The response I'm receiving for this story is good so far, so I'm glad everyone's liking it. :) Here's some news for you guys:
1. I'm going to start writing a new story sometime soon, but I'm going to take a little break. If you guys have ideas for a story you'd like me to write, you can send it to me in a private message, and as long as it's not too bizarre, I'll consider and let you know whether or not I'll write about it.
2. I am an artist, as well, and I did art for this story. Unfortunately it's not digital for my stupid computer crashed, but you might like it. Remove the spaces from the link to have a look at it: http : / 81236 . deviantart . com /art/ Within-the-Temptation-190191907
Chapter three
"You're serious?" Sango was sitting up now, but she still couldn't move about yet. It was the next day, and I was in Sango's hut, and Rin was bustling about, trying to make breakfast for her foster mother.
"Completely. Look." I pulled out the jewel, showing her. "He was clearly lying, because he used the power of the jewel to knock me out. But he gave it back."
"And you say that you think it's because you spared his life?" Sango questioned, as she took the cup of tea that Rin handed her.
"Yeah. I can't think of another reason. He did hurt you to get it, after all. Maybe I was right. Maybe he's not so bad." I said softly, and Inuyasha's face appeared in my mind briefly.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're developing feelings for this half demon." Sango commented knowingly, as she sipped her tea.
I blushed. "Sango, we've already been over this. I don't know him."
"But he was there with you last night. And you were-" Sango made sure Rin was turned around when she mouthed "Naked". I flushed further.
"He's just a pig!" I said scornfully. "He's rude, he's crude, and there's no way I could have feelings for him."
"I think Lady Kagome is in love." Rin commented, as she handed me tea.
"I am not!" I protested, and Sango and Rin joined together in singsong, singing, "Kagome's in love, Kagome's in love!"
"Oh, you two are so- Ugh!" I set the tea down before I looked away, crossing my arms moodily over my chest. I can't believe they'd even suggest that I like him! I mean, he was spying on me! He's been spying on me for days now! And he's . . . he's . . .
He makes my heart pound . . . A tiny voice in my mind whispered. "This is so frustrating!" I stamped my foot, and Sango and Rin giggled.
"You know, Rin, I think you hit the right mark with that one. I think Kagome is in love with him." Sango commented conspiringly to Rin, who only grinned at me.
"That's it! I am not in love with a half demon who I don't even know!" I stood up, and stomped from the hut, leaving Sango and Rin in hysterics behind me. I had already informed Kaede of the good news (omitting the entire me being naked thing) so I made my way toward the sacred tree with my bow and arrow, my steps filled with anger. The villagers gave me a wide berth.
It's completely outrageous, to even consider him that way, being so lecherous and spying on me! I thought angrily. I entered the forest, and it wasn't long before I reached the sacred tree. Our baskets from the other day were still there, filled with fruits and bread, so I decided I would eat some fruit to calm my nerves.
I snatched up a pear from the basket as I plopped down, and began to eat on it, glaring at the sacred tree. I was nearly finished with the pear when I finally grew tired of being watched, and called out irritably, "If you're going to spy on me, you might as well come join me!"
A few moments passed, before I heard some rustling beside me, and when I looked, I saw Inuyasha seated a few feet away, and he was glaring at the tree as well. "So what are you angry about?" I demanded. He looked taken aback at my angry tone, before he snapped back, "What do you care, wench?"
"Well, I guess I don't care then." I harrumphed and turned back to my fruit, snatching up a second pear and taking a bite. Inuyasha was watching me suspiciously, and I finally grew tired of it.
"You know, you stare a lot!" I finally commented, turning to glare at him. "It's not like I'm going to pin you to the tree again. And you obviously aren't after the jewel anymore, so I've got no reason to kill you, and you've got no reason to kill me. So can we call a truce?"
"Hah, don't make me laugh." Inuyasha turned his nose up at me. "I ain't gonna do nothin', wench."
Why you . . . The very object that was the source of my frustrations was giving me a hard time, and I wasn't going to have it. I stood up and marched over to him, and grabbed a thick lock of his white hair, pulling his face towards mine. He looked up at me fearfully as I got right in his face and said angrily, "Listen you, I've been really patient with you up until this point, and your attitude is beginning to wear on my nerves! I could stick an arrow through your head right now, so don't tempt me!"
He stared at me, before he laughed, right in my face. "You, a measly human? You're gonna threaten me? You got some guts, after I kicked your ass yesterday-NGH!" I grabbed the back of his head and planted his face into the ground, and used my foot to hold him there as I nocked an arrow and held it to the back of his head.
"TRUCE!" he bellowed from underneath my foot, and I released him.
"Now that that's settled, do you want some fruit?" I sat back down, this time beside him, and offered him the basket.
Inuyasha looked at it warily, and then he selected an apple and took it, before he took a bite of it. I picked my pear back up and resumed eating it, and we sat there in silence together. I was calm now that I'd gotten rid of my frustration, so I could relax.
"So . . . it makes me wonder. You wanting to become a full fledged demon. After witnessing you yesterday, you seem strong enough already." I commented.
"Feh! You don't know nothin' about strength!" he scoffed. "Demons are all about the power, and being a full fledged demon would give me all the power I need."
"Need for what!"
"Demon like things!"
"Such as?" I asked, skeptical.
"Things a human like you wouldn't understand." he sneered.
I shook my head. "You're racist."
"What? I am not!" He growled.
"You've been nothing but racist to me ever since you met me. You've got a problem with humans. I thought your other half was human."
"It is."
"So what's the problem? If you have a problem with me being human, then you might want to find some other girl to chat to." I said calmly, eying the remainder of my pear thoughtfully.
"Tch. I don't have a problem." he muttered, looking down at his own apple. It was then that I sensed he wasn't racist, he just put on a tough guy act to hide his true feelings. I could see right through it.
"Well, I've got to head back to the village anyway before Sango gets worried. You should come with me."
"And I would do that why?"
"Because you should apologize to her, after hurting her yesterday!" I said, as if it was obvious, as I stood up.
"And I would do that why? She hit me with her boomerang!"
"But you punched her in the stomach and she can hardly move, and she has a kid to take care of!" I explained, and I saw a hint of guilt go over his features.
"You can't boss me around, wench." he grumbled.
"I'm not. I'm just saying, you should apologize." I replied, as I gathered up the baskets and hooked them over my arms. I turned around to face him and bent over to get my bow and arrow, and when I looked back up, I saw he was staring at my chest, which was very close to his face. When he saw my flat look, he looked fearful.
"Inuyasha?"
"W-what?"
I hit him over the head with my bow.
Inuyasha followed along behind me carefully as I led the way, and I knew he was being cautious. He was acting as if he'd never had any friends or companions before, and I began to wonder if this was the case for his antisocial behavior. It would make sense.
The villagers gave us strange looks as we walked together, and I dropped the baskets off into mine and Kaede's hut before I started heading for Sango's hut. Inuyasha was looking around with paranoia clear on his face, his ears flicking here and there, obviously mistrustful of everyone and everything.
"Come on, Inuyasha." I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him into Sango's hut, and he looked down at my hand on his sleeve as if it might be a snake that would harm him.
Sango looked up when we entered, and when she saw Inuyasha, she didn't look unrelaxed, but she didn't look relaxed either. "Kagome? And Inuyasha. Well, I would say it's nice to see you again, but it's not really." she said, sarcastically. Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort, but I elbowed him and gestured to Rin, and when he saw the nine year old, he clearly gleamed he couldn't cuss in front of her and silenced.
"I'm sorry." Inuyasha muttered, looking not very sorry at all, his ears flattened against his head, as he looked at Sango.
"Sorry for what?" Sango crossed her arms over her chest.
"Don't make this complicated!" He snapped. "I said I was sorry and that's all you're gettin'!" he crossed his arms over his chest, looking away. I smiled back at him. He's trying.
Sango rolled her eyes, but looked like she'd forgiven him, for the most part. "Well, Inuyasha, why don't you sit down and join us for lunch?"
Once again, he had that look on his face that clearly said he wasn't used to generosity, and the behavior was alien to him. "Yeah, we will. Come on." I said for him, and once again I took his sleeve, and pulled him to sit down beside me on the floor. He sat indian style, and he looked uncomfortable.
All of us sat there a bit awkwardly, until Rin spoke up. "So, Lady Kagome, is this the half demon you're in love with?"
Oh no. No no no! Inuyasha looked as shocked as I did, and as I 'eeked' and hid my red face, his face turned red and his eye twitched, along with his ears. "No Rin, I'm in love with that other guy." I said, trying to stress to Rin to be quiet. She cocked her head curiously to the side.
"You're in love with someone?" Inuyasha demanded, whipping his head back around to stare me down. I had a feeling, somehow, he didn't like that thought. It was a bit pleasing.
"No, I'm not!" I protested.
"But you said you were! So then you're in love with Inuyasha!" Rin confirmed, smiling happily.
"No, I'm not with him either!" This was quickly becoming a mess before my very eyes.
"So you lied?" Rin looked horrified of the very thought. Sango had a hand over her mouth, and I knew she was trying not to laugh at my expense.
"No, I didn't lie, Rin. I'm uh . . . seeing someone." I tried, laughing a little nervously.
"You're seein' someone?" Inuyasha snarled, and he looked even madder then before as he stared me down.
"Well, I see someone right now, so what do you think?" I snapped in return, hoping he would understand that it was just to keep Rin quiet.
"Listen you little-" He started.
"All right, that's enough, all of you." Sango cut in, obviously having heard enough. "If Kagome is in love with someone, that's her business, not ours."
"Well, here you go, Lord Inuyasha." Rin poured him a bowl of the stew she'd been working on, and handed it to him. He took it after a moment, and the expression his face was something I wished I could capture forever. He looked a little touched at the nickname, and also at the generosity that we showed him. We treated him as if he'd been here forever.
We all ate in silence, except for Rin, who regaled us with tales of how she hated chores and loved running about in the woods with the animals. It was quite cute, and I could see in Sango's face, that even though Rin wasn't hers by birth, that Sango pretty much already considered Rin like her own.
Inuyasha was staring down at his bowl, and there were conflicting emotions on his face, and I almost felt sorry for him. "Inuyasha?" I asked softly. He jumped a little, obviously taken off guard, and glared at me.
"What?"
"Are you all right?"
"Tch. Don't be ridiculous. I'm fine." he looked away, and I knew it was because he was lying.
"Well, thank you for the stew, Rin. It was wonderful. And I'll come back later and check on your wound, Sango. I'm going to take Inuyasha around the rest of the village." I said, and stood up. Inuyasha barely had time to set down his bowl before I grabbed his sleeve and tugged him from the hut.
"What's up with you jerkin' me around everywhere, anyway? I never said I wanted to hang out with you." He grumbled, as I pulled him toward my hut.
"And you never said you didn't want to." I retorted, pulling him inside. Kaede was within, and she was busy polishing her bow. When she saw me, and then Inuyasha, she paused, examining him, before she resumed polishing the bow.
"I take it ye want to introduce me, Kagome?" she questioned, not looking up at us.
"Yes. Kaede, this is Inuyasha, the half demon I told you about. Inuyasha, this is my foster grandmother Kaede. And for all intensive purposes, my grandma." I introduced proudly.
"Nice to meet ya, baba." Inuyasha snickered, and then grunted when I reached up and grabbed one of his ears and yanked.
"Your speech is rough, ignorant hanyou." Kaede commented. "Such a degrading term to such an old woman. Do ye not know respect?"
"Feh!" He snorted. "Get off my back. You don't know anythin' about me."
"No, I suppose not." Kaede agreed, and I was surprised she wasn't beating him up with her bow by now. "Hopefully ye will learn some manners, if ye plan to be around Kagome often."
Inuyasha scoffed, but I knew he acknowledged a grudging respect for the woman. "Whatever."
"Well, now that you two have met, we'll be moving along." I pulled Inuyasha from the hut, and then glared at him. "I can't believe you called her baba, Inuyasha! Don't you have any respect for your elders?"
"Not at all." he replied, unabashed. "Is that a problem?"
"Ugh, you're so pigheaded." I muttered, as I started toward the river. "Well, I have to fish, anyway, so we'll have something to eat tonight. So since you're a man, you can come and help me out."
"Just because I'm a man doesn't mean I'm gonna fish."
"It does in this village. So come on." I led him down toward the river, ignoring him rolling his eyes behind me.
Once we were in the boat, I gave Inuyasha the pole, and he moved us along steadily, as I speared fish from the safety of the boat. I had caught a good amount, and when I deemed it was a big enough size, I tied the fish together and set them aside, and relaxed. "Now, we can just sail, if you want." I told him. He just harrumphed and kept steering.
"So, Inuyasha . . . tell me about yourself." I said softly, as we drifted. It was quiet and peaceful, and late in the afternoon, by this point. The sky was a warm golden orange color, and many of the villagers were retiring to their huts for the evening.
"What do you want to know?"
"Something, anything. I don't know anything about you. I'd like to know something." I replied, as I dipped my hand into the cool water, and watched the trail it made as we drifted.
"There's not really much to tell." He said quietly, in that gruff voice of his. "I'm a half demon. I want to become all demon. I don't like humans too much. That's about it."
"I think there's more." I said, but didn't push. "So, Inuyasha . . ."
"Hmm?"
"When you look at me . . . do you think of ordinary?" I asked quietly, as I looked at my reflection in the water.
Inuyasha sounded surprised before he covered it up crudely. "What are you blabberin' on about, bitch?"
"Kaede tells me that as long as I protect the jewel, I can never be an ordinary woman." I explained softly. The eyes of the girl looking back at me were sad. "I'll always be the protector of the jewel. That's all I can be, as long as it exists."
Inuyasha was quiet for a moment, but I knew he was listening. "And you don't want to be the protector?" he asked.
"I don't really know." I admitted. "I'm honored to have such an important duty . . . But I guess . . . there are other feelings I have. I guess I . . . want to be ordinary. I want to meet a man, fall in love, and get married . . . but because of the jewel, that's not in my future . . ." I reached up and touched the jewel around my neck as I spoke. "And these are feelings any normal human would have."
"So why not give the duty to someone else?"
"Because I'm the only miko that can do it. Kaede is too old, and I can't let her down." I explained. "It's what I have to do."
Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at me, and in that moment, my heart skipped a beat when I met his eyes. His were full of an emotion that I didn't understand, and he wasn't looking at me with hostility or animosity or even mistrust. He was looking at me with something else, and at his soft golden gaze, I realized what it was. I realized that it was understanding. He understood. And that was when I realized something else.
Inuyasha understands, because he's just like me. He isn't ordinary. And he never can be. He's a half demon. He doesn't fit in with humans. And he doesn't fit in with demons, either. Where can he fit in? My heart ached for him, in that moment, and I realized that maybe the reason he was sticking around was because I was being kind to him. Maybe he wasn't used to kindness, and that was the reason for all his crude behavior.
Suddenly, I felt closer to him than before. I felt like I had more of a reason for the attraction I had toward him. Because he was like me. He wasn't ordinary. He never could be. "Inuyasha?" I said softly.
"What is it?" his voice was soft, as well, and I knew he had been thinking what I had been.
"I think I know a little something about you, now." I commented, as I stood up, and moved to his side. When he looked at me a little warily, I simply smiled at him, and even though he didn't smile back, his golden eyes were soft. I don't know what it is about you, but you're not like anyone I've ever met before.
When we reached the dock, Inuyasha stopped the boat and climbed out, and he was still holding the pole to keep the boat steady as I climbed out. However, when I did, my foot twisted and I tripped, and before I could stop myself, I landed against Inuyasha. He let out a sound of surprise, and when I looked up at him, and held his eyes, being this close to him, all I heard was the sound of the pole hitting the dock as it slipped from his hands. Inuyasha's eyes were filled again with that emotion of understanding, and he threw his arms around me, catching me off guard, holding me against him in an embrace.
My heart was pounding, but I didn't pull away. I found my body leaning against his, and I rested my head against his shoulder. I've . . . I've never been held by a man before. So . . . why is he holding me? Does he . . . care for me? The very thought made my heart race faster.
His scent was wonderful. He smelled of the woods and of musk and sweet grass . . . and he was warm. I had never imagined it would feel so good, to be held by a man. "Inuyasha?" I asked in a tiny voice, not rejecting him, but questioning his actions.
"I . . . I'm sorry." his arms melted from around me and he stepped back, avoiding looking at me. "I should go."
"Inuyasha, please don't leave-" I started, reaching out toward him, but he eyed my hand warily, despite his actions before, and before I could stop him, he turned and fled, and soon, he was out of sight, and I was left behind, my heart aching in an unfamiliar way.
As I laid in bed that night, I couldn't get Inuyasha out of my mind. I hadn't known him long at all, and already, he'd made an impact on me that no one had ever made before. Am I feeling for Inuyasha what a woman feels for a man? But it's so early . . . It's all so confusing. I need to be careful with my feelings. I can't think of these things and feel this way. The jewel exists, and as long as it exists . . . that's my future. Before, I hadn't been able to decide if that was depressing or not, but now, it was. I wondered if that was because I'd met Inuyasha. These were my last thoughts before I fell asleep.
"Kagome, you don't seem yourself." Sango commented the next day, as we were up at the shrine, busy cleaning it up.
"I guess I'm still thinking about yesterday." I admitted. I had told Sango everything that had happened, and she'd been genuinely surprised and pleased to hear about what had transpired.
"I have to say, I'm a little jealous." Sango admitted in return. I looked at her, surprised.
"Do you . . . like Inuyasha?" I asked, a little worriedly.
"Oh no, of course not! I just mean, that you've found a man." Sango explained. "But I am happy for you."
"Well, don't rush." I said hastily, sweeping faster in my embarrassment. "We aren't anything, Sango. We hardly know each other."
"It's never too early for love." Sango commented, smiling at me. "Don't be so modest, Kagome. Inuyasha is a handsome one."
"Eek!" I put a hand to my face, feeling how red it was. "Sango!"
She laughed. "And besides, after seeing you naked like that, no wonder he's sticking around." she teased.
"Are you saying he's only interested in my body?" I asked, fearful.
"Certainly not." Sango resumed sweeping. "But I'm sure that factor doesn't hurt his feelings at all."
"Of course not. He's a man." I muttered, and glowered at the floor as I dusted the corners. "But no, when we were together yesterday . . . in the boat . . . I felt as if he really understood me."
"So there's definitely a connection?" Sango asked, obviously eager for more details.
"There was something." I admitted. "And when he hugged me like that . . . my heart was pounding. It was so forward, but . . . . I have a feeling Inuyasha isn't like any other guy I'll ever meet."
"I'd have to agree with that." Sango said dryly. "His manners leave something to be desired."
I giggled. "You should have seen him with Kaede yesterday."
Sango shook her head. "So where is he today, anyway?"
"I don't know." I admitted. "He took off yesterday after he hugged me. I think he shocked himself when he did it. Well, I'm sure he'll show up eventually. He seems to have a habit of spying on me."
"I think it's romantic." Sango replied, as she set her broom aside and began to stack crates on top of one another.
"So I thought villagers weren't allowed in this shrine, anyway?" Sango commented.
"They aren't, but Kaede said it was ok because she knows you and I are responsible, and she said she knew she could count on us to clean up the shrine." I replied. "And she said-" I was cut off by a huge crash outside. Sango and I exchanged glances, and when we heard a loud roaring outside, we knew it was trouble. I dropped my duster and grabbed my bow and quiver, and raced out, Sango on my heels with her boomerang.
I could hear the screams of the villagers, as the demon knocked over houses with its massive body. It was another centipede demon, but this one at the very top of its body had the upper half of a woman, and she had three arms on each side of her body. She was cackling as she swept down and grabbed a horse in her jaws, and flung it in our direction. Sango grabbed my arm and yanked me out of the way, and the horse whinied pitifully as it struck the ground in a bloody mass.
"Who are you?" I demanded, as I drew out an arrow and pointed it at the demon. She turned her attention to me.
"I am Mistress Centipede to you. You killed my child, when he was supposed to retrieve the jewel for me. And for that, you will pay." her eyes were filled with malice, and I sensed she would be a much more difficult foe than her son. "If you hand over the jewel now, I shall spare your village."
"Not a chance!" I let the arrow go, and it whizzed past her head as she slid out of the way. Mistress Centipede slithered along the ground in my direction, and she was so fast I could barely follow her movements.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango threw her boomerang, and it struck Mistress Centipede's thick hide, but then glanced off the tough skin and began heading straight for us. Sango dragged me out of the way once more, as her boomerang embedded itself into a tree behind us.
"Give me the jewel!" Mistress Centipede lashed out and seized me in her grip, and I struggled, but she was far too strong.
"Go and get help, Sango!" I screamed, and she quickly ran off to do so.
"You underestimate my strength, child." Mistress Centipede pulled me up, until we were eye level with one another. She was massive. "And you are so young, for such a powerful miko, as it is rumored. But unfortunately, it doesn't look like you'll be strong enough to defeat me."
"I'm more than strong enough to defeat you!" I boosted, and managed to free one of my arms enough to thrust it in her face. I blasted her with my spiritual force, and she screeched as she dropped me. I hit the ground hard, and as I laid there, my body aching from the impact, three of her arms landed beside me, dripping with blood.
"Wicked child!" she hissed, and dove down towards me. I scrambled to my feet and took off running, ignoring the searing pain in my left side, which I'd landed on.
Men from the village had arrived by this point, and I heard their shouts as they shot spears into Mistress Centipede's side. "Pull!" I heard Kaede shout, and the men began to pull the great demon away from me.
I stopped running and turned around, drawing out an arrow, and aiming for her heart. I shot, but she moved at the last moment, and the arrow instead seared off another one of her arms. She roared in rage, and I watched in horror as her tail jerked, and set the men from the village flying back, along with Kaede. "No!" I shouted, and ran towards them.
Mistress Centipede turned her attention back to me. "Enough of this. Die!" she lunged down towards me, and I tried to jump out of the way, but she was too fast. Her face transformed into something terrible, and her fangs grew, and she sank them into my side. I screamed at the pain that lanced all through me, and she shook me savagely in her grip, her fangs tearing effortlessly through my skin.
"Kagome!" I only vaguely heard the scream, and Mistress Centipede released me, and I went flying.
"Kagome!" Strong, gentle arms caught me in midair, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Inuyasha looking worriedly down at me as we flew through the air.
"Inuyasha . . . you came." I said weakly.
"You stupid miko. Can't you do anything right?" he muttered, but he was worried. He laid me gently down in front of the tree with Sango's boomerang, and then turned to face Mistress Centipede.
Mistress Centipede cackled when she saw him. "I heard some half demon spawn was after the jewel. It's you, isn't it? So weak and useless."
Inuyasha laughed, but it was in mockery of her. "Half demon's all I need to kick your scaly hide."
"Insolent child!" Mistress Centipede dove down for him, and Inuyasha darted out of the way, but not before his claws slashed through her tough skin, leaving bloody trails in their wake. She hissed and swiped at him with her remaining arms, but again missed, as he was faster than her.
"Nasty hag!" He jumped onto her back and I watched in amazement as he raced straight up her back with astounding agility. She twisted and turned, but couldn't seem to throw him off. When Inuyasha reached the top of her body, he grabbed her head in his claws, and all I heard was a sickening crack as he broke her neck, and then tore her head off. He threw it to the ground, his hands drenched in blood, and her entire body began to disintegrate before it even fell to the grass.
Inuyasha jumped down, and quickly moved over to me. "Kagome, are you all right?"
"I'll be ok." I managed to get out. "I need to get back to the village. Some of the villagers are wounded . . . I have to . . . take care of them."
"Don't be stupid!" he snapped, as he slid his arms around me, and lifted me up. "You're in no condition to take care of anyone!"
I could feel the blood seeping out of my side, and my entire body was weak, and I was going numb. "Inuyasha . . . I'm losing too much blood . . ."
"Yes, ye must form a tourniquet." Kaede came up to us, and I was relieved to see she was all right.
"All right." Inuyasha reached down and ripped a piece of my red pants off, and began to wrap it tightly around my side. I winced at the pain, but it felt better, nonetheless.
"We must take her back to the village. She is the most injured here, and if her wounds are not cared for, she might die." Kaede said gravely, and Inuyasha looked terrified of that thought, so he followed Kaede into the village, and to our hut.
I went through a state of drifting in and out of consciousness from that point, but I knew Inuyasha was sitting over me the entire time, keeping a watchful eye on me. Sango was on my other side, and both of them were working to wipe the sweat from my face, and regularly change my bandages. It wasn't long before I fell into a troubled sleep.
Sango's P.O.V.
I drew the wet rag across Kagome's forehead as she slept, working in silence. I glanced surreptitiously up at Inuyasha, and his eyes were on Kagome, never once leaving her face. His brow was furrowed, but then again, he usually was scowling, anyway. Kaede had left to take care of the other villagers who had been harmed, and had left me and Inuyasha to take care of Kagome.
The wounds in Kagome's side were deep, and would take some time to heal. But, Kaede had informed us that as long as Kagome didn't lose a lot more blood, and didn't reopen the wounds now that they had been stitched, that she would be all right.
I glanced up at Inuyasha again. I wonder where he's come from. And I wonder what his intentions are towards Kagome. I've never seen her light up the way she does when she speaks of Inuyasha, and she thinks about him constantly now. And by the way he's looking at her, I have a hunch that he feels the same way. Is he going to stay here and protect Kagome from now on? He is in love with her?
I didn't realize I'd been outright staring at him until he growled and demanded, "If you've got a problem then say it to my face. I'm gettin' real tired of you starin' at me."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just thinking . . . well, Kagome's been a lot different since she met you." I admitted, knowing Kagome would kill me if she was awake to hear me saying this stuff, but it was true. "And you seem to spy on her a lot."
"What of it?"
"It's just that . . . I want to know what your intentions are towards Kagome." I finally said, knowing I was taking a risk by asking such a thing.
"I don't see how it's any of your business." He said haughtily, glaring at me.
"Well it is, in a way. Kagome is like a sister to me. And she saved my life. I just want to make sure that she's safe and happy." I said defensively. "If you're only here to hurt her, then you have no business being around."
"If I was here to hurt her, I wouldn't have spared her life and given back the jewel." He retorted. "So you can get off my back."
I looked away, irritated, before I sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I was accusing you. I just worry about Kagome."
"Hmph." was his only response.
"I guess the reason I relate to Kagome so deeply is because she's an orphan, like me. Her parents were killed by a demon attack, along with mine. In fact, my entire village was slaughtered. And she doesn't have much memory of her parents. She was raised here, by Kaede, and trained to be a miko. She's kind, and gentle. And she's selfless." I went on softly, looking down at Kagome fondly. "She's always there for me when I need her. And if I lost her . . . I would go through the pain that I went through when I lost my village all over again."
Inuyasha looked away from me, and he was staring at the wall when he said gruffly, "It's not like I'm tryin' to take her away or somethin' . . . I guess maybe . . . I relate to her too."
I was surprised. "You do?"
"Well, what do you think?" he asked in return, looking down at Kagome again. "I'm a half demon. I'm not accepted by demons or humans. And Kagome is a miko who can never just be ordinary. She doesn't fit in either."
"So you're the same." I realized, softly. "Just like me, you relate to Kagome, and you worry about her. Because you feel like you have someone to understand you, and what you go through."
"I guess." But I knew he knew my words were true.
"Well, I guess it's time that we change these bandages. It's been a while now." I said abruptly, changing the subject. I reached down and began to work, and Inuyasha held her clothes out of the way so I could wrap her side.
"Inuyasha?" I asked, once we had been silent for a while.
"What now?"
"Thank you for saving Kagome." I said, gratefully.
He flushed a little. "Just stop with the thanks already. I didn't do it 'cause I have feelin's for her or somethin'."
I smiled secretly to myself. I think you do, though.
Bad news though. Since it's the holidays, I'm not going to be able to update for the next few days. I'll be gone tomorrow and on Christmas day itself, visiting grandparents, in a world where they possess no technology and no internet. -_-; Talk about cavemen . . . so anyway, this is not due to laziness or because I haven't written it, because all of you guys know that I've got the entire story written, I'm just posting it up. But not for the next few days. So, everyone have a merry christmas until I come back!