InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miscommunication ❯ Chapter 5
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.10.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 476 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 03.10.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 476 | Status: Completed
Chapter 5
Time didn't move as he stared at the woman standing in front of him. No one but her had ever said those words to him. He couldn't take them in.
Not in relation to himself.
She was pale, and felt faint. But she'd decided that she may as well say it. She'd already known that she wouldn't be able to hide it for long anyway, so what did it matter, right?
At least this way, there'd be no chance for any misunderstandings on his part about her feelings. Kami knew there'd already been plenty of those in the last day, and she wanted to be sure there weren't any more that could be blamed on her.
Still, it didn't help with the sheer fear she was suffering through in these moments after blurting it out.
"You don't have to say anything, Inuyasha. That's not why I told you. I just didn't want you to wonder - now you know. So now we can forget about it, ok?"
She turned on her heel and went outside, needing to get away for a few moments, she needed to get some air, to calm her racing heart. There was not a sound from the man sitting behind her, and she didn't know whether that was good or bad, but she was too afraid to find out right now.
So she walked a little ways away, to a tree, he'd be able to see her from inside so he wouldn't freak out about her being in danger, but yet it was far enough away that it gave her the illusion of privacy she so desperately needed right at that point. Sitting down, she gulped in air like she'd been swimming underwater for too long.
Those few words had cost her a lifetime in courage.
Inuyasha still couldn't move. His mind was stuck, all that was there was the words he'd heard. He struggled to understand them. Eyes still wide, he turned his gaze to where she'd disappeared to, and stared, those words of hers still whirling around in his mind, and echoing in his ears. No other thoughts would form in his mind, it was like she'd broken it.
Has there ever been a woman like Kagome?
He felt like he was losing himself in that ocean she'd talked about a few minutes ago. Shaking himself into a semblance of normality, he checked the rabbits, only the smell of the cooking meat pulling him out of his shock. He didn't want the meat to burn... Kagome needed the food.
It finally occured to him that she actually meant it.
She loves... me!
As long as he lived he'd never understand how she could. Kami only knew how many times he'd hurt her, emotionally and physically. He, who was supposed to protect her, had several times caused her injuries, and other times, had failed to protect her from others.
And yet... she loved him. He looked back out at her, unable to believe that she was real.
This must be a dream. It has to be. No one could love me like that... hell, not even Kikyou did. Her love had a price.
But Kagome's didn't. She just gave it, no questions asked, she didn't try to use it as a weapon, or try to tie him in knots with it. It was just there, when he needed it. And he needed it, Kami, he needed it more than he needed air, or food, or water.
Forget she'd said she loved him?
Not in this lifetime.
Kagome tilted her head back against the tree, closing her eyes. The fear was finally fading, leaving her numb. That was okay, though, it was more comfortable than all the wild emotional swings she'd suffered through in the last twenty-four hours. She honestly didn't know how much more she could take.
So she welcomed the numbness, clung to it, desperate for some space from all these feelings. Just breathing. That was a good thing to concentrate on.
Opening her eyes finally, she stood, and walked back into the cave. Inuyasha was staring into the fire, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, and that suited her just fine.
Good time to pull out my books, do a little studying. Kami knows I need the familiarity of normal things right now. Curling up in her sleeping bag, she pulled out her science book and started reading.
Inuyasha left her be, he had a lot of thinking to do, and if he was any judge, she probably needed some space right now, because Kami, if he'd said those words, he knew he'd need a little time, too.
He knew it had taken a great deal of courage to say what she'd said. So while the food was cooking, and it would still be a while, he'd leave her alone with her books. It would help her calm down.
Now, if only he could. He was still hearing her words. 'Because you're putting the man I love with all my heart, with all my soul, down, that's how.' Those words kept swirling around in his head.
He thought back over his life. The only other person to use the word 'love' to him had been his mother. And of course, that had been as a mother to a child, not as a woman to a man. Kikyou had never spoken those words to him, and he'd never actually said them to her, either.
It was probably because even then, he'd known that she didn't love him, she'd loved what he would become, in other words, she'd loved a shadow, not him. He knew, deep down, was totally sure, that Kagome meant what she said. He had no doubt.
And when it came down to it, that was the other major difference between Kagome and Kikyou. He trusted Kagome, completely. He knew that she would never willingly betray him. He'd never been sure with Kikyou, and in the end, she hadn't been sure about him, either. And that's why Naraku had succeeded so easily. Looking back, he could honestly say now, that he didn't regret what had happened.
Because it brought Kagome to him.
Standing, he left the cave, heading for the same tree she'd sat under for a while, and jumping, he landed on the lowest branch. Plopping down, he leaned back against the trunk, bending one knee up and leaning his arm on it, the other leg hanging over the limb. It was his favorite way to sit, and he could stay in a tree, just like this, for hours, even days sometimes, when he was lost in his thoughts and memories... like now, actually.
He wouldn't stay here that long this time, however. He had a mate to take care of. But for now... he leaned his head back and looked up at the sky through the branches. It really was a beautiful day, and he let the peace of it wash through him.
Kagome was glad that he seemed to understand that she needed a little space. At least he wasn't screaming at her or calling her a fool or anything. He actually seemed to be taking her words in stride. They certainly had left him in a thoughtful mood, and maybe that was a good thing.
She could only hope so.
Closer at hand, however, was the smell of cooking meat, and it was smelling more and more delicious, driving her absolutely crazy. She'd never gotten to finish her ramen earlier that morning, so she was starved, and she hoped that delicious smelling food would hurry.
Putting her books down, finally, when she couldn't stand it anymore, she stood, and after stretching, she walked over to the fire and tested the rabbits. They looked done to her, so pulling them from the fire, she set them down on the flat rock Inuyasha had placed next to the fire for just that purpose, then grabbing her bag, she dug around for some chips to go with it.
It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
"Inuyasha?" When he looked down at her, she pointed to the food. "Its ready...."
"Okay. I'll be there in a minute." His voice was quiet.
She went back in and sat down near the fire, grabbing a rabbit and a small plate and knife from her bag, she cut some meat for herself, and took some chips. The rest of the chips would be devoured by Inuyasha. She smiled slightly. Chips and ramen.
At least I'm good for something, she thought wryly.
By the time he came in, she was already halfway done with hers. It tasted wonderful, and she went ahead and cut some more meat for herself.
Inuyasha nodded at her. "Good. You need to eat. I'm glad Shippo isn't here, actually, since you're always giving him your food, the little parasite."
She rolled her eyes. "Only because you give me enough to feed an army. There's no way I could ever eat as much as you try to stuff on my plate."
"Feh. It ain't that much, wench. You need to learn to listen to your mate."
She looked away with a small smile. "Only about some things, Inuyasha. Only about some things."
They fell silent, just enjoying the food, and each others company. The silence wasn't heavy, it was comfortable, and neither one felt inclined to break it with idle chatter. After she'd finished eating, Kagome wrapped up her plate and knife, and put them away in her bag, before moving back over to her blankets, and science book. Curling up, she went right back into her studies.
Inuyasha watched her, marveling at the grace of her movements. She was the strangest person he'd ever known. He chuckled slightly. She could be so graceful sometimes that just watching her made his heart ache, and then other times, she was as clumsy as they made them.
He shook his head, amusement filtering through him. How many times had she fallen from that 'bike' thing of hers?
Wench... but she's my wench.
And suddenly, all the emotions that had been swirling around inside him since she'd told him of her feelings, settled in his mind, and he knew. He knew what he felt for this woman, the woman he was going to share his life with. And he knew what she needed from him, what he needed to tell her.
He knew the words he needed to say to her.
Standing, he walked over, then sank to his knees in front of her.
When she looked up at him, a sweetly questioning look on her face, he said, "I love you, K'gome."
And as she choked, and threw herself into his arms, tears running down her face, he knew that all the miscommunications that had plagued them were done with. Because they had both said the most important thing... the one thing that they had both needed to hear.
The one phrase that changed everything in their lives, and gave them strength... the strength to face all the years and challenges ahead.
"I Love You."
~~~Owari~~~
A/N: And that's it. I debated adding a lemon, but decided against it - that wasn't the point of the story. This was just a simple short story about learning to talk to each other, and straightening out the mess that the lack of communication between them caused.
I know that some people probably thought this was a longer chapter story, and that they might be disappointed that it isn't, but I didn't feel that it needed to be changed that much - all I did with this is clean up grammar mistakes, punctuation, and re-phrase things a bit - to keep things closer to in character than they were when I first wrote this... a year ago this last week.
At any rate, hope it entertained well enough...
Amber
Time didn't move as he stared at the woman standing in front of him. No one but her had ever said those words to him. He couldn't take them in.
Not in relation to himself.
She was pale, and felt faint. But she'd decided that she may as well say it. She'd already known that she wouldn't be able to hide it for long anyway, so what did it matter, right?
At least this way, there'd be no chance for any misunderstandings on his part about her feelings. Kami knew there'd already been plenty of those in the last day, and she wanted to be sure there weren't any more that could be blamed on her.
Still, it didn't help with the sheer fear she was suffering through in these moments after blurting it out.
"You don't have to say anything, Inuyasha. That's not why I told you. I just didn't want you to wonder - now you know. So now we can forget about it, ok?"
She turned on her heel and went outside, needing to get away for a few moments, she needed to get some air, to calm her racing heart. There was not a sound from the man sitting behind her, and she didn't know whether that was good or bad, but she was too afraid to find out right now.
So she walked a little ways away, to a tree, he'd be able to see her from inside so he wouldn't freak out about her being in danger, but yet it was far enough away that it gave her the illusion of privacy she so desperately needed right at that point. Sitting down, she gulped in air like she'd been swimming underwater for too long.
Those few words had cost her a lifetime in courage.
Inuyasha still couldn't move. His mind was stuck, all that was there was the words he'd heard. He struggled to understand them. Eyes still wide, he turned his gaze to where she'd disappeared to, and stared, those words of hers still whirling around in his mind, and echoing in his ears. No other thoughts would form in his mind, it was like she'd broken it.
Has there ever been a woman like Kagome?
He felt like he was losing himself in that ocean she'd talked about a few minutes ago. Shaking himself into a semblance of normality, he checked the rabbits, only the smell of the cooking meat pulling him out of his shock. He didn't want the meat to burn... Kagome needed the food.
It finally occured to him that she actually meant it.
She loves... me!
As long as he lived he'd never understand how she could. Kami only knew how many times he'd hurt her, emotionally and physically. He, who was supposed to protect her, had several times caused her injuries, and other times, had failed to protect her from others.
And yet... she loved him. He looked back out at her, unable to believe that she was real.
This must be a dream. It has to be. No one could love me like that... hell, not even Kikyou did. Her love had a price.
But Kagome's didn't. She just gave it, no questions asked, she didn't try to use it as a weapon, or try to tie him in knots with it. It was just there, when he needed it. And he needed it, Kami, he needed it more than he needed air, or food, or water.
Forget she'd said she loved him?
Not in this lifetime.
Kagome tilted her head back against the tree, closing her eyes. The fear was finally fading, leaving her numb. That was okay, though, it was more comfortable than all the wild emotional swings she'd suffered through in the last twenty-four hours. She honestly didn't know how much more she could take.
So she welcomed the numbness, clung to it, desperate for some space from all these feelings. Just breathing. That was a good thing to concentrate on.
Opening her eyes finally, she stood, and walked back into the cave. Inuyasha was staring into the fire, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, and that suited her just fine.
Good time to pull out my books, do a little studying. Kami knows I need the familiarity of normal things right now. Curling up in her sleeping bag, she pulled out her science book and started reading.
Inuyasha left her be, he had a lot of thinking to do, and if he was any judge, she probably needed some space right now, because Kami, if he'd said those words, he knew he'd need a little time, too.
He knew it had taken a great deal of courage to say what she'd said. So while the food was cooking, and it would still be a while, he'd leave her alone with her books. It would help her calm down.
Now, if only he could. He was still hearing her words. 'Because you're putting the man I love with all my heart, with all my soul, down, that's how.' Those words kept swirling around in his head.
He thought back over his life. The only other person to use the word 'love' to him had been his mother. And of course, that had been as a mother to a child, not as a woman to a man. Kikyou had never spoken those words to him, and he'd never actually said them to her, either.
It was probably because even then, he'd known that she didn't love him, she'd loved what he would become, in other words, she'd loved a shadow, not him. He knew, deep down, was totally sure, that Kagome meant what she said. He had no doubt.
And when it came down to it, that was the other major difference between Kagome and Kikyou. He trusted Kagome, completely. He knew that she would never willingly betray him. He'd never been sure with Kikyou, and in the end, she hadn't been sure about him, either. And that's why Naraku had succeeded so easily. Looking back, he could honestly say now, that he didn't regret what had happened.
Because it brought Kagome to him.
Standing, he left the cave, heading for the same tree she'd sat under for a while, and jumping, he landed on the lowest branch. Plopping down, he leaned back against the trunk, bending one knee up and leaning his arm on it, the other leg hanging over the limb. It was his favorite way to sit, and he could stay in a tree, just like this, for hours, even days sometimes, when he was lost in his thoughts and memories... like now, actually.
He wouldn't stay here that long this time, however. He had a mate to take care of. But for now... he leaned his head back and looked up at the sky through the branches. It really was a beautiful day, and he let the peace of it wash through him.
Kagome was glad that he seemed to understand that she needed a little space. At least he wasn't screaming at her or calling her a fool or anything. He actually seemed to be taking her words in stride. They certainly had left him in a thoughtful mood, and maybe that was a good thing.
She could only hope so.
Closer at hand, however, was the smell of cooking meat, and it was smelling more and more delicious, driving her absolutely crazy. She'd never gotten to finish her ramen earlier that morning, so she was starved, and she hoped that delicious smelling food would hurry.
Putting her books down, finally, when she couldn't stand it anymore, she stood, and after stretching, she walked over to the fire and tested the rabbits. They looked done to her, so pulling them from the fire, she set them down on the flat rock Inuyasha had placed next to the fire for just that purpose, then grabbing her bag, she dug around for some chips to go with it.
It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
"Inuyasha?" When he looked down at her, she pointed to the food. "Its ready...."
"Okay. I'll be there in a minute." His voice was quiet.
She went back in and sat down near the fire, grabbing a rabbit and a small plate and knife from her bag, she cut some meat for herself, and took some chips. The rest of the chips would be devoured by Inuyasha. She smiled slightly. Chips and ramen.
At least I'm good for something, she thought wryly.
By the time he came in, she was already halfway done with hers. It tasted wonderful, and she went ahead and cut some more meat for herself.
Inuyasha nodded at her. "Good. You need to eat. I'm glad Shippo isn't here, actually, since you're always giving him your food, the little parasite."
She rolled her eyes. "Only because you give me enough to feed an army. There's no way I could ever eat as much as you try to stuff on my plate."
"Feh. It ain't that much, wench. You need to learn to listen to your mate."
She looked away with a small smile. "Only about some things, Inuyasha. Only about some things."
They fell silent, just enjoying the food, and each others company. The silence wasn't heavy, it was comfortable, and neither one felt inclined to break it with idle chatter. After she'd finished eating, Kagome wrapped up her plate and knife, and put them away in her bag, before moving back over to her blankets, and science book. Curling up, she went right back into her studies.
Inuyasha watched her, marveling at the grace of her movements. She was the strangest person he'd ever known. He chuckled slightly. She could be so graceful sometimes that just watching her made his heart ache, and then other times, she was as clumsy as they made them.
He shook his head, amusement filtering through him. How many times had she fallen from that 'bike' thing of hers?
Wench... but she's my wench.
And suddenly, all the emotions that had been swirling around inside him since she'd told him of her feelings, settled in his mind, and he knew. He knew what he felt for this woman, the woman he was going to share his life with. And he knew what she needed from him, what he needed to tell her.
He knew the words he needed to say to her.
Standing, he walked over, then sank to his knees in front of her.
When she looked up at him, a sweetly questioning look on her face, he said, "I love you, K'gome."
And as she choked, and threw herself into his arms, tears running down her face, he knew that all the miscommunications that had plagued them were done with. Because they had both said the most important thing... the one thing that they had both needed to hear.
The one phrase that changed everything in their lives, and gave them strength... the strength to face all the years and challenges ahead.
"I Love You."
~~~Owari~~~
A/N: And that's it. I debated adding a lemon, but decided against it - that wasn't the point of the story. This was just a simple short story about learning to talk to each other, and straightening out the mess that the lack of communication between them caused.
I know that some people probably thought this was a longer chapter story, and that they might be disappointed that it isn't, but I didn't feel that it needed to be changed that much - all I did with this is clean up grammar mistakes, punctuation, and re-phrase things a bit - to keep things closer to in character than they were when I first wrote this... a year ago this last week.
At any rate, hope it entertained well enough...
Amber