Chapter 12 - chap 12

Even as she walked through the forest, Kagome had to wonder if she was imagining the hush that seemed to have fallen upon the forest. Were the sparrows holding their breath, just as she was? But what reason had they to fear, when she was the one with a right to be dreading. Why, she wasn’t sure—because she wasn’t sure what to say, maybe. Perhaps because she was afraid of what HE would say—or do, for that matter. It couldn’t be terrible, she reasoned, because if it got too out-of-hand, she would just start crying or something, and the situation would be subdued—as always. She actually deserved anything he cared to throw at her, for what she’d pulled.

But still.........

What path had she been following, anyway? It was like her feet were walking on their own accord.......

Were they? It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing to happen—

Kagome stopped abruptly, finding herself on the edge of a sort of clearing. The woods opened up to a wide area of field—farm field, most likely, though there were no farmers in sight at the moment. The knee-high grass swayed in a soft breeze rhythmically—back and forth, back and forth, with a swishing noise to match. It didn’t take long to spot the reason she had walked to the place—a glistening head of silver, concealed a bit by the cover of the meadow. His back was to her, of course, ramrod straight, despite the slack shoulders. He didn’t move a muscle as she crept forward—normally, she would’ve been caught right away, but apparently the hanyou was not on his guard as usual.

She actually managed to make it a foot behind him before he glanced back at all.

The amber eyes met hers first, and the contact was fiery. Immediately, recognition crossed the features and softened them with light speed. Before Kagome had time to marvel at how she had been there several seconds and not suffered one sentence of wrath, she found herself held desperately tightly in two familiar arms. Her breath was nearly taken away—with the suddenness, and with the pure force that squeezed her to Inuyasha’s chest.

“You’re all right,” he whispered at last into her hair. “I was so worried about you.....”

“I....I....” No words that came to mind seemed worthy enough to be spoken. “G- gomen, Inuyasha......I d-didn’t mean to worry you.....”

“Why did you leave like that?” he demanded, immediately feeling guilt at how Kagome flinched at his tone.

“I’m s-sorry......I d-didn’t mean t-to—” And she was crying again, though it hadn’t been her intention.

“Shhhh, shhhh.” His expression softened again as the anger was replaced with something meek. His hands ran through her hair soothingly and swept her tears away. “I didn’t mean it. It’s just......” He trailed off, his hands still continuing their journey along her face. “You scared me to death.”

“I’m sorry,” Kagome murmured again, her voice muffled slightly by his shoulder. She needed to say something meaningful, something to explain how incredibly guilty she felt about worrying him so yet how very relieved she was to be with him again......there was no feeling in the world like being held by the hanyou, no way to feel safer or warmer than she felt with him.

“It’s okay,” came the soft reply. “You’re safe.....that’s all that matters.” There was a quiet moment as Inuyasha glanced at the pastel blue sky, his eyes glimmering with an unknown, shadowy something. “I was sitting out here yesterday, and I thought......if something had happened to you, I’d never forgive myself. If you didn’t come back......I don’t see how I could live with myself, knowing you’d gotten hurt and I hadn’t been there to help you.” His voice was thick with melancholy.

“Nothing could ever happen to me,” Kagome assured quietly, taking his hand.

“What?”

“Nothing could ever happen to me, Inuyasha, because you wouldn’t let it.”

“What are you talking about? I wasn’t there this time! What if—what if—”

“Shhhh.” She put a finger to his lips. “What if doesn’t matter. I’m back, and safe, and I don’t hold anything against you. It was my fault in the first place.” Inuyasha remained silent. “Look. You’ve got to trust yourself a bit more, Inuyasha. I trust you.”

“Kagome.....”

“Inuyasha. Everything turned out okay this time. You have to believe that everything will in the end.”

“Trust isn’t exactly one of my strong points,” he said at last with a smile.

“I don’t think that’s true,” Kagome said mischievously with a smile of her own. She reached up and kissed him—hesitantly at first, shyly, then with confidence. When she pulled back, she was breathless, but Inuyasha was not—merely smiling, reassured.

“Maybe you’re right,” he said slowly, bending down again to return her gesture. ‘Maybe you’re right.....’

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