He jumped up through the well, landing lightly on the edge, and stood up, gazing up at the double doors to the shed. InuYasha hopped down, and turned, looking at the well for a moment, before walking up the few steps, and sliding back both doors.
Sunlight streamed in, and a chill wind set his silver hair rippling. There was more snow on the ground than the last time he had visited.
Having just come from a world that was experiencing a heat wave, he found the change almost startling.
Carrying a small package, he went outside, and closed the doors behind him, then turned, and moved across the yard towards the house.
He opened the front door, sliding it back, and stepped in, closing it behind him.
"Hey! Kagome? You here?"
"Oh InuYasha," Mrs. Higurashi turned and smiled at him, finishing drying the last of the dishes. She put the dish towel down on the cupboard, "how are you, dear?"
"Good, thanks," he said, and placed the small package on the table, "Is Kagome upstairs?"
"Yes, she's changing, she'll be down in a minute. Can I ask what that is?"
InuYasha leaned up against the wall, crossing his arms, "It's some charms and sutras from Miroku and Kaede, to help seal the well against demons. Kagome kept saying she wanted something to make sure nothing would get through."
Mrs. Higurashi, who was starting to believe that Kagome's earlier stories of demons and things rampaging around the countryside was little more than a young woman's imagination, smiled, "Well that's very kind of them, and you. I'm sure grandpa will be glad you brought them over."
"Uh...yeah," InuYasha said, and let it go. He knew as far as Kagome was concerned, her grandfather had a good heart and good intentions, but she wanted something a little more powerful to ensure nothing came through the well.
"Hey Mom?" Kagome came down stairs, "How do you take a ketchup stain out of clothing? Souta spilled some on my shirt."
She walked around the corner, and seeing the hanyou, smiled, "InuYasha!"
He smiled at her, "Hey."
"What are you doing here?" she asked, walking towards him. He pushed off from the wall, and shrugged, "I just...came to visit. That's ok, right?"
"Of course!" she nodded, glad to see him.
Mrs. Higurashi turned back to the dishes, and started putting them away.
Kagome had come back two days ago, almost flying. That evening after supper, helping her mother wash the dishes, she had informed her mother that her and InuYasha were, in fact, back together again. That Kagome was going to give it another try.
Mrs. Higurashi had managed not to laugh. The life of a young woman was continually filled with on-again off-again romances. But to be honest, she was glad. She truly liked InuYasha. What mother wouldn't like a young man who practically worshipped her daughter, and had more than enough strength to ensure she was safe?
"What's that?" Kagome asked, motioning to the package.
"Oh, Miroku and Kaede put together some sutras and charms and things to help keep the well closed. Since Sokai opened it, you said you were worried something might come through..."
"Oh good," Kagome nodded, "We'll set them up in a bit. Grandpa's got some things out there but...um. Yeah."
"Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi said, "Don't forget your chores."
"Oh. Right," Kagome made a face, and looked back to InuYasha, "Sorry, you picked a bad time to visit. I have a lot of chores to do around the house."
"That's alright, I'll help," he said quickly.
Kagome blinked.
He shrugged, "There's got to be stuff I can do around here, right?"
She smiled, You're trying really hard, aren't you?
"Well, I have to clean out the storehouse first, that will be the biggest one. It's mostly just moving stuff and dusting."
"Ok, I'll move the stuff, and you clean."
Kagome nodded, then blinked, "I'll get your sandals. I need to buy you some sneakers or something..."
InuYasha looked down at his bare feet, "Why, what's wrong?"
Kagome shivered, "I know you hardly feel it, but seeing you in your bare feet in the snow makes me cold. Just humor me."
He shrugged.
Kagome had to admit, it was a lost faster having InuYasha help her. His strength made it very easy. The heavier objects, like the old armor in the back, and some of the stone tablets, that always took her forever to move around, sliding from one place to another, was simply picked up and held while Kagome gave the shelves or corner a quick sweep. It could take Kagome an hour just moving four parcels from a shelf, cleaning behind them, and replacing them, where as InuYasha would take one in each hand, and put them on the floor.
As she worked, Kagome kept sneaking glances at the hanyou.
InuYasha despised chores. He hated anything that was boring and repetitive, but he actually seemed to be content helping her out. Either he had changed over the year, even more than she had thought, or he was just content to know he was with her again, that they were back together. She wasn't sure which it was, but she was glad for either.
He's trying so hard to show me he's changed. I don't want him to think he has to be too different...I fell in love with him, not someone else. But it...makes me so happy to see how he's changed since we first met. How eager he is now to fit in, to belong. He goes out of his way to be considerate of my family, especially mom.
For his part, InuYasha was quite content, at least for now, to let Kagome tell him what to do. She was giving him another chance, and he would not blow it. Doing something boring like chores was more than tolerable, if it meant he could touch her again, hold her hand, kiss her. Even just looking at her and having her smile at him in that special way she had, the way that always made him feel so warm inside. The special look she gave him that meant they were together. He'd put up with damn near anything to keep that, to show her he was serious this time. He was there for good.
InuYasha put the last package on the shelf, and pushed it back into it's place.
Kagome swept up the floor, noticing there was a lot of leaves and things cluttering the corners.
"Hmmm. I'll have to let Grandpa know we may have mice again. It looks like something's been dragging in litter from outside. He'll put around some traps."
"What about Buyo?"
"Buyo? Oh please, that lazy cat couldn't catch a mouse if it jumped in his mouth."
Kagome put the broom and dustpan back in the corner, and looked around.
"Wow," she said, brushing off her hands, "We're done here. This is great."
"So what else?"
Kagome smiled, "Just house things. Laundry, things like that. I can do the other stuff."
"Do you want to put the sutras around the well now?"
Kagome laughed, "No, after supper. Grandpa has a meeting at his club, and I think it would be better if we did it when he was out. He's going to feel a little...put out over it."
They turned, walking back into the house, and Kagome shut the door behind her.
"I'm done out at the storehouse, Mom."
"Goodness, that was quick."
"InuYasha helped."
"Will he be staying for supper?"
Kagome glanced at him, and he shrugged, leaving it up to her. Kagome called back to the affirmative, and they walked into the living room.
"You can go up in my room if you want, or hang out here, or...I have to put some laundry on, then I'll join you."
"Alright."
InuYasha headed for the stairs, and walked up to Kagome's room. He couldn't watch TV, so there was no reason to stay in the living room.
In her bedroom, he looked around, as he always did, marvelling that a single room could absorb so much of a person's scent. Kagome's scent in here was so strong, with fainter scents mixed in - powders, hairsprays, perfumes. He never really liked any of those others, it always took away from her own scent too much.
He walked over, and sat at her desk, and opened one of her books.
As usual, it made little sense to him, although at least one he could read. It was words instead of numbers.
It was talking about Shogun and armies. About warlords and samurai. InuYasha looked it over, loosely, and suddenly realized again that the gulf between Kagome's world and his was so vast. All this was in her past. She was reading about things that had happened hundreds of years ago, and to him, it was now.
How does she keep it all separate?
He sighed, and closed the book, about to stand up, when a strange scent caught his nose.
InuYasha blinked, and turned, looking around the room.
A demon?
Here?
He could just barely smell it, so it couldn't be very big. But what was it doing there? Had it come through the well? Was it dangerous?
Even small demons could be dangerous, if you didn't know what to expect, and Kagome's little brother, Souta, wouldn't know what to do if he came in contact with one.
Uneasy, he stood up, looking around, trying to scent the thing, trying to find it.
There was a faint rustling sound in the closet.
Ears perked, InuYasha walked over, and sniffed the closet door.
Yes, it was definately inside.
He put his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga, and reached out, slowly taking ahold of the door handle.
In one sudden movement, he pulled, yanking the door back.
Kagome's clothes hung there, neat and tidy.
Nothing moved.
Nothing jumped.
InuYasha frowned, confused.
Suddenly, something small shot out of the closet, zipping over towards the window.
Cursing, he turned, taking a hold of the Tetsusaiga's hilt, getting ready to pull it, eyes moving to track the demon...
He paused.
Something...tiny...was flitting around Kagome's window.
It was smaller than his hand, and it looked like some sort of...weird...bug.
Letting go of the Tetsusaiga's hilt, he walked over, peering closely at it.
The thing left the window, and pitched on Kagome's desk, and InuYasha blinked, bending over.
It was a tiny person.
It looked like a little man, about as tall as his middle finger was long, maybe a small bit taller.
Wings protruded from his back, almost invisible. He wore orange pants and no shirt, no shoes. His hair was green, and seemed to be spiky.
As InuYasha watched, amazed, the little man walked across Kagome's desk, and moved behind one of her books, poking around.
"Hey."
The little man popped back out, looking around, startled. He looked up at InuYasha, who was bent over, peering at him, and blinked, "You talking to me?"
"No, I'm talking to the pencil. Yes I'm talking to you. Who the hell are you?"
The little man rose up, hovering just before InuYasha's eyes, "Who the hell am I? Who the hell are you?"
InuYasha took an immediate disliking to the little thing.
"Never you mind who I am, what are you doing here? You don't belong here."
The little man shrugged, "I go wherever I want to go."
"You can't just come into people's houses. What are you doing here? How long have you been here?"
The little man shrugged, "I told you, I go where I want to go. I just got here this morning. I'm bored."
"Well go be bored somewhere else."
The little man just grinned impudently at him, "Make me."
"What did you just say?" he blinked at it.
"You heard me. Make me."
"You little insect!"
InuYasha swiped at it, but it easily darted away, dodging his hand. It flew up towards the ceiling, and hovered there, and stuck his tongue out out at him.
"Get down here! The people in this house don't want you here!"
"They don't know I'm here. Only the kid and the old man could see me anyway, and I make sure they don't."
"What do you mean?"
The little man grinned, "I'm a Koskos, idiot. We can only be seen by members of our own sex. You can see me. The old lady in this house can't."
"Don't you call Mrs. Higurashi an old lady, you show her some respect!"
The little man shrugged, unconcerned, and darted over towards Kagome's dresser, pitching on top, "The old lady got a daughter, or what? This is a girl's room. I've only seen the kid and the old man since I came in from that shed out back."
InuYasha made another swipe at the Koskos, attempting to catch him, but the little man darted upwards, out of his reach.
"The shed, huh? Kagome thought there were mice, but that was you made that mess out there?"
"Mice!? How dare she? I'm no animal."
"InuYasha?" Kagome walked into the room, an empty laundry basked in her arms, "Who are you talking to?"
"To the...the..." InuYasha fell silent as the little man hovered in front of Kagome, and she kept looking at InuYasha, waiting for an answer. She seemed unable to see the little man hovering not a foot from her face, looking at her.
"To...myself," he said lamely. How was he going to explain there was a little demon thing there that only he could see? She'd think he was nuts, and the last thing he wanted right now was for Kagome to think anything bad about him.
"Yourself?" Kagome arched a brow, and grinned, "They say that means either you have money in the bank, or you're crazy. Or both." She walked into her room, and started picking clothes out of a little wicker basket in the corner, and putting them in the laundry basket.
"Wow!" the little Koskos said, "Look at her!"
InuYasha blinked at the little man, who had suddenly dropped, and was now hovering behind Kagome, looking directly at her butt.
InuYasha blinked again, and his face reddened. He darted forward, swiping angrilly at the little man, who shot up into the air, and hovered a few feet from the ceiling.
Kagome, who had heard InuYasha rush towards her, suddenly straightened, and turned, blinking at him.
InuYasha staggered to a halt, and blinked back, red-faced.
"What are you doing?" she asked, turning to look at him.
"Nothing!"
Kagome looked at him, "Uh...ok."
She turned, and finished putting the laundry in the basket, and turned, heading out again, "I'll be right back."
"Ok."
When she had gone down the stairs, InuYasha walked over and pushed the door to, before turning back to the Koskos. He glared as the little man lowered, now hovering several feet higher than the hanyou's head.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed.
The little man blinked at InuYasha, "What did it look like? I was checking out her butt."
InuYasha blinked, shocked, and turned redder. He raised a fist, glaring furious, and hissed, "Well stop right now before I smash you all over the walls!"
"What's your problem?" the little man said, putting his hands on his hips, "I'm certainly not checking out your butt."
"You stop checking out butts, period!" InuYasha growled, "And get lost!"
The little man shook his head, "Sorry. I like it here. Especially now that I've seen that cute little thing."
Trying to keep his voice low, he snarled "I am going to tear you apart with my bare hands if you don't get the hell out, now!"
"I don't see what your- ooooooh. Now I get it," the little Koskos grinned, "That's your woman, huh? Niiiice. There's definately something to be said about busty girls. You know, they say that girls with big- Whoop!"
The Koskos dodged the pillow that came flying towards him, and darted around the second one as well.
"You perverted mosquito!" InuYasha hissed, looking around for something else to throw, "When I get my hands on you, so help me-!"
The little Koskos laughed, and zipped around the room. InuYasha leapt after him, trying to catch him, but it was too fast, and too small.
Cursing, the hanyou picked up one of the pillows where it lay on the floor. If he could just wing the damn thing, bring it down to the floor, just for a second...
He turned, and threw.
Kagome opened the door, walking in, "Why is my bedr-" and caught the pillow in the face. She staggered backwards, landing on her bottom in the hall.
"10 points!" the Koskos cried gleefully.
"Kagome!" InuYasha ran to her, and knelt, looking at her, wide-eyed, "Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean...I...uh..."
Kagome stared at him, pillow in her lap.
"Uhhh."
She frowned at him, "Are ...you alright, InuYasha?"
"I'm fine! I...was...uh...I didn't mean to hit you, I'm sorry!"
"Well...it was just a pillow, it didn't hurt..."
Kagome took InuYasha's offered hand, and stood up, walking into her room, the pillow under her arm. She noticed the other pillow was on the floor, and picked that up as well.
She decided InuYasha was just being a bit odd, and decided to put it out of her mind. Tossing the pillows on the bed, she sat, her back up against the wall, and patted the bed beside her for him to come and sit.
InuYasha crawled over and sat beside her, hip to hip. Kagome smiled and leaned against him, and he slipped an arm around her, resting his head against hers. It was nice to just sit like that, touching. It had been so long since he was allowed to just touch her like that, hold her.
"How's your school stuff going?" he asked, quietly.
"Good, why?"
"Just curious," he said, shrugging lightly, "It's important to you."
"It's going pretty good. My languages are improving, and so is my math. And my chemistry has gotten better too, thanks to Yoshijo."
InuYasha said nothing, just tightened his arm a little. If Yoshijo thought he was going to win Kagome away from him now, he was crazy. She was giving him a second chance,and he was grabbing it with both hands.
"What's 'chemistry', anyway?"
"It's...well...it's sort of hard to explain. You learn about different...substances. Sort of like acid, how to make it, how to neutralize it...poisonous gas...things like that."
InuYasha blinked at her, "Why on earth do you want to know how to make poisonous gas?"
Kagome softly laughed, "I don't, there are a lot other things to do with it, I just used two examples I know you're familiar with. And I guess, if you know how to make it, you know how to protect against it, too."
"Well...that makes sense, I guess."
She smiled at him.
He looked into her eyes, and wanted to kiss her. But he wasn't sure if he should. She told him she wanted to start very slow. Just before he had ruined everything, things had been getting very heated between them, and she didn't want to just jump right back into that. And he understood that. For so long she had had walls up around her. To just jump back in like that would be weird to her.
On the other hand, when he asked her a few nights ago if he could kiss her, she had responded with, "As often as you like."
Which meant it was ok.
Only...what if she thought he was pushing her a little too-
Kagome solved the problem for him by raising her hand, putting it to the back of his neck, and pulling him down to kiss.
He gently kissed her, taking her hand.
She squeezed his hand. When he broke off the kiss, she smiled up at him, that blush across her nose and cheeks that he always found so unbearably cute, and he found himself blushing back. There was no way he was going to ruin this, ever again, no way he was-
"So," The Koskos asked, perching on the desk, "When do the fireworks start?"
InuYasha blinked, leaning back, turning redder, and glared at the little man.
Kagome blinked, "InuYasha?"
"Uh...nothing."
"Hey, Sis?" Souta came up stairs, pulling on his jacket.
"Yeah?"
"Me and mom are going to the supermarket. Is there anything you want her to pick up?"
Kagome slid off the bed, "Ask her to get some eggplant, and some more colas? I think Miroku's become addicted. Orange, and...um...Mountain Dew. See which he likes. Oh, and Sango loves grapes, ask her for some grapes. I'll pay her back."
"Alright!"
"You don't have to keep buying us stuff, Kagome," InuYasha said, standing up and approaching her. She smiled up at him, "I like bringing you guys surprises. None of it's expensive, and I -still- have a wad of money you left the last time you guys were here on Halloween."
"Still..."
Behind him, the Koskos called out gleefully, "Mom's away, all rules are off, let's have some fun!!"
Kagome blinked as InuYasha suddenly took her by the shoulders, turned her, and steered her towards the door. Outside, he pulled the door shut, "Let's go set those charms I brought over."
"Ok."
Outside in the shed over the well, InuYasha and Kagome finished plastering the seals around the well. Only those with good intentions should be able to cross. A string had been set up around the well, tied to four small posts, and prayer papers and charms had been strung along it.
They stood back, and observed their work.
"Well, if nothing else, it looks serious," Kagome said.
InuYasha crossed his arms, studying them closely, "They're working."
Kagome blinked at him, "You can feel them?"
He nodded. She watched him, worriedly, "They're not hurting you or anything, are they?"
He grinned at her, "No. It's sort of like those...wire things in this world. Remember that time, we were too close and I felt it?"
"Those powerlines."
"Yeah," he looked at the string strung around the well, "Powerlines. Sort of like that. It's a little irritating, but not painful. Anything with trouble on it's mind, though, would likely find it more painful."
"I guess Kaede and Miroku's powers work over here too," she smiled.
InuYasha glanced at her, "It wasn't just them, Kagome."
Kagome had been starting up the steps, but now she paused, and looked at him, "What?"
He turned, and observed her, "You really don't know, do you?"
"What? Come on, spill."
He watched her for a second, quiet, then spoke.
"The minute you picked them up, Kagome, those surtas and charms got stronger. You strengthed them."
Kagome blinked, "What? Really? You're making that up."
"No, I'm not."
She just looked at him, confused.
InuYasha shrugged, "I didn't say anything because I thought you knew you were doing it. You...you've got a priestess' power, Kagome. It's been growing since you started using the Shikon."
InuYasha had thought she would smile, had thought she would be happy. So he was surprised when she looked away, uneasy.
He walked towards her, "What is it, what's wrong?"
"I just...I dunno, I..." she tucked a stray strand of hair behind an ear.
"What?"
She shook her head, "It's stupid."
"Tell me."
"No, it's just one of those stupid things, it means nothing." She turned, and started up towards the doors.
He watched her, growing annoyed. Why wouldn't she tell him?
After a second, he started up the stairs behind her, and turned, shutting the doors.
He turned, and suddenly, he couldn't see her.
"Kagome?"
He looked around, searching for her. She should have been right in front of him...looking down at the snow, he saw her shoeprints turning, moving around the side of the shed.
Curious, he stepped down, and started to follow. Just as he was turning the corner of the shed, he caught a snow ball full in the face.
"What the-!" he coughed, choking on snow, wiping the cold wet stuff from his face. He blinked, startled, to see Kagome grinning at him, another snowball in her hands.
"Ha! Full points for me!"
He just stared.
Kagome laughed, and cocked back her arm, preparing to throw the other one, when he suddenly realized what she was doing.
The snowball went sailing to the side as he dodged, and he lunged after her. Kagome shrieked, and turned, running for the house.
Bearing down on her, laughing, he bent, scooping up a handful of snow, and chased. He formed a ball, and let loose, checking his arm slightly. He wanted to hit her, not knock her out.
The snowball struck the back of her head with a loud splat.
He slid to a stop, wincing, but she turned, squealing, and grabbed up another handful, turning back towards him.
"I oughta sit you!" she laughed.
InuYasha turned, and bolted.
Laughing, Kagome ran after him, unable to get too close. She managed to send a few his way, but never came too close to catching him.
He was running, laughing, when he heard her thud to the ground, and turned, to see her sitting in the snow, laughing.
He turned, and walked back, grinning, "Did you slip? Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm good," she laughed, and held out a hand for him to help her up.
He took her hand, and pulled her to her feet. There was still a blob of snow in her hair, and he reached out, brushing it clear.
She turned, and slipped an arm around him, and he smiled at her. The smile turned to confusion when she moved behind him, and suddenly grabbed the back neckline of his haori.
Before he could ask her what she was doing, something shockingly cold ran down his back, and he hollared.
Kagome laughed, and turned, bolting for the house, "No snow in the house! Safe zone, safe zone!"
"Augh! Kagome! This is...augh!" he danced in place, trying to reach down his haori and gi to yank out the snow. Worse, it had slipped down to his waist and was melting, cold, down over his backside.
"Damnit!" he half laughed, half hollared, and took off after her, "I'll get you for that!"
After InuYasha had made a quick trip to the bathroom to dry off and use Kagome's hairdryer on the wet spots on his pants and underwear, he stepped out and moved back to her bedroom. Kagome was down in the basement, taking the clothing out of the dryer.
Her bedroom door was still closed, and for a second he forgot why he had closed it.
Of right, that little thing...
Putting what he hoped was a stern scowl on his face, he opened the door, and walked in.
And froze, unable to make a sound.
There was chaos.
Clothing hung all over the place, on the bed, off the doorknob, even over the desk lamp. It was all Kagome's, and it was all underthings.
He stared, wide-eyed, speechless, "What the hell!?"
The Koskos peeked his head out of the bottom drawer of Kagome's dresser, "Oh, it's you. Huh. Thanks for locking me in here, jerkface."
InuYasha stepped into the room, goggling around, "What the hell have you done?"
"I'm looking for the hot pink underwear! Hot girls like that always have at least one pair of hot pink underwear, usually thongs!"
He turned, and dove back in again.
"You get the hell out of Kagome's underthings!" InuYasha hollared, outraged, and lunged. He reached into the drawer, feeling around for the Koskos. He could just feel it wriggling around in there, trying to hide.
"Get lost, idiot! I'm busy!"
Furious, he went digging, grabbing handfulls of material and tossing it over his shoulder, "When I get my hands on you I'll-"
White pairs, blue, greens, spotted, panties went flying, with the occasional sock that had been accidentally thrown in.
His hand closed around one leg, and he yanked, trying to pull the little monster out. The Koskos grabbed ahold of a pair of orange striped bikini and held on for all he was worth. InuYasha grabbed the underwear in one hand, and the Koskos in the other, and yanked, growling.
"INUYASHA!?"
"Just a second, I almost got this-"
"SIT!"
WHAM.
A single pair of blue panties flew in the air, and settled atop his head.
Kagome walked in, eyes huge, staring at the prone hanyou as if he were an invading species of insect.
Cursing, InuYasha lifted his head, glaring at her, "What the hell was that for!?"
"What do you think you're doing!?"
Sitting up, InuYasha grabbed the panties off his head, glaring at her, "What does it look like? I was trying to-"
As he was talking, his eyes fell on what he was holding, and he suddenly realized he was holding a pair of Kagome's panties, and dropped them as if they were scalding hot.
His face turned redder than his haori, and his eyes widened, his voice cracking, "Uhhhh..."
Looking around, he realized he was sitting, surrounded by an almost perfect circle of her underwear, where he had been grabbing handfuls and tossing them about the room in his attempt to grab the Koskos.
"Well!?"
"I didn't do this!" he said, frantic.
"What? You did, I saw you!"
"No! I mean, I only did some of it, I was trying to catch the demon!"
"The demon."
"Yes."
"In my underwear drawer."
"Yes!"
Oh thank the Gods she believed him!
"And just where is this panty-demon, may I ask?" she asked him archly.
"He's there, right there." InuYasha pointed to where the Koskos was sitting on the edge of her desk.
"There's nothing there, InuYasha." Kagome's voice was surprisingly level, which considering, wasn't a good sign.
"Well, no, you can't see him! Women can't see them! Only men can!"
"Oh. An invisible-to-women panty demon was living in my drawer."
He looked at her, growing exasperated, "He wasn't living there, he just jumped in!"
Kagome closed her eyes, and took a long, deep breath, "Why don't you go downstairs for a little bit? I'll clean this up."
"I...you don't believe me, do you?" he blinked at her, shocked.
Kagome bend over, and snagged the closest pair of underwear, "Of course I do. I'm sure invisible panty-demons are all over the place."
"Kagome!"
"Downstairs!"
"I'm telling you-"
"Now!"
InuYasha turned, and muttering dark things, moved downstairs. His face was still crimson, and he inwardly cringed.
Oh Gods. She must think I'm some sort of perverted psycho.
Downstairs, he stayed on the couch, trying not to think about what the Koskos might be doing to Kagome in her room. He supposed if Kagome couldn't actually see anything going on, it shouldn't upset her, but just the thoughts of it being so disrespectful to her made his blood boil. He suddenly wondered if the damn little bug touched her, could she feel it?
Maybe it was up there right now, running it's disgusting little insect hands all over her!
He growled.
Kagome shook her head as she closed the drawer. Now her underwear were put back, and she stood, hands on her hips, looking around her room.
What on earth had he been doing? Had it been some weird revenge for her putting the snow down his back?
She blushed, wondering if he had just suddenly wanted to see her underwear. Thing thing was, if he had, why hadn't he just sneaked a peek or something, instead of grabbing handfuls and throwing them around her bedroom? He must have known she was going to see.
She giggled, blushing brighter. Maybe it was a little harder for him to start over slow than she thought. Goodness knows when she had called it quits, they had been...getting very close. And he was still as exotic...and erotic...as ever. Certain ways he stood, or looked at her...
Kagome picked up one of her books and lightly fanned herself, suddenly feeling warmer than she should.
Anyway, the look on his face was priceless.
She walked down stairs, to find him sitting on the couch, arms crossed, looking like he was awaiting judgement day. She decided to go a little easy on him, and pretended it never happened.
"I'm going to start supper for mom, alright?"
He stood up, walking towards her, trying not to blush, "Alright, can I do anything to help?"
"Sure, help me chop the vegetables."
They worked side by side, talking lightly, cutting up the vegetables for her mother. She explained that Souta was trying out now for a soccer team, and things looked good. He was really good at it, and enjoyed it a lot. Kagome had to actually explain just what soccer was, but once he understood he seemed interested.
"We went to one of his games last night, he's really good at it, too. I think he's going to go far."
"When's his next game?"
"Sometime next week, I think."
"Can...can I come?"
She looked at him, suprised, and pleased, "You want to come watch him play?"
"Yeah, if I'm allowed. Or is it just, like, a family thing?"
"No, if you're with us you can come," the smile faded on her face, "Only..."
"What?" he looked at her, uneasy.
"Well...we're sort of trying to have you keep a low profile, remember?"
"Oh, right." he looked back at the vegetables, cursing in his mind.
"Actually..." she wiped her hands, and walked over to the calendar on the wall, "We just might be able to pull it off, if it's on Thursday night."
He looked at her, "Why Thursday?"
She smiled, "This Thursday is the new moon."
He blinked.
"So if it's Thursday night, then you can come. That priest only noticed you at the start because of your hair, I'd imagine. Otherwise you would have blended right in."
"Wow."
She picked up her knife, looking at him, "Wow what?"
He looked at her, and grinned a little, almost shyly, "Never thought I'd ever want a new moon."
She smiled.
Supper was great, and better yet, when Souta and Mrs. Higurashi came home, Souta confirmed it was, indeed, Thursday night.
"Perfect," Kagome said, looking at her little brother over the table, "InuYasha's going to come."
"Alright!" Souta exclaimed, then blinked, "But...I thought he was supposed to hide here?"
Kagome explained to her mother and brother that she thought it was probably safe for InuYasha to come when he was in his human form.
"That guy only knew about InuYasha probably because that priest called him. His silver hair stood out too much. With it black, braided, and kept down the back of a jacket, he won't stand out at all. We'll have to get him some winter clothing, just so he doesn't stand out in any way...besides, he'll be human, so he'll be cold otherwise."
InuYasha smiled at her, watching as she planned it all out. She was so happy, and obviously pleased to include him any way she could.
Kagome caught his eye, and smiled at him. She knew perfectly well that eventually, he'd go back to his older ways, be more cranky, and they would probably have a good fight over some stupid thing, but right now he was trying so hard, and so content to just let her lead.
After supper Kagome went up to her room to complete a paper report she had to pass in the next day, and InuYasha sat on her bed, as usual, going through some of her books. Mrs. Higurashi passed by from time to time...just making sure her daughter's bedroom door was open. She trusted her daughter, and trusted InuYasha...but youths were youths, and youths in love...well...
Kagome pretended not to notice what her mother was doing.
InuYasha was blissfully unaware.
After her report was completed, Kagome and InuYasha sat on the bed again, hip-to-hip, just talking. Eventually, the conversation moved around to Jemu.
"I just want you to be careful, is all," InuYasha said, sounding a little irritated. Kagome kept brushing it off, but he could still remember how she had been. How afraid. How...lost.
"I'll be fine," Kagome whispered. They talked quietly, as Kagome was worried her mother might overhear what had happened to her. She needed to keep her mother in the dark about so many things.
"You don't know that, damnit."
"Stop fussing. I have the Shikon, and now we know Jemu's powers are in his gems. As long as we stay clear of those, we'll be ok. He's the last Shadeling."
InuYasha sighed.
His eyes scanned the room, looking for the blasted Koskos. He hadn't forgotten about him, either. But he must have left, thank the Gods.
Kagome looked at her feet, lost in thought. She blinked when InuYasha looked at her, and spoke.
"You're still wearing it, right? The Shikon?"
"Of course," She reached into her shirt, and pulled it out, "I always wear it. If I'm shielding it, like DarkWind said, then it's best if I keep it on me after all."
"I guess..." a faint glint caught his eye, and he turned, noticing the gold chain of the sword pendant he had given her. He smiled.
Kagome followed his gaze, and smiled back, "I told you I'd wear it. I keep it close to my heart."
"Right in her cleavage!" came a piping voice from somewhere in the room, "Lucky pendant!"
InuYasha closed his eyes, grinning sourly, Gods give me strength...
Kagome brought it out of her shirt, "You said you bought it to remind me I was stronger now than when I first came over."
He opened his eyes, and looked at her, nodding softly, "You are. You're very strong, Kagome."
He reached out, and lightly touched the pendant, the tiny diamond chip in the hilt. He felt how warm it was, and realized it was warm from her body heat, where it nestled against her, and blushed slightly.
She smiled at him.
He gazed down at her, and spoke, softly, "Kagome, I...I need to tell you something."
"Ok," she looked at him.
He paused, watching her, a little worriedly, "It...don't get angry, ok? It's...it's about Kikyo."
Kagome blinked, the mood changing on her face.
InuYasha saw, and grew uneasy, "Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I shouldn't have even brought her up, I'm sorry."
"No, it's ok, what-"
"No, I shouldn't have-"
"Tell me, InuYasha. Please."
He studied her, then spoke, "I...I saw her in the forest the other night. She...somehow...she's alive."
Kagome just watched him.
"I don't understand how it happened, but...it's true. She's alive. And she...asked me...to go be with her."
Kagome didn't say anything, just looked at him.
He forged on, "I told her no, Kagome. I told her my place was with you now. That...I loved you. That I'm staying with you."
Silence.
InuYasha took Kagome's hand, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, his eyes staying safely on her hand, "And I mean it, Kagome. I won't lie...I loved her. A lot. And I'll always want to keep her safe, I don't want anything to happen to her. But...I'm with you, now. My place is here. Beside you."
Silence.
He stammered on, "So don't...I mean...I don't want you to...ever feel that I...I'll leave. Or walk away. I never will. So don't...feel...scared. Ok? Because I'm here."
Nervously, he looked up, into her face.
Kagome just gazed back at him, her eyes soft.
"You...you don't seem surprised or anything."
"That's because I already know."
He blinked, shocked, "You...you what?"
"I already know. I knew about it before DarkWind left."
InuYasha just blinked. He was speechless for a second, then blurted, "How the hell do you know!?"
"Let's just say, a little bird told me."
He stared at her, stunned for a moment.
"Well you could have said something before I made an idiot of myself and said all that!" he snapped.
Kagome smiled, "No. I wanted to hear it from your own lips."
He looked at her, lost.
She smiled, "I'll be honest, InuYasha. I was thinking I...would come back to you anyway. I...just love you too much, I guess. But...when I heard what happened, I...well...I knew...you deserved another chance. You don't understand what it's like, knowing the one you love, loves someone else more, and that there's always a chance they'll leave you-"
"Yes I do," he said quietly.
Kagome paused, and looked at him. She spoke softly, "Maybe you do."
He just watched her.
"Anyway...I guess it's sort of like cheating, because I knew what happened. But...I'm glad I heard it, InuYasha. It made me brave."
"Brave?"
"It made me realize that I had to give you another chance now."
"Then...I'm glad you heard too."
He leaned down again, and gently kissed her.
"Now are we going to have some fireworks? This romance is too sweet, it's sickening!"
Kagome, not hearing the Koskos, just squeezed InuYasha's hand, and rested her head against his shoulder.
"Oh come on," the Koskos said, "Squeeze her! There are lots of round places to choose from! Grab a boob or something!"
InuYasha tried to ignore the Koskos, he tried very hard. He put his arms around her, and held her, trying to concentrate on the sound of her heart.
But the Koskos wouldn't let up. He appeared, hovering several feet off the ground, trying to encourage InuYasha to lewd acts, getting worse and worse as he went.
"Huh. Idiot." the Koskos said, "If that were my woman, I'd take her, and -" and suggested a depraved act or two.
"That's it!" InuYasha suddenly hollared, "I'm not listening to that disgusting little lech anymore!"
He lunged off the bed, reaching for the Koskos. Kagome gasped, practically knocked off the bed, grabbing the comforter to right herself, "InuYasha!?"
The hanyou started lunging around the room, reaching for...nothing. His eyes seemed to be tracking something in the air, and he hurled curses and insults at it.
"Yeah?! Come down here and say that to my face, you little - what?! That's what you think you - '
He grabbed up Kagome's pillow and turned, swinging it wildly. Books and her study lamp went flying off her desk. A pictureframe left the wall, thumping on the floor.
"Shut up! You just shut up your - you put those back on, you pervert! HEY! Don't you do that to her!"
"InuYasha, what are you doing?"
"I'm catching this sadistic little bastard, that's what I'm doing! I can't listen to his filthy mouth any more! Miroku had nothing on this little son of a bitch!"
"InuYasha, there's nothing there! You're seeing things! Stop it!"
He continued to wave the pillow around. After a minute, he planted his feet, and threw the pillow. It struck the wall, thumping to the ground.
"Yes!"
He ran over, and bent, moving the pillow. Grabbing up something, he moved back to the desk. He picked up a mesh pencil holder from her desk that had gone flying, and inverted it on her desk, promptly putting a book on top of it. He grinned gleefully.
"Ha!"
Kagome stood next to him, "InuYasha, I think you should lie down or something."
"Damnit, Kagome, I'm not crazy! It's right there!"
Kagome bent over, and peered into the mesh pencil holder, peering at nothing. Maybe if she just played along... "Oh...yes! I see it now. Very good! Now come over and lie down-"
"You can't see it, you're a woman!"
"InuYasha...please," Kagome bent over, and picked up her desk lamp, putting it back on the desk. She turned it on, as the shadows were starting to grow in her room, and bent again, picking up a fallen book, "You probably just ne-'
She stopped, blinking.
The desk lamp was shining on the pencil holder. And while she couldn't see anything inside...the shadow of the pencil holder was thrown up against the wall.
And there was a little shadow of a tiny man inside the holder.
InuYasha looked at her, saw where she was looking, saw what she was looking at, and pointed.
"There! There! See!? I'm telling you, there it is! I'm not crazy! That thing was in your underwear drawer! It threw everything all over the place!"
Kagome bent over, hands on her knees, blinking from the 'empty' pencil holder to the shadow of the little man.
"I...don't believe it." She frowned, "You stay out of my underwear!"
The little man's shadow grabbed himself and made an obscene gesture.
Kagome gasped, turning red.
"You little savage!" InuYasha hollared, lunging forward, "I'll flatten you!"
"How are we going to get rid of it," Kagome said, putting her hands to her face, "How will I know it's gone? Oh no, it could come back and I wouldn't know it was in here...watching me change...uuurrrrg."
InuYasha glared murder at the pencil holder, making Kagome think it had said something disgusting, and then looked at her, "It's a demon. We'll throw it through the well. It won't be able to come back."
Kagome nodded, then blinked. She leaned up, whispering to him.
"What about Miroku and Sango? I don't want to have that thing clinging to Sango."
"Miroku will be able to see it," InuYasha whispered back, "And despite his earlier ways, I don't think he'd let anything get away with Sango, not now. And he could drive it off. It probably won't be able to find them anyway, they're not near the well."
"Good idea. Thanks."
Kagome watched as InuYasha picked up the thing...or she assumed it did, and marched downstairs, and outside. About 5 minutes later, he came back up, brushing his hands, "Gone and gone. I threw it in and it didn't come back out."
Relief filled her face, "Oh good. Thank you, InuYasha."
He nodded.
"And...I'm sorry I...thought you were...you know...going through my underwear."
He blushed, but nodded, vindicated, "Forget it."
Really. Forget it. Please.
Kagome smiled, and giggled. InuYasha turned redder, and looked at her, lost, "Can we just go downstairs or something?"
"Sure." Kagome took his hand, and led him down over the stairs to where the rest of the family was gathered.
END