InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Innocent Like a Child ❯ Innocent Like a Child ( One-Shot )

Innocent Like a Child - By Willow

(A.K.A - Naruko… btw- the name has NOTHING to do with Naraku)

Tears ran down Kagome's pale face as she once again saw what hunted her in her sleep.

It was now two weeks since Naraku killed Kikyo, and one week since Kikyo had found a way to come back and appear from hell.

Her mind still set on taking Inuyasha with her back to hell, of course.

Most of the times she appears from hell are at night. Night is usually a passage gate from hell to the living world, and when she does appear, she is not a solid being in a human body, but a mere reflection, a ghost of the human she once was.

This time she appeared, Kagome followed to where she was, in hopes to get Inuyasha back to the camp so they could rest and leave the next day... but what she had seen, erased all kind thoughts she had ever had toward Kikyo... and Inuyasha in that matter.

"Won't you join me? After all I had gone through, all of it, yet the one thing I ask of you, a thing I once thought we had both wanted, to stay together no matter what, that... that you will not do? Inuyasha, why?" Clear white tears flashed in Kikyo's dead and heartless eyes, burning holes into Inuyasha fragile heart.

"I'm not ready... I can't just.. I have a responsibility towards Miroku, Sango, Shippou... and... and..." His voice cracked, unable to utter the real reason behind his wish not to leave this solid earth. The true reason, well most of it, he wanted to stay and live even without Kikyo... especially without Kikyo...

But Kikyo finished Inuyasha's unsaid reason…;

"And my copy."

"She isn't your copy! No one could be..." Inuyasha had meant it in a way of, "No one could replace the feelings you and me ONCE shared", but that went empty and unnoticed by the two soul sharing woman.

Kikyo leaned quickly, suddenly becoming solid and kissed Inuyasha before he could react.

It tasted so bitter, so dead, so unreal. He remembered when he almost turned full demon through Kaguya's mirror, almost losing all his humanity forever. He remembered not feeling happy, like he would have been before meeting Kagome and the rest, he felt bad. Really, really bad. He knew he would kill them all without second thought, he knew it and that thought scared him.

His head was splitting, his concise and caring human side, the part noticing between what's right and wrong, good and evil… all of it, slipping away... all he could feel was immense pain.

But then, it all stopped. He felt warm lips on his, he tasted Kagome, her tears, her being, all of her in a second and he remembered.

He remembered why he wanted to stay partly human, he remembered why he cared, he remembered and he wanted to keep that memory. So he kept kissing her, and she didn't back away.

He could have killed her, he really could have, and she didn't care, she risked it all.

Her life, for him. Again.

Kagome could literally feel her heart tear into little pieces.

Warm tears now gracing her face as Kikyo disappeared once again, as if she had never existed, as if she had never lived at all, as if she had never kissed the man Kagome so deeply loved… well hanyou, man, same thing!

"How dare you?!" She hissed angrily at the up-until-now oblivious to her presence hanyou.

"K-Kagome?" He shakily asked, hoping she hadn't seen. But, of course she had, her tears showing what Inuyasha wanted so badly to have never happened in the first place.

He knew it was mostly his fault that Kagome, the woman he adored and worshiped, was now crying... he could have pulled away from Kikyo… if he wasn't so far gone with his grim thoughts…

Inuyasha mentally cursed himself, and was about to explain everything that just happened to Kagome when she spoke.

"Don't say it." She spat at him, not looking away, tears still streaming and causing her pale face to look weak, sad and slightly sick.

"Don't tell me a word, because I don't care. I used to. I once even listened to your excuses, but what use are them now? And why do I, why SHOULD I care?"

She turned her back to Inuyasha, who now wore a sad and surprised expression. Sad for hearing her talk to him like that, surprised for the boldness in her statement.

"You want to go to hell, go to hell! You want to fuck a lifeless body, then by all means, go ahead!"
Well now he was in trouble. Kagome and just cussed. And in a very solid voice. Not shaking with anger, not saying `Oswari' like always… she was speaking from her heart, and it hurt to know how much pain he had caused the one woman he truly loved.

"I-" Inuyasha started but Kagome spun around at him.

"I told you! I don't want to her it!" She yelled at him, hot tears rolling down in a quick pace down her beautiful face.

"I told you I don't care, and I don't!" she paused and took a breath of air.

"I'm giving you two options, and for once, for once do as I ask!" she took another breath,

"Either you try and explain to me what happened, and I leave, which I will!" she added as she saw his disbelieving look, "Or, you leave it alone, and we act as if it never happened."

"But it did!" He said quickly before she could stop him.

"But I don't care! If it wasn't for the jewel shards, if it wasn't for our friends, I would ask that we acted as if nothing had ever happened, as if we never meet, which you have no idea how much I wish had truly happened!!"

She had yelled with such anger at him, he didn't move, he couldn't, he didn't speak, he really couldn't.

He felt like crying, he felt like dying… but that would make him be with Kikyo, and he really didn't want that.

So they acted as if she had seen nothing, as if nothing had happened.

But it wasn't the same, and they all knew it.

Kagome had stopped smiling period. Not just at Inuyasha, but at everyone. Even Shippou.

She didn't laugh, she barley ever mouthed one word, always crying, and no matter how much he wanted to talk to her, he couldn't. He could risk her leaving. He just couldn't.

But then it happened again.

They were heading in an early evening toward a small village to rest. They really needed a good night sleep, when they felt the presence of one known dead miko.

Inuyasha said nothing, Kagome said nothing. Not one word was mouthed, even Shippou stayed silent.

Inuyasha followed off their path toward the village, and went to the small clearing which Kikyo's presence was coming from.

And there she stood, surrounded by trees, a clear shadow of his past love, and all Inuyasha could think about was how long it had been since he saw Kagome smile at him, or at all for that matter.

He knew now what he had to do. He knew it, there was no way out of it.

"Inuyasha-" Kikyo had started but Inuyasha silenced her by raising his left clawed hand.

Unknown to them both, three people, one kitsune and one fire-cat youkai, were now watching.

One girl with new tears pouring down her face, but listening intently non the less.

In the past they had let Inuyasha go to Kikyo, somewhat understanding, but now, since Kagome's dead gestures, they could no longer take it, they had decided to follow him, not caring if he knew or not.

Normally he would have sensed them or hear their breathing, their footsteps or anything inaudible to the human ear in that manner, but since his mind was so intent on the task ahead and the thought of how to get Kagome to smile at all again, had taken over all his senses… each and every single one.

"I can't do this anymore." Inuyasha stated simply.

Kikyo gave him a puzzled, yet icy glare.

"I can no longer meet with you." He answered her silent and cold question.

"Because of…?"

"Because of my friends, because I want to live, because I don't… I don't believe I still love you… if I ever truly did."

That caught Kikyo off guard, and she let her cool expression turn into one of confusion.

"We were young, we both wanted love, we needed love, and we needed acceptance. So we made it up. We carried such innocents even thou what we both had seen, even thou what we both had lived through..." He saw she was about to speak, but he stopped her.

"Let me finish, hear me out… I need you too… so for once Kikyo, listen to me, I beg of you…"

When she didn't say nor move, he continued.

"We needed it so bad, I know it, and so do you. We were both hurt, alone, wounded and sad, that when we saw each other there was finally a chance for us to feel warm, loved, cared for.

But it was more friendship then anything. You know it was… that was not love! That was not true happiness… if not for Naraku, we would have probably gotten married or whatever, and had pups… But can you truly look me in the eye and tell me that you really and honestly would have been happy? Really, truly and completely happy?" When Kikyo looked down sadly he knew, he knew he had to finish it and move on.

"The pain of burden laid on us both. One of us carried the burden of constant need to work and protect others, never truly live for the sake of fun, or true life. And the other, lived with never being able to live, to be loved to just be himself." He paused and sat on a near by rock, pausing again to push a silver bang out of his amber eyes.

"You needed love; you needed to be accepted, as did I. So that's what we did… but it wasn't true love… well, I know for sure it wasn't for me…" He looked down at the dirty soil sadly.

"All my life I had wanted to be accepted. I am not a youkai and never will be. I am not a human and never will be. I wanted to be a youkai so I could be accepted, to be honored and feared and maybe even some day, loved. And then I wanted to be human… for you. Once again, never was I truly me, never was I fully in my own body, content. I wanted once to be a youkai, and I once wanted to be a human. But I just can't. Call me a half-breed; call me whatever you want, but I'm a hanyou. I could never truly be a human, and you know that. As I could never be a youkai, not willing now to risk hurting my friends…"

An innocent child like smile grazed Inuyasha's lips as he looked up and into Kikyo's soul less, lifeless eyes.

"Yes, I finally understand it. That natural human instinct to want and need friends… I finally understand why, and to tell you the truth, I don't know how I lived without it."

Inuyasha eyes now beamed with true joy and child playfulness.

"I have friends, and truly loved them, need them, want them.

When they are near me I feel safe. Not in the way of, "if a youkai came by I will have friends and comrades to back me up." But safe as in, no matter what I do, or how I act, I will be loved, someone will care for me, and I have not felt this feeling in a long long time…" Inuyasha's smile deepened and his cheeks started to grow pinkish, as he thought of Kagome, but it soon turned into a frown at the thought of the past few days events.

"I care and love Miroku, Sango, Kirara and even Shippou in a friendly and caring way… but the one woman I believe I am truly and for the first time really am in love with, has now shunned me, because… because… because of you and I, Kikyo. Because I am unable to look her in the eyes and tell her, tell how much she means to me, how much I love her, how much all I want to do is hold and kiss her and love her… and I can't because I'm stupid. And you know that child innocents that once lived in you? Well, it still lives within me. I am still a pup, a child, and no matter how much blood is see, how much blood I taste, how much I kill… no matter what sadness I see, no matter what cruelty I induce… no matter what, that child like innocents is still within me.

I hadn't grown Kikyo, and no matter what, it will be only by Kagome that I will truly grow.

And I want to grow Kikyo! And I beg you to look at me," Inuyasha got up and stood in front of the expressionless Kikyo, "I beg of you Kikyo to look me in the eye, to see the pain I have in my heart, to hear from my lips that I loved once and still care and forever will care for you, as a friend, and to hear from me, in my very own words, to hear from me that I am not ready to die, that I am not ready to go to hell. That I still want to and need to live, that I still have many reasons to live.

That I care for my friends, that I love them more then anything, to hear from me Kikyo, that I truly love her, and want to spend the rest of my life with her, with Kagome, even thou we're both stubborn, even thou she can really get on my nerves, even though we fight, even though I truly am a jerk to her, even though she's giving me right now the silent treatment, and even though everything and anything, I still want to and need to be with her.

I bed of you Kikyo, to look at me, to see me, to hear me and understand. Please Kikyo, I'm begging, please understand…"

Inuyasha's voice trailed off right as Kikyo's body became solid for the last time in her undead life.

She looked at him, her eyes now full of unshed tears and she nodded and then smiled.

Not a creepy smile, not a grin or a seductive smile. But just a warm smile.

She put her arms around his waist and held him tight.

"Then love her, Inuyasha, love her, my friend"

"I will still avenge your death, Kikyo…"

"I know you will…" She could feel him lay his head at the crook of her cold neck, she could feel his warm tears on her cold body, and somehow she wasn't surprised or sad. It was truly time to end something that wasn't meant to be from the beginning… she knew it now…

They slowly separated and looked into each other's eyes one last time.

"I will… I will miss you my friend…" She whispered to him as her body turned ghostly and she disappeared.

Inuyasha let his tears continue to soil his young face as he turned to where he came through long ago, intent on finding Kagome and telling her that he loved whilst he was on a truth roll.

But what he saw caused him embarrassment, caused him happiness, and caused him a whole lot of emotions in a matter of a few lonely seconds.

Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara stood before him, smiling softly.

Well, Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Shippou anyway… it was hard to tell if the cat was smiling.

Kagome, tears still in her eyes, but now from joy and not heartache, approached Inuyasha.

The young hanyou did nothing to move away from her or to clear his tears up, even though it was not a manly thing, to allow a woman to see you cry. But right now and there, he didn't care; all he did care about was Kagome's reaction.

If she had heard it all he would truly be happy that he didn't have to repeat everything he had just told Kikyo. But what is she heard his confession of love toward her and denied him.

What would he do?

But he did not need to worry, as Kagome smiled and ran up and embraced him tightly.

"Inu-Chan…" She whispered to him, erasing his fears of rejection, and causing a light blush to appear.

"I love you too" She whispered again quietly to him and held him tighter to her.

He, on the other hand didn't want to settle their new found relationship with a mere hug… he wanted, no NEEDED more.

He pulled away from the embrace, a little sad and cold from the lack of Kagome's body heat.

But he got over it, as he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

When they both pulled away, Kagome wiped his tears and held Inuyasha's left hand tightly.

"Come on, we have to go shard hunting in the morning."

"Yeah," Said Miroku, as Inuyasha and Kagome approached them, "And I bet you two will just love to have some time alone…"

And with a perverted grin and a loud ear ringing smack from Sango; Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara headed toward the village.

A smile played on Inuyasha's lips as he and Kagome walked toward the village, still holding hands.

Kagome sighed happily as they walked along.

Inuyasha was right… He truly was full of child like innocents.

--- A/N - I know that was long, boring and full of spelling and grammer mistakes, but I tried my hardest to do the best I can.

I know, I know! Kinda pointless, kinda odd… well… I love Kikyo bashing, but I also feel for her when watching the Anime. Yep, I was cheering when I saw her die in chapter 124…

Oops! O_o I know there are a lot of spoilers, not just for the anime, but also for the manga and the second Inuyasha movie.

But even if you hadn't seen till chapter 124 in the anime, and even if you hadn't seen yet the movie, it's still good to read! (^_^U

Oh and when writing this fic, I was listening to "Shinjitsu No Uta" by Do As Infinity… one of my favorite Inuyasha songs… I believe it was one of the many ending themes...

I know… no disclaimer… but I didn't know if you also have to put one in a one-shot… oh well! No harm no foul! (Quoting Estelle from "Friends", you know, Joey's agent!)

So… just incase, here the disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, thou I do own many bags of Pocky! But sadly I don't own the Pocky company itself… I own nothing but my computer! There! Was that okay?

Well thanks for reading, please read my other story too ("The True Feelings of Our Hearts" and AU Inu/Kag Mir/San fic)

And Remember: READ AND REVIEW! All reviewers will get cookies!

Love ya all!

~Ja Ne~