InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Expect the Unexpected ❯ Exile ( Chapter 5 )

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

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

Chapter Five: Exile

The well sat where it always had. Nothing had changed about it. Nothing had changed visibly at all in Sengoku Jidai. The only discernable difference was in the hanyou. The entire village had been awakened by his shouts when he had returned from Kagome’s date. He had been fuming then, and disturbingly purposeful, but now he was nothing at all.

Inuyasha would not speak to his friends in any more than grunts and half-mumbled sentences. Miroku had seen the hanyou down before, but nothing like this. What was worse, was that Kagome had yet to return. Inuyasha wouldn’t even tell them what had happened to put him in such a despondent mood. He wouldn’t talk about Kagome at all.

The monk was beginning to fear that it was more than their normal squabbling this time. Inuyasha seemed to be very hurt, something only Kagome could have done, though Miroku found it hard to believe that she would wound the hanyou purposely. Something must have gone terribly wrong for their belligerent friend to be acting so…passive.

Miroku and Sango had spoken of it that night, when Inuyasha slunk away to the go-shinboku, but neither could quite figure out what was wrong. They would have to ask Kagome when she returned, which would hopefully be soon. She had already been gone longer than usual. It was always possible that she and Inuyasha had had another fight before they could return, and she was now going to be even longer in her time.

They could only hope that this was not the case. Miroku didn’t know how long he could put up with a hanyou who wasn’t sulking, but simply staring sightlessly at nothing. Strange that he should want Inuyasha to sulk. But that was the person they knew, and they could not like his sudden and unexplainable change in personality. They were worried.

Miroku and Sango would be even more worried when the next day came. Midday came, and Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. He could have gone down the well, possibly, but they figured that he would have returned, either with Kagome or fuming at her. When the sun sank below the tree line, it became obvious that Inuyasha would not be returning that day. They settled down for an uneasy night, still anxious for their friend.

Inuyasha had returned by the time they awoke the next morning, but he ignored them. The hanyou deigned not to tell them where he had been for so long or what he was doing. He practically hid in the go-shinboku as soon as they rose. It was obvious that Inuyasha didn’t want company, but they still attempted to talk to him a few times before giving up.

***

He sat alone in his tree, staring at the sunset. It was a beautiful view, full of colour, but he despised it. Why should dusk be so magnificent when he was so despondent? It only taunted him. Inuyasha glared at it, as if to defy its beauty. He really did not want to see such things right now. Why couldn’t it be raining?

Stupid sunset. Stupid world. Stupid Kagome. Grrrrrrr! He had promised himself not to think of her! There was no way that he was going to go back to thinking of that bitch. He wouldn’t think about her beautiful black hair, or her deep, soulful eyes. He certainly wouldn’t think about the her soft curves and strong spirit…No way would he start thinking about her kind heart. Then he’d only find himself remembering how wonderful she was…how much he missed her…how much it had hurt when she had spurned him so utterly.

Damn! He was doing it again. The hanyou’s shoulders slumped dejectedly. There was no getting around it. Kagome had tossed him away so quickly, without even the slightest doubt of his culpability. She obviously thought less of him than he had hoped. Was he only a belligerent hanyou to her? A dog to be put down when it became inconvenient? Did she not trust him at all?

Inuyasha growled softly. Actually, it sounded more like whine. He shook himself both physically and mentally. He was stronger than this. He wouldn’t let one mortal girl destroy him. She thought that she could bring him down…Ha! She couldn’t be more wrong. She would be the one who was sorry for this whole situation. They’d see who protected her so ardently, now.

Certainly, he still needed her to find the jewel shards, but he needn’t go out of his way to see her unharmed. A few injuries might do her some good. They would certainly make him feel better. Of course, this would only work if she actually came back. He wasn’t so sure that she would, but she still had a responsibility here, and she had Shippou and Miroku and Sango. She’d be back…if only for them. Then she’d see how little her rejection mattered to him. As if he could care for her! Ha!

***

Kagome wasn’t too cheerful where she sat, trying to concentrate to her schoolwork. She couldn’t seem to get any work done. Her mind was still spinning about. Inuyasha was gone…he hadn’t even visited in three days. Hojo’s face still showed those damning slashes. They didn’t seem to be healing. If anything, they seemed to grow more noticeable with each day.

Kagome had been furious with Inuyasha when she had sent him away. She had been fuming at him for most of the day. She had finally cooled off somewhat by the second day. She was still angry at Inuyasha, but she hadn’t even heard him out. He would have only made some stupid excuses, but still, she should have at least taken the time to listen to him. She should have set him straight about Hojo. Instead, she had ignored his every attempt to talk to her and sent him away from her.

As she had lain in bed that night, she had began to feel his absence. He was nowhere to be found. He wouldn’t even come to her, it seemed. Kagome felt the pain in her chest at the thought of him. He had betrayed her in a much more terrible way than Kikyou had ever believed herself betrayed. Kagome felt as though the person she had felt so much for had been a complete lie. She longed to have him beside her again…to have Inuyasha there and prove that he really was the person she had thought him. But he wasn’t coming. Perhaps never again.

Kagome remembered the last few moments of she had been with him. ‘You…you won’t believe me? You don’t want to see me any more…ever?’ The pain in his voice had been obvious. She had never heard it so clearly in his voice before, but she hadn’t cared. She hadn’t given him an answer. Of course she wanted to see him again, but her anger had made it impossible to tell him that.

Surely, he would realize that she hadn’t meant it so harshly. Surely he would come for her tomorrow. ‘Inuyasha’s cold voice echoed in her head. ‘Fine. I will leave you alone then. You can do whatever you like. I don’t give a fuck.’ He had said it so calmly. There hadn’t been any emotion in it at all. Did that mean that he had really meant it? It was hard to believe that those could be the last words she ever heard from him. Did he really not care about her at all?

Kagome was near tears again. She had cried both nights since he had gone. She had never thought of herself as weak, not one who cried over nothing, but she could not help it. Each night came, and she could feel his absence most strongly then. Normally, he was there, watching over her in the dark. He would sit in his tree keeping his silent vigil, even while he slept. Kagome had never realized how much comfort his presence gave her.

Finally, she gave up on her work. It was dark, not late, but she changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed. It felt so cold. Even under the blankets, it was chilly. Why was it so cold? Kagome’s eyes found the window. Oh. She had left it open, and the night air was getting in. That was why it was cold.

Kagome got up and went to close the window. She hesitated, though. She had opened it in the half-hearted hope that he might come to her. She hadn’t really believed that he would come, but she had left the window open to welcome him, just in case. If she closed it, and he came, then he might simply leave again. That could be her one chance to see him.

It was a foolish notion, but she stepped away from the window. She could always hope. And the cold of the night was nothing compared to the cold in her heart from his absence. Kagome slipped back into bed, wrapping the covers tightly about herself. She didn’t sleep for a long while, until late into the night.

Her mother heard her crying softly into her pillow late at night. She new that something had truly upset her daughter, and she knew that it had to do with Inuyasha. They had probably had another fight, but it sounded as if this one had been particularly bad. The woman sighed quietly. She would have to talk to her daughter. Those two needed to mend their hurts as soon as possible, before any permanent damage could be done.

Kagome’s last thought before she fell into slumber, cheeks still damp, was that she should go see Inuyasha. She didn’t know if she could take much more of what she was feeling now.

***

The morning came to Kagome abruptly. It was still dark outside, nearing sunrise, but sleep would not return. She reluctantly dragged herself from her bed and the protection of her dreams. They hadn’t been pleasant--they hadn’t been since Inuyasha had left--but they were still better than the reality. A hot bath lifted her spirits somewhat, so she took her time, enjoying as much as she could.

When she returned to her room, she found the dawn shining through her window. Tears sprang to her eyes immediately. It was such a magnificent sight, with those beautiful reds and oranges, that she could not help but feel bad. It only reminded her of her misery. Its beauty only recalled to her Inuyasha‘s face. She quickly closed curtains, hiding the saddening sight. Any high spirits she had felt after her bath were gone now.

She had a small breakfast, quiet since no one else seemed to be about. After she was sure that the Sun had risen high enough into the sky to destroy the bright colours, Kagome made her way outside. She sat on a bench near the go-shinboku and watched it silently. It was a lovely tree, but it reminded her of Inuyasha. She could almost feel him on it.

Kagome started slightly when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned quickly, hoping desperately to find Inuyasha. She found her mother there, and her face fell instantly. Her disappointment was obvious, but she tried to hide it anyways. Her mother smiled at her softly and sat down beside her. She was silent a moment before she finally spoke.

“Kagome, I don’t know exactly what has happened, but I know that you are upset. You shouldn’t be upset. You don’t deserve it. I know that you really care for Inuyasha, and that you get hurt by him sometimes, but you shouldn’t let it keep you from him. You and he fight often, but that only shows that you truly care about one another.”

Kagome shook her head. “It isn’t as simple as that, Mom. We didn’t just have a fight this time. He…He thinks that I don’t want him to come back. And I don’t know if he even cares. He didn’t seem to when he left, and he hasn’t been back since.”

“Oh, I can assure you that he certainly cares, Kagome. He was probably just hurt at the thought that you didn’t want him back that made him seem so distant. He must have been sorely wounded by that. But how did he come to the conclusion that you didn’t want him?”

Kagome didn’t really know what to say. The fact that she had practically told Inuyasha that she never wanted to see him again didn’t exactly soothe her. How would she sound if she told her mother that? And she certainly could not tell her what had happened to Hojo. Her mother would never let her go back to Inuyasha if she found out about that.

“Well…I said some hurtful things, I suppose. I regret them, now. I wish I hadn’t said it quite how I did, but I was so mad at him…I couldn’t help it.”

“It’s okay Kagome. You can’t take back what you’ve said…but you can make amends for them. Explain it to him. Tell him that you are sorry for what you said. You obviously didn’t mean to drive him away. You need to go to him Kagome…show him that you do care.”

Kagome hugged her mother gratefully. “Thanks, Mom. I think I will. I don’t want him to be upset with me any more, and I don’t want to be upset with him either.” Kagome rose and nearly ran to the well. Inuyasha would probably be waiting in the go-shinboku. He usually did when he was upset. She hardly paid any attention as she was transported to the distant past. She quickly climbed from the well and hurried to find her hanyou.

Inuyasha was indeed in the go-shinboku. He looked surprised to see her, but he ignored her nonetheless. Kagome stood directly below the branch he rested upon, watching him intently. He wasn’t paying her any attention. It would be completely up to her.

“Inuyasha…I-I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said, really. I was just so angry…I can forgive you for what you did-”

Kagome cut off abruptly when Inuyasha landed with a soft thud, his back to her. She was about to continue when he silently walked away. She stared in disbelief. Recovering quickly, she followed hurriedly, catching up with the hanyou.

“Listen, Inuyasha. I’m sorry, I really am! Why are you ignoring me? Please, just look at me!” He stopped so suddenly that she nearly walked into him. He turned slowly and looked her straight in the eye.

She blanched at that look. It was cold and grim, with no trace of warmth at all. “You apologize? You’re sorry? I don’t give a damn. I don’t care what you say. I don’t care about you at all. You can just go away…go wherever, just leave me alone. I’m tired of having you follow me about.”

Kagome stared at him, incredulous. His tone was so dead. How could he say that so calmly? He really didn’t care about her? Inuyasha walked off again, but this time she didn’t try to stop him. She felt as if someone had just stabbed her in the heart. She could practically feel it breaking. After all that, she had gotten her hopes up when she had spoken with her mother, but now it was all gone. Inuyasha didn’t care about her at all. Kagome sank to the ground and cried.

End of Chapter Five

-Chevalier