Chapter 21 Black and White
Yawn "I'm sleepy" complained Souta, "how much farther is it?" he asked, looking up at his hero.
"Not much farther don't worry" he smiled and then crouched down, "here get on," he told the small boy notioning for him to climb upon his back.
Suddenly full of energy Kagome's brother leapt excitedly at the hanyou landing halfway up his back, hugging the hanyou's neck and snuggling up against him. Souta Yawned and Kagome smiled, "no matter how much you deny it…" she trailed off.
"I know I know," he mumbled back and turned his head toward the sky, "but it is safer that way"
Kagome looked sharply over at him and gave him a curious look, "huh?"
"It just is…for everyone." He whispered, his eyes glazing over and an emotion so intense it broke Kagome's heart swirled beneath the surface of his radiant amber eyes.
He was always hiding so much pain within him, every time Kagome thought that she had settled some of his pain, more would surface. And although the cycle had slowed as of late, she still knew there was something that held extremely heavy on his heart, and every time Kagome would attempt to wipe it away, it would just run and hide until it was nudged of bumped and it would surface again and coat everything with it's thick gray powder.
She didn't know what to do, she couldn't go at it like she normally did, he would just stop her before she started, like even thinking about it would tear him in half. Suddenly tired Kagome let her head fall on her companion's shoulder and walk slowly back to the tent.
Souta was asleep by the time the party padded slowly into the deserted campground, it was late and everyone seemed unusually tired as they had spent the whole day cooped in a vehicle.
Unzipping the tent, InuYasha softly laid the sleeping boy on his bed and covered him in his sleeping bag before turning around to find Kagome gone, surprised he looked outside the tent to find her wrapped in a light blanket and staring longingly at the night sky.
"Kagome?" he asked softly, knocking her out of her revere.
"Huh? Oh" she looked at him with soft eyes and a gentle smile tugged at her lips. He gave her a curious look and her smile widened as she readjusted the blanket draped across her shoulders. "Just watching the stars, they remind me of home, I mean it isn't quite as clear but almost, you can never see them in Tokyo, and they were clouded over at my aunts house too, I was reminded of Sango and Miroku and Shippo…I wonder how they are doing?" she let out a soft laugh, "who am I kidding they are fine."
InuYasha's mind was reeling, "home," she had just called the past, the place she was forced to against her will, the place she is constantly threatened, the place she is farthest from her family, she called it her home. He never understood her, she always threw a curveball at him, everything she said, every time she tried to protect him, every time she soothed Shippo when he was upset, he couldn't explain it, she was like nothing he ever knew, and nothing he would know, she was all Kagome and she had no idea how much she meant to him.
"InuYasha?" he was brought down to earth and looked at her, she smiled and laughed quietly, then walked over to him and reached up and rubbed his ear.
A rush of warmth flowed thought him and a familiar vibration began in his throat, his eyes drooped and he cocked his head to the side, she had that effect on him, she just camped him, made him submissive without even asking for it, and the fact that she was massaging his ear was not helping. He moved his eyes to watch her, she was smiling broadly and her full attention was on his soft silver appendages, then something happed that startled him, he had a strong urge to turn his head and kiss her. He jumped away from the girl as if he had been burned.
'No, no, no! What was that! I don't want to kiss Kagome! Where did that come from!' his breathing was shallow and erratic. Kagome was watching him curiously, almost concerned.
"A-are you ok?" she asked stepping over to him again, he didn't move, slowly she placed a hand on his shoulder.
Startled he looked up at her, his golden eyes wide, fear and confusion fighting within their depths, gathering his bearing his amber orbs calmed and he let out a heavy sigh.
The temptation was gone, he had felt his youkai stir but he suppressed it before it even got a chance to cause some trouble, he was to tired to argue with it at the moment. Without a second thought the hanyou scooped the confused teenager up and leapt into the tree looming over the tent they helped assemble. Before Kagome could question him he pulled her against him and covered her in his protective arms, taking the silent hint Kagome relaxed against his muscular form and allowed her exhausted eyelids to blanket her eyes.
Blinking the sun out of her eyes Kagome looked up at the silver haired adolescent she was resting on top of. His golden eyes were looking out towards the river the were camped next to, from his distracted demeanor she figured he hadn't realized she was awake yet, deciding to take advantage of that she just laid on his chest mesmerized by his steady heartbeat. Lieing there her mind wandered back to last night, he had acted so strangely, she was rubbing his ears and suddenly he had leapt away from her, almost as if he was afraid of her, and his eyes, he was startled, but then he just grabbed her and jumped up to the tree, she didn't even get a chance to ask him what it was about. Curiosity got the best of her, "InuYasha?"
The sun had not yet risen, the nocturnal animals were beginning to return to their homes though, didn't know what had woken him but he was sure of one thing, he needed to figure out what was going on with his youkai.
'What happened last night?'
What do you mean "what happened?" come on.
'If I knew then why would I ask,' he all but growled
What are you so upset about?
'What do you think?'
I really don't know you have to tell me his youkai told him in all honesty
'Why did feel like I wanted to kiss Kagome?'
Huh? You're confused about THAT?
'Grrrrr'
Ok, ok…touché I already told you, she is your mate why wouldn't you want to kiss her?
'She is not my mate!'
Would you stop arguing with me on this she is!
'Where are you getting this from!'
One, she calms you, she can control you…and me
'…'
and you both have an unexplainable need to protect each other, even at the cost of your own lives
'I protect all my friends!'
Yes, but your protection of Kagome is completely instinctual...I would know
'Huh?'
You don't have a choice in the fact, you just do, you don't have to think, it just comes
'Whatever'
And…well you didn't have a choice in the matter…
'What!'
Well, I didn't mention this before because I wanted to show you rather than tell you that she is your mate…but you were bonded before you were born
'What are you talking about? She is from a different time!'
And she found her way to your time just to be with you!
'That doesn't make sense!'
Why not! She had the jewel yes but why didn't she just stay in her time?
'…I don't know!'
See-
'No! She didn't come to the past because of me!'
Yes she did!
'Why?'
She is bonded to you!
'Wait, I thought you said before I marked her, I bonded us'
Well you did…in a manner
'What does that mean?'
The bond could have been broken…but it wasn't, you…we took to each other…more so than expected
'More than expected?'
Usually a bonded pair gets along and later a marking takes place and then a mating
'We don't even get along!'
Sure…
'What is your point?'
My point is that you marked her almost immediately after you met
' If that is true why does the wolf try interfering?'
He is challenging your claim
'Bastard'
And he now knows you didn't do it consciously
'Ho-'
Do I really need to explain that one?
'…'
Now will you admit she is your mate?
'No!'
Why not!
'Because'
That isn't an answer!
'Yes it is!'
Why are you dragging this out!
'Because…I don't know! I don't know!'
What don't you know?
'Everything'
Wha-
'To much is unresolved'
But you
'So one thing is resolved…'
You really need to let Kagome know about this…
'She has no reason to get dragged into this….' His tone filled with with regret
She has full reason to get involved!
'No she doesn't! I don't want her getting hurt'
She is your mate!
'Would you stop with that!'
Let her help
'No'
You're only hurting her
'What a-' suddenly a voice cut though his thoughts
"InuYasha?" he looked down at her, the sun was not up and allowing its golden rays to dance upon her skin and her vibrant mahogany eyes.
"Huh?"
"Are you ok?" she repeated
"Yea...I'm fine," he gave her a reassuring smile
"Are you sure? Last night you were…"
He sighed, "Yea, I'm fine"
Giving him a suspicious look they jumped down, "I'm going to take a bath…I'll be back"
Kagome watched his retreating form, "What has gotten into him lately, he is acting so strangely…"
Ok, I have 2 words to explain myself…HONORS CLASSES! Ok, so all you people who are mad at me I am sorry but I have been kind of stressed, I have had lots of homework, training for the marathon, including the half-marathon last weekend and yesterday I ran 16 miles without stopping, and I have had some music performances….I am going crazy…but yea that is my excusse…deal with it, I will try to have the next one up faster…but school is not letting up and the marathon is getting harder and harder…and club is killing me too…I'm working on t-shirts now and finishing the website…so yea I am kinda distracted but I promise you I will finish this! I will I really will! It just may take awhile and you are gonna have to bear with me…oh and dark ninja…this is my story I can make up whatever I want to…it makes the story cuter this way…and yea they don't use the same unit of measurement i know...i do know these things...but I have yet to learn to cook with metric yet so I don't know what to tell ya…I write about things I am familiar with…it is just easier this way and it seems so much more real if you are familiar with it…trust me… thanks guys! Again sorry about the long wait! Review! Plz!
Lunar