Breathe My Name
Summary: "I know you don't love me...and you probably never will...but for tonight...let me show you my feelings...I can help you forget about Oishi-Senpai...I can heal your heart...if you let me."
Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Kagome/Eiji
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Rated: M for Mature Content
-x-x-x-
Kagome walked silently beside Eiji who was quietly looking at his hands. Lost in her own thoughts, she nearly jumped out of her skin when a warmer hand took hers. Looking over, she gave a nervous smile. "..." it was still awkward.
"Sorry...I feel like I'm making things difficult for you. Kagome, is it alright if I keep you like this?" Eiji seemed unsure as his eyes locked with hers. "I need you, and you keep my mind off-...off of everything."
'Oishi...' Kagome smiled sadly, "you can keep me...as a hiding place. The place you go to when things become too much."
"...thank you."
-x-x-x-
Shuusuke watched Kagome and Eiji come through the front gate from the front door of the school.
"Spying?"
Shuusuke didn't look to see who it was that had come up to him. "I wouldn't say that. They just happen to be in my line of vision."
"We're in High school Shuusuke...you can't keep them safe forever...maybe...maybe everything will work out for Eiji-San and Kagome-San."
"Maybe..." Shuusuke sighed and turned away from the two before following in Tezuka who had come out to check on him. It was true that they were in High school now. While Momoshiro and Kaidou were third years at Seishun High, Kaidou the Tennis Captain, Momo the Vice-Captain, and Ryoma coming and going randomly for competitions. They were in High School...Shuusuke, Eiji, and Tezuka. The others had all gone elsewhere. Oishi had gone to a school in Germany, and Takashi had gone to a culinary school. Inui on the other hand...he was attending a school near the Rikkaidai School District where Yanagi also attended. Everyone was growing up...but they still took time to hang out at least once a week. That...that wouldn't change.
-x-x-x-
Kagome looked at her watch and smiled up at Eiji. "I have to get going, Eiji-Senpai. School starts in about twelve minutes..."
"Ah..." Eiji had a confused look in his eyes when he finally let go of her hand. "I'll see you after school then,"
"After tennis practice, I'll come by once your practice is over, then we can hang out."
"Right, Tennis...I'll see you after tennis, Kagome-Neko."
Kagome watched Eiji leave, and each step tore her up. "...I'm making things worse for him...I think."
"Oi...Kagome-San."
Kagome turned around and ran towards one of her schoolmates, "Ryoma-San...ohayo."
"What's with that sad face? Is Eiji-Senpai still upset?"
"...uh...yeah, something like that."
Ryoma shook his head, "you will figure something out. If it's Eiji...you always do. Last year, I heard from Fuji-San, that when Eiji had been sick when he was a first year in tennis, and couldn't make practice, you gathered all of the players up and had a study date instead."
"Yeah, everyone ended up sick, and no one studied..."
Ryoma stopped walked and hooked his finger along her bag strap, causing her to falter in her next step and turn around to meet his eyes. "Yes...that's true...but everyone had fun."
'Everyone had fun...' Kagome nodded and smiled, "Yeah...they did. Thanks Ryoma-San."
"Hm," he was already walking off, Kagome had to run to catch up with him, and in the end they were both still late.
-x-x-x-
Shuusuke watched Eiji for the majority of the day as he stared out the window, none the wiser to the class taking place or the teachers calling out to him. 'Oishi-San...you really did a number on Eiji-Kun...and Kagome's not making things easier on him. Even if he forgets Oishi while he's with her...he remembers everything when he's not...'
"Eijiko, lets head to tennis now, it's starting soon." Fuji smiled as he guided Eiji towards the tennis courts.
Eiji brushed off Fuji's hand and smiled, a large and inviting smile, one that Fuji recognized well enough. A smile that was used to fend off questions of one's welfare and calm the tides of curious inquires. "I'll go on ahead, nyan~!" Eiji ran off and playfully avoided knocking shoulders with the students in the hall as he made his way to the courts.
"..."
-x-x-x-
Kagome smiled as she looked at the two tickets in her hands. She really should have tried something like this first, but she didn't, and now she knew that she'd have to make it up to her friend. Because that's what she was...his friend... "Friends...I still have a lot to learn about friends. Keeping them, maintaining them...and helping them...it's all so annoyingly difficult, yet so simple." She laughed a little under her breath. Walking up to the courts at Seishun High School, she saw Eiji playing doubles with Fuji against two of the nameless regulars that she'd never met before. A hurt look in Eiji's eyes caused her to stop in her walk towards the fence.
Tezuka who was watching the doubles match, watched her as she seemed frozen in fear.
"...this look...isn't Eiji's..."
Tezuka understood what look she meant. Eiji was possessed with need. He didn't want to be there anymore. Tennis reminded him of Oishi. Oishi wasn't there anymore, so tennis was more painful now...than it was ever before. Yet, he found solace in Kagome, and if she became afraid of the actions, the steps she'd taken to help him heal...she would cause his heart to bleed in more ways than Oishi could. "Keep walking," Tezuka urged her on. Giving her a gentle nudge forward. "Don't show your hesitance. Eiji-San needs your strength...not your fear."
Eyes meeting with Tezuka's, she bowed respectfully to him before making her way towards the gate opening. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and calmed her nerves. 'I'll make things right!'
-x-x-x-
Me: Here is chapter four, and no, the fun filled nights aren't gone, Kagome is just as confused as I hope all of you are. Lol, review, and let me know what your thoughts on the chapter and story are, nyan~!