InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The More Things Stay The Same ❯ Cross My heart ( Chapter 9 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

"So.. she doesn't hate me????" Inuyasha didn't know what to think. A few stolen bits of private conversation near the spring was enough to completly alter his mood for the day. Hell, the week! His mind was like a stampede, thoughts going so many ways at once and at such a velocity. She still had his ring. She still cared about him... she was just afraid. All he had to do was....
He was at a loss.
"What do I have to do?" He folded his legs underneath him and lost himself in analytical thought, and had anyone else been watching, they likely would have been very frightened.
"Okay... so... she's afraid about what I will think.... that's not a real problem.... And she's afraid I want Kikyo.... also, not a problem. So I can just tell her I don't want Kikyo and give her something? No... she probably wouldn't believe just my words. Also I can't just walk up to her with a dead rabbit for dinner and tell her I want to mate her.... Thats something that damn Kouga would think of. And also creepy... on so many levels... Maybe flowers? Keh...baka... late autumn... there are no flowers.... Shit. I might have to talk to Miroku on this one. He must have SOME sense when it comes to this kinda shit... I mean he has his woman. But how can I prove to her I don't want Kikyo... I mean, last time I left had nothing to do with her, it had everything to do with her. Ok, so I won't just take off again. But last time I left because... because... I didn't want to do anything stupid... It would would just... complicate things further..... 'Complicate things further?'"
His thoughts caught themselves on the rocks. She had used that phrase when talking about the fang.
"That ring... when I had it made... Totosai said he had to know who it was for... What if that old man wasn't just being nosey? If he thought it was being made for a bride... That senile old bastard. That's what could be doing this to me!! God dammit! after all the suffering, all the embarrasment, all the dreams.... I'll fucking kill him. But before that.. I need to figure out what to do."

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"Yubi kiri genman

Uso tsuitara

Hari sen bon nomasu

Yubi kitta

Yubi kiri genman

If you tell a lie

Drink a thousand needles

And cut my finger."

"For goodness sake Shippo, what are you singing?"

"It's the engrish words for the song, Kagome taught me when I asked her how they taught her to say it in school."
"You mean en-ga-lish?"
Shippo nodded. "You want to hear it again?"

"Don't worry about it unless you're making a promise kid." Inuyasha broke through the trees.
"So, you have returned Inuyasha. In better spirits I hope?"
"Shut up Bozue."
"I will take that as a yes. You must have taken my advice then?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Inuyasha looked over at the child. "Shippo! Go ask Kagome if she needs me to get her something for dinner!"
"What's in it for me?"
"Uh.... dinner?"
"And?"
"What do you mean 'and' you little brat? You want to eat, go ask Kagome if she needs anything! Now get out of here before you regret it!" Inuyasha growled and held up a fist for emphasis.
"Sheesh.. still grumpy as ever. No wonder Kagome's always yelling at him." Shippo grumbled under his breath.
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and waited for the fox to disapear into the woods before he turned on the Monk.
"I don't know any other way to do this, so I'm just going to come out and say it." the lines of Inuyasha's face were set in deep thought. as though he were evaluating the best way to defeat an opponent. Miroku's eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"What is it Inuyasha?"
"How.... do you show a woman you.... like her... without coming out and saying it?"
"Oh no.... this is not a part of my plan...." Miroku suddenly had images flashing across his mind of Inuyasha courting the buxom blond foreigner from Kagome's time. The sudden aquaintance was the only explaination for Inuyasha's recent boldness. That was the only addition to the mix he could think of.
"Well.... you could always be her friend and just see what happens?"
"You're holding out on me Miroku..." Inuyasha took another step closer.
"Well.. ahem... Often it can come across in the tone of your voice... You may talk a certain way... act in a specific way.... Your body language is different, and you will most likly be as close to the object of your affection as possible."
"Uh huh... so what sorts of things do you think a girl from... oh say, Kagome's time..... would appreciate?"
"Well.. I'm not really an expert on that... perhaps you should ask Kagome-sama?"
"I can't do that."
Miroku cleared his throat; "You know.. some things Inuyasha are just never meant to be.. no matter how much we might want them... I would advise you as a friend, not to throw away something in front of your very eyes so casually. Please... consider Kagome-sama's feelings on the matter!"
"What the fuck are you rambling about? I just asked a question."
"I'm sorry... but I really feel like you should talk this over with her. She..... she.... I think... she loves you, Inuyasha. I wasn't going to say anything, but you leave me no choice. I can't have you throwing that away for a tryst with some.... uwakionna with big blue eyes."
"Nandato????"
"You know.. the gaijin...."
"Who??"
"The blond Kagome-sama was talking about at breakfast this morning!"
"Who? the wha........" Recognition floated across his face. "OH!..... that one.... wait a minute, why the hell do you think I'd want her?"
"Well... I've heard that women from that side of the world have unparalleled exotic beauty.... and enormous..... you know..."
"No... no I don't Miroku... please enlighten me?"
"Well... doesn't she?"
"Well.... it's not what I'm used to... I mean they are huge."
"So she was attractive?"
"Well, yeah, but..."

"OSWARI!"
"EAIGH!!"
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"Kagooooooome!!!!"
"Oh dear... it sounds like Shippo found us Kagome-chan." Sango groaned while she fastened the ties of her tattsuke.
"I would bet you chocolate that Inuyasha is beating him up again." Kagome sighed as she snapped her bag shut.
"And risk my chocolate on those odds? Never."
The fox child reached them panting and collapsed on the ground in front of them.
"What's the big mean Inu-Hanyou doing to you now Shippo-chan?"
"What? Inuyasha? Nothing. I just raced here for the fun of it."
Sango's eyebrows raised in shock. "Is it too late to make that bet Kagome-chan?"
the Miko rolled her eyes.
"Inuyasha did want to know if you needed him to get anything for supper though. That's why I'm here."
Both of the women looked at each other quizzically.
"It must be one of four things" Kagome stated. "He is either, 1-in a very good mood, 2-he wanted to get rid of Shippo for a few minutes, or 3- he's feeling guilty about something."
"What's the fourth thing?"
"All of the above. And that's the one that worries me." Kagome shrugged her shoulders into the backpack straps with a resolute air.
The two women started back for the camp with bath things in tow.
"Wait up! Kagome, is there anything you want Inuyasha to get for dinner?"
"It's fine Shippo, if I need anything, I can tell him myself."
"You sure?"
"Yes, very."
He shrugged and scampered onto Sango's shoulder to ride back.
Sango sighed and adjusted before asking: "Kagome, about what we talked about.. you will take it easier on him won't you?"
"Yes, yes of course."
"Promise?"
"Who am I? Inuyasha?"
"Uso tsuitara

Hari sen bon nomasu

Yubi kitta"

"Shippo stop that... We all know Kagome can keep a promise."

The ladies were getting closer to the camp and could now hear the two men talking over the sounds of the forest:
"..............Uwakionna.................................... ...........the blond ...... talking about ........this morning."
" OH!..... that one...........I'd want her."
"......heard that women from ........ exotic beauty.... and enormous..... you know..."
".... Miroku... please enlighten me?"
"... doesn't she?"
"Well..... ...............they are huge."
"So ........attractive?"
"Well, yeah..."

Kagome's temper flared and her pink aura positivly glowed around her, threatening to purify anything that touched her.
"OSWARI!"
"EAIGH!!"
Sango yanked the back of her vest and scolded her companion in harsh whispers: "That's going EASY????? I can't believe you've picked up Inuyasha's own jealous temper!"
"I'm not jealous!!!" Kagome hissed."I just... don't want to hear that stuff... and neither should Shippo."
"Leave me out of this" he muttered softly.
Sango smacked her forehead, and struck a longsuffering expression. "Ok.... we're going to go out into the clearing now, and you're going to be nice..... or I'lll I'll.... seal you both in a cave until you either work it out, or make another Shikon no Tama! Don't think I won't do it!" The maternal quality of Sango's demands gave Kagome the impression that the Taijiya would make good on her threat if so inclined.
"You know Sango, you and Miroku really should have children... it would be a shame if you had no chance to shower children with all of the love, affection and punishments you concoct."
"Maa maa, stop trying to flatter me. Keep it up and I'll make you apologize to him as well."
"You wouldn't! and after all, He's been sat so much in the last few days, what's one more?"
"When we walk into that clearing, I want to see the old Kagome that doesn't mask her feelings, and is NICE to Inuyasha so as to actually reflect her true feelings! Kikitoru??"
"Yes! I understand!"
"Promise?"
"Promise!"
"Sing the song?"
"No."
"Sing it!"
Kagome sighed and grudgingly began to sing. "Yubi kiri genman, Uso tsuitara, Hari sen bon nomasu, Yubi kitta." Ok???"
"That was lovely kagome-chan."
Kagome crossed her arms and pouted a little before Sango pushed her out of the cover of the thicket.
Inuyasha was just pulling himself out of the subjugation and was rubbing his back side.
"You know bitch... I was standing over a rock when you did that just now."
"When you call me that baka, I could care less." her arms were no longer crossed, as she's had to flail them to keep her balance when Sango pushed her, but the pout was still there. Kagome expected Inuyasha to start an argument, throw a fit, yell, ask when dinner was, but what he did instead was most unnerving.
He smiled at her.

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"And you think this Bokuseno might know something?"
"Yeah. He was an old friend and advisor of my father, although, a bit more reliable than Myouga."
The Inu-no Tachi fully expected the flea-youkai to pop out and defend his reputation from gods-know-where, but after all remained quiet, Inuyasha continued.
"He's a really old tree. The wood used for the sheaths of my father's swords is his. He's said to be very patient and wise."
"It suprises me then Inuyasha that you would even know how to find him" The monk heckled.
"Actually, since you mention it houshii-dono, Inuyasha-sama in fact, does not know how to find him, which is why I will be leading you to Bokuseno's forest." A small voice piped up, and bounded from Kirara's twin tails to Inuyasha's cheek to sneak a bite, and was slapped for his trouble.
"Myouga, you old parasite."
"But Inuyasha-sama.... after you insulted me, I expected you to make it right by letting me taste some of your delicious blood...."
"You had your chance to speak up."
"So we leave in the morning then?" Sango inquired.
"Actually...." the fire crackled and Kagome added another log to the fire. "You all will be leaving in the morning, I'm going to Totosai's mountain to find out if he knows anything, and to get him to do some work on Tessaiga before the snows get serious.
"Why don't we all do both?" Kagome inquired.
"Just in case the weather is bad... I don't want all you humans and the kid up there snowed in. I'll be able to move faster on my own, besides... I'm probably not the best person to talk to an old tree. This way we'll stir two pots with the same spoon." Inuyasha got up from the fire and strolled over to the other side of the campsite and began to pace.
"Houshii-sama, don't you find it a little frightening that Inuyasha is planning something?" Sango whispered to her fiance.
"Actually... my little rice-cake, I am more disturbed that he is making sense!"
Kagome folded and unfolded her hands while she decided what to do. Apart from her home visits, the group rarely split up any more. She began to wonder if maybe Sango was right.. perhaps she was driving Inuyasha away? His smile earlier, it was warm, and mischevious. It seemed so much as say; "I have a secret" and it only made her thoughts more chaotic. Finally, arrived at a decision, she stood up and smoothed out her skirt and adjusted her stockings. "One foot in front of the other Kagome...." she forced herself to walk in Inuyasha's direction. As she came closer, he ceased staring out into the dark forest and turned to her. His amber eyes were liquid pools of light reflecting off the campfire behind her. She could read no emotion from his face as he waited for her to speak. The silence between them was deafening. Finally her lips parted and she shyly spoke up.
"When are you leaving?"
"After everyone is asleep."

"Is he going to see Kikyo on the way? I want to ask him."

"I know what you're thinking."

Kagome started. "How could he....."

"The answer is no."
"No?"
"No, you can't come with me."
"Oh...." She relaxed a bit.
"And 'no' to that one too."
"What?"
"I am defenitly not going to see Kikyo."
Kagome flushed in embarrasment. "I.... I... wasn't thinking anything of the sort. It's your business who you see or don't see, not mine."
"So des ka?"
"So des."
Each looked at the other, waiting and wondering if the other would say anything else to set the mood of the conversation. At last Kagome spoke up.
"You know... it's been a while since we were all apart."
"Yeah.... funny huh. We've all gotten used to having each other around over the years."
"You know.... you'll be missed tomorrow?"
"It's good to be missed." Inuyasha took her cold hand in his warm palm and squeezed it gently, while the faintest ghost of a smile crossed her face.

Notes:
"Yubi kiri genman........." - The english words to this song Shippo sings at the beginning are a literal translation of this children's song. It is sung when making a promise, similar to the familiar rhyme: "Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye."

Uwakionna - Bimbo

Gaijin - Foreigner

Kikitoru? - understand?

So des ka? - Is that so?

So des - yes, or "that is so."


Looks like we're back on track for those updates!