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The Break Up

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"She could've killed you. You do know that, right?" Kagome huffed as she trudged along behind the demon carrying his human half, "You can't just insult her like that."

"She wouldn't've killed me, bitch," Inuyasha scoffed as he glanced over his shoulder, "If she killed me, then he'd be dead too."

"How is it you even know that? Maybe she can kill one of you without hurting the other?" Kagome snapped, "You don't even…"

"Bitch. If you're going to sit there and tell me my instincts are wrong, you've got another thing coming," Inuyasha growled out as he sighed and slung his human half over his shoulder, "It's obvious. Otherwise, she would've just vaporized me the first chance she got."

"Still shouldn't've talked to her that way," Kagome mumbled as she adjusted her ten ton yellow backpack, "Doesn't do either of you any favors."

"Worst thing she can do is take this asshole and go on her merry way," the demon growled, "Only reason I didn't let her is because we've got a figure a way to undo this bullshit and put us back together."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd want that," Kagome smirked as she shot a skeptical look at the back of his head, "Seeing as how your life mission not too long ago was going full demon, I mean."

"Well, maybe one day but this ain't it," the demon sighed dejectedly, "Can't wield Tessaiga like this and I sure as hell can't risk this worthless sack of shit dying on me. We've got Naraku to beat. So its either bide my time until we kill Naraku and complete the jewel or…or wait until he lets me take control willingly."

"Why would he let you in control willingly? No offense but you terrify him," Kagome whispered incredulously, completely missing the pitying look mixed with strange longing the demon threw her over his shoulder.

"I can think of a few reasons," Inuyasha whispered quietly before looking ahead once more and letting out a long sigh, "He doesn't know me. Hell, he doesn't even want to know me but I know him. If he didn't want to remember something anymore, if he wanted to take the coward's way out, I'd get control."

Rolling his eyes, when he heard Kagome huff, he set his jaw and threw a side-eyed glare over his shoulder. "You know, you guys act like I'm gunna turn on you all at any minute but I'm really not like that. Miroku, Sango and Shippo are flying way above us on the off chance I decide to murder all of you but ya know what? I'm still Inuyasha, just…I guess more demon than I was yesterday. "

"Yeah, but every time we've, uh, met you or this side of you….you've, well, you've kinda gone on a killing spree," Kagome began hesitantly, "I mean, are you telling me that' we should just forget that, or that you didn't actually kill those people or…or…what exactly are you saying here?"

"Listen bitch, even I can't fight a battle on two fronts," the silver haired Inuyasha growled as he sent a withering glare at his comatose counterpart, "He fights me hard when I come out to the point where neither of us has full control. He struggles so desperately to regain control that it's all I can do to eliminate the threat, much less make heads of tails of anyone, friend or foe."

"You kill a lot of people and it bothers you once you're done," Kagome whispered as she bit her lip and furrowed her brow, "It really bothers you and…and you aren't always killing an enemy. Sometimes you've killed anyone in your path, innocent or not."

"Well, like I said," the demon sighed darkly before pausing and meeting Kagome's eyes for a split second before abruptly turning his gaze ahead. Keeping her eyes on his taut jawline, Kagome paused mid-step and tilted her head in confusion. If she didn't know better, she could've sworn she saw a flicker of fear and regret dance through those crimson eyes. Swallowing thickly, the demon cast her another furtive glance and continued, "I can't tell who needs killing and who doesn't in those situations. All I know is when he lets me out it means I'm dying. I don't feel pain as much when I'm a full demon so I can just keep going and going and going. And I won't lie, I don't hesitate and it doesn't bother me when I kill humans like it does him. I just get shit done. We're the same but at the same time, we're different."

Intrigued Kagome doubled her pace to walk beside him and glanced up into his crimson eyes. Shooting her a quick glance, he quickly turned his gaze steadfastly ahead, "I'm the only who has to deal with what we can't handle as we normally are. There've been times I've been in control for years, not that he remembers. There are just some things the human me doesn't want to remember. Things he can't handle and that's where I come in."

"You said you've been in control for years before," Kagome whispered anxiously, "Why? Were you dying or seriously injured or…"

"He couldn't handle what happened" demonic Inuyasha stated blunted, effectively cutting her off, "Doesn't matter why."

For a moment, they walked together in a comfortable silence before Kagome laughed.

"You're different than I thought you'd be," Kagome grinned as she cast him a warm glance, "I was worried there'd be a massacre but you're not so bad,"

As the demon snorted in reply, Kagome paused for a minute and chewed the inside of her cheek as they continued walking side by side, " I can't think of anything you guys wouldn't be able to handle. Even with that whole Kikyo thing, you guys seemed to cope okay if you count, you know, destroying the village as coping. He didn't let you come out and kill everyone, I mean. It's hard to imagine a scenario that you'd lose your mind."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. We can handle a lot," demonic Inuyasha nodded as he cast her a quick, almost wistful glance, "But everyone has a weakness."