Chapter 28: Transparency

Looking down at his best and most special friend, Inuyasha studied her beautifully relaxed face. He hated to have to wake her. It looked like she was having a good dream. She had a silly little smile on her face and even her aura was bright and luminous. It was hard to believe that she'd gone through so much recently.

True she was happier now-a-days, but there was a nagging feeling in his gut that said something was off. It seemed as if she'd completely gotten over her captivity with Naraku, but from experience he knew that it took time to get over something so traumatic. When she was almost tainted by the infant Hakudoshi she was paranoid for months. It hasn't nearly been that long but she seems to have gotten over it.

Sure, Kagome was pretty quick to recover from lots of things, but the way she was so broken when he'd found made him think that maybe she'd be a wreck for a long time to come. Instead its like she picked up where they'd left off. It was strange. Not only was she ok, but she seemed almost lighter than before. It was hard to explain, but she definately seemed happier than he'd seen her in a long time. What could make her this happy?

Was her birthday coming up? Na, that had passed already. Was a holyway...lolipay...oh holiday coming up? She liked that one with the presents but it seemed to warm for that. He knew that one was in the winter cause he always froze his balls off waiting for her at the well.

'Maybe she's just happy to be back? No, cant be it. I mean yea, she's happy and shit but its not like that. The last time she acted this happy was back when we first started our quest...' Inuyasha thought to himself.

A smirk formed thinking about the craziness they dealt with when their journey together had started. The thunder brothers thing was hilarious in hindsight. She'd told them he was her lover. Ha, he didn't even like her scrawney ass back then! She was just annoying and stubborn. Chuckling he remembered how mad she was when he showed up and denied it all. She was always irritated with him back then but eventually he grew on her.

'Yea, she eventually started to fall in love with me too.' He thought sadly. He remembered the looks he recognized but ignored, the way she'd do something so thoughtful but he would play ignorant.

And it was at that very moment that a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning and the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

'Oh fuck no.'

Kagome was in love.

Stirring awake the young priestess felt the warmth of the sun on her cheeks and the cool breeze dancing through her ebony locks. She also felt extremely rested and comfortable. It seemed like it was going to be a great day.

"So, who is he."

Maybe not so great.

Suddenly wide awake she turned disbelieving cinnamon orbs onto the hanyo and realized that he had that 'you'd better tell me or there will be hell to pay' face coupled with crazily swiviling ears.

"W-who? What are you talking about Yasha?" Kagome squeeked out with a nervous laugh.

"You know damn well who I'm asking about. Stop pretending that I dont know you." Inuyasha said looking away. "I remember how you used to look at me, before. I see you with that face. Its the only thing that can explain why you're so damned happy so soon after your kidnapping."

"..."

"Just...I know that you dont trust me anymore, well, not the way you used ta, but I'd really like ta know if...you're willin to tell me." He finished with letting out a breath, trying his best to sound downtrodden.

The hanyo realized that commanding her to tell him would get him nowhere fast. She had to volenteer the information or he'd never get it. So playing on her sentimentality could probably work.

Kagome, however, also knew her friend. And she saw through his pathetic attempt to garner information. Flicking his ear she looked at him disapprovingly.

"Damn it woman! Wha'd you do that for!"

"You're not gonna pull that on me mister!"

"I didnt do anything!"

"Inuyashaaaaaaa..."

"OK ok! Jeeze, I just wanna know who the scumbag is..."

"He's not a scumbag Inuyasha!"

"Ah so he does exist!"

"...shit."

Hanging her head down, Kagome realized that she wouldn't of been able to keep her little secret much longer anyways. He was gonna meet her mystery man later tonight if everything went the way it was supposed to.

"Please, please tell me its not the mangy wolf..." Inuyasha pleaded.

"God no! Definately not him." she laughed. Hugging him to herself she rubbed his ears.

"Stop it wench!" he said swatting her hands away.

Smiling wryly she figured if she was about to drop the Naraku/Kaen bombshell on them all, he at least was a good place to start. Besides, he would be the one to overreact first and it may be a better idea to give him an advanced notice.

"Kaen." she whispered.

"What? Speak up wench." Inuyasha said.

"His name is Kaen. He's a hinotori youkai."

There was no reaction at first. It seemed as if he was processing...

"WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?"

"Stop shouting Inuyasha! Let me explain..." she started, giving him the story that she'd soon tell the entire group later that night. "I've actually known him for a long time. We met not too long after you and I began traveling together. He's very secretive and I happened to fall into his company by chance." Kagome didn't mention that 'by chance' she meant that she was accidentally trapped in a cave with him. Its not quite the order of events, but hey, it wasnt a lie. "I somehow always managed to run into him on our journey, and soon we had gotten to know eachother very well." This of course was because Naraku was always attacking them and learning her secrets."He had always expressed an interest in me," which again wasn't a lie at all,"but I never really gave him a chance."

"How the hell could it be that I've never seen him or smelt him on you? It doesn't make sense Kagome." Inuyasha said frowning.

"Like I said, he's very secretive. There's a good reason why though."

"So spill, wench."

"He kinda looks like Naraku."

"HOW THE FUCK ARE YA GONNA TRUST SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE THAT BASTARD! WHAT IF IT IS HIM!" he shouted.

"SHUT UP INUYASHA! See this is exactly why he stayed away! He may look like him but Kaen is someone completely different! Just because they look alike doesnt make them the same!"

The inuhanyo suddenly got a flashback of Kagome screaming at him saying the she was "Ka-Go-Me" not "Kikyo", his ears dropped onto his head.

Kagome noting his expression took a calming breath and continued.

"It wasn't until...until the day I caught you and Kikyo that I got to know him a lot better. When I ran from you, I just kept going, not really looking. I ended up in the thick of some woods, and suddenly it was really foggy. Then it started to pour rain like crazy so I figured I could track bacwards to the camp and get a cold or I could just find shelter and wait out the storm. Besides, I wasn't exactly excited about having to see you again at the time." Kagome stopped and looked at her companion.

"..go on Kags, I'm listening."

"Mkay, well, I found a cave and was making a fire when the entrance collapsed. I was stuck there. I was furious. I was so busy being preoccupied by anger that I didn't realize I wasn't alone. Kaen just happened to be in that cave system also, but he was a lot farther in the back. He heard the collapse and then he saw me. We got to really know one another and realized that we had a lot in common. Something inside of us just...clicked..." Kagome trailed off.

The hanyo didn't like where this was heading.

"Inuyasha, it was him. I chose him, there in that cave." The immidate stiffining of his shoulders let her know that he knew exactly what she was talking about and could possibly explode at any moment. "Please before you get all out of control understand that it was my choice entirely. Honestly, I basically attacked him!" she shouted with a ruby red face.

"Fucking hell Kagome! You cant just go around throwing your goods at people!" The inu shouted.

"It wasn't like that though Inuyasha! He wanted it to!" Kagome said quickly and regretted it as soon as it left her mouth.

"OF COURSE HE DID! WHAT MAN WOULDN'T!" he screamed

"Thats not what I meant, please just let me explain!"

Taking another deep steading breath, or at least attempting to, he nodded.

"It was my choice, he could have said no, but he gave into the temptation just like I did. I dont regret it Inuyasha. I never could."

When he stayed silent she continued her tale.

"Right, well, eventually he was able to get us out of the cave. We traveled together for a while and accidentally ran into Sesshomaru in heat, but he didn't recognize us as a threat so we got away. It was right after that when I was kidnapped. Naraku had been following me the whole time and knew when was the best time to take me. After he attacked you guys he took me to his dungeon. But I wasn't the only one there. Kaen was there too. He kept me safe for the most part. Kaen came up with a plan for me to escape. Only me, and it worked but..." she stopped, remembering what it felt like being ripped from his side.

"You thought that you'd never see him again. That Naraku would kill him." Inuyasha finished for her.

"I thought that he was dead. I was so sure that I'd never see him again. It destroyed me. I was in shock at first, but then...you found me. Not too long after though he found me. He managed to escape too, I was so happy to see him again. He wants us to be together. I...I do too. I know that this is a lot, but so much has happened, and I wasn't really ready to say anything because I really didn't know how." she said finishing up queitly.

The silence between the two stretched out as the world around them began to come to life. After a while a resigned sigh could be heard.

"So, when we gonna meet this asshole?"

If it wasn't for his sure purchase on the bough they would've gone crashing down the tree as Kagome practically turned rapidly and tackled him in joy.

"Fuck we coulda crashed down stupid wench!"

"Oh shut up Inuyasha!" she screamed but refused to let him go. Tears of relief and happiness starting to flow down her cheeks.

"Jeeze, cant you women talk without crying and shit? You're gonna fuck up my clothes...an' I only got one pair." he said brashly, but still held her close.

Letting him loose, she smiled and said, "Tonight. You're gonna meet him tonight. He told me that he has a plan for Naraku but said that he'd rather tell me when all of us are together."

Grumbling he gathered her in his arms and hopped down the tree to the soft grass. Before letting her go he held her shoulders at an arms length.

"Look Kagome, I want you to be happy. And if this scumbag makes you happy, I guess I can probably get behind you, but I need to meet him first."

"Thanks Inu, and I do want you to be happy too. I hope your talk with Kikyo goes well." she said smiling.

Clearing his throat he held out his hand, and with a smile that reached her eyes she took it and together they walked back into Edo. It took a lot of shouting and crying, but they were on the same page. Finally.

A/N: THREE IN A ROW! I'M ON FIRE PEOPLE!

MINDLESSMINA