InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Suffer The Fray ❯ Asthma Attack ( Chapter 4 )

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

Disclaimer: I hold no claim to InuYasha....Rumiko Takahashi does. Bummer.

A/N: Reviewer Acknowledgements- sufferingkagome, Midoriko-sama, LadyCash, leeluu, & InuyashasBiggestFan. Thankies!! I really appreciate each and every review!

“Hey, shouldn't your dog be on a leash?”

Kagome glanced over at the elderly man waiting beside her to cross the street. “No.”

“What if he bites someone?” His balding scalp shone like a mirror in the autumn sun. She bet she'd be able to see her reflection if she leaned over to look.

“He doesn't bite.” She gestured to the great white Akita sitting at her heel. “Not unless I tell him to.”

His free hand gripped at the hem of his navy sweater-vest tightly as he backed off. He jabbed his cane accusingly at them. “That isn't safe. You young people are all reckless.”

Kagome just shook her head. “Okay, okay. I'll buy a leash.” She turned away from him and stared in the opposite direction.

It wasn't that she didn't have a leash; it's just that Inusaiai refused to wear it. Not even if it was just for show; he went completely bonkers. It had taken her nearly a week to convince him that a collar wouldn't strangle him to death. Reminds me of someone else I know.

She glanced down at the dog and realized the old geezer was still babbling. Clenching her delicate hands into fists, she whirled around. “Hey! I get it! You don't like me or my dog!” The Akita emitted a low growl for backup. “Could you please just leave me alone?”

He eyed Inusaiai and held up his hands in surrender. “It would do you well to heed my advice, girl.”

It must be a personality trait everybody picked up after passing their fiftieth birthday, because only people that old seemed to be so stubborn about things so trivial. She sighed and crossed her arms under her breasts, leaning back against the street post. It would probably be better just to ignore him. Maybe then he'd shut his trap.

The traffic slowed to a halt and the crosswalk sign lit up. Pedestrians of all sorts meandered across the road at least three bodies abreast. Kagome strode across the street with Inusaiai clearing a path ahead of her. Once on the other side, she headed north along the sidewalk. Three blocks and a right turn, and then another two blocks brought her to the small dormitory she lived in while attending the university. She shared a second floor room with her school-obsessed friend Ayume. They were the only two of the quartet that was continuing with school.

The nondescript beige building blended in well with the ten or so others that lined the block. She started up the steps and checked her watch as she did so. It was almost nine-thirty in the morning and she had a ten o'clock philosophy class to get to. She quickened her pace until she was jogging up through the lobby. Inusaiai effortlessly kept pace, unaffected by her sudden rush. Kagome took the stairs two at a time and was fishing around in her bag for her keys when she hit the second floor landing. She wasn't even the slightest bit winded when she slid the key home in the lock and let herself in.

The tastefully decorated room was empty. Either Ayume had a very early class, or she was still over at her boyfriend's house. Kagome didn't spend more than a minute's time worrying than was necessary. Ayume had been dating him for nearly two years and she figured that she could handle herself. If not, I have a bigger problem than I realized.

Inusaiai followed her bag up onto her bed and curled up for a nap. She rolled her eyes and started to undress. “Glad someone gets to relax around here.”

She was still dressed in her riding clothes from the day before, but she, herself, was clean. She had just run out of spare clothes back at the shrine. The white polo went first, followed in quick succession by her tall black leather boots, khaki breeches, and knee high black socks. Standing only in her ivory cotton bra and panties, she stared into the contents of her tiny closet. She glanced over at the dog. “What should I wear?”

He cracked open his eyes to stare at her.

“Some help you are.” Telling herself to just reach in and grab, she settled on a fitted v-neck, gray t-shirt with a hood, a pair of battered hip-hugging jeans with blown out knees, and her scuffed-up hiking boots. They were all her favorites and extremely comfortable, which was exactly what she wanted for sitting in a lecture hall for three hours. Not to mention the cramps I woke up with.

She slipped the jewel shard beneath the neck of the shirt for safe-keeping and skirted around the end of the bed to grab her school bag from the back of her desk chair. “Okay, I have to go to class now.” She lifted her charcoal gray university sweatshirt from the coat rack. “Don't scare Ayume to death when she comes in.” She pulled the sweatshirt over her head and slung the bag over her shoulder. “Please behave.”

Inusaiai yawned and shut his eyes.

She scoffed and pulled open the door. “Yeah, I'm sure that penetrated your thick skull somewhere.”

Locking it behind her, she left at a slow run. She was already late as it was and her professor hated tardiness. It wouldn't do her good to show up half an hour late. She blinked against the bright sun when she got outdoors, and once recovered, sprinted down the steps and sidewalk heading east. She paced herself and followed the long drive until it curved to the left, splitting into four separate walks.

Kagome followed the furthest path to the left and slowed to a jog as she zigzagged between her fellow students. There were more steps, but she finally slowed to a walk when she reached the three story brick building. She took a deep breath to relax her slight pant and suddenly felt a shadow crawl over her back.

She froze, eyes widening in surprise. It felt just like a demonic aura, prickling along her skin like needles. She whipped around and searched the area, but her powers couldn't find anything amiss. She pressed a reassuring hand against the jewel at her neck. “Weird.”

Shaking it off, she stepped through the doors and wove her way through the throngs of people wading in the corridor. That couldn't have possibly been a demon; she would've met up with it long before now. She stopped as if she had been shot.

What if that'd just been Naraku just now?

Her heart tattooed erratically in her chest. Had he finally woken up? She frowned and worried her lower lip between her teeth. It couldn't be. Otherwise, the jewel shard would be reacting. She lifted it out of her shirt and watched it carefully. The tiny sliver of pink glinted under the harsh fluorescent lights, but remained dormant.

Another student bumped her shoulder and the jewel slipped out of her fingers to lie against her chest. If it wasn't reacting, she should just ignore it for now and go to class. She didn't have an afternoon class, so she could worry then. She glanced at the hall clock and gasped. “Shit!” It read ten-seventeen.

I'm already late! All that running for nothing! She darted forward shouting, “Excuse me!” and turned the corner to race for the third door on the left. Skidding to a halt, she latched onto the doorknob and pulled open the door.

She only made it halfway across the threshold when it hit her.

It was similar to being kicked by a horse- small, precise, and concentrated. Intensified twenty-fold and it was somewhere close to how the impact to her chest felt. The shard flared to life and knocked every cubic bit of air from her lungs. If she hadn't been holding the door, she would've crumpled to the floor. I guess I spoke too soon.

“Higurashi, do you know at what time this class beg- Miss Higurashi?” The professor slid around his desk and started towards her, his face ghostly pale.

If he looked like that, she could only imagine how she appeared clinging to a door. Kagome staggered, but even the stout wood door couldn't keep her up. Pain lanced across her ribcage as she fought to take a breath. It feels like I'm drowning.

The shard was reacting to the newly awakened jewel. The gem was calling to its last, long lost sister.

Dropping to her hands and knees, she clutched at her chest until her fingers wrapped around the shard, lifting it from her body.

The relief was immediate and she sucked in a huge, gasping breath. Her heart finally started to slow its breakneck pace and she noticed that all the eyes in the room were turned to her. “Oh.” She grimaced as her diaphragm lost some of its cramp. “Hi.”

Her professor knelt in front of her. “Miss Higurashi, are you alright? What is ailing you?”

Somehow she doubted an awakened demon and a tainted Shikon jewel qualified as a legitimate medical excuse. Sitting up, she continued to breathe as evenly as she could. “Asthma attack.”

He frowned behind his horn-rimmed glassed, but held out a hand to help her to her feet. “Asthma wasn't listed on the medical records you submitted.”

A nerve ticked above her right eye. It figured she'd choose the one disease her Jii-chan had forgotten to add. She managed a strangled smile and waved dismissively. “Oh, it's a new one.” Lucky me, I decide to collapse in front of the one professor who took the time to actually memorize my phony records.

“Do you need a doctor?” He pushed his glasses up his nose in an annoyingly frequent manner.

“No.” The jewel shard was already calming and she'd finally caught her breath. “I think I'll just go to the restroom.” She wasn't really going there, but he didn't need to know that.

He nodded. “Take the day off. I'll have someone take notes for you.”

She wouldn't be needing notes at all if her hunch was right, but she smiled graciously anyway. “Thank you.” Stepping back, she forced herself to stagger until she turned the corner. Once out of sight, she bolted like the devil himself was chasing her.

It's pretty accurate considering Naraku just woke up from a five-year siesta. She had to get back to the feudal era to warn the others soon, but if she considered Naraku's plotting nature, she figured she had at least a couple days on her side.

Kagome ran until she got back to the dorm building, catching her breath as she once again climbed the stairs. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the lock and she had to clench them both until they would still.

Inusaiai sat at the foot of the bed, eyes glittering knowingly. Kagome gazed into his amber eyes as she leaned back against the door and wondered for the millionth time if the stray she'd found following her three years ago really was Inuyasha's way of protecting her from the past. The dog whined and stepped forward to press his head against her hand.

Something red flashed through her mind and tears welled in her eyes. She knelt in front of him and his broad, scratchy tongue snuck out to lick away her tears. He may not have been the hanyou himself, but it was as if his spirit was floating inside the Akita. Kagome flung her arms around the thick ruff of his neck and held him tightly. Inusaiai didn't budge, and allowed her to grip his fur painfully tight without protest. She finally got hold of her emotions and let go of him, smoothing down his rumpled fur. “Sorry.”

A knock at the door had her jumping across the room with a scream and Inusaiai snarling. Kagome felt like slapping herself. I'm acting like a skittish filly. “Who is it?”

“Hojo.”

A knot of dread kneaded itself in her belly. She had totally forgotten about her boyfriend, and had to literally force herself to answer the door. Cracking it open a few inches, she peeked out. “What is it?”

His cheery face wasn't so cheery and his blue eyes were narrowed. “Let me in. I know you're dressed, so don't give me that excuse. I saw you run up here.”

“Sorry.” Her dark eyes dropped to stare at his black sneakers. Have I really started making excuses? She held it open and shut it after he came in. His expression told her the answer.

Yes.

She hugged herself as she turned around. “What's wrong, Hojo?”

He kept his back to her, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. “I came by to check on you last night and you weren't here.”

“When I said I was going home, I meant the shrine. Mom asked me to stay for dinner.” She leaned back against the door.

“I thought you didn't feel well.” His voice was low, accusatory.

Kagome glared at his back. “If you want to accuse me of something then do it or get out.”

He whirled around angrily, his hands coming out in fists. “You blew me off!” His voice broke and he looked away towards the window. “You could have told the truth.” He turned his watery blue eyes back to her. “Why did you lie to me?”

Hojo stood before her in near tears and she was completely dry. She was always good for waterworks when emotions were involved, but it seemed something had gone wrong with her plumbing.

And it scared her. “I knew you'd come see me anyway and I wanted to be alone.”

He laughed bitterly. “You always want to be alone.” His sparkling blue eyes drilled into hers. “Why?”

Her mouth opened and shut without speaking. She didn't really have an answer that wouldn't break his heart. Kagome could feel the prick of tears now as she stepped towards him. “Hojo, I don't-”

“Love me, I know.” He reached out to cradle her jaw. “I think I knew all along. I just didn't want to believe it.” His voice was hoarse as his anger died.

Kagome couldn't have stopped the tears even if she dammed them up. They cascaded down her face as she sagged with shame. If she could get any worse as a person, she didn't know. “I'm so sorry, Hojo. I wish I could give you what you want.” She shuddered and he pulled her against his chest, arms warm and tight around her. It only made her feel worse. “I thought I could forget, but-”

He shushed her with a soft touch to her lips. “At least you didn't try to deny it, so I forgive you.”

Kagome sobbed. “No, no, no! Anything but that!” She tried to squirm free. “I don't deserve your forgiveness.”

Hojo smiled grimly. “Yes, you do. I should have stepped back a long time ago, but I was greedy. I wanted what wasn't mine to have.” His hands slid up her back to grasp her shoulders and step away.

She wanted to stomp her feet in frustration. “But I'm not innocent in this! I strung you along for an entire year and shot you down anytime you tried to get serious.”

“So we were both wrong.” He shrugged. “Better to know now, rather than later.”

“How can you be so calm?” She sniffed.

“I've given up on denial, but it doesn't mean that it still doesn't hurt like hell.”

She shook her head. “I don't deserve your love.”

He smiled warmly. “But you have it anyway.” He bent his head and kissed her lips lightly for the last time. He pulled away slowly and stepped back. “Now you're free to follow your heart.”

Her tears flowed anew as she followed him to the door. “And what about you?”

His face was once again oddly cheery. “I'll heal.” He stepped through the doorway. “In time, I'll heal.” He bowed his head to her. “Goodbye Kagome.”

As she watched him leave, she knew he couldn't possibly have known how close his own words had been to her own. She had said that very same thing, once upon a time, to the boy that held her heart. Not once had she stopped to imagine how he'd felt hearing them. She slammed the door shut and crumbled onto her bed in huge, gasping sobs, all thoughts of Naraku and the jewel forgotten. Inusaiai whined and jumped up to lie beside her, nosing his head under her arm until she seized him to her chest. Kagome cried until her eyes dried up and sleep claimed her.

A/N: Comments from the peanut gallery are warmly welcomed. XD.