InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Easy as 1, 2, 3... ❯ Rude Awakening ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, and today's chapter isn't as bad as it looks! *Prays they don't try to kill her*

.

.

Easy as 1, 2, 3…

Chapter Fourteen

.

.

.

Kagome slept deeply, completely unaware of the rising sun as it slowly began to shine its rays through her window. Behind her Inuyasha slept on as well, his arms still wrapped around her waist and his face almost buried in her long hair. Both were sleeping deeper than they ever had before, a side effect of the comfort that the other's presence brought.

It wasn't long after sunrise when a sharp knock sounded on the door, causing the room's occupants to finally begin stirring. But before either of them could figure out what it was that had awakened them up, the door flew open and Sango walked in the room!

"Good morning Kagome! I came to bring you some more clo-" The older girl stopped dead in her tracks, staring at Inuyasha and Kagome with wide eyes.

"S-Sango!" Kagome stuttered, then blurted the first thing that came to mind. "This isn't what it looks like, I SWEAR!"

Inuyasha groaned at this and tightened his grip as she frantically tried to pry his arms off her. "How many times are you going to say that when it's always exactly what it looks like?" He muttered. "Keep this up and I'm going to start getting offended."

Sango was still gaping at them, but had also turned a bright red color after witnessing their cozy little scene. What the heck she was still doing there nobody knew, not even Sango. Maybe a little bit of Miroku had finally rubbed off on her?

Inuyasha cracked one eye open to glare at Sango while he continued to keep a firm grip on Kagome, and a deep growl rumbled from his chest in warning. "Do you mind?"

Sango flinched and dropped the clothes she had been holding in her hand as if they'd burned her. Without a word, she turned and ran from the room as fast as her feet could carry her! The slamming of the door echoed behind her, and Inuyasha smirked at her reaction before turning his attention to a much more important matter - the girl that was still securely locked in his arms.

"Inuyasha, let go of me!" Kagome moaned. "I can't imagine what Sango must think of me now! I have to go talk to her and set things straight!"

"Why? I'm a lot more comfortable right here."

"Good! Then you can stay here while I go talk to her!" She retorted in annoyance.

Inuyasha lazily nuzzled the back of Kagome's neck and almost laughed as she stopped tugging on his hands and gasped. He loved her little shocked reactions when he did things like that to her.

"You don't want to move either." He pointed out smugly.

"W-who says?" The shaking in her voice gave her away, despite how hard she tried to sound determined. If there had been a wall close enough, Kagome would have been sorely tempted to start beating her head on it at that moment.

Her question was ignored as Inuyasha picked up where he'd left off, causing her to lose all hope of fighting what she really didn't want to fight in the first place.

'My feelings are more confusing than ever!' She mentally groaned. It was all Kagome could do to keep her thoughts from crumbling to dust at the sensations his touch was invoking. 'Is this just some sort of warped desire on my part, or am I really falling in love with him? Even worse, what does he really feel?'

The last thought gave Kagome a pause and created a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. 'What if he really does only want me because I'm a miko? I-I don't think I could handle that. Just the thought of it hurts…but why? Is it because…oh God, I think it's because I really do love him!'

Inuyasha felt Kagome go completely stiff, which caused him to realize that something was upsetting her. He fervently hoped it wasn't him touching her that was the source of the problem. She hadn't seemed to mind it a moment ago!

Inuyasha finally pulled back and propped himself up a bit so he could see her better. The look on her face was serious, and her eyes…he couldn't even begin to read the myriad of emotions there. "Kagome?"

His soft, worried tone seemed to snap her out of her daze, and she turned slightly to look at him. "Inuyasha…"

"What's wrong?"

"Why do you…" Kagome hesitated, unsure of how to phrase the question she wanted to know the answer to more than anything. Her entire future, as well as his, depended on it.

He waited a moment for her to go on. "Why do I what?" He prodded.

Kagome closed her eyes, unable to look at him. "Why do you want me?"

Inuyasha frowned at being asked such a simple question. He had thought that everyone had made it perfectly clear to her from the moment she had been brought into this house. Did she really not understand by now?

"I need you." He replied simply. To him that said it all. For him to admit he actually needed someone when he'd spent so much of his life as a loner was in his mind the strongest statement of commitment and love he could make.

But Kagome didn't see it that way at all. When he said 'need' and not 'love', she could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. 'The only reason he needs me is because of what I am, a miko. I'm probably his only chance at having what he wants, and that's all that really matters to him. Why didn't I see it? Why didn't I WANT to see it? You're such an idiot Kagome!'

"Inuyasha, I want to get up now." Kagome's voice was soft and quiet, but very determined.

He just stared at her, his confusion written all over his face. Hadn't she paid any attention to what he just said? Did she even care? "Kagome-"

"I SAID I want to get up, so please let go."

What was her problem? "Dammit Kagome, just listen to me for a minute!"

"NO!" She suddenly shouted. Inuyasha wasn't prepared for this response and lost his hold on her when she nearly jumped from the bed. She was obviously angry, but he had no clue why.

"Kagome-"

"Just go away and leave me alone! I don't want you and I certainly don't need you! Why I even stayed here in the first place I don't know!" Kagome's eyes were flashing, and her sleep-tousled hair gave her a slightly wild look.

Inuyasha winced at her 'I don't need you', the words cutting deeper than any knife. That was the response she was giving him for being honest about his feelings?

"Do you really hate me so much still?" Inuyasha whispered quietly, his voice flat with no hint of the pain he was feeling. His stubborn pride refused to let her see what she was doing to him.

Kagome avoided meeting his gaze with hers, afraid he would see her answer for the lie that it was. "Maybe I do."

Both were still and quiet for several moments before Kagome finally moved from her spot. She bent down and grabbed the pile of clothes Sango had dropped on the floor, careful not to look Inuyasha's way at all. When she had every piece of clothing, Kagome silently left the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Inuyasha watched her gather the clothes before she left, no longer trying to mask anything he was feeling. It didn't matter anymore to him if she knew or not, and in a way he wanted her to see.

But Kagome never looked back.

.

.

~*~*~*~*~*~

.

.

Sango silently stared at the broken girl across from her who was sitting on the end of her bed. Kagome had come to her bedroom about an hour ago, crying like her heart was broken. Not much later, Sango found out that was truly the case when the story slowly came out. That knowledge made the older girl very relieved that the little bed scene really hadn't been as bad as it had looked earlier.

'Poor Kagome. I personally believe that Inuyasha does care for her, and probably even loves her. It's not really my place to try and tell her that though, because I may very well be wrong. Only Inuyasha knows for sure, but he can't ever seem to do anything right where women are concerned.'

"Sango?" The hesitant question came from a sniffling Kagome, startling the girl from her thoughts.

"Yes?" No matter what it was Kagome wanted, even if it was to kill Inuyasha, Sango was prepared to do it for the friend she had come to care so much for. Though she really, really hoped she didn't have to kill him, bodily harm would do nicely.

"Can you please take me home? I don't want to stay here anymore."

Deep down, Sango had been expecting this, but she dreaded having to say goodbye. It had been wonderful to have her there, someone to laugh and gossip with, to help her tease the guys and gang up on Miroku. She was already feeling lonely.

"Are you sure that's what you want Kagome?" Sango questioned quietly. "Maybe you misunderstood him. Do you really want to give up on him so easily if you love him that much?"

Kagome shook her head, another tear running down her face. "I know what I heard. If he'd really loved me, wouldn't he have said so? It's only three simple words Sango. But he didn't say them. He didn't WANT to say them."

Sango leaned forward and gave her friend a comforting hug. "I'll take you home then. But just remember to keep in contact or I'll never forgive you." She smiled to show she was only joking.

Kagome smiled weakly in return. "Thank you Sango. If for nothing else, I don't regret coming here just because I met you." The smile on her face turned pained. 'And even if nothing came of it, I'll never regret falling in love with Inuyasha either. No matter how much it hurts, it's the only connection I'll have with him after I leave. I just hope it will be enough.'

.

.

.

.

I know you probably all hate me at the moment, but really, it's necessary for the next phase of the plot. *Ducks rotten fruit being thrown* The humor will pick up again really quickly, I promise!