To Catch A Demon (Inuyasha fanfic)

Chapter 13

Kagome could take things slow. Of course she could. It wasn't really an issue that her libido had gone haywire, or that she constantly had to change her undergarments because of how often they became drenched. Truly, she was fine.

Inuyasha was spending a lot of time with her, and if she thought of it well, she understood that this was a wonderful thing. Progress in the making. When they'd first met, Inuyasha had not even liked her. He thought she was a copy of an ex who wounded him years before. But not this Inuyasha. This Inuyasha had never fallen in love with Kikyou. During their talks for the past three nights, he was open to divulge a lot of information about himself, including his relationship-or lack thereof-with the fallen priestess.

Kagome was honest with herself. She really liked that this Inuyasha held no past; not that she never got over it before. But it simply felt good being his first kiss, at least to his mind.

The past few days had been met with torrential weather. Thunder shouted from the rooftops, forcing villagers indoors. Still, Kagome had work to do. Rain did not stop the daily tasks of a priestess-in-training, and people continued to get hurt, some way or another.

The young man from last week was finally on the mend, capable of talking for the first time in days. He lay on a cot in front of Lady Kaede as she applied medicinal herbs on his back and thighs. Not many people were aware of this, but the man was in a constant state of war with a demon who fought for his soul. Sometimes, when he lay asleep, she could see the monster move in him, morphing his face into something grotesque. The demon was strong and they could not seem to free him from its grasp.

Villagers would not be very appreciative of this circumstance, but Kagome and Kaede did not have the heart to send him away on his own. He was a fairly nice fellow and managed to talk to the women on occasion about who he was and from where. Even now, he spoke to Kagome with a kind voice, struggling to make out clear sentences because of the burden he lived with.

Kagome knelt down, resting her hands on her thighs. He turned to her and smiled, the gentle gesture feeling contagious.

"You look well," she told him.

"I feel much better thanks to the both of you."

"Ay, Akihiko," Kaede chimed. "Ye fair much better than before. Do ye think ye can walk?"

His brows furrowed. "The demon weighs heavy upon my soul, but I reckon I may."

Kaede put down the bottles she used to heal him, and they watched him as he attempted to rise, pushing himself up with his arms. He struggled somewhat and Kagome jumped in to give him aide. He thanked her profusely while sweat glistened on his ashen skin.

"You are kind, Lady Kagome."

"Just doing my job," she sang. Now on his feet, Kagome was able to anchor him while he tried to move his legs. He grunted, the struggle apparent. "There you go," she told him. "You've got it."

He took one step, then another. Kaede nodded. "'Tis wonderful that ye can now move. I feared the demon would incapacitate ye for too long."

"He can handle it, right Akihiko?"

Color marred his skin. "I believe so. But I would rather be free from his hold. He plagues me night and day."

Kagome scrunched her lips in thought. "What kind of demon is it?"

A shadow came over him. "I do not know."

"How did ye come about it?"

"I was walking home from the Kiyomizudera temple. My village is merely five hour's length from there. It... It was rather foolish of me to have walked at night, as I did." Demons were more prevalent in the blackness of that hour than at any other time. "One moment, I was alone. The next, the demon came and simply attacked me, entering my body in an onslaught of malice."