InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Before There Was You ❯ Chapter Two: Birthday Wishes ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Don't own `em, just love `em.

"Before there was You"

by: Banshee Puppet

Chapter Two: Birthday Wishes

"Why are we going to the tavern? I thought Kaede's hut was the usual place to stop first," Kuma said, eyeing Kagome with all due confusion.

"Well, we decided it was time for a change," Kagome retorted as she gestured for Kuma to go in first.

The cougar hanyou's jaw went slack for a moment as she blinked off her disbelief. There were paper lanterns and. . . roast boar. . . and. . . balloons, which Shippo was trying desperately to blow up, to little avail, and which Miroku scowled at every time the tiny knot managed to slip through his fingers and deflate the orb a little more. "I believe it dislikes me," he scowled at the red thing from Kagome's era before seeing the group who just entered the doorway. And there was cake. Kuma blinked.

"What is all this?" she asked in disbelief.

"Kagome told us birthday celebrations were common in the place you come from," Sango said, frowning slightly at Kuma's confusion. She didn't appear to be familiar with this particular custom.

"You. . . threw me a birthday party?"

Inuyasha's eyes darted between Kagome and Kuma for a moment. He remembered birthday parties, Kagome had gone home to have one a few months ago, and it was the night of the full moon, so Inuyasha had gotten to go with her. He liked it, because there was lots of food. . . they hadn't had any ramen at Kagome's party, but they had lots of other tasty foods, and this fizzy drink called soda that made him feel a little giddy. But Kuma just looked confused and some weird emotion that wasn't quite sad, but was. . .sort of stuck for words.

"Yeah," Kagome said. "Kuma, it's okay, right?"

"It's great. I. . . wow. Nobody's ever thrown me a birthday party before. I guess I'm just a little shocked."

"Nobody? Ever?" Shippo asked bouncing over.

Kuma just shook her head vaguely before recovering her wits and saying, "this is great though! Look at all the lanterns! They're so pretty, it's like a festival! And all the food looks so good!" She turned to Kagome with an impish grin and said, "I can't believe you brought balloons," before taking one, inflating it and moving to tie the knot but popping it accidentally with her claws. "Oops. Well, I guess it's a little different, the way I am now," she said before inflating another balloon and trying to navigate the knot properly. It took some doing, but she finally got the blue balloon tied at the top and gently popped it up in the air. "Comeon Rin, Shippo! Don't you wanna play? Don't let that balloon hit the ground, kay!" she cheered and the children were off, hitting the balloon gently around the tavern. "And keep it away from the lanterns or it'll start a fire!" she called after them.

"Hm. I used to love that game when I was younger," she smiled nostalgically. "You guys shouldn't have done all this though. It's too much, you know."

"There are presents too!" Shippo said as he jumped onto the table, tapping the balloon to keep it in the air.

Kuma gave Kagome a lecturing look and said, "why'd you have to go telling them about that part huh? Presents, I haven't done anything to deserve that, and besides I don't NEED anything. Hey, whatever though, let's just eat, `kay! I'm starving!" she said before dragging Sesshomaru after her towards where the food was laid out.

"Haven't done anything?" Kagome whispered, leaning against Inuyasha's shoulder. "Yeah right. She just can't accept that nothing's wrong and be happy."

"When you're sad and alone for a long time, sometimes it's hard to accept it, when everything falls into place suddenly," Inuyasha whispered back. That's how it had been for him.

"I guess so. . ."

"You're acting strangely tonight," Sesshomaru said.

"Am I?" Kuma pondered this quietly for a moment. "I guess it's just, all this," she said, waving her hand in the air. "Birthday parties, cake, balloons. It makes me think of things that I thought I'd put behind me a while ago."

"Like?"

"Oh, you know. Nothing important. Just. . . gets me thinking is all."

"Why won't you ever tell me anything about your past?" Sesshomaru asked, sighing mentally. She was closing herself off again.

"Why should I dwell on something that I can't effect? That's the way it is with you, isn't it? Or is it?" she stared into his eyes for a moment, noticing a deeper pain there. "No. I suppose that's not the way it is at all for you."

Kuma stood. "That sort of thing just, isn't very important to me. It isn't very important to me at all. And maybe it's far too important to you, Sess. Maybe that's why it hurts so much, the way we are."

Her expression shifted quickly as she grinned widely at Shippo and Rin and walked over to them. "Hey you two! Are you tired out already?" she called to them, crouching down to their level and having some unimportant conversation with the children.

`Because I can see how much you care about it, how much you want to know, who I was, before there was you,' she thinks sadly, while keeping up the cheerful front.

Miroku took a seat and put a piece of cake in front of Sesshomaru. There was no end to how strange it was, the youkai not being the enemy anymore, but in that vein, he thought a bit of advice may be useful.

He took a bit of his own cake before saying, "you shouldn't push so much. It can't be easy, not knowing where you come from, you know."

This had gotten Sesshomaru's attention and he glared at the monk pointedly, instructing him to continue without saying anything.

"It's none of my business, anyway," the monk said casually with his usual insipid cheer, looking as if he was just having any casual conversation. "But if Kuma can't remember her parents, like Kagome says, it probably is less-than-wise to force the issue."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened a fragment of an inch. `Doesn't remember. . .?' It hurt though, hearing it from the monk instead of from her.

`So he didn't know after all. No wonder they seem so tense around one another. Family is very important to Sesshomaru, obviously, but for Kuma. . .' Miroku heaved a mental sigh. `I hope they can find a compromise on the matter. Kuma deserves to be happy.'

Almost without warning, Miroku got up and departed, waving and calling out "Sango!" before disappearing and leaving Sesshomaru with the new information and his thoughts. And Sesshomaru came to a conclusion at last. `Kuma, if you don't know, that's one thing. If you don't care, that's one thing. But I still want you to talk to me. To tell me what the things are that don't matter to you, and if you don't have a family, then let me in, let me be your family, me, and Rin. We're you're family now, so why. . . why do you keep pushing us away with that false happiness and that imitation of a smile? I want to make you happy. I do. But you won't let me. Please let me make you happy, Kuma, my beautiful Kuma. How much longer will you force me to endure your silence? I want to know you.'

Naraku had kept himself well-hidden, watching from a distance, listening. It didn't matter to him, SHE didn't matter to him. No, not at all. But something, some impulse, drew him here tonight. And he couldn't pry himself away. He knew it was dangerous, if Ajika found out that the girl was still alive he'd only be causing her more trouble, but he just. . . it had been so long and he. . .wanted to see her. On this day especially.

`Why today?' he wondered.

And that other voice, laughed at him, reminding him, `why today indeed? Have you forgotten. Today was the day, eighteen years ago.'

And both voices said simultaneously, one with reasonable calm, the other with a suddenly realized shock as his eyes widened slightly and he stifled a small gasp, `today was the day she was born.'

He watched silently as she snuck out of the small hut and breathed in the night air, staring up at the wreath of stars that crowned the night sky. It was, within all reasoning, a time of night when humans and youkai alike usually slept. But they were both awake still, or again.

She shivered under the weight of that dream. `I don't care,' she told herself. `It doesn't matter to me at all.' But it mattered. It really did matter. Because no matter how many times she told herself it was insignificant, unimportant, she really did want to know. `Who am I? Where do I come from? Somehow, I feel like that dream is the key to. . .everything?'

Naraku leaned forward slightly. `Is this really the same girl? Where is her dark hair? Where is her innocent smile?'

Obviously, her youkai blood had been drawn out. That was the intention behind the blade she now bore, but. . . the innocence he remembered was gone, replaced by something, false. He didn't realize he had sighed aloud at this until he noticed her posture stiffen.

"Who's there?" she said. "Come out."

He fought with himself over it a moment, then decided to remove himself from his place in the nearby foliage.

"My apologies for interrupting your ruminations," he said fluidly.

"Who are you?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

He felt a pang in his chest that he didn't understand at first before his mind said softly, sadly, `she doesn't remember you. . . of course she doesn't remember you. It's been what, fifteen years?'

"No one important," he said. "Just someone who was having trouble sleeping, as you yourself were, I assume."

"You're full of it. I know everyone in this village, and you aren't from it. I'll ask again, who are you?"

"I am. . ." he paused, trying to decide whether or not it was wise to say, a mental battle ensued and the side of him that he despised won the battle. ". . . your father, Kuma."

Kuma stared at him blankly for a moment, perhaps a bit suspiciously, but she made no sign of speaking. Almost two full minutes passed in silence before he decided finally to speak again. And not knowing what to say, he was surprised by the words that came out of his own mouth. "I wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

Well, that's a little bit of a cliffy, isn't it? Just a little. Anyway, next chapter coming soon, I hope. Any opinions? Questions? R&R is always appreciated. Till next time, Happy Haunting.

~Banshee Puppet~