Crossover Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Entrap Me ❯ If Only In Our Dreams: Naruto/Kagome ( Chapter 7 )

Title: If Only In Our Dreams
Author: Kage Otome (Shadow Maiden)
Archived: Fanfiction (dot) net and Mediaminer (dot) org
Summary:
Both of them wanted one thing--to be acknowledged. All either of them wanted was to be seen for who they are--not who they were, not what they were, but for who they are now. Both sought out ways to gain attention because in the end all they ever wanted was someone to understand--someone to actually care, someone to look and actually see. Both pretended they were ok, even if they were dying on the inside--all it took was a single subconscious wish that would allow two lonely, kindred souls to meet and connect---If only in their dreams.
Rating: Teen
Crossover: Naruto and Inuyasha
Pairings: Naruto/Kagome
Feedback: Preferred
Beta: None
Disclaimer: I do not own either of these series, Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

*If Only In Our Dreams*
By: Kage Otome (Shadow Maiden)

She had gotten used to the sound of her heart breaking, the sound of silent tears. Not physical but emotional. She vowed to herself she would never let anyone see her cry again...no Inuyasha had taken even that away from her. She wouldn’t let herself be that weak in front of him, or anyone ever again...she wasn’t as weak as she pretended to be. She only pretended to be, calling out over and over again for Inuyasha to save her because...because...she didn’t want to be seen as Kikyo, if she had to be weak to be seen as Kagome than so be it. But she was tired of this... And he’d made his choice--and it wasn’t her.

Ever since she’d come to this place--Sengoku Jidai, she had always been seen as Kikyo’s reincarnation. The less perfect version of the great Kikyo of course. All she had ever wanted was to be acknowledged and recognized as ‘Kagome’, maybe that’s why she continued to wear that school uniform--even she was afraid to lose herself to the reflection of the past--to Kikyo. She did everything in her power to make them, him see the differences between herself and Kikyo.

Her friends, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, even Kirara...She knew they cared about her, but they didn’t actually see her, they didn’t actually understand, because at the end of the day--they didn’t really know her. But she couldn’t blame them, they had themselves to think about. She didn’t want to be selfish or whiny. So she smiled and she pretended everything was alright. She pretended her world wasn’t falling apart, she pretended that when all this was over she could just pick off where she left her old life. At home, she was the hero of a fairy tale that would get her happy ending to her family, and the ‘sick girl’ to everyone else, and here in the Feudal Era she was ‘the shard detector’, ally and companion, or her favorite the “Kikyo-look alike”. But all she wanted to be was Kagome. But even she didn’t know who she was anymore--she was losing herself in the expectations everyone else had for her.

“Wench! Where’s my Ramen?”

Inuyasha.

He made her feel so many things, things she couldn’t possibly describe in any amount of words, he’d been her first love, and ultimately first heartbreak, but when it came down to it he was still a friend. And that’s all he would ever be--a friend. It had hurt her to know it wasn’t her that he wanted by his side forever, it still hurt, but she knew she would overcome this. Slowly, day by day she moved on with her life, she began to accept his feelings and her own. She knew a part of her would always be with him, love him, but she also knew they could’ve never really been happy. There was to much turmoil, too many doubts and what ifs. And her mama had always told her ‘Love is acceptance, and complete faith in your special person. It doesn’t happen quickly, it takes time and trials, hardship, failures and victories. It’s a special kind of feeling that can’t be described. When you have that, that’s when you’ll know your really in love, and if it’s reciprocated--it’s even rarer, so if you have it, keep it close and cherish those moments because just as quickly as they were there, they can disappear.’

‘It just takes time...’

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Naruto sighed, frustrated, angry, and hurt. Even now, Sakura’s mind was still on Sasuke, even after he’d betrayed Konoha, even after Sasuke nearly killed him. She still only had eyes for Sasuke. He didn’t hate Sasuke, no matter how much it seemed he did...he just didn’t understand. Why Sasuke and not him? Why would Sasuke be accepted, even after all he’d done, while he, Naruto was still shunned? It just wasn’t fair...All his life he’d been shunned and treated like trash. So he pulled pranks to be noticed and played the part of dead last when in all actuality he was pretty smart when he put his mind to something. He pretended it was alright, that everything was alright with that large smile on his face, he pretended it didn’t kill a piece of his heart every time Sakura would spew harsh words at him and berate him or compare him to Sasuke and how much better Sasuke was...

Blue eyes clenched shut as tears threatened to fall. No, he wouldn’t succumb to the weakness of the past, of his tears. It didn’t matter, he’d prove to them all, including Sakura, he was the greatest shinobi ever. He’d become the Hokage, then they’d all have to acknowledge him, instead of just overlooking him, giving him those looks, whispering behind his back when they though he couldn’t hear them...He chuckled tiredly, almost bitterly. They’d finally have to see him for Naruto, not as the Kyuubi. One day....

One day...

He’d prove to them, he belonged.

He’d prove to them, he was not Kyuubi.

One day, they’d see...

He was Naruto.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Just Naruto.

And that would be enough, it would.

Believe it.
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That night Kagome and Naruto dreamed. They dreamed of a world where they could be accepted as they are. And inadvertently the incomplete Shikon saw the subconscious wish of it’s guardian. The Shikon as an entity was indeed a living thing, and for all her hard work, the Shikon decided to give something back to the young woman who had given up so much for them, give her a part of what her heart called so desperately for at least until the Shikon was completed, strong again, then perhaps they’d give her, her full dream. Reaching out through time and space with it’s presently limited power, the Shikon called to the sleeping mind of someone who could relate and accept their miko, give her what she was missing.

That was the first nights of many Kagome and Naruto would meet in their dreams. And thus their story unfolds.

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Narut o wandered around absently thinking that this was the oddest dream he’d ever had. Normally there was something in his dreams, but now there was just an empty forest. Up ahead there was a flickering illumination from fireflies, curiosity drove him to explore the area. Upon reaching what was actually a clearing with a large tree, he gasped seeing the beautiful young woman standing, hand resting against the bark of the large tree, fireflies dancing around her white clothed figure. Naruto thought she was the most stunning creatures, even with tears falling down her pale face, luminescent eyes were glowing and a small smile played along her features.

Kagome had appeared (in her dream) in the clearing with the Goshinboku, which wasn’t to unusual. Laying a hand against the Goshinboku she tilted her head back letting the light from the fireflies and moon illuminate her form, silent tears trickled down her cheeks unbidden, for only in her dreams could she cry, she opened her eyes and smiled, but these weren’t sad tears--no these were tears of acceptance and a new beginning. Her attention was drawn from the Goshinboku and her memories, both good and bad, when she heard a gasp coming from behind her. Whirling around she stared startled at the young man who had appeared in her dream--a young man that she had never seen before.

Examining the fidgeting male whom had invaded her dream she noted he had the same blue eyes she did, just a shade lighter. He was dressed in the cutest pair of pajama’s she’d ever seen with a matching cap trying to unsuccessfully hide his mop of wild blonde hair, Kagome almost blushed, he had this cuteness that reminded her more of a baby kit, with those large startled blue eyes and messy bed hair. However the most notable thing was the whisker marks on his cheeks and the distinct feel of a kitsune from inside the boy, not the boy himself.

“Kitsune?” Kagome questioned more to herself than him. Naruto flinched, wondering not only how she knew about the kitsune sealed in him, but what her reaction would be. He bowed his head, and clenched his fists turning about to take his leave when he heard the somewhat desperate call from the unidentified woman.

“Wait! Please! Don’t leave!” Kagome called out, hand hanging out in the air, as if she was physically reaching for him.

Naruto turned to look at the woman with a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and weariness.

“Why?”

“I...It’s just...I get lonely sometimes.” Kagome answered somewhat hesitantly unsure of what to think of this unique dream.

Naruto’s eyes softened as he approached her cautiously, stopping in front of her fidgeting form, blue met blue becoming completely lost in each other’s eyes. He suddenly grinned and rubbed the back of his spiky blonde head, feeling his night cap, blushing he ripped it from his head and shoved it in a pajama pocket watching as she giggled a soft pleasant tinkling sound.

“Aah...I’m Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage of Konoha! Believe it!”

Kagome grinned back at the exuberant blonde.

“Hello Naruto, it’s nice to meet you! I’m Kagome, Higurashi Kagome.”

And thus a beautiful friendship had just begun...
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Many hours spent together had come to pass as their physical bodies slept while their minds and spirits connected. Their tentative friendship had deepened and eventually they both knew each other’s most intimate secrets. Naruto had explained to Kagome about his life growing up as the vessel of Kyuubi, which he hadn’t found out about until he was twelve. He had been so shocked when she hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face. And then Kagome had gotten pissed off at the people of the village, for judging and mistreating Naruto for such a stupid reason. She had endeared herself to him even further that night. When he told her of his dream and ambition to become Hokage, she didn’t sneer, laugh, or completely dismiss his dream like so many others. In fact, Kagome encouraged it with vigor and a passion that nearly matched his.

Naruto fell in love with Kagome a little more then, he hadn’t even realized Sakura had slipped father and farther from his thoughts until that night. And he wasn’t sorry, because now his heart had found someone like him, someone who could hopefully feel something more for him, someone who treated him like he was a person.

Kagome’s turn came to tell her story, and she did albeit a bit hesitantly, however Naruto’s inquisitive eyes and unfailing encouragement helped her tell the tale of her falling down the well and shattering the Shikon no Tama to falling in love and eventually out of it. He had related with his feelings for Sakura and Sakura’s feelings for Sasuke. Kagome couldn’t help but feel a tad envious of this Sakura--she must’ve been something to have caught Naruto’s attention. As Kagome spoke of her journeys Naruto voiced his opinions from everything from people to battles to food. Especially Ramen--and he made no secret of what his opinion of Inuyasha was. Kagome could feel something beginning to bloom in her heart, a feeling she once associated with her Inu-hanyou companion, Inuyasha. Naruto was just so wonderfully true to his cause, and his blunt way of speaking things, and encouragement and kind words, his compassion it was all so nice. It gave her warm fuzzies and her heart began to pulse anew with warm feelings.

Both Naruto and Kagome knew that they were both far past the point of losing their hearts, they had already been swept up by the new feelings of warmth, acceptance, understanding and the wonderful feeling of a blooming love. But both were somewhat afraid of rejection, however they instinctively knew that there was a deeper connection between them then friendship. In addition to the fact they were from completely different worlds, because there was no doubt in either Naruto or Kagome’s minds, the other existed somewhere. Not to mention the fact that even if they could be together Naruto still had a dream to fulfill and Kagome still had her duty to the Shikon no Tama and her friends.

Glancing at the handsome blonde lounging next to her on a branch of the Goshinboku Kagome smiled, Naruto smiled back and he cautiously took her hand, making the young miko blush. Kagome squeezed his hand and rested her head against his shoulder. Maybe they couldn’t be together yet, but for now they could be content with what they had and for a few moments they could slip into their world, where it was just them and forget reality. But more importantly because of each other they could gain the strength to go on when dawn broke and continue toward their goals. And they both knew--somehow, somewhere deep in their hearts and souls they’d be together forever as friends and possibly more.

‘If only in our dreams, Kagome, I swear we’ll be together. Believe it.’
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A/n: I’m not so sure how I feel about this one, I think I’m still a little rusty, but I’m working on it. Anyway, I hope to have the Kuronue/Kagome one-shot out soon as well as a few revisions for my other stories, in particular From Friends To Lovers and perhaps a few new chapters as well. Anyway I hope you liked it.