To Cherish and Protect Part Two
Kagome ran down the stairs of the inn and straight into the woods. She heard Sango calling her name. She didn’t want to be near anyone. She thought the night was magical that it meant something to him. When he washing her and she saw the look in her eyes, another wail of tears assaulted her, she knew that it was just a one-night thing. Why? It hurt to know that the man…err…hanyou that she loved would never be with her like that again.
Kagome tripped over a root of a tree and fell. She stayed on the ground and allowed the tears to fall. Memories of when he was so gentle, so caring flashed through her mind. They were like daggers to her heart to know that none of it was true.
“Kagome?” Sango dropped to her knees beside her friend. Tears were running down the young girl’s face as the demon slayer wrapped her arms around her.
“It hurts, Sango,” whispered Kagome as she clung to the demon slayer.
Sango shook her head. “I don’t understand. His actions are so different than before. I wish I knew what he was thinking.”
“After last night, I thought…. I thought.” Kagome broke away as heart wrenching sobs shook her small frame.
“Last night? After the youkai attacked?” Sango felt the girl nod. InuYasha was human. Usually during the night of the new moon, InuYasha is more open with his friends. Sango only remembered a handful of times, but she knew how much different he was during those vulnerable periods. “Kagome, what happen last night?”
The girl went still. Her sobs instantly stopped. Kagome swallowed hard, the memories of the night still fresh on her mind. However, additional tears started to fall as she remember what happen when she woke in the morning. “He touched me, Sango, and then washed me as if he was trying to remove the night’s actions.”
“Touched you as in more than he normally does?” Kagome nodded, and Sango gasped. It was starting to make sense. Kagome said he washed her. Any demon slayer would understand why he did those actions. However, explaining the situation, that might be a completely different issue on hand.
“I don’t understand. Why would he do something like that? I thought….” The tears were flowing like a river. Kagome wanted to know why. She loved the hanyou, and after last night, she clearly thought he did too.
“Oh Kagome, InuYasha still cares about you. He was just trying to protect you.”
Kagome snapped her head up, tears stopping instantly. “I slept with him, Sango, and he treated it as a one-night stand. He used me!”
Sango shook her head. She knew this would be difficult. So much heartache and pain it would be difficult for the young miko to believe or even trust their hanyou friend. “I understand your pain, but you need to understand where he is coming from too.”
“And what reasoning does he have?”
Sango released a deep sigh, concentrating hard on how to explain the situation. “InuYasha is a half-demon. If he would mate with anyone, he would leave a scent. It doesn’t matter if he is his human form or hanyou. That scent would still be there. InuYasha still considers himself to be weak. If anyone knew that there was someone physically close to him, he believes that person would become a target. Removing a scent is the only way to make sure to protect that person.”
Kagome blinked. “So, he wasn’t rejecting last night? He was protecting me?” Sango nodded. “That doesn’t make sense. I don’t care who knows. I love him.”
“I’m sure he knows that. It probably eats at him for what he had to do especially after the night, but he was doing it to protect you. We still have to fight Naraku, and he didn’t want Naraku to use you to get to him.”
“It still doesn’t make any sense. Sango, he carries me. He protects me when we are in danger. How can removing my scent from actions of sleeping together protect me anymore than when I am in his arms automatically?”
“Mating leaves a whole different scent. It is a claim that shows all youkai who that claim belongs to. InuYasha carrying you leaves a different scent as if he is marking you. Youkai know not step in his way. He is your protector.”
Kagome stood, tears still flowing. “I don’t care. He threw last night away as if it didn’t mean a thing. I can’t deal with this.”
“Kagome, please.” Sango stood and slowly approached her friend.
“No. Not anymore. I can’t.” After that, she took off running. Sango stood shocked on her friend’s disappearance. She knew the young miko would have a difficult time adjusting or even understand. Both her and Miroku knew that Kagome had strong feelings for the hanyou. After Kikyou’s death, it seemed that everything was leading that InuYasha felt the same. Heck, everyone knew he felt the same. What his friends didn’t expect was for him to act out upon those emotions.
Sango walked back to the inn and noticed the monk standing by the door. “Did she tell you anything,” he asked as the demon slayer took a seat upon the steps of the building.
Sango nodded. “What about InuYasha?” Miroku shrugged. “He didn’t tell you anything?”
“He was very vague, but what I did receive from him is that something did happen between our two friends, and it is destroying him because of it. “
“Something did, and from his point of view, I understand. However, it is Kagome who is not taking it well.”
Miroku moved to sit down by the young woman, a curious but confusing look upon his face, “What happen between them?”
“She slept with him.” It was blunt and quick. No need on keeping it a secret. If Sango, and Miroku were going to help their friends, information was needed to be known.
Miroku gasped, “Your kidding me?” Sango shook her head. “He used her?”
Sango sighed, “He was human last night. When they woke, he washed her of his scent. He did it to protect her.”
“And Kagome took it the wrong way?” Sango nodded. “No wonder she was so upset. She thought it was a one-night event, and when he got his sense back, he was disgusted that he did it with her.”
“He wasn’t, though. Instead, what he did that morning destroyed him.”
Sango and Miroku sat in silence. They knew their friends were in a difficult situation. Both knew that InuYasha and Kagome cared deeply for each other. With so many risks that could happen, the hanyou thought he was doing the best thing for them. However, while his intentions were good, the effect left the young miko in a different state. Now, time will only tell what will happen next.