Chapter One
The Well
Sighing, Kagome bit the top of the french-fry in her hand in effort to not lash out in frustration. Taking a few seconds longer than necessary to finish eating it, she looked Ayumi square in the eyes. "He's not my boyfriend. I've told you, he's just a friend-a good friend. My best friend."
She could tell they didn't believe a word that she said; not that this surprised her; they never believed her when she told them this. Over the past three years they had each taken turns trying to get her to admit about some non-existent relationship she had with InuYasha; apparently today was Ayumi's day. "I bet he brings you flowers when you are in the hospital. Is he romantic, Kagome?"
Yes, they had to sic the romantic friend on her today. 'Maybe if I fake one of my 'illnesses' they'll let me leave without asking anymore questions.' Looking around the table, she couldn't help but groan at the three pairs of eyes anxiously waiting for her response. "Ayumi, romance and InuYasha don't really belong in the same sentence together."
"Kagome, you've been with him for three years. He has to have done something romantic in that time."
"Yuka, trust me when I tell you: he's just my friend."
"Has he kissed you?"
Glaring at Eri, Kagome growled, "No."
"Bought you dinner?"
Thinking back to the fish he caught two nights ago, she guessed that didn't count. He caught enough for everyone since they had to eat. "No."
"Cooked you dinner?"
'Ramen count?' "Nope."
"Haven't you done anything remotely romantic? Walks alone at night? Stargazing? Cuddled in front of a fire?"
She could feel the heat as her face flushed with color as she attempted to say something in her defense. Her mouth opened and closed as the words refused to come out. They didn't understand that doing those things weren't romantic, at least not where InuYasha was concerned. There wasn't much else to do but stargaze…it was almost like television. They needed some alone time to talk on occasion, a walk always offered the best solution late at night. Not to mention that it got cold at night sometimes, snuggling with a friend was the easiest way to stay warm.
"You…how…I was just kidding, Kagome," Ayumi stuttered, her eyes wide in surprise. "I never thought you would have actually have done any of them. Even if you had, you never tell us anything about him."
"Which one is it?" Yuka asked as she took a drink of her Coke before adding. "I figured you were lying about the whole 'he's never kissed me' thing, but you can't lie at all. A blush like that definitely means yes."
"It's not like that!"
"Well at least we know for sure she really hasn't kissed him." Eri laughed.
"I don't think he's just a friend though," Ayumi sighed, "I wonder which one of those they have done."
"It's not like that!" Kagome growled in frustration. 'Of course they would find these things romantic, they aren't the ones camping out in freezing cold weather.' "The doctor thinks the fresh air is good for my health, so we go camping every so often."
Her response seemed to deflate whatever hopes Eri and Ayumi had about 'the relationship', but Yuka just looked intrigued by the whole situation. "So, let me get this straight…You go camping…alone with him?"
The french fry Kagome threw hit Yuka in the face, making them all giggle. "Stop it! I've told you guys, he's not my boyfriend and I mean it."
"But you like him though, don't you?"
Eri's question sobered Kagome up quickly. "Yeah," she sighed, "I do. Things with InuYasha have always been complicated though. There's been too much to think about, too much to finish before I ever even thought of letting my feelings known. Even then, I don't know if I would want to risk my friendship with him."
"Are you sure he doesn't feel the same way?" Ayumi asked quietly, gloom settling over the table at Kagome's confession.
Playing with the straw of her soda, visions of Kikyou ran through her head and she sighed, "Yeah, I'm sure."
Silence permeated the group, no one willing to bring up the subject again, but unsure of what direction the new conversation should take. It was several uncomfortable moments before Eri finally said, "We weren't sure if you were going to graduate with us, Kagome. I don't know how you finished so quickly, you were so far behind for so long."
"Yeah, I don't know how you graduated before us." Yuka added.
"Mom fought to let them let me take aptitude tests to see exactly what I needed to take when I had been sick for about a year. Turns out I had only a few semesters of stuff I needed to take to graduate, mostly math."
She had graduated almost six months ago while her friends still had almost an entire year left. She had studied for those exams non-stop for about three months, which had driven InuYasha crazy. He hated the fact that her attention wasn't entirely on the quest during that time, she needed to leave and take more 'tests'. She wasn't sure why, but that word soon became something that he refused to have uttered in his presence…so she started substituting the word 'exams'. Even that one didn't last more than a week without him throwing a fit.
The time had been more than worth it, her life had been so much less stressful not having so many courses to take for that year and a half. It helped her focus on the classes having less of them, and she graduated with grades she never could have dreamed of had she not done this. Not to mention the peace of the last six months she wouldn't trade for the world, her arguments with InuYasha about going home had diminished. In fact, more often then not he wanted a refill on the ramen stash sooner then she expected to visit home.
'Speaking of ramen stash…' Kagome sighed, thinking about the hanyou. "I should get home guys. I've got to help Mama get some stuff done around the shrine today." Climbing out of the booth, she picked up her tray and dumped the left over food into a trash receptacle before giving her friends a quick wave as she left WacDnalds. 'He'll give me a day, but he rarely even lets me stay overnight without a fight. I should get home before he comes looking for me.'
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"He doesn't have to be so loud about it."
"I think he's pacing." The voice paused, as if listening for something specific. "Yes, definitely pacing."
"That sounds like pretty irritated pacing."
"It is InuYasha, Sango. We both know how easy it is for him to get irritated. Do you think he was born with that scowl on his face?"
'The monk will be the first to go, followed by the taijiya.'
"He's just cranky 'cause Kagome's not here."
'Keh, kitsune first then the monk.'
"You'd think he'd be used to it by now. I mean, she's never gone for very long anymore." Sango sighed, "Oh good, the pacing stopped."
"I can hear, you know?"
"We didn't doubt that, InuYasha." Miroku chuckled, the ringing of his staff accompanying the gentle thump on the roof beneath the hanyou. "Why don't you come down here for awhile? Kagome won't be back for a few more hours."
"Who cares?"
"You, for one," Sango muttered, though he was sure he wasn't supposed to hear that. He listened as the taijiya cleared her throat before giving what was bound to be one of her comments on his behavior. Leaping off the roof before the first word could reach his ears; he took off toward the nearest tree, easily landing on one of the lowest branches.
Settling himself onto the limb, he swung one leg down to dangle his foot while he brought the other foot up, wrapping his arms around his knee. Truth be told, he did want to go get Kagome but knew if he went, she'd be livid. She barely spent anytime at home as it was, and him dragging her away from her family would just earn him a couple of 'osuwari' and a pissed off miko. 'Not worth it,' he sighed.
Flicking his ears briefly, the feel of a strange youkai suddenly passed over him drawing him out of his musing. 'Keh, what was stupid enough not to stay away from here?' Dropping from his branch, he followed the direction it was coming from, somewhat interested in what youkai would be stupid enough to wonder into his woods thinking it would survive.
He was about halfway to his destination before he caught the scent of it, realized where it was coming from. His heart skipped a beat as he missed the next tree branch, tumbling to the ground from the shock. Unable to catch his breath, as he had knocked the wind out of himself upon landing, he gasped for air as he scrambled to his feet. Coughing, he ignored the stabbing pain in his chest as he turned and ran back the direction he had came from. An all-consuming fear had taken hold in his stomach, he knew that what he was about to do, he couldn't do alone.
Reaching the hut at a pace that couldn't have been faster if all the hounds of hell were after him, he stormed through the door, searching for Miroku. "Oi, you're coming with me."
They ignored him, continuing on with whatever had their attention at the time. It was a few seconds before any of them even acknowledged he was there. "You're growly today," Sango commented absently as she polished Hiraikotsu. "Why didn't you just go with her?"
"Yes, she tends to put up with your moods better than the rest of us do anyway," Miroku added, watching the taijiya with interest as she worked.
"Shut the hell up; you can't feel that?"
"Feel what, InuYasha?" Shippou asked looking up from the picture he was coloring for Kagome.
"I'll admit; I feel a little something in the air," Miroku replied quietly, using his shakujo to push up from his place on Kaede's floor. "Should we go check it out?"
He hated that look, something Miroku did always made InuYasha believe that he possessed the power to read his mind, see his fears, know his heart. "Yeah, it's probably just some lower youkai that stupidly wondered into the area," he lied as he turned to storm back outside, Miroku on his heels.
The two walked in amicable silence for awhile heading for the outskirts of the village, InuYasha refusing to show how shaken he really was. He wasn't one to normally get worked up about strange youkai around the village; it was notorious for attracting them because of the jewel. Until her death Kikyou had guarded the shikon no tama, protected it from those who coveted it—including him. She had taken it with her to the afterlife, determined to keep it from corruption again. With Kagome's arrival through the well, the attraction had returned to the village. Kagome had brought the shikon no tama with her from the future; it was his job to protect Kagome. That included protecting the village, to protect her.
"InuYasha? You do realize where we're going, don't you?"
"Fuck, Miroku! I'm not stupid."
"Is there something you aren't telling me?"
'What? That my stomach is in knots and I feel like puking 'cause I'm so fucking worried? Screw you!' He refused to answer; instead he just kept walking until they reached their destination.
"I'm not surprised you wanted someone to come with you."
Leveling a glare at the monk, he still refused to talk to him.
"Whatever it was it's gone now."
"Doesn't help."
"It was probably nothing," Miroku chuckled to himself as he took a seat on the ground. "Whatever it was must not have realized it was your well. I assume you want me to wait for you to return."
Climbing up onto the well, InuYasha turned to Miroku, "It wasn't here long, but it smells like Naraku."
The stunned expression that crossed Miroku's face might have amused him in a different situation. He watched as panic filled the monk's eyes. "He can't…no…he doesn't…why?"
"Fuck, Miroku! I don't know!" He growled, staring into the well. "I'll be right back."
"I'm not going anywhere, InuYasha. I'll be right here when you get back with Kagome."
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"I'm glad you had a nice time, Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi commented as she used the kitchen shears to cut the chicken breasts, preparing them to cook for dinner.
"Yeah, I don't get to see them much anymore since I graduated." Kagome answered, dumping the vegetables that she had been slicing into a bowl before putting it next to the stove so they would be ready to be used when the time came. "I mean, it was nice just to have a short break from the past. I need that every once in awhile, I think."
"It's good for you, I think," Mama answered. "You've seen a lot of tragedy in the past three years, Kagome. You've seen and done things that people can't even fathom, grown up faster than I could ever have imagined. You need a place where you can relax and not have to worry about any of it, even if for a day."
"Yeah," she sighed, walking to the sink to wash her hands off. "I just wish everyone could forget about everything that's happened to them, even if it's just for a day. The rest of them have been through so much, Mama. I sometimes wonder if I really have a reason being there, they've all lost so much. I feel like I shouldn't be allowed to unwind—does that make sense?"
"Of course, but I know for a fact that there's a reason you are there."
"Oh?"
"Of course, Kagome." Mama laughed, "I know I have only met one of your friends from the past, but seeing how much InuYasha has changed in these three years—seeing how much he needs you there. You are needed by all of them, in different ways, aren't you?"
"You think so? I guess I never really thought about it in that way." Drying her hands on a towel, Kagome gave a little smile thinking about what mama had said.
"Can you get me the rice, Kagome?"
"Sure," she answered as she put the towel back up to dry.
"Are you staying for dinner?"
Kagome reached for the bag of rice on the top shelf of the pantry, "I don't know. I guess it depends on if InuYasha comes back for me before then." Grunting in frustration as the rice was still out of her reach, she put her left foot on the bottom shelf as she pushed herself up. "What are you making for dinner? You might want to make extra if it's something he likes."
"I was planning on—Kagome! What are you doing?"
"Too late," Kagome laughed, grasping the bag of rice from the top shelf and yanking it. She had expected the rice to fall—she hadn't anticipated the avalanche of ramen that accompanied it. Falling to the ground as she gave into the attack of the instant soup, her laughter quickly escalated into fits of giggles. "Are you trying to feed all of Tokyo ramen?"
The sound of her mother's gentle laughter filled the air. "No, just InuYasha." Placing the chicken in the sink before washing her hands, Mrs. Higurashi then came over to help Kagome stack the ramen on the kitchen table. "I don't think it—InuYasha, we were just talking about you."
Kagome turned, giving him a smile as he stormed into the kitchen. "Hi! Do you want to--"
"We're going, now."
'Huh? He never acts like this anymore.' He grabbed her arm loosely, yanking her away from the table and out the kitchen door. "Wait, I need to get my bag."
"No time."
'No time for my bag?' Something strange was going on, she had one more trick up her sleeve to get his attention."Well, let me get the ramen mama got for you at least."
He slowed down, 'I knew it; ramen always does the trick.'
"There's no time, Kagome."
She stumbled at the words as a bone chilling fear seeped into her soul; she forced herself to ask the question on the tip of her tongue. "Is everyone okay? What's wrong?" She dug her heels into the dirt in the courtyard of the shrine, forcing him to let her go—to talk to her. "What happened?"
"Nothing," he growled, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind him.
Kagome finally gave up her resistance and tried to keep up with the hanyou, though she was still being dragged along. "I know something is wrong, InuYasha. You won't even let me take my bag with us—or ramen."
"Keh."
"Don't deny it!"
"Nothing has happened- yet."
"Yet?" He stopped right outside the well house, turning to glare at her. There was fear in his eyes though, something she rarely saw from the hanyou. She sighed, something was wrong. "InuYasha, what's going on?" She asked quietly, moving her wrist from his grasp and replacing it with her hand.
"There was a youkai hanging around the well today."
"Oh? Is that it?" she asked, pulling his hand back toward the shrine in an effort to get him to go back into the house. "That isn't the first time, InuYasha. I mean, I was dragged down that well by Mistress Centipede. It's not the first time there have been youkai around it. I am sure you handled it just fine, you always do."
She tugged his hand again, but he wouldn't move. 'You'd think he'd never fought a youkai before…'
"It smelled like one of Naraku's."
She froze, unable to even breathe through the burning lump that formed in her throat as she slowly turned back to him, looked him straight in the eyes and whispered. "You're kidding. Please tell me this is a joke." He yanked on her hand, pulling her onto his back with practiced ease from the past three years but still didn't answer. Taking a shaky breath, she clenched her hands in the crimson haori as he took them to the side of the well. "InuYasha?"
"Yeah?"
"You won't let him do anything to the well, will you?"
"Keh, what the hell kinda question is that?"
She sighed, "I know, I trust you but— this is my family. If anything happened to them…even if I couldn't see them anymore…"
"I know, Kagome," he sighed, dropping into the well.
She just gripped his haori a little tighter.
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A/N:
vi·cis·si·tude
1. A change or variation.
2. The quality of being changeable; mutability.
2. One of the sudden or unexpected changes or shifts often encountered in one's life, activities, or surroundings. A variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
…Just in case you were wondering about the title. There is actually a meaning behind it.
Special thanks to my 'beta', (who shall remain anonymous…because I am selfish like that) for her wonderful work…and naming this one for me. I think you even found a crazier name for this fic then I found for yours…I didn't think that would be possible.
I think we are on a mission to educate the masses with crazy words that have perfect meaning behind them. (That must be our plan for world domination.)