InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Against All Odds ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Kagome heard his softly spoken words and paled. Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt a cold weight crash upon her shoulders and wrap tightly around her heart. Blinking back the tears that threatened to spill and choking on a sob, the heartbroken woman continued studiously cleaning Youko's silky, silver locks before moving on to bestow the same attention upon his tail.

 

She knew she had to correct him, tell him he was wrong about her. `After all, I can't be too amazing if the one person I had given my heart to turned to the dead for love.' Another sob threatened to break her control and more tears flooded her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. `I've cried enough over him. He chose Kikyou, not me.' However strong those words were, they did nothing to ease the aching in her heart. She had loved Inuyasha and he had thrown her aside.

 

The fox was thoroughly enjoying the ministrations that Kagome was providing him and when he felt her soft hands sliding through his tail to wash it, he had to bite back the purr that threatened to break from his throat. He was shaken from his own personal heaven when a wave of deep-seeded despair and anguish washed over him, accompanied by the scent of tears. `Why is she so sorrowful? That was not the reaction I expected from a compliment. What happened to you, Kagome?'

 

His thoughts were stopped in their tracks when he felt her small hands tremble in the length of his tail and he slowly turned around. When his eyes found her face, his heart wrenched in his chest. Her beautiful blue eyes had tinted to a washed-out grey and were filled to near overflow with tears. He couldn't explain why the site of this broken little miko bothered him so much, but he mentally shrugged it off. She was hurting terribly inside and her pain was thick enough to permeate the air around them.

 

She watched him turn around and her brain scrambled, trying to force her hands to scrub away the salty droplets that gathered in her eyes, but she was frozen. `Great! Just great, Kagome! Show one more demon how perfectly weak and pathetic you truly are.' She watched his face closely, locking her eyes with his golden gaze, trying desperately to see something in them that would tell her he didn't think her feeble.

 

Frustrated with how one well placed compliment could twist her mind and soul into such a painful angle, Kagome didn't even notice when the tears spilled out of her eyes to burn salty trails down her cheeks. `What does it even matter anymore? I am weak…and pathetic…and…useless. I am just a copy of something far better.' “I'm just not good enough.” Kagome's eyes widened, realizing she had just spoken her last thought aloud, and dropped her head until her chin rested against her chest. She wanted to turn tail and run…find a nice rock to hide under until death claimed her.

 

The fox had stood there watching Kagome, seeing the myriad of emotions that swam in her normally blue orbs, and was entranced by it. He had never met anyone so expressive in his life, and suddenly he felt himself wanting to see more positive emotions - joy, happiness…love?- basking there instead of the sorrow, despair and pain…oh the pain. It was nearly palatable in the air around them, the bath and his injuries now forgotten. The scent of her tears became stronger and he nearly lost his footing when he heard her whispered words. `Not good enough? Not good enough for what? For who?' He quickly surmised she must be speaking of the inu hanyou. What was it she had meant by dead girlfriend anyway?

 

“Kagome,” He spoke softly, reaching one clawed hand out to tilt her face up so he could look into her eyes, “why would you ever think you aren't good enough? From what I have heard so far about you, you seem to be one of the most exceptional beings I have ever come across.” Youko watched her face intently for her response and when more tears spilled down her cheeks, he couldn't resist the urge to wipe them away.

 

She fought the desire to lean into his hand. Everything seemed so messed up for her and here was this gorgeous kitsune trying to comfort her. Kagome greatly wanted to believe his words…she really did. But she had been through far too much with Inuyasha in the past. If a hanyou thought her worthless, what did she have to offer a youkai, or anyone, for that matter? `Nothing.' That same word kept creeping across her consciousness as if it held meaning for so much more. She realized in that instant what that word was actually touching on.

 

“Nothing.” She croaked out, her throat raw from choking on her sobs. Kagome saw the quizzical nuance that flitted through his eyes and decided to humor him and tell him the truth. Why not? He'd already witnessed the deplorable incident of her tears; why not go for the gold? “That is what I am truly worth Youko. I am neither `amazing' nor `exceptional'. I am just a worthless, pathetic copy of a better person. I should know…he's told me plenty of times. Inuyasha has never lied to me before…why should this be any different?”

 

Sighing heavily, she dropped her head once more, unable to stomach gazing into his eyes any longer. He would turn her away, she knew, and Kagome would much prefer the last imprint she would have of him to be that concerned look she had thought she noticed earlier rather than the one of disgust she was sure she would see. `I don't belong here.'

 

Youko felt his ire rise deep within his being when he heard such atrocities fall from her lips. That bastard had this pure, loving heart offered to him…free for the taking…and he had shunned her. Not only that, but apparently the dog held sole responsibility for breaking Kagome's heart and soul. `Such a pure creature should never be put through such things. She belongs in the heavens if anywhere.'

 

The temerity of her sorrow and anguish tore at him and caused his beast to stir restlessly, pacing and demanding blood. He wasn't truly aware of his actions, and seemed to completely disregard his state of undress, as he reached forward and wrapped Kagome up in the safety of his arms. Slipping one hand onto her hair, he began to gently stroke the raven locks while growling low, trying to comfort her. He was surprised that she didn't resist him and was half way expecting to be purified until she melted against his form and wrapped her arms about his waist, her hands landing on the small of his back.

 

Nuzzling into her hair, he spoke softly against the shell of her ear “Kagome. Would you mind terribly if I traveled with you and your group for a little while? It is the least I can do for you. Please…let me?” He wasn't sure why he was asking in such a pleading way, but he felt an insatiable need to be closer to her; to protect her from whatever he was able.

 

Kagome pulled back from his embrace and stared at him in shock. “W-what? Why would you want to do that? I am not worth your time and as I told you, Inuyasha would not approve. Most likely, he will attack you on sight. Besides, you owe me nothing. I came here because I was needed…and I need to be needed once in awhile, I guess.”

 

Youko couldn't help the small smile that crept across his lips when he saw her eyes widen to near impossible size. This woman was just too entertaining for his own good. The expressions that crossed her face were nearly priceless, as animated as they were. But, he had yet to see the one thing he found himself most desiring…he wanted to see her smile…play…do something that wasn't shrouded in such dark emotions. He could feel that she was the light to the world's darkness…and, call him selfish, he wanted to bask in her glory.

 

“Kagome…please? Let me travel with you? If only for a little while. I don't care about what this Inuyasha person has to say, truly I don't. I really have nothing else to do.” He saw the conflict in her eyes and knew she was contemplating his offer. `Yes! Just one more push and all will be well.' Deciding to pull a very old trick from the bag, he looked down into her eyes…and pouted. Yes, the great Youko Kurama was pouting; even going so far as to flatten his ears, whimper pathetically and make his eyes as innocent and liquid as possible.

 

“Besides, who else will keep an eye on my injuries for me? I know I am youkai, but having my strength sapped for so long is doing little to aid me in my reconstruction.” He watched her eyes intently and had to bite his cheek to quell his grin of triumph when he saw her orbs turn back to their midnight blue and soften. `Bingo.'

 

She really hadn't wanted him to come with her. Well, maybe that wasn't all true; she did want him with her but knew it could easily become more than he would be willing to handle. Kagome hadn't been lying when she told Youko about Inuyasha and his attitude, but he did have a point. Oh, she knew he was using that damnable kitsune charm on her, but found that it didn't much matter. She could feel that his youkai blood wasn't near restored yet from being sealed away and was well aware that his wounds would indeed need tending. She caught the look of victory that briefly crossed his features.

 

Kagome decided to humor him and let him have his success. It was only fair. After all, whether or not he was actively trying to dispel her sorrow, he was indeed doing just that. She needed something to keep her mind from wandering to Inuyasha and her pain. Then a thought came to her.

 

“Youko, you can travel with me but on one condition.” Noting his nod of acceptance, she continued “Shippou, my kit, lost his biological parents at a very young age, so he was never given the opportunity to learn the potential of his youkai blood. If you want to travel with me and my friends, can you please try and teach him? He is so brave for such a young one and I know he wants to be able to protect me. I am only human and cannot help him.”

 

At first, he was expecting Kagome to state that he was not to fight with the hanyou. However, he was surprised, and greatly pleased, with her request. He could feel in her very aura how much the kit meant to her and how bad she felt that she was unable to aid him. She might not have known it, but she had just made it all but impossible for him to reject her offer.

 

Smiling a true smile, he answered “It would be my pleasure to help him Kagome. Such a young one is normally killed off without parents to protect them. He is truly lucky to have found you.”

 

`As am I.'