InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Drifting ❯ Effort ( Chapter 22 )

Effort

 

Kagome was slow to wake up. She had spent most of the night talking with her mother. She had told her almost everything, starting with Naraku's destruction. She had left out some of the more personal details, especially when it came to InuYasha. Somehow she knew that her mother knew what she was omitting, anyway. When she had told her about Shippou, Kaede and Kirara, her mother had cried with her.

 

“Why would you try to go through that alone, Kagome?”

 

Kagome shook her head, unable to answer.

 

“Never forget that I'm here for you, Kagome. Never think you are too old for me.”

 

Kagome swallowed hard.

 

When she had told her mother about InuYasha, she grew pensive.

 

“I wouldn't make any conclusions about InuYasha, Kagome. I've seen the way he looks at you.”

 

She had waved off any evidence Kagome had given her against him, stubbornly telling her to be patient.

 

The one thing Kagome hadn't told her mother was about the jewel. She pulled it out now, and held it high over her head from her prostrate position on the bed. She let it hit the sunlight, and wondered why it never reflected any back. It had always held its own light, not needing the sunshine to gleam. Now, even though its light had been extinguished, it still would simply absorb the sunlight, not giving any back.

 

How long had she been carrying it around for? She stared at the pinkish orb, trying to bore her mind into it. Such a small thing, once so powerful, and now…

 

Now it's useless. But…

 

She rolled the jewel in between her hands, wondering how it had regained some of its pinkish color. And then there was the darker secret. The one she had never told anyone, not even InuYasha. I can't go through the well without it.

 

Nobody had ever thought to ask just how, after purifying it, she had managed to keep traveling through time. Nobody had ever asked her how she had purified it. They simply knew that it had been done, and then they went on their way. Kagome had been grateful for it. She hadn't wanted anyone to know what it had meant to her to see it fade away, to know that she was destroying the thing that had brought her there, that had brought her to InuYasha.

 

Even if she could've continued going through the well she would have kept it with her. She just couldn't find it in her to throw it away. She didn't think she ever would.

 

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Sango smiled as her predictions came true. Her students were annihilating Miroku's in all the tests they had set up together. Most of the town had come down to watch, finding it good entertainment to see the teams struggle against each other. Miroku could be seen squirming on the side, cheering his students on, but visibly wincing every time one of them failed.

 

Sango's enjoyment was halted, however, when she saw Chiyo standing off to the side, hiding herself from the rest of the people. Those who did notice her rarely stopped to say hello, since it was widely acknowledged that she was the town thief and a lost cause. Something that Miroku had said concerned Sango, however.

 

“You know, maybe her punishment shouldn't be to work for you longer.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“By doing that, you are saying to her, `if you steal, I will let you stay here longer and give you food, work, and a place to sleep.'”

 

“What do you think I should do then?”

 

“Give her incentive to stop stealing.”

 

Sango went over to the girl and drew her away from the contest.

 

“Chiyo, in about a week you will be done paying off what you have stolen, assuming that you don't steal anything else.”

 

Sango hoped for a response from the girl, but she gave no sign that she had even heard her.

 

“Chiyo, what will you do after that?” Sango asked sharply.

 

Chiyo shook her head and mumbled something.

 

“What was that?”

 

“I don't know.”

 

Sango picked up a small stone, considered it for a moment, and tossed it at Chiyo, wondering how she would react. Chiyo flinched, but let the stone hit her and bounce off harmlessly.

 

Damn it, Sango thought angrily, if she had ducked, or caught it, or batted it away… but she just lets it hit her.

 

“You've been very useful to me these past few days, Chiyo. You are a good cook, you do your chores well and without complaint, and you take very good care of my belongings. When you are done paying off your debt, Chiyo, I would like you to stay with me.”

 

“As a servant?” Chiyo asked quietly.

 

“No… as a student,” Sango said, ignoring the fact that Chiyo was the most ill-chosen person to become a slayer. But… she can't learn to accept herself as an equal as a servant.

 

Chiyo didn't respond.

 

“Would you like that, Chiyo?”

 

The girl shook her head. “I'm not any good at anything, Sango-sama. It would be better if I was just a servant.”

 

Sango let out a sigh, not of relief, she told herself, and nodded. “Very good, Chiyo. You will stay in my house and be my servant.”

 

Sango was about to turn away, but she saw Chiyo hesitating, as if she had something to say. She waited patiently while the girl formed her words.

 

“But Sango-sama, now that Miroku will be moving into your house, there… won't be room for me, will there?”

 

Sango looked at the girl, hard. “You were here first, Chiyo. As far as I'm concerned, you hold more status in my house than he will. And until you have paid off your debt, you are not to leave. Do you understand?”

 

Chiyo nodded, refusing to look Sango in the face. Sango tentatively touched the girl on the shoulder, and while Chiyo flinched at first, she did bring her eyes level to Sango's.

 

“Let's return back to the games,” Sango said, trying her best to sound as kind as possible. Chiyo nodded, and they watched the rest of the competition together.

 

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Kagome looked out of her bedroom window to see Hiroshi approaching her house with a bag in his hand. The fabric… She shoved the jewel into her pocket, hopped off of her bed, ran down the stairs, and, pausing to catch her breath, walked outside.

 

Hiroshi greeted her with a broad smile and held the bag out to her.

 

“You forgot this the other day,” he said nervously.

 

She took it slowly. It's funny, she thought, I can barely tell there's anything there at all. Any youki around him.

 

Hiroshi noticed her scrupulous stare and took off his jacket. Kagome gasped as Hiroshi revealed a simple undershirt bearing a seal.

 

“This is why you never noticed before,” he said with an amused grin. He seemed as confident as ever, but Kagome could sense his anxiety at revealing himself to her.

 

Kagome nodded and touched the fabric of the shirt. There was something about it, something that seemed odd.

 

“It feels… familiar.”

 

Hiroshi shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, miko power made it.”

 

Kagome nodded absently, tracing her fingers on the seal. “Can I see you without it?” She blushed, realizing what she was asking. “I mean... just to see your markings. Nobody will see; we're the only ones here, anyway.”

 

Hiroshi nodded and pulled off the shirt, saying, “I generally never wear it at home.” He wriggled his head out. “My father always told me to never to forget who I am.”

 

With his youki unbound, Kagome was free to see his black plated arms and chest, his dark fangs, silver eyes, and a long, curved tail with a stinger.

 

“You're… a scorpion?” she asked, disbelief snaking itself around her neck, making her squeak the words out.

 

Hiroshi shrugged bashfully, nervously running his hands through his hair.

 

“But… but… I mean…” Kagome struggled to frame her thoughts, “You don't act like a scorpion.”

 

“Well, I was adopted,” Hiroshi explained, “My parents were killed by- InuYasha?”

 

Kagome blanched at the revelation, unable to believe what she had just heard when she realized that Hiroshi was looking beyond her. She turned around slowly, painfully looking at the hanyou.

 

InuYasha didn't say anything at first. He just let his eyes travel between Kagome and the half-dressed boy beside her while a slow, seething growl rumbled out of him.

 

“I knew I should have killed him the first day I saw him.”

 

The quiet words were quickly absorbed in the thick summer air. However, much to Kagome's surprise, InuYasha didn't make a move to strike down Hiroshi. He simply stared at her, making her stomach twist in all kinds of anxiety and hurt. She couldn't place his expression or understand why it made her feel completely naked and unprotected. Without looking at Hiroshi, Kagome thrust out his shirt with one hand while nervously tugging at her hair with another.

 

“Thanks for bringing my bag back,” she said. Hiroshi nodded, catching the hint, and said his goodbyes while hastily putting his shirt back on. InuYasha's eyes followed him as he walked away and out of sight.

 

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This is my fault, InuYasha thought viciously, This is all my fault. If I hadn't hesitated, she wouldn't be… it was too painful for him to put into words. Still, he knew he couldn't strike the kid. Once he would have, but now, if Hiroshi was what Kagome wanted, InuYasha knew he couldn't touch him.

 

He had followed Kagome through the well. Once again he had followed her movements, watching as she went to buy fabric with that kid, as she went to drink tea with the twerp. He had been about to bust in there when Kagome had come flying out. For a second, just one second, InuYasha had thought that she had seen him, that she had run out there to see him. He knew he was wrong when she ran across the street. But for an instant he had hoped…

 

After that he had gone back to her home to hide in the well house. He had still been thinking of something he could do, something that would make her know how much he needed her, how much he…

 

He hadn't slept much during the night. He'd made a decision, and it scared him. Part of him wanted to rush out to see Kagome, and the other part was terrified of what she would say. Indecision had made a prisoner of him. He had only left when he heard Kagome's voice outside, and then he heard that boy…

 

Now Kagome was standing alone in front of him, and he was still unsure of himself. He was stunned when she handed him the bag with the fabric in it and said, “Let me go get my stuff.”

 

He nodded and took a deep breath. He breathed in her scent and exhaled it out, slowly gathering his courage, the courage he needed in order to show her, the courage to do what he set his mind to.

 

When Kagome came back outside with her backpack they both studied their feet before Kagome said, “I'm not with him, you know. I mean, not like that.”

 

InuYasha blinked and brought his eyes up to meet hers. He broke the gaze as suddenly as he started it and cleared his throat.

 

“Come on, let's go.”

 

Kagome followed him into the well house, and they jumped through together.

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AN: It's been a while, huh. Well, I had finals, then I went to Asia, and now I'm ready to continue. Huzzah!

 

AN: 9000 hits! Wow! Thanks, everyone!

 

Xenus: Ooooh, somebody gets the feeling. Well, I can't lift your concerns just yet.

 

fallenangel7583: Thanks for the kind words. Hmm, if I'm feeling generous we'll see who Hiroshi really is…

 

Okazin: Hiroshi was first introduced in chapter seven. He goes to summer school with Kagome.

 

Lavender Valentine: I guess the muses are up and about for now. Heh.

 

Kumoritora: Thanks for the review. It really made me happy!

 

KatieTakesflight: Thanks for the constructive criticism. Always nice to know how to improve. Time to go edit some more…

 

Kicnlus_inuforeva: Oh, it's on the way, don't worry.

 

kamackie21: Hiroshi's just a little weird. Eh, he's a nice guy.

 

AN: I do not own the rights to InuYasha.