Thursday, September 23, 2004

   inuyasha 6
Kagome fingered the vial with the Shikon shards as she distractedly regarded their newly acquired piece. Maybe as some bizarre payback for how difficult her life had been for the past almost two weeks, the fight with the youkai holding it had been almost disgustingly easy. Inuyasha had barely even warmed up by the time it was over and he was still grumbling about that now as they made their way back through the woods towards Kaede's village.

The only problem was that the hanyou was staying close, and he kept watching her as though he was waiting for something. Annoyed, she turned to look at him, "What?"

Inuyasha jumped a bit, surprised at her tone, but shaking it off to glare at her, "What? You've gotten so damn clumsy that every time I turn my back you're on the ground. I don't want you slowing us down."

Her eyes narrowed sharply and her mouth opened to form the word, but she snapped it shut. For a moment an almost pained look crossed Inuyasha's face, but he turned away from her and kept walking.

'She was there! Dammit, she was going to say it, I know she was!' he clenched his hands into fists and glared back at her. She had her hand on her hip again, but she was just resting it there instead of rubbing this time, and her expression was distant. 'Why does she keep stopping herself?'

And then his brows lowered dangerously, but this time the anger was completely self-directed, 'And why the fuck am I trying to figure out why she won't do it? Am I that big of an idiot? I should be happy, dammit!'

Somehow, though, he just couldn't be. It was just too weird! She had always used the subduing spell, almost on a whim it seemed at times. So what was stopping her now?

Resolutely, he turned forward again to puzzle over what Sango had told him about Kagome. She definitely knew the girl thing, he thought with a snort, right down to not telling him everything Kagome had really said. She was holding back, he was sure of it, but he also knew there was nothing he could do to get the rest out of her. And that left Kagome.

"You give me a fucking headache sometimes, bitch," he growled low.

"That about makes us even then," Kagome's dry response had him stumbling in consternation.

When had her hearing gotten so good?



**



"Baba, we need to talk," Inuyasha stood in the doorway to the hut, shooting the others a glare to suggest they made themselves scarce. "Now, while Kagome's busy."

Kaede's brows rose at that, but she nodded and motioned for the others to leave, "What seems to be troubling you, Inuyasha?"

He waited until the others filed out, growling when Sango shot him a glare and grabbed his hair to yank his head down. He yelped when she hissed in his ear, "You made me tell you what Kagome told me, so I expect 'you' to do the same."

Inuyasha shook her hand loose and scowled at her, but she simply gave him back a hard glare of her own before she followed Miroku and Shippo out. He set his jaw and turned back to the old woman, leaning against the doorframe rather than taking a seat so he could watch for Kagome's return from the river. He fought the urge to smirk, she was bathing in the first place he'd seen her naked and briefly he wondered if he should sneak up on her to see if THAT would finally get a "sit." He shook off that idea and looked back at Kaede; it was more important to find out what the old woman knew about what had happened to Kagome.

"Kagome talked to you when she came back from her time," he started, his ears flicking back and forth as he folded his hands within the sleeves of his haori. "Tell me what's going on, baba."

Kaede blinked several times, her brows drawing together in confusion, "Has something happened?"

"Don't play fucking dumb with me," Inuyasha bared his fangs threateningly. "I heard her talking to you. She had to have told you what that monk in her time did to her."

She rose slowly to her feet, giving the hanyou a disdainful look, "Inuyasha, I haven't got the faintest idea what you're talking about. All Kagome spoke with me about was your subduing spell. She wanted to know if a spell could be cast into something like a tattoo, or if the spell word could be changed. That was all."

Confused, he shook his head, "That can't be all."

"She also asked if there was a counter spell or some way to break it without her removing the necklace," the old miko shrugged. "She seemed very nervous, but the more we spoke, she seemed to relax. It was a very strange conversation, Inuyasha, but she said nothing of her time to me."

Inuyasha frowned, looking off towards the forest, "There are too many things about all of this that just don't make any sense. She's acting so strange... Baba, do you know of any spells that would make someone fall constantly. For no reason," he added in annoyance when she looked pointedly at the rosary.

"There are spells for nearly everything," Kaede replied matter-of-factly. "Have you noticed anything else that would indicate she's enchanted?"

He averted his profile when he felt his cheeks heat, "She, ah, has said some things she... normally wouldn't say. And she's only used this damn thing once no matter what I say to her," he tugged at the necklace absently.

Kaede's lips twitched and she cleared her throat, "You have been trying to get her to use the spell?"

Inuyasha rounded on her defensively, "Look, she's acting weird, okay?! I'm trying to get things back to normal!"

"Why not ask Kagome?" she offered stoically, although it was obvious she was still highly amused at the thought of the hanyou attempting to trick Kagome into sitting him.

He snorted, "Keh, she hasn't told me anything yet. If she wanted to, she'd have done it already. She obviously doesn't want to talk."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Kaede sat by the firepit, stirring at the pot of herbs casually.

Inuyasha cocked his head to one side, reaching up to toy with the rosary. He hadn't felt this unbalanced in ages, everything jumbling together in a big chaotic mess in his mind. Kagome acting odd, saying things he never thought to hear from her; monks in the future casting falling spells... Kaede was right, he wasn't acting like himself either. He was NEVER this uncertain. His gaze turned inward, unfocused and thoughtful as he heaved a deep sigh, "I feel like I'm losing my fucking mind."

"You're worried about Kagome-sama," the old woman said softly. "I believe under these circumstances it is understandable."

He nodded shortly, turning away from the doorway towards the forest, "Keep her here until I return, baba. Don't let her go to the well. I have to think."

"I will do my best, Inuyasha," Kaede promised as he leapt off towards his forest in a red and white blur.



**



"Kagome!" Shippo walked along the path, following her scent as he called for her. "Kagome?"

The little kitsune hopped onto a high boulder, scrambling over the side and letting out a happy sigh when he caught sight of the Kagome stepping into her funny clothes. The sigh turned into a confused frown, however, when he saw a blur of dark red on her hip for just a split second as she finished pulling up her jeans.

Kagome was pulling a small purple shirt when she heard the loud shriek and spun around only to have an orange and white ball of fluff crash into her stomach and knock her flat on her back.

"WAAAH! You're hurt! You're bleeding!" Shippo squealed, clinging to her stomach and hiding his face against her shirt.

"Shh! Shippo, calm down, I'm not bleeding!" she sat up quickly, her eyes darting around as she prayed Inuyasha was far enough away not to catch the kitsune's cries. "Look at me, Shippo, I'm okay. Really."

He sniffed, wiping his arm over his eyes and peering up at her, "But-but I saw it!"

"It's just a bruise, Shippo," Kagome stammered out quickly, her mind working a mile a minute to come up with a plausible excuse. "I caught my hip on the...edge of my desk right before I came back. That's all. I'm not bleeding or hurt, Shippo, it's really nothing!"

He looked up at her, his eyes suspicious, but he let his little hand moved down to poke her hip where he'd seen the "bruise." She looked worried, but she didn't move when he dug his little claw into the fabric of her pants. Nodding in satisfaction, he stood, but only to change position and sit on her stomach, "You're sure it's nothing?"

"Hai," she fought the blush creeping into her cheeks, covering it up by wrapping her arms around the kitsune and rising to her feet. "Just don't tell Inuyasha, you know how he's been about me being clumsy lately."

"But you have been!" Shippo protested, craning his neck to look up at her pink cheeks. "Don't be embarrassed, I'm sure you'll stop falling!" he scrambled up to her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her neck.

Kagome sighed and nodded, patting his head, "I hope so."

"I'm hungry," he announced, remembering his reason for coming in search of his surrogate mother in the first place.

"Where's Inuyasha?" she stuffed all her soaps back into her bath bag, folding the damp towel and setting that on top before turning back in the direction of the village.

"He's speaking with Kaede-baba," Shippo made a face. "They kicked us out."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, half hopeful and half terrified, "Shippo, could you do me a favor?"

Shippo puffed out his chest proudly, "You bet!"

She smiled warmly, ruffling his hair, "Okay, I have to go back home for a little bit-"

"But you can't go yet!" he was instantly protesting.

Kagome pressed a finger to his lips quickly, "Just an hour or so. I'll bring you back a treat for after dinner if you watch my pack and make sure Inuyasha stays out of it."

Shippo thought for a moment, then closed his eyes and nodded solemnly, "Chocolate."

She burst out laughing, cuddling him to her, "I never should have given you that."

"Too late," he gave her his sappiest smile, wagging his little tail. "Please?" he tried to make his eyes as big as possible.

"Okay, okay, chocolate," she kissed him on the nose and set him down. "If Inuyasha leaves Kaede's hut, try to distract him."

Shippo nodded and raced off down the path while Kagome pivoted in the direction of the woods and ran off.

'Perfect!' Kagome silently prayed her luck would hold out as she made her way through the woods. 'Inuyasha's busy and that means I have a straight shot to the well! I won't have to worry about him arguing with me about "staying" here,' she cringed at the thought of the usual flow their arguements at the well took. 'I can be there and back before he even realizes I've gone.'

However, she couldn't quite shake the feeling of impending doom nagging at the back of her mind.



**



Inuyasha looked up at the sky, searching for answers that continued to elude him no matter how hard he thought. Everything that was going on just seemed like broken pieces of a puzzle; too many holes for it to fall into place and start making sense. Kagome taking up a sudden interest in his subduing spell... His ears flattened as he recalled what Kaede had said, 'No fucking way she's tattooing the thing into me!'

But why now? After so long when he was sure she loved being able to smash his face into the ground without fearing any sort of repercussions, why would she develop a sudden aversion to using it?

There was the story of the monk in her time, but why wouldn't she remember anything about it? Had she been put under a spell even before that and her own miko powers kept them from blocking out everything? But why would a monk in the future want to cast a spell on Kagome that didn't do anything but make her clumsy? Had it gone wrong somehow?

And the language she was using lately! Was it just that she had been around him so long that she was picking up on it or was it something more serious? He'd never had her call him anything worse than "baka" and suddenly she was telling him to go fuck himself?

How did all of it tie into her new habit of rubbing the scar on her hip? She looked like she was in pain some of the times she rubbed it, but other times, she just looked distant. It was like her thoughts were drifting a million miles away, and from the expressions that would cross her face, he didn't think they were pleasant musings. There were times she almost looked afraid....

Okay, so that was what was really bothering him. The thought that Kagome was afraid of something and refused to talk to him, her protector, about what had scared her so badly. Didn't she trust him to take care of it? He might not always be as nice to her as he could be, but, dammit, that didn't mean he'd stand for anyone else giving her trouble! As soon as he found out who'd dared to do something to his Kagome he was going to rip them to pieces. Slowly...

Inuyasha sat straight up when a very familiar scent reached him, ears swiveling in the direction it indicated as his brows lowered in a frown. Grunting, he leapt up into a shadowed branch and waited, his amber eyes gleaming with banked anger, 'Keh, couldn't that old hag do better than that?'

Kagome came into view a moment later, her bath bag slung over her shoulder as she looked behind her nervously. He couldn't help but smirk at that. 'You really think I'm stupid enough to not think you'd try and take advantage of this, little girl?' he shook his head and waited.

Kagome took deep breaths, letting the bag slide off her shoulder as she backed towards the well, her eyes darting around the woods. She hadn't been able to shake that foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach and it was putting her on edge. Better to get this over with and get back in a hurry. No telling when Inuyasha would-

"Oi!"

"Gah!" Kagome spun around so fast, she tripped on her bag and would have gone down if Inuyasha hadn't reached and caught her by the front of her shirt.

He was sitting very calmly on the lip of the well, the smirk on his face smug in the extreme at the sight of her alarm and chagrin. He shook his head and tsked in disapproval as he released her, "Running away again, Kagome?"

"Inu-Inuyasha!" she clutched her hand over her heart, hoping she didn't drop dead right there from the fright he'd given her. "I was just-"

"Running away," he nodded, cutting her off. "What's wrong, bitch, did you think I wouldn't notice?"

He watched in amusement as a dark blush spread over her cheeks and she looked away guiltily. This was much more fun than chasing after her and screaming, just waiting for that sit that would slam him to the ground. She was completely flustered and obviously embarrassed. Oh yeah, this was fucking great, his smile widened.

"Shippo said you were, ah, talking to Kaede-sama," she mumbled out, biting her lower lip and trying to gauge how long it would take her to knock him out of the way and get down the well.

Inuyasha rose to his feet with the grace only a deadly predator is capable of using, "Did he?"

Now Kagome was getting really nervous. This wasn't like Inuyasha at all! He was being calm, goading almost and he was... Her head snapped up to his face and she was instantly scowling. 'Damn him, he's *enjoying* this!'

"Thought you'd take the chance to go back to your stupid time without fucking telling me?" now his voice rose slightly, showing the anger that was simmering just below the surface. The familiar anger that seemed to swamp him whenever he realized Kagome was trying to leave him.

"It's just for an hour or so, Inuyasha, I'll be right back, I promise!" she swallowed her own anger at his attitude to swallow her pride and plead. "You can even come get me if you want to make sure."

Inuyasha's brows rose and then lowered suspiciously, "No."

"C'mon, Inuyasha, I promised to get Shippo a treat," she set her jaw, biting down on the "sit" that was trying to work its way free.

"No," he shook his head, reaching out to grab her arm as he hopped off the well and started back towards the village. If she wasn't going to "sit" him, then she wasn't going anywhere. That was the only reason he ever let her go back anyhow... Simple as that.

'No help for it,' Kagome let out a frustrated huff and yanked her arm out of his grip. "Sit," she whirled to make a dash for the well.

Inuyasha was instantly snarling from his prone position on the ground, all thoughts of this getting things back to normal gone from him mind. She was only doing it to leave him...again! "Dammit, Kagome, you're staying here!"

Thump.

Inuyasha's ears pricked up at that sound. Kagome was still on his side of the well, he could smell her. Cursing the fact that he was facing the wrong way, he instead smirked to cover his annoyance and called back, "What's wrong, bitch? Did you trip again?"

Kagome sat silent, her hands tightly fisted on her thighs and her eye twitching with surpressed anger as she looked from Inuyasha's prone form to the well just barely out of reach. She ground her teeth together in desperate frustration, 'He can't find out about this, Kagome, he just CAN'T!'

"Oi, didn't you hear me?" Inuyasha had enough mobility back that he could pry up his upper half and he craned his head back to look at Kagome. His brows rose suspiciously when he saw her sitting cross-legged a foot away from the well, her entire body shaking as she looked between him and the little wooden structure. Everything about her body and scent just screamed that she was dying to run away, but she wasn't...

"Just please don't fight me this time, Inuyasha," she pleaded, her legs twitching when the muscles slowly began to regain feeling. That meant Inuyasha would be up momentarily as well. If she could just make it before he reached her! "You don't understand! I need to go home!" There! The feeling was back! Kagome shot to her feet.

"Keh, you're the one who doesn't understand!" he was yelling as he leapt up, already rushing at her. "You're supposed to stay-!"

"Dammit!" Kagome dropped instantly. A very surprised Inuyasha went skidding past her even as she yelled out, "Sit!"

For a long moment, Inuyasha lay unmoving in the dirt, his mind reeling. 'She swore again...when she tripped. But I didn't see her trip, she just kinda dropped? ...wait....'

Kagome started getting worried. She leaned forward as far as her frozen legs would allow and called out tentatively, "Inuyasha? Inuyasha, are you okay?"

A very interesting suspicion was slowly gathering in the back of Inuyasha's mind, but before that thought went any further, he had to test it... 'She swore when she fell and she fell when I said...' He let out what sounded like a resigned sigh, lifting his face to give her what he hoped was an annoyed enough expression, "Fine, you want to leave, bitch? Go! Get back to your fucking time!"

Kagome pulled back, looking at the well and down to the waiting hanyou. She fidgeted nervously, rubbing her thighs and leaning forward in an attempt to cover her immobility, "Are...are you sure you're okay?"

Inuyasha snorted, even as his eyes narrowed on her hands, "Do you think a weakling like you could hurt me? Go on! What are you waiting for?"

Kagome's spine straightened at the insult, her hands fisting again, "I'm not going anywhere until... until you apologize!"

One brow arched and he experimentally flexed his muscles, the "sit" was wearing off. Soon... "And what the hell do I have to apologize for?" he cocked his head to one side and regarded her flushed cheeks. 'You're definitely trying to be secretive, Kagome. Could it really be...?'

"What else? Being so rude to me!" she answered, her legs tensing as the last of the spell began to fade.

Inuyasha propped his chin on his upraised fists, if he was right.... "No."

Kagome's face filled with relief when her control returned, so distracted that she didn't notice Inuyasha's own eyes lighting up with what could only be called a fierce sort of victorious delight. She was already jumping back to her feet and spinning towards the well. Inuyasha's hand snaked out, catching her ankle and knocking her off balance. Kagome fell on her stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of herself as she rolled over to glare at Inuyasha, "I thought you told me to go home!"

He waited until she had stood again, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, "But I'm not finished, Kagome..."

A chill went down her spine at the softness in his voice and fear filled her eyes and scent when she caught the look on his face. She backed away from him slowly as he rose to his feet, looking down at her as though studying a new species or a very interesting piece of prey. "Inuyasha, wha-what's gotten into... you?" she tried to swallow her panic. 'Don't let him have figured this out! Dear GOD, don't let him have figured this out!'

"Really, Kagome, you should *stay* here," he emphasized carefully, smirking at her as his eyes narrowed wickedly.

"SIT!" Kagome yelled out as she felt her legs buckle; Inuyasha hitting the ground immediately with her.

She sat cross-legged, her back to the well with Inuyasha's head not a foot from her lap. Even the wind seemed to be holding its breath in the heavy silence that followed her frantic shout. He was again lying motionless, but this time Kagome was leaning away from him, terrified and panicking. 'He said it. He said it on purpose! Be guessing, Inuyasha, please...!'

On the ground, Inuyasha's shoulders began to shake.

Kagome's eyes widened even more, if such a thing were possible and she tentatively extended a shaking hand, "Inu...Inuyasha?"

The shaking grew worse, taking in his entire body from head to toe.

"Oh God, what have I done?" she whispered, both hands now hovering uncertainly over his head. "Inuyasha? Please be okay! I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

She broke off when a sound escaped the shaking hanyou.

A sound suspiciously like a...like... a....

*Giggle?!*

Kagome was again leaning away, her voice shaking and unbelievable hesitant as she whispered in disbelief, "Inu...yasha?"

Inuyasha very slowly raised his head, his golden eyes glowing triumphantly with inner fire and a smile of pure, unholy excitement and feral ecstasy spread wide across his face.



***



*BWAH HAH HAHHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!*



***



Miroku and Sango froze in place, eyes widening as they turned in the direction of Inuyasha's Forest. Birds and animals were scrambling madly from the trees and bushes while that nearly maniacal sound echoed painfully loud through the previously quiet, still air. Shippo and Kirara both tried to hide in Sango's hair, cringing as all around them, activity came to a complete halt. All eyes were turned in a mixture of terror and confusion in the direction of that horrifying noise.

And that great, rumbling laugh just kept on going, getting louder and louder...

"What...what IS that?!" Shippo whispered fearfully, hands clamped over his ears.

Miroku turned a look full of disbelief to their concerned faces, blinking as he haltingly admitted, "I...believe it is...Inuyasha..."

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