Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi
Chapter Ten: September 13th
Well it had finally come. My wedding day was here. All in all, it was far more relaxing than I had ever imagined; I spent the day meandering around the small cabin, teasing Kagome-chan and getting on Inuyasha's nerves. And there was no Koharu-chan around, which probably contributed to my good day. I'd long given up trying to dredge up any remembrance of her or our relationship, and instead focused on my much more perfect and detailed picture of Mizushima I had locked away in the immediate recesses of my mind.
My trepidation concerning our move to the new safe house and whether or not Mizushima would be able to find it had completely vanished by now. I had decided that if she could find me here, she could find me anywhere. The move, which would take place as soon as our police escort arrived with word from Sesshomaru-san, had not settled so well with Kagome-chan. My words of comfort—and even Inuyasha's—had fallen on completely deaf ears, even though I was pretty sure we both assured her that Inuyasha himself would still be there. She seemed entirely distraught that this new move would apparently prolong our time in protective custody, which by now we'd been in for just over a month. The fact that Sesshomaru-san was not taking any chances this time meant no letters of well-wishes and love from family either.
There was a knock at the door and I looked around the mashed-together kitchen and front room. Inuyasha must've been back with Kagome-chan, trying to convince her to speed up her packing. My own suitcases sat already packed and ready to go by the couch. The benefits of never completely settling in.
I walked over to the door, feeling particularly buoyant. "Who is it?" I called through the metal-plated wood.
There was hesitation in the reply as the knocker—who I assumed was our awaited escort—responded. "Yamaguchi-sensei?"
He sounded young. I would enjoy this. "No, I'm sorry; he's not here right now. Can I take a message?"
I heard footsteps behind me and I turned in time to see Inuyasha marching to the door hurriedly. He pushed me out of the way, cursing as he jammed his key into the lock. I sniggered and went back to my spot on the couch. This sagging, uncomfortable couch, by the way, was not something I would miss.
"Geez, Shintaro, it took you long enough," Inuyasha grumbled, shoving the young officer into the front room by the back of his collar. "Kagome!" he yelled down the hall. "Hurry up, it's time to go!"
Shintaro and I watched as Inuyasha stomped back down the hallway and disappeared into Kagome-chan's room. Turning my attention back to the boyish police officer, I grinned and waved at him cheekily.
"So you're our escort, Shintaro-kun?" I asked, pretending to have more interest in the frayed fabric stretched across the arm of the couch than in him.
"I-I am," he confirmed, standing a little straighter. His posture, however, did nothing for his height. For such a small, unimposing man, I was forced to wonder just how he'd made it onto the force. Sesshomaru-san didn't strike me as the type who appreciated underdogs.
I nodded, continuing to size him up. Shintaro turned red under my scrutiny and his bolstering posture slumped some. "How old are you?" I finally inquired.
"Twenty-two," he answered dutifully. I raised an eyebrow. It struck me has hard to believe that he was nearly Kagome-chan's age.
"Why do you do it, Shintaro-kun?"
His brow creased. "Huh?"
"Why do you do it," I repeated emphatically. "Why are you a police officer? What made you choose this career path?"
Once again, his shoulders squared off importantly. "My father was killed by a criminal. Now it's just me and my older sisters, and somebody has to protect them."
I straightened in my seat as well. "You have older sisters?" I asked with keen interest. "Are they married?"
"The oldest one, Hana, is," Shintaro replied obliviously. "The younger two aren't though."
I nodded again. "Tell me," I pressed forward, "Do you think they'd go for the businessman type, or do you think I should play up this 'criminal underworld's most wanted man' persona I've got going for me now?"
Shintaro's brow furrowed again. "I—I don't know what you mean…"
"Oh, Miroku-sensei," Kagome-chan called exasperatedly from the hallway. I looked over to see her stumble into the room, struggling with her suitcase while Inuyasha tromped in behind her, another of her suitcases in his hand. "Could you lay off the perverted bit for a while? Be serious for once?"
"Why Kagome-chan," I said, slapping a hand to my chest in mock surprise, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
She scoffed, giving her suitcase one final shove into the room before collapsing on the couch next to me. "Oh, I'm sure," she shot back at me tiredly. Looking to Shintaro, she smiled in greeting. "Hi, I'm Higurashi Kagome, the other prisoner in this hellhole."
Shintaro's face reddened considerably as Kagome-chan addressed him. While she didn't seem to notice, Inuyasha's brow twitched and his jaw clenched with irritation. I grinned, taking a childish pleasure from the entire moment as I glanced back and forth between Shintaro and Kagome-chan.
"What?" Kagome-chan asked warily when she noticed my shifting eyes and mischievous grin.
"Oh, nothing," I assured her quickly, casting one last quick glance at Shintaro. "You look especially pretty today, is all."
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Thanks," she said flatly. She still hadn't noticed that Shintaro hadn't taken his eyes off of her since she entered the room.
Inuyasha's teeth were grinding almost audibly. "That's enough," he declared gruffly, shoving Kagome-chan's suitcase into Shintaro's hands. "Let's get outta here." He looked at the younger detective expectantly. "Do you have the address?"
"Oh!" Shintaro dug around in his pockets, smiling nervously as he switched between three of them before producing a small, folded piece of paper. Inuyasha snatched it from his hands, opening and studying it with thin, unimpressed eyes.
"Yamaguchi-shochō said it would be best if we traveled in two cars," Shintaro explained, puffing his scrawny chest out again. He glanced at Kagome-chan and I, though his eyes lingered on my personal assistant, who now studied her nails in search of breaks or chips. I think he rather hoped Kagome-chan would end up riding with him to the new safe house. I got to my feet.
"Inuyasha's right," I said brightly. "We should go." I turned to Shintaro, clapping him on the shoulder. "I call shotgun!" Grabbing my suitcases, I moved towards the front door again, turning back to Inuyasha and saluting him mockingly. "Ready when you are, sir!"
Inuyasha glowered at me, before turning to Kagome-chan and helping her to her feet. She made to grab her own suitcase, the one she'd struggled to move into the front room, through Inuyasha knocked her hands out of the way. "I got it," he said, his voice once again taking on that same uncharacteristic gentleness whenever he talked to her. He handed her the key. "Unlock the door, will ya?"
I looked at Shintaro, who in turn looked thoroughly dejected. He caught my gaze and quickly looked away, his face resembling a tomato once more. I did feel a little bad for the kid; his hopes and dreams were over before they really began, though I got the feeling that a lot of men felt the same way when it came to Kagome-chan.
Kagome-chan unlocked the door and held it open as Shintaro, Inuyasha and I traipsed through, the latter of us burdened with suitcases. I followed Shintaro to his car, patiently waiting him to unlock the trunk so I could load my suitcases inside while Inuyasha and Kagome-chan loaded their own car. In all honestly, I was riding with Shintaro for another reason than protecting my roommates' relationship. I didn't think I could handle another ride like the one on the way to this safe house, and who knew how long this ride could be? Trust me, Shintaro; I was doing this for both our sakes.
Just as Kagome-chan settled into the passenger seat, she gasped and hurried to undo her seatbelt.
"My letters!" she said, already running back into the cabin. "I left them in the dresser!"
"Kagome!" Inuyasha was right on her heels, and for some (probably gallant) reason, Shintaro followed not too far behind. Within just a few quick seconds, I was left alone outside.
Stuffing my hands in my jacket pockets, I shuffled my feet, kicking miniature dust clouds up from the matted dirt that was the cabin's driveway. I walked around the car aimlessly, unsure of what I should do to kill time while the two dutiful heroes helped the damsel in distress with retrieving her letters. As I made my way around the front of Shintaro's car, something caught my eye, and my stomach jumped hopefully.
It was another pink post-it note, pasted onto the very edge of the hood. It was amazing that Shintaro hadn't noticed, and I hurriedly snatched it up, checking back at the cabin door to confirm the coast was clear.
Enjoy the ride. Your new safe house looks nice.
I grinned. I was actually proud of Mizushima for this one; it was obvious she did her research. I glanced around anticipatively, though as usual there was no sign of her. Still, just to make sure, I made a quick jog around the cabin, peered into the windows of the cars and even checked underneath them before I finally admitted that she was nowhere to be seen. Leaning against Shintaro's car door, I sighed wistfully. I wondered how long this game of cat-and-mouse would be allowed to continue before Mizushima finally finished the job.
After a short moment of waiting outside by myself, I began to wonder if Kagome-chan's letters were not where she thought they were. I cast a wary eye down the dirt road that lead to the pitiful two-lane main street through town, before my eyes wandered to the sky that was quickly graying into sunset. Then I paused.
I was outside. Alone. No one to supervise me.
I cut a quick glance back at the cabin door, only allowing myself a few seconds' study before I started backing down the dirt road. How far was it to the town? I didn't remember the cut-off being too long in the car; surely it was still a distance I could easily walk. I was thirty feet away from the cabin before I turned and ran.
I had to stop after fifteen minutes of straight running, though by then I had already made it to town. Completely exhausted, I only allowed myself a moment's rest before I was back on the streets, keeping to the shadows as I was sure by now Inuyasha and the others had realized my absence. My cover was greatly aided by the early onset of night, ushered in by the giant storm clouds that churned dauntingly over my head. It was a little surprising to see the weather threaten to turn so wet after such a dry summer, but if a little rain prolonged my search through town, I was determined to be grateful for it.
Though, if I were to be completely truthful with myself, I wasn't quite sure what I had been hoping for by escaping into town. I had no proof that Mizushima would even still be around, and despite my infatuation, I was well aware that chasing her out was not the smartest thing. The poisoning from last week was still fresh in my mind.
Rain started to trickle as I trudged down the streets, and by the time I arrived at a small local high school, it had begun to downpour. Cursing quietly, I dashed for cover, seeking shelter in an unlocked gym storage unit. I scoffed bitterly, kicking at a discarding volleyball net on the floor.
I may have had some hesitancy in trying to find Mizushima tonight, but ending up cooped up in some smelly, damp high school gym equipment shed was not how I planned this night to go. Now I had no idea how to get out of this mess. I knew I should return to the cabin, or at least go back outside to try and find Inuyasha and the others, let them know I hadn't been kidnapped, though that didn't seem particularly appealing at the moment. My running away was certain to cause a huge mess, not just for Inuyasha, but for everyone back at the station as well. I groaned. I really screwed myself over this time.
I glanced back out the door, gathering the will to venture out into the storm. Mumbling to myself in complaint, I begrudgingly stepped outside, keeping my head lowered as rain continued to assault me relentlessly. Halfway across the small field, somebody pushed me from behind, pitching me forward a couple steps.
"Hey!" I whirled around, facing the offender defiantly. "What the hell do you think you're—"
Mizushima brushed her dripping bangs back. "So, what? You're chasing me now?" she demanded.
I was frozen, paying no mind as the rain continued to pelt the both of us. My mouth opened and closed stupidly, though I couldn't get my brain to think straight and figure out what to say. She looked angry with me, something that I didn't understand. Wasn't wandering around unprotected through a high school's field making her job ten times easier?
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she finally asked, choosing to ignore the temperamental rain as well.
I shook my head, still trying to get my words to catch up with me. "I'm not sure," I muttered at last, my hands burying themselves inside my jacket pockets. I felt a small piece of paper crumple as my fist smashed it and I suddenly remembered her note. Pulling the post-it out, I showed it to her, letting the rain destroy it as it dampened, unprotected by my jacket. We both stared at it for a moment.
"I wanted to see if I could find you," I admitted after a short pause.
"You were following me, then?" She folded her arms across her chest, and I couldn't help but notice that her trademark leather jacket made an even more pitiful insulator from the storm than mine did.
I nodded.
Mizushima pinched her eyes shut, digging the edge of her palms into her sockets for a second before she fixed me with another hard glare. Her vicious rubbing of her eyes caused her make-up to be smudged; miniscule black lines now ran freely down her cheeks with the rain.
"What's the matter with you?" she demanded, shrugging her arms incredulously. "I can't believe that you're just waltzing around some Godforsaken town when you're on the hit-list of about a dozen people!"
I did a double-take, looking at her with some measure of suspicion and interest. "Why would you care? I'm on your hit-list too."
Mizushima flushed, though I'm sure she'd like to blame it on the frigid rain more than any sort of embarrassment. "Trust me; I'm one of the nicer bad guys out there. You should feel lucky that I've been sent after you."
I shrugged and risked stepping closer to her. "I guess I can't argue with that."
She looked at me strangely, her face still glowing pink in the midst of the gray storm. Her eyes flicked warily to my hands, though I kept them innocently shoved into my pockets. Finally, she faltered back a step, a grimace evident on her face.
"Crap," she muttered, wiping her gloved fingers across her wet forehead absentmindedly. "This isn't going to be weird like the other night, is it?"
I supposed she was referring to a little over a week ago, when I'd called her pretty seconds before she drugged me. It wasn't by any means the impression I wanted to leave, but it was still understandable that she felt that way.
"No," I responded mildly. I was so close to her now, so close I could see her pupils dilate as I bent slightly to accommodate the difference in height. "This is going to be better…"
I pushed my lips to hers and kissed her, my hands finally coming out of my pockets to grab hold of her wrists; her hands were poised to either push me away or drag me closer, and I rather hoped for the latter. At last I felt as her small hands fisted the front of my jacket and stayed there compliantly. Taking a risk, I released her wrists and felt my way down to wrap around her small waist, tightening my grip just barely to edge her closer to me. The rain had long since devoid the both of us of any body heat, though I could feel has her chest heaved for lack of air against mine. I angled my head, momentarily granting us a scant second for breathing before my mouth captured hers again hungrily, taking another risk by deepening the kiss.
Mizushima made a small noise, of protest or of desire I couldn't tell, and I waited for her to put some force into pushing me away. It didn't come, and I silently thanked her by daring to sweep my tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance. She stiffened immediately, breaking the kiss as she moved her head back.
Despite the fact that she'd responded to my initial kiss, nervousness began percolating in my stomach. I had no idea how Mizushima might react, and I was a little afraid she might shoot first and ask questions later. As it was, she was still leaning into me, her hands clutching fistfuls of my jacket. Her eyes were fogged over and half-lidded; the look she was giving me was anything but hostile.
"Mizushima," I muttered, almost indistinctly. I moved forward, my slightly open mouth aimed for hers.
All at once, her eyes widened and she pushed herself away from me further, unable to fully escape my embrace as my own arms instinctively tightened around her waist.
"What are you doing, Tsujitani?" she demanded, her hands still shoving furiously against my chest.
"Kissing you," I answered honestly, a little befuddled. "Did—did you not want me to?"
"No!" Finally she was successful in wrenching herself from my grip.
"Mizushima," I repeated levelly, fighting to keep my head from the clouds. I missed the feel of her lips, her chest pressed against mine.
In a flash, Mizushima had her gun out and aimed at my jugular.
"You have five seconds to tell me why you did that!" she snapped, sounding flustered and almost hysterical. I sighed heavily.
"I think the reason should be pretty obvious by now," I mumbled irritably, putting my hands up in surrender.
She looked confused, though realization quickly dawned on her and she paled, looking sick with shock and dismay. Then I saw a flash of an emotion I knew all too well in a woman: she was flattered. I was slightly caught off-guard, though that was quickly overwhelmed by the exhilaration I felt at her nearly undetectable reaction.
"Hey," I offered as gently as I could, though she still looked startled.
"No, no, Tsujitani," she fumbled desperately, "Please don't say it." Her eyes were closed and her gun lowered.
"I think you're beautiful," I continued, disregarding her plea. "And… I want you."
She winced, and I swore I saw a tear leak out of a corner of her eye only to be hidden by rain.
"I want you," I repeated, more sure this time, despite the perverted nature of my confession.
Mizushima gasped sharply and lowered her head. I couldn't stop a triumphant grin from coming to my face, delighting in the way I could fluster her so easily.
"I know," she whispered after a while. She looked sheepish and almost ashamed, and for a brief moment I dared to hope that she harbored similar feelings for me, whatever those feelings were beyond a sexual attraction. I still hadn't sorted them out for myself yet.
"Mizushima," I said her name again, hoping the familiarity could bolster a positive reaction from her, though it wasn't anything I said that elicited any response.
"Oi! Miroku!"
I turned, my stomach dropping completely as I recognized Inuyasha, standing equally soaked with his own gun raised and cocked. For a moment I thought he was aiming the gun at me, but as I stepped aside with my hands once again thrown up in innocence, he didn't follow me, and I realized the barrel was directly aimed at Mizushima's forehead.
I looked back at her, my eyes wide with confusion, desperation, and panic. Even with Inuyasha's gun trained on her head, her gaze never left mine, her intoxicating brown pools slowly filled with anger and fear, though that wasn't was cut me to the core.
She looked completely and utterly betrayed.
Shit. Fuck, even.
She couldn't possibly think that I had lured her out here with the intent of turning her in; though by the hurt in her eyes it was evident that was exactly what she thought. I shook my head desperately.
"You got a lot of balls, Miroku," Inuyasha said, inching his way towards Mizushima predatorily. "Hey!" he shouted at her commandingly, "Drop your weapon!"
Mizushima let her own gun slip from her slackened hand without a second thought, letting it hit the wet grass with a heavy splatter.
No, no, no!
"Alright," Inuyasha was still yelling at her, his approach much more fluid now that she had dropped her gun. He grabbed at something in his back pocket, and I realized he was reaching for handcuffs. "Put your hands where I can see them!"
Once again, Mizushima complied, folding her hands behind her head in defeat and even dropping to her knees in submission. I was baffled. She should've been fighting back; I had no doubt that she could take on Inuyasha successfully. Her gaze flicked back to mine and the anger and sadness in her eyes quickly became unbearable.
"No," I finally whispered insistently, shaking my head as Inuyasha deftly moved behind her, keeping his gun aimed at her head with one hand while he restrained her wrists behind her with the other. "I didn't… No…"
She shook her head and lowered it, never uttering a word as Inuyasha flipped out his cellphone. Silence fell between the two of us as we both listened as Inuyasha completed his call with what sounded like Sesshomaru-san.
He hung up, put the safety back on his gun and secured it in his belt. Pulling Mizushima roughly to her feet by her arm, Inuyasha turned to me.
"That was the stupidest thing I think you've ever done," he informed me gruffly, though the smirk was clear across his face. "Good job leading us to this bitch." He regarded Mizushima disdainfully.
"I've called it in," Inuyasha continued, leading his captive roughly off the high school grounds. He didn't seem to notice that I still lagged behind. "We shouldn't waste any more time; we'll head to the station tonight." He looked back at me over his shoulder. "Looks like you've got your life back, Miroku."
My hands fell limply at my sides.
