Daughters
Chapter Thirteen: In My Head
Kagome sighed as she stared sourly at the lines of boxes of different cereals. Rin clutched her right hand tightly and in her left, Kagome clutched a plastic basket filled with the food Inuyasha instructed her to pick up while he was at work. She scratched her head and yawned, feeling drained and sluggish. Ever since she blew up at her father and that woman, she'd felt less than one hundred percent.
She released Rin's hand briefly to cover her mouth, releasing a large yawn. She bent down and reclaimed the girl's small hand. Rin beamed up at her, unaware of Kagome's inner turmoil and sadness.
Mr. Higurashi hadn't spoken to his daughter in days. The apartment was eerily quite whenever she entered the room. Abi ignored her completely, weeping occasionally about the pain in her bruised cheek. Kagome had a sneaking suspicion that her future stepmother was hamming it up, but had no way to prove it without looking like a spiteful brat.
"Which cereal would you like, Rin-Chan?" Kagome questioned, wishing that she could just lie down and fall asleep instead of watching Rin, no matter how adorable and well-mannered the girl was.
"That one," Rin bubbled and pointed a bad excuse for a breakfast cereal. Kagome recognized it as the one Inuyasha bought for Rin, despite his utter dislike for the sugar-infested stuff. Kagome smiled slightly and grabbed the brightly colored box and plopping it into the basket. "Yay!"
Kagome laughed and moved down the aisle, searching for the next item on the list.
"Rin, why don't you get the vegetables while I get the chicken?" Rin beamed at her babysitter's suggestion and toddled away, nearly knocking over a display of canned food in her excitement to please Kagome.
Kagome laughed quietly at the girl's enthusiasm and moved towards the butcher in the back of the grocery store. She moved slowly, wishing that she could just lie down and sleep. Things were so slow moving it seemed. Her father wasn't speaking to her. Abi was probably searching for the perfect boarding school for her. Inuyasha was just as jerky as he ever was, as was his nature (to which Kagome had come to accept). Sango and Ayame were away for the summer. She felt so incredibly alone, save for Rin's comforting and somewhat healing presence whenever she had the pleasure of watching over the sweet little child.
"I'm back!" Rin announced proudly as the girl, did, in fact, reappear, holding a large bag of carrots, celery, green beans, and peppers, as Inuyasha's list instructed.
"Welcome back," Kagome greeted the little girl, gratefully taking the food from her hands and putting it into the basket. She observed the piling of food and felt her arm shake at the weight. "Maybe we should go get a cart?"
Rin, delighted at the idea, darted away, with Kagome on her heels. They reached the front of the store, where Kagome pulled all the food from the basket and into the cart. Wheeling it away with Rin tugging on her skirt, Kagome felt a small amount of peace filter into her. Rin had a calming affect.
"Kagome-Chan," Rin whined, tugging on Kagome's skirt. Kagome paused in her descent down an aisle way to look down at her young charge. "Can I ride in the cart?"
"I think you may be too big for the seat," Kagome said critically, observing the uncomfortable looking seat designed for young toddlers. Rin gave her a stricken expression. "But you can probably ride in the part with the food," Kagome said, folding under Rin's impossibly adorable expression. "Just this once."
"Yay!" Rin chirped happily, sending Kagome a thousand-watt smile. Kagome laughed, despite herself, and plucked the child up when the girl lifted her arms. With a care granted only to someone carrying a small, precious child, Kagome set the little girl into the cart amid the food.
Kagome felt her lips quiver into a large smile, returning the girl's bright beam. Rin was, without a doubt, the sweetest little girl she'd ever met. She had the ability to make anyone smile (even Inuyasha, which was truly an achievement in itself). Kagome laughed softly at the thought of Rin's effect on everyone around her. No one could stand up against the little girl's charm.
Kagome ruffled the girl's brown-black hair affectionately. Rin chirped happily and giggled as they continued their shopping. Rin was loved, and loved everyone in return. It almost inspired Kagome to love everything around her.
After all, Abi almost seemed nice to Inuyasha. Inuyasha, despite his inability to say no to Rin, was still very much a loner and outsider. He hated venturing out too far and hated thinking of ever finding peace and love in the world of heartless humans. But, at the same time, Kagome could see a sparkle of concern for Rin's wellbeing deep within his soul, even though he tried his hardest to stifle it under his attitude.
'Inuyasha could make anyone look like a saint,' she thought with a fond smile. She laughed quietly to herself and ignored Rin's quizzical look.
Rin could be happy with someone like Inuyasha, who, despite his obvious care for Rin, was still no saint. Perhaps, if Kagome tried hard enough, she could find solace in her own household and come to terms with Abi…?
Armed with her new resolve to make peace with Abi, Kagome slipped into the apartment and slipped off her shoes. Smiling she walked down the hallway towards the joint kitchen and family room. Abi sat, reading a book with the television on in the background. Her feet, complete with swollen ankles, perched precariously on the coffee table before her.
"Hello," Kagome said, blinking at her future stepmother. The woman turned a page, finished a paragraph, marked her page, and shut the book. Swiveling her head, she observed Kagome like a person did a troublesome peddle in a shoe.
"Ah, Kagome. Just in time. Could you get me some water?" Abi questioned and opened her book again. "And make sure it's bottled water, not tap."
Kagome, slightly damped by Abi's greeting, relented and moved to the kitchen, pouring her father's fiancée a glass of bottled water. Returning to the young woman's side, Kagome handed the glass cup to the woman.
Abi drank, set down the glass, and started reading again. In the background, a Korean game show played obnoxious music and crowds screamed happily. Kagome watched it dully, unsure what to make of this. Her change of heart was quickly changing right back around again. Abi didn't want anything to do with her.
"While you're up," Abi began, watching as Kagome began sitting down in a chair. "Could you get me a bag of ice? My cheek hurts so much from your unruly display the other night."
Kagome sighed and hoisted herself up, standing. She gave Abi a blank look before obeying, moving to the kitchen and doing as she was commanded. She bit her lip and scooped out some ice with her bare hands, throwing them into a plastic zip-lock bag. Returning to the woman for the second time, she handed over the ice bag.
"You do know that I need a cloth to wrap around it, or else I will get far too cold," Abi said dramatically, throwing the ice bag back at Kagome. Kagome swallowed a bitter remark before going back to the kitchen to get a towel.
Kagome gave the towel to her future stepmother and watched the woman bitterly. Swallowing her pride, Kagome squared her shoulders. If she wanted to be happy, she'd have to make sacrifices.
"I'm sorry," Kagome said suddenly. "For hitting you."
Abi eyed her as she pressed the ice bag to her cheek. She didn't say anything for a long moment, and Kagome wondered what was going through that woman's head.
"Hm," she said finally. "Apology accepted. Maybe that will teach you to be such a rude and spoilt brat."
Kagome swallowed thickly, feeling her fury ripple within her. She forced a smile on her face and knew that it looked forced—but she didn't care. She had to make peace with Abi. It was the right thing to do.
"So where is it that you go to, Kagome?" Abi asked unexpectedly. "Making your boyfriend miserable?"
"I don't have a boyfriend," Kagome bit out harshly, giving her father's fiancée a dirty look. "I baby-sit for one of my classmates."
"One of your classmates has a child?" Abi asked, seeming genuinely surprised despite the fact that Kagome had already told both her father and Abi about Inuyasha and Rin. "How lewd."
"Hardly, I baby-sit his cousin, who's an orphan now," Kagome said, wishing she could instill a sense of guilt in the older woman.
"Ah, winning a man's heart through children. How quaint. How devious," Abi complimented, but it was nothing that Kagome wanted to be complimented for.
"I am doing no such thing. He pays me well and Inuyasha's my friend," Kagome said harshly.
"Not your boyfriend?"
"Certainly not," Kagome said, looking scandalized.
Abi hummed. "Yes, it would be impossible for you to get a boyfriend, anyway."
"Excuse me?" Kagome hissed, feeling all hopes of making amends with Abi fly out the window faster than they'd flown into her heart. She couldn't believe she'd actually wanted to be on good terms with this wretched woman!
"Look at you," Abi said with a wave of her hand, indicating Kagome's body. "On top of your spoiled nature, you're not the prettiest flower in the park, Kagome."
Kagome stared at her almost stepmother in abject horror.
"And what about you?" Kagome snapped, feeling her calm fly away with her, quickly on the heels of Kagome's resolve. "Couldn't get a guy your own age so you had to sleep with an old man? Robbing the grave, are you?"
Abi's eyes narrowed.
"Why would a woman like you want an old man in the first place?" Kagome pretended to muse over the idea. "Especially one who's so successful and wealthy. It would definitely set you up for a mighty fortune once he kicks the bucket."
"What are you implying?"
"You know perfectly well what I'm implying," Kagome shot back, giving her future stepmother a most unbecomingly smug smile.
"You insolent little…" Abi trailed off, giving the teenager a look.
Kagome folded her arms. "What?"
"I think I realize why you keep lashing out at me, sweet Kagome," Abi said, giving her a pseudo look of pity.
"And why's that?" Curiosity got the better of Kagome.
"Why, look at you. You're, as I already said, not a very nice catch. You're not thin, like I am. And your hair is rather dull. And your eyes are too close together." Kagome stared at her. "And your smile is lopsided. No, not very pretty in the least. On top of these obvious physical disadvantages, you are not a very charming person to be acquainted with."
Kagome knew that she shouldn't let what Abi said get to her. But, despite the fact she knew that Abi was only doing this for the purpose of making her feel terrible, all of Kagome's preexisting insecurities piled on top of her, weighing her down.
"No one would want you," Abi said at last. "Ever."
"Wha…"
"You look like a fish with your mouth open like that."
Kagome clapped her mouth shut.
"It's no wonder your father can't wait for you to leave this house," Abi said, opening her book with a snap and turning the television off, where someone had just won thousands of dollars in prizes. "You're a nuisance."
That cut her.
What started off as an attempt to make things better in the Higurashi household melted away into a blatant attempt to drag Kagome down. And it worked.
She thought of Inuyasha, and the way he skirted away from her and snapped at her. She ignored the fact that he did that to everyone. That wasn't important right now.
Who would want her, anyway?
"You look like shit," Inuyasha announced the next day as he opened the door to see a rather displeased Kagome.
She gave him a stricken expression before ducking her head. "I didn't sleep well."
Inuyasha stepped backwards, opening the door for her. She trudged in, slipping off her shoes and kicking them next to Rin's little sneakers. Kagome sighed and unbuttoned her jacket slowly, feeling lethargic and unwanted.
"Oy," Inuyasha said, planting his hands on his hips which reminded Kagome very much of Souta. "What's wrong with you?"
"Where's Rin?" Kagome questioned instead of answering Inuyasha. The said boy frowned deeply as Kagome left him standing awkwardly in the foyer and made to search out the little girl who could brighten anyone's day.
"I tried to call you," Inuyasha called out and Kagome turned around, watching as he approached her, looking very tired in his work uniform. "Rin went over to a friend's house. You didn't pick up your cell phone."
Kagome snatched her cell phone from her purse and stared at it blankly. It was off.
"Sorry," Kagome muttered. "I'll leave."
Inuyasha watched her before glancing over at the clock on the wall.
"I'll walk you home," he said, following her. He shrugged on his jacket. "I don't need to be at work for another half hour."
"No," Kagome said at once, whipping around so quickly she crashed into a pile of shoes and nearly tripped. She cleared her throat. "I mean… I don't need to go home."
The truth of the matter was that she couldn't bear to see Abi again and have to face with her father ignoring her. She cleared her throat again nervously, wringing her hands, squeezing the fabric of her shirt in between her merciless grip.
Inuyasha frowned.
"I… uh…" Kagome sighed.
'Get a grip on yourself,' she told herself miserably. 'You shouldn't take what Abi said to heart.' But she did. Oh how she did. Inuyasha hated her. And, despite their one, treasured moment in that closet, she knew that he would never truly be nice to her. 'Abi's right.'
Inuyasha sighed, blowing out a long stream of air that nearly ruffled Kagome's bangs. His breath smelled bad. He obviously hadn't brushed his teeth that day.
"Fine," he said at last and ran fingers through his short black hair. Kagome decided that having short hair suited Inuyasha. His long hair was just as unruly as his short hair, but the short hair served in framing his face. "You can come with me, then."
"What?"
"Well, you don't have to," Inuyasha said at once, the tips of his ears turning pink. "I just thought that maybe I could get you lunch since I made you come all the way out here only for Rin to be gone."
"You don't have to do that," Kagome said, her own cheeks turning pink. "I can manage on my own."
"Suit yourself," Inuyasha shrugged. Kagome tried to still her racing heart. He opened the door and ushered her out before closing it and locking it behind him. "I just thought that maybe you'd be hungry. It'd be free, too."
"Well," Kagome paused. Who was she to deny free food? She thought again, albeit sourly, about Abi's comments about her not being thin. She frowned. She was fine, she knew that, but still, hearing it from Abi, the only mother figure she had, still cut her deep. "I guess it'd be okay."
Inuyasha shrugged and made a noncommittal noise as he trudged down the hallway towards the staircase. They moved silently down a couple flights of stairs until they made it to the bottom of the complex and departed.
They walked in an awkward silence Kagome came to associating Inuyasha with. Silence always followed Inuyasha like a lost dog. It was just something that was like him. She didn't mind, too much, unless they were the unbearably awkward silences she felt now. She swallowed.
When they reached the restaurant he worked at, Kagome watched Inuyasha clock in and begin preparations for serving tables. The restaurant was almost completely empty save for a few stragglers. It was in between the lunch hour and dinner hour, leaving the restaurant looking abandoned.
Kagome sat down gingerly in a booth and stared out the window. She ignored Inuyasha as he moved down the aisle, picking up dishes left from the lunch hour an hour prior. He muttered profanities under his breath about he was a waiter, not a busboy, as he passed by her but Kagome knew that he was simply ranting to himself and not attempting to make conversation with her.
A quarter of an hour later, Inuyasha reappeared, hands cleaned and dish-free. He glanced around the restaurant, searching for other customers, but the remaining stragglers were cleared out. Inuyasha plopped down in the seat opposite her and lolled his head against the back of his seat. Kagome watched him, unsure, and offered him a tentative smile. She saw his lips quiver and swore she saw a shadow of as mile, but his lips never curled upwards like they had in the closet.
"So," he said finally, shattering the silence that surrounded them like a pall. "What do you want?"
"Oh…" Kagome stammered, forgetting the reason she'd come here in the first place. Her stomach growled. She hadn't had anything to eat that morning because of her upset around her family. She rarely left her room anymore. "Um… could I just have some fries?"
Inuyasha grunted, but didn't get up right away. He looked tired. Probably Rin kept him up because of her nightmares and her need to be tucked in. Whenever Kagome had to watch Rin while Inuyasha had the late-night shift, Rin always woke up with nightmares. Some were less intense than others. It could range from falling off a cliff to being eaten by a monster.
After a short while, Inuyasha left to get her requested food.
The restaurant wasn't traditional in any sense, which is probably why Inuyasha was hired. If it'd been a traditional restaurant, Kagome imagined, Inuyasha's behavior would probably send customers away. No, the small restaurant serving American style food was nice, and far better than the fast food places down the street.
Inuyasha returned a short time later with a plate of flies, which he plopped down in front of Kagome. Once again, he flopped down into the booth with Kagome, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.
"Do you want anything else?" he questioned, his voice soft and sleepy.
"No," Kagome said with a shake of her head. She ate a fry gratefully. "Thank you."
He grunted and said nothing else. Kagome smiled lightly and lowered her head, focusing on the plate of fries he'd given her. Somehow, she felt a little better.
"So what's really wrong?"
Kagome started at his tone. She lifted her head and stared at him. All signs of sleepiness were gone from his face and he looked slightly peeved—which was a normal expression for Inuyasha. He rested his elbow on the table and cushioned his chin in the palm of his hand. Inuyasha was oddly observant, Kagome realized vaguely. She wasn't sure if she liked that about him or not.
"Nothing's wrong," she countered weakly, lacking all conviction in her voice. Inuyasha snorted bitterly, signaling his disbelief. "I promise."
"You're a bad liar, Kagome," Inuyasha easily. Whether that was meant as a criticism or a compliment Kagome wasn't sure.
"I'm fine… as long as the people around me are happy," she said, lowering her gaze to her empty plate of French fries.
"Oh?"
His light tone patronized her and Kagome bitterly recalled Abi's conversations with her. She felt her entire face turn red with her shame as she gripped the hem of her skirt, just above her knees.
"Yes," she said weakly.
"Hm…"
"As long as Rin and Inuyasha," she paused, glancing at him hesitantly, "are happy, then I'm happy. As long as I can see you smiling, both of you, I'm fine. As long as you're happy."
He stared at her for a long moment. "I'm never happy."
Kagome felt as if she'd been stabbed again. She felt emotions flush out of her in a whoosh and she ducked her head, shielding her betrayed look. She should have known that Inuyasha still hated the world. Perhaps, in her stupid, childish mind, she imagined that having Rin and herself in his life was healing him. That time in the closet meant nothing, in the end. It was all a mirage. It was all a dream. A mirage. A mirage. A mirage.
Why couldn't Inuyasha ever say the things she wanted, she needed to hear? Why couldn't Inuyasha know that she just wanted reassurance? That she just wanted a friend to smile and tell her everything would be okay?
Because Inuyasha wasn't like that. Kagome knew that. But that didn't stop her from losing control of her emotions.
Her vision wavered. Inuyasha didn't want her around. Abi was right. She was just a nuisance. She was just in the way of everyone. This was the way her life was. This is the way she'd come to live.
"Oh," she said weakly.
Inuyasha must have realized this was the wrong thing to say. "Oy," he began slowly, his tone light. "Come on, why do you care?"
"You know very well why I care!" Kagome snapped out, feeling her betrayal and sadness quickly becoming replaced with anger. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she stared at him, bewildered. "You know damn well."
Inuyasha flared up, his eyes narrowing and his black eyebrows descending his brow as he gave her a deep glare that signaled his utter dislike for her tone and her words. His shoulders tensed and he gave her a deep, dark look.
"I've go to go," she said at last, standing abruptly. Her knee knocked against the table and she silently cursed as pain shot through her leg. "Thanks for the food."
She moved away quickly, knowing that Inuyasha wouldn't follow her. He'd lose his job if he just up and left. She pushed back the urge to cry and miserably exited the building.
"Kagome!" a voice called out behind her. So he had followed her. She sped up her pace. "God damn it, Kagome!"
A hand grasped her forearm before she could make it the crosswalk and Inuyasha tugged her back. She stumbled, nearly losing her balance. She caught herself and gave him a stricken look.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded, genuinely curious, underneath all his anger.
"It doesn't matter!" Kagome said, tugging herself free from him. She pulled away from him quickly, leaving his arm grasping air. "Just leave me alone!"
Deep down, Kagome knew that she was being unfair to Inuyasha. How was he to know of her inner turmoil? It was just his way—one moment, keenly observant, and the next, rather dense. But how could he ever truly comprehend what was going through her head?
Once again, deep down, Kagome knew that Inuyasha, given the chance, had an opportunity to empathize for her. After all, he was an orphan. He didn't have his parents and he drifted between family members. He faced the difficulty of being unwanted everyday. What made Kagome so special?
"Kagome," he said after a brief pause. He stared at her in confusion. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"It doesn't matter!" she cried out and felt tears collect in the corner of her eyes. "Just leave me alone!"
With that, she took off in a run, and Inuyasha didn't follow her.
Inuyasha slouched to the door as he heard knocking. He looked at his watch. It was too early. Muttering darkly to himself about Kagome showing up way too early, Inuyasha unlocked the door and opened it.
"Good morning!" Miroku sang out happily, fluttering his hand in a flamboyant and overly dramatic flick.
Inuyasha shut the door in his face.
"Now that that wasn't very nice," Miroku said sadly as he opened the door, following after the retreating form of Inuyasha. "I was just here to say hello."
"Keh," Inuyasha muttered and didn't turn around.
"So cruel, Inuyasha," Miroku mock-gasped as he slipped off his shoes and followed after his classmate.
"How do you know where I live?" Inuyasha muttered instead of greeting Miroku.
"Everyone's listed in the directory, of course," Miroku bubbled and trotted behind Inuyasha, who still refused to turn around and look at him. "But I actually came here on very serious business. I have something very important to ask you, after all."
Inuyasha gave him a dry look before ushering Rin away from the television and into her room, where she occupied herself with some books. Knowing Miroku, his 'very serious business' was not children appropriate. He gave his friend another look before sighing and flopping down at his kitchen table.
He waved his hand. "Get on with it."
"Well," Miroku started dramatically, and paused, beaming down at his friend.
"You're too cheerful," Inuyasha muttered.
"Never fear, cruel friend, for your words cut me deep and soon you shall have a cold corpse on your floor," Miroku said dramatically as he sat down in the chair opposite Inuyasha. The other boy snorted cynically. Then a change seemed to befall Miroku and he did, indeed, turn rather serious. His deep blue eyes stared at him for a long moment until Inuyasha grew uncomfortable. What was it with Kagome's family and having such eyes that seemed to stare into your soul?
"Well, what do you want?" Inuyasha said once the discomfort seemed to saturate the room.
Miroku folded his arms and sighed, frowning thoughtfully. "Have you talked to Kagome recently?"
Inuyasha hadn't. Ever since her retreat from the restaurant four days ago, he hadn't spoken to her. He shook his head silently, wondering what Miroku was aiming at. If the boy was going to question him about sleeping with Kagome then the boy would shortly find himself falling to his death from the third story window.
"She's been strange lately," Miroku said at last, looking genuinely concerned for his cousin. "She's quieter, and skittish. I was wondering if maybe something happened to her."
"I didn't do anything, if that's what you're aiming at," Inuyasha said bitterly.
Miroku's frown deepened. "I was hoping that maybe you could think of something. Is there anything that could have set her off? You're pretty heartless most of the time."
"You came over here to interrogate me?" Inuyasha snapped. The truth of the matter was that Inuyasha was thinking along the same lines as Miroku. But he'd never admit that, especially since he hated to think that he'd done something to make Kagome that upset.
"But can you think of anything?" Miroku insisted.
"Fuck you," Inuyasha snapped. "Why do you always assume that I did something?"
Miroku stared at him in shock before his eyes narrowed in his own anger. He stood up and Inuyasha followed suit, staring down at one another, trying to make the other one submit to the other.
"You're quite defensive. Maybe you did do something?" Miroku said harshly, accusing his friend.
"I didn't do shit," Inuyasha snapped.
"Maybe that's the problem," Miroku countered. "Are you completely blind?"
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and soon the table wasn't between them any longer. Fists flew and Inuyasha watched in amazement as Miroku missed his cheek by a mere inches but his own fist collided with Miroku's cheek, sending the boy sprawling backwards and nearly falling over a chair.
Miroku touched his cheek, a look of utter shock written on his face. He pulled away to see a small collection of blood on his finger tips. One of Inuyasha's nails sliced through the soft skin of his face. He stared at in shock, disbelieving that they'd really thrown punches at one another—and meant it.
"What do you mean am I blind?" Inuyasha demanded.
"You really are an idiot," Miroku marveled. It wasn't as if Miroku were trying to insult him, but he was genuinely surprised at how dense his friend could be. "Kagome likes you."
Inuyasha stared at him in shock. "What?"
"Oh my God, you really are stupid!" Miroku rubbed his forehead, as if dealing with a mindless monkey. "Kagome has liked you since junior high, you insolent dolt!"
"How do you know? That's not true!" Inuyasha protested, refusing to believe that he could be blind to something like a crush.
Miroku shook his head. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles.
"If you can't see it, then Kagome doesn't deserve you at all."
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he advanced on Miroku. The boy was ready for him, however, and sent a kick to his stomach, knocking the older boy back. Inuyasha wheezed, grasping his stomach in pain and trying to regain his breath.
"Come, Inuyasha, I do not wish to fight. You are my best friend." Miroku seemed to truly mean it when he said that. He gave Inuyasha a pleading look.
Inuyasha, for one brief moment, was touched that Miroku considered him his best friend. Him. A classmate who'd never showed the boy a shred of kindness.
But Inuyasha was far too deep into his anger to accept anything other than his anger towards Miroku. Besides, they were in the middle of a fight. He couldn't very well go soft on Miroku now, regardless of their friendship. His anger surged through him.
"I have to ask why you'd want someone like me as a best friend." Inuyasha spat, glaring daggers. "I don't know why I even put up with you."
That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Miroku stared at him in shock and anger. But, despite that all, Inuyasha could see the glimmer of hurt and betrayal swimming in his impossibly blue eyes. He bit his lip and gripped his fists. Slowly, he lifted his hand and wiped away the blood pooling from the cut on his cheek. His fingers brushed over the bruise forming there.
"I guess," Miroku said, anger in his voice. "I'm not important to you."
Inuyasha was too deep in his own anger to stop and think. "I don't see why an idiot like you would want to be my friend."
Miroku flared up. "Well, maybe I don't!"
"Then get the fuck away from me. Get out of my house!"
"Maybe I will then!" Miroku stormed past Inuyasha, purposefully bumping into Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha, already slightly off balance, stumbled. He glared at Miroku's back, hating him for being so strong and being so right, too.
Silence fell for one moment until Inuyasha heard a door open and slam shut. Inuyasha listened for any sign that Miroku may come back. He wondered why he wanted Miroku to come back in the first place.
It wasn't until he realized that Miroku wasn't coming back that Inuyasha accepted the fact that Miroku was his best friend. Even if Miroku was kind of an idiot and a pervert, at least he'd always been there for Inuyasha, canceling out his morbid attitude with his own sunny personality. He hadn't realized he'd grown so attached to Miroku until the boy was gone.
He tenderly touched the spot on his stomach, where Miroku had left a rather large mark. His stomach was turning purple. He hissed in pain as he tried to touch it.
"You fucker," Inuyasha cursed as he straightened, glaring down the hall where Miroku had disappeared. He cursed the boy. He cursed Kagome. He cursed the world.
Who needed people? People were stupid. People only hurt him, in the end.
"Inu-oniichan," Rin murmured, daring to peek her head out and look to her cousin.
"God damn it, just leave me the fuck alone!" Inuyasha snapped.
Rin recoiled, looking like he'd just slapped her. Tears pooled in her eyes and she ran away, slamming her door behind her.
'Well,' Inuyasha thought bitterly. 'You're alone. Just like you wanted to be.'
Summer rain pounded against his window and thunder rumbled in the distance. Inuyasha flopped down into a chair and hunched over, staring at his feet like they'd done him personal harm. Why was everything crashing around him?
In his head, deep in his subconscious, he knew that he was wrong. But he was alone. He'd screwed everything up, as was his nature.
'Maybe someday,' Inuyasha thought bitterly, 'I'll get it right.'