Title: Labels Part Two- Kagome
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama/Hints at romance
Word Count: 308
Note: Yes, this does connect to Labels Part One. These thoughts are occurring at the same time, and the smile Kagome gives him in this is the same one he receives in Part one.
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When Kagome first came into contact with InuYasha, one thing she noticed was his distinct intonation of a specific word.
Hanyou.
It was spat with disgust, laced with resentment, and tinged with sorrow.
Kagome's heart ached when that word left his mouth.
How could she tell him that, he wasn't a Hanyou?
At least, not in that sense.
Hanyou was a label, a label denoting something tainted and impure.
If that was the way the world chose to define what InuYasha was, then she refused to acknowledge it.
Half human, half youkai. Hanyou was the term they'd coined for his heritage.
But in his heart he was just a pure and innocent human boy.
And because of that, Kagome viewed him in the same way she did anyone else.
No, different. But only because he was something truly special to her and to everyone he encountered.
However, Kagome knew that if InuYasha ever inquired to her what she thought of him as, she wouldn't allude to his humanity. Because she never, ever wanted him to gain any impressions that she would wish him to purge his youkai blood for her.
But Kagome must have been doing something right, getting her intentions across to InuYasha although she never outright stated them.
Because as time went on, as the couple grew closer, as they encountered multitudes of trials and tribulations… she observed a certain change:
Hanyou
It had become just another word. And although Kagome didn't pick up pride in how the boy said it, its intonation now was full of content acceptance.
Had she been the one to do this?
Kagome shrugged and glanced over, giving InuYasha a brilliant smile. She could have sworn his cheeks flushed slightly, despite the fact that it appeared she'd startled him out of thought.
Whatever the case…
She couldn't be happier for him.