Quiet Times
By Lola
Inu-Yasha drummed his fingers impatiently on Kagome's desk.
"Are you done yet?" he moaned as he peered over Kagome's shoulder. Kagome sighed. She had told Inu-Yasha that she had homework to do before she could come back to his time and of course he was anything but understanding. To shut him up she had told him that he could watch her, which had proved to be a colossal mistake. She had barely finished three math problems before Inu-Yasha had begun to pester her. If he wasn't pacing, he was hovering over her shoulder or asking a dozen irritating questions.
"Well?" he prompted.
Kagome swivelled around on her chair, "If this is boring you, you can leave," she stated bluntly, hoping the half-demon would take a hint and leave her in peace.
"Leave?! No way! If I leave you'll never come back;" he snorted then crossed his arms and sat on her bed. "I'll stay right here where I can keep an eye on you".
Kagome rolled her eyes, "Fine, but if you're gonna insist on staying then try to be a little more inconspicuous".
"Whatever...just hurry it up already," he grumbled, stretching out on her bed.
Resting comfortably with his arms tucked under his head, Inu-Yasha amused himself by examining Kagome's room. One of her walls had a large piece of glossy paper stuck to it with a picture of five men on it. Were they supposed to be important to Kagome? They looked so frail, almost effeminate. His golden eyes passed over the image to Kagome's nightstand where a book with drawings rested. He opened it to find an illustrated story within.
'More homework?' he questioned silently as he sat up a little and looked at the pictures. From what he could read the heroine was named Miaka and like Kagome she went back in time though she went through a book, not a well, and apparently, no one from the past could follow her back. Inu-Yasha paused for a moment and wondered what it would be like if he hadn't been able to follow Kagome back. Well, he wouldn't be lying on her bed right now watching her study. In fact, he realized with a start, he probably would never have seen Kagome again. If he hadn't come back for her that first time before they went up against Yura of the Hair would she have come back to see him? He highly doubted that possibility. He had been rude to her at the beginning. Not that his attitude had improved much since then he thought, flushing guiltily. Shaking his head he went back to reading the picture story. His eyes widened when the girl named Miaka was being kissed by a boy with a character on his forehead. What kinda girly garbage was this?! Is this what Kagome liked? Romantic mush?
"Feh." he muttered in disgust and yet he still turned the page to read more.
He closed the book when Kagome let out a frustrated cry and threw her book on the floor.
"Arg! I hate linear algebra, like I care about the tangents of ellipses!" she wailed burying her head in her notebook.
Inu-Yasha rose and knelt beside Kagome, picking up her textbook; he slid it back onto her desk.
"Umm Kagome...are you done yet?"
"NO I'M NOT DONE YET!!" she snapped, immediately regretting her harsh tone when Inu-Yasha retreated a step.
"Sorry, this can be pretty frustrating sometimes," she explained, hoping her smile would show Inu-Yasha that she wasn't angry with him.
"Then why do it?" he asked.
"I don't have a choice if I wanna get into a good school later on".
"Well..." he began slowly, "if you came back with me and never returned here you wouldn't have to do any more of this 'homework' right?" Yes, he thought, that was the perfect solution. He would never have to worry about Kagome leaving again and she wouldn't have to deal with this irritating 'homework' which seemed to frustrate her so much.
"Yeah I wish..." Kagome muttered, leaning back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. Just her and Inu-Yasha in feudal Japan together...hmm...no worrying about school...just wild adventures with her half-demon friend in search of the shikon shards. Then when they had reunited all the pieces they could live happily ever after. She smiled dreamily then blushed when she noticed Inu-Yasha staring at her intently. He stood over her, gaze ensnared with her own.
"W-what?" she asked, casting her gaze to the floor.
"Do you?" he asked quietly, stepping a little closer.
Kagome frowned, "Do I what?"
Inu-Yasha cleared his throat; "Do you really wish that you didn't have to come back here?"
Kagome smiled up at Inu-Yasha, "Sometimes," she admitted enjoying the look of hope that flickered across Inu-Yasha's face.
"Kagome...did you hate me in the beginning?" he asked quietly.
Kagome pushed her chair back a little as she rose and crossed in front of Inu-Yasha to settle on her bed.
"Me hate you? Wasn't it the other way around?"
She smiled sweetly and beckoned him to sit beside her, "But no, I never hated you Inu-yasha. You were mean at first and rude but I didn't hate you for it." She laughed lightly as he looked away in embarrassment, "It was ok though, because you were kinda cute like that, the way you'd get all huffy and irritated with me in order to act tough, like you didn't care."
She leaned her head on his shoulder with a small sigh, "Why?"
The half-demon shook his head, "No reason, I just realized that..." he paused to look into Kagome's eyes as she lifted her head from his shoulder. 'I realized that I'm only happy when I'm with you and I never want to hurt you'. If only he could say that aloud. Instead he settled for biting his lip nervously and slinging an arm around Kagome's shoulders for a brief hug before releasing her and crossing his arms over his chest.
Kagome was staring at him, her eyes dark with concern.
"What?"
"You're bleeding," she stated.
Inu-Yasha frowned in puzzlement then noticed the sharp pain in his bottom lip. He reached up to touch it gingerly. Kagome inched closer and leaned forward.
"Let me see," she commanded and Inu-Yasha lowered his hand so Kagome could get a better look. She reached up and held his chin in her hand as she gently turned his face towards her.
"The price of having fangs huh?" she muttered as she rustled about her pack to produce a cloth, which she moistened with a bottle of water. However, the half-demon seized her hand before she could apply the wet cloth to his lip.
"That's not necessary," he explained.
Kagome nodded slowly, "Right, right, your body's special..." she remarked referring to Inu-Yasha's demon ability to heal himself. She started to pull away the realized that she could not move since Inu-Yasha still held her wrist.
"Umm..."
Inu-Yasha flushed and released Kagome's arm, quickly fleeing from the bed and withdrawing into a corner of her room. Before Kagome could ask him what was wrong, her mother called her from downstairs.
"Kagome! The phone's for you!"
"Coming!" Kagome called back, her eyes still on Inu-Yasha.
"Um, I'll be right back ok?" she explained as she ran down the stairs to retrieve the phone.
"Kagome?! What 'cha up to? Studying?! Well then..." her friend rattled on for about ten minutes before Kagome was finally given time to respond. Her friend had invited her out to go study in a coffee shop so that they could compare their homework. Or rather her friend hadn't been listening in class and wanted to copy Kagome's work.
"I don't know Keiko-".
"What?! Why? Oh Kagome you have got to come!" her friend pleaded.
Kagome sighed; a coffee shop sounded a lot more inviting than sitting on damp earth in feudal Japan. But then what would she do with Inu-Yasha?
"Look I'd love to go but I have a guest over right now so...".
"Well just bring her along!" Keiko said brightly.
Kagome sighed again, "Somehow I doubt he would go for that".
Keiko's voice rose three octaves as she exclaimed, "He?! You have a boy in your house? Who is it? Oh is it that boy you're in love with, you know the one you keep sighing over all the time?"
Kagome blushed and fidgeted with the phone wire, "Whoa...calm down, l-love? No I...I mean he loves someone else...or at least that's what it seems like since he kissed her...so...I wouldn't say that we're um..." Kagome's voice faltered when she noticed her mother and her grandfather staring at her. She could feel the heat stinging her cheeks as her family's eyes bore into her.
"So you'll be there at 3:00 pm, ok I'll come, bye!" Kagome sputtered quickly before flinging the phone nervously unto the receiver and tearing up the stairs.
*****
Kagome slammed the door to her room and leaned against it heavily. She jumped when Inu-Yasha's voice greeted her.
"What are you so worked up about?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.
Kagome toyed with the Shikon jewel shard around her neck, "Um...my friend Keiko invited me to go study with her at a coffee shop and I said yes so-"
"So just cancel". Inu-Yasha finished.
"But I want to go!" Kagome protested, then frowned and glared at Inu-Yasha, "Wait a minute, it's not like I need your permission to go, you don't own me," she declared, clapping her hands together and nodding to herself. "Right! So I'll be back in a couple of hours".
Inu-Yasha watched Kagome as she loaded her books into her schoolbag without a care in the world. He could always drag her back to his time kicking and screaming but then she'd probably assault him with a dozen or so sits. He cursed to himself, why couldn't Kagome just stay here and study? Or was he bothering her too much merely by being in the same room with her? Is that why she was leaving? She was certainly right about one thing; he didn't have the right to tell her what to do. Not that she'd listen to him even if he tried, he realized with a snort. If she wanted to go prance around with her friends instead of staying in her room with him well then it was her loss!
'Then why do I feel so insulted?' he cursed to himself, which was something that happened rather often whenever his thoughts lingered on Kagome.
He looked up and focused on reality when Kagome declared that she was ready to go. Inu-Yasha simply nodded and looked away. Kagome tilted her head expectantly but he remained silent.
Finally she scratched her head in puzzlement and asked, "Are you just gonna stay here?"
He shrugged and looked at her pointedly; "Do you want me to go with you?"
Kagome smiled and shook her head, "I don't think you'd like it. Besides, I can't exactly go strolling around the streets of Tokyo with a half-demon at my side." Kagome reached up to playfully tug at Inu-Yasha's ears to illustrate her point.
Inu-Yasha seized both of Kagome's wrists, "Stop that," he said perhaps a little too sternly then watched in mortification as Kagome's mouth scrunched up and her grey eyes became glossy with unshed tears.
"I-I'm sorry Inu-Yasha, I didn't realize it bothered you so much".
He sighed; "I didn't mean it like that..."
"Well then what did you mean?" she asked, wrenching her arms out of his grasp.
Inu-Yasha looked at her pensively for a moment then raised a brow as a mischievous idea crept into his head.
"Well how would you like it if I did THIS!" he crowed as he dug both of his hands into her hair and tussled it until it floated off her shoulders in static. Kagome tried to flatten it but it was of no use.
"Ok, I get your point," she muttered, searching desperately for a brush to comb out the knots in her hair. "Great, now I'm gonna be late!" she muttered in irritation, her hair still refusing to be tamed by the brush.
Inu-Yasha snatched Kagome into his arms and before she realized what was happening, they were out of the house, flying over the city.
"Well, where do you want me to take you?" he asked.
Kagome blinked, still unsure of what had transpired. " Uh...over there," she answered dumbly.
Inu-Yasha set Kagome down on the side of the coffee shop and prepared to leave once more but Kagome restrained him, taking hold of his kimono.
"Thank you".
Inu-Yasha shrugged off her grip on his sleeve, "Just don't be too long, I'll be waiting for you remember".
*****
Kagome glanced at her watch for about the dozenth time. Running down the side streets of Tokyo to reach the Shinto shrine that was her home. It was already seven. Inu-Yasha had probably already left in irritation. Heart pumping wildly, Kagome flew into her house and nearly crashed into her mother at the foot of the stairs that led to her room.
"Kagome! What are you running for?"
Kagome swallowed to catch her breath, leaning one hand against the railing, "Inu-Yasha..." she panted.
Her mother smiled and returned to the kitchen with the tray she was carrying.
"Inu-Yasha? He's upstairs Kagome, don't worry." Her mother laughed as she filled two cups with tea and added some sweet cakes to the tray with the precision and care that only a mother can possess. She placed the tray in Kagome's hands and patted her head reassuringly.
"He's waiting for you in your room. I was just about to bring him a snack, but now that you're home, I'm sure he'd rather have tea with you hm."
Kagome blinked owlishly in surprise, "He's still here?"
Her mother nodded as she gently prodded Kagome up the stairs.
"Let me know if you need more tea dear," her mother smiled again before leaving Kagome paralysed before her door.
Balancing the tray in one hand, she rapped her knuckles softly against the door.
"Inu-Yasha?" she asked quietly. With no immediate answer forthcoming, the young priestess nudged the door open with her foot.
She plastered her most innocent smile on her lips, "Sorry it took so long! It'll only take me a minute to pack and then we can go 'kay?"
Silence.
Kagome frowned slightly as she glanced around her room, she had half-expected Inu-Yasha to scold her and then drag her out of the house and throw her into the well. Her searching eyes found the form of the half-demon sprawled on her bed. White mane licking her pillows and stray wisps clinging to his neck and cheek. A fang poked over his bottom lip as he inhaled deeply before his eyes fluttered open alertly and he fixed amber eyes on the human girl standing in front of him.
She blushed slightly under his gaze, "Gomen ne. Did I wake you up Inu-Yasha?"
He reached out a hand to quickly prevent the tea tray from falling as Kagome slid it onto her nightstand with trembling hands.
"I don't mind," he replied evenly before gulping down half his cup of tea.
He munched contentedly on sweets until he noticed that Kagome was simply staring at him in seeming bewilderment.
"What?" he demanded, brows furrowing into their customary scowl.
Kagome shook her head and let out a little laugh, "Nothing! It's just that..." she paused, sipped at her tea then smiled up at her half-demon friend, eyes alight with happiness, "You waited for me."
Inu-Yasha fidgeted uncomfortably. Not that he didn't enjoy Kagome's smiles. In fact, they were one of the few things that Inu-Yasha could actually admit to himself that he found beautiful and warming. However, he also felt like he didn't deserve those smiles and so he flushed briefly before retorting in a stutter.
"W-What of it? I just need you to help us find Naraku and get the rest of the jewel fragments."
Kagome stared into her cup, watching the green liquid reflect her distorted image. "Naraku huh? I wonder if we can defeat him?" she murmured quietly.
Inu-Yasha's ears twitched. "Of course we'll beat that bastard! I'll chop him to bits with Tetsusaiga!" he announced, patting the hilt of his sword.
Kagome smiled wistfully, "When you say that, I can really believe that we'll win."
"Kagome..."the half-demon gazed into the girl's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. 'And when you smile at me like that, I know the reason why I have to win against Naraku. To protect you and everything else that is good about this world from the evil of that foul demon's clutches.' Inu-Yasha reached a hand out to clasp Kagome's in his own, being unable to speak the words in his heart. His eyes expressed what was left silent between them in the pink light filtered through the curtains. Kagome stepped into his embrace willingly; her head nestled under his chin, listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Itsumo mamoru, Kagome".
OWARI!!
After note: itsumo mamoru, means I'll always protect you, or something like that -_-;
By Lola
Inu-Yasha drummed his fingers impatiently on Kagome's desk.
"Are you done yet?" he moaned as he peered over Kagome's shoulder. Kagome sighed. She had told Inu-Yasha that she had homework to do before she could come back to his time and of course he was anything but understanding. To shut him up she had told him that he could watch her, which had proved to be a colossal mistake. She had barely finished three math problems before Inu-Yasha had begun to pester her. If he wasn't pacing, he was hovering over her shoulder or asking a dozen irritating questions.
"Well?" he prompted.
Kagome swivelled around on her chair, "If this is boring you, you can leave," she stated bluntly, hoping the half-demon would take a hint and leave her in peace.
"Leave?! No way! If I leave you'll never come back;" he snorted then crossed his arms and sat on her bed. "I'll stay right here where I can keep an eye on you".
Kagome rolled her eyes, "Fine, but if you're gonna insist on staying then try to be a little more inconspicuous".
"Whatever...just hurry it up already," he grumbled, stretching out on her bed.
Resting comfortably with his arms tucked under his head, Inu-Yasha amused himself by examining Kagome's room. One of her walls had a large piece of glossy paper stuck to it with a picture of five men on it. Were they supposed to be important to Kagome? They looked so frail, almost effeminate. His golden eyes passed over the image to Kagome's nightstand where a book with drawings rested. He opened it to find an illustrated story within.
'More homework?' he questioned silently as he sat up a little and looked at the pictures. From what he could read the heroine was named Miaka and like Kagome she went back in time though she went through a book, not a well, and apparently, no one from the past could follow her back. Inu-Yasha paused for a moment and wondered what it would be like if he hadn't been able to follow Kagome back. Well, he wouldn't be lying on her bed right now watching her study. In fact, he realized with a start, he probably would never have seen Kagome again. If he hadn't come back for her that first time before they went up against Yura of the Hair would she have come back to see him? He highly doubted that possibility. He had been rude to her at the beginning. Not that his attitude had improved much since then he thought, flushing guiltily. Shaking his head he went back to reading the picture story. His eyes widened when the girl named Miaka was being kissed by a boy with a character on his forehead. What kinda girly garbage was this?! Is this what Kagome liked? Romantic mush?
"Feh." he muttered in disgust and yet he still turned the page to read more.
He closed the book when Kagome let out a frustrated cry and threw her book on the floor.
"Arg! I hate linear algebra, like I care about the tangents of ellipses!" she wailed burying her head in her notebook.
Inu-Yasha rose and knelt beside Kagome, picking up her textbook; he slid it back onto her desk.
"Umm Kagome...are you done yet?"
"NO I'M NOT DONE YET!!" she snapped, immediately regretting her harsh tone when Inu-Yasha retreated a step.
"Sorry, this can be pretty frustrating sometimes," she explained, hoping her smile would show Inu-Yasha that she wasn't angry with him.
"Then why do it?" he asked.
"I don't have a choice if I wanna get into a good school later on".
"Well..." he began slowly, "if you came back with me and never returned here you wouldn't have to do any more of this 'homework' right?" Yes, he thought, that was the perfect solution. He would never have to worry about Kagome leaving again and she wouldn't have to deal with this irritating 'homework' which seemed to frustrate her so much.
"Yeah I wish..." Kagome muttered, leaning back in her chair to stare at the ceiling. Just her and Inu-Yasha in feudal Japan together...hmm...no worrying about school...just wild adventures with her half-demon friend in search of the shikon shards. Then when they had reunited all the pieces they could live happily ever after. She smiled dreamily then blushed when she noticed Inu-Yasha staring at her intently. He stood over her, gaze ensnared with her own.
"W-what?" she asked, casting her gaze to the floor.
"Do you?" he asked quietly, stepping a little closer.
Kagome frowned, "Do I what?"
Inu-Yasha cleared his throat; "Do you really wish that you didn't have to come back here?"
Kagome smiled up at Inu-Yasha, "Sometimes," she admitted enjoying the look of hope that flickered across Inu-Yasha's face.
"Kagome...did you hate me in the beginning?" he asked quietly.
Kagome pushed her chair back a little as she rose and crossed in front of Inu-Yasha to settle on her bed.
"Me hate you? Wasn't it the other way around?"
She smiled sweetly and beckoned him to sit beside her, "But no, I never hated you Inu-yasha. You were mean at first and rude but I didn't hate you for it." She laughed lightly as he looked away in embarrassment, "It was ok though, because you were kinda cute like that, the way you'd get all huffy and irritated with me in order to act tough, like you didn't care."
She leaned her head on his shoulder with a small sigh, "Why?"
The half-demon shook his head, "No reason, I just realized that..." he paused to look into Kagome's eyes as she lifted her head from his shoulder. 'I realized that I'm only happy when I'm with you and I never want to hurt you'. If only he could say that aloud. Instead he settled for biting his lip nervously and slinging an arm around Kagome's shoulders for a brief hug before releasing her and crossing his arms over his chest.
Kagome was staring at him, her eyes dark with concern.
"What?"
"You're bleeding," she stated.
Inu-Yasha frowned in puzzlement then noticed the sharp pain in his bottom lip. He reached up to touch it gingerly. Kagome inched closer and leaned forward.
"Let me see," she commanded and Inu-Yasha lowered his hand so Kagome could get a better look. She reached up and held his chin in her hand as she gently turned his face towards her.
"The price of having fangs huh?" she muttered as she rustled about her pack to produce a cloth, which she moistened with a bottle of water. However, the half-demon seized her hand before she could apply the wet cloth to his lip.
"That's not necessary," he explained.
Kagome nodded slowly, "Right, right, your body's special..." she remarked referring to Inu-Yasha's demon ability to heal himself. She started to pull away the realized that she could not move since Inu-Yasha still held her wrist.
"Umm..."
Inu-Yasha flushed and released Kagome's arm, quickly fleeing from the bed and withdrawing into a corner of her room. Before Kagome could ask him what was wrong, her mother called her from downstairs.
"Kagome! The phone's for you!"
"Coming!" Kagome called back, her eyes still on Inu-Yasha.
"Um, I'll be right back ok?" she explained as she ran down the stairs to retrieve the phone.
"Kagome?! What 'cha up to? Studying?! Well then..." her friend rattled on for about ten minutes before Kagome was finally given time to respond. Her friend had invited her out to go study in a coffee shop so that they could compare their homework. Or rather her friend hadn't been listening in class and wanted to copy Kagome's work.
"I don't know Keiko-".
"What?! Why? Oh Kagome you have got to come!" her friend pleaded.
Kagome sighed; a coffee shop sounded a lot more inviting than sitting on damp earth in feudal Japan. But then what would she do with Inu-Yasha?
"Look I'd love to go but I have a guest over right now so...".
"Well just bring her along!" Keiko said brightly.
Kagome sighed again, "Somehow I doubt he would go for that".
Keiko's voice rose three octaves as she exclaimed, "He?! You have a boy in your house? Who is it? Oh is it that boy you're in love with, you know the one you keep sighing over all the time?"
Kagome blushed and fidgeted with the phone wire, "Whoa...calm down, l-love? No I...I mean he loves someone else...or at least that's what it seems like since he kissed her...so...I wouldn't say that we're um..." Kagome's voice faltered when she noticed her mother and her grandfather staring at her. She could feel the heat stinging her cheeks as her family's eyes bore into her.
"So you'll be there at 3:00 pm, ok I'll come, bye!" Kagome sputtered quickly before flinging the phone nervously unto the receiver and tearing up the stairs.
*****
Kagome slammed the door to her room and leaned against it heavily. She jumped when Inu-Yasha's voice greeted her.
"What are you so worked up about?" he asked, eyeing her curiously.
Kagome toyed with the Shikon jewel shard around her neck, "Um...my friend Keiko invited me to go study with her at a coffee shop and I said yes so-"
"So just cancel". Inu-Yasha finished.
"But I want to go!" Kagome protested, then frowned and glared at Inu-Yasha, "Wait a minute, it's not like I need your permission to go, you don't own me," she declared, clapping her hands together and nodding to herself. "Right! So I'll be back in a couple of hours".
Inu-Yasha watched Kagome as she loaded her books into her schoolbag without a care in the world. He could always drag her back to his time kicking and screaming but then she'd probably assault him with a dozen or so sits. He cursed to himself, why couldn't Kagome just stay here and study? Or was he bothering her too much merely by being in the same room with her? Is that why she was leaving? She was certainly right about one thing; he didn't have the right to tell her what to do. Not that she'd listen to him even if he tried, he realized with a snort. If she wanted to go prance around with her friends instead of staying in her room with him well then it was her loss!
'Then why do I feel so insulted?' he cursed to himself, which was something that happened rather often whenever his thoughts lingered on Kagome.
He looked up and focused on reality when Kagome declared that she was ready to go. Inu-Yasha simply nodded and looked away. Kagome tilted her head expectantly but he remained silent.
Finally she scratched her head in puzzlement and asked, "Are you just gonna stay here?"
He shrugged and looked at her pointedly; "Do you want me to go with you?"
Kagome smiled and shook her head, "I don't think you'd like it. Besides, I can't exactly go strolling around the streets of Tokyo with a half-demon at my side." Kagome reached up to playfully tug at Inu-Yasha's ears to illustrate her point.
Inu-Yasha seized both of Kagome's wrists, "Stop that," he said perhaps a little too sternly then watched in mortification as Kagome's mouth scrunched up and her grey eyes became glossy with unshed tears.
"I-I'm sorry Inu-Yasha, I didn't realize it bothered you so much".
He sighed; "I didn't mean it like that..."
"Well then what did you mean?" she asked, wrenching her arms out of his grasp.
Inu-Yasha looked at her pensively for a moment then raised a brow as a mischievous idea crept into his head.
"Well how would you like it if I did THIS!" he crowed as he dug both of his hands into her hair and tussled it until it floated off her shoulders in static. Kagome tried to flatten it but it was of no use.
"Ok, I get your point," she muttered, searching desperately for a brush to comb out the knots in her hair. "Great, now I'm gonna be late!" she muttered in irritation, her hair still refusing to be tamed by the brush.
Inu-Yasha snatched Kagome into his arms and before she realized what was happening, they were out of the house, flying over the city.
"Well, where do you want me to take you?" he asked.
Kagome blinked, still unsure of what had transpired. " Uh...over there," she answered dumbly.
Inu-Yasha set Kagome down on the side of the coffee shop and prepared to leave once more but Kagome restrained him, taking hold of his kimono.
"Thank you".
Inu-Yasha shrugged off her grip on his sleeve, "Just don't be too long, I'll be waiting for you remember".
*****
Kagome glanced at her watch for about the dozenth time. Running down the side streets of Tokyo to reach the Shinto shrine that was her home. It was already seven. Inu-Yasha had probably already left in irritation. Heart pumping wildly, Kagome flew into her house and nearly crashed into her mother at the foot of the stairs that led to her room.
"Kagome! What are you running for?"
Kagome swallowed to catch her breath, leaning one hand against the railing, "Inu-Yasha..." she panted.
Her mother smiled and returned to the kitchen with the tray she was carrying.
"Inu-Yasha? He's upstairs Kagome, don't worry." Her mother laughed as she filled two cups with tea and added some sweet cakes to the tray with the precision and care that only a mother can possess. She placed the tray in Kagome's hands and patted her head reassuringly.
"He's waiting for you in your room. I was just about to bring him a snack, but now that you're home, I'm sure he'd rather have tea with you hm."
Kagome blinked owlishly in surprise, "He's still here?"
Her mother nodded as she gently prodded Kagome up the stairs.
"Let me know if you need more tea dear," her mother smiled again before leaving Kagome paralysed before her door.
Balancing the tray in one hand, she rapped her knuckles softly against the door.
"Inu-Yasha?" she asked quietly. With no immediate answer forthcoming, the young priestess nudged the door open with her foot.
She plastered her most innocent smile on her lips, "Sorry it took so long! It'll only take me a minute to pack and then we can go 'kay?"
Silence.
Kagome frowned slightly as she glanced around her room, she had half-expected Inu-Yasha to scold her and then drag her out of the house and throw her into the well. Her searching eyes found the form of the half-demon sprawled on her bed. White mane licking her pillows and stray wisps clinging to his neck and cheek. A fang poked over his bottom lip as he inhaled deeply before his eyes fluttered open alertly and he fixed amber eyes on the human girl standing in front of him.
She blushed slightly under his gaze, "Gomen ne. Did I wake you up Inu-Yasha?"
He reached out a hand to quickly prevent the tea tray from falling as Kagome slid it onto her nightstand with trembling hands.
"I don't mind," he replied evenly before gulping down half his cup of tea.
He munched contentedly on sweets until he noticed that Kagome was simply staring at him in seeming bewilderment.
"What?" he demanded, brows furrowing into their customary scowl.
Kagome shook her head and let out a little laugh, "Nothing! It's just that..." she paused, sipped at her tea then smiled up at her half-demon friend, eyes alight with happiness, "You waited for me."
Inu-Yasha fidgeted uncomfortably. Not that he didn't enjoy Kagome's smiles. In fact, they were one of the few things that Inu-Yasha could actually admit to himself that he found beautiful and warming. However, he also felt like he didn't deserve those smiles and so he flushed briefly before retorting in a stutter.
"W-What of it? I just need you to help us find Naraku and get the rest of the jewel fragments."
Kagome stared into her cup, watching the green liquid reflect her distorted image. "Naraku huh? I wonder if we can defeat him?" she murmured quietly.
Inu-Yasha's ears twitched. "Of course we'll beat that bastard! I'll chop him to bits with Tetsusaiga!" he announced, patting the hilt of his sword.
Kagome smiled wistfully, "When you say that, I can really believe that we'll win."
"Kagome..."the half-demon gazed into the girl's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. 'And when you smile at me like that, I know the reason why I have to win against Naraku. To protect you and everything else that is good about this world from the evil of that foul demon's clutches.' Inu-Yasha reached a hand out to clasp Kagome's in his own, being unable to speak the words in his heart. His eyes expressed what was left silent between them in the pink light filtered through the curtains. Kagome stepped into his embrace willingly; her head nestled under his chin, listening to the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.
"Itsumo mamoru, Kagome".
OWARI!!
After note: itsumo mamoru, means I'll always protect you, or something like that -_-;