Disclaimer- Me don't own Inuyasha or the 'gang'. Sorry.
The group stood there, not speaking, just waiting. What they were waiting for was unknown. To be honest, Inuyasha himself was having a hard time keeping himself from embracing her on the spot. Kikyou's face was untouched by the troubles of everyday life, and the hanyou was still captivated by how beautiful she was. Kagome, however, was battling a different emotion. Hate.
'I have no reason to hate Kikyou… Perhaps, I am just worried about Inuyasha's safety.' She told herself, wanting to believe that was true. But there was no mistaking it. Her blood boiled in her veins, and she wanted to scream at the other woman to leave Inuyasha alone. Surprised that she was feeling such hatred towards another, she clenched her fist and did her best to appear calm.
Kikyou sighed when they didn't say anything. She had thought something like this would happen. "Its nice to see you all are well." Her voice was even, and the comment was directed at everyone, not just Inuyasha. She had carefully formulated how she would approach them, and this was just the opening line in the sort of 'play' she had lain out. Now, she would have to see if she had interpreted them correctly.
Inuyasha tried to speak- he really did. The noise that came out instead was halfway between a grunt and a groan. The monk and demon slayer watched with interest, as did the rest of the people/demons present, as the embarrassed half-demon turned a deep red color. Shippou was dying from silent laughter as the adults eyes widened. Even Kikyou was a bit shocked. She knew that Inuyasha had 'feelings' for her, but she didn't know that it affected him so much. Normally, Inuyasha would have rather died than shown embarrassment.
"And you too, Kikyou."
It was finally Kagome who had to speak. Her voice was normal, but someone who really knew her knew that it was a bit strained. Her expression betrayed no feelings, but the look in her eyes was enough for Kikyou to tell that she was not at all pleased by her arrival. She was forcing herself to be polite, even when every nerve in her body called for her to rip this woman to pieces.
Sango leaned over to whisper something in Miroku's ear. Bending towards the demon slayer, he nodded at her words. It was time someone helped people get over the awkwardness of the situation. Naturally, it would have to be him- I mean who else had the gift of charm in the group? It obviously wasn't Inuyasha.
"What brings you to these parts, priestess Kikyou?" His silky voice took on an interested tone. He stepped forward a bit, blocking Kagome and Sango from view. This move was calculated and effective; the two women would now be able to speak to each other at leisure, without worrying about being seen.
If Kikyou hadn't been putting on an act, she would have smirked. She had figured that someone would come forward to 'break the ice' as they say. 'So far, so good.' She thought. They were falling for her plan, hook, line, and sinker. This was going to be easier than she ever imagined.
"To be honest…. I am fleeing Naraku." She made a fake quiver come into her voice and widened her eyes in 'fear'. "He…is out to kill me now, for reasons unknown to me. I have been running from him for many days." Just the mention of Naraku's name made Inuyasha's ears perk up. Kikyou lowered her head, appearing to the entire world, a scared female.
Inuyasha's eyes widened. The blush disappeared from his cheeks and was quickly replaced by the flush of anger. "That bastard." He said venomously. How dare Naraku go after innocent Kikyou! If only there was a way to keep her safe with him… Then it hit him.
"Kikyou… Why don't you travel with us? That way you will be protected from Naraku."
Kagome, who had been whispering urgently to Sango fell uncharacteristically silent. She gripped the other woman's arm tightly, her eyes full of hurt. 'How can he do this to me?' She thought. 'He knows how much pain she causes me!'
Quite frankly, Inuyasha didn't really care at the moment. His sole aim in life was to protect Kikyou- no matter how everyone else felt about her. By inviting her into the group, he risked his friendship with Kagome and the respect that Miroku and Sango had for him. All that for one woman. Not what you would call an even trade, eh?
Kikyou smiled, and this time it met her eyes. "That sounds like an idea."
Selenas Corner
Hey ya'll. I hope you didn't miss me, 'cause I am back and better than ever. Anyway- I apologize for any Kagome dissing that takes place here, but I wasn't feeling very nice today, and Kagome is one of the best people to get annoyed at. Sorry, all you Kagome lovers, but Kikyou is a tiddle bit smarter than her. Heh. Don't forget to read and rate.