Chapter 2

Say Something Nice

As they got into the truck and drove off, silence ensued between them until Kagome couldn't take it anymore.

"So, InuYasha, what do you like to do for fun?"

He smirked at that, "I don't know, what do you like to do for fun?"

She thought for a second, "I guess the usual; movies, mall, games, music, and archery."

"Archery? That doesn't seem so usual to me."

She blushed, "well I come from a long line of priest and priestesses so my mom put me in archery when I was young, and as I got older I really started liking it."

She turned to him and smiled, "it's a great stress reliever too."

InuYasha glanced over at her and had a thought.

"Tell me something no one else knows about you."

Caught off guard, Kagome stared at him in shock.

"Why would I do that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, maybe so I can get to know you."

Blushing, Kagome started to fidget with the hem of her skirt.

"Um, I'm not really sure if I have any secrets to tell."

She thought really hard, but she was a good girl that didn't really do anything bad enough to keep hidden.

InuYasha rolled his eyes, "not a secret, just something you do or think that no one else knows; it doesn't have to be something dirty or wrong."

"Oh! Okay, well let's see…something I do…"

Looking up, Kagome saw her turn, "take a right here."

InuYasha took the right and Kagome told him to stop at the shrine steps.

"So, you live on a shrine, and it had to have over a hundred steps."

Still messing with her skirt, she felt bad that he would have to carry her so far up.

Getting out, InYasha walked over to the other side of his truck and squatted with his back to her.

"Hop on."

Kagome eased herself down, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her full weight on his back. He gripped her upper thighs and tried to ignore how intimately her body was pressed against his.

He climbed the stairs in record time and didn't stop until he was at her front door. Setting her down, he turned around to face her.

"You still didn't give me an answer from earlier."

Staring into deep golden depths she tried not to get lost in, she shrugged.

"I really don't know of anything right now, maybe I'll give you an answer later okay?"

He leaned against the door frame, "sure."

Looking up at the big house, he wondered aloud, "so which room is yours?"

She pointed her finger to the window with flowing pink curtains blowing in the wind. InuYasha picked her up bridal style, jumped in the window, and deposited her safely on the bed.

It was all too strange for her. How could the InuYasha be so helpful and nice to her? He was supposed to be mean and cruel, if the rumors were right.

"Thank you for helping me today. You were honestly a life saver."

Taking the few steps to stand in front of her, InuYasha sat at the foot of her bed.

"Maybe I'm not as bad as you and everyone thinks."

Kagome started to shake her head as a retort, but stopped.

"I don't believe much of the school's rumors, but some of yours are really bad. Did you really beat a boy into a coma?"

He flinched, "yeah well the fight got out of hand."

"I'm sure that it did."

"Look", InuYasha gazed into her vibrant blue eyes, "let me show you the kind of guy I actually am…have dinner with me this week?"

There was a small part of her that relished the idea of finally going out on a date, but the logical part of her put that to a screeching halt.

"I'd really love to, but with my schedule, I don't have time for dating."

Instinctually, he knew the real reason. Why would this good girl go out with him of all people? Even knowing what her answer would be, it still hurt to hear it.

He stood up, "I see."

Walking over to her window, he turned around to get full view of her. He wanted her to see and know that he knew the truth of why she wouldn't give him a chance.

"You know, I thought for once I could go for a brief moment without the reminder of my reputation at school. I thought I could be looked at differently, but I was wrong. Let me leave you with some advice…don't believe everything you hear and try to get to know someone before thinking ill of them."

Before Kagome could say anything else, he leaped out of the window and was back in his truck in a matter of minutes. She laid back and stared at the ceiling, feeling like the worst person in the world. He was right. She never planned to give him a chance to show her who he was. Letting a few tears streak down her face, she hated herself for causing him pain.

That night, she didn't eat dinner or say hey to her mom and brother when they came in; she just stayed in bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

InuYasha slammed his fist into the steering wheel and felt a little satisfaction when it gave slightly.

'What is wrong with me? Why did I let it get to me so bad? She's a nice girl, but there are a dozen nice girls at that school. (another internal voice- But there is only one Kagome.)"

He gave up on his internal argument, because the other voice was right. Girls come and go, but there would never be another girl like Kagome.

Arriving at his house, he got in and slammed the door behind him. This elicited a gasp from someone in the living room. Looking over, he saw his brother and his new girlfriend snuggling on the couch. Walking in, he slung his school bags on the floor next to a big leather chair.

Sesshomaru cocked a brow at him, "bad day, little brother?"

He slanted a glance at them, "pretty much, but I see your day was good."

Sesshomaru's girlfriend walked over and stuck her hand out, "how do you do? My name is Rin."

InuYasha found this very strange, but shook her hand anyway.

"Name's InuYasha."

Shocked, she stammered out her words, "yo...you m-mean the InuYasha?"

He rolled his eyes, "the one and only."

It was this moment Sesshomaru decided to change the subject, "So what ails you, little borther?"

"If you must know, I met a girl."

Rin and Sesshomaru looked confused, "so what's the problem?"

InuYasha jumped out of the chair and started pacing, "the problem?!"

He stopped in front of them, "the problem is that everyone knows my so-called reputation as being bad and even the nicest girl I have ever met doesn't want to be with me, or even try to know me! It's not even my fault I've obtained this dark blemish! I wish he would go away!"

Sesshomaru stood up and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, "InuYasha, he is a part of you and nothing will change that. However, if you make yourself stronger then it will be easier to control him."

He sneered at that, "keh, the bastard doesn't want me to get stronger. He wants me to live a lonely existence so it will be easier for him to take over."

His brother shook his head, "you mustn't let that happen, InuYasha. Fight him, fight for your life, and don't let your anger get the best of you."

InuYasha hung his head, "I wish I could be a full demon like you and Dad."

Sesshomaru tried to say more to him, but his brother sauntered off to his room upstairs. He sat back down with Rin who looked really concerned, "will he be alright?"

"I don't know. He seems very hurt by this girl."

"Oh Sesh, I hope everything works out for him."

"Me too, baby. I think he just wants, no, craves kindness but in return all he gets is anger and fear."

"Then I wish that girl had said something nice to him, instead of whatever did transpire between them."

She looked up at the stairs, "I will keep him in my prayers tonight."

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his heart. Somehow Rin had begun to thaw the ice around his heart, and only after knowing her for a month. If she could do this in one month, imagine a year, or ten or twenty years.

Tilting her face up, he captured her lips and allowed himself to fall over the edge as images of a life with her filtered through his mind. She was a true diamond and he would never let her go.

InuYasha crashed on his bed, turned on his player, and blasted rock music while playing a game on his cell phone.

His phone starting ringing, looking at the name he sighed.

"Hello?"

"Yash! Where have you been, man?"

"I had to help someone get home and then I drove around the rest of the day."

"Would that someone be Kagome Higurashi?"

He sat up, "Miroku, how would you know that?"

"Well Creepy Kevin came into the developing room, anxious to get his pictures developed and what did I see? You and Ms. Higurashi in an intimate state of affairs and I must say, I never would have thought a girl such as her would do anything like that."

"She didn't! Look, I don't know how it looks, but she fell, grabbed me, and her top came up. End of story."

"Ri-ght, I'm sure that's what happened… you dog."

Growling, "I'm telling the truth! Anyway, does he still have it?"

"Are you kidding? Like I would let that guy keep such treasure."

His heart jumped, "so you have it then?"

"That I do, my friend."

There was a small pause before InuYasha spoke again.

"I want it."

"And you call me the pervert."

"Not for the reason you think, you damn lecher."

"Guilty as charged."

"So, what do you say, Miroku…can I have it?"

"What do I get in return?"

How bad did he want this picture?

"Name your price."

"All of your nudey mags and movies."

"I don't have any, sick bastard."

"Oh! Well then let's see…hmm."

InuYasha was getting frustrated, "just say it!"

"I want your first edition Dead Pool."

He cursed under his breath, "if I give it to you, then I get all of it. I want the picture and any negatives."

"Wow, I really didn't think you were going to go for that."

"The picture, Miroku. You get me the photo and anything and everything dealing with it and Dead Pool is yours."

He could hear hooting and hollering over the phone, obviously Miroku was overjoyed.

"Alright, Miroku I'll meet you outside the school tomorrow and we will make the exchange."

"Sounds great to me!"

"Of course, it does."

InuYasha hung up, walked over and pulled out his mint condition first edition Dead Pool and put it by his bed so he would remember to put it in his bag in the morning.

After dinner, InuYasha showered, dressed, and went to bed. As he laid there, he allowed images of Kagome to flood his vision before sleep finally took over.