InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sight Unseen ❯ Actions Speak Louder Than Words ( Chapter 25 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: SylverAngel 
Inuyasha's 'in the doghouse,' so to speak. Will he find a way to make up for his earlier accusations?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.06.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Inuyasha's 'in the doghouse,' so to speak. Will he find a way to make up for his earlier accusations?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.06.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Sight Unseen
Chapter 25: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Kagome had always known she'd never measure up to Kikyou. No matter how much she practiced, her skill with a bow would never be equal to the former priestess'. Love always made things more beautiful to the beholder, and Inuyasha had loved Kikyou. Her scent wasn't the same, and that made a huge difference in the long run. With her current disability, she was useless, even less of a whole person than the undead priestess. She'd allowed herself to hope, with the way Inuyasha had been so helpful and caring, that things were changing between them. But she'd been merely daydreaming, fantasizing, projecting more into his actions than there really was. 'There really are none so blind as those who will not see,' she thought bitterly.
She knew he hadn't really meant the last words he'd said before leaving. He usually struck out at something or someone when he was angry with himself. That he'd chosen to lash out at her was what hurt. As if he had blamed her, even momentarily, for his wounded pride. And the words themselves...
She wasn't Kikyou! she mentally screamed, burying her face in her sleeping bag to hide the tears she could feel seeping down her cheeks.
Inuyasha found her that way, sobbing soundlessly into the material.
He'd been careful as he approached the orange light of the campfire. The relative silence warned him that the others could possibly be sleeping. When he'd stepped out of the trees, he'd seen that he was right-- Sango and Miroku lay on opposite sides of the fire, Kagome on another. Shippo and Kirara lay curled up at the demon exterminator's head. Maruku was... apparently up in a tree, by the direction of his scent.
His anger flared slightly, though he quickly tamped it down. If the winged demon was intent on harming them, surely he'd have done it already? Inuyasha didn't trust him, but he could do nothing when there was no sign of deception.
He shifted restlessly from foot to foot, pondering his next move.
He didn't want to frighten Kagome. She'd probably scream and wake the others.
He crouched down at her side, hesitating. What if...?
No, he wasn't going to believe she wouldn't forgive him.
But he sure as hell wasn't going to try and apologize with the others around to criticize his attempt.
Shaking his head, he reached out a hand and laid it over Kagome's where hers clutched the sleeping bag. "Kagome," he whispered.
She jumped at his touch, as he'd expected, but stayed where she was. She mumbled something into the sleeping bag, but the sound was too muffled for him to understand.
"Kagome, don't cry," he murmured, trying to pry her fingers away from the material she held.
She turned her head just enough for him to hear, "Go away, Inuyasha."
"Kagome, please."
She swatted him away and turned over, so her body faced away from him. "I said, go away."
The situation was familiar, he thought idly. So, she was pushing him away again? And she wasn't likely to come with him if he outright asked. Well, what had worked before would surely work again. Without saying a word, he reached one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees and began to lift her.
Kagome shrieked, one arm flailing and smacking him in the head. "What part of 'go away' do you not understand?" she hissed.
"No," he replied, lifting her against him and striding back into the trees. He didn't go very far-- just put enough distance between them and the campfire that she hopefully wouldn't wake the others.
"What kind of answer is that? 'No?' It wasn't a yes or no question!" Her voice rose with each word. She shifted in his arms to pound her fist into his chest.
He didn't even let on that he'd felt the punch. "Shh, Kagome. You'll wake the others."
"I'll wake the others? Me? If I did, it'd be your fault! Take me back, I was trying to sleep."
"No you weren't, you were crying," he told her, letting her feet slide to the ground before settling down himself. He held onto her hands and pulled until she reluctantly sat.
"No, I wasn't, Inuyasha."
"Kagome, yes you were."
"No, I--"
"Let's not start that again," he growled, wanting her to be quiet so he could say what he needed to and get it over with.
"You started this whole thing! Dragging me off somewhere, just because you think you can get away with it, and I can't--"
"Kagome."
"What? Was there a point to your carrying me around in the middle of the night?"
"Yes."
"Well, what was it then?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I..." he started, but couldn't get anything else past the lump in his throat. He was never good with words. Whenever he meant to say something nice, the words came out wrong. He wanted desperately to say the right thing, so she'd be sure to pardon him.
"Go on," she insisted.
"Kagome, I..."
She waited for him to continue, but he never spoke. "Well?" Her mouth was set in an angry line as her sightless eyes stared in his direction.
The empty gaze made him pause. He had so much to apologize for. For not protecting her, and allowing her to be harmed. For everything he'd ever said that hurt her.
Her voice had grown louder. "Inuyasha, is there something you want to say?"
His ears laid back a bit in his frustration. "I..." He stopped, trying to once more gather his courage and just spit it out. "Kagome--"
"Inuyasha, just take me back."
She cut him off before he could go on. Now he had to try again! He was growing more and more irritated with himself. Why couldn't he just say it?
Kagome continued on, oblivious to his plight since she couldn't see him. "I want to go to bed. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"Damn it, Kagome."
The rough sound of her name didn't stop her words.
"Maruku said we're almost there. In fact, if we hadn't _stopped_--"
The emphasis she put on the word was the last straw. She had to be quiet.
"Shut up, Kagome," he commanded, loud enough to override her words. He roughly grabbed her shoulders, pulled her to him, and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss started out frustrated and fierce, Inuyasha trying to convey everything at once. Kagome stiffened in surprise, wanting to pull away and ask him what on earth he thought he was doing. She waited a few seconds too long, however, and couldn't help her lips softening against his.
Inuyasha's grip on her arms relaxed as the kiss shifted from anger to understanding and calm acceptance.
He broke away first, though he was reluctant to do so. He needed to get himself back under control and finish what he'd started in dragging her away from the camp in the first place. Kagome hadn't slapped him yet, which left him one up on the village men he'd seen try such a move. He just needed to remember what it was he was so determined to do, besides kissing Kagome again...
He mentally shook himself, clearing his mind as best he could, and bringing his thoughts back to his earlier attempts at apologizing. "Now will you listen?" he gritted out, trying to get his breathing back under control. His hands were still on her upper arms, as much to steady himself as to reinforce his words.
Kagome just sat where she was, her mind dizzily trying to figure out what had just happened. "Inu... yasha?" she got out, her voice little more than a whisper.
"Kagome, _please_."
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "What?"
"Damn it... Kagome, I'm sorry," he growled. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it."
"I know." She gave him a lopsided, slightly dreamy smile.
"What!" he nearly yelled. "What do you mean, you _know_?"
"I know you, Inuyasha. You were just striking out, like you usually do when your pride is hurt." She gave him a reassuring pat on his chest.
"Kagome..." he muttered, a threatening growl starting in his throat. He didn't have to go through all that? All the worry that she wouldn't forgive him? All the frustration at not being able to tell her? He didn't--
"I like the way you apologize, though," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I forgive you."
His anger deflated. They were the words he'd been waiting for, though they were unnecessary. "I'm glad," he murmured, letting go of her arms and wrapping his arms around her.
They sat like that for a few moments, letting the quiet sounds of the night drift around them.
Kagome yawned, finishing with a giggle. "Um, do you think you could take me back now? We need to sleep."
"So we're almost there?"
"Mmm hmm. We're almost on the edge of Ataru's territory."
He felt guilty for deterring from their task, when the life of a windwalker was actually at stake, as opposed to the illusion's he'd tried to defend.
"Then we'll be there tomorrow."
"Yep. So, we have to go get lots of sleep." Kagome yawned once more. "To rest up, especially after the battle today."
"I don't think you're going to need much of a push in that direction," Inuyasha murmured wryly. "You're already halfway there."
"Mmm. Maybe."
The hanyou shook his head as he helped her to her feet. She could barely stand.
He rolled his eyes and picked her up as he had before.
"I can walk," she protested.
He chuckled as she snuggled into his shoulder, curling both hands against his robes. "This'll be faster."
"Okay."
He felt her relax more and more as he walked back towards their camp. He glanced down, finding her already asleep.
A small smile tilted his lips. Apologizing hadn't been such a bad idea after all.
Chapter 25: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Kagome had always known she'd never measure up to Kikyou. No matter how much she practiced, her skill with a bow would never be equal to the former priestess'. Love always made things more beautiful to the beholder, and Inuyasha had loved Kikyou. Her scent wasn't the same, and that made a huge difference in the long run. With her current disability, she was useless, even less of a whole person than the undead priestess. She'd allowed herself to hope, with the way Inuyasha had been so helpful and caring, that things were changing between them. But she'd been merely daydreaming, fantasizing, projecting more into his actions than there really was. 'There really are none so blind as those who will not see,' she thought bitterly.
She knew he hadn't really meant the last words he'd said before leaving. He usually struck out at something or someone when he was angry with himself. That he'd chosen to lash out at her was what hurt. As if he had blamed her, even momentarily, for his wounded pride. And the words themselves...
She wasn't Kikyou! she mentally screamed, burying her face in her sleeping bag to hide the tears she could feel seeping down her cheeks.
Inuyasha found her that way, sobbing soundlessly into the material.
He'd been careful as he approached the orange light of the campfire. The relative silence warned him that the others could possibly be sleeping. When he'd stepped out of the trees, he'd seen that he was right-- Sango and Miroku lay on opposite sides of the fire, Kagome on another. Shippo and Kirara lay curled up at the demon exterminator's head. Maruku was... apparently up in a tree, by the direction of his scent.
His anger flared slightly, though he quickly tamped it down. If the winged demon was intent on harming them, surely he'd have done it already? Inuyasha didn't trust him, but he could do nothing when there was no sign of deception.
He shifted restlessly from foot to foot, pondering his next move.
He didn't want to frighten Kagome. She'd probably scream and wake the others.
He crouched down at her side, hesitating. What if...?
No, he wasn't going to believe she wouldn't forgive him.
But he sure as hell wasn't going to try and apologize with the others around to criticize his attempt.
Shaking his head, he reached out a hand and laid it over Kagome's where hers clutched the sleeping bag. "Kagome," he whispered.
She jumped at his touch, as he'd expected, but stayed where she was. She mumbled something into the sleeping bag, but the sound was too muffled for him to understand.
"Kagome, don't cry," he murmured, trying to pry her fingers away from the material she held.
She turned her head just enough for him to hear, "Go away, Inuyasha."
"Kagome, please."
She swatted him away and turned over, so her body faced away from him. "I said, go away."
The situation was familiar, he thought idly. So, she was pushing him away again? And she wasn't likely to come with him if he outright asked. Well, what had worked before would surely work again. Without saying a word, he reached one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees and began to lift her.
Kagome shrieked, one arm flailing and smacking him in the head. "What part of 'go away' do you not understand?" she hissed.
"No," he replied, lifting her against him and striding back into the trees. He didn't go very far-- just put enough distance between them and the campfire that she hopefully wouldn't wake the others.
"What kind of answer is that? 'No?' It wasn't a yes or no question!" Her voice rose with each word. She shifted in his arms to pound her fist into his chest.
He didn't even let on that he'd felt the punch. "Shh, Kagome. You'll wake the others."
"I'll wake the others? Me? If I did, it'd be your fault! Take me back, I was trying to sleep."
"No you weren't, you were crying," he told her, letting her feet slide to the ground before settling down himself. He held onto her hands and pulled until she reluctantly sat.
"No, I wasn't, Inuyasha."
"Kagome, yes you were."
"No, I--"
"Let's not start that again," he growled, wanting her to be quiet so he could say what he needed to and get it over with.
"You started this whole thing! Dragging me off somewhere, just because you think you can get away with it, and I can't--"
"Kagome."
"What? Was there a point to your carrying me around in the middle of the night?"
"Yes."
"Well, what was it then?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I..." he started, but couldn't get anything else past the lump in his throat. He was never good with words. Whenever he meant to say something nice, the words came out wrong. He wanted desperately to say the right thing, so she'd be sure to pardon him.
"Go on," she insisted.
"Kagome, I..."
She waited for him to continue, but he never spoke. "Well?" Her mouth was set in an angry line as her sightless eyes stared in his direction.
The empty gaze made him pause. He had so much to apologize for. For not protecting her, and allowing her to be harmed. For everything he'd ever said that hurt her.
Her voice had grown louder. "Inuyasha, is there something you want to say?"
His ears laid back a bit in his frustration. "I..." He stopped, trying to once more gather his courage and just spit it out. "Kagome--"
"Inuyasha, just take me back."
She cut him off before he could go on. Now he had to try again! He was growing more and more irritated with himself. Why couldn't he just say it?
Kagome continued on, oblivious to his plight since she couldn't see him. "I want to go to bed. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"Damn it, Kagome."
The rough sound of her name didn't stop her words.
"Maruku said we're almost there. In fact, if we hadn't _stopped_--"
The emphasis she put on the word was the last straw. She had to be quiet.
"Shut up, Kagome," he commanded, loud enough to override her words. He roughly grabbed her shoulders, pulled her to him, and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss started out frustrated and fierce, Inuyasha trying to convey everything at once. Kagome stiffened in surprise, wanting to pull away and ask him what on earth he thought he was doing. She waited a few seconds too long, however, and couldn't help her lips softening against his.
Inuyasha's grip on her arms relaxed as the kiss shifted from anger to understanding and calm acceptance.
He broke away first, though he was reluctant to do so. He needed to get himself back under control and finish what he'd started in dragging her away from the camp in the first place. Kagome hadn't slapped him yet, which left him one up on the village men he'd seen try such a move. He just needed to remember what it was he was so determined to do, besides kissing Kagome again...
He mentally shook himself, clearing his mind as best he could, and bringing his thoughts back to his earlier attempts at apologizing. "Now will you listen?" he gritted out, trying to get his breathing back under control. His hands were still on her upper arms, as much to steady himself as to reinforce his words.
Kagome just sat where she was, her mind dizzily trying to figure out what had just happened. "Inu... yasha?" she got out, her voice little more than a whisper.
"Kagome, _please_."
She shook her head, trying to clear it. "What?"
"Damn it... Kagome, I'm sorry," he growled. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't mean it."
"I know." She gave him a lopsided, slightly dreamy smile.
"What!" he nearly yelled. "What do you mean, you _know_?"
"I know you, Inuyasha. You were just striking out, like you usually do when your pride is hurt." She gave him a reassuring pat on his chest.
"Kagome..." he muttered, a threatening growl starting in his throat. He didn't have to go through all that? All the worry that she wouldn't forgive him? All the frustration at not being able to tell her? He didn't--
"I like the way you apologize, though," she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I forgive you."
His anger deflated. They were the words he'd been waiting for, though they were unnecessary. "I'm glad," he murmured, letting go of her arms and wrapping his arms around her.
They sat like that for a few moments, letting the quiet sounds of the night drift around them.
Kagome yawned, finishing with a giggle. "Um, do you think you could take me back now? We need to sleep."
"So we're almost there?"
"Mmm hmm. We're almost on the edge of Ataru's territory."
He felt guilty for deterring from their task, when the life of a windwalker was actually at stake, as opposed to the illusion's he'd tried to defend.
"Then we'll be there tomorrow."
"Yep. So, we have to go get lots of sleep." Kagome yawned once more. "To rest up, especially after the battle today."
"I don't think you're going to need much of a push in that direction," Inuyasha murmured wryly. "You're already halfway there."
"Mmm. Maybe."
The hanyou shook his head as he helped her to her feet. She could barely stand.
He rolled his eyes and picked her up as he had before.
"I can walk," she protested.
He chuckled as she snuggled into his shoulder, curling both hands against his robes. "This'll be faster."
"Okay."
He felt her relax more and more as he walked back towards their camp. He glanced down, finding her already asleep.
A small smile tilted his lips. Apologizing hadn't been such a bad idea after all.