InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Problem ❯ Double Whammy ( Chapter 15 )

Quote: A computer beat me at chess once.
But, it was no match for me at kick boxing.

 

- I don't really trust a sane person. - Lyle Alzado(1949 - 1992)

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

 

A/N: for a thorough apology and lame excuses see bottom...not mine though

 

 

Chapter 15: Double Whammy

 

Oh - oh - oh yeah…that's more like it.

I sank down along the rock face deeper into our little hot spring. There's nothing quite like a bath in a hot spring while it's snowing lightly around you, especially if you have sore muscles and you've just gotten out of bed. Quite relaxing, if I may say so.

“Could I use some of your soap?” Sango asked, making me stir if just a bid.

Too lazy to open my eyes, I put out my hand and searched over the rock I'd placed all my bathing stuff (right under an umbrella to keep them dry). “There you go.” I passed her the bar.

Then I figured, while I had my hand out, I may as well be productive and get to washing myself. Lazily I reached for the shampoo.

“Inuyasha seems to be in a bad mood,” Sango commented.

I sighed. “So tell me something new. It's not my fault Naraku chose then to attack. I didn't exactly have him penned into my day planner you know.”

“I know, I know. But don't you think you should talk to him, you know, to make him feel better. He is only worried about us being hurt.”

Clearly Sango didn't intend this bath to be relaxing. I opened my eyes. “I know and I'll have a talk with him but really, we're all fine…well, save for Miroku.”

I had given him some of the medication that Inuyasha had brought over, and although he was a little tired right now, it looked as though Miroku was going to be just fine.

I dipped down and washed the foam out of my hair. When I resurfaced again though, I nearly screamed out of shock when I found Sango standing not an inch away.

“What about Inuyasha's half-brother?” Sango whispered, eyes already foreboding. “You spent a lot of time seeing to his injury and I'm sure you wouldn't have done that if he was fine.”

I frowned, turning to pin her with a serious look, not at all liking the tone she was taking. Seeming to see that in me, Sango gave a quick apology. “I'm sure you didn't mean anything,” I said, reaching my hand out for the soap. “Anyway, he's a youkai; he should be healed by now.”

Sango raised an eyebrow and I chose not to spend time deciphering what she meant by it, knowing that it would only make me upset with her.

Rubbing the soap as vigorously as I could, I amused myself with the pretty, pink bubbles, stopping every once in a while to pop one that tried to blow away on the slight breeze. I stopped at the sound of Sango's giggle, taking on a dignified look. Clearly, I was too old to spend my time popping bubbles.

Now, while bathing in a hot spring while it's snowing is one of those amazingly refreshing experiences of life, getting out of said hot spring isn't. Trust me. Shivering and quivering, me and Sango put on our clothes, Sango with an almost inhuman speed (after so much practice trying to hide from Miroku no doubt). We threw our towels over our wet hair and made our way toward the village.

Some fifty feet or so, I stopped to let Sesshoumaru know we were done, although I'm sure he already knew that. Even so, he gave me a small nod and waited for us to pass him (or so I'm assuming).

“It's funny he's so high strung now,” I said to Sango. “When the curse was put on Sesshoumaru, he seemed to be all fine and even found it to be funny. If I remember correctly, he thought it was an amusing way to deal with Sesshoumaru.”

Sango gave me an impatient look. “Well it's a good thing that he is `high strung', as you put it. You seem to be taking this calmly enough for all of us. Are you forgetting what he is?”

I stopped in the path, actually embarrassed that Sesshoumaru had to hear this. “Sango, that's not fair.” I tried to keep my voice down.

Sango turned so that she was looking directly at me and when she spoke next, I could see sincerity clear in her eyes. “Kagome-chan, I'm worried for you.” Thankfully, she kept her voice quiet. “I would hate it if something were to happen to you.”

Ah, I feel all warm and fuzzy now. I just so wanted to hug her and I did. “That means a lot to me.” I pulled away so I could look at her. “But I trust Sesshoumaru - mind you, not completely - just enough not to worry for now. I just don't see why he would kill me now if he hasn't yet.”

I could see her trying not to frown, but she only shook her head and said, “You are too tolerant for your own good, you know that?”

I laughed and patted her on the shoulder. “Aw, stop. You're making me blush!”

Realising that I wasn't taking her seriously, Sango shook her head and gently bopped me on the shoulder. I guess that's what I get for being an optimist.

---

My talk with Inuyasha wasn't going quite as well as I was hoping.

True to my word, after my bath with Sango, I went straight to Sesshoumaru and asked him if he didn't mind me going for a walk with Inuyasha. Seeing as how I was ignored, I decided for him and marched right up to Kaede's hut where Inuyasha could be seen frowning from the roof top.

“Inuyasha,” I'd asked oh so nicely. “Could you come down a sec?”

But he had turned his head so that he couldn't see me.

I didn't protest. “Please, Inuyasha?”

He just stuck his nose into the air.

Ever the patient one, I kept my cool. “You know, I was just about to make a fresh pot of ramen. Did you want some?”

“Feh.”

It went on like this for a few more minutes. That's about when I decided I wasn't as patient as all that and resorted to sitting him. After all, if ramen couldn't even persuade him, what could?

Of course, that had him fired up so that he'd decided he liked yelling and cursing better than ignoring me. Wouldn't blame him; that was more Sesshoumaru's field.

Currently, I stood beside Inuyasha's half crouched form as he continued with his rant. Really, I knew it wasn't the best thing to do, but sometimes the temptation is almost too much. I let out a remorseful sigh and waited for Inuyasha to calm down a bit. “I'm sorry Inuyasha,” I said as soon as I could get it through.

He threw me a dirty look and just said, “What do you want anyway?”

I gave my head a good rub, trying to see how to go about this. “You want to go for a walk?”

He frowned at me, then at the forest, then back at me. “No.”

“Then do you want to go inside?” I pointed to the hut. “It should be all warm and toasty in there right now.”

Inuyasha jumped back on the roof. “No.”

Very well then, I thought, glancing around the hut. Eying a pile of logs to the side, I put down my umbrella and walked to the pile. I climbed, slipping and sliding only just a little, and marched up to where Inuyasha was sitting.

“We need to talk,” I said persistently. “Clearly something's bothering you.” You would have to be blind not to guess what it was, but I didn't quite want to admit to it. So what if Sesshoumaru and I were talking - peacefully that is? It wasn't a crime.

Nonetheless, that was the problem, wasn't it? That we'd been talking peacefully, that I'd bandaged him up, and that he'd saved me? Even if I didn't own up to, I knew what the problem was, and judging by his continued, stony silence I think Inuyasha knew that I knew.

Trying not to frown (although I can't say at what), I examined Inuyasha's face. He wasn't looking at me, choosing rather to keep his eyes as aloofly as he could on the village street below. I thought he could use a lesson from his brother seeing as how he was frowning and had his jaws clamped shut so tightly that he had a muscle twitching every so often.

“Inuyasha?” I had moved to stand in front of him, looking down at him with concern. I didn't want him upset over something that - well, that wasn't real.

His eyes flashed to my face then - as though he had just remembered that he was supposed to be ignoring me - he turned them back on the street.

“I wanted to thank you Inuyasha,” I said quietly, watching his face as emotions passed over them.

He frowned a little more then, grumbling, said, “What for?”

I moved my face so that it was directly in his line of view, and then gave him a smile. “For going home yesterday for me. At least I don't have to worry about my mother right now.”

He spared me a glance, something other than anger quickly flashing across his eyes before he turned them away from me.

“And,” I went on, truthfully a little suspicious of the look I'd just seen pass over his face. “I wanted to thank you for worrying for us…”

“Feh,” Inuyasha sounded, rolling his eyes. “Who said I was worried about any of you?”

Okay, I know he was just pretending, but it bothered me just the same. “Then I'm sure it was the jewels then.”

Inuyasha pinned me with a harsh look. “What else, stupid?”

Oh, well! If that's how it was going to be!

I pushed to my feet, concentrating on calming myself so that I didn't sit him again - although it was looking like a better option by the millisecond. “Well then, if you were worried about the jewels, and since they're completely fine, what's the matter with you?”

Inuyasha had pushed to his feet too, rising higher than me as he was apt to do but stirring nothing within me. For a moment this threw me off, my brain noting the sudden change. But then Inuyasha spoke and I had to concentrate back on him.

“What's the matter with me?” his voice rising as he spoke. “Nothing's the matter with me! You, you're the one that—,”

He suddenly clamped his jaw shut again though looking positively fuming. A little stunned, I tried to make something of it. “You think something's wrong with me?” I glanced over my shoulder for a second to where I'd left Sesshoumaru and found him staring along the village street as well. I turned back to Inuyasha. “Because of Sesshoumaru?” Of course, I already knew this.

Again Inuyasha's eyes flashed with anger as he looked at me, but he kept his mouth shut. Nonetheless, it was enough for me to know I was right.

Trying not to roll my eyes in more than just frustration, I pinned him with my utmost serious look. “There's nothing for you to worry about,” I said calmly and quietly, somehow already tired of saying this and already knowing that while the curse remained I had better get used to it.

For a second it looked as if Inuyasha had an answer to this, an angry one too, but then he let out a huge sigh - looking a little deflated - and sat back down on the roof. “Go away, Kagome.” His voice sounded grouchy even though his form looked dejected.

I could've stayed there and tried to talk to him. If it had been a month ago - even two weeks ago - I would have. But just now it felt as though there was a drift between me and him and I felt as though I didn't have the right to pursue it further if he didn't want me to. I felt obligated to leave him alone and respect the barrier that he had put up - or maybe it had been me.

With a sigh on my lips, I stepped away from Inuyasha and made my way to the edge of the roof. I was just about to make my way down when Inuyasha's voice interrupted me.

“Do you need help getting down?” he asked, keeping his back to me.

I was tempted to say yes, even though I really didn't. It would almost be like before; having Inuyasha there to help with everything and anything I may needed help with. But I wanted to give him his space and I wanted to try it on my own.

“No thanks Inuyasha.” Then after a little pause I added. “I am going to make ramen. Come down if you like.”

There, no pressure at all. It was up to him for the time being.

Down on the ground, I made my way to my umbrella, at the same time shaking the snow out of my hair as best as I could. I was just thinking that maybe I should go and give my umbrella to Inuyasha to keep him dry when I stepped on something slightly crunchy. A little surprised as there really shouldn't be anymore leaves left, I looked down to see a white envelope under my right foot, looking a little soggy. Realising this was where Inuyasha had fallen when I'd sat him I glanced at him. Did it fall off him when he'd crashed?

He quickly averted his eyes elsewhere.

My eyes narrowing, I picked up the envelope and turned it over to see my name written on it in my mother's handwriting. Had he been trying to hide this from me? Again I looked at him and again I caught him just as he turned his eyes away from me.

Realising that he had, I pinned him with a glare that I'm sure he felt even though he wasn't looking at me. I would have sat him but I wanted to get to my letter.

I picked up my umbrella and went toward the forest, met Sesshoumaru at halfway and continued on until I was well within. When I turned to lean against a tree, I found that Sesshoumaru had followed me. Whether it was because he was forced to or not, I didn't know and he certainly wasn't saying. But then deciding that it probably wasn't worth wondering over, I tore open the envelope and brought out the note from my mother.

---

Crap.

Shit.

Damned.

Hell.

These were just some of the words crowding my brain. It was bad news, bad news in more ways than one. My exams were next week. Ones I couldn't miss unless I planned on starting everything all over again. To top that, a representative of Tokyo University had been kind enough to call us and let my mother know that I had to go for an interview on Friday. It was enough to have my mom asking me to come home even if I did end up bringing Sesshoumaru across. Clearly my mom had no idea who we were talking about here. And that would be a fine way to show up to my tests and interview, a mythical figure from five hundred years in the past right there beside me in case I needed support. Then again, if things were going bad, maybe I could get Sesshoumaru to cause a commotion so that I could to do the test again.

Oh god, what was I going to do?!

Of course, trust god to never answer when you want him to, I thought glumly.

“You have been silent longer than you are usually capable of being,” came Sesshoumaru's voice, making me jump about ten feet into the air and reminding me that he was still there. Boy was he ever good at picking the right time to start joking.

But I was too preoccupied at the moment to send him a glare or something.

I continued to look at the letter, rereading my mother's words. I knew her enough to know that she had only written the letter because she thought it to be a real emergency. And of course, by the looks of it, it was. I couldn't risk missing an interview with the university rep; I'd worked so hard, juggling two lives for a chance to get to studying further. I wasn't ready to give up on all that just because Naraku had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and decided to take it out on me.

Ignoring his earlier comment, my brain working on its own quite without my permission, I turned around on the path away from the village and said, “Come with me for a sec. I want to show you something.”

Then promptly, I started walking forward, leading the way with great doubt but leading on nonetheless.

After a short while, shorter than I had hoped, we arrived at the well, a sprinkle of snow gathering on its rim. There, I had gotten this far. Now it was time for the real hard work. I wondered if I was crazy to be doing this, but I gave my head a shake to clear it of all thoughts. I had to.

“This is a well,” I said, placing a hand on the rim of the well but keeping my back to Sesshoumaru. Of course, I felt immediately stupid cause I mean, wow, ground breaking news! The well is a well!

Amazingly, no snide comments were forthcoming. Maybe he really didn't know what a well was?

Curious, I turned on the spot to look at him but he was only staring at me much as he did at any other time. I cast around, trying to think of a way to say what I wanted.

“There…there is a well just like this in my home….”

Slowly, Sesshoumaru's eye's turned to examine the well before he brought them back on me, a look of dawning comprehension in their golden depth. But he remained silent.

“Er…I jump in - through it, and I—,”

I stopped short, watching apprehensively as Sesshoumaru took a step toward the well and me. His eyes roved over the well, taking in the old and damp wood and then into the black confines before falling back on me. That's when I first noticed it, the blazing curiosity that he wasn't even bothering to mask. I couldn't find my voice to say anything.

“It leads to your homeland?” he asked, taking a step closer to me.

I couldn't possibly say it, could I? Wouldn't that put my home in danger? I settled for swallowing though my mouth was dry as sand.

But he didn't seem to need an answer. By the looks of it, I had said enough to give away my secret.

“How does it work?” he asked steadily almost as though he had received a full and ample response to his previous question.

But there was something in his eyes now, something more than innocent curiosity and it was putting me more on edge. I could feel myself starting to sweat with nerves, knowing that I had crossed a line that I shouldn't have had, at least not yet. It was as though my brain was finally coming back to me and it was screaming abort right now. It had been a bad idea to even think about going with him. I'd be a fool if I thought I'd have any control over him while we were there. The most I could do was to limit his movements, something that he could easily overcome by either killing or taking me for the ride.

With a step away from him, I shook my head, not myself sure what that was supposed to convey.

It was ignored.

“You jump in and the well leads you to your homeland?” This time he didn't stop for my response, merely stepping closer and closer to me and continuing. “A land with no demons, developed humans, all in Inuyasha's forest?”

His eyes fell back on the well and I could guess what he was thinking.

“It's never let anyone else through.” That caught his attention.

He was close, too close, and I backed up but soon had to stop as I reached the lip of the well.

“Inuyasha went through yesterday.”

“Well, he's the exception to the rule.” I was struggling to put some strength back into my voice, but he was unnerving me more and more with that look in his eyes. “Even I can't get through without the - without help.”

His eyes lingered on my face as though checking to see how honest I was being. At least here I could be sure to be genuine as what I was saying was perfectly true. He finally stopped his approach, some of the expression in his eyes fading as he read my hesitation.

“Why did you decide to show the well?”

I couldn't tell him it was a mistake. Nor could I write it off to a temporary bout of insanity though that was the honest truth.

“My mom sent a letter with Inuyasha. I have things to do at home.”

Face falling back to full neutrality, he said, “And what has changed your mind about going home?”

Trying to regain my calm, I sat on the ledge of the well. But obviously, as usual, there was no point pretending with Sesshoumaru as he seemed to already know exactly what I was thinking. “I don't trust you enough to take you along.”

He was silent, eying me, then the well behind me. As for my answer, it seemed to hardly make a difference to him at all. Okay, I should've expected that.

Finally, he looked back at me, curiosity back in his eyes, yet this time it was guarded. “And if I were to use your standing dept?”

I could feel myself paling, acknowledging that I did owe him a favour. But this hardly would count as a simple favour like letting me bandage him and so it didn't change anything. “It couldn't buy you my trust.”

“I did not intend to use it so.”

Okay, I have to admit, I had already known that. But stalling is a favourite fall back of mine. “Then I'd have to say chances are you wouldn't even be let through in the first place.” My voice sounded almost confident and for a minute I almost was.

There was a small smirk tipping the side of his mouth which I didn't like at all but could do little about. He moved so that he was directly before me, tall and massive compared to my half sitting form. Suddenly I wished to be back on my feet, but knew that if I were to stand up right now, I'd pressing right by his person which just plain old couldn't be a good idea. With a steadying breath, I tilted my head back to catch his face.

“Then we shall put those chances to the try.”

And without further ado, I was tipped over roughly and was falling with a gasp stuck in my throat. Sesshoumaru followed me into the well and I could only hope to hit the ground hard if it meant not going through.

The impact never came. Instead I felt hard ground appear beneath my back as smoothly as though it had been there the whole time which could only mean that I was through. I hadn't realised that I had closed my eyes. But once I opened them it was to see the dull blue glue waver and wane on Sesshoumaru's white hair, leaving us in the dark of the well house.

I pushed to my feet, feeling angrier than I've ever been in my whole life, which is saying something as I spent most of my time battling it out with Inuyasha.

“You,” I demanded angrily of Sesshoumaru, “I don't know where you get off thinking you—,”

He clamped his hand tightly over my mouth, making me gasp with surprise. Angry beyond belief, I didn't even realise he wasn't looking at me. I shoved away his hand and opened my mouth to continue, but again, he shut me up, this time going further so that he had pushed me against the wall of the well hard enough to knock the wind out of me.

His eyes were darting here and there as though he was disoriented and was trying to find his footing. This came as no surprise, as everything but the well was now different. Distracted though he may seem, however, it was clear that I wasn't to talk if I was going to rave. I took in a deep, steadying breath, giving him the sense that I was calm. But he wasn't paying any attention to me.

Frustrated, I tugged on his sleeve, drawing his eyes onto me. In them, I saw a look of half disbelief.

“We have to go back,” I started out, but he ignored me.

“It's off,” he said simply, his eyes now fully focused on me. I didn't know what he was talking about, and I wasn't sure I wanted to know what. Nevertheless, I just had to go and ask.

“What's off?”

Finally, and possibly for the first time in my memory of him, Sesshoumaru smiled, albeit a scary one. “The curse.”

Seemingly having said all he wanted to or deemed necessary, he leaped out of the well in one leap.

Now definitely panicking, I ran up the ladder at the side of the well, hoping to catch up to him even as the well house door was slid open. Once at the top, I ran out of the well house in his pursuit. “Sesshoumaru, wait,” I yelled after him even as I saw him getting ready to leap into the air. “You can't go!”

But it was too late. He was already high in the air, moving fast out of my sight, well out of the measly sixty foot berth that he had been the past week and a half.

---

 

Well howdy partners?!

I'm back. Sorry for the unbelievable delay. But you know, I lead a busy life and now I'm back at school and things are harder than ever so please do forgive me. And to be honest, I'd opted to give up on the story, but I'd gotten so many wonderful reviews of people asking me to continue that I just had to. So I think I will - continue that is with this story. I'm still pretty certain of where I want to take it. So just please bear with and don't be cross if you see shamefully long delays.

A special thanks goes to Mandybean, lehcar132, Kuroro12, and for sure, Advi for your encouraging words. Trust, it was all of you that made me move my butt and sit back at this. So thanks and again, very sorry.

Btw…I'm sorry, it's shorter than usual, but I wanted to get this chapter out and revive some lost hopes. Plus, trust me, this is where the break should go. Next chapter's a doozy.