InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Expect the Unexpected ❯ How Could You! ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha…is this really necessary?

Chapter Four: How Could You!

Kagome was somewhat surprised to find Inuyasha gone that morning. He had been sleeping in the go-shinboku the last she had seen him, and she was certain that he had still been about last night. But he was obviously gone now. Apparently the hanyou had given up on his jealous attempt to keep her from seeing Hojo. She was slightly saddened by that.

The date had been all right, but Hojo was certainly not as entertaining as Inuyasha. Hojo had been a perfect gentleman the entire night, even escorting her to her doorstep. He hadn’t even asked for a goodnight kiss, which she had been a bit worried about…mostly because she was afraid that Inuyasha would strangle Hojo if he saw that.

Today she would have to go back to Sengoku Jidai. She was actually looking forward to it, since she hadn’t seen any of her friends from that era for three days, save Inuyasha, who hadn’t been great company. Kagome was preparing to leave--packing her ridiculously large backpack--when she heard the ringing of the doorbell.

Kagome reluctantly left her packing and answered the door. She was rather surprised to find Hojo waiting there for her. He smiled timidly and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. “Oh, Hojo! What are you doing here?” She hadn’t meant for it to come out like that. “I mean, school will be starting soon…Shouldn’t you be getting ready or something?”

The boy’s smile grew a bit more bashful and he gestured shyly at her. “Oh, I am ready for school now…I just thought you might want someone to walk with you…I would be glad to carry your backpack for you.” Not if he could see the one upstairs, he wouldn’t.

Kagome blushed. Hojo seemed to be taking their date a bit more seriously than she. Of course, he had been trying to take her on a date for a while now, so he probably didn’t think anything of walking her to school. “Oh, Hojo…I don’t think that would be a good idea…I haven’t been feeling all that well, and-”

Kagome broke off suddenly, noticing for the first time the four gashes on the boy’s cheek. He hadn’t bothered to bandage them, but they were probably too big to simply put a band-aid over. She felt a terrible sinking feeling in her stomach. “H-hojo, how…How did you hurt yourself?”

The boy put a hand to his face guiltily, obviously uncomfortable with her sudden change of conversation. “It’s nothing, Higurashi…It was just an accident, that’s all.” He avoided looking her in the eyes, and she felt that horrible confirmation of her fears.

“He didn’t…He couldn’t…”

“I’m sure he didn’t mean it, Higurashi. He was just afraid for you, I think. He probably didn’t intend to hurt me at all…but he was very angry.”

Kagome felt a wave of distress wash over her, quickly followed by a flood of anger. She reined in on her temper as best she could. It wouldn’t do to disturb Hojo any more than he likely was already. “I’m so sorry Hojo! I didn’t think he’d ever do anything like this. He’s always been very protective of me, but I never thought he would hurt someone just for taking me on a little date!”

Hojo tried to pacify her, but did not succeeded only in making her more furious. “Please Higurashi, don’t be mad at him on my account. He only hurt me a little. I was more worried for you…I didn’t want him to hurt you too.”

Kagome was infuriated. She opened her mouth to tell Hojo that Inuyasha would never hurt him again, when the hanyou appeared before her. Before she could react, Inuyasha had grabbed the boy by the throat and lifted him high into the air, his teeth bared fiercely. Kagome could see that the hanyou’s claws were drawing blood around Hojo’s neck, but she was in shock. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

“I’m gonna kill you, you little bastard! How dare you come near Kagome! You’re too damned stupid for your own good!” Inuyasha was shouting in the boy’s face, his own face red with fury. Kagome had to stop him.

“SIT!” Inuyasha slammed to the ground, releasing Hojo, who fell onto his back, breathing heavily. “Inuyasha…Inuyasha…How could you!” Kagome was nearly in tears from the anger she felt now. “I can’t believe you would do this. I can’t believe that you would hurt someone from simple jealousy! I thought you were better than that…I thought you were a different person.”

Inuyasha growled in irritation, straining to get up despite the spell that held him. “Shut up, you stupid bitch! You don’t understand anything! I’m going to kill this little bastard if it is the last thing I do!”

The shock Kagome felt at this was too great. Inuyasha truly was not who she had thought he was. He was going to kill Hojo for taking her out on a date. He didn’t even care how wrong he was. She turned to Hojo, helping him up quickly. “Hojo, please hurry and leave. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

The boy hesitated, looking between her and the hanyou nervously. “But what about you, Higurashi? I can’t just leave you alone with him. He seems dangerous! I can’t let him hurt you!”

Kagome shook her head. “He wouldn’t hurt me, Hojo. Please, just go! I’ll be fine.” She wasn’t all that certain of that anymore, though. She didn’t know Inuyasha at all.

The boy hesitated again before quickly fleeing from the shrine grounds. Just as he disappeared down the stairs, Inuyasha leapt up, making to pursue him. “No, Inuyasha! Leave him alone.” Kagome grabbed one arm, trying to hold him back.

The hanyou shook her off angrily, but made no move to follow the boy. “Dammit Kagome! You let him get away. I can’t believe you-” Inuyasha half-stumbled as he felt a hard smack across his face. He put a hand to his stinging cheek and looked at Kagome in complete surprise.

Kagome almost instantly regretted hitting him…she didn’t know how he would react in such a mental state…but she was too angry to apologize. “How could you Inuyasha…” Her voice was much fainter now, full of tears. She was devastated. Her hanyou had turned out to be someone she didn’t know, someone she didn’t want to know.

Inuyasha seemed to realized the danger then, trying to placate her as best he could, but she wouldn’t hear him. “Kagome…please just listen to me. That boy is evil. He isn’t what you think. Please, believe me Kagome!” He was pleading now, but she merely shook her head.

“I can’t believe you Inuyasha…Not after what you have done. I can’t trust you at all. Please…just go away. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to see you at all.”

She stared at the ground, blinking back the tears in her eyes. She never saw the look of hurt that filled Inuyasha’s face. “You…you won’t believe me? You don’t want to see me any more…ever?”

Kagome couldn’t answer. Her heart ached painfully. Inuyasha stiffened, growing cold and withdrawn. His voice held no emotion whatsoever. “Fine. I will leave you alone then. You can do whatever you like. I don’t give a fuck.”

Kagome finally brought herself to look up, but he was gone. Inuyasha was gone. Kagome ran upstairs to her room and fell onto her bed, sobs shaking her body. She cried until she lost track of time, finally drifting off into an unhappy sleep.

Inuyasha didn’t even return to the village when he arrived in Sengoku Jidai. He walked to the go-shinboku and stared at it in silence. His face was blank, betraying no thought at all. If any of his friends had seen him, they would have been instantly suspicious. Inuyasha had never before looked so emotionless. He looked empty.

The hanyou stood there for some time, eyes looking out vacantly, unfocused. In a flash, he punched the tree, hard, leaving a deep gash in its trunk. He fell against it heavily, face shadowed by the overhanging branches. His countenance was concealed by the dark shadows, but a small gleam caught the sun for a moment as it slid down his cheek.

End of Chapter Four

…

-Chevalier