fur.
We walked for what seemed an eternity, but I knew it had been only a few minutes. Every footstep seemed to take more out of me. Every heartbeat made me seem to lose my courage. I kept running the possibilities of what to say over and over again in my head, but I couldn't hang on to anything for more than a few seconds. Well Kagome, I just wanted to tell you that I love you...no, no, to straightforward. Hey Kagome! Nice evening isn't it!...no to peppy, she is already in a bad mood...On and on it went, but I could never grasp anything firmly. Finally we arrived at the meadow. I paused in walking, still unsure of what I wanted to say. She stopped right behind me, and I heard her shift her feet restlessly.
I turned around to face her, and suddenly I was looking into Kikyo's eyes again. The connection of souls these two women shared were so reminiscent, that I often times confused them. Still unsure of how I wanted this to start, I said the next thing to pop into my head.
"Kagome, that necklace looks good on you. It kind of reminds me of Kikyo..." This was all I was able to get out before all the anger Kagome had been storing up inside finally came rushing out, as if a dam had broken and all the waters in the world had just been unleashed upon me.
"Is that really all you see InuYasha?! Kikyo!?"
"No, that wasn't what I was trying to say. Look, I asked you to come out here so that... "
"InuYasha! Please just stop this! I've always been there but I might as well be dirt. I'm never going to be Kikyo, I've accepted that. But I don't think you have!"
"Kagome...no this is going all wrong. I wanted to talk to you because I just wanted to tell you..."
"I said stop! I can't take this..." as Kagome spoke, I could see the hurt that dwelled in her eyes. She had been holding this back for so long, and I had been the cause of it. My blind stupidity kicked in though, and all I could see was someone bent on pissing me off.
"GRR!...Fine then! I just wanted to tell you how I really felt!!"
"No you didn't...You brought me out just to torture me with memories...Your memories..."
"Fine if that's what you truly believe then I don't care anymore!"
"You never cared to begin with!"
"How do you know!? Have you ever tried to understand what I meant? How many times I've saved your life and I didn't have to?"
"You've needed me InuYasha. I'm the shard detector. This necklace wouldn't even have a shard on it if it wasn't for me."
"Screw the damn necklace!"
"Finally something intelligent coming out of your mouth."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know! Just go away!"
"Me go away?! What have I ever done? I've tried Kagome; you just take everything so harshly! How would you feel if you loved to people the same amount?"
"Do you think you are the only one who's lost someone they have loved?"
"I don't know, you never tell me anything!"
"You've never even bothered to ask!"
"Fine, I'll ask now then!"
"It's to late for that InuYasha, just leave me alone, I never want to see you again..." These words stung far worse than anything else she had said tonight. She had never despised me so much that she had said she didn't want to see me ever again. How could things have gotten this bad? "Both my father and my grandmother died from brain tumors...I thought I had grown accustomed to losing people I loved, but you've made me feel it yet again InuYasha, and it still hurts, now more than ever." With these final words she took off running, faster than I had ever seen her run before.
"Kagome! KAGOME!!" Why did I have to be such a fool? Why did I always have to act like I hated her. Now she hated me, and I had no one to blame but myself.