Hey everyone!! I actually got in trouble for taking so long to update...
I'm REALLY sorry it took so long, but I got really busy this past week... I
took a 6 hr. road trip (there, then 6 hrs. back) to see my brother, then I
had a project and a biology exam, and plus I had to go with my father all
day to the "big city", and I'm just now getting to really update. I
sorry!!
Please forgive me!! And please feel free to stop by at my website! I updated a lot!
And they're still not mine!!
OKAY! To my wonderful reviewers who get update notices from me... I went to log into my email and send my notice and I got the following message: "From 9PM to 11PM March 7th, this service will be down for routine maintenance." I'M SORRY!!!
~~~~~~~
Ch. 15 I think he likes you...
Kagome sighed as she looked at the pot of boiling water on the stove. She knew Shippou hadn't had Ramen in a long time, and doubted the others ever had, and it was always Inuyasha's favorite, so she had decided to make that for them. Her mom had already called to say that she and Kagome's grandpa were going to visit an old friend, who, according to grandfather, was being plagued by horrible demons...
Rolling her eyes, Kagome poured the water into the bowls where the Ramen sat, and let it sit for three minutes, like it said to on the packaging. She had come home still upset about the treatment of one of her friends, but she had to admit that she wasn't that upset, since she had practically BEGGED for their help.
'I suppose I should go apologize...' Leaving the Ramen on the counter to cool and absorb the water, she went to find her guests, trying to decide if she should thank them or not. She still wasn't sure...
~~*~~
He could smell something coming from the kitchen, and his ears picked up the sound of soft footfalls coming up the stairs to Souta's room, where they were all being informed about 'video games'. His son and the kitsune were currently playing, with the young human between them, cheering them on and correcting them. The pack leader could barely retain the smirk as Koshu snarled at the kitsune who had just tricked him again.
Kouga couldn't decide what to do. He liked Kagome, as a friend, of course, he DID have a mate, after all... one that he needed to return to soon... But both Koshu and Shippou liked Kagome, perhaps loved her. Shippou was a close friend, the only other person who understood the pain of losing Kagome before, but Koshu was his son, his own flesh and blood.
As the door slid open to reveal the grinning miko, Kouga decided not to interfere. He could not help one without hurting the other. She would decide on her own. But he and his son did need to return soon. He would have to speed up the process, if at all possible. He finally returned her smile as she sat down beside him, laughing at the duo's antics on screen and her brother's shouts. Sliding a friendly arm around her, he began to cheer on his son, only to be countered by Kagome's calls for Shippou to win.
After another match or two, Kagome suddenly sat up straight, her eyes wide. Kouga turned to look at her curiously, and asked what was wrong.
"I just remembered," she started, gaining the other's attention as well, "I left the Ramen downstairs..." The pack leader had no idea how those words would affect the fox-demon and the human, and so was surprised when they raced out the door and down the stairs at a speed that rivaled his own. Both the wolves looked over at the now-laughing miko, who explained between breaths. "I used to make that all the time when I was traveling with Inuyasha... Shippou hasn't had that in years, and Souta became obsessed with it since it was his role model's favorite food."
Father and son glanced at each other before tearing off after the other two, leaving the priestess in her brother's room, where she was currently laughing so hard she didn't notice the edge of the bed until she fell off it.
~~*~~
After dinner, Kagome went up to her room to shower and think about her day. And her feelings.
'I mentioned Inuyasha twice today... and it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it once did...' She sighed and leaned her head against the cool tile, her wet hair slipping over her shoulders to form a curtain from the world. 'It's like old times, but it's not. Sango and Miroku... Inuyasha... They're gone, but Shippou and Kouga are still here... and I bet Sesshoumaru is still alive, too. Probably too stubborn to die. But in 72 years... Rin's probably gone, too... Does he miss her, or is he as heartless as they always made him out to be? And did he ever mate like Kouga did? Oh no...' Her eyes flew open as she realized her mistake. 'Kouga's mate... Koshu's mother... she doesn't know they're here. They have to go back to her... But what if the well seals behind them? I'd miss them so much... And Shippou has a life back there. I'm being selfish by keeping them here. They need to go home, whether I want them to or not... And Shippou and Kouga apparently missed me the last time I disappeared, and I'm thinking Koshu might miss me, too... If I went back with them, though, what would happen to Mama and Souta and Grandpa?'
At the feeling of a headache forming, Kagome decided it might be better to sleep on it, and try to figure it all out, and talk to her family about it. It would have to be tomorrow, though, since the three demons needed to get home...
Sighing again, Kagome turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping herself up in her terrycloth robe she got after Inuyasha once showed up at her house while she was in nothing but a towel, she stepped into her room, only to stop short at the sight of Shippou spinning around in the middle of her room, turning his back to her. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his clawed hands were covering them as he muttered apologies, sounding very frightened.
She almost laughed when she figured out what was wrong. Shippou apparently remembered all the 'sits' the hanyou once received for catching her after her bath, and all the bruises Sango gave to Miroku for any sight of any part of her body. Smiling, she walked over to her old friend and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his back. She could practically feel the nervousness in him as she hugged him.
"I missed you, Shippou..."
~~*~~
'I wonder if Kagome has some chocolate upstairs... She always used to bring me candy, and that was one of my favorites... I haven't had some of that stuff since I was little... I wonder if it still tastes the same?' Following his nose, he looked around her room for the aroma he could barely remember. As his nose finally latched onto the faintly familiar scent, another smell hit him full-force, and he turned to see a wet-haired Kagome walking to the room, clad in nothing but what appeared to be a thick white kimono, made of some odd material. Quickly, he spun around and clamped his hands over his closed eyes, praying to whatever gods were listening that she wouldn't be angry.
He was in for a real shock, though, when he felt two slim arms wrap around him, and a slight pressure on his back. She was hugging him!! The poor fox-demon could feel his face burning red as she told him how she had missed him. The clawed hands fell from his face without his notice, though he kept his eyes closed. The kitsune simply tilted his head back, breathing deeply and engraving Kagome's scent into his skull again. He had missed it so much, he had missed... her.
Neither of them knew when exactly Shippou turned around in his arms, nor did they know was that when Koshu walked in on them, he saw Kagome's head resting against Shippou's chest, and the kitsune's head resting on top of hers. The wolf prince stared painfully at the pair, neither of whom noticed the silent demon at the open door. Pulling his pride around him, he quietly left them and went in search of his father to tell him what had happened. But he knew that even after he told Kouga, it would still hurt. But maybe, just maybe, he could be as strong as his father.
(I could leave it here, but since I was gone so long...)
Shippou's head came up as he heard the soft footsteps walking away, and tried to focus on the new scent in the room. The smell of a young wolf demon let him know exactly who had been there. A part of him felt bad, as he knew that the young man was suffering, but another part of him was ecstatic, knowing that now the competition for his beloved was lessened. He hugged her slightly tighter, making her squeak softly from the pressure. In fear of hurting her, he quickly loosened his hold, apologizing softly to her.
Kagome merely smiled as the man she had known from a tiny cub apologized to her for hugging her too tightly. Grinning, she squeezed him back, happy to be with someone she had cared so much for. Even though he had changed so much since she last saw him, she had to admit that she could not complain about it. What was even odder though, was how her way of acting around him was changing. The way she felt about him, even, was changing.
Years ago, had someone asked about Shippou, she would have described a cute kitsune cub who loved picking on Inuyasha and candy, who liked to play tricks, and had faulty illusions. Now... He was a grown kitsune, powerful enough to hold an illusion over a group of people for extended periods of time, probably still loved candy and playing tricks, and who grew up to be as handsome as he had been cute. The moment this passed through her head, though, she felt a blush begin on her face.
'Oh, my gosh! I'm standing here, in my bathrobe, hugging on a handsome guy! An old friend, yeah, but still... That was then, this is now, and right now, I'm naked under this thing... clothes might be a good thing to get right now...' With one more squeeze, she finally spoke up, her voice only a whisper, but loud enough for a pair of demon ears to hear clearly.
"Um, Shippou, maybe I should get dressed... I don't think I can go to bed in my bathrobe..." After a nod, the now-blushing kitsune released her, allowing her to get clothes while he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Out in the hall, the fox lifted his shirt towards his nose, sniffing at it, only to find it laced now with Kagome's scent. A smile spread across his face as he thought of how he had felt with her in his arms. A certain passing wolf demon saw his face and smiled sadly. His son had already told him about what had happened, and the look on the kitsune's face just confirmed it. He felt bad for his son, but was happy for his good friend. It was hard to choose whether to congratulate or comfort, to rejoice or mourn. 'As long as Kagome is happy, I suppose that it is the most important thing...' Leaving his friend in his memories, Kouga headed off to find Koshu again, who had gone to sulk somewhere.
~~*~~
Later that night, Kagome was woken by the sound of her brother's cries. He was calling for her, and he sounded really upset. Being careful not to step on Shippou, who was still sleeping on a futon in her room, she hurried from her room to where her brother was sleeping.
She threw open the door and raced to his bedside, only to find herself caught in a crushing hug, her brother holding her tightly as he sobbed fearfully. Without asking, she knew exactly what had happened. They didn't happen often, but when Souta had a nightmare, it was usually pretty bad, and he would always yell in his sleep. Sometimes he would tell her about his dreams, but sometimes he wouldn't, he'd just sit in her arms until he fell asleep again, and then the next morning wouldn't remember it.
She was drawn from her thoughts as he began to speak, telling her what had upset him so badly.
"I dreamt the well sealed, Kagome... You couldn't go back and forth between times anymore.... I felt so horrible..." The young miko's heart twisted painfully as his words registered in her mind. He had dreamt of her leaving him forever...
"I felt so horrible, sis... You were so sad..." He sniffled and hugged her tighter. "You missed them all so much, especially Shippou... You cried a lot, sis... you were so sad, and it was all my fault... You stayed here because of me, and when the well sealed, it locked you away from him... You stopped smiling..." Kagome felt her eyes widen as she took all this in. 'So, he didn't dream of me leaving him, but of me staying?'
"Souta, it's okay, I promise. The well didn't seal up again, we're all here. Shippou's sleeping in my room, if you need proof. I would take you to Kouga or Koshu, but I think that then we'd end up waking them both up, and I don't know how cranky wolves are when they miss out on their beauty rest." She smiled and winked at her brother, hoping to soothe him as she rubbed his back lightly. When he nodded and looked up at her with an impatient but curious face he had obviously learned from Inuyasha, Kagome understood that he wanted his promised proof.
Hugging her younger brother, she walked with him to her room and opened the door, revealing a sleeping kitsune tangled up in his blanket. Souta sighed and leaned against the priestess as she combed his hair with her fingers. Suddenly, he looked up at her with a bright smile. "Thanks, sis," he whispered. "Don't leave him, okay? He really likes you."
Kagome raised a curious eyebrow, which caused her brother to grin. "You can't tell? He likes you a lot, sis. I think he really likes you a lot." He snickered softly and hugged the shocked girl quickly before running off to bed, leaving the miko with only enough straight thoughts so as to make it to her bed.
She glanced down at the fox demon, who somehow had slept through it all. "I think I like him, too, Souta..." she whispered, before finally falling back to sleep.
She never noticed the small smile that curled the blushing kitsune's lips.
~~~~~~
Okay, I wasn't planning on leaving it here, but it's just so perfect!! I promise it won't take forever till the next update!! I really promise! I'll work my butt off just to make sure I get it done by Monday! That's my promise!! If I don't, then I give you all permission to flame me mercilessly!! Until then, feel free to review!!
Please forgive me!! And please feel free to stop by at my website! I updated a lot!
And they're still not mine!!
OKAY! To my wonderful reviewers who get update notices from me... I went to log into my email and send my notice and I got the following message: "From 9PM to 11PM March 7th, this service will be down for routine maintenance." I'M SORRY!!!
~~~~~~~
Ch. 15 I think he likes you...
Kagome sighed as she looked at the pot of boiling water on the stove. She knew Shippou hadn't had Ramen in a long time, and doubted the others ever had, and it was always Inuyasha's favorite, so she had decided to make that for them. Her mom had already called to say that she and Kagome's grandpa were going to visit an old friend, who, according to grandfather, was being plagued by horrible demons...
Rolling her eyes, Kagome poured the water into the bowls where the Ramen sat, and let it sit for three minutes, like it said to on the packaging. She had come home still upset about the treatment of one of her friends, but she had to admit that she wasn't that upset, since she had practically BEGGED for their help.
'I suppose I should go apologize...' Leaving the Ramen on the counter to cool and absorb the water, she went to find her guests, trying to decide if she should thank them or not. She still wasn't sure...
~~*~~
He could smell something coming from the kitchen, and his ears picked up the sound of soft footfalls coming up the stairs to Souta's room, where they were all being informed about 'video games'. His son and the kitsune were currently playing, with the young human between them, cheering them on and correcting them. The pack leader could barely retain the smirk as Koshu snarled at the kitsune who had just tricked him again.
Kouga couldn't decide what to do. He liked Kagome, as a friend, of course, he DID have a mate, after all... one that he needed to return to soon... But both Koshu and Shippou liked Kagome, perhaps loved her. Shippou was a close friend, the only other person who understood the pain of losing Kagome before, but Koshu was his son, his own flesh and blood.
As the door slid open to reveal the grinning miko, Kouga decided not to interfere. He could not help one without hurting the other. She would decide on her own. But he and his son did need to return soon. He would have to speed up the process, if at all possible. He finally returned her smile as she sat down beside him, laughing at the duo's antics on screen and her brother's shouts. Sliding a friendly arm around her, he began to cheer on his son, only to be countered by Kagome's calls for Shippou to win.
After another match or two, Kagome suddenly sat up straight, her eyes wide. Kouga turned to look at her curiously, and asked what was wrong.
"I just remembered," she started, gaining the other's attention as well, "I left the Ramen downstairs..." The pack leader had no idea how those words would affect the fox-demon and the human, and so was surprised when they raced out the door and down the stairs at a speed that rivaled his own. Both the wolves looked over at the now-laughing miko, who explained between breaths. "I used to make that all the time when I was traveling with Inuyasha... Shippou hasn't had that in years, and Souta became obsessed with it since it was his role model's favorite food."
Father and son glanced at each other before tearing off after the other two, leaving the priestess in her brother's room, where she was currently laughing so hard she didn't notice the edge of the bed until she fell off it.
~~*~~
After dinner, Kagome went up to her room to shower and think about her day. And her feelings.
'I mentioned Inuyasha twice today... and it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it once did...' She sighed and leaned her head against the cool tile, her wet hair slipping over her shoulders to form a curtain from the world. 'It's like old times, but it's not. Sango and Miroku... Inuyasha... They're gone, but Shippou and Kouga are still here... and I bet Sesshoumaru is still alive, too. Probably too stubborn to die. But in 72 years... Rin's probably gone, too... Does he miss her, or is he as heartless as they always made him out to be? And did he ever mate like Kouga did? Oh no...' Her eyes flew open as she realized her mistake. 'Kouga's mate... Koshu's mother... she doesn't know they're here. They have to go back to her... But what if the well seals behind them? I'd miss them so much... And Shippou has a life back there. I'm being selfish by keeping them here. They need to go home, whether I want them to or not... And Shippou and Kouga apparently missed me the last time I disappeared, and I'm thinking Koshu might miss me, too... If I went back with them, though, what would happen to Mama and Souta and Grandpa?'
At the feeling of a headache forming, Kagome decided it might be better to sleep on it, and try to figure it all out, and talk to her family about it. It would have to be tomorrow, though, since the three demons needed to get home...
Sighing again, Kagome turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping herself up in her terrycloth robe she got after Inuyasha once showed up at her house while she was in nothing but a towel, she stepped into her room, only to stop short at the sight of Shippou spinning around in the middle of her room, turning his back to her. His eyes were squeezed shut, and his clawed hands were covering them as he muttered apologies, sounding very frightened.
She almost laughed when she figured out what was wrong. Shippou apparently remembered all the 'sits' the hanyou once received for catching her after her bath, and all the bruises Sango gave to Miroku for any sight of any part of her body. Smiling, she walked over to her old friend and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting on his back. She could practically feel the nervousness in him as she hugged him.
"I missed you, Shippou..."
~~*~~
'I wonder if Kagome has some chocolate upstairs... She always used to bring me candy, and that was one of my favorites... I haven't had some of that stuff since I was little... I wonder if it still tastes the same?' Following his nose, he looked around her room for the aroma he could barely remember. As his nose finally latched onto the faintly familiar scent, another smell hit him full-force, and he turned to see a wet-haired Kagome walking to the room, clad in nothing but what appeared to be a thick white kimono, made of some odd material. Quickly, he spun around and clamped his hands over his closed eyes, praying to whatever gods were listening that she wouldn't be angry.
He was in for a real shock, though, when he felt two slim arms wrap around him, and a slight pressure on his back. She was hugging him!! The poor fox-demon could feel his face burning red as she told him how she had missed him. The clawed hands fell from his face without his notice, though he kept his eyes closed. The kitsune simply tilted his head back, breathing deeply and engraving Kagome's scent into his skull again. He had missed it so much, he had missed... her.
Neither of them knew when exactly Shippou turned around in his arms, nor did they know was that when Koshu walked in on them, he saw Kagome's head resting against Shippou's chest, and the kitsune's head resting on top of hers. The wolf prince stared painfully at the pair, neither of whom noticed the silent demon at the open door. Pulling his pride around him, he quietly left them and went in search of his father to tell him what had happened. But he knew that even after he told Kouga, it would still hurt. But maybe, just maybe, he could be as strong as his father.
(I could leave it here, but since I was gone so long...)
Shippou's head came up as he heard the soft footsteps walking away, and tried to focus on the new scent in the room. The smell of a young wolf demon let him know exactly who had been there. A part of him felt bad, as he knew that the young man was suffering, but another part of him was ecstatic, knowing that now the competition for his beloved was lessened. He hugged her slightly tighter, making her squeak softly from the pressure. In fear of hurting her, he quickly loosened his hold, apologizing softly to her.
Kagome merely smiled as the man she had known from a tiny cub apologized to her for hugging her too tightly. Grinning, she squeezed him back, happy to be with someone she had cared so much for. Even though he had changed so much since she last saw him, she had to admit that she could not complain about it. What was even odder though, was how her way of acting around him was changing. The way she felt about him, even, was changing.
Years ago, had someone asked about Shippou, she would have described a cute kitsune cub who loved picking on Inuyasha and candy, who liked to play tricks, and had faulty illusions. Now... He was a grown kitsune, powerful enough to hold an illusion over a group of people for extended periods of time, probably still loved candy and playing tricks, and who grew up to be as handsome as he had been cute. The moment this passed through her head, though, she felt a blush begin on her face.
'Oh, my gosh! I'm standing here, in my bathrobe, hugging on a handsome guy! An old friend, yeah, but still... That was then, this is now, and right now, I'm naked under this thing... clothes might be a good thing to get right now...' With one more squeeze, she finally spoke up, her voice only a whisper, but loud enough for a pair of demon ears to hear clearly.
"Um, Shippou, maybe I should get dressed... I don't think I can go to bed in my bathrobe..." After a nod, the now-blushing kitsune released her, allowing her to get clothes while he left the room, shutting the door behind him.
Out in the hall, the fox lifted his shirt towards his nose, sniffing at it, only to find it laced now with Kagome's scent. A smile spread across his face as he thought of how he had felt with her in his arms. A certain passing wolf demon saw his face and smiled sadly. His son had already told him about what had happened, and the look on the kitsune's face just confirmed it. He felt bad for his son, but was happy for his good friend. It was hard to choose whether to congratulate or comfort, to rejoice or mourn. 'As long as Kagome is happy, I suppose that it is the most important thing...' Leaving his friend in his memories, Kouga headed off to find Koshu again, who had gone to sulk somewhere.
~~*~~
Later that night, Kagome was woken by the sound of her brother's cries. He was calling for her, and he sounded really upset. Being careful not to step on Shippou, who was still sleeping on a futon in her room, she hurried from her room to where her brother was sleeping.
She threw open the door and raced to his bedside, only to find herself caught in a crushing hug, her brother holding her tightly as he sobbed fearfully. Without asking, she knew exactly what had happened. They didn't happen often, but when Souta had a nightmare, it was usually pretty bad, and he would always yell in his sleep. Sometimes he would tell her about his dreams, but sometimes he wouldn't, he'd just sit in her arms until he fell asleep again, and then the next morning wouldn't remember it.
She was drawn from her thoughts as he began to speak, telling her what had upset him so badly.
"I dreamt the well sealed, Kagome... You couldn't go back and forth between times anymore.... I felt so horrible..." The young miko's heart twisted painfully as his words registered in her mind. He had dreamt of her leaving him forever...
"I felt so horrible, sis... You were so sad..." He sniffled and hugged her tighter. "You missed them all so much, especially Shippou... You cried a lot, sis... you were so sad, and it was all my fault... You stayed here because of me, and when the well sealed, it locked you away from him... You stopped smiling..." Kagome felt her eyes widen as she took all this in. 'So, he didn't dream of me leaving him, but of me staying?'
"Souta, it's okay, I promise. The well didn't seal up again, we're all here. Shippou's sleeping in my room, if you need proof. I would take you to Kouga or Koshu, but I think that then we'd end up waking them both up, and I don't know how cranky wolves are when they miss out on their beauty rest." She smiled and winked at her brother, hoping to soothe him as she rubbed his back lightly. When he nodded and looked up at her with an impatient but curious face he had obviously learned from Inuyasha, Kagome understood that he wanted his promised proof.
Hugging her younger brother, she walked with him to her room and opened the door, revealing a sleeping kitsune tangled up in his blanket. Souta sighed and leaned against the priestess as she combed his hair with her fingers. Suddenly, he looked up at her with a bright smile. "Thanks, sis," he whispered. "Don't leave him, okay? He really likes you."
Kagome raised a curious eyebrow, which caused her brother to grin. "You can't tell? He likes you a lot, sis. I think he really likes you a lot." He snickered softly and hugged the shocked girl quickly before running off to bed, leaving the miko with only enough straight thoughts so as to make it to her bed.
She glanced down at the fox demon, who somehow had slept through it all. "I think I like him, too, Souta..." she whispered, before finally falling back to sleep.
She never noticed the small smile that curled the blushing kitsune's lips.
~~~~~~
Okay, I wasn't planning on leaving it here, but it's just so perfect!! I promise it won't take forever till the next update!! I really promise! I'll work my butt off just to make sure I get it done by Monday! That's my promise!! If I don't, then I give you all permission to flame me mercilessly!! Until then, feel free to review!!