Kagome paced angrily in the kitchen of their hotel suite in her pajamas, sipping on the bitter coffee she'd made herself for the first time in what felt like a decade because Inuyasha was still asleep and hadn't been awake ahead of her to do it. Grumbling to herself, Kagome placed the mug down on the island and sighed loudly. Inuyasha never slept in because Inuyasha always had energy to burn. Inuyasha was always up before her except… when he wasn't. Inuyasha was never up before her only after a late night.
Inuyasha had had a late night the night prior.
And Kagome had no idea what a late night meant.
It could mean a lot. It could also mean nothing. It depended on what exactly Inuyasha had done that kept him out late.
Had Sango been out late as well, she wouldn't have been pacing. Hell, had Miroku been out late with him, Kagome wouldn't be pacing. But… that's not what had happened. No… She, Sango, and Miroku had all walked back to the hotel together the night prior. While Inuyasha… had not.
Inuyasha had stayed at the bar with that-that woman with the perfect hair. Inuyasha had stayed out past the closing of that same bar. Inuyasha had come home at some point near dawn, which Kagome only knew because she hadn't fucking slept.
He'd stumbled in, yawning and hiccuping like a drunk fool before crashing onto his bed, completely oblivious to Kagome, who remain awake reliving every heady moment before Inuyasha had decided to be attracted to someone else. Then Kagome had relived every pained expression, every time he'd pulled away from her… It had been exhausting and demoralizing to say the least.
When Kagome had woken up that morning she saw him passed out, totally and unabashedly knocked out on his bed, unconcerned that most of his clothes were discarded off to the side, save for his boxers and the thin sheet that partially covered him. Worse, as her gaze briefly passed over his things, Kagome noticed lipstick smudges on the shirt he had worn after the contest, which caused her to look over at him. Sure enough, little smears of lipstick decorated his neck.
Kagome was sure that if she had his sense of smell she'd be able to prove that he'd slept with that woman, which was fine. Totally fine. One hundred percent ay oh-kay. Yup. Absolutely not an issue, because… they were friends…
She plopped herself down at one of the chairs in the kitchen, chewing on her lip. A petty part of her wanted to burst into their shared room and make his morning fantastically miserable by waking him up and berating him. More than that though, Kagome just didn't want to see him. She didn't want to feel the things she was feeling, the ache and the pain in her chest. At least the pang of yearning and lust could be satisfied with her little bullet vibrator that she had purchased and tested out multiple times while waiting for him to return and telling herself she didn't need him to enjoy herself. But the pain of rejection? Yeah, that was a much harder pill to swallow.
Especially with the unyieldingly bright sun glaring back at her through the overly large windows.
To Kagome, she'd bared her chest and Inuyasha had very clearly and literally picked someone else.
The slow twist of the door knob and creaking of the bedroom door as it opened nipped at Kagome. She turned, hearing him groan and watching his gold eyes squint in a futile effort to block out some of the harsh light of morning.
"Is there coffee?" He grumbled, voice raspy and reluctant, taking the seat next to her as if his little tryst didn't break her heart into a million pieces or throw off their bets.
"Here," Kagome mumbled softly, sliding her cup to him. "You can have the rest of mine, my stomach isn't really up to it."
He knew it was a bullshit reason, but at that moment Inuyasha didn't have the will to fight. He reached across the counter, grabbing the Irish cream liquor and pouring a healthy dose of it into the cup before sipping at it and grimacing. Everything tasted disgusting with the vile flavor in his mouth after a night of mixing liquors and making out with a stranger.
"Fun night?" Kagome asked bitterly, quietly enjoying his miserable hangover.
"Wasn't terrible," he muttered. It hadn't been quite what he had wanted, what with Kagome spending the entire evening with Koga until abruptly leaving with Sango and Miroku. He had hoped that he'd get another chance to have Kagome's lips on him, but he had left, he had been drunk and… Kikyo looked better and better with each pint of beer. Her tongue had been fun too.
"Right," Kagome snapped, immediately standing and walking over to their room. She wanted out of her ridiculous pajamas that probably made her look like a child and had half a mind to tell Koga she wanted a morning quickie before the beach. Anything to get the image of Inuyasha and that woman out of her mind.
"What's your problem?" Inuyasha growled, eyes still narrowed but no longer because of the sun.
"Nothing!" She snapped, ignoring him and flipping open the lid of her suitcase loudly, hands digging around for something that would be suitable for brunch with Sango and Miroku.
"Don't lie to me!" Inuyasha hissed, turning to face her.
Kagome huffed exaggeratedly, choosing not to respond but laying out her underwear on the bed. She stood up straight, intending on going to the bathroom to change, but stopped. Sango's words from the night prior were suddenly in her ear, "he's already seen your boobs on this trip."
'Fuck it,' Kagome thought to herself, fingers gripping the hem of her sleep shirt and pulling it up, over her head without so much as closing the door to the bedroom or telling him not to look.
"What the fuck?!" Inuyasha sputtered, spitting out his coffee and turning so quickly in the chair he almost toppled and fell to the ground.
"What?" She called out, grabbing her bra and clasping it together.
"What are you doing?!" He choked out, biting down on the sides of his cheeks to focus on something other than Kagome standing half naked in front of him.
She rolled her eyes, slipping her arms through the straps of the deep, red lingerie, adjusting herself as she answered, "I'm getting dressed."
"Why aren't you doing that in the bathroom?!" He hissed, shaking his head and starting to count the tiles on the floor.
"You saw me basically naked last night, what does it matter if I change out in the open now?"
"Wha-what?" Inuyasha whined, reflexively turning to face her and immediately regretting it.
"We're just friends after all," Kagome continued, looking back at him.
He forced his gaze up to meet her eyes, glaring at her as he spoke, "Kagome… put your clothes on…"
"What's wrong?" She purred, batting her eyes at him and hooking a finger under the strap to her bra. "I don't look as good as that woman you went home with last night?"
Inuyasha felt like he'd been dunked in cold water as her words hit him. 'What…'
Kagome waited for his response, her heart pounding mercilessly in her chest. She regretted her goading, but the words were already out there. And she, well… she was nearly naked in front of him… again.
That was certainly becoming a new pattern for her.
The silence was deafeningly loud as she waited, the surface of her skin hot under his scrutiny as his amber gaze searched hers for something Kagome couldn't quite place. He didn't look very upset, instead he seemed more confused than anything.
"What? Don't you like my new attire?" Kagome continued, doing a little spin for fun.
"Why don't you ask Koga?" Inuyasha hissed.
"But Inuyasha… I'm asking you…" She pressed. "You are, after all, supposed to at least act like you're attracted to me."
"Put your clothes on and let's fucking go," Inuyasha growled, looking away from her and taking a long sip of his alcohol infused coffee.
"You're not doing a very convincing job," she continued, but he didn't flinch. He remained angled away from her, sipping his drink and eyes avoiding hers. "Look at me!" She commanded.
"I will… when you put some clothes on!"
Biting down on her lip, anger and indignation bubbling to the surface, Kagome stomped her foot like a petulant child. "Make me."
He rolled his eyes, 'what the hell has gotten into her?!' Sango and Miroku would be banging down their door any minute for breakfast. They didn't have time to play stupid games. Inuyasha stood and walked by her, immediately kneeling next to her suitcase and pulling out the first thing shirt he could find - a light sweater - and tossed it at her. "Put that on so we can eat," Inuyasha demanded, glaring at her and careful to make sure his eyes met hers without taking any provocative detours.
Kagome's own glare narrowed. She caught the sweater and swiftly threw it back at him.
"Are you kidding me right now?!" Barked Inuyasha as his fingers curled around the sweater. "Put on your clothes!"
"Make. Me." Kagome spat, placing her hands on her hips. She knew she was being ridiculous and dumb. It was obvious, but if she was angry, if she was petty, she couldn't be hurt. She couldn't feel the pain that came with realizing that he really didn't want her.
"You're acting like a child."
"You're acting like a child," she mocked.
"Fine," Inuyasha snarled, stepping closer, "but remember… you literally asked for this…"
She saw the fire in his eyes as he spoke. Kagome didn't have enough time to think or process what her response should be because in the blink of an eye he was in front of her, a clawed hand pulling at her wrist and trying to shove it through one of the sleeves.
In an effort to escape his grip, Kagome used all of her strength and thrust her arm and body backwards, tripping as the back of her calves collided with the edge of her bed causing her to stumble and crash into the mattress. She sat propped up on the bed, looking up at Inuyasha whose gaze was like a raging fire as it glared down at her. He opened his mouth, as if to ask if she was going to give in, when Kagome stuck her tongue out at him defiantly.
"Put the fucking shirt on!" He snapped.
"No!" Kagome exclaimed, turning her head to the side and crossing her arms over her chest. She hadn't meant for it to make the predicament worse, it was more a reflex than anything, but it did. Inuyasha swallowed hard, jaw clenching as his gaze fell to her breasts that were not only boosted by the red lace that would haunt his wet dreams but were pushed up further when she crossed her arms.
"Yes!" He practically pleaded.
"No!"
"Kagome!"
"No!"
"For fuck's sake!" Admonished Inuyasha as he held out the sweater in front of her. She refused to take it. He shook his head, inhaled loudly, then glared back down at her before moving. He needed her to wear a goddam shirt or leave the room so he could take care of… things. But Kagome was adamant.
And… she had told him to "make" her…
He reached forward, kneeling on the bed, clawed hands pulling an arm loose as he tried, again, to get the damn sweater on her. Kagome yanked her arm away, falling back against the mattress. Inuyasha didn't relent. He leaned forward, throwing a leg over her, straddling her and pinning Kagome to the mattress, each hand circled around one of her wrists. The sweater dangled from his mouth, as he hummed expletives and incomprehensible grumbles while he pulled her wrists together above her head so that he could hold them both with a single hand.
Once that was complete he removed the sweater from his mouth. "You're so fucking ridiculous," Inuyasha muttered. "What the hell has gotten into you?! Did you hit your head-"
Her scent hit him like a hurricane making landfall. All spice and heat assaulting his nose as if he'd shoved his head into a vat of hot sauce. Inuyasha paused, his breath catching in his throat as he, one, tried to think through the haze of pure carnal lust he felt when inhaling that fucking aroma so closely and in such copious amounts, and, two, tried to understand why the fuck she smelled like that. He looked down, seemingly for the first time, cheeks tinging red and ears pulling back, as Inuyasha realized that he was on top of her, and that he was only wearing shorts while she laid beneath him, wide and dark sapphire eyes staring back at him with only a red bra and skimpy shorts covering her delicious body.
"Uh," he stammered, blinking down at her, slowly turning to look at the sweater he held in one hand. She wasn't fighting him like she had been moments before. In fact, she wasn't even moving. Just… laying there. Staring back at him. With a look that was way too close to the dark and wrecked one she had had during the wet boxer contest that made his mind congeal into jelly.
"Aren't you going to finish what you started?"
Kagome didn't even realize she'd spoken. Her horny lizard brain had taken the reigns and was dictating her actions and, evidently, her voice.
Her heart was racing, her blood scalding as it ran through her veins, and that deep, shameless, wanton ache in her belly was tearing through her sanity. Kagome liked the view, liked the feeling, of him above her, pressing into her. She watched his gold gaze darken as he seemed to finally look at her.
Kagome felt… excited.
He was looking at her… not as a friend but as someone to be savored and enjoyed. Unconsciously, she worried her bottom lip, watching as the motion drew his attention and relishing in the thrilling way his gaze swept over her.
"Come on! Let's go sleepy heads!" Miroku yelled, pounding on the front door.
"Fuck!" Inuyasha exclaimed, releasing Kagome's hands, dropping the sweater, and diving to the side to get off her with the same shame and gusto as a fourteen year old boy whose mother just found his stash of dirty magazines.
Kagome squealed, Miroku's voice pulling her out of her lustful trance. In a hasty attempt to cover herself, Kagome though, rolled to the side. The same side Inuyasha had. "Oh shit!" She cried out, falling off the bed, limbs flailing, and crashing into Inuyasha who immediately yelped in pain.
"Oh my god!" Kagome whipped around, turning to face him, seeing his entire face scrunched in what looked like nothing short of pure agony. "Inuyasha! Are you okay?!"
He shakily inhaled, "move… your… elbow…."
"Wha-" Kagome began, cutting herself off as she looked down, blue eyes widening in horror as she realized that she had inadvertently elbowed him in the crotch. "Ohmygodohmygodohmygodimsosorryimsosorry," she repeated over and over in a rush, hands patting over him and realizing with added horror that his shorts were a tad stiff.
"Get… off," Inuyasha groaned, his entire being in pain and unable to process her hands all but caressing him.
"Yup, mmhmm, you betcha," Kagome chuckled nervously, carefully extricating herself and pulling on the sweater as Miroku pounded on the door again.
"What's the hold up?! Having sex?!"
"Shut up!" She yelled back, dropping her pajama shorts to the ground, ignoring the evidence of her own arousal and pulling on shorts that were acceptable for public viewing as Inuyasha crawled toward his suitcase, whimpering pathetic curses as he went. "We are coming!"
"I sure hope at least one of you did…" Miroku mumbled, looking at Sango and sighing loudly.
Sango's mulberry gaze flitted back and forth between Kagome and Inuyasha. There was at least a foot of distance between the two. The group was almost done with brunch and Kagome and Inuyasha had barely looked at the other let alone exchanged any heated glances or something. "So…" Sango began, leaning with her elbows on the table while resting her head in her hands, "have fun last night Inuyasha?"
"I guess," he muttered, still nursing his hangover and feeling a light ache in his balls from Kagome's goddam bony ass elbow.
"What time did you come back last night?" She pressed, pretending not to notice the frown on Kagome's face or the heat from her glare.
"Uh," Inuyasha blinked, looking up at the ceiling. "Not sure."
"You bastard," Miroku snapped, angrily cutting and chomping on the last few bites of his waffle. He'd been grumbling to himself for most of the brunch, to Sango's annoyance and disdain as well, over Inuyasha's late-night escapade. To him, it was unacceptable, it was… cheating. They were there to spend time with each other, as a group, as friends, as - maybe - more than friends! They weren't in Florida to fuck random women! Well, at least, Inuyasha wasn't supposed to be doing that because that compromised the bets…
"Excuse me?" The half-demon snarled, more than a little grumpy after his already hellish morning. "What the fuck is your problem?"
"We are here as friends," Miroku hissed, his violet eyes widening and head tilting making him look only a little manic. "We are not here to fuck around with random women!"
Inuyasha sighed heavily, clawed tips angrily digging into the side of his temple as he tried to remain calm. "I didn't fuck anyone, dip-shit. Can you all lay off?!"
"Then why were you out so late?" Sango challenged dryly, doubting his admission.
"I wasn't going to just let her walk home by herself! It was dark! Her friends had already left!" Inuyasha spat, crossing his arms over his chest in indignation and refusing to look at Kagome. It was too much to really process.
Had Kikyo hinted at having him come up with her? Yes. She had been about as subtle as an avalanche. He just… couldn't. Inuyasha kept thinking about Kagome and missing her fucking scent and wanting to be back in the room with her. It had been more than a little sobering and Inuyasha couldn't bring himself to use a different woman just because the one he really wanted wasn't interested in him.
No, he'd lap up all Kagome's attention during the bets and then just deal with the symptoms of withdrawal and disappointment afterwards. There was no use denying how attracted he was to Kagome anymore. Not after last night. Not even after a stunning woman was already removing her clothes, expecting him to gleefully follow her upstairs, only for them both to be shocked by his rejection of her advances.
So, really, Inuyasha didn't fucking need his friends, or Kagome, throwing the memories of that back in his face. He needed to stop thinking about it. He needed to swim forward relentlessly like a shark. He needed Kagome to be pressed against him, reinvigorating his entire faith in humanity. He needed Kagome to touch him with something much softer than her fucking elbow.
"Oh, okay," Miroku replied, gleefully, "well… that solves that. Thanks for the explanation."
"Seriously?" Sango hissed flatly. "Look, maybe Inuyasha didn't sleep with her, but he was all over her." She continued, raising an eye brow and chewing on the inside of her cheek before daring to quickly look over at Kagome. An icy tingle of doubt crept up Sango's spine. 'Maybe… maybe Kagome was right and Inuyasha… doesn't actually like her… maybe he's just a horny bastard.'
"So… beach time?" Miroku sang, ignoring Sango's last remark and placing his napkin on the table, violet eyes rejuvenated and full of excitement once again.
"Yeah, beach time," Kagome murmured, pushing the bits of food around on her plate dejectedly with her fork.
"So are you going to tell me what the hell happened between you and Inuyasha this morning, or do I have to guess?" Sango asked, reclined in her beach chair, a sun hat casting a shadow over her face to protect her cheeks from becoming overly red as she sipped on "juice" with Kagome.
Kagome sighed loudly and heavily, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth while tossing a quick glance over to where Miroku had dragged Inuyasha into a game of volleyball with a couple strangers who needed the extra players. There was a bitter swell of anger and jealously in her chest, looking over and noticing that Inuyasha didn't seem nearly as upset anymore and was chatting with some red head who looked right out of a Victoria's Secret catalog.
"I, uh, I started undressing in front of him this morning."
Sango sputtered immediately, her beverage spraying out from her mouth as she blinked rapidly, processing Kagome's confession. "Excuse me?!"
Kagome's cheeks burned and she began to fidget with her fingers. "Well he, erm, he basically saw me naked at the wet t-shirt thing, right? S-so wha-what's the big deal?"
"The context," Sango choked out. "A wet t-shirt contest is… removed, public. Undressing in front of Inuyasha, and only Inuyasha is a very different thing. Don't get me wrong… I'm proud of you and your boldness! But… damn… I wasn't expecting that!" She laughed. Her enjoyment receded though when Sango realized that Kagome looked… sad. She didn't find it funny or see any humor in it. Hell, she didn't even look embarrassed. Kagome looked… forlorn and utterly dejected. "Kagome, what happened?"
"He… he got upset and didn't want to look at me."
Sango nodded slowly, exhaling loudly before sipping on her drink. "I guess… Maybe… maybe you were right Kagome. I'm sorry… we can stop the bet… I-I don't want you to jeopardize your friendship with him."
Kagome bit down hard on her lip. 'The bets… the fucking bets…' Her self-doubt and despondence fell away, jealousy bubbling to the surface as she narrowed her eyes at the woman Inuyasha was still conversing with.
"No," Kagome stated firmly, getting to her feet, hands curled into fists at her side, and fire coursing through her blood. "The bet is still on."
Without waiting for Sango's response, Kagome marched over to Inuyasha, interrupting the game, her hands on her hips and sapphire gaze glaring daggers at the red headed woman. "Inuyasha?" She hissed. "Can I speak with you?"
The half-demon rolled his eyes, but walked away with Kagome all the same. "What gives?" He asked, growling at her as they put distance between themselves and the game.
Kagome inhaled sharply, then spun on her feet in the sand to face him, gaze burning as she drank in his glittering amber irises. Anger evaporated, leaving nothing but the unfulfilled longing and desire gripping her abdomen and chest as Kagome perceived Inuyasha, head on, for the first time since she'd taken her clothes off that morning. She had no idea how much she'd missed those eyes on her, looking back at her, feeding her soul with warmth and excitement. "Sango just admitted that I was right."
"About what?" Inuyasha asked dryly, not understanding what was so important that Kagome had felt the need to accost him during a goddam game.
"The bets," Kagome bit out. "She said that I was right and that the bets should be called off!"
"But… wouldn't that mean we won?" Inuyasha pressed, head tilting to the side. "She admitted she likes Miroku and that he likes her, like we fucking knew. So… bets are over. We won, right?" He continued, wondering to himself why she looked so… heartbroken that they had won the bets. Shouldn't Kagome be fucking ecstatic?! She should have been engaging in that annoying gloating she always did when she was proven right. So… why was she upset to be validated?
"No!" Kagome snarled, "she said that I was right that you don't have any interest in me! I've been telling you to step it up! We are going to lose if you don't!"
"Oh for fuck's sake," Inuyasha bemoaned. "That's what this is about?!"
"Uh, yeah! You literally hooked up with-"
"I didn't hook up with anyone!" He spat back, growling in frustration and anger.
"Regardless of what you actually engaged in… you fooled around with a different woman after you scolded me for texting Koga! Get your head in the game!"
"Yeah, and who were you talking to all night after the wet t-shirt contest?! Koga! Why the hell is it such a big deal that I fucking kissed her at a bar after we all had copious amounts of alcohol?!" He fought back, stepping into her personal space and clenching his jaw while waiting for her answer.
Inuyasha felt like her anger was misplaced, her attack on him and his actions unwarranted. She was the one who was talking to Koga after the contests. She was the one who spent all night with the wolf, while he waited by the bar. She was the one who hadn't so much as looked at him despite his domineering need to feel every godforsaken inch of her soft, supple flesh.
"Because," Kagome began, her cheeks burning and words tumbling out in a squeak, "your lips shouldn't have been on her. Your hands were all over her!"
"Yes, exactly, my hands!" He snarled, holding up the clawed appendages for emphasis and wiggling his fingers. "I can't touch you with them."
"Okay, but your lips-"
"Kagome!" Inuyasha interrupted, sighing heavily. "Look, it's easier for you! Okay? You're not limited! You can fake it! But I can't do that!"
She paused, chewing on the side of her cheek, gaze shifting downward. "Y-you can't fake being attracted to me?"
"I'm limited!" He sighed loudly in exasperation.
"Sounds like a lame excuse to me…" Kagome pouted.
Inuyasha shook his head, running a hand through his bangs. He didn't get it! How could she not understand?! He was barely hanging on by a thread. A very thin, ever deteriorating thread of self-control. Worse, Kagome didn't seem even the slightest bit perturbed that… hadn't they technically already lost the bet? He'd laid his hands on her earlier that morning…
"Kagome, this morning-"
"Forget it," she snapped, glaring back up at him. "I get it! Okay, we don't need to keep rehashing this! You don't find me attractive-"
"I touched you. We… we already lost," Inuyasha blurted, ears drooping while Kagome stopped mid-yell and recoiled.
Her entire expression morphed from pain and frustration to shock and contemplation. He watched her blink rapidly, her eyes moving unfocused as she mentally recounted that morning until a treacherous pink singed her cheeks and her eyes widened. Reflexively, the pads of Kagome's fingers ran tenderly over the space on her wrists where his hands had gripped and pinned her back earlier.
"Oh…"
"Yeah… so, should we-" He began, looking over toward Sango and Miroku. Miroku had abandoned the valley ball game and looked like he was back to enjoying Sango fawning all over him for the sake of appearances. Sango seemed just as content to be showering him with affection, it made him feel suddenly ill that his time flirting with Kagome was about to come to an end.
"No," Kagome answered more forcefully than she had intended. "Th-that doesn't count."
"How?!" Inuyasha asked in shock.
"B-because the bets were, um, they had a specific intent behind them!" Kagome continued, her mind spinning, desperate to keep the game going. After all, that was why she'd initiated this entire conversation to begin with. Sango wanted to call the bets off! Sango finally understood that Inuyasha didn't like her! But Kagome couldn't let go. She wanted those lips all over her; his lips. She wanted to see that look in his eyes, the one that fucking scorched and blistered all rational thought and made her desperate for him to devour her. "Yeah, that's right. The intention behind the actions are important! Th-this morning was a reflex!" She argued.
Inuyasha stood there gaping, completely and utterly confounded by what she was trying to say. "I pinned you to the bed and tried to shove a sweater on you…"
"Yes! Exactly! To cover me up!" She pressed onward, only a little flustered but wholly desperate for more time to play her part in their charade.
He paused, a thick black brow rising, ears still flattened backward.
Kagome waited patiently, nodding to herself reassuringly that her argument was valid and enforceable instead of flimsy and barely short of an overt lie by omission.
"Yeah, I'm not buying it, Kags," Inuyasha sighed.
"We. Are. Not. Telling. Them." Kagome bit out. "Understood? Not until they admit their feelings!"
"Ah, okay," Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
"What?"
"This is about you being wrong!" He barked out, ignoring the pang of disappointment that pierced his chest. "You just don't want to admit that you were wrong about Sango and Miroku having feelings for each other!"
"That's not true!" She protested.
"Yeah, okay," he scoffed. "I won't say anything… on one condition."
"What?" Kagome questioned begrudgingly.
Inuyasha leaned forward, a playful smirk breaking out as he spoke, "you can't give me any shit over Kikyo anymore, got it? Not a single fucking quip or comment. I so much as hear you grumble to yourself about what I did last night and I am telling them everything."
Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared back at him. Exhaling loudly, Kagome replied, "fine. Deal."
"Awesome," he smiled arrogantly. "Shall we join our friends then?"
Kagome nodded, walking next to him and back toward their things, noticing that Sango and Miroku were standing at the water's edge, dipping their toes in. "I was serious about you stepping it up though," she murmured.
She expected a quick and fast rebuttal, instead she got silence.
Inuyasha chewed on the inside of his cheek, looking straight ahead. He knew Kagome was right. He needed to figure out something. She had approached him every time. She had initiated every contact. And while he thoroughly enjoyed it, Kagome had a point. It almost certainly looked one sided. Inuyasha felt like his reasoning was valid even if it wasn't helpful.
They could lie about touching in the privacy of the hotel room but they couldn't lie if they touched in public. Inuyasha didn't want to be the reason they lost the bet… he didn't want to be the reason… she stopped.
"Inuyasha-"
"I know," he mumbled back softly. "I'll figure it out."
Kagome nodded, but remained quiet.
"Hey, you actually going to get in the water today?!" Sango called from the ocean where she was standing with Miroku, both waist deep in already.
"Yeah," Kagome replied, quickly tossing her shirt to the side and kicking off her flip flops. Inuyasha could 'figure it out' by himself if he didn't want to join them, she couldn't care less. Kagome wanted to swim and hang out, forget about the dumb bets for five minutes and pretend that Florida was a good idea instead of a living nightmare where she had to face the fact that the man of her dreams struggled daily to feign interest in her.
The water felt refreshing, not as bitingly cold as the water up north, but nice with the warm sun beating down on them.
"You and Inuyasha okay?" Miroku asked, eyeing her skeptically. "We were winning the volley ball game, ya know…"
"Everything is great, thanks for asking!" Kagome replied, ignoring his comment and smiling broadly while Miroku rolled his eyes.
"Oh!" Sango exclaimed, wading through the water to come up next to Kagome, "guess what I heard last night…"
'If this is a sex thing…' Kagome thought to herself, forcing her smile to stay in place as she replied enthusiastically, "I don't know, what?"
"Kohaku got into his top choice school!"
"Oh that's amazing!" Kagome gushed, genuinely excited for her friend's younger brother.
"He's so relieved!" Sango continued, laughing and smiling. "I felt so bad! I saw that I had a bunch of missed calls from him and I drunk dialed him when we got back, but he didn't seem very upset at the timing, thankfully!"
"Nice of you to join us," Miroku whispered, as Inuyasha approached them, scowl present.
"Are you going to give me more shit now too?" He hissed in response, half-listening as the girls kept going on about Kohaku starting school and going to the same university as Sota, each joking about the video game tournaments they went to together and the like.
"Nope," Miroku answered, already bored. "But I, uh, would love to know what all the ruckus was this morning in the hotel room."
"Excuse me?" Inuyasha groaned, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I heard yelling, then a yelp - that I can only assume came from you - and then Kagome-"
"She accidentally elbowed me in the crotch," Inuyasha explained, uncrossing his arms briefly to flick water at Miroku, annoyed by his friend's overbearing and intrusive questions. He really didn't need a reminder that he was on top of Kagome and summarily had his family jewels crushed between bone and the hard hotel flooring.
"Right," Miroku chuckled, "and how did her elbow land there?"
"Bad fucking luck is how," the half-demon replied, flicking more water at him.
"Cut that out!"
"No, I don't think I will," Inuyasha smirked, doing it again. "You dunked two buckets of water on me yesterday… I think you can handle a little flick."
Miroku swallowed nervously, watching Inuyasha's head tilt slightly and an evil gleam settle in his eyes. "That was all in good fun-"
"Right, mmhmm," Inuyasha mumbled, fangs poking out of his grin. "All in good… fun…"
"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed, half-running half-tripping through the water and diving behind her for cover.
"What?!" She spat, annoyed at the interruption of her conversation with Kagome.
"Please talk some sense into Inuyasha… he's threatening me…"
"What's he threatening you with?" Sango inquired, looking over at Kagome and shaking her head.
"Getting me wet!"
Kagome snorted and rolled her eyes. "You're in the water…"
"But my hair…"
"What are you a man or a cat?!" Inuyasha barked.
"Ha," Kagome scoffed, "that's funny coming from you."
"And why is that?" He pressed, leaning down and glaring at her.
"You hate getting wet," she responded, giggling and tossing water at him, watching as he immediately tried to move away from it. "See? If anyone's a cat here it's you…" She jested, lifting her hands up behind her head to mock his ears.
"Oh… is that so?" He whispered menacingly, hands dipping into the water, "maybe you'd like to get splashed then?"
"I'm so scared," Kagome challenged.
"Wow, it's like we're invisible," Miroku muttered.
"Go get me juice," Sango demanded flatly glaring at him.
As Miroku waded past them and out of the water, Kagome and Inuyasha continued splashing each other back and forth.
"See?! Not that bad!" She insisted, lobbing a handful of water at him.
"Watch the ears!" He spat back, "it's hell getting water out of them!"
"I thought dogs were supposed to like water!" Kagome teased, tossing more water in his direction.
"That's not a rule!" Inuyasha insisted, smacking the water and watching it spray Kagome, dampening her hair. She lifted her arms up in front of her face to block the water but the motion sent Inuyasha's mind tumbling back to his recollection of that morning, when he held her hands above her head, with Kagome laying beneath him in barely more than she had on then. 'Fuck,' he hissed internally, trying to repress the memory as she smiled back at him with the normal and totally banal Higurashi smile that had captivated his attention for years.
"Is it not?" She giggled, dipping both hands into the water to splash him again, completely oblivious to his internal crisis.
He couldn't stop it. His mind was suddenly littered with images of Kagome in compromising positions, no longer limited to the one from that morning. Even as the water collided with his heated skin, it did nothing to quell him. Inuyasha walked closer up to her, a brow raising in mischievous delight. "No it's not," he murmured, moving to stand only a couple inches from her in the water. He couldn't use his hands but…
Kagome bit down on her bottom lip, waiting for his next move.
"But… we do enjoy games," he breathed, sliding a foot behind her while interlacing his fingers behind his back before leaning forward, amber eyes briefly dropping to examine the delicate, plush lip caught between her teeth.
Her eyes widened, a soft gasp leaving her as he continued to lean closer. Kagome's cheeks burned red, her sapphire gaze flitting over to Sango, who was watching the two with as much shock and surprise as Kagome felt. She brought her gaze back to him, his lips millimeters from hers when she swallowed hard…
This felt different. The last time she'd kissed him she had been drunk and had been goaded into it by her dumb friends. This time… Kagome was sober and, fuck, his lips were right there and Sango was staring - and Sango was staring…
Kagome attempted to take a step back, instantly tripping on the leg Inuyasha had purposefully stuck out behind her. He hadn't known for sure that she wouldn't take bait, but he'd had a hunch. Kagome, under normal circumstances, didn't care for P.D.A. That was more Miroku's thing. Inuyasha knew Kagome though. He had figured she'd get uncomfortable with Sango right there, only about a foot away, with nothing to do but watch or twiddle her thumbs or cough loudly as if that somehow made it any fucking better or would deter him midway.
Inuyasha had guessed Kagome would back out and stumble right into his trap.
His grin exploded into a wide smirk as he swept his leg, knocking hers out from under her causing Kagome to lose her balance, falling back into the water. Inuyasha leaned back, still smirking, and waited for her to resurface. 'Maybe… maybe I don't need my hands to play with her…' he thought smugly.
Kagome gasped in air as she got back on her feet, hands pushing back her soaked bangs and wiping the water from her eyes. "Well that was rude!" She exclaimed, trying to be annoyed but finding it hard with that boyish look of glee written all over his face.
"Whatever do you mean?" He asked, pretending not to understand. "I thought you liked the water?"
"Oh I see," Kagome muttered, walking up to Inuyasha. His shit eating grin stayed in place and she immediately realized why. He had a solid stance, she couldn't knock him over on her own strength. 'It's so fun when he thinks he's clever,' Kagome thought to herself, running a hand along his bare chest and ducking her head, quickly tossing Sango a look.
Sango smiled back and nodded before Kagome lifted her head up, refocusing on Inuyasha.
"I like to games too, you know," she whispered, watching him focus on her and inadvertently ignore Sango as she stealthily moved into position.
"Is that so?" He purred.
"Mmhmm," she tiled her head up toward him, fingers on one of her hands dancing around his lower abdomen while the other caressed his cheek. Kagome pushed up onto her tip toes, brushing her lips across his, "you know… we never did get to talk about your performance yesterday."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes not trusting her intentions, "really? What about it?" He watched her dark pupils dilate as he spoke, but that was all he could make out. Inuyasha couldn't smell the subtle shifts in her scent with the heavy aroma of salt permeating his senses. All he had to go on was that look in her gaze. It wasn't quite as hot as it had been earlier that morning or when she had been looking at him when he was on stage, but there was something there. Or so he thought…
In the corner of her eye, Kagome watched Sango slowly shift in position. Her eyes fluttered and she looked straight back at Inuyasha as she whispered, "I just couldn't help but think… who needs to visit a place like Jizzney Land when what you have to offer is so obviously superior…"
A low growl reverberated through his chest. Her hands were still on him, her lips barely separated by a puff of air. Inuyasha didn't know what came over him but he tiled his head, his lips moving to ghost over her ear before he softly chuckled and purred, "I didn't even need to touch you and you're already wet."
Kagome stiffened, blinking rapidly as her cheeks and chest flushed. She knew he wasn't talking about the damn ocean water. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and her skin burned despite the cool water and breeze skimming off the waves. Her heart was pounding as she looked into his amber eyes and saw a hunger that mirrored her own.
"Well, then…" Kagome managed to get out without sounding too flustered, though her voice was suddenly thicker and she was more than a little aware of the ache in her belly. "Maybe you should test my waters," she breathed, both hands sliding over him, landing squarely on his torso before Kagome gave him one last lustful gaze.
He realized his mistake too late. Inuyasha heard a splash from right behind him and he instinctively turned to see what it was from, just as Kagome pushed on his chest. He realized what the fucking splash was when he felt two hands grip one of his calves and pull while Kagome pushed, forcing him off balance and crashing into the water.
Sango burst up and dove away, knowing he would be furious at her for helping Kagome just as Miroku returned with her juice. Kagome too backed away but only slightly, a hand covering her mouth as Inuyasha surfaced, ears pinned back, smirk replaced by a deep scowl, and looking every bit as wet as the night before and far more irate.
Kagome stepped forward, sapphire eyes glittering in victory. Inuyasha flicked water at her as she approached, growling, but otherwise remained silent. Kagome dragged her eyes appreciatively over him, enjoying his near naked figure. "You can have me, Inuyasha… in any way… whenever you like," she sang in a low hum, batting her lashes at him.
"You should be more careful about making promises like that," he snapped.
She didn't feel the least bit deterred. Looking up at Inuyasha through her long lashes, Kagome merely bit down on her bottom lip once more before turning and sauntering back toward their spot on the shore.
"What did I miss?" Miroku asked, watching in bewilderment as Kagome giggled the entire time and Sango rolled her eyes, leaving a horny and irate half-demon's brain to short circuit from Kagome's suggestive comments.
Sango leaned agains the door frame tapping her foot impatiently while Miroku finished what it was he was taking forty minutes in the bathroom to finish. Her drinks from dinner were wearing off and the heels she had put on for her night on the town with the group were already beginning to pinch her feet. She sighed loudly, chewing the inside of her cheek for a moment before banging loudly on the door to the bathroom as she walked back to her suit case to change into more comfortable shoes.
"What was that for?!" Miroku snapped, poking his head out of the bathroom and narrowing his gaze at Sango.
"We need to talk," she stated sternly. "We may have been a little… insensitive when making the bets with Inuyasha and Kagome."
Miroku exhaled loudly and stepped out of the bathroom, leaning against the wall but giving her his full attention. "I'm listening. Why do you think that now?"
"Kagome was… upset earlier," Sango explained. "And save for the little prank in the water she and Inuyasha haven't been, well, as… intimate with each other in our presence all day. I'm-I'm worried that we may have pushed their relationship in the wrong direction…"
"She told you she accidentally crushed his balls right?" Miroku asked dryly.
"Yes!" She exclaimed in exasperation.
"Okay, well, as a guy, let me tell you… that's not fun. It hurts… a lot. Half-demon or not."
"Okay? So?"
"So?! They were both probably incredibly embarrassed and a little shy after that!" He explained, laughing a little at the end. "We talked about this… Kagome likes him… he likes her… we stick to the bets and they will figure it out-"
"What if they don't though?!" Sango inquired nervously. "I mean… Kagome practically stripped for him this morning and he didn't jump her!"
"Did you not see his dead eyes this morning?! He was hung over!"
"He made out with someone else!"
"Because Koga was with Kagome!" Miroku continued. Sango might have been second guessing the situation, but he wasn't. He felt confident a tipping point was just over the horizon. A little more goading, a little more pressure, and the two of them would finally see what dumbasses they really were. "Look, neither Kikyo or Koga will be at the bar tonight, right?"
"He just shows up!" Sango hissed.
"Okay, then here's what we'll do… We will run interference. Got it? Either of us see those two and we will step in, on the off chance they show up."
Sango paused, taking a deep breath before nodding in agreement.
"Awesome," he smiled. "Now, shall we go see what tight number Kagome put on tonight to tantalize and tease Inuyasha?"
"Oh she already told me," Sango whispered, an eye brow arching playfully.
"Oh?" Miroku replied, grin broadening to match her mischievous smirk.
'Dear lord… please… please… kill me now…' Inuyasha begged quietly, the clawed tips of his fingers pressing into the bridge of his nose, eyes forced shut, breathing through his mouth to avoid taking in her scent while they walked to the bar nearby.
Kagome wasn't wearing a dress. She was wearing what she had insisted was a bralette - not a bra - and therefore was acceptable to wear as a top, which Inuyasha had thought was probably the dumbest reasoning she had ever exhibited in front of him to justify her actions. Other than the blood red lace bralette that clung to her and emphasized her radiant porcelain skin and supple breasts, the only other thing Kagome had on was a tight, black pleather mini-skirt that made every sway of her hips dangerous. And the fucking heels. Couldn't forget about the heels that Inuyasha loved watching her walk in so much that it pained him and, more than once, as they meandered to the bar those heels had inspired Inuyasha to imagine taking Kagome from behind or thrusting one of the sharp points through his heart to end his miserable, celibate existence.
Miroku patted Inuyasha aggressively on the back, smirking like the goddam devil he was. "Everything okay there buddy?"
"Fuck. Off." He snapped, opening his eyes and cursing the way his gaze immediately went back to mentally stripping Kagome down.
"Just tell me I won," Miroku purred, wiggling his brows, "and you can touch her."
"That's not how that works," Inuyasha snarled.
"Oh, well then, explain it to me," he insisted, antagonizing his friend.
"Get fucked," Inuyasha muttered aggressively, shaking off Miroku's hand. He didn't have the time nor the patience to explain to Miroku that Kagome didn't want him to actually touch her. It was all for the bet… it was all show. Inuyasha didn't need to verbalize that or remind himself of his precarious position with her.
"I'm mean I'm trying, but you're not making it easy for me," he joked.
"You are the worst friend…"
Miroku shook his head in irritation. He could not fathom how Inuyasha couldn't see the open and obvious truth right in front of him. "Yeah, well, let's see if you're saying that at the end of the night."
"I'll be saying it until the end of time, don't worry."
Miroku snorted, looking away and pulling his wallet out of his pocket. "Get your I.D. out, we're here."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes unfazed by Miroku's comments. Truthfully, he wasn't in that bad of a mood. Not once throughout the day had Kagome texted Koga, even though he had seen her phone light up with a message from him. Better yet, Inuyasha hadn't picked up even the slightest hint of the wolf's scent as they walked over.
And…
He was excited for that.
Kagome wouldn't be distracted by Koga.
Kagome was still focused on the stupid bets.
Kagome… would likely be spending the night up against him.
In that tight ass skirt and tiny "shirt."
Oh yeah, Inuyasha was fucking delighted. The only problem he had was trying to figure out where the hell to put his hands. The problem was somewhat resolved when they all slid into a booth by the bar and Inuyasha took a page out of Miroku's earlier playbook choosing to literally just sit on his hands when they weren't gripping his pint glass.
It was a nice bar. Not nice in that it was fancy or aesthetically pleasing, but nice in the sense that it was chill and fun. The lighting was dim and the bartender looked like your average Joe. There was a jukebox in the back playing hits from their childhoods and a corner reserved for dancing with a cheap little disco ball that tried its damnedest to light up that corner with enthusiasm. The rest of the space was full of comfortable, worn seating with plastic menus for beer specials while the walls were littered with photos of local patrons and heroes.
It was a place Inuyasha felt at home. Especially with Kagome at his side, pressed up against him just laughing.
Her smile filled his chest with warmth and was more beautiful than anything else he'd ever had occasion to witness. She was the most beautiful and Inuyasha was more than content to just share in her space, as long as he could see that smile for the rest of his life and hear her laugh.
"You okay?" Kagome murmured tenderly, turning to him while Sango and Miroku bickered over whether Miroku's cheeks were red because of the sun or the five beers he had drank whilst trying to prove that he could drink just as much as Inuyasha. He couldn't, but that was beside the point.
"Yeah, why?" Inuyasha responded, sipping on his seventh beer of the evening, enjoying the gentle warmth of his buzz.
"Because you were staring at her," Miroku interjected with a slur, ignoring Sango as she tried to get him to have a sip of water. "I thought it was endearing…"
"Drink the water or go throw up, I'm not taking care of you tonight," hissed Sango.
Miroku took the water while Inuyasha tried to hide his blush behind another sip of his drink.
"I'm fine," he insisted, setting the glass down, feeling the pads of Kagome's fingers run down along his arm.
"Okay," she answered, seemingly unconvinced. "Did you need some water too?"
He rolled his eyes. No… water would not significantly alter his behavior. Inuyasha's problem was that he was smitten and that wasn't going away anytime soon.
"Sangooooo," Miroku whined, leaning against her, while keeping his hands on the glass of water. "Can we go dance?"
"Seriously?" She asked flatly while Kagome giggled.
"Yes! I want to dance! Come dance with me!" Miroku insisted, making big, violet, puppy dog eyes at her. "I'll let you pick the song on the juke box…"
"Wow… you really know how to win a girl over," Sango commented sarcastically while also gesturing for him to move. "You guys will be okay?"
"Yeah, go dance!" Kagome encouraged, smiling and watching them shimmy out of the booth. She kept her gaze on them until they arrived at the juke box and began flipping through the catalog of songs, then she turned to Inuyasha.
"What?" He asked irately. "Are you going to tell me to 'step it up again'?" He mocked snidely.
"No," Kagome mumbled, "I was going to say that… I'm having fun with you tonight."
"Oh…" Inuyasha really hadn't been expecting that. Although, he probably should have. He had been watching her laugh and smile for the few hours that they'd already been there. It should have been obvious. He had just been so… distracted. "I, uh, I'm having fun too…" He muttered weakly.
"Right," she answered, turning to quickly look back over at Sango and Miroku, giggling as Miroku attempted to dance with her without using his hands and was very obviously struggling. "He looks like he's going to take flight any minute!"
Inuyasha turned and released a quick bark of laughter, "well… if Sango liked him before… there's no way she likes him after that."
Kagome shook her head, finished her drink and slid the glass to the end of the table before reclining up against Inuyasha again. He smiled to himself, welcoming her closeness, still laughing at their friends as Sango rolled her eyes and tried to keep up with Miroku's antics.
"I wonder how long it will take for them to crack," Kagome asked absentmindedly, frowning at the recognition that once Sango or Miroku confessed their feelings that her moments of closeness with Inuyasha would abruptly end. She didn't like that thought in the slightest. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.
She reached for his beer, having emptied her drink and needing something to wash away the negative thoughts. Kagome was oblivious to the set of gold eyes watching her as she moved, lifting the glass of beer off the table and gently tilting it against her lips. Inuyasha almost whimpered, jealous of the damn pint glass and wishing more than anything that he could be tasting those same lips instead of shoving his hands between the cushion and his ass.
"Depends," he replied in a teasing tone, "how many shots do you think we have to sneak Sango to get her to forget about that…"
Kagome looked over, watching Miroku hip-check Sango over and over as if that by itself was a dance move instead of just knocking Sango around the thankfully sparse dance floor. The sight was utterly obnoxious, causing Kagome to snort in laughter midway through gulping down her sip of Inuyasha's beer. The alcohol sprayed from her nose as she coughed and sputtered, choking and laughing at the same time. Instantly, Kagome heard Inuyasha break out into a fit of laughter next to her as she reached for napkins.
"Wow!" Inuyasha exclaimed, his chest shaking Kagome from the expression of his joy.
She defiantly tossed her used napkins at him, watching him swat them away before speaking to him. "I bet that's super cute…"
"You don't need to worry about being cute around me," Inuyasha replied, smiling warmly back at her, not the least bit put off. He loved Kagome and that included all her oddities and embarrassing gaffs. He loved her terrible singing. He loved her tendency to walk into walls. He loved her ridiculous snort of a laugh that he only got the chance to hear a couple times a year. He enjoyed it all.
Because…
He enjoyed her.
Kagome's eyes flitted over to him, meeting his brilliant golden gaze. The way he looked back at her enveloped her with the same comfort as a warm hug and made her feel just as safe and loved. She scoffed weakly in response, feeling her cheeks flush under the weight of his warmth.
He reached forward, grabbing his beer back from her and taking a long sip. "Plus, you are cute," Inuyasha stated, his voice teasingly sweet and overflowing with sugar and sarcasm before reaching over and pinching her cheek with his free hand. "You're so cute I could eat you out - Up. I meant… up," he corrected firmly, his previously smug and joking smile becoming forced and strained as his eyes widened in horror at his slip.
'Fuck…' Inuyasha thought to himself, his heart pounding, images of burning buildings and a mushroom cloud filling his brain as he waited for Kagome to respond.
Kagome stared back at him. Her cheeks burned and she could see the sheer panic in his expression. It was strange. She watched his mouth open and close repeatedly, trying to say something then stopping, clearly not sure of what he could say. Kagome bit down on her bottom lip, his ears pinning back still unable to find his voice.
'He,' she realized slowly, 'is freaking out.'
And, he was.
'We were doing so well!' Inuyasha screamed internally. 'W-why did I have to ruin it like that?!'
Kagome swallowed, eyes casting downward looking briefly down at her bag, her hand quickly swiping something from inside, before she turned to face him again. He was looking anywhere but at her now. She slid impossibly closer to him in the booth.
'She's going to slap me… I can feel it,' he thought to himself, his entire body going stiff. Inuyasha felt her shift but the raw sting of abrasive skin-to-skin contact never followed. Instead, he felt her push his back against the wall, forcing him to face her, a slender leg sliding over his lap and settling on his side causing that tight ass skirt to ride up as she straddled him in the bar. His breathing caught in his throat as he felt the warm pressure of her weight slowly lower into his lap, her hands balled together between them.
"Is that so?" Kagome murmured.
He couldn't breathe. It was dumb, but he thought if… if he breathed she would know what a mistake this was. So he practically squeaked out, "i-is what so?"
The vixen grinned wickedly, leaning in before whispering, "that you could just… eat me?" A heated shiver ran down his spine, his eyes blowing wide as he sat there stunned into silence, feeling her lips and teeth gently nip at his jawline before pulling back and looking into his fucking soul. Her gaze was turbulent.
Inuyasha hated blue eyes normally. They had always seemed cold to him. Never Kagome's though. They were always warm. But then? At that moment her sapphire eyes burned brighter and hotter than a fucking supernova.
"Talk to me, Inuyasha," she whispered heavily, "what do you want?"
His mouth moved before his mind even know what was happening.
"I really want to kiss you right now."