A.N. Happy Halloween! For this reversebang, I was paired with Kalcia, whose art a lot of you have probably seen and admired. Her piece is stunning, and habanero hot-it was perfect inspiration! It will be toward the end of the story, and well worth the wait. (Art only viewable on Ao3, because sucks that way.) This fic is complete and will be updated throughout the day!
Wake.
The voice was light yet had an unmistakable air of command.
Naturally, Inuyasha stubbornly tightened his closed eyes-and had to restrain himself from outwardly showing his shock at being able to do so. How long had it been since he last had the power of movement? Of thought? Years must have passed since sound had last touched his ears.
Sesshomaru.
The reason behind his imprisonment sent a hot bolt of anger shooting through his stomach, his claws tingling with the need for blood and vengeance.
Wake!
The voice came again, more insistent this time and somehow familiar.
Defiantly, he kept his eyes firmly shut, refusing to give whoever it was the satisfaction of his compliance.
Stubborn boy. Alright, be that way; she will wake you!
If he had been capable, Inuyasha would have snorted. No one was coming to wake him. This had to be a sign that his mind was finally fracturing from the isolation, the result of the weakness that came from his halfbreed status.
Against the blackness of his eyelids, a tiny dot of light formed. He frowned, dark brows lowering in confused suspicion. This was…..new. He didn't trust it.
That didn't mean he wouldn't use it to his advantage.
With a stubbornness that had become his most defining trait, he fixed his gaze on the light and continued his seemingly eternal wait.
Kagome stared into the sky, the small boat bobbing gently on the waves. The occasional bird cry broke the silence, but she was able to ignore it-much more easily than the babble of the other villagers, her friends in particular. She never should have mentioned that she was thinking that she might not be a priestess forever; in their minds, that meant they must immediately begin to hunt a husband for her.
As if I don't already know all of the single men in the surrounding area. None are all that appealing as prospective husbands.
That was one of the reasons for her journey. The three of them had decided she would be perfectly suited for Hojo, a local healer. Dear Hojo. Sweet Hojo. He was blessed with a pleasing face, a sweet disposition, and a strong desire to help others.
If only the gods had seen fit to give him a personality as well.
She grimaced at that uncharitable thought, then shrugged it away. It wouldn't bother her if he weren't being constantly shoved in her face as "the perfect catch." Eri had not been amused when Kagome had told her to hold out her arms so she could throw him back.
Her heightened empathic abilities didn't help. She did well most of the time not to get caught up in the swirl of everyone else's inner emotions, but with so much strong intent being leveled at her, her nerves were beginning to fray.
Shifting her weight on the wooden bench, Kagome set her sights on the small island that was her destination. No one she had ever talked to had been there, and most seemed to think it was cursed. Kagome wasn't so sure; the light that emanated from somewhere further inland (and, for some reason, only seemed visible to her) wasn't ominous or oppressive. If anything, she felt a warm pull drawing her in, a feeling at odds with the various spiritual attacks she had experienced.
She hadn't told anyone she was leaving. They would only try to dissuade her, as they had done for years. While she was immersed in training, it had been easier to go along with their protests, but her curiosity and natural sense of adventure had recently become too strong to ignore.
It was growing dark, which allowed her to see the light more clearly. By the time she reached the shore, it was strong enough to rival the light from a full moon on a clear night. She ensured the boat was pulled in far enough to be secure and shouldered her quiver, keeping her bow in her hand. She didn't expect an attack, but she did not know what animals inhabited the island.
Picking a point where the tree line was thinnest, Kagome set off, her senses stretching out as she walked. Leaves rustled around her, but it was only the natural movement of a forest and nothing to cause alarm. She looked for any signs that humans or youkai might have made their home nearby, but everything seemed untouched.
The light gave a sudden pulse, causing her to freeze. That had never happened before! Of course, it wasn't like she observed the light on a regular basis, so it was entirely possible she could have missed it.
It was brighter now, and her footsteps quickened as she went deeper into the trees. When she became lightheaded, she realized she was holding her breath and had to force herself to breathe. Her heart was pounding in her ears, a sense of anticipation building with each step. She was so intent that she nearly tripped when she emerged in a small clearing, and she had to throw up a hand at the nearly blinding burst of light that shone from a crudely formed cave.
Squinting, her blurry eyes were barely able to make out the vines and foliage that covered much of the stone outcropping. It was a relief when the light dimmed to a soft glow. She took a step forward, then stopped. Her teeth worried her lower lip as she wondered if she shouldn't turn back. In hindsight, she probably should have contacted her friend Sango from the exterminator village.
With a shake of her head, she straightened her shoulders. No, that wasn't necessary. Kagome had faith in her powers—they had always been reliable, so there was no reason to start doubting herself now.
As she neared the cave, she checked for signs of any animal life-not that she really thought any creature would feel comfortable making its home in a glowing cave, but the one time you didn't check, you would be carrying a leg back to the village. There were no tracks on the ground, and she inhaled several times but couldn't detect the musky scent that usually hung in an area frequented by wildlife. There was nothing but the smell of crisp, cool air.
Feeling more assured, she stepped into the entrance of the cave, relieved when the intensity of the light seemed to lessen the closer she got, as if aware that she wouldn't be able to approach if it remained at full force. Disconcertingly, the warm feeling of welcome she had been following slowly decreased the minute she entered, as if something about the cave was blocking it.
It was a bit surprising to see that, instead of the cave wall as she expected, there was an opening in the stone that could only have been cut.
Odd.
She ran her fingers across the edge, and sure enough, the lines were straight and much smoother than what she had ever encountered in nature. Still, she didn't get the sense that this little hideaway was much used. In fact, she had the impression that she was the first person to come this way in a long, long time.
Energy prickled around her-for just a moment, something dark slipped against her but burnt away instantly as she increased her reiki. The quality of the energy changed, and once more, she was suffused with the warmth she had felt earlier.
Turning a sharp bend, Kagome nearly stumbled as she let out a startled gasp. The cave was occupied! Not by human or beast. Leaning against the far back wall, a man was partially sprawled as if he had been flung down like a doll. She moved closer, her heart in her throat. He was naked from the waist up, wearing only a bright red pair of hakama that gathered at the ankles over bare feet. The matching top was crumpled at his side, but Kagome barely made note of that as her eyes drank in his upper body. Light golden skin covered sleek, tight muscles, evidence of a body used to a great deal of physical activity. The hair at the back of her neck rose as she took in the multiple piercings and several swirls of tattoos scattered across his skin. These, she knew, were Marks of Power, given to youkai that had performed incredible feats of strength and bravery. The being before her was immensely powerful, and wondering what could have possibly trapped him here made her uneasy-a feeling that grew when she focused on his hair. For many youkai, their hair was a source of pride and was often worn long. Only those suffering disease or humiliation in battle wore it as short as this man...or those who had committed acts so shameful that they were made outcasts.
Without conscious thought of her actions, Kagome found that her footsteps had brought her closer to the figure-close enough that her attention was caught by the two fluffy white dog ears perched on top of his head.
A hanyou, then.
That alone might explain the short hair. It also made the Marks of Power all the more surprising since most youkai saw hanyou as less than the humans they despised.
Those ears, though...they looked softer than rabbit fur! Her bow slipped through her fingers as she reached out, lightly gripping the tips between the pads of her fingers.
"Do you always grope your victims before you slay them, Priestess?"
At the sound of the hoarse, gravelly voice, Kagome's eyes shot to his face.
Eyes the color of crystallized honey in the sun glared up at her.
Oh. Oh shit, flashed across her mind in a decidedly un-priestess-like fashion.
"I—I thought you were asleep!" She managed to squeak out, stumbling backward in her haste to get out of his personal space.
"That just makes it worse," Inuyasha taunted, a smirk spreading his stiffened lips.
As the miko flailed, he ran his eyes over her form, assessing how much of a threat she could be. She was carrying a bow, but not only was she too close for it to be used effectively, but she hadn't even reached for an arrow. It was odd that she hadn't purified him before releasing him from his curse, but he was well aware that there were some people who weren't happy unless they could tell you why they were going to kill you.
His body still felt heavy and sluggish from the spell, and it took more effort than he would admit to loll his head into a better angle to watch her. She was young and probably hadn't been a miko for very long-someone more seasoned would never have let go of their weapon in his presence, trapped or not. She was a far cry from the bitch that had sealed him-he couldn't sense any darkness from her, and a quick inhale told him that she carried no trace of Sesshomaru.
Maybe his potential executioner had some standards.
If he was surprised about one thing (leaving out his abrupt revival), it would have to be the softness in her wide, gray eyes. Nearly every miko—scratch that, every human always looked at him with harshness or disdain. They were always guarded, waiting for him to act like the animal they believed him to be.
His muscles tensed as she finally made it to her feet, and his lip curled in a sneer when he realized that he probably wasn't going to be able to stand in time to defend himself. With a grunt of effort, he leaned his head back against the wall, determined to at least meet his fate head-on.
"Please excuse my rudeness!" The miko said, her voice strained. She bobbed in a low, quick bow, her hands clasped tightly together as if expecting to be scolded.
No one had ever apologized to him before-begged him for mercy, yes, but never given him an apology for an injury or slight.
Was she mocking him? That had to be the only explanation. The anger that surged through him provided enough strength to push himself straighter against the wall.
"Drop the act. You might as well do what you came here for—don't insult me by pretending."
Kagome was flummoxed. She realized she probably hadn't made the best first impression, but she was feeling a wave of hostility far out of proportion to her mistake. Did he think she was someone else?
"I'm not really sure what you mean. I was curious about the light coming from the island, but I didn't expect to find you here."
The handsome face twisted into a sneer, and even though he was still seated on the ground, Kagome was left with the distinct feeling he was looking down his nose at her.
"Do ya really expect me to believe that you didn't feel my youki? Or do you just suck as a miko."
Any lingering guilt Kagome might have felt faded into nonexistence at his insults.
"I do just fine as a miko, thank you very much," she said, her words brittle as they passed her stiff jaw. Her temper swirled before his previous statement gave her pause. "As for your youki…." She took a step forward, frowning thoughtfully. "It's being smothered. Like something is coating and tainting it."
He bared his teeth in a parody of a grin, an expression that usually had humans making a hasty retreat. "Are you sure it isn't the other way around? That's spiritual energy, you know."
"I'm well aware of that," Kagome retorted, her tone showing that she was offended by his insinuation. "Just because it's spiritual doesn't mean it can't be disgusting. I can tell the difference between the two, and yours is fine."
The grin melted from his face as he spoke, leaving behind a bewildered expression that made him appear younger and marginally less dangerous. In all of his life, he had never heard a human admit that spiritual powers could be dark-at least, not without youkai influence-or that youki wasn't necessarily evil.
"You're an idiot," he said bluntly, settling on the only reason he could see for her reasoning.
Gray eyes flashed dangerously over a sickeningly sweet smile. "Then it appears as if I'm in good company. At least I'm not the one that got myself trapped in a cave."
Memories of another priestess smirking down at him pulled a growl from his throat, and he found he was able to lean forward without falling over.
"You know exactly how I got trapped here," he snarled, tired of the games-he had only been awake a short amount of time, and he already had a pounding headache from dealing with this strange woman. "And we both know why you're here, so like I said, you can drop the act and stop trying to catch me off guard."
Kagome lifted a hand to her temple, wincing at the sharp jab of pain that accompanied another swirl of emotions. She tried to push it all beneath the surface, but it was much harder than usual since she was trying to deal with this confusing situation. Why was he being so hostile? She hadn't done anything to warrant his anger unless he just hated mikos that much-but she sensed that wasn't exactly the case.
"Just what is it you're expecting me to do?" She snapped, hoping his answer would give her some kind of clue.
He shifted enough to pull his feet under him. If he timed this correctly, he could get past her-he might have to risk a blow to her head to keep her from following, but he was fairly sure he could do it without killing her.
Mostly sure.
"Are you so feeble-minded that you don't know what a miko is supposed to do with a youkai?" He goaded, schooling his features into the smirk that had earned him countless beatings. "Here's a clue, little girl-pick up your bow."
The strategy appeared to be working; he could practically see the steam from her anger rising from her skin, her cheeks flushed as she bent down to snatch the bow. When she stood, he faltered at the unexpected movement. The plan was for her to back away until she could comfortably shoot him, but instead, she was moving closer. His shock was so great that he found himself unable to move until the crack of her bow between his ears had him reeling back in pain.
"Shit! What the hell was that?" He yelped, rubbing his scalp and checking his fingers for blood.
The wood of the bow was smooth against her palms, which was fortunate because one of inferior quality would have left dozens of splinters from her angry grip. "I'm not here to kill you, you idiot! I came to find the source of the light-if I had known it would just be an ungrateful ass, I would have continued on and set up camp in solitude!"
Avoiding the uncomfortable fact that he was pouting like a toddler, Inuyasha flopped back, prodding his skull in case there were any lumps forming. As much as he hated to admit it, he believed that she was telling the truth, at least so far as her motive for being here.
"Fine. You've satisfied your curiosity, so you can be on your way," he said gruffly, ignoring the nagging thought that she wouldn't leave so easily.
She raised an eyebrow but otherwise remained still. "Hardly. I still have no idea who you are or what you're doing here."
"These aren't a clue?" He flicked his ears, hoping to make her uncomfortable—human or youkai, he was always considered disturbing for being neither one nor the other.
"I can see that you're a hanyou, but that doesn't tell me who you are."
"I'm from the Inu youkai clan," he said slowly as if that was supposed to mean something. "Everyone around here knows who I am, so I can only assume you're new."
Kagome was growing more frustrated until a realization struck her. "Wait….this light has been here for at least as long as I've been alive….and I know that the Inu youkai clan moved their territory farther east at least a hundred years ago!"
Inuyasha sucked in his breath; could it have really been that long?
"I can't believe Sesshomaru would ever move that far, at least permanently," he muttered.
"S-Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked in a high, tight voice.
Inuyasha glanced at her sharply, noticing how her color had become sickly. "Yeah, Sesshomaru. He is still the Tai youkai, right?" Surely, no one had been able to kill him-Inuyasha wasn't that lucky.
"He is. I suppose you knew him?"
"If being his half-brother counts as knowing him, then, yeah," Inuyasha snorted, fascinated by the flash of panic in her eyes.
"Oh. Um. Were the two of you...close?" She asked, one hand coming up to nervously fiddle with the tips of her hair.
Although his hands were still tingling from the lack of blood flow, Inuyasha managed to lift one to gesture around at the cave, then himself, his expression clearly questioning her deductive reasoning.
Oddly enough, that made her relax, and she dropped down carefully to sit across from him. "No, I suppose that was a foolish question. At least now I know that this was the right thing to do—can you imagine how angry he's going to be?"
Her light laughter was startling; he hadn't heard such a sound since the death of his mother. Of course, he didn't recall his mother having such a mischievous look in her eyes.
Some of the tension left his body, his interest captured by how this girl could possibly know Sesshomaru.
"Guess you're not an ally of his?" He asked, his gaze flickering to the small amount of space she had left between them. Usually, humans were more wary.
Her shoulders rose and fell in an embarrassed shrug. "The situation is complicated."
Inuyasha crossed his arms, wishing he had his sleeves to tuck his hands into. "It's really not. Sesshomaru hates humans. If he lowers himself to interact with them, they end up dead—or wishing they were."
"Oh, he made me well aware of that when he sought me out two years ago," Kagome said, frowning at the memory.
"What do you mean he sought you out?" Inuyasha asked sharply, the tips of his claws digging into his arms. Sesshomaru wouldn't have done that without a reason.
Kagome was startled by the intensity of his question, but given his own circumstances, she could see why he would be curious about his brother's actions. Normally, the connection would make her more reticent to reveal anything about herself, but she could sense that she had nothing to fear from this man in spite of his bluffs. This line of thought made her realize that she had not asked one very important question.
"What is your name?"
The question seemed to startle him because his mouth sagged open before clicking shut, his lips forming a slight pout.
"Even my name has been lost to time…..at one point, anyone would have known just by looking at me."
"I'm sorry. Maybe it will be different for youkai, but one hundred years is a long time for humans, and much is forgotten between generations."
He huffed at her response but chose to answer her question.
"I'm Inuyasha, second son of Toga-not that I can remember much of the old man."
Kagome should have realized-if Sesshomaru was his brother, then Toga had to be their common parent. While he had died long before her time, he had been a legendary figure, enough so that she should have heard of a second son...Unless Sesshomaru was deliberately allowing his existence to be erased from memory, which she could easily believe.
"Inuyasha," she allowed the name to roll around in her mouth slowly, getting a feel for the sound; she decided she liked it. "I don't believe I have ever heard it, but it may be because your people have moved from the area."
His lip lifted in a sneer of disdain. "They aren't my people. Hanyou don't have people-human or youkai."
The words dripped with bitterness, but Kagome was able to feel the underlying pain-the sadness, the isolation, the fear of loneliness. Normally, Kagome was very straightforward about confronting problems (as long as they were not her own, because that was completely different, thank you very much), but something told her that he would not appreciate that approach and that it might do more harm than good. Instead, she chose to continue with her answer to his earlier question.
"My name is Kagome. I come from a village to the southeast of here. As you can probably tell, I'm a miko," she gestured to her clothing. "Sort of. I haven't fully decided if—but that's beside the point. Anyway, two years ago, a number of the Inu clan were passing through the area. At first, we thought it was just random—"
"Sesshomaru doesn't do random, the calculating bastard," Inuyasha cut in, growing more agitated at the thought of his brother.
"I suppose not. We had never had any problem with him before, as it could be decades between the times he would travel through that part of the forest. I was still training, so I assumed that I would only see him from a distance. It was easy for me to stay in the background, trying to calm some of the more worried villagers."
Inuyasha knew that worried had to be an understatement; Sesshomaru could terrify humans with his aura alone. And why would he even be in the middle of a human village without slaughtering them?
"It was a shock when he moved in my direction, and at first, I didn't notice as everyone began to distance themselves from me. Some went into nearby houses, while others slipped between the buildings to hide in the woods."
Leaving a young woman to face a high-ranking youkai on her own, Inuyasha thought with a jaded snort. Even if she were a miko, she hadn't had the years of seasoning beyond training that it would take to go against Sesshomaru.
"I didn't have my bow, but I knew it would have done me no good; he could have covered the distance between us before I could have drawn an arrow, and I likely would have been killed for the insult."
Golden eyes narrowed at her calm tone of voice. She had judged the situation accurately, something most humans were not able to do when faced directly with his half-brother. Did that have anything to do with what he wanted with this girl?
"Why did my brother want you?" He asked, knowing that he had to be right. A human village had very little to interest the arrogant youkai, but he might have found some use for a human with spiritual powers and the ability to think under pressure.
Delicate eyebrows scrunched in remembrance, her lips tightening in distaste. "He didn't feel the need to explain himself fully, but he did say that he had decided that I could be trained to replace a miko that had grown too arrogant for her position."
Rage flared within Inuyasha, boiling like lava through his veins. It could only have been the one that trapped him here! The sly, scheming bitch that had—
Under the onslaught of his emotion, Kagome fell back, one hand thrust behind her to keep from collapsing entirely. She had never felt this much overwhelming emotion from one person—this much hatred usually came from a group, and even then, she wasn't used to experiencing this much violent bitterness.
"Please, stop!" She gasped, sweat gathering in a clammy sheet across her face.
Through a red haze, Inuyasha became aware of the miko's distress, although he had no clue what could have caused it. He didn't smell fear, so he didn't think she feared that he was going to attack.
"What?" He managed to snap, still riding on the waves of his anger.
"I….I can feel….what you're feeling," Kagome choked, pushing herself forward. "I can help make it go away for a while if you—"
As she spoke, she had reached her hand out toward him, but he swatted it away with a snarl, the sound of flesh striking flesh echoing off the walls of the cave.
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to give you a chance to purify me?"
One of the worst things about experiencing the emotions of others was the way she was sometimes swept away by the feelings. It wasn't an unusual aspect of power for a miko, but she had always been a bit more sensitive in this area, although her training usually meant it wasn't an issue. In this case, his accusation enraged her, and she found the strength to roll to her knees, eyes ablaze as her throbbing hand shot out to grasp his.
Inuyasha hadn't expected the move, and his reflexes were still dull. Before he could fully register what was happening, he felt his hand being wrapped around her delicate throat, her rapid pulse beating wildly against his palm.
"There! Now you have the chance to kill me!" She sneered, dropping her hands to her sides. "Well? Get on with it; this is your chance to be rid of me!"
He was frozen, goggling at her like a fat koi in a pond. What the hell did she think she was doing? In this position, he could easily kill her before she could purify him! The shock was enough to dissipate most of his anger, and he hastily pulled back, the rock wall of the cave scraping against his skin.
"Do you have a fucking death wish?" He practically yelped, his voice cracking like a pup.
Kagome slumped forward, clarity floating in and out of her throbbing skull. "You could have killed me. Why didn't you?"
The warmth of her skin was seared into his hand, and he couldn't resist a quick glance down. It was strange to discover that there was no visible sign of such a strong reaction.
"Are you complainin'? Just because I'm a youkai doesn't mean I have to kill without a reason," he muttered, not able to fully meet her eye.
"That's my point. Just because one of us has the ability to kill the other doesn't mean we will."
The words themselves were naive, but somehow, Inuyasha didn't get the impression that she meant she was trusting him blindly. She did say she knew he was capable of killing her.
"Don't do somethin' that stupid again. If I'd been farther gone, I could've killed you without meanin' to."
A weak smile lifted the corners of her lips. "I couldn't help it. I've always been extremely sensitive to the emotions of others, and although I've trained enough that it usually doesn't bother me, yours came on particularly strong."
He cocked his head. True, she had seemed fairly calm and rational before he started to lose control. She had become angry and impulsive, most likely reflecting what he was feeling at the time. He had heard of similar cases but had never seen it for himself.
"I don't know how to stop it," he admitted.
"I can help if you'll let me. It's not permanent, but at least what you're feeling won't seem as sharp."
His natural sense of self-preservation made him hesitate. It would be foolish to allow her to get so close. Then again, was it really any more foolish than what she had just done?
"Fine."
Not expecting his answer, Kagome blinked. "Are you sure? I have to touch your head," she warned.
With a huff, he tipped his chin and thrust his head toward her, wishing more than anything that he still had enough hair to swing forward to cover his face. "Just get it over with."
She was hesitant because she could tell he wasn't comfortable, but she knew this was the best option if they were going to continue with their conversation. With a steadying breath, she reached forward and lightly placed her fingertips on his temples, focusing on sending a wave of calm.
Normally, when she did this, all she felt was relief from whatever heightened emotion she had been forced to experience. She had never felt energy reach out to touch her back. It was warm, swirling around her briefly before she fell back with a startled cry.
Eyes wide, Inuyasha's heart pounded in his chest. A large part of him had hoped that had been a normal part of whatever it was she was doing, but her reaction denied him even that small comfort. Typically, youki and reiki did not get along; when those energies came together, they did so with an aggressive clash. When Kagome's reiki brushed against his youki, he had expected to have to fight back his natural reaction-only to nearly swallow his tongue in surprise when the two energies twined around each other, allowing their souls to touch.
Growing up, Inuyasha had been taught the old lore. He knew this meant that they were...compatible. Not inescapably so, but they had the potential to be a perfect match. As allies. Friends. Lovers. His jaw clenched. That was impossible for so many reasons, he thought bitterly. Maybe Kagome didn't want to kill him, but that didn't mean she wanted to be tied to a hanyou for the rest of her days. Her eyes were filled with confusion, which worked in his favor; he had no intention of explaining what had just happened. Instead, he ran his claws through his shamefully short hair and did his best to change the subject now that his earlier anger had receded.
"So, what happened with Sesshomaru?"
Kagome heard the strain in his voice and imagined that he had felt the same sensation that she had. She wanted to question it, but even though she had known him for such a short amount of time, she knew that even if Inuyasha had answers, he wouldn't be forthcoming. With a small shake to clear her head, she continued her story.
"I tried to refuse as politely as possible, saying that I didn't feel worthy and that I still had much to do to perfect my training. This didn't dissuade him. He said that no human was worthy, but that I would do to serve his purposes."
Inuyasha felt his lips curl in amusement at the growl in her voice as she recalled her encounter. If her earlier stunt was any indication, Sesshomaru had bitten off more than he could chew.
"Sounds like he was being his usual charming and persuasive self," Inuyasha commented.
"He did seem to believe that he was going to get his way," Kagome agreed. "I said no once more, and I tried to walk away...and he grabbed my arm."
She was fortunate her arm hadn't been torn off. Sesshomaru had done more damage than that with less provocation, especially from a human.
"So, how did you end up getting out of it?"
Kagome gave a nervous smile, hoping that Inuyasha wasn't closer to his brother than he was letting on. "Well, you have to understand, at the time, I didn't have great control over my power. I just meant to make him let me go!"
Completely enthralled, Inuyasha leaned forward. "I know it's too much to hope that you killed him."
"No, I didn't kill him-even if I had wanted to, there were too many of his people with him, and the villagers would have been in danger. Instead, I, um, accidentally melted most of the flesh off of his hand."
Kagome braced herself for his reaction, having a difficult time reading his face. He had gone completely still, his expression unnaturally blank. Just as she was about to ask if something was wrong, his shoulders jerked. Once. Twice. A muffled sound escaped his lips, and before she knew it, the hanyou was convulsing with laughter, his cackles becoming louder as he slid into a boneless heap.
She took this as a good indication that he wouldn't be killing her for revenge.
Inuyasha blinked away the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes, pushing himself back into a sitting position.
I would've given anything to see that," he said, his voice hoarse from unaccustomed laughter. "I still don't know how you managed to come out of that alive."
Unconscious, he had been handsome. Angered, he had been dangerously attractive. But the small glimpse of unguarded happiness had Kagome's insides clenching in ways she had never before experienced, and with a blush, she tried to banish her improper thoughts.
Something that would have been more easily accomplished if he had been wearing more clothes.
"Judging by the look he gave me, I think he wanted to. Instead, he told me I would regret that, turned into a ball of light, and flew away. I expected him to return as soon as he was healed, but I haven't seen him since."
That was disturbing. It wasn't like Sesshomaru to let such a thing pass, which meant that he must want Kagome's power under his control badly. Inuyasha hadn't forgotten that she was meant to be a replacement; just how often had Sesshomaru done such a thing during the years he had been stuck in this cave?
"If he said he will be back, he will. He may have been distracted by something else, but he clearly wants you enough to allow you to live,"
Kagome shrugged. "You're probably right, but I can't live my life watching over my shoulder. I have better control over my powers, so I should at least be able to lead him away from the village when the time comes."
Inuyasha found that he didn't have the heart to tell her that Sesshomaru would most likely wipe out her village when he was done with her. While he wasn't overly fond of humans, he didn't have a taste for outright cruelty.
"What about you? Can you tell me why you're here?"
Her voice broke him from his musings. He didn't particularly want to tell her, but she had woken him from the curse, so he supposed he could give her that much.
"Sesshomaru is the result of a political arrangement. When that dissolved, my father met my mother-a human. It's something that Sesshomaru always resented, and as soon as my father died, he began to take it out on me. He claimed I had to prove my strength to the other youkai, so he set me tests. Unfortunately for him, I survived them all."
Her eyes scanned over his piercings and tattoos, each one taking on a horrible significance. "That's sickening," she whispered.
Muscled shoulders lifted in a shrug, hiding the surprise that she would think so-humans were hardly sympathetic to youkai and even less to hanyous. "It backfired on him. Some started to think that there was enough of my father's blood in me that maybe I wasn't a complete waste. They began to speak as if they recognized me as an heir on equal terms to Sesshomaru."
"He doesn't strike me as the sharing type," Kagome said, quickly seeing where this was going.
"I thought I was being set another task. Next thing I knew, here I was, and a dark miko was puttin' me down as easy as drownin' a pup. That's when she did this," he spat, gesturing to his hair.
"She must have been the one to ensure that humans avoided the island. As far as I know, no one has stepped foot here since then, and I'm the only one who has ever seen the light, even though I've asked others with spiritual powers."
Inuyasha snorted. "It wouldn't surprise me. If he killed me outright, there would always be whispers that he feared me. But if he could trap me, humiliate me...strip me of my honor," he growled, his finger unconsciously brushing against the ends of his hair, "It would be the same as killing me, except he could enjoy it longer."
His face began to darken at the thought, and Kagome tried to prevent a repeat of his earlier rage. "Then imagine his surprise when you turn up alive. Or do you plan to catch him off guard?"
To be honest, he hadn't thought that far ahead. As much as he wanted to storm off and confront Sesshomaru, right now, he had the element of surprise. Sesshomaru had already marked him as having no honor; he might as well live down to his expectations.
"Normally, the thought would turn my stomach, but after dealing with his underhandness for years, and this on top of everything...I think I deserve to give him some of his own back."
Although she was normally an advocate for finding a peaceful solution, Kagome had to admit that she couldn't really fault Inuyasha. His life had to have been one of supreme hardship already, and if Sesshomaru had taken what little respect and safety he had built for himself, he shouldn't expect anything but retaliation.
"Then there's no sense staying here. Who knows if he passes through periodically to check? If you come with me, I can supply you with provisions and directions to whatever area you think may be best for you to stay while you plan. Things have changed in the last century, so I'm sure you'll need to get your bearings."
It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse her, but the memory of the contact between their souls stopped him. Kindness was something he had experienced very little of in his life, especially when it was truly given rather than out of fear. He wasn't foolish enough to hope for anything between them, but he couldn't resist the urge to prolong the contact a little more.
"Then let's go. I hate the feel of this place," he agreed, pushing himself to his feet. He was still somewhat shaky but not in danger of collapsing. He stretched, feeling his bones shift and pop into place, pulling a groan from his throat.
Kagome swallowed thickly as she watched the muscles across his chest and abdomen twist and contract. She had admired some of the men working in the fields before, but she had never felt this drawn-of course, Inuyasha's body was hardly that of a common laborer. Quickly averting her eyes before he could catch her gawking, Kagome collected her bow and quiver. She started for the entrance but paused when she heard his footsteps come to a stop. Before she could ask, she followed his line of sight to see what held his attention. It had escaped her notice, but there was a small pile of belongings that she assumed were his. The main giveaway was the red haori that matched his hakama, as well as a white kosode. An ancient-looking sword in its sheath laid across the clothing, and just next to it was a pile of soft, silvery-oh. She bit her lip, turning away as he gathered everything up. She knew he was already more than aware of his shorn state, but it must have been another blow to see his hair lying on the ground with such little care.
He stalked past her, and she fell in beside him silently, deciding to give him a few moments before she attempted conversation. As they approached the cave entrance, she saw that it was near dusk, and she wondered if it would be wise to be on the water when dark fell. Her concern quickly became a moot point.
As Inuyasha swung his leg to take his first step out of the cave, he was thrown backward, crashing into a section of the cave wall that happened to stick out in a rough lump of rock.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, rushing to his side to see if he had been knocked out.
"What the hell?" Inuyasha roared, rolling to his hands and knees as he stared balefully at the entrance.
"Oh, no! I had hoped that the energy I felt was just a lingering effect of such a long curse, but it looks like it hasn't been fully broken!"
He wanted to claw something. Being trapped was bad enough, but having to be awake for it? He would go mad.
"Looks like Sesshomaru wins," he said with a dark laugh. "The best I can hope for now is that he doesn't come to gloat about it."
"No. Absolutely not."
He swung his head around, shocked to meet a pair of steely, determined eyes and a stubbornly tilted chin.
"What do you mean, 'no'?"
Kagome looked at the entrance of the cave, then back to Inuyasha, her mind made up.
"No. He isn't going to win. I'm going to do whatever it takes to get you out of here."