"Hey, Kagome, you got any maxi-pads?"
A yelp resounded across the space between Kagome and her roommate as she turned to face him. "What could you possibly need those for?!" she shrieked.
The young man leaned against her bedroom doorframe, clad in only a pair of slack-waisted jeans as his toothbrush hung from his mouth. He had a bad habit of chewing on the bristles after he was finished with it, and she constantly had to buy him new ones because he was too lazy to do it himself. His silvery-white hair, an anomaly as far as genes went and uncharacteristically long as far as men went, hung down his shoulders, still damp from his shower. His bangs hung haphazardly across his forehead, shading deep amber eyes. He shrugged nonchalantly at her horror, as if men asked for feminine hygiene products at least twice a day. "I got water all over the bathroom floor again, and I didn't want you to slip and bitch at me for it like you did last time."
Her brow furrowed in confusion as her arm continued its interrupted course to the hanger in her closet. She had been deciding what to wear when he'd dropped his atomic bomb of words on her sleep-deprived mind. "Why don't you just use a towel?"
Again he shrugged. "Pads are more absorbent. Takes up less material, and they're biodegradable!" He had pulled his toothbrush out of his mouth and was now standing in a comical position: he had planted his feet and spread his arms out, hands splayed, save for the toothbrush-grasping fingers, and his face had an open-mouthed grin plastered to it while his eyes twinkled with mirth. He reminded her of an old-school performer, the ones with the top hats and canes. She rolled her eyes and coughed to hide her giggle.
"No, Inu Yasha. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't use maxis." She looked back into her closet as he popped the toothbrush back into his mouth, chewing out of habit. "Maybe you could ask Kikyo?"
He sputtered and nearly dropped the toothbrush, fumbling with it as he fought to catch it. Finally his fingers closed around it and he looked up from his half-bent position in the doorway. This time Kagome did nothing to hide her laugh. "Um, no," he said, awkward surprise flitting across his features. "I don't think that would go over well. 'Hey, Kikyo, how's it going? Say listen, I was wondering if you had any maxi-pads 'cause Kags doesn't use them and, well, I need some.' Yeah, no. Not happening."
Again Kagome giggled and Inu Yasha straightened, moving to flop himself down on Kagome's bed, the sheets and blankets already ruffled. He pulled a turquoise-cased pillow over and pushed it under his chest, laying down on it and hugging it to himself as he watched her, the toothbrush again poking out of the side of his mouth. Kagome groaned inwardly, knowing she'd have to Febreeze that pillow before she went to sleep tonight or she'd end up dreaming of him. It always seemed to happen when he took up residence in her bed. She'd lay down at night and his scent would be all over the place, and as scent was the strongest tie to memory, she'd end up having all sorts of weird dreams about him. Once she dreamt he'd kissed his lecher of a best friend, Miroku! She shook her head. She would not be having weird dreams tonight.
His voice intruded her thoughts and she almost jumped. She'd been staring blankly into her closet and still had no idea what she was going to wear! "Hey, whatcha thinkin' about?" he queried. She shrugged.
"Just wondering about Kikyo," she lied. Kikyo was his most recent girlfriend, and she definitely wasn't like any of the girls her roommate had ever before dated. She was subdued, almost prude-like, and if she knew anything about Inu Yasha, she knew good and well that he was far from being prudish. He may not be an outright lecher like Miroku, but Kagome had heard enough about Inu Yasha's experiences to know that he was sexually active, blunt about it, and quite creative in his ventures. Kagome blushed, glancing over at her lifelong best friend. He was the proverbial boy next door, and yet he was the ever yearned after bad boy. She knew everything about him, and him her, and so she wondered just exactly why Kikyo was even with him. Kagome knew girls like her, and girls like Kikyo certainly didn't go for guys like Inu Yasha.
"Yeah…" he muttered. "So what do you think about her, anyway?"
Without missing a beat, she retorted over her shoulder. "She's a prude. What's she doing with a guy like you, anyway? Goody-goody girls like her never go for guys like you."
He grunted behind her, shifting around. She slid hangers from side to side, analyzing her wardrobe. "What makes you think that?"
The girl didn't answer as she pulled a black, slim-fit tee from her closet, throwing it on the bed in front of his face. He snorted as she moved to her dresser. "Trust me, Inu Yasha. She's up to something."
She could feel him stiffen behind her defensively. She may be his best friend, but she knew he was extremely defensive of his girlfriends. "Whaddyou mean," he half snarled.
She sighed, looking back at him over her shoulder as she reached into a drawer for a pair of jeans. "Just trust me on this one, Yash. Something isn't right about her." She turned back to her dresser. "There's something almost… insincere about the way she acts."
Kagome had seen Kikyo a number of times with Inu Yasha since he'd started dating her three weeks before. She'd been at their apartment at least four times a week when she was home, and more than that when she wasn't. She didn't even know if Inu Yasha went to work or class anymore, but it wasn't any business of hers, really. He never failed to have the money he needed, the favor of his boss, and the best grades in his chosen major. She didn't question his technique, as long as he didn't screw up her meticulous schedule.
"So what are you doing today?" he asked, changing the subject. They both knew that what needed to be said had been said. Both of them weren't people for a lot of words, and Inu Yasha had known Kagome long enough to know exactly what she was trying to say, even if she couldn't get it out exactly right. He had even learned long ago to decipher what he liked to call "word vomit", nonsensical babble that she spat out when she was nervous or when the words got screwed up somewhere between her brain and her mouth.
She shrugged. "I dunno. I thought maybe I might call Sango. I haven't seen her in awhile." It was her first whole day off in nearly two weeks, and finals were just around the corner, so she didn't want to waste it because she knew she wouldn't have this chance for quite some time.
She turned back around, tossing her jeans and underwear on the bed. He sat up on her bed, stretching for a moment, before settling himself back down on her pillows, leaning his head on his hands. "Why don't we get the group together today? We haven't all hung out in awhile."
She raised a curious eyebrow as she pulled open her box of accessories. "What, no Kikyo today?" He shook his head.
"Nah, she's visiting her family at the shrine today."
She shuffled through the bracelets, earrings, and rings, scrunching up her face confusedly when she found one of Inu Yasha's industrial bars amongst her jewelry. She turned around, holding it out to him. "You didn't go with her? How did this get in here?"
He shrugged again, crawling forward to take the earring from her, examining it carefully before putting it in his pocket. She sighed at the sight of him still chewing on his toothbrush. She'd have to go get him another one soon. "She asked me to, but I figured that since it was your only day off for awhile, I'd spend it with you. It must have gotten mixed up with your stuff that night I crashed with you a couple of months ago."
She nearly choked as that memory came flooding back. She'd been trying not to think about it. She turned back to her shuffling, hiding her blush. He didn't seem phased by the incident, but then again he never had. She sighed inwardly, aggravated with herself. "That's nice of you. Was she mad at you?"
She heard him sit up, crossing his legs. "Of course she was. You know how girls are when you pick the bestie over her. Especially when your bestie is another girl."
She laughed, glad that he hadn't mentioned that night again. "Oh, so we're besties now, are we?" She turned back around, laying her chosen accessories on her clothes. She remembered that she would need socks, and went back to the dresser to retrieve them.
"Kags, we've always been besties. You're my girl."
She shook her head, giving him a scolding look as she tossed her socks onto the pile of clothes for the day. "No, Kikyo's your girl. I'm your bro."
He shrugged, not missing a beat. "Well, you know what they say: 'Bros before hos.'"
She laughed, pulling her robe from the peg on her closet door and walking to the bathroom. She heard his footsteps as he followed her. She pulled the door shut behind her as she undressed, listening as he leaned against it. It seemed he had no need for maxi-pads or towels, as the floor was completely dry. "Did you tell Kikyo that?"
He barked out a short laugh. "Hah! Hell no. She'd have chanted me to death, or something."
She giggled, pulling back the shower doors and turning on the water. "Explain something to me," she said. She heard his head move against the door.
"Shoot."
"What in hell does the world need with priestesses these days anyway? I mean, I understand keeping the shrines, they're a part of history, but the religion? I mean, come on, haven't people figured out that chants and mantras and shit don't make the world a better place?"
She closed the shower door and turned her back to the spray as she heard him open the door and lean against the sink. "Easy, Kagome. You know that stuff like that is all relative to what an individual believes, not so much what can be seen by the naked eye. You and I think that science has pretty much made religion obsolete, but people like Kikyo and, god forbid, Miroku don't think that way. It's a matter of faith, a faith that you and I just don't have."
She sighed. "Damn philosophy."
He chuckled on the other side of the shower doors. "Yeah. Damn philosophy. So anyway, I'm gonna go call Miroku and Sango and finish getting ready, okay?"
She nodded, assuming that he could see the motion through the blurred glass. He walked out of the bathroom and closed the door, leaving her to her steaming shower.
After she had scrubbed the grease from her hair – her ultimate pet peeve – shaved, and washed whatever awful smells she'd picked up at the bar the night before, she turned off the water and got out of the shower. There was a dull thud coming through the walls from her room. She smiled; Inu Yasha knew her far too well. He'd turned on her radio for her, knowing she liked to sing and dance around like a total dork while she got ready.
She pulled on her robe and walked out of the bathroom and back to her room, her hair dripping down her back. She entered her room to find the bed made and the clothes she had picked out laying neatly on top, a second, alternative outfit laying next to it. She laughed, knowing that Inu Yasha was well aware of her habit to change her mind halfway through dressing. Surprisingly, he'd done a good job picking everything out. Jeans, a black halter, and everything to match. She decided to mix up the two outfits, choosing the halter over the tee.
Once she was dressed, she turned her radio down slightly and opened the door in case Inu Yasha wanted to talk to her. Without warning she heard someone knocking on the front door. She didn't know where Inu Yasha was, so she went to answer it, pulling a brush through her wet hair. "I've got it, Yash!" she called to nowhere in particular.
She opened the door and was startled to find a very angry looking Kikyo in the hall. The older girl glared at her, not bothering to hide her hatred. Normally Kikyo was at least civil, if a little tart, when she was around Kagome. She had never downright glared at her that way. Kagome leaned on the door, letting her brush hand fall to her side. "Hey, Kikyo. Is there something you need?" she asked politely.
The girl's glare deepened and Kagome's eyebrows flew up to her bangs. "I'm here to see Inu Yasha," she snapped. "Not you."
Kagome's eyebrows lowered and after a few minutes she quirked one in a dry look. "Sure, hang on." As Kikyo went to step inside the door, Kagome slammed it in her face. If Kikyo was going to play catty bitch, then Kagome would play catty bitch. The only difference was that Kagome didn't hide her bitchy side. When someone started something, she would finish it, and Kikyo had just started it.
Kagome didn't move from the door as she called out to Inu Yasha, wanting to make sure that Kikyo heard her. "Hey, Yash! Your little priestess bitch is here! Apparently her family didn't want her." She heard muffled protests outside the door and smiled smugly, finally moving away from the door and stepping into the kitchenette.
Inu Yasha came jogging down the hallway, cell phone to his ear. "Yeah, okay. See you in fifteen. Later." He snapped the phone shut. "What was that about a bitch and not wanting?" he asked. Before Kagome could answer, the door rattled as Kikyo banged on it.
"You little slut, open the door!" Inu Yasha looked at the door, confused as to why it was yelling obscenities. Kagome's eyes flared and she stomped to the door, practically ripping it open.
"Oh, hell no. You do not come to my apartment calling me names, you little high-and-mighty, holier than thou, hoity toity, stuck up, snooty —"
Kagome's tirade was cut off when Inu Yasha laid a hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. He knew that Kagome wouldn't hesitate to put Kikyo in her place if he let it keep going. Kagome was a sweet girl, loved by almost everyone he knew, but she didn't play around. Bullshit was not her thing.
"Kikyo?" he asked, "What are you doing here, I thought you were going to your family's shrine today."
The girl snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you?" she snarled. The young man's head snapped back as if he'd been hit.
"Excuse me?" he asked cautiously.
"Don't act like you don't know, you cheating bastard!" the girl yelled. At this point a couple of doors down the hall opened and Kagome cleared her throat.
"Whatever lovers' spat you guys are about to have, bring it inside." With that she turned and left the two in the living room. She knew when to step out of a fight just as well as when to finish one. Besides, Inu Yasha could defend himself.
She went into her room and closed the door, turning up the radio so that she could drown out their conversation. Or argument. Either way, Kagome hated eavesdropping. Especially on Inu Yasha. If he wanted to tell her later, he would.
She blow-dried her hair and straightened it, then proceeded to apply her makeup. Midway through her eyeliner, her door burst open and a very red-faced and angry Inu Yasha stepped inside. Without asking he stepped over and turned her radio down, the music fading into the background. Kagome looked at him questioningly as he buried his face in her pillows, inhaling deeply. She stepped out into the hallway and looked into the living room. Kikyo was gone. She went back into her room and closed the door behind her. She stared at Inu Yasha for a second, his form facedown and unmoving on her bed. He was breathing deeply and she knew he was trying to settle himself. She turned back and finished her makeup before trying to talk to him.
By the time she was done, Inu Yasha was sitting up and watching her in the mirror. She glanced at him as she slid the posts of her earrings through the holes in her lobes. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked. Kikyo may be a bitch, and Kagome may have hated her right at that moment, but it was Inu Yasha that she was more worried about. He was staring at her in the mirror with a strange expression, confusion and anger mingled into one.
"Kags… I never… cheated on her that you know of, did I?"
She turned around, giving him a confused look. "Unless it was with Miroku, no."
He furrowed his brow. "Not even when I was wasted?"
She looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember. They always went out together, a buddy system of sorts. Usually Miroku was there too, but even if he wasn't, Inu Yasha and Kagome never went out to a bar or club without one another. Kagome wasn't prone to drinking, alcohol made her want to puke at the first smell, so she was usually there just to hang out and have fun. And take care of Inu Yasha when he got totally plastered. She loved the looks on his face when he heard her stories recounting the things he did that she remembered and he didn't. He always made sure she kept an eye on him when he was in a relationship, too, using her as his anti-pivot. He was referring to one of these nights when he asked her.
Kagome sighed, looking back at him. "Again, unless it was with Miroku, then no."
Inu Yasha sighed, laying back on her bed, covering his eyes with his forearms. Just as she was about to ask what Kikyo had been accusing him of exactly another knock resounded at the door. She dearly hoped it wasn't that snarling snot again. She'd punch her in the face.
She pulled the door open to reveal the lecherous Miroku and her best girlfriend, Sango. She squealed with delight, having not seen Sango in what seemed like ages. She pulled the girl into a hug and then drug both of her friends into the apartment and into her room. Inu Yasha was still laying in the same position on her bed.
"Yash, Miroku and Sango are here!" she said as Sango settled at her desk and Miroku sat on the corner of her bed, staring at Inu Yasha questioningly.
"Hey, bud, what's up?" Inu Yasha just grunted, unmoving. Kagome reached forward, pulling on his arms to pull him up.
"Come on, Yash, it couldn't have been that ba—" She caught a glance of Inu Yasha's golden eyes and suddenly remembered. "Inu Yasha… " she said, horror in her voice.
He caught her terrified look and stared at her, sitting up confused for a moment before his face flashed with realization. "No…" he murmured.
She stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Yash…" whispered. The two stared at each other, oblivious to the intrigued look passed between their friends.
"Guys, what's going on?" Sango asked. Kagome looked over at her.
"Kikyo was just here on a rampage," she said, her eyes flashing dangerously for only an instant before regret filled her gaze again. She looked back at Inu Yasha. His eyes were trained on the floor beside his feet, his hair swirling around his clothed shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Inu Yasha," she said again.
It had happened the night before. They had gone out together to a local club. Kagome had had one of the worst days ever and had just wanted to get out and relax. It had been one of the few nights that she had braved the taste of alcohol enough for her to get totally wasted, while Inu Yasha was her guard. She remembered dancing with him, laughing, having fun. That was before she had one drink too many.
After more than six mojitos, much more than her body was tolerant of, her judgment had started to skew. For a moment she wondered why she didn't have the worst hangover of her life, and then she remembered that Inu Yasha had had her drinking Gatorade after they'd gotten home, making sure she'd gotten enough to be at least semi-hydrated before she went to sleep. That thought was pushed out of her mind as she met Inu Yasha's eyes. He sighed, defeated.
"Don't worry about it, Kags. It wasn't your fault."
She slumped. Of course it was her fault. She was the one that had been drinking! She barely remembered it, but she didn't really need to remember much. The feel of his shoulders and chest underneath his shirt, the way he had felt when she'd pressed herself against him, the silky feel of his hair between her fingers, his breath on her neck and hands on her hips, those things were burned into her memory. The one thing she remembered most vividly, though, was the searing feel of his lips on hers.
Technically it had been her lips on his, as she had kissed him. She felt so bad about it, unaware of exactly why she had kissed him in the first place. She had been all over him after that sixth glass, all her inhibitions shot to hell. She knew it was because he was someone she trusted and someone who wouldn't judge her, but she had never actually kissed him in that state before. Sure, he'd kissed her when he was drunk, but she'd always pushed him off of her, scolding him. And both of them had a habit of getting touchy-feely under the influence, especially with each other, but it was never mutual. It was always the drunk one feeling up the other, teasing while the sober one half-berated the drunken ministrations. None of it was ever taken seriously. Not until she kissed him. She didn't know if it was the mojito fucking with her memory, but she distinctly remembered his lips pressing back against hers.
He had kissed her back. And someone, someone close enough to Kikyo to tell, had seen them. She swallowed. "Are you okay, Yash?"
He looked up at her, her sad, regretful eyes, and all of a sudden, he was okay. He smiled, and it reached his eyes. Without thinking, and without heed to their friends, he grabbed her hand, pulling her down into his lap. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay."
Finally Sango and Miroku had had enough. "Will somebody explain something, please?!"
Kagome blushed and stood up, not meeting anyone's gaze as her word vomit sputtered from her mouth. Inu Yasha came ungracefully to her rescue. "Kagome got drunk last night and kissed me and somehow Kikyo found out. She came up here when I was on the phone with Miroku and started bitching."
Sango shifted uncomfortably. "Oh."
Miroku smirked, nudging Kagome to further her horror. "So were you really wasted or just playing it?" he asked. Inu Yasha again came to her rescue.
"'Roku…" The dark headed young man laughed.
"Sorry. I had to." Inu Yasha rolled his eyes as Sango slapped him on the head. "Ow!"
Sango looked tentatively at Inu Yasha. "So, are you and Kikyo over?"
He shrugged, snorting. "Guess so. If she can't hear me out for a simple misunderstanding, then she's not worth it anyway. I guess Kagome was right about her."
Kagome smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "So, where are we going?"
Miroku piped up. "Well first we're going to lunch!"
InuYasha snorted in agreement. "No kidding. I'm starved. By the way, has anybody heard from Shippo?"
As if in answer to his question, there was a third knock at the door. He went to answer it while the rest of the group followed suit. Kagome turned off her light as she left the room. She heard the slightly younger man's voice in the living room, and laughs followed. Shippo was hardworking, having graduated long before the rest of them. He was younger, but too smart for his own good. Aside from being a clinically diagnosed genius, he was awfully mischievous, and Inu Yasha often called him a "kit", short for the Japanese "kitsune". It meant fox, and in Japanese lore, foxes were the ultimate tricksters. Much like Shippo.
Shippo was always happy-go-lucky, but Kagome knew that sometimes he got quite lonely. He'd only ever had a handful of girlfriends, and never once had he broken up with anyone. They had always left him, unable to deal with his superior intelligence. He didn't flaunt it, and Kagome and her friends didn't find it a problem at all. She supposed that he just hadn't found the right woman yet.
Shippo cracked another joke before Inu Yasha asked him where he'd been. "Sorry," the younger man said. "I ran a little late finishing up in the lab and had to get gas. Which by the way, it costs a million dollars nowadays!" The group chuckled and headed out. Inu Yasha locked the apartment door and led the way to his car. Before they could get very far however, Miroku and Kagome glanced at each other. At the same time they both screamed "Shotgun!" and bolted for the stairs.
When Sango, Inu Yasha, and Shippo finally made it to the SUV, the two were wrestling over the passenger side door handle, as always. Inu Yasha pressed the panic button on his key ring and the two jumped from the car as the horn blew repeatedly. Miroku glared at him after he turned the alarm off. "Bastard," he muttered.
Inu Yasha snorted. "Keh. Let the woman have the front seat, Roku. Be the gentle monk that you are." Miroku grumbled as Kagome beamed. Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow. "Who said I was talking about you, wench? I was totally referring to Sango." Taking her cue, Sango pulled the door open just as Inu Yasha unlocked the doors, slamming it shut and buckling her seatbelt in a triumphant sweep.
Kagome made the fishy face. "Inu Yasha!" Her roommate shrugged and got into the driver's seat, leaving the other three to pile in the back. Shippo found it wise to sit between Miroku and Kagome, as they seemed to be prone to bickering over the middle seat.
After lunch and hours of roaming the local mall, Shippo declared that he had to go. The afternoon had been full of the young man's tricks and scams, much to the chagrin of innocent patrons and employees of the various stores, kiosks, and restaurants in the mall, but he had a nine to five job in the local forensics lab, and couldn't be out much later. The group, amidst lots of banter and playful hits, finally made it back to Inu Yasha and Kagome's apartment complex and Shippo's car.
After they said goodbye to the kit, Miroku, Sango, Inu Yasha, and Kagome decided to go out. They settled on a dance club, one that they frequented as their four-person group. As per usual when going to Steps, Miroku drove Sango and Inu Yasha and Kagome rode together. It was ritual, since Inu Yasha and Kagome were roommates and Miroku was utterly obsessed with Kagome's best girlfriend. They had set up the system in hopes that one day Miroku would finally ask Sango out. Much to Kagome's despair, he hadn't yet.
Steps was the largest club in the area, and Kagome loved it. She was drawn to the music they played, as it was the same music that she was into. They also had the best bartenders around, all of which knew how to make the best Pepsi-twist in the world. They added just the perfect amount of lemon juice, something she never quite seemed to accomplish at home. Inu Yasha, however, had gotten the bartenders to tell him the secret, much to her dismay. They refused to tell her. She figured he had seduced one of the female tenders.
The group made their way to the bar, where Miroku and Inu Yasha sat while Kagome and Sango went to dance. Giggling, the girls made their way through the tangle of bodies, careful not to lose each other. Eventually, though, Kagome lost herself in the music and rhythm, and Sango was alone in the crowd. It had been awhile, and Sango's throat was dry and she was uncomfortably sweaty. So she made her way back to the bar and found the boys.
"Hey guys," she called, sidling up to Miroku. Inu Yasha leaned back to grin at her, and while she was ordering her drink, he realized that Kagome wasn't with her.
"Where's Kagome?" he asked. Sango shrugged, sipping her drink.
"I lost her in the crowd. You know how she gets with the music and dancing."
Inu Yasha snorted. "Keh. Stupid girl. I'll go find her in an hour or so."
Miroku nodded and they fell into conversation about something else entirely.
Meanwhile, Kagome was lost in her own world. She sang and danced, losing herself to the music. She felt like she was drowning, and it was the most wonderful experience in the world.
Unbidden, her memory of the night before flooded back to her and she sighed contentedly. She had long had the biggest crush on her roommate. She had watched him date the wrong women, listened to the stories of hours long fucks, watched him kiss them, heard about their fights, and even fought with them herself. She had wrestled with him, swam with him, played with him as a child. She had sat through countless classes with him, passed notes with him, gossiped with him, played pranks with him. She had fought him and hugged him, hit him and kissed him. She had loved him and hated him. She had snuggled with him, there on the couch in their living room, watching old movies, stupid movies, horror movies, romance movies, the news, sitcoms, dramas, soap operas, and nothing at all. She had read to him and been read to. She had cooked and been cooked for. She had hurt him and been hurt. She had slept in his bed and he in hers.
She had hauled him up the stairs to their apartment, and he had carried her along the same route. She had cried on his shoulder and he had sobbed into her hair. She had gone to his mother's funeral with him when he was small, and then his father's when he was older. He had held her hand at her father's cremation and that time when her grandfather was in the hospital. He had been her little brother's hero, her hero, and her mother's favorite "decent young man".
She had good memories with him and bad memories with him. She had hated him and been hated by him in return. And despite it all, she was never angry. She was never hurt, not for long. She loved him, and nothing he did really seemed to bother her. He was honest with her, and she with him, where they both weren't near as honest with other people. She'd seen him at his best and at his worst, and he was still the most beautiful man in the world. She loved him, had for a long time now, and had never had the nerve to tell him. She could tell him anything. Anything but that.
Suddenly she felt strong hands on her hips and a hard chest at her back. There was never a missed beat as this person took hold of her. He fell in step with her, swaying and turning in time with her. She watched as silvery hair fell across her shoulder and hot breath brushed her neck. "Hey there," he murmured. She blushed, knowing he had to be intoxicated to be this close to her.
But when he turned her to face him, her eyes gazing into his, there was no alcohol on his breath, just the sweet, spicy smell of ginger ale. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and splaying his hands on the full of her back. She smiled up at him, lazily draping her arms around his shoulders. "Hey yourself," she said. "Where're Miroku and Sango?"
He shrugged, dipping his head to nuzzle the crook of her neck. Her eyes went wide at the contact. Sure, they had been in this position before, but they weren't supposed be now, were they? He was holding her so close to him, and he hadn't been drinking. Of course he held her close at random times, especially when he was sober, but tonight it just seemed off, different somehow. Kagome decided to be cautious. He could just be rebounding. Keep your head on your shoulders, Kags. Don't go crazy like you did last time.
She blushed, remembering that night a few months before, when he had "crashed" in her bed. It had been far from crashing. More like pleasurably exploding, but she shouldn't think about it. It had been a fluke, a one time thing. Inu Yasha hadn't mentioned it the morning after or anytime until that morning when she'd given him his industrial bar back. It didn't matter. It had just happened, and Kagome decided she shouldn't read too much into it.
But she couldn't help it. As he nuzzled her neck and hummed along with the tune, pulling her ever closer and brushing his fingertips lightly over her back just the way he knew relaxed her, she thought that maybe, just maybe, it hadn't' been a fluke. He had stayed single afterward, after all. Until Kikyo. And that had ended that day. Maybe Kikyo had been the fluke? No, she shouldn't think that. Not about Inu Yasha. She knew him better than that.
But then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, her gorgeous roommate with the amber-golden eyes, perfectly sculpted chest that she had seen and been pressed or crushed to in hugs more times than she could count, and the tight ass that she had caught fleeting glimpses of, flicked his tongue out to taste her neck. At first she wasn't sure she actually had felt the motion, and then he did it again, quickly brushing the muscle over her flesh and bringing it back to his mouth.
All her thoughts were shot to hell and back when he dipped his head in and sucked on the flesh above her artery. Her breath fluttered and her eyes snapped open. She pulled back, confused. She put both hands on the sides of his face and forced him to look at her.
He had only ever looked at her like that a handful of times. Once, when she was ten, after she had broken her collarbone; twice, when she was seventeen, when she was in the hospital after the accident that killed her father; the third time when they graduated and he thought she had decided on a university in Las Vegas instead of here at home; and a fourth and final time when she had considered the marriage proposal of Koga, an ex of hers. It was that look that had made her refuse Koga. It was that look that made her realize that her scars weren't all that bad, and that he didn't think they were ugly in the slightest. It was that look that made her realize that he cared about her, that she really was his best friend.
And it was that look that he gave her now, but there was something slightly different about it. Something she couldn't place. She stared at him slightly in awe. "Inu Yasha…?" He breathed in, dipping his head down to nuzzle her hair, breaking free from her hands.
"Kagome…" his breath was hot on her ear and she swore to hell that his voice was husky. She knew he was totally sober, so why was he acting like this? "Kags, let's get out of here. Please?" She didn't move him, just stood there, her hands resting on his collar.
"Why, Yash? What's wrong?" She realized that they hadn't stopped dancing, that somehow they had kept the rhythm of the music and kept moving with the crowd.
He sighed, his breath again brushing her neck and she fought the urge to shiver. "Nothing's wrong, Kags. I just…" he sighed again, this time more shakily. He was uncertain. "I just want to be alone with you," he admitted, burying his head in her shoulder and pulling her tighter to him.
She nodded, dumbfounded. "Okay." He pulled back to look at her and smiled. Swiftly he bent down and kissed her, pressing his lips firmly against hers, and then pulled back, leading her out of the club.
The drive back to their apartment was silent, but not uneventful. Once they had settled into his SUV and moved into traffic, he had taken her hand. He didn't let go until they were in the parking lot of their complex. He released her hand to park and pull the keys out of the ignition. In silence they ambled up the stairs, both of them giggling when he tripped on the top step of their floor. Slowly he led her to their door, swaying slightly as he walked with his feet in a straight line, placing his feet one in front of the other, heel touching the toe. She smiled at his antics. He was always spastic like this, and it was one of the things she loved about him.
She waited as he unlocked their door and opened it with a flourish, motioning her in before him. She studied his face suspiciously. He never held their door for her, just stepped in and let her follow, closing the door behind her. His eyes twinkled mischievously, and for a moment he reminded her of Shippo. She hesitated a moment and finally stepped in the doorway, reaching to put her purse and coat on the counter. She heard him shut and lock the door behind her and as she went to face him she was surprised to feel him pull her towards him.
Swiftly and carefully he pressed her back against the door, his hands on her shoulders. He spread his legs so that he stood at her level instead of looming over her as he usually did. Without warning he pressed his lips to hers, lingering there for a long moment before pulling back and looking at her. He moved his hands to her face and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. His eyes flitted between hers, looking back and forth at them. He bent down and showered light, butterfly kisses on her cheeks, forehead and nose. Her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed. He pulled back again and she opened her eyes to look at him. He settled his hands around her collarbone, tracing for a moment the spot where it had broken through her skin all those years ago. He stared down at that spot for what seemed like hours and Kagome waited. She knew he was going to say something, so she didn't push it.
He inhaled powerfully, one of his teeth poking out over his lower lip. She almost giggled, but stopped herself at a small smile. He had always been self conscious of his teeth. Two of them were sharper than the others, almost like fangs. They were part of the reason his toothbrush chewing ruined the toothbrush so quickly. Like his hair, the doctors had always just said it was a genetic anomaly, and nothing to worry about. "Besides," they told him, "you can eat your steaks as rare as you want with those teeth!" Regardless, she knew he preferred medium well, where she liked medium rare.
Finally he spoke. "Kagome…" he sighed, and she knew he was gathering his courage to say something important. Maybe he had found a new job? Perhaps he was leaving? She felt a lump grow in her throat at those thoughts. "Kagome, I…" He brought his eyes to her face and immediately Kagome knew. He wasn't leaving. He would never leave her. But she wanted to hear him say it. So she waited.
He brought a shaking hand to her face and Kagome was amazed at his nervousness. The only other time he had acted this unconfident was the night of senior prom. He had been absolutely terrified, and right now was almost a reincarnation of that night. He took another deep, rattling breath and his hand steadied, as did his gaze. "Kagome, I love you."
She smiled lightly. Of course he did. She was his best friend! He hoped she didn't misunderstand and decided to explain. "Not just…" he sighed again. "Kagome, you're my best friend. You always have been. You've always been by my side, no matter how much I hurt you or yelled at you or we fought over stupid things. You've been there through all the milestones: my parents' deaths, hospitalizations, dances, prom, everything." He smirked. "You were even there when I had that pregnancy scare."
She laughed. "Don't forget the first time you had sex."
He blushed and looked away for a moment, clearing his throat. That wasn't the best of his memories, she knew. "Yeah. Anyway… What I'm trying to say, Kagome, Kags, is that I love you. Not just as my best friend. Not just as my roommate. I love you, Kagome. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to move into a smaller space so that I can be closer to you day to day. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up to your face. I want to torture and annoy you until we die. I want to tickle you, wrestle with you, snuggle with you, fight with you." She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. "Kagome, I know that that night a few months ago… I know you thought it was a fluke. But it wasn't, Kagome. I wanted you that night. I just wasn't sure you wanted me. I wasn't sure about anything. Kagome I've been in love with you for god knows how long, but I've never been sure. So I searched and I searched, and today when Kikyo came over and just started bitching, I knew. I knew I couldn't stand it. And then, in your room, when I looked at you and you were in my lap, I knew I had to tell you."
His words came out in a rush and Kagome was positive she couldn't breathe anymore. "Kagome, I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you. I want you to be with me for the rest of my life. I couldn't stand to lose you to another…" he went quiet for a moment and she knew he was thinking of Koga. He shook his head. "Kagome, I want to marry you, be with you. Like I said, I want to fight with you, make up with you, and most of all, make love to you." His words faded into nothing and his eyes burned into her, and now she knew what that look meant. That look she'd only gotten a few times until now was the look of true, unadulterated love, and the glint she hadn't recognized before was the burn of desire.
"Inu Yasha…" she murmured, "I-I don't know what to say. I—"
He sighed, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "Please, Kagome. Don't word vomit on me now!" She groaned and wanted to punch him. She could feel his smirk on her neck.
She pulled his face back up to look him in the eye. "Inu Yasha, I love you, too."
He sighed, relief settling over his features. He really had been unsure. He had been scared. He dipped his head down and caught her lips in a kiss.
It started it out slow, sweet, chaste. His tongue flitted out to brush her lower lip and she opened her mouth for him. He slid his tongue in, pushing against hers. She fought back, pushing into his mouth and wrapping her tongue around one of his fang-like teeth. She shivered as an image of those teeth nipping her flesh flashed through her mind and he smiled, chuckling against her mouth.
He kissed her again, this time harder and more passionately. He explored her warm mouth as she slid his tongue over his teeth, finding herself fascinated by them. He pulled back only slightly, his lips hovering against hers. "Please, Kagome…" he murmured. She kissed him this time, moaning into his mouth and it was his turn to shiver as he planted his hands firmly on her waist, splaying out the fingers against the material of her halter. He sucked on her tongue, pulling it deep into his mouth, running the tip of his own along the underside. She licked the roof of his mouth, earning another shiver as he tightened his grip on her waist.
"Please what?" she whispered.
He groaned, noting her husky voice. A low rumble started in his chest and rose to his throat, half like a growl and half like a purr. He pulled her close, leaning his lips down to her ear. He nipped the lobe, using the sharper teeth she seemed to have become fascinated with. "Let me make love to you," he purred, his tongue flicking out to soothe the bite. She all but collapsed against him, her hands fisting in the material of his shirt.
"Inu Yasha, I—" He licked along the edge of her ear.
"Shh…" he whispered. "Just please… don't tell me no." He nuzzled into her neck, moving one of his hands to her hair and the other to her back, pressing her into him.
She nodded. "Yes, Inu Yasha. Yes."
He sighed again, pulling back to look at her. His gaze burned into her, desire and need more evident than she had ever seen it in any man. "I love you, Kagome."
"I love you, Inu Yasha."
He pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss, hugging her to him. He pulled back and took her hand, walking backwards past the counter and around the couch. He led her down the hallway, past her room and the bathroom, beyond his study and into his room.
He pulled her in and shut the door behind her. It didn't matter that they were the only two that lived there. They both had a thing about open doors.