Different sides of the track
Chapter 16: I spy a pain in the butt
InuYasha couldn't believe it. His boss, Naraku, finally did something he appreciated. Kikyo was back. His Kikyo was finally back! Nothing could compare to this. And yet, in the back of his mind, there seemed to be something reversing everything in his head. When he should be jumping for joy, the little feeling made him feel completely in the wrong. All of Kikyo's advances, all of the touches and comments, all seemed to fall on deaf ears. That little feeling wouldn't go away, and it was causing his new found happiness to disappear rapidly.
Glancing at Kikyo again, he took in her features. Nothing about her had changed since the heart crumbling day he and the very few friends she had had lain her in the ground. True she had lost most of the deathly paleness, but Kikyo had always been a naturally pale woman. Her eyes sparkled with life, but it seemed to be directed at something other then him. Her scent still took over his entire being. Spices filled his delicate senses, something he had sorely missed. But something about her scent had changed.
Before, Kikyo seemed to have a unique scent. One no one ever could repeat. No perfume or cologne could replace it. But now it seemed almost artificial, like she was wearing a strong fragrance. And the scent was lacking in the floral attribute he had grown accustomed to. Then it clicked.
Kagome.
He blinked as if coming out of a stupor. Looking around him he realized that if someone were to see him, they could get the wrong impression. And if Kagome or any of his close friends happened across him, there would be hell to pay.
"Kikyo, I need to tell me something."
She visibly stiffened. Her gaze turned cold as she awaited InuYasha's revelation.
"Y-you've been gone for so long. And I know that I loved you when you were alive, and I continued to love you for a while after that, but I've fallen for someone. Some one who is not you."
Kikyo had expected something like this. Making her eyes water was not a hard thing to do. She was considered one of the best actresses in Naraku's employment, and she intended to live up to that reputation.
"InuYasha. I know that you had to suffer without me. B-but now that I'm back, can't we start where we left off?"
She turned her watering eyes to him again. Silent tears were falling down her cheeks. InuYasha could never stand to see a woman cry. It was always his weakness.
"D-don't cry Kikyo. What can I do?"
"Just be with me InuYasha. Even in death I longed for your touch. You always were on my mind, and my body always ached for you. Please, just be with me"
Sorrow and pain returned to InuYasha's eyes. He stood and embraced the crying woman before him.
"I never stopped thinking about you Kikyo. You were always on my mind."
The two embraced for what seemed like an eternity. Kikyo was the one to pull back.
"I-if there's someone else, then this isn't right InuYasha. You're too prideful to have a mistress and I wont forsake my reputation. What are we supposed to do?"
"I don't know Kikyo. I honestly and truthfully don't know. But until we figure something out, all I can say is, let's be friends."
"I don't know if I can handle only being a friend to you InuYasha. But I can try."
She gave him one last smile and a peck on the cheek before leaving. InuYasha sighed and slumped down into the chair. For some reason he was starting to develop a very big head ache.
Miroku groaned and rolled over. The late afternoon sun was beaming down on Sango and himself as they watched InuYasha and Kikyo from the rooftop across the street. Obviously something inside InuYasha had woken up, and now all that was left to deal with was a major pain in the ass.
Sango followed Miroku's lead and rolled over, placing her head on his chest. She was seething with anger. Over the last month and the few weeks they had spent enjoying themselves, Kagome and herself had become very close friends. InuYasha was not living up to how a boyfriend of a girl as sweet and caring as Kagome should be. InuYasha was lucky to get a girl like her, and what does he do? He goes and cheats on her! No way was she going to stand for this. No way!
"Sango, you can't tell Kagome."
"What!"
"Just hear me out ok? InuYasha is trying really hard to figure this out. If Kagome learns about it, it will just make things harder for him. Her anger may force him into choosing the wrong girl. Promise me that you won't tell her."
Sango chose to stay silent. Although she recognized the truth of Miroku's words, the urge to go pound InuYasha was still fresh in her mind. She just gave a curt nod then stood up.
"Sango."
"Fine Houshi."
Miroku packed up the rest of the equipment and flowed her down the roof stairs. They stayed in silence till they reached the car, then Miroku voiced his dilemma.
"If we tell Kagome, then she'll round on InuYasha. If we tell InuYasha we know, then he'll be worried that we would tell Kagome-"
"Which we should."
"-but we wont. If we keep it to ourselves, then we risk InuYasha fighting this whole problem on his own, which would lead to him not being able to concentrate on the challenge against Naraku."
"If InuYasha hasn't figured out what to do by the time we really have to train hard, then we will help him. Hopefully, he will have figured it out by then."
"Sango, I love you. You know how to solve everything."
Sango blushed. Even if they had been going out for over 2 years, it was still a little embarrassing the way Miroku talked. He always complimented her.
"I love you too Houshi."
"Shippo please take a bath. You're covered in mud! What did you and Ayame do today?"
"Ayame took me to the park! It was fun but I slipped and fell in the mud."
"I guessed that much Shippo. Please just get in the bath?"
Shippo frowned. As much as he loved his mom, a inner battle over weather or not to get in the bath was taking place.
Every little kid dreaded baths. Human or Youkai alike. Baths were wet, but not in the fun way. You had to put smelly stuff in your hair, scrub your skin with soap, and it stung when it got in your eyes.
But baths could be fun, if Kagome decided to make a game out of it again. He especially liked it when she played pirates with his little toy boats.
"Fine, I'll take the bath. But you have to play pirates, k?"
"Arr."
"Your so funny Kagome!"
"Thank ye."
She smiled a crooked smile and scooped Shippo up into her arms.
"Now where be me first mate?"
"Right here Cap'n!"
"Time to board the ship mate! All hands on deck!"
Walking into the bathroom, Kagome started the bath and got Shippo ready.
"Are ye ready then first mate Shippo?"
"Aye aye Cap'n!"
"Then let us board the S.S. blood bath!"
"Right away sir!"
Kagome raised an eyebrow.
"Heh, I mean m'am!"
"I thought so."
Kagome's senses had become stronger over the period of time she had worked for Naraku. That's why, when InuYasha put his key in the door and walked in to the apartment, she wasn't afraid of who was in the house.
"InuYasha! I'm in here!"
Smirking, InuYasha responded while trying to sneak up on her.
"Is that an invitation?"
"Huh?"
He was at the door of the bathroom now. Opening is, he let out a disappointed sigh.
"Never mind. I just thought you might be taking a bath, not helping Shippo with his."
Kagome blushed but put on a fake frown. Shippo made gagging noises behind her.
"Aren't ya old enough to take your own bath Shippo?"
"Nay. I be needin me Cap'n ta help with dat chore!"
InuYasha raised an eyebrow this time. Shippo just laughed a little and turned away. Smirking, InuYasha leaned down to give Kagome a kiss.
Sensing something was wrong, Kagome looked at him questioningly. When he broke off the kiss, She followed him out of the bathroom, leaving Shippo to dry himself off.
"InuYasha? What's wrong? Did something bad happen with Naraku?"
InuYasha flinched.
"Nothing's wrong. Just been a long day. Naraku's new recruit was less then easy to train."
"You're lying to me. I can see it in your eyes. But if you don't want to talk about it, then I can't make you. I just wish you would open up to me more."
"I open up to you a lot Kagome. You don't realize how lucky you are."
Kagome stared at him. Something about the way he said that made her sound stupid and insignificant.
"Well sorry if I'm so dumb that I don't realize when Mr. Cold Hearted opens up. Then only thing you've ever talked to me about was how much you hated Naraku. I found your past out via Miroku!"
This was not going the way InuYasha had hoped. He was feeling guilty and taking it out on Kagome. But something wouldn't stop him.
"If I had had any choice, you wouldn't have found out at all! No one needs to know about Kikyo!"
"Kikyo is dead. Knowing about her isn't going to affect anything. Why did you even bring her up! I was talking about you! Not you ex girlfriend!"
"She may be my ex but only because she died! I'd go back to her right now if I could!"
That stung, and InuYasha new it. Kagome's eyes welled up with tears, and she ran out the door, grabbing her keys with her.
"Boy, you sure are stupid."
Growling, InuYasha turned to the semi wet kitsune.
"I don't need you to tell me that whelp!"