A/N: HEY EVERYONE! I'm SORRY I HAVENT WRITTEN IN A WHILE.. WITH SCHOOL AND ALL.. BUT I'm FINALLY BACK ND I HOPE TO GET SOME CREATIVE JUICES FLOWIN.. ILY!
Chapter 3:
{Recap: "Do you need something, priestess?" said the wolf-princess. Sango and I are going to the hot springs! It would be a lot more fun if you came with us?" A bath would feel so good right now…}
At the Hot Spring…
Ayame undid the tie on her white jacket, letting it fall to the forest floor. She shimmied out of her little white dress and folded her clothes neatly on a nearby rock. She slowly inched into the soothing warm waters until the water stopped just above her breasts. She watched as the priestess and the demon slayer also undressed and stepped into the water.
I still don't understand her. Why is she being so kind to me? Isn't her winning of Kouga enough? Ayame thought. While she was in her own thoughts, the other two were having their own conversation.
"So, you think she hates you, Kagome? Why?" asked a curious Sango. Kagome scrunched her eyebrows in thought as she came up with an answer.
"If I'm right, then it's because she thinks I stole Kouga from her." Her friend nodded in agreement as they both looked over at the demoness. They could see that she was very deep in thought.
"I wonder what she's thinking about. Maybe a way to kill me?" Kagome said with a bitter smile. As a result, she was hit with a huge splash of water.
"Hey! What was that for, Sango?" she said, slightly choking on water. Sango merely glared at her.
"Don't say things like that! I'm sure that Ayame isn't like that—"
"I'm not like what?" said the girl herself. Ayame was slowly wading over towards the other two. Her face was neutral, but her eyes held so much more. Sango slightly blushed of embarrassment, knowing she had been caught.
"Well, Ayame, we have something to ask you…" Sango started.
"Good, because I have something to ask you too." She replied. That comment brightened the girl's spirits a bit.
"Then that means we can all share! Right?" said the bubbly miko. Ayame gave her a nod.
"But not quite yet… There's one thing we need to take care of before we can share anything" Ayame said while picking up a hefty rock and eying a bush behind Sango.
Just couldn't help yourself, could you, Inu?
At Kaede's Hut…
The monk and the hanyou were patiently waiting for the girls to return from their relaxing night at the hot spring. And by patiently, I mean irritatingly… that is for Inuyasha.
"Damnit! Can they take any longer?" growled the dog prince. Miroku stopped his meditation to converse with the dog demon.
"Inuyasha, explain something to me, if you don't mind" he said as kind as possible. The irate hanyou merely huffed.
"What is it Monk?" Miroku closed his eyes, contemplating his words carefully before he spoke, and to also annoy Inuyasha, for he was still a very impatient person.
"Earlier today, when you silenced everyone with your, erm, bark…" he began.
"Yeah, what about it?" Miroku cleared his throat.
"Well, I'd just like to know what you and Ayame talked about is all." He kept going after Inuyasha "Keh"ed his comment.
"We are all a group here, my good friend. It would be wrong to keep us all in the dark." He said holding back a smirk. The hanyou could sense the slight cockiness in his voice so retaliated quickly.
"Well, if you wanna know so bad, why don't you go ask her!" Miroku stood abruptly.
"Fine! I will!" With that, he was gone. A few minutes passed by before Inuyasha's eyes widened to the size of saucers when he came to a realization.
Goddamn it all! I just sent this lecher of a monk to spy on the girls… Way to go, Inu…
Inuyasha was out the door in a second, following the Monk's trail towards the hot spring. He stopped suddenly, however, when he saw the demoness strip out of her clothes. He blushed as bright and red as a tomato as naughty little boy thoughts ran through his head.
Shit! Of all times to be thinking about this shit! Oh no! Boobs, ass, tits, fuck, damn it! He caught the monk just in time to stop thinking those impure thoughts. He saw the lecher watching all three girls gather around each other, talking. Miroku noticed him and motioned for him to lower to the ground.
"Do you want us to get caught?" He mouthed. Thus, Inuyasha did as was told. He strained to hear what the girls were talking about.
"Then that means we can all share! Right?" said the cheery miko. Ayame gave her a nod.
"But not quite yet… There's one thing we need to take care of before we can share anything…" Ayame said, while picking up a hefty rock and eying a bush behind Sango.
Which is exactly the bush we're in! Sorry Miroku, but I have to dip you for a sec! And with that, the hanyou was gone, leaving a monk completely unaware of what was about to transpire. Well, he was unaware until a rock was thrown at his head. The force was enough to knock him out cold. Inuyasha managed to get away clean and decided to come and get him after the girls leave.
It's for the best… he thought while hiding in the hut.
Back with the girls…
"Okay, so where were we?" Kagome sweat dropped. Sango gave a laugh and Ayame smiled. The wolf-queen cleared her throat to continue with the conversation.
"Anyways, I wanted to ask you something." She said, facing Kagome. The usually cheery girl suddenly stiffened at the comment. Ayame continued.
"I wanted to know… about how you felt about Kouga, if you don't mind me asking you?" Kagome retained her composure as she let out a little laugh. The wolf demon gave her a confused look, asking for an explanation.
"Honestly? I only think of him as a friend." She said sincerely.
"So, even though Kouga has claimed you… you haven't claimed him? Does he know that you do not share the same feelings?" she asked. Sango then decided to respond.
"I'm pretty sure he knows. I think he just ignores it, thinking that he'll change her mind one day." She said sheepishly. Ayame chuckled at that. And soon her chuckling turned into laughing. Soon, all of the girls were laughing.
They stayed for a few more minutes before they decided to call it a night. Ayame thanked them both for inviting her.
"Well, we're going back to have dinner at Kaede's. Do you want to come with us?" said a very relaxed Kagome. Feeling a bit happier, Ayame nodded and they all walked back together.
Over dinner, the beautiful demoness went back to her thoughts.
So the great alpha is chasing after a fantasy, huh? I knew it was too good to be true. But if he found out about her feelings… no, I can't keep doing this to myself. If he wants to be with someone else, that's his choice. I'm just fine without a mate. Hell, I just became Queen of the Northern White-Coat Wolf Tribe. Besides, I'm way too headstrong to be bounded to someone right now. She however didn't notice a certain hanyou gazing her way. His cheeks slowly grew warm as his thoughts went back to what he witnessed at the hotsprings.
As the fire was finally put out, everyone settled in for the night. Ayame wasn't much of an inside person, so she decided to look to the trees. (A/N: Remind you of anyone?) When she walked outside, she noticed the young dog prince was also in a tree.
Inuysha wasn't the least bit startled when the wolf-queen jumped high on the branch next to him. They both sat there enjoying the peaceful night, until Ayame spoke up.
"Inuyasha?" she began. He cracked one eye open in acknowledgement.
"I wanted to thank you for earlier." He nearly choked on the air he was breathing.
"For what? I didn't do anything to you." He said, attitude rising. She gave a look of annoyance as she spoke.
"I was out of line for the way I treated all of you earlier. It wasn't my place to do so. Could you ever forgive me?" she asked with pleading eyes. The hanyou had a slight look of surprise the moment he looked at into her eyes.
What the hell? How can she have such fierceness and audacity one minute and suddenly become calm and serene the next?
"You didn't have to thank me…" he said softly.
Did I just say that? The young wolf-queen gave a smile full of gratefulness towards the half-demon.
Heh… She looks kinda cute when she smiles. Wait a minute… did I just think that?
"I honestly can't remember why I decided to come down here. Well, I remember, but I feel kinda ashamed for doing it." She said sheepishly. Inuyasha was pulled out of his thoughts as he thought up a way to respond.
"The reason for coming down here probably wasn't that important if you're getting your ass kicked by a weak-ass snake demon." He mentally slapped himself for saying such blunt words. Everything was silent, except for the quiet concert of the crickets below, before the demoness responded.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You don't know shit on why I came down here, so why don't you stop with the assumptions bull shit and ASK like a normal person! And for your information, I tore that overgrown worm to pieces! PIECES!" she yelled in his face. They were both growling dead in each others' faces until Ayame suddenly stopped. She froze before she regained her composure while the hanyou kept the look of confusion on his face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.—"
"No, I was wrong" he cut her off. Ayame stared wide-eyed at him before she settled into a soft smile.
"You don't have to tell me anything. It's your business." He said folding his arms.
What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I being so nice to her?
"Actually… I don't mind sharing it with you." Inuyasha watched out the corner of his eye as she pulled a lock of hair behind her ear.
"You see… I had a conversation with Kouga yesterday. He said that he claimed Kagome as his mate and I came down here to see it for myself. It just turns out that he's chasing some stupid dream that will never happen." She laughed bitterly. Inuyasha looked at her with soft eyes.
"You love him don't you?" he said gruffly. It sounded more like a statement then a question.
"… No." Inuyasha again looked confused.
"Then why do you look so disappointed?" he was facing her now, sitting Indian-style. She looked up at the moon, seemingly looking for an answer.
"I thought I loved him. I realized that I was trying to marry him out of love for my tribe." She then smiled a sad smile.
"When I returned after hearing the passing of my grandfather, a close friend of mine told me his last dying words…" She closed her eyes, basking in the memory before she opened them to find herself looking in the golden orbs of her hanyou friend.
"What did he say?" he asked, unconsciously moving closer.
"His last dying wish… was for me to protect my sister forever and always… and…"
"And…?"
"… and… to find a strong mate to protect the tribe." She said as a lone tear slipped from her eyelash. Inuyasha stared long and hard before a clawed and calloused hand reached out to wipe her tear away. She sniffled once and went back to looking at the moon.
"I… I just don't know… if I can do that for him… that's a lot to ask for… I don't…" she trailed off. She couldn't talk anymore without her voice cracking at least a little bit. To her surprise, Inuyasha gently but firmly lifted her chin to face him. Gold locked with green for what seemed like hours, though it was only a few minutes.
"I think… you're going to do just fine." He said sporting one of his signature smirks. Ayame's breathe hitched before she laughed a little herself.
"Thanks Inuyasha… I needed that." She said giving a tired smile.
God, all this emotional stress is getting to me… she concluded.
"I think it's the Queen's bed time…" the hanyou joked. Ayame playfully punched him in the arm before jumping to a branch below him. He observed as she got in a comfortable position and finally closed her eyes in a light slumber.
God, what am I going to do? he thought before slumber overtook him as well.
WELL HERE YOU GO! I'm GONNA TRY AND MANAGE THESE STORIES BETTER… MAYBE… R&R!
