I should start out with the disclaimer: I do not own any characters that are apart of the wonderful series 'Inuyasha'.
Summary: Kagome finds herself in a seemingly hopeless mess over one night, that she can't recall, that seems to roll downhill causing not only her pain, but affects those that are close to her.
The grounds of the home they were at were so large that in the early morning's light no one noticed the woman that lay sprawled out naked behind a row of bushes. The veranda of the back yard wasn't far from the prone figure, but as she seemed to be out like a light it didn't seem to matter to her. Behind her was a gate that led to a personal hot spring for the owners of the home they were currently staying, at least they had only planned to stay that night and had hoped to be gone as soon as the morning time came. The woman's prone form was hidden from view of that place too, another bush hiding all but her feet from view. With a groan she pulled her feet closer to her body, making her form huddle into a fetal position as the wind blew a chill over her body, goosebumps breaking out over her as she groaned again. Shivering she opened her eyes and with a squeak she found herself looking at a spider that dangled from its web on the bush. Holding back her scream of horror at spotting the creepy crawler she backed up and found the bush behind her also held a web, but she forgot all of it for a second as her head pounded in irritation of her movement and the sun that nearly blinded her upon looking around her. She gasped at the realization that she was also nude...in the open...and had a hanger of all things. Shrinking down she looked around, sure that she would never had come outside without a stitch of clothing.
To her luck she spotted a robe just a few inches from the bush to her right. Looking around again, even though that movement was hindered by the protests of her body she grasped out for the robe and pulling it on without a thought of whose it might be or if it was clean. Tying it tight, again thankful that she was covered, and struggled to get up, the rocks that were under the bushes startling her at the pain they caused. She felt so disgusting and in so much pain from every muscle in her body throbbing that when her eyes spotted the entrance to the hot spring she could only think of how good that sounded instead of was she allowed in there. Shoving open the wooden door and finding that no one was in the small space she practically jumped into the hot waters, her newly acquired robe still on her small form. As she sank into the waters on one of the seats that had been created over time in the stones that lined the small spot of water. As she grew more comfortable she removed the robe before throwing it onto the ground behind her. Sighing she tried to remember what had happened last night that would cause her to be outside and nude, but the only thing she could remember from the night before was the celebration that had come from Miroku "helping" rid their home from a dark aura that hung over their dwelling.
"Not that I am one to complain when it means we don't have to sleep out in the cold," she muttered as she leaned back to close her eyes. Indeed, none of them, save for Inuyasha and Shippo, were glad to be indoors with comfortable beds and hot food. Giggling, the sound causing her head to throb again, she was sure that the two demons that were in the group were more than happy to indulge in that part of the con. Miroku had his uses, but he was also a good friend. He ensured that the group had food when her own stash ran out and the demons in the group, Sango of similar assistance in that part, couldn't locate food. The Hanyou groused about them stopping in a human dwelling, but none of the people they had assisted seemed to mind the demons in their group...although they didn't always come off friendly with the pair either. Noting that just thinking seemed to advance the stage of her headache she tried to blank her mind for a moment as she allowed the waters to clean her sweaty skin of whatever she had done the night before, but her mind still insisted that she needed to remember what she had done to abuse herself to the point of the pain her body was enduring this day.
She could remember eating the wonderful food that had been provided for them and she could remember that Sango had stuck to Miroku like glue as the dancers of the lord were presented as entertainment...and of course the fact that the men in the group had been watching said dancers, the monk in particular had almost lost his eyes with how far they seemed to bug out of his sockets upon seeing the scantily clad figures. Kagome had looked the female's over, remembering from her history class about the trappings for such a celebration entailed. Dancers and...sake! "Shit," she cursed. The sake, that had to be the reason for her headache and for the events that had led to this morning's shameful side effects. She could feel the headache's raging power banging against her skull to the point that she feared that she would throw up from the excruciating pain.
"Kagome?" a female voice called out in question from the other side of the door. Opening her chocolate orbs she looked over at the door and answered Sango's voice. Upon seeing that her female friend was indeed in the hot tubs she moved to her side, sympathy at the obvious plight that her friend was in. "Sorry about last night," she whispered as she crouched down to her level. At the confusion in the other female's eyes she clarified. "I shouldn't have left your side and I damn sure shouldn't have allowed you to drink." Ah, so now it made sense and she shook her head.
"No worries, Sango," she said trying to smile, the pain in her head dulling slowly but still strong enough to make her attempt turn into a grimace. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions and don't hold you responsible for last night. After all, you had to make sure another of our members didn't do something very stupid." She watched as a blush rose on her friend's face at the mention of said member of their party. "Oh my, Sango, what is that blush about?" She wiggled her brows at her, suggesting that whatever had caused the reddening on the slayer's cheeks was perverse in nature. When Sango let out a squeal of excitement Kagome winced, holding her palms against her ears as her fingers pushed against her temples. The ringing was back and with it the need to empty the contents of her stomach.
"Oh, sorry Kagome, I forgot," she whispered before telling her friend that when they were on the road she would tell the woman about what had transpired between her and the monk. "Where's Inuyasha?" the slayer asked. "He wasn't in the rooms that the lord gave us last night." Kagome threw her a look, one that spoke of her curiosity on that subject. "He did stay with you last night at the celebration?" Kagome nodded. She recalled that he had been sitting next to her, trying to stop her from drinking the alcoholic drink that had been offered to her. Frowning she recalled how he had drank almost all of the drinks given to her and once he had gone off to relieve himself she had finally gotten to try the sake. She was almost seventeen and while in her time you had to be at least twenty to consume such drinks, in this time you need only be thirteen to be considered of age to be marry so it made sense that the age for consumption of sake shouldn't be much older.
"Um, I don't really know," she supplied with frown. "I remember a little bit of last night, the fact that he wouldn't let me even try the sake. I think he drank the entire bottle that had been given to me, well, what I figure equals a whole bottle." She looked a little ashamed when she realized how drunk he had gotten, becoming so different than his normal self by clinging to her like a second skin while glowering at all the males that were in the room. Well, maybe not too different, but this Inuyasha had been quite verbal vs. the normally stoic half demon. "I can't really recall much, save for having continued to drink with a more relaxed drinking partner." A blush came to her cheeks and her friend knew that like Sango, Kagome had obviously had enjoyed her time with the Hanyou. "He was embarrassing last night," she said with an even brighter blush and a scowl.
Or maybe not... Sango wondered what the normally uptight Hanyou could have done. Sure, he wasn't all strict with his person, but he was seemingly emotionally unavailable or something. Except when it comes to that damn dead Miko. She knew that Inuyasha's relationship with the older Miko had hurt the young female before her several times, the fact that he knew what he did and still went after his ex. Maybe he didn't know how the raven haired woman felt, but the fact that he seemed to hesitate in leaving Kagome's side would prove otherwise. Actions may speak louder than words, but in this case Inuyasha didn't seem to realize that Kagome's actions were just the tip of the iceberg. Kagome was on that tipping point with the Hanyou and there was no telling how much more she could take before she drowned in her conflicted feelings. Kagome was pure in the way she acted, her heart filled with love to share with all of them. That amazed the slayer that someone could heal so many with just her friendship while in the same time forfeiting that same heart when her deepest love didn't return those feelings. The younger female was strong, there was no doubt about that, but the saying of 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall' came to mind and she knew that that had relation to the two hopeless hearts in her small group.
"Hell, I don't know how I even ended up where I did this morning," the female said before realizing she had revealed something she shouldn't. Looking at the slayer she noted the side look, her brow rose in confusion and the questions that lurked in her umber toned eyes. "Anyway, we should probably look for him and the others so we can get on the road." Sango almost said something, but thinking better of it at the moment she knew that Kagome was right. They needed to get on the road. They were so close to finding Naraku and that had been the thing that kept them going, stalling the normal life they all longed for. She knew that she and Miroku were waiting for the kazaana to be closed while she was just hoping to correct her mistake. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do once that was done. She was torn between here and her time, though there was a stronger pull for staying in this time, but that wasn't just because of her friends. She would miss them, but she couldn't imagine being in this era if upon completion of the jewel she would have to watch the reunion between Inuyasha and Kikyo. She knew he loved her, but she couldn't find it in herself to stay if he chose the dead Miko, the pain of watching them together every day. No, she would have to go home and truthfully, she was close to just going back home and staying there. Her heart could only take so many strikes to it, his continued sneaking off to the other Miko. "Oh, um, could you bring me my bag? I have nothing but that dirty robe," she said pointing behind her. Chuckling at the young woman she headed off do the favor the Miko had asked of her.
Earlier that morning...
Groaning as he lifted his head, the silver haired male looked around his surroundings, noting that he was in the hot springs and that he was also nude. Flushing at his lack of clothing in a public place he moved quickly. It didn't take him long to find the rooms that the lord of the residence had given them and with no one spotting him rush thru the courtyard in his birthday suit. Well, almost no one... "Why're you naked, Inuyasha?" Shippo asked, his eye blurry with sleep as he wiped at them. "And why do you smell so funny?" he asked after a sniff. "Like papa after he took mom to their room for alone time," he clarified. Miroku was now awake, the look on his face telling how long he had been awake even as he tried to fake that he had just gotten up.
"Don't say a word," the Hanyou hissed at the monk because he knew what the perverted male was going to say and he did not need to hear it. Yeah, he had woken up, smelling sex on his body and yet, he couldn't think of who he had had sex with. He couldn't scent the female that he had laid with and that in itself was bothersome. Why couldn't he remember last night? Was it the sake? No, I've drank more than that before. He was a half demon and as such his demonic side was not a lightweight by any standards, now his human half he wasn't sure. That was one night he never let his guard down, not even to sleep even if on that night he could find his body fighting him on that front he never gave in...well, not true. He had that one night with Kagome all that time ago, when they had first met. He had allowed sleep to claim him, but that was because of the poison in his body and the fact that he trusted the wench. He trusted that she would never allow him to die, even if that meant she would forfeit her life. Not that he would ever let that happen. That night he had had allowed him to sleep because of his Tessaiga protecting them since he was in no shape to do so.
"I was just wondering who the lucky girl was," the monk said with a taunting smile, as if he might have an idea of whom the girl was that he had allowed to be his first and regretting that it wasn't who he wanted it to be. Not that he could remember who it was, but he was sure that it wasn't Kagome. She saw him as a friend and even though she had said she would say with him he knew that she hadn't done that because she wanted to be with him, no she assumed that he wanted Kikyo and even though she had appeared upset with him for going to the other Miko's side he knew it was because she was worried that he would be taken to Hell with the dead woman. Friends didn't want to lose another friend, not to anything and he knew that was how she felt. There was only person that had even appeared to love him as more than a friend, Kikyo... even if she wanted him to make a wish on the jewel of four souls to become a human. She had only wanted what was the best for them, wishing him human would not only take away that obstacle away so she could live a normal life like other Miko's were allowed in the past, but he could live a life free of the hate and intolerance that he had grown up around. They could live the short life that humans lived and then die in each other's arms while their children prospered long after them.
That wouldn't happen now. He was more than sure that dead bodies couldn't give life to another soul...even if it was something no one had ever thought about. Even if she could have lived a normal life with him, even in that form, he didn't want it. He didn't quite known when he had come to realize it, but the Hanyou didn't want to be with Kikyo. He loved her, sure, but it wasn't the all consuming way that he loved Kagome. She made him feel lighter, unburdened when all the guilt he had felt because of Kikyo's untimely death, but she also made the Hanyou happier, the happiest he had ever felt in a long time. Way before the male had met Kikyo, when his mother had still been alive. It was that kind of happiness that he felt when he was around the younger Miko. "None of your business," Inuyasha snapped at the monk. But he seemed to know, that look in his amethyst orbs told him as much. He knew Inuyasha was lying, but the silver haired male wasn't going to admit it so he decided to change the topic. "Where are the girls?" Miroku smirked, knowing what Inuyasha was doing, but deciding to humor the Hanyou.
"They were in the other room, well, Sango went in there after we spent some quality time together," he said and when he turned Inuyasha could see no mark from the slayer's hand, but sniffing the air he could smell her scent, still rather fresh considering it had happened last night, but no smells of sex. "And, no, we didn't have sex, you dirty demon." Inuyasha growled at him, letting him know that he was prone to be the more nastier of the group and that the half breed was usually the one watching as he was laid into about such dirty thoughts. "As for Lady Kagome, I have no idea where she is right now." A growl managed to escape, but before he could do anything he heard the door next to him open, the scent of the slayer hitting his nose as she shuffled around in the other room. His ears could hear her opening Kagome's giant yellow bag and without a second thought he finally moved to see what she was doing.
"Sango, where is she?" he asked, nearly startling the slayer who looked over at him, some of Kagome's clothing in her hands.
"She's in the hot springs," was her simple response, but she could see how that response seemed to relax the male before her. "We'll be right back and just a word of warning, Kagome's got her first hangover and she is in a bit of pa-" He scoffed. He didn't particularly know that much about hangovers, again since he had demon blood he was rather immune to getting drunk enough to feel that pain, but he also knew that for some it could be particularly brutal. He may not have been around humans in an friendly manner, but he had observed humans after the got intoxicated when watching for danger in the towns they stayed in and before that. He had always been close to villages, even if he never really ever stayed in one after his mother's death, but he had witnessed it then when the people in the household had over indulged and how rotten they felt the next day.
"I know what a hangover is, Sango," he stated. Nodding at him she headed off to give her friend new clothing.