InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Elemental: A Feudal Soap Opera ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

Whispering. The first thing she was aware of were the voices whispering. She had the fleeting thought that this was rather rude of the faceless voices, but it was quickly shoved aside by the awareness that she ached, all over. Kagome began to wake up more fully.

 

She opened her eyes and immediately slid them shut again. The sun coming through the small window made her head pound unbearably. She tried to lift her arm to block out the offensive light that was burning through her eyelids, and let out a small whimper at how much effort the simple action took.

 

“Easy, child,” came one of the voices from somewhere above her. Kagome finally recognized it as belonging to Kaede. “Give your strength time to come back to you.”

 

Kagome opened her eyes again with a wince, glancing up groggily before closing them with a tired sigh. Kaede's hut. I don't remember how I got here. My head...hurts.

 

Did Inuyasha...?

 

“Kaede,” she said, voice barely a hoarse whisper.

 

“Yes, child?”

 

Kagome's thoughts became blurred, and the pain in her head began to recede. The world was swirling away again. Kagome struggled to hang on to it. “Inuyasha...where?”

 

“The hanyou is here,” Kaede said, and Kagome felt some of the tension go out of her aching muscles. She had felt an unbearable fear that he would not be there, but she could not remember why. She made a small sound of frustration.

 

Someone picked up her hand, lightly caressing her palm before closing their fingers around hers. She tried to open her eyes again, but she couldn't. Her eyelids were too heavy. “Rest, Kagome,” came a familiar, low voice. Inuyasha.

 

She fought to stay awake. “Don't...go.”

 

There was a pause, then, “Rest. I'll be here.”

 

She squeezed his hand to let him know she understood, and fell back into darkness.

 

***

 

Kagome slept for three more days, only half awakening when the others tried to coax her to drink a bit of broth. Inuyasha stayed by her side, silent and brooding. His temper had grown shorter and shorter, and he was snapping at anyone who approached him. Shippou wouldn't even stay in the hut, opting to spend time with Kilarra, despite his worry for his surrogate mother.

 

Miroku was growing concerned about Inuyasha, as were the others. Sango once again attempted to get the hanyou to let her sit with Kagome while he took a break, but he would have none of it. His response was quick and furious. Miroku glared at him when Sango hastily apologized and ran outside, eyes bright with unshed tears.

 

“Sango is worried about you, too, you know. Both of you,” he said in reproach.

 

Inuyasha didn't look at him. “Feh,” he said simply, but some of the heat had gone out of his voice.

 

Miroku gave a mental sigh. Stubborn hanyou. “Kagome would want you to rest.”

 

Inuyasha still did not reply. Miroku felt himself growing frustrated. He tried again.

 

“You could go outside in the fresh air for a bit. Sango and I will both stay with her.”

 

Inuyasha glared at him briefly, before turning his eyes back to the wall. “No.”

 

Well, at least he responded with an actual word this time. He decided to take that as a good sign. “At least,” he began in a cajoling voice, but Inuyasha cut him off.

 

“No.”

 

Well. “You aren't being rational, Inuyasha.” He glared at him, then saw the hanyou's hand flex convulsively in Kagome's direction.

 

For a moment, Miroku thought Inuyasha wasn't going to answer, but finally, in a soft voice, he spoke. “I promised her I'd stay.”

 

Ahh. Realizing that trying to reason with him further would most likely be futile, Miroku nodded once, then left the hut in search of Sango.

 

***

 

“Miroku,” Sango said in surprise when the monk sat down beside her on the riverbank. She hastily began to try and remove any traces of her weeping. “You startled me.”

 

Miroku glanced at her, and she saw his features soften in sympathy. The pain she felt was reflected in his eyes. He's scared, too. She looked away. She felt contrarily relieved at his presence, and uncomfortable with it, at the same time.

 

“Are you all right?” he inquired in a gentle tone.

 

“I'm fine,” she said, and it was true, at least physically. The effects of the demon's poison had worn off soon after the vapors had cleared, leaving no lasting effect other than a slight sore throat that was already feeling better. Of course, she didn't really think that he was asking after her physical health, especially since he had seen her walk home unaided and declared fit by Kaede. His next words confirmed her suspicion, and she braced herself for a conversation she wasn't sure she wanted to have.

 

“You know,” he said after a short, contemplative silence, “Kagome is a very strong girl. She has endured many things, and come out of them just fine. I believe,” he said, voice low and soothing, “That it is far too early to give up on her.”

 

“Mm.” Sango watched a crane lift a thrashing fish from the water and fly into the afternoon sun. She felt a pang of sympathy for the fish. I'm not giving up. I just don't...don't know what to do. It isn't fair. She blinked away the tears that had snuck back up on her, lowering her head and speaking her thoughts in an anguished voice. “It isn't fair. The demons...we can fight them. We can protect each other, or at least try to. But this? How can we fight this? Her own body is going to destroy her, and there's nothing...nothing we can do. It just isn't fair,” she repeated, voice rising. She turned to Miroku, finding a sad, crooked smile on his face.

 

Realization of what she had just said dawned on her. She was instantly contrite. “Miroku,” she said, placing a hand on his arm.

 

He covered her hand with his own, causing her heart to do a funny little leap. She wondered at the feeling, but did not pull away. “Sango, do not forget that as long as there is breath, there is hope. Kaede said that she did not know of a way to save Kagome, not that there was not a way to save her. We will find a way. You have to have faith in that.” He drew back a bit and fell silent.

 

Sango wondered briefly if he truly believed that, or if he were simply trying to comfort her, but then she saw him clenching his hand, fidgeting with the prayer beads that kept the air void inside sealed away. I suppose he has to believe that...and I...I think I want to believe it, too. She reached out hesitantly and grasped his cursed hand, earning a start of surprise from the monk. Turning it over so that the palm was facing up, she gently traced her finger over and around the prayer beads there. “Yes,” she said, finally. “We will find a way.”

 

“Sango,” he said, softly.

 

“Yes, Miroku?” She met his eyes, wondering at the tenderness she saw there. Her heart gave another flutter.

 

“Thank you.”

 

She nodded and averted her gaze, feeling suddenly shy, but could not hide a small smile. She felt his arm come to rest on her shoulders lightly, as if he were afraid she would push him away, but she had no intention of doing so. Not this time. It felt...nice...to be held this way, and she felt a little of the stress from the day seeping away from her. If only he were like this all the time. I could almost... Sighing, she closed her eyes and tentatively leaned into his side. He froze for a moment, then relaxed, pulling her more firmly to him. She flushed lightly, but allowed the familiarity. Turning so that her cheek lay against his chest, she listened to the river rush by them, and was content, for the moment, to rest in the solace he was offering.

 

***

 

“Kagome,” Inuyasha said once he was sure he was alone with the girl. He brushed the back of his knuckles across her cheek, staring intently when her eyelashes fluttered, but she did not awaken. Stupid Kagome, don't you know what happens to people who get too close to me? He patted her face one last time, then leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, remembering, with nightmarish clarity, carrying her limp form into Kaede's hut.

 

“What's wrong with her, old woman,” he asked Kaede, after depositing Kagome on the pallet, and telling her of Kagome's collapse during the youkai attack. Ignoring his own fiery blush, he also informed her of Kagome's loss of innocence.

 

“And you were human on that night?” Kaede asked.

 

Inuyasha nodded, hoping she would not want more detail than that. “Yes.”

 

“Hmmm,” she said, and began fussing over Kagome again, causing him to fidget in impatience.

 

Trying to tamp down his frustration, he fought the urge to bare his teeth and snarl at the old woman. “Well, hag, what's wrong with her?”

 

Kaede looked at him then, her one eye boring into his, and he suddenly did not want to know her answer. She gave it to him anyway. “She is dying.”

 

Inuyasha staggered backward as if he had been struck. Sango gasped behind him. Steadying himself, he demanded, “What?” He was furious, thinking the bitch was lying to him for some sadistic purpose, but the mournful look on her face told him that she was not toying with him, but telling the truth. He felt a dull pain in his chest, and a desperate desire to smash something. He was forestalled by Kaede motioning for him to sit down. Inuyasha did her bidding in stunned silence.

 

Kaede sighed, and began speaking. “You, too, Sango. Sit down. I will explain while Shippou is outside with the monk.”

 

Inuyasha folded his hands nervously into his sleeves, waiting for her to begin. She seemed in no great hurry, pacing a around the room, muttering a little under her breath. Finally, when he had been about to jump up and demand some answers, she spoke. “For a miko, power lies in purity. Purity of heart, purity of soul, and purity of body.”

 

Inuyasha colored, knowing where this was headed. “I know this already, hag.” Kaede silenced him with a frown.

 

“Yes, but Sango does not.” She bustled about a minute, then continued. “As I was saying, a miko's power lies in her purity, but that does not mean that she cannot love. However, giving herself to a youkai is strictly forbidden.”

 

Inuyasha clenched his jaw and looked away.

 

“But Inuyasha isn't pure youkai,” Sango protested.

 

Kaede shrugged. “It does not matter. If there is even a drop of youkai blood, the effect is the same.” She paused and gave Inuyasha an appraising look. “'Tis why you had agreed to become human for my sister, is it not, Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha flinched, angry that she would bring that up. “Feh.”

 

Sango still looked confused. “So, Kagome is going to die because she and Inuyasha...” She trailed off with an embarrassed glance at Kaede.

 

Inuyasha had had enough. “No,” he said through his teeth. “It's not supposed to kill her. She just wouldn't be a miko anymore. Her powers would be dormant. Right, old woman? It isn't supposed to kill her,” he continued, voice a near shout. He got to his feet and came to stand in front of Kaede, taking an aggressive stance. “So what the hell is wrong with her?”

 

“You were human, Inuyasha,” Kaede replied calmly, as if this explained everything. She seemed undisturbed by the angry hanyou glowering at her from less than a foot in front of her face. He continued to glare at her, and she relented with an exasperated grunt. “Her miko energy was not sealed because your youkai blood was inactive. However, your demon aura, your youki, still mingled with hers, and they entertwined. Her miko energy now mistakes Kagome's own aura as belonging to a demon, and it is attempting to purify her. When she tried to use her energy to fight the demon earlier, it became stronger, and tried to consume her. It is a very lucky thing that the demon's poison caused her to lose consciousness, or it would have succeeded, and we would be burying her right now.”

 

Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head as her words conjured up an unwanted image. He blinked at her a few times, the scowl slipping from his features, then sat back down, dazed.

 

Sango was losing her composure. “Surely we can stop it,” she cried.

 

“Perhaps,” Kaede said, and the hanyou's ears twitched toward her. “From what you have told me, Inuyasha, Kagome still has some control over her power. I do not know how this is possible, or if it will help her, but I suspect that as long as it is so, there may be a chance.”

 

Inuyasha leaned forward, trying to hide the hope from his voice. “What chance, old woman?”

 

“I do not know, Inuyasha. That is what we must find out.”

 

He growled in frustration, folding his arms and glaring at the wall. Sango looked contemplative and scared, but said nothing.

 

Kaede glanced back at the unconscious girl behind her before facing the hanyou and the demon exterminator again. “You must not give up hope. Her life depends on it.”

 

Unable to listen any longer, Inuyasha had gotten to his feet and stormed from the hut.

 

Inuyasha opened his eyes, shaking himself lightly to rid himself of the memory. And just how the hell am I supposed to figure out a way to save her? He cursed savagely, the weight of the responsibility nearly crushing him. The words sounded unnaturally loud in the almost-empty hut, and he shot a guilty glance toward Kagome, but she was still sleeping. Kaede had given her something to help her rest while she regained her strength, but it should be wearing off soon. Inuyasha wished she would wake up. It was beginning to feel as if she were already...gone. He sucked in a sharp breath, catching her scent. That was another worry. She still smelled like Kagome, but now his scent was mixed in, too. She usually smelled a bit like him. She rode on his back all the time, after all, but this wasn't the same. Her scent just wasn't right. It had a sickly edge to it that had increased in the last few days, as if it were some decaying thing. He had initially noticed it when Kaede had left him alone with her on the first day. He had been trying to analyze her scent so he might figure out if she was carrying his child, even though, logically, he knew it would be too soon for even his sensitive nose to tell.

 

He had been right. He couldn't tell if she was pregnant or not, but what he had smelled had so distracted him, he had nearly forgotten why he had been checking in the first place. The scent was now noticeably stronger. She smells...tainted. He turned away, feeling faintly ashamed. This wasn't right. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

 

It wasn't supposed to happen at all, moron. Remember?

 

He cursed again, and changed the direction of his thoughts. He had to grudgingly admit, at least to himself, that Miroku had been right. He did need to rest. He'd never be able to think clearly enough to help Kagome if he kept on this way. He didn't need as much sleep as the others, but he definitely needed some, and he hadn't had any at all in over seventy-two hours. The problem was how to do it and still be near enough if she woke up that she wouldn't think he'd broken his word. There was really only one solution.

 

Looking around to make certain that the others had not returned, he scooted closer to Kagome, pulling her up carefully until her head rested in his lap, then leaned back against the wall again. One corner of his mouth tilted up in a crooked smile as he remembered a time when he had been human, weakened from poison, and she had done the same for him.

 

He tucked her hair back from her face, wishing again that she would wake. He wanted...no, needed...to talk to her. To explain to her what was going on, of course, but he also wanted to know why. He shifted slightly, stretching out his legs, careful not to jostle her. Why would you do that, Kagome? Was it just an impulse? Were you only curious? You said I thought you were Kikyo. Was that the reason? Was it...pity? The thought that she had thought he was so desperate for Kikyo, and had felt sorry enough for him to lie with him, filled him with shamed fury. He shoved it back down, realizing there was no use trying to understand her actions while she slept. But when she wakes up, I want answers.

 

Making sure she was as comfortable as she could be under the circumstances, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. It was only moments before exhaustion pulled him into slumber.

 

***

 

-to be continued-