Clean - Chapter 1

He shot up from the well, still conflicted. He hesitated on the edge for a moment, gritting his teeth and looking back over his shoulder into the consuming blackness below him. If he stared hard enough, it almost felt like he could see the woman on the other side start to materialize.

He shook his head. She was only in his mind's eye.

He plunked himself unceremoniously down beside the well and crossed his arms around his sword, waiting for her. He leaned his head against the aged wood, staring up at the sky as he searched his mind for a reason good enough to stay with her. No… for a reason good enough to ask her to stay by his side.

He closed his eyes.

There was nothing.

He sighed. I just keep repeating the same mistake, he thought to himself.

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" He felt cool fingers brush across his forehead, and looked up into a serene smile.

He smiled in spite of himself.

"Kikyo."

—

Kagome was no longer a child. She didn't need Inuyasha's sharp sense of smell to know what it meant when Inuyasha stayed away for days and came back with that look on his face. She'd seen it a hundred times before – both before they'd defeated Naraku and in the years since – and she'd already made peace with the fact that he would never be entirely hers.

So why did it hurt like she was still that same young girl watching her first love race after someone else? Why didn't it get any easier? When would she be used to the ache tugging at her chest as she felt him slipping through her fingers? Wh-

"AHH-!"

She hit the dirt face-first, the herbs in her basket spilling in a graceful half-arc over her head and taking to the wind. She growled as she pushed herself up to a sitting position on clenched fists, surveying the work of her clumsiness. More than half of her day's work lay scattered around her. The rest had already blown away.

"WELL…" She felt angry tears forming in the corners of her eyes and forced them down again. "WELL, THAT'S JUST GREAT," she grunted and picked up the rock that had been her undoing, hurling it as hard as she could into the tall grass beyond the road.

And heard a sudden "GWAH!".

Still seated, Kagome spun to see the heads of Jaken's staff shaking menacingly at her from above the tall grass.

"INSOLENT WOMAN! YOU DARE TO LAUNCH AN ASSAULT IN THE DIRECTION OF LORD SESSHOUMARU?" When the tiny demon burst onto the road, a noticeable red welt was already spreading across his forehead.

"Obviously NOT," she huffed at the imp, the last remnants of her usually monumental patience lying scattered around her.

"And yet had you initiated your attack mere moments later, you might have HIThis LORDSHIP!" Jaken trilled, his voice more obnoxiously shrill the longer his sentence went on. Kagome's face morphed from one of frustration to pure disbelief.

"As IF. We both know that even if I'd AIMED for Sesshomaru I wouldn't have hithim - and certainly not with a stupid rock - so gimme a break." Unbidden, Kagome remembered a sacred arrow caught between two green-lit fingers as if it were nothing but a leaf swaying in the breeze. She shuddered as she saw it evaporating to dust just as easily. She didn't have to look to know the same nightmarish figure was slowly approaching; the familiar aura rolling over her skin heralded his arrival. When he stood before her, she suddenly wished she were standing. Even without murderous intent attached to it, the pressing waves of Sesshomaru's presence were hard to take at such close range. Kagome often wondered how Rin managed it so effortlessly.

"Kagome-nee!" As if summoned by her thoughts, the little girl came crashing through Sesshomaru's sleeve to wrap the kneeling woman in a fierce hug.

"Rin!" she smiled, returning the girl's embrace just as warmly. Kagome was always happy to see the girl, but given how her day had been going so far, she was more relived than usual to bask in Rin's radiating cheerfulness. She finally released the girl, who promptly planted herself in Kagome's lap.

"Are you making a grass bed?" the girl asked, head bobbing back and forth as she noted the herbs strewn all around Kagome. The woman laughed.

"No, I was collecting herbs."

"Herbs?"

"For potions!" she said, emphasizing the word with wide eyes and wiggling fingers.

"You mean to make people feel better?" Rin seemed delighted by the idea.

"Exactly," Kagome replied, nodding softly. Rin looked around them again.

"Nee-san, if you're collecting them, maybe you should put them in the basket." Kagome laughed in spite of herself. It was hard to stay morose when Rin was around.

"I had them in the basket, but I tripped and some of them escaped," she said, snatching a mote of fluffy flower dander from the girl's hair. "See? I have to go collect more while it's still light."

"Me too, me too!" the girl cried, flinging herself out of Kagome's lap and tugging insistently at one hand. Giggling, Kagome quickly complied, allowing the girl to hoist her upright. But as soon as her feet were firmly planted beneath her, a pang shot up her left side and her knees buckled. Her eyes went wide as she realized she would-

But before she'd even fully registered her legs' collapse, there was a pressure on her shoulder, and she found herself looking up into harsh golden eyes only an arm's length away. Her heart pounded in her ears.

"…Th- thanks," she muttered, unable to tear her eyes from his gaze. Whenever Sesshomaru made direct contact, his demonic aura throbbed like a pulse under her skin. She still wasn't used to the feeling. And even though they'd touched a few times during their final fight with Naraku, he'd gotten much stronger since then. "Thanks for catching me, I mean," she continued when he didn't move.

His lip twitched, whether in affirmation or a sneer of disgust she wasn't quite sure.

"You were going to fall on Rin," he rumbled at last, hand still holding her firmly up.

"No," she said, ears going red, but voice steady. "I was going to turn as I fell." His hair waved as Rin turned to look from one of them to the other, but he didn't look away. His glare burned deeper into hers for a second before he finally blinked and freed her.

"Hnn," he said, turning. As he removed his hand Kagome tumbled backwards into a heap, legs and skirt flying up as she hit the ground with squeal and an undignified "oomf". She couldn't tell if he'd given her an imperceptible push or if it was just the recoil from his aura. Surely the mighty Lord Sesshomaru wasn't petty enough to push over an injured woman. …even if it was her.

Rin was at her side instantaneously.

"Kagome-nee! Are you alright?" she fretted. "Jaken, help me carry her!" she cried, already gallantly pulling Kagome's arm over the girl's slight shoulders.

"Certainly NOT," he protested immediately.

"Oh. OK." She paused, unphased. "Lord Sesshomaru-"

"RIN! DO NOT DARE TO INSULT HIS LORDSHIP WITH SUCH A MENIAL REQUEST. TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A PLEBIAN TASK IS BEYOND BENEATH HIM. WHY, IT'S BLASPHEMOUS. TO EVEN THINK TO ASK ONE SUCH AS HIM TO TOUCH A LOWLY HUMAN IS AN ABUSE THAT WILL NOT BE BORNE!"

"Eh?" Rin just tilted her head curiously from under Kagome's arm. "But Lord Sesshomaru carries me all the time."

"AND EVEN THAT IS CONTEMPTFULLY DISRESPECTF-" A black foot suddenly appeared where the imp's head had been, sending up a cloud of dust into the air as the green face was driven into the dirt.

"You question me, Jaken?" It was said more as a statement than a question.

"N-N-NEVER, MILORD!" the servant immediately cried, continuing on to full-blown groveling, stacking compliment upon compliment as Rin and Kagome looked on. The dog demon tolerated the imp's display for a moment before removing his foot.

"Jaken," he said as he turned, hair whipping behind him like a tail.

"YES, MILORD?"

"Watch Rin."

Before the imp could reply, Sesshomaru had vanished into the grass. As Jaken began muttering to himself and melted into dramatic tears, Kagome turned to Rin.

"Does he usually just leave you alone like this?"

"He DIDN'T leave her ALONE," wailed the imp indignantly in the distance, "he left her in MY CHARGE."

"He didn't leave me alone," there was an affirming 'hmph' from behind them. "Lord Sesshomaru never leaves me alone. Ah, look!" The girl motioned toward the tree line, pointing to a giant creature that howled as if on cue. She lept up and began waving both arms.

"AH-UNNNNN!" The massive beast pawed at the air in response and hurtled towards the her.

"RIN-"

But before Kagome could get up, the dragon collided with the girl, rolling until it landed on its back, gingerly holding Rin on its stomach between massive claws. Kagome let out an immediate sigh of relief.

"Ah-unnnnnnnnn" the girl gurgled happily, scratching the demon's belly to its obvious delight. Kagome watched and couldn't help but think of a large puppy. She'd never seen the creature so close, and it was more than a little intimidating. But then, so were demons like Jinenji. As if sensing her curiosity, Rin called out to her.

"Come on, Kagome-nee! You can pet him!" Kagome looked at the girl with wide eyes, then back at the demon, and slowly crawled forward. Ah-un watched her approach out of one jaundiced eye.

"Hello," she said when she had sidled an arm's length away from it, tentatively extending a hand. Ah met her halfway, nuzzling his broad head into the flat of her palm and letting out a satisfied grunt.

"S… So cute!" Kagome yipped, taking its head in both her hands and scratching behind his ears to a chorus of appreciative bellows and snorts.

"Hahaha, he likes you! Huh, boy?"

"Rin, will you waste all the daylight hours spoiling that beast?" Both girls turned to see Jaken glaring at them from beside the demon, his arms crossed in a decidedly parental gesture.

"Ah! That's right!" Rin answered. "Kagome-nee, let's go get your fluff!" The girl slid back to the ground so Ah-un could roll over.

"Ah…" Kagome touched her ankle instinctively. "It's alright. In this state, I don't think I'll make it back to the village before dark, let alone back to the field again." She slowly eased herself up on one leg, using Ah-un for a handhold and scanning around her for something to use as a splint or a crutch.

"No, we'll take Ah-un," Rin said, as if it had been obvious.

"What?" said Kagome and Jaken in unison. "Rin, I don't think-"

"Lord Sesshomaru sent him for you. Hop on, he's really fast!"

"He sent…" She looked at the imp for protest, but he merely rolled his eyes at her and climbed onto Ah-un's back.

"Are you sure he meant for me to ride it and not just you?" Kagome asked, trying to correct the girl's mistake. Sesshomaru treated Rin specially, and perhaps the girl couldn't see that her guardian didn't extend the same unearthly patience to anyone else. Kagome suspected that Ah-un returning covered in her scent would leave the dog demon less than pleased.

"Why else would he send him?" Rin countered, "I always walk. Get on!" She flapped the reigns excitedly for emphasis. Kagome blinked at the girl for a moment, not sure what to say.

"Ah-un." At the girl's prodding, the creature dipped both heads underneath the woman and sent her sliding down its back until she came to rest on its shoulders. It sniffed at the herbs on the ground before leaping into the air. Somehow Kagome suspected there would be hell to pay for this, but she was grateful to finally have the weight off her ankle.

"So what's this fluffy stuff called?" Rin asked, tucking a tuft behind Jaken's ear.

—

"And thanks again!" she said as she dismounted, waving to Rin and a decidedly exasperated Jaken. She gave Ah-un a last scratch under their chins before Jaken tugged at their reigns and pulled them into the air.

"BYYYYYE!" cried the girl as she ascended, waving wildly with both hands. Kagome grinned and waved quietly back until the group faded into the dying light.

She stared at the now-heavy basket weighing unevenly on her hip and quietly wondered if she could hop the last few hundred meters back into the village-

"You reek of that bastard-"

"-AH!" she yelped – first as she jumped in surprise, and then in pain as her weight shifted onto her injured ankle – and she tottered in place.

"Hey!" a warm hand shot out and took her elbow, steadying her as another arm wrapped firmly around her waist. "Are you ok?"

She tensed uncontrollably.

"Did he do this?"

"Of course not," she said emphatically, shaking Inuyasha off as he moved to scoop her up. "I'm fine." She took a few slow, wobbling steps away from him and blushed. Hobbling didn't carry quite the dignified brush-off effect she was going for.

"Ch- You're obviously not fine, Kagome" he countered, keeping in step with her and taking her basket.

"I just said I was fine, so I'm fine," she responded curtly.

"No, you're not," he barked, taking her in his arms too quickly for her to counter. "Why won't you just let me help you?"

"Wh- UGH," she groaned as the ground faded beneath them. She locked her arms across her chest in protest and curled up to her knees to keep as much of her body from touching his as possible.

"What?" he snarled, sensing the shift. "Would you rather he carried you?" Her face went completely red and she turned to stare at him with wide eyes as he continued. "Well I don't see that bastard here, so-"

"What i- WHAT IS THAT EVEN SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" she shouted in shock as they touched down in Kaede's garden. The commotion brought Miroku and Sango tumbling out of the hut in time to see Kagome push away from an indignant Inuyasha and immediately begin to hop-stagger towards the house. The two exchanged a knowing look.

"WELL, what am I SUPPOSED to think when I get back and you're GONE and then it turns out YOU'RE OFF WITH HIM ALL DAY?" Miroku dropped his head into his hand in disbelief and Sango shook her head beside him. Kagome stopped in her tracks.

He knew he'd done something wrong.

"OH… MY… GOD," she seethed as she wheeled back around, her pain temporarily overridden by rage. "ARE YOU- ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?" Inuyasha's jealousy suddenly evaporated as he saw the murderous look on her face. "So YOU show up out of the BLUE after FOUR DAYS of being A.W.O.L., and the first thing you're going to do is YELL at ME for, WHAT, NOT BEING NEXT TO THE WELL WAITING FOR YOU?"

"Aw- AWUH- Well you didn't have to RUN OFF with him!"

"RUN OFF?"

"How should I know what's going through your head when you start spending all this time with him-"

"I. WAS OUT. PICKING HERBS. FOR KAEDE. LIKE ALWAYS," she yelled, taking a stumbling step towards him with each word, her volume decreasing dangerously the closer she got. "Which you. Would know. If you. Were HERE," she hissed, finally stopping before a visibly shaken Inuyasha.

"YOUR brother," she growled, jabbing a finger at his chest as he leaned back, "was there for all of FIVE SECONDS. Not that it's ANY of your business," she finished, grabbing the fabric over his chest both for emphasis and balance. "GOT IT?"

He blinked in acknowledgement, but couldn't think of anything to say as Miroku and Sango ran up to the two.

"Now, now," Miroku laughed, "let's not get too-"

"It's ok," Kagome said, releasing the half-demon, "I said what I needed to." She nearly fell again as she turned to go back to the house.

"Kagome!" Sango caught her and threw an arm around her.

"And just when I was starting to cheer up, too," Kagome muttered under her breath. Sango spared Inuyasha a backwards glare as she helped the younger woman into the hut. The half demon and the monk watched them in silence. When they were inside, Miroku turned to look at his friend.

"Honestly, what is wrong with you?" he asked, shaking his head pityingly.

"Me?" Inuyasha cried. "SHE'S the one who's been off with SESSHOMARU all day!"

"As you've been off with Kikyo for several more," the monk replied quietly.

Inuyasha bit his lip.

"Is that what she-"

"Inuyasha, please. Far be it for me of all people to condemn a little daisy watering-"

"I'll say," he mumbled, shooting the monk a sideways glance.

"Variety is the spice of life, after all," he shrugged with a smile. "But you can't show up after all that time and play the part of the jealous lover," he said more seriously. "You're just driving her further away."

Inuyasha stared at the doorway, quietly considering Miroku's words. He continued.

"You know she was worried about you the whole time, don't you?"

He pictured her face and hung his head, his wounded pride abandoning him.

"You've seen what it does to her when you go running off like that."

In the fading light, the monk saw something like regret flit across his friend's face.

"…yeah."

—

A/N:

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Clean! WOO!

I have to say, it's really fun to write InuKag fights because I can totally hear their voices in my head. I picture Inuyasha being the jealous type no matter how old he gets, and I imagine Kagome being freshly sick of it each time haha.

Also, I rewrote the shirt-grabbing bit a few times. At first I had it as "she grabbed the front of his suikan" because that's the name of the coat/shirt thing that Inuyasha wears, but then I was worried that people wouldn't know what that was, so I changed it to "grabbed the front of his shirt", but then that bothered me even more because in my mind's eye that means he was in, like, a t-shirt, so I went with "fabric" because fsck it, what else could I do?

I've actually already written this whole fic, so I should be updating pretty regularly depending on how fast I can edit. If you want faster updates, please follow me on tumblr (un: manapurin)!

Btw, this is going to get pretty steamy (ok, totally raunch) eventually... I'll warn you in advance when those chapters come up! Until then, please enjoy!