InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner ❯ Make New Friends, But Keep The Old ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"So you see it's not the tea, but rather the fact of it's liquid substance that makes it good"

"Huh?"

Miroku smiled "My sweet, Kagome, it's because the tea is the liquid of the meal, because it holds the special place at the table, it makes it special" he sighed "It's existence it's self it's truly remarkable..."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, an inherited trait from Inuyasha, "Why did I let you back in my room again?"

Giving each other a smile the two broke into a light, much needed laughter before continuing to consume there meal.

Once Kagome had gotten over the initial shock of Miroku's introduction and action to her, seeing that he was in fact not a threat, she was happy to talk to him. After accepting his proposal of friend the two had talked a little more before agreeing to have breakfast in the morning.

She enjoyed talking to Miroku because much like Inuyasha, he talked so casually. Miroku was deep down, somewhere there, still a boy fiddling with things in wonder and awe.

The way he held himself was calm, and laid back, but he expressed himself so vibrantly. He wasn't holding himself back a single bit, everything was seen through those violet-black eyes.

In truth Miroku was a lot like Inuyasha not, against her first reaction, at all like Naraku.

"Did you sleep alright for the rest of the night?" he questioned casually "I assume since I heard no more cries"

"I assume you were sleeping" she said lightly "The rest of the night was bad but, not as horrible as before you came for me....Thank you"

"Always a pleasure to help out a pretty girl"

Kagome giggled at this. She knew it was just a hit line, but she needed it during this time. Just something sweet to hear. Inuyasha had never complemented her like that and if he had she'd probably think he'd have fallen ill.

Maybe it was in part to she had been left with not much people to converse with while she was locked up in the castle, or maybe Miroku really was good company.

In the words of Inuyasha, hell if she knew. She enjoyed it all the same.

She was more than grateful to have him there, though. Talking with him made her push away those thoughts that had raced through her mind non stop....The burning house, Naraku, her life, Inuyasha...

"So how long are you planning to stay?" he questioned taking a slice bread and tearing it in two. He handed the other part to her with a smile "I'd love to do this again. Your company is so much more enjoyable to the others in this place. They all see me as some pervert..."

"I wonder why" she replied darkly

"Either way this place is full of rich people and they see me as shoot on their boots...I'm just a traveling monk after all" he shrugged "You have the biggest room here yet your the kindest out of the bunch...Figures."

"I'm not sure when I'll be leaving" she said more to herself "He should have come by now..."

"The man you were calling out for last night?"

Kagome blushed lightly but nodded. To hear someone put it in that way was odd and slightly embarrassing. True, she had been calling him like she had on many occasions when her dreams felt too close to reality, but before it had just been the two of them. Having someone else state the thing as fact was weird.

Sighing in wonder, she turned her attention to sipping the tea Miroku had spoke so highly of.

Inuyasha had told her that he'd return soon, though she didn't exactly know now what his definition of soon was. At first she had assumed on a few hours, though a night later there was still no sight to him.

If something had happened at the houses corpse, if Naraku had come to fight she had no way of reaching him. There was no way she could reach him if he was lying dead somewhere.

"Don't go all quiet on me!" Miroku said in all boyish charm, elbowing the girl "Breakfast just started and already you're giving up on me?"

"Sorry" Kagome apologized with a smile "I was just thinking..."

Inuyasha was strong, brave, and courageous. He had taken care of himself up until now then took upon himself her care as well. All she could do was trust and pray that he'd be back soon.

"The village is up to the head of us" he shouted behind him to the woman. Without waiting for recognition he speed up leaving her to ride the horse a bit slower behind him.

He really didn't feel he needed to lead her, hold her hand all the way there. Besides he had to make sure Kagome was alight.

With the unexpected shift of Naraku's whereabouts' it had taken him longer than he wanted to get back and, reluctantly so, the time had lengthened with his need to establish Sango's competency and her aim.

He really didn't like the fact of dragging a human, listening to one, cooperating with one, much less being nice and talking to one. He had distanced himself from them his whole life. They hated him and he the same. Hanyou blood wasn't taken kindly and so he was shunned.

But this was a huge exception, if it was to help Kagome then he would let his codes slide.

The village came into view instantly as he slowed to a stop at the edge. Like before when he had entered the territory with Kagome, the humans around starting whispering. He didn't need to know exactly what they were saying, he knew the just.

"Isn't that Inuyasha, prince of the western?

He should have been slain long ago...

That half breed's still alive? I thought his father shot him?

Naw...

He ran off to the forest just where he belongs...."

Growing up with words such as this he merely glared at each who dared make eye contact and continued to where he had left the young girl.

As he swung the door open, the manger of the place gave him an uneasy look though nodded and forced a smile "Prince Inuyasha"

"Don't"

Inuyasha shook his head wearily walking down to the path leading to Kagome's room. If there was anything he hated it was when they addressed him as such. Being shunned then being called prince? It was just to sadistic for his blood...

His nose picked up her scent, clean and health as ever ahead of him, but....A male's scent? And it was close to her, too close!

Running the short length he threw himself at the door as it opened without an ounce of resistance "Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!" her voice called back instantly. Against him he felt a light weight added as her body embraced his, gripping painfully tight "What took you?" she cried looking up to him. He noticed that her eyes were briefly laced with tears "I thought you said you would be back soon?! What's soon in your book?!"

"I went to the castle"

Kagome's mouth fell open in horror as she backed away from him, a hand covering her mouth "Inuyasha....You said you were going to the house..."

"Well, I lied" he stated truthfully against her pout "But you should be glad I did. I found something that belongs to you....I hope" he added in after thought.

His head turned to look in back of him, Kagome following suit as a very exhausted woman appeared, breathing heavily as her body bent forward "You bastard! You left me--"

"Sango...?"

For a moment the room was absolutely silent as the women stared at each other in disbelief, tears forming all the heavier in each others eye until both cracked. Running past a peeved hanyou, Kagome and Sango embraced one another; hugging and laughing into one heart filled moment.

Inuyasha lowered his brow to the scene in annoyance. She didn't look like that at his appearance.

"Figures. Everyone get a hug but me...." Miroku sighed sadly

At the same time Sango and Inuyasha took defensive positions. In unison their hands flexed on the hilt of their weapons "Who the hell are you?!"

"Naraku was kicked out?" Kagome asked in disbelief "But he was rightful ruler wasn't he? He should have remained it--not that I'm complaining but..."

"Well you and him were never officially married" Sango explained "Since you two were never joined he never became part of the family therefore he couldn't rightly take over. He fought for it though, in the end however the courts kicked him out" she shook her head as her pink-ish eyes danced in flames "We hadn't seen you for so long, in a way we were relieved that you had passed....Naraku was a bastard and though we never knew....We didn't like what he was doing to you"

Kagome nodded dully. It was hard talking about this, but it was important to know what happened and to know what they were up against now. Beside her, she could feel Inuyasha's gaze shift from her time and again making sure she was alright, and in a way his presence strengthened her.

He was the only one who knew what had really gone on with Naraku and though Sango had good guesses she doubt that she knew the just of it.

Across from her Miroku sighed "Do you know where he is? Where he was sent too?"

Sango looked to him with an eyebrow raise, then back across the fire with a negative head shake "All I know is that he tried taking the army before he left. He wanted the power of it for something that none of us knew. While he had been in charge he had never once called on it, but now he wanted it and with his hench men fought for it" she bowed her head "My brother died in the fight to get him down, I want my own revenge on Naraku for killing my brother so shamelessly and for hurting my friend"

Kagome lowered her eyes to the flames as the information tried to clear itself. Naraku, the one she'd known had always been a power crazed psycho. He had talked non stop on the subject of gaining more power, but was constantly thwarted because he hadn't married Kagome.

He had no doubt gone near mad at the loss of his position, but why had he told them she had died in the first place?

The only reason she could think of was so that no one could speak with her. If he told them they'd go out to look for her and she'd tell them all that he'd been doing to her. He'd be slain for abuse and rape of a princess. Instead he wished for life.

But why did he still seek her then?

If he had truly just run away with his followers why had one of them deliberately set Inuyasha's house to flames? Perhaps he wanted her just dead now, away from the world in it's entirety?

"You said he was kicked out after Kagome was announced dead..." Inuyasha shook his head "He couldn't have fled far if he was close enough to try and kill Kagome. Perhaps he's just out there waiting to--"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried in near tears as her body visible shook at the thought "Why would you say such a thing?!"

She didn't want to think that Naraku was outside the window right now, just watching and waiting. Watching her with that piercing stare that made her skin crawl, that smile that...

Tears blurred her vision as she habitually shot her face to Inuyasha's chest.

She didn't like these conversations. As much as she wanted to think she could get past him, think that she was over and above him, there was still the remembrance.

Inuyasha blushed nervously to the girl's head as his eyes shot to the on looking pair across the fire. It was fine that she sought him for comfort when it had just been the two of them, but with the two other's staring at him, it was a bit awkward.

Though he mentally beat himself up, his face still red, he couldn't bring himself to pull her away. He knew what the man had done and the other two, well Sango could take a guess, really didn't know. It was hard on both of them but they needed to get through this.

"It's possible that he could have sent someone out to take the job of setting a fire. You said he had followers" he shrugged "At least he doesn't want her back now, just de--oof!"

"Baka!" she screamed punching him once more "Stop it! Please just stop it...."

Inuyasha looked to the other two in question, his eyes shifting to the monk Kagome had been eating with "Who the hell are you anyways?"

"Miroku" he replied with a boyish smile "I'm Kagome's new friend"

"The hell you are"

Inuyasha shook his head looking from Kagome's head, to Sango's concerned face, to Miroku's boyish one. He didn't remember agreeing to being with all these people like this.

Kagome was one thing but when the hell did all this humans start popping up?!

He wanted more than anything to be talking on the subject more, there was something they were missing in the picture, or something they hadn't dwelled on long enough.

Without any clues to where Naraku had gone Inuyasha felt more lost than before. But right now Kagome couldn't take anymore, and for that matter he couldn't take her tears any longer.

"This conversation is over" he stated hardly

Sango nodded hesitantly as she stood on sleep-ridden legs "I'll go get me and you two rooms"

Inuyasha shook his head "I got Kagome two rooms. The one next door is hers too. You'll take that"

"Well you're more than welcome to bed with me!" Miroku piped in "As long as you don't use your claws. Or your teeth. Or even--" he smiled getting to his feet as well "It's the third door on the right, when you're ready" he added eyes Kagome for a moment.

"Are you sure you don't me to stay?" Sango asked quietly. Kagome shook her head in Inuyasha's robes as the lost friend sighed "I'll be next door then, don't hesitate. Night Kagome"

"Night Kagome" Miroku repeated

She inhaled deeply and fully into the scent she had long ago establish as his own. It was that of pine trees and bon fires, grass and springs. His scent was nature, but had a manly touch to it.

When he had been way she had missed him so much. The two had slept side by side for awhile now and without him it felt like she was alone. His presence alone helped ebb away the malicious images that circled her thoughts. Kami how she had missed him!

"You're not leaving me again...are you?" she asked shyly "It's weird not having you there by me..."

"Bah. Don't be stupid" he called back from under her "You just stopped the tears now..."

She smiled rubbing her face into his chest "I'm just telling you the truth"

It felt right like this, sleeping once again cradled to his chest. Though it wasn't like the couch that had been able to completely enclose them in each other, it was more than fine with her. She couldn't think of a better thing in the world then falling asleep to the gentle beat of his heart to her ear.

Her eyes closed in a surrender to her over fatigued body, still worn from her tossing last night. Her body completely relaxed on top of his as she sighed in more than comfort to the position.

His presence, his body, his voice. They had all become a great part of her life. She knew now how much she counted on seeing him each day, waking just to see his peaceful face. Talking just to hear his voice call back to his in sadistic humor. Or hug him in relief that he would return it.

He had become more to her than just a care taker, and all though her mind wouldn't let her think past that, she knew one thing. Inuyasha was the thing she cared for most in the world.

Tears slid down her cheeks as they fell, dripping against his chest. She choked out a giggle at the action, a light smile touching her face.

"What the--?" he pouted with a sigh "You're not sad again, are you...?"

She shook her head

"Then what's with the waterworks, Kagome?" he questioned, squirming a bit "Your getting me soaked down here!"

She smiled, nestling her head under his chin "It's my happiness"