InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Guilty Hero ❯ Discomfort ( Chapter 45 )

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

No, you are not being deceived.  No, the world has not stopped spinning.  It is true, I have updated in approximately two weeks.  Stranger things have happened, I suppose.  Actually, I was ill with a stomach bug that laid me up but good, and the one thing I could do was write.  Also, work has been particularly slow the past couple weeks, which freed up more of my time.  Why am I telling you all this?  Just to let you know not to expect such fast updates in the future.  Circumstance and inspiration just happened to strike at the same time, that's all. :)

First, a huge thank-you go out to Karaumea and horseygurl89 for editing this.  There was certainly a lot of work involved, and my typos were dreadful this time around.  So yay for the betas!

If I did not reply to your review—I apologize!  I try and make it a point to do so with every review, but I don't always succeed.  I would also like to apologize for the format for the last chapter.  I simply could not get it looking pretty on the screen, and I was about ready to pull my hair out.  So!  If the formatting is giving you a headache, I would like you to know that this is posted on FanFiction.net, where the format is headache-free. :)

All right, I think that takes care of that business.  Onward and upward!

Guilty Hero

Chapter 44:  Discomfort


Kagome shivered as she waited under the awning of the coffee shop, tucking her hands deep into her pockets.  Her right hand wrapped reassuringly around the cold metal of her crossbow; knowing she had a weapon to pull out at any moment helped to calm her nerves.  Despite the hours of training, despite memorizing every detail of the assignment and absorbing every piece of advice given to her by more experienced agents, her heart still fluttered nervously in her chest.  This was her first assignment alone.  Yes, Sango would be fighting alongside her and Miroku would not be far away, but without Inu-Yasha there, she was alone.

Inu-Yasha was her companion for everything.  She had done her first demon-hunt with him.  She had aided him in so many of his personal battles and triumphs that she had long ago lost count.  So now, going into a battle without him was strange and unsettling.  If something went wrong, if she was unable to defend herself, Inu-Yasha wasn't going to be there to protect her.

Lowering her gaze to the sidewalk, her features softened and she smiled lightly.  In her left pocket, she gripped her cell phone as a reminder that he was only a phone call away.  She stifled a small laugh as she pictured him right before she had left the apartment.  He was far more nervous than she.  Twitchy and anxious, he had hovered around her as she prepared to leave, asking if she had her weapon, warm enough clothing, and in particular, her cell phone.  He had been very insistent that if she should get into too much trouble to handle, just to call him and he would be there.  

He was so insistent that it was more like he was yelling at me, she thought dryly, imagining his face at that moment.  It was true, there had been anger in his voice when he told her what to do.  But the worry in his eyes betrayed his tone.  She knew it was only out of concern that his behavior was so erratic.  Even though the time was well past six o'clock when she had left the apartment, he hadn't touched the two glasses of whiskey set out for him.  Instead, he had spent several minutes pacing in front of them, locked in a silent debate, until at last he turned away and yelled at her about the phone call.  He had also remained at home during the day, which Kagome found highly unusual.  He was still upset about his defeat at Koga's hands, and had not missed a day in training since.  When Kagome asked him why he hadn't gone that day, he muttered a short reply, hardly more than a grunt, and had quickly changed the subject.

Also, she knew for a fact that Inu-Yasha had hardly slept at all the night before.  Plagued with anxiety, she had indeed found it challenging to obtain any amount of rest.  The task was made more difficult when she heard Inu-Yasha roaming the hallway in between fitful bouts of sleep.  Usually the two glasses of whiskey he consumed were enough to put his lights out for several hours during the night, so it was rather odd for him to be so restless.

I guess this just means he's worried about me, Kagome reasoned, a light blush coming to her cheeks.  In fact, I daresay he's more worried about tonight than I am.  Despite how obviously uncomfortable Inu-Yasha was with the situation, Kagome found some relief in his concern.  It was nice to know that he cared for her.

I guess I'll just have to be extra careful tonight,  she thought, lifting her gaze to the road and setting her jaw in determination.  Inu-Yasha shouldn't have to worry every time I go out on an assignment.  As long as I don't get hurt, he'll have nothing to focus on.

“Kagome!”

Sango's voice  broke Kagome out of thoughts.  Glancing down the sidewalk, she smiled as Sango approached her.  “Good evening, Sango. Are you all right?”  The woman was red-faced and breathing heavily.  Kagome spotted the handle of Hiraikotsu sticking haphazardly out of her coat pocket as though it had been hastily shoved inside.

“Oh, fine, fine,” Sango replied, waving her hand.  “I just had a bit of trouble disposing of my watcher tonight.”  Realizing her weapon was visible, she quickly tucked it away.

Kagome blinked in surprise.  “You mean... You actually had to shoot him?  Isn't that a dangerous thing to do right now?”

Sango let out a short, mirthless laugh.  “Kagome, we are about to go take down a higher level demon in order to secure a safe place for the Order to plan a defensive for the city.  After tonight, a lot more violence is going to break out across the city.  What I did will hardly make any difference.”

Kagome swallowed hard and shut her eyes as the butterflies in her stomach multiplied.  Inu-Yasha had given her a piece of advice that she had constantly reminded herself of: When doing an assignment, don't think about the big picture; focus only on the target and the goal.  He had told her it helped to steady the nerves and calm the mind when focusing on a small piece of the operation, and Kagome found that he was right.  She had avoided thinking of the outcomes and after-effects of this particular assignment.  Should they succeed in securing the apartment building, they would open the doors to violence in the city, openly oppose their enemy, and single-handedly increase the amount of bloodshed tenfold.  Knowing this did nothing to soothe her nerves.  And thus, she avoided pondering it at least until Sango spoke.

“So, here's the plan,” Sango said, oblivious to Kagome's sudden silence.  “As I walked by our little watchdog on my way out, I called Miroku and asked him about our grocery list, to avoid arousing any suspicion.  For all the guard knows, I'm at the store now.  He'll be waiting for me to return at the main entrance.  This gives you and I the opportunity to sneak around the far side of the building and take him from behind.  Do you follow me?”

“Yes, but...”

“But what?”  Sango sounded confused.  “Nervous?”

“Yes, of course I'm nervous, but...  Well, isn't it a bit cowardly to attack your opponent from behind?”

“Ah.”  Sango rubbed her forehead, a sad expression crossing her features.  “It's refreshing to hear someone talk that way, Kagome.  Unfortunately, that kind of thinking is quite naïve in the middle of a war.  In war, you do whatever you have to in order to gain the upper hand or accomplish your goal.  You can't afford forsaking your position just to be 'fair'.”

“Oh.”  Kagome cast her gaze to the ground, feeling very much the rookie.  “Sorry.  I didn't realize.  And, well, Inu-Yasha doesn't seem to think along those lines.”

With a laugh, Sango replied, “No, Inu-Yasha wouldn't think like that, you're right.  But, he was strong enough that he could get away with it.  Somehow, things always worked out for him.  But most of the time, I think it was luck.”  She sobered quickly.  “We can't really rely on luck.  Not with so much depending on our success tonight.”

Kagome nodded.  “Fair enough.”

“All right, then.  Are you ready to head out?”

Kagome nodded again, unusually quiet, so Sango turned and led the way down the sidewalk.  “Don't forget, Kagome.  I'm going to be right there with you.  There's no need to be afraid.”  She was clearly trying to comfort the girl.

However, it was not fear that kept Kagome quiet.  She just felt very out-of-place.  This was so different from anything she had done before, and she was simply uncertain if she could live up to the expectations the Order had for her.

I guess I won't know until I try, she thought, trying to keep her spirits up.  Giving her crossbow a squeeze once more, she was able to draw some strength from it.  She had been trained by the head of the Order.  She had showed spiritual aptitude very early on in her employment, and even Inu-Yasha, who had worked with the most powerful priestess in the Order, was impressed with Kagome's powers.  Yes, she may be new to the time of war, but she certainly wasn't unprepared.

With that thought, she squared her shoulders and followed after Sango with more confidence in her step.  All right, Inu-Yasha, she thought, a small smile crossing her face at the thought of the half-demon.  I'm focusing now.

It was several minutes' walk to Sango and Miroku's apartment building.  Due to the late hour, they were fortunate enough not to come upon too many passersby.  The fewer people who saw them, the better.  Under the cover of darkness, they were able to easily sneak around the building.  They took what limited cover that was offered behind the scraggly bushes trying to grow there.

“All right, Kagome,” Sango whispered, keeping herself as flat against the brick wall as possible.  “I'm going to give Miroku the signal so he can get to work.  As soon as I do that, I want you to fire at our watchdog—the strongest blast you can manage, all right?  It probably won't be enough to take him down, but it might give us the handicap we need.  Got it?”

Kagome pulled her crossbow out of her pocket and pushed the button that allowed it to spring open.  Snapping a bolt in place, she peered around the corner of the building.  Standing eerily still next to the streetlight was a humanoid figure clad in an enormous greatcoat and a wide-brimmed hat.  Clearly, some of his features had to be kept hidden.  Keeping a steady hand, Kagome aimed her crossbow at the man, then turned and nodded at Sango.

With a short nod back, Sango lifted her wrist, which held a simple black bracelet, up to her mouth.  Kagome quickly realized it was a communication device.  “Miroku?” Sango whispered into it.  “It's time.”

As soon as Sango lowered her arm, Kagome focused as much energy as she could muster into the bolt and fired.  Watching as the electric blue missile shot through the scraggly bushes and headed directly at her target, she couldn't help but bemoan the fact that the blast wasn't quite as strong as the one she produced in her last training session.  However, she had little time to focus on that.

Though taken by surprise, the demon moved aside with a shocking amount of speed.  The bolt instead tore through his right arm at the elbow.

“Damn,” Sango cursed, leaping out of the bushes and leveling Hiraikotsu on him.  “He's fast!”

The demon whirled around to face his attackers, seemingly unaware of his missing limb.  However, he made no move to attack, allowing Kagome and Sango a moment to study the true face of their target.  With his hat blown off from the first assault, they were able to see a shock of pure white hair.  His eyes were vacant and empty, and his face held no expression.  It was astonishing the amount of calm he exuded, particularly after losing a limb.  But, what was the strangest feature was the hideous amount of slime oozing from his fanged mouth.  It dribbled down his chin and occasionally splattered on his filthy  gray shirt.  From his left ear dangled a surgical mask, such as someone might wear when they were ill.  Sango assumed it was used to cover the vile sight of his mouth so as not to arouse suspicion if seen by humans.  Kagome was too sickened by the slime to comment.

Quickly recovering, Sango fired Hiraikotsu straight at the beast's chest.  “Kagome, get ready to send another bolt his way!  He's fast and he's strong—we need to weaken him quickly!”

This time, the demon made no attempt to dodge.  The bullet pierced him in the middle of his chest and exploded out the back.  His body jerked from the impact, but he didn't utter a sound.  And again, when the bullet performed its signature boomerang move and pierced him from behind, he remained oddly silent.

“This isn't good, Kagome,” Sango said into the stillness once the bullet returned to her gun.

Kagome, seeing both the demon and Sango standing so still, hesitated to fire again.  “What's wrong?”

“My weapon has no effect on him.  See how he isn't bleeding from the bullet holes?  He's not even bleeding from his arm.  This guy can really take a hit.  You're gonna have to pound him with as much holy energy as you can.  He surely can't be immune to that--”  Her response was quickly cut short when the demon suddenly lunged forward at an incredible speed.

Shrieking in pain as his fangs sunk into her shoulder, Sango rammed her knee into his gut as hard as she could, desperate to break free.  Once again, the attack caused no pain, but the force of the blow was enough to remove his fangs.  She followed her knee jab with a solid punch in the side of his face and she was able to stumble aside.

The moment Sango was out of range, Kagome fired another bolt at the demon.  He twisted out of the way and leaped toward her, the slime splattering from his mouth as he bared his fangs.

“Kagome, move!” Sango screamed as the girl let out a cry of fear.  Kagome quickly dodged the head-on attack, but she hardly knew what to do next.  She was no match in speed and strength in a melee battle, and her crossbow was almost useless in a close combat.  So when he whirled around for another attack, she stood frozen in terror.

As the beast leaped at the young priestess once again, a resounding crack echoed in the air—Sango had hurled Hiraikotsu itself at the demon.  The butt of the weapon smacked into the demon's head like a ton of bricks; it was a blow that would normally fell a man.  It didn't seem to affect this demon much but it did knock him away from Kagome.

Immediately following her first attack, Sango leaped after the demon, pulling a collapsible sword from her belt and snapping it open.

“Quick!” she shouted as she ran past Kagome and brought the sword down onto the demon's back.  “I'll keep him busy!  You take any opportunity you can to fire at him!  He may not be able to feel any pain--”  She grunted when the demon swept her to the ground a few feet away.  She was back on her feet in no time, brandishing the sword one-handed to keep his attention.  “--but if he loses enough limbs, he won't be able to fight!”

“Right!”  Fitting a new bolt in her crossbow, Kagome ran back a few steps to get better aim.  With the pair scuffling so close together, she had to be extremely careful not to hit Sango.

Keeping her weapon at the ready, Kagome attempted to fire a shot here and there, but the opponents were moving so fast that it was difficult to aim.  Sango was able to toss him into the bushes, but by the time the bolt was fired the demon had already launched itself at Sango again.  The pathetic bushes were reduced to cinders, but the demon was unscathed.

Sango gritted her teeth as the beast's fangs sank into her arm.  Trying not to cry out at the searing pain, she stabbed her sword right through his chest and prayed that it might actually have an effect.  Jerking the weapon back out when he didn't even twitch, she instead opted to smack him on the head with the sword handle.  This time she was unable to hold back a grunt of pain as the pressure on her arm increased for a slight moment, but at last he pulled his fangs out.  His fist swung around with the force of a truck and caught her in the cheek, tossing her several feet away.

Reeling from the blow, Sango saw a hazy shaft of light flash by the demon, and was relieved to know Kagome was taking any chance she could.  The problem was that this demon was far too quick.  By the time her vision cleared, she was barely able to bring her sword up in a block when the demon was on top of her.  He caught her blade in his mouth, and she could feel how hard he was pushing to get to her.

Knowing her left arm was useless with both the shoulder and forearm pierced and her right arm trembling under the force, Sango called out, “Kagome?  C-can you get a clear shot?”  The pain was beginning to sap her strength, and it was getting harder to focus.

“Not without the risk of hitting you!” came Kagome's faint voice, filled with worry.

“Damn it, Kagome!” Sango shouted back, stars filling her vision as the beast pressed even harder.  Slime was dribbling down the blade and onto Sango's face, and it was only her years of intense training that prevented her from vomiting right there.  “Have a little faith in your abilities and shoot the damn thing!”

Scared at the frightened tone creeping into Sango's voice, Kagome didn't hesitate.  Without a second thought, she fired two bolts in rapid succession, each shot streaking across the grass in a beam of crackling white-blue light.  The first shot hit the demon in the side and dissolved an enormous chunk of it.  The blast was so powerful that he was tossed off Sango and sent flying.  The second shot reached him before he ever hit the ground.  His face didn't even change expression when the bolt pierced him right between the eyes, and then exploded with a blinding flash.

When the sound of the explosion faded away and their vision returned after the harsh attack of light, Sango and Kagome stared open-mouthed at the figure lying limply in the road.  For a moment, it was a rather grotesque creature consisting of nothing more than a neck, an arm, two legs, and part of a torso.  But after a brief moment, the flesh slowly dissolved into a thick black smoke and was carried away by the wind.  All that remained was a tattered greatcoat.

“Goodness...”  Sango finally breathed into the silence.  “He was a rather nasty piece of work.”

“Oh, never mind that,” Kagome said, rushing to Sango's side.  “You're badly wounded.  No, no, don't sit up.  Let me get a good look at your arm.  We need to pray that those fangs weren't poisonous.”

Watching Kagome with a bit of surprise as she fussed over the four puncture wounds, Sango finally shook her head.  “You are an amazing woman, Kagome.”

Kagome didn't even pause in her work as she cleaned off the blood so as to see the injuries more clearly.  “How so?” she asked distractedly.

Sango winced as Kagome hit a tender spot.  “You just—ow--had to watch a disgusting creature attack me.  Then you blew off an arm, a chunk of his chest, and then his head.  You saw his—aah!”  She had to cry out when Kagome, who had pulled a small first aid kit out of her bag, applied a liberal amount of alcohol to the punctures.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Kagome said softly, wiping the wounds again with some gauze.

“Y-you saw his mangled body drop to the ground and then dissolve,” Sango continued with a groan, trying to ignore the pain.  “And yet, you don't look the least bit squeamish.  This is only your second battle, isn't it?”

Kagome smiled at her and shrugged.  “Inu-Yasha did tell me I had a good stomach for battle.”

Sango laughed lightly.  “He's right, you know.  You did an excellent job today, too.  You know how to handle that crossbow, that's for sure.  Inu-Yasha had better stay on your good side!”

Blushing at the praise, Kagome leaned over the first aid kit to get some bandages.  However, the sheer relief they were feeling with the end of the battle dissipated when a loud crash was heard.

“That came from the apartment building,” Kagome said, standing up and gripping her crossbow once again.

“Miroku!”  Sango, ignoring her injuries, shot to her feet and ran for the doors.

Kagome snagged Hiraikotsu from the grass and tossed it at Sango along the way.  “Here!”

Snatching the gun out of the air without pausing, Sango pounded up the stairs.  Dizzy from blood loss, she stumbled, but fear for her companion kept her on her feet.

Skidding to a halt in front of their apartment, she kicked open the door and burst inside, then gasped at the sight.  “Miroku!”

He was pinned to the floor, his staff several feet away sticking out of the couch.  He was covered in several bloody gashes and it was clear he had no energy left to fight his attacker.  The beast attacking him was rather small, with the body of a worm or a snake.  It had a humanoid head, looking much like the beast they had destroyed outside.  Instead of hands, it's arms were two scythes, coated in blood, which were crisscrossed over Miroku's neck for a killing blow.

Sango didn't waste a second.  She fired Hiraikotsu straight at the demon, who shrieked in pain when the bullet shot through his slimy torso and back again.  When he whirled around to face her as she caught the bullet, Sango could see he was worse for the wear.  His brow was covered in sweat, and blood was dribbling from his mouth.  

“You!” he screeched.  “You're the one who killed my brother, aren't you!  You'll pay for that, girl.”  He slithered off Miroku, who groaned weakly and tried to sit up.

“The pair of you have been a pain in our master's backside for some time now,” he hissed, raising his blades.  “But tonight is the last time!”  He suddenly sprang toward Sango, far faster than she expected.  Without ever having time to raise her gun, she squeezed her eyes shut and heard Miroku cry out her name.

A click sounded behind her, followed by the rush of wind over her shoulder.  Less than a second later, an explosion knocked her backward out of the apartment.  Her eyes flew open, and she saw Kagome standing with her crossbow raised and a surprised expression on her face.  The demon was no more, purified out of existence by such a close-ranged shot.

“U-um...  Sorry I was late,” Kagome finally said, her voice stuttering from the shock.  “I couldn't make it up the stairs as fast as you, Sango.”

“Sorry?”  Miroku laughed weakly from the floor.  “Kagome, my dear, you just saved my girlfriend's life!”

At the sound of his voice, both women immediately ran to him and crouched by his side.

“What happened?” Kagome asked, pulling out her first aid kit once more.

“Are you all right?” Sango interrupted anxiously, eyeing a particularly nasty gash on his cheek.

“Oh, Sango...  You're hurt.”  He ignored both of their queries when he spotted Sango's arm hanging limply at her side.  However, when he reached out to take her arm, she swatted him away and gripped his hand instead.

“Are you all right?” she repeated insistently, staring him straight in the eye.

He smiled back at her and then winced as Kagome started to clean his cuts.  “I am, I am,” he assured her, giving her hand a firm squeeze.  “These are all just superficial lacerations, really.  I may not have been quick enough to dodge his attacks, but I at least avoided taking full damage from them.”

“Well, what happened?  Who was he?” Kagome asked, curious enough to glance up from her work for just a moment.  “I thought the only demon we had to defeat was the one outside.”

“The one outside,” Miroku began, “played host to that foul parasite who attacked me.  The two were brothers.  The one outside watched us to prevent any suspicious activity while his brother...”  He shifted his gaze to Sango.  “...was given the task of watching us on the inside.”

Sango gasped.  “You mean he was the one recording our conversations?”

Miroku nodded.  “The fiend could hide almost anywhere without detection, which made him damn annoying to fight, by the way.  But anyway, we won't have to worry about being so discreet anymore.”  He nodded off to the side, where a mangled recorder and microphone lay in pieces, sparking occasionally.

“Miroku, it seems like this fight went on for a while,” Kagome said, nodding at the disheveled apartment.  “Why didn't you call for us?”

“Hmph.  The demon came out of hiding as soon as I started setting the sutras.  And in his first attack, he sliced my communication device in two.  He must've seen me talk into it, and he didn't want me calling in reinforcements.”

“You seemed to do all right against him on your own if you were able to hold him off for so long.  How did you do it?”  Sango sounded impressed.

“He had this nasty habit of hiding out of sight, and then bursting out and attacking when my back was turned.  I was able to get in a few hits, but nothing that would really slow him down.  But finally, I spotted him.”  He gestured limply at the sofa.

“The bastard had snuck in there.  So, I grabbed some of that special poison you keep hidden on the mantle--”  Kagome gave Sango an odd look at the comment, but Sango merely shrugged.  “--dipped the end of my staff in it, and tossed it into the couch.  Less than a minute later, that demon flew out, coughing up blood and moving considerably slower.  Of course, by that time I no longer had a weapon, and he was able to pin me to the ground.”

A strange gurgling noise caught everyone's attention.  Turning around to look at the sofa, they watched in surprise as the cushions quite literally melted to the floor.  Miroku's staff dropped to the carpet with a thud, and the entire frame of the couch let out a soft hiss and folded in on itself.

The two women turned to look back at Miroku, who grinned sheepishly.  “Sorry about that, my dear.”

For a moment, Sango glared at him in a stony silence.  But finally, she threw her arms around his neck and burst into tears.  Miroku and Kagome glanced at each other in surprise.

“U-um, Sango?  Sango, it's really all right, you know.”  Miroku patted her gently on the back.  “We can get a new couch.”

“Oh, I don't give a damn about the couch,” she sobbed, her voice muffled by his shirt.  “I just hate seeing you like this!  You haven't gotten hurt this badly since the last war!”

“Yes, well, we haven't had to fight demons quite so powerful since the last war.  And besides, I'll be just fine with a good night's--”

“That's just it!  The demons are getting more powerful, and you might get hurt again!  I won't stand for it!”

Miroku gave a small laugh.  “How come you weren't quite so concerned for my physical well-being in the last war?”

Seeing that the conversation was taking on a more private tone as Sango blubbered a reply, Kagome stood and said quietly, “I'll just go see if there's a bigger first aid kit somewhere.”  Miroku gave her an apologetic look as she left the room, but she simply smiled and shook her head in reply.

“Sango is certainly a more passionate woman than she lets on,” Kagome said softly to herself as she wandered down the hallway.  She had to admit, she didn't blame Sango for being so upset.  Had she walked in to Inu-Yasha's apartment and found him lying on the floor and covered in blood, she would  have been frightened as well.  But obviously for Sango, the situation held and even deeper meaning.

“Looks like I'm getting a taste of what war is like,” she murmured, opening the door to a storage closet as she searched.  “Or rather, the beginning of war.”  It was a sobering thought.  Kagome tried to imagine seeing her loved ones wounded in battle, and she shivered.  No, she didn't blame Sango at all for being so concerned.

Abandoning the closet and taking stock in the bathroom instead, Kagome nodded in satisfaction when she came across a much larger first aid kit than her own.  “Ah, I guess this will have to do.”  Knowing full well she couldn't take them to headquarters and use the facilities there, she would just have to make do with the supplies here.

Slowly heading back to the living room, she couldn't help but think, I am rather glad Inu-Yasha isn't fighting in this war.  With his weakened skills, I doubt he would last long, and I don't want to come home and find him lying wounded on the floor.  She paused and leaned against the wall, shutting her eyes.  Oh, how she hated that thought.

Okay, Kagome, get a hold of yourself.  She slowly stood up straight and took a deep breath.  You're only acting this way because you just had to tend to Sango and Miroku.  You've had a big evening, and you're just a little tired.  Chin up, treat their wounds, and then you can go see Inu-Yasha.  That last thought was something she very much wanted.  Inu-Yasha would surely understand her confused emotions, and hopefully would offer her some comfort.

With that plan of action in place, she quickened her pace down the hallway.  Emerging into the living room with a smile on her face and the first aid kit held high in her hands, she let out a small squeak of surprise when she saw Sango and Miroku in the middle of a passionate kiss.  She hurriedly ducked back into the hallway before they spotted her.

Maybe I'll just wait a couple more minutes.

11:07pm...  It's been a little over an hour.  Inu-Yasha snapped his cell phone shut but kept it clenched tight in his fist.  Casting his gaze down the stairs once more, he shifted uncomfortably in his position.

He had tried to wait for Kagome inside his apartment, but soon the four walls were not enough to contain his anxiety.  He had practically worn a hole in the carpet with his pacing between the window and the doorway to the kitchen.  Keen upon greeting her the second she returned, the window that overlooked the road now had smudges from his nose all over it.  And, one spot in the doorframe to the kitchen was now slightly warped and crushed from his vice-like grip.  The few seconds that were not spent staring out the window were instead spent on staring at the two glasses of whiskey sitting innocently on the counter.  He had sworn to himself not to touch a drop of booze until Kagome had safely returned; if she needed him at any point during the evening, he did not want to be drowsy from the whiskey.  However, with it now being five hours past his normal drinking hour, temptation was nearly driving him mad.

Thus, with temptation becoming too great of a threat and concern for Kagome proving to be too much for the apartment, Inu-Yasha instead opted to await her return on the landing a couple stories down.  It was pathetic, and he knew it but he was unstable enough that he didn't care.

He growled low when his arms twitched jerkily on his knees, yet another sign of withdrawal that had just recently begun.  Most other symptoms such as headache, nausea, trembling, and irritability had begun several hours earlier, but the twitching was new.  Great.  Just great, he thought angrily, gripping his right wrist in his left hand to try and keep his limbs still.  Something else to put up with.  Exactly what I need right now.

Scowling, he flipped his phone open again.  11:09am.  “Dammit!” he shouted aloud, snapping it shut.  Where is that girl?  Pausing to pop a new piece of nicotine gum in his mouth, for he would have killed for a cigarette then and there, he let out a gusty sigh and settled for glaring down the steps.

Just calm down, he thought, gnawing anxiously on the gum.  Assignments take more than an hour.  I'll bet she's just getting started.  She's gonna do fine.  And besides, Sango and Miroku are right there with her.  He didn't even realize his foot had begun to tap a nervous beat on the steps.

Unfortunately, despite his weak attempts to comfort himself, worry still consumed him.  He and Kagome had been in very much the same boat over the course of the day.  She was nervous about the assignment, and he was worrying himself sick just thinking about it.  Both of them had simply picked at the meals she had prepared, both had been jumpy and terse throughout the day, and neither had gotten much rest the night before.  Actually, Inu-Yasha hadn't even slept a wink.  He was too busy going over the assignment in his head.

The situation, according to him, was as follows: Kagome was being sent to fight a demon that Inu-Yasha knew nothing about except that it was so powerful that Sango and Miroku combined could not take it down.  Kagome was being sent to fight said demon without Inu-Yasha there.  Inu-Yasha was not allowed to go.

He hated the situation.

Every fiber of his being ached to go.  The woman he loved, the woman who had done more for him than anyone else in the world, was walking into a dangerous situation.  The fighter in him, his demon blood, was begging to be released, and he had to deny his instincts.  He was forced to admit, painful as it was, that he was not strong enough to be of much help.  Certainly, he would come running if Kagome called for him, but to arrive at the battle when uncalled would make him a hindrance, not a help.  He didn't want to jeopardize Kagome in that way.

So intent thinking about Kagome, it wasn't until he heard a hoarse cough did he look up.  There, standing with her face less than a foot away from his, was the shriveled old woman who lived on that floor.

“Gah!”  Inu-Yasha jerked back, his heart pounding fiercely.  “What the hell was that for, ya old bat?!”

“I don't want any damn junkies like you sittin' on my doorstep,” she croaked, peering at him through her thick glasses.  “Go find somewhere else to smoke your doobies.”  She feebly waved her cane at him.

He stared back at her, both annoyed and confused.  “Smoke my...  What the hell?  I ain't a junkie, dammit!  Just leave me alone!”

Whack!  Her cane rapped him sharply on his already aching head with a force that denied her frail frame.

“Dammit, you old crone!” he shouted, rubbing the offended area.  “Was that really necessary?!”

“Move it along, sonny, or I'm gonna call the cops!” she wheezed, tottering toward the door to her apartment.

“Fine!” Inu-Yasha snarled back.  “Call the cops!  I know 'em all!”

“I'm sure you do!” she shouted hoarsely through the crack in the door just before slamming it shut.

“Ah, go feed your cats,” Inu-Yasha grunted, determined to get in the last word.

Rubbing his head once more, which was now pounding with a furious headache, his thoughts quickly turned back to Kagome.  He needed to focus.  If he was so distracted that the old hag was able to sneak up on him, he could just as easily miss Kagome, and he certainly wouldn't allow that to happen.

Checking his phone again, he was marginally relieved to see that approximately fifteen minutes had passed.  Well, at least that killed a little time.

Settling down once more to wait, the disgruntled frown on his face slowly transformed into concern.  He wished he knew if Kagome was all right.

Dammit, Kagome, he thought worriedly.  Where are you?

Quickly paying the cab driver, Kagome wasted no time in getting into the building.  She didn't feel safe being alone outside at this time of night.  Or rather, morning, she thought, when a glance at her wristwatch told her the time was 1:37 am.  Goodness, bandaging their wounds took more time than I thought.  Of course, poor Miroku had so many...

She was broken out of her thoughts and gave a soft shriek when a white blur pounced directly in front of her.

“Inu-Yasha!” she gasped.  “Don't scare me like that!”

He said nothing, but stared at her in a stony silence.  After a moment, she realized he wasn't just staring, but checking to see if she was all right.  His red-rimmed eyes were flicking back and forth over her frame, and she spotted his nose twitch as it worked in overdrive.  Finally, after nearly a full minute of silence, Kagome crossed her arms and said, “See anything you like?”

He took no humor from the joke.  “I smell Sango and Miroku's blood,” he grunted, his voice hoarse.  “But I don't smell yours.  Are you all right?”

“I'm fine,” she assured him, giving him an easy smile.  “I'm just quite tired, that's all.  Can we go upstairs?”

Upon hearing her confirmation, she noticed how his entire body seemed to sag with relief.  Even his expression eased, and she heard him give a faint sigh.

“Of course we can,” he mumbled.  Without further ado, he picked her up bridal-style and leapt all seven stories in a bound.  However, he wobbled precariously when they landed, and Kagome had to get a tighter grip on his neck to avoid falling.

“S-sorry,” he said shakily.  “I'm just kind of tired myself.”

“I can tell,” Kagome replied as he set her down.  'Kinda tired' was not the phrase she would have used.  'Totally exhausted' or 'dead on his feet' came to mind when she looked at him.  He looked quite haggard.  His eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them, his hair was rather disheveled, and she could see how badly his limbs were shaking.  “Inu-Yasha, don't tell me you haven't had your drinks yet,” she admonished.

He shook his head firmly.  “Not until you got home.  I told you to call me if you needed me, right?”

She took his hand and led him into the apartment.  “That was very sweet of you.  Foolish, but sweet.”

He let out a growl.  “I wasn't trying to be sweet; I was trying to be a good protector, dammit!”

Kagome turned around and looked at him, surprised by the sudden tone of anger in his voice.  Her gaze softened when she saw him standing there, his brow pinched together with worry and a concerned scowl marring his features.  He had been more worried than she had thought.

Drawing him to her, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.  It was her favorite position when hugging him; she fit in his embrace so perfectly there.  He responded to the action in kind, folding his arms around her and nuzzling the top of her head.

“I was so worried,” he murmured into her hair, breathing in her wonderful, soothing scent.  “I hated not being there to protect you.  It felt so... wrong.”  He took another deep breath, basking in the relief he felt from her presence.  “Are you sure you're all right?”

“I'm fine,” she said softly in reply.  “I'm just... very happy to see you, that's all.  Tonight was like nothing I've experienced before.”

He slowly rubbed her back.  “D'you wanna tell me about it?”  He couldn't tell from her tone if the evening had been good or bad.

Carefully, she pulled away from him and smiled.  “No.  Not tonight.  We're both too exhausted.”  Giving him a light poke in the chest, she said sternly, “You need to go drink your whiskey.  I don't want to have to deal with the D.T.'s after everything tonight.  I'm going to change into my pajamas.  All right?”

He nodded.  However, she only got a couple of steps before he said in a small voice, “Kagome?”

She turned to look at him.  “Yes?”

A blush stained his cheeks.  “I-I'm glad to see you too.  Tonight was... not very fun, to say the least.”

She gave a small sigh.  “Unfortunately, that's just something you're going to have to get used to.  After my performance tonight, I think Sango and Miroku saw just how useful I can be.  I'll probably be sent on a lot more of these as the war progresses.  Things are about to change for the worse, I'm afraid.  They're gonna need me.”  She tried to give him an encouraging smile.  “But things will be all right.  You'll see.”

Inu-Yasha frowned as she disappeared down the hall.  More nights like this one?  He would never make it through.

“Dammit, where's my booze?!”

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Well, I hope you all enjoyed.  Once again, please don't expect another update so quickly.  I will do my best to keep the drive going, but we all know how life gets.  Plus, the fact that I recently purchased a PS2 and Kingdom Hearts 2 won't help free up my time at all... :P  Anyway, please let me know your thoughts; I love to hear from the readers!


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