InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blind Stitch My Heart ❯ Over the Edge ( Chapter 4 )

Blind Stitch my Heart …

Part 4 - "Over the Edge"

Written by: profiler120

Rating: PG-13 (rating is probably higher than necessary)

Email: profiler120@hotmail.com; p_120@yahoo.com

(Disclaimer: I forgot to add this but it goes without saying everyone knows I do not own Inuyasha.)

Authors Notes: Sesshoumaru is referred to as 'Sesshoumaru' during the first part of the chapter because it's from his general point of view. In the second part he is referred to as Masaharu or Master. You'll probably pick up on this but I thought I'd note it anyway. ^_^

Remember, Naraku is 'shady' but not 'evil'. I've explained his reputation in this chapter.

This chapter took several strange turns. After reading the reviews for chapter 3 the original 4 was erased and I started this one. It turned out so much better than I expected.

~X~

Delirium was perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of her illness. He'd been watching her for a few minutes as she drifted in and out of consciousness apparently making sporadic comments to the furniture, including the ceiling beams over her head.

Perhaps the girl was worse off than Inuyasha had let on, he thought as he stared down at her. Her eyes were closed again, but they fluttered open once more and turned toward him.

"Senaka-san?" She murmured before her eyes drifted closed once more.

His eyes narrowed menacingly. How the girl, in whatever state of mind, could confuse him with Naraku was amazing, and disgusting all in the same breath.

"What the hell was he doing in my house?" he growled.

She sighed softly, not once gazing back at him. "No…" she whispered. "I've never tried to climb a pine tree before, sounds dangerous." She smiled suddenly, albeit weakly. "Masaharu would yell at me."

He blinked. Damn girl was out of her mind. Even sick, she was disobedient. Why had he ever wished her to be anything else? She was nothing but trouble. Scratch that, he thought, she's a magnet for it. This new entanglement was just one of a string of odd, and potentially dangerous situations she'd managed to become ensnared in. Most of which Inuyasha had bailed her out of and he had only heard about.

"Inuyasha!" he snarled, hoping he disturbed the girl. He scoffed, mistaking him for Naraku, of all people!

His younger brother peeked his head in the doorway. "Hmm?"

"Why didn't you tell me she was this ill?"

"She wasn't this bad before, it's gotten worse. She was fine and talking and all before…" he half pleaded his case. "I didn't know what to do."

"You call the doctor, moron!" Sesshoumaru snapped irritably. "Why are you still standing there, go get him!"

"Oh, right!"

Sesshoumaru ran a hand through his hair irritably and glanced back down at her. She was still making ridiculous comments, to whom, he couldn't be sure. Nor did he particularly care at the moment.

Her tortured blue eyes were glassy. Why his brother had let her get so ill was beyond him. Why hadn't he called the doctor before her fever had gotten so high? He absently placed his hand against her forehead momentarily. Sure enough, she was burning up.

Her fever broke within the next day but he didn't bother going back up to her. He was annoyed at having been disturbed and she was going to hear about it! He didn't need the extra time to think of it when his library doors slid open and the girl appeared herself.

Not only was she being a nuisance now but she was out of her bed! He opened his mouth to scold her or otherwise voice his frustration but promptly closed it. Screw talking, he wanted to strangle her and wasn't entirely sure what was the cause of all this frustration was but knew it centered on the female directly in his line of sight. She was so easily an outlet for all his anger, a strange burden for a girl of her age, he mused off handedly.

She was at present kneeling at his feet her head bowed obediently.

"I'm sorry Masaharu-sama."

He didn't answer the softly spoken comment. Was she looking for pity? He wasn't feeling merciful.

At his delayed silence she raised her head and met his gaze. He narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

"I should have told him to go, but I wasn't feeling that badly when he showed up. I didn't really know what to do and Inuyasha was out."

"I will not be rushing to and from my residences because you were stupid enough to get assaulted-"

"Assaulted?" Her sorrowful blue eyes suddenly glittered with amusement. "Did Inuyasha tell you that? He over reacts you know."

He wanted to shake his head in disbelief. He didn't just hear her say that, did he? She didn't actually have a fancy for the man? He stared at her closer. There was a delicate hue touching her cheeks but it could be from her illness.

"Was Senaka a guest of yours?" he asked, his voice dropping a dangerous octave lower.

"I'm not allowed to have guests," she replied primly. "And no, he wasn't. He just showed up that's all. Everyone is making something of nothing."

"It wasn't my impression that you and Senaka were so familiar-"

"We're not," she cut him off rudely.

It was unbelievable. Perhaps her misidentification of him in her room earlier hadn't been a mistake, but some kind of silly fantasy. He certainly couldn't go anywhere now, not with Higurashi out of her mind. He wondered mutely why he was stuck with so many difficult, or otherwise annoying women.

One off hand comment led to another and before he knew it, or could consciously stop it, they were both standing up and glaring unabashedly at one another separated only by the small table.

"You are behaving irresponsibly, go back to your bed." He growled.

"Fine, but don't complain to me that I'm not getting any work done!" she snapped about to whirl around and out the door only to walk head first into a warm body.

"Ah, Higurashi-san, so good to see you!"

Sesshoumaru nearly growled to himself. Now his brother and that ridiculous monk friend were tainting his library. He sat back down and watched the circus unfold.

He hadn't been paying that close attention to where she was standing until he saw the monk's hand moving and then Kagome scream. It was followed momentarily by a loud 'slap' and then Inuyasha taunting him. They were all idiots.

By this time Kagome had since squeezed between the two males and left the room, no doubt offended by the wandering hand of the monk.

"Keep your hands off my employees, monk, or I will have the appendages removed." Sesshoumaru hissed.

This only amused his brother further.

"You allow this 'friend' of yours to assault Higurashi?" he then turned his scolding gaze on his brother.

"Hey! I told him not to- besides he likes that Sango girl a lot more and-"

Miroku elbowed Inuyasha, not so discreetly and the latter promptly shut up.

"Whatever, I came in here to ask about Senaka."

Sesshoumaru looked down at his book. Clearly he wouldn't be getting back to it for a bit. Instead of addressing them he marked his page carefully and sipped his tea that was rapidly becoming colder.

"Well?" Inuyasha snapped imprudently.

"The Senaka family are very heavily involved with foreign trading. They've made a considerable amount of money doing so. Senaka Naraku is the son of Senaka Onigumo- his mother is unknown. What exactly do you want to know about him?"

Inuyasha plopped down onto a cushion at the other side of the table.

"Are the rumors about him true?"

"No, most of them are exaggerated. Senaka is typically harmless unless you're a woman. His bad reputation is based largely on his taking young lovers in every town and village he visits. The rumors sprang up when several of them were killed mysteriously, no one could prove anything. His interests in Yamada and Higurashi are purely carnal."

The monk shook his head disagreeably. "Shameful."

"How can Kagome be protected from someone like that?" Inuyasha murmured, strangely contemplative.

~X~

His concentration had been shot the moment he caught sight of her there. He looked back time and again to see if she was still there, and each time, she was. He stood and walked to the window, leaning against the frame and staring openly at her.

She was kneeling down on the low bridge over the pond in his back garden. She'd been like that for a while, occasionally dipping her fingers into the frigid water. Her raven colored hair was free and spilled down her shoulders. Occasionally he would see her mouth move as she spoke, and assumed she was speaking to herself.

Until he caught sight of a tall female in a dark blue kimono and a white blur of energy as she bounced around the yard. Kagome was in the yard with Rin and her instructor then, he deducted.

She looked up and waved at someone he couldn't see, but it must have been Rin because he'd seen her run off in that direction. Now the woman in the blue kimono was beckoning the child, calling her back. Rin was reluctant to go and approached Kagome on the bridge, tugging at the rich pink colored kimono sleeve.

But Kagome just smiled patiently and urged her to go inside with gentle words he couldn't hear. He sighed and pushed away from the wall. Stupid girl, apparently she too, like Rin, needed to be 'collected'.

It was cold outside but it was the still cold of winter. No breeze flowed through his locks, making it feel colder than it was. He could tell even before he was near, the girl was shivering. She had pulled her hands up into her kimono sleeves. Her delicate little nose had turned pink, as had her cheeks from the chilly air. They were now hidden behind the sleeve of her kimono as she raised it to her face.

She became aware of his presence surprisingly early. Her head turned toward him, her bright eyes lit curiously. She moved stiffly as she stood.

"Hello Masaharu-sama." She greeted him with a smile, lowering her arms by her side.

"You have just barely recovered from your illness, why are you outside?"

"I was bored. No one needed anything to be done and I was looking out the window and saw the pond here and thought it would be nice to come out for a while."

His expression must have been unpleasant because she backed up a step and hastily turned toward the railing.

"Isn't it amazing how these adorable fish can stay out here all year long? Sometimes I wish I could do that, be weatherproof in a little pond of my own. Just swim around endlessly being fed and admired by visitors."

She looked content, albeit tired. She was now leaning quite lethargically against the railing, staring down into the reflective water of the pond.

"Come Higurashi, I don't need you straining yourself sick again. To the house," he ordered and reached out a hand.

The motion was natural, and unconscious, and apparently quite startling because her placid blue eyes suddenly lit with surprise. He felt ridiculous and was about to abruptly withdraw his hand when her cold fingers met his. He wrapped his fingers around hers even though his reflexive instinct was to drop the cold object in his hand.

She sighed softly, her expression dimming. The tension in her shoulders fell away suddenly and she slumped forward against him. Her eyes had fluttered closed, her cheek pressed against his chest.

She hadn't fallen asleep, had she? And so quickly?

Her body snuggled closer to his, seeking protection from the cold.

"Higurashi."

He wanted to be harsh, to scold her, but couldn't. She looked so vulnerable and trusting. She opened her eyes, lowering her head; he just barely caught her string of mumbled apologies.

"You were right, I should've stayed in bed. I'm so tired…" she muttered stepping back, clearly embarrassed at the display.

He reached toward her with his free hand capturing a long, stray lock of hair that hung over her shoulder. She looked up at him with wide, searching eyes.

Despite being difficult and moody, she was still a young girl. Dainty and trusting who probably wanted nothing more than to-

No, Higurashi came from a respectable family; surely her head wouldn't be filled with dreams of 'love'. She would be expected to marry the man chosen by her family, not some prince who would sweep her off her feet, those were foreign ideals. Yet he found himself questioning such as she stared up at him with those unique eyes of hers.

He stiffened slightly hearing a rustle behind him and then his brother's voice distantly. Snapping his attention back to the girl from whom his eyes had never strayed he abruptly yanked the lock of hair in his hand.

She yelped, and the docile look in her eyes vanished under a wall of indignant anger.

"Hey! That hurt, what'd you do that for?"

She pulled the stray hair from his hands, as she did so slipping her hand out of his. Their 'moment' passed just in time before he heard the door slide open behind him and the heavy footfalls of his brother in the yard.

"To bed, Higurashi!" he ordered and she slipped by him without a word and vanished into the house, never looking back.

There was something dismal about the way she had just walked out on him. Something about her that seemed off, or perhaps sad, but he didn't have the time or desire to contemplate it. Still, it nagged, something about her expression as she walked away, had he hurt her feelings?

~X~

She grumbled to herself as she passed through the main room. The man had some nerve! Yanking her hair! And he had such a serene look on his face, as though he were totally relaxed and actually looking at her, not just seeing someone who worked for him.

She sighed heavily as she reached the base of the stairs. Wanting or actually receiving attention from Masaharu-sama was a fantasy and she determined to think nothing more of it. When had she started to desire such attention?

"Kagome, stop being an idiot," she mumbled to herself. Any female would want that kind of attention from the Master, it was natural. She couldn't be faulted for feeling that way. She sighed and reached for the railing, taking one step up.

"Kagome."

A chill went up her spine. No way… she thought and turned back. There, just inside the doorway was Senaka Naraku.

"Senaka-san," she gasped and hastily looked around. "What are you doing here? Masaharu-sama is home!"

He seemed unconcerned and just smiled at her instead. "You are flushed, aren't you feeling better? I've brought this for you."

He had a wrapped parcel in his hands that she had in fact, taken notice of before.

"What is it?" she asked cautiously coming to stand by the door beside him before she heard Inuyasha's loud, complaining voice. Without thinking she grabbed Senaka's sleeve roughly and pulled him out the front door.

"Oh, perhaps you are feeling better?" His lips were upturned into a smirk.

"There's no need for him to be in a fouler mood than he is now," she replied, not returning his smile.

He pressed the parcel into her hands and she undid the cloth wrapping around it. It was warm in her hands. She stared at the container, wondering what it was.

"What is it?"

He smirked. "Rice porridge. It's said to have restorative properties."

"T-thank you," she mumbled. "That was very kind."

She clutched the container close to her, trying not to shiver from the cold. She glanced up wearily, and hastily glanced away. She had a feeling he was staring at her. The cold, freezing stare of Senaka was nothing like that of Masaharu.

He chuckled lowly. "I hope my last visit hasn't made you shy."

"Your… last visit?"

He moved closer. Kagome stepped back, her heart pounding in her ears. She kept inching back as he inched closer. She gasped softly as she felt the stiff surface of the door behind her. There wasn't any more room to back up.

He was looming before her again with his wicked grin. This time his arms didn't rise to trap her. She yelped as the door slid open unexpectedly, and having been leaning against it, she fell clumsily into the arms of the person standing behind her.

The two hands, previously latched onto her arms, stretched across her shoulders, drawing her back across the threshold into the house again, but not releasing her from her new captor.

She gripped the container tightly, wishing with every once of strength she had she would sink into the floor right now.

Instead she tentatively raised her gaze to the one male she could see, Senaka. He wasn't glaring but he was clearly displeased at the interruption of this new male party, the one currently holding her possessively. She didn't know which brother it was, or even if it was Miroku but she didn't want to know until they let her go.

"My apologies," Senaka started. "It was rude of me to keep her out in such harsh weather."

With that he turned and left. She watched him go until the door was slid closed roughly blocking her view. She was immediately released and she stumbled forward but didn't turn around.

It was him, wasn't it? It had to be. Inuyasha couldn't keep his mouth shut that long. Furthermore if it had been Inuyasha, she doubted he'd have had the sense to handle the situation so calmly without violence of some sort.

"I told you to go to bed, what part of that involves Senaka?"

Well, there was her confirmation, she thought absently and turned to face him guiltily. "I… he… it's not my fault!" She finally settled on, all the while telling herself she was behaving like a child. Take responsibility, she told herself, but she was too much of a coward. What would he say? It had been she that had taken Senaka outside to keep her meeting with him secret. He'd surely get angry if he knew that.

The angry look, glare, or expression she was expecting didn't appear on his face. Instead he was standing rather calmly, pensive even. His arms were crossed casually across his chest, as though he hadn't enclosed her against his body moments before.

She bit her lip nervously. Wasn't he going to say anything else?

He was the picture of composure unless you gaze upward into the stormy gold orbs staring down at her. There was an intensity there that threatened harm, not necessarily to her, but if that was the look Senaka had received…

Although he was still pining that stare on her.

"You must be tired, why don't I bring you some warm tea? It's very chilly outside so-"

"You have yet to answer my question. How did you get outside again and no less with him! Did I not say he wasn't allowed here?"

"Actually," she raised a hand in an outlandish gesture. "I don't think you did." She stared and rapidly backpedaled. "Of course maybe you did and I forgot."

She tried a smile, but couldn't hold it under the weight of that stare. It fell into a frown.

"I'm sorry?"

She watched mutely as his eyebrows drew down into a familiar, but not comforting, glare. That didn't bode well for her.

"I … um… he just… showed up. I heard Inuyasha so I dragged him outside because I know what Inuyasha is like and he might have gotten hurt again and…" it was apparent her explanation wasn't making him any happier. "And… oh! He gave me this!" she held up the container to his gaze.

He barely spared it a glance. She clenched her teeth.

"Look! That's what happened, all right! I don't see what you care for anyway, he wasn't here to see you."

That was clearly a very bad response. He plucked the container from her hands and discarded it on a table. Grabbing her arm none to gently he dragged her back to his library tossing her within with such momentum she tripped over her kimono and ended up in a sprawled heap upon the floor.

She straightened herself but didn't get up; instead she looked up at him fearfully. That was stupid, very, very stupid. She had just pushed him straight over the edge this wasn't good at all. An angry Masaharu was scary, but a furious one was all but unheard of. What was she in for?

"I've had a very bad day, and you woman are the cause of it! It shouldn't be that much of surprise considering you've been a recurring problem since I returned several weeks ago."

"Well excuse me," she muttered angrily, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear you! Sit there quietly!" he barked.

She clasped her hands in her lap sedately and lowered her head submissively all the while thinking how much of a jerk he could be. She was seconds away from telling him off with some choice words she'd learned from Inuyasha. She was many things, but patient was never one of them. She sat there silently and fumed about the injustice of it all. How dare he this? And how dare he that? She didn't have to take this! She could go home. She wasn't bound to him; let him sew his own damn clothes! She could care less if he walked around with his rich cloth hanging off his body in tattered rags, maybe it would help his attitude. She barely realized he hadn't said anything else. Nope, she closed her eyes and blocked him out completely. Who did he think he was? He didn't own her! She should give him a piece of her mind.

Her eyes snapped open to do just that when she caught sight of his golden glare and her courage deflated like a balloon. She wanted to shrink out of that gaze. Why did he always have to look at her like that? Why was he always angry with her? Was he incapable of simply being happy?

For the first time in a long time, she actually wanted to go home and never see this place again.

~X~

Pure, unadulterated rage was boiling through his blood. How dare she? How dare he? What the hell was wrong with her? Didn't she listen? He was sorely tempted to drop the damn girl on the steps of the Higurashi shrine and never look back again.

Damn her and whatever enjoyment he got out of her company. There were some things that would not be disobeyed and her trysts with Senaka were one of them.

He hadn't meant to be so rough with her but he didn't regret it. He hoped she was hurt, at least banged her knee or something. Something to make up for his inability to strangle the girl! He stared down at her, huddled on the floor, perhaps in some weak attempt to look helpless. He wasn't going for it, not tonight! Or any other night, he added bitterly.

Nor was he blind. He could see her tightly clenched hands in her lap, and the stiffness in her face caused by her clenched teeth. The girl had a tamper like a viper but if she had any sense she'd keep it bottled up.

"Is this what you want, Higurashi?"

The low table between them was a flimsy obstacle as he stepped around it to stand before her. She kept her gaze downward, not answering, not moving. Stupid, annoying, infuriating female had no idea the danger she was in.

From him, from Naraku, from that stupid monk, from any random stranger, no she had to be 'little miss trusting'. His patience was shot. He was being pulled in so many directions he didn't know which one to take. Logic was thrown in with each course of action mudding his decision-making.

He wanted to drop her at the Higurashi shrine. He wanted to throw her into her bed and physically punish her if she disobeyed him again. What he wanted more than all else was to stop this business with Senaka.

"I tire of saying it, when I ask a question, answer it!"

"Do I want what?" she bit out with considerable effort, he noted.

It only fueled the anger that had somewhat cooled in his contemplation. He leaned down seized the fabric of her kimono and heaved her from the floor and onto her feet. She struggled a moment to get onto her feet while trying to smooth the cloth he'd unwittingly pulled from it's tuck under her obi, loosening her kimono.

Ignoring him, the little bitch had some nerve! He was sorely tempted to remind her of just who she was standing in front of.

He wouldn't allow this! There was entirely too much disrespect floating around this household. No one touched what was his! How many times did it need to be made known the girl and everyone else in this house was subject to him? Enough times apparently to confirm that everyone in the damn house was an idiot! Not to mention the girl herself who was still struggling fruitlessly against him. She clearly believed he had no claim over her whatsoever. He had yet to relinquish his tight grip on her clothes.

He yanked her unpredictably forward against him, causing her weak resistance to cease as she looked up at him innocently. Her anger too seemed to have faded with the rough jerk. She stared up at him uncertainly, and fearfully, as she should have from the beginning. As she had before he'd gone and fired her and sparked this entire outrageous event.

"I'm in no mood for your games."

She looked up at him heatedly. "I can see what kind of mood you're in!"

Talking, ineffective, not surprising.

He released the grip on her kimono only as he got a hand around to the back of her, at which point he threaded his fingers through her hair. The motion was disarming, for the poor girl had no idea what was about to befall her.

She caught on only too quickly as he crushed her against him, his mouth seeking hers. She resisted, ineffectively, and of short duration.

Logic taunted him while his thoughts wandered, but never far from the vixen who was returning his kiss with earnest. His tongue found and stroked her bottom lip. Her teasing, little mouth slid open to his, and he being the greedy man he was, he snatched the opportunity.

Jealous thought sprang up quite unexpectedly. Did she act like this with Senaka? Were they lovers? Even before he released the poor, battered girl he knew it wasn't so. Not Higurashi. Not Kagome.

His angry drive was lost. He'd poured all his anger and frustration into that kiss leaving him barren. He averted his gaze from hers, unable to look into the shimmering blue pools.

"Go."

The moment the softly spoken command was given, she was gone, and he sighed unsteadily. Everything he planned to say, he couldn't. How could he stare into those wide blue eyes and snarl vicious things like, 'If you're going to be anyone's whore it will be mine.' Or what was to follow the said remark, 'Go to bed, Higurashi and be damn glad you're going alone.'

No, he couldn't do that staring into those expressive eyes of hers. Especially not with her looking at him reflecting all sorts of emotions he didn't want to know about let alone have to look at. He sank to the floor, tired, the day seemed wrecked already, and they had yet to even have dinner. He expected she wouldn't show for it, nor did he blame her. If her face was any judge he'd probably scared the girl witness, regardless of her reaction to his 'solution'.

He distinctly remembered her falling into his arms at the doorway, her startled gasp, and the resentful glower that had appeared on Naraku's face. Most of all, he remembered her slight body shivering, from the cold or otherwise against him. He sighed again, what had he gotten himself embroiled in this time?

~X~

The tears bubbled over unwillingly as she sank into her futon and buried herself there determined never to leave her room again. She couldn't do this, she couldn't. First thing tomorrow, she was out of here. She'd go home. She was going. No more of this. No more Senaka and certainly no more of Masaharu. She'd leave him a note on his table before he woke and escape. No regrets, no looking back, nothing, she wanted out of here. She could spend the rest of her days as a shrine miko. She was determined that sleep wouldn't claim her, but she fell victim to its stealthy ways.

She drifted fitfully in and out of sleep for hours. Knowing dawn was soon off she hauled herself out of bed and packed her meager belongings, leaving all of the kimonos she hadn't brought with her from home. Grabbing her parcels she crept down the stairs and slipped into his library, the room, as she expected was abandoned. She quickly inked a message across a blank sheet of paper. Picking up her things once more she padded to the door, grabbed her sandals and escaped into the pre-dawn night.

The sun was just beginning to rise when she came to rest at the base of the Higurashi Shrine stairs. She joyfully ran up them, happier than ever to be home and made her way to the house at the back of the property. She was about to reach for the door when it slid open abruptly.

"Kagome!"

She found herself trapped in the warm embrace of her grandfather.

"Kagome's home!" he shouted, and her mother came into view, surprisingly with a smile.

She was ushered within and sighed having reached the warm confines of home. She dropped her belongings inside and had some tea with her mother. To her surprise, her mother didn't ask why she was there or even if she was going back. Instead she seemed to smile knowingly at her as though her mother knew something that she didn't.

She left the room and trudged up to her room with her things. What would she do now? She sighed leaving had been stupid. She regretted it and she hated having regrets. She'd promised herself she wouldn't regret it, a lot of good that had done her.

She sank down by the window. Would he come for her? She sighed despairingly and dropped her head down.

"Kagome, you're home. I didn't think you'd be back for a while."

She turned and smiled weakly at her younger brother. He looked happy.

"Is everything all right?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "I was worried about you, I don't think you should go back there no matter what mama says."

"Huh? Why not?"

"I just have a bad feeling, that's all."

He came over to stand beside her.

"Whenever you come back from there you don't smile. You should stay home with us."

She smiled brightly and latched her arms around him. "I'll do that."

He returned the gesture. "Promise?"

"Promise."

* * * *

Authors Note: Anyone who read this chapter when it was first posted will note that the ending was significantly altered when I replaced the chapter. However the part that was removed is going to be added again later but it was just too early. If you didn't see, you'll find out later. ^_^