Alt Title: Struck Her

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Friendship

Characters: Inuyasha, Kagome

Summary: Inuyasha was a lot of things, but he wasn't cruel. But if this wasn't the thing he regreted the most in his life, then he damn well might have been.

A/N THE FINAL CHAPTER, HOLY CRAP LEMME TELL YOU. Z is SUCH a hard word. But as I've always said, an prompt is a prompt, not a rule. So I stretched it, so zenith is kind of about stars and there's a lot of stars in this one. Also it's long.. Sorry, hahah! And cheesy. Holy crap, the cheese. I hope you're not lactose intolerant. But I tried to keep everything very vaguely romantic, because this is meant to take place in the canon, around the middle of season 6, so... Yeah.

I'm planning on posting the rejected chapters (all of which are only half done, so I get to look forward to finishing those), but Alphabet Soup is technically officially done! Woo hoo! Keep on the lookout for my next stories, Reversed (which is kind of a bunch of drabbles that I'll post whenever), and something-else-I-don't-have-a-name-for-coz-it's-literally-just-a-bunch-of-notes-but-it's-based-off-of-"J-is-for-Jumped"-so-woo-hoo!

ANOTHER NOTE: I highly suggest you listen to "Inuyasha and Kagome's Theme" on repeat as you read this... Because I did while writing it, and it's beautiful and sad and this is kind of a sad story of "what if Inuyasha hit Kagome" because that would break his heart, also oops spoilers.

I don't like cussing, but it really just fit here.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! Have fun, don't die, love yourselves, don't do drugs, and leave a review!

A/N2 Fixed a few typos, added a couple words. Sorry.

...

Z

Zenith

Sometimes Inuyasha did things that he regretted. After all, he wasn't well known for his intelligence or common sense; as a matter of fact, he had a reputation for quite the opposite. The wrong things came out of his mouth at the wrong times, the right things caught themselves in the back of his throat at the right times. He rushed head-first into battle without a plan, attacked the enemy at face value and often endangering his own life because of it. He was rough, and stubborn, and rude, and conflicted, and self-critical, and a million other things, but he wasn't by any means cruel. Not really.

But gods, if this wasn't the thing he regretted the most in his entire life, then he damn well would be.

It was hardly a laughing matter.

It had been such a stupid thing too! It usually wasn't like him to be upset after a fight. They usually did him such good, helped him blow off some steam, take out some of his pent up frustration over the fact that he and his friends had yet to defeat Naraku. But this fight hadn't been like that. No, this fight had to have ended on a few sour notes. A few sour notes that were also known as: number one, Kagome endangering herself, number two, for his sake, and number three, him taking the attack that was meant for her.

It was a couple hours until he had the strength to walk on his own again after the massive scorpion's poison. He didn't regret taking the attack; considering how potent to venom was to him, it certainly would have killed Kagome. But dammit all to hell, it still hurt! And then he had to keep fighting the stupid bug after that. And it had been laughing at him, calling him "hanyou" and "half breed" and "mongrel" and "little doggy" (that had infuriated him most of all), and a million other dog-related insults. Some of them stupid, some of them a little too explicit. But no matter what it was, up until he got so fed up with the dang thing that he blasted it with the Kaze no Kizu, the massive scorpion just seemed to delight in emphasizing his canine heritage.

And then after, when the inutachi had been walking along the road again, Inuyasha holding the still-healing wound in his side, Kagome had made things worse.

She started talking to him.

Honestly, could she - or any woman with any man, for that matter - not figure out that when he was this agitated, he did not want to talk to her? No! She kept hanging onto his shoulder, patting his arm, trying to push him down to side of the road to check on his wounds, nagging for him to just talk to her! She was as bad as Shippo to his bad mood!

"What's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"You're such a bad liar. Obviously something's bothering you, so what is it?"

"It's none of your business, wench. Leave me alone!"

"Inuyasha, what is your issu-"

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMN IT!"

That's when he did it.

The thing that was now currently causing him so much grief as he sat huddled and limp in the tangled branches of a tree, too upset really to move.

The thing that was eating him from the inside out, because he never thought he would ever do it to her.

He had raised his hand and hit Kagome.

It wasn't hard or anything, not like what he did to Shippo when he was annoying. Just a little slap on her hand, batting her fingers away as she attempted to continued her ministrations on his wounds. But it had been firm and decisive, with a sharp, solid smack that rang still in his ears.

It didn't look like she was really hurt or anything, but she instantly jerked backward, clutching the abused extremity to her chest with her other hand, her dark eyes wide with shock and hurt.

He'd been immediately horror-stuck the moment he realized what he had done.

He had just hit Kagome.

He had just hit Kagome.

Kagome.

Standing swiftly, his own eyes wide with horror, he ran. Like a coward, he ran away.

He'd been hiding up in the branches of this tree for about half an hour now, though he had first run away several hours ago. It was starting to get dark around him, the sun's final fingers of light streaking the violet sky with a final few fiery rays. He had moved positions several times before now, leaving every time he heard one of his friends getting nearer, calling out for him. He couldn't face them just now. Not after what he had just done. No, it was better to hide his face from them, to wallow in despair, because he had just hit Kagome. Of all people, Kagome! Not Miroku, nor Shippo, nor even Sango who could have defended herself, but Kagome! Weak, sweet, utterly human Kagome who had never fought a battle a day in her life before she met him, who was nothing but understanding and determined, who had asked him if she could stay by his side. Kagome, who had only been hanging off of his arm and nagging out of concern for him.

And he had hit her.

It didn't matter how hard, it didn't matter where, because the fact was that he had just attacked one of the only people in the world who gave a damn about him, and he didn't even have the excuse of his demonic blood this time. He had, under his own volition, in his sane state of mind, with his whole heart, lashed out and struck her.

He buried his head in his arms again, pulling his knees closer to his chest.

It had been a long time since he had last heard any of their voices. Since he had last changed position to now, it must have been nearly forty minutes. Had they given up on looking for him? Had they been as disgusted with him as he was? Were they angry? Would they leave him?

He whimpered, like the wounded dog he was.

He didn't want to be alone again.

Not after meeting them. Not after spending so much time with them. Not after he had woken up from being pinned to that ancient tree and met Kagome. Not after going through so much with the only people in the world he would willingly put his life on the line for. But he just didn't know if they could forgive him. Hell, he didn't know if he could forgive himself. The hand he had used to strike Kagome with felt like a lead weight as he clenched and unclenched it a moment. He wanted to chop it off, throw it away in the farthest lake where the fish could devour it whole. He wanted to run back to his friends and beg their forgiveness, but he knew that with his stupid pride and his ineptitude, he would just end up saying the wrong thing and they would hate him all the more for it.

And he just couldn't stand to see hate from Kagome, directed at him. He didn't want to see hate in her eyes. Of all places, not there.

Yes, it was better to hide.

Hide and hope that he could show his face around them again, someday.

"Inuyasha?"

He just about jumped out of his skin at the soft call. He definitely screamed.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" came the voice again. It was coming from the base of the tree. And it made his blood run cold. He didn't want to look down at her. He didn't want to see how much she despised him now. It was all moving too fast. So he released his grip on the branch - which he had clawed into when he screamed - and huddled his knees close to his chest, looking straight ahead.

"We've been looking for you for hours!" Kagome said. "I've been so worried. Why don't you come down? We made camp on the hillside and we caught some fish."

"You've been… Worried about me?" he said against his will, still staring at a clump of black and blue leaves, avoiding looking down.

"Of course I have! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Keh! I ain't a weak human like you." His typical answer to her concern came without conscious thought, and he regretted that too, the moment it came out of his mouth. "There ain't nothing in this forest that can hurt me." Except for you.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Why don't you come down? Better yet, why don't you just look at me?" Kagome called again. Damn. She had noticed.

"What if I don't wanna come down?" he called back.

"Just come down, please?"

"No!"

A few stretched seconds of silence, then, "Osuwari."

It wasn't a vicious or angry command or anything, but it still had the same effect as always. With a sudden, painful jerk, and an unflattering yelp, he was yanked out of his tree, falling ten feet down and slamming face-first into the earth below. It was as painful as ever to kiss dirt, but he didn't shout at her or get angry. In fact, he didn't even get up when the power of the Beads lessened.

And that scared Kagome.

Fearing she had accidentally killed him, she rushed over to the spread-eagled hanyou and kneeled down by him, resting her hand on his back. "Inuyasha! Oh my gosh, are you okay! I didn't kill you, right? Are you hurt?"

He sat up slowly, pushing himself to his hands and knees, then flopped over onto his rear. He didn't look at her. She leaned to the side to look into his face. He turned away.

Immediately, the worst thought popped into her mind, as worst thought so often did when one didn't know what was going on. There were only a few times when Inuyasha didn't look at her, would constantly avoid her gaze, and they were all when…

"Were you seeing Kikyo?" she asked, her heart sinking and tone losing a little bit of its usual light inflection as she thought of the undead miko.

Inuyasha glanced at her, then shook his head. "No…" He looked away again.

The fact he had given her a straight answer told her he was telling the truth. Her despicable little bubble of jealousy settled itself again like a predator in its cave. But it still didn't tell her why he refused to look her way.

"Are you sick?"

"No..."

"Did you see something happen?"

"No…"

"Was it that scorpion calling you all those names?"

"No…"

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing…"

She scoffed, a little irritated with his one word answers by now. "Well then why won't you look at me, huh?"

Silence.

Thoroughly annoyed, Kagome reached forward as she had done several times before and yanked on his hair so he had to turn and face her. And just as she opened her mouth to say something, she stopped.

That was the saddest expression she had ever seen on his face. It wasn't even melancholy or upset, but sad. Almost heartbroken.

And he was looking right at her.

Very slowly, her hands released his hair, but she didn't look away. A thousand questions suddenly ran rampant, each one clamoring to be asked first, but there was only one that made it.

"Is it that you hit me?"

He blinked, his mouth twisting itself in a wry grimace, then swung his head away from her again. For a moment, it looked like he was about to cry, but then his face just fell into a deep , melancholy sadness. So that's it… The thought rattled around in her skull for a few moments. He was upset because… He had hit her. He wasn't upset when he hit Shippo or Miroku, nor was he upset when demons called him horrible names, he wasn't upset when he got injured, but he was so wounded the one time he struck her in anger - even just that light little smack that he had given her - he had run from them, hidden for hours.

"Oh Inuyasha…" She leaned forward and touched his hand. His right hand. The hand that had hit her hours before. He tensed, glancing sharply once again at her before turning away. "You don't have to be upset about that. I'm not mad or anything. I kinda deserved it, actually, bothering you that much. I'm sorry."

He whipped towards her, looking furious. "You're sorry? You're sorry? Dammit Kagome, I'm the one who's supposed to be sorry! I'm the one who hit you! I'm the one who got angry and didn't apologize! I'm the one who shouts at you, and says horrible things, and I'm the one who screws up! I'm the one who can't protect you! Gods, Kagome, you've literally got nothing to be sorry for! I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you!"

He seemed to realize that he was shouting after a few more moments, his expression fading from aggravation to distress again. He pulled his hand away. After a moment, he sighed. "You're so good to everyone. Everyone likes you. And I mean, it's not everyone who'll befriend a hanyou. But you did. And of all half demons out there, you got stuck with me. I'm a bastard to you, but you keep by my side. And I know you don't mean for it to be like this, and I don't want you to get upset, but I'm gonna be completely honest; that kinda makes me feel guilty. It makes me guilty that I yell at one of the only people in the world who'll deal with me, but she keeps on forgiving me. And then I turn around and I hit her? When she's only trying to be nice? I don't know if you can understand what that's like, Kagome."

It had been the longest time he had ever talked to her at once about how he was feeling. Part of Kagome's heart was absolutely elated that he was talking to her. Another part of her was a little scared. And the rest…

She reached for his hands again, taking both of them this time, staring fixedly into his face. "Inuyasha," she said firmly. "I…" Really haven't thought this through, finished the dry little voice in the back of her head. She blinked. "You're right. I don't know what it's like. But what I do know if that you are one of my best friends. You've protected me more than you'd ever know, even if you get hurt. And I totally understand why you were angry at me earlier. It can't be easy dealing with me. And I don't ever want one of my best friends to feel guilty. I don't want you to feel like that.

"I don't hate you, Inuyasha. I never could hate you." Not when I know that I've fallen in love with you. "So please don't worry about hitting me. I know you didn't mean it. I was being annoying, so it was my fault anyway. Just… Please come back?"

He had turned away from her as she was speaking, but now he was looking fully into her face, his expression almost neutral, and yet oddly curious. The final rays from the sun had set a few minutes before, and the moon had yet to rise, leaving the small spot they were kneeling at bathed with faint, silvery starlight that made his demon eyes glow like amber gems. The rest remained shrouded in shadows like living, breathing beings.

After several long moments, and without a word, he stood very slowly, holding her hands so she would rise with him.

There they stood for another long while, bathed in starlight, staring. Not a breath of wind broke through the trees. Not a word was said. Nothing, save the chirping of crickets and the low song of a night herons in the warm summer darkness. With a small smile, Kagome threaded her fingers through the fingers of Inuyasha's right hand and started to walk away, leading him to the camp and their friends.

And he followed her.

} } }}{}{}{}{}{}{{ { {

It was peacefully quiet at the moment.

Quiet and dark. There were stars sprayed above their heads, like a thousand shards of diamond. Short grass - dyed black and blue and silver in the darkness and light of the moon - stood stock still, soft and sweet smelling. It tickled their ankles, cradled their legs and backs as they stared, each, into the light of that soft, full moon directly above, their eyes shining with its silvery light and the infinite pinpricks of the stars at their zenith.

Closer to the treeline than the the rest was a Buddhist monk with a little smile across his face and a pretty demon slayer resting on his arm. She was smiling faintly as well, her own arm thrown out to the side and the other resting on her stomach as she stared into the sky.

A little ways down the gentle slope of the hill were two tiny figures, one with dainty little fox feet, the other with delicate, red slit pupils. Their tails were fanned out to the side as they sat as well, perfectly content.

And even further blow them, halfway down the slope, was a half demon with streaming white hair, and a miko beside him, her own midnight black locks tangled with his, her dark eyes sparkling with the lights of a thousand stars in the high heavens above, flecks of gold twinkling, reflecting her soul to the hanyou like nothing else.

Their hands were still entwined.

Glossary:

Hanyou - a half demon/youkai

Kaze no Kizu - "Wind Scar"

Inutachi - the group of Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo; often translated to "Inuyasha and co." in the manga

Osuwari - the sit command used for a dog; "sit, boy"

Miko - a Shinto shrine maiden; "priestess"

Currently listening to: Inuyasha and Kagome's Theme - Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairytale