Take Two
Chapter 11
Kagome tightened the knot in her hair ribbon then turned it gently
until the trailing ends were hidden under the fall of her hair.
Smoothing her narrow obi and koi-decorated yukata one last time, she
wondered if there was any way to get out of tonight without feeling
like a first-class heel, liar, and all-around piece of scum. Not
likely, though. Tonight was Tanabata, and like it or not, she had
a date.
Dinner the night before had been… She hesitated to think of it as a
complete disaster. No time spent with Koinu ever was. But
he was losing his memories faster than ever, back now to the way he
must have been during that awful year when she was dying inside.
He’d seemed astounded when she’d arrived at Wackdonald’s, and despite
her gentle reminders, she had the feeling he hadn’t quite known what
she was talking about. He was good with everything from the
Sengoku Jidai, at least from the first time around. It was
everything after that left him in a fog, and she’d finally laughed it
off weakly as a joke.
After that, things had just been awkward, and she’d begged off his
offer of a movie with excuses about homework and studying. He
walked her home, ever the attentive gentleman-suitor, and offered her
only a chaste peck on the lips at the bottom of the stairs, and the
sense that he’d like to press for more, but couldn’t be sure of his
reception. There were people
around, she’d rationalized, starting the long trek up
(Inuyasha-the-hanyou could have carried her in a couple of easy bounds,
the wind flying through his hair and stealing her breath, she
reflected) and one word from the wrong person to his parents would earn
him a night of the Samurai Lecture about treating girls with respect,
and possibly more serious discipline as well. She refused to be
responsible if he was grounded.
Once at the top, she’d faced a choice: left, to the Go-shinboku and the
house, or right, past the main shrine buildings, to the hokora and the
well. She couldn’t go back through tonight, (she could, a voice whispered, but she
pushed it away) but there was nothing wrong with just walking in that
general direction and sorting out her thoughts. Her feet made the
decision before she could think about it, and she found herself
slipping through the door and sitting on the dusty steps leading down
to the well before she realized it.
Her relationship with Inuyasha in the past had been a sort of
‘push-me-pull-you’ affair, differences in culture, species, and what to
do regarding wandering vengeful spirits standing between them.
The species thing had never bothered her, though she could understand
his fears in that regard. The cruel treatment Jinenji’s mother
had been subjected to was awful. Even the beautiful Shiori’s
mother had been reviled. Would Inuyasha have used the Jewel to
become human for her, despite her assurances that it wasn’t
necessary? No, she finally decided. The words he had spoken
to Sesshoumaru guaranteed it. He’d never planned to come out of
that last battle alive. Lord Inuyasha had never been meant for
her.
Houjou Inuyasha was a different matter entirely. Eleven years of
his life had been given to searching for his Kagome, around his block,
around his neighborhood. He hadn’t even given up when pulled to
the other side of the world. He’d confessed his doubts to her
once, how he’d come so close to giving up and being ‘normal.’
“Thank God I found you,” he’d whispered against the sweat-soaked hollow
of her throat as they rested in connubial afterglow. She’d only
had enough of her senses back to hum in agreement and tangle a hand in
his hair.
She’d retreated from the well-house and her memories after that,
heading in for a cold shower, half afraid Inuyasha would come popping
out of the well if she stayed much longer. If the scent of her
blood could cross time, there was no telling what other things could as
well. Still, she had passed an uneasy night, filled with
half-forgotten dreams, and spent most of the day in her room, closeted
with her text books.
“Kagome,” he mother’s voice called through the door, breaking her free
from her thoughts, “Houjou-kun is here.”
“Arigato, Mama. I’ll be right down.” She tossed a glance to
her tabi still laid out on the bed, then ignored them. The white
knee socks she was already wearing were fine, and she could wear
ordinary sandals instead of zori. It was amazing how little some
things mattered when life-or-death struggles loomed in one’s mind.
She went downstairs, smiling to see Koinu hovering in the hall.
His own wardrobe was decidedly casual, a dark shirt and jeans, topped
with a reasonably modern haori, nothing like the hinezumi suikan.
“Hey,” she said with a smile that wasn’t entirely forced. “Sorry
to keep you waiting.”
The smile he gave her back was entirely genuine. “It’s
okay. You look… really nice.”
Kagome felt her grin widen a bit. “Thanks. I’m ready
whenever you are,” she told him, stepping down and feeling his hand
fasten around hers. Trained to think with his nose, it was high
praise indeed when he commented on her appearance. “Ja ne,
Mama. I’ll be back later.”
“Wait just a moment, Kagome,” Mama called. She hustled into the
hall, carrying a short bamboo branch swathed in small white paper
charms. “Jii-chan made this for you. He said you need all
the help you can get.”
Kagome accepted the branch gratefully. How difficult was it for
her family, stuck here with no idea of how she was doing for weeks at a
time, knowing only because of the Shrine Scrolls that she would
eventually return? “Thank you, Mama. And tell Jii-chan
thanks, too. I’ll see you later.”
“Have a good time. And don’t keep her out too late,” Mama
mock-scolded Koinu.
“No, ma’am. I won’t. Good-night, Higurashi-san, and please
tell Higurashi-ojiisan good-night for me as well.” Koinu gave a
polite bow as Kagome stepped into her shoes, and they were off.
The subway carried them to Ueno Park, where a carnival-atmosphere
ruled. Vendors had set up tents filled with food and games, and
Kagome had relaxed enough to act like the teenager she outwardly
resembled, eating yakitori and sticky dango from bamboo skewers and
applauding enthusiastically when Koinu tried his hand at batting
contest. He accepted the praise for his second-place finish
modestly, pressing the prize, a gold chain with some kind of pink stone
pendant, into Kagome’s hand.
Eventually, they found themselves strolling the lake shore along with
hundreds of other couples. Kagome could hear the water lapping a
few feet away, and in spite of the light pollution, she could see a few
vague stars overhead. Somewhere up there, the Weaver was waiting
patiently for the Bridge of Magpies to appear and open the way to her
love.
“It’s a nice night,” Koinu said when they paused to watch the
reflection of the moon on the water.
“Mmm. It really is.” She had been so worried, but thus far,
their date was perfect. Maybe she’d been worrying for nothing.
“Kagome, I think something’s wrong.”
Then, again…
“What, Inuyasha? Everything seems fine. I don’t sense
anything…”
“Not here. Not like something making trouble here. I think
something’s wrong with me.”
She turned to face him, noting how pale he looked in the
moonlight. “What do you mean, Inuyasha?”
He moved away from her, dropping onto a bench and staring out across
the water. “Do you remember how we talked, on your
birthday? About remembering things, and how would I know if I’d
forgotten? I can remember us talking about things over the past
few months, but I can’t remember the things themselves. When
you’re gone, I can hardly remember the Sengoku Jidai at all. It’s
all like it was before I woke up, like a story, something that happened
to someone else.” He looked up at her, face full of fear.
“I’m losing you, Kagome, and I don’t know how to stop it.”
She threw herself onto the bench with a low cry, arms wrapping around
him and face pressed to his chest. “You won’t lose me,” she
whispered fiercely. “It’s not going
to happen. I won’t let it.”
He hugged her back, but something in his embrace lacked
conviction. “Kagome, if there’s a chance… If I somehow survive,
on the other side, and you have a chance to be happy there, take
it. All I see ahead for you here is pain, and it’s the last thing
I want.” He was silent for a long moment as Kagome struggled for
some way to assure him, then shifted and stood, pulling her to her feet
as well. “It’s getting late. I should take you home.”
“Okay,” she said hollowly. The world was crumbling under her
feet, but somehow, she made it to the edge of the lake, her bamboo
branch clenched tight in one fist. Little paper-twined leaves
already floated on the dark water’s surface. Orihime-sama, help me, please. I
have so much still to do, and so little time to do it.
With all her might, Kagome threw the branch into the water, watching
until it was lost among all the other wishes. Then she turned
back and joined Koinu once again.
“I’m ready. Take me home, please.”
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AN: Lots of great information is available out there about
Tanabata through Google.com. Go forth and learn! :)
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
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