InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Cruel Hands Of Fate ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

The Shard Hunters sat still in Kaede's hut, each eating their dinner lost amongst their own thoughts. All of them, except for Kagome. As it was, she was the one thing on everyone's mind. The young miko that they had all come to love was now gone for good…and they were deprived of a chance to at least say goodbye.

 

Sango sat with a softly sobbing Shippou next to her, choking back her own tears over her lost sister. She had lost her entire family once, and now the one that she called sister was gone to her as well. She sighed heavily as her eyes roamed to where Miroku sat, staring at his hand and a small smile graced her lips. `At least the Kazaana is gone.'

 

If one who knew Miroku were to look at the houshi, they would assume he was lost in thought over the final disappearance of the Wind Tunnel. However, that was not the case. Although the young monk was more than relieved that he would be allowed to live out his life, `With a certain Taijiya hopefully', he was in fact fighting with the emotions he felt over the loss of his friend. Kagome was the light in all their lives and he was truly pondering whether or not any of them would ever be the same again.

 

Everyone was so completely caught up in their own thoughts that none noticed the darkening aura around Inuyasha. He had been completely silent since the final battle had ended and they had left him alone to grieve over his losses. Of course, they were assuming that he was thinking about Kagome as well…they could not have been more wrong.

 

In fact, all thoughts and emotions present inside the hanyou were swirling around the death of his beloved Kikyou, the wish he couldn't make and the `stupid wench' who was the cause of it all. As he continued to brood, a new presence made itself known to the half-demon.

 

` Inuyasha…such dark thoughts aren't like you. Then again, maybe it is my influence over your mind.'

 

Said hanyou's head snapped up, half expecting to see someone standing in the doorway of the hut. When there was no one present, save for the rest of the group, he sniffed the air lightly and his ears twirled around. Not catching anything with his senses, Inuyasha settled back against the wall and continued to ignore his food.

 

Little did the dog demon know, that somewhere towards the back of his consciousness an all too familiar presence lurked in the shadows, winding his way around and through memories and plotting a most heinous course of action.

 

~*~

 

Following yet another round of heated argument, complete with many threats and more than a few growls, Yusuke, dragging a still unconscious Kuwabara, had left the office of the Prince of Reikai.

 

“Finally! I was beginning to think those two would never leave.” Koenma said, sighing in relief and sitting down. He had already developed a headache that was turning into a migraine just as his detectives were finally convinced to leave. Yusuke had been alternating between yelling at him, glaring at Hiei, asking innumerable questions and making eyes at Kagome.

 

Since the two detectives had left, the three resumed their spots upon the floor and let silence fall around the room. It wasn't uncomfortable in the least; on the contrary, it was quite pleasant for all involved. Putting up with over two hours of Yusuke straight was enough to make anyone appreciate the beauty of silence.

 

As Koenma had sat down, Kagome sat next to him and leaned her head against his shoulder “I agree. Though I am sure they really aren't `bad' people, Yusuke was making even my ears ring. I can't imagine how you were fairing Hiei.” Turning towards the fire apparition, Kagome put a soft hand on his forearm and smiled “Thanks for not killing him though…even if I myself was entertaining the idea of strangling him.”

 

At that last comment from the miko-turned-artifact, Hiei arched an eyebrow and a shocked look crept across Koenma's face. Did this benevolent young woman whose very body has become the Shikon no Tama due to her purity and heart say that she had thought of harming someone? Was she serious? One look at her and the mischievous twinkle in her eyes told the answer. Yes, she had indeed said those words; No, she wasn't really serious. The thought had crossed her mind in a fleeting moment of insanity, but she could never do such a thing.

 

`Kami she is starting to remind me of the Fox with that look in her eyes.' Hiei thought to himself as he once more studied her features before lifting his form from the floor with fluid grace and made his way to the door.

 

“I'm leaving for now. I am sure that this,” Hiei motioned towards the strand of energy still connecting him to Kagome “will notify somehow if you require my presence?” The fire apparition hadn't meant his words to come across as harsh necessarily, but when he saw Kagome flinch slightly at his tone, he knew he had failed in doing so.

 

Kagome looked to him almost sadly as she nodded her head, `Is he ready to be done with me so soon?' “Yes it will. You should feel a sort of tug on your own soul when I am becoming unstable.”

 

Hiei nodded his head once to Kagome and once to Koenma before tightening his hand around the door handle. `Damn! I shouldn't have even looked at her! Now, my body doesn't want me to leave. Ridiculous! I will not be controlled in such a way!' The fire apparition thought angrily as he twisted the handle and fled the room. He was irritated once more, with the betrayal of his body and the emotions he didn't want to feel that were being directed towards a certain raven-haired female.

 

~*~

 

Kagome felt a cold, emptiness creep across her heart when Hiei had left. They had all been rather comfortable with one another before, hadn't they? What had changed and why did he have to leave the way he did? Sighing heavily, she let her head drop until her chin rested on her chest, her bangs covering her eyes as her raven locks tumbled around her shoulders, forming an inky black curtain against the world.

 

`Why am I feeling like this? He is a full-blooded youkai for Kami's sake! I couldn't honestly expect him to put his life on the back burner simply because he was unwillingly pulled into the conundrum that is my life.'

 

At that moment, she desperately wanted to be back in her house…or in the feudal era…somewhere that let her feel at least a little bit at home. Suddenly, everything that had transpired since she had awoken crashed across her shoulders and she felt suffocated. She gasped for air and tried in vain to settle the incessant pounding of her heart while trying to bite back the tears that shrink wrapped her blue orbs. Succumbing to the fact that she felt more alone now than she had in years, Kagome drew her knees up under her chin, wrapped her arms about her legs and cried.

 

Koenma's eyes had been trained on the door of his office since the impromptu departure of Hiei. He was truly confused by his behavior. Although he knew that the hybrid was a demon of few words and rarely let emotion bleed through, the harsh way he had spoken seemed almost out of character. `Weren't we all enjoying ourselves?' The thought almost sounded absurd to the demi-god. Never in all his long years had Koenma imagined having a decent time with Hiei…especially in the company of an enticing female.

 

Even though he knew Hiei's past and was more than aware that he had never even come close to choosing a `mate', he had seen the look in the fire apparition's eyes when Yusuke had put moves on Kagome. It was jealousy. He mentally smirked at the thought of such an anti-social demon getting twisted up in a bought of jealousy over a once human female that he had just met.

 

It was then that he heard Kagome crying and when he turned to look at her, he was concerned to find her curled in upon herself, sobbing wretchedly into her knees. Seeing a woman of such beauty and purity reduced to a quivering mass of pain and tears was a sobering thought to the Prince of Reikai.

 

Gently, Koenma placed his hand on Kagome's shoulder, only to quickly steal it away when he felt her tense. “Kagome?” He started questioningly. It was obvious to him that she was tired and he knew she had been through quite an ordeal in her lifetime and it all came to a halt less than twenty-four hours prior. His heart clenched painfully in his chest when he felt a wave of unbridled sorrow pass through the link he shared with the woman. Just as he was about to question her as to what exactly was wrong, she sprung out of her position and threw herself against his chest.

 

He sat there stunned for a moment's time while his brain tried to comprehend exactly what was going on. He knew that Kagome was broken in more ways then one, so he assumed she was seeking comfort in him, since he had already provided it before.

 

Kagome sniffled a little before speaking, her words coming out slightly muffled because she had her face still pressed against Koenma's chest “It hurts so much. I am so tired of everything. Things were supposed to be better once Naraku was defeated and the jewel was completed. Why does this have to happen to me? He was purified! I personally watched his sorry hide go to hell! Can't I get some sort of break?”

 

At a loss of anything to say to the heartbroken female, Koenma settled for wrapping his arms tightly around her as he gently pressed his lips to the top of her head. “It will be alright Kagome. You have Hiei and I now and nothing will hurt you again. Hiei is a powerful demon and you are under his protection, as well as mine.” He said softly, hoping to make her feel a little better.

 

“I know,” Kagome started, sniffling once more and pulling away from his grasp to look him in the eyes “it's just that, it's the same thing again. All these unsuspecting people being forced to protect me! And it is all because of this damn jewel! I just want someone to be around me for me! Not because I need to be protected, or because I look like a dead lover, or because I can sense the jewel.” She said, taking a much needed breath. “I just want to be loved…for me.” She whispered sadly, looking down at her hands as they twisted the fabric of her clothes in her lap.

 

Koenma moved his hand to stop her fidgeting and noticed, on a side note, that her hands were small and fragile compared to his own…even though she knew the trials of battle. He reached out his other hand to her face and tenderly cupped her cheek, “Kagome, I can't speak for Hiei at all, but I want you to know that I would have agreed to help you even if I hadn't been “forced” to be your guardian. I know you have told me your story of the Feudal Era, but I also know there are things you left out.”

 

Kagome turned startled eyes to Koenma, only to have them lock with his own honeyed orbs. “How do you know that I haven't told you everything?” She said softly, not daring to trust her voice. Sure there were things she had left out; like the constant torment of her entire affair with Inuyasha. Earlier, she was sure that neither would care about such things. However, this was the second time Koenma had made mention of it and now she knew he truly wanted to know, for what reason was beyond her.

 

Before he had a chance to answer her, she began talking once more. “The things I haven't let you or Hiei in on are really of no importance to anyone but me. Mostly, the feelings and pain. Although I loved Inuyasha, he never loved me…not really. He loved Kikyou…and always saw her in me. I was only a replacement…a `weak and worthless imitation of the real deal' actually. She was the original guardian of the Shikon and his first, and only, love. I never stood a chance with him, but he led me on…and I let him. I just wanted to be loved.”

 

She sighed again before continuing, noticing that her heart was feeling a little lighter, “It was always `Kikyou was a better fighter.', `Kikyou was prettier.' Or `You are just a jewel detector.' It was constant but I couldn't help the fact that I loved him. I knew it would never be…could never be…but I still hoped. I am afraid that I am not good enough to even deserve your or Hiei's protection. Maybe things would have been better if I had not made it through that last battle and let Kikyou live.”

 

At this point, Koenma was beginning to think it was a good thing that Hiei had already left. He had seen the possessiveness in the eyes of the Koorime and knew that such knowledge would have sent him into frenzy. However, he was not fairing much better, truth be told. In fact, he was positively livid at the thought that such a wonderful woman had been broken down so much by the one she had loved. Any being alive, ningen, youkai or hanyou, would be lucky and hard-pressed to find such love and devotion in another. Yet, Inuyasha, a hanyou, had been loved unconditionally by this broken hearted beauty…and she was a human miko. Truly, the beast didn't deserve her.

 

Before she could blink, Kagome found herself once more in the warm embrace of the godling. Unconsciously, she sighed and snuggled deeper against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. He started to speak and she involuntarily turned her head to press her ear to his chest, “Kagome, he was not worthy of you. I don't know much about this Kikyou person but I find it hard to believe that you could ever be considered a replacement for anything. Trust me when I tell you that I would never treat you so badly.”

 

As the last phrase was spoken, Kagome felt her heart twitch as if reawakening. Would it be possible for him to stay this was towards her after he knew all of her? She hoped so. She liked how he felt wrapped around her and silently prayed that things would indeed be alright.

 

It was then that her stomach decided to make itself known once more, and a blushing Kagome pulled herself from the warm arms of Koenma with a slight chuckle, “I guess I should see about going home so I can eat and go to sleep. I am so tired.” As if on cue, she stretched languidly and stood up.

 

Koenma followed her to a standing position with a smile, “Of course. Are you sure you want to go home right now? I can make arrangements here for you if you like. You can head home in the morning and if you want, I will even go with you. I wouldn't mind meeting your family, seeing as how we will be around one another inevitably.”

 

`Such a sweetheart.'

 

Kagome smiled a genuine smile this time. “Actually, that would be nice. I am far too exhausted to face the wrath of my family's questioning right now. Are you sure I won't be a bother here?”

 

Shaking his head, Koenma answered “Not at all! I haven't had a good reason to take some time off in ages! Come!” He started, holding his hand out to her, “Let's go get something to eat and I will see to it you are settled in for the night.”

 

Smiling, Kagome took his hand once more and let him lead her from the office.