Week 6, Wednesday. Nature Awareness Day 3
He scooped the ice carefully in to the cone shaped container, mindful of the falling chunks sliding off the edge and on to his wet fingers. Shaping the lump until it was fairly dome shaped, he proceeded with the sugary liquid, pouring it over a portion of the top. The sweet aroma filled the air and coated half the dome, darkening it from a crystal clear to a sea blue. After a few seconds, he continued with the second half of the dome, this time applying a bold color. The bright red coloring contrasted heavily with the icy whiteness, seeping across it like it was blood upon snow.
Some of the stuff dripped on to his claws, but he ignored it in favor of the waiting customer. He set the bottle down and held out the cone. "Half cherry, half blueberry, right?"
The young boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Thank you mister!" He grasped the cone from his hand and bit in to it with a satisfying crunch. His mouth formed a grin.
"By the way mister, I like your ears. Are you supposed to be a cat or something? Are cats even found in nature?" the little human boy questioned curiously. Next to him, his mother gave a frightened gasp.
Inuyasha sighed. "No kid...I'm not a cat."
"Oh, okay then! Bye!" The boy replied as cheerfully as ever before taking his mother's hand and walking off. Inuyasha saw her steal another cautious glance over her shoulder, before hurrying her son along. Inuyasha couldn't help the annoyance that crossed his face. Human mothers and their pathetic looks they always gave him...it always got on his nerves.
But at the same time, it wasn't surprising at all. Despite demons and humans living along side each other, there still remained a deep crack between them that only some had managed to cross. Things were changing with time, although more slowly than he would have liked. Stubborn individuals still remained out there, and there was nothing he could do about it except deal with it. He didn't even know why he was thinking about it so much. He was already far used to it.
"Hello there. Can I get a snow cone please?"
His head snapped up. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had completely missed her scent. But her voice alone was enough to make his heart skip and start up again even more rapidly. "Kagome?"
Her unseeing blue eyes blinked. "Inuyasha?" And then her face instantly brightened. "I'm so glad I was able to find you."
Her words left him speechless for a moment, but he eventually regained his composure. "So you were able to come back again?" he asked before mentally kicking himself. 'Stupid…of course she was. She's here now isn't she?'
Her smile only widened. "Yes. I spoke to the principal and we were able to get a two day field trip. The kids weren't able to see the entire park, so everything worked out perfectly in the end. Of course the kids were very excited. Anything to get themselves out of the classroom." She laughed lightly to herself and his ears twitched. He smiled nervously for some reason.
"Ehem." An old lady waiting in line behind Kagome cleared her throat. Her foot was stomping rather impatiently, and judging from the way her eyebrows were sharpening, she would not be silent for much longer. Hastily he brought his gaze to Kagome.
"Uh…can I do—I mean what can I get…?"
She giggled. "Just a small cherry snow cone please." Next to her, close at her side, Inuyasha recognized as the little girl Shiori from the two days before. Shiori counted the money in her fist before handing it to Kagome. She held out the money to him, and he took from her. His rough fingers grazed against her soft ones and he nearly dropped the coins. His heart was pounding in his ears and he forced it down with a gulp. Dispensing the money in to the box, he quickly began scooping the ice.
"How are you Inuyasha? I'm sure you're enjoying yourself much more today than on Monday." She winked at him all knowingly and he let out a startled gasp, fumbling the bottle in his hands. The sweet liquid slipped off the sides of the cone and on to his already sticky hands.
"Damn it…" he muttered in frustration.
"Is something wrong?" Kagome called, her body leaning forward slightly. Shiori stifled her giggle behind her hands. The impatient old woman gave another poorly concealed grunt of annoyance which didn't help Inuyasha's current predicament.
"Fine, just fine." He replied gruffly. He grabbed a few napkins and immediately began wiping down the sides of the cone.
She pursed her lips. "Alright then… almost finished?"
"Yeah." After cleaning the sides as much as possible, he applied the remaining sugary sauce on to the ice before holding it out for her waiting hands. "Here."
Her fingers grasped the cone and brushed against his sticky fingers in the process. He retracted his hand as soon as she allowed, waiting for her reaction. Her fingers were now coated in the cherry substance. She rubbed the stickiness between the pads of her fingers before smiling and licking each finger delicately, closing her eyes.
Her throat hummed in delight at the taste and he found himself frozen at the sound. "This is good." She said softly as she licked them clean. He gulped roughly. "Thanks Inuyasha. I'll see you later." She finished with a wave, before walking off hand in hand with Shiori. She headed off toward the playground area, her steps as confident as ever, her hips swaying with each move. He let out a sigh he didn't even know he was holding and closed his eyes.
"About time." A voice screeched in front of him causing his eyes to shoot open in surprise. He gulped once more, but this time for a completely different reason. The old woman's hard eyes were practically piercing through him and her frown seemed like it was made for her face.
A little frightened, he spoke. "Uh…yes?"
She huffed before pulling out a rather large slip of paper from her pocket. The entire sheet was covered in a dozen or so orders, all looking very long and detailed. She pulled out a pair of thick reading glasses from her other pocket and held up the list closer to her face. Clenching his fists, he mentally prepared himself for the onslaught.
But she never got the chance. One second, he found himself quiet and waiting, and then the next second, someone had pulled him back further back behind the counter and away from the old lady's demanding voice. A quick "excuse us for a second ma'm" to the old woman was heard. Inuyasha swiftly whipped around to meet the big bug eyes of Totosai. He cocked an eyebrow in confusion.
"What gives Totosai? I didn't do anything wrong…" he defended.
But the old man's eyes gleamed and shined. He patted the half demon on the shoulder. "I'll take care of this Inuyasha. You go ahead and take a break."
"A break?"
"Yeah…a nice long break. Go rest, relax, wander…mingle with people…ladies…the lady…" he stated aimlessly with a smile. Inuyasha didn't miss the way his eyes darted toward the playground in an excited way.
He frowned. "Now wait Totosai…what makes you think she—"
But Totosai cut him off with an offended hand to his heart. "Me? Think? Her? Inuyasha I wasn't implying anything of the sort. I just thought you might want a break after all this hard work. But of course you're welcome to stay and take more orders." Both of them glanced uneasily at the old dragon lady before simultaneously shuddering.
"Fine then…" He slipped his apron off his neck. "But don't go thinking that I'm going to go anywhere specific."
The park manager merely waved him off with a smile. "Just be back in half an hour."
"Sure." He replied, before walking off. 'Thanks old man.'
He began his walk, his feet really having no set destination in mind. But of course, somehow, he ended up passing right alongside the playground area, taking his time as he did so. He spotted her almost instantly, talking to two girls: Shiroi and Rin. The rest of the children were scattered across the playground, running around and playing games with one another. He continued down the sidewalk that outlined the playground. He didn't dare call out to her. The action would probably backfire on him anyhow and give him some unwanted attention. Plus he had no idea what he would say.
Unfortunately, he didn't have to call.
"Look! It's the snow cone man!" Shiori called out. Great…first Rei the Raccoon and now the snow cone man? Perfect. When she called out to him, he stopped, looking rather guilty. Thankfully, only a few kids paused to stare before resuming their activities.
He saw the wheels turning on Kagome's face, before her face broke out in to a grin. "Inuyasha?"
Now there really was no escape. All three of them were looking at him expectantly, all with stunning smiles on their faces. He walked over to them as casually as possible, his hands thrust in to his pockets. He managed a small smile.
"Hey." Hearing his voice, Kagome relaxed. She looked as if she was going to speak, but Rin beat her to it, her shrill little voice reaching unseen volumes. Before he knew it, she had left Kagome's side and was hugging him in a death grip. Her brown hair bobbed up and down in its messy pigtails and the girl was grinning from ear to ear.
"Uncle Inuyasha! You're here!" She spoke excitedly. He patted her head awkwardly.
"Uncle?" Kagome voiced in surprise and Inuyasha's words froze in his throat.
"He's my daddy's brother. Uncle Inuyasha! You know my Uncle Inuyasha?" Rin asked, her body nearly shaking from the tremors of excitement. The shock slipped off of Kagome's face immediately, only to be replaced with another dazzling smile.
"Yes, I know Inuyasha. We're friends."
"Oh then he can play with us!" Both girls squealed.
Inuyasha's voice suddenly broke from its frozen state. "Wait—what?" But he didn't have a chance to refute for both girls had each of his hands and were pulling him toward Kagome. They positioned him next to Kagome, facing her. He moved his mouth to speak, but Rin silenced him.
"No. You can't speak until I ask you the question." She instructed seriously, giving him an icy glare that he knew all to well. He stayed put, at a loss for words.
"Just play along." He heard Kagome whisper to him. The two girls took her hands as well and moved her to face Inuyasha. Then, grasping Kagome's hand, Rin joined her hands with his. He stiffened at the unexpected contact, and moved to pull away, but Rin would have none of that. She steadied his shaking fingers, lacing them together with Kagome's.
The contact with her fingers, for the second time that day, left him utterly immobile. His face flamed red and his brain seemed to be disconnected from his body. Kagome didn't seem to be fazed in the slightest; her smile still remained and she looked perfectly at ease while a storm was raging inside of him. His eyes flickered from their joined hands to her face and he took in a shaky breath. He had never held her hand this long before. They were soft and warm in his.
"Ms. Higurashi, can you bend down please?" Shiori asked politely. Nodding, Kagome complied and the girl slipped a ring of laced flowers on her head. It was far too small to fit through her head, so it just lay there atop her head like a lazy halo. The flowers were small and white and held a gentle scent.
Rin tugged on his pant leg. "I need you to bend down too Uncle Inuyasha. Please?" In her hands she held another flower string. This one, however, was not completely connected in to a ring. It was just a long string of white flowers. After a second hesitation, he bent down and Rin fastened the string around his neck to make it look like a tie.
"Okay! We're ready now!" Shiori exclaimed. Excitedly, she placed another ring of flowers around her head, identical to Kagome. She picked up another group of flowers that had been rearranged in to a white bouquet. Then she scurried over to stand next to Kagome. "I've always wanted to be a bridesmaid!"
Bridesmaid...
White flowers...
His mind reeled.
'Shit!'
If possible, he felt his cheeks heat up more and his palms became sweaty. His heart was beating frantically and he was about two seconds away from bolting out of this situation. But Kagome had such a warm hold on his hands that he found himself stunned to the spot. Words of protest flustered in his mouth and he panicked, trying to speak. But once again, Rin silenced him.
"Be patient Uncle Inuyasha." She said, bringing a finger to her lips. "This is a special moment."
Rin then began scattering a few more white flower petals on the ground around them. Inuyasha sucked in a breath, feeling the reality of this situation come down on him. He felt hot for the second time that week, and he couldn't breathe properly.
Rin pulled out a book from her backpack, and flipped to a random page. She cleared her throat. "Okay…so we are here today to celebrate something really special between two people." She continued with her short little speech about love and flowers and hearts and pretty things. Kagome smiled throughout the entire thing, laughing from time to time. Inuyasha was only hoping this moment would hurry up. He thought that his heart would explode when Rin finally popped the question.
"Now! Uncle Inuyasha! Do you take Ms. Higurashi to be your wife?"
The blood stilled in his veins. Sweat suddenly appeared and trickled down his face. He felt lost and confused and frightened all at once. Eyes were all on him, and he bit his lip in nervousness. He swore he felt Kagome gently squeeze his hands, but that only managed to quell his anxiety slightly. What should he say? Would this imply anything else? The answers were spinning so fast in his head that he nearly lost it.
"Uncle Inuyasha…" Rin droned impatiently.
He swallowed a hiccup. "Uh…"
"Just play along…" Kagome whispered once more, giving him an encouraging smile.
He blinked at her words.
Despite the fact that her words were meant to soften his worries, they only served to bring his mood downward with surprising fierceness. His posture deflated and his ears dropped. The heat in his veins was slowly disappearing only to be replaced with a colder sense of unease. How could he forget? It was all just a game. Just for fun. Pretend. And things that were pretend meant that they weren't going to happen. It wasn't real.
The tight hold he had had on Kagome's hand loosened and he sighed. "Yeah…okay."
Rin accepted his nontraditional answer with a smile, but the smile that had been on Kagome's face the entire time had suddenly vanished. She must have felt his mood drop for her face puzzled. He saw her face scrunch up in confusion as she tried to 'search' and 'see' what had just transpired. He didn't speak or answer her.
"Ms. Higurashi, do you take Uncle Inuyasha to be your husband?"
Her smile returned for the sake of Rin, but it was forced. "I do Rin."
"Yay!" Rin cried out happily. But then she suddenly gasped as a thought occurred to her. "Oh no! We forgot the rings!"
"Don't worry Rin. We can get them later." Kagome assured.
"Well…okay then. You guys can kiss now!"
This time, Inuyasha felt Kagome stiffen in his hands, almost at the same time he had. He saw a blush spread throughout her cheeks and her head turned downwards, covering her eyes from him. He could hear her heart beating frantically, almost at the same pace of his own. But her scent held no fear…no it was something else he couldn't describe. He felt something build within him, but he didn't know what it was either. Fear? Nervousness? Excitement? He couldn't find a name for it.
"Kiss her already!" Rin's voice ordered cheerfully. Both of the girls giggled, hugging each other.
For a few seconds he just stared at her. Her dark and alluring black hair wafting around her cheeks in waves. Flawless soft skin. Small but full lips. But he still could not see her eyes, and that was the one thing he wanted to see more than anything. At that point, he didn't know what to think. His mind seemed to be working in a frenzy of its own to the beat of his raging pulse and heart. His fingers tightened around her small and fragile ones. He suddenly felt powerful, and determination filled him with a tingle of uncertainty.
Thoughts of "playing along" with their game fueled his mind and he was more than willing to comply. He inched forward, bending down to reach her downcast face. He inhaled through his nose and her scent cut through his senses in the most thrilling way. She heard him take in a breath and she let out a gasp of her own. He moved closer, the distance between them and their lips shortening with every second.
"Ms. Higurashi! We have to go now!"
Kagome's head snapped up so fast that Inuyasha had no time to react. The sudden movement brought a swift and strong contact between the top of her head and his forehead. A small thump was heard as they smacked in to one another and both of them stepped back rubbing their offended spots. Kagome whined slightly at the pain in her skull and Inuyasha's forehead tingled slightly.
Surprisingly, Kagome recovered more quickly. "Oh my God! I am so sorry Inuyasha! Are you alright?!" Her hands found his hands in mid rub of his forehead.
"I'm fine…" he answered simply, his mind still spinning.
"Are you sure?" She reached up to touch his face, but he stopped her, grabbing her wrists in his hands. She didn't struggle against him and he was glad. The familiar and warm feeling at the contact of her skin returned and he relaxed, enjoying it once more.
"I'm fine Kagome…" His golden eyes found the retreating students heading back to the buses. "You need to go."
"If you're sure you're alright?" She repeated, and dropped her hands from his grip.
"Yeah. I'm sure. Don't even worry about it." He smirked. As if she could ever hurt him. Such a thought was ridiculous…
She must have caught the cockiness in his voice for she rolled his eyes. "Alright then. I'll see you later. Bye Inuyasha." She turned to leave taking Rin and Shiori's hand in hers as they lead her back to the bus. They boarded together and drove off leaving Inuyasha with a sense of déjà vu and something else as well.
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I'm really cold right now. I should read my Bio homework. Keh… I hope you all enjoyed! Thanks for reading!