Chapter 7: Waking Up.
Kyoko had stayed in bed for over 2 days, her body just didn't want to listen to her mind when she wanted to move, to go to school with her cousins and see Yosuke, her knight in shining armor. With a heavy sigh, Kyoko rolled off her bed onto a bed of pillows, she had began to throw pillows onto her floor to cushion her fall when she wanted to leave her bed. She'd been too lazy to actually lift herself from her bed, just in case her legs gave out beneath her. Tears prickled at her eyes again, she had remembered the disgusting feel of Renkotsu's lips over hers.
"How could you be so stupid?! You're trained in hand-to-hand combat, you even have spiritual training! Why did you let your guard down?!" Kyoko nearly shouted at herself, she couldn't believe that she ignored her warning system and allowed herself near Renkotsu because she was a bleeding heart and felt back for the young man because her sister was smarter than she was.
"Kyoko, sweetheart, it's Mommy, I'm coming in." Kagome said pushing open the thick hardwood door. Her hair, that was a black as a raven's wing, was in two braids lining the edge of her head. She moved across the floor to her daughter and wrapped her arms around Kyoko's body, holding her close to her heart. "Baby girl, it's been a few days, you need to get back to school, I don't want you to fall behind. And everyone wants to know you're okay. We've been getting "Get Well" cards and flowers, the whole down stairs is filled with them!" Kagome said sweetly, her chin resting on the top of Kyoko's head.
"I can't go back. I don't want the chance of meeting Renkotsu again." Kyoko whispered to her mother. She was shutting the door on ever leaving the house again. She couldn't risk the safety of her friends and family should they accidentally meeting up with Renkotsu in some dark ally on their way to school. Kagome smiled softly, her hand patting down Kyoko's matted hair.
"Baby girl, you don't need to worry about that. If you keep your sister and cousins around you no one will hurt you. Renkotsu is being hunted down by the police as we speak for this. He's going to jail for hurting you." Kagome informed her daughter. "When he's caught we'll be notified and the charges against him will be put into effect to keep in locked up for a long time." She added placing a kiss on Kyoko's forehead. Kyoko looked up at her mother.
"It's not just Renkotsu, I don't want to admit it, but I don't want to face Yosuke. Mother, I hurt him! How can I ever face him again?" Kyoko asked, not adding that she felt dirty, as if her innocence had been stolen from her. Even without the added words, Kagome seemed to understand what Kyoko was getting at. Her daughter loved Yosuke so much, it must feel like a betrayal to Yosuke.
"Actually, Yosuke's been beating himself up over this. He doesn't smile or really laugh anymore. He's taking it harder than you can think. And because you're not there to show him that you're fine and that he shouldn't hurt himself over things he can't change. We know you're stronger than this. Please, for your family, go back to school and show everyone just how strong you are." Kagome encouraged her daughter. Kagome glanced at the door. A shadow paced back and forth in front of the door nervously. Kagome giggled and pointed out the worried shadow to her daughter. "Look, even your father is worried. Shouldn't you try and reassure your father, at least?" Kagome asked in a soft whisper. Kyoko nodded, she knew everyone was worried about her. She knew she was stronger than this, but the fear was holding her back. Pushing away from her mother Kyoko shifted her feet out in front of her.
"Mom, can you help me?" Kyoko asked quietly. Kagome smiled, getting off the bed, holding her hands out she took Kyoko's hands and pulled her up to stand on her wobbly feet. Kyoko had to balance a few seconds before she was able to stand still on her own. "Thank you Momma." Kyoko whispered before walking over to her door and pulled it open. Light from the hallway spilled over her into her room. Kyoko was blinded for a second before her eyes adjusted and she saw her father standing there, a soft smile on his face at her.
"Welcome back baby." Inuyasha said softly gathering Kyoko in his arm for the first time in a few days. "Don't worry honey, no one blames you, we're just glad you came back to us." Inuyasha whispered giving his daughter a small kiss on the cheek. "Your sister and cousins are down stairs in the living room. You should go see them, let them know you're still alive and with us." Inuyasha suggested to Kyoko. She nodded, gave her father a small peck on the cheek and slowly descended the stair that would take her near the living room. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, his mouth twitching into a smile at the pleased look on her face. "You're a really good mother." Inuyasha whispered holing his hand out to Kagome.
"And you are a terrific father. I'm glad I have you to help me with all this." Kagome said taking Inuyasha's hand. Letting her husband pull her Kagome snuggled against the hard wall of his chest. "Inuyasha, you shouldn't be too hard on Yosuke. You know it's Karma getting back at you for disliking his father so much." Kagome joked softly, her hands tangling with his. Inuyasha sighed, pressing his forehead against her shoulder.
"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." Inuyasha grumbled, nibbling softly on Kagome's shoulder for a few seconds before pulling her to the stairs. "Let's go make sure Kyoko's doing alright. Maybe you could cook dinner for us." Inuyasha suggested giving Kagome a soft, loving kiss on the lips.
"Spaghetti sound good?" Kagome asked kissing him back. Inuyasha nodded, keeping a hold of Kagome's hand as they walked down the stairs. Soft laughter fluttered in the main level of the house, something both Kagome and Inuyasha missed more than anything.
"No! Takeru actually did that?! What was he thinking?" Kyoko asked, her voice was stronger than before, a new life seemed to enter into her as her family told her about school. What were the new fads, who was dating who, and what-nots. Inuyasha smiled at his teary eyed wife.
"I'll help you with dinner honey. Let's let them have their fun." Inuyasha suggested wrapping his arms around Kagome again, walking with her into the kitchen to begin dinner for the house full of young adults.
In the living room Kyoko was laughing with her family. She found out that the Band of Seven are now six. Bankotsu and the others of the group and voted to disown Renkotsu from the group. Jakotsu was always asking if Kyoko would be at school soon, this made Kyoko feel bad. She knew Jakotsu would have trouble finding friends with her family being a gang of boys and a sexual harasser. Kyoko had also found out that Izaoi and Bankotsu were unofficially dating each other. She wasn't going to lie about her mixed feelings on the subject. It scared her a little, Bankotsu would be a target too, if Renkotsu were to seek revenge on everyone and not just her.
Kyoko looked round her cousins, noticing that Yosuke wasn't in the ground anymore. Her heart started to race in her chest. "Where'd Yosuke go?" Kyoko asked, her cousins looked around shrugging when they didn't see him either.
"He went out side. Said he'd be right back." Yuki offered when she remembered Yosuke left when Rin mentioned Jakotsu. Kyoko nodded before standing up.
"I'm going to make sure he's alright." Kyoko said walking to the front door and walked outside to find Yosuke. Izaoi looked at Yuki and Rin.
"Do you think they'll recover? Yosuke's been in his funk for a while now and I thought he'd have stayed here to watch Kyoko, but he waked out." Izaoi whispered, unsure what was to happen next. Rin looked at Kaguya then to each cousin in turn.
"Let's just pray that they are alright in the end." Tatsuki voice from the other end of the couch next to where Yosuke had been sitting. Izaoi and the other nodded before chatting lightly again, waiting for Yosuke and Kyoko to return inside.
"Yosuke?" Kyoko called when she saw someone in the shadows of the house. His back was turned to her, the only notation he heard her was a slight shuffle of movement. Kyoko walked closer, her hand resting on Yosuke's shoulder. "Yosuke, come back inside. It's cold and I don't want you to get sick." Kyoko said softly, not wanting to act like her normal self just yet. Yosuke's hand covered her hand instantly. "Yosuke." With a soft sigh Kyoko took back her hand and hugged Yosuke; her head rested against his back affectionately. "I'm sorry if I worried you. I didn't mean to."
"You did scare me when you didn't come to school, but I knew your father was watching over you, so that helped a little." Yosuke said softly, his hands once again covering Kyoko's. His thumb rubbed feather light over her skin. "Come back to school Kyoko." Yosuke pleaded quietly. Kyoko nodded, her forehead rubbing against the middle of his back.
"I'm sorry Yosuke." Kyoko repeated pulling away from Yosuke. "Come on, everyone's waiting for us." Kyoko reminded Yosuke, taking his hand when he turned to face her. Kyoko smiled at him, her gray-blue eyes sparkling in the dim lighting. Yosuke smiled back, his heart throbbing in his chest. A swirl of different emotions were burning in his heart, he wanted to hold her, kiss away the taste of Renkotsu, he wanted to erase the fact that he fail in his promise to keep her safe, but most of all he wanted her whole and happy again.
"Kyoko, I don't want you to force your self to be around me. If you can't held me being around I'll go away for a while if it'll help you." Yosuke offered with his suddenly sad icy blue eyes. Kyoko stared at him as if he had slapped her across the face. He was going to leave her for her own good? Was that what he was saying? Kyoko felt as if a hole was starting to eat away at her own heart.
"No, don't go any where Yosuke. Please, I don't want you to go anywhere away from me." Kyoko whispered softly, her eyes tearing up with the sudden feeling of emptiness again. "Yosuke you of all guys, I don't want to go away! Please don't go." Without much thought to it, Kyoko kissed Yosuke on the lips. Her hands wrapped around his neck, holding him close. Yosuke stood there stunned for a few seconds before kissing Kyoko back, his arms tightening around her waist, lifting her in the air a little.
From the kitchen window Kagome watched her baby girl grow. Her hands tangled with the protective father beside her. "You can't stop love you know." Kagome remarked.
"I can try to avoid it though." Inuyasha grumbled his face turned away from his daughter and Yosuke, but he keep an eye on them all the same. Kagome laughed softly, pulling Inuyasha to the other side of the kitchen where the stove was.
"You said you were going to help me cook." Kagome reminded her husband to leave the two teenagers a little privacy. Inuyasha grumbled his compliance and re-began to help his wife cook their dinner.
"Kyoko, why did you do that?" Yosuke asked when he set Kyoko on the ground, she was so much shorter than Yosuke had ever realized. So small and fragile, so innocent and sweet; he began to get angry all over again at Renkotsu. Kyoko watched the fleeting emotions cross over Yosuke's passive face.
"Are you mad at me for the kiss?" Kyoko asked softly, snapping Yosuke back to normal. "I had always thought you really liked me, and I really like you too, so I thought you wouldn't mind." Kyoko said, second guessing herself, her hands twisting together in her lap, her eyes looking down at the ground. Yosuke quickly grabbed Kyoko's chin and tugged her head to meet him eye to eye.
"No, I could never be mad at you for anything Kyoko. I'm just angry that I couldn't keep you safe, and I do," Yosuke said grabbing one of Kyoko's hands and pressed it against his chest just over his heart. "Kyoko, I don't know what love is supposed to feel like but the thought of you endanger scares the hell outta me. And the thought of you with another guy makes me wanna, I don't even know how to explain it but I feel possessive about you, more than any other of our family and friends." Yosuke confessed without shame. "I don't care that your father and my father aren't all that friendly towards one another, but I know that I could never hate you, I want you happy always." Yosuke explained to Kyoko, letting his feeling be known even when it's told everywhere men should no do so.
"Yosuke, that's how I feel too. You have no idea how much it pained me to know I really liked you but my father forbid a relationship with you. It was all so unfair and I couldn't tell my father that because I didn't want him to hate me too." Kyoko said softly. "It a lame excuse, but my family has always been the most important think in my life, next to you." Yosuke smiled as he pulled Kyoko against his chest.
"Maybe your dad will accept me, who know and if he doesn't I'll make it so that he doesn't blame you but me and that way he'll always love you." Yosuke offered half jokingly. Kyoko gasped.
"No! I don't my dad to hate you! Then some other guy will come along and steal me away, my Daddy will like him and you'll marry my none relating cousin! Like your mom and dad!" Kyoko shouted hysterically to Yosuke. Yosuke laughed softly, patting down Kyoko's hair like he had seen his father do to his mother at home. Stopping Yosuke replayed what he had just done in his head.
"I'm just like my father..." Yosuke moaned shoving his hand through his hair. Kyoko smiled, she had seen Koga and Yosuke act alike over the many years.
"That's not a bad thing you know. I don't want to admit it, but he is a really hot looking father." Kyoko remarked as her father poked his head out of the kitchen.
"You better not be talking about Koga." Inuyasha hissed. Kyoko looked back at her father, her face bright red at the fact that he had heard her tell Yosuke his father was hot.
"D-Daddy! What did you hear?!" Kyoko asked standing completely still, her eyes large as she stared into her father's fuming eyes.
"I thought heard you call Koga a "hot looking father"." Inuyasha growled, glaring from Kyoko to Yosuke.
"W-well, I was just saying Yosuke has nothing to worry about when he's older because he's got good genes." Kyoko lied hoping her father would buy her lie. Inuyasha eyed Kyoko one last time before ducking back into the kitchen, he didn't want to tell Kyoko she and Yosuke could date just yet, hoping she wouldn't ask for a good month and a half (If he was lucky).
"That was...weird." Yosuke supplied when neither spoke for a few seconds. Kyoko nodded in agreement, turning around Kyoko grabbed Yosuke's hand and spun around, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Geez, you're affectionate." Yosuke joked.
"Hey, I'm just happy, would you rather I go back to my room and hide? Besides this is how I am naturally, I just couldn't do this before because I couldn't tell you I really liked you, duh!" Kyoko said with her dazzling smile. Yosuke laughed, unable to help himself he leaned down and pushed his lips against hers.
"Kyoko, Yosuke dinner time." Inuyasha said sticking his head back out the window. He glared at the two teenagers who snapped apart, both with bright red faces. Kyoko looked scared, she was afraid her father was going to yell at Yosuke and demand he leave their house. Inuyasha sighed, if it had been any other day he would had ran Yosuke to his house, but Kagome would skin him if her was too rude to their daughter's boyfriend. Inuyasha grimaced, he didn't like how that work combined with his daughter and Yosuke sounded in his head. "Get in here before I decide to break my promise to your mother, Kyoko." Inuyasha whispered under his breath. Kyoko nodded; taking Yosuke's hand the two walked into the house to their family and sat down by the kitchen table.
"Shit, I had the perfect time to get them both." Renkotsu hissed balling his fists at his side. The fugitive had been camped outside Kyoko's house since early that morning. When he learned his own family had disowned him because of what he had done to Kyoko, he'd spent more time doubling his efforts to capturing the girl. His anger reaching new peeks. Shoving his fist against the bark of the tree he hid next to Renkotsu let out a string of cursed about Kyoko and Yosuke. "At least we know how to bring down the family." Renkotsu whispered happily. Onigumo would be please to have his report when he returned to the hide out. Now that he knew if Kyoko was taken down the family would be too sadden to defend themselves when the attack finally came. Taking out a small digital camera Renkotsu began taking photos of the house, mapping out exits and entry ways. Where the windows were and how large or small they were. Making notes of who sleeps where, and would eventually make notes of who goes to bed when, who wakes up in the middle of the night, and who wakes up at what times to leave for school and work. Scribbling down in a note book Onigumo gave him Renkotsu prepared himself for a long night.