Challenge Collection by Sessylove219 by Sessylove219

A Spider's Disbelief

Title: A Spider's Disbelief

Word Count: 861

Rating: K

Prompt: Toxic

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The tentacles squeezed around her neck, making hard to breath. He could see that she was really trying to stay alert, mentally and physically, but that she was struggling. He knew how it was to be held by the throat, after all, hadn't his brother done it to him about a thousand times while he was growing up?

"Kagome!" Shippou yelled out.

"Get back! You will not help her by making her worry about you!" Inuyasha scolded. He knew it was a low blow, but nothing else would make the kitsune listen. He didn't seem to listen to anyone but her. Then again, he didn't seem to love anyone but her. He liked the rest of the group, but really, he loved Kagome like she was the only thing in the world that had any meaning.

Shippou looked up at Inuyasha and said, "Take care of her!" Inuyasha could only nod.

Sango and Miroku could only stare the clearing in the field where it seemed like they had been battling for years. There was nothing that they could do to help her; Naraku's toxic miasma had filled the area so densely that no one that was human could get through. The only hope for Kagome now was Inuyasha or a miracle. Kirara couldn't do it, and Shippou was too young. They looked to Inuyasha now.

For his part, the hanyou was trying to concentrate on the best approach; all while trying not to let the fact that she was being strangled distract him. It was hard, though. He loved her. The fact that she didn't really feel that way for him anymore was just another challenge, to him. She would come around. She just had to. She had loved him since the first second that they met.

He knew that the miasma would overwhelm his half human body very quickly so he would probably only have one chance, so this absolutely had to be perfect.

Inuyasha stood there, trying to find the absolute best way to get her away from the filthy spider, and he heard her voice.

"It's okay, Inuyasha."

It was barely a whisper. But as soon as it left her mouth, she slumped forward. Naraku's voice boomed out over the clearing.

"Is there anyone you haven't failed yet, Inuyasha?"

"Silence, hanyou."

Inuyasha looked behind him. His brother, the aristocratic assassin himself, Sesshoumaru had arrived.

Naraku looked over to where Sesshoumaru was standing, and his eyes narrowed. "This doesn't concern you, Sesshoumaru. Just walk away. I will deal with you another day."

Sesshoumaru just walked closer and said, "Drop the miko."

Naraku threw his head back and laughed. He shook Kagome's body. "This? You would stand against me for this?"

"The miko's heart still beats."

"So what? Why get into this battle, Sesshoumaru?" Naraku threw her body to the ground.

Inuyasha only looked between the two of the bickering males, unsure of what was going on. He was happy to see that Kagome was breathing, and saw that she was about to wake up, but he was still confused. Why would Sesshoumaru get into this?

"She is worthy of This Sesshoumaru's respect. That is more that most can say."

"Should I be offended, Sesshoumaru?" Naraku hissed. "You only respect power. Therefore you should respect me as well."

"It is not just the miko's power that has caught This Sesshoumaru's interest," he said in a haughty manner.

Kagome was starting to come around, listening to Naraku speak. She couldn't really figure out who the vile hanyou was speaking to until she heard a name, Sesshoumaru. Her heart started to beat a little faster, and she tried harder to open her eyes. When she heard the last comment from Sesshoumaru, she looked over to him, though turning her head was extremely painful.

"Then what exactly are you interested in, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha interrupted.

"Silence."

"No, I think we all deserve an answer to that, Sesshoumaru. Why would you care about what I do to this miko? Humans are nothing to you. What does the fate of this one matter?" Naraku was enjoying this even more than he thought he would. Killing the miko would wound Inuyasha, but he was not sure exactly how it would affect Sesshoumaru. It would affect him, but Naraku wanted to know exactly how.

"This miko will be the Lady of the Western Lands."

"WHAT?!?" Inuyasha yelled.

WHAT?!? Kagome thought. Maybe the oxygen deprivation her brain had suffered was making her crazy. If I were going to be Sesshoumaru's wife...er...mate, than she was sure she would have known about it. Right? Right?

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing either. There had to be some mistake. Sesshoumaru had hated him his entire life because of his human mother. There was no way he could have feelings for a human.

But when Kagome opened her eyes, and looked right past him at Sesshoumaru, he saw the softening, and the hope in her eyes. And when he looked backwards and saw the look of concern and fierce determination in his brother's, he knew that he should give up on all hope of ever winning back Kagome's love. She was gone...