Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Final Fantasy VII. They belong to their rightful creators so don't sue me.
AN: This sequel picks up after Kagome finished her dance with Reno. This was also requested by what few reviewers I had received from the first part. And like I had promised, this will be in Reno's Point of View. Also some of the things are reworded from newly found info I had come across will researching the characters of FFVII.
So Close Yet So Far
The Sequel
Little Moments Like That
Reno's P.O.V.
I know that there had been many times that I had held Kagome close in my arms, like I was when we danced to that slow song that I knew reminded her of her past before she, Shippó, and Kirara had come to this world; before I found her in one of the many murky alleyways of Midgar. But I can't help but feel like she belonged there… like she was meant to be there in my arms that were secured around her waist.
Giving me a hug, she told me that she had to use the restroom real quick. I gave her my reply with a "don't take too long," and watched her leave the dance floor to the ladies' room before taking my seat with Tseng, Rude, and Elena. After all, us getting together and partying was for her in celebration of her becoming a fellow Turk. Tseng got the idea in wanting to do something special in making her feel like one of the group and Elena came up with the idea of having the little get-together at Tifa's bar, 7th Heaven. Mr. ShinRa pitched in with the money in getting what we needed… and buying Kagome a new dress (AN: XD Oh, Someone's jealous.). And Rude and I… Well… he and I tried to keep it a secret from Kagome and setting up Shippó and Kirara to spend the night with Denzel and Marlene.
It's hard to believe that it's been close to a year that Kagome, along with Shippó and Kirara had come to Midgar. Almost a year since I found her, her adopted son, and her two-tailed feline companion. Damn, how time flies when with the company you enjoy being in.
-------------- Flashback ----------------
At first, when I first saw Kagome on Kirara's back, I thought that she was just a tired traveler resting on her strange, saber-toothed companion. But when Shippó looked over Kirara's head and ran towards me, begging me to help and saying that his mother was hurt badly, that was when I saw the blood dripping from her back down her arm and soaking into two-tailed saber-toothed feline's fur. Wasting no time, I took Kagome off of Kirara and started running off to my new apartment with the other two close behind me. It was by lucky that my new apartment was close by, or the woman in my arms would've died from severe blood loss.
After getting her cleaned up, wrapping her wounds up in makeshift bandages, and then setting her on the bed I went to call a doctor to come over to take a look at her. About an hour after, of trying to stop the bleeding, the doctor finally made it. Checking her vitals and how severe the wounds on her back were, the old doctor said that she was going to make it. He also said that although she had lost a lot of blood, it wasn't life threatening as long as her bandages were changed right and her stitches didn't break, tearing more of her already torn skin on her back. But all in all, she would live and to let her rest to recover her strength. He gave me the antibiotics she may need for the pain and to prevent any infection for her wounds.
Before the doctor left to see to another appointment he had scheduled, I also asked him to take a look at the kid, who I had found out then while I was tending to the girl, was name Shippó. The little redhead had a few light scratches and bruises but he would be okay. And the doctor also said that the cat just had a sprained tail and a twisted paw… I had a sneaky suspicion that the doc was also a vet… maybe.
Soon after he left, I went to the room where the girl, I heard was named Kagome from Shippó, was in. I noticed that the doctor had cleaned her up much better than I did. Hey, unlike how I usually act I'm very much a gentleman and can give a girl some dignity. Just like I do for Elena, despite how much I like to tease her.
Aside from taking care of Shippó and Kirara, I did what I could to make Kagome comfortable and make sure she didn't turn on her back in her comatose state. But during the first two days while she was unconscious, she never moved, not once in her sleep. I sometimes always thought for the worse that she was dead but the steady raise and fall of her back as she slept assured me that she was all right.
During the days she had slept, to recover her strength she had lost from her blood loss, I always found myself watching her sleep while taking a good look at her features. And I admit that she was very attractive with a serene face that made her seem almost… ethereal when asleep. Long, raven hair spread amongst my pale blue bed sheets. Her skin was paled but had a very light, almost unnoticeable tan. Her arms, as well as the rest of her body, were well toned with muscle showing that she was quite fit and perfectly healthy. Her heart-shaped face consisted of high cheekbones, long thick eyelashes resting on the said cheekbones, a cute pointed nose, and pink kissable lips that were slightly parted.
She had an inner and outer beauty that spoke of the innocence and kindness she looked to possess. Then I wondered what her eyes looked like. I remembered Shippó telling me what they were like when I got too curious to wait and see for myself. I remember him saying that they were a beautiful deep sapphire color, a shade or two darker than mine, which had light tints of gray mixed.
One the day that she stirred from her three-day rest, I couldn't help but smile as I saw her try to stretch without breaking her stitches with her eyes still closed. She almost looked like Kirara waking up from her afternoon nap. As she stretched, I couldn't help but chuckle at how adorable she looked. Especially when she squinted to look at me, trying to see me through the sunlight shining in her eyes. And after a rub or two to clear her vision, I had finally caught a good look at her eyes.
And Shippó was right… her eyes were beautiful. They were a deep soul piercing sapphire blue… but the light tints of gray that Shippó mentioned… they weren't gray. They were specks of silver, a color that rivaled Sephiroth's hair color. The silver specked over the blue made her eye look like real sapphire gems in the sun.
Anyways, after answering her unsaid and spoken questions, we got to know each other a little. Talking about what we did, if we had families, and so on. Although, she had said that she wasn't ready to talk about how she got her wounds. Seeing how she fidgeted, I felt that it was probably something painful to talk about and that it still too fresh to speak of, I lit it go until she was ready to talk.
I had to admit, Kagome was sweet and she was great to talk with. I didn't mind taking care of her while she was bedridden. I didn't mind taking care of Shippó and Kirara for her when she wasn't able to. I also didn't mind them living with me. My apartment did seem a bit too quiet with out a roommate. Call me selfish, but if the time came when Kagome decided to leave with Shippó and Kirara, I wouldn't want them to leave…
Well back to memory lane. As the months passed Kagome and I became closer, so close that we were almost inseparable. And during those months, she told me about what happened to her to get such horrible wounds on her back. I mean there was four slash marks that reached from her right shoulder to her left hip. It almost looked as if some kind of animal attacked her.
Anyway, as she relayed her tail to me with Shippó in her lap and Kirara curled up in one of the pillows, I sat in a chair listening to the girl's every word. I became engrossed in her tail. Everything she spoke of almost seemed unreal. Youkai, hanyou, a jewel that could increase a youkai's power and grant a black-hearted human's every desire…
A part of me kept saying that she had lost her mind… that I should take her to a mental hospital for help. Of course, that was just my brain being technical, looking for the logic in her story. But another part of me, my heart, said that she was perfectly fine, she wasn't speaking any lies, that everything she was telling me was true.
(AN: I know that may have sounded a little corny, but please bear with me. I've been trying to get this done so I can move on with my other stories.)
The start of her journey at the age of fifteen, her first meeting with her Hanyou friend, meeting the old priestess Kaede and the villagers, the shattering of the Shikon no Tama, meeting the Taiyoukai Sesshoumaru, the revival of Kikyo, meeting Shippó, the lecherous monk Miroku, the Taijya Sango and Kirara, the youkai she had fought… everything.
With every word that passed her lips, it made me wonder how much she's been through. Far more than many who've suffered from Sephiroth's terror… coming close to death countless times and living to tell about it. The responsibility she held, that she was forced into since birth without her knowledge. It also made me wonder how she could still act so calm, yet happy and carefree…
As she started telling me how she had become injured, I began to rethink what said about her acting calm, yet happy and carefree. It seemed that the hanyou, Inuyasha, who she saw as a friend had betrayed her trying to kill her off so he could take the jewel. While telling me this, I saw her eyes well up with tears. Her body shaking from the sobs she tried to hold back. Shippó tried to comfort her as he hugged her with his tiny arms around her neck, nuzzling her neck to try to calm her down. I soon couldn't stand the sight of Kagome looking so… pained, lost, and helpless. I stood from my seat to sit beside her on the bed, wrapping my arms around her (mindful of her still healing injuries) to bring her close to me offering what comfort I could to her as I set her in my lap.
Once she was completely in my embrace, she broke down. Her tears soaking my shirt but I didn't care. I just help her as she wept. Wept for her "close" friend's betrayal, the worry of her friends, and the loss of her mother, grandfather and younger brother, along with the knowledge of probably never being able to see them ever again. After her crying subsided a bit, she gave me a watery smile and a soft thank you.
Since that day, we had become closer than ever. She trusted me so completely… that I wanted to do anything I could to help get through and adapt to this world. I wanted to protect her with everything I was from anything that would try to hurt her.
By the time she was fully healed with very noticeable but smooth scars on her back, Kagome, Shippó, and Kirara officially became my new roommates and I took them to meet Mr. ShinRa and the rest of the Turks (Tseng, Elena, and Rude).
Elena and Kagome had hit it off immediately, the two almost became like sisters and our blond female Turk just practically adored Shippó and Kirara.
Tseng… from what I could tell by the way he looked at Kagome, my guess is that she slightly reminded him of Aeris in personality. He really did love that girl… and he took her death the hardest next to Cloud. I also noticed that as time passed, he became very protective of Kagome. The way an older brother would to his baby sister.
Rude, despite how cold and stiff he looked; I could see that he really liked Kagome. Especially the way she was able to make him smile just by giving him her own smile. Not to mention that he practically crumbles at the sight of Shippó and Kirara in how cute they are. All in all, when anything concerns Kagome, Rude acts a lot like Tseng; very protective.
As for my boss, Rufus ShinRa… I could tell right away that he was attracted to Kagome. Just the way he coated his words with honey, turning on his charm. Don't get me wrong, I like my boss, he's a pretty cool guy. But… I know how he is with women who aren't his employees. And plus, Kagome wasn't the type to go for a one nightstand. The way ShinRa talked to Kagome, trying to get her to go out to dinner with him sometime… I knew I was getting jealous of my boss.
Yes, I admit. I fell in love with Kagome. I fell hard for her the day she first looked at me in the eye after woke up. With her telling me her life story of what she had went through, I fell for her more at how strong, brave, gentle, kind, caring, and independent she was in the most dangerous of situations. Why haven't I made a move on her, you ask? Well… with how she spoke this Inuyasha guy… the same bastard who had betrayed her… she was in love with him, even if he chose her incarnate, Kikyo. And the result of him betraying Kagome hit her deeply… it basically tore her up from the inside. So, because of that pain, I kept my deeper feelings for her unknown to her. I gave her the space she needed to heal from the heartbreak. I was willing to wait as long as it took for her to heal.
Anyways, back to the matter at hand. Once she had permanently became my roommate, a week after introducing her to my friends and my boss, and going through her training in becoming a Turk, I took her, along with Shippó to meet AVALANCHE.
When my little miko friend and my kit of a partner met Cloud, I knew for an instant that the spiky-haired blond reminded Kagome of him at the way so easily takes the bait. Especially when Shippó's the one who sets the said bait. But it reminded Kagome in a pleasant, wistful way. As I saw how they interacted, which was just a bunch of bickering on how Cloud handled his Buster Sword (AN: Is that what his weapon is called? I can't remember), I guess they took to each other like a brother and sister would with the way they fought verbally. But… when it came to physically fighting, it was pretty embarrassing on the ex-SOLDIER's part because she was always one step or two ahead of him and Cloud always ends up on the ground looking stupefied.
I know that Tifa took a great liking to both Kagome and Shippó instantly. She practically adored Shippó the same way Elena did. So much the same way that it kinda scared me. When Tifa got to know Kagome a little, I could tell that they found a sister-like friend in each other. They even had a small sparring match to test each other's skills, and ended up in a draw.
Kagome liked Cid in a way. She saw him like a tech-freak older brother. And Cid liked her like a kick-ass little sister from what I could see. He liked Shippó too because of how curious he was about the machines that the mechanic worked with. But… hehe, whenever he tended to get carried away with how he used his language (his all-so-famous cuss-filled speech), Kagome always hit over the head and gave him an earful of how he spoke around the kids.
HA! I'm guessing that's one of the reasons why Barret liked her so much. They both shared something in common and that's their willingness in adopting the kids they saw as their own, Shippó for Kagome and Marlene for Barret's case. They got along real well. Especially Shippó and Marlene. I think Shippó had developed a crush on Marlene… I distinctly remember Kagome saying that he always manages to get a girlfriend in every village… and she always blamed her monk friend, Miroku for rubbing off on the kit. While she was talking to Barret about something, I heard calling the little pipsqueak a "little flirt."
Upon meeting Vincent, Kagome and the ex-Turk made some sort of silent bond. Kagome, in one way or another, reminded Vincent of Lucrecia because of her kindness and intelligence. And Kagome just liked Vincent because he was good company to be around when one needs a silent companionship. All in all, the both of them had hit it off real well and Vincent seemed to consider her as a very close friend, same with Kagome. As for Shippó when he met Vincent, I guess at first he was kinda scared but soon warmed up to him. And Vince always found some amusement in the kit enough to make him smile slightly, yet unnoticeably.
As for meeting Cait Sith, I don't know. I guess she tolerated him enough to hold a conversation. (AN: Sorry people. Like my cousin, I'm not a big fan of Cait Sith myself. So I really don't have much to type for this part of the sequel). Shippó got along with him just fine. As for Kirara… Hehehe, let's just say that she didn't like him one bit… she always ends up growling and/or scratching at him because he could never leave her alone. Despite how smart the crown-wearing cat is, he just seems to never learn when to stop flirting with the neko-matta. Kirara even went as far as to threaten him in literally biting his head off while in her much larger form. Although she didn't bite his head off, Kirara did manage to scare the shit out of him.
The others got surprised, but after much explaining from Kagome they had settled down about that certain matter.
Red XIII, she was completely fascinated with. Red liked her too, saying that she had this feel about her that almost made her seem inhuman… like she was born from our planet. Eventually the two formed a bond that was just a strong as the bond that Kagome shared with Kirara. Shippó liked the wolf/dog hybrid immediately because of how cool he looked. And he and Kirara liked each other a lot… although; I don't know how that was biologically possible. But than again, Kagome did say that the body is just a shell to house the soul.
And lastly, there was Kisaragi. Every time Kagome tried to be nice to the motion sickness kunoichi, Yuffie always turns her away. The others also saw this type of hostility, especially Vincent who seemed to like the ninja from Wutai on a more intimate level. (AN: This little tidbit is in honor of Vanya/Rei for her liking of Yuffie/Vincent pairings). After a while it soon hit me after Vincent told me that Yuffie loved me, much to Vincent's displeasure, and she saw Kagome as a rival or competition to get to me. I had assured the former Turk that I never liked Kisaragi as nothing more than a friend. That had seemed to please him a bit, even if he didn't like the way Yuffie treated Kagome to coldly. Not that I liked the way she treated my friend either. And right when I felt that enough was enough, I thought it was time to for Kisaragi and me to have a talk.
(AN: Warning! For those of you who are BIG Yuffie fans don't flame for what's to come next. I made this to fit with the one-shot so please don't hurt me)
Once I had pulled her upstairs so we could talk privately, I started to ask her why she couldn't get along with Kagome at all even though I knew the true reason why. She soon answered saying that she didn't trust Kagome, although she had said it hesitantly. We soon started getting into a heated argument with Yuffie asking me why I cared about Kagome so much with jealousy coloring her voice. After settling with a long pause, I answered softly to her that I loved Kagome.
"But I love you, Reno!" Yuffie told me, sounding desperate. Trying to make me understand what she felt for me. Silence took us after that was said. I could feel Vincent's presence nearby… I know he was listening in. I could only imagine how he felt when he heard Yuffie say she loved me. I could understand how he felt a little.
Sighing I softly answered to Yuffie again that I only liked her as a friend and nothing more. After that with Yuffie seemingly hanging her head in defeat and hurt, I silently left walking passed Vincent, giving him the chance to try his best to comfort the girl he was interested in.
As I left without a single word to the rest of AVALANCHE, it completely slipped from me that I had left Kagome with them too, along with Shippó and Kirara. After about a few blocks away from 7th Heaven, I heard Kagome yelling at me to wait up. Damn, I was caught up in my thoughts, my frustration at Yuffie that I completely forgot that I had left her without a ride to my apartment. Even though I knew Cloud would be willing to give her a ride, I remembered that I never told him where my new apartment was located in Midgar.
As soon as Kagome caught up with me, catching her breath a bit, she asked me what was wrong and why I had left so suddenly. I smiled inwardly, no matter what Kagome always cared about others before her. She was so unselfish. One of the many reasons I fell in love with her.
Coming out of my muses, I answered to her that I was really all right and that I just had a lot on my mind. Though I'm sure she had a distinct feeling that she was the topic of Yuffie's argument with me, even if she didn't put her doubt in words I could see it in her eyes. For the rest of the day, we tried to get more of her "Turk training", as she liked to call it, down almost close to completion with very little help.
Yuffie and I hardly spoke to each other after what happened that day. But the good news about the outcome of the argument was that she began to see Vincent in a new light, grew attracted to him and even went on a couple of dates with him.
The two of us even got over what happened the day she first met Kagome. Although, she still hadn't been able to talk to her the two of them did spar every now and then. Kinda like a silent companionship. There was a day when we began to talk that Yuffie asked me why I haven't told Kagome how I felt yet. I answered with a simple "not yet" that made her skeptical of my decision. After a very long pause, Yuffie just sighed saying that I had better make my move before Rufus stepped in to take Kagome right from under my nose… (AN: You can imagine Reno getting miffed at the thought of Rufus and Kagome together. XP)
-------------- Flashback End ----------------
That had been about a month ago. And today the guys and I were celebrating Kagome's achievement of becoming a full-fledge Turk within such a short amount of time. Even AVALANCHE, Yuffie included, was invited. Mr. ShinRa was gonna come down to 7th Heaven in a while, after he had finished Kagome's info and rank-placing as a Turk.
A while after I sat down to wait for Kagome to return from the bathroom, I tried to think of a way to show Kagome how I felt about her. I had asked Elena what would be a good idea and when she was about to answer, Rufus came up to us saying that the girls always liked hear a guy sing.
Yeah, now that brought me memories of when I took part in my high school's choir. I was their best tenor among the boys… hehe, despite my bad case of stage fright back then.
Knowing just which song to sing for her, I got up just as I saw her walking up to our table and made my way to the DJ that Tifa had hired for tonight. It was a good thing that tonight was karaoke night for the bar. Or otherwise, I knew I would be embarrassing the crap out of myself for which song I was going to sing. And to sing it in front of everyone… damn I could feel my stomach getting queasy now.
I talked to the DJ asking him if he had the song I was hoping to be able to sing. I was ecstatic that he had it… I was practically grinning like an idiot. The reason I chose this particular song was because everything that the lyrics said had really happened between Kagome and me while she lived with in my apartment with Shippó and Kirara.
Walking up stage, receiving a few curious faces from most of the guys from AVALANCHE, I got everyone's attention while saying nervously, "Heh, go easy on me people. It been a while since I've done this sort of thing."
"Just hurry it up, Turk! Tell what'cha singin'!" I heard Cid yelled at me. I could recognize his slang like the trick to every prank that Shippó's played on Cloud.
A bit miffed, my face clearly showing it, I shot back at him, "Alright, mechan-hick. Let's see you try singing in front of all these people. Come on, I dare ya'." Ha! He turned pale for a moment and the rest of AVALANCHE and Kagome started to gang up on him to sing if he thought it was so easy, but soon gave up saying that he'd shut up. Almost everyone in the bar was laughing.
Anyways. After clearing my throat to gain everyone's attention once more, I continued, "As I was going to say. The song I'm gonna be singing is in honor of Kagome, the newest Turk of ShinRa Inc." Everyone began to clap with Kagome smiling and blushing from embarrassment, "but this song is in honor of the time she, her son Shippó, and her cat Kirara had stayed with me. …About how I truly feel towards one of my best friends."
I nodded to the DJ for him to play the song. Before the music became known, I started singing the lyrics in a tenor pitch.
Well I'll never forget the
first time that I heard
That pretty mouth say that dirty word
And
I can't even remember now what she backed my truck into
But she
covered her mouth and her face got red
And she just looked so
darn cute
That I couldn't even act like I was mad
Yeah I live
for little moments like that
The song wasn't too slow, but it lightened the mood up a bit. At first Kagome had a confused frown in her face with her fine eyebrows knitted but soon softened at hearing the last of the first verse of the song…
Well that's just like last year on my birthday
"Which was really just a week ago." I said as an afterthought with a smile that made most of everybody chuckle a bit.
She lost all track of time and
burnt the cake
And every smoke detector in the house was goin'
off
And she was just about to cry until I took her in my arms
And
I tried not to let her see me laugh
Yeah I live for little moments
like that
Kagome began to blush furiously at the memory of her accidentally leaning the oven on with the cake still inside. I laughed inwardly as she tried to sink herself into her seat at our table. Every patron in the place tried to hold in his or her laughs for Kagome's sake. And the song wasn't even close to finishing yet…
I know she's not perfect but
she tries so hard for me
And I thank god that she isn't 'cause how
boring would that be
It's the little imperfections it's the sudden
change in plans
When she misreads the directions and we're lost
but holdin' hands
Yeah I live for little moments like that
When she's layin' on my
shoulder on the sofa in the dark
And about the time she falls
asleep so does my right arm
By this time, Kagome was beat red and pouting at me for what I was putting her through. She looked so adorable when she looked at me that way; I couldn't but smile at her.
And I want so bad to move it
'cause it's tinglin' and it's numb
But she looks so much like an
angel that I don't wanna wake her up
Yeah I live for little
moments
When she steals my heart again and doesn't even know it
I saw her face soften again…
Yeah I live for little moments like that
As the music began to fade, I added, "I Love you, Kagome…" I knew I was red by the time everyone started cheering, clapping and whistling. Kagome looked like she was close to tears. But I knew her well enough that she was only crying out of happiness.
I saw so many emotions cloud her eyes as I walked off stage and made my way towards her. The clear rest emotion I could decipher was love. There… my feelings for her were returned at the fullest. After she got up from her seat, rushed towards me jumping into my arms with hers wrapping around my neck to not only hug me with everything she had, but to also kiss me with so much passion. That totally caught me by surprise. But not long enough before I returned that kiss with my own with just as much passion.
Kagome's lips were so soft and sweet that all I could think about was she and to deepen the kiss that she initiated. I could feel her fingers tangle themselves in my hair as I hugged her closer to my body. Everything around us was just a faded blur of sound, even if I could hear the faintest of loud cheering coming from the entire bar.
Yes… this was one of those little moments… well, not really "little," but… it was one of those moments that I'd do anything to live for. If only I was able to share it with the little miko in my arms who meant so much to me.
YOSH! Finally! The sequel is completed. And six pages long, too. Much longer than the first part. Well, this is little pairing with Reno/Kagome is finished. Hopefully, I'll be able to put up a Vincent/Kagome pairing soon… if I can get around to it.
Please review this story after you've read it? Because it really hurts when you find that despite how many hits the story has, there's so very little reviews. It makes one feel self conscious about their work, making them think that their hard work was all meant for nothing.
So I ask of you very nicely… please leave a review to tell me what you think? I'd really appreciate it. But if you're going to flame me than don't bother sending me one. Like many others on this site, I don't appreciate Flames.
Sincerely,
Kurama'sFoxyMiko