A/N: First off, I would like to say that I didn't update for a while because I was incredibly busy and had a bit of writers block…I wasn't being picky.
Second of all: Wow. You guys actually did it! snif you love me! You really love me! Virtual cookies for all!
And because I love you guys too () I added some ffuff…fulkff…flufuf…Gah FLUFF!
(stupid typing…)
but…
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.These Strange Feelings.
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"I win!"
Kagome huffed and downed her now-cold hot chocolate. "You cheated."
"Nuh-uh," Sango denied, "you just really suck at this game."
Her friend made a noise that sounded suspiciously like Inuyasha's "Keh."
Sango gave her a disbelieving look, and then all of a sudden started to giggle uncontrollably.
Kagome observed her hysterical friend curiously. "What?"
Sango continued laughing, clutching her sides to keep them from splitting. "It's just," she giggled, wiping a tear from her eye, "you sounded exactly like Inuyasha!"
The raven-haired girl's eyes widened, "I did not!" she hastily objected.
"Yeah, you did! You've been around him too much, and it's only been a week!"
Kagome stuck her tongue at the laughing girl, then got up to rinse her mug, all the time trying to ignore her continuous teasing.
She smiled slightly as she turned on the hot water. The last couple of days had gone pretty much well, strangely enough. No drunken proclamations, attempted kidnaps, or weird letters from bizarre companies.
On Day one, they had gone to the beach again—the public one this time—and had…enjoyed themselves. Even Inuyasha had appeared to be in a good mood. He had actually laughed a couple of times, (something that he did very rarely, or so Miroku whispered to them later on), and he hadn't called her a "bitch" for quite a while.
On Day two, they had toured most of the island, and had eaten at a tropical restaurant (which had some meals with odd, unidentified ingredients…).
Miroku and Sango had become a little more open to each other, and a bit more snuggly than they needed to be (except when Miroku pawed her rear—a habit he still hadn't given up).
Kagome had found some really nice necklaces and other trinkets of the sort in one of the souvenir shops, accompanied by Sango, yelled at by the two impatient boys waiting outside. And her and Inuyasha hadn't fought once—unless you counted the endless simmering arguments they had over, well…everything.
Maybe this vacation could turn out to be worth it after all…
Yet for some reason she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander back to a certain silver-haired boy. A certain rude, insensitive silver-haired boy that was coated in a layer of secrets thicker than his dense skull. And that was indeed saying something
She frowned, rinsing her cup and setting it in the dishwasher. Now, whenever he entered a room she too occupied, her heart leapt and her stomach fluttered.
If they were the only ones in the room, she even felt a bit faint. They were strange, unusual feelings, ones that she had never felt before. What the heck did they mean?
"—And you know, it's kind of weird if you ask me."
Kagome shook her head, trying to bring herself back into focus. She looked up from the sink to meet Sango's eyes, which were observing her thoughtfully.
"Huh?" She asked, not having any idea about what she was just told.
Sango pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "What I'm saying," she said, somewhat irritated from her friend's lack of attention, "is that you like Inuyasha. Simple."
Kagome's eyes widened, and she gave Sango a suspicious look. "Why do you say that?"
"Please, Kags. I notice you always stop whatever you're doing when he walks past you, and stare pathetically at him even after he's long gone. I can practically see you turning into slush. It's in your eyes." She traced a square tile on the kitchen counter, "And you said you hated him…" she mumbled skeptically.
Well, no beating around the bush, then. "Then you're seeing things," Kagome told her a bit too coolly, and stalked out of the kitchen.
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'Why does it sound more serious when she says it so bluntly?'
Kagome made a frustrated noise and hit her spongy hotel pillow. She didn't like him…he was just a friend. Nothing more. How close could you get to a person you've only known for a week and a half?
'What about Miroku and Sango?' her mind challenged her, 'they're plenty close…'
'Shut up.' She snapped at herself, 'They're different. I've…I've never even been kissed before…'
'So that's why you don't understand your feelings. You care about him.'
'I do not!' she sighed, feeling pathetic and a bit crazy for arguing with herself.
'Think about it. He saved your life. Would you do the same?' The little voice in her head piped up again.
'Of course I would…what other choice would I have?''What if you found out he was going to die?'
She pressed a hand to her heart, noticing that just the idea of it scared her. She groaned and buried her face in her pillow.
'Nothing…nothing will happen. I'll probably never see him again after this.' She ran a hand through her hair. 'What's going on with me…?'
A clinking noise startled her, and she leaned over her bed to see what had made it. She gasped and put a hand to her mouth when she found out what it was.
Her half of the Shikon no Tama was…moving. Seeming to be propelled by little bursts of light, it leapt off the ground a couple of times, and landed back on the floor, creating the clinking sound. It vibrated, and little wisps of pallid luminance exploded from its pink depths.
She reached out a trembling hand to pick it up. As soon as her fingers made contact with the object, it ceased in its movements and seemed to go still.
She stared at it in wonder.
...flashback...
"Kagome, you know what this is, right?"A raven-haired girl that appeared to be about nine years nodded slowly. "The Shikon no…Tama, right?" she mumbled a bit uncertainly.
Her grandmother smiled. "You're absolutely right." Even in her incredibly weak state, her ancient eyes twinkled with the simple joy and sorrow of enjoying one's last moments on earth.
"It's a bit soon, but…it might even be too late."
The child now shook her head, desperate tears sprouting from her youthful chocolate eyes. "No gramma! You'll be fine, you'll get better!" she pleaded, trying more to reassure herself than the weakened woman in front of her.
Her grandmother smiled again, this time a somber one. "Kagome, my darling. This jewel is your fortune." She clutched her granddaughter's small hand in her limp, pale ones, reaching from her place under the covers.
Little Kagome looked down, and squeezed her grandmother's hands. They were so ancient and frail looking, covered with veins and wrinkles, as well as the light brown spots that displayed one's elderliness. She sniffed, and fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Sh-sh," The elderly woman soothed, wiping them away with a bony finger. "Don't cry, my child. Listen, and let me tell you about the jewel. It's incredibly important."
The child looked up quickly, and stared into her grandmother's knowledge-filled eyes, listening for all her life's worth.
"Kagome," the old lady took a deep breath, "you come from a long line of mikos, and you know that. This artifact, however, was kept for you. It was passed down from the earliest miko in our heritage, all the way to you. It was requested by her, being the first priestess. She saw you in a vision, and described you to everyone, told everyone to keep it until someone like you came along. Thus, the jewel was held, and when you were born, we just knew it was you." Tears streamed down her bony chee,. "You…you fit the description perfectly, and—"a choked sob escaped her, "—I saw Midoriko in my dream, telling me you were the one.
" Take care of it… your mother can explain the rest to you." she closed her eyes, completely exhausted.
The child's eyes were curious, "Explain what, gramma?" she asked, "Does it do something?"
No movement came from the old woman, and it took a while for Kagome to realize she wouldn't be moving ever again.
...end flashback...
She heaved a sigh. More death flashbacks.
Nevertheless, her mother had explained the whole soul mate thing to her after four years had passed since her grandmother's death.
Of course, she had thought it was completely bogus.
But now, she wasn't so sure. Kagome closed her hands around the small crystal and was surprised to feel such warmth emancipating from it.
She sucked her breath in sharply. 'Inuyasha's jewel…it was also cut in half…' at the time, she had thought that it was merely a replica of the original one, but…her half had never acted like this in front of other copies of the precious gem.
Anxiety began to fill her insides, creating quite an unpleasant feeling of nausea within her. She clutched her stomach, feeling like she was about to throw up. Instead she moaned and fell over on the beige comforter. The Shikon rolled out of her hand, to land on the floor, to shine brilliantly again.
ooo
It was dark, so dark.
"H-hello?"
She fell to the floor and groped her way around, feeling only cold, smooth marble-like ground under her. She shivered. It was so cold.
She tried calling out again.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
Her cries were met with painful silence, seeming to tease her with its aching sense of loneliness.
Then suddenly, she became aware of a warmth overcoming her. The bleak aura of obscurity vanished, to be replaced by a comforting, yet still cloudy environment.
She felt arms enclose her, felt a whisper tickle her ear.
"Kagome…"
ooo
She woke up with a start, feeling incredibly suffocated. She put her hands to her eyes and choked out a strangled sob.
Now she had a reason for feeling like this.
There was nothing she could do about fate.
She had never felt so helpless, so weak. She could run miles and miles away, but would just end up where she started.
She loved him.
Hadn't he stolen her heart the first day she had met him? Even with his awful manners and rude obscenities, hadn't she felt a strong bond to him?
There was nothing she could do about it.
You can't help who you fall in love with.
It wasn't that she didn't want to fall in love with him—it was just…she felt so powerless.
'Does he feel the same way?'The jewel lying on the floor throbbed, and she felt a sudden ache to be with him, to burrow inside his arms, to keep him forever…with her.
Why now?
The raven-haired girl flopped back on her bed; weary from the constant mental battles her mind was fighting.
Go be with him.
'But what if he rejects me?'Baka. He obviously feels the same way you do. It's both of your destinies, isn't it?
She sat up, and tears streamed down her soft, pale cheeks.
'Yes…it is.'
And as if propelled by an invisible force, she leapt off the bed, ran to her bedroom door, and flung it open.
She half-sobbed, half-screamed.
"Inuyasha!"
Miroku and Sango weren't at home, so it seemed.
His door opened, and he peeked his head out. "What?" he asked, an annoyed yet a bit worried look on his face.
She whimpered, and fell on her knees, full out crying now.
The silver-haired boy approached her cautiously, and put a hand on her shoulder gently.
"Kagome?" he asked hesitantly, concern leaking out of the strong barriers in his amber hues.
She looked up at him, and he stared back at her tear-streaked face.
"Is it true?" She whispered.
His eyes widened. "Nani?"
Her bangs hid her eyes as she took an object out of her pocket and showed it to him. "Is it true?"
Inuyasha gasped and took a step back.
"No…no way." He murmured, a hint of alarm in his voice, "Impossible…fucking impossible…"
Kagome glared at him through tear filled eyes. "You're disappointed, aren't you?" she said harshly.
Inuyasha shook his head, "No…it's just…" he looked down at her, not knowing what to do, "…so surprising…so surprising for it to be someone that looks so much like…Kikyou."
He slowly leaned down, cupped her chin in his hand, and kissed her.
She gasped against his mouth as another surge of need rushed through her, and threw her arms around his neck. He also fell down on his knees, and embraced her frail, shuddering form. She held him close to her, desperately, helplessly.
'This is my fate…'
Electricity seemed to spark through their bodies, filling each of them with a sense of euphoria. And for one moment, just for one moment, she believed that she had actually found someone that cared about her, someone she could hold forever, someone she could love forever.
'But…'She abruptly pulled away, suddenly angry
'I'm wrong.'
"You don't know me, do you? You're just kissing me, believing I'm…Kikyou, aren't you?"
He drew back. "Kagome…"
She waved her hand for him to stop. "No, Inuyasha. I don't want to hear it. I just…I just want to be alone right now."
The silver-haired boy reached to touch her arm, but she flinched away like he had scalded her. With a last tearful look into his eyes, she ran out of the living room and outside the hotel room, slamming the front door.
He stood there, incredibly confused. Then he noticed the half of the Shikon lying on the floor, forgotten. He put a finger on it, and then jerked it back. The fucking thing had burnt him.
'It can only be touched by her…'Why was this so confusing? He rubbed his head, knowing it was a big mistake to tell her she looked like Kikyou so much. Of course she would take it the wrong way.
He sighed. Soconfusing….
He couldn't understand why that just moments ago, just mere seconds before she slammed open her door and cried out his name, he had felt…desire. He had…wanted her. He hadn't comprehended it, and tried to bury his feelings.
Now he knew why.
She rested against a bleached boulder, out of breath from running blindly for so long. Her feet, still bare, scuffed the cool sand, and she gazed out at the ocean.
Three seagulls fought in the air, knocking each other down with dive-bombs and angry squawks. A child played with a kite, trying to get it in the air but failing miserably. He plopped down on the shore, crestfallen. His mother came up behind him, and put her arms around him in a maternal embrace. The boy leaned back on her chest and closed his eyes, the kite forgotten. There was a sad beauty about it all.
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and she rested her head on her knees. She sniffled, and felt pathetic.
'Fate can't be controlled, but emotions can.'
She was wrong about the jewel making him feel the same way. Maybe it had only worked for her. She had never loved a man before…she didn't even know what love was.
Did she?
--A/N: …but it's angsty fluff.
I didn't really like this chapter, but oh well. Everything will make sense, so don't worry
And Kurimusonchishio, I hope that answered your question about the jewel!
Reviewed By: LunarAlchemist MediaMiner Member On: August 16, 2005 21:13 CDT
Comment/Review:
Wow, now you're bribing people for reviews? This is a whole new level of desperation... tsk tsk. I am, however, still enjoying your story very much, so I am continuing to review. As long as you keep updating, then I'll still review and tell you what a great writer you are. :-) There... have I fed your ego enough for today:-P
I was a bit offended by your comment. I appreciate reviews a lot, of course, but my requests for reviews were meant to be taken jokingly, not as desperate pleas for publicity. Thanks about the great writer part, but I really don't want to be seen as a hopeless person that needs attention. Reviews give me motivation, that's all.
And thank you everyone that reviewed
Oh, and btw… this chapter may be revised… so yeah.