InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beast ❯ The Morning After ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: Even if I were rich, I wouldn't own Inuyasha. I can't draw.

A/N: Moving. School. People moving to school. Ewwwww. And they all make me late to update. I think we can (mostly) all agree that these things therefore suck. Well, now that I'm back home and riding a wave of melancholy thanks to yet another departure of someone close to me (stupid damn school!), here's a new chappie thingy for everyone. (Especially Amy. She's up at a new college away from all of us, so we say hi through the Internet, wheeee.)

...Psych. Thanks to the long gap, I have some reviewer responses I wanna do. The rest of y'all can skip down now. `Cause you're all psychic and know if you're listed here or not. Yeah. (cough) I do love hearing from everybody, though, so just `cause you're not mentioned doesn't mean that I hate you: it means I've been up for 20 hours and I wanna get this thing uploaded NOW. :''D

Midoriko-sama: Wow, ego boost indeed...especially since I found the `Beast' thread on Green Tea. I was so embarrassed...! (bow) `Twas an honor to hear from you here. (Another funny thing is, that GT thread was - probably inadvertently - started on my birthday. Kudos to Viitoria. XD)

minaosu: Here you go, sis. I've gotten up at 6 and pulled an all-nighter `cause of you twice this week, but you rule anyway.

ArtemisMoon: Your kittens are sooo cute...(ahem) I mean, thanks. : )

Pillarchick: Hey, cuz, here's a new chapter...and you get a shout-out `cause you were my 200-th reviewer! Nice, ne? :D

SilverStarWing: You're the only person who pointed that out. ;) I was wondering if anyone would notice...mwa ha ha ha ha.

RocktheDesert: Everyone, this is my oldest brother, and he's currently stationed in Iraq. This man kicks ass. I don't know when he'll see this, but when he does, you rule, Rob!

Shjorpa: Thanks for ze many nice compliments; I hafta politely disagree about Kag being ooc (after all, I'm the author, it'd be kinda scary if I didn't). She's rougher around the edges, more cynical and sharper than canon Kagome, but that's because of the setting, and I really don't think she's set in her opinion of him-she's already cut him a lot of slack `cause she's getting to know him better. Always nice to hear well-worded and polite constructive crit, though. :D

JaneDrew: Ahhh, predictions. I love it. :D And I will say nothing more. ;)

Once again, now that I'm firmly entrenched back at home with my writer's block loooong gone and Tales of Symphonia no longer distracting me from precious precious writing time, your reviews mean a lot to me (as measured by my evil laughter when I read them, so keep `em coming, very please). Oh, and hi, Mom.

Beast

Chapter 18

Inuyasha did not actually sleep that night: he'd been advised that certain concessions might be made on his new moon nights as far as the curse went, but as he had forgotten to ask his guest That Question (as he now sullenly thought of it), his exhausted mind could only sink into a numb doze that, under the circumstances, he was glad to accept as a substitute. It hovered far enough from consciousness that the last threads of cold fire running through his veins no longer registered, but not close enough to slumber for him to dream. Instead, even as he instinctively huddled the warmth against his front closer and felt it shift back obligingly, Inuyasha listened to his thoughts careen around his skull.

So. I did it on purpose.

The hell I did! I remember what happened, and no way I did that on purpose! She's the one who stumbled in front of me as I took that centipede out!

So, what, is she lying just to piss me off or mess with me?

She's got better ways than that, and she was always such a bitch about people lying outright...dodging around the truth was an art form, sure, but lying? No. No way.

Okay then, somebody's got something wrong somewhere. And Kagome's in the middle of it. Again. Great.

Both sides faded into silence so his brain could remind itself how furious Kagome had been at the Tree. Guilt jabbed at him stealthily, and his defensive reflexes twitched violently in response. What?! She was hiding all that crap about the wolves from me! And she was yelling at Kikyou! What else was I supposed to do?

That lone voice faltered under the weight of his conscience's disapproval, and it died away with a few more sulky mutters, unaccustomed to opposition from that quarter. Shit.

The unrest that his physical pain and Kagome's ministrations had put aside now crept back up on him. Things had ended badly, just about as much as they possibly could've...but even at her most vengeful, Kikyou...his Kikyou...wouldn't have called him a murderer and a liar when it plainly was not true.

A vague notion came to mind that, well, maybe this ghost really wasn't his Kikyou...that she had really died that horrible night, and left only a spirit who-

NO! Inuyasha rejected that thought so violently that he nearly woke himself up. But he regained some control before he could come awake, just in time not to notice Kagome stirring uneasily against his chest. No, that's a load of crap. It's Kikyou, all right...

...Kikyou... Just the name itself brought back a flood of memories, and once more he watched as his mind ran off, coming back with his earliest recollections of her.

Demons - or, in this case, those gifted/afflicted with demon blood - did not use narcotics, and so Inuyasha had never had any real analogies to try to sort out how he initially felt towards the young priestess who showed up, uninvited, one otherwise inconspicuous day and made it calmly, politely, excruciatingly clear to the demon guards that she was going to speak to Izayoi-sama, or someone was going to get hurt.

On the one hand, he certainly didn't like her. In fact, the first few times he got caught staring at her or trailing after her out of boredom or curiosity (about the Jewel, of course, not that he cared about some stuck-up human wench), Miroku himself had even cautioned him to avoid her. But the well-deserved words of warning hadn't dispelled the strange feeling Inuyasha gradually developed as the weeks passed into months and Kikyou began to tolerate the way he would shadow her around the grounds, waiting for her to emerge from her daily rituals in the shrine, flitting from branch to branch in the trees ahead of her when she left to gather herbs in the woods.

At first, Kikyou had affected ignorance of, then indifference towards his presence; she was fully capable of destroying any demons who assumed that a lone human female must by definition be vulnerable, and such power meant she needed little protection-and certainly not from the castle's untrained hanyou lord. Before long, though, she began greeting him as he approached, with what he'd believed to be total stealth, and even invited him to join her in a quiet clearing one day three months after her arrival.

"No sense in staying up where no breeze blows and no fruit grows," she'd said with uncharacteristic whimsy as he dropped warily to the ground and sniffed in her direction suspiciously.

"Don't give me that, witch. What're you doing out here?" he'd growled, irritated as always by her unflappable manner and at having been caught yet again.

"Hmmm." Kikyou shrugged slightly, half-smile unwavering as she removed a piece of fruit from one voluminous sleeve and bit into it. "I wanted to see if you would follow, as always."

Inuyasha couldn't offer a sensible answer, so he'd grunted and folded his hands into his own wide sleeves, settling down with an undignified thump some feet away. "What do you care?"

"You have your own duties to attend to, and you have followed me. The question is misaimed." Her expression was grave, but Inuyasha couldn't help wonder if he was imagining a glint of something very lacking in solemnity lurking beneath the facade.

"Feh." Bitch is mocking me again. But he couldn't summon any real irritation, beyond of course his irritation at not getting irritated. He eyed her suspiciously again and edged away. And I can't seem to stay away from her! What's she doing to me?

"Did you wish to ask something?" the priestess inquired coolly, replacing the remains of her squeezed-dry fruit and suddenly extracting a fresh one, which she tossed lightly to Inuyasha.

He caught it with two fingers and lowered it without looking away. "What're you after?"

"After?" Kikyou raised one eyebrow and met his glare with calm indifference. "I wish nothing from you except peace to go about my duties. Your attendance has both helped and prevented me from attaining it, so I hardly know whether to request you leave or not."

He didn't get enough of that to respond, so she went on uninterrupted. "Acting as unbidden escort cannot be your only occupation. Tell me, does Izayoi-sama mind the way you spend your time? Nearly all of it?"

"She...well..." Inuyasha scowled, clutching the fruit tighter and examining the tiny flecks on its skin to avoid the priestess's eyes. Suddenly he felt fairly idiotic: his mother had no clue just how much time he spent tailing Kikyou. And for no reason. Dammit, she's got me. Why the hell didn't I stay inside today?!

Kikyou regarded him steadily, face as blank as ever, then smiled ever so slightly and got to her feet. "We should head back now. If you must persist, mind you don't frighten the children tomorrow. We're going out to the Tree so I can show them the flowers."

And that was that. She'd ignored him completely the next day, and the next, and Inuyasha had dreaded the gentle grilling he was going to receive when his mother caught wind of how he was harassing her guest. But none was forthcoming, and as more time passed, he suspected only Miroku, a few of the servants and maybe the two demon slayers were even aware of his growing attachment-and those only from keen observation or half-guesses, certainly not from speaking with either priestess or hanyou. Kikyou had no friends except perhaps the children, and they were hardly suitable confidantes-

Inuyasha was almost grateful when his brooding faltered, dropping off as physical sensation took over and he became aware that something was tickling his nose. What the...?

His eyes were still glued shut, but as he gradually came to, he also noted that whatever was bothering his nose was also quite warm despite the chilly air and smelled like...what was that scent? Gentle, feminine, but not , and familiar...one more whiff...

Kagome. That's Kagome. He breathed in deeply and let out a long sigh, curling around her absently as the tenseness drained from his muscles. Dunno what she eats to make her smell so n-

Smell...hair...Kagome...wait.

What the...?

One eye cracked open, and sure enough, there she was, top of her head inches from his nose, back plastered to his front, head resting on his arm.

His first instinct was to...well, go back to sleep. He was tired, after all, and she was warm, peaceful, it was quiet...

...Wait. What the hell...?

His next instinct was to fully open his eye and confirm, with the tenth of his brain that was functional, that he wasn't mistaken.... Nope, that's Kagome. Good, thought I was relapsing...time I fell asleep in Mom's room and got caught drooling all over her favorite old kimonos...not my fault, smelled good...

He yawned and, out of courtesy, pried the other eye open and peered closer to be sure he hadn't drooled on her hair-and she turned over in her sleep, coming to rest with a small sigh against his chest. That was when it began to occur to him that all was not right with the world.

...What the HELL?!

His next instinct, as he twitched fully awake, was to squeak like a girl, jump to his feet, and put about half of Japan between them. Instead, though, his body decided to freeze, while his mind haltingly doubled back and confirmed that, yes, somehow, he had fallen asleep...on the pavilion...and somehow wound up draped over Kagome, but...but...okay, he didn't know how, but there had to be a logical explanation somewhere, didn't there?

Further alarmed by his own sudden skepticism towards the existence of a logical explanation, he briefly debated shaking her awake and demanding to know if sake had been involved, and, if so, assurance that nothing had happened. But, considering her capacity, she wouldn't be much better a judge than him...and besides, he didn't smell any booze. No booze...shit. I'm out of ideas. Better not shake her, then, I guess...

Instead, with exaggerated care, as though she was a light-sleeping and very dangerous animal, Inuyasha slowly peeled his arm off her waist and very, very carefully tried to shift back and away from her. C'mon, don't move, don't move, d...shit!

Sure enough, Kagome, still asleep, promptly scooted with him and reattached herself with another sigh.

Aw............crap. Inuyasha gulped and willed his heart to stop hammering lest it wake her up. Then he remembered that she was human and probably couldn't hear it she?

He squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them in utter bewilderment. What the hell happened? Why are we out here?

Inuyasha squinted into the predawn greyness for clues and realized that his eyesight had already returned. A careful sniff at the air revealed that his nose was coming back up to speed, too; that and his proximity to Kagome must have been what had woken him up.

Wait...came back. New moon...

Vague memory returned, and he flexed his shoulder, which had healed itself along with his neck sometime in the night.

Well, that explained the blood-stink crusting the paved floor under his cheek, his white kimono and parts of his haori.... He forgot to be embarrassed in a moment of sudden terror before he realized that it was all his, and overwhelming relief cleared his head a bit further. Kagome's not hurt. Good.

One neck-straining look to their right confirmed his hazy recollections of a spider, Kagome, and lots of pain: there was a fine scattering of black dust where the demon had been. Ye gods, she torched it like wood in dragon's breath. He glanced down with surprised respect, which swiftly turned to panic when he raised his arm to smooth her hair back absently and caught sight of his hand. Shit! The sun's not up yet...!

A frantic look over his shoulder did nothing to allay his fears; he had at least a couple of minutes before the sun would rise over the horizon. Profanity clouded his thoughts for many a moment, before he realized that he was growling aloud and hurriedly stopped before he woke Kagome up.

Now what? Well, he could try to free himself again and pretend nothing had happened. That really sounded appealing...but what if she woke up and saw him? He couldn't get off the roof till after dawn; his senses always came back just before the sun did, but his legs wouldn't be able to manage that jump for at least a few more minutes. And there was nowhere to hide up here...

Maybe she'll stay asleep? Lazy wench'll keep going till noon if I let her. He snorted very lightly and set his head down cautiously, exhaling as the slight motions didn't disturb her even breathing. His foot twitched as she stirred. C'mon, don't wake up...

Now that he thought of it, the cold air wasn't bothering him, but Kagome couldn't be very comfortable without any covering. Hmmm...well, if I stay put, she won't wake up yet. Plus I'll have something to throw back if she tries to bring up last night. He grimaced at his own stupidity and weakness, begging for attention like a spoiled kid or a puppy. Good thing Fluffy's long gone...

But, on second thought, if she'd minded, she'd hid it pretty well, and he owed her double for not laughing at him. And for the spider. Gods, I hate the new moon! He scowled at the back of her head as he somehow managed to free himself long enough to remove his haori and tuck it around her, resettling without her so much as stirring. There, wench. We're even... He breathed in despite himself, and his eyes closed of their own accord. ...just as long as you stay this way.

Somewhere, he was sure in retrospect, some kami governing irony heard that thought, and thus it was that less than thirty seconds later he felt Kagome shift around, opened his eyes in sleepy curiosity, and froze again, even his heart skipping two beats: Kagome's head had moved from the lower crook of his arm up nearly to his shoulder, and centimeters from his face. He was willing his pulse to slow and just beginning to convince himself that maybe this was better - after all, he could see if she was awake yet much more easily now - when she mumbled something in her sleep and scooted as close as possible, draping herself half over him and settling down again.

Several things happened in Inuyasha's already beleaguered brain, and had he more experience or inclination, he could have done several things accordingly...but he had no experience to speak of and therefore had no clue what to do about what was happening, beyond his instincts.

Unfortunately, those were giving him highly mixed signals, and he desperately seized upon the most familiar.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Kagome jumped a mile at the half-gasped snarl in her ear, and she bolted upright almost in sync with him, clutching the haori and looking up automatically.

More asleep than awake, Kagome felt as if her brain had just snapped a quick shot instead of really registering anything; she had an impression of scowling, a fringe of sleek black hair, Inuyasha's voice...but-

But the light breaking over the horizon was too bright for her sleep-dulled eyes to take in more before everything suddenly went mercifully dark again.

...Wait. I'm not asleep... Kagome tried to catch her breath, grateful that she was still sitting. What happened? Why can't I s......oh Lord. ...No. No way.

But...that was what her eyes told her, so it had to be true. It wasn't an illusion...was it?

"Inu...yasha?"

He gulped again and willed the sun to hurry up. "Y...yeah?"

"Inuyasha, I'm going to ask you one question, and I want an honest answer."

Inuyasha suppressed a tiny yelp and steeled himself.

"Can you please tell me if I'm correct in assuming that you have your hand across my eyes?!"

He almost wilted with relief, but didn't lower his arm. "Uh...maybe?"

Kagome suddenly ducked backwards, catching another glimpse of bloodstains on his kimono and ebony hair before the sun slid over the horizon, directly into her eyes, and she squinted them shut. When she opened them, Inuyasha was gone.

"Inuyasha? What the...?" She stumbled to her cold-numbed feet and turned around just in time to catch him darting behind her again. "Wh...what are you doing?!"

"Just hold still a few more seconds." The panic in his voice caught her off guard, even more so than the fact that he was speaking into her ear. Hands pressed urgently on her red-clad shoulders. "Just a second longer."

Hands... Flashes from the previous night, the feeling that something was wrong, and the impressions on the haori now suddenly connected. His hands! Where are his claws?!

Further thought was forestalled by a light prickling on the back of her neck, and she shuddered as the skin bunched reflexively.

"Okay," Inuyasha mumbled, and she snatched at his hands, nearly pricking her fingers on one razor-edged claw.

"Crazy wench! Stop that!" He pulled them back. "What're you doing?!"

"You're asking me?" she snapped, and he shuddered at the unconscious echo. Thank heavens their voices don't sound anything alike...

Kagome whirled around and scowled at Inuyasha, who looked perfectly normal - for him, anyway, white hair, face stripes, red eyes and all - as he straightened his stained kimono. "Your claws weren't there a second ago, Inuyasha! And your hair, and you didn't have Tetsusaiga, and that thing..." She trailed off and glanced around, blinking in some surprise at the pavilion, empty save for them and her bow and arrows.

"See this?" Inuyasha strolled over to the spider's remains and brushed it aside disdainfully with one foot, affecting indifference and willing his pulse to slow down. Too close. "Dead. Nice job, by the way. Where'd you learn how to do that?"

"Don't change the subject!" Kagome stalked over to him and tugged accusingly on one white lock hanging alongside his jaw. "Myouga said something was up, that thing made a big deal about its timing, and you almost died! I'm not stupid, Inuyasha! What's going on?"

"Feh." Inuyasha crossed his arms, hands hovering awkwardly without any haori sleeves to slip into, and made a valiant attempt to walk away. With Kagome hanging onto his hair, though, he only managed a step before he was forced to stop. Kagome humphed and came forward a little, moving with him as he headed towards their usual launch point to get back down, refusing to surrender her grip. She made a note to laugh about it some time later, when cold, worry, confusion and anger weren't getting in the way of what was probably quite a funny picture.

"You're forgetting your junk," he said shortly, jerking his head towards the bow and failing to free his hair in the process.

"So I am. Now, tell me what happened?" Kagome let go, stalked over to her things, and slung the bow over one shoulder, reaching for the quiver. "You really had meAAAA!" She shrieked as the sun glinted dully on a thick layer of dried blood on her palm. "Oh my God! Inuyasha!" Kagome's chest constricted, and she stared at her hand in shock. "You..."

"Yeah, yeah, we can get you cleaned up as soon as-"

"You idiot!" Kagome's knees nearly gave out. "I can't believe you!"

"What? What'd I d-"

"You almost died, you moron!" Inuyasha's ears flattened in dismay as she gave him a teary glare. "And you're still not gonna tell me what happened, are you?"

"Hey, calm down! I'm fine!" He settled down next to her and swept his hair over one shoulder, angling his head away to display his neck. "Look, see? No more fang marks or anything. Now can we go?"

"You insensitive...!" To his utter bafflement, Kagome began to sniffle harder.

"What? Stop that! You did enough of that last night, and I can't handle any more right now, okay?"

"You can't handle any more?!" Kagome brandished her palm, and he flinched, half expecting a smack on the cheek. But she had already turned her wrist and was staring at the bloodstains.

The pause stretched into an uncomfortable silence, then into an extremely long and uncomfortable silence. Inuyasha was just beginning to wonder if she was giving him the silent treatment when she abruptly stood, rocking back a little on her heels. "Look, Inuyasha, I'll make you a deal."

"Deal? What kinda deal?" he asked cautiously, standing and leaning away lest she explode again.

"It's nothing you can't handle." Kagome grimaced and gave a little shake of the wrist, as though it would help to get some of the dried reddish-brown off. "I won't bring it up if you won't pretend it didn't happen."

Inuyasha's ears flicked in perfect unison. "What?"

"I said, I won't bring it up - I won't tell anybody, not even Sango, so you better appreciate it - if you won't pretend it didn't happen. As in, no hanging around outside the next new moon." He growled, and Kagome tapped her foot impatiently. "Oh, come on. A blind guy could've figured out you get weaker then for whatever reason, okay? I told you, I'm not gonna tell anyone about it. If you didn't trust me enough to tell me before, at least trust me that far."

"Don't act like I should've told you," he snapped, turning his back and pacing towards the edge so he wouldn't have to see her expression. "I've been hiding it since I was a kid, okay? When maybe three people out of everyone you know don't want to kill you, you get used to not mouthing off about stuff like that."

"So you don't trust me at all, is that it?" Kagome set her jaw, unnerved by how much that hurt.

C'mon, you've known him three weeks, and he's been paranoid his whole life! What do you expect?

That logic didn't make the guilt she detected in his next snarl any less gratifying, though. "I don't trust anyone, bitch! Are you ever gonna shut up about this?!"

"I just said I will if you just try to take care of yourself a little better," she said with as much patience as she could muster. Maybe I should leave him out for another spider to find if that's what it takes to get him to be reasonable for five minutes!

Inuyasha's ears remained in near-constant motion as he digested that, and Kagome amused herself by watching them, ready for his about-face when they finally stopped. "You're not gonna tell anyone? And you promise not to bug me about it?"

Kagome sighed, resigning herself to the role of the one being granted a favor. "Yes, Inuyasha. I'm not telling anyone anything except that I came up after you and we stayed up here for the night. And no, as long as you stay inside next time, I won't say anything...unless you bring it up first."

"Feh. Why the hell would I bring it up?" He crossed his arms again as she came over to him.

"Because you're like a little kid with a secret when it comes to stuff you don't want to talk about: you sulk until we end up talking about it." She tugged on his hair gently and offered him a tentative smile. "You're sure you're all better now?"

Something about that smile stopped his brain for just a second, but he turned and crouched before he thought she noticed. "Speak for yourself, wench. You spent enough power to kill most priestesses. You oughta go see the hag once we get back down."

"I will," she replied obediently, wondering about that brief, blank look he'd tried to hide. Probably plotting revenge for the `secret' remark. But it's true, dagnabbit...

"Good," he said shortly as she stepped up and settled herself comfortably, bow, quiver and all. He tensed to spring. "It's a deal. Thanks. And that's all."

They were airborne almost the moment the quiet words left his mouth, but Kagome was sure she'd heard them. Guess I should be grateful for that much, even, she thought ruefully as they arced over the grounds - very pretty in the early light, not that she was able to devote much attention - and settled fairly gracefully outside the third floor.

Several servants had spotted them in the air, but Miroku was quicker: he'd heard the thump of their landing and was there to greet them before they were halfway to the stairs. "Kagome-sama! You're all right!" He clasped her hands briefly and bowed in palpable relief, then whacked Inuyasha without even looking up. "If you ever scare us like that again..."

"Why am I the one getting punished?" Inuyasha complained, but the monk was already ignoring him.

"Kagome-sama, please go see Sango-sama as soon as she wakes. I had to give her more...tea...to help calm her." Miroku folded his arms sternly. "She was quite worried about you, you know."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Kagome apologized, bowing back in genuine regret. "I just guessed where Inuyasha was, and neither of us realized how late it was by the time we...uh..."

"Killed the demon?" Miroku deftly caught her bloodied hand and thumped Inuyasha between the ears again, this time with feeling. "Do not tell me you let her get hurt and waited till now to bring her back!" He scowled, easily evading Inuyasha's attempts to wrest the staff from him. "Where were you? Kirara couldn't find you on the grounds anywhere, and the castle must've been turned inside out thrice over..." An arch look suddenly smoothed his features over. "Though Kaede thought she detected a warding somewhere one hadn't been before...you know, Kagome-sama, if you had truly wanted to be alone for the night, you didn't have to go to such lengths to-"

Inuyasha stopped mid-grab and plucked the monk off his feet, grasping the front of his robes so tightly that his claws punctured the fabric, and capped each word with a violent shake. "If - you - ever - bring - this - up - again - you die!"

Miroku nearly lost his footing as the hanyou dropped him and stomped back into his room, slamming it open and shut so hard that the walls rattled. "He's not in the best mood," Kagome said apologetically, grabbing the monk's sleeve and steering him as far away from Inuyasha as possible. Bruised ego, and Miroku just kicked it pretty hard. "We were...um...making sure no more demons followed us down into the castle. Inuyasha didn't like being stuck up there, so he's kinda...you know." She shrugged elaborately. "Yeah."

"Hmmm." Miroku eyed her thoughtfully, then smoothed the torn front of his robes and cast a look behind them. "I would sooner cut off my own head than doubt you, Kagome-sama, but you had only to summon us and we would have been glad to help stand watch."

"That's Inuyasha for you. Rocks in his head. Didn't want anyone interfering in protecting his castle. Stupid, huh? But not much you can do about it." Kagome forced a smile and another shrug to cover her babbling.

"He does seem quite out of sorts. If nothing more than that happened-"

Kagome stopped suddenly, smiling again with a distinct note of warning. "Yes, Miroku-sama?"

"Er...nothing." Miroku bowed and motioned for her to precede him down the stairs.

"Good. I'm gonna go take a bath now..." She started down, then paused, hopped three steps back up and upended her quiver on the wooden floor. Miroku's eyebrows rose considerably as Kagome riffled through the scattered arrows, scanned the area, and then snatched something up. "I knew you were still here!"

"You're as bad as Inuyasha-sama," the flea demon griped, struggling between her thumb and forefinger.

"We'll be just one second, Miroku-sama." Kagome bowed hurriedly and held up one finger, then dashed back down for a hurried, whispered conference with her struggling captive.

"You're going to keep quiet about what happened last night, right?" she hissed, crouching on the middle of the staircase, praying no one came by to see her squatting and talking angrily to her hand.

"Of course not, Kagome-sama," the flea wheezed, wriggling against her loose but firm hold. "As I said, I am not permitted to relate the details of Inuyasha-sama's condition, not even to you. Now, if you would kindly let me-"

"I'm not just talking about his condition!" Kagome glared at the tiny demon and brought him up to eye level. "The way he was talking and everything was just a fluke, you know, so I don't want you telling everyone we're engaged or anything!"

"You're engaged?" Miroku said with some interest from the top of the stairs, and Kagome jumped a mile, accidentally freeing Myouga in the process.

"I am not, Miroku-sama, so don't believe anything you might hear." Kagome gathered the remnants of her dignity, shrugged her bow all the way back onto her shoulder and turned to go downstairs.

"Of course not, Kagome-sama," Miroku replied blandly, and she dared to hope for a second that she might actually escape without further incident-until he continued innocently, "If I may be so bold, though, I daresay you might want to leave Inuyasha's clothing up here. Otherwise the servants may have reason to wonder why you're wearing it, blood and all-spoils of war, perhaps?"

Shippou waylaid her just outside the room with a tearful whine of "Kaaaagomee-ee!" and a direct leap into her arms.

"Hey, Shippou-chan," she whispered, patting the kit soothingly and shifting him more comfortably. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm not hurt, and neither is Inuyasha."

"But you were out all night and Sango was really scared and so was M..." The little boy faltered and buried his tiny nose in her shoulder for a second, snuffling around and looking up curiously. "Kagome? How come you smell like Inuyasha?"

Aaaaaaaargh. "He let me borrow his haori `cause it was cold out," she said truthfully, restraining the urge to ask if everyone in the castle was going to be sewing wedding kimonos by the end of the day. Hoping the curse gets broken is one thing, but come on!

"Yeah, it's still awfully cold in here compared to yesterday," Shippou agreed, folding his arms and nodding gravely. Then he sniffed again and ruined the impression of severeness by poking at her right hand urgently. "Kagome? Is that blood?"

"It's Inuyasha's. He got hurt a little, but he's okay now." Kagome flicked his nose very gently when he refused to stop the olfactory scrutiny. "C'mon, let's take a quick bath and get something to eat. Sango-chan probably won't wake up till noon, if she had a dose of that stuff again."

"She was really worried," he repeated, clinging to her shoulder as she entered the room quietly and picked up a long-sleeved shirt and jeans from the stack of clean laundry on the TV box. Sango had fallen asleep on her friend's bed, and Kagome eased the comforter back over her shoulders, guiltily noting the slayer's pale, drawn features.

"Are you sure that's Inuyasha's blood?" the kit asked suddenly as Kagome closed the outer shoji and turned towards footsteps approaching around the corner.

"Hello, Kohaku-kun," she greeted the boy as he hurried up, bowing and glancing past her anxiously. "She's still asleep...what was that, Shippou-chan?"

"It doesn't smell like half-breed blood. It's a lot different." Shippou wrinkled his nose. "It's more like yours, `cept you're a girl and he only acts like one sometimes."

"Now, now..." Kagome tapped his nose again, unable to suppress a smile despite sudden misgiving at the kit's observation. "It's been on my hand all night, and I'm not a half-breed, am I?"

"Nope. I guess that could be it." Shippou shrugged and, to her great relief, seemed satisfied to leave it at that. "Let's go take a bath now. I'm cold."

"All right." Kagome smiled reassurance at Kohaku, who was frowning at the shoji in obvious worry. "She'll be out for a few more hours at least at this rate. Could you do me a favor..." She unslung the bow. "Go upstairs and grab a quiver with some arrows I left on the third floor - Miroku-sama probably has them - and then put these outside with your weapons?"

"He carries his all the time anyway," Shippou remarked, and Kagome noticed that the boy did indeed have his chain sickle stashed at the small of his back.

"It's all right. I'll be glad to help," Kohaku said quickly, accepting the bow with a small bow. "Please tell me when she wakes?"

"Of course. And we'll have to play cards again later tonight-I could even teach you all a new game." That had the desired effect - a shy smile - and she thanked him again as he took off for the stairs at a trot.

"You're really nice to everyone," Shippou remarked as they lounged in the deserted baths a few minutes later. "It's kinda weird."

"Is it?" Kagome plucked him out of the water and settled him onto her knee, bouncing him a few times the way she'd used to do with Souta when he was small enough.

"Uh huh. The other lady never was. I don't think she knew how." Shippou giggled and nearly slid off as she protested with another bounce. "Well, humans always think they have to be serious for people to listen to `em. Lots of demons do, too, now that I think about it..." The kit shrugged philosophically. "But you're nice to everyone except Inuyasha. I think that's why the servants all like you so much."

"They do?" she couldn't help asking, even as she winced inwardly at his childlike bluntness. "I can be nice to him, too, y'know." Not that he cares...well, not that he shows that he does, anyway.

"Not when he's being stupid." Shippou ended the discussion with a little splash at her, and though the impromptu water war concluded shortly - once they realized how much was going over the sides rather than at each other - Kagome didn't quite feel like bringing it up again. It was nice of the kit to say so, though, especially when she sometimes felt as though she'd been conditioned for several years not to say anything unnecessary and give her sisters any ammunition. Well, damned if I'm going back to pretending not to be there when I come home!

The mental vow failed to make feel much better when Sango woke shortly after lunch, though. Once she assured herself that Kagome was intact, the slayer promptly began taking her apart. "Don't ever go out alone like that again!" she snapped, holding Kagome at arm's length from a short hug. "And after a demon, without saying a word to me, or the houshi-sama, or Kohaku?! We're here to protect you, Kagome-chan, and for you to run out to somewhere we can't find you and then stay there the whole night is absolutely idiotic, not to mention your lack of consideration for our feelings! What were you thinking?!" Sango gave her a little shake, rattling her teeth. "Promise me you will never do that again!"

Head spinning, Kagome apologized and gave a feeble explanation for her sudden exit, cursing her promise to keep Inuyasha's secret. Like she'd do anything to him, or tell anyone who would!

But keep it she did. Sango was clearly not satisfied, and Kagome was all too glad to excuse herself to go locate the garbage bags the wolves had brought, stashed away in one of the outside sheds, while she persuaded the slayer to go and make sure her brother knew she was awake. Thank God for ibuprofen. I'm gonna need three more bottles at this rate, and that's if I don't share with Sango...if she doesn't kill me first.

She swallowed two dry and sank to the cold dirt floor with a long sigh. Man, my head...that's right, I have to talk to Kaede. And tell Sango first. Ignoring her head's dull, steady pounding, she took one step outside and shivered as a cold gust whipped her hair back. Geez, what a mess. I hope Inuyasha's happy.

Inuyasha was not happy.

Miroku's blithe comment had still been gnawing at him that morning when the monk opened the shoji long enough to toss his haori in, and when Inuyasha figured out where he had to have gotten it, his mood had taken a turn for the deadly. Eventually he gave up the idea of tearing his room apart for the fifth time (or was it the sixth now?), willed the last tatami mat to unshred itself and headed for the practice room, as much to reassure himself that Tetsusaiga would still respond as to work off steam.

Though he had no trouble getting his sword to transform - he'd found that it did so at will after that encounter with the wolf lord - his frustration needed a greater outlet; for the first time he could remember, he was sorry Kouga wasn't around: he could've used a good fight. I took out enough trees the other day, too. Dammit!

Thus he kept at it all morning, not stopping for lunch and only allowing himself a brief rest in the afternoon when Miroku came by with a bundle of steamed dumplings. "Sango-sama is quite upset with Kagome-sama, you know" were the first words out of his mouth.

"Why the hell would I need to know that?" Inuyasha snapped, eyeing the food resentfully as Miroku selected a dumpling and took a large bite.

"You don't." The monk set the bundle down and knelt a safe distance away, finishing the dumpling in two more bites. "And Kagome-sama is speaking with Kaede now. From what little I could sense, she seems quite exhausted."

"Why wouldn't she be? She's all but a dried-up old husk." Inuyasha was losing the battle to pretend he didn't want any food, but distraction presented itself momentarily as Miroku's staff connected with his head yet again. "OW! That's it! I'm gonna take that thing and put it so far up your-"

"I meant that Kagome-sama is exhausted, you cretin," Miroku said coolly, selecting another dumpling with thinly veiled impatience. "I don't know what possessed you to be so badly caught off guard, but she obviously saved your life, and yet you sulk as though she's told everyone that you drool in your sleep."

"That was only once, bouzu! And..."

"And nothing." Miroku took one more dumpling and got up, leaving the rest of the food untouched. "Kaede will know better than I, but I expect Kagome-sama will be feeling the effects of her expenditure soon enough, and if you continue to nurse your wounded pride instead of considering her feelings, I will advise her that she'd be cared for better with Kouga."

"G...f..." Various phrases struggled to make it past Inuyasha's lips, but he could only sputter a feeble "...you!" as the monk left the room, closing the shoji with a pointed click. Bastard's always getting after me for slamming `em...!

Once he'd polished off the dumplings, angrily cramming them into his mouth and ruminating on what exactly he was going to do with that damned staff if the monk misused it one more time, Inuyasha picked the Tetsusaiga up and tried to think of more ways to train by himself. Used up all of them already, and I'm sick of repeating the same damn forms over and over...

The sword seemed to grow cooler in his hand, and he gripped it tighter, glaring at his father's fang. "What, are you gonna get after me, too?" he snapped, smirking slightly as it didn't respond. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

...And all at once it occurred to him that he was gloating over having told his sword off, and he slammed it point-first into the floor, slumping over in defeat. "Gods, I'm pathetic," he mumbled at the tatami. It wasn't Kagome's fault he'd gotten caught just as his demon blood receded and left him defenseless, and it wasn't her fault that Kikyou was trying to convince them that he'd murdered her.

Not only that, she defended you...against Kikyou, too... based on just your word, and she saved your worthless life, cried for you and only got angry at you for not taking care of yourself, after the way you've gotten her tangled up in all this shit and treated her like it was all her fault...want to keep going?

"No," Inuyasha mumbled aloud, head sinking onto his chest in misery. I killed Kikyou...not the way she's saying, but whatever happened, it was my fault. And now I'm...

He couldn't bear to finish that thought, but he didn't need to.

His sensitive ears barely caught the soft scrape of the shoji sliding open. Inuyasha was so absorbed in his self-recrimination that a quiet cough from the doorway scared him half to death. "Son of a...! Don't do that!" He leaped to his feet.

"Sorry." Kagome smiled wanly and coughed again, and guilt rose afresh as he realized she hadn't just been trying to get his attention. "Miroku said you've been in here all day. I wanted to make sure-"

"That I was okay, right? I'm fine." Inuyasha grabbed Tetsusaiga and sheathed it angrily. "You wanna eat now?"

"If you do," she said quietly, watching him in concern as he pulled his kimono back up and began to resettle his haori. She'd expected him to still be a little pissed, but this was a little much, even for Inuyasha.

"Quit giving me that look, b-wench. I said I'm fine." He jerked the last fold into place and strode out into the corridor. "I'll go order some food. Go make yourself comfy and don't get up."

"I can go get it if you w-"

"I said, go! You look like sh-" He bit his tongue so fast that it almost bled. "You look bad. Just...just go wait for me."

"Fine," she said tightly, with a trace more of her usual self. "I'll be in the usual place. Being comfy. And looking like sh." She ducked around him and marched to the dining room, refusing to slam the shoji, closing it instead with exaggerated care.

I swear to God he has the emotional intelligence of a dead fish! Once in the room, Kagome was too angry to kneel, preferring to pace instead. I try to be nice, and look what happens! "Maybe I should just give him the silent tr..." Another cough broke her off, deeper and raspier than before. Aw, dammit...

Inuyasha returned in record time to find her kneeling, hands folded in lap and face studiously averted. "Got food," he said lamely, setting the table himself for the first time, and she wondered if he even noticed he was doing it. He certainly seemed preoccupied, darting glances at her as he poured tea for her first, then sake for himself.

I'll be damned. Serving, and me first? He really is sorry. Again. Amusement and affection thawed her anger out a little. Jerk or not, you can see right through him. "Thank you," she said aloud, sipping her tea and keeping her eyes downcast as he glanced up again. And if I know Miroku, he probably gave him a good reaming before I came in...

"So what'd the hag say?" Inuyasha toyed with his rice, only plowing in when she answered noncommittally.

"Well, she says I'm drained down to my toenails, pretty much, and I can't use any power for anything for another week at the very, very least." Kagome tried, with limited success, to hold in another cough. Her headache hadn't quite gone away, either. "She also asked me to ask you if you've done anything with the barriers around the castle since I got here."

"No. Why?" Inuyasha was glad for the change of subject; he hadn't expected her to talk about herself much, but a very selfish part of him was glad she'd moved on anyway.

"She thought it was weird that the boundary near the shrine keeps changing depth, she said..." She got another cough out discreetly. "And that you haven't put up any demon wards. I thought you had, too, but the wolves, and..."

"Feh. Never got around to it." He took another sip and refilled his cup, wondering if he should offer her some to help with that cough. "When we were all asleep, there were three wards up: one to keep out humans, one to keep out demons of any strength, and one really weird one that made this place invisible to everywhere else around it. That one's still up, and so is the human one, but the demon one kinda fell apart."

"So how'd my dad get in here?" Kagome wondered aloud, and groaned inwardly as he scowled. What now?

"I don't know how he found it in the first place," Inuyasha admitted after a few seconds of dense silence. "But when I sensed him stumbling around, I figured I'd better bring his sorry ass inside before he froze and I had to deal with his ghost wandering around, not to mention the body."

"Thanks again for that," Kagome said softly. Then, before he could get more embarrassed and crabby, she coughed - not that she had to force it - and continued. "Are you going to put the demon one back up?"

"Maybe. Probably not. Too much effort, and besides, word'll get out soon enough about what happened to the spider. The wind should've scattered the ashes by now. That plus those damn wolves hanging around will keep the small fry away, and the big ones know better than to mess with me. Sounds like Fluffy's still around somewhere..." He drained his cup.

"Your brother? But that spider said it was trying to kill you because of him," Kagome pointed out.

"Nope. The spider thought Fluffy would want to see me dead, which is probably about right, but I know that arrogant prick, and he'd be really pissed if anyone but-" His voice dropped several octaves, in a mocking, almost croak-like drawl. "Awour exhaalted faaaahthah..." He grimaced and spoke normally. "...if anyone but Dad or him killed me, and Dad kicked it a while back."

Kagome almost choked on her tea at the impression. "He sounds like that?"

"Like a bored frog who looks like a woman and has a stick so far up his ass he can't even walk right? Something like that."

His smirk faded as her laughter died down and she began coughing again.

"I'm fine," Kagome rasped, flapping a hand impatiently at him. "But anyway, you're saying that spider was `small fry'? Are you sure you don't..." Her voice died, and Inuyasha scowled in concern as she drank the rest of her tea. "...don't want to put up a barrier for demons? It'd be safer that way."

"And have the wimpy wolf bitch at me for keeping his lackeys out? I think not. Plus, it takes up a lot of power, and I can handle any demons that might take a swipe at us again. It won't be a problem."

Kagome flushed slightly at the `us' and looked down at her cup. "Are you sure? I mean..."

"It'll be fine," he said tersely, and her headache intensified.

"If you say so." She smiled slightly despite the pain. And if you're obviously too nice to separate Kouga from his pack members, or if you don't want to draw from where Kikyou is...

She paused. Was that what had been bothering him all day, and not their little adventure with the spider? That's right, we had that huge fight about what Kikyou said, and that was why we weren't speaking up till yesterday. No wonder he was so edgy.

"What's that look for?" he snapped as she glanced up.

"Nothing. Ah..." Kagome swallowed. "You know, if you want to talk about anything..."

"Leave me alone." The three words seemed to run her straight through, and she flinched violently. The movement somehow set up another cough, which quickly degenerated into a prolonged series of dry hacking when she tried to excuse herself.

"That is it." Inuyasha glared at her food - she realized with dim surprise that she hadn't even looked at it the whole time - and got to his feet angrily.

"Sorry," she wheezed, regretting the fact that she was now probably getting her germs all over the room but annoyed at his attitude. Does he think I wanted to get sick? Hope these guys don't catch it...

"Why are you apologizing? I'm the reason you spent all your energy and then slept outside, not to mention why it was cold in the first place, remember?" Inuyasha swept the dishes onto the table and pushed it aside.

As she processed the fact that he was only mad at himself and worried about her, Kagome felt her vision blur slightly and closed her eyes against her brain's efforts to jump straight out her forehead. Ow ow ow ow ow...oh!

"Ask," she muttered, and felt one hand steady her as she began coughing again. Something warm pressed against her cheek, and she opened her eyes with some difficulty. Back of his hand. Knew he'd use it one of these days. She fought the impulse to giggle: no need to act delusional.

"You're sick, you idiot. Quit trying to talk." Inuyasha unwrapped his haori and draped it around her. "Maybe it'll work this time."

"The haori, or talking?" Kagome kept her eyes open despite their insistence that they were going to pop out from brain pressure at this rate. Owwww. "C'mon, ask so you can sleep."

"While you're like this? You were more reliable when you were drunk."

Irritation and surprise as he easily scooped her up gave her enough strength to push against his chest and lean away a little. "I was not reliable then, thank you! Now ask me so we can go to bed!...Separately!"

There was a moment of silence. Inuyasha visibly struggled, then decided to let it pass. "Fine, wench. Will you marry me?"

"Nuh-uh, I won't marry you. I'm not that sick." She launched into another coughing fit of epic proportions.

He let that one slide, too. "Fine. Can you handle a shortcut?"

"...Maybe."

"Feh." Inuyasha nudged the shoji open with one foot. "This seems familiar."

"Mmmphow." Kagome shivered in the castle's cold air and huddled against him. "Wh'nt you ch'rup?"

"I don't `cheer up,'" he replied succinctly, but heaved a sigh as she pulled the haori tighter. "Fine, fine, I owe you that much. I'll think happy thoughts of killing wolves and Fluffy tonight. Okay?"

"M'kay." Kagome shut her eyes as he leapt down to the second and then first floors.

"You all right?" he asked.

Eyes still squeezed shut, she shook her head rapidly. "Gonna puke."

"Shit!" Throwing propriety to wherever the hell it went in medical and hygienic emergencies, Inuyasha looked around wildly, remembered that her room had no place for it, and made an adrenaline-fueled single leap upward, straight back to his room, ignoring a strangled, muffled cry of "Y'dumbaff!" from his front, throwing the shoji back open and making a beeline for his room, where he grabbed the empty one of two basins against the wall and thrust it under her head just in time.

"What kind of person," she croaked two messy, disgusting minutes later, "carries a sick person up and down three floors in ten seconds when she just said she's about to throw up?"

"Someone who knows she's gonna lose it anyway and might as well do it someplace warm, with something to lose it in, where the servants can't see." Inuyasha came back from the window - he had flung the entire basin, contents et al, out into the courtyard for some hapless servant to clean up in the morning - and bent over to lift her head again. He hadn't complained during the process and had made sure she was comfortable, and she was more than a little grateful; his slightly awkward movements as he helped her clean her face touched her more than any expert care she'd ever received.

"I think we're hazardous to each other's health," she whispered, and was alarmed by his brief, haunted look; but it cleared in a moment, and he smirked.

"I think you're right, wench." Inuyasha balled up the soiled cloth they'd been using and threw it neatly out the window. "Just as long as it's nothing permanent, right?"

She managed a weak smile. "Right. Thank you."

"Don't thank me. It's my fault." He lifted her gently from their place near the door and, to her consternation, headed for his futon.

"Inuyasha, what the..." Coughing broke her off yet again, and he snorted.

"I just checked in your room. Some idiot knocked over one of the torches." He restrained her easily as she stiffened and tried to get down. "Calm down, wench, there's no fire or damage, just a lot of smoke. Sango's sleeping with the kid and Shippou's bunking with them. No way in hell you're sleeping in there tonight."

"Yeah, but..." Kagome couldn't hide her unease as Inuyasha set her down gently and moved her legs aside to pull the covers up.

"It's the least I can do, okay? And I'm not trying anything with you, and `specially not when you're sick." Mindful of his claws, he pulled the covers into place and got up. "I can sleep outside tonight. The weather doesn't bug me."

"It's too cold!" Kagome pushed herself up, suppressing more coughing and telling her brain rather sternly to get its metaphoric ass back in her skull. "If you wanna be macho that badly, then sleep in here against the wall or something, or with Miroku."

"Bouzu snores." Inuyasha pulled the screens over the window and tied it off, using the sides of his fingertips in evidently long-practiced compensation for his claws. Kagome wished heartily that her head would stay in one piece so she could appreciate it more: with the torchlight and all, Inuyasha actually looked quite spiffy. "I'll stay in here, then. Night, wench."

She watched, blinking, as he blew out the last light, and listened to him pad across the room to settle down against the wall. "You don't need any covers?"

"I said, night, wench."

She replied with more hacking, culminating in an extended attempt to speak that was hampered by her sand-dry throat. A short, impatient sigh reached her ears, and she heard him get up. Good, maybe he'll sleep somewhere else and let me cough as much as-

"Here, wench." His voice next to the futon scared her half to death. "Don't move, or I might jab you by accident." Kagome let him pull her into a sitting position very slowly, then sensed movement next to her face. "Got some water. It's to your right and up, and if you spill it, I'm not getting you more blankets."

The note of impatience made her feel better - nice as he was acting, it was good to know he was still himself - and though she had a feeling he'd do pretty much anything at this point if she really needed it, she drank the water and kept it down without major incident. "Thanks," she whispered again, a little stronger this time as he eased her back down and went back to the other basin, drinking some himself by the sound of it.

He grunted and made his way back to the wall, settling down with a thump. "Now, you ready to sleep, or what?"

"I have to pee." To her disbelief, he grunted again and got up. "I'm kidding, you doofus! Good night!"

"Serves you right," he mumbled as her laughter turned into coughing yet again. "So, you feel any better?"

"Yeah...do you?"

Inuyasha started. "...Yeah, I think I do." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Just as long as you keep your lunch where it's supposed to be next time."

"Sure, as long as you don't fling me all over the place when my stomach's inside out already. Good night."

"As long as you don't get sick in the first place. Good night."

"As long as you cheer up and quit blaming yourself for everything. Good night."

"...As long as you don't give me advice when you don't know what you're talking about."

"You forgot to say `good night.'"

"So?!"

"So you lose."

"I lose what?"

"Mmm, I dunno. I'll decide tomorrow."

"You're weird. Have I ever told you that?"

"I aim to please."

"That made no sense."

"Then my job here is done."

"...I'm going to pretend we never had this conversation. Good night."

"That's what you always do anyw-" Coughing.

"See, now you lose."

"Lose what?"

"..."

"Quit beating yourself up. Good night, Inuyasha."

"...Good night, Kagome."

She was asleep before she could think of anything else to say.

A/N: See, me, that wasn't so bad...if you just get started, you can crank out 16 pages in one all-nighter and all 3 of your loyal readers won't be clamoring for your blood.

Well, remember the next-in-three-days deal? It's also good for this week...except make it five or six days. (ducks) I have school! And lots of it! Mercy! Mercy! Anyway...yeah. Muchas apologies for lateness. I'm going to upload and sleep now before it's time to do stuff. Stupid stuff...