5
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.
Special Thanks to: To my Beta ReviewerWriter and anyone who reviews.
Recap:
Hojo offered his hand to hers to help get her off the bench; she merely breathed out in annoyance and stood of her own accord. Stepping away from the group, and making sure they were out of earshot, she asked;
"What do you want, Hojo?" She didn't want to admit it but she was starting to feel that hurt again. Knowing that InuYasha wasn't by her side for support also added to her inner pain.
Broken Wings
Chapter 8
Severed Friendship
"I want another chance Kagome," he said flatly. "I still love you. Don't you understand that? I need you to complete me. Or did all that time we spent together mean nothing to you?" he asked, though in a harsher tone.
She yelled out her answer unexpectedly. She had promised herself she wouldn't get mad…but how dare he bring this up with her.
"Of course it meant something! That's why I'm not giving you another chance! You broke my heart, Hojo," she said fiercely but tears were beginning to show in her eyes. "And now every time I look at you, every time I think about you…I just hate myself."
She really wanted to cry right now but she didn't want to worry InuYasha or make a scene.
"Kagome, please let me make it up to you," he pleaded sincerely.
"No! You will just end up breaking my heart again. Isn't once enough?" she yelled at him while a few sneaky tears crept their way out from her eyes. The hurt of it all came into her like a floodgate. Without so much as waiting for a response, the poor girl ran away from him quickly and entered the nearby bathroom, occupying the first lady's stall.
Seeing their friend flee, Miroku and InuYasha had quickly run over to confront the creep. Sango went after the runaway Kagome, worrying for her friend's hurt feelings.
"What the hell did you say to her?" InuYasha demanded, getting right up into his face, sending Hojo a most vicious glare full of threat and hate.
"That's none of your business, half-breed!" he spat out, pushing the hanyou away.
Miroku was about as offended as InuYasha at this punk's attitude.
"I beg to differ," the lecher stated in defense. "We're Kagome's friends and care about her very deeply. So, it most certainly is our business." He was beyond irritated at this Hojo kid for hurting her.
"Huh," Hojo scoffed with a laugh, completely unfazed by InuYasha's glares and intimidation. "I'm amazed that wench made any friends! What'd she have to do, let you feel her up? It worked for me," he sneered out.
"You arrogant bastard!" InuYasha yelled as he grabbed him by the throat, pinning the scrawny human to the hard wall. "Don't you ever speak about Kagome like that again," he breathed out, trying with all his might to resist the urge to rip out his throat. "If you do, I'll rip your damn balls off…assuming you have any, you little bitch," he hissed out venomously, letting the human drop from his hold.
With an unreadable expression, Hojo fled in the opposite direction.
"InuYasha, you're such a good boyfriend," Miroku sighed, rolling his eyes at his friend's overreaction. "Have you ever thought about asking her out?" he questioned seriously.
"Don't be such a lecher," InuYasha hissed, still pissed off at the audacity of Hojo's words.
"What? You obviously like her, so why won't you take the next step?"
"And grab her breast?" InuYasha mocked, trying to calm down.
"Ask her out," Miroku stated blandly.
To avoid the topic from going any further, he hit Miroku upside the head. They walked onward to go find the woman.
Sango stood outside Kagome's stall, waiting for her presence to be acknowledged. She could hear the young girl crying beyond the closed door. Sango tapped the wall lightly, trying to get her friend to talk.
"Kagome, what's wrong? What did he say that upset you?" she asked worriedly, but in a friendly tone, to try and coax her out of the cramped room.
She didn't respond but only continued with her sobs.
"I'm coming in, okay?" Sango replied lightly and made to open the door.
Filled with immense misery, Kagome hadn't even heard her friend. She was frantically cutting at her arm. She had the knife concealed in her sock, the one that was successfully hidden from InuYasha's keen sense of sight.
Kagome was watching the heavy amount of blood flow into the toilet from her severed arm. She didn't stop; she couldn't stop now…she needed more…more pain until all the inner hurt was gone…until she couldn't feel her arm…until she couldn't even remember his name.
The cuts didn't seem to help as the words continued to haunt her relentlessly like an unseen cloud of misery.
Every word she had spoken was indeed true. She wanted to get back together with Hojo…didn't she? But then why hadn't she taken him up on his offer? With a huff of annoyance she made a hectic slice from her shoulder and down.
Her mind was too busy with the words buzzing around her head that she failed to notice Sango standing a mere foot away from her through the now opened door. What caught her attention was hearing the loud gasp next to her. She turned her head up to see a very shocked Sango.
Kagome's eyes widened as she saw her friend with a look of horror painted to her face. She hadn't expected Sango to open the door and in her hurry to get away from Hojo she had forgotten to slide the lock into place.
Speechless, she dropped the bloody knife onto the floor. The clang was all that was heard in the silent room with the exception of a few blood droplets hitting the shiny floor. Sango looked at her friend's arm; she now saw nothing but bloody cuts and mutilation where the pale skin used to be visible.
With sick realization Sango noticed that some of the cuts were rather orderly sliced. The disgusting lines were joined together, forming letters. 'I love Hojo' was embedded into her friend's silky arm.
Sango's eyes started to burn with the desire to cry. She looked Kagome straight in the eye. Taking a step closer, she leaned forward and put her hand tenderly to hers. Breaking the silence Sango asked;
"Y-you cut?" she asked hesitantly. Kagome was still in a bit of a shock and jumped a little at her words. She nodded her sad complacence, bringing her head down in shame. She didn't want to speak but there was no other way out of this. Her secret was discovered and at a most inopportune time.
"I-I guess you would have eventually found out," Kagome whispered minutely. She had known, deep down, that she would have told Sango and Miroku sooner or later…though she didn't want Sango to find out like this…not like this.
"Are…are you disgusted with me?" Kagome asked sadly with hopelessness tangent in her voice.
"No. But I am worried for you. Kagome, you're my friend…no, you're like a sister to me. I want to understand why you're doing his. Please let me help you," Sango begged, the tears gliding down her face against her will. Just the sight of Sango's tears caused Kagome to cry uncontrollably.
"Okay…but I can't talk about it here…not now…not now," she wept.
"Alright," Sango consoled. "But we should be getting back to the boys. Their probably waiting for us to come out." She wiped her tears away unceremoniously with the back of her hand, helping Kagome up as well.
Grabbing a couple large handfuls of toilet paper, she helped Kagome over to the sink. The water running over her arm caused the cuts to scream in pain and caused her to wince and shed a few tears in pain.
After making some makeshift bandages, by placing the toilet paper over the cuts, Sango saw with great relief that the cuts made were shallow and wouldn't need a physicians care. Luckily the knife Kagome used was sharp and clean, otherwise she would have to worry about infection or stitches.
After the cleanup the two friends walked out of the bathroom. Kagome's long sleeved shirt concealed the wounds from sight. Miroku was happy that the two sorted it out. InuYasha felt a deep sadness for her; the smell of fresh blood was like hell to his sensitive nose.
He correctly guessed what she had been doing. He figured that Sango now knew as well of her little 'habit'. Putting his arms around her protectively they, for Miroku's sake, pretended to enjoy the rest of the day shopping.
Kagome was oddly happy; she was glad she didn't have to continue lying to Sango. She felt a deep bitterness and guilt on herself for not taking Hojo up on his offer.
Hojo, while driving home, was chatting on his cell phone.
"No, I didn't get her back yet…but I think she's coming around," he stated with a grin.
"She had better," a very stern and cold voice warned. "You'd better not screw this up, boy. I'm working my ass off in Kyoto."
"Don't worry! She'll come around. If I know my Kagome, she's already beating herself up about hurting my feelings. No doubt she is sorely regretting it," Hojo laughed out wickedly with a sneer.
"My plan is almost complete…so you'd better not screw this up, Homo," the voice spat out, hanging up.
Hojo glared into the phone angrily.
"I won't screw up."
----------------------------------------To Be Continued----------------------------------------
Another chappie done with…there was even some Homo action ;-). What could his plan be and how will it affect Kagome? And what about her mother; isn't she in Kyoto, too? Find out more in Chapter 8. R&R please!