InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The More Things Stay The Same ❯ Intensity ( Chapter 3 )

Author Notes:

 

Wow! I was only gone for 2 days and got a huge flood of reviews in my inbox over the weekend, so I guess that's supposed to tell me you all want to see more of “Things” I'm so flattered and excited to write for you all now! I just got home from a looooooong car trip where I thought of very little else than where this story was going. I bounced a lot of ideas off my Prime beta-reader and husband, and I can now say this story is all planned out! Just needs to be put on paper…. Or word processor…whatever. Once again, if you've never read one of my stories, there are some things I mention that you just won't get, since my stories are played out in my mind like episodes and I include stuff from past stories. My archive can be found on embark.to/palacefics as of 4/27/05 and all of them have been uploaded to fanfiction.net as well.

Finally, I've written all these stories as post series Inuyasha, meaning all this takes place after the TV show ends, and I include a lot of recent things from the manga, so there might be spoilers, but not big ones. As to updates, I'll be able to easily post a new chapter twice a week, unless I hit serious writer's block (which shouldn't happen.) Soooooo... read on, enjoy! Review! Tell me what you want to see more of!

 

 

Kagome was starting to get desperate. It had gotten dark. Really dark. She began to wonder what kind of animals or youkai lived in these woods, and if her barrier ofuda could hold up an entire night. Just as she was beginning to contemplate weather she could start a fire with a nearby rock and a nail file, she heard a crackling of bushes, and saw a flash of red. “Thank God” she thought to herself. Inuyasha jumped out of a tree about three meters in front of her.

“I came as fast as I could. Are you alright?”

“Yeah... I guess.”

“Myouga got word to me. I should have been here” Inuyasha's voice was flat, almost emotionless.

“I'm fine now.”

“He didn't hurt you did he?”

“Not really… just scared me and hit me once.”

“Good” Inuyasha turned from her so his face wouldn't betray him. “Do you want me to hunt him?”

“No.”

Inuyasha grunted.

“Did you take care of what you needed to?”

“Yes. I guess.”

“She was well I take it.”

“Eh? Who are you talking about?”

“Kikyo of course” Kagome pushed herself up and dusted off her jeans.

“I wouldn't know, I haven't seen her in months.”

“I've told you before that you don't have to lie, it's none of my business.”

Inuyasha turned to her, with poorly disguised anger. “I'm not lying, and I don't see her anymore. I had something I had to do today!”

“Oh? What?”

Inuyasha's answers flashed across his mind… get drunk, pick a fight, take a nap, stop lusting after her…

“Nothing.”

“Ok.” Kagome began to walk off into the woods, not really caring if she was going the right way or not.

“Oi, Kagome.”

She stopped. “Nani?”

“You aren't going to let that go, are you? Your graduation.”

The memory stung. “That was years ago.” She choked back on some tears, remembering yet again.

“It wouldn't help if I said it's not how it looked?”

“No. No it wouldn't.”

“Why not?” Inuyasha reached for her hand.

She looked at him, and saw... longing? “I……..I…” she took her hand away and turned from him again. “I won't go through that. Never again. Last time was the last time.”

“Well then…. You're going the wrong way. Everyone else is this way.” And Inuyasha led her out of the woods, his heart heavy. Biting back harsh tears. In times past, he would have hoisted her onto his back and carried her swiftly through the trees. But that was long ago.

 

 

 

Camp was quiet that night. The mood was almost as frigid as the weather. Miroku and Sango didn't care for it. It made fighting and traveling together that much more difficult. They both had heard what happened that night. Sango received and relayed to Miroku a very tearful account from Kagome, punctuated with “baka” and “asshole,” a word she never heard before but took its meaning to be less than complimentary. Since then, Kagome appeared to have tried to forget the more painful or intimate parts of her relationship with Inuyasha. This made traveling still more difficult as Kagome always rode Kirara with Sango, or walked. This forced Miroku to spend great hours apart from his beloved and her luscious curves. For the monk, this was naturally; a big problem.

 

“Sango, would you accompany and protect me while I look for some more wood for the night?” The Slayer caught the bold wink of the Priest.

“Oh yes! Certainly! Everyone excuse us, but we can't be freezing tonight.”

Sango hustled out of the clearing after her betrothed. Her claim of protecting Miroku unfortunately didn't really hold up, after all she left the Hiraikotsu behind.

“Who do they think they're fooling?” Kagome piped up

“Disgusting” agreed Inuyasha. He tried to sneak a glance at Kagome but found her doing the same to him, and both looked away.

 

 

Once the couple arrived in a secluded place a good ways from the camp, they stopped and Sango spoke.

“Hoshi, what was this about?”

“Koi, we're alone remember?”

“Oh” Sango blushed. “Miroku, why did you bring us out here?”

“Isn't it obvious? I could no longer stand to be deprived of your embrace so I brought us here for s…”

“Ho…shi...SAMA!! WHAT EVER ARE YOU THINKING??” Sango reached up to slap him, but he caught her hand in his own.

“Relax Koi, I was about to say, stealing a kiss.” Miroku gave the woman to be his bride a chaste kiss and held her in his arms for a moment. “And to discuss this problem we have.”

“Which one?”

“The one that makes Kagome ride with you, and forces me to walk and be deprived of your nearness.”

“Oh yes… they are a problem.”

“Agreed. We must do something. For one, they are each both practically useless when all they do is try to pick fights and avoid each other.”

“Why do you suppose they keep getting into these petty arguments?”

“Well my dear, I have two theories. One is that when Kagome fights, she's still fighting over that one event. But I believe when Inuyasha starts bickering, or makes her angry, he's just trying to get any attention at all from her.”

“Miroku, stop stroking my butt while you are talking.”

The monk stepped back and folded his hands in his sleeves with his staff in the crook of his arm. “Gomen na sai Koi, but it helps me think.” He sighed. “The fact remains; we must resolve this and get them on good terms once again. I can't bear this any longer. And I am an expert in patience!” He kissed her cheek for emphasis and she smiled warmly.

“What do you have in mind?”

“What else? A matchmaking.”

“You want to make Kagome fall in love with him!?”

“I would just be grateful if they were as tolerant of each other as they were before, but yes.”

“But what if she doesn't want him? It was horrible what he did to her! And after he kissed her…”

“I take it you haven't heard her while she sleeps.”

“While she sleeps?”

“She says his name. Close to every night in her sleep. And Shippo told me that today, she called out to Inuyasha. Not Shippo, not me, Inuyasha. Furthermore, I believe if she no longer cared for Inuyasha, that within two years she would have met a man from her own time, or yielded to Kouga's affections.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

“Keep them together somehow… as much as possible, and talk them into it when we get the chance.”

“Very well… I will see what I can do tomorrow.”

 

Poor Inuyasha had no idea how much more difficult his life was about to become.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I am telling you Inuyasha, I sense something evil this way!”

“It's strange that you think so, because I don't smell anything.”

“No, no, I am certain of it. More certain than I am that the sky is blue!”

 

After the girls had gone to bathe in the Hot Springs nearby, Miroku began to insist that there was a demonic presence nearby, and had practically begged Inuyasha to come with him to check it out.

“Go yourself. I'm busy.”

“Doing what? Nursing that hangover?” The monk shook his head. “In all our travels together, has my example taught you nothing about moderation? And further, you know I try to never place myself in undue danger, I must avoid using my kazanaa at all costs, and that includes your personal comfort. Does my life mean so little to you?”

“You've been spending too much time around the girls… you've gotten way too good at nagging me Miroku-baba.”

“Whatever it takes to get your attention my friend. Now, shall we go?” Miroku gestured with his staff.

Inuyasha hopped down from the tree branch he had slumped his body on top of and followed. “Which way is it now?”

Miroku led him in circles, walking in front and allowing branches to snap in Inuyasha's face. Finally when he was at the place he wanted Inuyasha to be at the right time he stopped.

“Hmmm…. I'm getting a bit turned around… wait here, I'm going to go a bit further and see if I sense it again. I will be right back Inuyasha, so don't move from this spot, or I may not find you again in these thick trees.”

“Wait a fucking minute. What about your `personal safety??'”

“Oh, its all right, I have this charm Kagome made for me that makes me invisible to most demon senses, she carries them too you know… I'll be right back!” With that, Miroku clapped Inuyasha on the back and disappeared into the thick forest. Once he got several meters away he met up with Sango.

“How did you do?” she asked.

Miroku smirked. “One of the things in Inuyasha's favor is that he's incredibly gullible… sometimes I wish more people were like him. How about your part?”

“She's there, and she should be ready for him right about now… I said I wasn't feeling well and didn't want to catch a chill…I'm still not sure if I feel right about this.”

“Koi, sometimes you must ignore your conscience for the greater good.”

“Why do I think you've given yourself that speech…”

 

Inuyasha obediently waited for Miroku to return. When he was beginning to get antsy, he tried to sniff him out, and found that he couldn't locate him. Not even a trail was left on the trees right in front of Inuyasha. As he was sniffing, he could almost detect something else, something familiar, and….. sweet. Just as he was trying to place what on earth it could be, he heard something. It sounded like a splash. He turned to the source of the sound and spread some branches to better see. He was not prepared for what he saw.

Behind the trees, there was a hot spring, and in the hot spring, was a bathing Kagome. She had her back to him and was standing above the water washing her hair. It had grown a great deal, and was down to her lower back easily, she was piling it on top of her head, and he got a good look at her back and her lower feminine assets. Steam was rising from the spring, making her look like an apparition. She turned to his direction and stepped deeper into the water. Her eyes were closed and she was enjoying the feel of the warm water. His face went the color of his Haori, his blood raced to unusual extremities, and his thoughts became cloudy. He had a perfect view of her mature female form. Her waist was narrow, like the middle of an hourglass, her hips had become wider, and her breasts, larger. The only flaw to her body was the scar where the Shikon no Tama was ripped from her body by the centipede monster the day he met her, and that was hardly a flaw… more like a souvenir. His mouth was agape as he took in the sight, his mouth was dry, and his pupils were dilated. All thoughts were dismissed from his mind as he paid attention only to Kagome. He hadn't seen her like this for at least a year, and even then, it was only an accident and had not lasted this long. When she submersed up to her neck, Inuyasha felt a physical pang of loss. “Dammit” he cursed to himself.

Kagome was loathe to leave the warm water, and Inuyasha was fixed to the spot, hoping she might stand up again.

 

Suddenly Inuyasha's reverie was disturbed by a familiar unwelcome tornado. Kouga skidded to a stop about ten meters from Kagome.

“There you are! I've been looking everywhere! Haven't been able to catch your scent!”

“GET OUT OF HERE KOUGA!!!” Kagome dropped herself into the water up to her chin.

“Why? I've come to take you home. It's time.”

“Why?? WHY???? I'm taking a BATH!!”

“So? It's not like I'm not going to start seeing you naked all the time soon anyway.”

“You…. Seeing….WHAT???????”

“Well, you're coming back with me now. It's a good time. You're physically matured and ready to bear pups, and I could use someone around the cave while I'm working on improving inter-clan relations. I need to convince them not to eat humans anymore and it really wouldn't hurt for them to see that I have a beautiful human miko for a mate. So that settles it. I've worked everything out, and now its time to come home. ”

“So des ka? So des ka?? That settles it? I'm not `your woman' Kouga, I never was, and I am not coming with you!! End of statement.

Inuyasha's blood was boiling. How DARE Kouga interrupt him. And how DARE he try to take Kagome away. He was about to charge in and rescue her from the wolf, subtlety be damned, until:

“Don't tell me it's still the mutt!”

“I don't know what you're talking about” Kagome crossed her arms over her chest.

“Dammit Kagome, that thing he had with you ended more than a year ago. I didn't kill him, and I've waited patiently for you to get over it. Now I really need to take a mate. It's important. I picked you and that's the end of it.”

“If only you had put as much energy into keeping your promise to Ayame, and you'd already be married by now.”

“Dammit! I don't like when you get like this! This snotty attitude does not appeal to me.”

“Well, don't boss me around and call Inuyasha a mutt then! I'm a person not property, and at least he knows that!”

“By the wolf god… I knew it!! You are still infatuated with him!!”

Inuyasha's ears perked up.

“I'm not! I just…. I just… Oh hell, I'm not discussing this now! Get out of here! If I have to get out with you here I swear to God, the first thing I'm going to do is purify you!”

“Wait a goddam minute… Don't you have any respect for who I am?? Have you even seen my true form? No… you never have, have you?? I'll show you if I have to… but either way you're coming with me now!” Kouga jumped into the water and reached to pull Kagome out of the water. Inuyasha was about a second from feeding Kouga his own entrails when a blue barrier suddenly surrounded Kagome and blocked Kouga's attempts.

“What the hell?? Dammit woman! Let me in! stop this Shrine Maiden bullshit and lets go home!”

“Why are you yelling at me?!? I didn't do it!!!! INUYASHAAAAAAAAAA!”

Inuyasha didn't wait any longer as he broke the tree line with Tessaiga in hand.

“Wolf…. Leave her alone, or I won't hesitate to Kongousouha you full of tiny holes you bastard!”

“Why can't I smell you? And how did you get here so fast?” Kouga smirked.

“You were watching her, weren't you hentai? Just couldn't resist I bet. Well, I won't hold it against you, it was probably all you could do to keep from being overtaken by desire just from looking. I know it's nothing you'd have the balls to do at any other time of your life. Can't say the same for Kagome though… now that she knows your dirty secret.”

“Shut the hell up. Now either get out of here now, leave her alone and don't bug her again, or you won't be able to walk at all.”

“Don't worry about it, I'm out of here… If I wanted to take a bitch home with me, I would have just grabbed your brother anyway. I'll let Kagome work out this new development. Maybe when she's sick of perverts she'll come on her own. Ja, Later.”

And as fast as that, Kouga was gone.

 

Before Kagome could say anything, Inuyasha began to leave.

“I'll be going now… I don't think Miroku needs my help out here after all.” With that he turned and walked away. As he began to disappear from view, she wondered why he had one of her aura-sealer ofudas stuck to his back like a `kick me' sign.