InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Difference Between Time and Distance: A Sesshoumaru Tale ❯ Kenta ( Chapter 10 )

The Difference betweenTime and Distance

By: emeraldoni

Chapter 10: Kenta

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the human Ayame, this story/plot line and the world. InuYasha's creation is attributed to Rumiko Takahashi and her ownership of them. God forbid InuYasha and co. ever get of Takahashi's leash. We'd be done for.

 

 

It turned out that they would arrive much later than predicted. InuYasha, a magnet for trouble, seemed to be obsessed with his brother. After a few wild goose chases (of a telltale scent in the wind) Kagome laid down the law.

 

“Enough! InuYasha! We need to get to the village! We've been gone long enough as it is! Who cares about Sesshoumaru? Let's just go!”

 

The hanyou struggled slightly, like a petulant child, as Kagome dragged him in the direction they were supposed to be heading.

 

“Oi! Let go! We need to kill that bastard first!”

 

“InuYasha…”

 

They had reached their destination quite quickly after that, though still too late for Kagome's taste.

 

During that time, Ayame had kept as quiet as possible. It was amusing watching InuYasha and Kagome `play' together—as she personally named, having no idea what else to call it—but she couldn't help but feel like a third wheel, a wheel that was wobbly, and moldy and about to fall apart.

 

It was almost a relief when they reached the small clearing where the cozy huts began.

 

Sauntering into the village was fairly uneventful. In a hurry they made there was to the leaders home, spoke to him about the urn, then asked for a place to stay.

 

The home of the village chief, though a little aged, was quite luxurious. Kagome settled her bag into the corner, right next to Ayame's luggage, then they all sat around the little mini-tables that Ayame found was almost a necessary commodity for that time and place, though she wished her legs would not cramp up so much from the prolonged inactivity.

 

After the meal, all was quiet (sort of), meaning that there weren't any demons attacking, or other such troubles. The only sound in the room was InuYasha's and Kagome's squabbling and the occasional flip of a page as Ayame read a book.

 

When InuYasha first saw the little bound `pamphlet' he had thought it evil. Not because it was a `book'—though that may have been a big part of it—but because of the writing. Of course the hanyou, and all the other residents of this place, hadn't seen English before, so Ayame could—in a little piece of her subconscious—understand.

 

After a few moments in the silence, Ayame was startled out of her book world and into reality with the slam of a shoji door. She glanced at Kagome who was fuming, and soon followed the irritable hanyou out with an apologetic glance at Ayame.

 

Ayame just smiled, then slumped to the ground.

 

`They're so funny.'

 

She sighed letting the book relax out of her fingers as she lay on her belly on the unyielding floor.

 

`And cute.'

 

She felt slightly envious of what they had, of what Kagome had, but she would never admit to feeling that way. Well, maybe she would, but it would be a blow to her pride, or what little she had left in the first place.

 

Ayame was startle out of drowse by a high pitched whine coming from outside. She propped herself up on her elbows, trying to catch the sound once more.

 

It complied, and Ayame jumped up, pacing over to the Shoji doors.

 

The outside was dark, since night had fallen. Eyes adjusting from the light inside the room to the shadow outside, Ayame stepped out into the outdoor hallway, the deck that led to the garden.

 

Flickering scones of flame were set in segments against the wall, flowing out from each side of Ayame until the corner of the house caught their direction and changed it.

 

She paid no heed to this as her eyes alit upon another creature, one that she was anmazed by. It was amazing, that was for sure…

 

`Beautiful…' floated up from Ayame's mind.

 

It was a dog, a large dog. Stepping down from the deck she found that the beast's back easily reached her waist. Its coat shimmered with a multitude of colors, speckled with a rainbow of silver and black and even a little bit of red. His hair—Ayame found it to be a he—was long, but not shaggy, and his great plume of a tail wove proudly in the air.

 

Stunned by his handsome looks, it took a moment that the dog—or maybe it was part wolf?—was malnourished. His hips stuck out, and she could see the rips jutting from his chest. Scabs adorned the pups legs, along with some scars on his muzzle and back. He had been mistreated.

 

As she tried to get closer, the dog snarled. His hazel eyes, filled with so much pain and age—especially at being so young, for Ayame guess him to not be over the two years old—and his eyes clouded over with fear and the fierce need to protect himself.

 

Ayame backed away, hands low and spread out in front of her, a sign that she would not harm him. The dog did not run away, but he did not come any closer wither. An idea popped into Ayame's head, and she slowly stood up, backing away into the room once again.

 

“Don't leave just yet, alright?” She whispered.

 

In a few seconds she had returned, her hand filled with a smell that made the dog's mouth water.

 

Ayame crept forward, close enough before the beast would snarl and raise his hackles and jowls, before she set a piece of dried meat o the ground, backing away just as silently.

 

Hands full of treats for the poor creature, Ayame sat on edge of the deck, avoiding looking at him, pretending to be interested in something else.

 

Studiously ignoring the dog, all the while her ears perked for his movement, Ayame became overjoyed when she heard the click of claws against stone and the gulping sound which indicated the dog had accepted her treat.

 

With a smile she tossed another piece of food, just a little closer this time.

 

Ayame found that, though she had never had this before, she could pull infinite patience out of her. Many others would have given up on the dog, saying it could fend for itself, but Ayame couldn't do that.

 

She supposed she was being a little selfish, for, in a sense, wasn't she doing this for herself?

 

`I am, aren't I?'

 

She just wanted a companion, someone she could speak to, someone who she could be close to. Even if it was just for a few moments, Ayame felt she could have a connection with something, she could do something, help someone…even if it was just for a dog.

 

Oooo000OOO000oooO

 

“InuYasha, we should head back, Ayame is all alone at that place, she must be a little nervous.”

 

All that Kagome received from her companion was a “Feh!” and a crossing of his arms.

 

“That place stinks, and their food wasn't good. I don't want to sleep there.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes as she settled back against the tree they were currently leaning against. The miko reveled in the feeling of her shoulder touching the hanyou, though she doubted he even noticed, him being too caught up with pouting.

 

Kagome decided to try pleading with the surly InuYasha, hoping to appease his gentle side, if he had one.

 

“Please, InuYasha. It's only for one night, then were gone, back to sleeping in the Goshinboku again.”

 

“Or we could just stay out here.”

 

“And what Ayame?”

 

“Can stay in there.”

 

Kagome decided being sweet wasn't going to work, so she took a more direct approach.

 

“No, InuYasha. You've dealt with this before. One night isn't going to kill you.”

 

“It can't kill me. Nothing can.”

 

Kagome sighed, her eyes on InuYasha's face as he pointedly ignored her gaze staring off into the shadows instead.

 

“Exactly,” Kagome went on, determined to convince, “You're the big, strong hanyou…thing, so you can make it.”

 

InuYasha looked incredulous at her description, finally turning to look at her. His eyes had narrowed slightly.

 

“First of all, if I'm big and strong, I shouldn't have to deal with stupid stuff like this. Second of all, did you just call me a thing?”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes, sighing as she let her head drop against the crook of InuYasha's neck.

 

“InuYasha, there is not discussion about this, we will be going back, whether you like it or not.”

 

InuYasha, not being one to act dumb, decided not to argue with that tone of voice.

 

“Well,” she smiled, “I guess we can stay here a bit longer.”

 

Oooo000OOO000oooO

 

Ayame held her hand stretched out, meat in the palm as the dog crept up to her trembling fingers. It had taken forever to get him this close, and Ayame wasn't going to give up now. Though she had no way to tell the time, Ayame suspected that it might have been over an hour of time that it had taken to get the creature to come anywhere near her.

 

At the feel of a warm tongue lap the treat out of her hand, then gently lick her fingers, Ayame finally felt as though she had accomplished something.

 

Looking at the male dog she saw that not only were his eyes a warm brown, but they had flecks of moss green in them as well.

 

`He is extraordinary.'

 

Feeding him the rest of her stash of meat, Ayame was finally allowed to pet the dog's head. His face was up to eyes level with her sitting on the deck, and reaching up to gently scratch his ears had been somewhat nerve-wracking, but she had done it.

 

He actually enjoyed the ministrations and as both of them became a little braver, Ayame also found that he loved to be scratched under the chin, above his tale, and she suspected, under his belly.

 

When finally fatigue began to kick in, Ayame slowly sat up, smiling at the content dog. Her smile faltered slightly when he flinched, and then she moved to walk back inside.

 

Feeling the brush of fur against the side of her legs, Ayame looked down (kind of…a little bit) and found the dog staring up at her.

 

Her heart leapt as Ayame laughed out loud.

 

“Do you wish to come inside? I guess it would be a bit warmer in there, though I have to say, your fur looks plenty warm itself.”

 

The dog seemed to roll his eyes, saying something along the lines of, `Don't act stupid, of course I want to come in.'

 

“Okay, if you want.”

 

Shutting the door behind her, Ayame sat, leaning against the wall. The dog came over and laid down, back relaxing against her legs.

 

“Do you have a name?”

 

Ayame swore she saw him shrug his shoulders.

 

“Well… you want me to give you name?”

 

He flicked his ear.

 

“I know! How about Kenta? I know it doesn't fit really well right now, but I'll make sure that you will become strong and healthy, so then you can live up to you namesake!”

 

Kenta sighed, as if to say, `I don't care, just shut up.”

 

Ayame grinned as she pulled out her blanket and rolled up into a sleeping position on the floor. A few minutes later a warm mass pushed against her back, and at the moment, Ayame was truly content.