InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sleep Paralysis ❯ Sleep Paralysis ( Chapter 40 )

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

***IMPORTANT A/n: Chapter forty, ohmigosh! :o! Oh, and about the last author's notes... I messed up. I am not expecting until the end of February, but I AM expecting to move into a new house this month. There, that was all the clarification I needed to do. On with you! And I can't figure out for the life of me why the hell half the damn chapter is in bold. So please bear with me. It just uploaded that way and I can't fix it.

Also, this chapter is a slow down chapter. Been so much going on, needed some refreshment T_T. Like herbal ice tea on a hot day. *-*... yummy... Chai tea, anyone?

Jewelbrat2: Thank you ^^.

Zetsuii: So sweet ^^. Inu in the hospital? Oh boy... angry Inu? Eep.

TriNeyce: Geeze, whenever I look at your name, I think of Nyu from Elfen Lied. I keep wanting to call you Nyu! XD. Anyway, Sesshy is smart, I'm sure he'll figure it out... And you're so kind to be so patient. I thought you also said "be waiting with bad breath". Lol. My mind doesn't function correctly anymore XD. Anyway, want a breath mint either way? :D?

Kawaichan: ^_^ AWWW! Thank you so much. Been around since the very beginning, eh? I don't recall seeing your name so much, you should review more often. I like hearing from the readers and replying to them. Many authors don't take the time, and many have TOO many review to reply to, but I always try :D. I am so happy you're happy! *hands you a cookie* It's going to be a little boy. I always wanted a girl, and I was happy when I found out... but after I seriously thought about it, I'm thrilled my first is a boy. *sighs dreamily* He's the light of my life, along with his father. I adore his father so much, that man works and works for us relentlessly while I just stay home and get fat >>;;... And he never complains once about it. Not ever. What a trooper. And as for adoring fans, you have an adoring author ^o^. Thank you for being so awesome and sorry about my rant. I'm just so excited! :D.

Warning!: Idiotic ranting.

PS: I'm obsessive. Angry Asian girls are so funny. If you want to know what I mean, go to Youtube and look up "Shut Up Kagome".

No mas, no mas! Shnoogins!

Luna is so huuunngrrry... *scampers off to scavange*

Disclaimer: Don't own Constantine. Well, yes, okay, I do. But only in DVD form. That movie rocks! w00t. And the sleep definitions are brought to you by Wikipedia.com! :D!

Luna-




"They're going to keep me in here for days because of you, fucking asshole," Inuyasha griped, staring in condemnation toward his elder brother, who seemed wholly unfazed by his anger.

"It is not my fault you got yourself injured, otouto. But I would think if you would want use of that arm, you will in fact go through with the surgery," Sesshomaru looked cooly over him, holding every ounce of poise and posture of the adult in charge.

...it only further annoyed Inuyasha.

"What about Kagome, who's going to..." he began, once again ranting and raving about the girl they had already discussed.

Miroku seemed to have lost his patience with it, "Damnit, shut up, Yash. We already talked abut this. For the hundreth fucking time, Sango is going to watch over her. We already called the house, and she arranged with her parents that she was going to stay over. She's going to miss school under the pretense of being ill. We got it covered. It's only five fucking days. Chill."

Still, Inuyasha twitched in obvious discomfort of the entire situation, fidgeting with his good hand all the while.

Though, he did not forget one thing.

"Stop calling me Yash, damnit."

Miroku glared at him.

"I can't help it. It's become habit, so deal with it."

"I'm not going to deal with it, I fucking despise that name. I'm not some sort of gang member so cut it out."

"You said you were a gang member? Besides, it's cool. So shut up and stop being a pussy."

"I'm not being a pussy, you're being a damn cunt for calling me that when you know it irritates me!"

"Stop whining!"

"I'm going to kick your fucking ass when I'm better, bouzo!"

"Where did bouzo come from? That's just random."

"Didn't fugly call you a houshi? Bouzo seems perfectly appropriate to me."

"Fugly?"

"Yeah, fucking ugly."

"...he was damn ugly."

"Exactly. Fugly."

"...you're such an idiot."

"...twat."

"...asshat."

"...dickweed."

"...carpet muncher."

"Better than you, butt pirate."

"Shut the hell up, Yash."

"I'll shut up whenever I damn well-"

Simultaneously, both boys were knocked on the head by a pair of knuckles.

"Though I do understand occasional testosterone driven, mindless word battles I would appreciate it if both of you would just shut the hell up for five fucking minutes."

In fear for their manhood, both boys fell into an eerie silence.

The only noise in the room was the beeping of the monitor that kept vigil over Inuyasha's vitals, and the slight drip of the IV.

...outside of their room, there was talking, and the sound of walking, rustling papers and a crying child. The tick of the clock across the hall from their room, someone flatlining, and a mad rush to correct it.

...Pacing, the tapping of Miroku's foot, and the gentle swish of Sesshomaru's hair as it was blown by the AC duct from above.

Inuyasha crinkled his nose, wishing then he was still having his stupid little 'mindless testosterone driven word battle' with Miroku.

It at least got his mind off the smell of the hospital.

...they always smelled like sick.

That mucus-y, nasty musk that seemed to penetrate the pores of his nose and permenantly lodge itself there.

...he could almost taste it, and he suddenly was very desperate for water.

"Miroku, could you get me a cup of water?" he asked.

...at least he was pleasant.

"...get it yourself, assmunch," was the mechanical response.

Inuyasha pinned him with a dry look, knowing he was off in la-la land somehwere, waiting for the idiot to realize the implication of said sentence.

It took a counted 48 seconds for the light bulb to go on in Miroku's head.

"Oh damn, sorry Yash, you can't use your arm..."

"Oh, really? Cause I thought I was in running for the major baseball leagues."

Miroku shot him a nasty leer back, and went to retrieve the glorious cup of water Inuyasha so wanted.

To just get the taste out of his mouth...

"Thanks, bouzo."

Miroku passed the cup over after pouring water from the pitcher, and arched an eyebrow at him, "You're welcome, Yash."

"Stop it..."

An audible sigh came from the corner, and they both looked at Sesshomaru who was currently rubbing his temples.

"Shut up, Yash. You too, bouzo."

They both gaped at him.

The weary look crossed his face again, and he spoke softly, "I'm going to go check on the nurse to see what is happening and why it is taking so long to get you into surgery. Both of you be quiet and don't kill one another."

He strode off meaningfully, and the boys stared after him in awe.

"How does he do that?"

Inuyasha blinked at Miroku, "Do what, exactly? I mean, I know what you mean, but do you even know what it is? I don't even know the word..."

Miroku considered, then prompted, "How does he make everything so important, so all consuming like the world's going to end if he wasn't so awesome?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened in realization, "That's it! He makes himself seem so important."

"...I just said that..." Miroku commented dryly, but Inuyasha ignored him.

"How the hell does he do it...?" it was a rhetorical question, and Inuyasha seemed to aim it more at himself than Miroku, but he was answered regardless.

"He's a damn lawyer."

Inuyasha frowned.

"Wasn't there a saying about the three people you can't trust?"

"Yeah. Doctors, lawyers, and bankers."

"Where the hell do you learn all this stuff?"

"I'm just wise like that, Yash."

"No, you're just full of bullshit."

"...whatever. Just because you're an idiot doesn't mean you should say my intelligence is anything less than that."

"Uh-huh. That's it. Being crammed full of meaningless knowledge is definitely intelligence," Inuyasha retorted sarcastically. Before Miroku could get another word in, however, he cleared his throat and changed the subject back to the original topic.

"...but doesn't that mean technically we can't trust Sesshomaru?"

Miroku shrugged.

"If you go by the saying. Then again, I doubt most lawyers can blast a demon straight back to hell like some shit from that American movie Constantine. So I think that makes him exempt from the rule."

"True."

"...yeah. That was pretty awesome. Someone needs to make a movie about that."

"What? About my brother? What kind of groupie looser are you? And besides, wasn't whatchamacallit just that? Like you said?"

Miroku rolled his eyes in feigned impatience.

"It's kinda the same, but not exactly the same. And not just about your brother, stupid. About that whole..." again, he cracked his hand in a whip imitation, adding sound effects to boot.

"...yeah, I guess so. Didn't know he could do that, actually..."

"Really?"

"...no. I'm lying."

"...shut up."

"What?"

"I was being serious. I mean, how long has he been taking care of you? Long ass time, right?"

"...yeah, I guess."

"You guess? Idiot. Yes, he has. And you didn't know. Isn't that... well, odd?"

Inuyasha scratched his head with his good hand, and attempted to readjust himself on the bed. His shoulder was going numb, and he was feeling rather dizzy by then.

...it hurt to think.

"Maybe a little."

Miroku looked incredulous.

"Only a little? Your brother can form laser backslash ravie, disco whip and you say 'only a little'?"

"Well, the need for the 'laser backslash ravie disco whip' never really came up before. So yeah, I can see why I wouldn't know."

"...eh, I guess you're right. It's not like you fight monsters from the outer realms everyday."

Inuyasha squirmed in his bed again.

"No, not really. At least, not on this plane..."

...

Miroku shifted from one foot to the other, his feet becoming sore from the constant standing.

"...Yash?"

"Stop calling me that. What?"

"Why didn't you ever tell me about this shit before?"

...

"...I didn't want you to get hurt."

...

"You didn't think I'd believe you, did you?"

Inuyasha frowned.

"...I wasn't sure... besides, by the time we met I had stopped having dreams... I was trying to leave it all behind. So, it never really came up..."

Miroku sighed.

"You were running away."

...

"...yeah. And when it did come up again, I was freaked. Beginning of this year... Nothing for three years and just out of no where... I didn't know where to go. So... I went back to Kagome. And things went from there."

"...but when it started again, you still didn't say anything..."

...

"Yeah, man, but what was I gonna do? She was scared, I had to be strong. She was used to being alone, and I couldn't just announce to the world about what was happening. She was getting too hurt... and that you, or Sango might... I couldn't risk it. I couldn't do it."

...

Miroku shuffled on his feet uncertainly, "...yeah..."

...

"...if you think I don't trust you, I outta punch you. If I didn't, you wouldn't be standing here, man."

Miroku didn't say anything.

"...and c'mon... We stayed friends, even if I wasn't around as much. And dude, I'm happy... you saved Kagome's life."

...

"...your brother did, not me..." was the grumbled response.

...he sounded moresoful...

"Dude, because you gave him the opportunity to attack. You're the one who gave us the chance. Gave me the chance... Thanks. She wouldn't be around otherwise..."

"Yeah, well, I-"

They were silenced by two people entering the room... Sesshomaru, followed by a pretty blonde nurse who wouldn't peel her baby blues off of him.

Apparently another lovesick medic.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, tallying three since they had arrived.

He was disgusted by his brother's charisma with the ladies, and his seeming disinterest in them.

"Tell them what you told me, would you Miss...?"

The woman gushed. "Mitsuki. I am Mitsuki, sir! And right away!"

Lifting the clipboard she held, the woman flipped through the charts, reading off Inuyasha's schedule.

"Bloodwork. X-Rays, surgery, followed by an EKG to make sure the ticker's a tickin'!" high-pitched girlish giggle.

Two cringing boys and one wincing lawyer.

"Seems cause of injury waaaaasss..." flip through the papers, and a disbeliving frown. "...impalation on broken rail while biking at... 1:30 in the a.m...?"

Inuyasha flushed in embarrassment.

Miroku snickered.

"...So... bike accident?"

Trying to sink into the crunchy white sheets of the cot he laid in, Inuyasha muttered an affirmative in mortification, "Yes ma'am."

"And what, may I ask, was a young man like you doing biking at one thirty in the morning?" the woman scolded, placing her hands on her hips in a motherly fashion.

Inuyasha, being the ever terrible liar, looked like a deer in the headlights at the thought of having to come up with a viable excuse.

Luckily, the talented and ever wonderful Sesshomaru put his aforemention lawyer skills on display.

"He was running to get me some sort of tylenol product."

The nurse appeared baffled, turning to face him.

...There was further explanation required.

"I have an old injury in my leg that acts up from time to time, and when it does I cannot drive. It's really rather uncomfortable, and seeing as I had to work in the morning and he was awake, I sent him on the errand. It appears he is now the one in need of painkillers and not I."

At that moment in time, for some reason or other, Inuyasha desperately wanted to hit his brother square in his perfectly lying mouth.

The nurse melted as Sesshomaru spoke, buying every word his spoke with fervence, and nodded happily.

"Yes, yes, it makes sense... well then, I shall just take some blood, and off to surgery with you kid!" she tousled Inuyasha's hair in an avertly friendly manner, as if he were perhaps a five year old getting a booster shot, and she went about her business of cleaning his forearm.

She tapped his veins, and finding a good one, she pulled out a giant needle Inuyasha was sure was only used for torture.

Though his distress did not show, Inuyasha was able to distract himself by watching Miroku blanch in his place.

"You'll only feel a prick, I promise!" giggle-giggle.

...More like a stab of impending doom from some legendary blade of old.

He only winced.

What could be possibly worse than a hole the size of his fist in his shoulder?

...perhaps this needle.

Eight vials and a rather irritated boy later, the nurse smiled and withdrew the instrument of everlasting pain and patched him with a simple cotton ball and bandaid.

"All done! See, not so bad, was it?" Ruffle the hair, smile bright and fake, and float out like a cloud about to rain hell down upon the earth.

What else could be brighter? Or cheerier?

Or a bigger liar?

"They're liars. All of them. They're all liars!"

Miroku seemed to have been recounting some traumatizing childhood incident.

"I digress you calm yourself, Houbai-san."

Miroku promptly shut his jaw.

"Now, Inuyasha, I am going to leave Miroku here with you while you are in surgery. It should be simple and clean, but if anything goes wrong he'll be able to contact me. I am going to check on the women."

Inuyasha seemed jealous.

"...I wish I could go."

"Well, seeing as you cannot, I am."

"...apparently."

"Don't get smart with me."

Inuyasha was quiet once again.

"Do either of you need anything?"

The two of them looked at each other, and Miroku grinned.

"Wacdonalds would be awesome."

Sesshomaru crinkled his nose at the mention of the heaven of processed foods.

"...right. And what from there would be preferred?"

"Four BigWacs, extra large fries, two extra large milkshakes, a chocolate sundae, and a packet of those tiny cookies. Wittle Yashie wuvs those."

Inuyasha scowled at his friend, taking a swipe with his free hand, but Miroku had already predicted his incurred wrath and dodged out of the way.

"...anything else to add to your obesity and cholestorol?"

Miroku grinned wide.

"And a Happy Wacdonalds Meal toy for our big boy."

That time, Inuyasha didn't miss.

Miroku went sprawling to the floor.

And Sesshomaru shook his head in disgust, hoping to have a more pleasant time with the females as he made a quick exit, stage left.

~~~*~~~

Sango bent over Kagome's feet, concentrating on the dire task at hand.

...painting toenails.

Though neither considered themselves among the girliest of the female species, seeing as they had the house alone to themselves with no witnesses to see what they were up to, they caved in.

Sango's womanly intuition had picked up the need for Kagome to be pampered.

It was a giant blotch on the radar that just simply could not be ignored...

When the girl had awoken, distressed and calling for 'Inu', Sango felt every sympathetic feeling she had ever held before make itself known.

And after hugs and cuddles through crying, a temporary nose bandage and Kagome only down to sniffles, Sango offered a full on manicure and pedicure to take the girl's mind off the trouble.

Though Sango wasn't sure what could possible make anyone forget Naraku, she was sure at least it would help calm Kagome.

"Are you sure bright red is a good color for you...? I'm sure something pinker would be a little nicer..."

Kagome's face turned sour at suggestion.

"I hate pink."

"...Kagome, the shirt you were wearing before was pink."

Sango was referring to the sailor outfit she had been wearing before.

It was torn to bits, and was not salvagable.

So Kagome sat in a nearly see through white cami and a pair of panties. She felt too disgusting to put on any more clothing than that. She didn't want to muck up any more items than what there already was.

And she wouldn't feel bad about throwing those things away.

Though, Inuyasha might...

"It wasn't! It was more bordering on fuschia or maroon..."

"...Kagome, those are two totally different shades. Besides, it was more a deep rosy pink than either of those."

"Whatever."

"Kagome, you have no concept of color."

She huffed. "Well, you're the artistic one... that's why you're painting my toes and not me. I can't even color in the lines..."

Sango lifted her eyes from the task at hand and blinked, "Me? Artistic? What gives you that idea?"

"...I dunno, you just seem creative, is all..."

Sango shrugged, and lowered her eyes to go on with her work.

"My mom just likes to decorate. A lot. She changes the entire decor of the house at least once a year. So I guess I have an eye for stuff like that..."

Kagome leaned back on her palms, flexing her toes that were in the process of drying, eyeing them like a woman who just received a diamond ring.

...she had never done something like this before...

...it made her feel...

Well...

...human...

"What's your mom like?"

Sango blew on Kagome's feet, causing a slight tickling feeling. Kagome curled her toes in, messing up the paint, and Sango whined.

"...hey, I just did that! Man..."

She went about correcting Kagome's mistake before she actually answered her.

"I don't know... We get along okay, but we don't really talk. We're so different. She's your idealistic Japanese woman... conservative, laid back, but she's so strict. She never raises her voice, but you can tell when she's angry. She doesn't ever really say what she means, and is always trying to cover up any confrontation with politeness. It's always about what's proper and what's not... drives me nuts."

Sango leaned back, screwing the cap onto the nail polish.

"Then again, most Japanese culture is like that... to me, at least. There's so many societal rules... Now, my dad, he's your average American Joe. Football-American style, beer, hot dogs, women, fast cars, sports... He's never been unfaithful to my mom, but he likes to look. He loud, and kinda rude to some people. But he's smart, and he knows how to makes deals. That's why we moved here... so he can make deals with Japanese businessmen for his company back home."

Kagome inspected the work Sango had done, feeling a slight rush of giddiness.

...For some reason, she felt very pretty.

"Back home? America, you mean?"

Sango nodded, grabbing a pillow off the bed and lounging there next to Kagome.

"Yeah. I remember playing catch with my dad in the backyard, and going hiking with him, and even exercising with him. Like, weights and running and stuff. I remember my mom and dad arguing about me, my mom saying I wasn't a little boy and I should behave like a proper lady. My dad saying that wasn't me, that I liked doing those things. He'd say how I'd always hate dresses, and make up, and shoes, and playing princess, and all the things other little girls like. At the time, Kohaku hadn't been born. And even after he was, I still did those things. And my mom, she blamed him for influencing me."

Kagome looked down at her friend, somewhat entranced by her story.

...was that what a real family was like?

"But they always loved each other, though I don't know why... Not even sure how they met. My mom gave up trying to make me a girl, and my dad just loved me for who I was. Keikan Sango... Strong. Like my family name."

"...but isn't Keikan a Japanese surname?"

Sango blinked in thought, and looked at Kagome.

"It is, it is. My father is part Japanese, but barely. Like, 1/8th. But that's the family name. Funny how that works out, huh?"

Kagome nodded, smiling at her friend.

"...what about you, Kagome? Your family?... I know you live with Inuyasha, but you never told me..."

Flushing, a dampering mood overcame Kagome, a well of old hurt coming back to greet her.

"...well..."

Sango, perceptive as always, noted Kagome's discomfort.

"If you don't wanna talk about it..."

"No! Really..." Kagome insisted. "I don't mind..."

Laying down next to Sango, on her back, Kagome looked at the ceiling... like all those lonely times back in her old room...

...in the darkness... wondering what was going to hurt her next...

"...I... my dad. For me too, my dad was the best for me. He always believed me, no matter what I said. And my mom, she blamed me for his death. When he did, our grandfather came to live with us. Though... my mom denied blaming me, I always knew... She took my to psychologist after psychiatrist after therapist... talk, medication, talk, diagnosis... endless... I had sleep paralysis, night terrors, insomnia, sleep deprivation causing hallucination, sleep apnea... you name it, I had it."

Sango seemed confused.

"What is sleep paralysis?"

Sighing, Kagome looked blank as she recited its definition as if reading from a dictionary.

"Condition characterized by temporary bodily paralysis, before sleep or after waking. Physically, paralysis is natural during the REM cycle, and at times the brain wakes from REM while the body remains paralyzed. Therefore, the person is fully aware, but at times the paralysis is accompanied by hallucinations of ghostly apparitions, or even demonic entities."

Sango's eyes widened, apparently enraptured in her description.

"...and night terrors?"

Again, the monotoned explanation.

"Night terror characterized by extreme terror and the inability to wake fully, is a parasomnia sleep disorder. The patient wakes abruplt from slow-wave sleep, usually accompanied by screaming, moaning, or gasping. It is impossible to fully awaken the person, and normally settles back to sleep afterward. The episodes are hardly ever remembered. This occurs while not dreaming, so it is only an experience of intense fear."

"...wow, so they gave you medication for this shit...?"

Kagome nodded dismally.

"...yeah... they convinced my mom that I was screwed up subconsciously or something...even though... when I woke I always...I always had..."

Sango placed a hand on Kagome's arm.

"...I remember the bruises, Kagome. Don't worry..."

Kagome bit her lip, drawing in a shaking breath.

"...my mom disowned me. That's why I'm here."

Sango gasped softly...

She hadn't know, though she had a feeling...

"That's... I'm sorry Kago-"

....

Their private moment was interrupted by a door swinging open, and a tall man walking in without permission, rattling their world like a Titan.

"Is she all right, Sango?"

He was greeted by the sight of two petrified, half-naked teenagers.

"KYAA! GET OUT!"

Sesshomaru was promptly hit in the face by a pillow.

...and he turned, walking right back out the way he came and closed the door slowly behind him.

...

...it seemed he would not get a break from either species of the human race that night.

"...damn kids will be the death of me. I swear..."