InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Curse of a Demon's Daughter ❯ Strange Familiarity ( Chapter 2 )

//A darkness. Deep and unrelenting. A quiet, imposing silence. A young woman in priestess clothing leans over a still figure. Her long black hair falling in curtains as she cradles the figure's head, her pale face barely visible under her bangs. The darkness seems to grow denser around the pair as tears trail down her porcelain cheeks. Her delicate hand ghosts over the other figure's hair, the crimson color from blood or just natural, still undetermined, brushing the bang away to reveal a young man's face, relaxed and bruised. Peaceful yet in pain. His clothes stained and tattered from the remains of battle. The young woman leans down and places a soft kiss onto the dead youth's forehead, then his lips. As she once again holds him close, she mouths one word, one name as the darkness closes in…. “Reiji…”\\

 

“Kaori! Kaori!” I hear as a blurry figure shakes me causing me to moan in pain. “Oh, thank goodness you are alright. I thought you weren't going to wake up.” The figure says, helping me to sit up. I groan as my eyes try to adjust to the bright light around. “How are you feeling?” I hear, recognizing the voice but unable to place it. I blink, trying to return my vision to normal as I feel a hand being brought to my lips. “Water.” He says. “Drink, you need it.” I sip from the proffered hand as my eyes finally reveal to me my surroundings. A forested area, surrounding trees and brush in every direction with a small creek off to the side, birds chirping as the daylight shines through the trees. I turn to address the figure and thank him for his help but recognize the long orange hair and gorgeous green eyes instead. “Miura-san?!” I shriek, scrambling away until my back hits a tree. “Kaori! Don't move around so much or you will make yourself dizzy!” Miura reaches for me as I take in his appearance. His school uniform has been replaced by a hakama and a vest leaving his bronzed chest open for viewing. `A very nice chest…' I think to myself as he grabs onto both of my shoulders. “Kaori, are you hurt?” I shake my head. “I don't think so but I have one heck of a headache…” Miura chuckles, bringing a hand up to my hair. “I'm not surprised. You've got one large goose egg from greeting the wall with your head.” He says, smiling goofily, his pointed ears twitching cutely. `Wait. Pointed ears?'

 

Without thinking, I reach up my hand and gingerly touch the pointed tip of his ear. “Mmmm…” He purrs. Hearing the adorable, uncharacteristic sound, I giggle and allow my eye to travel down his body. His legs and feet now resemble fox haunches and an orange and cream sleek tail swings lazily along the ground as I stare in wonder. “You really are one of us…” I say, breathlessly. He tilts his head to the side. “What?” He asks, blinking his eyes cutely. I grin a little at my discovery. “You really are a demon…”He blinks, confused then begins chuckling. “What?” I ask, slightly annoyed. He turns away, trying to suppress his laughter. “What?!” I ask again, crossing my arms and huffing. He turns back to me, his emerald eyes glistening with laughter. “Only you would be more awed by your discovery of my demonic heritage than over the fact that you just woke up in the middle of nowhere after having been knocked unconscious by a demon who burst from the well and tried to eat you.” I open my mouth to deny the statement but close it when I realize I don't have a defense against the truth. So I settle for a weak argument. “How would you know? You've only known me for a day.” He stares at me for a moment, completely serious. “Wrong.” Miura says, grabbing my shoulders gently and placing his forehead against mine, his green eyes delving into my gold ones.

 

“Miura-san?” “You're wrong, Kaori. I've known you all your life.” He says, never breaking eye contact. “I was there when you were born. I was there when you broke your arm falling out of a tree when you were eight. I was there when you won the youth martial arts championship when you were ten. I was there when you graduated from Jr. High. All of those unmarked presents on birthdays and holidays, those were from me. The tissue box that showed up on your desk when you were crying after your first boyfriend broke up with you, that was me. I have always been there for you.” We sit there for a moment in stunned silence. I blink, my mind trying to comprehend what it just heard. “But…” I start, but stop at a loss of what to say. Miura just waits patiently for my brain to catch up with the conversation. “But… if you were always there… how come I've never met you?” Sighing, Miura moves so that he is sitting next to me against the tree, with his arm around my shoulders. “When your parents took you and the twins to live at the shrine, they left me in the care of Priestess Kaede and told me it was too dangerous for me to travel to visit them alone. But I couldn't help it. I needed to know how you were fairing with my own eyes. So I traveled to your world, keeping an eye on you, making sure I did my best to not get caught because if I were, I wouldn't be able to see you anymore.” I look up at him. “Why go to so much trouble just to see me from a distance?” Miura stares at me for a second, his cheeks reddening as he leans closer. “Because I lo--“

 

Miura is cut off by a roar as a huge lizard demon jumps out of the thicket. “Shit!” Miura jumps up and between the demon and me. He growls territorially at the demon and points at me. “Mine!” The lizard lunges at Miura, claws wrapped around his throat. “Not if I kill you. Then she'll be my DINNER!” Miura digs his claws into the demons arms. “Never gonna happen!” He rips his claws across the scaled forearms of his opponent. My fox-in-shining-armor lifts the lizard over his head, digging his sharp talons into the soft belly of the demon, and throws it into the trunk of a nearby tree. HARD. Turning and grabbing my arm, Miura yells, “Run!” as he drags me to my feet and through the brush. Behind us, I hear the lizard demon roar again in rage. Turning my head, I see the trees and ground shake as we are pursued. “Don't look back! Just keep running!” We run through the forest until we break out of the foliage and discover a lake. Miura turns and grasps my arms. “Do you trust me?” “Yes but I don't really see how that…” Suddenly, he grabs onto me and flings me into the lake, diving in after. He guides me into the thicket of reeds and holds me close, staring up out of the water where the lizard demon just broke through the dense forest. He looks around, looking pissed and then turns and tears a tree up out of anger. I flinch and twitch with every boulder and branch that hits the water.

 

Miura holds me closer, eyes never leaving the volatile lizard still tearing up the lake surrounding. After a while, I begin to feel the horrible urge to take a breath. I cover my nose and mouth trying to resist. Noticing my plight, Miura raises my chin and glances into my eyes, almost as if asking permission. `Permission for what?' I think through the dizzy haze. My inner question is quickly answered as he leans into me and places his lips on mine. My automatic reflex to gasp was taken advantage of as he fills my lungs back up with air. His lips linger a moment longer before he breaks away and turns his attention back to the rampaging demon above, almost hesitantly. I can't help but stare at his handsome face, stunned. His well defined chin and cheek bones are tan from obvious hours under the sun, his green eyes have turned murky from the lake water. I flinch again as another unfortunate rock breaks the surface of the water only a few feet from us.

 

After a few more moments, the lizard demon finally lurks back into the trees. Miura holds my hand and swims, guiding me to a thicker patch of reeds. We surface together, trying to refill our lungs as quickly and as quietly as we are capable. “That was so frightening!” I say, almost in awe. Miura smirks, brushing a matted strand of wet hair from my face. “Don't ever be afraid. I'll always be there, Kaori.” He says cradling my face in his palm. “Miura-sa--“ He places a finger on my lips. “I don't really have a last name. My name is just Shippou.” He grins, boyishly down at me. “Shippou?” He nods. “Yes, Shippou.” I smile sweetly as he helps me out of the lake. “We have to find a place to sleep and clothes to change into.” Shippou takes off his vest and wrings it out. “Priestess Kaede's village isn't far from here. Only about three hours by foot, for us demons at least.” He says, grinning widely. I wring out my hair, trying not to stare at his naked upper body. “Then shall we? The faster we leave here, the sooner we get there.” Shippou smirk and offers me his back. “I can walk myself, Miu---Shippou.” He smiles. “You hit your head and almost drowned. I think this is the least I can do.” Unable to find a reason to argue, I climb onto his back and we begin our trek to Kaede's village.