Chapter 28

Honestly, Kagome was too emotionally drained to contemplate the chances of it happening; it happened, and she was simply grateful that it did.

Somewhere between getting her bearings and contemplating next steps, the sound of shouts filtered in through the window again.

This time, they were clearly exclamations of relief.

'Kikyou sama!'

'Miko sama has returned! Thank the kami'

The exclamations of the villagers dripped with relief like a prayer answered.

What impeccable timing. Although it would've been better if Kikyou could've just tweaked her arrival a tad earlier. Then whatever the heck she did wouldn't have been necessary.

But Kagome wasn't thinking about that yet, not when it made her stomach squirm with anxiety.

Fortunately, once the miko took full charge of the situation at hand, there was little time for idle her head out onto the street, Kagome could make out groups of villagers supporting each other and corralling the wounded in one place.

The efficient authority Kikyou commanded was rather impressive to behold. In no time she'd organized what was to be done and triaged who needed to be treated. Those who were unhurt were put to work right away.

Noting the arrival of a new source of protection, Inuyasha all but thrown the pail of water he'd fetched at her and bolted. Kagome had never seen him look so disturbed before.

She could've sworn she heard him mutter something about with emotions running high, humans probably wouldn't take kindly to having him around.

Which was frankly, bullshit.

It made her mad. He'd saved everyone from the worst of it before Kikyou could arrive.

There was also the little fact that she would've preferred he stuck around. Somehow she always felt so much more grounded when his presence was a bright flame beside her.

Under the miko's direction, Kagome and a few others who were somewhat familiar with the task, helped treat the wounded. It wasn't the physical bite there was bad—they were rather shallow on examination. But apparently the youkai were venomous which left festering purple stains around the puncture sites.

Against Kagomes's best dissuasion, Kaede propped herself up against the counter stubbornly and set about hydrating a wide-spectrum antidote. Once that was done it was ground and mixed into a topical ointment base they had ready-made. The young girl kept reassuring her that at least that she could do the task within the hut and seated.

It took a long time but eventually they had everyone settled. The worst of the injured were temporary grouped in the hall under Kikyou's watchful eye. The ones with minor bites were sent home with some of the anti-venom ointment and told to monitor their wounds. If the purple discolouration darkened or spread, they were to seek the miko's attention right away.

Kagome was ready to just collapse in an inconspicuous corner and pass out. Her limbs were leaden and her head felt so heavy, like she just took the worst Phys Ed class ten times in a row.

Still, she somehow managed to drag herself out of Kikyou and Kaede's hunt, after finishing what she could do and badgering Kaede to get some rest already.

The girl was apparently well versed in her way and pressed a tiny wooden box of the ointment knowingly into Kagome's palm before waving goodbye.

Stepping out onto the now quiet road, Kagome raised her head, shading her eyes against the orange glow of the late afternoon sun.

She groaned.

Sometimes, she swore she would grab Inuyasha by the shoulders and shake some sense into that thick skull of his if she physically could.

Why couldn't he appreciate when he's worrying other people and stop being so stupid about things?

Powering through her body's obvious complaints, Kagome trudged out towards the village gates instead of the softness of her bed roll.

Her irritation grew proportionally with the incline of the hill she was dragging herself up. Exponentially even. (Take that, math!)

She was butt-tired and it seems like the entire history of their friendship is her trekking into the stupid forest at all hours of the day to drag his sorry ass out because he was too prickly to interact like a proper human-being.

Hearing his would be reply in her head, she fumed silently that she didn't care he was a fricking half-demon. Half-demons can use words too. Half-demons can certainly be more considerate too.

Pausing abruptly under a large hinoki, Kagome squinted up at the thick branches above her. Seeing nothing suspicious but somehow she had a feeling who was hiding up there.

UGH.

With a burst of energy fuelled by her raising temper, Kagome swooped down, grabbing a sizeable stick lying nearby and lobbed it up into the tree.

The mix of a muffled yelp and a swear was immensely satisfying.

"What the fuck, Kagome!"

"It's your fault for hiding up there." She glared hard at the hanyou who'd finally dropped down to the ground in front of her.

"I ain't hiding!"

"Oh yeah? What would you call it then?"

Inuyasha sputtered, trying to spit out a suitable retort but failing miserably. It would seem like he had yet to recover from the day's events throwing him for a loop. Kagome felt the same.

However, the genuine frustration crinkling his brow took her aback. This kind of banter was their normal communication, which made her mirror his frown in worry.

Sweeping Inuyasha's face for hints on how to make it better, her eyes landed on his neck and was rudely reminded of why she was so adamant in finding him in the first place.

Kagome gasped, berating herself for not immediately noticing how hurt he was and opted to childishly bicker instead.

Blotchy purple marks marred the sides of his neck creeping around to the front of his throat. Though no longer bleeding, the bite marks were still evident, outlined in angry red.

"Inuyasha! Did you even clean these out properly?" She marched right up to his chest, somehow avoiding his gesturing arms. "How are you feeling now?"

Ignoring his even more pronounced sputtering due to her proximity, she slipped a hand under his messy bangs and tested his forehead. Though a little sweaty, his skin seemed to be a normal temperature. Not obviously feverish anyway.

"Oi!" The hanyou seemed to finally regain his faculties, and jump a step back, reestablishing some distance between them.

Kagome was having none of it, eyes still glued onto the wounds circling his neck. His face was flushing too now.

That can't be good.

Darting forward again, she caught one of his flailing forearms and clamped her hand tight around it, billowing sleeve and all. Sure he could easily throw her off, but experience told her he was careful not to overdo his strength around her.

"Let's go somewhere I can take a proper look at your neck." Kagome turned, dragging him along. "Why would you not stay and get it looked at earlier, you dummy!"

Inuyasha tugged at his arm half heartedly, but as expected, did not put any force into it for fear of hurting her.

"Dunno why you care anyway," He grumbled sullenly behind her. "Don't you know demons heal up fast? If it wasn't for the toxins, these'd be gone by now."

At that, Kagome stopped, and spun around to look him square in the eye.

"Just because you heal fast, doesn't mean it's okay to get hurt, Inuyasha."

The hanyou was stunned speechless, golden eyes wide and uncharacteristically unguarded for once. An aching vulnerability surfaced in their molten depths. Her heart squeezed painfully as she pondered what might have hurt him in the past to produce such a look.

Kagome reached for his other arm as well, cradling both his wrists loosely in her palms.

"I care, Inuyasha." She breathed. "Let me treat those."

His gaze held hers for a few seconds more and he let it drop to the side.

"Fine."

Faster than she could register, his hand escaped her hold and swapped positions, clawed fingers closing around one of her wrists.

Wordlessly he led her to a clearing nearby with a small, gurgling stream running across it. The hanyou flopped down in the grass alongside the water and crossed his arms tight across his chest.

Kagome sat on her knees, right up against Inuyasha's side. It was an awkward angle, but it'll have to do.

Her friend's discomfort was apparent alone in how rigid he sat.

She didn't know what his deal was. It wasn't like he hadn't just hugged her—in capital letters, bolded and underlined.

Filing that to ponder later, Kagome gently drew the mass of silver hair behind his shoulder, mindful of her movements. Her fingers lightly skimmed close to his jaw, gathering the wayward strands that clung to his neck.

Inuyasha squirmed slightly at her touch.

"Sorry!"

He grunted, but turned his head to the side, so she could inspect his neck.

There were even more bites than she'd thought, circling round to his nape as well.

Quickly dipping a spare cloth she'd brought with her into the stream, she started to dab at the bites.

So focused was she in making sure the wounds were completely clean she didn't notice until Inuyasha had turned quite red under her ministrations. His cheeks and neck were flushed pink.

Now worried she'd dallied too long, Kagome fumbled for the box of ointment Kaede had given her and quickly patted generous amounts onto his skin.

Finally satisfied, she sank back on her heels to survey her handiwork.

"Ya done yet?" Inuyasha grumbled, shooting her an indecipherable look. "I told you these'll be gone by morning."

"The ointment will get rid of the venom, so hopefully that speeds things up. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Nah."

Kagome raised a skeptical eyebrow, but after scrutinizing him for a few more moments, deemed that he was telling the truth.

Inuyasha shuffled back a ways to settle with his back against a tree.

Watching him, Kagome bit her lip, not really knowing what to do. Sighing, she also got up, walked to where the hanyou was and plopped down beside him. With a groan, she slumped back on the same tree Inuyasha was leaning against.

Sneaking a peek up at his profile, Inuyasha looked like he was mulling over something, jaw set and eyes trained somewhere far away.

Maybe she was imagining things but his wound seemed a little lighter in colour already. Gaze trailing to his collar and a glimpse of a sharp clavicle made her suddenly remember her cheek pressed up against the very place.

A rush of heat shot from her abdomen up to her chest. Kagome recalled the raw scream of her name torn from his throat. And how he'd shred all the youkai around her like paper. And how his arms closing around her had chased all the air from her lungs when he squeezed her tight enough to almost prevent her ribs from expanding to breathe.

And how safe she had felt.

It was a lot to process and even just beginning to tease out the reason of why it felt so nice made her stomach wobble. It was safest to do said processing later, in the privacy of her own company and she silently scolded her brain for continuing to bring it up.

Another discreet look at Inuyasha reassured her he hadn't noticed her little episode.

Kagome sighed again, and fiddled with her hands, then settled on hugging her knees.

The atmosphere between them was admittedly a little weird. There was a marked contrast to the usual comforting ease that existed when they idled in the forest, spending their afternoons lazing about.

Maybe he was weirded out by what she did with that arrow. Judging by the timing, he must've seen her. She didn't blame him though. She was too. She wanted answers but when she was less tired.

The weight of the events of the day and all the work she did since seem to finally catch up to her. She leaned her weary head back and closed her eyes.

She just needed a nap, then she will get up and walk back.

Her thoughts turned to a quiet buzz that made her head heavy. Kagome shifted half-consciously, and leaned her head to the side to rest on something solid and warm.

She tried to rouse herself when her mind noted the fading light around her. But she decided against it. Inuyasha was with her and so she was safe.

Vaguely, she felt something heavy and warm drape around her like a blanket. After another while, she registered herself being gathered up. It stayed warm and comfortable and smelled familiar and nice. So she turned and rubbed her face against the warmth, sighing.

Then she knew no more.

For not the first time, Kagome awoke in her own bed in the morning with a running theory of how she magically returned to the hut.

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A/N: Wow! I am blown away by all the positive responses for the last two chapters. Thank you! I will be replying to comments shortly, just wanted to get this chapter out first :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. However, this plot, the exact sequence of words and any original characters described therein, I reserve all rights to.