An exasperated sigh was his response.
I know he rolled his eyes, even though I'm in front of him. It is strange to know a person so well that you can practically imagine their every reaction? I guess strange is normal for me. The whole travelling back in time half a millennia and fighting magical demons thing has really skewed my perception of normal. I'm also picking up some of Inuyasha's sarcastic charm.
Ignoring his brooding, I purposely stepped on the small piles of leaves littering the pathway. The crunch beneath my feet soothes some of the awkward silence between us. I guess sometime during the short trek I started jumping pile to pile and forgot about the surly hanyou behind me. It wasn't until he snorted, and I swear it sounded sort of like a laugh, that I realized someone was watching. A burn began to creep its way to the surface of my cheeks. I turned around warily and eyed him from the side, trying to judge his mood. He was frowning at me.
"Inuyasha?"
I started walking backwards, cautiously I might add. No use in another embarrassing face plant. He thinks I can't read him, or that I'm naive, but I know how he works. I tilted my head to the side and called his name again. Instantly I saw him bristle.
"Two days wench." I grin and turn back around.
Our relationship is still very fragile, very unsure. Oh, I've been desperately in love with him for years now, but I've overcome my own fragility. In fact, I'm getting a bit more daring now – or as daring as you can get with a stubborn, frustratingly oblivious hanyou. I wonder if he'll ever realize why I like going home so often, even if it's only for a few hours - especially if it's only for a few hours. Part of me hopes he does, but most of me is terrified he'll stop if he does.
"Oi." I'm startled out of my contemplative stupor. Blinking, I realize we've reached the well. "Two days, not a second more, got it?"
He stops near the edge of the clearing, beneath the fragmented shade of the naked branches. I walk forward a few steps before taking a deep breath and turning around. "Do you want to come back with me?" I want to kick myself for how weak and almost cracked my voice sounds. The burn comes back when Inuyasha just stands there. Is he catching on?
"Fine." I turn around to hide my smile. Quietly, I hear him approach the side of the well with me. We stand at the edge together, staring into the depths of the well. I work up the nerve to move, and before I can, Inuyasha grasps my waist and pulls me closer. "Come on then."
I turn and bury myself into his chest. He holds me close and jumps over the edge, freefalling through the portal. As quietly as I can I inhale his scent as I'm wrapped in his embrace. I relish in the warmth I find in the cradle of his loose arms and momentarily lose my carefully constructed composure. Soon, the rush slows and I feel the dirt materialize beneath me. As we settle, I grip the sides of his robes tighter, a weakness inside me unrelenting and begging to get closer. Then I hear him clear his throat uncomfortably.
"Kagome?" My hands drop.
"S-sorry." The burning intensifies. I start to pull away.
"Wait!" his sudden shout seems louder in the confined walls of the well. I look up questioningly, and to my surprise, I see a similar blush dusting his cheeks. I bite my lips to tone down the smile threatening to burst through. Without another word I settle myself back into his embrace.
We still have a lot to go through, a lot of hurdles and problems to solve. But I think we'll be okay one day.
