Quatenus

An Inuyasha One-Shot by Kitsama

How could we have ever known?

His eyes had become a dark crimson color. The beautiful golden gaze being smothered by the rage she knew he was feeling. The same rage that filled her. His once tanned skin had faded to a sickly white. His face was narrower, colder, distant. She could see the loathing for her in him; just as he could see hers for him.

Sometimes I wonder why things turned out this way…

He wants to kill her. He has to want to kill her. And in return she felt obligated to kill him. Just like Midoriko had fought the army of youkai for seven days and seven nights to die in the end, just like Kikyou had been killed by Naraku only to come back and be killed again, was she to die as well. Was she to be killed by the man who loved her?

How could we have ever known?

"Inuyasha…"

The hanyou's red eyes closed then opened as he gave a slow blink. A grin spread across his face and he dipped his head to her in pleasant greeting. Oh how he hated her.

"Kagome…" How he managed to make her very name sound like a curse was beyond her. "I hope you've been doing well."

Kagome's heart ached at the mock-loving tone in his voice. But she wouldn't allow him to see that. It only made him hate her more. It made him hate the weakness that her emotions were.

Her eyes narrowed and she spoke, her voice as cold and mocking as his was. "I've been fine; taking care of the many children you've orphaned."

Inuyasha hummed and cocked his head to the side. "Oh how lovely. Shall we just get right to it today?"

Kagome's lip curled in disgust and she strung her bow. Her body grew hot with purification energy. Inuyasha's face grew cold and detached once more and he squared himself; his shoulders straight and his knees slightly bended. As always his right hand brushed his hip before clenching into a fist. Kagome allowed herself to smile.

"Still wanting for that sword?"

Inuyasha's eyes flashed in anger and he flexed his fingers. She heard the now familiar pop of his joints.

"You broke it."

"You broke the well."

"You lied to me," he hissed.

"A promise to devil spawn means nothing," she replied coolly.

As always, as soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to throw her bow aside and hug the hanyou to her. Like countless times before, Inuyasha's hatred for her disappeared and she was able to see the pain in his gaze. His eyes flashed gold and he stared at her. He was begging for something but before she could ever figure out what for, his gaze always clouded over.

He snarled at her. "I…will…kill…you…," he grounded out.

Kagome pulled her bowstring back until she heard the wood creak in protest. "And I…will kill you."

With that Inuyasha leapt and Kagome let loose her arrow.

It missed but Kagome was already firing again. Inuyasha twisted out of the way and leapt skyward, claws poised to rip her in half. Kagome fired again and Inuyasha had to twist in mid-air to avoid being purified.

"You're slow miko," he taunted as he plucked her next arrow out of the air.

Kagome ignored the blotch of blood that suddenly bloomed on her shoulder and gestured to the scorch mark on his skin. One of her arrows had gotten close enough to burn through his clothes and send purification energy through his system.

She lowered her bow and turned away from him. She could hear him walking up behind her but did nothing to stop him. She felt his strong arms wrap around her waist and he nuzzled her neck.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Koi. Make sure you get that wound looked at, okay?"

Kagome nuzzled him back and nodded. He squeezed her once before letting go and backing away from her. She kept her back to him as she listened to him disappear into the trees. After he'd left, she placed her hand to the wet spot on her cheek left from his tears.

Owari

Quatenus- far away from that which was (Latin)