Chapter fifteen: How it came to be

Those 'few more days' of rest turned out to be almost two whole weeks of forced convalescence and Inuyasha didn't lose the opportunity to tell Kaede that as soon as he got out of that damned futon, he wouldn't sleep again in at least a month.

Of course, Inuyasha, being him, would have been up a long time ago, if he could, but the sickness that had assaulted him weakened his body and made him dizzy, besides, his throat's irritation contributed to his bad temper and not even Shippo, who had been teasing him non-stop (in order to cheer him up, he had assured with a grin) dared to annoy him any further. A sick, grouchy and bored Inuyasha wasn't something nice to be around.

But he was especially angry at Sango. He knew he shouldn't be, he knew she had been constantly taking care of him during the worst of his… state (he had trouble admitting he had finally gotten sick) but still, he couldn't believe she had barely showed up after that.

Perhaps she was still resentful about the journey issue, or it could be that he somehow annoyed her when he had asked her if she knew what happened to a certain red yarn he had around his neck. He didn't know, but certainly two could play that game and if she was going to behave all indifferent and slighted, then so could he. Yep. He would turn his nose up the next time she decided he was worth a visit.

At least that was the plan.

But when she appeared that afternoon at the entry of his hut, he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from going upwards, even a little, but he was pretty sure she didn't notice it. Yes, sure.

"Keh! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see how you were doing. Shippo told me you're feeling much better." She knelt in front of him and eyed him curiously, as if she were deciding if he was healthy enough. He could also tell she discreetly eyed the green haori he was wearing, the one she had confectioned for him.

"For your information, that old hag finally let it go and I've been up since yesterday and yes, I feel better than ever. Any way you wouldn't have to ask if you had stopped by once in a while. Hah! I thought friends were supposed to do that kind of shit! And stop staring at me like that!"

"I'm very happy you're your old self, I guess you really feel well if you can yell like that." Sango smiled at him and reaching for his head and patting him. Inuyasha was speechless for a few seconds.

"Wha--? Don't pat me like a dog!" He scowled at her with indignity but it only achieved him another smile.

"So, you can come out then?"

"Eh… yeah. Why?"

Her face darkened as she folded her hands over her lap, looking at him sternly.

"It will keep raining," she commented quietly, lowering her eyes.

"So what."

"I… I don't want you to fall ill again."

Inuyasha sighed with impatience. "What are you babbling about, Sango?"

"I did something and I hope you won't be upset about it," she said and ventured a glance at his face; he had his eyebrow lifted in confusion.

"What is it?" he said, cautious.

"I guess it will be better if you see it by yourself." With no further words, she rose up and exited the hut. Inuyasha followed, apprehensive and curious at the same time. What could she possibly have done? They started walking outside the village and Inuyasha hesitated when Sango took the path to the well, but followed her anyway. He sure hoped she wasn't planning on giving him some stupid reprimand or moralistic lesson, but then Sango's feet stopped and so did Inuyasha's heart when he looked over her shoulder.

He took a step further and contemplated, agape, what 'she had done'. What was this? Some kind of joke? He fell to his knees, contemplating the vision in front of him; he didn't know what to say, or think, so he did none.

"Inuyasha… Are you okay? I… I'm sorry… It's just that… if you were going to keep guarding this place, then… at least I wanted you to be protected from the rain… please don't get angry at me, If you wish, I can bring it down." Her tone was anxious and apologetic, though he could perceive she spoke with sadness, as if she had acquiesced something, as if that something were not going to change.

He stood up and approached, opening the doors. It was the same in every aspect, except that the wood was unspoiled and it still smelt like fresh pine. Maybe Sango didn't pretend to give him a lesson, but unwillingly, she had slapped him in the face. Kami. He must have looked pathetic lying there.

"No. Don't do that," he said at last.

"W-- what?"

"How did you do this?" he murmured, not turning his eyes to her.

"I asked for help from the villagers and, well, a carpenter from a near village helped me. I exterminated some worms for him… this is why I didn't visit you for the past weeks. I'm sorry. I can really bring it down if it bothers you, Inuyasha."

The black haired man looked back at her.

"We can't bring it down, I guess it was supposed to be built, but I never thought it would be in my time, I never thought I'd see it again," he said and stared at the small structure again. Sango looked at him, confused. Inuyasha gave her an eerie, small smile.

"You must be asking yourself if the fever hasn't returned, huh? I'm acting this way because," he took a deep breath and looked to the gray sky. "When I traveled to Kagome's world, there used to be a small shrine that surrounded the well in her era and… and now that same shrine is surrounding the well here, in our time," he declared, and then studied her expression. Sango's eyes went wide.

"You… you mean…"

"Yes. It's the same."

So, the well's shrine that, according to Inuyasha, will be still present in Kagome's time, 500 years in the future, was her making? What to think about that? What did that represent? It was bizarre, it was confusing. Sango was sure she would have never erected that shrine if she hadn't known Kagome, and something told her, Kagome maybe wouldn't have traveled to their time if there hadn't been a shrine around the well.

She tried to tie the row of thoughts; then she had built the shrine so Kagome could know them? So they could know Kagome? She shook her head, the sole idea made her mind feel foggy.

"Stop doing that." Inuyasha emitted a cold chuckle. "Don't try to understand it, we won't, it just is. I think this is how things were meant to be."

Since when had Inuyasha acquired some wisdom? She stared at him and then her eyes lowered to his neck. A guilty burden oppressed her stomach and she guessed it was a moment as good as any other, and the sooner, the better.

"I lost your bead."

He regarded her but said nothing, expecting for her to continue. She looked at the ground nervously. How did she explain to him that she threw the bead away applying to it the same force she used on Hiraikotsu? Or better said, how could she justify her actions? She supposed the truth was her best option.

"I felt… um… very upset when I found you here in such state and when I discovered the bead in your hand it made me feel even angrier so… I threw it into the woods. I couldn't find it again. I'm sorry."

He kept his eyes on her for some seconds, making her body stiffen, but at last he sighed deeply and walked toward her. Inuyasha placed a hand over her shoulder and in a moment, Sango found herself between his arms. His nose touched her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Thank you," he whispered and then, let go of her.

"F… for what?" she asked. The shrine? The bead? But Inuyasha just shrugged his shoulders and started walking away.

Sango frowned in puzzlement but decided against filling her head with more ideas, so she sat in front of the shrine and contemplated it. She wondered how it would look in 500 years. Will Kagome play around it when she starts walking? Will she play 'hide and seek' with her brother there, as she had taught her and the others to play?