InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Starlight ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Starlight

Chapter 2

Kagome woke up the next morning just as the sun's rays were beginning to color the sky. She sat up on her elbows and smiled up at the rosy streaks.

"Nice morning." She said aloud, then felt foolish as she remembered she was alone. The previous day's events flooded back to her and the morning suddenly felt less cheerful. (Just get going. As soon as you talk to someone, you'll feel better.) Pushing off the grass, Kagome stood up and brushed off her kimono.

Walking over the field, she stopped before the edge of the forest. Slowly turning she scanned the field. (Of course he wouldn't come to find me. Not after...) Her eyes fell to the grass below. (What could he be thinking, finding me and his brother in the same spring?) A blush rose to her cheeks, as though to spite her mood. (And neither of us even dressed!) Catching herself picturing Sesshomaru's sculpted chest, she clapped her hands loudly in front of her. (What's the matter with you?! Stop that!) Turning on heel, furious she had caught herself thinking about the older brother of the man she was mad at, Kagome stormed off into the forest.

* * *

"Kagome!" Shippo yelled as he jumped up on her, nuzzling into her neck. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Shippo..." She hugged him and gently pulled him off to kiss his cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm okay..." He quickly looked away, hiding something.

Kagome smiled slyly. "Are you going to tell me how you've been really doing, or am I going to have to tickle it out of you?"

Shippo's eyes widened and he let out a high laugh as Kagome attacked his ribs. "No! No! Stop!" He yelled in between laughs.

"Shippo, what are you- Kagome!" Sango's voice sounded from her left and Kagome looked up to see her friend walking quickly toward her.

"Hey Sango..." Kagome set Shippo down and embraced her, leaning over the rounded belly between them. Kagome put a gentle hand over Sango's abdomen and smiled. "How much longer?"

Sango smiled widely. "Still a long while, but Miroku seems to think it will come any day now." She and Kagome shared a laugh. But Sango stopped after a few moments and looked at Kagome seriously. "Kagome, we should go inside. We have to talk."

Taken aback by the sudden change in mood, Kagome took her friend's hand. "What is it? Has anything happened?"

Sango smiled and led her towards the house. "No, nothing serious." She paused before pulling aside the door. "At least I hope it's nothing serious." She added quietly.

Still worried, Kagome followed her inside, and raised her hand to greet Miroku, but let her hand fall as she saw who he was with. "Inuyasha."

* * *

Sesshomaru awoke with a start and looked around to see what had awoken him. A frown pulled at his lips. (I know what.) It was the second time he had tried to sleep and the second time he had seen the scene in the hot springs play out before his closed eyes. But the second time had gone too far. (I touched her. I touched that human!) Slamming his claws into the ground, a wisp of smoke unfurled by his side, the grass melted away. He had touched her, ran a claw down the small of her back, making her shudder and turn to him. (What if I hadn't woken up? Would I have-) He stopped the thought and dug nails further into the now-soft ground beside him. His poison evoked a sizzle and more smoke drifted skywards. (How could I let myself-)

"Lord Sesshomaru, you are awake! Did you sleep well?" Jaken asked loudly and ran in front of him. Rin looked up from the field.

"No, Jaken. Leave me. Now." Sesshomaru carefully reigned in his anger. (This...problem will become a nuisance all too soon. I must keep control of these accursed dreams.)

"Did you have a bad dream?" Sesshomaru looked up at Rin's voice. A look of concern was etched onto her face, an oddly adult expression on such a small child.

"Yes. Did you find any new flowers while I was asleep?"

Rin smiled, her concern overcome. "Yes!" She pulled a small bound book from her pocket. Opening it up, she flipped pages and held it out for her caretaker to see. "I found this one, and this one is new..."

* * *

"Kagome." Inuyasha acknowledged, not looking at her.

"Inuyasha stop it right now." Miroku said angrily. "You two need to talk, and there's no sense in you getting mad already." He stood up. "We are going to leave you two alone, but if I hear-"

"Miroku.." Sango interrupted gently, and he looked at her, calming down. Turning to Kagome, Sango put her hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "Just don't yell at him too much." And left quietly. Miroku gave Kagome a slight smile and followed, concern heavy in his eyes.

Suddenly alone with Inuyasha, Kagome stepped towards him and sat down. "Inuyasha, I-"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Inuyasha said quietly, still not meeting her eyes. "I just...I..." He struggled for words and finally turned towards her. "I'm sorry."

The misery in his eyes pulled Kagome closer to him. "I know." At a loss of words herself, silence reigned for a moment.

"There's nothing more I can do, but keep saying I'm sorry. I was a...not even `idiot' could cover what I did to you." He closed his eyes and looked away. "I just, I just saw you there, in the water, and I wanted you, but..." His voice strained, and he pulled in a heavy breath. "Nothing can explain how stupid I was. I just, wanted...you. I wanted you and couldn't stop it." His ears drooped and he still couldn't meet her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Emotion pulled behind Kagome's eyes but she schooled it back. "Inuyasha, look at me." Timidly, he complied. Gently, she cupped his face in her hands. "Inuyasha, there's nothing I can really say that would help you right now, except that...I forgive you." A faint light struck in his eyes. "I forgive you with all my heart, and even though I can't give you the..." She searched for the word. "Closeness you seem to need, I really want to stay by you." Inuyasha's eyes returned to their usual gleam and he smiled weakly.

"Thank you, Kagome."

Kagome smiled in return. "Just try to hold onto it, okay?" She laughed lightly and poked his shoulder.

Inuyasha held his lopsided smile and rolled his eyes. "I'll try..." His smile faltered. "But, I would just like to know what you and Sesshomaru were doing with each other."

"What were we doing?" Kagome's laugh escaped into her words. "I didn't even know he was there until he jumped out."

Masked suspicion still lurked behind Inuyasha's eyes and Kagome snorted with laughter. Frowning, Inuyasha leaned forward. "So, you weren't..." His eyes wandered briefly. "Doing anything?"

Kagome's laugh stopped as irritation crept up. "No, I told you we weren't."

"And you didn't even know he was there?"

"I told you, no!"

"Why are you acting so defensive?!"

"Why do you keep pushing it?!"

"Why not?! If you've really got nothing to hide-"

Kagome jumped up and yelled down at him. "The only thing I have to hide is how completely sick I am of every conversation we have ending up as an argument!" Her hands balled to fists at her sides. "I'm sick of feeling that your standards keep getting higher every day!"

"My standards?!" Inuyasha jumped up. "What about my standards?! This has nothing to do with Kikyo!"

"Wha-" Kagome, caught off guard by the statement, was silent for a moment. Then her voice slowly returned to a shout. "You know, interesting how you jump to Kikyo when I wasn't even talking about her!"

Realizing his mistake, Inuyasha's eyes darted around, as if looking for a way out. "Yeah...you were. You were talking about my standards and-"

"And your standards include comparing me to Kikyo." Kagome finished bitterly. `No they don't, do they?'

Inuyasha stomped forward, jarring Kagome's thoughts. "Well, how the hell am I not supposed to?! Everyday, everything you-" Realizing what he said, he stopped short, and backed up. "No-I mean...you-"

Closing her eyes, Kagome's heart fell. "I know. Inuyasha, I know."

"No...you're-you're not-"

"Just stop now. Just stop it." Kagome made her way over to the door. "I can't do this anymore. Goodbye." She bit her lip. "Don't follow me this time." And she slid open the door and left, leaving a dazed Inuyasha standing unsteadily in the middle of the room.

Kagome leaned against the door, ignoring the worried stares of her friends. (Love...shouldn't do this to me.)

* * *

"Idiot! Look what's happening to her now! If we had just taken her this morning-"

"So now it's my fault I had a lot to do!"

"Can you both just stop?"

"But her life is falling apart! We can't take her if she wants to stay!"

"Just stick to the plan. We wait until she's okay again, and just drag up whoever she wants to be with."

"Drag up... That doesn't seem very nice..."

"It's fine. Just get her up here as soon as she's not freakin' suicidal..."

"She's not suicidal."

"I was being sarcastic!"

"Both of you cut it out. That's the plan then."

There. All done. Not as long as the last one, but good enough for me and I hope for you too. That last little tidbit I just put in to remind everyone she's still being watched. And thanks to my first two reviewers, Loupeylady and Sesshyangel (Sesshyangel, I hope Inu's explanation for his actions made them understandable...or something) Anyway, keep reviewing and tell me how you like it so far! ^_^