InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko no Youkai ❯ Fitful Dreams ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: Still just borrowing.

R rating for this chapter. Pay attention to it. It's messy.

Warnings: Blood. Lots of blood. Due to nature of chapter, No Sex. Just Love. Generally dark theme. A few kawaii moments. Brooding author. Suffering characters.

A/N: I have a beta! *glomps AngelDawn* Much thanks! (Actually, I haven't gotten this chapter's beta back yet, but I'm posting it anyway in celebration of having a working mouse again.)

~~~ Fitful Dreams ~~~

Kagome felt helpless as she watched the proud wolf youkai recoil from every attempt she made to touch him. He had collapsed to the ground the last time she reached out, taking up as little space as he could. Just as confusing, his cries and whimpers grew more frantic when she took a step away. Frustrated, she crossed her legs and slumped to the ground. Immediately Kouga calmed. His eyes lost some of their red tint and his breathing slowed.

The miko took advantage of his reaction by examining him from the new angle. Most of the skin on his chest was either in ribbons or missing entirely. The fur he had worn as clothing before was now nothing more than strips skin barely hiding anything. The drying blood inhibited her ability to tell exactly how deep the wounds were. Even if they were all shallow, there were enough of them that he could be in danger of bleeding to death.

A coughing sound stole her attention from the mess that was Kouga. Burning amber orbs demanded answers from her under silver-blue bangs. Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga ready for battle. She didn't think he would need his father's Fang but its presence had a calming effect.

Unable to provide any information he could not gather himself, she dropped her misty gaze down to her hands. In the brief time she had been distracted, the wolf youkai had scooted as close as he could get to her without touching. Wisely, Kagome kept her hands where they had fallen in her lap. A thought was forming in the back of her mind, making her skull itch. It was more than unpleasant, and if she was right it would take everything she had learned about it in her time to help the quivering mass before her. The red was slowly fading from his steal colored eyes, but the haunted look that remained made the itching in her skull near unbearable. When the last of the red vanished, Kouga's energy gave out and he fell into an exhausted sleep.

"Inuyasha," the miko whispered, afraid of waking her newest charge. "I'm going to need your help. Shippou, go to Kaede and get a sleeping drought. Sango and Miroku, I think it would be best if you went back with Kaede and stayed there."

The group looked at her in disbelief. When it was apparent her attention was fully focused on the wolf, the three returning to Kaede's hut began to move. Inuyasha unwillingly sheathed Tetsusaiga and studied his mate. She knew, or thought she did, what had happened.

"What do you plan to do?" Despite his dislike of the wolf, he could not just stand by and watch him suffer. That did not mean he would volunteer his service.

"Help me carry him."

"Help you what?'

"Carry him, Inuyasha. He needs to be washed."

After a quick check to make sure the others were gone, the hanyou resigned himself to carrying his rival. He still had to fight, but he already knew Kagome would win this time.

"Keh, why should I help him?"

"Because I am going to, with or without you."

"Apologize first."

"What," Kagome blinked, his odd comment managing to pull her eyes from Kouga.

"Apologize."

"For what?"

The hanyou huffed. Of course she had already forgotten. "For slamming me into the floor."

Heat began to seep into her voice, "You wouldn't let me change!"

"You're my mate. You could have changed with me there."

"Inuyasha!"

His ears flattened. She had not raised her voice above a whisper, but he could feel her frustration. Grumbling, he bent and carefully lifted the sleeping form of Kouga from the ground. Without waiting, he marched back to the place they had found Sango sleeping with Miroku. At least with the wolf's blood so close to his nose he couldn't smell their musk anymore.

He stopped at the water's edge, not really wanting to get his clothes wet. Kagome caught up with him and lightly kissed his cheek after removing her socks and shoes.

"Arigatou, Inuyasha."

She entered the water, beckoning him to follow. Briefly regretting having ever met the girl from another world, he complied. When she ordered him into deeper water, rather than make him kneel with Kouga in the shallows, he obeyed. They were both silent as she rubbed the water against the wolf's skin with her hands. After a few tries she figured out that it wasn't working and retrieved her socks from the shore. She would have preferred using her shirt, but knew better than to push her luck. Neither were sure what Kouga's reaction would be to her bare midriff.

Shippou came and was sent back to the hut again before they had even cleaned half the wolf's chest. Finally, Kagome admitted defeat and started on his legs. As she scrubbed, she realized the blood on them was from his chest and arms. The skin beneath it was free of anything other than minor bruises. Those, she thought to herself, could have been caused by his reckless running through the forest.

The miko frowned when his legs were washed free of blood. Before she tried his chest again, she wanted to clean his more private areas. She didn't have to ask to know Inuyasha would not like that, and if Kouga woke while she was in such a compromising position she would have to explain herself quickly. This was one of those times when being female became a disadvantage.

A grunt broke through her thoughts. "What's taking so long, bitch?"

"I have to wash," she blushed. She couldn't help it. "I have to wash his.. you know."

Inuyasha growled, "Do it, wench. But you better be quick."

"Hai, mate."

She saw him relax after her gentle reminder of their bond. They were mates, and she never intended it to change. That settled, she set to work on the delicate genitals. There was blood coating them as well, but it had a different texture. Kagome made note of it and continued washing. The wolf whimpered and struggled under her attentions, but did not wake. Her hanyou remained quiet, readjusting his hold when he had to.

All of the damage she had found so far was above his waist. She still had to wash his back, but his legs had already proven to be untouched. Frowning, she moved for easier access to his rear. A few swipes of her sock-rags found her assumption to be correct. His butt was smooth, firm, and unharmed. Which threw a knot in her earlier suspicions. Unless the one that did this to Kouga was not male.

Her breath hitched at the thought of it. No, she had to be wrong. The proud wolf youkai had just been humiliatingly defeated, and was severely overreacting. To the point that he didn't want her to touch him? She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Things were not adding up. For one, proud Kouga may be, but he always found a way to justify running away from a battle he was sure he would loose. His speed made him an excellent escape artist in such situations, too. So, who was fast enough, or appeared weak enough, to keep him in the fight and would focus their damage on his torso?

"He's beginning to wake," Inuyasha growled.

There was no hint of movement to tell Kagome the wolf was coming around, but she trusted her mate.

"What should we-"

She was cut off by a terrified howl from the full youkai. He twisted and struggled in the hanyou's hold, trying to get free.

"Don't touch me!"

His voice was raw with pain, causing Kagome to reach out automatically. Softly, she tried to coax him into submission, "It's okay, Kouga-kun. Relax and let us help. It's okay."

"It's not okay! Don't touch me! Do-" he broke off in another cry of distress. Thrashing in a futile attempt to extricate himself from Inuyasha's arms, he continued to yell until his throat could not produce the sound anymore.

Just as suddenly as he had began, he went limp. Figuring he was going to try something new, Inuyasha was fast to switch his grip to something more restraining. The wolf youkai, his rival, was now pinned to his chest. Ragged arms restrained by his strong, sound ones. For several moments nothing happened.

Inuyasha noticed first, being the one with the most physical contact, when Kouga began to shake. The moment Kagome noticed, she pressed herself against him. Her arms slid around to embrace both males, eyes meeting those of her mate around the wolf's bowed head. She could feel the warm moisture of tears on her shoulder and had to fight off her own.

"I'm sorry.. Kagome."

It was spoken so softly she wasn't sure she heard it. She replied anyway.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Kouga-kun."

"I do. You don't understand."

"Then tell us. Help us understand."

"I can't!"

He started to struggle again, but there was no hope of escape when a hanyou had his back and a miko his front. Some of the wounds that had stopped bleeding reopened, further staining Kagome's shirt red. She didn't care about it, but she did want him to settle down. Frustrated, she flipped tactics.

"Stop this nonsense right now! You are only hurting yourself more, and we are going to help you if it takes an eternity," she planted her fists on her hips and took a step back for better glaring posture.

"Feh, speak for yourself, bitch," Inuyasha joined in with a low growl in Kouga's ear. "I'll just knock him out and be done with it."

*~*

"Should we go help?"

Miroku smiled at the taijiya's back, "No, I'm sure they are capable of handling the situation."

"But.. that yell."

"Was Kouga," Shippou squeaked. He had bolted behind Kirara when the noise started, and was still there.

Sango turned, taking a few steps toward the monk. He rose to meet her, arms open in an invitation. She accepted, immeasurably glad to have someone to comfort her.

"Listen, it's quiet now," Miroku whispered. "Kagome-sama and Inuyasha can care for him."

"Miroku.."

"Hai, koishii?"

"Remove your hand, hentai!"

Snuggling against Kirara, the kitsune sighed as the sound of a slap reverberated in the hut. At least some things had not changed.

*~*

It wasn't how she had wanted to handle things, but Inuyasha's words convinced Kouga to remain still.

"Please.. I don't want the dreams."

"Kouga," Kagome stepped close again, reminding herself how to breath. "I'm going to clean your wounds."

Inuyasha submerged him in the water again until only his head was above the surface. Carefully, Kagome went to work. She soon gave up on his chest and arms. There were too many wounds with too little skin in tact. When she had her hanyou flip the wolf so she could inspect his back, she was surprised again. He only had one slash there, across his shoulder blades. She washed the blood away and nodded toward the shore.

The wolf prince kept silent through it all, only flinching when Kagome inadvertently pressed too hard on his raw flesh. He wasn't even aware they had pulled him from the water. When he thought he heard the miko's voice again, he tried to focus on it, but a wind swept over his body and he was back in the valley.

He was panting hard, trying to find a way out. The bitch that had killed his pack was in front of him. All of his hair was on end, and he wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else. His two loyal friends would catch up much later, so he wasn't worried about them meeting her as he had. How could he have fallen for such a trick? Kouga cursed himself as he looked for an opening to show.

When she lifted her fan to start another attack he bolted. He had dodged all of her previous attempts to hit him, this one should not be any different. But it was. His yelp startled away the little wildlife that had not already fled the area. Her laughter crawled along his skin as he pushed himself up. His armor was laying under and around him in pieces. It had done nothing to stop her attack. Blood from his back was running down his arms to pool at his hands.

He managed to stand again, facing Naraku's detachment. Her face held an odd expression, but he was too distracted by everything else to really notice. Knowing he could not escape, he ran at her, ready to attack. Too late, he realized that he had just thrown away the one chance to run.

Kagura's face was close enough to notice now. She was fighting something unseen. She was also straddling his waist and pinning his arms to the ground. He fought futilely to free himself, the scent of Naraku overwhelming his sense of smell and distracting him from his immediate opponent.

Wind filled with miasma whipped around the two, creating a prison neither could escape. Kagura looked down at Kouga, malicious victory filling her eyes. The wolf youkai knew then that Naraku was controlling her completely. He doubled his efforts to escape, strengthened by a new surge of adrenaline. Then Naraku made a move that left him totally immobile.

"Kouga!" Kagome screamed, trying to pull the wolf out of whatever memory held his mind.

He seemed to focus on her finally, his breathing was still ragged, but had become regular.

"Kagome," he whispered, saying her name like it was his anchor.

"We're here, Kouga. Inuyasha and I will protect you."

Inuyasha scowled at his mate, but made no sound of protest. Kouga needed help and had come to them of his own will. After all the trouble of bathing him, it was too late to turn him away.

"Your wounds need bandages. Inuyasha?" She was sure he would not like her next request, "Could you keep watch while I go back to the shrine?"

His reaction was exactly what she expected, "While you what!? The old hag has bandages, use hers!"

"It would take longer to prepare Kaede's than it would to just buy them. Mama may even have some.. Please?"

She walked around behind the hanyou, giving him a hug. His silence was as close to a yes as she would get.

"I'll be fast. Promise!"

Kouga remained silent in Inuyasha's hold, concentrating on staying awake. He watched Kagome's back disappear into the trees. Every step she took made him want to rush after her and keep her from leaving. To keep her from ever experiencing what had happened to him.

Just before she was out of sight, he tried to call out but only managed a weak, "Ka.. gome.."

It was hard, but Inuyasha resisted the urge to add more bruises to Kouga's collection. He still bristled at just the thought of her name passing through the wimpy wolf's lips. Sigh.

"Kouga." A bit rough, but at least he didn't growl the name.

"Inukkoro.."

This time he growled a warning. "Damn wolf, watch what you say."

"You would hit a rival when he's down?"

His growl dropped a pitch, "You're not worthy of being my rival, wolf."

Kouga answered with a growl of his own, "Willing to prove that?"

*~*

"Mama," Kagome called as she slid the door open.

"Kagome? What are you doing back so soon?"

Mrs. Higurashi steeped into the room and stopped. Her daughter was soaked through with water-diluted blood. She had washed enough out of clothes since Kagome's fifteenth birthday to recognize it in nearly any form.

"What happened? Who's hurt? Is little Shippou-chan okay?"

"Hai, Mama, Shippou is fine. It's Kouga-kun's blood. I need bandages for his chest."

"Kouga-kun? I don't think you've mentioned him," she lead Kagome to the linen closet. "How bad is he?"

"Most of his physical wounds aren't too deep, but.. he wouldn't let me touch him at first, Mama."

"Did he hurt?"

"Huh-uh," she emphasized her point with a shake of her head. "He hurt, but that wasn't it. He was terrified."

"He's not a child?"

"No, Mama." She took the offered bandages, glad she had guessed right about her mother having some at home. Well, she was always needing more as their battles increased in difficulty.

"What would make a grown man.. Kagome, you don't think?"

"Hai."

The two women stared at each other in silence.

"Rape."

Kagome nodded, but her brow was furrowed. "I don't think it's the type of rape you're thinking of, Mama. I think it was psychological."

"You said he was hurt."

Nod.

"Then why do you think is was psychological?"

"Inuyasha and I washed him. There was something different about the blood dried on his.." she blushed. It just wasn't proper to talk about such things. She could do what she needed to in the Feudal Era, but that did not mean she could tell her mother about it.

"Go on, I understand."

"I've been trying to figure out what it was. I've only seen it's effects a few times, but I'm sure there was miasma used."

"Miasma?"

"It's a powerful poison, and I only know of one person able to use it," Kagome stopped, quickly smiling. "Hi, Ji-chan!"

Her grandfather looked to be in one of his odd moods again. He waved Kagome closer, as if he had a great secret to tell her. When she was close enough, he motioned for her to bend down so he could whisper.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true, Ji-chan?" She wasn't sure why, but she whispered, too.

"Are you his.. that dog-eared boy's.. mate?"

"Na- NANI!"*

"Quit looking like that. I still only have one head."

"Ji-chan, where did you hear that?"

"Souta and Ayumi were talking upstairs, but I knew they couldn't be-"

"They were right."

The old man sputtered and turned several shades of red before reaching out to grab his granddaughter. Kagome was too fast for him, dodging his hand and running a few steps down the hall. She could see him grabbing for offuda and sighed.

"Mama," she called. "Tell Souta and Ayumi-chan I'm sorry I didn't say hi! I gotta run. Love you!"

Then she was gone. Ji-chan had started after her, already chanting a purifying prayer. Mrs. Higurashi stood by the closet, watching the woman her daughter had become leave again. It wasn't getting any easier.

~~~

Yes, men are raped by women. Not nearly as often as women are raped by men, or even men by men, but it does happen. No, I don't personally know anyone of any gender violently raped. Just thought I'd put that in since Kouga came so close.

*Japanese because I thought it made her surprise more evident.