InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Can Only Wander For So Long ❯ Misery in Waking ( Chapter 8 )

Thanks - ArtemisMoon!! That was such a good idea with the food, it's all I could think about while I worked on this chapter, and had a hard time NOT drawing cup-noodles instead of Kagome... Hmmm... *laugh*

Thank you, everyone, for leaving reviews! I hope you like the chapter illustrations I've been doing lately, I've been putting a bit more effort into them now (don't let the first four toss you, they weren't very ... detailed...)

This chapter's illustration: www .mediaminer. org/ fanart/ view.php/ 156477

Delete the spaces before you hit enter!!

And finally... an Author's Note - While writing this chapter, I've realized many things that are kind of... just there, and would be hard to explain during this fic. Mainly, how Sango and Miroku met, how Sango learned to fight in this AU, where the hell Hojo came into the story, because the passing mention in this chapter feels almost wrong. It really needs some sort of background to be so casually mentioned. Having a prequel where some of the side characters get their background fleshed out would be a VERY good idea. Now that I've caught up with the chapters in drawing their illustrations, I need to start writing at a serious pace again, and with plans in the works of a prequel, I'm going to have to work even harder. If you'd like me to split my time between this story and a prequel with Sango being the main focus, introducing the other characters properly, please tell me. I have quite a few good ideas about Sango history scenes that wouldn't quite fit into this story. Too much straying from the point (Inuyasha's curse) would get tedious and maybe even a bit annoying for everyone involved. Sorry for such a long section of notes! -.- ;;

Timeline note - This chapter starts Friday morning. Her trip to the woods should have lasted Thursday and Friday night, with her returning on Saturday morning. That way she could go out for a few days without Sango `happening' to drop by, like she does frequently on weekends to hang out. Kagome just wanted some `out' time, anyways...

Disclaimer - Of course, I don't own the Inuyasha characters.

`This is thought'

"This is speech"

~* Starts a flashback

*~ Ends a flashback

~~~ Signifies a change in the point of view.

:::: Dream sequence ::::

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One Can Only Wander for So Long

By Alesyira

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Chapter Eight - Misery in Waking

Kagome's audible gasp woke her from her dream. `What the hell? I've dreamt that before...' she thought. Her face felt flushed, and she suddenly had the urge to kick the blankets off. She groaned miserably. This time the dream left her hot and bothered, and she felt deprived of her fantasy, having woken during the amazing moment that he ran his tongue over her skin... She raised her hand to her shoulder as she lay there, lost in the memory of what she had just experienced. She shivered, running her fingertips over the same place his mouth had been.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed her beautiful new dog awake. His paw was draped over her stomach and he was staring at her intently. She wondered for a moment... the look in his golden eyes seemed to show a deeper understanding than she thought possible... did he somehow know what she was dreaming...? Her mouth turned into a smile as she shook herself free from those thoughts. `...Only a dog, Kagome, only a dog...' She sat up, scratching his ear fondly. "Are you hungry, boy?" And with that, they started their morning.

Over the next week, Kagome occasionally had flashes of that dream while she slept, but they were faded, shortened versions. Her new companion didn't sleep in her bed after that first night, instead choosing to curl up on the floor at her bedside.

Sango had called on Monday morning to see how the two of them were doing...

~*

"What are you going to name him if he ends up staying with you? We might not be able to find his owner..." Sango had checked missing animal reports from the nearby areas, and even searching online came up empty handed when it came to dogs matching his description.

Kagome twisted the cord around her fingers as she thought about it. "I'm not sure, Sango. I'd really like it if he could stay, though. The longer he's around, the harder it's going to be to let him go." She laughed at her next thought, then said with a smirk, "Oh Sango, if I could find a man that made me this content, I'd probably have died and gone to heaven."

Sango laughed at her comment. "Hah, your dog is an improvement over Hojo, then?"

She laughed and agreed with her friend. Kagome had dated one guy for a short while after she moved into the area, and they hadn't been together for very long. She complained often that he was far too boring and they didn't share any interests.

Unfortunately, he was one of those guys who never gave up, and Kagome would occasionally receive flowers from `a secret admirer'... Kagome rolled her eyes at how silly that man was sometimes, turning her thoughts back to the adorable dog napping next to her on the couch. She ran her fingers across his soft fur, a smile playing on her lips.

"He's so smart, Sango, I almost can't believe it." She laughed at something for a moment, then added, "With how he's acted these last few days... some things are failing to surprise me now. I don't yet know how much he understands... My contact with him these last few days has led me to believe he has some youkai blood running in his veins. It must not be very much, though, because it's such a weak feeling. But if I'm right, then he should have been able to find his way back to his old owner. He's definitely intelligent enough for that..."

Sango was quiet on the other side of the line. "Miroku was saying some odd things about him this weekend... He said he had felt youki in his aura when we visited that afternoon and had some suspicions about his heritage. I'm glad you could tell, too. We both know about your abilities, and we trust your judgment in the matter. You feel safe around him, don't you, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled. She remembered when Miroku had mentioned to be careful around him. Perhaps she *had* known all along that he was more than `just a dog', especially the way he had saved her life that morning. "Yeah, I do feel safe. It's more than him having saved my life... I feel an odd connection with him." Kagome sighed. "Ah, this conversation is getting a bit weird. I need to think about this some more before I start sounding crazy..."

Sango laughed again on the other side of the line. "Don't worry about it Kagome, I get what you mean. I hope you have a good day today. I'm going to get back to work. Call me if you want some girl company..."

*~

She spent some time of the next few days trying to finish some paintings she had started on, and found that he liked to lounge on a chair behind her and observe her painting as she worked. At first, she found it to be a bit unnerving to have his constant attention. Tuesday morning she finally decided to try painting him. She set up a mirror next to her canvas so she could see him as he lounged on her couch, and she was amused to see his very un-dog-like look of surprise when she started painting his image.

He really didn't act anything like a dog most of the time. She could see it especially while she painted him. He would find a comfortable position to sit in and remain motionless there until she got up to stretch or get them something to eat. Only then would he take himself outdoors to relieve himself, or walk around the library to relieve stiff muscles. Most of the time, Kagome felt as if she just had a good friend over at her house... well, one that never talked. And she hadn't thought that much about her personal privacy, either, amazingly enough. He didn't seem too interested in watching her as closely while she bathed or changed, so she never really felt uncomfortable in his near-constant presence.

They would wake with the sun every morning and go on a run around the neighborhood for exercise. Kagome found her new companion enjoyed a brisk run, with him sometimes teasing as he ran large circles around her. She had once suggested a leash, but he had, to her amusement, seemingly raised an eyebrow at her extended hands and walked away, huffing. She knew it would be futile in chasing him down, so she let it drop, and simply carried it in her pocket in case they were stopped.

~~~

Inuyasha was in heaven. She fed him excellent meals, and had amazingly never tried to feed him `dog food.' He wasn't sure he would like the taste of that stuff anyways, especially after sampling one of the more delectable treats she had to offer, like the oh-so-tasty Ramen noodles they had eaten on Monday. He had ended up `begging' for four containers before he was satisfied. He licked his chops in remembrance. She now kept a huge supply of every flavor in her pantry.

She also made for perfect company. She talked to him on occasion, as most `pet owners' would do, but, being a dog, he could take advantage of ignoring her completely, or simply enjoy the pleasure of not having to give her a response. He was never one for conversation when he was a hanyou, anyways.

Her painting had to be the most amazing thing he had ever witnessed. A few simple strokes with her brush brought her work to life almost like magic. He felt if the wind were to blow in that room, the leaves in the forest she had created would rustle and twitch. Even more pleasing, and surprising, was when she had brought a mirror out and placed it next to her canvas, so she could paint him as he watched her. He would sit patiently and allow her to work undisturbed, amused by the obvious differences in what they saw in the mirror. He had never seen his reflection as a dog; only as the hanyou form he would never posses again.

The only problem he had experienced during his first week with her was that damned intense dream he had experienced that Thursday night, sleeping in her bed. He still didn't quite know what to make of it yet, but he knew he should do his best to avoid thinking - AND dreaming - such things, especially if he were to remain with her as a dog.

Frustration had assaulted him that morning. Her wonderful scent had woken him, having spiked to such an intense level that it jerked him from unconsciousness. He had watched her slumbering face intently for any sign of what was going on. Her face was flushed; her lips parted as her breath came in short, irregular puffs. Suddenly, her soft gasp had caused her to wake, and when she ran her fingertips over the same place he had tasted her skin, he knew there was more to that dream than just his hormones. No coincidence - they had shared a very intimate moment. She had looked up at him then, startled, and almost embarrassed.

He made it a point to not sleep next to her, for fear it was the mere contact while they slept that triggered the dream. He also made sure not to hang around or pay any attention to her while she changed or bathed, it was a harsh reminder of what he had dreamt and would never experience as a man.

~~~

Friday morning arrived once again, without `solid' recurrences of her amazing dream, much to Kagome's dismay. Her ecchi little mind wanted the whole dream, not just the barest flashes she got of a hand tracing her skin, or the breath against her neck. She wanted to know what came next. She sighed wistfully as she absently played with her paints, mixing the greens and blacks she would be using for the forest background.

The phone rang in the kitchen, startling her out of her thoughts as she hopped up to answer. "Hello?" she answered.

"Kagome! It's Rin. How are you?" came a soft feminine voice on the other side of the line.

............................................................... ...............

Final Note - Yikes. Well, at least you knew who was calling! Yes, Sesshoumaru will be in this story as well. I do think I'll be writing that prequel, and both Rin and Sesshoumaru will have lovely LARGE parts alongside our star, Sango, and her co-star, Miroku. Until I get some more of that plot line worked out, though, I'm going to go slow on updating this story to the next chapter. I figure it will be about ... one work week, if I only work on this at home. Sooner if I have time to contemplate at work! (I ALWAYS have time at work)

I did a lot of updating this last week, what with all the free time I had to draw... I could finally post those chapters that have been sitting in `My Documents' for a few weeks. Next chapter should be with Rin visiting, and bringing along her handsome spouse, both of whom KNOW Inuyasha. ^_^

Well, until then!

And again, sorry for such long notes, I just had a lot on my mind that has built up for the last seven chapters.