InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Guilty Hero ❯ Some Things Are More Important Than Others ( Chapter 41 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Hello, everyone! No, I did not take a journey to the center of the earth, never to emerge again to finish my story. Rather, I made the mistake of buying a totally awesome video game, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and that consumed much of my time. That, on top of… well, life, I guess, made for a crippling combo that prevented any creative juices from flowing.
Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! If I didn't reply, I do apologize. It's a little difficult to keep track of who I've replied to and who I haven't. *sigh* Silly me.
 
As for the Inu-Yasha Fan Guild, GH ended up coming out in first place for the Best Drama, 4th quarter of 2009! Yay! Thank you so much to everyone who voted! ^__^ Unfortunately, no wins for the “Best of 2009”, but I still appreciate everyone who voted for GH there as well. I'll just try again for next year! ^__^
A super-huge, wicked awesome thank you goes out to Karaumea for editing this chapter for me. And for other things too. ^__- If you haven't checked out her profile, please do! “Heartless” is one of my favorites, and “The S-Android” is getting ready to rocket off the ground. Both are definitely worth checking out!
Also, a special thanks to Sassybratt for always being the one to give me that final nudge to start writing again. Every bit of encouragement helps. ^__^
Enough gab—on with the chapter!
 
Guilty Hero
Chapter 40: Some Things Are More Important Than Others
Miroku stared anxiously at the familiar door to Sango's apartment. Although confident with the advice Kagome had provided him, he still couldn't help but wince at the thought of Sango's furious expression and the sting of her hand.
“She was worried and upset,” he said softly under his breath. “I just happened to be the first one to approach her, that's all. Things will be fine.” Trying to appear calm and confident, he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and knocked firmly on the door.
A few moments later, Sango slowly emerged from the apartment, and one look told him that she had suffered a far worse night than he. Her face was pale and gaunt, her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and her hair was simply a tangled mess. It was clear she was just barely in control of her actions, and as soon as she laid eyes on him, that control began to dissolve.
For some reason, seeing her so disheveled and helpless made any concerns he had previously held disappear. As their eyes met, he smiled gently and said, “My dear, you look ravishing this morning.”
At the comment, her bottom lip began to quiver, and she soon burst into tears. “Oh, Miroku! I'm so sorry!” She threw herself into his embrace, an action that he willingly accepted. He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug and allowed her to sob openly into his chest.
“Don't apologize, Sango. I understand.”
“I didn't meant to be so hurtful!” she wept, gripping the front of his suit. “I just… Oh, my poor brother! I don't want to lose him, Miroku, I don't! He's the only family I have left! I promised father I would protect him! Why is he the only one who can do this? Why him?”
“Sango…” Miroku began softly, smoothing her messy locks in an attempt to soothe her. “You have done an excellent job raising Kohaku. He has grown into a fine young man. He is skilled in battle and good at heart. Your father would be proud of him, and of you. But Sango, at some point you are going to have to let Kohaku out from under your wing. You must give him the chance to grow and learn on his own. He is ready to prove himself now, my dear. His acceptance of the mission is proof of that. Do you really want to hold him back?”
Sango's sobs began to slow, although she did not pull away from him. “No,” she murmured at last. “But, I don't want to send him to his death. He isn't the bravest boy; I think this task is too much for him.” Her voice was growing choked at the thought.
Miroku couldn't help but chuckle out of relief that Kagome had mentioned this very topic when giving him advice.
“Wouldn't you agree that it took an extraordinary amount of courage just for him to agree to the assignment?” He smiled when he felt Sango grow very still in his embrace. “He has more courage in him than we might expect. Besides, it is good to have a healthy amount of fear in such situations. He will be cautious and careful, and by doing so he increases his chances of survival a thousand fold. You must admit, he does have a cool head in tight spot, does he not?”
She slowly nodded into his chest, keeping silent.
Miroku rested his chin on the top of her head, tightening his embrace. “Have a little faith in your brother, Sango. Support from you will mean the world to him.”
She said nothing, but wrapped her arms around him and let out a soft sigh. The two remained in that position for several moments. Miroku was enjoying the time immensely. Sango, in her stubbornness, rarely unveiled any weakness, which made it difficult for him to prove his worth to her. Not that he wished for her to experience pain and sorrow, but he yearned for the opportunity to prove to her that he would be there for her. He was relieved to have taken full advantage of this moment.
“Miroku?” Sango said after a couple of minutes.
“Yes, my dear?”
“Why haven't you groped me yet? You're in the perfect position to do so.”
He laughed lightly at the comment. “I just don't think now is really the proper time for such behavior.”
“That's never stopped you before,” she commented drily.
“Well, if it concerns you so much…”
“Aaah!” Slap! “You are so inappropriate!”
“I'm glad you're feeling better, my dear.”
 
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
 
Kagome turned down the volume on the television even further and tried to glance nonchalantly into the kitchen. Miroku had called a few minutes prior, inquired about her injuries, and then asked to speak to Inu-Yasha. The demon took the phone into the kitchen so he wouldn't bother Kagome, but her curiosity was piqued and she eavesdropped anyway.
“I don't know who they were, dammit!” she heard Inu-Yasha snarl as he paced the kitchen with a cigarette clenched in his teeth. “It doesn't matter how many times you ask me! All I know is that they were lower-level demons.”
Ah, Miroku's asking about the attack, she realized, idly flipping channels as her attention focused on the conversation.
“What do you mean, `where did they come from'? How the hell am I supposed to know that? …I always raise my voice when I'm being asked stupid questions! Yeah! Well, I— No, I know, I just—” He finally fell silent, a snarl on his lips as he allowed Miroku to speak.
“Look…” he growled after a minute. “The only thing I remember them saying is, `kill girl, kill dog, master want.' … Yes, that's it. …Yes, I'm sure, dammit! I was a little too preoccupied trying to protect my nurse, who was lying unconscious on the sidewalk and bleeding from the head, to take a minute-by-minute report on the situation! …Oh, like I give a damn.”
Kagome smiled a little as she watched him pace the length of the kitchen time and time again. To be honest, she felt bad for him. He had started the day with a terrible hangover and an even worse guilt trip. And even though they had reconciled after their fight, he still was acting incredibly shy around her. It was a sign that things were still not entirely resolved.
Now, as the day wore on, he was also dealing with the effects of the night prior. Withdrawal was tugging at him earlier and stronger than usual. He was unwilling to admit his discomfort, but she noticed all of the warning signs. By noon he was already showing signs of agitation and restlessness. He was constantly moving to another room so he could have a cigarette without bothering her, and when he wasn't smoking, he was pacing about the apartment. Now his hands were quivering like leaves, and his temper was easily sparked, as Miroku had quickly learned from their phone conversation.
“All right, that's it!” Inu-Yasha growled, breaking Kagome out of her thoughts. “Speculate on your own time, dammit! Just leave me alone!”
When Kagome heard the electronic beep of the phone call ending, she quickly turned her attention back to the television and raised the volume once more. She didn't want him to know she had been eavesdropping, for that was certain to spark his temper.
“Wish he would quit botherin' me…” Inu-Yasha muttered under his breath as he stomped back into the room and placed the phone in its cradle. “I don't wanna talk about—oh.”
He had just moved to take a drag of his cigarette when his eyes came to rest on Kagome. Blinking in surprise, he grunted, “Sorry,” and quickly turned around and headed back to the kitchen.
Kagome hesitated for only a moment before climbing off the sofa to follow him. Reaching the doorway to the kitchen, she leaned against the doorframe and watched as he shakily pulled a glass out of the cabinet. Moving over to the sink to fill it with water, he kept his cigarette clenched in his teeth the entire time.
“Inu-Yasha?”
He twitched at the sound of her voice. “Kagome? I thought you were—”
“What did Miroku want?” she interrupted gently.
Inu-Yasha scowled and drained the glass of water. “He just wanted to know about the attack yesterday. Kept pepperin' me with questions, even after I told him everything I remember. I don't know what the hell his problem was.”
Kagome shook her head, knowing full well that the problems most likely stemmed from Inu-Yasha's temperament. “It's his job to ask those questions, Inu-Yasha,” she said quietly, moving into the kitchen to sit down at the table. “You can hardly blame him for that.”
“Well, he can just—” He abruptly stopped speaking and smacked his glass on the counter. Kagome, easily recognizing his frustration, remained silent. Watching as he puffed angrily on his cigarette for a few moments, she couldn't help but smile in appreciation of his effort to keep his temper under control.
“Why are you in here now, anyway?” he finally growled, keeping his back to her. “I'm not done smokin' yet. You need to go in the other room.”
She rested her chin in her hand, studying him innocently. “You know, just because I don't like cigarette smoke doesn't mean I'll avoid you like the plague every time you light up. If that were true, then I wouldn't have seen you at all today.” The tone of her voice hinted that she wanted to know why he had been avoiding her, and he shifted guiltily against the counter.
For a few moments they remained silent. Inu-Yasha squirmed under Kagome's gaze while he fiddled with his cigarette between shaky fingers. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her. Truth be told, he had been avoiding her, simply because he no longer knew where his boundaries were. Now that their feelings were out in the open, yet unable to be acted upon, he was uncertain of what to say, how to act, and what was acceptable behavior. He had wanted to take a nap on her lap earlier in the day, but had been too nervous to say anything. Was that appropriate now? Could he even sit next to her anymore without having his intentions misconstrued?
Another irritating reminder made its presence known when his arms gave an involuntary twitch and knocked his empty glass over with a clatter. He growled in annoyance as he righted it with shaky hands. What about his damning withdrawal? Could he no longer seek solace in the comfort of her embrace? That was the tried and true remedy for taking both his body and mind off his desire. He was unsure how he was going to handle the pangs of whiskey longing without Kagome's soothing touch.
Burdened with such thoughts, he had figured it best to avoid Kagome entirely until he could figure things out for himself. However, even after spending the day pacing and pondering his predicament, he had made no progress. As the day wore on his thoughts kept drifting to his upcoming dose of whiskey. Even if he was able to keep his thoughts off the booze for a moment, Kagome kept walking into the room, distracting him just as much as the liquor. By now he hardly found it useful to try and think on the matter any longer. His need for whiskey was growing stronger by the second, and Kagome wasn't helping him focus in the slightest.
Realizing that she was staring expectantly at him, he finally grunted and stuck his cigarette back in his mouth. “Just had some things to think about,” he muttered, blowing out some smoke.
A small grin graced her features as she watched him. “Fair enough,” she said in reply. “But I was wondering if you might want to spend a little time with me today. You look like you could use the company.”
He raised an eyebrow in irritation. “Oh, really? What makes you say that?”
Shaking her head, she rose from the chair and took a couple steps toward him. He involuntarily retreated, wanting to keep a safe distance between them since he no longer was certain what was acceptable.
“Inu-Yasha, please. I'm not a fool. I can tell how much you're suffering from withdrawal right now. And it's only going to get worse as time passes. You still have a couple hours before you can drink, so you need a distraction. You'll only drive yourself crazy by pacing the apartment.”
With a snort, he turned away from her and placed his glass in the sink. “Among other things…” he muttered. In fact, he felt that pacing his apartment was the least of his issues when it came to `crazy'.
He gave a twitch when he felt her steady hand rest gently on his trembling arm. Already he could feel his cheeks begin to burn at their proximity, and his palms grew sweaty from anxiety. Was this all right? She was the one initiating the behavior, but he couldn't help but experience the fear that he might be doing something wrong. Should he move away? Should he react at all? Should he move in closer? What was she expecting from him?
“Inu-Yasha?” Her worried voice broke into his thoughts, and he gave a start. He realized that he had been staring at her hand, standing stock still and silent. “Are you all right?” She lifted her hand to brush his sweaty bangs away from his forehead. “You're all cold and clammy.”
Slowly he took a deep breath and shut his eyes. It was another sign of withdrawal, this terrible anxiety. He needed to get in control of his body. Bracing his arms on the sink and allowing his head to droop, he asked softly, “Why is it suddenly so bad, Kagome?”
She began to rub his back in slow circles, an action meant to be soothing. However, she could feel his shoulders tense at her touch, so she took a step back. She wanted so badly to give him comfort as she used to, but he now seemed so sensitive to her presence that her usual methods of calming seemed to have the opposite effect.
“It's what happens after a relapse, Inu-Yasha,” she murmured sadly, leaning against the counter. “You've taken a couple of steps backwards. It's just going to take a little while to get you back on the right track, that's all.”
Keeping eerily still, he whispered, “How long is `a little while'?”
He heard her exhale as she thought for a moment. “Hard to say. It varies from person to person.”
Letting out a short groan, he closed his eyes and shuddered. Though he hadn't thought it possible, he was now feeling even more like a fool for getting soused the night prior.
Clearly noting his distress, Kagome lightly clapped her hands to get his attention. She attempted to give him an encouraging grin when he barely lifted his head to glance at her through his thick, silvery locks. “Look, you're a tough guy. I'm sure you'll be able to beat this setback in no time. I mean, look how well you were doing after just two weeks of the regimen!” She ignored the irritated snort he gave at the comment. “All it's going to take is some dedication, willpower and…” She pulled his shoulder back, forcing him to stand upright and look her in the eye. “…An effective distraction.”
He stared blankly at her, his cigarette dangling haphazardly out of the corner of his mouth as though he had forgotten it.
“Inu-Yasha, I'm offering to be that distraction for you. I highly suggest you accept my offer.”
“Distraction…?” he asked stupidly.
Wondering why he suddenly seemed so distant and lost, it took her but a moment to realize where his thoughts had wandered off to. Men. It seemed her comment that morning had not fully cured him of such thoughts. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Inu-Yasha. I just thought we could watch TV together.”
“Oh… TV.” Depression settling over his features once again, he grunted and plucked the cigarette from his mouth. “Sure. If you think it's going to help.” Without another glance at her, he shuffled out of the kitchen, hoping to hide the furious blush that had blossomed on his cheeks. Embarrassed as he was to admit it, his thoughts had indeed drifted down a dangerous path. He was at least thankful to be sober now so he could keep in control, but his mind was difficult to reign in, boozy or not.
He flopped down on the couch, pausing to crush his cigarette out in the ashtray before leaning back and propping his feet up on the coffee table. Kagome entered the room a moment later and took a seat in the armchair; far enough away to put him at ease, but close enough to offer comfort should his withdrawal become too bad for him to handle alone.
“Is there anything in particular you'd like to watch?” she queried, since Inu-Yasha had made no move for the remote.
He shrugged listlessly, keeping his hands tucked to his sides to prevent them from shaking too much. Judging from his slouched posture, silence and annoyed expression, he was in prime `sulk-mode'. She could only sigh and shake her head. He had been through enough today without her getting angry with him a second time. She needed to remember that patience was the best policy when dealing with the temperamental hanyou.
“Let's watch the news, then,” she said, trying to keep her tone light and cheerful. “They usually have an interesting guest on around this time of day.”
Inu-Yasha gave only a tiny grunt of acknowledgement and appeared more interested in his socks than the television screen when it flashed to life. He listened with only half an ear while the reporter posed a question to the guest, for the interview was already underway, but when the interviewee spoke, he suddenly gained an interest.
“Mr. Mayor,” the interviewer began, “You have already made some radical changes during your time in office and you have the overwhelming support of your staff and your fellow politicians. However, the general public does not appear to be as supportive of your actions as they. Do you know why this is?”
“I believe I do.” As soon as Mayor Muso's oily voice emerged from the television, Inu-Yasha suddenly perked up and became more alert to the program. “My plans for this city require a great amount of trust to come from everyone. It is a difficult thing for many people to accept. The city council, the politicians… All of them are people who deal with demon-human issues on a regular basis. They know firsthand how unnecessarily violent handling such situations can be, and they are all just as eager as myself to put an end to all hostilities between our two kinds. As for the general public, they don't fully understand how difficult things can be. They can avoid run-ins with the demon population if they desire to, and thus only want protection from them. To ask them to go without protection means they are going to have to put out a level of trust. Many are unwilling to do so.”
“Yes, but one can hardly blame them,” the interviewer said conversationally. “I mean, the demon war was only eight years ago, and there have been many attacks made on humans since then. The Order has been there since before the war to keep things safe. Many people feel that your request to disband the Order's defense branch is unwise, and possibly even dangerous.”
Muso nodded sympathetically, appearing genuinely concerned. Inu-Yasha didn't buy the façade for a second, though. If Muso was this cool and calm, then he obviously had something up his sleeve.
“I understand that a great percentage of the city's population feels loyalty to the Order, which is well-deserving of their support. Back in the day, the Order's actions were indeed a blessing in that time of terror. People owe their lives to the brave agents who fought to protect them, and I will be the first to admit that. However, things have changed in those eight years since the war. Demon attacks on humans have become few and far between. Even more so since I took this office. Having an entire branch devoted to killing renegade demons is unwarranted. That branch is practically hemorrhaging taxpayer's dollars. With my proposal, we simply cut the defense branch, put part of the money we save into a program to train our city's police officers on how to detain a demon should an attack occur, and then send the rest of the money back out into the city. There are so many better ways we could be spending that money.
“Yes, Mr. Mayor, but you have said that before and people are still unconvinced. They say that the most recent demon attack is proof that the Order's protection is still needed. Human blood was found nearby the dismembered bodies of the ogres.”
A slight frown crossed Muso's features for the briefest of moments before his expression smoothed again.
“I'm glad you brought this up, Mr. Tatewaki. This is a matter of grave importance.”
“Yes, Mr. Mayor, we were informed that you have the surveillance footage that was removed from the Order's exterior cameras during the time of the fight.”
“Exterior camera?” Inu-Yasha growled in confusion. “The Order doesn't have exterior cameras…”
“Here is the video clip from the surveillance camera. Viewers should be warned that the following film is graphic.”
The television screen flickered for a moment, and soon a black and white film began to play. The camera was apparently positioned high above the sidewalk, for the entire scene was show from an aerial view. It began with Inu-Yasha, crouched over a body which he knew to be Kagome's, though his body was effectively blocking the view. Then he whipped around and flung something rather small at limp at the two burly ogres. From there on it took him mere seconds to tear the beasts to pieces, and then the video paused and faded back into the view of the studio.
“As you can see, Mr. Tatewaki…” Muso began slowly, since the interviewer appeared a little too green about the gills to speak, “It was the city's beloved Inu-Yasha at the center of the attack.”
Inu-Yasha's mouth dropped open when he heard those words come out of Muso's mouth. Muso was actually going to blame the attack on him?!
“From the footage you can tell quite clearly that Inu-Yasha first attacked the human girl, then turned on the two ogres around him. With vicious and bloodthirsty accuracy, might I add. Fortunately, we have learned that the girl survived the attack, while the ogres, rather obviously, did not.”
Clearing his throat, for he still appeared to be feeling ill, the interviewer asked, “Mr. Mayor, you do realize that you are accusing the Savior of the City, the man who saved us all from Naraku and his army, of being one of the renegade demons the Order has sworn to protect us from?”
“I hate to say it as much as you hate to hear it, Mr. Tatewaki, but the evidence is undeniable. Inu-Yasha is not the same man he was eight years ago. The battle against Naraku has clearly affected him in more ways than one, and it appears that he is now beginning to turn on those he once protected.”
“Such an accusation cannot be based on one incident, Mr. Mayor,” the interviewer retorted. He was clearly upset by the accusation but was trying to remain professional. “Inu-Yasha has proven his loyalty to the city time and time again. I don't know the full details of the situation, but his actions otherwise have been admirable.”
“I am not disagreeing with you, nor trying to prove you wrong. However, this has not been the only incident.”
Inu-Yasha sat up on the couch to stare closer at the screen, his body going tense. Surely he isn't going to bring that up…
“There's been another incident?
“Indeed there has. A few days ago, an enraged Inu-Yasha broke into my office and attacked me. It took several police officers to detain him and take him away. We actually have the security footage from that as well, if you would…?”
The interviewer looked caught off-guard at the sudden turn of events that had clearly not been planned prior to the interview, but he turned and nodded off-screen for them to show the video. Once again the screen faded to the black and white footage of a security camera, and Inu-Yasha cringed at the sight that greeted him.
There was no sound in the video, but the sight alone was horrifying enough. Taken from an aerial view like the previous video, the scene began with Muso alone in his office, flipping a cell phone open. Then, glass exploded from the right of the screen, and a blur barreled into the room. Muso was lifted off his feet in moments, with Inu-Yasha's grip on his neck made quite clear in the camera. Although everything was silent, it was obvious that Inu-Yasha was shouting furiously at the mayor and violently shaking him from time to time. After a few moments the door was thrown open and police officers flooded into the room, and Inu-Yasha finally released his grip on Muso's neck. The video then went still and faded back to the studio.
The interviewer remained silent for a moment longer before turning to stare at Muso. “Mr. Mayor, why was such an attack not made known? Especially one that endangered your life in such way!”
“I had my reasons at the time, Mr. Tatewaki,” Muso replied smoothly, keeping his face calm and impassive. “You must understand that I am trying to gain the trust and respect of the demon population. By broadcasting the somewhat foolish actions of one of their number would have been cruel and unnecessary. Also, I felt that I understand why Inu-Yasha was so enraged.”
“And why was that?”
“Think about it. Inu-Yasha has been the leading agent for the defense branch for years. To have something like that taken away from him made him understandably upset. While that certainly was not a good reason for him to break into my office and attack my person, I felt that I could at least understand why he did such a thing.”
The interviewer shook his head. “Mr. Mayor, you are a better man than myself to act in such a way towards a man who tried to kill you.”
Muso smiled serenely. “I told you, trust is necessary. I had to trust that Inu-Yasha was not going to harm me. While I did obtain some bruises…” He loosened his tie and tugged his shirt collar down to display some yellowing bruises around his neck. “I was not seriously injured. And he was very easily detained. There was no struggle. Therefore, I believed that it was simply an act of rage, and I did not want to exploit him for the sake of the press.” He carefully straightened his tie.
“How did you deal with his attack, though? Having an enraged demon rampaging about the city is not safe for the citizens, obviously.”
“Of course not. He was taken to the city jail and spent several hours there. However, he cooperated with the police and was very calm and controlled. After receiving reports from the chief of police that he no longer posed a threat, I chose to drop all charges. He merely paid the bail and was able to leave. I felt that was the best way to show my trust in him. However, I now fear that perhaps it was not just a man disgruntled with my policies that led to his attack.”
“What makes you say that, Mr. Mayor?”
“The attack on my person in combination with his unusual attack on the human girl and the two ogres led me to do a little research on him, and I uncovered some facts that the Order has declined to the general public. Inu-Yasha has apparently had a history of odd behavior with the Order. He has a terrible temper, has attacked more than one other agent there, and his performance while on cases has severely declined. It was so unusual that I asked a psychiatrist to examine the information I had uncovered, and I was informed that his strange behavior means that the Savior of the City may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.”
“Post Traumatic Stress?” the interviewer repeated. “But the war was years ago, and he apparently has only just begun showing such strange… symptoms. Why would he only begin acting strangely now?”
“Has he really just begun?” Muso asked, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. “Judging from reports in the Order, he's been behaving so poorly ever since the war. Now, these strange attacks on humans are something new, but it seems that insanity has been plaguing him for years.”
“Insanity…?” Inu-Yasha snarled low under his breath, his hands locked into iron fists at his sides. His jaw was clenched so tight that he could not open it, and the fact that Kagome was staring at the screen with as much disbelief as himself went unnoticed.
“Certainly everyone can remember the disastrous event at the second annual Peace Day Gala. His atrocious behavior towards the mayor, and his slide into unconsciousness on top of the mayor's wife…? Such is not normal behavior, I daresay. And it seems that Inu-Yasha has had a problem with alcohol ever since. Reports with agents of the Order, who wish to remain anonymous, have informed us of his problems on assignments because of his drinking. He has also wounded more than one other person, including himself, while under the influence of alcohol. Apparently, it got to the point where the leaders of the Order felt that he needed somebody to take care of him in his own home. They hired a personal nurse to watch over him. Incidentally, the girl in the demon attack…?”
He waited a moment for a screencap of the surveillance video to appear on the screen behind him before gesturing at the girl's battered body. “His nurse. A woman who has taken care of him for quite some time, now. Someone who he is close to. Clearly, he was so drunk that he was unable to tell the difference between his nurse and the oni. Thus, I feel that it is safe to say that Inu-Yasha is no longer fit to remain a part of the city's protection. I understand that is a serious accusation to make of the person who saved our city from certain destruction, but loyalty to a hero cannot blind us from the truth.”
He sighed and shook his head in mock sadness. “The Order has foolishly depended upon this man for the upkeep of the city's protection. I do not find it wise to place such a burden of responsibility on an unstable man's shoulders. Placing the care of our city in an alcoholic, violent, and volatile half-demon cannot continue to happen. We need change. That is why I feel that the defense branch of the Order needs to be eliminated. For the sake of everyone.”
The interviewer's reply was cut off when Kagome finally came to her senses and flipped the television off. Just as shocked, although perhaps not as enraged, as Inu-Yasha by Muso's heinous twisting of the truth, she had been entranced to see just how far he was going to take his tale. However, enough had been enough, and she at last realized the effect of this on Inu-Yasha.
Dropping the remote to the floor, she slowly turned to look at him, cringing already. He was as still as stone on the couch, the cushions gripped in his claws already in shreds. His face, white as a sheet, was twisted with fury, and his eyes were practically glowing a dangerous red.
Uncertain of what to do, she slowly got up from the chair and said softly, “Inu-Yasha…”
At the sound of her voice, he twitched. His gaze flicking over to her for the briefest of moments, he abruptly got to his feet and slowly began to march to the door of his apartment.
“Oh, no, Inu-Yasha. No, no, no!” She quickly spun around the chair and blocked his way at the door.
“Move, Kagome,” he hissed, his composure cracking. “Move, I'm gonna kill `im!”
“You can't do that, Inu-Yasha! He's only trying to—”
“I don't give a damn what he's trying to do! He is a low-life, lie-spinning, truth-twisting, son of a bitch, and he has ruined my life! I am not going to take that lying down! He has insulted the Order, insulted you and insulted me, goddammit! Do you really think he can say such things about me and live?!” His voice was already at a roar, nearly blowing Kagome away as she braced her body against the door. “Now, MOVE!!”
“No, Inu-Yasha! If you go out and kill him now, then you will only prove that all those lies he told are true! Do you really want to prove him right?”
That did make Inu-Yasha pause for a moment, although his anger hardly seemed to lessen. Staring at Kagome's pale but stern face, he finally let out an animalistic howl and whirled around, unsheathing his claws. Four deep gashes were carved into the foyer wall in one swift motion, and he moved to continue his rampage in the confines of his apartment.
“He is a bastard!” he snarled stalking over to his side table and sending the lamp careening into the far wall with a sweep of his arm. The resounding crash did not seem to assuage his fury as he grabbed one of the couch cushions. “Feeding the people of the city such trash and damn lies!” With the emphasis on the last word, his claws shredded the fabric and he tossed the two halves aside in a flurry of stuffing.
“I am not an alcoholic, post-traumatic-stress suffering, psycho freak!! How dare he do this to me!!” The back of the sofa received the same treatment the foyer wall did a moment ago. “I'm better than that! I'm doin' damn well for myself! I can handle an assignment better than any other damn agent!”
Surprisingly enough, Kagome felt no fear for her person as she approached the demon. In all actuality, she was hoping to prevent him from destroying any more of his apartment. “Inu-Yasha, please. You need to calm down…”
At her voice, he suddenly rounded on her, a wild look in his eyes. “And you!” he shouted, sounding a little more desperate than angry now. “I would never attack you! Who the hell does he think he is, saying I would go after my own nurse?! I said I would never hurt you! Why the hell does he think he can say that I would break a promise to you?! I'm not gonna hurt you, Kagome! I'm never gonna hurt you!”
She tried to smile encouragingly at him. “I know, Inu-Yasha.”
Quieting only to stare silently at her for a moment, he finally shut his eyes, let out one final howl of rage and slammed his fist into the living room wall. The drywall cracked easily enough under the force of his punch, and his fist disappeared into the wall.
Kagome watched with a raised eyebrow as he finally stilled, panting a bit while his fist remained hidden from view inside the wall. It seemed his berserker phase had finally run down.
“Do you feel any better now?” she asked quietly.
Still breathing heavily, he slowly shook his head after a moment. “Muso is a bastard,” he muttered softly. “None of it is true…”
“No, it isn't.”
Inu-Yasha emitted a low growl under his breath. “But, even though it's not true… It's still my fault. We've lost the defense branch because of me. Because I was so damn stupid as to attack him in his office. I gave him what he needed to bring us down. Because of me, everyone in the Order is being put in a bad light. All of the other agents will lose their jobs. For a lot of them, just like me, the Order is their only home. I've taken that away from them just because I can't control my temper.”
Seeing the beginnings of one of those guilt-trips that he was so adept at putting himself through, Kagome quickly cut in. “Hold on a second, Inu-Yasha. You're overlooking some facts. First off, we've known about the loss of our defense branch for quite some time. Sango and Miroku aren't fools; they've been planning for this moment for a long time. They have found ways to keep the agents connected. Second, Muso has made it quite clear that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Even if it means spinning lies and blaming innocent people. If he wants the defense branch gone, he would have found a way to do it, whether you had attacked him or not. You can't blame yourself for this.”
Silence greeted her statement. It was at least a sign that he had heard her. She hoped he might even believe her. It was the truth, but he sometimes had difficulty accepting that.
A quiet sigh escaped from the demon. Bracing his left hand against the wall, he slowly pulled his right out of the hole, sending bits of rubble and drywall dust to the floor. “I didn't attack you,” he mumbled. Since his back was to her, she had to strain to hear him. “I wasn't drunk. I didn't hurt you.”
Kagome was touched by his concern. “No, you didn't hurt me. You protected me, actually.”
He shook his head. “But now everyone will think that I'm a monster. That I will attack you or Sango or Miroku…”
“But I know that you aren't a monster. I know that you will never hurt me. I have absolute trust in you, Inu-Yasha. Isn't that enough?”
He lifted his head when he heard her say that. The tension in his shoulders eased, and it seemed that the anxiety that had permeated his body vanished. Kagome smiled; that had been what he needed to hear.
Taking a couple of steps forward, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his back. Immediately, his muscles tensed up again, although this time it was from surprise. “I'm proud of you , Inu-Yasha. No matter what that idiot Muso says and does against you, I'm still proud of you.”
Inu-Yasha, who was blushing furiously from their proximity, found it difficult to concentrate on what she was saying. Stuttering a bit, he asked hesitantly, “U-um… Kagome? I thought we weren't supposed to be doing this…”
His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute for the few seconds it took Kagome to reply. She stayed silent for a little while before suddenly tightening her grip around him.
“Just because we have to put our relationship on hold doesn't mean we have to pretend that it doesn't exist.”
Inu-Yasha blinked in surprise. With that statement, it felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He liked that thought.
He liked it a lot.
 
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