Love and the Soul

Chapter One

Bibbidibobidiboooo

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Read and review if you'd like!

Basically, for those of you who like to know these things: It's going to be a Kagome/Inuyasha story.  You'll find out the rest as you read. ^-^

Please read, and if you'd like, review! All comments and criticism welcome.

(also, I got the idea for the beginning part of this fic from the Greek myth about Psyche and Cupid, but the rest of the story will not follow the myth, so no worries!)

(oh, another thing, I'm horrible with names, so I just used Japanese names I already know for Kagome's friends….okay..that's it ^-^)

She gazed at him with her large brown eyes shining brightly, even in the dark of the night.  Her face held pride and wonder at the man who stood before her, his black hair billowing out behind him in the slight breeze.

He came every month, just to see her.  Her.  She shivered at that thought, her blood warming that someone would care for her that much.  She smiled up at him, leaning forward to hold him close to her, and she closed her eyes as she felt his arms coming up around her body. 

It didn't matter that she didn't really know anything about him.  He told her that he wasn't at liberty to say anything at all to her, and she trusted him.  It was more important that he loved her and she loved him back, she thought, as she smiled happily into the warmth of his body.

"The sun will be up soon," he whispered to her.  She looked up at him, not hiding her disappointment, as she held on tighter to him.

"Don't go, please," she said.  "Just this once."

"I can't."  He gently pushed her away, though his face proved his reluctance. 

"I know," she said.  "I understand."

"Kagome," he added when she fell silent.  "I'll be back again."

She smiled at him again, her eyes shining.  "I know," she repeated.  "I trust you, Inuyasha."

He left her standing at the street corner, the light of the lamp blanketing in its artificial light.  She did not leave, even long after he disappeared from her sight, even as the lights went out as the morning sun began to shine.

"So who's this new guy?" Hitomi asked as she fell into the booth Kagome had been sitting alone at in the local café. 

Surprised, Kagome looked up from her schoolbook, nearly choking on her soda.  "Wh -- what?"

"Oh come on!" Rei said, her eyebrows raised as she moved to sit across from her.  "You've been pining away for the last couple months.  We thought maybe you were sick or something.  But it's pretty obvious! You've met a guy and you haven't told us!"

Kagome was still choking on the drink, and Hitomi was now pounding her back.  "I don't know what you're talking about!" she finally managed to sputter. 

"Oh come on!" Hitomi exclaimed, throwing her hands up.  "You can tell us! We're your friends!"

Kagome stared at the pleading looks on her friends' faces and felt her resolve breaking.  Though she wondered at the need for secrecy, she had sworn to Inuyasha that she would never tell anyone about their monthly meetings. When she thought about it, she didn't really care about the reasons, only cherishing their fleeting moments together.

She sighed as she pushed her drink away from her.  "Well," she began, looking around nervously, as though searching for unwanted eavesdroppers.  This was a secret after all, but she could trust her friends.  "There is a guy.  But I'm not supposed to tell anyone about him!" she exclaimed.  She noticed the incredulous looks on her friends' faces.

"What do you mean you aren't supposed to tell anyone?" Rei asked suspiciously.

"Well," Kagome continued nervously, feeling guilty for what she was about to expose.  "I'm not exactly sure myself," she said, confusion marring her features. "I met him a while back.  Technically we've been dating for so long, but probably I've only met him a couple times.  Once a month, in fact."

"Why only once a month?" Hitomi asked. 

"He didn't tell me.  He only said that we could only meet once a month on the new moon."  She noticed the look her friends gave her.  "It's not what you think," she added hastily.  Her face suddenly took on a far away dreamy look.  "He's absolutely wonderful to me!  In fact," she paused here, her face growing warm, "I think he loves me."

She didn't see the worried looks Rei and Hitomi passed to each other.

"Kagome," Rei said tentatively.  "You know, I mean this in the best way possible but –are you stupid or something?!"

Kagome jumped slightly backwards at the sudden outburst, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Gosh, Kagome," Hitomi exclaimed.  "Don't you think it's weird how he wants to keep this all a big secret?"

"And," Rei broke in, "don't you think it's weird that he only sees you once a month?"

"Well I-- " Kagome tried to explain.

"Gees, he probably has a wife and kids, for all we know!" Hitomi cried out, her hands going up as she ranted. People in other booths began to look over at them, wondering at the commotion.  "He's probably cheating on her with you! You could be the 'other woman'!"

Kagome's eyes grew wider.

"Or worse!" Rei finished, her head shaking knowingly.  "He could be a serial killer!  He could be wanted by the police and so he has to hide out all the time!"

Kagome started to shake her head, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.  "No," she said.  "No, you don't understand. It's not like that at all!  I mean, he's not like that!  He's very sweet and gentle, and he would never hurt anyone!"

"He may seem that way, Kagome," Hitomi replied.  "Don't you hear those stories?  It's always the nice quiet ones."

"But," Kagome began.

"No buts!" Rei interrupted again.  "His hands are red! Red with blood!  He's probably a murderer and now he's trying to sweet talk his next victim! YOU! Oh gods!" Rei cried, in full drama queen mode, "Kagome is going to die!" 

"No!" Kagome suddenly shouting, springing up from her seat.  Her eyes were wide with fear and doubt.  "He's not like that!" she yelled and ran out of the café.

She arrived at home huffing and puffing, out of breath from her frantic run home.  She didn't want to believe any of this.  She loved him, and he loved her.  It was as simple as that.  She didn't need to know what he did the rest of each month.  She knew that he had to have a good explanation for everything.

And she didn't want to doubt him.  He really did care about her, she told herself.  And the truth was no one ever cared about her before; she had been alone for so much of her life, never having a real family.  But then, just a while ago, she had met Inuyasha.  She remembered that night.  She had stayed in the local library well into the hours of twilight, cramming for an upcoming final.  A storm had hit, and by the time she got out, she could barely make her way through the wet streets.  It was strange how the rain suddenly stopped around her, and she had looked up into the sweetest pair of dark brown eyes she had ever seen.  Inuyasha, he had introduced himself as, as he held the umbrella over her.  Normally she would have been frightened by such an intrusion in the late hour, but he had been so kind that she felt at ease with him at once.

Instead of going home right away, they found themselves in a small restaurant that stayed open all night.  Talking and laughing, they became fast friends within minutes.  In fact, they fell in love that night, over steaming cups of cocoa.  It became a ritual then, to always meet in the new moon, their anniversary. 

And never did she question why he could only meet her once a month.  She respected his privacy and his reasons.  And though she missed him many times, she was happy that there was someone out there that truly loved her, someone that truly cared about her, despite the fact that she saw so little of him.

But now this.  Suddenly, doubts crashed down on her, and she couldn't help but begin to question it. Maybe she was being stupid.  Maybe she was blinded so much by her feelings that she didn't really think this through.   Maybe he didn't lover her; after all, he never said so, she had only assumed. And why did he only want to meet her once a month?  He couldn't love her, then, if he didn't want to see her more often.  Tears fell from her eyes as she thought more about it, feeling alone and empty again.

And maybe, she thought as she shivered, maybe he was a murderer, his hands stained with the countless number of victims, and she was next in line.  If this were true, she would rather die by his hands than suffer the pain of heartbreak.

To be continued!!

Thanks for reading!!! You are too nice!!!