InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sleep Paralysis ❯ Empathy, The Path Best Not Forgotten-Part Two ( Chapter 29 )

A/n: My goodness, I'm on a roll here, ne?But doesn't that make you happy? It makes me happy. I'm so happy I'm getting this out. Appreciate this, I don't know if it's gonna go away ;_;. Soooo, I'm writing all I can while I can to make do.

 

*waves hands* Delve into my world now, I know you want to…!

 

Just kidding.

 

Luna-

 

Silent Beauty: Happy you got the internet back! Welcome back ^-^

 

Tempest Flame: Updating goodness! Three chapters in one week! Be happy!

 

Inuyasha Chic: That's right.

 

Lihz: WHOO!

 

LouLou: I completely believe you guys have a life! This is a hobby for me too ^-^. But mostly I love hearing other people's words.

 

Lady Wolf: I love that quote, I only first heard it the other day. Beautiful quote. Thank you for sharing. And I'm doing decent! ^-^! Thank you, and welcome back :D.

 

 

Chapter XXIX: Empathy, the Path Best Not Forgotten-Part Two

 

 

Miroku looked down at his feet awkwardly, finding no words useful at the moment.

 

All he could do was echo.

 

“…demons….?”

 

Inuyasha simply nodded, averting his eyes as if ashamed… “Yeah. Demons. Not fake demons, not the stupid demons from some anime. Beyond your worst nightmares kind of demons.”

 

Miroku's body suddenly felt very heavy. He needed to sit.

 

So he just allowed his body to collapse onto the floor next to Sango, as he stared vacantly to the floor.

 

It was too much to believe…

 

“We knew that because… we met someone like us… Two people, actually… like us.”

 

Miroku lifted his eyes and squinted quietly.

 

And Inuyasha closed his eyes, breathing deeply, as if trying to calm himself.

 

“Their names were Kocho and Asuka. They were twins, and neither of them talked much but… We understood what we needed to from them… We became very close with them, after a while… Even though they only looked about six, both of them were very intelligent… Kagome and I looked after them like we might little sisters. They were so precious to us. And Gods… were they gifted. They just knew things, and we didn't have to ever say anything.”

 

Inuyasha covered his eyes with one hand and let out another shaky breath.

 

“We don't talk about them, because they mean something… too important. The loss was hard on both of us. The day after Kagome started having these really horrible dreams that left marks on her body… they both died in a freak car accident.”

 

Miroku felt his eyebrows lift…

 

“I say freak because there was no reason for it… it was a hit and run. And witnesses say that the car appeared out of nowhere, and no one saw where it went. It didn't even have a license plate so anyone could track it. They both died instantly.”

 

Standing, Inuyasha made his way over to a window. He was gone then… lost in his memories. Telling Miroku something he never had told anyone…

 

And Miroku understood it…

 

It was the strongest display of trust Inuyasha could ever give.

 

Inuyasha was giving Miroku his soul, and Miroku knew it.

 

“I was… lost… after they died. I didn't know what to do. Here Kagome was, being hurt… I was overwhelmed with grief. We were both distraught. So… we did the only thing we thought we could do. We went to her father. He had…always been so understanding… And… we felt we had no other choice. And… he knew more than we thought he would. He understood exactly. And… he…”

 

At that point… Inuyasha's voice became thick… Miroku could no longer see his face, but there was no doubt in his mind he was crying.

 

“He… made us feel safe. Secure. Things settled down for a while… he said he'd take care of us… But then… he began to get sick… At the beginning of seventh grade, everything started all over again. We felt helpless, alone. Kagome's mother would argue with her, telling her she was lying about what she saw. And her father defended her every step of the way.”

 

Inuyasha shook his head, Miroku saw this… perhaps, to clear his mind…

 

“I don't…blame her mother. She didn't understand. But while her daughter was being hurt, she only made it harder. For a year, I watched this. I watched Kagome decline, becoming paranoid…once so full of life, and I couldn't protect her… I…”

 

He stopped for a moment. And Miroku could barely guess what he wanted to say.

 

“…She started being cruel to me. I didn't understand it… I… I had the dreams. But they didn't affect me like they did her… They didn't… hurt me like they did her… And during the summer of eighth grade… she told me to get lost. And I did. I thought she hated me… because I failed her.”

 

Inuyasha turned around, looking toward Miroku.

 

“That's when you met me. That summer, I was a mess. You helped me out of that. We took a blood oath, remember? We became brothers. I barely told you about Kagome, I remember that. You just thought it was a middle school crush I could barely get over. But… no matter how young we were, Kagome was my world, and I let my world go.”

 

Walking towards him slowly, Inuyasha sighed.

 

“Until the beginning of this year, for three years I only watched Kagome. Her decline got steadily worse until she was nothing. And my dreams, though they had stopped for a while, started again. I dreamt of her most of all. In ways I didn't understand, memories that weren't mine. I'm assuming a past life… I still don't quite get it. But our dreams are connected. Me and Kagome. Us with Sango.”

 

Gesturing towards Kagome slightly, Miroku followed his gaze. She breathed deeply… soundly… gone from reality, yet still…so full of life.

 

“…I felt her pain. Every step of the way, every day I watched her. I knew her more intimately than I knew myself without having to talk to her. It became almost an obsession, to know how she was doing. To know, to feel… it was my fault. To know I left her alone. To know I ran away. Despite the fact I loved her, with all my heart. Knowing she loved me too, and hated me for what I did. I don't think…I'll ever forgive myself for it.”

 

Turning to Inuyasha, Miroku wanted to say he understood. Wanted to say… it wasn't his fault.

 

But it was such a doubled-sided coin.

 

Her cruelty, and his guilt.

 

It was a no win situation.

 

“I finally approached Kagome, without you knowing, about six months ago. I kept bringing her to coffee shops, trying to say what I wanted to say. I kept… prolonging it, though she knew what I wanted to say… Because… I just wanted to be close to her again. That, and I was scared it was going to be a final goodbye. I felt that was my last chance. Needless to say I wore down on her patience…”

 

Inuyasha let out a humorless chuckle.

 

“…that part of her hasn't changed. She has no patience for my stupidity. And she never has… at least this time, she didn't hit me.”

 

Sighing, he scratched the back of his head.

 

“…From there, you pretty much know the story. We've had bad dreams, some really hurt her, and now we have this Onigumo prick…”

 

Miroku blinked.

 

“What does Onigumo have to do with this?”

 

Inuyasha glared out the window, clenching his fist tightly.

 

“He looks exactly like the person who has been hurting her all along, and somehow… I don't think it's coincidence he is interested in her.”

 

Miroku scowled.

 

“…let me get this straight… these `demons'… can be real humans?”

 

Inuyasha winced, and looked at Miroku.

 

“…I don't… exactly understand how it works. Demons can exist inside humans, I think… use humans as a passage to this world… but I don't believe they can solidify. That'd take too much energy.”

 

Once again, Miroku found himself lacking in this area…

 

“…energy?”

 

Inuyasha looked lost for all but a moment, before replying.

 

“Uh…ki, magic…chi… er… fuck it. Just energy. There's so many things it's called, but it's all the same thing.”

 

Miroku half-choked a second, coughing harshly.

 

“Whoa, whoa, hold up. Demons… all right, I'll humor you and say I believe you… but fucking… magic? What is this, a bad fantasy movie?”

 

Growling, Inuyasha walked past his friend back to his chair and sat down.

 

“Look, I said you could believe me or not, but don't fucking go and act like a dick. I'm telling you what I know, now take it or leave it.”

 

Miroku looked around absently…

 

All of it…?

 

“…is there no inbetween? Is it really all or nothing…?”

 

Inuyasha lifted his head and scratched it slightly.

 

“…kind of… The conscience issues are what get in the way and make it all or nothing. Either you deal with it, or you walk away from everyone. I guess… it comes down to only the strong survive. You can't half-assed be there… because… you're family. And you don't just stand by and let your family deal with it… unless you leave…”

 

Inuyasha trailed off then, going back into that little reality of his.

 

Miroku could only sigh.

 

He needed to think.

 

“…I'm going for air.”

 

Inuyasha nodded, and Miroku slipped out the front door.

 

 

 

 

 

~~~*~~~

 

 

 

 

It was Kagome's turn to glare, giving him a stone cold stare, “You've been trying to be `pleasant' for the past fucking week, Inuyasha. You're wasting my goddamn time, each time, you know. I take the time to come out here, and you just throw that away. And that's real considerate, isn't it?”

 

Again, a hurt look crossed his eyes.

 

You're never a waste of time… never…

 

….

 

Inuyasha shook his head wearily, looking absolutely exhausted, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

 

“This was a mistake, Kags… a huge mistake. I'm sorry for `wasting you time'… I won't bother you anymore.”

 

He began to turn and walk away.

 

Kagome knew, right then.

 

She knew she had two choices.

 

Suck it up, or give in.

 

And her heart chose for her before he mind could take a jab at a decision.

 

Kagome's hand shot out and grabbed his own loosely, and Inuyasha looked down at her.

 

….

 

And he could only choke back his own whispered gasp at the tears that ran down her pretty cheeks, as she asked him quietly, “Please stay.”

 

….

 

Kagome stared at the knees of the nervous girl who stood before her, attempting to introduce herself to Kagome who just seemed to utterly ignore her complete existence.

 

“My… name is Keikan Sango... uh…” Sango looked down at the top of the girl's head,

 

….

 

“I… was just wondering, if I could sit with you… I'm new…So… I thought… maybe…,” Sango found herself trailing off, at a loss of words at the simple fact the girl did not even state anything to her. She didn't even respond to the sound of her own voice.

 

….

 

Turning her head slightly, she noticed the new girl who addressed herself as `Sango' approach the table. She had been coming to that table for very near three weeks now, and she couldn't understand why. Moreso, despite the fact Kagome said nothing, the girl talked. A lot. Some things interested Kagome, some things didn't. It was that simple.

 

….

 

“So, what do you think?”

 

Kagome knew the girl expected no answer, and yet she questioned why she still bothered asking. She knew the very response she was going to get.

 

Nothingness.

 

Kagome's persistent silence seemed to trouble the girl, and Kagome wanted that. There was no point getting attached.

 

….

 

 

“…do you think I do not see you?”

 

Kagome's head lifted, that simple sentence enough to enrapture her entire attention. She wanted to know… what did this girl see?

 

“…All I want is to be your friend. Can't you see that? Can't you give me a chance?”

 

Kagome flinched as those words were spoken.

 

Friend…? A friend…?

 

“I know you're lonely. I see it, just as I am. But I'm trying. I'm trying with you. And you're the only one I've been interested in so far.”

 

Silence still answered Sango only so well.

 

“Please?”

 

….

 

And her soft voice, barely above a whisper came to greet Sango's awaiting ears.

 

“…why?”

 

….

 

Inuyasha and Kagome both shared equally lame looks at their friends' antics. Sango had smacked Miroku, who fell over with a look of pure bliss as she shrieked out a dignified, “HENTAI!”

 

....

 

Sango blinked and shrugged at this, turning back to her hamburger, and Miroku grinned. He couldn't resist, “So, it's like he walked straight out of your dreams, eh? Were they such great dreams that you were scared perhaps-FUCK!” he rubbed his head where Sango had reached across the table and thunked him one good. “What was that for?!” he pouted at her, but his boyish charm wasn't working as well as it usually did…

 

“Don't bother Kagome! And don't be a lecherous asshole about it either, you jerk!” Sango seethed at him, and Inuyasha turned to him and bopped him one as well, “Yeah, you fucker, leave her alone.”

 

Miroku fell into a quiet sulk after this, only the occasional sipping sound coming from his corner after that.

 

….

 

Sympathy…

 

Kagome covered her eyes, knowing if she didn't see him, it wouldn't be there.

 

“Don't look at me like that! My mother did that! I'm not a freak, I don't need your pity either!” Kagome shouted at him.

 

“I didn't call you a freak…” Inuyasha tried again. But she still wouldn't let him.

 

“I AM A FREAK! Only freaks see invisible things! Only freaks are crazy! And I'm a freak! And right now, I wanna do anything I can to not remember it! I was having fun, and you took that away, you bastard!” Kagome was screaming at him in the parking lot. He had to get her to stop. Some people were already staring.

 

“Kagome… stop. You're drunk… you're gone. You're so wasted, so blitzed, so hammered…”

 

Kagome cut him off, “I GET THE PICTURE! Inebriated!”

 

Inuyasha considered her a moment, and continued as if she hadn't yelled, “…You just need to go home, and we'll take a hot shower, and sleep it all off. We don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, even… Just you and me, okay?” He held out a hand to her… offered it to her, offering her some way to be consoled. Comforted, made to feel as if everything were all right.

 

…but everything wasn't all right…

 

 

….

 

…I want to see him again…

 

She lifted her eyes, in askance, to the tree where they first met. Tears dripped from her eyes, one by one, dropping to the earthen ground…

 

Once again… I want to see Inuyasha!

 

She lifted her trembling hands to her face, wiping at the tears… wondering as realization came to her as if she were waking from some sort of dream....

 

I…I love Inuyasha…

 

All she could see… was his face, turning to smile gently at her...

 

Since… when… did I love him this much?

 

 

….

 

“…I just wanted to say… thank you for staying with me…”

 

Silence again.

 

Kagome sighed, burying her face into the pillow further to conceal whatever tears might be coming. She deserved him leaving her now… she knew it.

 

But she couldn't stand it in her heart if he left her.

 

…yet… she felt something warm brush the back of her neck…

 

And he simply whispered to her softly, “…go back to sleep... I'll be here when you wake up…”

 

…that was all Kagome needed to know…

 

 

…that everything was going to be okay…

 

 

….

 

And Kagome rolled over, curling up against the back of the couch, and sighed deeply, falling into another dreamless sleep.