InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Tragedy of Inu Yasha and Kagome ❯ Act 2, Scene 2 ( Chapter 6 )

The Tragedy of Inu Yasha and Kagome

By Oshidori

A/N: Sorry for another long update! The idiots next door accidentally chain-sawed my cable and internet connection while they were trimming their tree! ><

This was a hard chapter too. I've quit smoking so I've been feeling a tad…bitchy lol, so it was extra hard to get into a romantic mood to write, and you can't skimp on something like that for something as romantic as the famous balcony scene! =^_^=

Although listening to John Lennon's `Love', and watching the IY movie over again sure did help ;)

And as always, please feel free to correct any terminology or spelling that might be wrong ^_^

Disclaimer: All IY characters are the creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi. The storyline and characters they represent are inspired by the even greater William Shakespeare. I am simply standing on the shoulders of artistic giants for my humble fanfic, so to speak ;)

Act 2, Scene 2

Kagome had been walking to her bedchamber after having a late night chat with Sango in her quarters, when she suddenly heard a noise. Her heart skipped a beat, as she wondered if what she sensed was true. `Could it really be him?' she excitedly thought as she hurried into her room. She drew her kimono closed as she scurried across the bedroom floor, jerking open the fusuma that led to her balcony, greeted by the cool, fresh evening breeze as she walked towards the edge. Upon reaching the railing, she leaned over; looking out towards the garden below, her eyes searching for what she hoped would be there. Moments later, she drew back, disappointed. Kagome sighed.

"Oh, Inu Yasha-" she began, as she looked out over the tree tops, leaning forward onto the railing again, letting her chin rest on her hand.

Inu Yasha's ears twitched wildly after hearing his name. His heart seemed to match the sporadic movement of the white triangles that flicked about on his head.

`That was *my* name!' he thought excitedly, as an arrogant smirk slowly made its way across his face. He cautiously stood up, and strained to see the girl he longed to be near, acting as quietly as possible.

Kagome let out a sigh as she looked out across the yard, her heart becoming heavier with the overwhelming need to see the boy she had met earlier at the masquerade.

`Why did I think he would come after me so soon? I can be so silly sometimes…' she thought languidly. Her face grew warm just thinking about him, and she blushed prettily. She let her mind drift to the moment he had pulled off his mask and finally saw his face, his delicate features, his stunning amber eyes, as they glinted much like the shattered glass that had reflected the moon's beams after she had `freed' him. She glanced at her bandaged hand and smiled at the recent memory.

Not that it mattered whether she ever saw it at all; the minute she felt him follow behind her she felt as if she knew him; his presence was so familiar. When she walked up to him, stuck on that silly ornament, she had already `seen' all of him, right away. He was rough, ill-mannered; but who he really was shone through brighter than anything she had ever seen or sensed before in her short life. His heart sparkled with a more brilliant gold than even the moon itself, only to be challenged by the intense gold of his own eyes.

She began to breathe heavier, thinking of the youth's eyes upon her, and how he looked at her. They had argued, and he was so insensitive! But she couldn't really be mad. Not while he looked at her like that.

"Inu Yasha-" she breathed, as she looked up towards the thumbnail moon, allowing the lunar spell to take hold of her. She appeared like that of a child, making her innocent wish upon the moon, smiling as the butterflies rose in her stomach, giddy at the prospect of her new secret, her inner most thoughts shone back at her in full brilliance between her and to whom she confessed. She felt safe at the sanctity that would be kept between her and the heavenly body. Little did she know of the young hanyou who listened intently to every sound she made just below her perch; every sigh, every rustle or shuffle of her feet, and could even feel every unspoken word in her heart. His impatience to see her grew. So encompassed in her thoughts was she that she did not even hear as he silently leapt upon the balcony, standing only a few feet behind her, as he stood awestruck at her silhouette, weakened by the way the moon's soft glow had clung to her body, jealous of its intimate advantage over him.

Kagome, still entranced by the moons captive glow, breathed in the fragrant night air and slowly closed her eyes, tears and heart welling up at the pain she felt for her overwhelming desire to see who she thought was not there.

`But…I *feel* that he is here… do I really need to see him so badly that I'm imagining this sensation?' the night breeze began to pick up, and she shuddered slightly. Inu Yasha made a motion to reach out towards the girl, he wanted to warm her up, to touch her, but stopped himself, as he feared he would break whatever spell she was under, a spell that has also enchanted him in the process as well. He moved in closer to her.

"I wonder where you are tonight, Inu Yasha?" she asked aloud, her eyes still shut. Inu Yasha felt instantly warm at the sound of his name coming from her sweet voice.

"Right here, Kagome." He was now standing right behind her.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Kagome whirled around, knocking the poor startled hanyou to one side, a bright red handprint left stinging on his cheek.

Inu Yasha, who remained on the floor wide-eyed, reached up to touch his injured face. His eyes soon flashed with anger as he jumped up and faced Kagome, who was still breathing heavily from her scare.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, BAKA?!?!" Inu Yasha screamed at the young girl. Kagome soon mimicked his anger and threw it right back at the hanyou.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING SNEAKING UP BEHIND PEOPLE LIKE THAT?! HUH?? I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK!!"

The two faced off, glaring at each other; Inu Yasha clutching his cheek while Kagome stood clutching her heart. Their ferocious stares only lasted for a moment before they were replaced with panic however, as the two quickly realized that they had been caught by the other. Both whirled around, their backs facing each other, cheeks blushing furiously.

`She knows I'm here for her!' thought Inu Yasha excitedly, `what do I say now???'

`He came!' Kagome nearly shrieked in her thoughts, `and all I could think to do was slap him?? Good going genius!!' she scolded.

As Inu Yasha continued to desperately search his thoughts for the right thing to say, Kagome slowly breathed out and smiled, looking up to the moon while she silently thanked it. She began to giggle.

Inu Yasha's jumbled thoughts came to a screeching halt as soon as he heard Kagome's tinkering laugh. For a split second, he almost laughed along with her; happy to hear her happy, but a nagging insecurity dashed that feeling to bits and replaced it with itself.

"What are you laughing at?" He was quick to face Kagome again, fist curled as he loomed over her menacingly, trying his best to prepare himself for any degradation she might have in store for him.

`She thinks I'm an idiot!' the insecure voice told him. He thickened his shell.

"I'm sorry Inu Yasha," Kagome continued to smile at him. The insecurity was dashed as quickly as it came, and he began to relax. "But you really scared me. I didn't think you would come…" She looked up at him with her big soft mahogany eyes.

"Baka!" he grudgingly pulled away his eyes from hers as he crossed his arms. He started off sounding gruff, but the way she felt that near to him, and the way her scent tantalized his nose, he was powerless to maintain it. His shell's strength began a rapid deterioration, as his face calmed and he put on a more somber visage.

"Of course I would come, why wouldn't I?" He asked quietly, looking up at Kagome's moon. He secretly thanked it as well.

"You're the one who said we should meet again. Why would I ignore your wish?"

Kagome blushed. She walked up closer behind him, as his ears twitched. Inu Yasha could feel his heart beating through his chest.

"Oh… is that all?" she asked in mock hurt," only because I asked?"

His shell was now completely destroyed. Inu Yasha turned to face her, the seriousness and intensity of his eyes almost causing Kagome to gasp.

"I wanted to see you too…" He whispered.

The two looked into each others eyes, a blush spreading simultaneously across both their cheeks. Inu Yasha grew uncomfortable, and decided to break the stare once again, picking up Kagome's bandaged hand.

"How is it?" Inu Yasha swallowed hard, "Is it healing better now?"

Kagome, also a bit flustered, welcomed the subject change.

"O-oh… yes, its healing fine now, arigatou" she answered meekly. She could barely breathe, what with her heart beating steadily in her throat. She looked up at the hanyou and smiled sweetly. He looked at her with what seemed like an affectionate expression, his eyes warm as a small smile spread across his lips.

Kagome turned abruptly and walked to the balcony's railing, placing her forearms on the bamboo she leaned forward, staring off into the night sky. Inu Yasha thought he caught a sad expression on her lovely face before she turned.

She then sighed lightly, the sound of it confirming the youth's query. He walked closer to her, gazing upon her lovely ebony hair, shimmering softly by the small moon. He waited, and let her speak.

"So… you are a Taiyoukai?" she asked. She felt her throat constrict at the question.

"How…" Inu Yasha began, wide eyed.

"My nurse, Sango, told me after I left you earlier tonight."

Inu Yasha looked grim, but remained standing behind her, watching her shoulders rise and fall with each breath, wanting to touch them.

"And you are the daughter of Naraku…"

Kagome laughed bitterly, the sound causing Inu Yasha's ears to flinch suddenly.

"Step-daughter only," she corrected, "I'm not really that close to him, or my step-mother for that matter…" she trailed off. Inu Yasha walked up to join her side at the railing. Kagome turned her head to look at him.

"They are different than me," she continued, "I mean…I'm grateful they've taken me in and raised me like their own, but I have a feeling it wasn't exactly out of the kindness of their hearts."

Kagome lowered her chin to rest on her arms which lay on the railing. Inu Yasha merely looked at her, her sadness making his heart cringe. He wanted to tell her to stop speaking about the things that made her sound like that, and hated them, trying hard to keep the rage from welling inside him, the irresistible urge to end and destroy all the things that hurt her, now and forever. He wanted to offer his protection from such things, but he knew better and restrained his emotions, letting her continue, knowing overall that that is what would help her best.

"My father tells me he found me near a well, just outside the village, when I was only a baby. He probably would have left me there to die, if I hadn't reached towards a Shikon shard he carried in satchel under his yukata. He says when he picked me up I went right for it, wanting to play with it."

"At the time, he wasn't really sure if I could actually see the shard, or if it was only a coincidence. Nevertheless, he decided to bring me back to the palace. He said he sensed a great spiritual power in me, like that of a miko, and figured he could use my `gifts' to his advantage in the future. He's collecting those shards, you see, for whatever evil purpose he has. And so I lived with him and my mother, Kagura the wind-user, ever since." Inu Yasha looked at her a bit surprised.

"Yes, I'm not so naïve that I don't know what kind of person my father is. And I hate it." She replied bitterly.

Inu Yasha moved in closer, gingerly placing an arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him, surprised at his forwardness, and blushed. She looked back out to the garden, and let herself sink into him. She could feel his heart beat.

"You know, if you're caught, my father will have you killed." She whispered.

"Keh!" Inu Yasha smirked as he drew her closer to him, "they could never even touch me!" Kagome couldn't help but smile as she felt his chest puff up in pride. She turned and lowered her head to rest on it, wanting to hear his beating heart again.

"Hai, hai!" laughed Kagome, before her face became serious again. She hesitated, wanting to push herself to ask the question that had been nagging at her all night.

"Inu Yasha?" she began.

"Hai?"

"Why were you at the party tonight?" She peered up at him, "Why would you be at a masquerade held by your family's sworn enemy?"

Inu Yasha tensed at the question. He had hoped somewhere in the back of his mind that she wouldn't ask such questions and sighed defeated, realizing she was too quick to let such a thing slip past her and wondering why he would have thought otherwise about the bright little girl in his arms.

"I-" he didn't know how to tell her, "I was there in search of someone else."

Kagome pulled away from him, and turned her back to him. His side suddenly grew cold from her sudden withdrawal.

"The dead miko that tried to kill my father…" her voice stabbed at him with its bitterness, "…is who you came for? Right?"

Inu Yasha looked down, "Hai, Kagome." He answered regretfully, "…but she is dead now."

"So am I to take her place in your heart?" she challenged, still turned away.

Inu Yasha, angered by her comment, took her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him."

"Baka! How can you even think that?" he fumed, Kagome taken aback by his sudden reaction to her words.

"Well what am I supposed to think?" she spat back at him. He held her gaze for a moment before turning away dejectedly. He faced the garden below.

"She didn't love me!" Kagome flinched at the response," and I… I know now that I didn't really love her…not like I thought…" Kagome looked at his back in surprise.

"Inu… Yasha…"

He turned to face Kagome, his eyes looking painfully vulnerable; and that touched her. She waited for him to continue; unaware that she was holding her breath.

"I… was looking for something in Kikyo that I had hoped was there…but really wasn't." he gritted his teeth, uncomfortable at all that he was about to show this girl of himself. He never told anyone anything, and now he was going to tell this girl about him, a subject he avoided as best he could.

`Not that anyone really ever cared to ask in the first place, though' he thought to himself bitterly.

"I never knew my father really, and my mother had died when I was very young. Even though that asshole brother of mine had taken me in, I was still pretty much all alone. Sesshoumaru isn't exactly the warmest person…" he bared his fangs at the thought of his older brother.

"Since I'm only a hanyou, and second born, he always sort of rubbed it in my face. But he never could kill me and get it over with, because of an heirloom my father had left me, that that idiot wants." Inu Yasha grinned arrogantly.

"An heirloom?" repeated Kagome.

"Yeah," continued Inu Yasha haughtily, "the Tetsusaiga, a powerful sword." His chest puffed up with pride once more, "and I'm the only one who can wield it."

After his moment, Inu Yasha's face had grown somber again; his long silver hair glowing from the heavenly beams coming from above seemed to make his face appear all the more dramatic.

"When I first met Kikyo, it seemed we had a lot in common. We were both alone, and we were both angry. It was the first time I had found something in common with someone. I tried to use her to fill that void in me, one that I didn't fully understand yet myself."

"But all she could do was hate. Because, as it turns out, she was vengeful against your father," he turned to look at Kagome, "and that's all she could think of."

"My only regret with Kikyo," he continued, "was that I could have at least protected her, not only from death, but from her hate too. But I realize now, that I wouldn't have been able to; because just as she only sought out her hate, I could only think of what I needed, and that was to fill this void in my heart. So I used her, just as much as she used me to sharpen her hatred towards your father."

Kagome swallowed, anger filling up her head and making it hurt.

"So… do you regret being with me instead of Kikyo when she died?" She could feel the hot tears well in her eyes, burning them.

Inu Yasha looked over to her, his heart breaking from the sight of her tears. He needed to tell her the truth, but she wasn't giving him a chance to fully explain himself. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, drawing her into his embrace.

"Baka!" he scolded gently, "I know now that I couldn't have saved her, or that she was mine to save." He lowered his nose to her hair, breathing in her warm fragrant scent as he held her, "it wasn't meant to be…"

Kagome pulled away from him enough to look up at him, tears making her eyes shine. He put a clawed hand up to her cheek, holding her face.

"Do you think me being with you instead of Kikyo at that moment was a mistake?" he smiled at her.

"…what are you saying Inu Yasha?" she asked, searching his eyes.

Inu Yasha moved his hand from her cheek to under her chin, pulling her face upwards to meet his, as his eyes bore into hers, casting a dream-like spell on her. Her lids became heavy as she let him pull her closer to him.

"I'm saying," he whispered, his breath warm on her lips, "I'm saying that….I love you, Higurashi Kagome…"

Kagome's eyes dropped closed as her heart exploded with emotion. At that moment, Inu Yasha closed the gap between them, his lips meeting hers, his fangs brushing against the delicate skin as he took her mouth with his. He wrapped his arms around her, as hers remained rested on his chest, her hands directly over his heart, feeling her life within his heartbeat. As he nibbled on her lower lip, he traced one clawed hand up her spine, through her hair, until he held her head firmly in place, causing her to shudder. With his lips, he gently pushed hers open, beckoning her to let him enter. Kagome sighed, letting him have his way, as he deepened their kiss. She slid her hands upward, tangling them in his long silver hair, until they wrapped around his neck, drawing him in closer. He responded by bringing the intensity of their kiss to a feverish pace. After a moment of this dreamlike ecstasy, Kagome let go suddenly, before all rational thought had a chance to been killed off completely, and moved her hands back to his chest, gently pushing him away.

"No!" she gasped, slipping out of his arms, "How do I know…. how do I know you're telling the truth Inu Yasha? How do I know I'm not a replacement for your beloved Kikyo?" Her eyes pleaded him to set her mind at ease, filling with tears once again. Kagome unconsciously touched her lips, now full and red from the intensity of their kiss, her rapidly beating heart causing the blood to pulse through them.

Inu Yasha moved towards her again, craving her warmth to be his once more.

"Kagome… what can I do to show you I mean it?" He looked past her shoulder in hopes that he could think of what to say, only to find the moon shining on it.

"The moon!" he exclaimed, "I swear on the moon that everything I say is true!"

"Feh!" Kagome crossed her arms and looked away, unconvinced, "what an oath! The moon changes all the time… so does that mean what you feel will too?"

Inu Yasha frowned, growing angry at his frustration.

"Maybe the moon changes, but it always comes back! And just because it disappears sometimes, doesn't mean it isn't there!" he looked up at the moon, cursing its sudden cruelty for changing the night's events, "Even when it's gone, I know it's still there. I can't help but know it!" He gritted his teeth.

Kagome's anger changed into curiosity,

"Inu Yasha…what are you-"

"Kagome-chan!" It was Sango, calling from the hallway. Kagome's eyes grew wide as panic enveloped her. Instantly she was pushing at the hanyou's back, trying to coax him off her balcony, as he fought back in the confusion.

"What the hell are you doing Kagome??" His whisper was anything but low.

"It's my nurse! You have to get out of here!! If she finds you, we're both dead!!"

Inu Yasha jumped up onto the balcony railing, facing Kagome as he grabbed her hand.

"Do you believe me now?" He asked seriously.

"NO!" Kagome hissed, pushing the half-demon off of her ledge. Unprepared, the hanyou tumbled backwards, falling all the height head-first, and eventually pummeled into the cool grass with his face. He quickly pulled himself up to shout at the girl when he noticed that the nurse's scent had gotten stronger. He held his tongue, but growled nonetheless.

"Kagome-chan!" scolded Sango, "what are you doing out here at this time of night? It's getting chilly and you might catch a cold!"

"Gomen ne, Sango-chan" Kagome apologized.

Sango shook her head, exasperated.

"Anyway, your mother is calling for you, go to her quickly!" her friend said as she spun her around and gave her a push towards the bedroom's fusuma.

"Hai!" Kagome said as she hurried off.

Sango began to follow her mistress, but changed her mind as she stopped to look over the railing, catching the startled hanyou lying in the grass below. She slitted her eyes in a disapproving glare, causing Inu Yasha to sink lower into the grass. They stared at each other for a moment more, before Sango quietly turned back and headed into the palace.

`What the hell was *that* about?' gulped Inu Yasha, who continued to blink up at the now vacant spot. He decided to shrug off the woman's icy glare as best he could before picking himself up, when he picked up Kagome's scent nearing once again.

He looked up as he saw her quickly lean over the railing, a curious smile on her face.

"Inu Yasha," she whispered breathlessly, "if you really want to prove it to me, that you love me, there's only one way you can…"

Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow, as he looked at her suspiciously.

"And what would that be?" he asked. Kagome smiled again,

"If you were to marry me, of course!"

Inu Yasha's jaw dropped as he stared at the young girl in disbelief.

"M-marry you?" he repeated.

"Yes!" she replied, "but you don't have to answer me right now! Think about it tonight, and then send someone over tomorrow with the answer. I have to go now!" and she ran off.

"Ch-chotto!" Inu Yasha called back, only to be left standing.

`Marriage, huh?' he thought, turning to walk towards the palace gate. He stopped to look back at the balcony.

`Is that all?' he thought, as a smirk quickly spread across his face.

"I'll gladly ask for your hand in marriage, Kagome!" he whispered excitedly, before glancing up towards the moon again. He grinned at it, silently thanking it for the night's good fortune. Suddenly, he heard movement at the far end of the garden, bringing him back to his senses, reminding him of where he was.

`Better not get killed before my wedding day.' He smirked inwardly to himself, as he leapt up to the top of the gate, looking back at Kagome's room one last time, before taking off towards home through the treetops.

********

A/N: In the original play, Romeo compares Juliet with the sun, and says that those who wear the moon; who is envious of the sun; are fools (because of how he feels for Juliet). Since the moon is much more significant than the sun in the series, I've reversed it, with the hint of a double entendre referring to the original play (if they wear the moon, they are fools because of what they are allowing themselves to fall into, or something along those lines; or perhaps, referring to Kagura's earlier speech on love, that to fall in love is foolish, as neither person cares about anything else, including danger, because all they know is their love for another and nothing else). In the original scene, there is a lot of talk on the moon, which I tried to play with concerning IY and Kagome ^_^

There were obviously a lot of OOC creative liberties taken with this chapter, which I tried not to go overboard on. It's hard trying to take two characters that are *famous* for taking their sweet time at expressing their emotions to each other, and try to liken them to characters that do it at a breakneck pace. So, how did I do? 0_0;;

Also, special thanks to Merith, for her input and insight. Please be sure to check out her fics as well on ff.net! ^_^

Glossary: from now on I'll only be putting newer words in. Please refer to the previous chapters for all other definitions.

Chotto- just a minute; a short time; a while; just a little; somewhat; easily; readily; rather

Fusuma- Japanese sliding doors

Yukata- bathrobe; informal summer kimono