InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Therapy ❯ Chapter Twenty-One ( Chapter 21 )

Title: Soul Therapy

 

Author: dolphingirl0113

 

Chapter: Twenty-One

 

Rating: PG-13 (for language and, at times, sexual implications)

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

 

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The sun was high in the sky when it finally managed to pierce through the blinds of her room, and Kagome reluctantly opened her eyes, only to be blinded by a surprisingly bright light. Closing her lids instantly, she rolled out of bed, pulled the blinds shut, and crawled back under the warm covers, curling up in a ball. She barely felt sleep returning to her body when she felt the person next to her stir, and it was then she decided she might as well just get up.

 

“Kagome?”

 

She sighed, glancing at the clock with a groan. She never slept in this late. “Yeah?”

 

“Are you awake?”

 

What a dumb question. Would she have responded in the first place if she was still asleep? But then, people asked dumb things when it came to pillow talk, so she let it slide without making fun of Inuyasha.

 

“Yeah, you?”

 

“Of course, would I be talking to you if I was still asleep?”

 

“No,” she replied, biting her tongue against a retort. Obviously, he wasn't above snapping in the morning.

 

Rolling over, the sheets falling down to expose one of her naked shoulders, she smiled as she saw his handsome face, surrounded by his wealth of silver hair, his amber eyes gleaming at her intelligently, but still looking dull from sleep.

 

“What time is it?” He asked her with a yawn, stretching his arms above his head, but in the end scraping his knuckles against the black headboard of her bed frame.

 

At first she didn't even hear the question, enraptured as she was by the way his pectorals flexed as he stretched, but finally Kagome managed to blink her thoughts back to reality, realizing he had said something. “What?”

 

“I asked what time it was, stupid,” he chuckled fondly, tweaking her nose, which surprised her. Normally, Inuyasha wasn't so playful.

 

“It's 10:30.”

 

“Seriously? Damn,” he rubbed the back of his head, still lying down. “I never sleep in this late. Not even on my honeymoon with…”

 

He shut his mouth instantly, but Kagome knew what he had been about to say, and blushed in spite of herself, feeling a slight twinge of envy. It wasn't his fault he'd married Kikyou first. After all, he hadn't even known Kagome then, and considering they'd married right out of high school, Kagome would have still been a sophomore, and too young for that sort of thing. But still, she couldn't stand the thought of him with someone else, waking up and giving her cousin the same smile he had on his face at that moment; perfectly content and at ease.

 

The silence became a little uncomfortable, so Kagome decided it was about time she got up and took a shower and officially started her day because, even though she wanted to, she couldn't just sit around in bed all day with Inuyasha. She had already promised her afternoon to Kohaku, who wanted to spend time with his sister while he was on break from school.

 

The water from the shower felt good, and for once Kagome didn't feel the need to turn the water on extra hot, because she already felt alive in a way she had never thought possible. A stupid smile came to her face as she thought about how amazing it was, the change a man could bring to her life.

 

Without thinking, Kagome began humming some tune she couldn't remember the name of, and before long she was singing outright, twirling around in the small, four-walled shower, her hair flying as she shampooed before stopping to rinse. She was so into being happy that she didn't even feel the rush of cold air as someone else entered the bathroom.

 

“I hope you don't plan on making singing a second career,” a male voice commented from behind, and Kagome squeaked in surprise, whirling around to see a grinning, and very naked, Inuyasha watching her through the glass. She smacked her hand against his image, even though she knew he wouldn't feel a thing, and made a face.

 

“You should know better then to spy on women while they're taking a shower.”

 

He shrugged, the water droplets on the glass distorting his image slightly, making one shoulder look bigger then the other. “Hey, I've got a morning routine too, you know, and since I live here, the bathroom is not off limits.”

 

She smiled at his logic before finishing rinsing out her hair, turning off the water and opening the door slightly to grab a towel. “No peaking,” she warned, and he laughed.

 

“Kagome, I've seen you in…well…I've seen you before, so it's not like you've got anything to hide from me.”

 

Kagome turned red at the memory, but still managed to find her voice. “That doesn't matter. When we're getting ready for the day, it's different. If we are to live together, we need to respect one another's privacy.”

 

He muttered something she couldn't make out as she dried off and wrapped the towel around her body, and when she finally stepped out of the shower, she was relieved to see he'd covered himself with his own blue towel as well.

 

Pecking him on the cheek, she opened the door and shivered briefly at the cold from outside the steamy bathroom. “I'll fix us something to eat,” she called over her shoulder before closing the door and walking back into her bedroom, throwing the green towel on her green bed, which was framed by black and surrounded by matching furniture consisting of a desk and a bookshelf. The room wasn't exactly enormous, after all. But it was accented nicely by a watercolor painting her mother had bought her that now hung above the head of the bed, and white carpet gave it the finishing touch.

 

Grabbing her fluffy pink bathrobe and slipping into her equally fluffy pink slippers, Kagome slowly made her way to the kitchen, where she put some water on the stove to boil in order to make tea, and then grabbed a pan and several eggs to scramble.

 

By the time the water turned off signaling Inuyasha had finished with his own shower, Kagome had set the table and served a breakfast of sliced fruit, toast, and scrambled eggs. It was Sunday morning, after all, so she was going to enjoy being able to eat a wholesome meal for once, rather then something from a restaurant or deli.

 

Leaving the food, she opened the door and picked up the newspaper, sitting down to eat just as Inuyasha appeared, his eyes growing large at the sight of the food, his mouth practically watering in anticipation.

 

“You don't have to gawk,” Kagome commented with a giggle as she bit into a piece of dry toast, glancing at the front page, which had a picture of a robbery that had taken place the night before. He shut his trap and moved to sit in the empty chair, immediately digging in, and glanced at her after a few minutes, or rather, at the paper in her hands.

 

“Can I see that when you're done?”

 

“You can have it now. What section do you want?”

 

“Science,” he managed to say around a mouthful of eggs. Kagome made a face, but handed it to him anyway, seeing a headline about cloning, and managing to spot a picture of a pig beneath it.

 

“Great, so they're cloning pigs now, I take it?” she commented dryly as he unfolded the section to read, looking excited.

 

“No, they're comparing the biological makeup of pigs to humans; they're actually trying to clone embryos,” he corrected, but then went silent, focused on something important, and Kagome just shrugged, digging through the paper for the living section which was, of course, the only thing really worth reading on a Sunday morning.

 

But the moment she unfolded the paper, she dropped her unfinished toast, which fell, with a splat, into her mug, spewing herbal tea everywhere. Kagome didn't even notice.

 

“Oh my god,” she whispered, feeling her throat constrict. The toast she had been about to swallow now felt as heavy and thick as a rock.

 

“What?” Inuyasha put aside his paper with a curious expression, picking up his mug. “What's wrong?”

 

Kagome was shaking her head, her face extremely pale, as she turned the paper around. “L-lo-look,” she stammered.

 

On the front page of the living section, for all of Tokyo to see, was a large picture of Inuyasha with his arm around Kagome's waist, talking to Kikyou and Naraku at the party the night before. Surrounding the image were smaller pictures of Inuyasha and Kagome throughout the evening, eating, dancing, and even kissing. But it was the large headline that caused Kagome's blood to run cold.

 

TURNING TO A CLONE FOR COMFORT

Inuyasha Takahashi, brother of business tycoon Sesshoumaru Takahashi, arrived last night with his new girlfriend, Kagome Higurashi, a surprisingly perfect replica of his wife, Kikyou. Coincidence?

 

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, almost sounding like a dog, and his amber eyes narrowed dangerously as he snatched the paper out of Kagome's hands, glaring at the headline as though to burn it with his gaze. How dare they?

 

The sound of movement caused him to glance over at Kagome, and he felt his heart clench at the way she was staring at her hands, as though ashamed of something. “Kagome, I'm so sorry, I never thought something like this could have happened.”

 

She nodded her head slowly. “I know; you wouldn't have taken me if you did. But,” she sniffed, and he could tell she was on the brink of tears, “Why would the newspaper do something like that? I mean, you're free to do what you want right? You're not exactly a celebrity, like your brother.”

 

“I am and I'm not,” he replied, sighing and setting the paper down in defeat, glancing at the picture again. There was no denying that Kagome looked, almost hauntingly, like Kikyou, their face shapes similar, their hair and eyes the same basic color, their bodies the same shape.

 

He slammed his fist into the table in frustration.

 

The idiots! Couldn't they see that was where the similarities stopped? Couldn't they see that Kagome's eyes were bright with innocence and life, whereas Kikyou's eyes were darker with maturity and wisdom? Couldn't they tell that Inuyasha adored Kagome in a way he never had his wife? That he wanted to protect her, keep her safe, and hold her to him for the rest of his life?

 

“What do you mean Inuyasha?” Kagome asked, breaking his train of thought, reminding him that he wasn't alone. He glanced up and met her eyes.

 

“I'm not a celebrity on a daily basis, like my brother, but at the same time, when something interesting in my life happens, the media is all over it. When I got married, the wedding became a big deal, published in magazines and such. Kikyou was even interviewed by a bridal magazine for her opinion on choosing brides' maids gowns. And now that she and I are getting a divorce, clearly the media is deciding to be interested again.” He sighed and put his head in his hands. “I'm so sorry this had to happen. I honestly didn't think they'd give a damn anymore.”

 

Kagome remained silent for several minutes before reaching over and grabbing the article, turning it so she could read. Inuyasha covered her hand with one of his own, giving her a pleading look.

 

“I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

 

But she defiantly took her hand away, along with the paper. “I need to know what they're saying about me, Inuyasha.”

 

Last night at one of his brother's famous parties, Inuyasha Takahashi was seen arriving with a new woman on his arm, which came as no surprise following the announcement that he and his wife of five years, Kikyou Takahashi, were getting a divorce. What surprised everyone was that while Kikyou arrived with the well-known, cut-throat lawyer Naraku Tama, Inuyasha came with a young girl who turns out to be an employee of Sesshoumaru in the Tokyo Physical Therapy Clinic downtown, named Kagome Higurashi.

 

It wasn't so much her lack of prestige in the community that surprised the public, but the fact that she is Kikyou's cousin, and practically her twin, that now has the rumor wheel spinning wildly out of control. Since details have been scarce as to the exact reasons for the divorce, people are now beginning to wonder if perhaps it was Kikyou who asked for the divorce, breaking the heart of Inuyasha, who now turns to someone who could practically be her clone while his wife moves on to Naraku.

 

Sesshoumaru Takahashi, however, insists that his brother's intentions with Kagome are completely innocent, and that the two met while Inuyasha was involved in physical therapy following his accident almost six months ago. If readers will recall, he was hit by a drunk driver on his way home from the medical school, and since temporarily lost the use of his legs, though it would appear, after watching him last night, that he has since overcome that problem. Sesshoumaru also claims he believes it was Inuyasha who initially asked for the divorce, not Kikyou, but that the two mutually felt it was the right thing to do, and that no hearts were broken in the process. His wife of seven years, Rin Takahashi, claims the same thing, stating that she is good friends with both Inuyasha and Kagome.

 

Despite these assurances, people are still wondering what exactly is the truth behind this sudden split between one of Tokyou's most respected couples, and the reasons for their new love interests. While Naraku Tama is certainly in the same league as Inuyasha with a prestigious career, Kagome Higurashi is a nobody, which leaves everyone guessing. Only time will tell how this story will play out, though after talking to several people last night, it became apparent that the general opinion is that Kikyou and Inuyasha will reunite eventually, and that Kagome and Naraku will prove to simply be hitches in their otherwise beautiful love story.

 

Kagome folded the paper silently, almost as though she were desperately holding onto some semblance of control. Inuyasha watched her carefully, trying to decide if it would be wise to say anything, or if he should just let her have her space.

 

“I'm a hitch,” she finally said, and, having not read the article, he blinked several times in confusion.

 

“What?”

 

“They called me a hitch,” she laughed, though it was empty, and he could tell she was trying to make light of the situation. “I guess that's better then what they could have said.”

 

That enraged him for some reason, and he slammed his fist once more into the table. “What do you mean, Kagome? I think they sunk pretty low, calling you a clone! How can you say it could have been worse?”

 

“Oh, I don't know, they could have called me a slut or a whore!” Kagome retorted, feeling her own temper snap. “Or maybe that will be in Monday's paper!” Tears began to leak out of her eyes, and she felt her whole body deflate in exhaustion and frustration. “I'm not the kind of person who deals with this very well, Inuyasha! What do you expect me to do? Just laugh it off?”

 

“No…” He didn't know what to say.

 

“Well I have to do something! The paper basically says you and Kikyou have this perfect marriage, and that Naraku and I are just ruining it! They say that Kikyou broke your heart, and that I'm just someone you're using as a replica to make you feel better!” She was heaving now as she yelled. “What is my mother going to think when she reads this? What about all my friends? Are they going to believe it?”

 

“Kagome, no one who knows you will believe it,” Inuyasha tried to sooth, though he sensed there was something more to her yelling then just the article.

 

“Hah! That's what you think!” Without warning, she sank to her knees, sobbing for all she was worth, and Inuyasha didn't know what to do. He'd never seen her so emotional. Kagome was always the one, of the two of them, who was in control, giving him stability, not the other way around.

 

“Kagome…” he ran a hand through his hair desperately, looking about aimlessly for help. “What do you want me to do?”

 

She looked up at him, her eyes puffy and red, her face swollen from tears, her expression one of complete and utter pain. And yet, she had never looked more beautiful.

 

Inuyasha fell to his knees beside her and took her in his arms, feeling her body shake against his solid form, crying again. He just let her, hoping it would pass, hoping she would feel better in a few minutes so that they could talk.

 

“It never ends, does it?” She whispered against his shoulder.

 

“What?”

 

“It never ends.” She pulled away so she could look him in the eye. “I will always be Kikyou's little cousin, the girl who looks just like her, but not as smart, not as beautiful, and not as successful.” She sighed in defeat. “That's how it will always be.”

 

Inuyasha stared at her, from her slumped shoulders to her vacant expression, and felt his own heart clench in pain. Had her childhood with Kikyou been so miserable that she still believed that? Did she honestly think she was a lesser being then her cousin?

 

“Kagome, listen to me,” he lifted her chin so she was looking at him, “You are just as perfect as Kikyou, in your own way.”

 

“Please Inuyasha,” she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her, holding her chin so tightly it could almost leave a bruise.

 

“Listen to me, damn it,” he swore, and she relaxed in his arms, waiting. “Look, I don't know why you insist on putting yourself down like this Kagome, but it's not worth it. I think you're beautiful, and smart, and successful. You help people in ways Kikyou never will; you give them their lives back when they thought they were done for. Hell, look at me!” He laughed and opened his arms to accent his point. “I was sure I would never walk again, and was mad at the world because I was positive I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. But you,” he touched her cheek, wiping away several tears, “Showed me how wrong I was, and that I wasn't done living yet. And now, here I am, going back to medical school to get my degree, and living with the kindest woman I've ever known.”

 

New tears came to her eyes, but this time she was smiling. “Oh Inuyasha,” Kagome threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

 

Suddenly he felt uncomfortable. After all, Inuyasha Takahashi was only good for so much intimacy before he became stifled. “Keh, I didn't do anything besides tell you the truth, you silly woman.”

 

She nodded against his chest and pulled away to give him one of the bright smiles he loved so much about her. “I know that, but the fact that you said anything at all means the world to me. Thank you.” And to accent her point, she gave him a huge kiss, to which he responded by pulling her against him fiercely.

 

“We'll still have to deal with this, you know,” he commented once they'd pulled apart and climbed off of the floor and back into their chairs to finish breakfast. Kagome glanced at the article and nodded.

 

“I know, what should we do?”

 

“Well first we should go and talk to Kikyou and Naraku.”

 

Kagome shook her head. “No, first you two should officially sign your divorce papers.”

 

“Oh…right…” Inuyasha blushed slightly, but coughed gruffly, proceeding with the conversation. “After that, we should talk to them about this. And I think we should even have a press conference or something.”

 

“A press conference?” Kagome looked skeptical. “I think that's being a bit extreme.”

 

“So maybe it wouldn't be a press conference,” he replied, “But more like a one-on-one interview with a reporter from the paper. That way we can tell our side of the story, and not have all this nonsense upsetting you in the morning.”

 

Kagome smiled in spite of herself and took a sip of her tea, which was now extremely cold. “It sounds like a plan.”

 

“Good,” he brought his fork to his mouth, but then grimaced in distaste, and Kagome gave him a quizzical stare.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing, it's just that the eggs are cold.” For some reason that comment caused Kagome to throw her head back and laugh for the next several minutes.