Third Time's A Charm- Chapter 9
Pale light slipped into the hut out from under the flap that covered the door as Inuyasha woke. He shifted slightly as the fog of sleep cleared from his mind. He was in…Akari's home. Something stuck in his throat and he glanced around searching for her, but the woman wasn't in the hut. Nothing had happened. He was just about sure of that, frowning as he went over the fragments of memory he still retained. Ayako. He growled to himself as he sat up.
"If I ever get my hands on her…" He set a hand to his head as everything spun and there was soft growling from his stomach.
Inuyasha growled in irritation over the weakness. All the things that happened last night. He couldn't stay there any longer. There was nothing keeping him…why did he stay anyway. Annoyingly, Akari's face popped up in his thoughts. He didn't allow himself to linger but drover it away. It wasn't his fault if she waited to long to collect her side of the deal. He blushed in embarrassment at the thought, which only heightened his annoyance.
"I'm getting out of here." Brushing back the flap of the hut carefully before peering out. The sun had just begun to rise, casting a misty light over the village. The wet smell of dew coated the air and everything was silent and still. "Okay. They're all still sleeping." Slipping out of the hut and around it, into the forest beyond.
Lack of food made him feel weak and dizzy but ignored it, fighting through the haze as he battled the pangs of guilt her felt. He was leaving without a word. What if Akari worried? But then, what did it matter to him if she did? It would serve her right for making such a stupid deal in the first place. He paused in his stumble through the thick underbrush of the forest and braced a hand against the bark of a tree, glancing back at the cluster of huts he could see through the tangle of tree trunks. For a moment he grappled with the idea of going back. His indecision however was cut short when the sound of whistling, like air being cut lit up the forest and an arrow buried it's head in the trunk of the tree he was leaning against.
Inuyasha snatched himself away and jumped back, snarling as he scanned the green shadows around him. There was the rustling of fabric and crunching plants then silence. All at once a second shaft shot through the air and Inuyasha moved in time to avoid having his leg impaled by the arrow. Was someone shooting at him?
His ears twitched, his first instinct to yell at whoever it was but if they really were hunting him, making noise would be the worst decision. He glanced around searching for some hint of the hunter's location but everything was silent now and the only smell he could catch was that thick scent of the forest around him. He stayed as silent as his hunter did but when nothing stirred he moved. His motion was met by 3 more arrows striking the ground where he'd been standing. The sound of running feet in the same direction he was. Inuyasha growled and flexed a clawed hand. That was it. He wasn't going to play nice with whoever it was anymore.
A sound of a step to his right, Inuyasha lunged in that direction raking claws down, slicing a bush to bits. Nothing moved and Inuyasha jerked around then dived in time to avoid the arrow that whizzed past his ear. Soft shifting of light became the only movement once again as still silence descended and Inuyasha pushed to his feet, irritation mounting steadily. Still and poised, fingers curled in, ivory nails flashing in the shards of morning sunlight that filtered through the emerald canopy overhead, lacing the leaves with pale gold.
"Where are you." He murmured, spinning in a small circle.
Something struck his back then as he turned and Inuyasha went tumbling down, landing on his stomach with a grunt and felt legs straddling him, the tip of something sharp, an arrow, pressed against his neck. Shock held him motionless for a moment and then he struggled, snarling.
"Get the hell off me!"
His words were followed by a sharp feminine gasp and Inuyasha stilled again. He knew that voice. He recognized, now that he was close enough, the scent though it was blended with mint and dirt, forest scents to mask her own.
"Inuyasha." Akari's tone was surprise and fear. "Inuyasha! I…almost…it was…"
Inuyasha tried to speak but the dizziness he'd forced down bubbled back up as danger receded and he laid his head against the cool earth as it started to pound painfully. Akari must have noticed because somehow he could sense her lips slip into a frown.
"Inuyasha! What are you doing out here!"
"I was taking a walk. At least until someone decided to shoot at me!"
"A walk!?" Anger flared in her tone and Inuyasha cringed. "A walk!? In your condition! After you haven't eaten in three days! AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL ANYONE!" Her last words yelled which only caused the pain in his head to amplify. "I almost killed….you almost got…."
As words seem to fail her Inuyasha felt Akari reach out and grip hair. He yelped as she lifted his head and slammed it into the ground, one, twice, three times seeming as if she decided to stop only when she noticed his eyes start to roll back up into his head. She rolled of him then turned hug his head against her gently.
"I almost killed you!"
Inuyasha growled as the stars receded from his vision. "Almost killed me!? If you were so worried stop banging my damn head into the ground."
"That was your own fault for upsetting me."
He glowered. "You're insane, you know that!" And then as if suddenly realizing the position they were in, his head nestle against her stomach he jerked away, up into a sitting position and turned his back to her.
He felt the sting of her gaze on him for a long while before she spoke again. "You were running away weren't you? You were trying to leave the village." His guilt conscience wouldn't allow him to lie and so he said nothing at all, simply remained turned away from her. She read his silence, however, as well as if he'd spoken. "I see."
There was the sound of shuffling against the forest floor and then more pain blossomed in the back of Inuyasha's head. He spun around, lifting his hand to the bruised spot and glared at her. "You threw a rock at me!"
Akari bounced the other 3 marble sized stones in her hand innocently and offered him a sweet smile. "No I didn't. Come on." She added before Inuyasha could strike up another argument and lifted her bow again. "Lets get back. You still have to eat something before you collapse."
"That's it?" he asked suspiciously.
"Hmm?"
"I tried to leave." He said in annoyance, knowing she knew exactly what he was talking about. She flashed him that mysterious smile he hated.
"You're not going anywhere, Inuyasha. Here." Wrapping her arms around his waist and forcing him to lean against him. "I know you're dizzy. And don't glare at me like that, close your mouth and keep quiet. I'm sorry for hurting you."
He looked away in indignation and didn't answer but allowed her to help him back towards the village. He could consent to that much at least as long as no one else saw it. She'd seen him in his weaknesses enough all right and there was little face to save. She'd stripped it all away. As the thought struck him he realized that had, from the beginning, been her intent and he shot her a look as if trying to connect something but couldn't clear the fog from the last hazy detail. She spoke.
"I wish you wouldn't Inuyasha." She said softly, lowering her eyelashes a moment before the look disappeared. "I wish you wouldn't dislike me so. It's hard…hurts to care for someone when they hate you."
He couldn't ignore her tragic tone despite the effort and so he surrendered lightly. "I don't hate you okay, so shut up."
She flicked her gaze up at him, her eyes roaming the side of his face and then she smiled. "I'm glad. Your hating me would have made tonight very awkward." And she rested her head against his shoulder.
And because Inuyasha could find no strong argument against the action he allowed her to.