InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Choices ❯ Pushing Her Away ( Chapter 5 )

Mizuki slapped her hands together to brush out all the crumbs on her fingertips. Kagome watched, irked, as the black cookie crumbs scattered all over the shrine grounds which her grandfather had just swept earlier in the day. Mizuki caught Kagome's stare and raised her eyebrows in question.

Kagome folded her arms across her chest and her gaze lowered to the crumbs on the ground before slowly, deliberately looking Mizuki in the eye again.

"Wha---oh. No worries, K'gome. The birds will eat 'em," Mizuki reassured her through a mouthful of Oreo cookies. Dashing the back of her hand across her lips, Mizuki turned to look at the others. "Ready to go?"

Without waiting for their answer, Mizuki wrapped them in her pink glow. Once again, they found themselves in the bright white light.

When the white light vanished, they found themselves in a foreign place but judging by the surroundings, it was definitely the feudal era.

"What the fuck?" InuYasha whirled around to face Mizuki. "Why did you bring us to Sesshoumaru's lands?"

Mizuki shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't control where we land. I thought you figured that out when we appeared on the cinema roof. Anyway, I've got to run. Will be back soon!" Without waiting for a reply, Mizuki took off.

"Does this mean that mansion is his?" Kagome whispered in awe.

Everyone turned to looked at the object of Kagome's interest. It was a huge mansion alright, but it was a very tall mansion, almost like a castle, in Kagome's opinion. Behind the mansion was a double waterfall and a bridge that leads to a garden.

"Kagome!" a child's voice drifted to them from the garden which is hidden from their view.

Recognizing the voice, the miko smiled and started towards the garden. InuYasha growled a warning to stop her. Kagome waved a hand to assure him and continued towards Rin.

"Hi, Rin!" Kagome greeted happily. She stopped short when she spotted Kagura behind the little girl. Although she had witnessed the wind sorceress come alive, it was still astonishing to see her standing right in front of them and not trying to kill them.

Rin giggled and wrapped her little arms around Kagome's waist. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Oh I don't know. . ."

InuYasha snorted. "Keh! The hell we are. It's late, let's get a move on."

Kagura smiled kindly. "Why don't you stay? Sesshoumaru has plenty of rooms to accommodate all of you," she suggested.

Kagome clapped her hands and glee. Rin reached out to grab Kagome's hand and dragged her towards the mansion.

"Oi! Kagome! Come back here!" InuYasha hollered. "I fucking said no!"

"InuYasha, you'll wake the dead," Miroku remarked dryly. "I'm sure it's safe enough here, if that's what you're worrying about." he started towards the mansion after Kagome, with Sango and Shippou in tow.

"Yea InuYasha. You're such a worry wart," Shippou shook his head.

The hanyou folded his arms in his sleeves and followed the rest, muttering about stupid humans who don't appreciate his intentions. The others ignored him. They didn't see the dejected expression on his face that was hidden by his thick, silver bangs. Neither did they see his ears droop and his fist clench and unclench with every step that took him closer to the mansion.

The mansion his mother died in.

~*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*~

"InuYasha?" Kagome's muffled voice came from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

Hearing no response, the girl slid the door open and found the hanyou sitting beside the window, staring out at the night sky. His back was straight and proud, as always, but there was an aura of sadness to them. Kagome couldn't figure out why he would be sad. 'Is it because of this place?’ she thought sadly, InuYasha's moods affecting her. Since they entered the mansion, InuYasha had snapped at anyone who would talk to him, even Kagura who tried to be nice.

Slowly, Kagome walked towards InuYasha and knelt down beside him. She lifted a hand to brush his bangs away from his face. InuYasha leaned away from her, not looking at her. Somehow, that action broke her heart.

InuYasha sighed, something he rarely does. "Mother.. Mother died here," he whispered, voice filled with strong emotion that threatened to waver.

Kagome gasped. "I-I'm sorry, InuYasha."

Still not looking at her, InuYasha gritted his teeth together. "I heard her. I couldn't save her because Sesshoumaru locked me up. I failed to protect her."

"Sesshoumaru killed her?" Kagome asked in horror.

InuYasha shook his head. "After Mother's Father died, the people in the mansion tried to kill her---us. She took me and ran.. And Sesshoumaru found us. He agreed to let us stay with him.. But that's the only thing he would do--in honour of our Father." Kagome reached out to touch him. InuYasha shied away and sucked in his breath. "One day, youkai came to kill me---us for weakening my Father. They said I was the cause of my Father's death. That bastard locked me up in the basement. Mother had been out trying to get food for us.. They--they dragged her back to the mansion and they killed her. Sesshoumaru had been too busy getting rid of the others. When he got to her, it was too late," InuYasha's voice shook, threatening to break. "He said-He said she deserved to die."

Kagome's tears started to flow. "It's not your fault, InuYasha. You were---"

"Just a kid? Don't you understand? I killed her. I was the cause! I'm nothing but a filthy half-breed!" InuYasha whipped around to face her, eyes bright with tears. His voice was just a whisper, yet it seemed horribly loud, and harsh in the small room.

Kagome started to embrace him. InuYasha side-stepped her.

"Don't---Just go, Kagome. You can't always make things better. Stop doing this to me! I'm not you. I'm not from your fucking world," he bit out. The hurt in her eyes tore at him, and knowing he caused it only made it worse. The pain left him bleeding in places that were not visible.

Suddenly, the pain in her eyes shifted into an angry spark. "I'm not trying to make things better for you! I know it hurts, I just want to let you know I'm here for you. I'm here to share the pain with you! Why are you so afraid to let everyone see who you really are? Why are you so afraid to let people care for you?" Kagome demanded angrily.

Anger, he could handle. "I'm not fucking afraid of anything, wench! You are the one who keep intent on shoving your nose in everything!"

"Because I care!"

"Newsflash, bitch! I don't need it!"

Kagome's eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. "Oh yea? Then why do you keep running back every time I go back through the well?"

"Because we need to find the fucking jewel shards! When the jewel is complete, you can go back and stay there forever for all I care!"

Kagome opened her mouth to retort and snap it shut again. "I see. Good night, InuYasha." With that, she turned around and ran to her room next to his. InuYasha winced as the scent of her tears floated to him.

~*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*~

"Rise and shine everyone!" Mizuki greeted.

They were seated in a room for breakfast, though only Shippou, Rin and Kirara were really eating. Kagura, Miroku and Sango were reacting to the tension in the room and were prepared to stop a fight if necessary. For starters, Kagome looked completely miserable and was pushing her rice around her bowl, eyes puffy and red. InuYasha and Sesshoumaru were glowering at each other, not even bothering to move.

"Good morning Mizuki," Miroku greeted cheerfully, trying to break the tension with no avail.

"Hello! My name is Rin! I love it when everyone's eating together! Feels like a family reunion!" she exclaimed.

Sesshoumaru finally broke away from the glaring competition. "Rin, finish your food before you talk. We already have a half-breed here who possesses a lack of manners."

InuYasha slammed his bowl on the table and whipped out Tetsusaiga.

Sesshoumaru remained seated and looked completely bored. "Father gave you a sword to tame your youkai. I wonder why he didn't give you one to keep your temper in check."

With a flick of his wrist, the inu-youkai dismissed him and stood up. Sesshoumaru glided to the doors nodded at the others before he disappeared down the hallway.

"Oi! Come back here you bastard!" InuYasha bellowed.

"Um.. InuYasha?" Miroku began. "Do you have any idea what happened to Kagome?"

"Keh! How the hell should I know?" With that, he stomped after Sesshoumaru, yelling for him.

Mizuki looked confused. "Oh, hi Kagura!"

Kagura frowned. "Do I know you?"

Mizuki laughed. "Not really. But I know you! You returned to life because of Nara---because Naraku was killed!"

Miroku narrowed his eyes. 'She had been about to say something else..' He caught a glimpse of Sango from the corner of his eye and noticed her lips became a tight line. 'Sango noticed it too..' He glanced in Kagome's direction and saw her frowning at Mizuki.

'Why would she lie?' Kagome mused. "Kagura? How did you come back?" she asked, curious.

Kagura leaned back and stroked Rin's hair. "I don't know, really. I was in the wind, and then a strange force pulled me from somewhere. I felt Sesshoumaru call out to me, or someone that sounds like him. I followed in the darkness and saw my feather. Something pushed me, urged me to chase after the feather. Then I saw the battlefield.. and Sesshoumaru," she finished.

Sango nodded. "Haven't you ever wondered how that happened?"

Kagura turned towards Sango and shrugged. "I guess I don't really care. I'm free now.. Free to do whatever I want. I think that is enough for me."

Mizuki laughed in a false, overly high tune. "Maybe Sesshoumaru wanted her to come back!" she suggested.

Kagome shook her head, frowning in confusion. "He tried to save her and failed! Besides, Sesshoumaru doesn't rule hell. He's youkai!"

"Well considering Sesshoumaru wields Tenseiga, we're talking about something a little different from the normal youkai," Mizuki remarked dryly.

Kagome let the subject drop but eyed Mizuki suspiciously. 'She's hiding something, I'm sure of it. I'm going to tell InuYasha.' She closed her eyes against the painful rush of memories from yesterday. 'Then again.. Maybe I'll just tell Sango and Miroku.'

~*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*~

"Ok, whatever happened, I'm pretty sure InuYasha's to blame," Sango whispered.

Miroku nodded in agreement. "And then when we reach Kaede's village in about ten minutes time, Kagome will run straight to the well and scream 'InuYasha no baka!' and InuYasha will 'Keh!' and run after her. Give or take a few days, they'll come back happy and content and we'll never know what happened."

Sango raised her eyebrows at the monk. "You're awfully familiar with the rituals."

"Well I am a monk," he replied.

Even though InuYasha was carrying Kagome, the both of them seems to be trying to minimize the times they touch each other. They barely talked through the whole journey from Sesshoumaru's place. Miroku and Shippou had tried everything, from prodding to teasing to annoying the hanyou and it didn't work. The only response they could get out of him was a snort and a 'Keh!'.

They carried on in silence until they reached the village.

Miroku and Sango waited for the screams and yells. InuYasha let Kagome down from his back and Kagome grimaced.

"I'll be back in awhile. I just need to grab some supplies."

Miroku blinked in confusion. "Aren't you going back for a few days?"

Kagome shook her head. "I wouldn't want to drag us down. We've got to find all the jewel shards and defeat Maekoshi, remember?"

InuYasha flinched at her reply.

Kagome smiled and took off towards the well.

Miroku shot Sango a knowing look and the taijiya led Kirara and Shippou into the village. InuYasha was still staring at the trees.

"You could tell me what happened. I'm a fairly good listener." Miroku offered.

No answer.

"Mizuki's a nice girl, isn't she? Pity she couldn't travel with us."

No answer.

"You know, they say if you don't talk for a long time, your breath starts to stink."

"..Keh."

'At least that's a response,' Miroku thought. "Did you notice Kagome's eyes? She looked like she had been crying all night!"

"Keh."

"I hope you know it's your fault," Miroku joked.

InuYasha sighed. "Yea, it is."

Miroku blinked. "For the record, your feelings for each other are plainly obvious. You know she'd forgive you for anything you've done, right?"

"I don't need her forgiveness. I don't need her fucking pity."

Miroku started. "You think she pities you?"

InuYasha ignored him.

"Well then you're so very wrong," Miroku finished and walked away. Halfway through, he stopped. "You're going to lose her if you continue pushing her away," he remarked.

When InuYasha turned around, he was gone. 'Keh! Monk doesn't know a damn thing. If it's not pity, what else can it be?'

He bounded in Goshinboku and stayed there for a very long time.

~*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*~

A/N: Short chapter. :) Happy New Year to everyone! Thank you for reading and reviewing(Inu_Yokai)!

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters in the anime/manga. It's all Takahashi-san's! :D