**********
Prisoners
Old Friends
**********
The old man sat peacefully as he watched the sunrise. His eyes were heavily lidded as he sat and waited.
"Master?" Tamiko was up early today, the old man observed silently, watching as the sun seperated itself entirely from the horizon. "Master, is something wrong?"
He closed his eyes slowly and turned his head to the girl, "You tell me, Tamiko. In our past lives you were much wiser than I."
The girl blushed, "Master, I must admit that I sometimes doubt that I do actually see my past life, rather than just make it up."
The old man nodded wisely and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "So did I, when I first had the visions. Worry not, little one, you came to me only one year ago, and have progressed far in such a short time. How old are you now, eighteen?"
"Nineteen, Master."
"Nineteen... mmm..." the old man's hand strayed down to her hip and squeezed lightly. She gave him a rough shove that made him fall back in the chair.
"What's with you, can't you keep your hands to yourself for ten seconds?" Tamiko continued muttering to herself as she picked up a broom and went to sweep the temple steps.
The old man laughed softly to himself, "Same old Kaede..."
*****
Kagome awoke early in the morning, eager to avoid any confrontations. Hissing at the loud blaring she silenced her alarm clock before it could cause too great a disturbance, even for the sensitive ears of her house mates. She prepared herself for the day quietly in the bathroom, then dressed. Checking her bag once to make sure that the jewel shard was safe she walked quietly down the hall, opened the door to the kitchen, and ran straight into Inu Yasha.
The hanyou looked terrible, bedraggled and still in the clothes from the day before. He looked up from his tea when Kagome entered the kitchen. "Where are you going so early?" he asked suspiciously.
Kagome's hand tightened instinctively around the strap of her backpack, "Um, nowhere... why?"
Inu Yasha sighed deeply and looked down into his steaming cup, "Nothing. I just didn't sleep well last night."
Kagome picked up some fruit, she could eat on the way to the shrine, "Bad dream?" she asked absently.
"More like shattered dreams," he murmured, setting down his cup and standing.
"I'm sorry," Kagome offered quietly as the taller man came closer, eventually pinning her between himself and the wall.
"Doesn't it bother you, Kagome?" his voice was quiet and slightly raspy from the sleepless night he'd had.
"What?" Kagome's voice was barely audible.
Inu Yasha put one hand against the wall, touching the side of his arm to her waist. He lifted his other hand to caress her face. Kagome resisted at first, then closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. The hanyou smiled and moved his hand, to run his claws gently through her hair. She tried to hide the shiver that ran through her. "Doesn't it bother you," he whispered, "to see me every day, knowing deep down inside that I love you more than life itself; and yet we keep on fighting. We constantly hide from our true feelings," Inu Yasha pulled his hand away. "At least I do...." he leaned back, away from the wall and Kagome.
Kagome would never understand quite what possessed her to do what she did next. Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her, kissing him fiercely. Inu Yasha responded instantly, holding her tightly and turning his head to deepen the kiss. The feel of his fangs gently brushing against her lips made Kagome moan lightly, and Inu Yasha held her tighter.
Kagome's legs had turned to water. The only thing holding her up was Inu Yasha's embrace. She closed her eyes and surrendered herself completely to the kiss, letting the apple fall to the floor.
After a few minutes, Inu Yasha pulled away, arms still wrapped around her. He brushed his nose against hers lightly. "You never answered my question," he murmured.
Kagome made a questioning sound in her throat, her eyes still closed.
"So, does it bother you?" Kagome just pulled him closer, resting her head against his chest.
*Tell him anything!* her heart screamed *anything that will keep him close! Give him your love, your undying devotion, give him the jewel shard-*
Kagome's eyes snapped open. Her body stiffened, and the physical signal made Inu Yasha take his hands off her back. He backed up to a less intimate distance and looked Kagome in the eye.
"I-" Kagome's voice came out of her throat as a croak. She cleared it and tried again, "I have to visit the shrine today. Now. It's been too long...." she trailed off at the look in the half demon's eyes. When it became clear he wasn't going to say anything, Kagome let the silence settle. She turned and ran out of the room, leaving the apple on the floor.
After a moment Inu Yasha stooped to pick up the discarded fruit with a shaking hand. He held it for a moment, looking at it thoughtfully before tightening his grip, eventually crushing it to pulp.
"Not again," he whispered shakily, collapsing into a chair and holding his head in his hands.
*****
Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes as she stepped out the door. She began to run at full speed away from the house, unwilling to face the rest of the world and eager to reach the sanctuary of her family.
Unseen, Kouga followed.
*****
"Mama!" Kagome reached her mother as she was putting letters into the mailbox, grabbing the woman and holding on tightly as she had as a child.
"Kagome!" the woman hugged beck just as closely, "Why, what's the matter?" she held her daughter's face in her hands as the tears streamed down her beautiful face.
*****
**two hours later**
"Cool, Inu Yasha's back!" Sota was definitely the most enthusiastic after Kagome had unburdened her troubles. "So when can we go see him?"
Mother looked down on him kindly, "Sota, this is a hard time for Kagome. We must give her, and Inu Yasha, some time and space to sort things out."
"I have some excellent demon wards, Kagome. It will put an end to your troubles." her grandfather held out a slip of paper to her proudly.
Sota rolled his eyes, "Grandpa! She doesn't want to keep him away!"
Kagome looked thoughtful, "Then again maybe I do..."
"Huh?" Sota looked at his sister as though she'd sprouted another head.
Her mother put her hand on Kagome's shoulder comfortingly. "This part will be confusing, Kagome. It took Papa and I years to figure it out, but it's worth it," Mama winked.
Kagome gave her a small smile, "I'd better get back. Inu Yasha may kill Shippo if I'm away too long-"
"Shippo, Mom!" Sota wailed, "We haven't even seen him! Is there anything weird about him, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled down at her brother, "Only fox feet and a long fluffy tail."
Sota was awed, "That's it! I'm going with you," he got up and walked over to her importantly.
"You are staying here," she knelt down and pulled him close, "You have to help mama and grandpa watch the shikon shard."
Sota made a face, but nodded, "You can count on me," he told her seriously.
Kagome smiled warmly.
*****
On the way home Kagome was feeling far better than she had in the past few days. She hummed quietly and appreciated the blue of the sky. It was, therefore, a great surprise to her when she was knocked out by a blow to the back of her head. She thought of Inu Yasha, of Shippo, her family, and was grateful that the shikon shard was safe before finally giving in to unconsciousness.
"Please forgive me, my love," Kouga whispered, hoisting her over his shoulder.
*****
Across town, the old keeper of a rarely visited temple came out of his meditation with a start. "Tamiko!" the woman came instantly at his call, "Prepare yourself for travel. Some very old friends will need us shortly.
**********
Tee hee hee, can't you just see Miroku as a dirty old man! I know that I'm gonna get reviews asking about Sango, so just relax and know that I've got it covered. Like I'd leave her out! Honestly!
(Vega, who has just watched the episode wherein Yura controls strands of hair, is currently trying to accomplish the same feat with the various plot lines in this story... and failing miserably: *Vega looks at a bundle of plot strands* "Hey! I was looking for this one two chapters ago! Wait, where does that one go... These other two go together, if I can tie them together with this one... no, wait, that's a different one... whoa, I have no idea where that one's going... hey, didn't I tie that one off? Oh no, it's unraveling those three... AHHHH!")
Oh well, it'll untangle itself *looks at the knot on her floor* I think... TBC!
Prisoners
Old Friends
**********
The old man sat peacefully as he watched the sunrise. His eyes were heavily lidded as he sat and waited.
"Master?" Tamiko was up early today, the old man observed silently, watching as the sun seperated itself entirely from the horizon. "Master, is something wrong?"
He closed his eyes slowly and turned his head to the girl, "You tell me, Tamiko. In our past lives you were much wiser than I."
The girl blushed, "Master, I must admit that I sometimes doubt that I do actually see my past life, rather than just make it up."
The old man nodded wisely and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "So did I, when I first had the visions. Worry not, little one, you came to me only one year ago, and have progressed far in such a short time. How old are you now, eighteen?"
"Nineteen, Master."
"Nineteen... mmm..." the old man's hand strayed down to her hip and squeezed lightly. She gave him a rough shove that made him fall back in the chair.
"What's with you, can't you keep your hands to yourself for ten seconds?" Tamiko continued muttering to herself as she picked up a broom and went to sweep the temple steps.
The old man laughed softly to himself, "Same old Kaede..."
*****
Kagome awoke early in the morning, eager to avoid any confrontations. Hissing at the loud blaring she silenced her alarm clock before it could cause too great a disturbance, even for the sensitive ears of her house mates. She prepared herself for the day quietly in the bathroom, then dressed. Checking her bag once to make sure that the jewel shard was safe she walked quietly down the hall, opened the door to the kitchen, and ran straight into Inu Yasha.
The hanyou looked terrible, bedraggled and still in the clothes from the day before. He looked up from his tea when Kagome entered the kitchen. "Where are you going so early?" he asked suspiciously.
Kagome's hand tightened instinctively around the strap of her backpack, "Um, nowhere... why?"
Inu Yasha sighed deeply and looked down into his steaming cup, "Nothing. I just didn't sleep well last night."
Kagome picked up some fruit, she could eat on the way to the shrine, "Bad dream?" she asked absently.
"More like shattered dreams," he murmured, setting down his cup and standing.
"I'm sorry," Kagome offered quietly as the taller man came closer, eventually pinning her between himself and the wall.
"Doesn't it bother you, Kagome?" his voice was quiet and slightly raspy from the sleepless night he'd had.
"What?" Kagome's voice was barely audible.
Inu Yasha put one hand against the wall, touching the side of his arm to her waist. He lifted his other hand to caress her face. Kagome resisted at first, then closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. The hanyou smiled and moved his hand, to run his claws gently through her hair. She tried to hide the shiver that ran through her. "Doesn't it bother you," he whispered, "to see me every day, knowing deep down inside that I love you more than life itself; and yet we keep on fighting. We constantly hide from our true feelings," Inu Yasha pulled his hand away. "At least I do...." he leaned back, away from the wall and Kagome.
Kagome would never understand quite what possessed her to do what she did next. Reaching out, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her, kissing him fiercely. Inu Yasha responded instantly, holding her tightly and turning his head to deepen the kiss. The feel of his fangs gently brushing against her lips made Kagome moan lightly, and Inu Yasha held her tighter.
Kagome's legs had turned to water. The only thing holding her up was Inu Yasha's embrace. She closed her eyes and surrendered herself completely to the kiss, letting the apple fall to the floor.
After a few minutes, Inu Yasha pulled away, arms still wrapped around her. He brushed his nose against hers lightly. "You never answered my question," he murmured.
Kagome made a questioning sound in her throat, her eyes still closed.
"So, does it bother you?" Kagome just pulled him closer, resting her head against his chest.
*Tell him anything!* her heart screamed *anything that will keep him close! Give him your love, your undying devotion, give him the jewel shard-*
Kagome's eyes snapped open. Her body stiffened, and the physical signal made Inu Yasha take his hands off her back. He backed up to a less intimate distance and looked Kagome in the eye.
"I-" Kagome's voice came out of her throat as a croak. She cleared it and tried again, "I have to visit the shrine today. Now. It's been too long...." she trailed off at the look in the half demon's eyes. When it became clear he wasn't going to say anything, Kagome let the silence settle. She turned and ran out of the room, leaving the apple on the floor.
After a moment Inu Yasha stooped to pick up the discarded fruit with a shaking hand. He held it for a moment, looking at it thoughtfully before tightening his grip, eventually crushing it to pulp.
"Not again," he whispered shakily, collapsing into a chair and holding his head in his hands.
*****
Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes as she stepped out the door. She began to run at full speed away from the house, unwilling to face the rest of the world and eager to reach the sanctuary of her family.
Unseen, Kouga followed.
*****
"Mama!" Kagome reached her mother as she was putting letters into the mailbox, grabbing the woman and holding on tightly as she had as a child.
"Kagome!" the woman hugged beck just as closely, "Why, what's the matter?" she held her daughter's face in her hands as the tears streamed down her beautiful face.
*****
**two hours later**
"Cool, Inu Yasha's back!" Sota was definitely the most enthusiastic after Kagome had unburdened her troubles. "So when can we go see him?"
Mother looked down on him kindly, "Sota, this is a hard time for Kagome. We must give her, and Inu Yasha, some time and space to sort things out."
"I have some excellent demon wards, Kagome. It will put an end to your troubles." her grandfather held out a slip of paper to her proudly.
Sota rolled his eyes, "Grandpa! She doesn't want to keep him away!"
Kagome looked thoughtful, "Then again maybe I do..."
"Huh?" Sota looked at his sister as though she'd sprouted another head.
Her mother put her hand on Kagome's shoulder comfortingly. "This part will be confusing, Kagome. It took Papa and I years to figure it out, but it's worth it," Mama winked.
Kagome gave her a small smile, "I'd better get back. Inu Yasha may kill Shippo if I'm away too long-"
"Shippo, Mom!" Sota wailed, "We haven't even seen him! Is there anything weird about him, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled down at her brother, "Only fox feet and a long fluffy tail."
Sota was awed, "That's it! I'm going with you," he got up and walked over to her importantly.
"You are staying here," she knelt down and pulled him close, "You have to help mama and grandpa watch the shikon shard."
Sota made a face, but nodded, "You can count on me," he told her seriously.
Kagome smiled warmly.
*****
On the way home Kagome was feeling far better than she had in the past few days. She hummed quietly and appreciated the blue of the sky. It was, therefore, a great surprise to her when she was knocked out by a blow to the back of her head. She thought of Inu Yasha, of Shippo, her family, and was grateful that the shikon shard was safe before finally giving in to unconsciousness.
"Please forgive me, my love," Kouga whispered, hoisting her over his shoulder.
*****
Across town, the old keeper of a rarely visited temple came out of his meditation with a start. "Tamiko!" the woman came instantly at his call, "Prepare yourself for travel. Some very old friends will need us shortly.
**********
Tee hee hee, can't you just see Miroku as a dirty old man! I know that I'm gonna get reviews asking about Sango, so just relax and know that I've got it covered. Like I'd leave her out! Honestly!
(Vega, who has just watched the episode wherein Yura controls strands of hair, is currently trying to accomplish the same feat with the various plot lines in this story... and failing miserably: *Vega looks at a bundle of plot strands* "Hey! I was looking for this one two chapters ago! Wait, where does that one go... These other two go together, if I can tie them together with this one... no, wait, that's a different one... whoa, I have no idea where that one's going... hey, didn't I tie that one off? Oh no, it's unraveling those three... AHHHH!")
Oh well, it'll untangle itself *looks at the knot on her floor* I think... TBC!