AN: As promised here is the second part of the little epilogue I wrote for the second Inuyasha movie. Thanks again to all those who had taken time to review. Oh, and, WARNING: excessive fluffiness ahead. Only read if you can take it.
Disclaimer: I wouldn't be using the time write FAN fiction if I actually owned Inuyasha, I would be creating more episodes. So go figure.
Edit 8/22/06: Fixed spelling/grammar mistakes. Changed some other stuff.
When The Stars Stop Shining: Part II
"It feels wonderful!" Kagome gushed for the second time that day. "Ne, Sango-chan?" Her sore arms were beginning to feel much better. Sango smiled, glad her friend had shaken off that scary exterior and went back to her own bubbly self again.
"Hai hai, Kagome-chan." She watched as the raven haired girl took full advantage of the opportunity at hand, submerging herself as deep as she possibly could into the warm waters, without actually drowning. Sango followed her example; it certainly wasn't everyday that they come across a hot spring.
A comfortable silence stretched over the two and neither girl felt the need to break it. They left each other in the company of their own thoughts.
Kagome's mind, expectedly, decided to revolve around a particular silver haired hanyou, who, in her book, just earned himself the title of "conceited jerk".
It was true that she was thoroughly pissed off this afternoon. Kagome reassured herself that she didn't overreact because any girl in her position would've done the same.
'I tried everything to save him! I even sacrificed my first kiss! And what did he do!' Yeah, he explicitly proclaimed that he "didn't do it because he wanted to". 'That made me sound like I forced him into it! And-" This was what really caused Kagome her foul mood all afternoon, "- I didn't see him complaining when KIKYO kissed him.' Kagome smiled without mirth as a wave of jealously coursed through her body.
'Guess a living miko doesn't really attract him as much as a dead one.' Immediately, Kagome inwardly smacked herself. Inuyasha's turning her into SUCH a horrible person…
"Something troubling you Kagome-chan?" Sango must've noticed the grimace.
"Oh…er-me? Nothing at all! I'm fine, really!" She gave a weak chuckle.
Sango looked cynical.
'Yup…something's wrong alright.' She waited. She wasn't disappointed when Kagome sighed in resignation.
"Sango-chan…" Kagome began hesitantly, "do you…do you think I may have…overreacted this afternoon?"
"Well…" The brunette ran her hand over the surface of the water, watching the ripples spread. She turned to face Kagome, only to see her slump deeper in the water,
"I did, didn't I? I knew it…" And thus, Kagome began mentally berating herself.
"Kagome-chan." Sango gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think Inuyasha was right to say what he did…I mean, we're both girls, I know how much meaning a-a-a kiss carries," Sango flushed, "and it shouldn't be much different in your time, ne?" Without waiting for an answer, she plunged on. "But I think, it would've been really different if it had been just the two of you alone. It was houshi-sama that messed things up! That perverted jerk…" It was funny how just thinking about him can get a rise out of her… "Anyways, it's just that, don't take what Inuyasha said seriously, people say stupid things when they're embarrassed. He probably didn't mean it at all! And you, Kagome-chan, should know him better than any of us."
Sango concluded her little speech with a smile and an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
And then went back to her previous dark muttering about a perverted monk.
Kagome sat there, a little stunned from Sango's logic. Somewhere at the back of her mind, she'd known all of this…but it was different hearing it actually being said aloud.
Maybe it was the tranquilizing effects of the water, or perhaps it was the soft, white glow of the mysterious moon illuminating the night sky… Whatever it was, it helped Sango's words sink in, and it helped disintegrate the bitterness and anger that clogged Kagome's chest all afternoon.
She found herself looking at the situation from a different angle, with an overwhelming sense of regret and…forgiveness? An inner batter arose…
'I tried everything to save him!'
'Duh, you love him.' Trust the voice in the head to bear the harsh truth.
'I even sacrificed my first kiss!'
'It wasn't particularly a sacrifice…you liked it!' Eek…you can't hide
anything from that voice…
'So? He said all those things!'
'He was embarrassed stupid.' Well, your inner voice calling you stupid isn't good…
'He liked Kikyo's kiss better than mine!'
'How do you know?'
'I don't know-I just know that he knows that-argh! You're confus-'
A scream suddenly erupted in the middle of the forest, disturbing the night silence. The noise startled a flock of birds which responded to their first instinct and took flight.
Kagome snapped out of her inner argument.
"That sounded like Shippo!…Sango-chan?" The demon hunter had already gotten out of the water and grabbed one of the huge cloths Kagome called towels and was drying herself off. Kagome followed suit hurriedly, panic urging her to move faster.
"Kagome-chan, stay here and get dressed. I'll go see what that noise was, I'll be right back." She didn't wait for an answer.
When Kagome finished wrapping herself in her towel, Sango had already disappeared. Kagome gulped, she didn't like being alone at night…
'Inuyasha…'
As if on cue, a blur of red and silver shot out of the trees.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha landed neatly beside the frightened girl.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried in relief. The faint lines of his triangular ears told her it was him. "Did you hear that? Where's Shippo-chan?"
Inuyasha blinked.
"You're not mad at me anymore?" Luckily, Kagome was saved the torture of having to answer.
"KAGOMEEEEEEEEEE!INUYASHAAAAAAAAA! TASUKETE!" The noise came from a little dark figure running towards them, away from the clump of trees. Seconds later, from what Kagome could see, a long, giant something had followed.
"Damn snake…" Inuyasha drew his tetsusaiga out of its sheath and leapt towards the slithering, hissing demon. The huge reptilian demon opened its insanely huge mouth, showing off its long pointy fangs, and plummeted its head towards the panicking Kitsune. With a frightened yelp, Shippo transformed into the blubbery pink ball Kagome frequently rides on and bounced out of harm's way, just as Inuyasha sliced the deadly snake with one clean cut on its belly.
The scaly demon hissed in agony and with one final throw of its head, fell dead onto the grassy ground beneath.
Kagome stood there unmoving, still wrapped in her towel and shivering slightly. She saw the familiar pink ball hurl itself at her and with a "poof!", Shippo transformed back and clung desperately around Kagome's middle.
"Shippo-chan, daijabou? What happened?"
"Oi, brat. Did you get lured in by that snake bastard?" Inuyasha had regarded the Kitsune with an annoyed look.
"It wasn't my fault! I saw something like a firefly…it looked pretty…I stared at it and…and the next thing I know-"
"You were in the snake's lair, and had almost became its dinner. Smart, brat."
"Cut it out! You're making things worse-"
"I'm telling the truth-"
"Kagome! Inuyasha!" The slayer and the monk emerged from the forest, looked at their friends glaring daggers at each other, then at the dead demon on the ground, and finally at Shippo who released Kagome and hopped onto Sango's shoulder instead, to feel a bit safer. Reluctantly, Inuyasha broke the eye contact.
"You missed all the action. The thing's dead."
"Oh? How did it - OW! I mean, Shippo can tell us…we'll leave you two alone to, ah, sort things out."
"Yes…we'll be back at the camp fire. C'mon Miroku." Sango gave the monk a meaningful look. With one final wink, Miroku followed Sango who was already disappearing into the trees.
Silence followed as the remaining two stared at each other. To Inuyasha, there was something incredibly cute about Kagome wrapped in a towel. His eyes travelled down from her face to her neck…shoulders…arms…
And then he stiffened. This did not go unnoticed by Kagome who would've yelled at him if he hadn't suddenly grabbed her left arm. Kagome gasped.
"What-!"
"How did you get these puncture marks on your arms?" Inuyasha's voice took on a protective and deadly serious tone. Kagome averted his gaze and gently tugged her arm away from the hanyou's strong hold.
"I-I fell," Kagome stuttered. "By accident," she added lamely. Inuyasha said nothing, but continued to examine her injuries, which Kagome was trying to hide.
'Four punctures on each arm…' Realization dawned. He inhaled sharply, then cursed.
"Shit! I did that, didn't I Kagome?" Without waiting for a response, he began to curse himself and regarded his claws with anger.
"Inuyasha?" He turned around slowly, but couldn't bring himself to look at her. "It wasn't your fault…your mind was being controlled--"
"But I still hurt you--"
"It was a small price to pay." Inuyasha slowly brought up his gaze to Kagome's face. She smiled a little. "I'm just glad that you're standing in front of me as you, Inuyasha, hanyou and all. And as if your claws really hurt me." She gave him an encouraging smile and reached up with both hands and tweaked his adorable ears. Unbeknownst to Kagome, Inuyasha turned beet red. Then, to Kagome's horror, the tightly tucked towel around her gave in and loosened; it fell onto the grass with a soft "thump".
Kagome yelped, recoiling her hands from the furry ears to cover herself. Inuyasha stood there in shock until Kagome screamed at him.
"What are you looking at? Turn around!" Inuyasha didn't need to be told twice as he abruptly turned around and put some distance between himself and Kagome. His ears twitched as he heard some soft rustling then sighed in relief when he heard Kagome say, "All done!" He noticed her voice had lost its previous dangerous edge.
Inuyasha turned back to face her and saw Kagome dressed in her usual green school uniform. The long sleeves of her shirt covered her injuries but guilt washed over him when he saw there were spots of red on her upper sleeves. How could he have not noticed sooner?
'Kagome's kiss…" Of course, their previous…lip contact had left his mind no space to think about anything else…
With a pained expression, Inuyasha realized he owed Kagome an apology.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome was concerned at his silence and walked closer to where he was standing. She heard him sigh heavily.
Inuyasha had never done that before.
She peered at his face closely, curious.
His heart thumped wildly when he saw how close she was now. The moonlight illuminated her pale skin and delicate features, making her appear almost ethereal. He gazed into her warm chocolate orbs and became overwhelmed with the desire to touch her.
And so he did.
His arms slowly lifted and shyly encircled her waist. Kagome gasped as he pulled her closer and buried his nose in her hair.
She relaxed into this gentle gesture and blushed slightly. After all, who was she to complain?
"I'm sorry." His voice was strained and he said it so quietly that Kagome would've missed it if she hadn't been standing so close.
When she heard the regret and sadness in his voice, all former negative thoughts vanished. She forgave him instantly.
"It's ok," she mumbled into his shoulder. He wasn't surprised when Kagome accepted his apology, because he knew she had a heart of gold. But, the thing is, he can't forgive himself…
Kagome must've sensed his remorse.
"Inuyasha," she said softly, but sternly, "Stop beating yourself over an act you didn't purposely do. I think a couple of scratches in exchange for your mind is a pretty good bargain!" Kagome smiled, trying to brighten up his mood; she'd rather have a rude Inuyasha than a sullen Inuyasha.
"But it wasn't just a couple of scratches. And dammit Kagome, what were you thinking when you hurled yourself at me when I was so--so dangerous! You should've just left me alone--" Kagome felt her anger flare.
"What, and let you get manipulated by Kaguya? I would never leave you alone and just give up on you!" Silence took over again, starting yet another war of amber against dark brown. It was Kagome's turn to break contact as she titled her head back, gazing upwards.
The stars.
They were bright and twinkling. The moon hung amidst the natural lights, smiling down at the arguing couple. Inuyasha followed her lead and lifted his head to survey the sky.
"Until the stars stop shining…" Kagome whispered softly, her gaze returning to Inuyasha's neck.
"Yeah?"
"As long as there is still one star that shines…I'll never give up on you." Inuyasha saw the conviction and determination in her chocolate orbs and his heart warmed. "And just to let you know, that might as well be forever because there's no chance all the stars would turn off so suddenly in -"
Something that Miroku said about kissing Kagome briefly flashed through his mind before Inuyasha bent down and started closing the distance between their lips.
"- such…a…short…mmm…"
For the second time that day, Inuyasha felt the smooth, soft lips of Kagome pressed against his own. The way he had felt when Kikyo kissed him couldn't even compare to what he was feeling now--it was night and day. He was reluctant to pull away.
"Kagome?"
"Hmmm…?" She responded drowsily, knees still a bit weak.
"Are you still mad? Because I didn't really mean it--" Kagome shook her head, giving him a wide smile. Then arrogant mode took over.
"Keh! It was your fault anyway. You shouldn't have let Miroku see--"
"Inuyasha…" Kagome began in a dangerous tone. The said hanyou fell silent at once and before she could utter the dreaded word, he picked her up bridal style and began to leap towards the forest. Kagome shrieked in surprise.
"Um… c'mon wench, let's head back to camp…I bet Sango and Miroku are worried," Inuyasha said as he sped up. Kagome's free hand that was not wrapped around Inuyasha's neck curled in a fist.
"What did I say about calling me a wen-"
"Look! They're they are!" Inuyasha interrupted loudly as they shot out of the trees and neared the fire. Kagome looked. And saw Sango and Miroku both abruptly stand up. Sango was flushed a deep red and even Miroku looked a little embarrassed. Inuyasha set Kagome down and exchanged meaningful looks. Kagome tried to stifle a giggle.
"Hope we didn't interrupt anything?"
----------------------------------------------------
AN: That's it folks. It ended a bit fluffier than I was actually intending…o well. I kept on wondering why Inuyasha didn't smell or notice blood since it was on her shirt, so I included it in this fic. Anyways, I will be working on another idea of mine, which will become my first multi-chapter work. So keep an eye out for that! As always…
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