Timeless Love

No, it's not a joke, it's really here. Chapter 9! I know many of you would like to beat the living daylights out of me for being so late, and I really am sorry. I could give you a big long list of all the reasons why it took so long but honestly you don't need excuses, life kinda got in the way and then I lost my groove. I hope I got it back at least a little. I'm not going to give up on this story, however the chapters will come at longer intervals (I will try to not make them QUITE so long.. hehe), I'm sorry about that... but you know.. time is an issue these days. I hope you enjoy this. It's not edited in the least.. neither are my other chapters.. for that I'm sorry. If anyone wants to beta for me I'd gladly accept.



I was also wondering if anyone with a good hand at drawing would like to do a commision for me on this story. I can write you (and in a timely manner of course..) any kind of short story of your choosing. All I want is a pretty picture to give me some visual aid...



Anyways. Enough wasting time.. here you are folks.

. . .









Chapter 9







Through the Looking Glass









It was strange how everything in life could go on functioning, moving, progressing, when in between people’s lives would fall apart. All the chaos, all the turmoil felt by those people never reached the rest of the world that went on its merry way. To the world in its entirety, one person was just as insignificant as the next, and in the grand scheme of things no one’s torment really mattered.



These were the kinds of thoughts that Kagome had as she sat on the roof of one of the buildings staring solemnly over the college grounds.



She was in shock.



Even though the demon lord relayed to her some earth moving information, Sesshomaru had really given her very little of anything, telling her that it was best left for another time. Kagome wanted to argue with him, but she wasn’t sure just how much he had changed over the past five hundred years. His disposition remained questionable despite his founding of a human college. She also didn’t have the energy to make the effort, feeling suddenly drained by the news.



How could everything be falling apart again? She had finally gotten it together; she had left Tokyo, the shrine, the memories. She was supposed to have a new start. And now it seemed she was closer to where she started on that day, the day that Inuyasha made his choice. How was she supposed to take the fact that Kin was Inuyasha’s reincarnation? It made perfect sense, but she honestly had never thought it to be such. It was too cruel, too ironic. Fate went above and beyond this time.



“Wh-what do you mean?”



She sat there, visibly shaking.



“My brother’s forfeiture of his own life was a mistake, because of that everything that has happened since is against the true and natural course of things.”



“Mistake? How do you know?”



“At this time, I cannot go into detail, for now I only wanted to make you aware of the few things that have been brought to light.”



Kagome sighed. An obstinate anger tugged at her heart as she sat there. The wind tangled through her loose locks and errant strands stuck to her damp cheeks, which she scrubbed angrily from her face. There were no definable words to describe the feelings that passed through her at the moment.



A reincarnation.



How dare they mock her like this? Whatever powers that be sure had a crummy sense of humor. It made Kagome sick, it made her heart ache and it made her unbelievably angry. She wasn’t good enough for the original so she got a consolation prize?



She couldn’t even call Kin that. He was a real person, just like her. How was this fair? So many things came into question at that moment. How could she care about Kin? Did she really care about him, or did she care because he was Inuyasha’s reincarnation? If she didn’t really care could she allow herself to be with him anyways and let herself pretend? Was this how Inuyasha felt about her and Kikyou? Was she only a second rate replacement? Was Kin only a second rate replacement? How could she know how she felt when she knew the truth?



And why was this happening?



Kagome let out a heavy sigh and continued to stare out over the grounds, lost in an endless sea of questions.







. . .







A soft breeze fluttered over her skin as she walked towards the well. The weather bespoke a calm spring day, docile and almost too average. There were no birds twittering, no forest undertones, only the soft rustle of grass underfoot. As Kagome came to the crest of the hill she saw him standing there. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as all the air left her lungs. He was staring at the well, as if waiting for something to happen, but he turned when he heard her soft gasp.



His name fell breathlessly from her lips as she bolted towards him. She ran as quickly as she could, terrified that if she was too slow he would disappear. Leaping at him she yelled out his name in sorrow and joy.



‘Inuyasha!’



Kagome crushed herself to his form, sobbing into his chest. Her heart felt like it was trying to beat inside a barbed wire cage, each frantic pulse painful and each contraction a relief. She breathed him in and her lungs were filled with his woodsy scent. It only made her heart hurt more. But a sliver of joy and elation undercut the pain as he encircled and held her just as tightly in his own arms. He rocked her gently as she wept into his embrace, squeezing her lightly whenever a sob that was too powerful would make her waver.



Finally Inuyasha loosened his hold on her and hooked a finger under her chin, tugging her head up as he gave her a gentle kiss. He lingered on her lips with the sweet press of his own, giving the simple contact a soul shaking intensity. The heartsick woman felt him brush away her tears with his thumbs and blinked open her teary blue eyes. Inuyasha stared down at her with his liquid gold orbs and Kagome’s breath caught in her throat. All the love she had ever felt for him surged through her in that moment, and it made her fingertips burn. Slowly she brought her hands to his face, caressing his cheeks in turn. She simply stared at him, relearning his face as if it had ever gotten fuzzy in her mind. After a small eternity a broad smile broke out over her face. Inuyasha only blinked at her curiously and then smirked.



A small black line snaked from the corner of his mouth and a crack sounded when his lips lifted into the expression. His skin suddenly felt like ice under her fingertips. Kagome felt like cold water had been poured over her as she watched in horror. The first line grew darker and branched out into hundreds of smaller lines.



Other lines crept in quickly over the rest of his skin; all the while small cracking noises could be heard. She was helpless to stop it. Frantically Kagome tried to call out his name, but no noise would come out when she opened her mouth. It was if an incredible pressure had been put on her chest and her lungs couldn’t get enough air.



Before her very eyes, Inuyasha began to crack and break… like a clay doll.







Kagome shot upright in bed, shrieking as her lungs allowed her to voice the horror that had been pressed back into her chest in her dream. Adrenaline surged through her and she was wild with fear, shaking and gasping for air as if she really hadn’t been able to breathe. Hot tears ran down her face as she came back to reality. But the reality was no less horrifying than her dream and Kagome began to cry again, hard and loud.



Faintly she registered her name being called as her door burst open.



Her body felt cold compared to the warm arms that came around her. And so she cried even more, mourning the warmth of her body, and the absence of his. Kagome buried her face in Ryoko’s chest, allowing the girl’s arms to wrap around her shoulders and gently stroke her hair. The other girls surrounded her and pet her gently.



“Shh, Kagome, it was only a dream.” Sayuri said soothingly.



Mai and Hikari also cooed gentle reassurances while Kagome sobbed into Ryoko’s supporting form. There they all sat, riding out the storm of Kagome’s emotions, witnessing the aftermath of her dream. All of the girls supported their roommate with soft caresses and quiet words of comfort.



Kagome eventually quieted and fell back to sleep, her head resting in Ryoko’s lap. The other girls had gone back to bed once they made sure Kagome had fallen asleep, but Ryoko remained until she was sure that Kagome wasn’t going to slip right into another nightmare. Gently the young woman stroked her friend’s hair, looking down at her. She whispered to the sleeping girl as she adjusted her back in her bed.



“Poor, sweet Kagome. What happened to you?”









. . .







The rest of the week was a blur. When Kagome was not in class she was buried in her homework and studies. The girls made no mention of her late night outburst, only small sympathetic glances now and then that set Kagome’s cheeks aflame. The dream had terrified her, and when she had awakened later that same morning, she was still on edge, but not really clear as to why. Later, when she remembered, she was ashamed of her reaction and the fact that she had woke the entire suite. She did, however, appreciate the comfort they gave her without question.



Sesshomaru had made no other attempts to contact her, and Kagome was beginning to wonder if she had dreamed that all up too. Her life had not been normal since she fell down the well all those years ago, but it was now bordering on the fantastical. Reincarnations of dead lovers, ancient tai-youkai college founders, and freshman composition, it was almost too much to handle. Kagome felt as if any minute her brain would split in two from the pressure.



The ill fated girl sat quietly in the library, nursing a small paper cup of lukewarm tea and reading a book she had no interest in. After reading the same sentence for the twelfth time she closed the book and took a large sip of her tea. Her mind was just too jumbled to study at this point, the long and arduous week having taken a toll on her. Looking up she saw Kin talking with a professor and a streak of fear went through her. She wasn’t able to face him after Sesshomaru had told her the truth. Whenever he was in near proximity to her, she avoided him completely. The handful of times he managed to talk to her, it was hurried and brief. He apologized profusely for trying to kiss her, she accepted with an awkward laugh and a dismissive wave of her hand, telling him it wasn’t a big deal. The skepticism was clear on his face, and as he tried to pick up a conversation with her, she made an excuse about being late for a study session, and left him standing confused in her wake.



Quickly Kagome packed her things and slipped away, pulling up her hood to make extra sure that her face wasn’t noticeable. Inwardly the young woman scolded herself for acting like such an uptight nut job, but the sick feelings that twisted in her gut and the blood chilling fear she felt when she looked at his face made her feel slightly justified in her actions. She dreaded to think what would happen if she looked into his eyes again, maybe spontaneous combustion. But that almost seemed a welcome relief.



When Kagome got back to her room she found her suitemates gathered on the couch, waiting for her.



“Kagome” Mai said in her most business like tone.



A thrill of dread passed over the girl, and she paled visibly.



“We have all talked, and decided that you need a break.”



Kagome blinked. A break?



“We all chipped in and bought you a train ticket home for the weekend.” Hikari said gently.



The raven haired girl gasped.



“You’ve been running yourself ragged all week, and that nightmare you’ve had, well… we just thought it would be good for you to go home for a couple of days.” Sayuri said gently.



Kagome opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by Ryoko.



“Don’t bother arguing, you need it, we see this. The ticket wasn’t expensive split between the four of us, and we really want to help. This was the only way we could think of; whatever it is that is bothering you enough to give you nightmares like that and make you study till your brain begins to ooze out your ears is probably not something that you want to share with us. That’s fine, but you need a break, some rest, and maybe someone at home can help you sort this out. You’re our friend Kagome; we want you to do well in school, and not just in the grades department.”



The dumbfounded girl gave a slight nod in acquiescence.



“Good. I wasn’t about to take no for an answer. I need my beauty sleep you know. It’s hard work looking this good.” Ryoko said loftily, giving Kagome a wink.



So it was set. Kagome was sent to her room to pack and informed that a taxi would be by to pick her up at five.



Life just took a flying leap out of the realm of normalcy.







. . .







The train ride was peaceful, and Kagome was surprised to see her mother waiting patiently at the platform for her. The girls really covered all their bases. That nightmare and the fallout must have been worse than she remembered.



The first day home was a blur, dinner seemed uproarious, but life at the shrine seemed otherwise unchanged. Kagome hadn’t realized how much she had missed home until she came back. The rest of the evening Kagome spent time chatting with her family, talking about school things and letting her mother scold her for being too serious about her studies.



Hello twilight zone.



Kagome was informed that no good came out of over stressing about schoolwork. Her mother went on to tell her that it was important to find a balance and not let one thing take over her life. She wanted to scoff at the things her mother told her, but she only nodded begrudgingly and listened patiently to what she was told. Obviously the girls had failed to mention the nightmare incident and played up the over zealousness she had with her schoolwork. She inwardly thanked them for allowing her to choose if she wanted to talk about it with her mother. She didn’t in the least. It was something she wanted to sort out on her own.



Kagome’s room seemed unlived in, the difference being the neatness of everything. Her desk was straight, her bed was made, there were no clothes strewn anywhere. Everything was in its place, which made it all completely out of place. The only thing that wasn’t where she had left it was the rosary. The enchanted string lay brazenly out on her desk, brusquely reminding what the true reason for her return visit home was. She picked up the haughty little beads, finding it very peculiar that they were even out, and that they seemed to have taken on a personality. But immediately after picking up the beads, Kagome’s eyes were drawn outside. The God tree stood in all its might and glory, beckoning her to it. The tree called out to her, telling her it was there to offer clarity and comfort.



Kagome absently pocketed the beads in her coat and headed outside. She had a lot of thinking to do.







. . .







The rest of her stay flew by quickly and sooner than she could really comprehend, or honestly prepare, she was on the train back to school. She arrived back late afternoon; the air was quite cool and she very thankful for her warm woolen coat. Kagome wasn’t entirely ready to talk to Kin, but she had decided to give him a chance. He was a person, apart from Inuyasha, just as she was from Kikyou. Anything beyond that still needed some work, but even several hours under the Goshinboku was not enough to sort all of that out.



She still planned on avoiding him for the next couple of days, in order to work up the courage to truly talk to him. So to escape from bumping into him, she took a back way, across some fields and around some older, less used buildings. Ahead of her she saw a group of boys playing a riotous game of soccer, shirts and skins. A pang of lust swept through her as she imagined Kin running lithely about without his shirt, but a streak of fear accompanied it as she realized he really could be playing with that group of rowdy boys. And just her rotten luck, he was.



Damn.



And he had his shirt on.



Double Damn.



She tried her best too look inconspicuous as she walked by, but she failed miserably and seemed to catch the attention of a number of the players. She was hoping that maybe, just maybe she would escape but sure enough he’d seen her. Eri would have joked that it was meant to be.



“Kagome!”



She sped up, cursing herself for choosing to walk that particular route. She could hear him jogging up to her. Turning a corner down a deserted pathway she hopped futilely that he would give up. She cursed the heavens at the sounds of sneakers on pavestone behind her.



“Kagome, wait.” Kin said, in a tone that did not indicate request.



The girl turned, stopping warily and wringing the strap of her bag in her hand. She looked at a fairly sweaty but quite stern looking Kin. It was most definitely an Inuyasha face he was making; however, it was still completely a Kin expression as well.



“Look, I know you’ve been avoiding me.” He growled, but then seemed to relent and began in a softer tone. “I really am sorry about the tower, I just couldn’t help myself. I…”



“No, really Kin, it’s ok.” Kagome cut in.



“No. No it’s not.” He barked at her, then sighing in exasperation he stepped forward and scratched the back of his head.



“Look, Kagome. I like you. As completely cheesy as this sounds: whenever I see you I forget to breathe, and whenever you’re close to me my heart feels like it’s going to beat right out of my chest. It’s insane. From the minute you ran into me and went berserk for no reason I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”



Kagome was dumbstruck, his admission left very little air in her own lungs and her heart skipped a number of beats before remembering to beat again. All the doubts she had were overtaken by the joy she felt.



“Kin, I... I’m sorry; it’s not you, really.” She apologized.



Kin stepped closer to her, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.



“I know. I’m pretty sure it has to do with the guy that looks like me, right? He broke your heart, and whenever you see me, you see him.” Kin seemed quite indignant at the thought.



“It aint right. I shouldn’t be stuck in this loser’s shadow.” He groused, but stopped and looked into her eyes with his own pleading honey orbs. “You don’t have to be afraid of me Kagome. I’m not him”



I’m not him



His words seemed to echo through Kagome to her core. Her heart simultaneously broke and came together in one beat at the thought. But she had only a split second to comprehend the cascade of emotions before Kin’s mouth came crashing down on hers, and then all other thoughts ceased.



Kagome’s entire body alighted with a passion she had long ago forsaken. The feel of his lips devouring her own was so intense she could at first only grab at his arms. But it was not long before she was kissing him back in a desperate attempt to match his passion. She had missed, so much, the feel of another person, and the chemistry between her and Kin was enough to make her whole body ache with need. He pulled her closer and delved his tongue between her lips, groaning softly when she allowed him in. Both were suddenly breathing as franticly as they were kissing, and Kagome began to ache fiercely between her legs. Desperately they kissed, trying to slake their suppressed desires and their fresh need. And as Kagome’s body sang a joyous song of reawakening and impending satiation the image of Inuyasha’s cracking clay face flashed in her mind. She immediately tore herself from Kin’s embrace, looking at him in confusion. A great part of her demanded to return to what she had previously been doing, but a larger part cried out in cold fear and hot anger.



“I can’t do this.” She said. Looking at Kin apologetically she whispered, ‘not yet’ and turned to leave.



Kin stood once more, staring at her fleeing form. His heart was racing and his breathing was heavier than any game of soccer had ever induced. But as Kagome left, something caught the young man’s eye. A dark lump fell from Kagome’s pocket as she ran off, and it pooled on the ground ahead. Walking over he realized it was a necklace with dark beads and what looked like fangs from some kind of animal.



He bent to retrieve it and as his fingers brushed the beads, it seemed as if they’d pulsed. He picked up the necklace and it pulsed again in his hand. The beads felt like they were demanding to be worn, calling out to something deep within him. Kin complied, completely aware of how random and crazy what he was doing must be. As soon as the rosary was around his neck it gave a great pulse and Kin felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. A flash of memories ran before his eyes. A great beast, an even greater sword, and Kagome’s sweet face scrunched in ecstasy as she writhed beneath him. Blinking his gold eyes Kin tried to regain his breath.



Something felt different. It was so strange. He felt, for the first time, truly alive. And…awake.





. . .



Again.. so sorry for the wait. Anyways.. I hope you liked it. Also.. if anyone seriously would like to beta me or draw me something nice just let me know! Thanks!