InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner ❯ The Request ( Chapter 4 )

"Keh. You had more during breakfast" he stated lamely, disappointed at the food that he shoved into the fridge "Damn, my cooking must really suck something bad..."

Kagome looked up to him from her seat at the tiny kitchen table. The table was meant for two but, Inuyasha never really inclined to having people over, had made it become a one man's dinning area. It took a few second to change that, bringing the unused chair out, but it still looked odd to him.

He had been alone in the forest since he had left his family, and never once had he brought anyone over. Kagome he didn't mind so much, but if it was his brother sitting in the chair...he'd rather eat alone for the rest of his days.

Blinking with a half smile Kagome slowly raised a tall clear glass sipping her water.

Even if it was the tiniest of happiness it was enough for now. Better than her wearing a blank face, completely void of emotion.

He did admit that it startled him to hear her laugh, much less make a sound side from a sigh and a sob. But that just meant that she was making progress, and maybe soon she'd feel up to giving him clues to kill the bastard who put her this way.

Since last night his mind was set that the man had to be killed. He knew it was a man because at first her scent had been tinted with a male's, though it had faded now meaning he couldn't follow it to him any longer.

He needed her to tell him who this guy was, but somehow he felt yelling at her to tell him wasn't going to be the best tactic. Maybe shouting was his first choice but for her sake he'd do without it. It'd just take time and patience, both in which the hanyou wasn't fond of.

"Well" he said tossing away the last of his chicken bones "Guess you wanna sleep now?"

Her eyes meet his briefly before looking out to the front room.

He sighed scooping her in his arms "Or you can stay up a little longer..."

He placed her gently to one end while he took to his side of the couch. Extracting a piece of paper off the coffee table, he fell back to the couch with a snort. His parents were trying to make him go back home again. He mentally noted, opening the seal, hell if that'd happen.

His eyes skimmed over the faulty well wishes and hopes they sent, mostly his mother's rambling. They had been trying to get him to return for who the hell knows how long--

Couldn't they just give up?

"Inuyasha?"

His head shot to the side in near shock/surprise as the girl looked to him innocently. Her face, unlike before, seemed like there was slowly surfacing emotion. No longer blank or blunt. But to his dismay, it looked sad and almost frightened.

"What's wrong Kagome?" he questioned as kindly as his rough manner would allow "You need something?"

A finger went to her lips in almost thought, like she was deciding if it was alright that she spoke again. Her eyes shifted to behind him for a moment, the direction of the room, then to him once more.

"Don't play with me" he said wearily "You just spoke so either you tell me what you want or you ain't gettin' it"

She seemed to consider this statement more so then her original question as her eyes locked to his. Her hand dropped back into her lap as she looked down to her bent legs with a tiny sigh.

"Fine, Kagome" he shrugged with his own pent up sigh "You can't tell me, you don't get it"'

As much as he hated not trying to understand her, he wouldn't let her avoid it. She had just spoken to him, for the first time in two weeks, and hell if he'd let her take a step back.

Looking back to the parchment he couldn't help feel a strange happiness that the first word she had spoken in such a long time, and counting, was his name. Like a mother having her child speak their first word. It was oddly rewarding in its own way--he supposed...

"Can--Can I sleep here...?"

He turned to her once more a little surprised, but more so happy that she had spoken again. But it was the request that confused him.

"Something wrong with my bedroom?" he questioned, laying the letter aside to give her his full attention "Too closed in or something for ya?"

She shook her head

He shrugged it off "I guess if you want to sleep out here it's fine" he said wearily, not quite seeing how a couch would be more comfortable than a four post. Hell, he hated the damn couch, didn't know why he bought the painful son of a bitch. But if it was so important to her that she spoke on it, he couldn't argue it.

He stood up; stretching his arms to the side "I guess I'll just take the bedroom then"

"Could you stay here?"

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion.....she just said she wanted to be here didn't she? Then why was she saying she wanted him there!? Sheesh, there was only one couch so unless---

His face flushed as he realized her request for the night.

Oh crap.

Last night he hadn't even thought too much of her with him, beside the first shock of her so close to him. He had been comforting her then so he let it pass. Though he never, ever, let anyone get close to him. It was a weakness if anything and above that he wasn't one to enjoy human contact.

Why else would he want to remain in a forest for the remainder of his life?

His eyes shifted back to her, seeing that she was waiting for an answer. She had spoken on it, hadn't she? It was possible that she was still scared about what ever frightened her last night; that must be it.

"Ummm....Sure. Yea. Right" he said still feeling a slight blush. He put some blanketing over her, a pillow behind her, before he sat to his side of the couch "Just don't go taking up all the space or nothin'" he said harshly, getting under the covers himself "I need my space here ya know?"

Not getting anymore movement or response from her part, he sighed in disgust for the allowance before pulling the lamp cord next to his head and drowning the room in blissful darkness.

Making a mental note to ask her about her dream again later, as to get better clues about herself, he closed his eyes welcoming himself to the silence and calm of the dark.

A light weight settled against his chest as his eyes opened already knowing and fearing what sight was to come. Kagome had crawled over from her side on was now laid against his chest, her eyes closed, looking almost peaceful for her.

He sighed as his cheeks flamed at the closeness.

She was breaking his code of living! No one came near him, and no one touched him. Everyone was supposed to leave him alone, and him them. That's how it worked and that's how it was supposed to fall.

The girl was throwing it completely off and yet...and yet he couldn't bring himself to throw her.....

He let out another giant sigh, this time of defeat, and looking down to her face he could have sworn he saw her smile.