To My Loverly Readers Whom I Love A Lot,
I am such a horrible person, will you all ever forgive me?! I hate authors who update like once a month when they say once a week...a pack of liars they are! And I have gotten in with them...they are a bad crowd...a lazy bunch we are, we sit around and eat chocolate and drink liquor instead of writing. For all you know, I am a big fatty from all my lazy authoress-ness...and it would serve me right!
I hope someone's is still reading this story...ha-ha, that would be double cool with knobs.
All righty, to wrap up this intro dribble, I am so very sorry, cookies for everyone!! I am such a shamed little authoress...shaaaaaaaaaaame shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame...
And by the way, I have no idea how this is going to end except that it will be fantastic and completely undisappointing. It will be AMAZING, have no worries, but expect the ending in the next few chapters I think. We'll see how it develops.
LOVELOVELOVE,
Amy-lala
P.S. I know it is rather ungrateful to ask, but please review...thaaaaank you...
Disclaimer: I think we get by now that I do not own Inuyasha. Otherwise I would be ten times more of a fatty because of my lazy authoressness, plus have half of the world hating me because I would only put out like one book a year. I would be assasinated by psychotic fan-girls. Seeing as I am not a dead fatty, I think its safe to say I do not own the characters in Inuyasha
Dreams of Memories
Chapter Eight: Changing
Hojo didn't look at me, he just stood, quiet and grounded, by the counter.
"Hojo," I started.
"Don't. Not now." He said firmly.
"Yes, now. I don't know if I'll be able to do this later, and you deserve this."
Hojo finally met my eyes, clearly about to protest, but then sat wordlessly at the counter. I joined him.
"Hojo." I began again. "You're one of my closest friends here at the manor, and I can't tell you how sorry I am that you're hurt…This thing with Slater was really sudden." He snorted. "I just wanted to say that I care a lot about you, and I really want to still be-"
"We aren't friends."
That threw me. "What?"
"Not anymore."
I was stricken. "Hojo…no!"
"Not yet." He amended. "Not for awhile."
"But-"
"Please."
I looked at him for a moment. "O-ok."
His brown eyes met mine. "Ok." He agreed, smiling a little. He pushed some of my hair behind my ear. "Go swim."
"Will you come?"
"Maybe tomorrow." He said as I stood.
I nodded, and left. As I was walking back to my room to get on my swimsuit, I thought back on all that had happened that day and the night before. I wondered who the shadow man was…I really wished those security guards would do their job better tonight…
Then something clicked together in my mind. If there were guards…then why didn't they find me at the front gate? Surely they must have seen or heard something of my attacker as well….they couldn't be that incompetent. So how could have Sessho-maru found me?
Or maybe…was Sessho-maru lying to me? Why would he do that? I didn't realize I was frowning until Sango ran up to me from down the hall and asked, "What's taking you so- what's wrong?"
I un-furrowed my eyebrows. "Oh, it's nothing really. Come with me to get my suit?" Sessho-maru said not to go anywhere alone.
We were just leaving my room when I heard a strange noise….like a loud bell. I jumped about two feet in the air.
"Is that some sort of alarm?! Has someone gotten in?" I asked.
Sango laughed. "No…that's just the doorbell. But that's strange; we don't normally get visitors on the spur of the moment. Usually they call ahead, because they're business associates for Slater..."
She hurried to the stairs. "Come on, I've got to get that, and you shouldn't be by yourself!"
I followed her, running down four flights of stairs to the first floor. We went down a short hall, and into the entrance room. It was one of the warmest rooms in the manor, painted a deep red, with many tables and hooks, mirrors, and softly lit lamps lining the walls.
Sango immediately went to the large double wooden doors, and pulled one open, just as the bell rang again. I shouldn't say rang…it was more like a booming noise. I stood back in the corner, sort of behind an end-table, out of immediate sight of our mysterious visitor.
"Good morning, sir. How may I help you?"
I heard a man's deep voice say, "Is this the Slater residence?"
"Yes, can I help you somehow?"
"I am looking for a young woman…she's supposed to be staying here?
Her name is Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."
I felt my heart jump, I started towards the door. Who could it be? I slunk up behind Sango and peeked over her shoulder. There was a young man in the doorway, with dark hair. And bright blue eyes…
He caught sight of me. My heart froze, and I began to back away.
"Kagome? Kagome!! It is you!" He started towards me, but Sango blocked him neatly.
"Who are YOU?" She demanded.
"Get out of the way!" The man was clearly frustrated. When she refused to move, he said harshly, "My name is Kouga, and would you please let me see my girlfriend?!"
Sango was so surprised she let him past her. He quickly engulfed me in a hug; he must have been at least six feet tall. I stiffened in fear and shock.
"Where have you been?" He asked once he'd pulled away. "After what happened at the shrine…and to your family...we all were so worried."
And it showed in his eyes. I knew at once that those malicious eyes of that shadow man were not Kouga's. I instantly relaxed.
"I'm sorry…but I lost my memory, and the people who live here have taken me in. When I found out my family was dead, it didn't occur to me that other people cared where I was…"
He was hugging me again, tightly. It felt familiar…but at the same time I wanted to push him away. What about Sessho-maru? I stepped back after allowing him to hold me for a few more moments.
Sango had closed the door.
"Oh, Kouga. This is Sango."
He nodded to her, then turned back to me. He was kind of rude…
"So are you going to come back with me?"
What?! "I'd rather not…" I tried to sound calm about it.
"Oh I get it. You're still recovering. Don't worry! I can stay a few days." He already had his coat on a hook, and took my hand, pulling me into the hall. I gave Sango a desperate look.
"Uhm, Kouga, wait-" She began.
"Oh! Sorry…" He said. He kicked off his muddy boots into a corner, and was off again.
"Kagome, give me a tour of where you've been living."
I sighed. That couldn't hurt…could it?
I showed him the foyers and tea rooms on the first floor; and the kitchen, dining, and library rooms on the second floor. I didn't bother with the other four floors. The upper levels were just the infirmary and living quarters anyway.
I was especially enthused about the library, but Kouga seemed to brush it off. I felt incredibly annoyed with him, and got the feeling of familiarity again. I had definitely been frustrated with his attitude before.
I finally just asked him to come swimming with us, hoping that at least I would have Miroku and Sango to talk to besides him. He agreed, and the three of us went out to the courtyard. Miroku was sitting at a
table, looking off into nothing.
He jumped up as we arrived. "Finally! Where have you lovely ladies been-" He stopped short. "Who is this?" He asked.
"This," Sango said, polite through her teeth, "Is Kouga…Kagome's boyfriend from Ithaca."
Miroku's eyes widened. "Oh." He shook Kouga's hand. "Nice to meet you."
As soon as Kouga turned to take off his shirt, Miroku shot me a look that meant, "What are you doing?!"
I motioned back, "I don't know!"
I stripped to my bathing suit, and Sango did the same, pausing only once to slap Miroku because of a 'slip of a hand'.
Once we were all floating in the early afternoon light, Miroku asked, grinning wickedly, "So how long have you known Kagome?"
Kouga smiled. "Since freshman year. We finally started going out junior year…I knew she was my woman from the first moment I saw her."
So it had taken me three years to accept his offer. I wonder if I had been too annoyed to take it, so I just said yes to get him off my back. I smiled at the thought.
"Your woman, huh?" Sango asked, obviously irked at his phrasing.
"Yeah." Kouga said proudly, not getting it (A/N: that is the definition of Kouga, right there. ahaha… yeah.). He wrapped an arm around me.
"Look, Kouga." I said. "I think we really need to talk about this…come with me?"
"Sure!" He followed me out of the pool to a table.
"Listen, I know that when I was in Ithaca we were going out, but I don't know anything about you…I haven't met you before today!"
He frowned, confused. "No, we've known each other for years…"
I let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, it's not your fault. I just don't remember you at all."
He leaned back in his chair. "It's no problem."
I smiled, he was finally getting it.
"I'll just stay here for awhile and you'll get to know me again! Piece of cake."
I let my head fall onto the table. "Hey babe, you ok?"
"Yes." I mumbled. This was going to be bad. What was I going to tell Sessho-maru? I had a feeling he wouldn't like this at all…
We swam for a few more hours before going back to our rooms to change for dinner. When I finished my shower in my rooms, I headed back out into my main bedroom to change, only instead finding Kouga sitting on my bed.
I shrieked, and pulled my towel tighter around me. "Kouga, what are you doing in here?!"
"Waiting for you." He said, getting up and coming over, grinning.
"What, are you nervous? You look good in just that…"
I backed away. "Kouga…I want to get dressed…and my outfit is a surprise." I lied quickly. "So you have to leave the room until I come out."
He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "You always were very modest…all right. I'll wait in the hall for you."
I sighed in relief as he left.
I changed in a hurry, in the bathroom with the door locked (just in case). I wore one of my longer dresses, with a slightly higher neckline.
When I emerged, Kouga said, "My woman always looks her best…"
Was that supposed to be a compliment? He put his arm around me as we began down the hall.
We turned the corner to the stairwell, and I ran right into a very tall person.
Before I even looked up I knew who it was, by his smell, and his suit. I looked up into his golden eyes and completely forgot about Kouga. I hugged Sessho-maru tightly. His arms wrapped around me and I felt a sort of calm come over me. Kouga had had me tensed up all day.
All of a sudden, I was pulled back to reality by a loud voice demanding, "Who are YOU?"
Sessho-maru pulled away a little, keeping me in his arms. "I believe the question at hand," His voice was silk, "Would be who you are. Why are you in my manor?"
"That would be my fault." I said. "This is Kouga…"
"I'm her boyfriend!" Kouga growled, looking like he was about to rip me out of Sessho-maru's grip.
Sessho-maru didn't look threatened at all. He just blinked. This
seemed to get Kouga even angrier.
"Kouga." I said, hoping he would finally understand. "I tried to tell you earlier. I don't know you…to me, you're a stranger…I'm sorry."
"You say that now Kagome." He said, still sounding pissed. "But you'll always be my woman."
Sessho-maru met his glare, and held me closer, almost warning Kouga to back off.
I felt sorry for Kouga then. He remembered me…to him I was still his girlfriend…who he'd known for so long, and who he thought he'd lost.
"Look, Kouga." I said gently. "Do you still want to come for dinner?"
"No, I am going to leave now. But I'll be back for you Kagome, in a few days. You need to come home, where you BELONG." And he stomped off down the stairs.
Home…I thought as I watched him go. Where was home anyway?
Sessho-maru's cool fingers tilted my face upwards. "I expect you'll tell me how this happened after dinner?"
I met his golden eyes and smiled, pressing my body against his, a little closer. Being there, with him. That felt like home the most. "Yeah...are you mad?"
He looked at me levelly. "No. He is stupid, he is no threat."
"That's awfully mean!" I said, my laughter echoing in the stairwell, as we walked down towards the dining room.
"Even though I have only met him for mere moments, he seems rash and pig-headed. An annoyance."
"You got all that?" I asked.
"Mostly from you, actually." He said, smiling faintly. "You seemed very relieved to see me, and your feelings about him were written all over your face."
I blushed. "Well, I spent all day with him. He even hung around my room while I was trying to change…"
Sessho-maru stopped. "He did what?"
"Oh, well, it wasn't that bad…" I back-tracked. "I was in a towel and everything."
"I hope for his sake he does not come back here." There was a glint in Sessho-maru's eye that made me believe him completely.
"Don't worry." I grinned up at Sessho-maru, who still had a dangerous look in his eye. "He's gone now." I stood on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek. "And I'm not his." Sessho-maru's hands moved to my hips, pulling me flush against him. He kissed me lightly, reassuringly. He kissed me again, deeper than before.
When he pulled back, I said, "We're going to be late for dinner…"
"Dinner will wait." Was all he said, before he was kissing me again, this time pinning me against the wall.
"I guess we can be a little late…" I mumbled against his ear, as he kissed along my neck. When he started to slip the straps of my dress off I stopped him. "Sessho-maru, now isn't the time…we are in a hallway…"
He growled, "But it is my hallway."
But he kissed me once more on the lips, gently, before backing up, so I could move away from the wall. I straightened my dress and we continued down the hall.
"I have stationed more guards around the grounds. You will be staying in my rooms tonight. They have the most security, and Kagura will be in the antechamber keeping watch all night." He told me.
"And where will you be staying?"
"With you."
"Really?" I said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes."
I smiled and stopped for a minute outside the dining room to kiss him, daringly biting his lower lip. "Sounds great."
Reeeeeeeeeeeeview...revieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew...I'm not creepy at all...revieeeeeeeeeeeew...
