Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
The cold air sent shivers down her spine as she wrapped her coat around herself tighter. The winter's wind was one of the less enjoyable aspects of the season. However she appreciated the cold winter months. She stood right across the street from her work, waiting impatiently for the bus that was already ten minutes late. All she wanted was to get home and under the covers.
It had been another long day at the restaurant, working another twelve hour shift and the busy atmosphere of the establishment took the energy way from her. Practically dead on her feet, she turned in her apron after closing time, said her goodbyes to everyone and left as quickly as she could. A gust of cold air hit her again, sending chills throughout her entire body this time.
"You really think that flimsy sweater is going to keep you warm?" The voice came from behind her and she gasped.
It was him.
"Stalking me again, Inuyasha?"
He rolled his eyes, "You wish."
She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, shoving her hands in her coat pockets, avoiding his eyes. She'd known this boy for two years now, and while they were just friends, co-workers as a matter of fact, she couldn't deny the power he held over her. From the very beginning she knew she had fallen for him. There was nothing she would deny him should he ask. She was as vulnerable to him as a new born baby. From the moment she met the boy that she was undoubtably his.
The only problem was he wasn't hers.
"Sesshomaru wanted me to make sure you were alright before I left. It's not safe for you to be out here this late at night."
Sesshomaru was their general manager, and his brother. His entire family worked at the restaurant, and she adored every one of them. They were wonderful people, and they treated her like she was apart of their family as well. It made it all the more difficult for her to let the boy go, she hadn't just fallen in love with him, but she loved his family as well.
She forced a smile, "I'm fine, thank you."
He returned it, flashing his beautiful smile at her and she shivered again, but she knew it wasn't from the cold this time. Before she knew it, he closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. And that was it, the strength she thought she had withered away as she wrapped her arms around his waist, taking comfort in his warmth. His mouth found hers and she never felt more fragile in her life. He invaded all of her senses, when they were together she could never tell what was up or down, wrong or right, and she didn't care.
He pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. But she refused to meet his eyes, keeping her own closed. For weeks she avoided him as best as she could. Even when they were this close, she tried her hardest to avoid him, and she knew he felt it too. He grabbed her by the arms, shaking her to get her attention. The action startled her and she met his eyes, those pale blue eyes that was her undoing. They danced this dance so many times, she lost count a long time ago.
"Why won't you look at me anymore?" He asked.
She sighed. "Because when you look at me, all you see is her."
Her answer startled him, as well as herself and the grip that he had on her arms loosened. She never mentioned the girl before, knowing that it was a touchy subject for him. They only spoke of his past a few times, but she knew that he had been hurt; a broken heart from his first love. At first she wanted to do nothing but comfort him, she wanted to help him forget. But she knew better, she was his second choice, a tool. And she was tired of it, tired of always feeling lonely when she was never alone.
She broke their eye contact and walked away from him. For once in a very long time, she felt in control, she felt like she finally had a backbone again. She was allowed to terminate this toxic relationship, allowed to walk away from someone that hurt her. She was allowed to be angry and selfish and unforgiving, and she didn't owe him any sort of explanation for it.
He grabbed her hand as she walked away, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back to him and her heart broke all over again. He was in tears, she could tell although he was trying his best to hide it. The empathy that she felt for him was far greater than the heartbreak he caused her.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "so sorry. Please, don't go."
And with that, the cycle continued. As she ran back into his arms, she couldn't help but think that he was gravity, and no matter how hard she tried, she'd never be able to stop herself from falling for him.