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Chapter 11 – Friction: Part One
Sango knelt beside the fire pit, silently sipping her tea as she listened to the storm outside the walls of the inn. For once Miroku had not attempted to 'dispel evil' from the headman's home. When she had questioned him about it, he'd simply replied that Inuyasha and Kagome might not be able to find them. She hadn't bought the story, but she allowed him to think otherwise. She knew Inuyasha could easily smell them out, but when the rain came and steadily worsened, she began to doubt. Alone, Inuyasha would have kept going, but he had Kagome with him… They were probably waiting out the storm somewhere.
The only other sounds were Shippou's soft snores from the futon he shared with Kirara. She smiled at the image, thankful that the young kitsune was able to sleep. She had worried that he might be anxious over Kagome's whereabouts, despite Inuyasha's reassurance that he'd take care of the miko. The smile faded as she recalled the hanyou's order to make for the village while he waited for Kagome. She hadn't wanted to leave, but she knew Inuyasha would take care of Kagome and it also wouldn't hurt for them to acquire lodging in advance.
She set the tea on the tray next to the pit, pausing to warm her hands before the fire briefly. She rose to her feet in silence, crossing the room to Kagome's pack. The inventions of Kagome's time were always a wonder to her and she was glad the young woman shared some of them. Flipping it open, she quickly located the three bottles and brush. Setting the containers down, she froze as she pulled the brush from the bag, the light catching a few strands of hair… silver-white hair… She smothered her giggles as she realized that she wasn't the only one who preferred having her hair in a state of being unknotted, and found combs of their era lacking in solving the problem.
"You should laugh more often, Sango."
Though spoken softly, she whirled in surprise to confront the speaker. Her eyes slowly returned from their widened state as she lowered the brush she'd instinctively raised as a possible weapon. "Houshi-sama…" she whispered on a soft sigh.
Miroku's smile faltered slightly with her acknowledgement of his occupation rather than his name. It appeared as if the two months prior to Kagome's return hadn't happened. He'd diligently spent his time trying to show the taijiya that his affections were not along the same lines as those he showed other women. Yes, he appreciated the female form, but he'd curbed his 'wandering' hands just before Kagome had disappeared. It took Sango four months to recognize his efforts, but it was well worth the wait because in the end…
"We are promised Sango. Surely that entitles you to call me by name?" His tone was jesting despite the sudden fear that she'd changed her mind.
"H-hai… Call it habit." She smiled as she gathered her items and rose to her feet, crossing to where Miroku casually leaned against the doorframe. "You've been Houshi-sama for years. It's hard to change… Miroku…"
With a quick peek towards the youkai to ensure they were sleeping, she quickly rose up on her toes and brushed her lips in a ghost of a kiss across his cheek. Her own cheeks burst into a riot of pink as she exited the room before he could return the favor. Miroku's smile returned and he brushed his fingers across his cheek. The smile turned into a smirk as he followed Sango, knowing her destination and figuring it would be well worth another bump on the head.
Don't change too much, love… you're wonderful as you are…
----,----,----
Inuyasha hadn't missed Kagome's attempt to muffle her cry of pain, nor her sudden grip on his haori. When she went limp and began to slide off his back, he quickly halted and allowed her to fall gently, then turned and scooped her into his arms before resuming his run. The clouds were looking to burst any moment if the thunder was any indication. It shook the very ground and he could smell the rain fast approaching. There was no way he'd reach the village in time and as he looked for an alternate shelter, he silently hoped the others had already found refuge.
Salvation came in the form of a small cave just as the thunder sounded once more. He sniffed the opening cautiously, not wanting to inadvertently hole up in someone's home. He smelled bear, but the scent was fading, telling him it had been months since it was inhabited. He made his way to the back, thankful there was just enough light left to illuminate the cave. He gently laid Kagome down, absently smoothing back a stray wisp of hair that had come undone from the braid. He frowned as he slipped out of his haori and blanketed her with it. He didn't like her hair confined, it reminded him of Kikyou; severe, contained… cold. Before he gave in to the urge to undo the braid, he headed back outside to gather firewood before the rain came.
----,----,----
Kagome awoke to the smell of wood, rain and… Inuyasha? She opened her eyes, blinking slowly to adjust to the dim lighting. She was wrapped in Inuyasha's haori, and for a brief moment she allowed herself to clutch it closer and inhaled his scent; sandalwood and evergreen. She released it and sat up, her eyes immediately seeking out the owner. He sat quietly against the wall nearest the small fire; eyes closed as if in sleep. She knew better. He would most likely 'awaken' if she tried to walk past him. She gave a small shriek of surprise when lightning crashed outside; illuminating the mouth of what she could now tell was a cave.
Inuyasha immediately jumped to his feet in response to Kagome's cry, his hand gripping Tessaiga. He'd been waiting for hours, listening to the lightning and rain, repeatedly thinking of how he was going to get her to listen to him, and how exactly he should say it. It wasn't easy, but he'd half-expected it not to be with Kagome; she kept him on his toes, making him think about things that he long ago hadn't cared about.
"Kagome?"
She shook her head to clear it of the momentary shock the lightning had caused, turning her gaze to the hanyou. She gave him a small smile as her way of letting him know she was fine, when in reality she was far from it. Her chest throbbed with a dull ache that was more of a bothersome reminder than true pain, and she was trapped for Kami knew how long with an inu-hanyou who'd been hell bent on getting her to talk to him about… well a lot of things in which she figured. Mainly about what had happened when she'd left nearly 7 months before.
But with Sesshoumaru's unexpected line of questions and accusations, she was certain he'd ask about that as well… and possibly about why she'd passed out. She didn't want to have those conversations… not with him. However thick her walls, however strong her resolve, she knew… she just knew she would break if he spoke to her in that same kind tone. The one that made her want to believe he actually cared this time. And so, with every fiber of her being protesting, she did the one thing she trusted to put distance between them…
Looking away and crossing her arms, she harshly said, "What do you want?" All the while cringing inside for being so cruel.
Inuyasha flinched at her tone as his ears flattened against his head. She wanted an argument. If it weren't for the faint scent of fear coming off her he might have given in and done as she wanted. Only her tears could eclipse his reaction to her fear; he wanted… no, he needed to soothe her fears, even if he wasn't sure what they were.
"I want you to listen…"
"You've got nothing worth listening to."
"Think again, bitch." He ground out, grimly determined to hold on to his temper no matter how much she goaded him. When the silence stretched into minutes, he took it as a sign that she might listen… or at least not interrupt. With a sigh he dropped cross-legged next to her; her slight flinch not going unnoticed.
"I shouldn't have said it. You can't be like her..." he frowned as she stiffened, but didn't speak. "You're too kind and forgiving." Onegai Kagome, just once more… he sighed, knowing he was already messing things up, but unable to find the words to say what he felt. He used his actions to express himself usually, but he knew this time he'd have to talk his way into her good graces again. He hissed as her aura spiked and brushed against him, forcing him to move away with a curse.
"Damn it, Kagome! It's not an insult! I don't want you to be like her…" He tried, in vain, to soothe her with his youki, only to end up being 'slapped' for his efforts. Punching the ground, he crouched a couple feet away and growled as the reins on his temper began to slip. She needed to listen and she was going to whether she wanted to or not. Unfortunately he couldn't just grab her and shake some sense into her like he wanted to do… among other things. Not until she calmed enough so her aura didn't attack him.
Kagome instantly regretted 'slapping' him away, mentally cringing at her cruelty, but unwilling to allow him an opportunity to break her defenses apart. She'd spent months learning to wear a mask solely for this purpose - to keep Inuyasha away; to prevent anyone else, especially him, from learning her secret. She couldn't back down from this no matter how much it hurt. She just had to keep reminding herself that when it was all over she would have fulfilled his wish and thus allowed him to make a second wish. And that's all that really mattered… Inuyasha's happiness.
She stiffened when Inuyasha growled, lifting her gaze to meet his thinking he was growling at her. But he was looking at the cave entrance with a dark scowl and when she followed his line of sight she gasped, while silently cursing herself for missing the intruder's approach.
"Kouga!"
A/N:
Well email is back on track…for now. I'm so thrilled about it that I'm releasing chapter 12 earlier than planned. So don't expect 13 for a week or two due to the usual.. work… baby… lol.
Wrote a commission piece for my solitary faithful reviewer, InuyashasLoveLorn, "Solitude"… her request got me wondering if I could pull it off. Tell me what you think eh? Also looking for a second beta…. Midioriko-sama is awesome, but she does have collage and I think it might help having another beta to take off the stress for her. Not to mention I should be starting my second fic shortly… check my profile for more info on upcoming stories.
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