Title: Forgetting you
Author: Moi!
Pairing: Not telling! Hehe.
Rating: Most likely K+. Might, might change later.
Summary: When Kagome finally has had enough of InuYasha sneaking off for Kikyou, she runs back to her time with barely concealed tears. She throws herself at her bed, crying for her and InuYasha's non-existent relationship. Kagome keeps saying to herself that she never met him; never loved him. Ever heard of the saying "Be careful what you wish for?" Kagome is finally able to live her life without the weight of loving someone who will never love her back. Is this a new chance for InuYasha to start over with Kagome? Or will he leave Kagome forever for Kikyou?
A/n: It's not getting many reviews… but since I like this story I'll update anyway! Sorry it's been so long, and other's who are reading my other stories... well... I'm try to update soon... ;
Kagome shrieked as water splashed her. She had been in a dream-like trance – or that's what she liked to call it anyway – when it happened. And whoever splashed her was going to pay. Dearly.
Miroku had seen her "dream" face once again; yes again with the lopsided grin – so, he did the first thing that came to mind. He splashed her. Yeah, sure, he could have just gone over and touched her. And yes, he could have simply called out her name. But what was the fun in that? He regretted it though when Kagome turned towards him with a murderous glint in her eye. Which was horrifyingly horrifying.
He backed up, smiling charmingly at her. But his charming looks wouldn't stop her.
"Garff!" he managed to squeeze out of his throat, which at the time seemed incapable of making sound. He ran, well swam in this case, and over to the only place he could think of that was safe. Well, safer than the present Kagome.
Sango.
"Sango!" he whispered urgently, coming up behind her.
"You… monk… away from the behind. Now." Sango commanded, moving away from him. Which…left him totally unguarded and in the open.
"But Sango… she's going to hurt me…"
"Heaven only knows how long you've had this coming…"
"Oh Sango, my dear Sango…"
"You better stop with the fake flattery, she's coming."
"Hey, it is not—WAH! Where?"
Miroku's eyes darted nervously in front of him. To the left there was no Kagome. To the right there was Kagome. To the center… ah! A piece of her hair! She's floating towards me underwater!
'Wait… that's seaweed…'
Miroku had just started to calm down when he heard a voice.
And it wasn't Kagome's… or Sango's…
Oh, wait. Was that Kagome's voice?
It was.
"Hmm. Miroku-chan, why are you running away from me?"
Now, he wasn't stupid or anything. Well, if he were, that really wouldn't have mattered. It might… maybe. Anyways, he wasn't… deaf. He knew Kagome's voice well. But this didn't sound like her.
Miroku looked over at Sango fearfully, and she mouthed, "She's taking out her troubles… on you."
Miroku gulped nervously, and turned to where he heard Kagome's voice. Which was behind him – the only place he hadn't looked.
"Now, Kagome-sama, listen. I know you're going through a rough time, and we understand that. But it really isn't our faults is it?" Miroku got a withering look from Sango, and immediately changed the words. "My fault, my bad."
"What are you talking about?" Kagome said with a little smile. "This is getting you back for splashing me."
Miroku sighed, smiling a smidgen. Kagome was, indeed, taking out her problems on poor little ol' him. He looked up at her seriously. He could endure this; if it meant it would get some of that bottled up emotion inside of her out, he would do anything.
He sighed again as he stepped towards Kagome. For once, he had no lecherous thoughts at all.
"Kagome…" he said sadly, and motioned to Sango. "We're… we're here for you. Y'know that?"
Miroku waded through the water until he was in front of Kagome, then enveloped her in a hug. Sango and Kagome were both shocked at first, not knowing what to think or do. Finally, Sango joined in on the hug, realizing the monk had pure thoughts. At least for now, that is.
Both of the older friends looked down at their dear companion, who had gradually evolved into a friend, sadly. Kagome buried herself in the abundance of clothes, all of them still standing in the waist-deep water.
Miroku and Sango looked at each other, both daring the other to speak. The glaring contest went on, but quickly ended as they heard sobs coming from the young girl. Their looks softened. They needed to do something. Fast.
Both sighed, and at the same time thought,
'Sango isn't going to do anything that is this uncomfortable… I might as well.'
'Miroku is too pig-headed to do anything… I might as well.'
"Kagome…" the two quarrelers started at the same time. Both stopped as they realized that the other was going to do something. A long silence passed, Sango and Miroku waiting for each other to speak, Kagome crying quietly into their clothing.
Sango slapped her forehead as she realized what was happening.
"Kagome."
Said person looked up at Sango with pitiful, tear stained, red eyes. It hurt both Sango's and Miroku's heart to look into those eyes. How could InuYasha do this to her?
Sango continued, now determined. "Tell us what's wrong, Kagome. We're here to help. We'll always be here for you no matter what. Both me and Miroku love you like our younger sister – although sometimes Miroku…" Sango looked over at the monk and sighed. "We want to help you. But you need to tell us what's going on with you. Is it InuYasha?"
"Is it InuYasha? Clay Pothe- I mean, Kikyou? Please tell us what's bothering you, Kagome."
Kagome turned a sad, and what she hoped was convincing, smile to Sango.
"Sango, it's… just stressful. Y'know, InuYasha… Kikyou… school… jewel shards…"
Sango was staring at Kagome doubtfully and pitifully. She didn't like that look one bit. Which was the reason why she added, "You and Miroku's love life…"
Miroku and Sango jumped away from the hug, each gawking at each other. Both were blushing, which was a rare sight to find either blushing.
Kagome giggled and ran off, leaving the two… "Love Birds".
"Umm. I think… Kagome-chan was just saying… um. Our non-existent love life?" Miroku said, stumbling for words.
"Y-yeah." Sango replies, not knowing what to say.
Miroku scratched the back of his head, suddenly nervous.
"Oh. That kind of ruined our serious moment, huh?"
"Miroku! OH, MIROKU! That's it!"
Miroku looked intently at Sango. Her face was scrunched up in concentration.
"Yes, Sango…"
"That's it!"
"Yes Sango?"
"AHA! She's not getting away that easily!"
"What Sango!"
"AHA!"
"SANGO!"
"WHAT!"
Miroku sighed, frustrated.
"Well? If you're not going to say anything, monk, I need to get Kagome for doing that."
"That's what I want to know!"
"What, what you want to say? Miroku, that's really not my problem. Now, she might get away if I don't hurry…"
"SANGO! What did Kagome do!"
"Oh. You could've just asked earlier."
"I did."
"Sure you did."
Miroku ran his fingers through his hair.
"What did Kagome do?"
"She avoided the topic by bringing up an uncomfortable topic then running away! See it?"
"Ah."
"YES! Now we need to find it!"
"It? Sango?" Miroku gazed at Sango skeptically.
"It? Oh, hah, I mean Kagome. Yes."
"…"
"Ok, let's go!"
"…Ok. But be gentle Sango…"
"Ok. HURRY MIROKU!"
"Sango, she's just over there leaning against that tree staring into space again."
"LET'S GO!"
"But… Sango…"
"MIROKU! She's getting away!"
"Sango. She's over there."
"Huuuurry!"
"Sango!"
"What!"
"She. Is. Right. Over. There."
"Where!"
"Sango… That… tree." Miroku clearly stated, incredibly slow.
"Oh. Well, let's get her before she… runs then!"
Miroku watched helplessly as Sango ran through the water. Well, at least tried to run. The water dragged her down. Water seemed to do that to you when you ran through it. Sango was a dreadfully determined woman. But he did like her just much more for that.
…
Well, at least he thought he did.
Miroku scratched his head before trudging through the water after Sango.
"InuYasha…"
"InuYasha…"
"InuYasha… come…"
InuYasha startled awake, looking wildly around the camp. No one was there? Then… who was calling his name?
"InuYasha," a soft voice called again, seemingly emotionless.
The hanyou, fully awake now, jumped down from the tree he was resting in. He briefly wondered where the others were before trying to track down the soft voice, which sounded vaguely familiar. The voice called once more, and within a few steps, he saw white blurs in the sky.
"Kikyou…" he whispered, closing his eyes momentarily in sadness. After opening them, InuYasha took a moment to feel guilty and unsure before turning towards the soul stealers and taking off. It led him to an opening, and after close inspection he found her slumped against a tree, eyes closed.
Is she…? She can't! She just called me! She said my name! Dammit, she's not gone!
Panicking, he took a couple unsure steps into the clearing. He tried to keep his breathing in check, but a few unnerved breaths managed to escape him. InuYasha walked toward her slowly, eyes glued to her face, silently willing her to open her eyes, twitch, move, talk, anything to indicate that she was still alive. Well, as alive as Kikyou could ever be.
InuYasha stood next to her, afraid to touch her, fearing what he might touch, but knowing he couldn't just run away and forget. He had to do this. He took a deep, unstable breath before reaching out. The hanyou wasn't surprised to see his hand shaking as it got closer and closer.
Just as he was about to brush her cheek, her eyes slowly opened, revealing dark brown eyes. InuYasha shivered at the lifelessness that shone through her eyes. She smiled a cold smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes.
InuYasha let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding in. "Kikyou… I thought… you were…"
"No, InuYasha, I was resting. Thank you very much for caring for me."
"Kikyou…!"
He gathered her in his arms; relieved she was still with him, still there for him to care for.
"InuYasha…" she whispered, her eyes finally showing a hint of emotion.
InuYasha winced at how cold she was. Cold as her smile; cold as her eyes. He longed for the Miko he once knew, one whose smile reached her eyes. He tried to picture Kikyou younger, smiling at him, laughing with him. For some peculiar reason, however, he could only see Kagome. He hugged Kikyou tighter to him, trying to erase the pictures.
But they kept coming, never relenting.
"Is something wrong, InuYasha?"
"No… Kikyou…" he said, trying to convince himself as well as her. "Nothing's wrong."
…Right?
"Miroku! Don't even dare touch Kagome!"
Miroku looked regretfully at Kagome's young, lush bottom before turning his eyes on Sango.
"But my dear Sango, she won't mind. She's spaced out, for the time being."
"Miroku." Sango warned. "No."
"But Sango! She's-!"
"Miroku…" a mumble, coming from Kagome, was barely heard. "I can hear you."
"Uhh… heh. Heh. I was just joking Kagome! You know me, I kid! I kid you, my fair lady! And as much as I would like to touch your- I mean not touch! Not touch! Uhm."
Miroku cut off as Kagome turned around with a sloppy half grin on her features and round eyes. He stopped walking, for her face scared the living daylights out of him.
He caught up to Sango as soon as Kagome turned around.
"She's quite scary, Sango, when she does th-"
"Miroku…" a low grumble came from Kagome, effectively shutting up Miroku.
"Scary…!" he whispered.
Sango shook her head in annoyance.
Will he ever learn…?
"I'm… going for a hot bath." Kagome declared, her mind made up that she required time to reflect.
"Yes, and I will accompany her." Miroku said, closing his eyes and nodding his head.
Sango started to shake her head yes to both of them, not realizing Miroku said something perverted by the serious tone of his statement.
"Miroku!" Sango growled out, a vein popping. She grabbed her hiraikotsu and whacked him upside the head.
"Oww, dear Sango, why hurt a poor inno-"
"You're not innocent monk!"
"And what makes you think I am not innocent, my dear?"
"Well, there was that one time…"
"Ok, ok. Don't answer that…"
"I'm going to take a bath now, okay?" came a quiet voice. Both stopped arguing and looked over at Kagome. Amusement shone in her eyes, and a slight smile was on her face.
"Kagome, are you sure you don't want someone to accompany you?"
"Li-"
Sango hit Miroku before he could even finish the first word of his lecherous sentence, and turned her attention back to Kagome.
"As I was saying," she said through gritted teeth. "Do you... need someone to talk to?"
"Thanks Sango, but I would like to go alone…"
"Well… if you're sure about it…" Sango said uncertainly.
"Thanks again Sango…" Kagome's quiet voice barely reached Sango's ears as Kagome headed for the nearest hot spring. Miroku and Sango watched as she left until she was out of sight. Sango turned towards Miroku, eyes solemn.
"Miroku, I miss hearing Kagome's normal, cheerful voice… seeing her smile..."
"I know, Sango…" he sighed. "I know…"
3 Alisha (Hope it was long enough!)