InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Under Anothers Watchful Eye ❯ Rumors Of The Heart ( Chapter 17 )

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

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and company. Soul rights belong to Rumiko Takashi

Note: -*-*-*- Means we are seeing a dream. It will not be in italic.

Note: 'This is how it will be written if it is thought to ones self.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seemed as if Kagome had never lost her memory, as if it was the most normal thing in the world for her to lay beside him, drifting into a light slumber. As if her taking hold of his hand was the commen and most expected thing to happen in such a situation. Of course to anyone else in such a situation, it would be. But this was not a normal thing. It was InuYasha and Kagome. They were just friends. Just allies. Just two of the biggest lairs in the world.

It was dark outside. The morning dew had not yet even littered the moss green Earth, still frozen from the cold night air. The velvet sky hung above their heads like a master peice that could not be touched. The stars lit the jet black sky, giving off a dim amount of light. It was nearing winter, The leaves were starting to turn magificent colors colors of gold, red, brown and green. All the shades mixed to form a new one, each blending to a tone that seemed to be unique from every other falling leaf. They now were scattered over the dark ground as the moon shone above proudly, glowing like power point of all energy. It was as if it had absorbed all the amount of moblity every person and living orginisum had to offer. The giant glowing orb would be no more in just a week short days.

Inside of a small hut laid more than likely the most pure person any where to be found. Beside her was perhaps the most obvious form of imperfection one would be able to find. But it was as if none of that mattered. As if he was not going to taint her by her simply allowing them to breathe the same air, let alone sleep in the same bed. It seemed like it made no difference that he was a hanyou, nor that she was a miko. Complete opposites. Yet, so compatable. The girl, pure. The boy, dirty. No, she was not a girl, and he not a boy. She was women, and he, a man.

They lay there in complete awe, just thrilled to be together. One hand of the hanyou's wound tightly over the girls stomach, and the other came around the other side of her waist to greet his palm. The girls hands were intwined in his, and firmly locked. There was no tension, there was no anger, no hate. Nor anything else that could aspire to feelings of rage. No, the only emotion that was here, was pure bliss.

InuYasha had awoken from his slumber, feeling the warmth of another next to him. For the longest time, he thought he had been dreaming. He was afraid to open his eyes, and see that she was gone. Far away from him, and her memorys yet to return home. He feared this, as he awoke to the nights crisp air. Slowly, thinking it best to let this dream go, he opened his eyes, stareing into pitch blackness. He could smell her. Vanilla and honey. It was so strong. He moved his hand to wipe the sleep from his eyes. He felt something resting on top of it, and from his movement, it stirred. The hanyou was stock still. It hadnt been a dream.

Kagome was there. Safe in his arms, although he had corrupted her positon some what, but she was there. She had remembered, and she asked to stay with him. She asked for him.

It was as if the words were magic, and each time he thought them, he cast another spell for this moment to never end. But he could feel sun starting to rise, and the womens internal alarm clock was bound to ring at any moment. Even though she wanted things to return to normal, the hanyou thought it was best if they take a day off from their hunt. What difference could one day possibly make? Naraku could not grow any more stronger in the length of a twenty four hour time span. So what could be the harm? Kagome could get some much needed rest, and the village would do her good. It gave off an over all good feeling that InuYasha just seemed to admire.

What had he done, that impressed the Gods so much? It had to have been something grand, other wise they would not have blessed him with Kagome. She was every thing any one could ever want in a mate, or as a person. Every one envied her. She was perfect. Streams of men flocked to her when they thought that she was alone. But how alone can you be when a hanyou is in love with you? Not very, and he more than proved that to countless villagers that had thrown themselfs at her. Women looked at her out of the corner of their eyes, jealous that their husbands payed more attention to her than them. But it was not as if she intentionally wanted this attention. No Kagome had no intention of taking anyones husband, nor catching the eyes of on lookers. She just simply did. And truthfully, who could blame them? But it was just some thing that he would not stand for. They would just have to get their thrills else where. Kagome was every thing a man could want in a women. Weak yet strong. Intense yet meak. Scared yet fearless. Loyal and persistant. She would never let the person she was with turn from her. It would be she to turn from them. No man in his right mind would ever find reason to cheat on Kagome. They would have to be out of their minds. But for a while, he himself was.

Every chance he had, he ran off with Kikyo. What would happen still if she beckond him to see her? Would he run to her like all the other time, breaking the fragile heart of the women that he held so tightly in his arms now? She was sleeping soundly. So carefree, and light. Her body so warm and sweet. Resting easily aginst his, trusting him fully. Could she possibly be real? Possibly be laying there next to him? Angelic. She was angelic and fragile. And he was just going to hurt her! He was going to run off to Kikyo. Is there doubt in his mind that he loves Kagome? No, none. But is there doubt in his mind that he was going to hurt her? absolutely. Loving her is admitting that what he once had is over, yet at the same time letting it be known that he had started over. How is it possible that these two women would both want him? Any other hanyou in the world would be worshiping the ground Kagome walked on if she even just l looked at them, not throwing her around like some rag. He was truely ungrateful.

So what was it? Was Kagome a fortune, or a curse? Love, love felt like both at the moment. She was in reach, he was able to touch her, yet he didnt dare. In that way, this love, this Kagome, was torture. He had to lie there and pretend that it didnt affect him, when in reality, it was like daggers into his heart, plungeing down so hard that it seemed as if the would would never recover.

Kagome stirred. She blinked open sleepy eyes. Turning her head slowly, as to see if he was real. She smiled up at the sight. He was there, watching her. The daggers released from him, as if she had sealed the wounds with just her smile.

"Morning." She said sleepily.

He gave off a small nod, with a blush.

Kagome looked over only to see the sun had yet to rise.

"Its not even day, is it?"

"Not yet." He admitted.

"I cant believe Im up this early." She said with a yawn.

"You have time. You could go back to sleep."

She shook her head lightly.

"No, Im up for the day."

"Ka..." He started to say, but he didnt really have a reason to speak. Nothing would form into a question.

"Hmm?" She asked, interested.

"Nothing."

"No, what was it?"

"Its nothing."

"Uh, fine." She said, letting out a sigh. "Have it your way."

"Keh."

"InuYasha?"

"Yeah?" He said, comming put with more agrivation than intended.

"Wh..." She started. "What was I like?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"When I couldnt remember."

"Oh."

"How did I change?"

"Well, you were very lost. Every thing we did, you needed to have explained."

"How else?"

'You forgot about Shippo, Sango... About me....'

"You got these head aches a lot. Usually after them, you remembered something."

"Really? What did I remember?"

"Little things."

"Like what?"

"Like when you first met every one."

"Of course I would remember that."

"You remember that we..."

"We what?"

"We were close..." He said with tinted cheecks.

She nodded her head.

"I should have thought as much."

He looked over toward her.

"Your very important to me InuYasha."

She said as she locked eyes with his.

He nodded.

"Your my best friend, and I dont know what I would do with out you."

"Kagome..."

Her eyes turned from his.

"You have saved my life, over and over again,"

"Kagome..."

"And your always there when I need you."

She looked at him again. It was like the space between them closed, and nothing else exsisted but their lips. Yet they didnt touch. It was like they had frozen still. Their breath heavy and tormented, willing them to go further on. Yet none did. No move was taken, no action carried out.

After a few seconds of becomming aware of their state, Kagome backed down.

"You have no idea how important you are to me InuYasha."

'You dont have any idea either.' Was all he could think. But he did not have the courage to muster up the strength to say so.

But all he did was smile. And she returned it.

Kagome relaxed down into the bed once more. She then looked up at the roof of the hut, and smiled.

"You used to sleep on the roof. Remember?"

Remember was such a sweet word to hear, comming from Kagome. When she said it, every thing made sense, and at the same time, all of his senses fell.

'She wanted you to be with her...' His mind said proudly to him. It was all he could think. 'She WANTED YOU to be with her. You. Not Koga, or Hojo. You.'

And at the thought of that, his heart swelled. It beat against his chest, faster and faster until he wondered if it would break away from his body all together.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Why did you do that?" Kagome asked with a smile, and something short of a laugh.

He just shrugged in reply.

'Because that way I could keep better watch over you. I always could tell if something was comming. Plus, I could always hear you. I knew that you were safe. But then again, I needed to escape from every one. And from you. Some times, you make me crazy, Kagome. In so many ways. Sometimes, you make me want to pull my hair out, and then other times, it makes me go insaine that I cant touch you, that I cant reach out for you.'

"Do you miss it?" She said, dragging him out of his thoughts.

"Do I miss what?"

"You know, sleeping on the roof?"

"Oh. It doesnt matter."

"Would you rather sleep up there?"

'Never. No, that would mean I am away from you.'

"And what? Leave you all alone?"

"I'm fine. You dont have to stay here for me."

"Yes, I do. Because something could happen to you."

"Like what?"

"Like what?! Like your dreams could come back!"

"Well they havent! And you dont have to yell!"

"Im not yelling! And they could come back at anytime! Then what would you do?"

"Well you dont have to stay here because you feel obligated to." Her tight voice said.

"I dont feel obligated to! I want to!" The moment that those words left his lips, he regretted them. But then, something strange happened.

Kagome smiled. It lit up the dark room.

InuYasha stared at her for a breif moment, then turned his eyes away.

Kagome chewed on her lower lip, the smile uncontrolable. She leaned back down and relaxed. She seemed totally unaware that he had let a secret drip from his mind, and into the air. It seemed like she wanted to hear it. And with that thought, he too was at ease.

He looked down at Kagome. Her eyes were starting to drift shut, a smile still lingering.

"I thought you said you were up for the day." He said with a smirk. He became more comfortable with the situation as the word drew to a close.

"I am. Im just resting a little." She said as her lids fell shut.

"Sure." He said.

And then, it happened. He felt some thing grab at his hand, and pull it forward. He was in awe. Kagome grabbed hold of him, and dragged it over her stomach.

His own started to flip. He could feel it start to twirl around and dance in circles. Yet in all of this, he was happy. And he couldn't hide that fact.

"Good night Kagome."

That was all Kagome could remember before she drifted off into another land.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later Kagome awoke. The sun was shinning, the air clean, and her mind in the state where it should be. She was no longer lost, nor did she no longer awake to the feeling of confusion and being misunderstood. Kagome knew exactly where she was. Although not physically, Kagome was home.

The bright day light greeted her cheerfully. It seemed as if it was a welcome only for her eyes. She smiled at it. It was pleasen and happy. Not a cloud in the sky. A majestic blue hung above, and Kagome wished that her mother were here to see it.

She was not dead, nor ill. But back in her time, such a view would never apper before her. It was one of the first things Kagome had noticed when she first came here. How wonderful it must be to see this everyday, she had thought. Well, now she did, and it never grew old to look at. She never thought it would.

Kagome looked around the hut. It was small in size, and some what dingy. But it seemed like home. It gave off that 'worn' feeling, that Kagome couldnt help but love. It appered that InuYasha and the others had gone off to explore the city, for she was left alone.

"Figures." She said aloud.

Kagome stood, lazily, to brush the sleep from her. She rummaged through her back pack until she found a clean outfit. She put it on, and realized that she was badly in need of winter clothes. All of her others were worn out, and the sweaters that she had brought, now adorned moth holes. She wore her simple sailor top, laced with green trim, and a matching skirt. As she ran a hair brush through her raven locks, she sighed. When was the last time she had visted a hot spring? Not for three days. It felt like years.

She ran her fingers through her strands of hair. She could feel each mark that the comb had made. She formed her lips into a frown. She needed a bath. She was at the point now where she didnt care if she was bathing in the atlantic ocean in the middle of winter! She just needed one. And now.

Kagome moved the reed mat used as a door out of the way, looking out into the world. It was bright and happy. Busy with exceitment, bustling with rumors and news.

Kagome tip towed outside, wandering, exploring, and listening. The sounds of a city were refreshing. As much as she enjoyed the quite sounds of the forest. she couldnt help but marvel at such times.

She took a seat near a fence where a path of flowers grew. She played with their petals as she pretended that they were the most interesting thing in the world, all the while her attention focused on three women talking a few feet over from her. The first who spoke was a plump women in her mid thirtys. She had short hair, and by such a statement, Kagome guessed that her husband had not too long ago passed away. She became filled with a sense of sadness for the women, whom would now be considered old. Yet in her time, this was the prime of her life. Streaks of grey could be seen through the slits of hair that had sliped their way out of her hair wrap.

The second a girl of no more than eight teen. She looked meak and frail, her face covered in freckles that child hood never seemed to take away. But they made her look pretty, and young. She seemed filled with hope and wisdom, yet lonely and content all at once. Kagome marvled at how she could pull it off all at once. She envied her sense of belonging and self assurance.

The third, a women of about twenty, had black hair and eyes that seemed to match. She wore a dress of cotten, light blue in color, adorned by a head wrap of white. She had the outfit of some one older than her age, but she made it work on her. She had a slim body that seemed to fit every curve, where needed be. The attire that usually made every women seem tacky, made her seem beautiful.

"Did you hear? There is new guests staying at the head masters expence. I wonder what hold they have on him..."

"I heard that they did him a favor. Killed off a demon dont ya know."

"Tis been said they travel with one!"

"No!"

"I speak the truth."

"How do you know?"

"They would kill off their own kind?"

'You kill off yours, now dont you? Abortions, murders, rape. You are no better than he. You are probally ten times worse.'

"I spyed it the other night. With mine own eyes no less!"

"How many?"

"Just one from the looks of it. They carry a child with them."

'She must mean Shippo.'

"Tis a male or female?"

"Tis a male."

"What was he doing?"

'Shareing a night with me. I treasure that, and I always will.'

"Holding a women. Captive most likely. Poor dears probally a slave."

'A slave? Is that what they truely thought?' Was it not she last night that had asked InuYasha to stay with her? If this was to be true, she was a willing slave.

"Huh! A women! Should something be done?"

"Those matters are not of our concern."

"Well I had heard that one of them was a Miko, recovering from some sort of tragic disease."

'How do they know about this stuff?'

"How old a miko? It must have been powerful to get trapped under a spell."

"Barely a women!"

"Poor dear..."

Were they sorry? For her? True enough, her dreams had been something great to fear, but... It also brought her and InuYasha closer together....

"Yet she holds as much credit as one thrice her age!"

"Then how great of a Miko can she be?"

'What? When did I ever claim to be a Miko?'

"Well, what ever the case may be, the fact is..."

"The fact be that they remain in this village today..."

"Are they a threat?"

"Perhaps. No one knows. We live in dangerous times."

"Kagome...?" A familar voice called out.

The three women looked at the man. He was a good looking man, with short black hair, loosely pulled back into a pony tail. He wore a rob of purple and blue, and carried around a staff made of gold. The three women stood tall, broading their shoulders, arching their backs. Enormus smiles painted upon their faces.

"What are you doing ove here Kagome?" He said, out stretching a hand to help her leave.

She looked up at him. Abandoning the flower that had once held so much interest, she grasped his hand in hers, and she stood. She began at work, brushing off the dirt and dust that clung to her pale legs, and green skirt. The three women gasped.

"That tis the slave!"

"Look at that outfit! It is so..."

"She must be a love slave, else she would not dress in such a manner."

They all whispered to one another, Kagome acted as if she could not hear their cruel words and harsh remarks. If thats what they wanted to believe, why spoil their thinking?

"Excuse me? Can we help you?" Miroku was not so easily swayed.

"Oh, tis nothing. You are new here, are you not?" The elder one asked.

"Yes, I am." Miroku said, leaving Kagome to fend for herself.

"My group and I are just passing through."

"I heard that you killed off a demon." The women of about thirty pressed.

"Yes, a simple task. It is part of my duty as a man of the cloth."

'Will that line every grow old to him?' Kagome couldnt help but think. Little did she know, from afar, some one else in a relaxed robe of white, adorned with pink and green, thought so too.

"How long will you stay?" The girl of eight teen asked.

"I am unsure. We will most likely be on our way today."

"I do wish you would stay longer." The women of about twenty said, giving Miroku a sly, knowing smile. She tilted her head to the side some what.

Miroku nodded in agreement. As if on que, the other two women abandoned them, leaving Miroku and she alone. Kagome, how ever, was still in ear shot.

"As do I. But I have no where to stay..."

"You may stay with me for the night."

"And your husband will not mind?"

"I am unwed."

A smile graced Mirokus lips, as he nodded once more.

"I will see what I can work out."

"My name is Ayano."

"Miroku."

"I am pleased to meet you."

"As am I."

Kagome had about all she could bare. She stormed off, walking right past a figure lurched beside a fence post. Sangos heart broke, and fell all in one instint.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~