InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Difference a Little Time Can Make ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. I am not making any money from this story.

 

Author's note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. The changes from canon will continue to ripple out, though some things will remain the same.

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Inuyasha was beginning to wonder if he had made a big mistake as Kagome again shifted in her sleep. It felt so right to hold her this way. 'Maybe a little too right' he thought as he did some shifting of his own, distinctly aware of his body's reaction to the girl sleeping pressed up against him. He froze when she turned onto her side and her hand came dangerously close to a sensitive area of his body. When she stopped moving, he grasped her hand and moved it away from where it rested on his thigh, breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't wake. He gazed down at the top of her head and sighed again.

 

“What am I gonna do with you bitch?” he said softly as his hand rose and began to stroke down her hair. He froze when she stirred but she only snuggled closer to him, arms coming up to wrap around his waist as she murmured his name. He tightened his own grip on her in response, before shifting her to cradle her in his arms. Allowing his chin to rest on top of her head, he breathed in her scent and resisted the urge to drift off to sleep. 'Gotta stay alert, already failed her too many times today.' He vowed to stay awake all night as thoughts of his earlier failures to detect danger flashed through his mind.

 

He sighed and reluctantly lifted his head from hers. He watched her face as a frown wrinkled her brow at the loss of contact before disappearing as he stroked her hair once more. “Sorry wench” he said softly, “but if I stay like that I won't be able to sense danger until it's too late.” Not for the first time, he wondered what it was about her that drew his attention to the point that he was left unaware of dangers. 'What is it about her? I'm drawn to her, don't want to be separated from her. I thought I didn't need anyone, that I could make it on my own. But everything has changed since I met her. Why do I feel this way?' He sighed. 'It's gotten to the point that I focus on her so completely that I don't realize danger until it is nearly too late. Twice today I nearly failed her. It can't happen again.' He tightened his grip on her at the last thought, worried about what the consequences could be if he failed in his silent vow.

 

'But what happened in that village will only continue to happen if we continue to travel together. How can I protect her from something like that? The only way is if I were to stay away from her.' His heart clenched at the thought and he recalled what happened the last time he thought he was leaving her for her own good. 'Keh. Like that turned out well. It was a disaster.' He looked down at her peaceful face. “We're gonna have to have a long talk in the morning” he said softly. He sighed again and turned his head from her to watch over the forest below, alert for anything that might seek to harm the girl in his arms.

 

He managed to stay that way until the first rays of sunlight began to lighten the horizon. Glancing down at the girl nestled in his protective grasp, he couldn't prevent the small smile that crossed his face before he reached out and gently shook her awake. “Oi” he called softly. “Time to wake up.”

 

Kagome frowned as she felt herself being shaken awake. That was the best sleep she had had in awhile, and she had been having a great dream, though the details eluded her. She reluctantly let herself be drawn back to reality as the person shaking her became more insistent. Her blue eyes cracked open to be met with amused golden ones and she sat up with a start. “Inuyasha” she said as she jerked up only to release a startled scream and grab at his kosode as she glanced down and saw how high up she was. Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her up against a hard chest.

 

“Easy” he murmured to her. “Don't worry, I've got you.”

 

Kagome felt the furious pounding of her heart began to settle in her chest as she got herself under control. She slowly relaxed her grip on his kosode and glanced up at him. “What?” she started to ask and then remembered the events of the previous evening. She stared up at his face and he stared back. For a moment she thought that he was going to kiss her but then a bird chirped nearby and the moment passed.

 

Inuyasha gathered her closer to his body before leaping down from their perch in the tree. Once back on the ground, he slowly released his grip on her. Both immediately missed the intimate contact. Inuyasha covered his disappointment by telling her “Wait here while I go hunt something to eat.” At her nod he took off through the trees.

 

Kagome took the time to gain control of her emotions. She really thought he was going to kiss her again. She worried that they might be progressing too fast, she wasn't even sure of his feelings for her. She shook her head to clear it and started to gather wood for a fire then paused as she recalled Inuyasha's warning against one the night before. She bit her lip as she tried to decide what to do. In the end she decided it was worth the risk. “After all, he said he was going hunting, and we can't very well eat anything he catches raw.” 'Or at least I can't' she thought as she glanced around the surroundings. She had a small fire going when Inuyasha returned with a few fish. He glanced at the fire but didn't say anything as he set the fish to cook over the flames.

 

As they ate the fish Kagome couldn't help but notice the glances that Inuyasha was sending her way. He looked serious and nervous. She felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach as she wondered at what could cause that expression on his face. Too nervous to really enjoy the food, she merely nibbled on the fish as she tried to figure out what was wrong.

 

Inuyasha immediately noticed that she wasn't eating. “Oi! Hurry up and eat, you're going to need your strength. We have to really move today, I don't want to stay in this area too long.”

 

Kagome knew he had a point but his words gave her a hint of what might be the problem and her appetite vanished even further. 'Is he still upset about last night? Is he starting to blame me?' She couldn't help but wonder. She fidgeted before deciding to speak up. “Inuyasha? Is something wrong?”

 

He glanced at her and sighed. He knew they had to have this discussion and soon but part of him had wanted to put it off. “We need to talk.”

 

Kagome froze at his words. Those words in that serious a tone were never good. She gulped before asking “T-talk? About what?”

 

Inuyasha turned his head away, unable to look at her as he brought up his thoughts from the night before. “About what happened last night and what it means for us. I thought about this last night and we need to make some decisions. What happened at that village is only going to continue to happen. Humans don't like it when other humans get involved with youkai. Most people that we come across will react the same way as those villagers did.” He clenched his fists. “And youkai will be worse. Most look down on me for being a hanyou and having human blood. I've had to fight to survive for as long as I can remember. I don't want to think about what they would do to you if we keep going as we have been.”

 

Kagome didn't like where this conversation seemed to be going. “W-what are you saying? That you don't want me around anymore?” Unbidden tears stung her eyes but she refused to allow them to fall.

 

“No!” His head shot up and he pinned her with a hard stare. “I'm not saying that I don't want you with me. But it will be dangerous. We have to discuss our options. It might be better if we did separate. I could bring you back to Kaede, you know she'd welcome you back.” He ignored the way his chest ached at that thought.

 

“NO!” Kagome lunged forward to grasp his hands. “I don't want to go back, not without you! You said you would stay with me, remember? You promised! I told you before, as long as I have you with me I can handle things. Don't send me away!” She tried to hold them back but a few tears managed to slip down her face.

 

Inuyasha flattened his ears at the sight and scent of her tears. He drew her to rest against his chest. “Shh” he told her, trying to reassure her that he was still there.

 

Kagome looked up and saw the look on his face. He looked so sad, so miserable. 'He doesn't want to leave me any more than I want to leave him' she realized. “I want to stay with you” she resolutely told him before leaning up and kissing him.

 

Inuyasha savored the kiss and made it linger, as a decision crystallized in his mind. When they broke apart he looked at her for a few moments before speaking. “Alright, Kagome. I promised to stay with you and I meant it. I won't leave you.” She beamed at him but instead of cheering him up it made him feel worse about what he was about to say next. “But if we are going to continue to travel together then things will have to change.” At her look of confusion he steeled himself and continued. “We have to stop doing things like this, it isn't safe.” He gestured at how close they were sitting to each other and how her arms were still loosely wrapped him.

 

“What do you mean? Why wouldn't it be safe?”

 

He sighed as he realized that she still didn't get it. “You saw how those humans reacted and youkai will only be worse. We can't allow ourselves to continue as we have been. No more kissing, or hugging or anything like that. If we do that where humans can see then we'll just continue to face repeats of last night. And youkai will be able to smell our relationship and try to use it against us in a fight. It just isn't safe for us to be together.”

 

Kagome stared at him in shock. Somehow this hurt even more than when she thought he was going to send her away. She thought over his words and knew where he was coming from but it didn't make the pain any less. She could tell from the pained expression on his face that he didn't like the idea any more than she did. She paused and considered it. Could she really deny her feelings for him, pretend that they didn't exist, act as though they were only friends and traveling companions? She shook her head. No, she couldn't.

 

Inuyasha watched as the emotions flitted across her face. He didn't like this any more than she did but it was necessary. He savored the feeling of holding her so close, knowing that it would be the last time he could allow it. He nearly missed it when her face became resolved as if she had come to a decision. “Alright” he heard her say and turned back to her with a confused look.

 

Kagome clenched her fists in her lap. “Alright” she repeated. “You said that we can't be together if we continue to travel together. So we won't.”

 

He gaped at her. What was she saying? Did she decide to leave him after all?

 

She smiled at the expression on his face. “If we stop looking for information on the well and the Goshinboku then we don't need to visit any villages. So we don't have to worry about the reactions of any humans. And any youkai we come across that would try to harm us over it would probably come after us anyway. You for being a hanyou and me for being a human, especially one with spiritual powers. So it doesn't matter. We can still be together.”

 

Inuyasha froze as he listened to her. Was she really saying what he thought she was? “But what about trying to find a way home for you?” he cautiously asked her. He couldn't ask her to stop looking for a way home.

 

Her smile became tinged with sadness. “We don't even know if there is a way home for me. But I do know that I care deeply for you. I can't pretend that I don't, nor do I want to. I would rather be with you than deny those feelings on the hope that I will find a way home that might not even exist.”

 

He stared at her with wide, hopeful eyes. She was saying that she'd rather be with him than look for a way home. He almost couldn't believe it and wondered what he had done to deserve her. He reached out and grabbed her, crushing her against his chest before kissing her deeply, feeling her melt into the kiss.

 

Kagome felt herself relax as they kissed. Breaking apart for air, she snuggled a little closer to Inuyasha and gave him a brief hug. She was glad that all of that was resolved now. She felt a pang of sadness at the thought of never seeing her family again but knew that it was the right decision. Inuyasha's arm around her confirmed it. But she couldn't help but wonder what they should do now. A thought occurred to her and she leaned away from Inuyasha so she could look at his face. “Inuyasha” she spoke and continued when he turned his gaze to her. “Maybe we should head back to visit Kaede?”

 

Inuyasha stared at her. “What? I thought we just decided that we should avoid any human villages and now you want to go back to one?” He didn't understand, was she already changing her mind about staying with him?

 

Kagome was easily able to read his thoughts as she saw the look on his face. “No, nothing like that” she hastened to assure him. “I just thought that it would be nice to see Kaede-sama again. I would like to let her know that we are alright and that we have decided to stop looking for a way to get me home. Besides, we already know how the villagers there will react to us so we don't have to worry about that. And do you really think that Kaede-sama would allow them to do anything to us? If there are any problems we can just leave, head into the forest or something.” She smiled at him even as her eyes pleaded with him to agree.

 

“Keh, fine” he huffed as he crossed his arms, hands in his sleeves. He still found himself unable to argue with her when she looked at him like that. “We'll head back to see the baba, but not until after you eat!” He growled and glared at her as he said the last part.

 

She giggled but quickly ate her now cold fish. Once done they cleaned up their camp and Inuyasha pulled her onto his back, setting off towards Edo.

 

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Nearly a week later they found themselves only a day or two away from the village. Night had fallen and they were camped for the night. They had made good timing as they had avoided any human settlements and hadn't run into any youkai as they traveled. Kagome had found the journey enjoyable as she had ridden on Inuyasha's back for most of it and liked the closeness that it afforded. She had the feeling he enjoyed it as well because whenever she suggested that she could walk he would pull her onto his back anyway with a teasing comment about weak humans that she could tell he didn't mean.

 

Kagome sighed and looked up at the stars. There were so many and they were so bright. She knew she was lucky to see a sight like this, in her time the sky was too polluted or filled with electric lights to see a sky like this. She sighed again and adjusted the red and white clothing that she currently wore. Her other outfits were currently drying after being washed and so she was wearing the miko outfit that Kaede had given her. She flopped herself down so that she was lying on her back, giving herself a better view as a shooting star shot across the sky. “Isn't it beautiful?” she questioned her companion who had been dozing a few feet away.

 

When she received no answer she lifted her head and turned to face him. “Inuyasha?” she asked upon seeing his face. He was staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She got up and moved towards him only for him to suddenly flinch away. She stopped, hand out-stretched to him. “What's wrong?” she asked, her heart speeding up in her chest. 'Did I do something wrong?'

 

Inuyasha continued to stare at her. He had woken from a dream about the day he was sealed. He had spotted Kagome immediately upon awakening but seeing her in the miko clothing had brought back the memory of his dream. He shook his head to clear it before turning away and crossing his arms. “Nothing's wrong wench.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Oi, don't you think your clothes are dry yet?”

 

'My clothes?' she wondered as she stared at him before a realization came over her. “Does it bother you when I dress like this?” she asked gesturing at the miko garb.

 

“Keh, don't be ridiculous” he scoffed but he still didn't look at her.

 

Kagome moved closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. “I'm not her” she told him softly. Biting her lip she asked “Does it bother you that I look like Kikyou? That I look like the woman who sealed you?”

 

“Baka” he told her with a roll of his eyes. “Would you just drop it already? I told you, nothing's wrong. Now get some sleep. I want to try and make it to the village before night fall.”

 

Kagome would have continued the conversation but he jumped up into a tree. She sighed and got ready for sleep, missing his presence. But she paused before laying down. With a glance at his silent form in the tree, she grabbed one of her outfits and stepped behind a tree to change. Lying down she called out “Goodnight Inuyasha” and received a “Keh” in response. She quickly fell asleep.

 

Inuyasha stayed in his tree until her breathing and heart rate evened out and he was sure that she was asleep. Then he glanced around the clearing before leaping down to crouch next to her. He stared at her face for several long moments before sighing. Normally her resemblance to Kikyou, the miko who had sealed him, in effect 'killing' him, for fifty years, didn't bother him in the slightest. After all, he didn't know the miko, had only glimpsed her for a moment before he was sealed. But seeing Kagome dressed in miko clothing had bothered him. He had felt tense, despite knowing that Kagome wouldn't attack him. He hated seeing her dressed in those clothes. He had learned early not to trust any miko, that they would try to hurt him because of his youkai blood. Just like Kikyou had.

 

He sighed again. Kagome murmured in sleep and rolled towards him. He reached out and ran a hand through her hair, soothing her. He hadn't missed the fact that she had changed her clothing, trying to make him more comfortable. He was warmed by the gesture and felt guilty for his earlier aloofness. He sat there, wondering if he should apologize when his ears perked up.

 

He jerked up, body tense as he sniffed, alert for any sign of danger. He began to growl as the scent of blood reached him, as well as the smell of a graveyard, of dirt and bones. He crouched protectively over Kagome as a youkai raced across the sky above them. 'That blood' he thought, not yet noticing that Kagome had been awakened by his growls, 'why is it familiar. Like it belongs to someone I know.'

 

“Inuyasha, what is it?” Kagome asked quietly, fighting a blush at the way he was crouching over her. She had awakened to his growls and had seen something fly over them. But her attention was drawn immediately to the hanyou that was above her in such a compromising position.

 

Inuyasha glanced down at her, surprised to see her awake, and became aware of the way he was crouched over her. He leaped, his cheeks suspiciously red as he muttered “Keh!” and crossed his arms. He knew how it must have looked but he had merely been trying to protect her and the move had been instinctive. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and relaxed when she didn't seem to be angry with him.

 

She had sat up and was glancing at the sky. “What was it?” she asked before looking at him.

 

His eyes clouded over and his expression became serious as he told her “Trouble.” Kagome didn't like the expression on his face but then he seemed to come to a decision. “Get some sleep, we're leaving at first light.”

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As Inuyasha had promised, they broke camp as the first of dawn's rays touched the sky. Inuyasha pulled her onto his back and raced full out in the direction of Edo and Kaede's village. Kagome couldn't help but be worried by his behavior but he remained silent to her questions and refused to stop or slow down. Finally, a few hours after midday she could take it no longer.

 

“Inuyasha, please!” She was to the point of begging. “We need to stop. I'm hungry and I need to take care of personal needs.” She was also stiff from remaining in one position for too long, and wanted to stretch her legs.

 

He flicked his ears back at her. “We need to keep moving” he told her but he had heard the waver in her voice and knew she was almost at her limit. With a sigh he began to slow his pace in preparation for stopping.

 

Kagome noticed the change and was grateful. “But why? What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry all of a sudden?”

 

He came to a complete stop and let her slide off of his back, watching with some guilt as she winced and began to stretch, walking along the road they were standing beside. “That youkai last night. She smelled of human blood, as well as of a graveyard.” He turned his head away. “I just have a bad feeling that we need to see the baba and fast.”

 

She paused in her motions and looked worried. “You think something happened to Kaede-sama?”

 

“I don't know.” He would have said more but his ears perked up as he caught the sound of an approaching horse. He quickly moved in front of Kagome as the horse came into view but relaxed upon spotting the rider. “Oi baba, what are you doing out here?” he called. But as she got closer he began to tense as the scent of blood reached him and he could see that she was heavily bandaged.

 

“Kaede-sama!” Kagome gasped upon seeing the old miko and how heavily bandaged she was.

 

“Inuyasha, Kagome-sama” Kaede acknowledged them as she brought her horse to a stop beside them. “I am glad to see that you are well, and am fortunate to have come across you.” She sighed heavily. “I fear that I am in need of your help.”

 

Inuyasha had a bad feeling as he exchanged a worried look with Kagome.

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I think that you all know what is coming. Don't kill me, I promise to have the next chapter up as soon as I can. I don't want to ruin the story so you'll just have to wait to read what will happen. But you know that things will be different as so much has already been changed from canon.