InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Genuine Desires : Koga's Story ❯ Chapter Four : Healing ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four

 

Healing

 

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“So . . . You're the Koga?”

 

Koga glanced lazily at the small woman who stood next to him, staring out over the top of the village with a quiet little smile on her face. Her short red hair cut close to her face was pushed away by the gentle wind, and her green eyes sparkled as she peeked at him, her grin widening. Something about him stood out to her; something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

 

“Depends on whose asking.”

 

She giggled, turning to face him. She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward, peeking up at him through her thick fringe of bangs. “Surprising you made it all the way up here. Ayame had a fit when she realized you were gone.”

 

He snorted. It had actually taken him a couple of hours to reach the top of the hill overlooking the expanse of valley that surrounded the village, and he had all but collapsed when he finally made it here. But he wasn't going to tell her that.

 

She laughed outright at his indignant expression. “Well, I guess it's alright now.”

 

He peeked at her again. “Who are you?”

 

“The name's Han!” She giggled, snapping up straight and jutting her hand out. He summarily ignored it, and she reached out, taking one of his hands with both of her own and shaking it vigorously. “Nice `ta meet `cha!”

 

Snatching his hand back, he scowled at her and stepped away a little bit. She winked at him and turned back to look over the village, the smile fading from her face. “She was so distraught when she heard about what happened,” She said quietly.

 

He snorted. “Should've just let me be,” He mumbled. “Never asked for help.”

 

“Yea,” Han giggled, pushing him playfully. He flinched, not used to the contact but didn't comment. If she noticed, she didn't say anything about it either. “But you really didn't not expect her to, did you?”

 

“She's always been like that.”

 

Han blinked. “Like what?”

 

“An idiot.”

 

She blinked again, and laughter tumbled out of her. It was then that Koga noticed that her voice had a southern drawl to it, unlike the accent that the villagers had. Although it was something altogether different, he realized that it suited her. “I guess she has,” She said, her laughter dying down and a different emotion flashing through her eyes.

 

Silence stretched between them, but it was something that Koga welcomed. Although she came off a little pushy, he had the feeling that she understood just how he felt at that moment. Kindred spirits if you would call them; he understood her need to sit back and recollect, and he didn't grumble and send her on her way. Her company was something that he was surprised to realize didn't bother him in the least. She sank down on the grass, and he followed suite, leaning back on his elbows as she lay on her stomach, kicking her feet in the air.

 

“You love the miko?”

 

He flinched. “Ayame told you that?”

 

She nodded. She sighed, allowing her face to fall on the soft grass and smiled wistfully as her eyes drifted closed. “Love is a beautiful thing. I can't wait until I fall in love.”

 

Koga rolled his eyes.

 

She opened her eyes and peered at him, her gaze turning curious, and he felt his body stiffen, knowing what she was going to ask him. But instead, she shrugged and looked away, standing to her feet and dusting her clothes off. “I'll tell her I haven't seen you; but be back before nightfall, alright?”

 

“Whatever,” He muttered.

 

She laughed.

 

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“That's it for today!” He called; his hands on his hips as the young males that he was training breathed a sigh of relief. A brush of youki made his hair stand on end, and he turned, eyes locking with Ayame as she stood off to the side, her arms crossed over her chest and a soft smile on her lips.

 

Kai felt giddy with emotion as he forced his gaze, away, mumbling praises and advice to his trainees as they ambled on their various ways home. When the last of them filed out, he felt her walking towards him, and she laughed when he yanked her up, spinning her around before setting her back on her feet. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Just came to check up,” She said breathlessly. “I can do that, can't I?”

“Why not?” He teased. “We're going to be married soon anyway.”

 

Something passed over her face and his stomach lurched, but she masked it quickly enough, forcing a strained smile as she stepped away from him. He wiped a hand over his face, exasperated, and sighed.

 

“How are they doing?”

 

“The trainees?” She nodded. “They're progressing---but I think we should move up the Ceremony.”

 

She turned, the emotion that had flickered over her face completely gone, replaced by curiosity. “Why? They have at least three more years of training . . .”

 

“True, but I see promise in this generation,” He told her, grabbing her hands and ignoring the instinctive tug in response. His hands tightened, and he cradled them against his chest. “I don't have a doubt in my mind that they will prevail, whether we move it up or not.”

 

“True, but being premature may cost them their lives,” She muttered. She shook her head. “I agree with you; they are strong. But I don't want to risk it.”

 

Slowly, his face lit up in a smile, and he bowed his head, nuzzling her cheek with his own as he chuckled. “Wise call, my Queen.”

 

She blushed, ducking her head as she slapped at his chest playfully. “Jerk.”

 

 

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Koga watched as the man leaned close to Ayame, mumbling something in her ear that caused her head to duck, but not before he saw the furious blush staining her cheeks. She whispered something and the man threw his head back and laughed, wrapping his arms around her and pressing his face into her hair. He tilted his head and his gaze locked with Koga's, and something fierce flashed in his eyes. He bared his fangs at Koga before shooting a smug grin, and with a growl, Koga pushed off, turning back the way he'd come.

 

`Well . . . could've lived without that,' His youkai chuckled as he quickened his pace, gritting his teeth together. He didn't give a rat's ass; he didn't. It was just the man thought he had won, hadn't he? The smug look in his face as he pulled Ayame closer, as the gentle stroke of her youki that had so often comforted his was wrapped around someone else's made his blood boil.

 

`That's not what's really bothering you.' His voice told him.

 

Koga snarled. He didn't care about the two of them being together. He hadn't left out the cave because it felt empty without her being there, laughing at her own jokes and stories that she left with him. It didn't matter to him what she did.

 

He growled as he stormed out of the village perimeter into the thick forest beyond, shredding the branches and bushes that stood in his way with vicious claws. Breaking through, he peered around. He sniffed the air, and turned abruptly, smelling the men that she had stationed around the village. `This . . . isn't a good idea, Koga.'

 

`Why not?' He thought darkly, shredding a bush easily and kicking a log out of his way. `I'm fine now. Don't need to be there anymore.'

 

`You just hate the fact that she isn't enamored with you anymore. Face it---she grew up.'

 

He snorted, slowing down a little as his chest constricted painfully. `I don't care if she is or isn't.'

 

`I thought this was what you wanted? That you were happy for her to get married?'

 

`I . . . am,' He sighed.

 

` . . . Liar.'

 

He stopped, leaning against a tree as he struggled to breathe, now coated in sweat. His legs began to wobble, and his chest constricted again. “Damn it,” He said angrily, leaning his back against a large tree and sinking to the floor. He stared up as a fat raindrop fell on his nose, and he sighed, squeezing his eyes closed as suddenly it began to pour down raining. “Just my luck.”

 

He swiped at his bangs that were now plastered to his face, and leaned his head back, feeling his body becoming heavy. As consciousness slowly began to fade from him, he thought he felt someone brushing his hair out of his face, the rain ceasing to drum against his skin and a warm body sinking next to him, draping something warm over him.

 

“Idiot,” they mumbled, laying their head on his shoulder.

 

Or he could've been dreaming, after all.

 

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“You think he's alright?”

 

InuYasha peeped one eye open and stared down at Kagome, nestled safely in his arms atop Goshinboku. She had her hands leaning on his forearms, pushing herself up as she brushed his hair out of his face, her eyes darkened with worry. “He's fine. He's got more tenacity than a cockroach.”

She giggled weakly, reaching up and tweaking his ear. He flicked it away and she laughed, reaching for it again. “I guess that's your way of saying that he's fine?”

 

“I said the truth,” He growled, reaching up and grabbing her hand. He kissed her knuckles and pressed it against his chest. “Besides, he's with whatshername. I doubt even she can kill him.”

 

She laughed outright. “Your incorrigible,” She sighed, turning around and pressing her back against his chest. She wasn't surprised when he wrapped his arms around her, entwining his fingers with her and squeezing them slightly. “But . . . he's going to be alright, isn't he?”

 

He leaned down and nuzzled her neck in response.

 

“InuYasha?”

 

He sighed, using his head to push hers back against the crook of his neck. He laid his head on top of hers and breathed deep, allowing his eyes to drift closed as her scent caused his nerves to stand on end. `Intoxicating,' He had told Miroku once. “Hmmm?”

 

She shook her head, craning her head to look at him. “I love you, InuYasha.”

 

He blushed, turning his head so that she wouldn't see him. She giggled and kissed his cheek, snuggling back against him. “You too, Kagome,” He whispered.

 

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“I thought youkai don't get colds.”

 

Ayame shot Han a dark look and sneezed again, holding out her bowl of hot soup so that it wouldn't spill on her. She noticed that Kai shot to his feet, muttering something about going on patrol before stomping out of the hut, and she sighed. Han watched his retreat with a frown. “So . . . he knows where you went last night.”

 

It was on the tip of her tongue to lie, but Ayame sighed and shrugged. “I believe so. But he hasn't said anything about it.”

 

“And he's not going to,” Han said matter of factly, taking Ayame's bowl and refilling it. “That was a stupid move, to go running out of there in the middle of a storm last night.”

 

Ayame shrugged again. “I just . . . I don't know what happened. Next thing I knew . . .”

 

Han fell quite, toying with the hem of her skirt as Ayame abruptly cut herself off, bringing the bowl to her lips. It had been instinctive to follow him into the forest when she had realized that was the way he had gone. The fear that he had been trying to leave had gripped her tightly, and she had taken off, ignoring the storm clouds in the sky and her common sense as she subconsciously followed his scent and the path of destruction he left behind him. She wasn't in any real danger; she was sure that the men she had stationed to surround the village would be there in an ample amount of time if anything did happen, but still . . .

 

She had found him, as he slumped along the floor, exhausted. Her heart had lurched, and she had went running towards him, sheltering him with the small umbrella made of wood and dried bamboo, and covered him with a wolf pelt. He had looked so distraught sitting there, and she had brushed his hair out of his face, allowing her fingers to trail along the angry lines wrinkling his skin. He began to slowly relax, and it had seemed like the most natural thing in the world to lay against him . . .

 

She had awoken in the morning and had silently slipped off with the umbrella, choosing to allow him to keep the fur pelt draped around his near bare shoulders. She had smiled as she darted back into the forest, back into the village as she slipped back into her hut, and had feigned sleep when her servants had come to awaken her.

 

She frowned. Would it always be like this? Would she have to steal peaceful memories from him forever?

 

`No, you fool. You don't need him for memories---you have Kai.'

 

She worried on her lower lip and shrugged offhandedly, answering to Han's blabbering without really paying attention to what the girl was saying. The memories of the Lunar Moon flashed through her eyes, and she felt her heart constrict with the emotion that came along with it. He had been magnificent in the moonlight as she rid along his back, secretly digging her face into his hair and wrapping her tiny hands around his neck. How long had it been since then? How many years had she sat awake at night, dreaming about the day he promised to make her his wife?

 

When did that all change?

 

`I grew up,' she thought stubbornly, clenching her fists. `I grew up, and I'm going to marry Kai.'

 

But even as she said it to herself, she still felt her chest constrict. Not because she didn't enjoy Kai's company---he was her very best friend, and there was no one that knew her better, and vice versa. Kai had always been the one to be there for her, and they had spent nearly each and every day together. He had been her rock when her grandfather had been killed, and they had even trained together. Being his wife was nothing that she regretted, per se . . .

 

He just wasn't Koga.

 

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I can't figure out for the life of me why everything turns out in italics . . .

 

Enjoy!