**********
Prisoners
SIT!!!
**********
Inu Yasha was slammed into the floor.
The room froze. Kanta jumped back to stand with Shippo, who stared, eyes wide, at the crumpled form of Inu Yasha. Tamiko swallowed nervously, and Chiyo's jaw dropped at the sight of the young girl who could topple a strong hanyou with a single word. As for Kagome herself, she stared in awe after the initial satisfaction of finally having her one weapon against him back at her disposal. She tried to extinguish the feeling of guilt deep within her, her mind sought for something else to focus on. Master Kenjishi's hand on her thigh gave her just that.
*Smack!*
"Get your hands off of her, you perv!" Inu Yasha groaned from the floor, without looking up.
The knot of guilt tightened. She had no real reason to have such control over Inu Yasha now, not when he no longer threatened her physically. *Come on, admit it, girl, that did feel good!*
Inu Yasha peeled himself off the floor, sent an unreadable look to Kagome, and left the room.
Without one word.
"Whoa.... You go, girl!" Kagome looked at Chiyo in surprise. The wold demon shrugged, "What? Just because I'm anti human doesn't mean I don't appreciate seeing another of my sex give a guy what's coming to him."
"Amen," Kanta chimed in.
Shippo wrinkled his brow, "I don't know, I've never seen Inu Yasha look like that. At least, not since you've been back, Kagome."
Kagome looked at the floor, suddenly ashamed. "Why don't you go rest, Shippo, I can watch Chiyo for awhile," her voice was quiet and detached. Shippo nodded, and gently pulled Kanta by the hand to follow him.
"Wait, you're leaving a single human to watch over me?!" Chiyo yelled after them.
Kanta looked at her with sudden sympathy in her eyes, "Chiyo...."
Chiyo stiffened, "You know, don't you." Her voice had softened, and the anger in her eyes vanished.
"It's not your fault-" Kanta began.
"No, you're right, it would be a waste for any demons to tire themselves out watching a weakling like me." Chiyo shut her eyes tight, and Kagome could see a tear glistening in her eyelashes.
"Actually, I want to speak to Chiyo alone," Kagome said quietly.
Kanta nodded and left the bedroom, with Shippo and Tamiko in her wake. Master Kenjishi wasn't as quick on the uptake, standing beside Kagome. "I meant completely alone," she informed him.
The old master nodded hesitantly, "All right, but if Chiyo should need me...."
Chiyo rolled her eyes, "Just leave you old geezer!"
"I'll come for you," Kagome assured him quietly. Master Kenjishi closed his eyes, and let out a deep yawn.
"Thank you, Kagome.... I'm not as young as I used to be, and I'm afraid all the excitement has tired me out." He looked into her eyes seriously, "You will call for me, though, should she need me."
"Absolutely," Kagome assured him sincerely.
The old man nodded once more and left the two women alone.
Kagome listened to the door click shut, and chewed her lower lip, not sure of how to begin. *How would I have wanted to be spoken to when I was in her position, not too long ago?* "I'm going to start by untying you."
Chiyo raised an eyebrow, "You're sure that's wise?"
"No," Kagome answered honestly, "but I really feel that we can't have the conversation I'd like if one of us is held against her will...." Kagome quickly undid the knots tying Chiyo to the chair. The demon stood and rotated her wrists.
"I thank you. As you have shown me respect, I will not run away at this time."
Kagome let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you." Chiyo stared at her coldly, "Ah, would you like to sit down?"
"No."
Kagome nodded, "Right, neither would I... uh, listen...." Chiyo folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head to one side. The expression on her face was one of both patience and interest. For one perfect moment, Kagome was certain that the woman before her had been, was, and always would in essence be Sango. "Five hundred years ago, you, the you your soul was then, was my best friend.... Sango was kind, brave, honest, and loyal. She had lived through far too many hardships. Her village was destroyed-"
Something tugged on Chiyo's mind for an instant, and then was gone.
"...her brother was controlled by an evil force...."
*Haku... no, Kohaku.... Kami, can it be?*
"...but even through all this she was my truest friend."
"I carried something heavy, didn't I?" Chiyo asked excitedly.
Kagome furrowed her brow, "Huh?"
"Something heavy... I carried it like this,"
Kagome nodded, smiling, her eyes bright, "Yes! Your Hiraikotsu!"
"...And I rode a horse, with flaming hooves."
Kagome shrugged, "A demon cat, actually. The one we rode here on, remember?"
"Kirara!"
"Right!"
"Miroku!" Chiyo breathed suddenly, "I forgot Miroku, how could I have-" she shook her head. "I didn't know him."
"Not to mention Kirara, Shippo, Inu Yasha, and me!"
Chiyo's eyes were wide and tearful, "Oh, Kagome!" She pulled the woman into a tight hug.
"Sango, I've missed you so much!" They held each other like that for several moments.
"Kagome?"
"You want to go find Miroku?"
Chiyo released her, smiling, "Thanks for understanding."
Kagome nodded, "Come on, let's go."
Chiyo nodded, then stopped, suddenly remembering something, "Wait, Kagome..."
"Uh huh?"
Chiyo licked her lips, her brow wrinkled in confusion, "What's going on between you and Inu Yasha?"
*****
Inu Yasha was in the kitchen, rooting in the cupboards and trying not to seethe. Life just wasn't fair. Tamiko and Master Kenjishi were both sleeping, an activity in which he suspected he'd never again be able to engage; Kanta and Shippo were 'resting', a phrase he didn't care to examine any further than was absolutely necessary; and to top it all off, he'd been collared and sat for the first time in five hundred years; and all after a knock down, drag-out fight with the woman he loved.
Inu Yasha put the kettle on the stove top, thinking back to the fight.
*****
"We need to talk," he had told her, as she sat on his lap.
"About what?"
"About us. The way you've been acting over the past few days."
Kagome had shrugged, "I've had a lot on my mind."
"Like what?"
Kagome had looked angry, "Like being captured by Kouga, for example."
"Hey, you ran away long before Kouga took you. Around this time yesterday, you up and left for no reason!"
"No reason? Have you no sensitivity?" she had rolled her eyes, "What am I saying? This is you we're talking about."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Just that you only care about yourself," she had pushed herself off of his lap, "You're just as petty and self-involved as you were back in the Feudal Era, but now you're OLD and petty and self-involved."
"Hey, I've waited for you-"
"You didn't wait very long, did you?" there had been tears in her eyes at this point, "I bet it was only an afterthought, you just went, 'Oh, it's the beginning of the twenty-first century, wasn't that girl from around this time?'"
Inu Yasha had scoffed, "Is commitment so hard for you to accept?"
"From you it is. You've never loved anyone or anything but yourself!"
"Do you really believe that?"
Kagome had been past the boiling point then, "I should have stayed with Kouga! At least if I'd mated with him, I could be sure that I was with someone that cared about me!"
"You- you bitch!" Inu Yasha had used the word as an insult, as he'd learned over the past few centuries.
"Dog breath!"
*****
Inu Yasha shook his head. He didn't think she even meant half of the things she'd said, but she had wanted to hurt him, that alone was a sure sign he'd done something wrong. He fingered the prayer beads, *Well, she has accomplished that, at least...*
He heard laughter coming from the room Chiyo was being held in. Apparently Kagome was making progress with Chiyo. He smiled at the sound of them talking and giggling together. Kami help him, though she seemed to hate him, he still loved her. *Hell, it was even kind of nice to have her 'sit' me again.... well, almost.*
The door opened, and Kagome and Chiyo joined Inu Yasha in the kitchen, while he was in the midst of pouring hot water into a cup of instant Ramen.
When he saw Chiyo, he almost spilled the hot water. "Whoa! Why is she untied?!" Inu Yasha asked Kagome furiously.
"She's regained her memories! Isn't it wonderful?" Kagome beamed.
Inu Yasha nodded, unimpressed, "Yeah, thrilling. We've got another wacko that thinks she's been dead five hundred years."
Chiyo smirked, "Same as always, eh Inu Yasha? Where is that Master Juichi-"
"Kenjishi," Kagome corrected.
"Right... Miroku. I think I'd better have a talk with him." As she passed Inu Yasha she gave his butt a light pat. He spun around to glare at her, "Sorry, I just recovered another memory."
Looking into her eyes Inu Yasha truly recognized, for the first time, one of his long dead and much missed friends. He smiled, "It's all right. Go find Miroku."
Chiyo gave him a warm smile and left Inu Yasha alone with Kagome. He turned to her just in time to catch a glimpse of her looking extremely jealous. He made sure his back was fully turned to her before allowing himself a small smile.
Kagome stepped closer to him. She then changed her mind and backed away toward the table, then stepped closer again, and finally settled on sitting at the table, facing him.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked him.
Inu Yasha was silent.
"So you're not talking to me now, is that it?" Inu Yasha didn't answer. Kagome frowned and rose from the table, standing directly behind him. "Sat!" Inu Yasha flinched lightly. "Sot!...It!...Smit!" she giggled. The hanyou still didn't respond. "Oh, come on Inu Yasha, talk to me, please?"
His shoulders tightened, "You seem to find this all pretty funny..."
Kagome sighed, "Oh, come on Inu Yasha. Please try to understand, with everything that's been going on lately, I-I just needed some security... some sense of normalcy, and my being able to say 'sit'-"
*Whump!*
"Oh, sorrysorrysorrysorry!" Kagome knelt down next to the fallen hanyou, "I didn't mean it, I really didn't!"
"It's fine!" Inu Yasha said angrily, pushing himself up onto his forearms, "Just go on."
Kagome looked down, "Well, I have all these feelings, and no control over my circumstances, so I just needed to say it to be able to effect something." *Plus, you were being a real jerk....* "Am I making any sense?"
Inu Yasha stared blankly, *No* "Yes."
"If you want, now, I'll take the necklace off...."
Inu Yasha shook his head, and Kagome looked shocked. "Nah, let's just leave it for now. Since you need it...."
Kagome smiled gratefully.
**********
Not quite fluff, more like pre-fluff.
The End
...
Just kidding, TBC!!!
To all those reading who think I've actually resolved something, ha! Far from it. Tune in next time for more complications, when everything that seems to be okay will crumble! Crumble I tell you!!! Ahem Thank you.
Prisoners
SIT!!!
**********
Inu Yasha was slammed into the floor.
The room froze. Kanta jumped back to stand with Shippo, who stared, eyes wide, at the crumpled form of Inu Yasha. Tamiko swallowed nervously, and Chiyo's jaw dropped at the sight of the young girl who could topple a strong hanyou with a single word. As for Kagome herself, she stared in awe after the initial satisfaction of finally having her one weapon against him back at her disposal. She tried to extinguish the feeling of guilt deep within her, her mind sought for something else to focus on. Master Kenjishi's hand on her thigh gave her just that.
*Smack!*
"Get your hands off of her, you perv!" Inu Yasha groaned from the floor, without looking up.
The knot of guilt tightened. She had no real reason to have such control over Inu Yasha now, not when he no longer threatened her physically. *Come on, admit it, girl, that did feel good!*
Inu Yasha peeled himself off the floor, sent an unreadable look to Kagome, and left the room.
Without one word.
"Whoa.... You go, girl!" Kagome looked at Chiyo in surprise. The wold demon shrugged, "What? Just because I'm anti human doesn't mean I don't appreciate seeing another of my sex give a guy what's coming to him."
"Amen," Kanta chimed in.
Shippo wrinkled his brow, "I don't know, I've never seen Inu Yasha look like that. At least, not since you've been back, Kagome."
Kagome looked at the floor, suddenly ashamed. "Why don't you go rest, Shippo, I can watch Chiyo for awhile," her voice was quiet and detached. Shippo nodded, and gently pulled Kanta by the hand to follow him.
"Wait, you're leaving a single human to watch over me?!" Chiyo yelled after them.
Kanta looked at her with sudden sympathy in her eyes, "Chiyo...."
Chiyo stiffened, "You know, don't you." Her voice had softened, and the anger in her eyes vanished.
"It's not your fault-" Kanta began.
"No, you're right, it would be a waste for any demons to tire themselves out watching a weakling like me." Chiyo shut her eyes tight, and Kagome could see a tear glistening in her eyelashes.
"Actually, I want to speak to Chiyo alone," Kagome said quietly.
Kanta nodded and left the bedroom, with Shippo and Tamiko in her wake. Master Kenjishi wasn't as quick on the uptake, standing beside Kagome. "I meant completely alone," she informed him.
The old master nodded hesitantly, "All right, but if Chiyo should need me...."
Chiyo rolled her eyes, "Just leave you old geezer!"
"I'll come for you," Kagome assured him quietly. Master Kenjishi closed his eyes, and let out a deep yawn.
"Thank you, Kagome.... I'm not as young as I used to be, and I'm afraid all the excitement has tired me out." He looked into her eyes seriously, "You will call for me, though, should she need me."
"Absolutely," Kagome assured him sincerely.
The old man nodded once more and left the two women alone.
Kagome listened to the door click shut, and chewed her lower lip, not sure of how to begin. *How would I have wanted to be spoken to when I was in her position, not too long ago?* "I'm going to start by untying you."
Chiyo raised an eyebrow, "You're sure that's wise?"
"No," Kagome answered honestly, "but I really feel that we can't have the conversation I'd like if one of us is held against her will...." Kagome quickly undid the knots tying Chiyo to the chair. The demon stood and rotated her wrists.
"I thank you. As you have shown me respect, I will not run away at this time."
Kagome let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you." Chiyo stared at her coldly, "Ah, would you like to sit down?"
"No."
Kagome nodded, "Right, neither would I... uh, listen...." Chiyo folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head to one side. The expression on her face was one of both patience and interest. For one perfect moment, Kagome was certain that the woman before her had been, was, and always would in essence be Sango. "Five hundred years ago, you, the you your soul was then, was my best friend.... Sango was kind, brave, honest, and loyal. She had lived through far too many hardships. Her village was destroyed-"
Something tugged on Chiyo's mind for an instant, and then was gone.
"...her brother was controlled by an evil force...."
*Haku... no, Kohaku.... Kami, can it be?*
"...but even through all this she was my truest friend."
"I carried something heavy, didn't I?" Chiyo asked excitedly.
Kagome furrowed her brow, "Huh?"
"Something heavy... I carried it like this,"
Kagome nodded, smiling, her eyes bright, "Yes! Your Hiraikotsu!"
"...And I rode a horse, with flaming hooves."
Kagome shrugged, "A demon cat, actually. The one we rode here on, remember?"
"Kirara!"
"Right!"
"Miroku!" Chiyo breathed suddenly, "I forgot Miroku, how could I have-" she shook her head. "I didn't know him."
"Not to mention Kirara, Shippo, Inu Yasha, and me!"
Chiyo's eyes were wide and tearful, "Oh, Kagome!" She pulled the woman into a tight hug.
"Sango, I've missed you so much!" They held each other like that for several moments.
"Kagome?"
"You want to go find Miroku?"
Chiyo released her, smiling, "Thanks for understanding."
Kagome nodded, "Come on, let's go."
Chiyo nodded, then stopped, suddenly remembering something, "Wait, Kagome..."
"Uh huh?"
Chiyo licked her lips, her brow wrinkled in confusion, "What's going on between you and Inu Yasha?"
*****
Inu Yasha was in the kitchen, rooting in the cupboards and trying not to seethe. Life just wasn't fair. Tamiko and Master Kenjishi were both sleeping, an activity in which he suspected he'd never again be able to engage; Kanta and Shippo were 'resting', a phrase he didn't care to examine any further than was absolutely necessary; and to top it all off, he'd been collared and sat for the first time in five hundred years; and all after a knock down, drag-out fight with the woman he loved.
Inu Yasha put the kettle on the stove top, thinking back to the fight.
*****
"We need to talk," he had told her, as she sat on his lap.
"About what?"
"About us. The way you've been acting over the past few days."
Kagome had shrugged, "I've had a lot on my mind."
"Like what?"
Kagome had looked angry, "Like being captured by Kouga, for example."
"Hey, you ran away long before Kouga took you. Around this time yesterday, you up and left for no reason!"
"No reason? Have you no sensitivity?" she had rolled her eyes, "What am I saying? This is you we're talking about."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Just that you only care about yourself," she had pushed herself off of his lap, "You're just as petty and self-involved as you were back in the Feudal Era, but now you're OLD and petty and self-involved."
"Hey, I've waited for you-"
"You didn't wait very long, did you?" there had been tears in her eyes at this point, "I bet it was only an afterthought, you just went, 'Oh, it's the beginning of the twenty-first century, wasn't that girl from around this time?'"
Inu Yasha had scoffed, "Is commitment so hard for you to accept?"
"From you it is. You've never loved anyone or anything but yourself!"
"Do you really believe that?"
Kagome had been past the boiling point then, "I should have stayed with Kouga! At least if I'd mated with him, I could be sure that I was with someone that cared about me!"
"You- you bitch!" Inu Yasha had used the word as an insult, as he'd learned over the past few centuries.
"Dog breath!"
*****
Inu Yasha shook his head. He didn't think she even meant half of the things she'd said, but she had wanted to hurt him, that alone was a sure sign he'd done something wrong. He fingered the prayer beads, *Well, she has accomplished that, at least...*
He heard laughter coming from the room Chiyo was being held in. Apparently Kagome was making progress with Chiyo. He smiled at the sound of them talking and giggling together. Kami help him, though she seemed to hate him, he still loved her. *Hell, it was even kind of nice to have her 'sit' me again.... well, almost.*
The door opened, and Kagome and Chiyo joined Inu Yasha in the kitchen, while he was in the midst of pouring hot water into a cup of instant Ramen.
When he saw Chiyo, he almost spilled the hot water. "Whoa! Why is she untied?!" Inu Yasha asked Kagome furiously.
"She's regained her memories! Isn't it wonderful?" Kagome beamed.
Inu Yasha nodded, unimpressed, "Yeah, thrilling. We've got another wacko that thinks she's been dead five hundred years."
Chiyo smirked, "Same as always, eh Inu Yasha? Where is that Master Juichi-"
"Kenjishi," Kagome corrected.
"Right... Miroku. I think I'd better have a talk with him." As she passed Inu Yasha she gave his butt a light pat. He spun around to glare at her, "Sorry, I just recovered another memory."
Looking into her eyes Inu Yasha truly recognized, for the first time, one of his long dead and much missed friends. He smiled, "It's all right. Go find Miroku."
Chiyo gave him a warm smile and left Inu Yasha alone with Kagome. He turned to her just in time to catch a glimpse of her looking extremely jealous. He made sure his back was fully turned to her before allowing himself a small smile.
Kagome stepped closer to him. She then changed her mind and backed away toward the table, then stepped closer again, and finally settled on sitting at the table, facing him.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked him.
Inu Yasha was silent.
"So you're not talking to me now, is that it?" Inu Yasha didn't answer. Kagome frowned and rose from the table, standing directly behind him. "Sat!" Inu Yasha flinched lightly. "Sot!...It!...Smit!" she giggled. The hanyou still didn't respond. "Oh, come on Inu Yasha, talk to me, please?"
His shoulders tightened, "You seem to find this all pretty funny..."
Kagome sighed, "Oh, come on Inu Yasha. Please try to understand, with everything that's been going on lately, I-I just needed some security... some sense of normalcy, and my being able to say 'sit'-"
*Whump!*
"Oh, sorrysorrysorrysorry!" Kagome knelt down next to the fallen hanyou, "I didn't mean it, I really didn't!"
"It's fine!" Inu Yasha said angrily, pushing himself up onto his forearms, "Just go on."
Kagome looked down, "Well, I have all these feelings, and no control over my circumstances, so I just needed to say it to be able to effect something." *Plus, you were being a real jerk....* "Am I making any sense?"
Inu Yasha stared blankly, *No* "Yes."
"If you want, now, I'll take the necklace off...."
Inu Yasha shook his head, and Kagome looked shocked. "Nah, let's just leave it for now. Since you need it...."
Kagome smiled gratefully.
**********
Not quite fluff, more like pre-fluff.
The End
...
Just kidding, TBC!!!
To all those reading who think I've actually resolved something, ha! Far from it. Tune in next time for more complications, when everything that seems to be okay will crumble! Crumble I tell you!!! Ahem Thank you.