Chapter 2:
The Boy who just overcame
️
Naraku's smile nearly split his face, relishing in this moment; his fear, the scent of his blood so strong in the air, the sound of the safety clicking off.
On the second it took Naraku to pull the trigger, a force crashed into him, not heavy, but enough of a shock to allow the gun to slip from his hand as it forced him down to the ground.
Inuyasha opened his mouth only to snap it shut when the bullet hit his shoulder. The pain of it boring deep to his core sent a silent scream taking hold of him, just as the first two bullets had done, it burned his insides as they burrowed deep within him.
Still, he counted his luck, that damn asshole had missed. Had the shot landed a few inches up and to the left, he might've not found himself so lucky to writhe in pain as he was.
He was far too tired, the poison in his blood had what seemed like water pumping through his ears, and lead replacing his lids. Something was happening, he was sure, but there was no strength left in his being to try and play catch up.
️
Naraku hissed, turning sharply to face this intruder. He turned to see the small, rounded face of a girl; she wore a school uniform and shook in place with fear, looking just as lost as.
She was nothing, an insignificant and out of place nuisance; yet, in her hands was the gun he forged, making her an unexpected threat.
While he studied her, Kagome struggled not to panic. She always considered herself to be a bright, cautious girl, but the second her ears registered that click, she found herself sprinting. All she needed was a small burst of speed, fueled only by adrenaline, still before she could reach them, her feet tangled; forcing her straight into the mysterious man.
Then as she detangled herself, her hand had landed involuntarily on the weapon, it took all of two seconds for her to make a life changing decision.
This thing felt odd in her hands, odder still when it seemed the gun was giving off a pulse. The metal was warm and quickly heating, but still she held on, despite the discomfort she felt holding it. Her large-scared eyes found the man, shaking off the shock that had been her less than graceful interlude.
"You shouldn't be here" He spoke calmly, a slow melody one might use to soothe a frightened child; as he rose to his full stature in front of her, Kagome felt very much like one now.
She watched, wide eyed, as the intimidating stranger composed himself. His strange purple eyes narrowed her way, giving off some silent threat, he sneered her way and with an inaudible gasp; Kagome realized why.
She was standing before him, arms locked, the eye of the barrel on his angry form.
"Now that's quite enough" He scolded lightly, hand reaching out towards her, "You've made a mess of things, now girl, Give me the gun."
Kagome was mummified, incapable of anything else other than her statue-like stance. Nevertheless, when the calm of the stranger began to fade, and his composure began to slip, Kagome could think of nothing else but holding her ground.
Her gaze often shifting between the pristine man, Naraku; and the fallen one, Inuyasha.
"Give. Me. The. Gun."
His dark eyes bore into her own, the calculating malice was there for all to see. Not for the first time tonight, Kagome wondered just what in the hell was she doing.
As if on cue; the man, Inuyasha, chose that moment to groan. Nothing more than a lifeless wail as the darkness poured itself around his form.
Seeing his pain was the only reminder she needed, and in an act that was completely impulse, Kagome steadied her footing. Shaking her head in a feeble but resounding, No.
Kagome tried to keep her hands steady even as the man before her began to shake, more or less pulsate, nothing like she had ever witnessed before.
Some type of black ooze leaked from his suit-leg, spreading out on the floor like tendrils of black smoke, alive tendrils that crawled menacingly towards her.
"Drop it, now. This is your last warning, girl." His voice darkened into a deep pitch at the end of his call, his eyes bleeding black to convey this message, everything about this man backed up his threat.
Somehow, despite the intimidating creature he made, she found her voice.
"L-listen here..." her voice cracked with her fear, hushed and strained, still she stood barrier between the two. "Whatever bad blood is between you two ends here... this whole mess has gone on long enough and, and he's really hurt... just let me help. No grudge is worth taking a life."
The laughter that rang out in the small alley was enough to make one's hair stand on end; it was cruel, striking terror into her with the heartless sound of it. Eyes wide, Kagome stared into his own dark eyes, so hallow and cold, she knew then that he would kill her without remorse.
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this..."
The dark aura that had seemingly hovered just above them dropped, as if the heavy drape above them had fallen, the thickness of the air nearly chocking her. A darkness that curdles the blood and made teeth chatter, and at the core of this unforeseen force stood this Naraku, a sinister grin playing over his features.
Kagome felt her legs wanting to buckle, heard her heart threatened to beat out of her chest; yet, despite her overwhelming fear, she held on strong.
Too strong...
The gun rang loud in the girl's ear, as she flinched back with the force of the small pistol, the heat emitting from the weapon combined with her shock, nearly made the girl drop the thing. Nearly, but not yet.
His hissing scream as the bullet hit his shoulder fell right after, the darkness retracting just as quickly as it had emerged, the tendrils of smoke that circled her ankles snapping back just as quickly.
"YOU BITCH!"
His voice boomed in the small alley, launching himself towards her; one second, he was right there lurking over her, promising death. Then she pulled the trigger.
The next shot hit its mark, straight through the heart.
His eyes bore into her own, a dark void promising a violent end. Then the darkness engulfed him, swirling around his form, before vanishing before her eyes, taking this Naraku with it.
No miasma, no abnormal chill; the air cleared, and the alley was left as it were before he had shown up just as suddenly.
There was a pause, as if everything lay suspended in the air, her breath just as gone as her mind formed one complete thought.
'What... the... hell'
His painful moan jarred her out of her thoughts, reminding her of his presence, crumbled and bleeding out on the alley floor.
She didn't think, didn't have the luxury to make sense of all of this; no time.
️
Inuyaha felt cool hands on his face, a figure hovered above him, still he couldn't see past the haze. The hands kept up their light tapping, if he had any strength left, he'd try to slap the nuisance away.
He felt himself drifting, plummeting down into the darkness that surrounded him; he was left unprepared for the sudden pressure on his shoulder, his scream of pain echoed around him.
"Shhhh, I know, just hold on..."
So lost in the searing pain, the voice was drowned in his screams and ringing ears. However, after a terrible moment, the searing pain over his shoulder lessened, leaving behind nothing but a throbbing pain.
The cold hands were back, brushing the hair that had stuck to his forehead away, words were softly spoken but he couldn't make them out. Haze still pooled around the corner of his consciousness, threatening to pull him down with it, and although the escape from the hurt was too tempting, Inuyasha forced himself to hang on.
There was a pause, then a different pressure to the shot on his stomach.
"AGH! Fuck me!" What the hell was this person trying to do, speed up his death?
"I know, I know. I'm sorry, just bare it for a little longer. Okay?"
The voice finally managed to filter in, so soft and scared, a light tremor in the melody that was this voice.
A girl? What in the hell was she doing here?
The pressure returned ten-fold, forcing any coherent thought out of his head.
Gritting his teeth, Inuyasha shut his eyes tightly, trying to get comfort in the cool hand that petted the hair stuck to his forehead and down his face.
Just what was this girl doing?
"What are you..."
"Shush now, I'm almost done"
Then a third pressure built over the final open wound, he managed not to scream, but his face twisted in agony. And in an undignified manner, Inuyasha turned towards the soft voice, whimpering pathetically as the scorching fires inside finally ended their insistent burning.
"It won't stop bleeding," her frightened voice cut through the pain, she gave a gasp and the pressure returned.
"Gah, just let me be." Inuyasha felt the haze closing in, he was far too tired to keep fighting it.
"I can help, I can, I can- I'll call an ambulance, I'll-"
"Don't. Bother."
His breathless voice choked around the words, the need to cough up the blood in his lungs was there, so was the need to give into his tired limbs. He fought both sensations off.
"But you're-"
"N-no hospitals. Wouldn't... Help."
Inuyasha forced himself to sit up straight, like hell he would be found slouching on the floor; if death awaited him, he chose to meet it at the very least sitting up.
"Just let me-"
"Stubborn bitch"
There was a pause, for a moment he thought she was finally coming to her senses. She would get up and leave him to die, at the bare minimum, with some leisure on his part.
"Remind me again why I'm trying to save you?"
He actually chuckled, the response so unexpected, at least she entertained his last moments.
Next thing he knew he was being dragged upward, painfully so, and with no real tact as he slipped his holders grip a few times. Inuyasha groaned in his protest, the small fingers that dug into his ribcage added to the shooting pains.
"Don't be such a baby."
The last words he heard till unconsciousness overcame him.
Kagome sighed in relief; the next few thousands of steps would not be easy. It would have been better if he wasn't awake for it. Mind set on her next task; she never saw the bright pink eyes that watched them from the shadows, curious piercing eyes.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
I'd almost forgotten the post-story-upload anxiety one gets,
I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far!