InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In the Eyes of the Beholder ❯ Intrigued ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine and never will be.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews guys!

To Kuroi: I am so glad that you brought that up! The point of that paragraph was to confuse you and it's actually very crucial to the plot. ^_^

 

I've also been getting reviews saying that this story is funny? I wasn't even trying to make it humorous! I actually thought I was being all serious (for once). Guess I was wrong…

 

Also, I have a site up about me and my fanfics. There is also a section in there about fanart. My sister and I are planning to create about one or two pictures for each chapter of IEB. Whadda think? Feedback would be excellent. XD

 

Hanyou: half demon

 

In the Eyes of the Beholder

 

Chapter Three:Intrigued

 

If I could say one good thing about Inuyasha up to this point, Kagome thought as she toddled behind him, is that he hasn't let his wealth get to his head…although I seriously doubt if he's even been able to get his claws on even one gold cointhat his family owns. I am his servant, but he doesn't treat me like one. Whether I clean up his room or not, he doesn't really seem to care all that much. He doesn't yell at me and expect him to obey his every command - except combinghis hair. I love doing that…but it takes three hours for me to even finish half of it. All of those six hours are bliss though- I get to be completely alone with Inuyasha!

 

“But it's still really hard,” Kagome muttered aloud. “Being around him…” She often found herself falling prey to her female instincts when the hanyou was within a 10-foot radius. He was adorable and yet exceedingly handsome at the same time. And the fact that he had an amazing, rock hard body wasn't helping matters much either. It had only been a week and he was already testing the limits of her restraint. At times, she had to physically abuse herself to stop her from pouncing on the oblivious hanyou.

 

When Kagome thought he wasn't looking, she would find herself staring at him openly only to get flustered and embarrassed when he commented on her apparent lack of manners. Over dinner last night, Inuyasha's balled up fist supported his lolling head as he gazed off into space. Kagome could not help but stare. The way the flickering firelight glimmered in his snowy tresses and slipped down the silky strands mesmerized her. Amber eyes seemed to transform into a deep orange and the fiery glow illuminated his attractive features. Confidence, strength, and distinct masculinity radiated off him in powerful, crashing waves that slammed relentlessly into her prone form. As she continued her staring, one of his velvety ears flicked in detection.

 

“Could you stop staring at me? It's really starting to tick me off,” he muttered, still not facing her. “If you got something to say, then say it!” A hot red blush lit up her features and suddenly the floor became very interesting. How embarrassing…She shyly glanced at him before returning her gaze to the ground. And he doesn't want to look at meat all- even when he'snotbeing a grouch! Why did I agree to that idiotic deal? If I looked even half as good asI did before, maybe Inuyasha wouldn't feel the need to vomit every time he looks me straight in the face…Maybe if I looked half as good, Inuyasha might develop feelings for me. Now, there's a slim chance that he'll everwant to touch me. Trembling hands fisted in her lap, grabbing hold of the rough cloth of her livery. No…no…no…I've got to be positive or else I won't get anywhere! I've got to try to showInuyashathat there is a personunderneath this…face. How I'll do that, I don't know just yet. It's already been a weekand I've made absolutely no progress.

 

Kagome let out a troubled sigh as she continued to mull over the incident at last night's dinner, trailing obediently behind Inuyasha. Jaken quickly came rushing down the hallway, attempting to intercept them.

 

“We have excellent news!” the toad screeched.

 

“And that would be…?”

 

“The great, powerful, intelligent Lord Sesshomaru should be returning shortly, three months at the least.” At that moment, Inuyasha stopped listening. “Order and pride will finally be restored to this House with his arrival! Elegance will return to these dark, shadowed halls…” Growing bored with the incessant babbling, Inuyasha pushed past the demon and continued to stroll down the corridors.

 

“Who is Lord Sesshomaru?” Kagome asked once Jaken was out of earshot, knowing that the toad disliked her never-ending onslaught of questions. “And is he really that amazing?”

 

“Sesshomaru is my brother,” he replied, not particularly enjoying the subject matter.

 

“He's your brother!? Aren't you excited then, Inuyasha!?”

 

“Ha…If by excited, you mean thoroughly disgusted and horrified, then yes, I am extremely excited,” he snapped sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance. That comment stung Kagome, as if it had somehow been directed toward her. She grew up in a very poor family and when she turned 17, Kagome went in search of work to ease her mother's financial strain, often sending back half of her paycheck. In the process, she had to leave her loveable younger brother behind, along with a large part of her heart. Her last job was gathering medicinal herbs for the local healer, but that hadn't paid nearly enough as she had hoped.

 

“How could you not love your brother, Inuyasha!? He's your flesh and blood! And he probably understands being a hanyou more than anyone else-” She was abruptly cut off.

 

“Love? That word and Sesshomaru shouldn't even be in the same sentence! He's my half brother and he is a full demon. Every time he gets the chance, he insults me about what I am and who my mother was…Sesshomaru hates half breeds. He may be my flesh and blood, but he despises me. Sesshomaru and I will probably never be on good terms. If I ever let my guard down, he would probably kill me. So the word brother has no meaning.” Shooting her a disgusted look over his shoulder, Inuyasha turned his back and stomped away.

 

 

~*~

 

After Kagome apologized profusely, an awkward silence shifted uncomfortably between the two. Inuyasha leaned lazily against the trunk of a large cherry tree, arms tucked casually behind his head, as the soft pink blossoms lightly dusted his hair. It seemed as if he was determined to look at anything besides her. Kagome trembled slightly from nervousness, twisting her small hands in her lap. This was the first time they had been at such a proximity since she had begun working at the manor. When she had chatted with him in her village, it had been different. Extremely different. She had been pretty back then and had always managed to catch the quick, admiring glances that Inuyasha constantly threw at her.

 

Now that she was the definition of ugly, everything had changed drastically. Inuyasha had only looked at her in the face once and even that small glimpse had made him feel like he was about to heave. After that, he had managed to avoid her face. Whenever she tried to talk, he usually paid her no attention. He would only have a real conversation with her when she was combing his hair and his back was to her. Within one week, he had trampled cruelly over her small sliver of confidence and utterly destroyed it. If I wassmart, I wouldn't bein thissituation. If I was a genius, I wouldn'teven loveInuyasha.But, as many say, your mind doesn't control who you love, your heart does.

 

Kagome swallowed as a crazy idea popped, unbidden, into her head. Do I dare? Sighing, she realized that that if their relationship was to ever advance, she had to be brave and push away any fragments of doubt that she still possessed. Sucking in a deep breath and calming her raging heart, Kagome spoke.

 

“Oi, Inuyasha?” Letting out a groan, the hanyou turned in her general direction, still not daring to look at her.

 

“What wench?” he snapped in annoyance, causing Kagome to wince. Ouch…He only wants me around if it's time for me to comb his hair. Apparently I'm the only one in the whole castle who can do it. That's the only reason that he lets me follow him around… That plucked at a taunt nerve, but Kagome had to push her thoughts aside for the moment so she could express her feelings. Okay, you can do this…But is there really a point? I already know what the answer will be.

 

“I just wanted to ask you something. Why don't you ever look at me in the face? I know I'm not the most attractive thing in the world, but don't you think that is just a tad bit rude?”

 

“Keh! Does it really bother you that much?” Kagome nodded quickly.

 

“Yes, if-” Inuyasha looked her dead in the eye with a blank, expressionless mask covering his face, but she was still able to catch the slight way his lips trembled and the subtle way his left eye seemed to go through an involuntary twitching spasm. His ears flattened against his head in a wave of sickness. Even still, a hot blush exploded on Kagome's cheeks and her heart thudded fiercely. Why did he just have to have such amazing eyes?

 

“Look. The world doesn't revolve around you, princess…I can look at you whenever I want to,” he growled in an almost taunting manner. “I just don't want to. As a matter of fact, I don't really know anyone who would…” The same heart that had been pounding with lovesickness only a few seconds before stopped suddenly, slowly cracking and splitting into jagged shards before falling into the pit of her stomach. Then the tears came…Small shimmering orbs pricked at the corners of Kagome's eyes and slowly began to slip down her pimpled face to drip off of her long nose and lumpy chin. “Wait…Wha-” Inuyasha hated it when girls cried, but he couldn't quite place the reason. Maybe it was because when their small bodies rocked with tears, they seemed so helpless and fragile, as if they would break with the slightest touch. But Inuyasha blamed it on the fact that the overpowering scent of salt burned his sensitive nose. Yeah…that was it. Most definitely

 

The hanyou stared at the Kagome's glistening crown at a loss. What he said wasn't that horrible…Was it? After all, he was telling the truth and while his mother had been alive, she had constantly told him to be honest. If he had lied to her and told her that she was the most breathtaking girl he had ever laid eyes on, he would have passed out cold on the floor. And afterwards, he would have most likely had to run off behind a few bushes somewhere and heave from disgust.

 

Slowly, the tears subsided and Kagome wiped her damp face with the back of her sleeve. Her shuddering breaths quieted and she sniffed loudly as she continued to blot her eyes.

 

“I didn't say you have to like me,” she whispered, voice scratchy. “I just think that if we are going to become friends, then we have to look at each other, Inuyasha. I want to know what you are thinking. I want to get to know you better.” The small residue of his pity and guilt evaporated faster than a drop of water in the desert.

 

“Ha! Friends!? Who needs `em? I don't have any, nor do I want any friends. So you can keep that to yourself.” Flicking his head to the sky, he made a big show of sulking. Kagome sighed to herself. Inuyasha is…a jerk! A big, fat, stubborn, annoying, selfish, shallow, mean, pitiless, spoiled jerk! Why did I ever fall in love with him in the first place!? It's all his fault that I'm in this damn situation! She growled darkly, causing Inuyasha to turn to her and cock his head in confusion. There he goes again! Being all cute. I can't stand this! I'm leaving! Gathering up her skirts, Kagome walked away airily, flouncing her hair and muttering obscenities under her breath.

 

~*~

 

Although his stubborn pride prevented from admitting it aloud, Inuyasha could not help but feel the tiniest bit intrigued by this girl. She was interested in being friends with him? The hanyou no one dared touch? Ever since he was little, he had been beaten and bruised by the harsh, calloused words of full-blooded demons and humans alike, despite his mother's fiercest attempts to protect him. Disgusting. Filthy. Waste of life. Good for nothing. Pathetic. Freak. Monster. Inuyasha had heard it all.

 

Before she died, Izayoi enjoyed surveying her lands - visiting villages, traveling the countryside, and sight-seeing - and she had taken Inuyasha everywhere. On more than one occasion, she had been coldly and spitefully turned away from an inn or town because of her son with the white hair, amber eyes, and small fuzzy dog ears perched on top of his head. If they were accepted for the night's stay, whenever Izayoi had her back turned, children would chase Inuyasha down with sticks and throw rocks at him, taunting and teasing. Adults would brush him off, sending him piercing stares and icy frowns, whispering about him when they thought he couldn't hear.

 

Inuyasha's mother was the only person in the world that he trusted and loved. He rarely, if ever, saw is father Inu Taisho and felt respect for him more so than compassion. When Izayoi left him, Inuyasha had closed his heart to everyone and everything, vowing to never love again and to never allow himself to be hurt.

 

And then there was Kagome. She sat across the table from him, daintily eating her dinner and avoiding eye contact. After their little confrontation by the cherry tree, she left in a huff and Inuyasha did not know how to take her after that. But even though she wasn't the best thing to look at in the morning, she was something…someone different. She wasn't scared. She wasn't repulsed. She was interested…in him…of Inuyasha of all people. But still…she was a human. They lied, cheated, and schemed just to get what they wanted. Demons may have been ruthless, but at least they adhered to a strict code of honor. Kagome was probably just trying to weasel some extra money out of him to fatten up her paycheck…Yeah…That was it. Besides, Inuyasha refused to open up his heart to anyone. Only weaklings did such foolish things.

 

~*~

 

“Friends are such a blessing, Inuyasha!” Kagome chirped, once again in a bright, optimistic mood. Does that girl ever stay upset for more than two seconds? He thought grumpily. In all honestly, he would have liked it if Kagome was prone to holding grudges and avoiding him…There would be less abuse on his eyes that way. “I don't understand why you wouldn't want them!”

 

“Why would you want them?” he retorted, tucking his hands into his sleeves and shaking his head. This girl obviously didn't understand anything too well…He would have to lay it out for her. “Friends are only for those that are too weak to stand on their own. I don't need any support or kinship. I've been holding my own for 19 years…I think I can handle myself!” Kagome paused, giving Inuyasha a queer look.

 

“Heh…I honestly don't feel like arguing with you Inuyasha. When you have a block of wood for a brain, it must be extremely hard to grasp fairly simple concepts…” With a smug look spreading across her face, Kagome watched as Inuyasha's expression of confusion turned to one frustration. Serves him right for being a jerk…

 

“At least I don't look I was beaten across the face a couple hundred times with an ugly stick. It must be extremely hard finding guys that can look at you without retching. I'd really hate to see what your parents look like…” His voice dwindled as even his stubborn side realized that he may have taken it a little too far. Only a little…

 

Kagome instantly stiffened, eyes glazing over with tears. Why does he have to be so mean? She thought as she fought against the stinging sensation in her eyes. But it's my fault…I started it. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Kagome turned back to mending the tear in Inuyasha's clothing. She could see the hanyou peering at her intently out of the corner of her eye, but she refused to let him see her cry…again. Ever since she was a little girl, her family always told her that she never cried well. Her eyes would go bloodshot, her cheeks would become flushed, her mouth would tremble, and little rivers of snot would slip out from her nose. Not a pretty sight. But then again, could her looks couldn't get much worse, now could they?

 

Straightening her posture, she began dipping the threaded needled into the crimson cloth and trying to block out Inuyasha's presence. The half demon in question was sorely tempted to just pick up and leave Kagome. He was still suspicious of the her whole `let's be friends' and `friends are good' lines. No normal person would say such weird things. Especially to him.

 

Plopping down on his hind legs like a canine, Inuyasha scowled at the strange creature in front of him. Well, he scowled as much as one can without actually looking at the person. Kagome was best viewed from the side or the back. Her long ebony hair had an electric blue hue to it and it hugged her figure in loose, rippling waves; thick bangs often shielded her face from Inuyasha's sensitive eyes. For that reason, he was extremely thankful for them.

 

But why hadn't she cried? When he had been up front with her about his opinion of her appearance yesterday, she had broken down into gasping sobs that had sent chills racing up his back. Kagome had forgiven him already, which had also sent another shock through his system. After Inuyasha had just insulted her, he could see little tears forming, but she brushed them off. What was wrong with this girl? Was she ill or something? He had never had much contact with females, seeing as the mere of sight of him made them go diving for cover…And now he was confronted with this odd girl who possessed a wretched face, but one of the warmest, most forgiving personalities that he had ever encountered.

 

The scowl slipped off of Inuyasha's face as he fell into deep thought. He had never really cared about other's thoughts, feelings, opinions, or actions, so why now? This girl was interesting…not as in `this-girl-is-stunningly-beautiful-and-I-can't-wait-to-get-to-know-her-bett er' kind of interesting…more like…`this-girl-is-really-repulsive-but-she-isn't-afraid-of-me, is-she-stupid? kind of interesting…What made this Kagome girl so unique? And as much as Inuyasha hated to admit it, he was really eager to find out why.

 

Author's Note: BAM! I dropped another chapter fo ya. God I dunno why that took so long! I got a case of confusion and writer's block a quarter of the way through, so I took a break. I had to rework what I wanted to happen so it wouldn't seem corny and rushed. Probably failed, but oh well. I have this whole story planned out by chapters, but I have a feeling I'm gonna have to add some `fillers' to give Inuyasha and Kagome more of a chance to develop. Things are just too early to get into any complicated plot twists or romance just yet. Around chapter 6 or 7, things will start getting bleak, grim, difficult…Take your pick.