The Bride Chapter 5

Kagome found herself sneaking out of her house well before dawn. She started her walk in an attempt to clear her mind. The sun started to peek over the horizon by the time she somehow found herself in front of the half-demon's shack. Her mind was now somewhat clear, but her heart was pounding in her chest.

Standing outside she could hear him moving about, already awake. She raised her hand to knock on the door but before her fist could make contact the door opened. He stood in the doorway, scowling at her. Behind him, she saw the inside of his humble home lit by candlelight, it was indeed as bare as her brother had told her.

He was growing impatient as she looked about. He began to growl, which brought her attention back to him.
Even growling at her in irritation she found his presence reassuring.

"You've been standing at my door for some time, well before I opened it. If you've got nothing to say I've got work to do." He tried to push past her.

"I wanted to be near you." Kagome was barely able to blurt the words out before she covered her face with her hands and turned away.

The words seemed to have caught the half-demon off guard because he stopped moving. It was that lack of movement that gave her the courage to continue.

"I know this must come as a surprise since I've barely had a real conversation with you. Though that really is your fault, not very friendly are you?" His ears lowered when he scowled.

"I've had all night to think about things. I needed to clear my head and without even trying I ended up here."

Kagome couldn't bring herself to turn around and face the half-demon."Now that you've opened your door I finally understand. I want to know you, all of you. The painful things, the sad things. Why you look so lonely." She paused for a minute and hugged herself. "Inuyasha, I want you to be happy. I want you to laugh. I know I can't compete against the Countess. I saw the way she looked at you and heard the way she spoke to you. I've thought a lot about her, she and I are not at all alike. Should you chose her I will respect your decision."

With that Kagome did the bravest thing she has ever done and she turned around to look the half-demon in the eyes.

He closed the door in her face.
Without a word.
Without a single word.

Kagome did the only thing she could, she ran. She wasn't sure where she as going as her vision was blurred by tears. As she ran she felt twigs tear at her skin and more than once her shoulders clipped a tree. After she had run for a while Kagome stopped and slumped against a tree. The pain in her shoulders was nothing compared to the pain of her heart shattering. If feelings were this painful, she wished she'd never met him at all. Kagome just cried. She hadn't realized how deeply she had fallen in love with him.

When she was sure she had calmed down enough that her sobs wouldn't wake her brother or parents she fled the forest for her bed. When she was safe behind her locked door she held Buyo and cried.

Not even a single word. She deserved at least that, didn't she? Would it have ruined him to say "sorry?" He could have said something. Why couldn't he say something?

Kagome spent the next hour analyzing the events from that morning and finally came up with an answer. He didn't speak because had he that would be it. Sure he was perfect in looks, but he must have been dim. No one can be that good looking and also smart.

Kagome dried her tears and forced a smile. She took a deep breath. This was all a part of growing up, all part of being a young girl. You follow silly whims and you get over them just as quickly. Count it as experience and move on. After all, who could fall in love with a spoiled, selfish, nasty violent jerk like him?!

After her pep talk, Kagome managed to wash, get dressed, but as she sat down to brush her hair the tears began to fall again. There was a limit to just how much she could lie to herself.

Kagome wasn't stupid, neither was Inuyasha.

She could pretend he was, she could laugh about it, tease herself about falling in love with the farm help but she knew his brain was just as sharp as his fangs. He was kind in his own way, and strong, and dependable. He had helped her family out in countless ways. The truth was simple: he had his reason for closing the door in her face and it had nothing to do with the brain in his head. He just had nothing to say. He's already made his decision.

He didn't love her back and that was that. She couldn't compete with the Countess. The truth hurt. But she still wanted to see him.

The new onset of tears was silent. They were there to remind her of what she wasn't. She wasn't perfect, she didn't wear makeup, she didn't glide as she walked, and she certainly didn't have experience. She wasn't enough. All she knew was her farm and her powers. And she was well aware of the fact that she had, for the majority of the time she had known him, slacked off. How could she hope to compete with Countess? Not only was the Countess perfect, but she was a renowned sorceress. It was silly of Kagome to think that she would be of interest to him when he had such a woman.

The sun had set long before she had heard her parents approach her door. They knocked. Kagome ignored them. There was another knock. She dried her eyes on her sleeve but remained silent.

"I can hear you in there."

The voice didn't belong to either of her parents. "Inuyasha?" Confusion gave way to sadness, which was guarded by anger."Why are you here? Can't you just leave me ALONE?! This is already hard enough!"

Her tears started again.