InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Incomplete ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

In a secluded glade, tucked away from civilization by a densely wooded forest, Kagome was taking a much needed bath. The only sounds to disturb the relaxing dusk time symphony of forest birds and crickets were her thoughtful 'hmmm's and quiet splashes. Making her way to the water's edge she pulled her body out of the hot spring and hurried to wrap it in an oversized fluffy towel she'd remembered to bring from home. A tiny shiver ran down her spine as the cool night air whispered against her water laden skin and she made quick work of drying herself off.

"Man! That really hit the spot!"

Her appreciative remark went unanswered by the forest around her and after uttering a relaxed sigh she occupied herself with towel drying her hair. She'd spent far longer than she'd planned to in the hot spring thinking about the events of the past few days. She was still trying to wrap her head around Sesshomaru's part in it all. Had he really saved her? It seemed too ridiculous to be true, like something out of an alternate reality. And why had he brought her to Kaede of all people? Why had he done anything for her at all?

These were the questions she'd been pondering during her dip and they'd kept her there so long the skin of her fingertips had long since turned pruned. If she didn't return soon the others (Inuyasha) would come searching for her and ruin the tranquillity of an otherwise quiet night.

Inuyasha had been particularly attentive since the battle with Naraku, almost to the point of annoying. Sure she loved spending time with him but when he barely gave her five minutes alone to breathe he quickly became a nuisance. The fact that he griped and groused about Sesshomaru almost non-stop hadn't helped matters much either. Tensions were running high with everyone in their group lately, especially after Naraku's latest victory, and he wasn't making things better.

As if on cue a tingle of familiarity ran up her spine. Assuming that Inuyasha was already breaking their agreement to give each other some space for the evening, she closed her eyes in frustration and stood to her full height. With an impatient stamp of her foot, she wrapped her towel tighter around her naked form and glared at a nearby cluster of ferns.

"Inuyasha if you've been spying on me I'm going to sit you until you end up in China!"

A thought suddenly occurred to her and with an even deeper scowl added, "Same goes for you too, Miroku!"

The ferns ahead of her were curiously silent, but the sensation of another's eyes on her didn't cease. She turned heel in a huff, ready to shout out a dreaded 'sit' command, but a squeak of surprise forced the 'sit' back down her throat. She took a startled step backwards as her eyes took in the imposing figure staring at her from the opposite side of the hot spring. A gentle breeze rustled through the glade, stirring the long silver hair that hung down his back and the wet tendrils of ebony that clung to hers.

Sesshomaru...

His piercing gaze swept over her half dressed form with apparent disinterest and he glanced away without further comment. Thankful to no longer be subjected to his uncompromising eye, Kagome took a moment to catch her breath. She never knew how to act when he was around. One harsh look from him was enough to make her hands tremble and her breath catch in her throat. Normally it was okay because Inuyasha was at her side and his courage gave her strength, but tonight she was alone and defenceless. She suddenly found herself wishing the hanyou really had come to spy on her.

After a moment of awkward silence Kagome swallowed hard and delicately cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here Sesshomaru? Looking for Inuyasha?" she prodded, trying to sound casual.

"I have no business with him," he answered evenly.

In the time it took her to blink he'd disappeared and she found herself staring stupidly at the spot where he'd been standing. It took a second for her to realize that he was now standing much closer than before. In a fraction of a second he'd moved from one side of the hot spring's bank to the other and she'd been none the wiser. She swallowed hard as she lifted her gaze to meet his.

'Killing Perfection', indeed.

The cold golden eyes that looked down on her held none of the warmth Inuyasha's did and she was tempted to take a self-conscious step backwards. It took every ounce of courage within her to hold her ground in spite of his imposing presence. Even though he'd saved her life she couldn't find it within herself to trust someone who'd built his career on killing people. He wasn't like Inuyasha. With the subjugation beads Inuyasha had been tamed but Sesshomaru was still wild and unyielding. He was utterly unpredictable and that was what made him so frightening.

"W-what do you want then?" she managed to stammer out. Fisting the damp terry cloth in her hands, she sent a silent prayer to the gods asking them to send Inuyasha her way before it was too late. When Sesshomaru pointedly chose not to answer her question she felt her shaky courage weaken.

"Don't you dare try anything! All I have to do is scream for Inuyasha and he'll be here in a second!"

In a situation like this one she figured idle threats were just as good as real ones. She tried to block out the voice reminding her that if he wished it, she would be dead long before Inuyasha got there.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at her threat and he took a step forward, forcing her back. He paused and tilted his head, regarding her with a critical eye.

"Do I frighten you woman?" he asked suddenly.

His face was impassive and his expression unreadable. Averting her eyes from the demon's gaze, she shrugged her shoulders haplessly and answered in a small voice,

"Yes. I never know what you're going to do."

"You are right to fear me, Miko," he acknowledged with a dark look and then added, "but you should realize by now that I cannot kill you."

Kagome lifted her head in surprise.

Why the sudden change of heart? she wondered.

Her eyes swept over him, taking in his hard expression and standoffish posture. There was nothing different about him in that regard. He still looked as though he didn't give a damn about humans which was why she couldn't understand where his words were coming from. As far as she knew, Sesshomaru cared for her about as much as he did a flea and he had no qualms about squashing her if she got in his way.

"So then... Why are you here if it isn't to see Inuyasha?" she asked, finding her voice once more.

"To inquire after your injures," he replied simply. "Are they healing well?"

Kagome blinked up at him and wondered if she'd heard right. "You came all this way just for that?" she asked, sounding unconvinced.

"You dare to question this Sesshomaru?" he challenged sounding distinctly irritated.

Shoulders squared, she tightened the towel around her body and moved to pluck her clothes off the nearby tree branches.

"Well, I suppose if you came all this way the least I can do is answer you," she noted in a brisk tone. "My wounds are doing fine. Look, there's hardly any scaring." She said this as she turned her back and moved her hair out of the way so he could see for himself.

After a moment, she slipped her hair back in place and made ready to leave.

"I should head back. Inuyasha gets worried if I'm away too long."

She took a few steps towards the path that would lead her back to camp and paused. Turning around she offered him a hesitant smile.

"I never got a chance to thank you...for saving me," she said, twisting her clothes nervously in her hands.

Sesshomaru dismissed her gratitude and looked towards the silver moon rising on the horizon.

"Do not thank me," he chided in a low voice and without looking back retreated soundlessly into the night.

Kagome watched him leave and shook her head in disbelief. The day had actually come when Sesshomaru didn't try to start trouble with Inuyasha - it was almost too good to be true. Her eyes drifted up to the sky and she took note of the fact that it was only one more night until the new moon when Inuyasha would return to his human form.

"Hopefully we won't run into any more demons along the way," she thought aloud and began the slow trek back to the campsite.

oOo

Miroku returned to the edge of the campfire and sat himself down next to Sango on the ground. Sango glanced at him and narrowed her eyes.

"And just where were you?" she asked, her tone suspicious.

Without missing beat the monk smiled genially and laid his staff down on the ground next to him. "I sometimes like to take relaxing walks to help clear my head, my dearest Sango," he explained with an innocent smile.

The demon slayer arched an eyebrow ruefully and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Inuyasha watched them from the other side of the campfire and rolled his eyes. This was only going to turn out bad for the monk, but it was amusing to watch him try and talk his way out of it. He had knack for coming up with excuses for his perverted ways.

Shippo, who'd been playing with some sticks by the fire, took the opportunity to chime in, "I think it's funny that when Kagome said she was going to take a bath in the hot spring Miroku decided to go on his walk."

Miroku blushed and laughed nervously, looking sheepish as he put a hand behind his head. He glanced at Sango warily out of the corner of his eye. Her expression was borderline murderous.

"No...no of course not," he placated in a soothing tone as he took one of her hands in his. "Sango, you know you're the only woman for me."

Sango, for her part, didn't look too inclined to believe him. The monk's unfortunate decision to attempt to grope her behind with his free hand was the final straw. He received a rather hard slap for his efforts and the demon slayer stormed off to find a new seat.

"You are such a disgusting lecher!" she raged, causing everyone to smirk but Miroku, who was left tenderly rubbing the large red handprint on his cheek.

Kagome's sudden return provided him with a much needed reprieve and he smiled at her in relief. She smiled back briefly before ducking into the makeshift tent Inuyasha had erected for her to change her clothes in.

After several long minutes of silence Inuyasha stood from where he'd been seated next to the crackling flames and wordlessly entered the tent. Miroku and Shippo hunched their shoulders expectantly and waited for the loud screams of 'SIT!' that were almost guaranteed to emerge. They looked at one another in shock when after a solid half minute they heard nothing. Even Sango glanced over at the tent curiously. Unable to deny his natural kit curiosity, Shippo tip-toed to the opening in the hopes of overhearing what was going on inside. He was barely a foot from the door when Miroku bopped him on the head with his staff.

"Ow! Miroku! What'd you do that for? Don't you want to know what they're saying in there?" the kit asked indignantly while rubbing the goose bump forming on his head. The monk shook his head.

"Leave them be Shippo. Even they need to have private conversations sometimes."

Shippo's face fell and he glared at Miroku but he eventually skulked away from the tent in defeat.

Inside, Inuyasha stood in the doorway and stared down at Kagome who sat on a small log deep in thought. Her hands were folded in her lap and she tapped one foot repeatedly against the earth.

"What did he want?" he asked gruffly, careful not to let his temper flare. Kagome sighed, unsure what she should tell him.

"So you can tell?" she wondered quietly and watched Inuyasha's brows knit together as his face distorted in anger.

"Of course I can tell! I could smell him on you the second you got near the campsite. So what'd that bastard want anyway?"

His face blanched as realization dawned that Kagome had been completely naked and without her arrows at the hot spring. "He didn't...hurt you did he?" he asked in a gentler tone, showing the first signs of concern that perhaps his half-brother had done the unthinkable.

Kagome was quick to shake her head 'no' and put his fears at ease.

"He didn't do anything. I'm fine, really. I just don't understand him. He said he came all this way to see how my injuries were healing," she explained, her derisive expression indicating just how much credence she put in that particular excuse.

Inuyasha took a step backwards, his face awash with disbelief. "What?"

"I don't buy it either," she conceded with a frown. "I'm just trying to think of what his other motive might be. He insisted it had nothing to do with you."

Her brow furrowed in thought and Inuyasha uttered a 'Keh!' before crossing his arms.

"I don't buy that for a second! Sesshomaru's always planning something. I won't let him hurt you Kagome," he said seriously. Kagome offered him a weak smile and made room for him next to her on the log.

"Thanks Inuyasha. The weird thing is he told me he couldn't hurt me. Well he didn't say it exactly like that, but he implied it. He said that I should realize by now that he can't kill me. What do you think that means?"

This comment made Inuyasha pause and he slowly sat down next to her. Resting his chin on his fist he thought it over silently for a few moments before answering with a shrug.

"I don't know. That one time he tried to fry you with his acid Tetsusaiga saved you. Maybe that's what he means? Well, next time he shows his face you let me know! Whatever he's got planned, we gotta be ready for it!"

Kagome nodded and rested her head wearily against his shoulder. Even though his words were comforting, she couldn't get Sesshomaru out of her mind. She knew she shouldn't trust him but at the same time, hadn't he shown her that he had a good heart? Maybe he really had just come to see if she was okay. There was always the chance they were looking into things way more than they had to.

Then again, Sesshomaru wasn't called the 'Killing Perfection' for nothing. Whatever it was he had planned, there didn't seem to be much more they could do besides wait and hope they were strong enough to come out on top.

Author's Note: All reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read :)