A/N: Sorry guys, I got back from vacay feeling like I could write like the
wind but when I got back my comp went into total melt down and it totally
deflated my inspiration to write. But I got it workin again and got some
inspiration back to sit my lazy ass down and start typing. Well for those
who are reading my other story, I know your anxiuos for the next chapter
but bare with me. I'm in the middle of a crater sized author's jam. Anyways
thanks to those who are reading and reviewing my story and I sirously do
appreciate your support, each review I read gives some inspiration and I
thank you. ^_^ Now on with the chapter. ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. he belongs to R.T. and there's nothing anyone can do about that.
~*~
Ch. 4 A Race, A Fall, and.....A Kiss?
~*~
The next morning Akaya woke up to a weird sound, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She tried to clear the sleepy daze the clouded her head and tried to blink out the morning blur out of her eyes. She scanned the area in front of her and came across three figures standing a few feet away from her. She blinked a few more times and saw that it was Miroku, Sango, and Taiken standing there trying their hardest to hold in laughter.
Thoroughly confused she went to get up but to her surprise was pulled back by an arm wrapped around her waist until her back rested against a soft chest while she had let out an undignified squeak. Then it hit her why they were laughing and who's shoulder she had fallen asleep on the night before. She turned slightly to look behind herself and even though she already knew who it was she prayed that it wasn't him. Unfortunetly she came nose to nose with that person and she turned a color that could put cherries to shame.
"Awe! Isn't that cut?! Look at the little love birdies!" Taiken teased.
"Shut up Taiken!" Akaya hissed.
Her temper was rising and she turned towards Shippou. Grinding her teeth to try and hold in her tantrum she elbowed his side to get him up. "Shippou- kun, please get up!" she hissed nudging his side again. She let out anothr squeak when all he did was groan and tighten his grip around her waiste. She growled in frustration and looked up at the others who wer still laughing. "Come on you guys! This isn't funny!" she snapped.
Taiken was about to say something when Sango striked him upside the head before he could utter a word. "Okay Akaya, we'll leave you to try to wake him up. Just hurry up if you whant to cover some ground before lunch." She said and turned, walking away while dragging the other two with her. But she couuld still hear a few chuckles and giggles coming from the three.
She let out a sigh of releif and turned her attention towards shippou.
"What to do? What to do?" she chanted. Her ears went flat against her head in concentration to first try to get out of his death grip then wake him up. But she never realized it when he cracked open an eye that scanned over her in admiration. She also didn't notice it when he leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek.
"Morning 'Kaya." He yawned and stretched out.
Akaya quickly snapped out of her shocked state. "Uh.....morning." she said blushing. 'He always did that when we were little, but I never blushed like this. What's up with that? He always use to be the first one up too. Wait, was he even asleep that whole time?' "HEY! You sleep like a rock you know that? Didn't you hear me calling you?" she gave him a look that said you-better-not-lie-to-me-or-I'll-kill-you.
He laughed nervously and rub the back of his head. "Of corse not, if I did I would of ben up a long time ago." He lied. He had been up since dawn just sitting there watching her the whole time. He liked having her in his arms and didn't feel like moving from his spot until she did so he pretended to be asleep when the others showed up. He had no idea why he felt like that but he had his suspicions. He felt bad about lieing to her but if she found out that he was actually awake that whole time, well he didn't whant to find out if she still had that temper of hers.
"Feh, whatever.'' She wasn't sure if she believed him.
Shippou couldn't help but laugh at her making a very Inuyasha comment.
"What's so funny!?" she snapped.
"Nothing, you just sounded a lot like your father." He was trying to hold in his chuckles so she wouldn't get any angrier than she already was.
She glared at him and crossed her arms. "Humph! I do not sound like daddy!"
Shippou burst out laughing. "Daddy?! You still call him daddy?!" he said laughing his head off.
"GRRRRR!!" Akaya growled and got up to stomp towards the hut.
"Hey, don't start over reacting. I was only playing around." He said jumping to his feet to catch up to her. he looked at her and couldn't help but chuckle at the scawl on her face. "You always did have his temper." He commented knowing that it would tick her off.
Akaya stopped in her tracks and glared at his back as he walked ahead of her. She could practiclly see the smug on his face. His tail swished back and forth in that playful manner that only told her that he was teasing her. She quickly grabbed his tail before it got out of her reach and tugged hard enough to pull him back a few feet behind her.
"OW! Hey! That hurt you know!?" he barked at her as he rubbed his tail.
"Watch what you say next time fox!" she warned and walked ahead of him. It wasn't that she didn't like being compared to her father, because she really didn't mind, it was because she didn't like being told that she still had a temper or that she still called her father daddy like she was some little girl. She couldn't help it though, in her opinion she didn't have a temper and she had called her father daddy since she was little and had never changed it to father or dad.
He let out a sigh and shook his head as he watched her saunter off ahead of him. 'Yep, that's good old Akaya for you.' He thought.
They walked into the hut and sat down at the table to have breakfast with the others.
"Morning everyone!" she said happily and some how out of her tempermental mood.
Shippou was sitting in between Akaya and Taiken, which he did for a reason, while Sango and Miroku sat across from them. (A/N: I forgot to tell you that it's not an actual table. It doesn't have any chairs and they sit on mats, you know? And the table is low to the ground.)
Taiken took a suspicious side glance at the pair while sipping his tea. 'There too quiet. Something must of happened. I bet they did it last night. The fox got to her before I did? Way to go Shippou! But that's not like shippou to go and do something like that. He's too shy. He must of really liked her. that's kind of weird though. Aren't they like brother and sister or something. Even if their not really related or any thing....still...' He leaned towards Shippou a bit and nudged his side with his elbow. Shippou gave him an annoyed glance. It seemed like everyone was nudging him this morning. Taiken saw that he had his attention and spoke just loud enough for Shippou to hear. "I bet you did her last night didn't you?"
Shippou nearly spit out his food. "What?! No way!!" he hissed trying to keep his voice down.
"You sly fox I knew you had it in you. And I can't believe you got some before I did." Taiken whispered back slapping him on the shoulder like a proud parent would a child.
"We didn't do anything!" he hissed.
Akaya who had over herd everything and blushing at the suggestion was getting pretty annoyed. Mainly because they hadn't taken into consideration that she was right there or the fact that she also had youkai hearing and had heard every word so far, which was beginning to tick her off. "You know I can hear everything you guys are saying right?"
Shippou blushed even harder and turned to her. "Then tell him nothing happened!" he snapped breaking out of his whispering state.
"What didn't happen?" Miroku asked before taking a bite of his food. He had herd the two whispering but couldn't make out any words. But knowing his son's mind, he had an inkling that it had something to do with Akaya and Shippou's situation this morning.
"Nothing!" Akaya responded quickly.
"What?" Sango asked trying to get into the conversation.
"Exactly!" shippou said.
"Huh?" Taiken said clearly confused.
By now Akaya's ears were twitching in agitation. "Just drop the subject! Nothing happened, are you happy now Taiken?!"
Shippou sighed in relief and Taiken just shrugged the whole thing off. Miroku and Sango glanced at each other then smiled knowingly and went back to eating their food.
"Hey taiken?" Akaya asked a few minutes later.
"Yeah?"
"Want to come go with me and Shippou? We could use another companion out there."
"Come on Akaya, don't kid yourself, you know you like me a lot more than just a companion."
Akaya sweat dropped. "Taiken! I swear I'm gonna kill you if you do....!"
"I can't go because I'm training to take over my dad's spot as the local priest and shrine keeper once I'm old enough." He said cutting her off from her threat.
"And don't forget the village women." Shippou added.
"Oh yeah, that's a plus too."
Akaya's eye brow twitched. "You can't go because of village girls? Your such a perv you know that?"
Taiken just grinned.
"Too bad you'll be missing out on all the fun." Shippou added.
"I think you two will have a whole lot more fun with out me. you've got a lot to 'catch up'on so I don't really mind. Just make sure you don't do too much 'catching up' or I'll be left behind when you get back." He said with nothing less than a perverted smile.
Both Akaya and Shippou glared daggers at him but didn't say anything.
Akaya stood up and gatherd her things. "I'm done so I'll be waiting outside. You need to hurry up if were gonna make tracks Shippou." she said as she walked out the door.
"Okay." He said finishing the last of his meal and went outside.
"Ready?" she asked when she herd him come outside followed by the others.
"Yep." He answered.
She was about to pull her huge yellow back pack over her shoulder when Shippou took it from her and swung it over his shoulder. "I'll carry it for you." He said and smiled at her.
"Um, thanks." She said ducking her head to hide her blush and felt her stomach tie in knots again.
Akaya pushed down the feeling and walked over to Sango, Miroku, and Taiken to give them good-bye hugs.
Yet again Taiken had to ruin the moment.
"PERVERT!"
SMACK!
Shippou, with out thinking had reached out and grabbed Akaya, pulling her up against his chest and bonked Taiken over the head. "Idiot! Don't touch her!" he growled baring his teeth at him.
"OW! Hey!" Taiken complained.
"Doesn't this seem familiar to you Sango? " Miroku asked with pure amusement in his voice. Sango giggled and put a hand over her mouth to hold it back. "Sure does. Reminds me of a certain hanyou and miko."
Shippou instantly let go of Akaya and turned away to hide a blush. Í can't believe I just did that! I hate it when I start blushing like this, it's so pathetic. I'll have to control my instincts next time. Or I'll just kill Taiken.' He mentally kicked himself around.
Akaya was in no better a position than Shippou. 'There talking about my parents aren't they? I don't believe this! Next time I won't give Taiken a good-bye hug. Or maybe I'll just kill him.' She thought while her blush turned into a scawl.
"Protective are we? And I thought you said there was nothing between you two." Taiken teased. He obviously hadn't learned his first lesson but he loved putting his friends through embarressment.
"That's because there's nothing between us. Anyways, we need to get going. Bye guys it was great seeing you again!" she said dismissing the subject and waving good bye while she grabbed Shippou's wrist and pulled him along.
"Bye Akaya, have fun!" Sango shouted at there retreating forms.
"Yeah, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Taiken shouted.
Akaya and Shippou turned around to glare at him again but laughed when they saw Sango hit him over the head and drag him inside the house.
"Make sure you take care of her Shippou. Inuyasha would break your neck if she got hurt!" Miroku shouted.
"Inuyasha has nothing to worry about!" he shouted back as they disappeared down the main road out the village.
Sango came back outside after putting Taiken to do the dishes. "I think those two might come back a little more than just friends." She said leaning her head on Miroku's shoulder.
"Nah, if those two are anything like Inuyasha and Kagome, they'll take a while." he said putting his arm around her waist.
"I'll bet you a weeks worth of laundry that they'll come back as a couple." She challenged.
Miroku smiled at her. "Your on."
Sango smiled back at him, that is until she felt something on her rear.
"Miroku!" she chided and swatted his hand away.
"What!" he asked innocently.
She glared at him and sauntered of towards the hut.
"You know you like it!" he shouted after her.
"SHUT UP!" Sango yelled from inside and threw a wooden spoon at his head. (A/N: Good old Mroku. ^_^; )
~*~
Shippou turned back around after he couldn't see Miroku any more and came to face a glaring Akaya.
"What?"
"Feh, I don't need protection. I can handle anything that comes my way." She said crossing her arms and resting them on her stomach while sticking her chin in the air proudly. The last thing she whanted was being considered a weak little girl who couldn't take care of herself.
"I'd reconsider that if I were you. That thing around your neck is gonna bring us more trouble than we can handle." He said jerking his head in her direction.
She realized he meant the Shikon jewel and looked up at him. He was looking straight ahead and saw that his eyes were filled with so much emotion and distant as if lost in thought. But mostly he looked confused and she had to fight the urge to reach up and smooth his uneasiness away but clasped a hand over the jewel instead. She let her thoughts wander as well.
'This is going to be really hard since it's just the two of us out here. Who knows what kind of youkai would be after us once they sense the jewel. There's also the fact that if word got out that the daughter of the great Inuyasha had just appeared out of no where there'd be so many enemies out for revenge and she doesn't even have any fighting expierance against youkai. I bet Inuyasha doesn't even know how big his reputation has become after he left. Mainly because he had defeated Naraku. But no matter what I'm going to protect her the best I can. I'm no Inuyasha but I have my ways.' He looked down at her.'She looks beautiful. I wonder if she's got anyone back in her time. I hope not. I don't think I could bare to see her with someone else.' He almost stopped in his tracks after that last thought.'Woah! were did that come from? I can't like her that much already.....can I?' He searhed his thoughts for a minute. His shoulder bumped into hers and he blushed. The answer came to him and he had to fight the urge to claw himself or smack his forehead. 'Oh man I do like her that much. And I think I might.....' he gulped 'love her???' He looked at her again and his throat went dry. 'The 'like' thing would explain why I felt like my stomach was tied in knots every time we touched or when I kissed her this morning. But love? I don't even think she sees me that way. She probably only sees me as a big brother or something. This is just too much.'
~*~
'He's right. Through what I've been told about the jewel it'self caused both humans and youkai to lose their lives. But I'll get through this and protect the jewel like I'm suppose to. Plus, It's not like the jewel is broken into so many pieces were we'd have to looking for trouble. I chose to come here anyways so what ever trouble comes our way I can handle it. No problem. Like I said before I'm only here to discover a place for myself because home definetly isn't it.' Her shoulder bumped into his and for once she picked up on something she'd been missing since their encounter. 'His heart beat is racing. He can't be tired after that short distance can he? (A/N: Oh, poor Akaya. She's gonna need a bigger clue I guess. -_-; ) She looked looked up at him and saw that he had a tinge of pink to his cheeks. 'Maybe he's sick.' ( A/N: Okay! She's gonna need a way bigger clue than that. Forgive her, love will just do that to a girl sometimes. ^_^) 'He kissed me this morning like he always did when we were little but some how it felt different. It felt like it had more meaning. I can't even stop thinking about it....... UHH! Get over it girl! It was only on the cheek!' She told herself. 'And for goodness sakes why the hell I'm I blushing?!! I've been blushing since yesturday and it's been because of him. Dang it! He's my friend, my playmate, I can't be falling for him already! Wait why I'm I saying this like I expected myself to fall for him?' She looked at him again. 'He probably only sees me as a little sister. This is so confusing!' She sighed inwordly.
They reached the end of the village and Akaya's spirits were lifted when she remembered that there was something she had been whanting to do since she got there.
"I'll race you!" she said happily.
"Is that a challenge?" he asked with a smug grin.
"Yep!"
"You sure you whant to go through with this? You know I always beat you when we were little."
"Wanna bet?" She said crouching down to get momentum for when they started.
"Your on. Looser sets up camp and makes lunch and dinner tonight." Shippou said getting down into a crouch also.
"There's no way your going to beat me. I'm the captain of the track team and I've won every race I was in." she said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"Well whatever a 'track team' is I bet you did it with humans and don't forget your up against a full fledged youkai." He retorted.
"Feh." She responded but inside she was thinking 'oh yeah, I forgot.'
"Ready!" akaya started.
"Set!" She continued and glanced over at him while instantly getting an idea. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek leaving him compltely dumbfounded.
"GO!"
she dashed off in a red,black, and blue blur leaving a dazed Shippou in her wake.
He quickly regained his scattered thoughts and dashed off after her.
Akaya looked back to see him already catching up to her and couldn't help but laugh at him glaring at her. it wasn't an I'm-mad-at-you glare, but an amused glare.
"Hey! You got a head start!" he said as he came up to her.
Akaya just laughed and stuck her tungue out at him. Then a thought struck her. "Hey Shippou? where are we supposed to go from here?"
Shippou thought about it for a moment and smiled when he came up with an answer. "I guess we'll go where ever our senses take us. But for now follow me." Shippou had thought of a great idea to get back at her for taking a head start. Not that he minded the way she got a head start it's just that she got one that made him think of a plan to cool her adrenalin down.
He had been through these parts of the land before and they would be coming up to some woods up ahead and towards the end of it there was a lake. Since it was a really hot day they might as well take advantage of it.
"Let's see if you can keep up with me." he said as he sped up and entered the woods.
Akaya just "Fehed" and followed along.
They dodged tree branches, up lifteed roots, boulders, and jumped over bushes at high speeds that they would either not be seen or be a blur of different colors.
Akaya was begining to get tired after a while and was struggling to keep up.
Shippou smiled at her heavy breathing. He turned around so he was running backwards and grinned sheepishly at her. "Tired?" he asked.
"No!" she snapped. "You shouldn't be talking! I can hear your breathing from hear and your situation is no different from mine."
She was right, he was starting to breathe hard but he could last longer than her any day. His smile broaden when he smelled water up ahead. He quickly turned back around and sped up until he was out of sight.
Akaya was to busy growling at him for holding back on her the whole time to notice the smell of water up ahead. 'He's been holding back this whole time!? I'll kill him!'
Shippou reached the cliff where the lake was about thirty feet below. It was vey beautiful and it was probably the first time he'd every seen it this beautiful. It wasn't too big or too small and had sparkling dark blue water and a sakura tree that leaned over the lake while sakura peddles floatd across the surface of the water being carried away by the slight summer breeze.
Sensing her coming he quickly jumped behing a bush to catch his breathe and put down the hude back pack that had been slowing him down some.
Akaya followed his scent to the edge of the cliff and bent over to catch her breathe. She quickly realized the scene before her and marveled at it's beauty. "Wow!" she mumbled underneathe her breathe. Shippou couldn't help but grin at the predictable reaction that came from her. Akaya remembered the reason why she was there and turned around to look for Shippou.
"Shippou-kun?"
"Shippou, I know your out there I can smell you." She chided to see if he would come out.
Before she knew it Shippou had launched out of the bush and tackled her sending them both over the cliff head first.
"Shippou! what are you......ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
The only thing poor Akaya could do was latch onto him and scream bloody hell before they hit the water with a huge "SPLASH!"
Akaya surfaced gasping for air, sputtering water and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. she swam towards the bank where the sakura tree was. She leaned against the bank to try and catch her breathe again while looking around for Shippou. A few moments passed and he still hadn't surfaced and she began to panick.
"Shippou?!"
"Shippou-kun, where are you?! This isn't funny!!" she shouted as she sank into the chest high water preparing to swim out to go look for him when bubbles appeared about a foot away from where she was standing.
Blub-Blub-Blub
She leaned in closer to try and see past the ripples in the water at what was making the bubbles.
"Shippou?"
Shippou popped out of the water a mere inche from her face scaring the daylights out of her.
"Ahhhh!!!" Akaya screamed and leaned against the bank with one hand over her chest as if to stop her racing heart.
Shippou was doubled over with laughter and gasping for air.
Akaya narrowed her eyes at him.
"What's so funny you idiot?!!! That was a dirty joke!! You nearly got us killed with your stupid stunt!" she glared at him with a thoroughly angered expression. "And why didn't you come up after all that time?! Do you know how worried I was?!!"
Her anger turned into frustration and her frustration turned into tears. 'He doesn't even know how worried he made me, that jerk! Why do I even care anyways? He still acts like a little kid sometimes.' She thought as more tears came down her cheek.
Shippou imiedately stopped laughing when he smelled her tears. 'Why is she crying? I couldn't of scared her that much could I? Wait...she said she was worried about me. does that mean she cares? Damn! I can't believe I made her cry. She probably won't even talk to me for the rest of the trip. Way to go Shippou! Now I know how Inuyasha felt.' He thought as his shoulders slumped forwards.
He grabbed a sakura flower that floated by in the water. He looked at it for a moment then up at Akaya's back. He walked up behind her and cringed at seeing her flinch when he came near. He tucked the flower in her hair and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry....or cry." He said lowering his head down in shame.
Akaya turned around and he lifted his head and there eyes locked. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and her stomach felt like it had been dropped off a two-hundred story building and her heart fluttered uncontrolably. 'Why do I feel like this?' She thought, feeling her emotions mix up and not knowing what she was feeling while a few more tears left her eyes.
Shippou was in the same situation as Akaya and was lost towards his emotion. 'Why does she make me feel this way?' He thought as he lifted his hand to her cheek to brush away her last tears. Their eyes never strayed away and first, he saw that she had already forgiven him but it was followed by confusion.
Akaya shivered at his soft touch. 'Why I'm I reacting this way? This isn't me at all.' She kept looking into his green eyes and saw as much confusion as she was feeling.
Shippou caressed her cheek and a major need to smooth her confusion out came over him and the hopes that it would smooth his own away as well.
She felt his thumb caress her cheek and she leaned further into his palm to feel his warmth while closing her eyes until she felt his thumb linger over her lips.
He realized he had unconsiously let his thumb graze her lips while he had been standing there just staring at her relaxed features and wishing it would stay like that for ever. 'Why do I feel like kissing her so badly? Hey wait why I'm I leaning in?'
She opened her eyes and admired his boyishly handsome features and her eyes fell on his lips and realized he was leaning in. 'Woah, what's he doing? Hey, what am I doing? I'm not supposed to be leaning in too!' she thought.
~*~
A/N: GASP! What will happen now? Will they kiss? Will there be an interuption? Will he push away? Will she slap him? When will I update? As soon as I get some reviews. ^_^ I already got the next chapter done so I'm just waiting on you guys. ^_~ thanks to those who are reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate it.
Much love,
Brazil
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. he belongs to R.T. and there's nothing anyone can do about that.
~*~
Ch. 4 A Race, A Fall, and.....A Kiss?
~*~
The next morning Akaya woke up to a weird sound, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She tried to clear the sleepy daze the clouded her head and tried to blink out the morning blur out of her eyes. She scanned the area in front of her and came across three figures standing a few feet away from her. She blinked a few more times and saw that it was Miroku, Sango, and Taiken standing there trying their hardest to hold in laughter.
Thoroughly confused she went to get up but to her surprise was pulled back by an arm wrapped around her waist until her back rested against a soft chest while she had let out an undignified squeak. Then it hit her why they were laughing and who's shoulder she had fallen asleep on the night before. She turned slightly to look behind herself and even though she already knew who it was she prayed that it wasn't him. Unfortunetly she came nose to nose with that person and she turned a color that could put cherries to shame.
"Awe! Isn't that cut?! Look at the little love birdies!" Taiken teased.
"Shut up Taiken!" Akaya hissed.
Her temper was rising and she turned towards Shippou. Grinding her teeth to try and hold in her tantrum she elbowed his side to get him up. "Shippou- kun, please get up!" she hissed nudging his side again. She let out anothr squeak when all he did was groan and tighten his grip around her waiste. She growled in frustration and looked up at the others who wer still laughing. "Come on you guys! This isn't funny!" she snapped.
Taiken was about to say something when Sango striked him upside the head before he could utter a word. "Okay Akaya, we'll leave you to try to wake him up. Just hurry up if you whant to cover some ground before lunch." She said and turned, walking away while dragging the other two with her. But she couuld still hear a few chuckles and giggles coming from the three.
She let out a sigh of releif and turned her attention towards shippou.
"What to do? What to do?" she chanted. Her ears went flat against her head in concentration to first try to get out of his death grip then wake him up. But she never realized it when he cracked open an eye that scanned over her in admiration. She also didn't notice it when he leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek.
"Morning 'Kaya." He yawned and stretched out.
Akaya quickly snapped out of her shocked state. "Uh.....morning." she said blushing. 'He always did that when we were little, but I never blushed like this. What's up with that? He always use to be the first one up too. Wait, was he even asleep that whole time?' "HEY! You sleep like a rock you know that? Didn't you hear me calling you?" she gave him a look that said you-better-not-lie-to-me-or-I'll-kill-you.
He laughed nervously and rub the back of his head. "Of corse not, if I did I would of ben up a long time ago." He lied. He had been up since dawn just sitting there watching her the whole time. He liked having her in his arms and didn't feel like moving from his spot until she did so he pretended to be asleep when the others showed up. He had no idea why he felt like that but he had his suspicions. He felt bad about lieing to her but if she found out that he was actually awake that whole time, well he didn't whant to find out if she still had that temper of hers.
"Feh, whatever.'' She wasn't sure if she believed him.
Shippou couldn't help but laugh at her making a very Inuyasha comment.
"What's so funny!?" she snapped.
"Nothing, you just sounded a lot like your father." He was trying to hold in his chuckles so she wouldn't get any angrier than she already was.
She glared at him and crossed her arms. "Humph! I do not sound like daddy!"
Shippou burst out laughing. "Daddy?! You still call him daddy?!" he said laughing his head off.
"GRRRRR!!" Akaya growled and got up to stomp towards the hut.
"Hey, don't start over reacting. I was only playing around." He said jumping to his feet to catch up to her. he looked at her and couldn't help but chuckle at the scawl on her face. "You always did have his temper." He commented knowing that it would tick her off.
Akaya stopped in her tracks and glared at his back as he walked ahead of her. She could practiclly see the smug on his face. His tail swished back and forth in that playful manner that only told her that he was teasing her. She quickly grabbed his tail before it got out of her reach and tugged hard enough to pull him back a few feet behind her.
"OW! Hey! That hurt you know!?" he barked at her as he rubbed his tail.
"Watch what you say next time fox!" she warned and walked ahead of him. It wasn't that she didn't like being compared to her father, because she really didn't mind, it was because she didn't like being told that she still had a temper or that she still called her father daddy like she was some little girl. She couldn't help it though, in her opinion she didn't have a temper and she had called her father daddy since she was little and had never changed it to father or dad.
He let out a sigh and shook his head as he watched her saunter off ahead of him. 'Yep, that's good old Akaya for you.' He thought.
They walked into the hut and sat down at the table to have breakfast with the others.
"Morning everyone!" she said happily and some how out of her tempermental mood.
Shippou was sitting in between Akaya and Taiken, which he did for a reason, while Sango and Miroku sat across from them. (A/N: I forgot to tell you that it's not an actual table. It doesn't have any chairs and they sit on mats, you know? And the table is low to the ground.)
Taiken took a suspicious side glance at the pair while sipping his tea. 'There too quiet. Something must of happened. I bet they did it last night. The fox got to her before I did? Way to go Shippou! But that's not like shippou to go and do something like that. He's too shy. He must of really liked her. that's kind of weird though. Aren't they like brother and sister or something. Even if their not really related or any thing....still...' He leaned towards Shippou a bit and nudged his side with his elbow. Shippou gave him an annoyed glance. It seemed like everyone was nudging him this morning. Taiken saw that he had his attention and spoke just loud enough for Shippou to hear. "I bet you did her last night didn't you?"
Shippou nearly spit out his food. "What?! No way!!" he hissed trying to keep his voice down.
"You sly fox I knew you had it in you. And I can't believe you got some before I did." Taiken whispered back slapping him on the shoulder like a proud parent would a child.
"We didn't do anything!" he hissed.
Akaya who had over herd everything and blushing at the suggestion was getting pretty annoyed. Mainly because they hadn't taken into consideration that she was right there or the fact that she also had youkai hearing and had heard every word so far, which was beginning to tick her off. "You know I can hear everything you guys are saying right?"
Shippou blushed even harder and turned to her. "Then tell him nothing happened!" he snapped breaking out of his whispering state.
"What didn't happen?" Miroku asked before taking a bite of his food. He had herd the two whispering but couldn't make out any words. But knowing his son's mind, he had an inkling that it had something to do with Akaya and Shippou's situation this morning.
"Nothing!" Akaya responded quickly.
"What?" Sango asked trying to get into the conversation.
"Exactly!" shippou said.
"Huh?" Taiken said clearly confused.
By now Akaya's ears were twitching in agitation. "Just drop the subject! Nothing happened, are you happy now Taiken?!"
Shippou sighed in relief and Taiken just shrugged the whole thing off. Miroku and Sango glanced at each other then smiled knowingly and went back to eating their food.
"Hey taiken?" Akaya asked a few minutes later.
"Yeah?"
"Want to come go with me and Shippou? We could use another companion out there."
"Come on Akaya, don't kid yourself, you know you like me a lot more than just a companion."
Akaya sweat dropped. "Taiken! I swear I'm gonna kill you if you do....!"
"I can't go because I'm training to take over my dad's spot as the local priest and shrine keeper once I'm old enough." He said cutting her off from her threat.
"And don't forget the village women." Shippou added.
"Oh yeah, that's a plus too."
Akaya's eye brow twitched. "You can't go because of village girls? Your such a perv you know that?"
Taiken just grinned.
"Too bad you'll be missing out on all the fun." Shippou added.
"I think you two will have a whole lot more fun with out me. you've got a lot to 'catch up'on so I don't really mind. Just make sure you don't do too much 'catching up' or I'll be left behind when you get back." He said with nothing less than a perverted smile.
Both Akaya and Shippou glared daggers at him but didn't say anything.
Akaya stood up and gatherd her things. "I'm done so I'll be waiting outside. You need to hurry up if were gonna make tracks Shippou." she said as she walked out the door.
"Okay." He said finishing the last of his meal and went outside.
"Ready?" she asked when she herd him come outside followed by the others.
"Yep." He answered.
She was about to pull her huge yellow back pack over her shoulder when Shippou took it from her and swung it over his shoulder. "I'll carry it for you." He said and smiled at her.
"Um, thanks." She said ducking her head to hide her blush and felt her stomach tie in knots again.
Akaya pushed down the feeling and walked over to Sango, Miroku, and Taiken to give them good-bye hugs.
Yet again Taiken had to ruin the moment.
"PERVERT!"
SMACK!
Shippou, with out thinking had reached out and grabbed Akaya, pulling her up against his chest and bonked Taiken over the head. "Idiot! Don't touch her!" he growled baring his teeth at him.
"OW! Hey!" Taiken complained.
"Doesn't this seem familiar to you Sango? " Miroku asked with pure amusement in his voice. Sango giggled and put a hand over her mouth to hold it back. "Sure does. Reminds me of a certain hanyou and miko."
Shippou instantly let go of Akaya and turned away to hide a blush. Í can't believe I just did that! I hate it when I start blushing like this, it's so pathetic. I'll have to control my instincts next time. Or I'll just kill Taiken.' He mentally kicked himself around.
Akaya was in no better a position than Shippou. 'There talking about my parents aren't they? I don't believe this! Next time I won't give Taiken a good-bye hug. Or maybe I'll just kill him.' She thought while her blush turned into a scawl.
"Protective are we? And I thought you said there was nothing between you two." Taiken teased. He obviously hadn't learned his first lesson but he loved putting his friends through embarressment.
"That's because there's nothing between us. Anyways, we need to get going. Bye guys it was great seeing you again!" she said dismissing the subject and waving good bye while she grabbed Shippou's wrist and pulled him along.
"Bye Akaya, have fun!" Sango shouted at there retreating forms.
"Yeah, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Taiken shouted.
Akaya and Shippou turned around to glare at him again but laughed when they saw Sango hit him over the head and drag him inside the house.
"Make sure you take care of her Shippou. Inuyasha would break your neck if she got hurt!" Miroku shouted.
"Inuyasha has nothing to worry about!" he shouted back as they disappeared down the main road out the village.
Sango came back outside after putting Taiken to do the dishes. "I think those two might come back a little more than just friends." She said leaning her head on Miroku's shoulder.
"Nah, if those two are anything like Inuyasha and Kagome, they'll take a while." he said putting his arm around her waist.
"I'll bet you a weeks worth of laundry that they'll come back as a couple." She challenged.
Miroku smiled at her. "Your on."
Sango smiled back at him, that is until she felt something on her rear.
"Miroku!" she chided and swatted his hand away.
"What!" he asked innocently.
She glared at him and sauntered of towards the hut.
"You know you like it!" he shouted after her.
"SHUT UP!" Sango yelled from inside and threw a wooden spoon at his head. (A/N: Good old Mroku. ^_^; )
~*~
Shippou turned back around after he couldn't see Miroku any more and came to face a glaring Akaya.
"What?"
"Feh, I don't need protection. I can handle anything that comes my way." She said crossing her arms and resting them on her stomach while sticking her chin in the air proudly. The last thing she whanted was being considered a weak little girl who couldn't take care of herself.
"I'd reconsider that if I were you. That thing around your neck is gonna bring us more trouble than we can handle." He said jerking his head in her direction.
She realized he meant the Shikon jewel and looked up at him. He was looking straight ahead and saw that his eyes were filled with so much emotion and distant as if lost in thought. But mostly he looked confused and she had to fight the urge to reach up and smooth his uneasiness away but clasped a hand over the jewel instead. She let her thoughts wander as well.
'This is going to be really hard since it's just the two of us out here. Who knows what kind of youkai would be after us once they sense the jewel. There's also the fact that if word got out that the daughter of the great Inuyasha had just appeared out of no where there'd be so many enemies out for revenge and she doesn't even have any fighting expierance against youkai. I bet Inuyasha doesn't even know how big his reputation has become after he left. Mainly because he had defeated Naraku. But no matter what I'm going to protect her the best I can. I'm no Inuyasha but I have my ways.' He looked down at her.'She looks beautiful. I wonder if she's got anyone back in her time. I hope not. I don't think I could bare to see her with someone else.' He almost stopped in his tracks after that last thought.'Woah! were did that come from? I can't like her that much already.....can I?' He searhed his thoughts for a minute. His shoulder bumped into hers and he blushed. The answer came to him and he had to fight the urge to claw himself or smack his forehead. 'Oh man I do like her that much. And I think I might.....' he gulped 'love her???' He looked at her again and his throat went dry. 'The 'like' thing would explain why I felt like my stomach was tied in knots every time we touched or when I kissed her this morning. But love? I don't even think she sees me that way. She probably only sees me as a big brother or something. This is just too much.'
~*~
'He's right. Through what I've been told about the jewel it'self caused both humans and youkai to lose their lives. But I'll get through this and protect the jewel like I'm suppose to. Plus, It's not like the jewel is broken into so many pieces were we'd have to looking for trouble. I chose to come here anyways so what ever trouble comes our way I can handle it. No problem. Like I said before I'm only here to discover a place for myself because home definetly isn't it.' Her shoulder bumped into his and for once she picked up on something she'd been missing since their encounter. 'His heart beat is racing. He can't be tired after that short distance can he? (A/N: Oh, poor Akaya. She's gonna need a bigger clue I guess. -_-; ) She looked looked up at him and saw that he had a tinge of pink to his cheeks. 'Maybe he's sick.' ( A/N: Okay! She's gonna need a way bigger clue than that. Forgive her, love will just do that to a girl sometimes. ^_^) 'He kissed me this morning like he always did when we were little but some how it felt different. It felt like it had more meaning. I can't even stop thinking about it....... UHH! Get over it girl! It was only on the cheek!' She told herself. 'And for goodness sakes why the hell I'm I blushing?!! I've been blushing since yesturday and it's been because of him. Dang it! He's my friend, my playmate, I can't be falling for him already! Wait why I'm I saying this like I expected myself to fall for him?' She looked at him again. 'He probably only sees me as a little sister. This is so confusing!' She sighed inwordly.
They reached the end of the village and Akaya's spirits were lifted when she remembered that there was something she had been whanting to do since she got there.
"I'll race you!" she said happily.
"Is that a challenge?" he asked with a smug grin.
"Yep!"
"You sure you whant to go through with this? You know I always beat you when we were little."
"Wanna bet?" She said crouching down to get momentum for when they started.
"Your on. Looser sets up camp and makes lunch and dinner tonight." Shippou said getting down into a crouch also.
"There's no way your going to beat me. I'm the captain of the track team and I've won every race I was in." she said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.
"Well whatever a 'track team' is I bet you did it with humans and don't forget your up against a full fledged youkai." He retorted.
"Feh." She responded but inside she was thinking 'oh yeah, I forgot.'
"Ready!" akaya started.
"Set!" She continued and glanced over at him while instantly getting an idea. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek leaving him compltely dumbfounded.
"GO!"
she dashed off in a red,black, and blue blur leaving a dazed Shippou in her wake.
He quickly regained his scattered thoughts and dashed off after her.
Akaya looked back to see him already catching up to her and couldn't help but laugh at him glaring at her. it wasn't an I'm-mad-at-you glare, but an amused glare.
"Hey! You got a head start!" he said as he came up to her.
Akaya just laughed and stuck her tungue out at him. Then a thought struck her. "Hey Shippou? where are we supposed to go from here?"
Shippou thought about it for a moment and smiled when he came up with an answer. "I guess we'll go where ever our senses take us. But for now follow me." Shippou had thought of a great idea to get back at her for taking a head start. Not that he minded the way she got a head start it's just that she got one that made him think of a plan to cool her adrenalin down.
He had been through these parts of the land before and they would be coming up to some woods up ahead and towards the end of it there was a lake. Since it was a really hot day they might as well take advantage of it.
"Let's see if you can keep up with me." he said as he sped up and entered the woods.
Akaya just "Fehed" and followed along.
They dodged tree branches, up lifteed roots, boulders, and jumped over bushes at high speeds that they would either not be seen or be a blur of different colors.
Akaya was begining to get tired after a while and was struggling to keep up.
Shippou smiled at her heavy breathing. He turned around so he was running backwards and grinned sheepishly at her. "Tired?" he asked.
"No!" she snapped. "You shouldn't be talking! I can hear your breathing from hear and your situation is no different from mine."
She was right, he was starting to breathe hard but he could last longer than her any day. His smile broaden when he smelled water up ahead. He quickly turned back around and sped up until he was out of sight.
Akaya was to busy growling at him for holding back on her the whole time to notice the smell of water up ahead. 'He's been holding back this whole time!? I'll kill him!'
Shippou reached the cliff where the lake was about thirty feet below. It was vey beautiful and it was probably the first time he'd every seen it this beautiful. It wasn't too big or too small and had sparkling dark blue water and a sakura tree that leaned over the lake while sakura peddles floatd across the surface of the water being carried away by the slight summer breeze.
Sensing her coming he quickly jumped behing a bush to catch his breathe and put down the hude back pack that had been slowing him down some.
Akaya followed his scent to the edge of the cliff and bent over to catch her breathe. She quickly realized the scene before her and marveled at it's beauty. "Wow!" she mumbled underneathe her breathe. Shippou couldn't help but grin at the predictable reaction that came from her. Akaya remembered the reason why she was there and turned around to look for Shippou.
"Shippou-kun?"
"Shippou, I know your out there I can smell you." She chided to see if he would come out.
Before she knew it Shippou had launched out of the bush and tackled her sending them both over the cliff head first.
"Shippou! what are you......ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
The only thing poor Akaya could do was latch onto him and scream bloody hell before they hit the water with a huge "SPLASH!"
Akaya surfaced gasping for air, sputtering water and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. she swam towards the bank where the sakura tree was. She leaned against the bank to try and catch her breathe again while looking around for Shippou. A few moments passed and he still hadn't surfaced and she began to panick.
"Shippou?!"
"Shippou-kun, where are you?! This isn't funny!!" she shouted as she sank into the chest high water preparing to swim out to go look for him when bubbles appeared about a foot away from where she was standing.
Blub-Blub-Blub
She leaned in closer to try and see past the ripples in the water at what was making the bubbles.
"Shippou?"
Shippou popped out of the water a mere inche from her face scaring the daylights out of her.
"Ahhhh!!!" Akaya screamed and leaned against the bank with one hand over her chest as if to stop her racing heart.
Shippou was doubled over with laughter and gasping for air.
Akaya narrowed her eyes at him.
"What's so funny you idiot?!!! That was a dirty joke!! You nearly got us killed with your stupid stunt!" she glared at him with a thoroughly angered expression. "And why didn't you come up after all that time?! Do you know how worried I was?!!"
Her anger turned into frustration and her frustration turned into tears. 'He doesn't even know how worried he made me, that jerk! Why do I even care anyways? He still acts like a little kid sometimes.' She thought as more tears came down her cheek.
Shippou imiedately stopped laughing when he smelled her tears. 'Why is she crying? I couldn't of scared her that much could I? Wait...she said she was worried about me. does that mean she cares? Damn! I can't believe I made her cry. She probably won't even talk to me for the rest of the trip. Way to go Shippou! Now I know how Inuyasha felt.' He thought as his shoulders slumped forwards.
He grabbed a sakura flower that floated by in the water. He looked at it for a moment then up at Akaya's back. He walked up behind her and cringed at seeing her flinch when he came near. He tucked the flower in her hair and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry....or cry." He said lowering his head down in shame.
Akaya turned around and he lifted his head and there eyes locked. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and her stomach felt like it had been dropped off a two-hundred story building and her heart fluttered uncontrolably. 'Why do I feel like this?' She thought, feeling her emotions mix up and not knowing what she was feeling while a few more tears left her eyes.
Shippou was in the same situation as Akaya and was lost towards his emotion. 'Why does she make me feel this way?' He thought as he lifted his hand to her cheek to brush away her last tears. Their eyes never strayed away and first, he saw that she had already forgiven him but it was followed by confusion.
Akaya shivered at his soft touch. 'Why I'm I reacting this way? This isn't me at all.' She kept looking into his green eyes and saw as much confusion as she was feeling.
Shippou caressed her cheek and a major need to smooth her confusion out came over him and the hopes that it would smooth his own away as well.
She felt his thumb caress her cheek and she leaned further into his palm to feel his warmth while closing her eyes until she felt his thumb linger over her lips.
He realized he had unconsiously let his thumb graze her lips while he had been standing there just staring at her relaxed features and wishing it would stay like that for ever. 'Why do I feel like kissing her so badly? Hey wait why I'm I leaning in?'
She opened her eyes and admired his boyishly handsome features and her eyes fell on his lips and realized he was leaning in. 'Woah, what's he doing? Hey, what am I doing? I'm not supposed to be leaning in too!' she thought.
~*~
A/N: GASP! What will happen now? Will they kiss? Will there be an interuption? Will he push away? Will she slap him? When will I update? As soon as I get some reviews. ^_^ I already got the next chapter done so I'm just waiting on you guys. ^_~ thanks to those who are reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate it.
Much love,
Brazil
