InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome's Realization ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 15 )

Inuyasha sat at the mouth of the cave, eyes ever seeing, and watched as raindrops fell from the overgrowth covering the cave. It was so well concealed it was amazing that they saw it at all. Well saw actually wasn't the word, Shippo had been on his head harassing him about not smelling the sudden storm creeping up on them so they could find shelter and not get soaked, Inuyasha having had enough, finally chunked him into shrubbery along the trail there were traveling. Shippo came running back, leaves, dirt and bits of branches were hanging in his fur and with a happy smile announced that shelter was found.

"What? Where?" Said Inuyasha unbelieving, trying to find where shelter could be in such dense wilderness.

"You threw me in it, jerk. Apparently this thick grass covers what appears to be a cavern. It's well hidden and covered with thicket but it's dry and big enough to hold us all comfortably" Shippo said, brushing himself off.

"Let me see." And was about to use his Testuiga to clear a path when Shippo again jumped on his head.

"If you do that then you'll clear away the cover it gives. Gosh, use that brain of yours sometimes will you?" Shippo said with a smirk and then squealed when Inuyasha snatched him up.

"Fine, than you show me the way." And Inuyasha chunked him again into the wild forest. "How's this for plans, you find it and then I'll follow your voice." Inuyasha said with a smirk of his own before following. "Wait here." He said without looking back.

"This really sucks." Kagome said miserably when Inuyasha was out of earshot.

"If you're talking about being soaked to the bone, then yes I agree whole heartedly," Miroku said. "At least you two have other clothes to change into. The rest of us have to suffer."

"My kimono is soaked as well." Sango said.

"That's okay Sango because my mother has clothes packed in plastic bags just for occasions such as these. You can wear something of mine." Kagome said, patting her yellow bag on her bicycle.

"I don't know, Kagome, I don't think I would be comfortable in your clothes." Sango said while an image of herself in Kagome's school uniformed crossed her mind. The sound of a slap pulled her out of her daydream.

"And don't you dare ask what that was for." Kagome said trying to wipe his water mark off her butt.

"It's the hand, I swear." Miroku said.

"Then I'll take the damn thing off if you can't keep it under control." Inuyasha said with his sword drawn. "I'm starting to get tired of all the harassment the girls take as soon as their butt's are turned. Keep it to yourself and strangers, you got me?" Inuyasha said stepping closer.

"No need to threaten violence, Inuyasha." Kagome said placing her hand on his arm, slowly making him lower it.

"Yes." Miroku said, taking a step back anyway. "I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me tell Kagome." Inuyasha stated sheathing his sword.

"I'm sorry for groping you again, Kagome-sama." Miroku said with a slight bow.

"Let's go then, if you come down this way a little there is a made do path. It'll be better than you trying to fight your way through that." Inuyasha said pointing to the tall thick grass before them. Kagome grabbed her bicycle and followed but Sango and Miroku didn't.

"Where's my apology." Sango said, getting in his face.

"I didn't grope you, Sango." Miroku said surprised.

"Yes you did but it turned out to be Kagome instead. I know you, and you were thinking the same thing that I was. What I'm going to look like wearing clothes from Kagome's time."

But before Miroku could answer Inuyasha's voice caught their attention.

"Oi, do you want to fight about it in this rain or in a dry cave? If you don't want to have to find your own way I suggest you come on." Not leaving them much time to decide Inuyasha continued leading the way.

"In the cave." Sango yelled walking to catch up, and said to Miroku over her shoulder, "And you, make sure you sit on the other side of the cave from me and Kagome. I wouldn't want to see you sprouting any more empty apologies." And with her head held high she left a sighing Miroku alone.

This would have all been worth it if it had been Sango and not Kagome, Miroku thought running to catch up.

Once Kagome entered the cave she designated Shippo the job of finding a place to light a fire.

"But where are we going to find dry wood at." He said puzzled and shaking from cold.

"Don't worry. I don't carry a heavy backpack for no reason." Kagome dug around in her big bag, taking out almost everything for it was on the bottom, and with an "Ah hah." She pulled out an airtight bundle of easy light wood, wood chips, newspaper, and a click lighter.

"Wow." Clapped Shippo.

"Where did you get that?" Sango asked, using one of Kagome's hand towels to dry her hair.

"My mother thinks of everything." Kagome ripped open the seal. Handing it over to Inuyasha. With her attention still directed at Sango she added; "I've been carrying that heavy thing around with me for months. I would have used it already but I was told it was strictly to be used for a time like this. I'm grateful that she's so thoughtful." Kagome was smiling brightly at Sango when she realized her friend was shivering.

Kagome again dug through her bag, this time hunting for dry blue jeans and two shirts. And just for herself she grabbed a pair of clean socks and her extra shoes.

"Let's change." Kagome said, standing. "I took a look around and even though it's the darkest part of the cave it's the most concealing spot to change."

"O Okay." Sango said with a worried expression on her face.

"Don't look like that." Kagome said laughing as they darkness engulfed them. "It won't be that bad. And no peeking. Shippo!"

"Standing watch." He called back. "Help Inuyasha light the fire and turn your back towards me." He said sternly.

Trying not to laugh at the young fox said. "It's too dark for me to see."

"Tried already, huh?" Shippo said shaking his head. To which Miroku just shrugged his shoulders and got up to do as he was told.

Just then a nice size rock came out of the darkness where Sango and Kagome were and slammed into the back of Miroku's head, knocking him out. Shippo gasped and looked to where it came from, mouth dropped open. Inuyasha didn't waste his time.

"By the time he wakes up we'll be finished." Came Sango's voice. "Help me, Kagome. I've never put on such garments and doing it in the dark doesn't help." Sango said in a softer voice.

"Didn't prevent you from finding that rock." Kagome said, feeling for the opening of the pants Sango had been trying to put on backwards. "Now step in."

"I tripped on it coming over here so I already knew it was there." Sango said in her defense while she tried again to put on the strange clothes.

And acting like she was dressing a child, Kagome helped Sango button up and get her shirt over her head. And just in the nick of time for the cave light up with light. Well in the nick of time for Sango, Kagome was still wearing her wet clothes.

"AAAWWW." Said Shippo, running over a still unconscious Miroku to hold his hands up to the warmth.

"Go warm up." Kagome said, moving further back into the now semi dark corner.

"I'm hungry." Grumbled Inuyasha, with his back to Kagome. "Can we eat when you're finished?"

"The Ramen's in my bag, get it out for me." Kagome said, stripping of her wet school uniform and with her back and a good thing too because Inuyasha, who till this point got oswaried if he dug around in her bag, couldn't help turning around to give her a surprised look. Catching himself, he turned around quickly and straightening went over to Kagome's bag. No digging was required it seemed, the Ramen was sitting on top of everything Kagome had taken out of her bag. Turning to take it over to the campfire was brought up short by Sango looking at him with a sweet smile on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing." Sango said turning back to the fire, extending her hands.

Just then Kagome came out of the dark, carrying wet clothes, and went to her bag to stick them in a plastic sack and grab a water bottle, bag of chips, and her easy cooker. By the time dinner was ready and everyone was dry and warm again Miroku came too.

"What happened?" He said, holding his aching head.

"You slipped." Inuyasha said without hesitation.

Kagome and Sango started to eat faster while Shippo went up to him, holding Miroku's bowel of Ramen.

"I saw it. I guess I didn't see that wet spot you must have found." Without thinking Miroku took his dinner.

"My head is aching." He said.

"Yeah, you slipped and fell on that rock behind you." Sango said with pursed lips. And so dinner went.

And now the night found Inuyasha wide awake and staring at the rain as it replenished the world. Inuyasha jumped when suddenly he felt a pressure pushing his crossed leg down but when he looked down he saw a slender hand just above his knee and when he looked the rest of the way up the hand was gone and Kagome was there sitting next to him.

"Couldn't sleep?" She said, looking out into the night.

"I rarely sleep, Kagome." Inuyasha said turning his attention back to the branches he had been looking at, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach at Kagome's nearness.

"I forget." Kagome let out a heavy sigh. "This is sort of boring though, Inuyasha, doesn't it make you want to go to sleep?"

Inuyasha laughed softly, "Sometimes, but I like to listen to the rain."

"Yeah. It is lovely, and it smells good too." Kagome said, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply.

"It doesn't in your world?" Inuyasha said considering her comment.

"What do you mean?"

"I've always thought that your world had a strange scent to it, and when it rained when we last there it didn't refresh the air as it does here, it just seemed to absorb the odor's in the air. I didn't like it at all." He said, crinkling his nose at the memory.

"I know." Kagome said, laughing at his expression.

"Do you?"

"I didn't really see the difference till I came here but your right. Through the course of our achievements we are ruining our environment." Kagome explained.

"Then why do it?" Inuyasha asked, curious.

"Greed."

"Feh." Inuyasha replied.

"It's true, maybe not for everybody. In my time, when you take something that is difficult, say getting from one place to another by foot or horse or carriage, and you find a way to make it easier for people and then offer it to them at a price than can afford you can make a lot of money."

"So that's what's important?" Inuyasha said. "How much money you can make despite how much you make the world you live in stink?"

"And doing things the quickest way possible so we can move on to doing other things quickly." Kagome added.

"Humans." Inuyasha said more to himself than Kagome.

"What can I say?" Kagome said shrugging her shoulders.

"You can say oswari." Inuyasha said, looking at Kagome dead on.

"Why would I do that?" Kagome asked, surprised. "Doing such a thing would wake everyone up. But more importantly, you haven't done anything."

"Because you have been treating me differently." Inuyasha said.

"I have not." Kagome said a slight pitch coming into her voice.

"Shh, or you'll wake everyone up anyway." Inuyasha said looking behind them to see everyone still asleep. "You have been treating me differently. Ever since you listened to that song you haven't oswaried me. You think they don't notice that?" He said pointing to the sleeping people behind them. "They look to you to use your oswari to punish me. I know that Keade does."

"Yeah, well, you've always said the rudest things to her when she asks me to do it." Kagome said, feeling guilty. He was right.

"Still." Inuyasha said, ears flattened.

Kagome rolled her eyes, that's mature, she thought. "That hurts your feelings doesn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"The fact that I look to my necklace as punishment and protection." Kagome said, reaching out her hand, she gently lifted the necklace and rubbed the beads between her fingers. "The fact that I haven't removed it."

"You need to protect yourself from me?" Inuyasha said hurt.

"No." Kagome said softly shaking her head. "In the beginning, yes. You were trying to kill me for the jewel. You're right, though, I do use it as a way to keep you in line. You feel like I put a collar on you, don't you?"

"Don't call me a dog." Inuyasha said, putting his hand up to stop her.

"But it's still the same thing. I've used it when you've gotten out of line or said something insulting." Shame started to fill Kagome. She used her oswari at will, even as a way to get him out of her way when she wanted to go home.

"Exactly. You've changed." Inuyasha said, watching her expression. He had always figured that Kagome would one day realize that his oswari spell wasn't necessary anymore and take the damn thing off. "Your not realizing you don't need it you've just stopped using it."

"And you're complaining?" Kagome said trying to keep her laughter to a minimum. "I've stopped using it so much, so what?"

"It's why you've stopped using it that is the so what, Kagome. And I'm not complaining. My back hasn't felt better in months but it's why you've stopped that bothers me. It's not from something I've done directly it's because you pity me because of what you've come to realize about my past."

"You're going to have to stop worrying about what's done, Inuyasha. We can't take back what I've come to fully realize. You can't, despite how much it wounds you for me to know. And yes, you're right again, I do pity the life you've lead but not in the way you think. I pity the fact that instead of people taking you in they feared you. It's a pity the no one looked past their own fear and hatred for what's different and what they can't explain to see the good in you instead of making you see nothing but the bad in people. That's a pity you're just going to have to deal with, Inuyasha. Maybe I use the `o' word less now because I understand more where you've come from. And you don't care what people think, remember, so don't worry about Sango or Miroku. Even Shippo for that matter. Let them wonder why I don't use it when they think I should. I don't plan on telling them something that isn't my place to share. It's your past, Inuyasha; I just looked through a window. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry." Kagome had tried to keep eye contact with Inuyasha but found it difficult with him trying to avoid it so she settled for holding his face still with her hand, even if she couldn't force him to look at her. Finally he looked her straight in the eyes.

"Baka." He said, his eyes piercing. Kagome dropped her hand. "You're not prying. I've never considered telling anyone about my childhood and what I've lived through. I also never considered you the fact that you would come to understand it on your own. But I see the changes in your attitude towards me, and there not bad I just never expected it. I never anticipated you, for that matter." Inuyasha blushed and turned his attention back to the rain outside when Kagome gave him one of her sweet smiles.

"Thank you." She said, repositioning herself so she could lay her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked, completely embarrassed.

"I'm using you for a pillow while I sit with you and enjoy the rain." Kagome said, snaking her arm through his. "I won't hurt you."

Upon hearing those words Inuyasha immediately relaxed some. "I'm not scared, baka."

"Good." And there they sat, cuddled together at the mouth of the cave enjoying the rain while it replenished the earth and brought a fresh fragrance to the air.

Behind them, unknown to them, they had a listener. Sango hadn't meant to eavesdrop on their private conversation but Kagome raised her voice at one point loud enough to wake her. And so she heard Inuyasha telling Kagome that her realizing what his past was like was changing her attitude towards him and she secretly agreed. Though try as hard as she could she couldn't help but listen to what they were saying to each other. She had noticed that over the past two weeks Kagome hadn't oswaried Inuyasha, or got insulted by his gruff ways like she once used too, and she didn't even put up a fuss when he drove them hard each day in search of Naraku. She also noticed that Inuyasha was less insulting to Kagome and though she didn't complain about being tired he let them rest without being asked or begged. Granted tonight he let them get soaked by the rain storm but one had to consider the fact that rain didn't bother Inuyasha and he usually thinks people feel the same way.

When she heard no more talking and didn't hear what sounded like movement Sango took a risk at being caught and opened her eyes to take a look at the pair. And with envy she admired the two as they slowly developed a stronger bond without even meaning too or looking for it. Maybe all it took was a little understanding of what makes a person who they are to break through the hardest and strongest of barriers. One that even Testuiga couldn't penetrate.