AN: I'm going to reupload the first chapter. I don't know what happened with the double summaries and spacing. Anyone have issues with FF changing story length and format when uploading?
To my reviewers: THANK YOU SO MUCH! All of you were so sweet and made me feel like I'm doing an alright job. Yes, there will be angst, but not like it is in Secrets. I promise. This is something that I wanted to do for fun as a break from my other stories, and I'm so glad that you're enjoying it so far!
Your feedback means a lot to me and I hope that you like this chapter. I'm always open to suggestions and the likes and dislikes you have. :)
Thanks again, love Jiru.
After a shower with a tiny sand crab and a container of questionable pudding, Kagome laid sprawled out on her bed, eyes magnetically drawn to the whoosh of box fan. It was so loud it erased the lulling tide, and made her wonder why she was so alert.
Sango hadn't come back, and it was starting to bother her. Being alone in this house with him was starting to make her nerves jostle.
Slowly, the rolled over and caught a peek at him sleeping. His hair was like a river consuming the nooks and crannies on his face. He wore a necklace with a tiny knitting of beads, which was caught against his parted mouth.
Kagome blushed when she realized what she was doing. It was just strange to be around someone new. She wasn't grasping the concept that she was staring. He was unusual looking, but handsome. Hell, she'd probably think a snowman was handsome at this point, lonely as she was.
With a sigh, the girl looked to the clock sitting on the vanity. She squinted, realizing at it was well after three in the morning. How had she stayed up that late? And, where was Sango?
Quietly sitting up, Kagome pulled at her pink sleep shorts. The darkness in the room enveloped her as she got up. She glanced out her window at the rolling tide. What if Sango had gone for a swim and drowned? What if she was kidnapped? Or even worse, what if she had met a boy?
The girl grimaced, pattering down the stairs as quietly as she could. InuYasha stirred in his bed, so aware of noise. He was a painfully light sleeper and let out a throaty grunt. He rubbed his sore face and looked at the bed beside his.
Groggily, he got out of bed and shuffled in a daze to the other rooms. When he didn't find Kagome there, he looked at the hellaciously daunting stairs. He was a nimble man, but he sure as hell didn't want to tempt himself by thinking he could actually make down there without falling.
Yet, as he heard the door shut, his curiousity overtook him. His large hands gripped to one side of the warped railing, while his feet gingerly crept from stair to stair. He felt like a kid trying to walk for the first time.
This little town was safe, and the worst trouble she'd run into was nothing more than a wrist slap for littering or drinking too much.
"I don't even know why I'm bothering with this," InuYasha scowled, rubbing the sleep from his weary eyes. He thumped heavily on the floor, almost stumbling to the door. Upon opening it, he found the girl leaning against the side of the house, kicking a heap off moss over with her toes.
She snapped her head up at him, trying to rub away the tears clinging to her cheeks. "Sorry if I woke you up." Kagome muttered, sniveling as she strightened up. She was glad he hadn't seen her in a frenzy, calming her panic attack with the soothing night air.
"I can't sleep for shit, anyway." He grumbled, instantly feeling his bare skin grow sticky with the salt and humidity on the wind. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
The girl shrugged, rubbing her bare arm. "I was waiting up for my friend, but she never came back from the store. I'm worried about her." She said, frowning as she looked at the ground - not that she could really see it anyway.
InuYasha, had he been alert, he wouldn't have normally offered up a solution. Considering he had just met the girl, it would be easier to cut the tension with a kind gesture, rather than let her cry herself to sleep. "She's probably fine. Does she have a cell or anything?"
Kagome brought her eyes to his, letting the hazy moon cast it's light over them. "It does, but it doesn't work out here."
InuYasha sighed, reaching into his pajama pocket, pulling out a cigarette. As he placed one in between his teeth, he grinned crookedly. "Well, you can ride my bike and look for her. There's not much open this late, so chances are she's hanging around."
Kagome brushed her hands through her long hair and pulled at it nervously. InuYasha blew smoke from his nose and took the girl in. There was something so childish about her, and he couldn't help but help her.
"Fine," He heaved, catching the softest sadness in her eyes. "Can you sit on the basket?" He asked, pointing at a red bicycle with a busted up metal basket.
Kagome narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Are you not mad at me?"
"You're a five pound girl, what are you supposed to expect?" InuYasha teased, flicking his cigarette into the sand. He manuevered the heap away from the house and plopped on, patting the basket. "I've got my eye on you, though."
Kagome pouted, hesitantly climbing onto the basket. The metal poked into her back and bottom, making her wince as she reclined with her hands on either side. Shakily, InuYasha began to pedal, kicking his foot against the sand.
"Thank you for doing this." His passenger called, as he raised up trying to see around her billowing hair.
"Keh, it's not like I have anything better to do." InuYasha smirked, cutting a sharp corner taking them down the pathway to the other homes and establishments. Kagome rolled her eyes at him.
"You not going to bite my head off?" The man asked, looking around the shanty town for any lively bodies at the hour.
"Why would I do that?"
"You seem like you could be a bit fiesty." InuYasha said, heading towards the illuminated boardwalk.
Kagome blushed, lowering her head to smile inwardly. "I-I'm not. If I was, do you think I'd be looking for my friend in the middle of the night because I can't stand being with people I don't know?"
InuYasha gaped at her logic, finding a few people polishing off their alcohol and cigarettes. "It's funny that you're riding around in the middle of the night with me. You just met me, you know? I ain't the big bad wolf, Red."
Kagome sighed, "I guess you're right."
"I'm always right. Do you see her up there?" InuYasha pedaled slowly, feeling the arches prick at the soles of his feet. "This is really fucking difficult."
"I don't. Where could she be?" The girl whined, turned her head to see InuYasha's face puckered wtih sweat.
"Well, if she's not here, she could be down at the beach." He rasped, sending a shiver down Kagome's spine. There was something about the way his voice hit her that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
Her nerves were starting to get the better of her again, leaving her antsy and so drained that she could barely see straight anymore. "Just take me down there, and if she's not there, I'll go home."
InuYasha nodded and slowed the bike to a full stop and hopped off. Kagome climbed over the basket, rubbing her backside in relief. "It felt like knives were cutting me." She seethed, raising the lower part of her shirt to inspect her back.
The man caught himself staring at her soft skin and snapped himself back to reality. This was inevitably going to become a problem, he scowled. His girlfriend was probably going to be pissed that he was rooming with the precarious girl, but that was life right?
Shit happens you don't expect, so he just made the best of it.
With a huff, he lead her down to the mouth of the bay. The water was high, pulling at the tips of her toes, as if begging her to slip in. She swayed with the rhythym of the sea and relished in its lullaby.
Kagome was exhausted, keeping herself awake by kicking at the washed up shells. InuYasha walked beside her, with his hands tucked away in his pockets and pajamas cuffed about his ankles.
It surprised him that, even in her delirious state, that the girl was tenacious. Part of him wanted to tease her, test her patience, but resolved to talk instead.
He found out about her life in Tokyo, and how her mother as a real estate agent and how her brother, Sota, was the best track runner in his school. It must have been the saltiness of their air that made her so sweet in comparision, but he felt like she needed to be taken care of.
His eyes skimmed over her petite body and noted the way her eyes drifted to the sky, as though mezmerized by the sheer existence of something larger than herself. He envied that. He was the son of a businessman and was expected to make his family proud.
He told her about his life, how he had Heterochromia, a cat, and was a freelance Kendo instructor. She hung on every word, batting those long lashes at him. Absently, he brushed his fingers over his bruised face and smirked to himself.
Kagome had a lot more to her than she let on, or even realized. Idly, InuYasha knelt down and gave her no option to protest him pick her up. The girl squealed, feeling his feet splash the cool water against her legs as he stumbled about.
Part of her had forgotten to look for Sango, and she felt guilty when she realized it. "What are you doing this for?" She gritted playfully, letting her guard down.
InuYasha shot her a look over his shoulder and rocked her back and forth. He figured this was the first time she'd ever been so close to another person, let alone the opposite sex. "Just trying to keep your ass awake." He said plainly, keeping his eyes peeled for the girl Kagome had gone on and on about.
The girl's skin was charred by the blood kissing her skin. She felt clammy and hot against InuYasha and felt all too aware of her own body. She needed to go home, needed to sleep off this betraying guilt that hit her. He wasn't hers, and wasn't interested. This was just kindness on his part, and she needed to be respectful.
She wasn't a home wrecker, for god's sake.
"I really don't think she's out here." Kagome relented, letting her head fall slack against the crook of his neck. InuYasha stiffened as her breath warmed her flesh and sent a chill down to his toes.
Not thinking, he turned his head, barely leaving room between their mouths. For a moment, he mulled over if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. His half lidded eyes loomed over her lips, "I think that we should go home. Sango's probably fine," He swallowed.
Kagome recoiled, feeling rattled by his closeness. "Yeah, I-I really need to... Can you let me down?" She stammered, quivering as she felt her feet plaster against the sand.
InuYasha furrowed his brows, watching her wipe her face of the worry that etched upon her features."You okay?"
Kagome pressed on a smile, "I'm fine. I just need to go to sleep. I have work in the morning. I don't know if I'll be able to make it." She breathed.
InuYasha was about to say something as he heard a woman's cry resound over the crashing waves. He grabbed Kagome's hand, unaware of the electricty that exploded in her fingers. "Come on, Kagome."
The girl felt him jerk her arm, pulling her along as he ran. Laughter overtook the forboding fear that had gripped her. As her heart pounded, defeaning her from the sound of the world around her, Kagome found what she was looking for.
There, in the distance, Sango flailed against a man, pulling her away from the water. Instinctively, the girl shoved away from InuYasha and felt anger - raw anger - bite her emotions.
"Hey! What are you doing to her?" She yelped, not noticing the fact that Sango was laughing.
The man arched a brow at her and grinned. He was much taller than she was, and was a shaggy headed punk. "I said, what are you doing to her?"
Sango cupped her mouth, "Kagome-chan, this is Miroku-sama..." She blushed, trying to straighten herself up. "He and I've spent the past couple of summers together and he's staying with us. I'm sorry I didn't come home. I didn't mean to worry you."
Miroku extended a hand to Kagome and smiled warmly, "I've heard a lot about you. I promised my darling, here, that I would see her again. I didn't mean to cause alarm."
Kagome sucked in a tight, embarrassed breath and lowered her head. "I feel stupid, now. I'm just glad that you aren't dead." She sighed in defeat before looking over her shoulder, seeing InuYasha smoking at his slow pace.
Miroku gaped childishly at InuYasha, pointing at the girl. The older man waved his arm in aggrivation, "Don't start that shit."
"Is there shit to start, though?" Miroku quipped, placing a soft kiss on Sango's cheek. She grinned and elbowed him in the stomach.
"Not here." She gritted through her teeth, "Nice to see you, InuYasha." Sango waved jovially.
"Whatever." InuYasha glowered, stretching as fatigue attacked him. "Now, since this is done, I'm going home and going to try to sleep. Kagome, you need to come with me, because, if you don't go to bed with me, I'll never sleep."
Kagome didn't think much of it as she nodded. Miroku and Sango stood mortified as she picked up her grocery bag. "What's going on here?" The girl questioned, waving an accusing finger at the pair.
Miroku smirked, "Nothing, InuYasha?"
The man rolled his eyes, "It's apparenly her room, so I have to deal, don't I?" He snapped, "You know I can't sleep with noise."
"Whatever you say." He retorted, smoothly.
InuYasha merely grabbed the girl's hand and left the two deviants to make their own conclusions. The walk home was mostly spent in a strenuous silence. Kagome was lost in her own thoughts, trying to keep her eyes away from the man beside her.
When they got home, Kagome bolted up the stairs and threw herself in bed. InuYasha made a pitstop in the kitchen to give her some space and rested his head on the kitchen counter.
Sango and Miroku followed shortly behind, heading upstairs to their separate spaces. It left him alone, thinking about how to resolve this issue. He bit his lip, blankly wondering how someone could go most of their life without closeness.
He was one to talk, only have a handful of experience, but they were experiences none the less. It was painful that someone was that naive when it came to the people around them. Kagome was so innocent, and the fact that he could see it, made him feel bad for even inviting her as close as he did.
A sigh erupted from his mouth and he tapped the counter before heading upstairs. When he crawled into the bed, he just laid there, listening to her breathing. It drove him insane that he couldn't relax long enough to catch the ride to his dreams.
Kikyo would be disappointed that his loyalty could so easily be swayed. "Fu-ck." He moaned quietly, rolling over on his side to avoid seeing the sleeping girl. The morning better bring more than a sleepless hangover and stress.
Room rearranging seemed like it was in order, and needed to be done. The last thing he wanted was for Kagome to end up with a broken heart, even if it was out of her own innocent feelings.
Giving her the wrong idea might kill her.
