kagome retrieves the arrow, climbing over the hilly tree with ease [sango's training as helped her beyond measure. she's so so much stronger than she was just months ago] & as she turns over the bow away into her pack, she comes face face with him. he's always there, isn't he? everywhere kagome goes, inuyasha is sure to follow. sesshomaru's anger leaves the grass half singed, a brothers' spat that turned so bloody kagome struggled to escape until eventually the demons disappeared. he tells her she's lucky as if it's something as silly as luck that keeps her alive ! it's him. it's him. kagome sees the red of his dress and feels the worries burn away, light as air. like a dream as she'd tell her friends back home. how many times as he saved her life? how many times has she tried to save his... kagome looks at him, truly takes him all in [he's cute, sometimes.] maybe even charming. [in the moonlight, he looks soft. more human than demon. more friend than companion. more hers than kikyo's.] his words drown away in her head, not that she really is paying attention anyway. the joy of the calm, the joy of seeing him again, the joy of feeling her heartbeat with excitement. for a second, things were terrifying. kagome knows better. she knows better than to let fear win, to think about a world where inuyasha is gone — she knows that fear has no place for a girl as brave as her. but she cannot resist it, she cannot hide from the fear. she knows that she should tell him off, that she knows exactly where to aim her arrows, but the only thing she can think of is him : how happy she is that he's alright. it's way she rushes into his arms, tucking her head under his chest. closing her eyes, she just stills. the whole moment stills, just the softness of the wind in the air, the light movement of leaves bristling. the sound of his heart. (proof it exists!) ❝ i'm so glad you're okay, — i was worried — for just a second inuyasha. your brother is scary sometimes. ❞ face tilts uwpard, eyes meeting his and all kagome can think about is how much she never wants to stop seeing those eyes.
the moment calms, the realization that they're both alright — that they're both living to tell another tale, to fight another adventure — breaks the stillness. she releases him, a step backward. [ now wait just a second — did 𝙝𝙚 tell 𝒉𝒆𝒓 off? ] now that the obligatory thank yous are out of the way, and that kagome has done her duty telling him how she feels — shouldn't he do the same? instead, she's told off for a small grazing arrow that didn't even hit him! kagome scrunches her nose, taking a big step into his face, up close and personal. ❝ excuse me, but did you think i wwuld take the shot if i didn't know FOR CERTAIN that it wouldn't hit you? i told you i know what i'm doing and you never, ever believe me! ❞ she turns away, deciding she's had enough of him for now. how dare he! she holds her backpack close to her shoulder, already marching on forward to where the rest of the group stood watching. ❝ are you just going to stand there? 𝑙𝑒𝑡'𝑠 𝑔𝑜 inuyasha! ❞