The Silent Hanyou
Chapter 14
Something was about to happen. Good, bad, exciting, horrible, it was something and the restlessness and anxiety was eating away at him. As he walked down the sidewalk, 'talking' with Kagome he couldn't stop the feeling that……oh, damn that just something was going to happen and he didn't know if he would like it, that was the worst part. It was a weight deep inside of him, clenching, churning, and raging like an eye of a storm about ready to release the harsh winds and rains.
But wait…why should he like it….SOMEONE WAS OUT TO KILL HIM!
There was also another feeling, actually much worst than the first.
Inuyasha jumped once again and spun around, his ears twitching and his golden eyes dashing from here and there.
"Again," Kagome asked worriedly, she looked around.
Inuyasha shook his head. Sorry.
Kagome smiled but looked around one more time. "I don't like this. It's starting to stress me out big time. Are we going to be doing this for the rest of our lives?"
The hanyou sighed. I TOLD you I would be a bother, but would you listen…NOOOO!
Kagome laughed and intertwined her fingers with his, immediately feeling safe once his large, warm clawed hand was covering her own.
Inuyasha blushed and squeezed, smiling he returned to keeping an eye and ear out. It was really starting to eat at him too. Once he would sniff, look, listen and nothing would be there, he would turn around but still feel those eyes burrowing and burning into his back and head. It was as if he was the prey just waiting for the predator to come and snatch it, and Inuyasha did not like being the prey.
As they neared the school and spotted their friends sitting on their favorite bench, the hanyou tried to push away at the feelings, whoever the person was couldn't think of trying to kill him in school! Too many people, and besides this restlessness wouldn't help with his school work that was for sure but with good reason the feelings wouldn't just up and leave. He could still feel those eyes, watching, and waiting, was it the killer…or was it someone else?
I'm going to go insane…unless I already have……Inuyasha nearly fell off his seat in surprise when Sango tapped his shoulder.
What? He scribbled hurriedly and he tried to quell the slight tremors in his fingers as he moved his pencil.
"Inuyasha….try to relax…we're safe in school," Sango whispered. "Come on, you need to act as if nothing is wrong. Stop acting like a bodyguard or something, we're fine and safe here."
Inuyasha nodded. But he still couldn't help having one ear strained for anything, hey…these were his friends…his only friends, he was not going to have them die for him. He was going to protect them. He wasn't worried about himself, he didn't matter.
Sorry, now what were you talking about?
"The school dance," Kagome answered.
What about it?
"Uh, hello, if we should go or not?" she giggled.
Inuyasha glared. Hello, yourself, that would be considered a public place.
"Yes, but it's in school, with grownups and even a police officer. Its high school, not like they would let us dance unsupervised. It would be perfectly safe, besides I think we all need a night of good ol' healthy RR." Miroku clapped his hands in enthusiasm.
"Yeah, you're a wreck Inuyasha, with good reason of course. But you still need a time to unwind. Remember, we'll protect you." Sango clenched her fist and smirked.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. I'm fine and besides I'm a wreck about you guys. You're human; I'm demon, so I can take anything this guy throws at me. But he could easily hurt you three.
"Ah, how sweet," Kagome tweaked his ear and hugged him, "But they're right, I think we should still go. It'll be a blast. Please, Inuyasha, pretty, pretty please!"
She gave him the puppy pout and Inuyasha, though he hated it, gave in. Fine, you guys can have fun, I'll keep watch.
"Nope, not going to happen; You're going to go and dance and have a great time with all of us, no being paranoid, no being so warped, this is our fun time and you're going to enjoy it with us." Miroku smiled.
Inuyasha gulped. But what if something happens, hell I'm the only one who can take this guy.
"No, tonight there is no guy, not until we leave the gym. Then we'll be the scared little teenagers on the list of some hanyou hater killer."
"Come on, Inuyasha, I bet you've never even been to a school dance. Come and have fun with us, you deserve it." Kagome clasped her hands together and did, yet again her famous puppy pout.
She must have known how hard it was for him to say no to that face.
Dammit.
Okay, so maybe this was the reason for his first feeling, that something was about to happen. It was definitely not true but it sure did make the churning butterflies in his stomach to grow ten fold.
The dance.
Dance gossip was the worst gossip to this silent hanyou.
Who's taking who?
Are you going?
Who are you taking?
Are you going to kiss?
What are you going to wear?
What kind of music, what kind of food, what kind of theme?
Blah, blah, blah, a mind numbing drone in Inuyasha's ears, he hated hearing about the dance because he knew he could never go.
Not this time….he was going to this dance.
Something was certainly going to go wrong.
A new feeling was growing in the pit of his stomach; like he had swallowed a bucket of heavy man sized worms, now squirming and breeding in his abdomen.
But he knew that it wasn't the fear of the killer coming to "snatch" his friends it was one of those worthless gossip questions.
Who are you going to take?
Who was he going to take?
Actually he had only one person in mind.
The problem was….if she would like to go with him.
Inuyasha had never been to a school dance, well, he had tried once in mid school, the first one of the year, and it had been a disaster. He didn't stay that long and that night was one of his first lessons of how much everyone really hated him. He had vowed never to go again…though on dance nights, he would listen to the music and dream about how it would be like; to be with someone really special, to hang out with friends, and become one with the crowd at least once.
And now he had friends…….and someone special even though he hadn't asked yet (of course they were still going together…technically)…..maybe this won't be so….
Inuyasha winced. Half breed, hanyou, pathetic filth, dirty trash, bastard thing, nature's sin…no one wants you here, no one cares, get out, get lost, go curl up and die! The black marker stinging his locker, searing his brain, the notes, the yells, the glares and silent words hidden in their eyes; it would go so wrong, he wasn't wanted there, not even his friends would want him after that night, he would ruin it, they would hate him, and then he would be back to square one.
Why do you even try? Why do you feel so much hope, lie to yourself that it will be different, that your friends are different…when they're NOT!
Inuyasha sighed and pushed away at the voice.
His thoughts quickly went back to that stupid damn gossip question.
Wow, he was worried that the killer restlessness would keep him from paying attention to his school work, but actually it would be the school dance and asking Kagome to go with him as……..a date.
His life sure was getting complicated.
Inuyasha reread the line in his history book for the fifteenth time but nothing sunk in. His thoughts would instantly go to how he could ask Kagome to go with him and what her reaction could be. He felt so pathetic and it sickened him how much he sounded like the rest of the gossiping dorks in the damn school…….but he couldn't help it.
How was he going to do this?
She was so excited, and nervous, and scared, and….oh, she was just buzzing and was having a difficult time staying quiet and still in her seat. Finally, a school dance, she loved going to the dances, even if they sucked most of the time.
Even if she just sat and talked with her friends and never stepped on the dance floor would be just fine to her, she wasn't a good dancer anyway. It was the atmosphere surrounding the room that she loved.
Couples snuggling way too close, boys flirting with girls, sugary drinks and snacks, lights twinkling and billowing around the room. It felt magical to her……and the best part was that she was planning on asking…..
Kagome immediately felt sick to her stomach. She had never asked anyone to a dance before. How was she supposed to do it?
'Oh, hello would you like to go to the dance with me………even though we ARE already going together……and I…'
She groaned quietly and droned out the babble of her history teacher talking about the reading assignment she was supposed to be doing. There was no way she could pay attention to the Civil War right now when she was so nervous and giddy.
But why was she? They were best friends, they were already going together…with the rest of their friends….she groaned again into her arms, laying her head on her desk.
Would he…mind going as a date…with me? Or should I just forget it? Maybe he'll ask me……
"Oh, no chance for that," she mumbled into her arm. Inuyasha didn't even want to go to the dance. She sighed, but I still want to go with him…as MORE than friends…I should ask him, it's not that big of a deal……oh, man…
Kagome looked up at the clock and she immediately straightened. She looked at Inuyasha…who was staring sightlessly at his history book deep in thought. She rolled her eyes and counted silently to herself.
3……
2……
……
1……
BRIIIIINNNNGGGGG!
Kagome leaped out of her desk, straight at Inuyasha, and slammed her hands over his delicate ears right when the school bell rung.
Inuyasha wasn't paying attention and practically fell out of his skin by the close contact. Kagome kept her hands over his ears until the bell finally shut up.
"You forgot again, Inuyasha, you're going to go deaf if you don't watch the clock," she lifted her hands and stroked the slightly bent ears.
I can't seem to pay attention to anything right now so thanks… Inuyasha stood up and kept his bangs covering his blushing face.
"No problem but by the way I've had to do this every period today, I'm sending you a bill," they chuckled as they walked out the door together.
But once the giggles died away, an awkward silence descended upon them.
Their first awkward silence.
Along the same line of thoughts tumbled and buzzed in their heads while heading to their next class.
Should I ask him?
Should I ask her?
Will he/she say no?
Inuyasha rubbed his forehead in exasperation, looking out the corner of his eye at the strange face on Kagome, a blush staining her cheeks.
Dance Observation #1: Asking out a date is awkward, difficult, embarrassing, annoying, and in other words complicated.
He knew he was blushing as well. Oh, damn……
Kagome gulped and instantly winced, he must have heard that. She twirled the hem of her shirt in her fingers embarrassingly; this was stressing her out even more than the killer.
It's amazing what is more worrisome to teenagers.
The awkward silence soon became a plague for the two crushing teens. The rest of the group noticed as well, actually who couldn't notice the way Kagome and Inuyasha would blush in each other's company and then quickly look away.
It was starting to annoy Sango and Miroku.
"What do you think is wrong with them?" Sango whispered as they sat in the cafeteria, waiting for Inuyasha and Kagome to come with their food.
"I think…it has something to do with a certain dance we'll be going to," Miroku chuckled, stroking his chin.
"What do you mean?" Sango raised her eyebrow at the mischievous and amused look on his face.
"What I mean is…is that I think our dear friends want to ask each other out…"
Sango choked on her milk and started to giggle, wiping her mouth. "You mean…as a date?" Sango laughed and swallowed a few times.
"That's exactly what I mean…but I have a feeling that neither of them has had the courage to ask," he smiled by the blush on Kagome's face as Inuyasha helped carry her binder to the table.
"But we're all going together, they don't need to ask each other out, besides it's just a dance," she crossed her arms and laid her chin atop them.
"Hmmm, you have never asked anyone out before….have you?"
Miroku laughed as Sango's face grew tomato red and she glared at him.
"It's not that I've never wanted too! It's just…" Sango groaned and turned her head away from him, "It doesn't matter." Boys don't want to ask me out…
Miroku blinked a bit surprised but then smiled.
Inuyasha and Kagome sat down.
Miroku's smile grew larger; it was time for a little demonstration, with a prize for himself as well.
He coughed dramatically for everyone's attention and then he knelt down on one knee in front of Sango. Their expressions turned wary, this was the usual hint that he was about to ask his special question. This was sure not to go well.
"Sango…my dear I would like to ask you an important question….I need you to be serious about your answer…do you promise to listen to all I have to say?"
Sango's mouth had immediately opened to scream out NO when he suddenly grasped her hands in a gentle hold, his eyes staring into hers with such soft forcefulness and plea.
She was at a loss for words and only nodded. If this goes perverted though, I'm so kicking his butt…
Miroku smiled, and Sango could feel her face turn warm, "Miss Sango…would you care to go to the dance with me?"
Silence.
Their eyes widened.
Sango looked like a fish out of water, her eyes brimming with innocent hope. "W-what?" she managed to croak, her mouth had just gone dry.
Miroku caressed the soft skin of her hand with his thumb, "Would you give me the honor of being your date for this evening?"
Suddenly Sango's face lit up and she smiled brilliantly.
Miroku was dazzled momentarily by that smile, so much so that he missed her answer.
"What?" He asked uncertainly.
"I said yes," Sango whispered.
It was Miroku's turn to smile, he wasn't quite expecting that, and he went and hugged her. Amazingly Sango returned it.
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, her face shining with happiness, she giggled, "Oh, that's so cute and he didn't do anything perverted."
Inuyasha smirked and shook his head. I don't know. He'll probably ruin it pretty soon.
Kagome rolled her eyes and sighed, laying her head on his shoulder, watching the happy couple, "Maybe, but she would forgive him, love's like that I guess."
Yeah……love's like that…Inuyasha's corner of his mouth turned up slightly and his eyes sparkled as he looked down at Kagome's head.
Love's certainly liked that.
I told you already! I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT WITH ANYONE SO SHUT UP!
Inuyasha groaned as Miroku kept pestering him as they sat in the library. "I know you want to ask someone, and I showed you at lunch how easy it is so go ask!"
Why do you think that I want to ask anyone out anyway? Inuyasha struggled not to break his pencil in half; he had already destroyed three of them so far.
Miroku rolled his eyes and looked up in prayer, "I know you do and I also know…" he looked at him with wise violet eyes, "that she wants to go with you too. So go find her."
Inuyasha's mouth dropped slightly and he glanced over to the bookcase that Kagome and Sango were at the moment behind, finding some books on the Civil War. Little did he know that their conversation was far from discussing history.
"Sango, will you please stop," a fiercely blushing Kagome pleaded.
"But I know you want to go with him and he's apparently not going to take the first move, so you should. So why don't you go now and ask him," Sango pretended to read a line from a large dusty album she had just pulled from the shelf.
"Hey, you didn't ask Miroku," Kagome was trying to keep her voice down which was proving difficult with her exasperated irritation she was feeling.
Sango didn't take the bait, "Don't change the subject, just go and simply say Inuyasha will you go to the dance with me? Doesn't sound that hard, now does it?"
"Well, yeah, but…what if he says no…" Kagome rubbed her hands together, looking down at her feet in embarrassment.
Sango hugged her in sympathy, "But he won't, I'm sure of it."
That helped her spirits a bit but she still felt overwhelmed with tumbling emotions. "I'm going to go to the bathroom; okay….just to…think….I'll be right back…"
Sango was hardly able to stop her before Kagome was already out the door.
"Okay, listen, its simple…Kagome will you go to the dance with me? The best part is you only have to write it, so you won't sound stupid or anything. A big plus to me," Miroku was beginning to feel the strain of trying to convince an extremely stubborn hanyou."Okay, listen, its simple…The best part is you only have to write it, so you won't sound stupid or anything. A big plus to me," Miroku was beginning to feel the strain of trying to convince an extremely stubborn hanyou.
The extremely stubborn hanyou in question however was starting to feel the strain…of getting the courage to do it.
But…
Inuyasha's meager attempt at a debate was foiled when suddenly Kagome hurried from behind the bookcase and out to the hall. Her beautiful scent washed over him…and it reeked of worry, embarrassment, and irritation.
Kagome…? Without even thinking, Inuyasha hopped from his chair, which clattered to the ground and hurried after her.
Miroku sighed in relief, slumping in his chair, "Finally."
Sango came and sat beside him, she could feel her heart leap by the closeness of her….date, but she tried to ignore it. "It sure took awhile didn't it?"
"Oh, yes, and they better not ruin our hard work."
Sango nodded and slumped as well in the cold plastic chair, "Yeah, they better not or there'll be hell to pay."
The librarian shushed crossly at their laughter.
Her insides felt like they were being eaten alive by insects, butterflies more like it, and she couldn't seem to be able to stand still.
Kagome choked back a groan and continued pacing out in the hall next to the girl's bathroom.
Should I or should I not…will he say yes……what will I do if he says no…will I still go to the dance……oh, man……For some reason Kagome knew that if Inuyasha said no, her heart just might break.
That very thought annoyed the hell out of her.
"Why am I feeling this way, we're just friends. I shouldn't want to ask him anyway…right?" Kagome clutched her head and glared at the ground.
Why did she feel so happy when she was near him?
Why did she dream about him constantly, even when she was awake?
Why did her heart skip a beat when she touched him?
Why was it getting harder to breathe when he came closer to her or sat next to her?
Why was she constantly glancing at his lips and beginning to compare him with other boys?
Why could none of those cute boys ever even get close to him?
And most importantly…why was she asking herself all these hard questions!
Kagome groaned and leaned against the wall.
"I've never felt like this before, I've never even had a crush…but I know somehow….that this is more than a little crush……could I be…?"
"Kagome!"
"Oh no, Kouga," Kagome froze like a sheep about to be pounced by a wolf.
Actually a very good metaphor in this particular situation.
"What do I do, what I do I do, what do I do, what do I-oh, hello Kouga, how are you!" Too late…Kagome plastered on fake cheery smile as the wolf boy walked up to her, arms outstretched, fangs glinting.
Now she knew how sheep felt when about to be pounced by a wolf.
She pretended to think she dropped something and knelt down just as Kouga tried to hug her; he missed of course and only caught air.
"Oh, there's my…uh, pencil…" she smiled and acted like she was stuffing an invisible pencil in her back pocket, backing away cautiously.
Kouga grinned and seemed to have had no clue he had been fooled out of an embraceand he straightened with a fluid air.
"Glad you found it…….now, I wanted to ask you a question." Kouga shuffled his feet.
Kagome's butterflies transformed into fire ants.