InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As Young Hearts Grow Older ❯ Surrender ( Chapter 2 )

As Young Hearts Grow Older

 

Chapter Two

 

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately for me, do not own Inuyasha.

 

As Inuyasha fell down the well, he became enveloped with the familiar blue light. He closed his eyes, remembering how often he used to make this journey. The feeling of weightlessness, the warmth surrounding him, all of these things he had almost forgotten. He almost couldn't believe how pleasant this feeling was and that he had never noticed it before.

 

The blue light began to gradually fade away. Inuyasha felt solid ground under his feet as he landed gracefully at the bottom of the well. He could just barely see the roof of the well house from his vantage point.

 

For a moment, he didn't make a sound. He just stood where he was, taking in the smell of the city, something he hadn't been around in far too long. It mixed with the musty smell of the well house and Inuyasha was sure that he would know Kagome's time, even if he was blind, simply because of the way it smelled.

 

He jumped up and landing smoothly on the wooden floor next to the well. He was a little bit surprised at how dusty it had become, especially in light of the way Kagome's grandfather had been so insistent on constantly cleaning the grounds of the shrine. Then it occurred to him that no one used the tiny shed anymore.

 

Inuyasha felt his heart sink a little bit at that idea. All this time he had wondered if Kagome had thought of him, had tried to come back to him through the well. He wondered if she ever watched for him. It appeared evident that she hadn't. He wondered if she really had moved on without him. He hoped that she didn't.

 

He climbed the stairs of the well house, sliding open the door carefully. He didn't want to make any noise or bring any attention to himself. He wasn't even sure what he would say or do, if he would take any action at all.

 

The cool night air slid across his skin, lifting strands of stray hair from his face. He walked silently over to the Goshinboku, praying silently for it to lend him some kind of strength or courage. He gazed up at his usual perch on the God tree.

 

Inuyasha wondered why things couldn't just be like before. He wished that he could just sit up in his place and Kagome would come out and find him like she always did before. In his heart, he wanted it to be that simple. In his head, he knew it would not be that easy for him.

 

He turned at looked up at Kagome's window. Her light was on and he saw movement in her bedroom. Inuyasha's eyes went wide.

 

oOo

 

Kagome filled her teacup with the fresh hot water and grabbed a bag of tea. Jasmine tea, it was sure to comfort her aching heart and help her to get some sleep. Tea always made her feel better. She loved feeling the warmth course through her body.

 

She turned carefully, trying hard not to spill any of the hot water. She slowly made her way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to her room. It was too late to study anymore, she concluded. She decided it would be best if she just drank the rest of her tea and resigned herself to going to bed.

 

Kagome returned to her window. She couldn't help but look outside one last time before she went to bed. She fixed her gaze on the well house. No matter how much her brain begged, her heart wouldn't give up on the idea that he would come back.

 

Just then, Kagome noticed something. The door to the well house was open. Her eyebrows came together as a confused look clouded her features. She couldn't remember if it had been open before, but she was fairly certain that the door was kept closed these days.

 

A splash of red moved in the corner of her eye. She turned her immediate attention to the Goshinboku. She saw him standing there.

 

Kagome's heart began to pound in her chest and her knees went weak. Her hands started to shake. She dropped her teacup to the floor with a loud clatter.

 

He looked up. He looked right at her.

 

Kagome's door slid quickly open. “Kagome! What on Earth is going on here?” her mother asked.

 

Kagome whirled around, startled. “I-I-I…He's outside!” she blurted out.

 

Mrs. Higurashi stalked over to the window. She fixed her gaze intently on the grounds before her. “Where is he?”

 

Kagome turned and looked out again. “He was just there!” she cried desperately.

 

Inuyasha was gone. She was sure she had seen him in the courtyard! Tears began to form in her eyes.

 

Mrs. Higurashi gave her daughter a sympathetic look. “Darling, I know how badly you wanted him to be there. But it's so dark and so late. Maybe it's time you got some rest. How long has it been since you got any sleep?”

 

Kagome didn't even know. She hadn't slept well in days. She felt foolish for thinking it had been Inuyasha. It was probably just her heart playing tricks on her. It had just seemed so real.

 

Her mother walked her over to the bed. She sat down, her mother sitting next to her. “Dear, I want you to really get some sleep. You can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not healthy. Why don't you get yourself ready for bed and I'll clean up this mess, alright?”

 

Kagome was brought back to reality with that. She looked up at her mother, guilt written all over her face. “I'm so sorry, mama! I didn't mean to break that teacup!”

 

The tears in Kagome's eyes began to spill out onto her cheeks. Her mother gave her a smile. “I know, my love. It's alright! Accidents happen. It was only a cup.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi took her daughter into her arms, cradling her like she did when Kagome was just a girl. Things had been so rough for her little baby lately. She desperately wanted to be able to do more for Kagome, but she had no idea how. Kagome had become withdrawn and sullen. She never wanted to talk about her feelings anymore.

 

As her mother stroked her hair, Kagome tried to quiet her tears. She took a few deep breaths. Her tears became smaller and fewer between and her breathing slowed. She choked down the sobs that wanted to come out of her throat.

 

Kagome felt ridiculous. She gently pulled away from her mother, wiping at her eyes furiously. “I'm sorry mama. I guess I'm just under a lot of stress because of my studies. I'll help you clean up the mess I made.”

 

“Darling, don't you worry about this mess at all. Go and get your pajamas on and brush your teeth. I'll take care of everything.”

 

Kagome stood up, looking down at her mother. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

 

“I love you too, dear,” her mother smiled.

 

Kagome headed for the bathroom and her mother headed for the closet to grab a few rags. Mrs. Higurashi began to soak up the tea on her daughter's bedroom floor and pick up the shards of what remained of her teacup. When she stood with the broken pieces to take them to the wastebasket, she glanced up and a bright blue flash caught her eye.

 

The well house door stood open. Kagome had been right! Inuyasha had been there. Mrs. Higurashi thought better of telling her daughter. She didn't want the waterworks to begin again tonight. Kagome needed her rest and her mother was going to make sure that she helped her get it.

 

oOo

 

There she was: Kagome, standing at her bedroom window, looking straight at him. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. His feet felt like cement blocks, pinned to the ground. He was powerless. All he was capable of doing was staring at her.

 

He heard the familiar sound of breaking china as she dropped whatever was in her hand. The look on her face was a mix of disbelief and incredulity. She was frozen in her place too.

 

They stared at each other for what felt like an hour, though he knew that it was only a few moments. He felt his chest tighten as his heart was flooded with emotions he wasn't even sure he could give a name to. He was bound to her, he was sure of it now. She was meant to be in his life; seeing her felt too right.

 

Kagome whirled around and he heard the muffled voice of her mother. He took that opportunity to hide against the outside of her house, just below her window. He listened intently to her conversation with her mother.

 

A mixture of surprise and confusion came to his face when he smelled her tears. “Is she crying?” he whispered to himself. “Damn…”

 

He heard her sobs as her mother tried to comfort her. He wanted to run up to see her, hold her, and tell her everything would be alright. Yet, his body felt like lead. The knowledge that he needed to be alone with her kept him glued to his place, pressed against the outer walls of the Higurashi home.

 

Inuyasha took a small amount of comfort in the fact that her mother seemed to be making Kagome feel better. He could hear their conversation, how gentle the older woman was being with her daughter. It made him miss his own mother.

 

When he heard their footsteps trail away from the room, he made a dash for the well house. He didn't want them to find him, not tonight. He paused at the door of the small shack, looking back at the light in her window. Disappointment filled him and he resolved silently to come back in the near future.

 

As stealthily as he could, he descended the stairs of the well house and hopped down through the well. Blue light surrounded him once more, returning him to his own time.

 

Inuyasha climbed up his side of the well. There was a time when he had become so accustomed to this action that it didn't even seem like a task. He smiled bitterly as he thought about all the times he had gone back to apologize to Kagome.

 

Why had the last time been so different? Why had he been so foolishly reluctant to go to her? Was he that afraid of confessing his feelings? He had never feared anything in his life more than he feared her rejection.

 

Somehow, Kagome had always had the ability to calm him. He hadn't known why at first, but he trusted her in a way he had never trusted any human. There was something about her that made fire burn in his veins every time he saw her.

 

He walked across the clearing and into the forest. “Damn it!” he cursed to himself. “Why can't anything ever just be simple?!”

 

Angrily, he found his perch on the Goshinboku. He had to do something to show her he cared. He was sure that he had to tell her his feelings before it was too late. An urgency washed over him, made him feel like his time was waning fast. He felt in his heart that if he didn't act soon, he was going to lose her forever.

 

Inuyasha held his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. One thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to lose her. He had spent two years making the biggest mistake he could: living his life without her in it. He didn't want to do that anymore.

 

“I give up, fate. You win. I need her. I love her! But what do I do?” he cried out to the night sky. “I have to do something. I just need to know what!”