FicWad

A Metamorphosis of Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 1: Perceptions Skewed

by: ellyse the silent

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

This fic was originally posted on Fanfiction.net under the same title and by me (obviously) with the same screen name. Both are in progress.
Notes about warnings:
Spoilers: I guess... nothing to horrible. ;-)
A/U: Yes and proud of it!
Rape/Sexual Violence: Hopefully to be kept at a minimum. Only at the end of Chapter 10 so far. You can avoid it easily and I always warn ahead of time.
Violence: Inu-Yasha = Violence. Fighting/blood/images.
Sex: No Lemons. Just kissing and heavy breathing.
Child/Underage Sex: Kagome is underage but like I said its not all out sex. Also warning to come... child sexual abuse. (Slight Chapter 10)

((A/N: Edited and switched around. Thank you Elizabeth Hemingway for making me go back and rereading this chapter with a more critical eye. I like it much better now.))

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

We have lost even this twilight.

No one saw us this evening hand in hand

while the blue light dropped on the world.

-Pablo Neruda

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

(K-pov)

I met him, face to face for the first time, in the library.

Actually the right word for it would be ran into him at the library. I knew his name, every girl in the school did. He was one of the "hottest" guys who graced the halls of Nagasaki High School. He was also the Kendo champion and a world class contender for the highest honours bestowed on Kendo members. He was a loner; every day he would go to the same table in the corner of the lunch room. He walked by himself in the halls, and apart from his large following of girls, no one called out greetings to him. He was Goth, and dangerous- he was beautiful and larger then life all at the same time. He was Inu-Yasha.

I came around a shelf in the science fiction/fantasy section, my arms full of books. He stood there watching me run into him. He didn't move, his body barely registering the fact that a 115 pound girl had just run into it.

"I am so sorry!" I mumbled picking myself off the ground and scrambling for my books.

"Watch where you're going wench," he snapped, but he knelt and helped me gather my books off the floor. His voice was like liquidly chocolate even when he snapped.

He was still wearing his Kendo uniform. His long silver-white hair was beautiful but strange. It was strange to see a boy with white hair and a young face but his eyes, glittering golden-amber, were old. They seemed to veil his mind and at the same time made me feel like we shared a secret. But what was almost frightening was how impossibly deep but old and tired they looked. Eyes that I could drown in if I looked into them long enough.

"What are you staring at? Huh?" He shoved the last of my books into my arms.

"Nothing," I realizing I was staring up into his eyes and looked away over his shoulder at the clock; wait was that the right time?

He shook his head, the black ribbons moving and the silver beads clinking. "Whatever," He snapped and turned around and walked away. I watched his hair sway in time to his gait. He wore a hat; he always wore his hat. At the beginning high school there had been a row about it. His mother had insisted he wear it even though it was against school policy with the dress code. She said it was ethnical and religious in nature and he could never take it off. It wasn't a Jewish fez or a turban or anything like that. It was black and covered the top of his head like a fez but a lot bigger. Down the back, threw his hair, trailed long ribbon-like streamers with silver beads attached.

Glancing at the clock again I ran past him towards the check out lines. It was 9:30 already; I was going to have to walk home, alone, in the dark. I stuffed the last of my books into my yellow backpack and ran out the doors. Mum was going to slaughter me when I got home.

I ran down the street a few blocks, past little shops and two bars. I slowed when I saw a few drunken men near the curb. They were laughing and talking, passing a bottle between them. I stopped for a moment in the shadows, and hoped they would go away. When they didn't I started to run again.

I was just past them when someone grabbed the back of my backpack and hauled me back.

"Hey little girl," a hoarse voice spoke in my ear, foul smelling breath whispered across my cheek. I shivered and tried to pull out of his grasp. He laughed, "Feisty girl." His hand curled around the front of me to start to lift my shirt.

Just when I opened my mouth to scream someone spoke behind us.

"Sod off old man," Someone growled. My assailant and I twisted around to stare. Inu-yasha stood there, bag over his shoulder, glaring at the man behind me. "I'd let go of her if I were you," his voice was still chocolaty but layered with danger like a sheathed sword.

The man sucked in a breath and let go of me, "Sorry young man I didn't-" He started.

"I don't give a crap. Shut up." Inu-Yasha snapped and stepped forward, catching my arm dragging me past there group. "You shouldn't stay in the library so long," he mumbled to me.

"I lost track of time," my voice was hoarse with fear of those men and the realization that Inu-Yasha probably just saved me from getting raped or another fate worse then death.

He hadn't let go of my arm yet, "Yeah well- I might not be there next time."

"I-I guess so," I didn't know what to say.

"Yeah? Just keep your eye on the time from now on."

I nodded, unable to answer, to aware that he still held me close. He kept me there for a few more strides. I looked down at his hand, it was big and his nails were long and painted black. They contrasted weirdly with my pale arm. I could feel the growl in his chest, a low vibration like a purr. I let him drag me along with him. If only my cat purred like him. The gentle hum was soothing to my highly strung nerves. I felt myself relax into his body as he half carried; half dragged me down the street. He was strong, so strong that I couldn't have gotten away from him if I had desired to.

He set me on my feet at the beginning of the residential street and fell into step beside me. I stared up at him. Was this Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde? Never in a million years had I thought that Inu-Yasha would save me from some crazy drunks and then walk me home. Not that I was complaining, the streets were pitch black and I found myself walking closer to him. "Thanks."

"Keh... whatever," he pointedly looked away.

I took the hint and shut up. We walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Where is your house?" He broke the silence.

"The Shrine house at the-"

He took my arm again with out waiting for me to finish. "I know that place."

In mild shock I let him pull me down the street. He didn't have me pressed against him now and I began to wonder if I had imagined the growl. We came to the gate of my home, carved with protective kanji.

He let me go then and leaned closer to the gate posts to inspect them. "Who did these?"

"Ojii-san," I answered moving up to watch him trace a few with his fingers. "He is of a traditional mentality." I grinned. It had long been a joke with my friends about my Ojii-san and his superstitions. Even now, under my school blouse I wore a kanji amulet that meant 'protection'. It seemed to have worked tonight. Kami-sama had sent Inu-Yasha to protect me hadn't he?

Inu-Yasha smiled a sneaky smile, "He missed one." He opened the gate and ushered me inside.

"Which one?" I asked curious about his knowledge of kanji. Most of the Japanese children in this part of the city were third or fourth, even fifth generation; and had very little knowledge of the general Japanese language let alone Chinese kanji.

"Hanyou," He said closing the gate softly.

"Half daemon?" I rolled my eyes, "Don't tell Ojii-san, he doesn't need anymore encouragement."

Inu-Yasha smiled in the darkness, flashing white teeth in the gloom, "Don't worry."

The door opened, spilling golden light across the courtyard. "Kagome?" My mother's voice floated from the door.

"I'm here Okasan," I started towards the door. "Thanks again Shiro." I said, looking back at him.

He shrugged, his white hair was hanging over his shoulder and glowed faintly in the moonlight.

I waved a little self consciously, "See you tomorrow."

He looked surprised for a moment before his usual sullen expression flickered back into place. "Feh..." He mumbled, turning to the gate again.

"Kagome? Who are you talking to? Buyo! Kagome get your cat and get in here! It's almost ten!" My mother called from the door. She sounded upset as I had expected. "Who is that? Is that a boy? You are in big trouble young lady!"

I ignored her in favour of looking for Buyo. "Buyo?" I nosed around in the bushes until I found him curled up between the juniper bush and the fence. "Buyo, honey what are you doing?" I crooned scooping him up in my arms.

"Kagome, did you find Buyo?"

"Yes Okasan," I called back.

"Get in here young lady!"

I sighed, "Yes mother..."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

(I-pov)

Kagome's Okasan sounded angry, my ears picked up every thing they said to each other as I walked away from her house. What she didn't know was that I lived next door to her. They had such a large yard around the Shrine and the back three sides were walled off that I am sure they didn't know that my mother and I lived on the far side of them. I had been caught off guard when she had run into me. I can't say that I knew her well even though we were classmates. That I knew of her would be more truthful.

I am the type of person that would be on the outward fringe (if I was in it at all) of the friendship circle of a girl like her. I am also the type that a Kagome's mother would not appreciate knowing her daughter. I am, however, not the kind of person to stand by while an innocent girl got raped.

Kagome wrote for the school paper, and I enjoyed every article and poem she wrote. That was about all I knew about Kagome Higurashi.

"Yash?" Kaede called from the kitchen as I stepped into the entrance hall.

I kicked off my shoes and walked across the hall. "Yeah Okasan?"

She crossed the kitchen to give me a hug. "You are home late," she murmured kissing my cheek.

"I don't know why you bother worrying," I muttered, tossing my hat on a chair and letting the spell that held my fangs and claws in check waver and die.

"Yasha! Honestly, would I be a good mother if I did not worry?" Kaede stood on tip toes so I could kiss her cheek.

I smiled down at her, "Guess not. What'cha making?" I asked crossing to the counter. An assortment of Japanese and American foods lay cooling on baking racks. "Mmmm... chocolate chip." I bit into a cookie and turned to face her. "My favourite!" I leaned on the counter and watched her cross the room.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," she opened the cupboard and took out a foam cup of instant ramen. "Hungry?"

I nodded, Kaede was the best. She seemed to know just when I needed ramen; my comfort food. It was probably her miko instincts but I didn't ask I just accepted.

She popped it into the microwave and turned to me again. "Did you have a good day?" It was her way of asking why I actually needed ramen.

"Ok... mostly the same." I finished off the cookie and turned to the microwave as it beeped. "I met someone from my class today; at the library." I pulled out the hot cup and closed the microwave door.

"Oh? Who?" Kaede pulled open the oven door and pulled out another tray of cookies. My nose immediately informed me they were oatmeal raisin.

I sat facing her, "Higurashi Kagome."

"The writer of all those good poems?"

"Tadashii."

"Yash... Be careful. She is doing something to you." She turned to look me in the eyes. Yes that was defiantly her inner miko speaking.

I rolled my eyes and opened the cup of ramen, "I am and no she's not!"

((A/N: The quote is from Pablo Neruda's second book: Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Dispair and it is poem number 10. A good poem, though I took the quote a bit out of context and shoved it into my fic. I take no credit for Neruda's beautiful words!

Okasan- mother

Ojii-san- grandfather

Kami-sama- God

-san - honorific like Mr. or Mrs., title of respect

-chan - honorific for a very close friend

Tadashii- Right))