"I had a great time tonight, Higurashi," said Houjou as they reached Kagome's front door.
"Me, too," Kagome lied fluently. She felt bad for Houjou; she had only agreed to go to the movies with him because Inuyasha had been exceptionally aggravating when she had told him about coming home- more so than usual even. Guilt had plagued Kagome throughout the entire movie since she was just using Houjou to get back at Inuyasha, and Inuyasha would not even know. It felt so out of the ordinary for her; she was not that cruel. Kagome decided to own up and confess, but then Houjou took both her hands in his.
"Kagome, I really like you," he said with a disarming smile. Kagome felt her resolve break apart as her face fell into a defeated smile. They stared at each other for a moment, each with completely different thoughts in their heads. Before Kagome knew what was happening, Houjou was very close… much too close… He tilted his head slightly and kissed her. It was short, though, just a peck on the lips.
"Houjou, I-" Kagome began as she searched for the right was to tell him she was not interested, but he put a finger to her lips as though he knew what she was going to say and therefore did not need her to say it.
"Good night, Kagome," said Houjou, and a moment later he was gone.
Kagome stood at her door for a while longer, indifferently pondering what had just happened. She liked that Houjou had the confidence to admit his feelings, but his brashness and assumptions just now were bordering on arrogance. At least Mama, Grandpa and Souta are on holiday this week, she thought, considering the backlash she would get if anyone knew.
"I need to sit do- huh?" Kagome began, but stopped abruptly at a crashing sound from the area near the Shrine- the well.she turned and saw Inuyasha flat on the ground outside the Shrine; she had accidentally 'sat' him. It was then that Kagome's stomach dropped the rest of the way to the ground and her guilt cemented. Did he see?… Oh no…
"Kagome…" Inuyasha growled angrily while his face was still buried in dirt and his fists clenched. Kagome bit her lip hard and raced across the courtyard to him.
"Sorry, Inuyasha, I wasn't expecting you here," she apologized. If he didn't see, there's no need to make him suspicious, she thought. Upon reaching the poor hanyou, Kagome sank to her knees by him, and set her hands on his shoulders. "Are you ok?"
Inuyasha looked up at her furiously. "Is that what you always do when you think I'm not around?" he snapped. Inuyasha's intense golden gaze pierced through Kagome's false hopes that he had not seen her involuntary exchange. "Guess that explains why you're always rushing back, huh? Some test…"
Kagome realized her mouth was hanging open and closed it. "Inuyasha, it's not like that," she began weakly.
"As if it's not enough with that bastard wolf around," said Inuyasha nastily. He stood up as the spell wore off, staring at Kagome disdainfully, his ears nearly flat against his head and his arms crossed stiffly.
"I told you it's not like that!" Kagome exploded angrily. "My friends keep setting us up; it's not my idea!" She could not believe Inuyasha would mistrust her so, especially after all his exchanges with Kikyou! Standing up, Kagome matched his stance, and the pair glared daggers at each other as an icy wind blew through the courtyard. Inuyasha was the first to speak.
"So, does Kouga know you're cheating on him?" he taunted menacingly.
A vein in Kagome's forehead seemed to burst. "SIT!" she screamed and then turned on her heels toward the house as the hanyou smashed into the ground again. That insolent little hypocrite! she thought angrily as she slammed the door behind her.
"What're you sitting me for? YOU'RE the one who kissed him!" Inuyasha shouted after her as the spell wore off. Kagome bit her tongue at his words since she knew he was right, but she refused to give in to guilt. Plus, I didn't kiss Houjou, he kissed me! she thought in her own defense. In attempt to ignore the rising feelings in her chest and the whining hanyou outside, Kagome flopped onto her couch, turned on the TV and began to look for a good anime. After several times through the channels, something on the stairs alerted her, and Kagome, out of habit, got up to see what it was. I shouldn't be surprised, she thought when she was that Inuyasha had come down from her room.
"Shut the windows if you want to keep me out," he said with annoyance in his voice as he took her place on the couch. Kagome punched the pillow next to her with all her might. She was about to sit the arrogant hanyou again, but his manner changed. "So… what exactly is going on?" he asked in a defeated sort of way.
Kagome sighed and sat down by his feet. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she began. "My friends keep trying to hook me up. I've been turning Houjou down for months, but you had me so angry from before I left…" Inuyasha had a strange look on his face. Kagome added, "If it makes you feel any better, Inuyasha, I had a miserable time cause I was feeling so guilty.
Inuyasha made a pouting noise as though to falsely protest that his feelings needed consoling. It did not spread to his eyes, which retained an apprehensive look to them. "If you had a miserable time, why'd you kiss him?" he asked bitterly.
"You're one to talk," Kagome retorted quickly, and Inuyasha felt the jab in her words. "He kissed me; I didn't kiss him back," she said shortly. Inuyasha peeked at her hopefully, and his ears peeked up. Kagome blushed and got up to switch off the TV. "I'm going to bed, and I'll go back with you in the morning," she sighed.
With that, Kagome started up the stairs. When she reached her room, she collapsed on her bed; it had been a long day. At least that English test went well, she thought. The date with Houjou was an unqualified disaster thanks to her guilt epidemic, and now Inuyasha would be acting weirder than usual around her. Even if she had finally gotten even with him for the time he had kissed Kikyou (which still bothered her), Kagome still felt ready to drop off the face of the earth. What had she expected from a date with Houjou, since he was under the impression that they were going out? How had she planned to get even with Inuyasha by going out with Houjou if she had not wanted Inuyasha to find out? Why was it getting so hard to stay awake… all-night study sessions could certainly do that to a girl…
Inuyasha came into Kagome's room about half hour after he was sure she had fallen asleep. Books were still scattered all over from the previous night (Inuyasha had secretly been by to see what was taking her so long). Kagome looked like she was falling apart at the seams; she was asleep on top of all the books, still in her clothes and shoes, and Inuyasha smelled the faint scent of her tears. Sighing at the scene, he began to quietly remove all the books, pens and pencils from the bed. Next, he sat down on the foot of the bed and tried to gently remove Kagome's shoes. Why do humans even bother with these? he thought disdainfully. After her shoes and socks were off, Inuyasha eased Kagome's heavy coat off her small form. Her clothes, he realized were currently quite different from her uniform. She wore a short black skirt and an attractive, red flower patterned, slightly low cut sleeveless blouse. Inuyasha picked her up for a moment and cradled her against his body as he threw back her bed covers; it unleashed fresh waves of her wonderful scent and made Inuyasha smile warmly.
Kagome began to stir as Inuyasha put her back down and tucked her in. She opened her eyes half way and was Inuyasha leaning over her with a look of concern in his eye and a hand about to stroke her hair. He saw her eyes open and quickly sank back to his place on the floor with his back against the head of her bed. Kagome, barely awake, reached a hand out and twirled a lock of his silver hair around her fingers affectionately. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "I'm really sorry about this whole evening. I never should have gone out with Houjou…"
Inuyasha shifted positions so that he faced her. "It's fine," he sighed dejectedly. "You'll still come back, though, right?" he asked hopefully as his hand drifted unconsciously toward hers.
Kagome could not hold back a giggle. "Of course I will! Houjou's not my boyfriend or anything… he just thinks he is," she explained. With a shy smile, she slipped her hand into his.
"He's not?" coughed Inuyasha as he forgot about feigning indifference. "Then why'd you kiss him?"
Kagome avoided his golden gaze and bit her lip. "I already told you I didn't kiss him back," she replied grumpily. For the second time that night, a boy was much too close to her; Inuyasha's elbows were planted on the edge of the bed, and his face was drawing nearer by the second until they were a breath apart.
"You almost sound embarrassed," he teased gently as he fingered a lock of her hair. "Why didn't you kiss him back?"
Blushing profusely, Kagome whispered softly, "My heart belongs to someone else." She had to force out every word and unconsciously gave Inuyasha's hand a squeeze as she did so. His shoulder was a mere inch away, so Kagome laid her head against him. She faced away so that if there were any sign of discontent in the hanyou, she would not have to see it. Inuyasha, however, wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly; one might go so far as to say protectively. Kagome felt her resolve beginning to weaken as she melted into the hug. Inuyasha had always been there for her, whether it was to save her, talk to, argue with, or hold her as he was now. All the repressed stress of school, tests, the jewel and Kagome's double life began leaking out as quiet tears. She could not even explain why it was coming out now except that she had Inuyasha to lean on and to wordlessly tell her it would be all right.
"Kagome," Inuyasha cooed affectionately. He gracefully eased himself onto the edge of the bed and cradled Kagome in his embrace. "Don't cry, Kagome; you're safe with me," he said tenderly. Kagome looked up at him, her wet eyes sparkling. Inuyasha could not resist. He pulled Kagome closer with the arm supporting her back, and his lips met hers in a moment of sheer bliss.
This is what I wanted! Kagome realized. She had gone out with Houjou because her feelings for Inuyasha were making her crazy. All she had needed was an evening with another guy to make her see what she wanted from this hanyou; confirmation. Inuyasha gazed obsessively down at her face, a play of emotions in his golden eyes. Kagome returned his look exactly, smiling ear to ear. "Can- would you do that again?" she asked sheepishly.
Inuyasha smiled. "Any time," he replied as he leaned down to her lip level once again. This time, Kagome pulled him closer and returned his kiss passionately. Her lips parted beneath his, allowing him to slip in and taste her, and she him. Unsuppressed emotion coursed through their veins, and their embrace tightened. Inuyasha eased them into a reclining position and leaned Kagome's head against his chest, holding her protectively. A very burnt out Kagome fell asleep that night very comfortably in the arms of her beloved Inuyasha, wishing to remain that way forever.