InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Comfort ( Chapter 11 )

Quote of the Day (courtesy of Blazingnymph7): “I chose the road less traveled, now where the HELL am I???”

 

A/N: If you would like to submit a quote for me to use, please do! I love them, almost as much as I love fanart. I have been on deviantart so much this week! My profile there is Angel449. Check out my photographs!

 

As you can see, I am, once again, barely meeting my deadline for this story. Sigh…I truly hope that my writing hasn't been affected by everything I have going on. I am pretty pleased with this chapter but if you notice any problems, PLEASE tell me. By the way, “Your chapters are short,” does not qualify as a problem. I am so tired of hearing that. I am honestly trying my best just to get updates out. Anyways, enjoy the chapter and thanks for your patience.

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter 11

 

“Poor Inuyasha,” Kagome said miserably, as she searched for him. She was sad about the death of the village men but, in all honesty, she hadn't known them that well and she only knew one of their names. Inuyasha on the other hand…

 

The night air was cold and Kagome found herself shivering. She glanced around but she didn't see Inuyasha anywhere. Kagome was just about to give up and go back inside when she felt a soft, warm weight descend upon her shoulders. She quickly looked behind her.

 

“You'll get sick if you stay out here with what you're wearing,” Inuyasha said simply.

 

Kagome clutched the red fabric around her tightly. “Thank you.”

 

“Keh.”

 

There was silence. An awkward Silence.

 

“Still think I can do something pure enough to break the curse?” Inuyasha muttered.

 

Kagome felt her heart break. She didn't know what to say to comfort him. “Inuyasha…”

 

“I doubt that this is the birthday present you wanted.”

 

Her birthday? How had he known that it was her birthday? Had Sango told him? “Inuyasha…”

 

“Why are you still here!” he suddenly yelled out of blue. “I told you at least twice to go home!”

 

Kagome was taken aback. She just had no idea what to expect with this guy. If he wasn't depressed, he was being kind to her. If he wasn't yelling, he was telling her to go home. Kagome wasn't going to stand for that anymore.

 

“Now listen here!” she shouted, grabbing his hair and yanked his head down to meet her eyes. He winced. “Don't tell me what to do! I'll go home when I'm good and ready and nothing you can say is going to change my mind! I'm here for awhile, pal, now get used to it!” For good measure, she roughly tugged his hair again, hoping to drive her point across, before releasing it.

 

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in attempt to cover his shock at her behavior. “I can damn well order you around if I feel like it. Don't forget, woman, this is my castle that you are trespassing on!”

 

“Don't get all high and mighty with me! I don't care if you own the whole region! You can't command me like I'm a loyal servant! If I wanted to obey a man's every command for the rest of my life, I would have stayed at home!”

 

Damn her for being so stubborn! But more than that, damn her for looking so undeniably beautiful at that very moment. Inuyasha wasn't aware of anything at that moment other than the passion in her voice, the blaze in her eyes or the way her full lips pressed together tightly in frustration-

 

Don't. Even. Go there.

 

“…You're not even listening to me, are you!”

 

Inuyasha snapped out of his daze and regarded her coldly. “I have to go.”

 

He turned to leave just as he felt her soft hand grab his hand, preventing him from going anywhere. His eyebrows disappeared into his bangs and a pink hue stained his cheeks. What was with her that night?

 

“Inuyasha, why won't you look at me in the eye?”

 

Her voice had completely changed. It was softer…and more sad. It was a voice that made him feel like a complete jackass. Damn that woman for making him feel these things! Why couldn't she just leave him alone?

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before turning to face her. He rested his gaze on her chocolate-brown orbs…and was unprepared for what he saw.

 

Her eyes revealed understanding, sympathy, caring…and trust. Her openness was almost frightening. What was it about this girl?

 

Then she smiled. A bright, beaming, beautiful smile. “There. That wasn't so hard, was it?” she asked playfully.

 

For the second time in two days, Inuyasha felt the urge to smile again. And that scared him. Building a wall around his heart was the only way that he had been able to protect himself for nearly fifty years. Over time, it came naturally but…this woman, this miko, was taking down the wall without even trying.

 

It was then that he realized that his hand was still in hers. With his face flaming, he pulled it away.

 

Kagome didn't seem to mind. She smiled again and started to walk away.

 

“Wait!” Inuyasha blurted out.

 

Startled, Kagome stopped and turned around. “What's wrong?”

 

Inuyasha suddenly felt very flustered. “I, uh…thanks,” he muttered.

 

Kagome looked surprised. “For what?” she asked in genuine confusion.

 

Why did she have to make everything so complicated? Could she just accept anything he said without questioning it? Besides, he didn't exactly know what he was thanking her for. Well…he did actually…but he didn't know how to word it.

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes in attempt to cover up how uncomfortable he was. “For…uh…back there,” he said awkwardly.

 

Understanding dawned in Kagome's eyes and she gave him a small smile. “You're welcome, Inuyasha,” she said, stepping toward him. “And I want to thank you too.” At Inuyasha's stunned look, she smiled and added, “For allowing me to stay here for my birthday. I…I'm truly grateful. It's made this one of my best birthdays ever.”

 

Leaving a flabbergasted and speechless Inuyasha, she turned and walked to the stables to feed Amaya.

 

After all, freedom from Naraku is the greatest gift he could have possible given me.

 

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Naraku fought the urge to drum his fingers against the table in front of him. To say he was irritated and impatient would have been the understatements of the year.

 

He had told all of his men to meet back at the temple that day to discuss their findings in the regions around them. However, three of his men from the northeast had not returned yet. His outward appearance was calm but on the inside…he was murderous.

 

The other men knew it too. They were shifting back and forth uneasily, trying not to fall under the deadly hunter's cold gaze.

 

Naraku had finally had enough. He cleared his throat and the already quiet room became silent.

 

“It would seem that the three men that were sent to the northeast have not returned. If anyone has anything important to say regarding the whereabouts of Lady Kagome, speak.”

 

Shifting. A cough. Then a voice said, “Sir, we have found dried hoof tracks leading to the northeast. The tracks show that only one horse has rode there recently,” said one man, speaking on behalf of his group.

 

Naraku smirked. “You believe that Lady Kagome is in the northeast?”

 

The man spoke with confidence. “I believe she is, sir.”

 

Naraku's eyes glinted. “And the three men that went that way are missing…gentlemen, I think we have found Kagome.”

 

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Shiro ran as fast as his legs could carry him. As he neared Kaede's door, he stopped and tried to catch his breath.

 

“What on earth, Shiro! What's happened to ye!” an elderly voice exclaimed.

 

Shiro looked up. “Lady Kaede! I wanted to,” he panted, “tell you what happened at the meeting.”

 

“Goodness! Did ye run all the way here? Come in!” Kaede ushered the exhausted young man inside.

 

When he was comfortably seated and holding a cup of hot tea, Kaede asked him, “What happened?”

 

Shiro didn't pause. “Naraku believes that Kagome is in the northeast. He is going to send one of the finest soldiers in the village to confirm it though. You see, the last men sent there didn't return.”

 

“They didn't return?”

 

“No, Lady Kaede.”

 

The northeast. The village I sent Kagome to…was in the north. Why would she have gone northeast? Kaede suddenly got an ominous feeling. If the men didn't return…

 

…Kagome, what has happened to you?