InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Exchange ❯ Transferred Love ( Chapter 23 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: RozeFire 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.21.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 1.7K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Angst / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.21.2003 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 1.7K | Status: Completed
AN: Well considering I put a lot of effort into creating Urami's character - vain, apathetic, and slightly dim but slightly nasty... I can't say I hate her as much as you guys... I probably hate her more ^_^
So ul Exchange
Transferred Love
< br>
A loud rumbling boom rolled through the palace, shaking the foundations again and rattling the ornaments on the tables and mantels. Lady Inu rolled her eyes to where Sango sat on the bed. "I wonder what made him mad this time?"
"Inuyasha really needs to learn how to control his temper..." Sango sighed, continuing to fold Lady Inu's clothes without a break, even when something rolled off the table beside her and smashed on the ground. "Damn... and I just had that pot re-varnished for you..."
However... it wasn't Inuyasha who was the cause of the crashes this time.
^_^
Her fists trembled with outrage as she watched Inuyasha slowly fumble his way off of Urami. He looked slightly confused with what was going on, and not with it at all. Urami simply stretched as Inuyasha's weight left her, and rolled onto her stomach to eye Kagome. "Back already? Did you stop Fushi from crying?"
Kagome's humiliation only soared with Urami's casual attitude, like what she'd been doing with Inuyasha was perfectly acceptable and normal. But by then Inuyasha was beginning to regain his senses somewhat, and what he'd just done dawned on him slowly... dread quickly replacing his confusion. He shot Urami a dirty look before glancing at Kagome, anxious to gauge her reaction.
Kagome locked gazes with him at that moment. He saw her anger flash to new heights. She saw a look of incredible guilt pass over him. Something inside her snapped. She was fed up. She'd had enough of these silly games. She wanted out and she was going to GET out.
"Bye." Kagome whirled around with an unusually light tone that belied her expression.
Inuyasha and Urami watched in surprise as she headed back to the palace with even a small bounce in her step. Inuyasha had at least expected her to burst out into tears and run away... or stay and bitch slap either him or Urami... or maybe even both.
But no. She didn't cry and she didn't look too mad from this angle. She looked... if anything... relieved...
"That bitch!" he suddenly burst out and stood up angrily. How dare Kagome act so careless? As though him kissing Urami meant nothing to her?! She was obviously angry - so why did she run away - he wanted her to stay and argue this out.
Urami stood up beside him meekly. "My lord-"
Inuyasha spun on her and grabbed her by the ear. "You! You are forbidden from entering my rooms ever again - you can remain a maid but you're not MY chamber maid anymore! I'd kick you out but I'm sure my mother would employ you again - so just STAY out of my WAY! Got that?!"
"Yes!" Urami gasped as he twisted her ear.
"Good!" he snarled and turned to drag her back to the palace. He caught sight of Kagome arriving at the gates a small distance away... what he saw made him draw to a halt.
In Kagome's path lay... quite a substantial trail of destruction. Two trees that she'd passed had leaned over, away from her... not broken... but just bent another way. The grass that she'd walked on was now churned into mud and rocks protruding from the earth like they'd been pulled upwards into jagged points by a magnet.
And even then the gates shuddered as Kagome stomped through them, and she threw the doors to palace back so violently that they smashed against the wall and caused an echoing rumble to resound. Inuyasha and Urami looked on in shock.
"Shit..." Inuyasha murmured.
"How did she do that? How can she do that?" Urami babbled. "That's impossible - she's just a human-"
"Shut up!" Inuyasha yanked her ear and began to drag her back to the palace, keeping to the side of Kagome's disturbed path. He really couldn't follow this at all.
But in a way, it only proved that Kagome really was just Kikyo's cousin.
^_^
"Oh look... he's making spit bubbles." Miroku pointed into the small cot.
"Miroku... even YOU make spit bubbles when you sleep." Sango told him quietly.
"Yeah, but it's cuter on the baby."
Someone stormed past the doorway and both Miroku and Sango looked up at the empty doorway. Sango was quicker, and had recognised the Kagome shaped blur at once. She left Miroku's side by the cot and hurried to the door to poke her head out and look down the corridor at Kagome's retreating blur. "Kagome?! What's the matter? Where're you going?"
Kagome stopped at the sound of Sango's voice, and the other girl saw her head drop slightly and her shoulders slump in momentary defeat... but she suddenly squared herself up and turned around with a determined look. "I'm going to pack."
"Pack?" Sango took a few steps out into the corridor. "Why? Where are you going?"
"Home."
"You have one?"
"Yes!" Kagome nodded defiantly. "I refuse to stick around here and just be humiliated again and again!"
"Oh jeez... what did Inuyasha do this time?" Sango sighed.
"He was kissing Urami!"
"What?!" Sango exploded, gaping at Kagome with shock. "How?! When?!"
"Just now!" Kagome's fists balled again and she glared hotly at the ground between them. "How could I be so foolish...?! How could HE be so foolish?! She's a spy for God's sakes!"
"What?" Sango's surprise was replaced confusion. "Kagome... I don't think you realise how strong an accusation that is-"
"Yes I do - she's a spy - I just found out! And the shifty guy down in the kitchens is a spy too!" Kagome growled. "Go on - ask them and you'll know for certain!"
Miroku had appeared behind Sango. She only had to shoot him one quick meaningful look before he nodded and turned to head off to find some guards to apprehend the suspected spies.
Sango stepped forward to approach Kagome carefully, treating her as a fragile bomb that was threatening to go off at any moment. "Come on Kagome... don't be so hasty as to leave... just wait a while."
"No - I wanna leave right now!" Kagome said firmly, shaking her head and turning to go back to her rooms. "I'll pack and I'll leave and I'll never come back as long as I live!"
Sango caught her wrist. "But you can't - the bridge isn't up yet." Sango told her quickly. "You'd have to wait for the next new moon..."
That was almost a full month away. Kagome quickly realised the flaw in her plan and faltered a little. Some of the irrational impulsiveness left her and she began to feel a little sad... wait... not sad... miserable to the point of depression.
"Sango..." Kagome whimpered slightly as tears began to sting in her eyes and lodge in her throat. Sango pulled her into a tight embrace. "I thought he really liked me..."
Sango gently stroked the younger girl's hair, staring angrily at the wall behind Kagome. What on earth had made Inuyasha act so stupidly...?
^_^
"As it stand right now... if you die, my lord, Sesshomaru will automatically inherit the throne." The first advisor told Inuyasha, slightly annoyed that the King didn't seem to be paying that much attention. "He is you heir in effect."
"Bull." Inuyasha commented from his throne as he tipped his head back and began balancing a stylus brush under his nose.
"My lord..." another advisor continued on after the first gave up with an irritated gasp. The new advisor enunciated each word like it was more important than the last. "We need you to produce an heir! Just one! Girl or boy, it doesn't matter! But as soon as you have a child then the throne inheritance falls from you and your brother's generation to your child's. Sesshomaru will no longer be in the direct line to inherit the throne if you pass away, god have mercy on your soul."
Inuyasha didn't reply, choosing to just ignore this.
"Please tell us you have a suitable bride in mind?" The first advisor pleaded, his hands clasped. He was finding the new ruler a lot more difficult to co-operate with than the last one. "Anyone at all - a peasant or a princess - it matters not which!"
Inuyasha had to refrain from telling them to bite him. He carried on balancing the calligraphy brush instead.
The second advisor looked at the first, looking lost, before turning back to Inuyasha. "Uh... Lady Kagome perhaps?"
"No." Inuyasha replied shortly.
"Then little sister Urami?"
"God no!! She's a fucking spy remember?!" Inuyasha snapped his head towards them so fast that the brush clattered onto the floor and they got a nice eye full of the black bruise which was marring one of his cheeks. They hadn't spotted that before.
"My lord... what happened to your face?" the second advisor asked cautiously.
Inuyasha quickly turned away self-consciously and didn't grace them with a reply. Besides it was his fault anyway. At least now he knew that he shouldn't call Sango names when she refused to let him see Kagome.
Inside, Inuyasha knew that he should be sorry and guilty for what he'd done. After all he'd hurt Kagome and he'd promised himself after Naraku and Kouga had hurt her, that he would beat anyone else who tried it into a bloody pulp. Why wasn't he beating himself into a bloody pulp?
Because he'd done nothing wrong.
Instead of feeling shame and guilt like he'd originally felt yesterday when Kagome had walked in on him and Urami... he felt nothing but anger and... even felt slightly cheated. Kagome had no right to act the way she was acting now. She wouldn't speak to him and she wouldn't forgive him.
Inuyasha felt this was very unfair... considering he'd forgiven Kagome for her dealings with Naraku, why couldn't she forgive him for his dealings with Urami. Besides... it wasn't like he'd known what he was doing. Wasn't locking Urami up in the dungeons good enough for Kagome? How many more apologises could he make?
Well... actually, he hadn't apologised that much. Actually, not at all. But actions spoke louder than words, right? So why couldn't she forgive him yet?
"Uh... your highness?" his advisors glanced worriedly at each other as the King seemed to tune out completely to what they'd been saying. "Our sources say that Sesshomaru may be planning to attack some time soon... what should we do...?"
Inuyasha darted a glance at them, stumped since he hadn't been listening. "Um... jolly good... you do that then."
They stared at him. Inuyasha stared back for a moment before slipping out of the throne and heading towards the doors. "I have to go do something more important, right now - but don't start sending out those wedding invitations!"
"But we finished talking about weddings ten minutes ago!"
Inuyasha ignored them and carried on out the room. He rapidly headed through the palace and out of the main doors to pass through the gates. It had hit him... the one way to get Kagome to talk to him and perhaps forgive him...
He had to get the Shikon no Tama back.
^_^
Half an hour later and Inuyasha was still trying to find the bleeding jewel. He'd stripped down to his waist and removed his shoes... and although it was a warm day - the lake wasn't. He had to surface every couple of minutes to take gulps of air to go back down into the murky depths. He literally couldn't see three inches before his nose. Besides, his eyesight wasn't that good to begin with anyway.
And had anyone actually known that there were Youkai fish in that lake? BIG Youkai fish?!
Inuyasha surfaced for the eleventh time, dragging another fish, the size of a shark, on his arm. He paddled over to the edge of the lake and threw the dead beast into a crude pile he'd made of the beasties he kept bumping into. He rested on the bank there for a moment, trying to catch his breath. That last little brawl under the water had been a close one.
A dainty foot stepped into his line of view and he slowly raised his eyes to see Sango standing above him with Fushi squealing away in her arms. Miroku was stood a short distance away inspecting the pile of dead demons he'd made.
"Planning on making dinner tonight then?" Sango raised an eyebrow at him.
Inuyasha eyed her guardedly. "Maybe."
"You've been at this for ages, we've been watching you from the window." Miroku told him. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you dropped something in there and are trying to find it... either that or this is your crazy new past time that they haven't told me about yet."
"It's none of your business." Inuyasha snapped.
Sango's main concern was the wound on Inuyasha's shoulder. It still hadn't healed completely, and she didn't like him swimming around in a lake with an open wound like that. "Are you sure about this?"
He noticed her eyeing up his wound and snorted. "I'm not a wuss like Miroku - I can take the heat."
"I'm not so worried about the heat... I'm more worried about the cold - you might get pneumonia or something." Sango told him, shifting her son in her arms. "What are you looking for anyway."
"Nothing. Just bog off and go back to the palace where you belong." He admonished.
Sango scowled at him. "That's just plain rude."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, before realising something. If Miroku and Sango were out here... then who was guarding Kagome from Inuyasha? "Where's Kagome?" he asked suddenly, knowing Sango wouldn't leave the girl alone just yet.
Sango suddenly looked nervous. "Um... back in the palace... I think... probably washing her clothes... maybe she's... no - she's with Lady Inu! That's it - yeah! She's with your mother!"
Miroku slapped his head behind her quietly while Inuyasha smiled lightly at the girl. She was a blatant liar. That was evident. "Where is she really?"
"What - I told you the truth." Sango's eyes darted towards the forest.
Inuyasha followed her gaze and looked at the border of trees. Kouga was in that forest... with Kagome. Suddenly Inuyasha clenched his fists and stood up angrily on the bank. "She's with Kouga?!"
"What, are you psychic or something?!" Sango stared at him, wondering how on earth he'd managed to deduce something that quickly.
"Why would Kagome need enemies when she has friends like you Sango." Miroku patted her on the shoulder and Sango sighed in defeat.
"I don't believe this... here I am doing the most generous thing I have ever done in my ENTIRE life and she's off cavorting with the wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha snarled, glaring at the trees.
"Would you stop that?" Sango scolded him. "Kouga was hurt in that battle too - Kagome's just gone to offer him some comfort and some aid."
"Sango - you're too young to understand the kind of 'comfort' she could be offering Kouga right at this very moment!" Inuyasha told her angrily.
Sango looked from him to Fushi flatly. No of course she wouldn't understand what sex was... "You're stupid Inuyasha."
"Jealousy is a powerful force." Miroku said wisely. "Some of the most terrible and awing things in history have been the result of love and jealousy. It's a blinding force."
"Shut up!" Inuyasha was fast losing his temper. "I'm not jealous."
Miroku just smiled slightly, knowing if he continued he'd probably push Inuyasha too far. "Of course you're not jealous. I never said you were."
There was a slight patronising tone in his voice that Inuyasha didn't like. But before he could act out his violent urges he dived back into the lake and went to go comb the muddy bed for that glowing little jewel he knew was down there somewhere.
Miroku glanced down at Sango. "He's totally jealous, right?"
"Right." Sango smirked. "I can't believe he's denying it after all this time. It's so obvious they like each other! Why don't they just give in to it?"
"Because he's too proud and she's too unsure of herself." Miroku sighed deeply. "She's not really confident enough to approach him with her feelings... and he won't approach her with his because he probably doesn't understand them. He's that thick."
"Mm..." Sango murmured her agreement before looking at him sharply. "And stop antagonising him - it doesn't help!"
"I don't antagonise him!" Miroku contrived to look hurt.
Sango rolled her eyes and glanced back over the lake, wondering when Inuyasha was going to surface again. Like speak of the devil he appeared at the surface, coughing to catch his breath.
Miroku couldn't hold it in any longer. "It must be love, lo~ve, love!" he sang out, making Sango burst into sniggers despite her earlier reprimanding.
Miroku quickly had to duck the huge killer fish that was thrown his way.
^_^
"I'm so glad to see you again, Kagome, you don't know how long I've been pining for you." Kouga clasped her hands close to his chest.
Kagome smiled weakly and tried to pull her hands free. "That's nice..."
"You should stay at the camp with us - you must get lonely up there in that palace with only that dog-turd for company." Kouga smirked. "he can't be much fun."
Kagome pulled her hands away sharply and sat down on an unusually low branch of a tree. Kouga sat down fluidly beside her. His injuries obviously hadn't been as grievous as Inuyasha's... but apparently he had been one of the body count as well at that battle. Tenseiga had revived him too. "I'm glad you're ok, Kouga. You healed fast."
"Of course." He scoffed arrogantly. "I'm a full Youkai, unlike that half wit half breed."
"I wish you'd stop calling him that..." Kagome sighed.
"Why? You like him or something?" Kouga asked suspiciously.
Kagome fumbled with her skirts. "Not in the way you think. He's my friend that's all."
Kouga seemed to accept this easily with a carefree shrug. Kagome turned her attention to watching a fungus on the branch beside her. She touched it lightly with a finger, but quickly pulled her hand back sharply when the fungus suddenly grew slightly, spreading further. Kagome held her hands tightly against her lap like they were dangerous weapons... fortunately Kouga hadn't seemed to notice what she'd done. Not that he really noticed anything about her anymore. He hadn't even commented on the fact she'd trimmed her hair again. Typical unobservant man...
Glancing back down at the fungus she sighed. These things had been happening ever since she'd seen Inuyasha with Urami. She didn't know quite what had happened... but Lady Inu had a theory.
Apparently hanging around Kikyo's death place DID have a knock on effect on Kagome. She was picking up traces of the dead Miko's powers and absorbing them into her own. Nothing too crazy like Kikyo's powers... but subtle... and more natural that Kikyo's. Lady Inu reckoned that Kagome's surge of anger must have been similar to that of Kikyo's when she'd died... so Kagome had placed herself on a level with the dead girl.
Kagome didn't want to be on any level with Kikyo. She didn't like Kikyo at all... she didn't want to turn into her copy cat, even though Lady Inu insisted that Kikyo's powers had been highly unnatural and had never bent trees, turfed up turf of caused things to grow from seeds in seconds.
Would Inuyasha see it that way? Or would he assume she was more like Kikyo than ever?
Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes away from the fungus to rest on Kouga who was currently talking to Ginta beside her. She didn't know why she kept thinking of Inuyasha now... well actually she did... she was humiliated and hurt... something she wouldn't forget in a hurry.
She'd really been a fool back then. She'd been reading the signals all wrong... all the time she thought he hated Urami... but thinking back now... Urami and Inuyasha were always together. They came down to supper together, they were always in his rooms together... strangely enough. The girl he'd had in mind had been Urami, not Kagome. And he hadn't been messing about or winding her up when he'd been describing his bride. He'd been describing Urami... there was no doubt about it.
Kagome couldn't suppress the groan at her own embarrassment. Inuyasha didn't feel anything for Kagome... well maybe he did, but not the same way she felt about him. Now he probably thought she was a foolish little love sick idiot. And he wouldn't be completely wrong.
But now Urami was locked up in the dungeons... her anguished screams to be released reached Kagome's ears every time she passed the stairwell leading to the dungeons... she never went down there though. It occurred to Kagome then that Inuyasha was probably hurting again. Urami... the third girl... had turned out to be a traitor.
Inuyasha was probably in terrible pain if he was in love with Urami. Sure he said he hated the girl... but he'd said the same thing about Kikyo and Kagome.
Kagome decided then and there to stop being terse and to stop avoiding him. He needed comfort at a time like this and she was being selfish and steering clear of him. He probably didn't even know why she was upset at him... she just had to put it behind her and let things get back to normal.
Hopefully.
"Listen, Kouga," Kagome stood up, interrupting his conversation with Ginta. "I have to get back to the palace. The sun will be setting soon and I still want to see my way back home."
Kouga could be slow... if not slightly dull. But even he didn't miss the way she was calling the palace her 'home'. He watched her intensely for a moment, making her shift uncertainly under his scrutiny. She still smelled strongly of Inuyasha... even more so than before.
He'd lost his woman...
^_^
"My lord, the spy we placed in the northern palace kitchens has been discovered. He had to make a run for it and has returned... he's reporting that Urami wasn't so lucky... she's been captured and is being held in the dungeons." A soldier bowed formerly before his king. "What are your orders?"
Sesshomaru sighed deeply as he shifted in his seat. It was pathetic really... but he could only blame himself for putting a child like Urami into such an important job. "We'll attack again." He said simply, after a moments thought.
"Very good. I'll go tell the soldiers to prepare for another invasion-" the guard turned to leave but suddenly Sesshomaru stood and raised a hand to silence him.
"No... we're not invading openly this time." Sesshomaru said firmly. "We're going to take the palace by stealth... no warning. Gather only the men you are sure you can trust, and no more than three hundred. We'll travel to the Northern palace and kill anyone we cross. Then we'll overtake the palace step by step."
The soldier he was speaking to looked wary. "Is that not dishonourable."
"Not in the least." Sesshomaru frowned lightly at him, angry at the accusation. "I do not want to risk anyone taking Inuyasha before me this time... and Kagome will be mine for the killing as well."
"Very well." The soldier bowed his way out of the room.
"And remember..." Sesshomaru called after him. "Only gather the men we trust."
^_^
Kagom e hummed lightly under her breath as she made her way back to her rooms. She hadn't bumped into any of her friends yet, and she didn't really plan on seeking them out. She just wanted some alone time to think. Perhaps get some well needed sleep.
She pushed open her door and stepped inside. She stopped at once as she saw Inuyasha sit up on her bed and stare openly at her. For a moment all she could do was blink back at him in surprise before the image of him kissing Urami came to mind and her anger soared. She had to fight it back down and forced herself to remain calm. He was hurting, right? She shouldn't get mad at him... just offer him comfort and take what affection she could get off him.
Inuyasha watched her with growing curiosity as a wide range of emotions passed over her face, finally ending in a light smile and attentive eyes. "Did you want something?"
Wasn't she mad at him? "Um... I just wanted to talk to you I guess..." though if she wasn't mad at him then there was really no need to talk.
"Inuyasha, let me just say I know how you feel." Kagome moved to sit down on the bed edge beside him.
"You do?" Inuyasha was totally non-plussed.
"I do... I know how hard it is to lose someone you love... for them to abandon you for something greater..." She sighed. "I had Kouga remember."
Inuyasha stared at her before frowning. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Kagome blinked at him. "You and Urami? Aren't you upset that she's betrayed you?"
"Yes - I'm fucking angry, that's what!" Inuyasha burst out.
Kagome sighed and patted his arm. "It's ok, there's no need to pretend with me. Just let it all out, it feels good to cry. It's the first step to feeling better, trust me. Don't bottle the pain up inside and leave it to fester."
"What did you do, fall over and hit your head on you way back from Kouga's?!" Inuyasha scowled at her. "You're making no sense whatsoever!"
"But you were in love with Urami!" Kagome protested. "Why aren't you going to allow yourself to express your pain - you need to let it-"
"Hold on! You think I was in love with Urami?" Inuyasha snorted. "That's a good one. Tell me another."
"What?" Kagome drew back a bit. "But... you were kissing her... you were... you were always talking about her... I thought you loved her!"
"I hated her!"
"Then why would you kiss her?!" Kagome's anger beginning to rise as she saw no reason to be nice to him anymore.
"I don't know - it was just heat of the moment! I was still getting over that illness!"
"You kissed her out of the heat of the moment?" Kagome stood up angrily to glare down at him. "What are you, Miroku?!"
"How dare you compare me to him!" Inuyasha stood as well to keep her from towering over him.
"Right now I don't see the difference! You couldn't have me so you transfer your lust to Urami instead! You seem to leap on every sweet face you see!"
"I do not! I don't leap on your sweet face do I?!"
The both blushed as they took what he'd said into consideration. They suddenly realised their proximity to one another and took a few steps to put a good distance between them.
"No... you don't..." Kagome said, moving some more so she could put the bed between them. "But why did you kiss her if you hate her?!"
"Because I was thinking of you the whole time!" Inuyasha snapped, hoping that would clinch it. If she knew he'd been picturing her the whole time she'd be happy, right?
Wrong.
"What?! You pervert!" Kagome stomped her foot. "I couldn't be there to take your passions out on so you jumped to Urami instead who just happened to be around to relieve you!"
"You make it sound so dirty!"
"Because it IS dirty!"
"But what about you, huh?!" Inuyasha challenged, jabbing a finger in her direction. "The minute you hear me kissing someone else - which by the way was a mistake and I never intended for it to happen - you go running off to your little lover boy in the forest who will always be there to offer you a comforting mouth to fall on!"
"How dare you?!" Kagome shrieked. "I can't believe you think I still love Kouga! I do NOT love him! How many times do I have to tell you?!"
"You don't have to love someone to sleep with them just to get back at me!" Inuyasha snapped accusingly.
Kagome's blood boiled with pure anger and she marched open to the door and threw it back. "Get out now! If you think I'm that low then you don't know me at all! Go on! Leave!"
Inuyasha glared a moment before stomping over to the door. He looked like he was going to stomp straight out, but he stopped beside her and dug a hand into the fold of his shirt. Kagome watched him suspiciously, ready to scream if he tried something.
But he completely surprised her when he grabbed her hand and slapped something he'd pulled from his shirt into her palm. With that he didn't even acknowledge any other parting farewell as he stormed out.
Kagome looked down at the object in her hand. The anger leaving her in a heartbeat. She was holding the Shikon no Tama.
How had he gotten it...?
Suddenly she burst into motion and flew out of the room after Inuyasha. He'd already gone inside his own room so she threw back the door and swept straight over to him. He turned in surprise as she entered. "Do you think you can just dump something like this on me without any warning?" she said as she approached.
Inuyasha wanted to step back, but he didn't want to appear weaker, so he stood strong, ready to fight it out with her again if need be. That's why it totally threw him when she launched herself into him and clutched her arms around his neck to give him the happiest hug she'd ever given anyone.
"Thank you!" Kagome cried into his shoulder with a big grin. "You have no idea how much this means to me..."
Inuyasha relaxed with relief. She wasn't angry anymore. He smiled slightly as he returned her embrace, sharing in the happiness that seemed to rub off on him.
"How did you get it?" she drew back slightly to see him.
"Well... Sango had it, actually..." Inuyasha was still a little stumped that she had forgiven him so easily. "It's a long story."
"You can tell me later." Kagome pulled him back into a fierce hug and practically squealed with delight. "You're the best friend I've ever had!"
Well. He'd solved that little fiasco. All without apologising once.
Hang on... JUST a best friend?
AN: Next chapter - 'Marry Me' !!!!!!^____^!!!!!
So ul Exchange
Transferred Love
< br>
A loud rumbling boom rolled through the palace, shaking the foundations again and rattling the ornaments on the tables and mantels. Lady Inu rolled her eyes to where Sango sat on the bed. "I wonder what made him mad this time?"
"Inuyasha really needs to learn how to control his temper..." Sango sighed, continuing to fold Lady Inu's clothes without a break, even when something rolled off the table beside her and smashed on the ground. "Damn... and I just had that pot re-varnished for you..."
However... it wasn't Inuyasha who was the cause of the crashes this time.
^_^
Her fists trembled with outrage as she watched Inuyasha slowly fumble his way off of Urami. He looked slightly confused with what was going on, and not with it at all. Urami simply stretched as Inuyasha's weight left her, and rolled onto her stomach to eye Kagome. "Back already? Did you stop Fushi from crying?"
Kagome's humiliation only soared with Urami's casual attitude, like what she'd been doing with Inuyasha was perfectly acceptable and normal. But by then Inuyasha was beginning to regain his senses somewhat, and what he'd just done dawned on him slowly... dread quickly replacing his confusion. He shot Urami a dirty look before glancing at Kagome, anxious to gauge her reaction.
Kagome locked gazes with him at that moment. He saw her anger flash to new heights. She saw a look of incredible guilt pass over him. Something inside her snapped. She was fed up. She'd had enough of these silly games. She wanted out and she was going to GET out.
"Bye." Kagome whirled around with an unusually light tone that belied her expression.
Inuyasha and Urami watched in surprise as she headed back to the palace with even a small bounce in her step. Inuyasha had at least expected her to burst out into tears and run away... or stay and bitch slap either him or Urami... or maybe even both.
But no. She didn't cry and she didn't look too mad from this angle. She looked... if anything... relieved...
"That bitch!" he suddenly burst out and stood up angrily. How dare Kagome act so careless? As though him kissing Urami meant nothing to her?! She was obviously angry - so why did she run away - he wanted her to stay and argue this out.
Urami stood up beside him meekly. "My lord-"
Inuyasha spun on her and grabbed her by the ear. "You! You are forbidden from entering my rooms ever again - you can remain a maid but you're not MY chamber maid anymore! I'd kick you out but I'm sure my mother would employ you again - so just STAY out of my WAY! Got that?!"
"Yes!" Urami gasped as he twisted her ear.
"Good!" he snarled and turned to drag her back to the palace. He caught sight of Kagome arriving at the gates a small distance away... what he saw made him draw to a halt.
In Kagome's path lay... quite a substantial trail of destruction. Two trees that she'd passed had leaned over, away from her... not broken... but just bent another way. The grass that she'd walked on was now churned into mud and rocks protruding from the earth like they'd been pulled upwards into jagged points by a magnet.
And even then the gates shuddered as Kagome stomped through them, and she threw the doors to palace back so violently that they smashed against the wall and caused an echoing rumble to resound. Inuyasha and Urami looked on in shock.
"Shit..." Inuyasha murmured.
"How did she do that? How can she do that?" Urami babbled. "That's impossible - she's just a human-"
"Shut up!" Inuyasha yanked her ear and began to drag her back to the palace, keeping to the side of Kagome's disturbed path. He really couldn't follow this at all.
But in a way, it only proved that Kagome really was just Kikyo's cousin.
^_^
"Oh look... he's making spit bubbles." Miroku pointed into the small cot.
"Miroku... even YOU make spit bubbles when you sleep." Sango told him quietly.
"Yeah, but it's cuter on the baby."
Someone stormed past the doorway and both Miroku and Sango looked up at the empty doorway. Sango was quicker, and had recognised the Kagome shaped blur at once. She left Miroku's side by the cot and hurried to the door to poke her head out and look down the corridor at Kagome's retreating blur. "Kagome?! What's the matter? Where're you going?"
Kagome stopped at the sound of Sango's voice, and the other girl saw her head drop slightly and her shoulders slump in momentary defeat... but she suddenly squared herself up and turned around with a determined look. "I'm going to pack."
"Pack?" Sango took a few steps out into the corridor. "Why? Where are you going?"
"Home."
"You have one?"
"Yes!" Kagome nodded defiantly. "I refuse to stick around here and just be humiliated again and again!"
"Oh jeez... what did Inuyasha do this time?" Sango sighed.
"He was kissing Urami!"
"What?!" Sango exploded, gaping at Kagome with shock. "How?! When?!"
"Just now!" Kagome's fists balled again and she glared hotly at the ground between them. "How could I be so foolish...?! How could HE be so foolish?! She's a spy for God's sakes!"
"What?" Sango's surprise was replaced confusion. "Kagome... I don't think you realise how strong an accusation that is-"
"Yes I do - she's a spy - I just found out! And the shifty guy down in the kitchens is a spy too!" Kagome growled. "Go on - ask them and you'll know for certain!"
Miroku had appeared behind Sango. She only had to shoot him one quick meaningful look before he nodded and turned to head off to find some guards to apprehend the suspected spies.
Sango stepped forward to approach Kagome carefully, treating her as a fragile bomb that was threatening to go off at any moment. "Come on Kagome... don't be so hasty as to leave... just wait a while."
"No - I wanna leave right now!" Kagome said firmly, shaking her head and turning to go back to her rooms. "I'll pack and I'll leave and I'll never come back as long as I live!"
Sango caught her wrist. "But you can't - the bridge isn't up yet." Sango told her quickly. "You'd have to wait for the next new moon..."
That was almost a full month away. Kagome quickly realised the flaw in her plan and faltered a little. Some of the irrational impulsiveness left her and she began to feel a little sad... wait... not sad... miserable to the point of depression.
"Sango..." Kagome whimpered slightly as tears began to sting in her eyes and lodge in her throat. Sango pulled her into a tight embrace. "I thought he really liked me..."
Sango gently stroked the younger girl's hair, staring angrily at the wall behind Kagome. What on earth had made Inuyasha act so stupidly...?
^_^
"As it stand right now... if you die, my lord, Sesshomaru will automatically inherit the throne." The first advisor told Inuyasha, slightly annoyed that the King didn't seem to be paying that much attention. "He is you heir in effect."
"Bull." Inuyasha commented from his throne as he tipped his head back and began balancing a stylus brush under his nose.
"My lord..." another advisor continued on after the first gave up with an irritated gasp. The new advisor enunciated each word like it was more important than the last. "We need you to produce an heir! Just one! Girl or boy, it doesn't matter! But as soon as you have a child then the throne inheritance falls from you and your brother's generation to your child's. Sesshomaru will no longer be in the direct line to inherit the throne if you pass away, god have mercy on your soul."
Inuyasha didn't reply, choosing to just ignore this.
"Please tell us you have a suitable bride in mind?" The first advisor pleaded, his hands clasped. He was finding the new ruler a lot more difficult to co-operate with than the last one. "Anyone at all - a peasant or a princess - it matters not which!"
Inuyasha had to refrain from telling them to bite him. He carried on balancing the calligraphy brush instead.
The second advisor looked at the first, looking lost, before turning back to Inuyasha. "Uh... Lady Kagome perhaps?"
"No." Inuyasha replied shortly.
"Then little sister Urami?"
"God no!! She's a fucking spy remember?!" Inuyasha snapped his head towards them so fast that the brush clattered onto the floor and they got a nice eye full of the black bruise which was marring one of his cheeks. They hadn't spotted that before.
"My lord... what happened to your face?" the second advisor asked cautiously.
Inuyasha quickly turned away self-consciously and didn't grace them with a reply. Besides it was his fault anyway. At least now he knew that he shouldn't call Sango names when she refused to let him see Kagome.
Inside, Inuyasha knew that he should be sorry and guilty for what he'd done. After all he'd hurt Kagome and he'd promised himself after Naraku and Kouga had hurt her, that he would beat anyone else who tried it into a bloody pulp. Why wasn't he beating himself into a bloody pulp?
Because he'd done nothing wrong.
Instead of feeling shame and guilt like he'd originally felt yesterday when Kagome had walked in on him and Urami... he felt nothing but anger and... even felt slightly cheated. Kagome had no right to act the way she was acting now. She wouldn't speak to him and she wouldn't forgive him.
Inuyasha felt this was very unfair... considering he'd forgiven Kagome for her dealings with Naraku, why couldn't she forgive him for his dealings with Urami. Besides... it wasn't like he'd known what he was doing. Wasn't locking Urami up in the dungeons good enough for Kagome? How many more apologises could he make?
Well... actually, he hadn't apologised that much. Actually, not at all. But actions spoke louder than words, right? So why couldn't she forgive him yet?
"Uh... your highness?" his advisors glanced worriedly at each other as the King seemed to tune out completely to what they'd been saying. "Our sources say that Sesshomaru may be planning to attack some time soon... what should we do...?"
Inuyasha darted a glance at them, stumped since he hadn't been listening. "Um... jolly good... you do that then."
They stared at him. Inuyasha stared back for a moment before slipping out of the throne and heading towards the doors. "I have to go do something more important, right now - but don't start sending out those wedding invitations!"
"But we finished talking about weddings ten minutes ago!"
Inuyasha ignored them and carried on out the room. He rapidly headed through the palace and out of the main doors to pass through the gates. It had hit him... the one way to get Kagome to talk to him and perhaps forgive him...
He had to get the Shikon no Tama back.
^_^
Half an hour later and Inuyasha was still trying to find the bleeding jewel. He'd stripped down to his waist and removed his shoes... and although it was a warm day - the lake wasn't. He had to surface every couple of minutes to take gulps of air to go back down into the murky depths. He literally couldn't see three inches before his nose. Besides, his eyesight wasn't that good to begin with anyway.
And had anyone actually known that there were Youkai fish in that lake? BIG Youkai fish?!
Inuyasha surfaced for the eleventh time, dragging another fish, the size of a shark, on his arm. He paddled over to the edge of the lake and threw the dead beast into a crude pile he'd made of the beasties he kept bumping into. He rested on the bank there for a moment, trying to catch his breath. That last little brawl under the water had been a close one.
A dainty foot stepped into his line of view and he slowly raised his eyes to see Sango standing above him with Fushi squealing away in her arms. Miroku was stood a short distance away inspecting the pile of dead demons he'd made.
"Planning on making dinner tonight then?" Sango raised an eyebrow at him.
Inuyasha eyed her guardedly. "Maybe."
"You've been at this for ages, we've been watching you from the window." Miroku told him. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you dropped something in there and are trying to find it... either that or this is your crazy new past time that they haven't told me about yet."
"It's none of your business." Inuyasha snapped.
Sango's main concern was the wound on Inuyasha's shoulder. It still hadn't healed completely, and she didn't like him swimming around in a lake with an open wound like that. "Are you sure about this?"
He noticed her eyeing up his wound and snorted. "I'm not a wuss like Miroku - I can take the heat."
"I'm not so worried about the heat... I'm more worried about the cold - you might get pneumonia or something." Sango told him, shifting her son in her arms. "What are you looking for anyway."
"Nothing. Just bog off and go back to the palace where you belong." He admonished.
Sango scowled at him. "That's just plain rude."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, before realising something. If Miroku and Sango were out here... then who was guarding Kagome from Inuyasha? "Where's Kagome?" he asked suddenly, knowing Sango wouldn't leave the girl alone just yet.
Sango suddenly looked nervous. "Um... back in the palace... I think... probably washing her clothes... maybe she's... no - she's with Lady Inu! That's it - yeah! She's with your mother!"
Miroku slapped his head behind her quietly while Inuyasha smiled lightly at the girl. She was a blatant liar. That was evident. "Where is she really?"
"What - I told you the truth." Sango's eyes darted towards the forest.
Inuyasha followed her gaze and looked at the border of trees. Kouga was in that forest... with Kagome. Suddenly Inuyasha clenched his fists and stood up angrily on the bank. "She's with Kouga?!"
"What, are you psychic or something?!" Sango stared at him, wondering how on earth he'd managed to deduce something that quickly.
"Why would Kagome need enemies when she has friends like you Sango." Miroku patted her on the shoulder and Sango sighed in defeat.
"I don't believe this... here I am doing the most generous thing I have ever done in my ENTIRE life and she's off cavorting with the wimpy wolf!" Inuyasha snarled, glaring at the trees.
"Would you stop that?" Sango scolded him. "Kouga was hurt in that battle too - Kagome's just gone to offer him some comfort and some aid."
"Sango - you're too young to understand the kind of 'comfort' she could be offering Kouga right at this very moment!" Inuyasha told her angrily.
Sango looked from him to Fushi flatly. No of course she wouldn't understand what sex was... "You're stupid Inuyasha."
"Jealousy is a powerful force." Miroku said wisely. "Some of the most terrible and awing things in history have been the result of love and jealousy. It's a blinding force."
"Shut up!" Inuyasha was fast losing his temper. "I'm not jealous."
Miroku just smiled slightly, knowing if he continued he'd probably push Inuyasha too far. "Of course you're not jealous. I never said you were."
There was a slight patronising tone in his voice that Inuyasha didn't like. But before he could act out his violent urges he dived back into the lake and went to go comb the muddy bed for that glowing little jewel he knew was down there somewhere.
Miroku glanced down at Sango. "He's totally jealous, right?"
"Right." Sango smirked. "I can't believe he's denying it after all this time. It's so obvious they like each other! Why don't they just give in to it?"
"Because he's too proud and she's too unsure of herself." Miroku sighed deeply. "She's not really confident enough to approach him with her feelings... and he won't approach her with his because he probably doesn't understand them. He's that thick."
"Mm..." Sango murmured her agreement before looking at him sharply. "And stop antagonising him - it doesn't help!"
"I don't antagonise him!" Miroku contrived to look hurt.
Sango rolled her eyes and glanced back over the lake, wondering when Inuyasha was going to surface again. Like speak of the devil he appeared at the surface, coughing to catch his breath.
Miroku couldn't hold it in any longer. "It must be love, lo~ve, love!" he sang out, making Sango burst into sniggers despite her earlier reprimanding.
Miroku quickly had to duck the huge killer fish that was thrown his way.
^_^
"I'm so glad to see you again, Kagome, you don't know how long I've been pining for you." Kouga clasped her hands close to his chest.
Kagome smiled weakly and tried to pull her hands free. "That's nice..."
"You should stay at the camp with us - you must get lonely up there in that palace with only that dog-turd for company." Kouga smirked. "he can't be much fun."
Kagome pulled her hands away sharply and sat down on an unusually low branch of a tree. Kouga sat down fluidly beside her. His injuries obviously hadn't been as grievous as Inuyasha's... but apparently he had been one of the body count as well at that battle. Tenseiga had revived him too. "I'm glad you're ok, Kouga. You healed fast."
"Of course." He scoffed arrogantly. "I'm a full Youkai, unlike that half wit half breed."
"I wish you'd stop calling him that..." Kagome sighed.
"Why? You like him or something?" Kouga asked suspiciously.
Kagome fumbled with her skirts. "Not in the way you think. He's my friend that's all."
Kouga seemed to accept this easily with a carefree shrug. Kagome turned her attention to watching a fungus on the branch beside her. She touched it lightly with a finger, but quickly pulled her hand back sharply when the fungus suddenly grew slightly, spreading further. Kagome held her hands tightly against her lap like they were dangerous weapons... fortunately Kouga hadn't seemed to notice what she'd done. Not that he really noticed anything about her anymore. He hadn't even commented on the fact she'd trimmed her hair again. Typical unobservant man...
Glancing back down at the fungus she sighed. These things had been happening ever since she'd seen Inuyasha with Urami. She didn't know quite what had happened... but Lady Inu had a theory.
Apparently hanging around Kikyo's death place DID have a knock on effect on Kagome. She was picking up traces of the dead Miko's powers and absorbing them into her own. Nothing too crazy like Kikyo's powers... but subtle... and more natural that Kikyo's. Lady Inu reckoned that Kagome's surge of anger must have been similar to that of Kikyo's when she'd died... so Kagome had placed herself on a level with the dead girl.
Kagome didn't want to be on any level with Kikyo. She didn't like Kikyo at all... she didn't want to turn into her copy cat, even though Lady Inu insisted that Kikyo's powers had been highly unnatural and had never bent trees, turfed up turf of caused things to grow from seeds in seconds.
Would Inuyasha see it that way? Or would he assume she was more like Kikyo than ever?
Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes away from the fungus to rest on Kouga who was currently talking to Ginta beside her. She didn't know why she kept thinking of Inuyasha now... well actually she did... she was humiliated and hurt... something she wouldn't forget in a hurry.
She'd really been a fool back then. She'd been reading the signals all wrong... all the time she thought he hated Urami... but thinking back now... Urami and Inuyasha were always together. They came down to supper together, they were always in his rooms together... strangely enough. The girl he'd had in mind had been Urami, not Kagome. And he hadn't been messing about or winding her up when he'd been describing his bride. He'd been describing Urami... there was no doubt about it.
Kagome couldn't suppress the groan at her own embarrassment. Inuyasha didn't feel anything for Kagome... well maybe he did, but not the same way she felt about him. Now he probably thought she was a foolish little love sick idiot. And he wouldn't be completely wrong.
But now Urami was locked up in the dungeons... her anguished screams to be released reached Kagome's ears every time she passed the stairwell leading to the dungeons... she never went down there though. It occurred to Kagome then that Inuyasha was probably hurting again. Urami... the third girl... had turned out to be a traitor.
Inuyasha was probably in terrible pain if he was in love with Urami. Sure he said he hated the girl... but he'd said the same thing about Kikyo and Kagome.
Kagome decided then and there to stop being terse and to stop avoiding him. He needed comfort at a time like this and she was being selfish and steering clear of him. He probably didn't even know why she was upset at him... she just had to put it behind her and let things get back to normal.
Hopefully.
"Listen, Kouga," Kagome stood up, interrupting his conversation with Ginta. "I have to get back to the palace. The sun will be setting soon and I still want to see my way back home."
Kouga could be slow... if not slightly dull. But even he didn't miss the way she was calling the palace her 'home'. He watched her intensely for a moment, making her shift uncertainly under his scrutiny. She still smelled strongly of Inuyasha... even more so than before.
He'd lost his woman...
^_^
"My lord, the spy we placed in the northern palace kitchens has been discovered. He had to make a run for it and has returned... he's reporting that Urami wasn't so lucky... she's been captured and is being held in the dungeons." A soldier bowed formerly before his king. "What are your orders?"
Sesshomaru sighed deeply as he shifted in his seat. It was pathetic really... but he could only blame himself for putting a child like Urami into such an important job. "We'll attack again." He said simply, after a moments thought.
"Very good. I'll go tell the soldiers to prepare for another invasion-" the guard turned to leave but suddenly Sesshomaru stood and raised a hand to silence him.
"No... we're not invading openly this time." Sesshomaru said firmly. "We're going to take the palace by stealth... no warning. Gather only the men you are sure you can trust, and no more than three hundred. We'll travel to the Northern palace and kill anyone we cross. Then we'll overtake the palace step by step."
The soldier he was speaking to looked wary. "Is that not dishonourable."
"Not in the least." Sesshomaru frowned lightly at him, angry at the accusation. "I do not want to risk anyone taking Inuyasha before me this time... and Kagome will be mine for the killing as well."
"Very well." The soldier bowed his way out of the room.
"And remember..." Sesshomaru called after him. "Only gather the men we trust."
^_^
Kagom e hummed lightly under her breath as she made her way back to her rooms. She hadn't bumped into any of her friends yet, and she didn't really plan on seeking them out. She just wanted some alone time to think. Perhaps get some well needed sleep.
She pushed open her door and stepped inside. She stopped at once as she saw Inuyasha sit up on her bed and stare openly at her. For a moment all she could do was blink back at him in surprise before the image of him kissing Urami came to mind and her anger soared. She had to fight it back down and forced herself to remain calm. He was hurting, right? She shouldn't get mad at him... just offer him comfort and take what affection she could get off him.
Inuyasha watched her with growing curiosity as a wide range of emotions passed over her face, finally ending in a light smile and attentive eyes. "Did you want something?"
Wasn't she mad at him? "Um... I just wanted to talk to you I guess..." though if she wasn't mad at him then there was really no need to talk.
"Inuyasha, let me just say I know how you feel." Kagome moved to sit down on the bed edge beside him.
"You do?" Inuyasha was totally non-plussed.
"I do... I know how hard it is to lose someone you love... for them to abandon you for something greater..." She sighed. "I had Kouga remember."
Inuyasha stared at her before frowning. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Kagome blinked at him. "You and Urami? Aren't you upset that she's betrayed you?"
"Yes - I'm fucking angry, that's what!" Inuyasha burst out.
Kagome sighed and patted his arm. "It's ok, there's no need to pretend with me. Just let it all out, it feels good to cry. It's the first step to feeling better, trust me. Don't bottle the pain up inside and leave it to fester."
"What did you do, fall over and hit your head on you way back from Kouga's?!" Inuyasha scowled at her. "You're making no sense whatsoever!"
"But you were in love with Urami!" Kagome protested. "Why aren't you going to allow yourself to express your pain - you need to let it-"
"Hold on! You think I was in love with Urami?" Inuyasha snorted. "That's a good one. Tell me another."
"What?" Kagome drew back a bit. "But... you were kissing her... you were... you were always talking about her... I thought you loved her!"
"I hated her!"
"Then why would you kiss her?!" Kagome's anger beginning to rise as she saw no reason to be nice to him anymore.
"I don't know - it was just heat of the moment! I was still getting over that illness!"
"You kissed her out of the heat of the moment?" Kagome stood up angrily to glare down at him. "What are you, Miroku?!"
"How dare you compare me to him!" Inuyasha stood as well to keep her from towering over him.
"Right now I don't see the difference! You couldn't have me so you transfer your lust to Urami instead! You seem to leap on every sweet face you see!"
"I do not! I don't leap on your sweet face do I?!"
The both blushed as they took what he'd said into consideration. They suddenly realised their proximity to one another and took a few steps to put a good distance between them.
"No... you don't..." Kagome said, moving some more so she could put the bed between them. "But why did you kiss her if you hate her?!"
"Because I was thinking of you the whole time!" Inuyasha snapped, hoping that would clinch it. If she knew he'd been picturing her the whole time she'd be happy, right?
Wrong.
"What?! You pervert!" Kagome stomped her foot. "I couldn't be there to take your passions out on so you jumped to Urami instead who just happened to be around to relieve you!"
"You make it sound so dirty!"
"Because it IS dirty!"
"But what about you, huh?!" Inuyasha challenged, jabbing a finger in her direction. "The minute you hear me kissing someone else - which by the way was a mistake and I never intended for it to happen - you go running off to your little lover boy in the forest who will always be there to offer you a comforting mouth to fall on!"
"How dare you?!" Kagome shrieked. "I can't believe you think I still love Kouga! I do NOT love him! How many times do I have to tell you?!"
"You don't have to love someone to sleep with them just to get back at me!" Inuyasha snapped accusingly.
Kagome's blood boiled with pure anger and she marched open to the door and threw it back. "Get out now! If you think I'm that low then you don't know me at all! Go on! Leave!"
Inuyasha glared a moment before stomping over to the door. He looked like he was going to stomp straight out, but he stopped beside her and dug a hand into the fold of his shirt. Kagome watched him suspiciously, ready to scream if he tried something.
But he completely surprised her when he grabbed her hand and slapped something he'd pulled from his shirt into her palm. With that he didn't even acknowledge any other parting farewell as he stormed out.
Kagome looked down at the object in her hand. The anger leaving her in a heartbeat. She was holding the Shikon no Tama.
How had he gotten it...?
Suddenly she burst into motion and flew out of the room after Inuyasha. He'd already gone inside his own room so she threw back the door and swept straight over to him. He turned in surprise as she entered. "Do you think you can just dump something like this on me without any warning?" she said as she approached.
Inuyasha wanted to step back, but he didn't want to appear weaker, so he stood strong, ready to fight it out with her again if need be. That's why it totally threw him when she launched herself into him and clutched her arms around his neck to give him the happiest hug she'd ever given anyone.
"Thank you!" Kagome cried into his shoulder with a big grin. "You have no idea how much this means to me..."
Inuyasha relaxed with relief. She wasn't angry anymore. He smiled slightly as he returned her embrace, sharing in the happiness that seemed to rub off on him.
"How did you get it?" she drew back slightly to see him.
"Well... Sango had it, actually..." Inuyasha was still a little stumped that she had forgiven him so easily. "It's a long story."
"You can tell me later." Kagome pulled him back into a fierce hug and practically squealed with delight. "You're the best friend I've ever had!"
Well. He'd solved that little fiasco. All without apologising once.
Hang on... JUST a best friend?
AN: Next chapter - 'Marry Me' !!!!!!^____^!!!!!