Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bane of Existence/Love of A Lifetime ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

Just when the Spirit Detective duo had thought themselves surprised past the point of being normal for a day's time, Kagome managed to throw them off kilter yet again. This time however was because she had pinpointed them; she was even aware that Kurama was in possession of two souls.

 

It was obvious to them that Kagome was no ordinary human and was certainly no ordinary miko. She possessed holy powers that neither detective, including Youko, had ever felt the likes of; yet her sad, beautiful blue eyes projected such warmth and kindness that she couldn't be a commonplace ningen. The fact that she seemed to have adopted a kitsune child was proof that she was unlike any miko to have ever lived.

 

All in all, they were ecstatic to be able to say they knew someone such as her; and both felt blessed that they were sitting down with her and breathing her air.

 

In the back of Kurama's mind, Youko was nearly climbing the proverbial walls with anticipation. He couldn't resist a little teasing to the ever-posturing kitsune. What has you in such an uproar Youko? I don't think that I have ever been privileged to see you in such a state. All this over a human girl?

 

Youko was called away from the delightful task of shredding curtains by the taunting voice of his counterpart. Me? In an uproar? I have no idea what you are speaking of Red; I simply thought this place needed some redecorating. And as far as your last comment goes, you know as well as I do that she is superior to any human. Now, pay attention! She is still waiting on us to talk.

 

He was snapped back into reality only to be faced with inquiring blue orbs. What am I supposed to say to that? Truly he had no idea and dropped his gaze to his lap. Yes, he held deep seeded sorrow in both souls; both were pained because of the lack of love in their life. Sure, they had Kurama's human family and they had their friends, but no one had ever been able to understand how truly anguished he was behind his calm and quiet demeanor.

 

That thought had changed when he found Yusuke in the park. When he had gazed into the dark orbs of his teammate, he saw many of his own emotions reflected back at him and, although it was somewhat comforting that someone he knew could finally understand him, it really rubbed salt in his wounds. Yusuke had been rejected by the one person he had known his entire life that had always been by his side and it had devastated him.

 

His heart went out to the Toushin that day.

 

Kagome seemed to sense his unease with what she had said and immediately felt guilty. She wasn't sure how she would have reacted had someone told her they could tell she had an anguished soul. Choosing to take pity on the poor young man, she changed her question to once again address the issue of possessing two souls. “So, Kurama,” she started, pleased to see him lift his beautiful green eyes once more to hers, “why do you have two souls? Earlier, Shippou said you felt kitsune and human…are you hanyou?”

 

Since her eyes were so trained on his, she saw gold flash across those green depths while amusement sparkled brightly. “Well, no, I'm not hanyou. Actually, in this form I am human. The other soul, the kitsune soul, belongs to an ex-bandit by the name of Youko Kurama. His was struck down after a heist and pulled his soul from his body and waited to inhabit an unborn child…which turned out to be me. We both inhabit this body and are able to share thoughts with one another.”

 

“I'll say!” Yusuke stated, chuckling lightly. “That damn fox is something else! I have seen poor Kurama completely zone out before talking to him. I can't imagine the kinds of headaches that kitsune causes you.”

 

Kurama and Kagome laughed along with Yusuke, causing little Shippou to stir in his sleep, while snuggled up into Kagome's lap. Smiling down at her kit and running her hands through his tail, she hugged him closer to her before standing. “I'll be right back. I am just going upstairs to lay Shippou down. I think all the action today wore him out.”

 

Yusuke and Kurama both nodded instead of speaking, lest they awaken the young kit once more. As soon as Yusuke heard her soft footsteps on the stairs, he turned his gaze to his teammate, a playful smirk playing across his lips. “I told you she was amazing, didn't I?”

 

The fox smiled softly to his friend before replying, “Yes you did and I am truly glad that I stuck around with you until she came back. She has so much power and beauty. How could anyone turn her away?”

 

The detective shook his head, not understanding it either. He knew there was an impressive story behind the young miko and he wanted to know it. Yusuke was about to take up speaking with his friend again when a soft voice stopped him. He turned his gaze towards the stairs and was startled to see Kagome standing there with a sad smile and pain in her eyes. Neither he nor Kurama had even heard her return.

 

“I was turned away because I am not good enough. You know what he wanted; his walking dead lover is now his mate and I am to be his concubine of sorts.” She started, halting the progress of the young men's' discussion while walking back to the living room and taking a place on the floor in front of the boys on the couch. “Kikyou has always held his heart and I am just a poor copy of someone far better. She was a better person, a better miko, than I could ever hope to be. He only wants me to bare his pups and find the jewel shards; yet he wastes no time in scaring off other males.”

 

A sad, almost wistful, smile touched her soft lips again, bringing an air of melancholy about her, before she let her head duck down, hiding her expression behind her bangs. “Kouga wouldn't be happy to hear I was telling others he was scared away. I am sure he wouldn't have a problem putting Inuyasha in his place, but I hate seeing them fight over me. I don't belong to either one and I'm really not worth it to fight over.”

 

Sharp inhalations of breath sounded from the sofa as Kurama and Yusuke watched her very aura become blanketed in grief and agony. Seeing such a wonderful person in such a state made them both uneasy and hearing her talk of herself in such a way almost hurt. Kurama sighed heavily before lifting himself gracefully from the couch and sitting down next to the broken spirited girl. Not one to be outdone by the fox, Yusuke followed suit and soon the three were all occupying the floor.

 

Yusuke reached out towards her and tentatively placed his large hand over her small, delicate one. He gave it a gentle squeeze, urging her to look at him silently. When she raised her head to regard him, his breath hitched in his throat. Her beautiful blue eyes had turned a stormy blue-grey and bright, crystalline tears lined them and spilled down her cheeks. She looked broken and beautiful all at once and he found that the words of comfort he had on the tip of his tongue refused to move forth. Discovering that his voice didn't want to work with him, he slid his hand from hers to wrap around her shoulders and bring her against his chest, securing his other arm around her lower back.

 

Her body tensed momentarily once he had her held in his embrace and he waited for the feeling of being purified; or at least for her to pull away. So, when she sighed heavily and melted into him, he was shocked and gazed over her raven head to his friend with sad eyes, even as she burrowed farther into his chest, her tears soaking through to his skin.

 

The fox could feel the pure misery that was laced through the young woman and his own heart broke a little, even as he reached out to her, letting his hand softly grip her shoulder. She had been hurt and rejected the same way he and Yusuke had. While the detective's rejection was a much more tangible thing, seeing as how Keiko had dumped him so harshly, Kurama's was more based on the fact that he felt he could never be who he truly was. Kagome, it seemed, suffered on a totally different level; her pain stemming from a combination of both things that plagued them.

 

Kurama felt lost suddenly, seeing the epitome of beauty and strength torn down in such a way and he was mentally near the verge of panic, wondering if her heart could ever be healed; if her soul could ever be repaired. The voice of Youko wrapped around his troubled thoughts with comforting warmth. Don't worry so much, my friend. She has an amazing capacity to love; she just needs to be shown that it can be returned, not wasted on one undeserving.She needs to know that love can be beautiful and real; not cruel and painful.

 

The sincerity and seriousness in the kitsune's voice startled the red head almost as much as his words. Return her love? Youko, are we capable of such a thing? Yusuke seems pretty serious about her; is there even a chance she could accept three of us? I don't want to fight Yusuke for her; he is our friend and it would make her unhappy as well.

 

Tsk, tsk Kurama. Youko chided from his shared place in their mind. You still don't get it do youRed? We were meant to find her, just as she was made to be ours. She needs to be loved as much as we do…as much as Yusuke does. You know she wouldn't turn any of us away. Right now, her pain is rawer than ours and she needs to comforted and protected. Her kit was right. She cannot go back to wherever that dog is without someone who will guard herheart.

 

Kurama was shaken from his internal conversation by a quiet voice coming from the stairway.

 

~*~

 

Shippou had been sleeping soundly in Kagome's bed; her scent wrapping around him and making him feel safe. He had been dreaming of all the fun times the two had together; both in her era and his, when he was awoken by a pain in his heart. Sitting up in the soft bedding, he let his sleepy eyes roam the expanse of the room for his mother. When he didn't find her, he got up from the bed and hopped silently to the floor. The door was left open a crack and he snuck his body through, tip toeing his way to the stairs.

 

When he reached the top of the stairwell, he paused hearing his mother's soft and sad voice, repeating the lies she had been led to believe for far too long now. He could smell the salt of her tears and taste her pain on his tongue. That is why my heart hurts; I hurt because she does. How can she live through each day with so much sadness and torment? How can she be there to tend our wounds and lift our spirits with her smiles when she hurts so badly?

 

Knowing that Yusuke and Kurama were still in the house, he padded softly down the stairs, anxious to see if she was being comforted by the two; or being ignored and left to her own devices the way she would be if Inuyasha had been present. Once he was back in the living room, his heart lightened a little upon seeing the two demons caring for her. Her crying had slowed to a sniffle, a few stray hiccups slipping out here and there.

 

“Momma?” he said softly, not wanting to scare anyone or make them become embarrassed. When all three turned their eyes to him, he continued. “Is it because of Inuyasha again?” She nodded as more tears burned down her reddened cheeks. She seemed so very fragile to him and it only reaffirmed his earlier statement that she needed to be protected from the hanyou.

 

Kagome had been silently crying her soul out in Yusuke's warm embrace and she felt ashamed that she appeared so weak to two who were obviously so strong. She felt petty and worthless and Inuyasha's words repeated themselves over and over in her mind. She couldn't help who she was anymore than she could change it. She was just Kagome and that was all she would ever, could ever, be. It was obvious that wasn't good enough for the hanyou she had loved so much and she was confused as to why two youkai were even bothering to comfort her. Even though she was unsure of their motives, at the time she didn't care. She was hurting and it felt good to be held for once.

 

She had felt Shippou wake up and knew he would be coming to check on her once he found he wasn't with her anymore. When she heard his sweet voice call out to her, her tears started anew. He held so much love and understanding in his soft voice and she wondered how he always knew how much she hurt. That's my boy. He really is a sweet and special person. I don't know that I am even good enough to be his mother.

 

When he questioned her, she could only nod her agreement with his words and when she saw the pain in his eyes, she shifted her position against Yusuke and opened her arms to him. The kit wasted no time in coming to her, hopping up into her lap and hugging her as best he could. With Shippou wrapped up in her arms and the presence of Yusuke and Kurama, she had the briefest feeling of belonging and she clung to it like a lifeline. Even though her heart still hurt, she felt warm, loved and protected and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to feel differently.

 

Lifting her gaze to the clock on the wall, she realized the day had bled into night and none of them had eaten yet. Pulling Shippou away from her, she looked down at him and gave him a watery smile. “Well Shippou, are you hungry? It is a little past a normal supper time, but it isn't too late. Should we order pizza?”

 

The young fox grinned brightly and gave a cheery “Yes!” before leaping from her lap. Kagome turned questioning eyes to Kurama before looking up at Yusuke, who still had his arms wrapped snugly around her. Realizing their close proximity, she blushed prettily and leaned away from him before asking, “Would you guys like to stay and eat? Since my family is gone, you are welcome to stay here as well, if you like. There is more than enough room and maybe we can continue our conversation in the morning?”

 

Yusuke tightened his grip slightly before letting her go and smiling. “I can always go for food. Kurama?”

 

The red head smiled as well and nodded. “It is fine with me.” He started, locking his eyes once more with the miko's. “Besides, there is a lot more for us all to tell I am sure and I don't have anywhere else I need to be.”

 

Kagome smiled brightly at them both as they stood and Kurama offered his hand to help her up. She took it gratefully and stood, smoothing out her clothing and drying her tears on her sleeve. Looking down at Shippou, she saw nervousness in his eyes and wondered what was on his young mind. “Shippou, what is it? Is something wrong?”

 

Shippou nodded shakily before replying, “Momma isn't Inuyasha expecting us back tonight? Won't Sango and Miroku be worried if we don't come back and Inuyasha can't get through the well?”

 

The young miko swept him up in her arms and gave him a loving hug. “Yes we were supposed to go back tonight, but I would much rather stay and talk to Yusuke and Kurama, wouldn't you?” Seeing him nod his head vigorously and smile brightly, she continued, addressing his other question. “As far as Sango and Miroku go, I am sure they will realize that Inuyasha was being a baka again when he can't get through. They will just wait for us at Kaede's.”

 

“I guess so momma. I just hope that baka inu doesn't start something with them too. You don't think he would try to destroy the well do you?” He had been soothed with his mother's responses but there was a very really threat to their ability to time travel in the temperamental hanyou.

 

A small spark of fear ignited momentarily in her heart before she stomped it down. Shaking her head, she answered him as she walked to the kitchen to order their food. “No he won't Shippou. He wouldn't leave me be that easily. He needs his jewel detector, remember?”