Yeah, okay, allow me to apologize first for the lateness of this post. I had half the chapter written for ages, but the truth is I only want to publish this story when I feel it is at its best. I hope the fluff of this chapter will be enough to make it up to all of you. I also hope you all know that I would never give up on a story. If I've started it, I will finish it, which is why I'm so reluctant to start writing the ideas I carry around with me all the time.
Some of you have been asking me about the text at the beginning of the chapters. It's from the poem The Man With The Blue Guitar by Wallace Stevens. As far as I know it's never been turned into a song. It's actually really long and I've kind of chopped the crap out of it down to the parts that I like for the story. I write the chapter first and then look for the part of the poem I think matches. I'm actually running out of poem before I run out of ideas, haha so I'll have to start scouring the verses again soon.
As always, please read and review.
~HoneyBee
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or The Man With The Blue Guitar
One says a German chandelier --
A candle is enough to light the world.
It makes it clear. Even at noon
It glistens in essential dark.
At night, it lights the fruit and wine,
The book and bread, things as they are,
In a chiaroscuro where
One sits and plays the blue guitar.
The low rumble of Kagome's vibrating cell phone forcibly dragged her from her peaceful deep sleep. Flinging her arm haphazardly towards her nightstand, she groped around the various items until she landed on the culprit. Parting her heavy lids enough to check her call ID, Kagome read the glowing letters in the dark of the room. Why on earth would Sango be calling at such an insane hour?
Just as she decided to answer the call, the vibrating abruptly stopped. Sighing with relief, Kagome set the phone back down and her eyes drifted shut as she lowered herself back onto the mattress and re-nestled into the curve of Inuyasha's neck.
Suddenly realising the presence of another person in her bed, Kagome eyes shot open and her body tensed. With squinted eyes, Kagome was able to make out his shape in the dark. There was no doubt about it, Inuyasha was sleeping in her bed. She was pretty sure she should be upset about that, but all she really wanted to do was go back to sleep. And it felt so...right to have him sleeping there beside her and have him be the first thing she saw when she woke up. Still...what was he doing there? Kagome's foggy mind was still trying string together the loose threads of her memories when the phone started to vibrate again.
Sneaking a quick look up at Inuyasha's face to see if he was still asleep, Kagome slowly picked the phone up off the nightstand. Settling down to lay on his bicep, facing his chest, Kagome raised the phone to her ear and answered the call.
"Mmm...Sango?" It wasn't exactly polite, but it was the best she could slog out of her muddy brain.
"Kagome?" Sango somehow managed to sound perfectly alert at this inhuman hour. "Are you up?"
"Um..." Pausing for a moment to try to determine if that was the best definition of her current state, she just groaned, "Well, I'm...awake..."
Sango laughed. "I knew you would have trouble getting up!" She accused playfully, "didn't I say to take a later flight? I called you to make sure you didn't miss it."
"Flight?" Kagome asked blearily, trying to remember. Something about a trip she was supposed to take...?
Sango laughed again. "You know, your holiday? Getting away from the city and all that?"
"Oh. Right. My flight." Inuyasha's arms tightened around her slightly. Kagome's thoughts were growing fuzzier and her attention was slipping. "I'm....not going."
"Not going?" Sango paused for a moment in confusion. "I see."
"Yeah..." Kagome murmured sleepily in response. Kagome pinched a bit of Inuyasha's shirt between the fingers of her hand and twisted it idly.
"Well, can't say I'm sorry to hear that." Sango sounded very pleased and couldn't seem to help but slyly add. "Say hello to Inuyasha for me."
"Mmm..." she responded in agreement before the heavy hand that had been resting pleasantly at her waist came up and plucked the phone from her ear. Inuyasha flicked the phone shut and reached over her to place it on the nightstand.
When he lay back down, Kagome rested her chin on his shoulder and smiled a sleepy smile at him. He smiled back uncertainly, his eyes looking conflicted. Flicking his gaze over her head, presumably at the clock, he opened his mouth, closed it, and then asked in a quiet voice, "You could still make it, if we hurry."
Groaning, Kagome laid her head back down on his shoulder. "You...shouldn't eavesdrop." She snuggled closer to him sleepily.
"I'm serious Kagome." From having her ear pressed against him, she heard the words through his body. It sounded like being underwater. "Kagome?"
"Mmm...?" She was pretty sure Inuyasha was still talking, but decided he could repeat whatever it was in the morning before she drifted back to sleep.
When Kagome opened her eyes that morning, her vision focused on a grey sky and delicate diamond flecks on her windows from a gentle rain. Snuggling further into her pillow, Kagome smiled softly in enjoyment of the sight, made more pleasant by the gentle guitar music in the room.
Tipping her chin to her chest, Kagome spied the source of the soundtrack for her morning view. Inuyasha sat at the foot of the bed, one foot on the floor while the other turned under him, the guitar falling neatly in the vee of his knee. His eyes were firmly fixed on the rain as he played, though he seemed barely aware of his movements, lost deep in the labyrinth of his own thoughts. She studied him in his distraction, the mysterious glow of his eyes in the half-lit room, and the slight, attention-stealing smile turning up his lips.
Content to watch him, Kagome let herself nestle into the moment. She took careful note of every sensation, right down to the slight rustling of her sheets when his weight occasionally shifted, hoping it would somehow help the memory to set in her synapses.
Adjusting carefully into a sitting position with as little noise as possible, Kagome winced when she saw his right ear twitch in her direction. Rather than stopping abruptly, he played the song through a gentle diminuendo before his hand stilled on the strings. He seemed to give one last long out the window before turning to look at her.
They stared at each other in silence for a moment, neither seeming sure what should be said. Kagome decided to start somewhere easy. "Good Morning."
"...Morning." He responded, his voice rough and quiet. Kagome gave him a bright smile, to which he answered with a shy smile and the turn of his head away from her.
"So..." what to say afterwards was less easy. Does she ask what they're doing now? Does she ask him to stay for the afternoon? Should she transition into easy small talk? The options were endless and somehow they all seemed incorrect.
"...yeah." Well it was a small comfort that he seemed as lost for words as she was. It also unfortunately meant that it was probably up to her to find something to say.
Just as she had decided to give up and go for the small talk, Inuyasha looked down at the guitar and started toying with one of the strings. "So, I guess I should explain what happened...you know...before..."
Kagome tilted her head in confusion, not really sure what 'before' he was talking about. "When you kissed me?"
"No." He responded quickly, blushing. "Does...that need explanation?"
"No." Kagome blushed in response. At least she hoped it didn't. Come to think of it...maybe it did...but judging by the urgent look on his face, she should try to guess again. "When you threw my bag over the balcony?"
"No." He snapped, shifting in embarrassment. "Before that."
She considered snapping at him and just telling him to get it out and get it over with, but judging by all his fidgeting he was uncomfortable enough already, so she decided to throw her dog a metaphorical bone. "When...you were ignoring me all week because I looked like Kikyou?"
"What?" He whipped his body around to stare at her. "That didn't happen. What are you talking about?"
Kagome frowned. "This whole past week, you've been ignoring me like the plague. Ever since that night you came here and I..." she hesitated, but the lack of comprehension on his face egged her on, "my hair was straight, so I looked like Kikyou. You freaked out and left."
"That wasn't what happened!" He sounded exasperated, frustrated, and desperate in one exclamation, if such a thing were possible.
By now Kagome was pretty angry. She was willing to forgive, hell even accept his inability to look at her and not see Kikyou, if that was the only way that she could be with him. The least he could do is make it easier for her by admitting to it! "It was sure what it looked like to me. Care to explain?" She drawled the question, disbelief clear on her face.
"I already told you I don't see Kikyou when I look at you," He hissed in anger, "why can you never just believe me?"
Kagome rose to her knees on the bed and put her hands on her hips. "Because you didn't see your face and I did! You freaked out so badly I thought you were going to pass out! Then I look in the mirror and I see Kikyou staring back at me. How else was I supposed to think?"
Inuyasha blew his breath out of his nose noisily. "I don't believe you, bitch" he growled, "You were the only one who saw Kikyou that day. I left because I...wanted you too much and it freaked the shit out of me."
Kagome snorted in disbelief. Who did this guy think he was kidding? Wanted her too much? As if she wasn't clearly throwing herself at him. She was pulled abruptly from her thoughts when he grabbed her forearms and pulled her towards him across the bed. "Inuyasha? Wha..."
He cut of her sentence by sealing his mouth over hers, his lips hard and urgent against her own. She tilted her head to try to be more comfortable as he moved his mouth over hers. When one of his fangs brushed against her lower lip, she let out a low moan in response to the foreign sensation. This seemed to shake Inuyasha from his daze and he pulled away from her.
"My...demon side," he looked down with a guilty expression, "I can't control it when I'm around you. That night by the mirror...it...well...it talked to me...about you. That it...that I...wanted you."
Kagome felt her sharp intake of breath at his admission, delicious electricity starting to tingle in her nerves. She was about to reach out to take him into her arms when he abruptly stood and almost toppled her over.
"It reminded me of what I am." He put his back to her and faced the window. "A freak. A half-breed. Dirty blood." His face twisted into a dark expression she never wanted to see on him. "I could never, ever deserve to touch you. So I left and stayed away."
They stood in silence for a moment, Kagome still kneeling on the bed and Inuyasha with his back solidly facing her. Kagome's brain seemed to stutter over what to say next. Apparently taking her silence as rejection, Inuyasha murmured "I guess I should have stayed away" and started walking towards the sliding doors.
Kagome jolted into action, leaping off the bed only to run into his back when he wasn't quite as far away as she thought he was. She wrapped her arms quickly around his waist, both to stabilize her and to keep him from moving. Kagome squeezed him hard around his middle, laying her cheek in the space between his shoulder blades. "Wait."
He turned slowly in her arms until he was facing her, his eyes boring down on her when she tilted her chin up to look at him. "What?"
"How...could you ever think I didn't want you too?" she asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
He sharply inhaled, his eyes searching her face for deception. Looking away, his shoulders lightly shrugged as he seemed to relax. "Kikyou said..."
Kagome reached up with her hand to cover his mouth. "I don't care what Kikyou said about you, or about me, or about anything. We are the ones who are here now. This is our life. And I refuse to let her screw this up for me the way she's screwed up everything else."
Grabbing the hair that fell over his shoulder, Kagome none-too-gently pulled his face down to hers. She kissed him fully, sliding her arms around his neck to hold him there but he didn't seem to be resisting. "You're mine now, Inuyasha. And I don't share, even with memories."
This seemed to be the right thing to say, because at that moment the most mischievous, the most daring, and the most sexy smirk slid onto his tempting lips. "I'm yours, huh?"
Looking up into his eyes that were so intently focused on her, Kagome felt heat and want zing through her veins and settle down deep in her bones. She quickly remembered how little clothing she was wearing when his claws started sliding up and down her bared sides, causing her body to curve towards his at the enjoyable sensation. He bent down to kiss her again, his mouth less demanding and more playful, the sensation leaving her smiling when he pulled away.
She carefully moved out of his hold, keeping one of his hands captive as she led him back towards the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she kissed him, the awkward angle forcing him to bend over her and brace himself with his arms on either side of her body. She scooted towards the headboard, slowly enough to hopefully not startle him. He kept on above her, and when she had made enough space, he lowered himself on top of her. His weight was not oppressive, and it heightened her awareness of him to the point where the pressure between her legs was becoming unbearable. She wanted him and she wanted him NOW.
"So...if you're done with talking," she whispered, her voice warm and teasing. Noticing the way his body was pressed against her and the heated darkness in his gaze, Kagome decided to take the plunge. Licking her lips, she coyly looked up at him through her lashes and admitted, "I can think of much better things to be doing with that mouth."
He looked at her in surprise for barely an instant before groaning in defeat and crashing his mouth down on hers. It wasn't the most graceful kiss in the world, and Kagome had to wiggle her head a bit to get her nose free so she could still breathe, but it was consuming in its intensity to the point where technique didn't matter. Nothing mattered, except the heat of his mouth, the weight of his body against her, and the gentle scratch of his claw tips against her skin when his hands came up to frame her face.
He was obviously inexperienced, his kisses somewhat messy and he was a bit too rough with his tongue after she willingly parted her lips for him to enter. Kagome patiently demonstrated how to move his lips so they massaged hers, sending curls of pleasure slithering through her system. He was certainly a quick study, figuring out how to slide his tongue against hers to make her clutch at the base of his neck in desperation, and that if he nipped and sucked at her lower lip, she would release a wanton groan and arch her body against him.
Sliding his arms around her waist while her body weight was raised off the mattress, Inuyasha rolled Kagome over top of him, her hips straddling his stomach as she leaned over his body to keep her lips crushed to his. His hands rested possessively on her hips, the pads of his fingers making idle circles on the bare skin exposed above her panties. Lying down to fully press her breasts against his chest, Kagome kissed the underside of his jaw, giggling at his answering growl. Running her tongue along his jaw line, Kagome then sucked and licked the side of his neck, right over the pulse point. She felt his blood throbbing against her mouth and the rumble of his low growl of pleasure.
Keeping her lips and teeth nipping at his neck, she reached up with her hand, flicking open the first button of his shirt. Kagome shifted her attention to his bared collarbone, her lips gently brushing along the sensitive skin of his neck as she moved. She deftly unfastened those buttons that remained before dragging her fingers from the waistband of his jeans up his chest to his stroke his broad shoulders. Cradling his chin between her warm hands, Kagome softly brushed her lips teasingly against his, giving him only the lightest of contact. She pressed a firm kiss to the corner of his mouth and he growled in response before propping himself up slightly to be able to crush his mouth against hers properly.
Taking advantage of his new position, Kagome reached behind him and yanked the shirt off his shoulders, her fingers following the fabric over the definition of his arms to pool at his wrists. When he sat up fully to pull the shirt over his hands, Kagome adjusted to fit into the cradle of his hips, thrusting against his hardness.
He groaned, his bare arms wrapping around her waist to crush her against him as he tipped her head with a forceful kiss. Kagome responded by thrusting her tongue into his mouth and pushing back against him, evening the level of their faces as she slid her hands into his hair. The feel of her nearly-bare chest against his was indescribable as she writhed against him, the sliding of his hands up and down her exposed midsection leaving electric tingles and goosebumps in their wake. When his palms came to rest on her ribcage, her breath caught in her chest as her nerves sparked with anticipation.
When he didn't move any further, Kagome paused in confusion. Pulling back, Kagome couldn't help but smile at the uncertain and shy look on his face that contrasted with the urgent need simmering below the surface. Without taking her eyes from his, Kagome reached behind her and unclasped her bra. Allowing her breasts to fall free, Kagome discarded it to somewhere in the room. Feeling a bit self-conscious, but determined not to let it show, Kagome brought her gaze up to meet Inuyasha. He stared at her with such intensity that she felt as if she might burst into flames from the sheer heat of it.
Slowly, his hands travelled up her sides until his thumb brushed the underside of her breast. Moaning, Kagome's head tipped back as her spine curved in response to his delicate ministrations. One of his arms slid around the arch of her lower back, pushing her stomach more fully against him to better support her as pleasure made her body limp and pliable. He rested the underside in his palms, his fingers gentle closing around to knead her sensitive breast.
Holding her against him, Inuyasha rolled them over again, his hair falling freely over his shoulder to form a thick curtain to the side of her face. When she had looked away at the distraction, his hand had moved to reclaim her breast, the pad of his thumb gently running over the tips. Shifting his weight carefully, he took the other in his hand and massaged them before lightly pinching and kneading the hardened buds between his fingers.
"Inuyasha...." she groaned, her body writhing against him with need. From his position between her legs she could feel him hardening against her thigh. Reaching between them, she lightly stroked him through his jeans.
He let out a low hiss, flattening against her in response to the sensation. "You're..." he panted, his voice a low growl, "You're going to be the death of me."
Pressing a firm kiss against his lips, Kagome pulled back and smiled. "Maybe," her expression could only be described as wicked as she brought her hips up to grind against him, "but what a way to go."
"And where do the..." Kagome held up the two random kitchen utensils in her hands, "strainer and spatula go?"
"Strainer and spatula?" Sango repeated, setting a box down in her living room as she appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. She pointed at an unlabelled cardboard box that was already nearly bursting. "I guess try to cram it in there," she smiled guiltily, "if you can make it." She picked back up her box and moved out of the doorway.
Kagome eyed the box warily before setting her face in a look of pure determination. With some careful rearranging and some less-than-careful manhandling, the flaps of the box finally closed and packing tape was securely wrapped across the top. Surveying her success, Kagome smiled at the 4 boxes she had managed to wrangle her friend's relatively sparse kitchen into. Opening the fridge, Kagome grabbed the two cans of pop she had strategically left there for a packing break. She wandered out of the kitchen to search the box city that was once Sango's apartment for her friend.
She located her in the bedroom, folding up clothes. "Here." She offered Sango one of the cold drinks, "I think it's time for a break."
Sango used her arm to wipe a bit of sweat off her forehead. "Sure," she smiled gratefully and cracked open the tab on her drink. Both women wandered out of Sango's room to sit on the floor of the living room, the couch long gone and packed away into storage.
"So..." Kagome fished for a topic to put off talking about what she knew Sango wanted to talk about, "how much longer do you get to keep possession of your place?"
"Only until next week." Sango sighed tiredly, looking at all her belongings still scattered around. "I can't believe I'm leaving. I loved it here." She stroked the carpet affectionately, her hand pausing as she bit her lip, "Do you think I'm moving too fast? I mean, how long have I really known Miroku?"
Kagome shrugged. "You're not a reckless person Sango," she reassured her friend, a kind smile on her face. "You wouldn't be making this decision if you didn't believe in your heart that it was the right one."
Sango smiled, "I know, it's just cold feet I guess." She sighed and shook a hand through her pony tail. "When you've lived alone for as long as I have, giving it up seems intimidating."
"Think instead of what you're gaining." Kagome turned her gaze out of the window, "someone will be there when you come home to ask you how your day was, and listen to you when you complain, and take care of you when you get sick and..."
Kagome turned to look at Sango to see her friend staring at her with an amused expression. "I was rambling?" Kagome sighed, "of course I was. Well, I just think it's great that you're moving in with Miroku." Kagome spared her friend a sly glance, "besides, weren't you basically living at his place anyways? I'm surprised your neighbours didn't call the police to say you went missing."
Sango laughed. "Well, what can I say? He has a really comfy bed and a great view of downtown." Kagome laughed appreciatively at the joke before the two fell into a not quite comfortable silence.
"So, when can I expect to have to help you move into Inuyasha's?" Kagome almost sighed with relief when Sango finally brought up the elephant in the room.
Kagome shrugged and toyed with the carpet. "Probably not any time soon." She admitted, "I'm still getting used to living here. I don't think I'm really ready to move into his place. Things...aren't really that long term."
Sango rolled her eyes. "Well have you at least said 'I love you' yet?"
"No..." Kagome sighed, before remembering that she hadn't told anyone that she loved Inuyasha yet, "er...I mean No, because we aren't sure we love each other yet..."
"Oh Please, Kagome." Sango poked her friend across the carpet with her toe, "the two of you have been playing this game for waaay too long. Just jump him and get it over with."
Kagome grinned, "Done and Done."
Sango looked so surprised she almost spat out her pop. "Really?" At Kagome's answering nod, she smiled "well, congratulations. I'm happy for you."
"Thanks, Sango." Kagome took a sip of her pop. She was glad that Sango was being so accepting of her and Inuyasha's speedy reunion. She had been worried that Sango would be the type to hold grudges. When she tipped the can back down, she choked a bit at the intense look on her friend's face.
"You tell him," Sango glared, her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, "that if he ever hurts you again, he better be the one that gets on an airplane and gets the fuck out of here. He's going to need to run fast if he's going to get away before I kill him."
With practiced ease, Kagome tipped the pasta-filled hot water into the waiting strainer, enjoying the cloud of steam that bloomed from her sink. Shaking it twice to get all of the water out, she rested the strainer against the sink ledge as she filled the warm pot with all the ingredients needed to make her favourite pasta dish. Stirring the pasta in, Kagome turned her head away from the concoction to check the clock. It was official: Inuyasha was late.
He was late for their very first date, if you wanted to call it that. Not that Kagome was particularly fussed about his tardiness. She had taken extra care that night on her appearance, and her vanity had cost her the time she had been hoping to spend preparing dinner. Inuyasha was already overdue and she still had a salad to toss and wine to uncork.
Adjusting the stove down to a low heat, Kagome set the pasta down to remain warm and she picked up the bag of ceaser salad mix. Just as she had the bag opened, she heard the telltale rattle of her balcony door opening. Smiling to herself in amusement, and wondering if Inuyasha would ever learn to use the door, Kagome called up to him, "Inuyasha? I'm in the kitchen!"
She turned back to her salad and concentrated on shaking the leaves carefully out of the bag. When a piece of romaine made a dash for freedom, Kagome reached over absently to pick it up off the counter and put it in her mouth. Suddenly Inuyasha was at her side and Kagome jumped in surprise.
"Inuyasha!" She swatted him lightly on the arm, turning to face where he leaned against the counter at her side. "Honestly, how can you enter the house so noisily and then sneak around without a...sound..." she trailed off as she noticed he was not looking her in the eye. Moreover, he was very carefully keeping his hands behind his back.
"Inuyasha?" She asked, trying to reign in her curiosity and not peer behind his back.
She was rewarded when he slowly brought his hands forward to reveal a small bouquet of calla lilies, tied together by a neat yellow ribbon. "Here." He murmured gruffly, pushing the flowering towards her.
Her expression of surprise quickly transformed to a bright smile. Reaching out with both hands, she took the slim flowers from him. "For me?" She asked needlessly, yet still wanting the answer.
"Keh. Who else?" He snapped, then noticing her affronted look, he softly divulged. "I saw these and thought...well...of you and..."
Understanding his rapidly growing embarrassment, Kagome laid her hand on his arm to halt his speech. Stepping closer to him, and enjoying the way his arms reflexively went around her waist, Kagome reached up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "I love them. Thank you."
Kagome smiled at him again and then turned away to try to find a vase for them. Opening the cupboard above the sink, Kagome selected a slim tube vase that had once held a small set of gerbera daisies she had selected for herself. After placing the lilies in the water, Kagome was doubtful she had ever seen such beautiful flowers in her life.
"Dinner is almost ready." Kagome told Inuyasha when she caught him guiltily trying to steal a bite of the pasta on the stove. "Can you transfer that pasta to a bowl? I'll get the salad ready." When she moved to brush past him, Inuyasha lightly gripped her arm. She halted in front of him and tipped her face up in confusion. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers softly. Smiling into the kiss, Kagome tilted her head to more fully accept his kiss.
When they sat down to enjoy their dinner together, Kagome was sure that they didn't need the candles because the pleased smile decorating her face could have lit the whole room.
Kagome halted to a stop in front of a particularly elaborate window display, enjoying the bright lights that twinkled therein. Inuyasha stood quietly at her side, and though he had loudly claimed to be bored multiple times, she had caught the way his eyes had lit up at each festive display. Her toes were feeling a bit numb from the late November cold but she persevered. There were only a few shops left that she knew already had their windows set up and she was determined to take Inuyasha to all of them while he was still up for the trip in town.
It had taken her ages to talk him into coming. Apparently he seldom visited the city except when absolutely necessary. He complained about the noise and the smell, but Kagome promised him a big bowl of ramen at her house if he came with her, so he had quickly agreed to her terms. Now he seemed to be dragging his steps as they reached the last few windows, as if to prolong their time outside.
The theme of this window was mirrors, and the vast array of them reflected both the Christmas lights of the display and the street lights into beautiful patterns on the walls. A tall white aluminum tree stood proudly in the center of the room, decked in white lights and disco ball ornaments. A series of long rectangular mirrors hung on the walls behind it and clear bulbs were hung from the ceiling to add a festive note.
As Kagome and Inuyasha moved along this window, he suddenly stopped in front of one of the mirrors, causing Kagome to bump into him slightly. Watching as his face become incredulous, Kagome turned to look at his reflection to see what was going on. Not finding anything amiss in his current appearance, she turned to ask him what was up.
He rounded on her first. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?" he shouted, looking upset.
"Tell you what?" she surveyed him again: same jeans as he had put on this morning, same leather jacket he always wore, no food on his face, silver hair was all in place, and both cute doggy ears were intact on his head. "Nothing is different."
"Nothing is different? My fucking hat is gone!" He looked around quickly, catching the eye of everyone staring. "And now everyone is staring at us!"
Kagome tried to remember the last she had seen of his hat. It had to have been over 3 hours ago, when they had stopped off at Kaede's shop for a bit of tea. Rolling her eyes, Kagome tugged him to face her. "People are staring because you are yelling." Realising she wasn't helping the situation by yelling too, she lowered her voice, "you haven't been wearing a hat for the past three hours and you're only noticing now. What does that tell you about how much people care about your ears?"
He looked at her in confusion. He patted his hatless head in thought as he looked around. The curious pedestrians had all passed by and, typical of most city dwellers, the sidewalk traffic was moving past them without even a cursorily glance.
"You...don't care?" He asked, his head tipped down as he glanced at her through his eyelashes.
To answer him, she took both sides of his face in her hands and brought his lips down to hers as she kissed him soundly in the middle of the street. "Nope," She responded when the kiss was over, "but if you're really upset, we can go back for your hat."
"Nah," He took her hand as they continued walking down the street hand-in-hand, "I have more at home."
"If you're sure..." Kagome shrugged casually, mentally swearing on her life that he would never feel like he needed that hat again.
Kagome stood silently, enjoying the luxurious weight of the thick crème sample wedding invitation that she held in her hand. She ran her fingers along the delicately patterned border and over the scalloped edges, listening carefully the sound of her fingertips against the grain of the expensive paper. Her reverie was broken when she realised that Sango was calling her name.
"...gome? Honestly, Kagome!" Her friend gave her an exasperated look. "If I knew you were so in to wedding invitations, I would have gotten you to pick them out."
Kagome flushed at her distraction. "Sorry Sango," she looked down at the beautiful invitation again, "I've always had a strange weakness for beautiful stationary. I think it's the one thing my mother managed to imprint into me."
Sango smiled and plucked the invitation from Kagome's hand. "Well, then I will trust your opinion," handing her a different, equally beautiful invitation, Sango queried, "on which of these you think is the best."
Kagome eyed the new invitation in her hand, then picked up the old one and compared them side by side. She was being honest when she thought they were both lovely, but she was leaning towards the one in her left hand. Problem was that she was pretty sure that Sango liked the one on the right and was hoping for her approval.
Deciding that what her friend wanted was most important, after all it was her wedding, Kagome smiled and told her "Definitely this one," handing Sango the invitation with her right hand, "it's elegant but still has a hint of personality."
Sango scoured the card again, looking for any defects or typos in the small message. Kagome had already proof-read it for her friend 100 times at least, so she was sure there were no errors to be found. Considering that neither bride or groom had much of a family to speak of, there were few words even on the invitation to begin with.
"What about the font?" Sango's voice was getting that hysterical note that appeared when she was getting a bit too detail-oriented. "Is the cursive text easy enough to read? Perhaps I should use a sans serif, just to make sure everything is clear? But is that tacky?"
"Sango," Kagome took the invitation from her friend's clenched hand, "the invitation is fine. I think you should chose that one and then let them print them off. You need to get these ready, the wedding is coming up quickly."
Sango nodded her head with a clenched jaw, so Kagome quickly handed the invitation to the printers assistant that was cowering close by. That item finally crossed off Sango's very orderly 'Wedding Checklist,' Kagome noticed there wasn't very much left to go.
She blinked in surprise when under Miroku's heading was: Taking Inuyasha to get a tuxedo fitting. Turning to Sango as she was putting on her coat to leave the printers, Kagome asked her about the note.
Sango smiled, "Miroku doesn't have many friends, and even fewer of them would he ever think of inviting to a wedding," Sango shrugged, "so I guess he thought it would be nice to make Inuyasha his groomsman. He has a friend that goes way back, Hachi, who will be acting as best man. His uncle Mushin will be there but...well...it's hard to say if he will be up for the walk down the aisle, let alone allowing him to hold on to the rings."
Kagome nodded in understanding, eyeing the rest of the list to see what else they could do today. "I noticed on here is picking out my dress." Kagome tipped the list towards her friend walking beside her on the sidewalk, "Were you wanting to help me pick it out?"
"No, no." Sango waved her hand dismissively, "I want you to be able to get a dress that you like and that you can use again."
"Oh, great!" Kagome grinned, "I had a dress I actually..."
"...but if you wouldn't mind," Sango continued as if she hadn't heard Kagome, "I had a few...suggestions I thought you might like."
Mentally Kagome's shoulders fell, but on the outside she kept a smile on her face. Sango was just being the control freak that Kagome knew she was, and that it was her wedding so Kagome should do what she wanted...but Kagome had really been hoping to knock Inuyasha's socks off with this dress. This was particularly important if he was going to be a groomsman, and therefore have to stare at her all ceremony. Stare at her without being able to touch her.
After a moment in her daydream, Kagome realised that she had fallen behind the bride-to-be. Hurrying to catch up to her friend, Kagome bumped and sidled her way to the crowd until she reached Sango, who was waiting in front of a very chic boutique.
Eying the classy, yet provocative cut of the dress on the front window mannequin, Kagome felt her hopes about the dress begin to rise. She was feeling even better about the dress when she heard Sango whisper "let's get you a dress that Inuyasha will never forget."
Inuyasha turned toward her as he hesitated on pushing open the front door to his home. Before he could open his mouth to say anything, Kagome smirked and asked "Are you going to tell me that the place is a disaster? What else do you think I was expecting?"
"Keh. No faith in me." He grumbled teasingly before stepping aside to let her in first. When she stepped over the threshold, her jaw dropped in amazement.
The whole place was clean, to the point of being spotless even. "How...how is this possible?" Kagome span in a small circle, trying to find any stray sock or ramen container. She wandered absently into his bedroom, certain that if any mess were to be found it would be here.
"I told you I can take care of myself." Was his haughty response as he trailed into the room after her, looking awfully proud of himself.
Kagome turned to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "I know. It was just such a disaster before."
"Well..." As one hand wrapped around her waist to hold her against him, his other hand strayed up to rub the back of his neck, "I may have messed it up sometimes so you would have to stay later."
"What!" Kagome glared at him indignantly. She pushed him back and he fell away more out of surprise than the force. "you practically broke my back with work just to keep me here!" Turning quickly, she grabbed one of his pillows and lightly hit him with it. "You jerk!"
His eyes narrowed at her. "What did you call me?" He growl was a teasing threat and the corners of his mouth twitched as he leaned aggressively towards her.
"I said that you were a jerk!" Feeling playful, she swung at him again. This time he caught the projectile and yanked it out of her grasp.
"A jerk, huh?" His eyes flashed with a predatory glint and his mouth formed a sexy smirk that almost had her swooning. Realising at the last moment that he was planning some payback for the swat, Kagome let out a little shriek and ran past him into the livingroom, barely evading his reaching grasp.
First she tried staying on the opposite side of the coffee table, but when he snagged her cardigan sweater with his long reach she was forced to discard it. In her camisole and jeans she bolted through the kitchen, and in a moment of desperation after hearing Inuyasha's threat of using her most ticklish weak spots, she threw herself out his back door and into the ankle deep snow.
Halting in her spot in the sudden shock of the cold snow on her feet, she forgot about Inuyasha racing behind her. When he ran into her in the doorway, they went down into the snow in a tangle of limbs. Rolling for a moment, they came to a stop with Kagome sitting on Inuyasha's chest, both breathing hard and staring at each other from the abrupt end to the chase.
"Jesus Christ wench!" Inuyasha rested his hands easily on her thighs. "I knew you were crazy, but coming out here dressed like that? Shit. Let's get you inside."
He was obviously expecting her to get up and go inside. If there was one thing Kagome did not feel like doing at that moment, it was what he expected. Slowly reaching down, she picked up a small fistful of the cold snow. "Inuyasha..." she paused for a moment before tossing the snow in his face.
Getting up quickly she made a mad dash for the door but he caught her around the waist from behind before she could make it. He spun her around with her legs in the air as she shrieked with laughter.
Turning her towards him, he allowed her to wrap her freezing legs around his waist so she wouldn't have to keep her socked feet in the snow. "You really are crazy." He mumbled affectionately, jostling her a bit in her place where she rested against him.
Kagome threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "I suppose I am." She agreed happily, enjoying feel of his strong arms holding her against the warmth of his body, "but you love me anyways."
Tensing after realising what she said a moment too late, Kagome wondered for a fleeting instant what she could say to brush off her statement.
She was not expecting Inuyasha to bury his head in the side of her neck and breathe against her skin "yeah, I do."
"Really?" She whispered fearfully, not daring to try to look him in the eye but she couldn't help but clutch his shoulders tightly.
"Mm hmm." He mumbled, dragging his lips slightly across the exposed skin of her neck. She wasn't sure if she was shivering or trembling anymore.
"Oh, Inuyasha..." She gasped, pressing herself against him. She buried a hand in his hair to hold his head against her shoulder. She drew all her courage from deep inside her to confess, "I... love you too."
"Keh. I knew that already." She gave his a half-hearted smack for his apparent cockiness, though she could see the vulnerability swimming in his eyes. He pulled back from her shoulder to smile at her in a way that brought tears to her eyes. She had never seen him look so happy.
Pressing her lips to his, Kagome felt so elated in that moment she was glad Inuyasha had a vice grip around her waist, or she was sure she could have floated into the starlit sky.
When Inuyasha had suggested that a warm bath was just the thing to rid her of the chill of the snow, Kagome had readily agreed to that genius idea. She wasn't aware of what an amazing idea it was until she sank into the softly scented tub and then floated over to where Inuyasha lay reclined within the tub. Draping herself easily against his front, Kagome leaned her head back to rest against his shoulder.
"Bubble bath, Inuyasha?" Kagome teased, "If I didn't know better, I would have said you had this all planned out."
"What makes you think I didn't?" He asked in a low voice, the rumble in his chest making a delicious vibration in her back that Kagome had come to enjoy.
She laughed softly, "I never thought of you as much of a strategist." She paused for a moment in thought, "You haven't, by any chance, been talking to Miroku?"
He shifted uneasily beneath her, "No." He denied quickly, and then sighed and admitted "I never asked that lecher anything. He just...volunteered some ideas. Don't worry, I punched him for the more perverted ones."
Kagome laughed quietly and the fell into a comfortable silence. She let her hands swish in the water, enjoying the soft ripples it left. She was trying to relax and enjoy the hot water, but in truth she could only focus on the soft press of Inuyasha's fingertips on her stomach and their teasing dance on the skin of her sides.
"So, are you and Miroku friends?" She asked, brushing some of his hair that had fallen into her face out of the tub.
Inuyasha was silent for a moment as he considered the question. "Friends?" She could picture the small dent in his brow as he thought over the implications of having a friend. The thought alone was endearing and she pressed a small kiss to the underside of his jaw where she could reach. "I guess," he conceded with a slight lift of his shoulders that moved her head. "I just knew him because I had sold him the guitar and then he asked me where I played. Then one day after you came to my house, he just called me up out of the blue to ask me to meet up with him for a beer."
One of his hands came up to hold hers and set them together on her stomach. He rested his head lightly on hers and breathed in softly. "Never really occurred to me to ask why he suddenly wanted to get friendly." He paused for a moment as if debating what to say next. "You...didn't ask him to do it, did you?"
"Oh! No!" She responded quickly. "No, I don't even know how he got your phone number... it must have been when after I called you that...night you didn't show up to the bar. I called your house using his phone. After I gave it back to him, it would have had your number..."
"Oh, right." He seemed satisfied and the slight tension that had entered his shoulders left.
It returned when she asked her next question. "So, what happened to you that first night when I came to your house?" She slightly regretted asking when his whole body became stiff. Still, she pressed on. "Why did you look...like you did?"
"Um..." he stalled for a moment, his hesitance obvious. "Sometimes I...look like that..."
When no further answer was offered, Kagome couldn't help but feel stung. After all they had been through and he didn't trust her with whatever this was? She moved to draw away from him in the water but his arms tightened quickly around her to catch her.
"It's hard to explain." He answered in a rush. His arms did not relax their hold on her as he continued, "on nights like that night, my demon side becomes dormant and I am completely fucking human."
"And that's...bad?" Kagome pressed further, not fully understanding.
"Why, would you prefer it?" He asked quickly, his voice defensive. He moved as if to push her away, so Kagome settled her weight more solidly against him to hold him in place.
"No." She answered definitively, "There's just more to being half demon than I suppose I understood. I thought it was just kind of like being superhuman, but there's more to it than that, isn't there?"
Seeming to grasp that she was just trying to understand him better, Inuyasha laid his head back down on top of hers and answered simply, "Yes." He let out a gusty sigh that moved Kagome along with his chest, "On my human night, it feels like, I don't know, suddenly always wearing sunglasses and have fucking cotton shoved in your ears. Can't hear anything, can't smell anything. Trust me, it fucking sucks."
"I see." Kagome murmured, mulling his answer over as she splashed her toes lightly in the water.
"You mentioned that your demon side referred to me as 'yours'" Kagome reminded, and she almost felt ashamed as she asked the next question, "did that ever...has that ever happened before?" She had carefully reworded her question before she asked what she actually wanted to know: 'Did that ever happen with Kikyou?'
"No," He answered slowly, "which is probably why it bothered me so much. My bastard of a half brother was not very helpful in teaching me about all this demon stuff so I wasn't expecting it."
"What does it mean?" Kagome asked casually, then figured out this was not a very casual question when all of Inuyasha's muscles tightened again.
When there was only silence for a few moments, Kagome decided she had pried enough for this bath time. "It's alright, Inuyasha," she conceded as she tried to ignore her curiosity that was chomping at the bit, "you can tell me when you're ready."
She felt all his tension drain away again as he drew her body tightly against hers, the water sloshing out from between them. "Thank you, " he murmured softly into her hair.
Allowing her neck to go lax so her head rested fully against him, Kagome decided liked talking to him when they were laying like this, when she could feel his reactions to what she said. Though on land he was often more difficult to decipher than hieroglyphs, here in the water, when she was this close to him like this, it was like his whole heart was laid before her read.