Broken Glass
Chapter Fifteen
The morning dawned cold and bitter. Despite the fact it was a Friday and the last day of school for the next week, Kagome felt sluggish and slow. She slunk out of bed and was oddly unfazed to see Inuyasha in her kitchen making her breakfast. She sighed sleepily and worked on both of their lunches before swallowing the eggs he presented her and allowing him to usher her out the door.
Inuyasha, for his part, seemed extremely happy- a little too extreme in Kagome's opinion. She glanced at him as they walked. He tried to walk lightly, in an almost skip, but his feet seemed too heavy for him. He tried to smile, to brighten the world, but his smile seemed forced. He tried to talk happily to her, but his words seemed clipped. All and all, Kagome felt that Inuyasha's demeanor was forced today.
They crossed the familiar crosswalk and Inuyasha didn't bother to step on the strips painting the ground. He walked briskly, his hand clamped around her wrist. When they reached the other side, his hand's presence was gone, leaving Kagome to long for his touch again.
She wanted to know what was wrong, she wanted to try and help Inuyasha, she wanted to discover what it was that was making him act like he was walking towards his deathbed. But she couldn't. Her throat constricted and her words died there. So she was forced to silently worry about him on their way to school.
As they approached school and walked into the crowded courtyard, Inuyasha's hand came out and grasped hers tightly and pulled her along. She allowed him to, muttering quick apologies when her shoulder bumped into a passing student.
"Sorry," she murmured out as she hit a person particularly hard accidentally.
She recognized it as Hiten and he seemed almost happy to see her. He put on his best sneer and kept going. "Watch where you're going, ugly."
Kagome felt herself stiffen at the all-too-familiar nickname, and she bit her lip to suppress the small gasp that had ebbed its way into her throat. Inuyasha didn't seem to notice the exchange between Hiten and Kagome because he continued moving, dodging people when they got in his way. Kagome glanced back over her shoulder to see Hiten smirking at her before turning around and walking away.
What had that been about?
Kagome gave a light wave to Inuyasha from the other side of the hallway. Her third period class had just let out and she was currently standing outside of her creative writing class, watching as Inuyasha tried to force his way from the crowd. Apparently his science class had let out late today, since usually he was right there waiting for her when she came outside.
She stood patiently, leaning against the wall so as not to be in the way of the frantic lunch-goers when a tall, lanky body crushed against her shoulder. She hissed in pain and grasped her arm in confusion. She blinked blue eyes and looked up at the tall figure.
He sneered at her, his lips drawing back in disgust. She recognized him as one of Naraku's many friends. She couldn't place his name, however. Entei? Was that his name? She couldn't remember. Despite that, the pale boy flared his nostrils much like a horse would and he batted red hair from his angry eyes.
"Watch it, ugly," he snapped out before continuing on his way. Kagome froze again. It had been happening throughout the day. All of Naraku's friends would appear and call her 'ugly.' Hiten in the morning, Kagemaru after math, and Entei just now. In addition to that she'd heard the word called over the crowds as she turned the corner. She wasn't exactly sure the comments were directed at her in that instance, but she had a good guess that it was. What was going on? Why the sudden fascination with her old nickname?
She felt a quiver run through her and her body tensed as Entei turned the corner, sending her another one of his angry-horse glares. She gulped a lump in her throat and jumped in surprise when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She turned around wildly, her eyes wide in fear and shock. The darkness that had been shrouding her thoughts cleared instantly as she recognized Inuyasha as the one holding her shoulder protectively, his passionate golden eyes staring down at her in a mixture of concern and confusion.
"You okay? I saw that guy bump into you," he said gently, his eyes soft. Her own eyes saddened at the mention. Was he oblivious to what was going on? He was once friends with them. Could it be possible he was aware of the emotional torture Naraku's cronies were putting her through?
She forced a weak, pathetic smile, a withered shadow of her usual one. The pathetic state of the gesture didn't even manage to convince Kagome herself. "I'm fine," she attempted to say weakly, her voice coming out no more than a whisper that was barely perceptible over the loud noise of high school students scurrying away to lunch or their next class.
He gave her a scrutinizing look, the golden depths staring into her blue eyes as if searching for some trace or hint to what was bothering her. His lips were drawn into a taut line and his golden eyes continued to stare at her. Kagome grew uneasy under his intense gaze and turned her head away, staring off to the side as the last group of students disappeared from the hallway. They stood alone, Inuyasha's hands gripping her biceps firmly and staring down at her like a hawk.
"Don't look at me," she managed to utter weakly, almost as weak as she felt just then. She quivered and her knees shook, the knobby kneecaps knocking together relentlessly. She felt a chill rush down her and, had Inuyasha not been holding her, she would have collapsed. Emotions piled on her like hundred pound weights.
His eyes softened and he released his hold on her. Gentle fingers touched her cheeks in a feather light touch and Kagome felt her heart race and a gasp rip itself into her throat. She tentatively stared up at him before quickly bowing her head. His fingers touched her chin and forced her upwards. For one heart-stopping second, she had the ridiculous notion that he was going to press his lips against hers, but instead he gave her the lightest of smiles. A simple curving of the lips and a softening of the eyes. For someone passing by, they would not have noticed any change of emotion in the boy's face, but Kagome saw it loud and clear as if his beautiful face were flaunted with a giant neon sign.
His shadow of a touch soon disappeared from Kagome, leaving only the memory and a wave of pinpricks of nerves running up and down her spine. Goosebumps rose on her arms and she suddenly felt extremely cold.
He continued to look down at her sympathetically, his eyes masking a deeper emotion. "Are you sure you're okay?" he questioned at last, breaking the tense silence that had grown between them.
Kagome mutely nodded her head, wishing he would just drop the subject and let it be.
They walked to their lunch period slowly and found their usual position on a wall. Producing their box lunches, Inuyasha began eating immediately once he was sure that Kagome hadn't forgotten hers again. He was pleased to see the promised cookies inside like she said they'd be yesterday. He grasped one and started eating it at once.
Kagome watched him before slowly starting to eat as well. He paused and glanced at her. "I think I'm going to buy a soda," he said quietly, as if afraid to raise his voice any higher. Kagome nodded her head. "Do you want anything while I'm in the cafeteria?"
Kagome thought about it and bit her lip. "A bag of chips…?" She reached for her backpack where her wallet was inside. He stopped her with a hand upon hers.
"I'll get a bag of chips." He stood and gave her another forced smile before he darted away. Kagome sat stupidly on the ground.
With Inuyasha she'd felt strangely immune to the looks passing students gave her. But, now she was all alone and she looked remarkably pathetic sitting there in the hallway instead of sitting in the cafeteria being surrounded by friends. Blue eyes stared tensely at the ground, and she drew her knees to her chest. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Everything's fine," she reassured herself quietly, her eyes sad.
Footsteps approaching caused Kagome to jump and climb to her feet. Half expecting Inuyasha again, but knowing that too little time had passed, she was only a little surprised to see Naraku turn the corner.
He spotted her and a slow smile worked its way onto his lips. He changed routes and moved towards her. Kagome cowered as his shadow touched her feet and she looked up at him, her eyes wild with fear.
He tilted his head to the side. "Kagome, why are you out here all by yourself?"
"Inuyasha's going to be back soon," she whispered out, not meaning for it to sound like a threat but knowing that was the way that Naraku would take it.
Naraku clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Is he now?" Kagome nodded mutely. "How quaint. He's your little retrieving dog is he?"
Kagome shook her head. "No," she squeaked out.
He ignored her small protest and took a step back. Looking her up and down, he made more clicking sounds that resembled a horse trainer clicking to the horse. Kagome frowned in her growing frustration. She was feeling more and more uncomfortable around the boy before her.
He snorted and lifted his chin up, making him look even taller than he had a moment before. Kagome felt weak again, and she leaned ever so slightly on the wall behind her.
"You know," Naraku drawled out slowly, dark eyes observing her. "It's only a matter of time."
"Until what?" she managed to ask.
"Until Inuyasha gets tired of you." He said it so casually like it meant nothing. The words stabbed at Kagome's heart and surfaced the ever present insecurities that harbored within her. The fact that Naraku had brought it up had caused her fears to pulse within her and she clutched her hands together, pale appendages knotting the material of her skirt.
"Liar," she managed to wheeze out and she felt as if more hundred-pound weights were being added to her already screaming back. She felt heavy and weak. She wanted to collapse into a little ball and cry. She wanted to run home and never look back. She wanted to be in Inuyasha's arms where she knew she was safe.
Naraku chuckled. "Afraid not, ugly."
That name again. The name she was all too familiar with.
With a whish of his hair over his shoulder, Naraku turned and walked away as casually as he'd come, barely leaving a whisper of a memory in the hallway.
Kagome felt tears sting her eyes and she collapsed to the ground, a small heartbreaking sob leaving her lips.
Memories of the past erupted within her, the sickening memories of what she had once experienced. High school was tamer than what she'd experienced in elementary school: the sneering faces of children as they dashed away, their lips curved into delighted smirks, completely unaware of the broken and crying girl who stayed behind- the little girl sitting alone at her lunch table with only the smell of sour milk to keep her company as she cried.
Tears filled and fuzzed Kagome's vision and she felt the presence of two small rivers running down her porcelain cheeks. Another sob left her parted lips and she curled into a ball on the ground, trying to banish the memories and keep the world out.
Middle school. Just those two simple words sent fear through Kagome's heart. One would think that after years of torment, the small black-haired girl would be used to her classmates' torture.
Sad blue eyes stared ahead as she skillfully dodged a well placed pothole in the middle of the crosswalk and walked towards her middle school. Pine Lake Middle School. Just the name of her current school sent shivers up her spine. The school was nice, the teachers were nice and the work load wasn't extreme. But… it was those she had to share the school with.
She gulped down some much needed air when she realized she was not breathing. Blue eyes surveyed the landscape before her- the landscape she'd been taking in for the past two years.
She entered school like a criminal would the green mile. She walked slowly, watching the rows of lockers that decorated either wall of the school. Spotting hers, she moved to it slowly and began twisting the combination. She stepped aside quickly as a bag of mysterious contents flopped out of her locker and onto the carpeted floor of her school. She heard snorts of laughter and some giggles from her peers. She sighed and bent down to pick it up.
A swift kick to her backside caused Kagome to topple over on top of the bag which was revealed to be chocolate pudding. 'Well,' she thought dryly. 'At least it's not dog crap like last week,' she decided sadly. She stood, staring at the brown stain that now littered the front of her white blouse. With a small sigh she stood and collected her books that had spilled from her hands.
"Oh no, did I make ugly mad?"
Turning around, she spotted one of her regular tormenters. The seventh grader sighed and looked at the boy sadly. He sneered at her before darting away to join his circle of cronies.
She turned away from them all and returned to her locker. After checking every nook and cranny of her locker and spotting no other disturbances, she fetched the extra shirt she kept inside her backpack. Once every week, bullies would leave something in her locker. It was becoming predictable. She grasped her shirt and made sure to close her locker before darting into the bathrooms and changing.
Placing her dirty blouse into a plastic bag, she stuffed it into her locker and grasped her school's planner and her own binder before darting into her homeroom class.
Ms. Salmon, a sweet lady in her mid-twenties called attention to the class once the bell had rung. "Hello, class," she greeted, and was met with less enthusiasm.
The period moved right along, and when the teacher called Kagome to speak she could hear the whispered words of, "Shut up, ugly!"
The class moved quickly. Ms. Salmon introduced a new essay everyone would get to write where everyone was allowed to choose their own plausible topic. With a clap of her hands, the bubbly teacher dismissed her students after the two hour block and waved to each student as he or she disappeared through the doorway.
Kagome took her time packing up her things, dreading what would be waiting for her on the other side. Sure, from the second grade up until fifth grade she'd been used to the torture her peers put her through until it had all dimmed to a mundane game of 'let's piss off Kagome,' but she still felt a jab of sadness every time she heard a laugh at her expense.
Sure enough, just as soon as the door was shut behind her, Kagome moved forward and was tripped by a conveniently placed foot.
"Hey, watch where you're going, ugly!" Laughter rippled through the small crowd passing by as Kagome fell forward, her books scattering in front of her.
She looked up in time to see feet kicking her school materials down the hall until her social studies book and binder collided with the wall at the end of the hallway and her planner -with pages of weeks ripped from its spine- clattered into the base of a trashcan.
She sat stupidly on the ground, watching the mayhem unfold before her until a teacher came and ushered the troublemakers away. Kagome slowly stood and moved to retrieve her fallen materials.
As she moved to scoop up her social studies book, she was surprised to see a hand placed down before hers could reach it. A rather masculine hand grasped the spine of her book on Asia and rose with her. Kagome blinked and looked up in confusion.
The boy frowned, his lips curved downwards thoughtfully, and handed the book to her. "Here," he said casually.
Kagome grasped the book to her chest. "Thank you, Naraku," she squeaked out. Naraku. One of her most frequent tormenters during the third, fourth and fifth grade. His partner in crime had been Inuyasha Cohen, but he'd moved away last year. Besides, Inuyasha hadn't always been the type of 'in-your-face' bully; he'd been slyer. He'd sneaked around his victims like a game of cat and mouse. Naraku, however, loved to tease those less fortunate then him.
However, with the mysterious disappearance of one of the most feared bullies, Naraku had somehow loosened up. He no longer strived to make people's lives miserable. Instead, there was more of a tall, dark and mysterious attitude about him.
Naraku nodded his head. "Be more careful. If you give them an opening, you know they'll strike." Words of wisdom from a former bully. Kagome took it to heart.
"Thanks," she repeated and turned away from him before darting down the hallway to her next class.
It seemed that whenever something went wrong with Kagome's life, Naraku would be there to pick up the remains of her shattered heart. When her books were kicked down the hallway, he'd help her retrieve them. When someone took her lunch money, he bought her a bag of chips. When no one was going to pick her for gym, he'd pick her anyway. When everyone pushed and tripped her, he'd be there to help her up. When no one wanted to be her partner, Naraku would volunteer.
It didn't take long for Kagome to get a crush on the boy. Every time he looked at her it felt like a bucket of ice water had been tossed on her. Every time his lips curved into a shadow of a smile, she felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. He began walking her home once a week once he learned that people liked to throw water balloons at her. He seemed caring enough. Of course, there was something rather mysterious and dark about him -that couldn't be denied- but Kagome felt attracted to him.
She smiled at the boy as they moved down the hall. He walked her to class in the morning, but they didn't share any classes except for science during fifth period. He paused at the door of her block class and turned to her.
"Bye," she said lightly. Naraku nodded and walked away.
Kagome sighed and tucked some hair behind her ear before turning and moving into the classroom. She ignored the regular greeting of 'Hi, ugly!' and went about her day.
"Here," Kagome said quietly as she placed two pages of notes into Naraku's outstretched hands. She smiled silently but kept her head tilted downward towards her feet, a dreadful habit she'd adapted sometime between fourth and fifth grade. "The notes we had to take while you were gone."
Naraku observed the notes before nodding his head. "Thanks," he said with a smile. "You need me to walk you home?" Kagome quickly shook her head. "Okay. I'll see you on Monday, then?" She nodded her head and turned to leave. "Bye, Kagome."
She waved and darted away. It almost seemed too good to be true. She'd been working up the courage all week to tell Naraku that she liked him and to ask him to the dance coming just around the corner. She knew that he didn't usually pay attention to girls, but the fact that he seemed almost concerned for her warmed her heart. She felt her heart beat and her stomach flop at the mere thought of Naraku telling her he liked her.
She rested her back against the wall once she turned the corner, hugging her binder to her chest and closing her blue eyes. All of the insults, the havoc her classmates reeked on her… none of it mattered because she could look forward to seeing Naraku in fifth period.
Her ears perked when she heard footsteps on the other side of the corner. "Hey, Naraku," she recognized the voice as Musou, Naraku's cousin.
Naraku must have nodded his greeting because he didn't say anything. A third voice joined them however, telling Kagome that she'd heard two pairs of footsteps. "Naraku, what are you doing here? The buses have all gone." Hiten's voice.
"Those notes yours?"
"No. They're Kagome's."
"Higurashi?"
"Do you know any other girl named Kagome, Musou?" Naraku asked mockingly and there was a shuffle of feet that Kagome guessed would be Musou's.
"Well, no, I don't." The boy's voice was meek. In elementary school Kagome had been friends with Musou, until Naraku and his friends got to him and told him about the horrors of associating himself with her. They'd quickly 'helped' him.
"You know Kagome?" Hiten asked. A rather stupid question to ask since the three boys obviously did know who Kagome was. "She likes you, Naraku." Kagome felt her heart stop and her cheeks burn bright pink. How had he known that
"How do you know that?" Naraku asked, speaking her inner thoughts.
"It's not that hard to tell. She's nice to you, she clings to you like some needy little wench, and she lets you borrow her notes and homework. Sounds like something a girlfriend would do. She likes you."
Kagome's red face turned slightly to the side, wondering how Naraku was going to respond next. She'd learn right here and now how Naraku felt for her.
"Who cares?" His words felt like a dagger digging into her gut, and Kagome's eyes widened in shock. Her hands went numb and her binder fell to the ground with a dull thump. Her hands fisted above her stomach and she felt like she was going to collapse. "The stupid girl's so stupid and ugly."
His words crushed her. He could have said anything but those two insults and she would have been better off. She fell to the ground and felt tears pool into her eyes. The knife in her gut twisted and another one stabbed at her heart.
She bit back a sob. "Wow, man, that's kind of harsh," she barely heard Musou's words over the ring in her ears.
Naraku sounded nonchalant. "It's true though."
His words haunted her.
"Kagome?" Her name being shouted over the buzzing ring in her ears and the sobs rippling from her throat made her dimly aware that she was not stuck in one of her nightmares about her middle school years nor was she safe at home in her bed. She was in school, collapsed in the middle of her high school hallway.
She tensed as she felt a hand touch her shoulder. "Kagome?" the voice that whispered her name so tenderly, so softly caused her to lapse out of her mind of despair. Tears still running down porcelain cheeks, now blotchy red from her crying and sobbing, Kagome glanced up and focused on the most beautiful golden eyes -the only golden eyes- she'd ever seen.
She quickly ducked her head and continued crying. It had been riding on her shoulders for so long -those memories, those emotions- and hearing Naraku, the only guy she'd ever considered dating, call her the infamous nickname she'd been dubbed in the third grade had completely broken her heart.
'He was the first guy outside my family I ever truly cared for,' Kagome thought with a dry sob. 'And he crushed it all in my face. I thought he was different. I thought he cared about me. But he didn't. He didn't! After that time…'
Kagome turned her head away. She saw Inuyasha's lips move, but she was so far deep in her ocean of depression that she felt that she would drown in the sorrow that emitted off her in waves. 'After that time, I told myself to never like a guy again. I kept my head down. I became invisible. That way I'd never get hurt. And it worked. But… I was always… so unhappy…'
"Kagome…" Her name was called for the third time? Was it the third time? He could have called her a million times twice and she wouldn't have noticed.
"Don't look at me," she gasped out and stared at the ground, not daring to look up into his eyes. She missed the painful look in his eyes. He reached a hand out for her but stopped short.
"I've always wondered… why do you keep your head down?" he whispered out, a hand touching her jaw in a feather light touch that made Kagome cringe.
"Don't be stupid!" she nearly screeched out, her hands fisting on the ground and her back arching upwards as she rested her forehead against the ground. "I know what I look like!"
Inuyasha looked confused. "Like what?" he questioned her.
She let out a sound that resembled a laugh but sounded more like a choked sob.
"Like this!" Had she the strength she would have cried out in frustration. Instead she sobbed again. "Ugly! I know I am."
Quick as lightening her vision was no longer on the carpeted floors of her high school but instead locked on golden eyes as he almost violently grasped her cheeks and jerked her upwards. She gasped in surprise, her lips parting as she tried to suck in air and sob out air at the same time. She choked for only a second before she found herself paralyzed in fear. There was a glint in his eyes she hadn't noticed before.
He studied her face for a long time and his grip on her cheeks prevented her from jerking away like she normally would have done. Golden eyes swept her face before he finally pulled away but didn't release his hold on her face.
"No," he said slowly. "I don't see it."
Kagome looked mildly confused. "See what?"
"What makes you ugly," he said casually as if it was the most natural thing in the world to say. His eyes softened. "I think you're beautiful."
Her eyes widened in shock and tears spilled from behind her thick lashes. She gulped down a lump in her throat she didn't know was there and struggled to choke out words. He looked at her calmly, as if he hadn't said the most miraculous thing in her life.
She shook her head violently from side to side, only stopping when his grip on her cheeks tightened. "Don't. Stop trying to be nice to me."
"I'm not." He said it so quickly Kagome's heart stopped. "You're beautiful. So, so beautiful."
Her words died in her throat and a new wave of tears swept through her, causing her to keel over and start sobbing again. He released his hold on her face to pull her to his wonderfully masculine chest.
He cradled her against him. "You're beautiful," he said again and kept repeating the phrase like a mantra. He whispered the two simple words to her repeatedly while rocking her like a mother would her child. "Any guy would be lucky to know you," he whispered out reassuringly.
She backed away slowly from him, staring up into his golden eyes. Pale blue eyes, brimming and overflowing with cerulean tears, studied him for a long moment, searching for any smidge of falsehood in his eyes. They sat in silence, her eyes studying him much like he'd done only moments before.
She bit her lip and flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her wet eyes against his masculine shoulder. She sobbed uncontrollably and clenched the fabric of his brown shirt with the familiar logo of 'Anberlin' slashed across the front. His sturdy arms wrapped soundly around her and cradled her close to his body, sharing the warmth he had to offer her.
He shushed her soothingly, his lips curving into the gentlest of smiles. "It's okay now, Kagome." He didn't know what had happened to her, what had caused this sudden outburst, but he had a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach that it had to do with his ex-best friend.
A feeling of dread crept within him, but he didn't have the heart to ask the broken girl why she was crying so hard and why the silly notion of her homeliness -or lack thereof- had been brought into question.
He clenched his eyes shut and held her close to him. This beautiful girl, delicate and fragile like a glass figure in a display window had fallen from the perch she'd struggled so hard to bring herself upon and she'd shattered. He held the broken girl as if he were afraid to release her.
"You're beautiful," he repeated, struggling to comfort the girl in anyway possible. He'd seen her shedding the cocoon she'd built around herself and revealing the glimpse of gorgeous wings of her metamorphosis, but some cruel twist of fate -one he only had a hunch as to what had taken place- had shed darkness upon her life once again.
And by God, he couldn't be selfish anymore. He had to protect her.
"It's going to be okay."
She knew he continued to speak but only focused on that one phrase. Those two words that meant the world to her and had only just now realized that. All her life, the broken Kagome had longed for the reassurance the silver haired boy now offered her. All her life she'd longed for someone to tell her that she was worth while. Kagome needed the reassurance but she had never asked for it. And by some stroke of luck, Kagome met Inuyasha and he gave her what she needed most.
You're beautiful…
The crowd of teenagers bustled towards Rin's house. Inuyasha and Kagome, Sango and Miroku, and Shippou all by his lonesome traveled towards Rin's humble dwelling. The said, bubbly girl threw her hands above her head as she turned a corner. "Salvation is at hand, my friends!"
They spotted her house, a simple one-floored home centered in the middle of a row of houses. Rin led the way and pulled out her set of keys. Opening the doors he ushered her five companions into the house.
"Okay," she bubbled. "What kind of pizza does everyone like?"
After orders were made, Rin darted from the room to find a phone and order the scrumptious infamous 'let's-party' snack while her guests checked out her column of DVDs and video tapes, debating with one another what they needed to watch.
Sango and Miroku were currently in a heated debate over which Star Wars episode was better, Shippou -slightly down due to his failure of his driver's test- searched the rows solemnly, plucking out videos starring Adam Sandler whenever he came across them.
Inuyasha stood behind the crowd, tipping his head to the side as he observed the large collection of movies Rin's family owned. Kagome stood meekly beside him. Sango and Miroku were blocking the way and, without being basically a foot away from the DVDs, she was unable to read the movie titles.
Inuyasha realized this and began listing titles that interested him, listening when Kagome made a small hum of agreement or cringed at the mere mention of the name.
When Rin returned, there was a pile of five movies because no one could decide what to watch. Rin laughed. "I guess we're all going to be here for a while!" she chirped happily. The others eagerly agreed.
The group of friends flopped down onto Rin's couches, chairs and the floor. Kagome opted to sit in the giant chair Rin had that was the closest to the big screen television. Miroku took the loveseat and Sango pointedly sat on the couch when he beckoned her. Rin and Shippou joined Sango on either side. Inuyasha sat on the floor after realizing his only possible seating arrangement would be with Miroku.
They watched Fifty First Dates by Sango's suggestion and Shippou's hearty agreement once he learned his favorite actor was in it. When it was over they paused to watch The Simpson's at Inuyasha's request.
Halfway through Fifty First Dates the doorbell rang and Rin disappeared for a little while. When she returned she was holding three boxes of pizzas in her arms. She placed them on the coffee table before her and the group of teenagers dug in.
After The Simpson's, they watched Spiderman 2 and the Scream trilogy, just because they could. Kagome moved from her solitary position on the chair to the couch where she felt more secure. Sango found herself on the loveseat with Miroku after all.
Inuyasha stared blankly at the television once the first one was over. "Huh." Was all he said. "The Ring was better." The occupants in the room who had seen The Ring shivered in remembrance.
Kagome, being unable to stand the last two Scream movies, decided to leave early. Inuyasha, of course, escorted her. Currently, they passed the familiar Pine Lake Park on their way to Kagome's house, half a mile away.
Inuyasha hummed quietly to himself and glanced at the tense girl beside her.
"Everything okay?" he questioned the girl beside him.
Kagome shook her head silently.
"Want to talk about it?"
"It's really stupid," she admitted. Inuyasha was unable to see her blush in the dark but knew that it was there.
"That's okay," Inuyasha reassured her and placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her away from a bump in the sidewalk.
"Well… I'm just scared," she murmured out sheepishly. She gulped. "Walking in the dark after watching those scary movies… It's creepy."
Inuyasha laughed and Kagome flushed with shame, thinking he was laughing at her expense. "Don't worry, Kagome," he told her with a gentle smile. "I'm here to protect you. You're safe now."
You're beautiful.
Kagome's face flamed red in remembrance. Inuyasha had been so kind and tender then. Well, he still was, but that was the first time someone outside the family had told her she was beautiful. It was touching.
Their trek towards her home continued on in silence. Once they reached her apartment complex, Inuyasha turned to her. "I need to tell you something," he said gravely, his golden eyes flashing in the moonlight. The round sphere in the sky was almost full and it reflected in his eyes.
Kagome felt her throat constrict and she meekly nodded her head.
He sat down abruptly on the steps leading up towards the upper levels of the apartments. He let out a sigh and cradled his head in the palm of his hand. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, debating with himself on what to tell the girl.
Kagome hesitantly stepped forward and sat beside him. Inuyasha ran a hand through the wisps of silver hair peeking out from his beanie. "Kagome…" he began but stopped, a slightly pointed canine poking at his bottom lip.
Kagome wasn't sure what he was going to tell her, but knew that it was important.
"I can't…" His eyebrows slanted downward. "Today… you were crying…?"
Kagome blushed at the memory. "I was just…"
"Naraku had something to do with it, didn't he?" he said and didn't meet her gaze. He stared ahead of him, his mind swimming with the earlier meeting he'd had with Naraku in the library. The boy's cruel message haunted him and he knew that what he was about to do was right… But that didn't mean that he wanted to do it.
"Yes…" she trailed off, her eyes wide with fear.
"It's my fault," Inuyasha said painfully. Kagome was about to protest but Inuyasha cut her off with a violent shake of his head. "I can't do this anymore. I can't help you anymore."
"What?" Kagome squeaked out, eyes wide.
Inuyasha bit his lip and the expression on his face clearly stated that he did not wish to do what he had to do. The boy slowly stood to his feet and looked down at her.
His eyes were painful. "Sango and Rin can take care of you. You don't need me anymore."
"Inuyasha…" Kagome's protest died in her throat as Inuyasha shut his eyes and turned his head away from her.
"I'm sorry for being such a pest to you," he murmured. He looked back at her and knelt before her. His eyes searched and locked on hers and Kagome felt petrified. Those gorgeous, angelic eyes stared at her. The golden depths swirled with emotions and secrets she didn't even know a shadow of.
He recoiled just a bit. A shadow of a smile graced his lips. "I'll miss you. But I need to do this."
Kagome's words died in her throat. She cursed he weakness. She needed to tell him that it wasn't his fault. That she wanted him around. That she was going to miss him to. That he wasn't a pest. That she wanted him to stay with her. Her eyes widened and she felt the familiar pinpricks of tears at the back of her eyes.
He leaned forward and touched his lips to her cheek very slowly, as if afraid she'd push him away. Kagome sat still and tried to will her body to turn her head so she could press her lips against his. Her body didn't respond. She was petrified.
Inuyasha pulled away and stood to his full height. He stared down at the hunched over girl on the steps, her wide blue eyes staring up at him-the sky blue eyes clearly showing all the pain within the depths.
He bit his lip again and he sighed. "Goodbye, Kagome."
With that he turned and began walking away. "Inuyasha!" he heard his name but didn't respond. Instead he started running, his fists clenching and his eyes narrowing in anger. He'd make Naraku pay for hurting Kagome the way he did. He wanted to stay with her but he couldn't be selfish. He had to protect her and make sure that she was okay.
Whatever it was that Naraku wanted with him, he would relent if it meant that Kagome would be okay. If it meant that Kagome would be safe he was willing to make that sacrifice. 'It's the least I can do… for her. She can't know about me. She can't. She shouldn't have to face the hell that I have. She should live a Naraku-free life. This is the least I can do for her to make sure she's safe.'
He grinded his teeth together and slowed down once he approached a random street corner. He had no idea where he was. He rested his head against a telephone pole and sighed. "I'm sorry, Kagome."
He turned around, half hoping that maybe by some stroke of luck Kagome was following after him. But he was completely alone.
'Get used to it, Inuyasha. You're going to be alone for a long, long time…' he thought with a flinch as he recalled the look on Kagome's heartbroken face. 'She's probably crying by now…'
And she was. Hunched over on the bottom of her apartment complex's staircase, a broken girl pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed for all she was worth. For the second time in her life, the boy she'd put her trust in had broken her heart.
The torn, broken girl silently stood once her tears were drained from her eyes. Staring out into the darkness she prayed that he'd come back. But he didn't. She was completely alone.
Silently, she turned around and made her way to her apartment, never once looking back.
Author's notes: Yeah, i know. I'm horrible.
Fanart:
By me; Inuyasha:
www(.)deviantart(.)com(/)deviation(/)16312564
By lil'inu-yasha;Inuyasha and Kagome:
www(.)deviantart(.)com(/)deviation(/)16423811