Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Witch Hunter Robin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Disease ❯ Chapter 4

Two chapters, as promised. This one's longer than the other one, so it should somewhat make up for the short one.

 

~*~

 

“Kagome, we're back,” Hiei's voice rang through the front hall.

 

Kagome put down her pencil and walked down the stairs. “Where have you been?” she demanded. “You didn't tell anyone where you were going, making us all sick with worry about the two of you!”

 

They cringed against her onslaught of words, but Robin answered anyway in her shaking voice. “We didn't know we would be going out until two minutes before it was time to go. Sorry.” She flashed an apologetic smile at the fuming Kagome.

 

With a visible effort, Kagome let go of her anger and sighed. “I guess it really isn't any of my business anyway,” she said ruefully. “I'm just glad that you're both safe, that's all.”

 

Hiei looked contrite. “We didn't mean to worry you,” he said, looking down at his black shoes.

 

“It's okay, I guess,” Kagome assured him. “You weren't hurt, and that's all that matters right now.” Looking at the clock, she gasped. “Did anyone know it was this late?! And it's a school night, too. That's just great. Good night all.” She waved and sped up the stairs. Just as she was closing her door, she heard Robin race up the stairs and run into her room and shut the door.

 

I'm not even done with my homework, she moaned internally. At least it's the last period of the day. I'll just try to finish it during lunch. With that in mind, Kagome turned out the light and crawled into bed.

 

When the sun wasn't even up yet, her alarm clock screamed at her to get up. Groaning, she felt around for it and clicked it off. Please, just another several hours. Alas, that was not to be. Michael, knowing how she tended to ignore her clock when she stayed up too late, barged into her room, saying in his insanely cheerful voice at five in the morning, “Time to get up, Kagome! We have school today, and it won't wait for you to get up at noon.”

 

“Go `way, Michael,” she muttered, burying her head underneath her pillows.

 

“I don't think so,” he retorted good-naturedly, taking the pillows off her head and throwing them on the floor. “I'm not going to let you be late to school because you slept too late, now come on, it's time to rise and shine!”

 

“You're too much of a morning person for your own good, Lee,” she said, still sleep-fogged. “I think you're the most morning person a morning person could be.”

 

“I don't think what you just said made sense, but okay,” he chirped. “Meet you downstairs.” He left, closing the door behind him.

 

Why am I stuck with the happiest morning person that ever existed? She asked herself, making her bed and going through the motions of getting ready for the day. Randomly picking a uniform from her closet, she pulled it on and trudged down the stairs, her backpack seeming to weigh ten times more than it did last night.

 

“Morning, Robin,” she said dully, pouring herself a bowl of cereal, mimicking the motions of the girl sitting opposite her.

 

“Good morning,” Robin greeted her back, sipping her espresso. “I take it that you didn't get enough sleep last night.”

 

“How could I, when I was staying up waiting for you and Hiei to get back?” Kagome asked sleepily. “Besides, I wasn't done with my English homework yet, so I was doing that. I'll have to finish it during lunch now.”

 

“Good luck with that,” Robin said, putting down her cup. “It's time to go now, though, so better eat on the road.”

 

Kagome sighed. I'm just really behind today. Still, she dutifully put her things in the dishwasher and gathered her school supplies. Following Robin and Michael, she stumbled down the stairs and walked toward the school.

 

She was still zoned out through her classes and at lunch, she brought out her unfinished homework, and just looked at it. Why can't I focus? Is there something wrong with me? No, I'm just tired, that's all. Resolutely turning all her thoughts to her English homework, she stared at the paper, but none of it made any sense.

 

“Kagome?”

 

She snapped her head up and looked dazedly into the concerned faces of Robin, Yusuke, Michael, and Kuwabara. “Hm?”

 

“Didn't you hear us calling you?” Robin asked. “Are you okay?”

 

She waved aside their concern. “Yeah, I'm fine, just lacking sleep. I'll be fine. Really.” They didn't look very convinced, but left it at that. What is with them? I'm just not getting enough sleep. That's it. That has to be it. Putting all her attention into the paper in front of her, she managed to finish all the homework, but didn't eat anything. I'll eat something in math, she decided. However, when she got there, she wasn't hungry, so just left her lunch untouched. Now that wasn't very strange, except she only had one bite of breakfast, so she should've been starved. But that never crossed her mind.

 

When the school day was done and they had a weekend to look forward to, she had little homework, and it was time to go back to the Feudal Era. She would've been skipping, except she felt weaker than usual. Running up the stairs and into the house, she dumped her school things on her bed and started packing some clothes, making sure that there was still plenty of room for chocolate and ramen noodles. Repacking her school supplies, she lugged it down the stairs into the kitchen and threw food into the open hole.

 

When she was done throwing things into her bag, to her surprise, Michael picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. “I'm not going to see this bag for a while. Mind if I take it down?” he asked.

 

Not sure if he was serious, she nodded cautiously anyway. Trailing down the stairs after him, she walked by Robin and asked in a whisper, “Do you know if he's okay?”

 

“Yeah, he seemed fine earlier,” Robin replied, sounding surprised. “Why?”

 

“He just offered to carry my bag to the well for me because he wasn't going to see it for a long time. That's just not like him.”

 

Robin waved it aside. “He's just sad that we're leaving, that's all,” she assured Kagome. “I mean, he's never been able to go because he has to stay here and manage the tourism.”

 

“Maybe we should close the shrine and take him with us,” Kagome suggested.

 

The blonde shook her head. “That wouldn't be the best idea,” she said. “Michael's attached to his technology, and to take him away from it would be a form of torture.”

 

“If you say so,” Kagome said. By that time they were at the well, and Michael was waiting for them to jump down.

 

“Bye guys. I'll see you Sunday, right?” he asked.

 

“Bye, Michael,” they chorused together. “We'll be back soon.”

 

Knowing that they were “going out”, Kagome left down the well to give them some privacy before Robin had to leave. They haven't had a lot of time alone. They deserve some time to themselves. You know, I haven't been able to see Inuyasha for a few months now. I wonder what's going on.

 

Climbing out of the well, she threw her bag over the edge, wondering why it had gotten so difficult to so simple a thing; she had been doing that for years, and it had been a while since it had been that hard to throw. With an effort, she got it back on her shoulders and started trekking toward the village. I know I should wait for Robin, but she knows the way by now, and she knows I haven't seen anyone in months.

 

The home of Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku was out in Inuyasha's Forest, but it was very close to the village, just outside its borders. Inuyasha was either there or…somewhere else. He could be anywhere, but since Kaede died, it wasn't likely that he was in the village. Walking along a semi-new path that led to their home, she heard the squeal of small voices and the patter of little feet. After rounding a corner where she could observe and not be observed, she saw Makikazu and Misao crawling as fast as they could around the front of the house with Inuyasha on his hands and knees, chasing them. She watched them for a few moments, then stepped into view.

 

“Hi,” she called out cheerfully. “Long time, no see.”

 

The two children turned to her immediately, shrieking happily. She knelt down and took them into her arms, hugging them.

 

“I missed you guys,” she said, kissing them. “Now where are your parents?”

 

They started squirming, so she put them down, and they crawled into the house. Standing up, she felt two arms encircle themselves around hers.

 

“What about me?” Inuyasha's low voice asked, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck.

 

“I haven't forgotten you,” she said, turning to face him. “They just got to me first.”

 

His beautiful golden eyes showed his true feelings. His worry and love for her practically made his eyes glow with so much emotion. It almost seemed like it wasn't Inuyasha who was looking back at her; when they first met, he would've rather died than show his emotions to anyone. Now, though, in the presence of his friends, he wasn't afraid to show them anymore. Even if she wasn't adept at reading his eyes, the fierce way he kissed her would've told her more than words ever could.

 

“I'm sorry I was gone for so long,” she murmured. “We've had so much schoolwork that I couldn't come without dropping my score below an acceptable level.”

 

He said nothing, just held her possessively, as if afraid that if he let go, she would disappear again.

 

“She won't vanish if you let go of her, Inuyasha,” a male voice said from the doorway of Miroku and Sango's home. Turning their heads, they saw that Miroku, Sango, and their twins were standing there. “Good to see you again, Kagome,” Miroku finished, grinning. “You've been gone for far too long.”

 

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, holding her closer to himself. “Inuyasha,” Kagome chided him gently. “You need to learn to share.”

 

Reluctantly he let her go, and she ran to Sango, embracing her first. “I've missed you all,” she said, moving on to Miroku. “What have I missed?”

 

“Not much, unless you count Kira making a fuss,” Sango said, smiling.

 

“What is she complaining about now?” Kagome sighed. It had been about a year and a half since she had met the selfish miko that now ran the village. However, she hadn't seen her since Kaede died.

 

“Not much, just the fact that we're corrupting our children.” Miroku had an angry look on his face.

 

“What do you mean?” Kagome asked, not sure how either of them could corrupt their children, unless it was to spoil them, and that didn't happen very much.

 

“We're friends with demons and half-demons, so our children are subject to demon influences. We all know how Kira feels about non-humans,” he said dryly. Oh, yes, they all knew. “She believes that she is doing right by insisting that if we continue to be on friendly terms with demons of any kind, then we should give her Makikazu and Misao. Unfortunately for us, some of the villagers are starting to side with her. A few of them remember what happened about fifty years ago when Inuyasha destroyed the village and killed Kikyo, and many of them remember a few years ago when he was once again released.”

 

“But Inuyasha protected them after that,” Kagome protested. “Did they forget that easily?”

 

“Oh, no, they remember,” Sango assured her. “They're still polite to him, Shippo, and Kirara, but they said that the younger generation might not be as friendly.” She sighed. “It's not like Kira is an evil person; I've seen her around the other villagers, and she is just like Kaede then. She just can't get over her prejudice of demons, and that prejudice extends to humans who associate with demons.”

 

“I guess it's a good thing that you decided not to build your home inside the village, then,” Kagome said. “I mean, she is now the most powerful person in the village, except for the elders. Still, I don't think the villagers would stand to have someone's children being taken from them.”

 

“You'd be surprised,” Miroku stated. “Some have already shown open support of the idea, saying that it would be good if Kira could train them to be a priest and priestess while they are still young.”

 

“Enough about Kira,” Sango put her foot down. “You just got here, and we're making it a gloomy occasion.” She looked around in confusion. “I thought Robin would come with you.”

 

“Oh, she is. I just left earlier so she and Michael could say a private good-bye. She should be here soon.”

 

Just as she finished saying that, the aforesaid person walked into view. “Hi, everyone,” Robin greeted them cheerfully.

 

Once again, hellos and news were exchanged. Robin was shocked that Kira wanted to take away their kids, but was content with the fact that if she ever tried, they would permanently take up residence in their time.

 

“The villagers don't give you a hard time?” she pressed.

 

“The older villagers don't,” Miroku answered, “but the younger humans are easily influenced by their teachers. Or in this case, teacher.”

 

“Let's not darken the mood again,” Kagome suggested. “Is there anything cooking?” She looked at Sango hopefully.

 

“Oh, that right!” Sango slapped her forehead. “Come in, dinner will be served whenever I get to the kitchen.” She and Miroku took a child and walked into the house with Robin on their heels.

 

“Oof!” Since when did this bag get so heavy? I can't even lift it! To her surprise, the bag lifted itself out of her hands.

 

“I'll take this for you,” Inuyasha said, slinging it over his shoulder. “Come on, did you want to miss dinner?”

 

As it turned out, dinner was a noisy affair. There was a lot of talking, laughing, and good humor all around. The twins were a riot, getting into food fights that someone had to break up or it would encompass the entire table. Just one person was missing: Kohaku.

 

“Hey, where's Kohaku?” Kagome asked.

 

Shippo, who had taken to staying with Sango and Miroku, answered her. “He was called away to exterminate some demons in a village close to the former home of the demons slayers.”

 

Kagome cast a quick glance at Sango, but she didn't seem overly upset like she would've been a few years ago.

 

Sango caught her glance and smiled. “I've come to somewhat accept their deaths,” she said. “It's taken quite a while, but I did it. Now Kohaku has, too.”

 

After everything was put away, Sango directed Robin and Kagome to where they would be staying. “You don't expect me to let you stay in the village when we're right here, do you?” Sango demanded when they said they didn't want to impose on her. “You know that Kira hates you, and will try to take the Shikon Jewel from you again.”

 

Inuyasha carried her bag for her again. What is with everyone and carrying my bag for me? I know that he isn't doing it because he misses it. “Do you stay here now, instead of just anywhere?” she asked him.

 

“Not usually,” he said.

 

“What about tonight?”

 

“Maybe. It depends on if I'm wanted.”

 

“Well, you're wanted, but not if you plan on talking all night.” She looked down, her eyes darkening. “I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time, so I'm going to see if a change in scenery is what I need.”

 

He nodded. “Then I'll be quieter than a mouse,” he promised.

 

“Good. Then you can stay.” She flopped onto the mat provided by their hosts and watched Inuyasha put her bag in one of the corners, then settle next to her. She snuggled into his ready arms and laid her head on his chest. “I've missed you, you know.”

 

He held her close with one arm. “I know. We wondered why you hadn't come to see us in a while.”

 

“Why didn't you come for me?” she asked. “Nothing stopped you from doing it earlier.”

 

He sighed. “We wanted to, but Kira was making a fuss about Makikazu and Misao, so Sango and Miroku were tied here, and I stayed to help them out.”

 

I don't know what Kaede saw in her when she chose her to be her successor. Why couldn't she have chosen someone who was less…spoiled, or selfish? I seriously doubt Kaede would've wanted the new priestess to harass us like Kira does. Silence reigned for the rest of the night.

 

~*~