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DISCLAIMER: I could wish, but we all saw how that could go horribly wrong. THROUGH HIS EYES by Leni A ‘Penitencia’ follow-up Miroku had been explaining Kikyou to Sango when Kagome came to their side of the fire. Miroku couldn't blame her, the grass was thicker here and, above all, there was no stubborn hanyou complaining about the food. He kept telling Sango what little he knew. Then the taijiya asked about a detail he wasn't privy to. He furrowed his brow, not liking knowing only half a story. "Kagome-sama, if you could tell us..." he trailed off. Kagome's normally kind eyes had hardened, and her face was more closed off than he had ever seen it. Miroku cleared his throat. "Are you alright, Kagome-sama?" Kagome opened her mouth. Shippou cried for salvation. The three turned to see Inuyasha running after the kitsune with an angry expression and angrier words. "Sit." Thump! Kagome turned back to him with a smile on her face. "Never been better." --- There was a strange sound. Kagome swore as she stopped, dismounting from her vehicle in a huff. Sango stopped Kirara, and the three of them, plus Shippou, watched as Kagome knelt and poked at the thing's wheel, her face darkening with every second. "Is everything alright, Kagome-sama?" Miroku called. "No." She kicked it impatiently. "I think the wheel h--" Inuyasha interrupted the girl's answer. "Oy! I told you not to bring that stupid 'bike' of yours." The hanyou crossed his arms over his chest in clear disapproval. "Damn it, we still have half a day until the next village. You'll never get there in that thing." He shouldered the yellow backpack and the bike, offering his back to Kagome. "Come on, baka. Time's wasting." Kagome nodded, rolling her eyes a little. But Miroku saw her smile widening as she wrapped her arms over Inuyasha's neck, her eyes closing trustingly as soon as her cheek rested against the silver hair. Miroku smiled, too. --- Sango was laughing at one of Shippou's tricks. She looked beautiful, Miroku thought wistfully. Then he laughed along when Shippou changed into a mimicry of the serpent-youkai they'd just fought. The little kitsune was radiating happiness, proud of his role in this hunt. It had been a long night; they'd spent most of it tracking their enemy. Without his fire they would have had a much harder time, and even with the extra help they'd reached the serpent just before dawn. Shippou was still grinning as he went back to his normal appearance. He jumped onto Sango's shoulder and whistled happily when the village came into view. "Just wait until Inuyasha hears of this. And he said we wouldn't do anything without him!" Sango petted his fluffy tail. "Don't be like that, Shippou. Inuyasha was badly injured last night. The new moon wouldn't let him heal enough to go with us." Then she turned to the monk, a dash of worry creeping into her eyes. "Do you think he's alright, houshi-sama?" Miroku chuckled. "Of course. We left Kagome-sama with him, didn't we? She won't let that stubborn boy get himself into any trouble." Sango nodded in agreement. Miroku begged his cursed hand not to break the mood; but, against his better intentions, his hand decided to rebel and closed onto Sango's supple backside. Its course was interrupted by Shippou's squeal. The kitsune suddenly jumped to the ground. "Look! It's Kagome!" He ran to the girl, throwing himself into her arms as soon as she was within reach. Miroku and Sango quickened their steps to reach her, too. Kagome looked at them incomprehensibly, her arms loose around the clinging Shippou. Then she blinked. "You came early." No smiling greeting, no curious questions. Miroku frowned. "Are you alright?" Kagome nodded, not adding anything to it. "I was worried about you," she said at last. Miroku smiled; that was more like her. "It didn't give us much resistance." He patted Sango's Hiraikotsu, aware that the exterminator's eyes followed his every movement. Sango moved away swiftly. "You woke up early too," she continued the conversation when Kagome didn't ask for details. She indicated the girl's wet hair and the towel and soap Kagome had let fall when Shippou had barreled into her. "I may go take a bath too. Is the water warm today?" Kagome's arms tightened around the redheaded child. Shippou's eyes widened, twisting in the squeezing grasp. "Kagooooooome," he whined. The girl relaxed her grip immediately. "I'm sorry." Then she blinked again; Miroku could have sworn that her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, but when he looked again all traces of them were gone. He shook his head; after that last night he really needed some sleep. "Yes, Sango. It's good for a bath." She knelt and picked up her accessories, somehow balancing them with Shippou still in her arms. When she stood up, the corners of her lips had lifted considerably. "But better grab breakfast first, it smells delicious, doesn't it?" "Yes," Miroku agreed, deciding to follow her lead. Whatever dark cloud had struck Kagome, it seemed to have retreated already. "Let's, before Inuyasha decides all our portions are necessary for his health." Shippou straightened at the notion, ears flicking back and forth. "That glutton!" he cried before jumping out of Kagome's arms and running to the main house on all fours. Kagome paled. Had Shippou hit her in his haste? "Inu- Inuyasha?" Her expression changed, darkness returning in full force, but she turned around before Miroku could define it. "He left." "Couldn't stand still after dawn, huh?" Sango laughed. Kagome didn't answer, just kept walking forward. Miroku looked after her, an unsettling feeling coming over him. He suddenly registered something soft.... and then a 'thud' against his skull. Sango stalked away, muttering seething remarks about perverted monks. Miroku forgot his concerns as he trailed, full of apologies, after the girl. --- There was a strange atmosphere between Inuyasha and Kagome these days. They weren't talking, didn't look each other in the eye. Miroku was concerned when two weeks were past and they didn't fight, not even over things they should have fought about. Preoccupied when Kagome said she needed to go home and Inuyasha neither protested nor took her to the well. Nervous when they spent ten days without her and Inuyasha didn't show signs of going to pick her up. 'Scared' only came when Kagome showed up in Kaede's hut, a tired, only half-there smile on her face - and even that slipped into nothing when Inuyasha walked past her, muttering something about needing wood. Miroku looked in disbelief at the good-sized logs in a corner. The ghost-smile returned to her face as he explained that Kaede had brought Sango along to pick her medicinal herbs. Kagome good-naturedly commented that the knowledge would serve the taijiya very well as she deposited her bag on the floor, trying to mirror Shippou's enthusiasm when she showed him his gifts. Miroku observed her. She was playing absently with her necklace, fingers going up and down it for a long while; then she unhooked it and lifted the small glass jar so she could study the shards more closely. Kagome had always liked to do that when she was thinking. Miroku compared her to the memories of when they'd just met -- even to the memories of her just a month ago. He almost gasped at the difference. Kagome had grown so much thinner, her face was pale and her smile only a delicate upwards line, while before, it had been a wide grin that even lifted her cheeks into an adorable expression. But lately she hadn't been laughing his advances off; Miroku couldn't remember seeing her giggling with Sango for too many days. He saw her slip a hand into her bag, her body hiding whatever she was searching for. After several minutes she excused herself, saying she'd forgotten a book at home. A very important one, she emphasised. Miroku saw her shoulders squaring in a conscious effort, the hand that went to her cheek when Shippou was distracted. She stood up slowly, all the while looking at the door curtain Inuyasha had gone through. Already on her feet, she said her goodbyes and ruffled Shippou's hair affectionately. She had been gone for several minutes when Miroku realised something. He jumped out of his place, rushing to the bright yellow pack and pulling it upside down heedless of the kitsune's protest. He wasn't surprised when he heard a tinkling sound against the floor. Kagome hadn't been 'searching' for anything. He was out of the door before he'd completed that thought, running as fast as his legs would carry him. She'd been gone for too long. He was late. He was late. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her, breathing in relief. Kagome was walking slowly, almost as if she wished someone would reach her. Miroku had the feeling he wasn't who she was waiting for. But he had to try. "Kagome!" She stopped. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she saw him running to her. "Is something wrong?" she asked immediately. Miroku blinked. Had he been foolish? Then he remembered the pink shards on the floor of the hut. "Are you alright?" he asked, echoing their many conversations. She stood silent for a moment. Then his body staggered back as he was assaulted by a bundle of dark hair and painful sobs. Miroku patted her back rhythmically, for once forgetting everything about the curves in his reach. Kagome didn't seem to be stopping any time soon, so he threaded an arm firmly around her and brought her to the only place close where they'd be somewhat comfortable. He sat against the well, bringing the young girl down with him. Any other time he'd have frowned at the state her clenched grip was leaving his robes in, the dark spots her tears left on the cloth. But now, Miroku didn't care. "I'm better now," she whispered when her outburst was over, standing up and drying her tears with a shaky hand. He stood up, too and put a hand on her shoulder. Why would she do it? He couldn't not know the answer, so he asked her. Kagome shrugged, jumping to sit at the well's edge and bringing her legs to the other side. Her silence was long and he could see she was looking for the right words. Finally her eyes told him that there were volumes behind her short answer. "It's too much." Then she turned her head to look directly at him. "You know." It was not a question. Miroku nodded, wishing he could claim ignorance. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't. He had to force himself to say the words. "You are not coming back, are you?" Kagome only looked into his eyes, with sadness so great Miroku almost looked away, gave him the bitterest smile he'd ever seen, and then disappeared into the blue light. The End Feedback is very welcome. |
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