Damn. Again, the creature reached out. The second one, now having caught up with the first, did the same.
And both suddenly stiffened, as they were yanked unceremoniously two feet off the ground. Kagome's eyes widened, trying to look behind the two aggressors.
The sickly sound of bone being crushed filled the air. Her eyes narrowed.
He was standing there, still in his t-shirt and jeans ensemble, each of his hands clamped firmly on the necks of the now-truly-lifeless once-humans. Black waist-length hair, tied up in a braid, graced his back, and deep purple eyes glanced her over, scanning for injury. He frowned as his gaze came to rest on her injured leg. Dropping the two lifeless forms, he was immediately at her side, assessing the wound. He spoke.
"I was a couple of blocks away shopping for groceries when I caught wind of the scent of your blood. Naturally, I raced over as soon as I could. Seems like it's a good thing I did"
He eyed her, a silly grin on his face, jerking a finger at the two once-humans, "You lied to me. You told me you fell down in school and hurt your leg. You never mentioned -them"
She found her voice, "…Inu… Inuyasha"
He blinked, still smiling, "Let me guess - you're going to ask me if I'm human, right"
Kagome continued to stare at him.
Scooping her up in one fluid motion, Inuyasha stood, glancing over at where Houjou lay, "Well, it's gonna have to wait. Let's get you back to my place and I'll do something about that wound of yours. Besides, he's about to wake up, and I really don't think I want to be here to answer any uncomfortable questions when he does."
He placed her down on the sofa, muttering something about hoping that he still had a medical kit lying around the place as he disappeared around the corner. Watching him go, the girl turned back, assessing the room she was in even while shifting slightly to avoid getting blood on Inuyasha's furniture. Her gaze panned across the room.
Despite the pain throbbing in her leg, she found it hard to suppress a smile. It was a modest apartment, sparsely furnished and more than a little unkempt. A fine layer of dust coated just about everything in the room, and a stack of old newspapers balanced precariously on the coffee table. A small heap of unwashed clothes piled up in one corner of the living room, and the overall look of the place was perfectly accentuated by the occasional spent cup of instant ramen strewn across the floor.
Kagome smirked. Some things just don't change.
Sudden motion immediately in front of her caught her attention. Turning back abruptly, she came face-to-face with a pair of familiar dog-like ears, twitching ever so slightly as they sat mounted atop the bed of silver-white hair crowning the head of a hanyou now crouching in front of her and rummaging furiously through a box of medical supplies. She frowned.
And now he's back to normal?
Unable to stop herself, she reached out, flicking one ear with her fingers, causing Inuyasha to jump slightly, his head jerking up to stare at her. He raised an eyebrow.
And, all of a sudden, his form shifted. The ears vanished, his hair turning jet-black. His eyes shimmered, now stunning violet instead of pure amber. And even before she could react to the sudden change, he transformed again, once more taking on the familiar white-and-gold combination she had grown so used to.
Gazing at the shock in her face, he grinned, continuing his search within the box for something with which to treat her wound.
"It's something I managed to teach myself over the centuries - an illusion. You have to admit though, it's easier to go around looking like that than to have to keep on wearing a cap. Besides, it's a good way to remind myself of how I used to be, especially since I can't become human at the new moon anymore"
He trailed off abruptly, realising he'd said too much, too fast.
Kagome paused, "You… you're not half-human, anymore"
He looked up at her, dragging out some antibiotic cream and bandages, shaking his head.
"It's not that. I'm still hanyou. It's just"
He stopped, looking down.
"No, I can't. It won't make sense like that"
The hanyou glanced up at her, golden eyes hinting at deep-seated emotion struggling to come to the fore, "You have to know everything… from the beginning. Even… even if it's going to be hard to accept"
He looked away.
"It… it all began… at the last battle."
All around, the air was thick with the scent of blood and destruction. But even through the carnage and gore, one thing was clear. They had won.
Inuyasha crouched down, leaning hard on Tessaiga as he breathed heavily. Pain from the wounds that were the legacy of the battle against Naraku coursed throughout his body, yet the hanyou's grin could not have been wider.
Spotting Miroku on the periphery of his vision, the hanyou turned, elation in his voice as he spoke, congratulating the monk on a battle well fought. But it was the grim expression on the other's face that sent the first threads of doubt weaving through him.
He called out again, "Miroku… what's wrong? Are you hurt"
The monk, his dark robes bloodied and torn, paused for a moment, as though collecting himself, then spoke, his voice wavering ever so slightly, "No, I'm… I'm fine. It's"
Their eyes met. Miroku paused, unable to continue. The prayer beads around his hand, now no longer serving their purpose, fell to the ground. He tried to speak again.
"Inuyasha… it's"
Now more than worried, the hanyou took a step towards the monk, until a sound in the distance gripped him and refused to let go.
Shippou was sobbing.
Swiftly turning to face the kitsune's direction, his entire body froze as his eyes immediately picked out the despairing young fox and the fallen form that was without a doubt the object of his distress.
Horror gripped the hanyou.
With a howl that spoke of rage and grief, Inuyasha dropped Tessaiga, breaking into a sprint, instantly at the side of the one whom he'd been too afraid to admit he loved, the one who now lay dying before him with wounds beyond severe - numerous gashes scarred her face, and her clothes lay in shreds, while blood flowed copiously out of the massive wound marring what was left of her abdomen.
Scooping her up gently, he crouched down, not knowing what else to do. He called her name, repeatedly, her refusal to respond bolstering his efforts, as fear and helplessness crept into his voice.
Kagome… please… please wake up.
Miroku was at his side now, carrying the still-sobbing Shippou and explaining how it had happened. He barely heard a word. He reached out, stroking deep-black hair now drenched in blood.
And she opened her eyes. Looking up at the hanyou, she stared at him for a moment, her face wracked with pain. Tears welled in her eyes. Her mouth opened.
"I..nu"
A fit of coughing drowned out her attempt to speak. The hanyou held her close, blinking back tears of his own, forced to watch the greatest of his nightmares unfold before his eyes.
As the coughs subsided, she opened her eyes again. This time, she raised an arm, reaching up towards his face with a trembling hand. He watched her, uncertain.
She grabbed hold of something. He looked.
The prayer beads around his neck.
Staring back down at her as she lay cradled in his arms, his eyes were questioning, pleading. She gazed back, her eyes half-closed. She managed a weak smile.
"B… be free, Inuyasha…I… lo"
Her hand dropped to her side, snapping the beads off his neck. Her eyes closed.
The hanyou threw back his head, roaring with pure, unbridled sorrow, tears openly streaming down his face as he mourned the loss of all he had cherished.
But his grief was momentary. For a moment, something seemed to strike him as his roar subsided. Gently placing her back on the ground, he leapt into the air, landing accurately where the remains of what was once Naraku now lay. In one swift motion, he scooped up the now-whole shikon no tama, the ball of pure energy pulsating a dark malevolent red, racing back to where Kagome lay.
Grabbing her hand, he placed the shikon no tama firmly into her palm, wrapping her fingers around the orb. He brought her other hand up to join the first, before clasping his own around hers. He closed his eyes.
And spoke, his voice laced with urgency and determination. He called out to her, calling her name, urging her to listen to him. He poured out everything to her, begging her not to leave, pleading with her to live again. "Use it, Kagome. Use it to save yourself. I don't want it anymore… I don't want to be youkai… not if it means being… being without you. Use it… please"
The shikon no tama shattered, flashing a bright, blinding red, enveloping both hanyou and human.
The light subsided. The hanyou opened his eyes.
And recoiled in shock.
The one he knew as Kagome lay before him. But she was no longer herself. The wounds that had scarred her body were gone, completely, as were her clothes. She lay before him, immaculate, her eyes closed, hair as silver-white as his now gracing her shoulders.
Unsure of what to make of it, the hanyou reached out. Before he could touch her, her eyes flashed open, and Inuyasha stared, speechless.
The familiar dark brown orbs he had known and loved were gone, replaced by eyes as red and malevolent as the shikon no tama.
Silently, Higurashi Kagome looked down, staring at the bandage now gracing her leg. She spoke, her voice soft, laced with a hint of disbelief.
"I became… a youkai"
The dog-eared hanyou paused, then nodded, "Not youkai. Hanyou, and not an ordinary one at that"
He looked away, "I… I later discovered that it was a fatal error on my part. In my desire to save you, I… I acted without thinking. I… forgot that most of the shikon no tama had been in Naraku's possession for so long that it had become tainted beyond measure. In the condition you were in, you were no match for the evil energy contained within, and while it healed you, it also corrupted you. It… it perverted you because, in your condition, you were the easier target"
He finished, "…it was all my fault"
She frowned, "What do you mean, 'easier target"
He nodded, "It took me a while to realise, but I did - you weren't the only one transformed by the shikon jewel. After you transformed, you started attacking me, and while avoiding your attacks, I realised that the wounds from the previous battle had healed, faster than they usually do. I was moving faster too, much faster than I used to be able to, and I… I just felt… stronger"
The hanyou stood up, packing away the medical kit, "The battle continued for a while, locked in a stalemate. It was only after the battle had ended and you had escaped that I realised that Tessaiga had shattered somewhere along the way. Fearing the worst, I told Miroku and Sango to put as much distance as they could between themselves and me"
He looked at her.
"And I waited, waited for the madness to overwhelm me. It never came. Months passed. I never became human. Years went by. I didn't age"
Closing the latch on the medical kit, he dumped it on the coffee table, moving to sit next to her on the couch.
"It soon began to make sense. When it first happened, I thought that your attacks had somehow shattered Tessaiga. But with all the weird things that were happening to me, I realised that the shikon no tama must've done something to my youkai blood - something that allowed me to remain hanyou without turning human at the new moon and stopping my father's blood from claiming my body. That same something was keeping me alive, and worst of all, had bonded me to you... her"
"The tales of a powerful hanyou rampaging throughout the lands were rampant. It was said no youkai stood a chance against this creature, for she was said to be a blending of raw youkai power and the holy power of the miko. None had ever seen anything like her. All youkai that stood against her died, their energy absorbed by her. The houshis and mikos that tried to take her on met with untimely deaths, for nothing seemed to work against her"
"But I didn't need the tales to know. I could feel her presence when she was close by. I knew what she… what you were doing"
"After a while, I knew I had to do something"
The hanyou smiled weakly, "And so I did, tracking her down across the globe. For five centuries I've chased her, hoping to be able to do something to correct the greatest mistake I'd ever made. When I discovered that… that she had returned to Tokyo, I came back, and realised that you were around. Through the centuries, her powers have grown, from all the youkai power she's absorbed, and she's been recently successfully in preventing me from sensing her presence. That's why I needed the shikon shards. But it didn't work, and all happened as I remembered it"
His smile faded, his expression wistful, "And that, Kagome, is everything as it happened. I'm… I'm sorry you had to… had to know"
The girl sat, dumbfounded, the immensity of everything Inuyasha had told her slowly sinking in. A part of her screamed within, refusing to accept what fate had dealt… would deal her. But another part of her fixated on the one in front of her, sensing five centuries worth of anguish and loneliness.
Instinctively, she reached out, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, drawing him into a hug. She spoke.
"It's… it's alright, Inuyasha. We'll… we'll find a way to make things right. We've always… always done so"
For a moment, he stared at her, their eyes locked with each other's. His arms moved to envelop her as hers shifted down to curve around his waist. He leaned forward, ears quivering.
His lips met hers. Her eyes widened. For a moment, she froze, unsure of what to do, even as his kiss became more demanding, more wanting.
And she responded.
For an eternity, they remained so. Then, unexpectedly, he broke away, his eyes smiling as he gazed at her.
"I've… I've wanted to do that for so long. I… I wish I'd had the courage to do that… before… that we'd had the chance to be closer"
One hand came up to his neck, grasping at prayer beads that were no longer there. He smiled again, a joyless smile, "I… I have my freedom, Kagome… but what is it worth, without you with me"
His words struck deep, and she gazed at him, empathising with he who represented the future of the one she cared for so much.
Summoning up some reserve of courage, she leaned forward, locking lips with the hanyou as she kissed him deeply, invitingly. A low growl escaped from his throat as he responded, his eyes closed as he gently guided her, one arm supporting her weight as she lay back down on the couch, their lips still coupled in sheer bliss.
They remained that way, and Kagome opened her eyes, staring up and losing herself in his strikingly handsome features, surprised at the emotions and sensations that were roiling up within her, surprised at just how much and how long she'd been wanting this.
She looked down at the unconscious form sharing the bed with her, silver-white hair resting gently on her lap, his stricken body clad in a spare kimono her mother had found in the storage room for him.
Sudden realisation struck her. She tried to break the kiss, tried to speak, to tell him that this wasn't right. But he was too insistent, too strong, his lips hungrily claiming hers and refusing to break contact, his arms pinning her down to the sofa as he towered over her.
She struggled, even while knowing the futility of her struggles, trying to get his attention, trying to get him to stop before things went beyond their control. He didn't seem to notice. She pushed at him, trying to shove him off. He didn't even budge.
Through the kiss, she screamed for him to stop.
His eyes shot open. He leapt off the couch, his entire body shivering as the realisation of everything that had occurred in the past few minutes hit home. He looked at her, the shock apparent, knowing that he had very nearly hurt her.
Instantly, he was at her side, crouching down, and grasping her hands in his, "I… I... Kagome, I'm sorry… I don't know… I don't know what came over me. I'm"
She shook her head, her body trembling, "It's… it's all right, Inuyasha. I was as much at fault as you"
She looked down at the unconscious form sharing the bed with her, silver-white hair resting gently on her lap.
When she looked up, he was standing a short distance away, purposely not looking at her. She stood up.
"I guess I'd better get going. Mama told me she needed to go out, and that means you're probably alone at my place right about now. I'll… I'll see you later, right"
He turned around, a small smile already on his face, "Yeah… I'll see you later"
She nodded. He watched her leave. Alone.
The water felt warm as it struck bare skin, running down her sleek, well-toned body in rivulets as Kagome cleansed herself from the grime and dirt of the day's activities. True to her word, Mama hadn't been at home when she got back, and a quick check in her room showed a still-unconscious Inuyasha, so she'd figured a shower scored high on her list of priorities.
She stood there, motionless, letting the water soak into her skin as it splashed all around. Subconsciously, her hand came up to her face, touching her lips.
His lips met hers. Her eyes widened. For a moment, she froze, unsure of what to do, even as his kiss became more demanding, more wanting. And she responded.
She closed her eyes, angling her face up to let the water splatter across her cheeks. She leaned forward, locking lips with the hanyou as she kissed him deeply, invitingly.
She sighed.
That was when she heard him scream her name.
Alarmed, she turned off the shower, grabbing her towel and wrapping it hastily around herself even as she raced out into the corridor. Bounding up the stairs, she flung open the door to her room, only to come face to face with her kimono-clad hanyou, his face bearing the fearful look of one who looked like he'd lived through hell. He stared at her momentarily, then, as though realising who she was, dashed over and picked her up in his arms, crushing her to him, holding her like he'd rarely ever done before. He held her close, burying her head protectively into his shoulder. He whispered softly, his eyes closing, "Yokatta… buji katta na. I… I thought something awful had happened to you. I thought I'd… I'd lost you." Realising what he'd just said, he set her down, blushing furiously, as he usually did when he came across a need to express emotion and concern that he couldn't simply sweep aside and ignore.
She remained silent, now knowing what he had seen.
Knowing what she was destined to become.
Knowing that they could never be together, not as she'd often envisioned it.
"I've… I've wanted to do that for so long. I… I wish I'd had the courage to do that… before… that we'd had the chance to be closer"
"I… I have my freedom, Kagome… but what is it worth, without you with me"
For the second time that day, she leaned forward, kissing the hanyou deeply, nudging him slowly towards the bed.
Momentarily, the hanyou's eyes widened at the unexpected attention. But he did not object, letting her lead him to whatever lay before them. Ecstasy.
