Wednesday, September 22, 2004

   inuyasha 5
Kagome was still laughing softly to herself every now and then as they walked along the narrow path towards the next village. Her good mood was due mostly to the fact that Inuyasha had barely spoken more than two words to anyone all day. The hanyou had been more or less avoiding her, but every now and then, he would turn and look back at her. His face was always set in a strangely pensive expression, his eyes full of bemused concern, but with so many thoughts and feelings racing just beneath that she couldn't even begin to decipher all of them. He looked...miserable. And she was nuts for thinking it was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

When he wasn't looking at her with those big puppy dog eyes, he was glaring accusingly at Sango. Then he would growl and huff for a bit before turning his face away from all, occasionally even bounding off ahead of them. But he was always back in less than an hour and the whole thing would start over again.

She shook her head, deciding to put it all out of her mind and just enjoy the reprieve for the moment. She absently reached to rub the small of her back, grimacing a little as she did so. Getting dropped all the time was certainly painful, and she was sure her entire backside had to be black and blue by now. She glanced idly to where Inuyasha had reappeared, scowling at her again. So that's why Inuyasha was always complaining about his back when she went a little overboard.

Sighing, she hurried to catch up to him, reaching out and touching his shoulder to get his attention, "Inuyasha?"

He hunched in on himself a bit, ears flattening as though he was half-afraid of what she was going to say. Growling, he turned his head away to keep her from seeing his face, "What?"

Kagome interlocked her hands in front of her, fidgeting nervously as she softly said, "I'm sorry for all the times I got angry and used the rosary. Especially when I did it more than once. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Inuyasha froze as she kept walking past him. His eyes widened and for the second time in as many days he was shocked out of his mind. 'At least this time it was a "nice" kind of surprise,' he winced to think of the other words still fresh in his mind. There was only one time Kagome had ever apologized for sitting him and that had been so long ago... She'd been trying to share food from the villagers and she had said it absently, the apology almost joking when he'd felt like killing something. So why now?

He started after them thoughtfully when he realized how far he was lagging behind, 'What the hell kind of spell is she under?'

Kagome almost smiled when Inuyasha caught up, walking beside her and shooting her searching glances when he thought she wouldn't notice. Okay so maybe this would work out somehow, she let her own gaze drift to him when he sighed and walked on ahead.

"Stay close, Kagome," he muttered gruffly.

*Thump.*

Maybe not.



**



"Inuyasha, we can stay here for tonight!" Miroku waved the group closer to the large house in the center of the village. "The elder has very graciously offered us rooms as long as I exorcise the spirit hanging over his home."

Kagome had gone tense from her place on Inuyasha's back when the monk spoke and he frowned at that, but shrugged it off, grumbling to himself, "Of course the nicest home in town is the one with the fucking evil spirits."

"He's just trying to help us out, Inuyasha," Kagome released her grip when she noticed how stiff she become and nudged his side with her knee in a hint to be let down.

Inuyasha had ruined her ability to stay mad yet again when he'd turned around after she fell, shaking his head and backtracking to her. She had been entertaining a few of her favorite murderous thoughts when he had just scooped her up and settled her on his back. He hadn't said a word, just kept going as though nothing happened and Kagome had sighed, shifting herself into a better position and wrapping her legs high around his waist when the feeling in them returned. Inuyasha had grunted, but hooked his hands under her knees to hold her more securely and kept going.

"Not all of us can find a perfect tree like you do," she teased lightly, giving his shoulders a brief squeeze beneath her hands.

Inuyasha's grip on her knees tightened momentarily in response and he blushed, hiding his face with his hair as unhooked his hands and let her slide down his back, "Keh."

She might have been comfortable enough in her "jeans" to lock her legs around his waist, but he was still a bit shaken at how much he had enjoyed the sensation. He was reluctant to give it up, but he had already noticed the looks the surrounding humans were giving Kagome as they realized he was a youkai. He cast her a sideways glance to gauge her reaction, but she seemed perfectly oblivious, straightening her shirt and absently running a hand through her tousled hair.

An elderly woman standing with the man who was apparently the village elder cleared her throat as she looked Kagome over with a critical eye, "Would you like to bathe, child? We could get you some proper clothing as well if you'd like."

Kagome blushed, tugging self-consciously at her shirt, "Ah...a bath would be... nice. Arigato..."

Inuyasha's brows lowered, growling deep in his throat when the woman gave him a disapproving frown, making it clear she felt he was the reason for Kagome's outlandish attire. Kagome just sighed and shook her head, reaching out to lay a restraining hand on the hanyou's arm. He looked down at her sharply, brows arched in silent inquiry.

"Let it go, Inuyasha," she murmured low enough to only reach his ears. "She doesn't know what she's talking about. Don't let it get to you."

"Keh," he folded his arms over his chest and averted his face.

He looked back at her when he heard her go walking away from him. He frowned again when Kagome bowed to the old woman and was led away, shifting his eyes to Sango. When the exterminator started past him to enter the house, he leaned over to lightly kick her in the shin.

"Hey!" Sango yelped, turning to glare at the source of her newfound discomfort.

Inuyasha's face was schooled into his best impression of innocence as he looked up into the sky as though it was the most amazing thing he'd seen in his life. When Sango huffed impatiently and started to turn her back, he coughed suggestively and jerked his head in the direction Kagome had gone.

Sango rolled her eyes, sighing heavily but giving him a nod to show she knew what he was "hinting." She bowed to the elder, "Would it be possible to get a bath myself? Kagome-chan and I could share if it's not too much trouble."

"Of course not," the man nodded, motioning for her to follow him. "Our bath is definitely large enough for you and your young friend."

"Great for the girl thing," she muttered beneath her breath with a sideways glance Inuyasha. She shook her head at how proud the hanyou looked of himself, thinking that some behavior was just universally male rather than human or youkai.

*

Kagome twisted, prodding at the tattoo in frustration, "Damn you, you aren't supposed to get darker! What does it mean? Aren't you bad enough already?"

'Great, Kagome, you're going crazy. You're talking to a tattoo,' she winced when she realized how ridiculous that was. Then again, there were times when the stupid thing seemed to pulse on it's own, like a heartbeat, and lately it was doing it more and more often. She was losing the feeling in her legs a lot faster now too, the sensation more like she was being pulled down instead of just falling. 'This is so unfair,' she groaned, sinking down into the bath and burying her face in her hands. 'Inuyasha's spell hasn't changed,' she pouted.

Then again, she never asked about it, maybe this was normal? Was it stronger now than it had been at first? She couldn't just up and ask about it without him getting suspicious, and they were too far from Kaede's village to make a trip back until they found this new shard.

'What did I ever do to deserve this?' Kagome leaned back against the stone ledge of the bath, folding her arms behind her head. 'It really is so completely unfair!'

'You've been doing it to Inuyasha for two years and it never bothered you before,' an annoying little voice scolded in the back of her mind.

'That's different!' she argued back, a blush staining her cheeks. 'He tried to kill me and that's why he's got it in the first place!'

'But since then he's saved your life so many times you can't keep count,' it returned smugly. 'Admit it, you never thought twice about dropping him until it started happening to you. You just don't like losing that sense of power over him.'

'It's not like that at all-!' she scowled, but stopped abruptly and slapped a hand over her eyes with a loud groan. "Oh God, I'm arguing with myself. I really have lost it."

"Kagome-chan? Are you all right?" Sango's voice had Kagome going stiff with a yelp of surprise.

Kagome spun around, slapping both hands under water to cover her hip, "Sango-chan! Oh, you startled me!"

Sango blinked in surprise. Now that was odd... There had been a few times when they had been bathing when Miroku had made the attempt to peek at them. 'Well,' she closed her eyes, a tell-tale twitch starting at her right eye, 'more than a few. But the times he got close enough and surprised us, she covered her chest. She's more concerned with covering her scar? Why?'

"Kagome-" Sango slid down into the bath, pinning the younger girl with a hard look. "What's wrong? And don't tell me it's nothing, everyone's worried."

Kagome blushed so hard, the rosy tint went all the way down her chest, "E-everyone?"

"Ah-ha! Something *is* wrong!" she pointed triumphantly. "C'mon, Kagome-chan, tell me what's going on."

She sighed in resignation, puzzling through what she ought to tell Sango. She really 'wanted' to tell her everything, but she just couldn't... "I don't really know, Sango-chan," she raked a hand through her soaking hair.

She leaned forward eagerly, concerned at the hesitation in her voice, "It was in your time, wasn't it?"

"Hai," the blush hadn't decreased at all and to distract herself, she started to absently twist her hair in her fingers. "My friends from school... ah, they thought I... needed some relaxation. They had this whole thing planned out and they got me really drunk..."

"Drunk?" Sango tensed, trying not to jump to conclusions, but by Kagome's blush and her very hesitant explanation she was getting worried. "Kagome-chan, did someone-?"

She looked at her blankly and then gasped, waving her hands to deny the unspoken question, "Ah...ah, nothing like that! It was just... I just am kinda hazy about the whole night. I remember seeing this strange little shrine and there was magic coming from it, and well, I was drunk..."

"What happened in the shrine?" Sango relaxed, sending a silent prayer to whatever powers that be that she had been wrong with that first fear.

"That's where I'm not exactly sure," she frowned, her gaze turning inward. "There was an old man, at least I think he was old...a priest or a monk I think. I can't remember his face, but he was...tattooed," she self-consciously rubbed her hip, making sure to keep herself twisted just enough to keep Sango from seeing the darkening mark. "The place was full of magic, but the next thing I remember is being back on the street with my friends. I couldn't find the shrine again."

Frowning, the exterminator sat back, rubbing her chin as she pondered that, "And then what?"

Kagome let out a heavy breath, shrugging as she reached over the edge of the bath in search of a towel, "I went home and then I came here. Nothing... nothing's different, except... Except there are times I just fall. For no reason. I don't know what's going on..."

Sango reached out, gently setting a hand on Kagome's shoulder. She tilted her head to one side curiously when she jumped, but shook that off, "Why didn't you say something?"

"I just didn't see a point," she chewed on her lower lip nervously. "It isn't like it's a big problem. I mean I feel like a total klutz, but I figure it'll go away eventually."

"You should at least tell Inuyasha," she urged as the younger girl eased out of the bath and wrapped the towel around her. "I don't want him telling me to do the 'girl thing' every time you trip."

Kagome made a face, "And have him blow up at me with another reason not to go home? No way. He fights me enough over school, just imagine what he'd do with this!"

Sango rubbed the back of her neck, "I see your point. Maybe you could just... ah, omit portions of it or something."

She shook her head, "I'll think about it."

Sango leaned back, closing her eyes, "You've been around Inuyasha way too long, Kagome-chan."

"Hn? Why do you say that?" Kagome paused in pulling on the simple kimono the old woman had provided.

"The longer you're with him, the more stubborn you get," she flashed her a teasing smile.

"Keh," Kagome snorted, then clapped her hands over her mouth with her eyes wide.

Sango threw back her head and laughed as Kagome slid her hand down to cover her throat. 'Good God, that did NOT just come out of me!' she blushed fiercely, shaking her head in denial.

"Maybe it's more than just the pig-headed attitude," she grinned broadly at the shocked look on Kagome's face.



*

Sango was rather abruptly snatched from the walkway on her way back to their respective rooms. Instinctively, she spun around to attack, only to have her fist caught in a clawed hand, "Oi, calm down, Sango, it's just me."

"Inuyasha," she used her other hand to smack him upside the head. "Can't you just ask to talk to me like a normal person instead of grabbing me like a thief?"

"Nevermind that, what did you find out?" he demanded impatiently, rubbing his head.

"Mou, Inuyasha, you make it sound like an interrogation," Sango shook her head. When he just glared at her, she let out a long sigh and repeated what Kagome had told her. Well, 'most' of what she had told her anyway. She decided to leave out the part where Kagome's friends got her drunk. And seeing Inuyasha's expression grow darker, she decided she'd made the right choice. Let Kagome fill in the holes later, but at least this would get Inuyasha calmed down a bit. Or off her back finally... She hoped.

"Damn, I keep telling her she needs to stay here where I can keep an eye on her," he growled, clenching a fist and sending a sharp glare towards the darkened room Kagome occupied. "That bitch gets into more trouble than any other creature I've ever seen!"

Sango shot him a dry look, "Of course, being the guardian of the Shikon no Tama has nothing to do with that."

"Keh!" he folded his arms over his chest.

Sango couldn't stop the quiet laugh that escaped, thinking back to Kagome's very 'Inuyasha' response in the bath. "Relax, Inuyasha. Let's just get the shard and go home. You can speak with Kaede-sama about it."

Inuyasha nodded shortly, turning his back on her and letting himself sink down into his thoughts. Weird monks in the future doing things to his Kagome that she couldn't remember; making her clumsy for no apparent reason. Her new habit of rubbing at her hip all the time... It all jumbled together until it was completely blocked out by the single thought that still bothered him most. Kagome's voice still repeated in his mind saying... saying 'THAT!' Although she 'did' apologize for sitting him all the time. Still... What the hell had that monk done to her?

"Ite!" Inuyasha was pulled from his thoughts rather abruptly when a sharp pain streaked through his ear. Growling angrily, he snatched Shippo by the tail and dragged him down to face him, "That fucking hurts, you little brat!"

"You're scary when you think, Inuyasha," the kitsune made a face at him.

"Why you little-!" his eyebrow twitched in suppressed anger.



"If they're not careful they'll wake the entire household," Sango muttered sourly, looking out at where Shippo ran squealing from the fuming hanyou.

"Let's just hope we get this shard quickly," Miroku sighed wearily.


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