InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Far Away Eye's Fairytales: A Drabble Collection ❯ The Missed Signs ( Chapter 39 )

Title: The Missed Signs

Author: Far Away Eyes

Word Count: 754

Genre: Introspection, Vignette

Rating: G

Summary: Inuyasha contemplates his relationship with Kagome.

Written for Week 106: Signs at iyfic_contest

 

He couldn't believe he had missed the signs. Looking back, he realized that they had been so obvious. Inuyasha felt like such a fool. How could he have not seen them?

 

The first sign that he had missed had occurred in his first fight with his brother over Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha had declared that he would protect Kagome, and while Inuyasha had scoffed later, he had meant it. He still did. Inuyasha may have protected Kikyo, but he had never openly declared that he would---not while she was alive, that is. That, to him, made all the difference.

 

The second sign had been after he had defeated the Thunder Brothers. When Inuyasha had believed that Kagome had died, the hanyou had begged her not to leave him. He had gotten so used to her presence, and he didn't want to be alone again. It wasn't his distaste of loneliness that had caused his reaction, though. It was the thought of never seeing Kagome again. He remembered covering up his short-lived grief with a gruff comment. Again, it amazed Inuyasha that he had missed this sign.

 

The third sign was when he had come to apologize to Kagome for breaking her strange alarm-clock. He, who hadn't apologized to anyone besides his mother, had actually expressed contrition. Usually, Inuyasha brushed off something as insignificant as breaking the strange contraption, but somehow it had been different. He hadn't wanted to make her angry---or see disappointment in her eyes.

 

The fourth sign should have been obvious, and Inuyasha truly wondered how blind he had been. It had been when Kagome had discovered his most intimate secret. Inuyasha had never let anyone know that the night of the new moon was the night he became mortal before he had met her. He attributed it to being careless, but truthfully, Inuyasha knew that if he hadn't wanted her to know, Kagome wouldn't. He had never trusted anyone as much as he had her, and especially with such an important secret as his night of weakness. His confession to her about her scent had only provided more evidence.

 

The fifth sign had been when Inuyasha had sent Kagome back home to protect her. He had vowed to keep her safe, and Inuyasha had felt that it would be the best method. When she had come back despite all his efforts, the hanyou had been both furious and overjoyed. He had rationalized that he had done it to prevent another woman's death because of him, but that had only been half the truth. Inuyasha had also been confused, and quite frankly afraid of his own emotions. He had felt that they were only a distraction, and thus had to send her away. It hadn't helped anyways, and Inuyasha thanked whatever higher power would listen that he had failed.

 

The sixth sign had happened after they had left Jinenji's village. Inuyasha had come to a realization as he had walked in comfortable silence with Kagome. It didn't matter to him where they were. They could be traveling on the road, in her room in her time, or in Kaede's hut. It was all the same to him. All that mattered to Inuyasha was that they were together. He was at home with Kagome.

 

The seventh and final sign had been after Kagome had nearly died due to the Band of Seven---and in Inuyasha's judgment, his carelessness. If he hadn't been busy chasing down a rumor and distracted, it would have never happened. When she wouldn't start breathing again, he had been so afraid. It had been his fault, and he had broken the one promise he had made to Kagome. He hadn't protected her the way he said he would. When she had awoken, and he knew she was alright, Inuyasha had done something he hadn't since his mother's death: he had cried.

 

All these missed signs meant something when combined. Inuyasha still tried to figure out how he hadn't seen it sooner. He attributed it to one thing: his stubbornness. If it hadn't been for that, he would have admitted what he had known all along: he loved Kagome. Each and every sign he had just reflected on proved it.

 

Inuyasha looked up from the fire, and his eyes met Kagome's. He blushed, feeling all of the sudden shy. While he had finally admitted the truth to himself, he just wasn't ready to say it to her---not yet. Perhaps someday he'd overcome his bashfulness, but not tonight.