InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As Young Hearts Grow Older ❯ Convergence ( Chapter 6 )

As Young Hearts Grow Older

 

Chapter Six

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated with the series.

 

 

The wooden bucket clattered noisily to the ground. Kagome took off at a run for Inuyasha. He stood in front of the well house, staring at her. When she reached him, she flung her arms around him.

 

Mrs. Higurashi and Jiichan turned to see what was happening. When they saw the hanyou, they immediately understood. Jiichan lit the last two fireworks and went into the house with Kagome's brother and mother.

 

“What the-“ Sota exclaimed as he was being dragged towards the back door. A glance behind him, and he understood. “Oh…”

 

Neither of the two wanted to break their embrace. The moment was filled with a kind of magic. The night sky sparkled with the assorted colors of the fireworks and Inuyasha could smell Kagome's hair. Then, suddenly, the scent of her tears filled his nostrils.

 

“Inuyasha,” she sobbed into his haori. “I was so scared that I would never see you again!”

 

He brought his hand up, stroking her black hair. “Kagome…”he whispered. “I was afraid you'd never want to see me again.”

 

Inuyasha pulled away from her, placing a finger under her chin and raising her face. He looked into her eyes, wiping away a tear with the pad of his thumb. He handed her the flowers. “Sango said that girls like flowers,” he blurted out.

 

Kagome looked down at the stargazer lilies. She tried to speak, to thank him, but the flowers only blurred in her vision as tears began to roll at a quicker pace down her cheeks. “For…for me?” she stammered. Her lips quivered and she muffled a wail. “I'm so sorry, Inuyasha! I shouldn't have said the things I said about Kikyou. I was angry and I-“

 

He placed a clawed finger over her lips. “It doesn't matter anymore. I was so stupid to let you leave, Kagome. I never should have let so much time go by.” Kagome heard his voice break. “Please…don't ever leave me again.”

 

Inuyasha pulled her into an ardent embrace. He held her tightly, as though he was afraid if he let go, she would run. Kagome put her arms around his back, encircling him just as intensely. She rested her head on his shoulder.

 

Her eyes widened in shock when she felt him begin to tremble. His breathing became labored, irregular. She pulled her head up just enough to look at his face. The small paths of tears could be easily identified on his cheeks.

 

Kagome's lips curled into a sympathetic smile. She stroked his hair to comfort him. He pulled her close again and she could feel his lips gently kissing the top of her head. She balled her other fist in his haori, clutching the fabric at his back tightly.

 

“Inuyasha,” she started, quietly, “I knew you'd come back.”

 

He sniffled a little, attempting to collect himself. “Yeah, well…I guess I should have done it a lot sooner.”

 

Inuyasha looked down into her eyes. The beautiful chocolate brown pools staring back at him made him ache inside. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her face towards his, and leaned down to kiss her.

 

Her lips were soft against his. Her body melted into him as she began to kiss him back, her initial shock wearing off. Her mind raced. Please God, she pleaded, let this be real. Don't let it be a dream! Just give me this one little thing!

 

When Inuyasha pulled away, breaking the kiss, Kagome's heart sank. She buried her face in his chest. It was all she could do to keep from crying again, but this time from happiness. She never thought she'd see him again. She was so glad he was standing in front of her.

 

Inuyasha sighed contentedly. He didn't know what he was going to do from here, but he knew that he was never going to leave Kagome out of his life again. His heart felt lighter just being around her. Things simply felt right.

 

Kagome gripped his hand and pulled him towards the house. “Where are we going?” he asked.

 

“Inside. I have to put these flowers in some water. I want them to stay fresh,” she said.

 

He stopped in his tracks. “Kagome… I love you.”

 

She turned back, her eyes meeting his evenly. “We can talk later. I just want to be with you now.”

 

oOo

 

Sango gazed into the fire, scooting herself closer to it's warmth without even noticing what she was doing. Miroku placed a comforting arm around her shoulder and gave her a conspiratorial smile. Sango grinned back at him.

 

Though it was spring, the evening had grown unusually cold. Shippou had curled up in the corner and fallen asleep rather early. Miroku found himself surprised at Shippou's willingness to accept sleep so eagerly. He had assumed that he would fight to stay awake to be able to badger Inuyasha about where he had gone.

 

If there was one thing that Shippou loved in life, it was seeing Inuyasha angry. Miroku wasn't quite sure why it pleased the kitsune as much as it did, seeing as he often became the one to bear the brunt of the hanyou's irritation. However, much as he wanted to keep the peace, the little tiffs the two often found themselves in the middle of were their one true way of bonding with each other. In a way, it was endearing.

 

Kaede added more wood to the fire, poking it into a place where it would best catch the flames. She too felt the chill of the evening, her bones aching to remind her of her advancing age.

 

She cleared her throat pensively before speaking. “Miroku, I wonder, have ye noticed a greater number of demon attacks on human villages recently?”

 

Miroku's gaze shifted from the sleeping child to Kaede's aged face. “Now that you mention it, Kaede-sama, they have been increasing.”

 

Sango nodded in agreement. “What do you think could be causing such a thing?”

 

Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Well, it cannot be Naraku. He has been gone for two years. And we know it wouldn't be the sacred jewel because we destroyed it.”

 

“Yes, `tis true. I fear we may be facing a new kind of evil. I sense a maleficent presence building power. But to what avail? What is its purpose?” Kaede wondered aloud.

 

Sango rubbed her hands together. She was nervous about what this could mean for the group. She was also curious as to whether or not Kagome would be able to help them this time.

 

Sango missed her friend dearly. She really hoped that Inuyasha wasn't in the middle of screwing things up any further than he already had. Despite her desire to see Kagome, Sango wasn't sure she wanted to have her return to such unpleasant circumstances.

 

“I guess,” Sango conjectured, “it's just a matter of waiting. Whatever is doing this will reveal itself to us in due time. I just hope we'll be ready for it.”

 

Kaede and Miroku nodded in agreement. Outside, the wind picked up, whistling loudly through the trees. The night seemed to get even darker.

 

oOo

 

Kagome's eyes fluttered open. Dawn was newly breaking outside her bedroom window. She sat up, confused. Looking down, she realized she was in her pajamas. Kagome tossed the covers aside and moved to the edge of her bed.

 

Suddenly, she remembered last night. The realization that she had woken up alone slapped her across the face. Panic gripped her. Was it only a dream? Gods, please, don't let it have been just a dream!

 

She looked around her room wildly. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. Kagome fought back tears as she sat back down on her bed. Maybe it was just a dream. I'm such an idiot!

 

Kagome pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. Maybe I just wanted to see him so badly that I made it all up…She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let any of the rogue tears make their way down her face. The last thing she wanted was to spend more time crying.

 

She remembered how comfortable she had felt in his arms, lying on her bed, her head resting on his chest. She recalled the sound of his even breathing next to her. It couldn't have been a dream, she told herself. There was no way that a dream could have made her feel so safe.

 

Kagome felt the bed shift as some one sat next to her, placing a hand on her lower back. She was sure it was her mother or Sota. “Go away,” she said, though it was muffled by her pajamas. She didn't even bother to open her eyes.

 

“You know I can't leave you like this,” came the reply from her side.

 

Kagome's head snapped up and her brown eyes met Inuyasha's amber ones. The tears in her eyes began to fall from the respite that she felt. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly. Surprise lit Inuyasha's features.

 

“I was so afraid that it was all just a dream! When I woke up alone I was so scared that I hadn't really been with you last night at all!” she bawled.

 

Inuyasha's face softened, a small smile coming to rest on his lips. Some things never changed and he was glad that she still hungered for him so intensely, despite their separation. “Shhh,” he comforted, “I'm here. Everything is alright. I wouldn't leave you like that.”

 

Slowly, she began to regain her calm. Her breathing slowed and her tears stopped. She wanted to look at him, to talk about the night before, but she didn't want to leave his arms. She hesitated, resting there another moment.

 

Inuyasha was the first to break the contact. He pushed Kagome back so that he could look into her eyes, holding her at arms length with his hands on her shoulders. “Kagome?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Are you alright? I never would have left the room if I'd known it would upset you like this.”

 

She smiled reassuringly at him. “I'm fine. I was just afraid. But I don't have to be afraid anymore.”

 

She sighed contentedly, her smile widening. “There were so many nights that I sat awake and hoped that you would come through that well for me, even it if it was just to fight with me. I half expected you to come through just to tell me I was wrong. But then, when you didn't come, I almost gave up. And, even though I wanted to give up altogether, my heart just wouldn't let me.”

 

Inuyasha's hands dropped from her shoulders and into his lap. His face fell, ashamed that he waited so long. Kagome didn't wait for him to say anything.

 

“Every time I did something, I told myself that it was to forget you. But I could never do that. Not even if I wanted to. My efforts clashed with what my heart wanted me to do. Every time I had a wish, I wished for you. I knew that I would never be able to let you go, even if you had let me go,” she said.

 

“I wanted so badly to be bitter. Part of me thought that it would be easier for me if I could just hate you. I wanted to hate you. I don't think it would have been that simple for me, even if I could have twisted my pain into hatred.”

 

“I don't know if I can say that I ever believed in fate before all of this. I don't even know if I can say that I deserve the chance to make things right between us. What I do know is that I love you with all of my heart. I always have. And there's no way that I can ever be without you.” She sighed. “I don't know if it was fate or destiny, but there was a reason for it. The universe was bringing us together.”

 

Inuyasha was looking into her eyes now. Calm hope blanketed his face. He took her small hand into his clawed one before he spoke. “Kagome, there are some things that I just know. Some things that are just so right I can feel them in the depths of my soul. You were made for me; I know it without a shadow of a doubt. I know I could never again live without you either. I've tried it. I've never felt so hopeless or empty as I do when you're not around.”

 

He paused and took a deep breath, glancing downward. He turned his eyes back to meet hers before he continued. He wanted desperately for her to know how sincere he really was in all that he was saying to her.

 

“I just know,” he continued, “that I can't go on without you. I'll die if I don't have you in my life, Kagome. I'm not a whole person when you're not with me. I know that I made a mistake by letting you go. But, I swear, for the rest of our lives, I'll never make another mistake like that again if you'll just stay with me. Will you stay with me, please?”

 

His voice was thick with emotion and his eyes welled with tears as he spoke his peace. His face contorted with emotion. His last question to her sounded so distressed that Kagome's heart ached for her hanyou. She brushed her fingers against his cheek.

 

“Of course, Inuyasha. Of course, I'll stay with you.”

 

Inuyasha felt relief flooding to every cell in his body. He smiled brightly and pulled her into a frantic, tight embrace. Several tears fell down his face, but he ignored them. He tilted Kagome's face to his, kissing her softly.

 

Kagome felt the fires of his sincerity burning in his kiss. He touched her as though she was the only woman that he had ever allowed into his heart. His passion was almost contagious, the ferocity of it consuming them both.

 

Her fingers began to entwine in the hair at the base of his neck, tracing lazy circles along the flesh. His hands, which had fallen to her hips at the beginning of the kiss, now slowly moved to the small of her back. He applied a small amount of pressure, easing her body closer to his.

 

Kagome could taste the tears that were falling from his eyes. She pulled away, wiping gently at his face with the fingers of her free hand. He smiled at her, genuine joy radiating from every pore. She was sure she could be content with drowning in his tears right then, as long as they held each other.

 

She wondered why they had never been able to admit their feelings to each other before. She contemplated chalking it up to the old adage about absence making the heart grow fonder. She pushed the thought from her mind as Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak to her.

 

“I meant what I said last night, Kagome. I love you.”

 

She smiled. “You don't know how long I waited to be able to hear you say that.”