Ooh, goodies, another fic.
Bus Buddie, thanks for the sock! My kitten chews on it and I use it as a pillow at night! - My kitten thanks you for the toy she so desperately needed…she's teething you see and she tends to chew on cords when I'm not looking…so I must keep her a safe distance from my computer unless she's on my lap sleeping as I type…or I could just give her the sock…
When I read branch of tree la's story, I realized that a girl who had flamed her was one of my reviewers. I think it was the nastiest flame I've read that didn't have any curse words in it, and branch of tree la didn't deserve that kind of insult. For Silver Moon Midnight Skies, I noticed you don't have ANY fanfics up. Although you called branch of tree la a hypocrite, your point seems hypocritical too. I hate to lose reviewers, but I thought I should say something. I don't need to be defended; I'm a big girl. And branch of tree la, I'm looking forward to your update…
I realized just now that I don't have disclaimers on most of the new chapters, so I'll say now that standard disclaimers and eyebrow-eating policies apply.
Warnings: Evilness from Kikyo and Sesshomaru, depression from Inuyasha and (surprise, surprise) Kagome, Inuyasha OOC towards Shippo (for reasons he explains), Houjo comes in…DON'T WORRY! He may try, but he won't steal Kagome away—permanently…
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi died last night and left Inuyasha to me. I moved to a large gothic mansion in Tokyo, and Orlando Bloom and Gerard Butler got into a fight over me (but didn't injure their beautiful faces!) and finally decided they wanted me so much they would share me. As the rights were signed over to me, a flock of pigs flew over the building. A deep rumbling sound below signaled us that hell had frozen over. Demons who had been living in the hot climate for years complained in interviews all over television. The world stopped turning and the tides stopped moving and the moon turned out to really be made of cheese. Then I woke up. And cried. Because I really don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi is still alive, all that other stuff was lies—except the moon IS made of cheese—and I'm not making a dime on this fanfic. Enjoy!
Chapter 11
Misery
Kagome eased herself into the bathtub, letting the hot water soak into her skin. She hadn't been in a clean, comfortable bathtub in ages—and she could hardly wait to sleep in her bed. But despite how happy she was to be home, something kept nagging at her.
Kagome slid down until only her eyes showed above the water. She knew what she said to Inuyasha was hurtful…but he deserved it. Right?
"You nearly got yourself killed. Then when I tried to apologize, you woke up only long enough to tell me to die—just—like—Kikyo." He was right up in her face, invading her personal space. Scaring her a little bit, but she knew deep down what she needed to do…what she was going to do if he didn't let her go…
It was typical of Inuyasha to blame his mistakes on someone else. When he finally admitted he was wrong, there'd be a parade, Kagome thought moodily. And he was wrong an awful lot. Too wrong. Too often.
"No matter what I tried I couldn't get it through your head that I'm your master."
Her master. Kagome's hands clenched into fists. He couldn't even bring himself to think of her as an equal. He thought of her as a slave—no, lower than a slave. Nothing more than a machine with which to detect Shikon shards that he could make himself more powerful with.
"Kagome!" When she looked back at him, that hand was outstretched. She could clearly see the claws that had torn demons apart, defending her and later oppressing her. "I—love you…"
How often had she longed to hear him say that he loved her? How long ago had she first daydreamed of hearing those words, falling into his waiting arms, and having the most passionate kiss of her life? But those lips had chosen to kiss Kikyo's instead, and then let out a stream of words to hurt her, before finally uttering the words, "I love you."
Kagome shook her head, drawing her knees to her chest. This was all wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this! She was supposed to be happy, be in his arms, kissing him, holding him, making vows of everlasting love. Instead she had left him bleeding and defeated to think about what he had done, and how she had gotten her revenge.
I called him a half-breed, she thought, and it made her squirm inside just to think it. She of all people knew that Inuyasha's hanyou status had made him subject of ridicule and hatred all of his life. Although he didn't speak of it, his face changed whenever one of those insults came his way. The look on his face after she said that haunted her…how could she have said that to him?
He had said…he'd said she told him to die. Kagome blinked. Inuyasha had related the story to her of the incident between him and Kikyo, and she knew how it hurt him to hear Kikyo tell him to die. Even though it was really Naraku disguised as Kikyo, Kagome suspected that that hurt remained. And perhaps she, Kikyo's reincarnation, had deepened the wound by repeating those words to him.
Kagome shook her head. I couldn't have said that…I'd have remembered it…unless I wasn't really awake… Realization hit her as she recounted her dream the previous night. Oh, shit
Naraku and Inuyasha. Fighting. All that blood…and Inuyasha had completely misunderstood it all! The memory flashed before her eyes.
"Let him go!" Kagome screamed, pounding helplessly on Naraku's back. The demon turned and smiled at her, and it was not a friendly look.
"Oh, Kagome, you naïve girl. Did you really even think this half-breed loved you? Did you think that when you had completed the sacred Shikon no Tama that he would give it willingly to you?"
"Kagome—don't listen!" Inuyasha hissed. He was kneeling on the ground, doubled over in pain, his eyes squeezed shut against the blood and sweat on his face. A pool of blood had formed around him, dripping from the gaping wound in his stomach. She couldn't check it to see how bad it was yet. It looked worse than anything she could remember him surviving.
"Don't be a fool, Kagome," Naraku sneered, drawing her attention back to him. "The hanyou planned to gather the pieces of the jewel and use it to turn himself into a demon. You remember his demon form, don't you, Kagome? How he tried to kill you, not even recognizing you? He would turn himself into a demon, kill you, and never think about you again."
"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Inuyasha howled. The look on his face was a mix of pain and rage. She wasn't sure if the pain was just from the wounds he was suffering from or the allegations Naraku was making.
Naraku seemed very amused with this display. "You are near death, Inuyasha. You might as well let me take it the rest of the way…"
"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered, clutching his stomach.
Kagome turned her face away. The look in his eyes was too much to bear. Then she saw it…there in the dirt…
The priestess's arrow.
She looked back at Naraku, who was advancing towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha tried to stand, but slipped again, finding himself too weak to fight back. Since the demon's attention was focused on Inuyasha, away from her, Kagome started towards it.
"The day of reckoning has finally come, Inuyasha," Naraku said, raising his arm to strike.
"No…" Kagome slammed the arrow into his back. "DIE!" A blast of purple light went through Naraku's body. He disintegrated, and the light moved farther out, enveloping Inuyasha.
"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed.
"Kagome!" The cry was swallowed up as Inuyasha disappeared into the light…
Kagome blinked back tears that she hadn't realized had welled up in her eyes. She wiped them off her cheeks. That dream had been a fear of losing him, and all he had heard was the words "die" and "Inuyasha." Oh, God, Kagome thought. He didn't know at all.
"Inuyasha…I wanted you to live," she whispered. The tears rolled unchecked down her cheeks and she cried for all it was worth, but it didn't change anything. She still felt just as terrible when she crawled into her soft, warm bed, exhausted from everything that had happened.
"Inuyasha?"
"Hmm?" Inuyasha said, setting up the pot to start dinner. He turned to find Shippo frowning at him. "What is it, Shippo?"
"Who's gonna take care of me now that Kagome's gone?" Shippo asked.
"I am," Inuyasha replied. He poured the water, vegetables, and meat in to make a stew big enough for the two of them.
"Oh," Shippo said. His form visibly drooped.
Inuyasha sighed. He couldn't see any reason looking back for the kitsune to want to live with him. He hadn't exactly been a great father figure for the boy the way Kagome had been a mother figure.
Well, that's going to change, he thought firmly, stirring the mixture as they sat in silence. And I'm going to prove it to him.
Shippo was moping. Kagome had abandoned him. She'd left him here, probably thinking someone was going to take care of him. Going over it now, Shippo realized that there was no one to take care of him. Kaede-sama was too old to raise a child, even if she wanted to. Sango would have been his first choice—after all, she had Kirara—but she had left the previous morning to return to her old profession of demon-slaying. Miroku…well, a kid would cramp his lifestyle. Inuyasha was the only one left. And Inuyasha hated him.
"I've been thinking," Inuyasha said, breaking the silence between them, his eyes still on their dinner. "I'm going to build us a house in the village. Then you can be close to Kaede and the friends you've made here. I'm sure Sango and Miroku will visit every so often, and Kagome if she wants to come back…not that she probably will; I don't want to get your hopes up and disappoint you. Anyway, it will be easier if we stay in one place. And besides, we've proved ourselves to the people here. I don't want to press our luck anywhere else."
"Because we're demons?" Shippo inquired.
Here Inuyasha paused, then started up again. "Because you're a demon, Shippo," he corrected him softly. "I'm nothing but a half-demon."
"You're more powerful than most of the full demons…"
"Feh." Inuyasha shrugged. "Anyway, getting back to my point, I'm going to try to make you comfortable here. Maybe you can live a normal life again. I know I'm not your father, and I won't pretend to be, but you deserve to be able to have a home and friends like every other child. This running around, fighting demons, looking for Shikon shards…it's not a healthy lifestyle. Maybe we can get you educated. I can read, so I can teach you that…I don't know what else to teach you. Mathematics, I suppose."
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Shippo asked suddenly.
Inuyasha looked up at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"You hate me. Why're you being nice?"
"I don't hate—" Inuyasha broke off, seeing the tears in Shippo's eyes. He set down his spoon and knelt in front of the fox demon. "Look, I know I've never exactly been nice to you. I know you probably think I'm a big jerk—no, I'll correct that. You know I'm a big jerk, and I know it now, too."
Shippo giggled a little, sniffing still.
"A smile. That's better." Inuyasha sighed. "It's not exactly an easy time for either one of us. We both miss Kagome. Kagome's always made sure you were safe. She's gone. Someone has to do it."
"So you're taking care of me because you have to?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "If you remember, when you first came with us, I wanted to leave you to fend for yourself. I feel like I have to take care of you now because I want to make sure you're safe. I could easily find an orphanage, or some lonely woman in a distant village to take care of you, but I'd rather keep you here. If that's what you want."
"I'll…stay here," Shippo muttered.
"Good." He turned back to the food. "I hope I know what I'm getting myself into…I have no idea how to really take care of a kid…"
"How did your dad take care of you?"
"I…really don't remember my father very well." A thoughtful look came to his face. "My mother used to play with me, cook food for me, and make sure I got to bed okay…that kind of stuff."
"It doesn't sound too hard."
"No." Inuyasha filled a bowl up and handed it to Shippo. "But we didn't get off to a good start together. I know you'd much rather be with Kagome than with me, and I can't change that. But I'm willing to give it a try. After all, it's my fault she's gone."
"But you don't want her to be gone. It can't be entirely your fault."
"It is." When Shippo didn't seem to be convinced, Inuyasha shook his head. "I'll explain it to you when you're older. It's complicated."
"All the sudden everything seems so complicated," Shippo said moodily, stirring his stew with a finger.
"It can get that way." Inuyasha lifted his own bowl to his mouth. But I'll simplify it for you the best I can, he thought, watching the kitsune sample his food.
"Tastes good," Shippo admitted, taking another bite. "I didn't know you could cook."
"Neither did I," Inuyasha said, smirking.
Kagome stepped hesitantly into the principal's office. "Ma'am?" she said.
"Higurashi." The principal frowned at her seriously. "Take a seat."
Kagome sat in the chair in front of the principal's desk, placing her backpack on her lap.
"Higurashi, you have missed a complete three months of school this year," the principal said firmly. "With this kind of record, it will be very hard to pass you on to the next grade."
"Yes, ma'am," Kagome mumbled, her heart sinking. She had suspected this would come. Oh, well. The days of shard-hunting with Inuyasha and the others were over…for better or for worse.
"Your frequent illnesses have the teachers and students worried. Is everything alright at home?" she asked seriously.
Kagome started. "Oh, evertyhing's wonderful at home! It's nothing like that!"
The principal didn't look convinced. "You can continue out the school year, or what's left of it, but I'm almost sure you'll have to re-take the grade."
"I understand."
"Hm. Go on to your lunch break."
"Thank you, ma'am." Kagome slipped out the door.
They hadn't gotten a chance to talk to her in the morning. So as soon as she sat down at her usual spot at the cafeteria table, Kagome's friends assaulted her with questions. Much as her mother, grandfather, and Souta had. She could only smile stupidly and pray her grandfather hadn't told them she had syphilis or something worse.
"Kagome, when we called your house, your grandfather just said you were in the hopsital and wouldn't tell us what was wrong!" Ayumi exclaimed.
"Yeah, why were you sick for so long?"
Kagome would have sighed with relief if it wouldn't have made them suspicious. She could make up her own story. "I, uh, had mono."
"The kissing disease!" Eri gasped. "Were you kissing that one guy?"
"Oh, God, no," Kagome sighed. "We broke up."
"Broke up!" all three girls exclaimed as one.
"He got back together with his old girlfriend. We got into a huge fight and I left him."
"Oh, wow," Yuka gushed. "You poor thing."
"Yeah." Kagome grimaced when she saw Houjo coming to join them at their table. The boy was really nice, and the perfect guy, but…why did she always feel the urge to run and hide behind a door whenever he came her direction? It wasn't even being nervous. Hojou was just…not her type.
"Kagome, I'm glad to see you're well," Hojo said enthusiastcially.
She really wasn't well, not mentally, anyway, but she forced a smile and said, "Thanks."
"I didn't know why you were sick, so I couldn't bring you any medications." He seemed worried.
"Uh, that's okay. I think we've got it covered."
"If you're feeling up to it, I'd wondered if you wanted to go for dinner and a movie," Houjo said.
Right to the point, Kagome thought. "Er, sure, I'd love to," she fibbed.
"Great! I'll pick you up around seven!" he said, smiling.
"Uh, where were you taking me?"
"It'll be a surprise," he assured her. "I've got to go study now. Bye-bye."
Kagome sighed. The last thing she wanted right now was Houjo trying to court her. She wanted to be miserable over Inuyasha, not try to be happy with Houjo. He was so…happy. So perfect. So like me, she thought. No, Kagome wasn't truly as happy as she pretended to be, even tried to be. Her father's death had hit her harder than she wanted to admit. Life had been good otherwise, unitl Inuyasha came in…
But she'd made a commitment now and she couldn't back out of it. Sighing again, she slumped down onto the lunch table.
Bwahahahaha, they're both miserable. Don't worry, things will patch up sometime or another. I have tons of ideas floating around in my head and I don't really know how long the story will be. It will be a minimum of 15 chapters, but probably 20 chapters at maximum.
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