Title: Take Me for Who I Am
Author: btRkun
Chapter: 4 - Rain Washes the Pain Away
Author's Notes: OOOH!! Long chapter this time! Other chapters were around five pages. This chapter is twelve! YAY! ANYWAY, there's a little lime in this chapter... very little. Not much, really. The real lemon will be in the next chapter or the chapter after that. And no... Hojo does not have much a role in this story ^^; Gomen!
Summary:
"Damn you, you bastard! She was just about to say yes until you had to come. Don't tell me you're in on this too!" Inu yasha snorted.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Fresh ass and 575 yen to start out with. What can be better?"
"At least I actually want the girl and not just for money." Kouga growled.
"Yeah, you want her in bed. I don't blame you." Inu yasha walked away towards the nearest school exist. "Yo, Miroku. Come 'ere. I need to ask you something." Miroku quickly followed. Kouga slammed his fist against the wall then walked away in the opposite direction. Tea and Ayame looked at each other.
"That..." Tea paused. "Went well. Thank the stars we didn't have Hojo here as well."
"Hey you two, have you seen Higurashi?" A male voice rang out. He was holding a small bouquet of flowers.
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Two lone figures walked down the side of the road whispering to each other. The sun was still high in the sky and children were playing all around them. People were shopping and talking and none of them paid any attention to the two friends. One, with black hair, was very animated when speaking; the other was mainly listening. Finally, the quiet one interrupted the black haired one.
"So what's this I heard about the shore? Is Kagome going?" Inu yasha asked innocently. He looked at Miroku intently.
"Oh yeah! I was going to tell you all about that! I have an idea to get Kagome alone with you. Ya know, just long enough for you both to get to know each other and then you can ask her out!" Miroku stopped walking and pulled Inu yasha to the side. Inu yasha swore as his protest.
"What the hell was that for?!" Inu yasha asked angrily. Miroku didn't cower like normal people would have. Instead his eyes sparkled with mischief.
"I don't want anyone to hear." He said quietly. Inu yasha's eyebrow rose in confusion. "As I said. I have a plan to get you and Kagome alone."
"We'd win then, right? I'm all ears!" Inu yasha said.
"Well, not quite. This plan is to get you two alone, not set you guys up on a date. It would be without her knowledge, and in that case she'd deny it was a date. Listen, we're going to the shore in about two hours. We're staying at the Ogling Side Bed and Breakfast for the weekend," Miroku paused, waiting for it to sink in. "and you're going, whether you like it or not!" Miroku added as an afterthought.
"Well, glad I don't have plans." Inu yasha replied sarcastically. He rolled his eyes thinking of the plans he'd have to cancel on short notice.
"I'll suggest we'll all go to the boardwalk for a couple hours. You, of course, won't be anywhere in sight. No one except you, me, and later on Kagome, will know you're at the shore. I know, from past experience, that the boardwalk is a mad house on Friday nights. I'll think of a way to get Kagome by herself and then somehow lose her in the crowd." Inu yasha smiled and nodded his head. He liked the plan so far.
"Okay, but how will I know where to find her?" Inu yasha asked.
"Kagome loves the beach. She always has and always will love the beach. When she can't find us she'll most likely go back to the bed and breakfast, which you know is across the street from the beach. She'll probably walk along the beach to the inn. Just be sure you're near there. We'll try to lose her sometime around seven, sound good? Just be warned, Inu yasha...she's defensive and very hard to reach when it comes to guys." Inu yasha grinned and completely ignored his last comment.
"Hell yeah!" His grin turned into a full-fledged toothy grin. He spun around quickly, eager to get home to cancel plans and pack for the weekend. He, however, had spun into a solid object. With a large "oomph!" and a sickening crack he ran into a metal street lamp. He slid down the pole slowly, pain traveled up and down his body. Miroku fell over laughing.
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The car ride was long and dull. There wasn't anything to do except talk about what they would do during the weekend. Kagome, along with her friends, was very excited and eager to do something, like going swimming, right away. Miroku, however, didn't "feel like swimming when the tide was high".
"Come on Miroku! Stop being a wimp! We're at the shore! We should be swimming!" Kagome pleaded.
"Sorry, Kag! It's not a good idea! The tide will be high and I hear there's a strong current at the beach we'll be near." Miroku lied.
"Awe! Come on! Since when have you been this cautious?" Tea whined. Miroku covered his ears. They had been badgering him about not going to the beach for the last half-hour.
"Why don't we just do that tomorrow? It's supposed to be even nicer. We can do something else tonight! How about the boardwalk?" Miroku suggested. At once all three girls erupted with excitement. They talked about what they would buy, how much money they could spend, what clothes they should wear etc. They completely forgot about the poor boy next to them. He rubbed his temples in annoyance. "I should never have said anything." He groaned. Tea, Kagome, and Ayame laughed.
"We should have invited Hojo. He seemed like he wanted to come, too. At least he would give Miroku some testosterone company." They all laughed.
"Naw! This is an estrogen trip! No testosterone allowed!" Kagome giggled. Miroku pretended to look offended.
"How dare you! Me? A woman? Never!" He flopped his hand around animatedly. "By the way, girls, does the color purple look pretty on me?" He said with a lisp. He pretended to mock a gay man. Tea rolled her eyes.
"Quit it, Miroku! Gay guys are so much fun! How can you make fun of them?" Tea hit him playfully. Miroku laughed. He turned to face the care next to his and drooled like a baby. Kagome knew what that meant. Without even looking she pinched his knees hard.
"OUCH!" He yelled out. Ayame, curious as ever, pressed her face to the window in order to see what made Miroku drool. She wasn't in the least bit surprised to see a rather pretty blonde in a red low-neck tank top.
Miroku pulled into the driveway of a very large house. It could have easily been a small mansion. A large parking lot was to the right of the bed and breakfast. Miroku pulled into a spot. Everyone got out of the car and walked into the bed and breakfast to the lobby. Once they had gotten the keys to their two rooms (much to Miroku's displeasure) they deposited their belongings onto their beds. They all changed clothes and met just outside the lobby.
Kagome brought her small purse where she kept all of her money and personal belongings she never left without. Included in her purse was a can of pepper spray... just in case. They all walked on the sidewalk just next to the beach. Kagome stared at the small waves in the ocean longingly. She wore a white sleeveless sundress that stopped three inches above her knees. The dress flowed loosely around her legs. Kagome decided to wear this dress because it was a warm day and because there wasn't a breeze or cloud in sight.
Ayame saw Kagome's strong desire to be near the ocean. She tried to comfort her.
"Kagome. When we go back to the hotel I'll walk with you on the beach, okay?" Ayame smiled kindly. Kagome's face brightened up immediately. She grabbed on to Tea and Ayame's wrists and dragged them into the crowd. Miroku smiled and chased after them not wanting his plan to backfire.
Within a couple of hours Kagome, Tea, and Ayame had visited at least half of the shops on the boardwalk. Miroku had given up trying to keep up with them. He sat down on a nearby bench when they went into another shop. Something cold seeped through his pants.
"AHH! Shit! What is this?!" He jumped up in surprise and looked down at the bench. Strawberry ice cream dripped from the bench on to the sand-covered boardwalk. Kagome came out of the shop first and burst out laughing. Miroku looked at her angrily.
"What the hell did you do, Miroku?" Tea walked out of the store holding her third shopping bag. Kagome grabbed on to her stomach trying to ease the stitch in her side. Miroku rolled his eyes.
"Awe, did little Miroku have a little accident?" Tea said in a child's voice. Kagome laughed harder. Ayame walked out holding even more bags than Tea.
"Come on, Miroku. Stop playing around." Miroku looked at her defensively. He walked towards the girl in the direction of a clothing shop right behind them. He slowed down as he walked past Tea and Kagome.
"AHH! PERVERT!' Kagome turned around and slapped Miroku in the face then stomped off rather pissed down the boardwalk." Tea and Ayame shook their heads in a disbelieving way. Miroku smiled sheepishly and continued on to the shop.
An hour and a half later the group were found sitting on a bench (ice cream free of course... Miroku double-checked) talking excitedly. The sun was beginning to set. The sky had begun to turn orange and cast a light glow all over everything. The jingle of a bell could be heard in the distance. Miroku looked at his watch. 'Six o'clock... we have to get rid of her soon.'
"Oh man, and then he said he would do anything to get her! I was shocked!" Ayame said.
"Who said that? Get at whom?" Kagome asked.
"Just someone." Ayame's eyes glinted.
"OOOH! Look! Someone is putting a toucan in the window of that exotic pet shop! Let's go see it!" Tea stood up immediately and squealed with excitement.
"No way! Birds are stinky, noisy, and a pain in the ass." Kagome said rather snottily.
"You just don't like them because one bit your nose when you were young." Ayame rolled her eyes. She continued, "Anyway, I want to go see it. You up for it, Miroku?" The corner of Miroku's mouth curled upwards into a large mischievous grin.
"You bet!" Tea jumped while clapping even more excitedly. "But I want some ice cream. There's a cart coming." He rubbed his hands together, but not for warmth.
"Who is going to get it? The shop doesn't allow food." Kagome said. Kagome had her back turned toward her friends. When she turned around she fell to the floor in fright.
"Thanks for volunteering, Kag." Ayame said devilishly.
"I...I volunteered? When?" All three friends towered above her, all of them had shadows over their faces creating an eerie atmosphere.
"You just did. Truuuuuuuuust me!" Tea cackled.
"B...B...But..."Kagome stammered.
"Thank you Kagome!" Miroku, Tea, and Ayame dropped a few paper bills and coins to the ground next to Kagome. They turned and walked into the shop cackling like witches. A shiver ran down Kagome's back.
"Oooooh, they're so in for it!" Kagome laughed out loud. She laughed so loud a few people began to stare at her. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you looking at?!" She snapped at a child. The child ran to its mother. "Jeez, some kids these days." Kagome stood in line behind five other people.
In the shop Miroku tried to think of a way to get rid of Kagome. They were separated now but he still had yet to come up with a reason to drag Tea and Ayame away from the store. He stood in the middle of the store. His hand gripped his chin harshly and his eyebrow twitched, obviously in deep thought.
"Mommy, that man looks funny. Is he having a saysure?" A little boy tugged on his mother's dress. He pointed at Miroku. His mother pushed his pointing finger down and scolded him quietly.
"Honey pie, it's not polite to point. And it's seizure, dear, not saysure. No, I don't think he's having a seizure... at least I hope not." The boy's mother said looking at Miroku. Tea overheard this and sweat dropped. She walked over to Miroku and tugged on his new t-shirt.
"Miroku, what are you doing?" She whispered. "People are staring." Miroku didn't budge. His mouth did open and he began to speak.
"I...think...I think... I need... to go to...the bathroom." Miroku said. Ayame walked over and laughed nervously.
"Don't tell me you're constipated, Miroku. Is that why you look like that?" Ayame whispered in his ear. Miroku quickly turned to face Ayame surprised. He broke out into laughter.
"No, not at all, Ayame. I just need to let Mr. Wee use his..." Tea covered his mouth with his hand before he said any more.
"Sure, Miroku. But do you think you could be a little less descriptive next time? Let's go. I need to find a ladies room." Tea said.
"You too? I have to go like there's no tomorrow." Ayame said. Miroku got what he wanted. 'Like usual.' He added to himself.
"I saw a bathroom sign up the boardwalk a little. We'll be right back, Kagome will wait for us. Besides, she's still in line." Miroku added. Both girls agreed and walked out of the shop and in the opposite direction of Kagome.
Kagome skillfully held four ice cream cones in her hands. She, somehow, managed to lick hers, a double chocolate chip mint (yum!), cone with her tongue. She sat down on the bench and waited for the others to come out. Five minutes past without any sign of them. Her cone was gone and she held the others over the garbage can next to the bench. It was abnormally warm and humid out at night at six twenty. The cones were almost completely melted.
Kagome rolled her eyes and dropped the cones in the garbage can. "Oops..." She said out loud without regret. She stalked over to the shop and peered inside the main window. Only two people were inside besides the person working the cash register.
"They didn't leave without me, did they?" Kagome wondered. She began to get ticked off. Resolutely she walked inside the shop and towards the front counter.
"Umm...excuse me, sir. But were there three teenagers in here? My age? Two girls and a guy?" Kagome asked.
He laughed before answering. "Yeah, they were in here. The young gentleman looked as if he was about to make a decision that would alter his life forever." He chuckled.
"When did they leave?" Kagome asked getting even more peeved by the second. She clenched her teeth.
"Almost fifteen minutes ago, I think. I wasn't paying attention." Kagome growled and smashed her fist against the table.
"How could they just leave me here?!" She turned around and looked around the shop for something. She found a plastic container and slammed it on the counter. She paid for it and walked out to the beach in her bare feet. In one hand was the plastic container. Her other hand held her shoes. She scooped up a large amount of sand in the container and walked down the beach toward the bed and breakfast mumbling to herself.
"Kagome is going to be so pissed at us! We can't just stand here and wait for Miroku to take a crap!" Tea said.
"Yeah, I agree. We need to get back to her. Besides, I'm hungry." Ayame replied. She slammed her fist on the men's room door and yelled out, "MIROKU! Tea and I are going back to meet Kagome! She's probably pissed! We've been gone a half hour!" Tea and Ayame heard someone fall from inside the bathroom. They stopped and heard Miroku swear before opening the bathroom door. He was breathing heavily and had toilet paper stuck to his foot.
"Why are you leaving?" He said between pants.
"Didn't you hear us?" Ayame replied.
"No, not really. It's kind of hard to hear from inside a stall." Miroku answered. His breathing wasn't as labored this time. 'I have to stall! Gotta keep them away from there for now!' He exclaimed in his head.
"Kagome's probably pissed. All of our cones probably have melted by now. Let's go!" Tea said angrily. She turned around and started walking.
"Wait! Umm...umm," Miroku looked around frantically. "Umm...." Tea and Ayame turned around and looked at him.
"What? Miroku... what is it?" Ayame crossed her arms.
"It's like he's trying to keep us away from her." Tea snorted. Miroku's face paled slightly.
"No! You wouldn't! Miroku you sneaky pervert!" Ayame cried out angrily. Miroku flinched. "Inu yasha is around, isn't he?"
"No! We agreed not to bring Hojo, Kouga, OR Inu yasha to the shore... why would I, of all people, bring him here? Of all places?! It's not like I wanted to win or anything. I would never dream of bringing Inu yasha here. It's not like I would do that without telling you two or anything." Miroku said quickly.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen. That confirms it. C'mon, Tea!" Ayame turned around and ran off to find Kagome. Tea followed.
"WAIT!" Miroku called after them. They didn't stop. "Crap." He ran after them picking up speed with every second.
A few moments later all three arrived in front of the exotic pet store. Kagome was no where to be seen. Miroku heaved a giant sigh of relief. Tea hit him angrily in the chest.
"You dirty cheat! Jerk! Prick!" Miroku smiled weakly.
"All's fair in the game of love and war." He replied. Ayame rolled her eyes.
"That was corny and low, Miroku. Even for you." Miroku grimaced at Ayame's comment. The disappointment stung. "Well, Tea, let's split up and look for her. Obviously Miroku won't be of much help."
Kagome calmed down a little with the cool breeze that blew through her hair. 'I don't remember there being any wind before.' Kagome thought. She continued to walk down the beach. Wet sand squished between her toes. Cool salt water washed up against her ankles. Whenever Kagome was near the ocean, or whenever it rained, she felt strangely calm and free.
Kagome pulled her watch out of her purse to check the time. 'Six forty-five, huh? Who knew we walked this far from the bed and breakfast?' Kagome thought. She put her watch back and kept walking. The ocean water licked her ankles. She giggled at the light feeling the water gave her. She shivered a little. The sky was turning a rosy red, orange, yellow, and even a soft shade of violet could be seen.
She smiled and looked ahead of her, genuinely content for the first time in a long while. She walked up a small hill and was surprised at what she saw. She furrowed her eyebrows and even grinned a little, but the scowled at herself for grinning, or caring. It was Inu yasha. He was standing up with his chin raised towards the sky. He had on fatigue pants and a t-shirt. As usual he had his shades and cap on. Kagome quickened her pace while looking up in the sky to see what he was looking at. When she got within ten feet she called out his name.
"Inu yasha!" She said. He turned his head and gazed at her. Kagome walked right up to him in greeting.
"Yo. What brings you here, Kag?" Kagome's eyebrow twitched.
"Please don't call me that, Inu yasha. Only my close friends call me that." She replied. She quickly regretted it. He rolled his eyes. 'Damn, she's moody.' Inu yasha thought. "S...Sorry, Inu yasha." He smiled down at her. "What are you doing here?" She asked sheepishly.
Inu yasha bent down to pick up a clamshell, clearly choosing not to answer her question. Kagome was just about to ask again when he decided to say something. His eyes never left the multicolored clamshell.
"It's amazing how beautiful these shells are. It's even more amazing to think little slimy embryo looking creatures made the shells look that way." Kagome looked at him puzzled.
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome chuckled. Inu yasha handed her the shell and smiled.
"Got no idea. Some philosophical thing. Want to go for a walk?" Inu yasha said. His smile faltered and soon switched to a grin. Kagome couldn't help but feel compelled to agree. Everything she had gone against, everything she tried to protect herself against, was all being completely washed away by the mysterious man behind the shades. Kagome looked at him quizzically.
"Sure... why not?" Kagome's mouth acted on it's own. She immediately regretted it. Her mind yelled at her for feeling anything towards another guy. And yet...
"Good. There's an ice cream cart just up that way. Let's go get some." Kagome groaned.
"Let's not, hahaha." I already had ice cream... just before my friends ditched me that is." She rolled her eyes. Inu yasha chuckled inwardly.
"How about some instant noodles?" Inu yasha said. He was hungry. They had started walking against the wind. Kagome looked at the bed and breakfast they were beginning to pass.
"Now? It's like eighty five degrees!" Kagome said laughing.
"I'm hungry!" he replied defensively. Kagome giggled.
"Okay, but I'm getting a smoothie." She silenced herself for a moment and glanced up at him. She tried looking at him in the eyes but was unable to do so.
Inu yasha felt her gaze upon him. He let her look for a few seconds before looking back at her. He found warmth, purity, fear, and a closed door. Kagome turned away embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed.
"Why...uh...why are you out here? It's not a common place for high school kids to go while on vacation." Kagome said offhand. Inu yasha grinned.
"Because I heard you would be here." Inu yasha replied. Kagome was taken aback. She began to get defensive.
"You chased me out here? You're a stalker?" Kagome said half joking.
"Not a stalker, just interested." Inu yasha said. Kagome went silent. She was afraid to open her mouth. 'Kagome, you idiot. You chase every guy away. You'll never get over what happened if you chase him away. Fuck, he's interested in you and you're getting ready to yell at him.' Kagome mentally yelled at herself.
"Let's just get a got dog from the stand up on the boardwalk right there, Inu yasha. I don't feel like going out of the way for ramen." Inu yasha smiled and agreed. Inu yasha and Kagome walked up to the cart and paid for their hot dogs (Inu yasha bought three for himself much to Kagome's' amazement). Then they continued to walk down the beach in silence; the wind began to pick up even more.
'Why can't I stop looking at him?' Kagome wondered. She noticed him licking his lips after finished his second hot dog. He sucked on his fingers before reaching her his third. 'Just like a little boy at an amusement park.' Kagome chuckled. She took the final bite of her own hot dog and wiped her mouth with one of the napkins in her hand. She kept on watching Inu yasha from the corner of her eye.
"These hot dogs are good, aren't they, Kag?" Kagome puffed up like a balloon and was just about to retort when she saw Inu yasha open his mouth. He had unusually long fang teeth. 'Is that normal?' Kagome asked herself. He placed the hot dog in his mouth when Kagome was just about to ask about his teeth. Then "BAM"! A red, hard, bouncy, beach ball came flying out of nowhere and landed on the back of Inu yasha's head. With a yelp of surprise Inu yasha went flying face first into the sand. He face landed on his hot dog. He looked up at Kagome. She stood there with wide eyes not knowing what to do, not knowing how to react. So she laughed. And she laughed and laughed and laughed until she couldn't breathe.
"Sorry mister!" The same little boy Kagome had snapped at earlier came running towards Inu yasha. He grabbed his ball and stared at Kagome then ran off. Kagome kneeled down and helped Inu yasha up by grabbing under his arm. He growled deeply in his throat, obviously angry, but allowed Kagome to help him up. Once standing up Kagome grabbed another napkin and started wiping the ketchup and mustard from his face. He pulled away when she tried to grab his shades.
Kagome got angry and grabbed his chin roughly to face her. She continued to wipe the ketchup off. She purposely slowed down the wiping process when she got to his lips. She furrowed her brows perplexed when he made no objection at the obvious sign of affection. He did, however, grab her other wrist as it sneakily made its way up to his shades.
"Don't." He said plainly.
"Why? What are you trying to hide? Why are your fang teeth so abnormally large?" Kagome asked softly. They stood there like that for a few moments. Neither of them said anything. Clouds rolled in covering the sun suddenly. A small roll of thunder was heard in the distance. Inu yasha was annoyed at the sudden storm. 'She'll want to go in now.' He thought.
Instead, Kagome retrieved her hand, smiled, and giggled gleefully. "A storm! Perfect!" She said happily. She twirled around in circles before grabbing on to Inu yasha's hand and dragging him further down the beach at a full run. Another roll of thunder was heard, this time louder. They continued to run until rain started to spill from the clouds and the shops on the boardwalk were out of sight. Civilization and people were out of sight. Kagome finally stopped running and twirled around in the rain again, her white dress becoming saturated.
'What the hell is she doing?' Inu yasha thought. He breathed heavily from the sudden outburst and desire to run.
"What was that for? What are you doing?" Inu yasha grabbed on to Kagome's shoulders and looked deep in her eyes. He didn't find what he found earlier, instead he found desire, passion, dear, solace, and fire, all of which burned with ferocity.
"I love the rain, Inu yasha. I feel... there's a sense of freedom when I'm in the rain or near the ocean." She smiled and closed her eyes. "It's my escape."
"From what?" Kagome's smile didn't falter in the least at his question.
"Life. Pressure from school. Pressure from social status. Freedom from my past." Kagome answered. Inu yasha looked at her strangely.
'I heard this girl was a cold hearted, prude, bitch. But she's not. She's deep. Maybe she would understand.' Inu yasha thought. 'No. No one except Miroku would understand how I feel, let alone a silly little girl.' He released Kagome's shoulders and smiled sweetly at her.
Giggling, Kagome grabbed on to his hands and began twirling again, but this time she twirled alongside him. 'Why do I feel so giddy?' Kagome asked herself as she twirled. She heard Inu yasha laugh and all thoughts, excuses, and reasons were completely washed away.
They stopped twirling and Kagome panted from overexerting herself. She walked a few paces away from Inu yasha held out her arms parallel to the ground and tilted her face upwards. 'She looks like she's flying.' Inu yasha thought. His smile faded and he looked at her thoughtfully and hungrily. 'Could I be wrong about her?'
Kagome stuck out her tongue to taste the rain not knowing the effect on Inu yasha's body it would have. Inu yasha stared at her and admired her childish antics. Her body however, his eyes told him, was that of a woman. He stared at her. The pouring rain had drenched her dress until it clung to her shapely figure everywhere. He could see the strapless bra she wore and he noticed the hard erect nipples that stuck out from under her dress. He felt himself growing heavy and warm in the southern hemisphere. 'Damn it. Stop thinking like that! She'll notice! Your pants are like her dress right now, idiot!' Inu yasha scolded at himself, but he couldn't manage to get his eyes to turn away.
Kagome stopped, crossed her arms across her chest and walked back to him. 'I'm going to find out what he's hiding, no matter what!' Kagome thought. Their eyes locked as she slowly walked over. She stopped right in front of him and took his shades off without warning.
Inu yasha was shocked. He made a grab for his shades, but to no avail. He turned around hiding himself from her prying eyes once he had failed to acquire his glasses.
"Look at me, Inu yasha." Kagome commanded. She knew she had seen a glimpse of the most beautiful and enchanting amber eyes she had ever seen.
"No." Inu yasha replied harshly.
"Why? Why are you hiding? What are you hiding?" She asked him quietly. Tension was in the air, along with bright flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder.
"Give me my shades back, Kag." Inu yasha warned. 'If he has the nerve to call me that name then he must not be too angry.' Thought Kagome.
"Why don't you trust me, Yash?" Kagome asked. She took a step forward. Inu yasha smiled at the cute pet name she had given him.
"You'll run away, Kag. I'm warning you. You won't like what you see." He said. "No one ever does." He added quietly.
"You're a yokai...aren't you?" Kagome asked quietly. 'I should be scared right now. I should be frightened out of my mind to allow myself to be alone with a yokai. They have a reputation of being ferocious.' Kagome tried to reason with herself. It was an internal battle. She wanted to run away like she had always done. Him being a yokai was just another reason for her to do so. 'But why should I?' Another voice kept saying. 'Why?'
"No." He answered quietly. "Not a yokai. A hanyou." He started walking away from Kagome without another word.
"Where are you going, Yash?" Kagome yelled over another roll of thunder. Inu yasha stopped walking and turned sideways so he could look at her. She was walking towards him solidly. There was no fear. He lowered his head to look at her straight in the eyes when she walked right in front of him. 'Those eyes...' Kagome thought. 'They hold a lot of pain. They're so beautiful.'
Inu yasha didn't blink. He didn't want her sympathy, but like before, he wasn't able to turn away.
"Why don't you run scared?" He asked her scathingly.
"I've been scared every day of my life since eighth grade, Yash. For the first time in a long time... I'm not scared." She whispered.
"You should be scared." His voice held pain.
"No," she started. "You're a person. Just like me. You have feelings, just like me. Why be scared of someone that's just like myself? I'd be running away from myself as well as you. I'm sick of running." She said. Inu yasha smiled and didn't make a move to keep Kagome from removing his cap. She took it off slowly and dropped it to the sand. She looked upward and smiled at what she saw. Two of the most adorable silver and pink ears twitched back and forth in all directions.
'Crap. She's gone for good. There's no way she would understand.' Inu yasha thought.
Kagome looked down at her feet for a few seconds before saying, "You were wrong, Yash. I like what I see." She looked back into his eyes and her hands found their way to his face. Each hand held on to a cheek and she lightly pulled his face down to her own as she stood on her toes. Their lips met.
It felt like an eternity when Kagome broke the kiss. Yet, it was only for a brief second that their lips had met. Inu yasha opened his eyes to look at Kagome. Her eyes, however, were still closed. He took full advantage of the situation and leaned down for another kiss. Kagome greedily greeted his kiss with her own.
Inu yasha deepened the kiss immediately and met no resistance. His hand found its way to the back of her head and his other one rested on the small of her back. He pushed his tongue against her lips, begging for entry. She complied without complaint and noticed how right the situation felt. Their tongues battled for control over the other, but neither side won.
The kiss finally broke and Kagome breathed in heavily and licked her bruised lips with her tongue. She inhaled sharply when Inu yasha made found her neck. He sucked and kissed and placed small butterfly kisses on all sides of her neck. Kagome didn't even noticed when his hand began to roam and touch her body. 'Why does this feel so right?' Kagome asked herself. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted small kisses along his strong jawbone.
Inu yasha trailed his fingers up and down her side softly, leaving her to shiver and beg for more. He could feel her body begin to respond to his and took the opportunity to cup one breast. Kagome squealed and jumped backward away from him surprised.
"Sorry!" Inu yasha said immediately knowing he had gone too far too fast. Kagome's face was flushed and Inu yasha swore he could see steam rising from her body.
"Don't be. I'm sorry, Yash. I'm inexperienced and just wasn't expecting that." Kagome said worriedly. 'Damn it girl! Why the hell did you run? It felt so right!' Kagome screamed mentally at herself.
Inu yasha looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. He knew the look of an internal struggle all too well. Yet, he could tell it didn't involve him. It was a struggle within her. 'Something must have happened.' He thought.
"Why are you running, Kagome?" Inu yasha asked seriously. He was genuinely concerned. "What happened to you in the past?" He stood up straight. She glanced at him with scared eyes.
"Nothing! Why would you say something like that?" She laughed nervously.
"You said it yourself. You said rain was freedom from your past. What happened to you? What makes you so scared of guys?" Inu asked.
"NOTHING! Nothing happened!" She yelled. "Stop prying!"
"Something did happen. I can tell." He said calmly.
"GET OVER IT!" She cried. Inu yasha wasn't able to tell if she was crying or if it was just the rain trickling down her face.
"Tell me, Kagome! I showed you the real me! Why can't you trust me when I allowed myself to trust you?" Inu yasha yelled back.
"Because there's nothing to tell! It was a long time ago! Kouga means nothing anymore!" Kagome yelled.
"Kouga? He has something to do with you being so scared? What did he do to you?" Inu yasha asked.
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Bum bum buuuuuuuuuum! Ha! I love cliffhangers! But I bet everyone out there hates them! *yawn* It's 2 in the morning. I better get a lot of reviews if you all made me stay up this late!!!
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dream-in: Good! I'm glad you love the story! That's terrific because the plot thickens!
SoraMiru Ki: If I finished it soon it wouldn't be as much fun! I love getting angry e-mails from people telling me to get off my lazy ass and finish it.
tsunami-chan : Yeah, I am sick of that triangle, too! Ugh! It's horrible! Every story has SOMETHING to do with it! Nope! No Kikyou in this story!
Gemini fox 44 : No way! I would never allow Inu Yasha to just get in her pants! Never! I'm hoping for the story to be funny... though I write stories very seriously so any funny scene ideas would be greatly appreciated! ^.^
Houtsuma-san: I know! Seriously! Some friends! Even I get angry over that! . Well... I think your question about Kouga having something to do with Kagome was just answered in this chapter so I won't go into detail.... ^^;
kiya1821: Of course I'll update quickly! I just did! Lol.
Preview summary for the next chapter: Gomen! I don't have one as of now! You'll all just have to wait!!
Author: btRkun
Chapter: 4 - Rain Washes the Pain Away
Author's Notes: OOOH!! Long chapter this time! Other chapters were around five pages. This chapter is twelve! YAY! ANYWAY, there's a little lime in this chapter... very little. Not much, really. The real lemon will be in the next chapter or the chapter after that. And no... Hojo does not have much a role in this story ^^; Gomen!
Summary:
"Damn you, you bastard! She was just about to say yes until you had to come. Don't tell me you're in on this too!" Inu yasha snorted.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Fresh ass and 575 yen to start out with. What can be better?"
"At least I actually want the girl and not just for money." Kouga growled.
"Yeah, you want her in bed. I don't blame you." Inu yasha walked away towards the nearest school exist. "Yo, Miroku. Come 'ere. I need to ask you something." Miroku quickly followed. Kouga slammed his fist against the wall then walked away in the opposite direction. Tea and Ayame looked at each other.
"That..." Tea paused. "Went well. Thank the stars we didn't have Hojo here as well."
"Hey you two, have you seen Higurashi?" A male voice rang out. He was holding a small bouquet of flowers.
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Two lone figures walked down the side of the road whispering to each other. The sun was still high in the sky and children were playing all around them. People were shopping and talking and none of them paid any attention to the two friends. One, with black hair, was very animated when speaking; the other was mainly listening. Finally, the quiet one interrupted the black haired one.
"So what's this I heard about the shore? Is Kagome going?" Inu yasha asked innocently. He looked at Miroku intently.
"Oh yeah! I was going to tell you all about that! I have an idea to get Kagome alone with you. Ya know, just long enough for you both to get to know each other and then you can ask her out!" Miroku stopped walking and pulled Inu yasha to the side. Inu yasha swore as his protest.
"What the hell was that for?!" Inu yasha asked angrily. Miroku didn't cower like normal people would have. Instead his eyes sparkled with mischief.
"I don't want anyone to hear." He said quietly. Inu yasha's eyebrow rose in confusion. "As I said. I have a plan to get you and Kagome alone."
"We'd win then, right? I'm all ears!" Inu yasha said.
"Well, not quite. This plan is to get you two alone, not set you guys up on a date. It would be without her knowledge, and in that case she'd deny it was a date. Listen, we're going to the shore in about two hours. We're staying at the Ogling Side Bed and Breakfast for the weekend," Miroku paused, waiting for it to sink in. "and you're going, whether you like it or not!" Miroku added as an afterthought.
"Well, glad I don't have plans." Inu yasha replied sarcastically. He rolled his eyes thinking of the plans he'd have to cancel on short notice.
"I'll suggest we'll all go to the boardwalk for a couple hours. You, of course, won't be anywhere in sight. No one except you, me, and later on Kagome, will know you're at the shore. I know, from past experience, that the boardwalk is a mad house on Friday nights. I'll think of a way to get Kagome by herself and then somehow lose her in the crowd." Inu yasha smiled and nodded his head. He liked the plan so far.
"Okay, but how will I know where to find her?" Inu yasha asked.
"Kagome loves the beach. She always has and always will love the beach. When she can't find us she'll most likely go back to the bed and breakfast, which you know is across the street from the beach. She'll probably walk along the beach to the inn. Just be sure you're near there. We'll try to lose her sometime around seven, sound good? Just be warned, Inu yasha...she's defensive and very hard to reach when it comes to guys." Inu yasha grinned and completely ignored his last comment.
"Hell yeah!" His grin turned into a full-fledged toothy grin. He spun around quickly, eager to get home to cancel plans and pack for the weekend. He, however, had spun into a solid object. With a large "oomph!" and a sickening crack he ran into a metal street lamp. He slid down the pole slowly, pain traveled up and down his body. Miroku fell over laughing.
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The car ride was long and dull. There wasn't anything to do except talk about what they would do during the weekend. Kagome, along with her friends, was very excited and eager to do something, like going swimming, right away. Miroku, however, didn't "feel like swimming when the tide was high".
"Come on Miroku! Stop being a wimp! We're at the shore! We should be swimming!" Kagome pleaded.
"Sorry, Kag! It's not a good idea! The tide will be high and I hear there's a strong current at the beach we'll be near." Miroku lied.
"Awe! Come on! Since when have you been this cautious?" Tea whined. Miroku covered his ears. They had been badgering him about not going to the beach for the last half-hour.
"Why don't we just do that tomorrow? It's supposed to be even nicer. We can do something else tonight! How about the boardwalk?" Miroku suggested. At once all three girls erupted with excitement. They talked about what they would buy, how much money they could spend, what clothes they should wear etc. They completely forgot about the poor boy next to them. He rubbed his temples in annoyance. "I should never have said anything." He groaned. Tea, Kagome, and Ayame laughed.
"We should have invited Hojo. He seemed like he wanted to come, too. At least he would give Miroku some testosterone company." They all laughed.
"Naw! This is an estrogen trip! No testosterone allowed!" Kagome giggled. Miroku pretended to look offended.
"How dare you! Me? A woman? Never!" He flopped his hand around animatedly. "By the way, girls, does the color purple look pretty on me?" He said with a lisp. He pretended to mock a gay man. Tea rolled her eyes.
"Quit it, Miroku! Gay guys are so much fun! How can you make fun of them?" Tea hit him playfully. Miroku laughed. He turned to face the care next to his and drooled like a baby. Kagome knew what that meant. Without even looking she pinched his knees hard.
"OUCH!" He yelled out. Ayame, curious as ever, pressed her face to the window in order to see what made Miroku drool. She wasn't in the least bit surprised to see a rather pretty blonde in a red low-neck tank top.
Miroku pulled into the driveway of a very large house. It could have easily been a small mansion. A large parking lot was to the right of the bed and breakfast. Miroku pulled into a spot. Everyone got out of the car and walked into the bed and breakfast to the lobby. Once they had gotten the keys to their two rooms (much to Miroku's displeasure) they deposited their belongings onto their beds. They all changed clothes and met just outside the lobby.
Kagome brought her small purse where she kept all of her money and personal belongings she never left without. Included in her purse was a can of pepper spray... just in case. They all walked on the sidewalk just next to the beach. Kagome stared at the small waves in the ocean longingly. She wore a white sleeveless sundress that stopped three inches above her knees. The dress flowed loosely around her legs. Kagome decided to wear this dress because it was a warm day and because there wasn't a breeze or cloud in sight.
Ayame saw Kagome's strong desire to be near the ocean. She tried to comfort her.
"Kagome. When we go back to the hotel I'll walk with you on the beach, okay?" Ayame smiled kindly. Kagome's face brightened up immediately. She grabbed on to Tea and Ayame's wrists and dragged them into the crowd. Miroku smiled and chased after them not wanting his plan to backfire.
Within a couple of hours Kagome, Tea, and Ayame had visited at least half of the shops on the boardwalk. Miroku had given up trying to keep up with them. He sat down on a nearby bench when they went into another shop. Something cold seeped through his pants.
"AHH! Shit! What is this?!" He jumped up in surprise and looked down at the bench. Strawberry ice cream dripped from the bench on to the sand-covered boardwalk. Kagome came out of the shop first and burst out laughing. Miroku looked at her angrily.
"What the hell did you do, Miroku?" Tea walked out of the store holding her third shopping bag. Kagome grabbed on to her stomach trying to ease the stitch in her side. Miroku rolled his eyes.
"Awe, did little Miroku have a little accident?" Tea said in a child's voice. Kagome laughed harder. Ayame walked out holding even more bags than Tea.
"Come on, Miroku. Stop playing around." Miroku looked at her defensively. He walked towards the girl in the direction of a clothing shop right behind them. He slowed down as he walked past Tea and Kagome.
"AHH! PERVERT!' Kagome turned around and slapped Miroku in the face then stomped off rather pissed down the boardwalk." Tea and Ayame shook their heads in a disbelieving way. Miroku smiled sheepishly and continued on to the shop.
An hour and a half later the group were found sitting on a bench (ice cream free of course... Miroku double-checked) talking excitedly. The sun was beginning to set. The sky had begun to turn orange and cast a light glow all over everything. The jingle of a bell could be heard in the distance. Miroku looked at his watch. 'Six o'clock... we have to get rid of her soon.'
"Oh man, and then he said he would do anything to get her! I was shocked!" Ayame said.
"Who said that? Get at whom?" Kagome asked.
"Just someone." Ayame's eyes glinted.
"OOOH! Look! Someone is putting a toucan in the window of that exotic pet shop! Let's go see it!" Tea stood up immediately and squealed with excitement.
"No way! Birds are stinky, noisy, and a pain in the ass." Kagome said rather snottily.
"You just don't like them because one bit your nose when you were young." Ayame rolled her eyes. She continued, "Anyway, I want to go see it. You up for it, Miroku?" The corner of Miroku's mouth curled upwards into a large mischievous grin.
"You bet!" Tea jumped while clapping even more excitedly. "But I want some ice cream. There's a cart coming." He rubbed his hands together, but not for warmth.
"Who is going to get it? The shop doesn't allow food." Kagome said. Kagome had her back turned toward her friends. When she turned around she fell to the floor in fright.
"Thanks for volunteering, Kag." Ayame said devilishly.
"I...I volunteered? When?" All three friends towered above her, all of them had shadows over their faces creating an eerie atmosphere.
"You just did. Truuuuuuuuust me!" Tea cackled.
"B...B...But..."Kagome stammered.
"Thank you Kagome!" Miroku, Tea, and Ayame dropped a few paper bills and coins to the ground next to Kagome. They turned and walked into the shop cackling like witches. A shiver ran down Kagome's back.
"Oooooh, they're so in for it!" Kagome laughed out loud. She laughed so loud a few people began to stare at her. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you looking at?!" She snapped at a child. The child ran to its mother. "Jeez, some kids these days." Kagome stood in line behind five other people.
In the shop Miroku tried to think of a way to get rid of Kagome. They were separated now but he still had yet to come up with a reason to drag Tea and Ayame away from the store. He stood in the middle of the store. His hand gripped his chin harshly and his eyebrow twitched, obviously in deep thought.
"Mommy, that man looks funny. Is he having a saysure?" A little boy tugged on his mother's dress. He pointed at Miroku. His mother pushed his pointing finger down and scolded him quietly.
"Honey pie, it's not polite to point. And it's seizure, dear, not saysure. No, I don't think he's having a seizure... at least I hope not." The boy's mother said looking at Miroku. Tea overheard this and sweat dropped. She walked over to Miroku and tugged on his new t-shirt.
"Miroku, what are you doing?" She whispered. "People are staring." Miroku didn't budge. His mouth did open and he began to speak.
"I...think...I think... I need... to go to...the bathroom." Miroku said. Ayame walked over and laughed nervously.
"Don't tell me you're constipated, Miroku. Is that why you look like that?" Ayame whispered in his ear. Miroku quickly turned to face Ayame surprised. He broke out into laughter.
"No, not at all, Ayame. I just need to let Mr. Wee use his..." Tea covered his mouth with his hand before he said any more.
"Sure, Miroku. But do you think you could be a little less descriptive next time? Let's go. I need to find a ladies room." Tea said.
"You too? I have to go like there's no tomorrow." Ayame said. Miroku got what he wanted. 'Like usual.' He added to himself.
"I saw a bathroom sign up the boardwalk a little. We'll be right back, Kagome will wait for us. Besides, she's still in line." Miroku added. Both girls agreed and walked out of the shop and in the opposite direction of Kagome.
Kagome skillfully held four ice cream cones in her hands. She, somehow, managed to lick hers, a double chocolate chip mint (yum!), cone with her tongue. She sat down on the bench and waited for the others to come out. Five minutes past without any sign of them. Her cone was gone and she held the others over the garbage can next to the bench. It was abnormally warm and humid out at night at six twenty. The cones were almost completely melted.
Kagome rolled her eyes and dropped the cones in the garbage can. "Oops..." She said out loud without regret. She stalked over to the shop and peered inside the main window. Only two people were inside besides the person working the cash register.
"They didn't leave without me, did they?" Kagome wondered. She began to get ticked off. Resolutely she walked inside the shop and towards the front counter.
"Umm...excuse me, sir. But were there three teenagers in here? My age? Two girls and a guy?" Kagome asked.
He laughed before answering. "Yeah, they were in here. The young gentleman looked as if he was about to make a decision that would alter his life forever." He chuckled.
"When did they leave?" Kagome asked getting even more peeved by the second. She clenched her teeth.
"Almost fifteen minutes ago, I think. I wasn't paying attention." Kagome growled and smashed her fist against the table.
"How could they just leave me here?!" She turned around and looked around the shop for something. She found a plastic container and slammed it on the counter. She paid for it and walked out to the beach in her bare feet. In one hand was the plastic container. Her other hand held her shoes. She scooped up a large amount of sand in the container and walked down the beach toward the bed and breakfast mumbling to herself.
"Kagome is going to be so pissed at us! We can't just stand here and wait for Miroku to take a crap!" Tea said.
"Yeah, I agree. We need to get back to her. Besides, I'm hungry." Ayame replied. She slammed her fist on the men's room door and yelled out, "MIROKU! Tea and I are going back to meet Kagome! She's probably pissed! We've been gone a half hour!" Tea and Ayame heard someone fall from inside the bathroom. They stopped and heard Miroku swear before opening the bathroom door. He was breathing heavily and had toilet paper stuck to his foot.
"Why are you leaving?" He said between pants.
"Didn't you hear us?" Ayame replied.
"No, not really. It's kind of hard to hear from inside a stall." Miroku answered. His breathing wasn't as labored this time. 'I have to stall! Gotta keep them away from there for now!' He exclaimed in his head.
"Kagome's probably pissed. All of our cones probably have melted by now. Let's go!" Tea said angrily. She turned around and started walking.
"Wait! Umm...umm," Miroku looked around frantically. "Umm...." Tea and Ayame turned around and looked at him.
"What? Miroku... what is it?" Ayame crossed her arms.
"It's like he's trying to keep us away from her." Tea snorted. Miroku's face paled slightly.
"No! You wouldn't! Miroku you sneaky pervert!" Ayame cried out angrily. Miroku flinched. "Inu yasha is around, isn't he?"
"No! We agreed not to bring Hojo, Kouga, OR Inu yasha to the shore... why would I, of all people, bring him here? Of all places?! It's not like I wanted to win or anything. I would never dream of bringing Inu yasha here. It's not like I would do that without telling you two or anything." Miroku said quickly.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen. That confirms it. C'mon, Tea!" Ayame turned around and ran off to find Kagome. Tea followed.
"WAIT!" Miroku called after them. They didn't stop. "Crap." He ran after them picking up speed with every second.
A few moments later all three arrived in front of the exotic pet store. Kagome was no where to be seen. Miroku heaved a giant sigh of relief. Tea hit him angrily in the chest.
"You dirty cheat! Jerk! Prick!" Miroku smiled weakly.
"All's fair in the game of love and war." He replied. Ayame rolled her eyes.
"That was corny and low, Miroku. Even for you." Miroku grimaced at Ayame's comment. The disappointment stung. "Well, Tea, let's split up and look for her. Obviously Miroku won't be of much help."
Kagome calmed down a little with the cool breeze that blew through her hair. 'I don't remember there being any wind before.' Kagome thought. She continued to walk down the beach. Wet sand squished between her toes. Cool salt water washed up against her ankles. Whenever Kagome was near the ocean, or whenever it rained, she felt strangely calm and free.
Kagome pulled her watch out of her purse to check the time. 'Six forty-five, huh? Who knew we walked this far from the bed and breakfast?' Kagome thought. She put her watch back and kept walking. The ocean water licked her ankles. She giggled at the light feeling the water gave her. She shivered a little. The sky was turning a rosy red, orange, yellow, and even a soft shade of violet could be seen.
She smiled and looked ahead of her, genuinely content for the first time in a long while. She walked up a small hill and was surprised at what she saw. She furrowed her eyebrows and even grinned a little, but the scowled at herself for grinning, or caring. It was Inu yasha. He was standing up with his chin raised towards the sky. He had on fatigue pants and a t-shirt. As usual he had his shades and cap on. Kagome quickened her pace while looking up in the sky to see what he was looking at. When she got within ten feet she called out his name.
"Inu yasha!" She said. He turned his head and gazed at her. Kagome walked right up to him in greeting.
"Yo. What brings you here, Kag?" Kagome's eyebrow twitched.
"Please don't call me that, Inu yasha. Only my close friends call me that." She replied. She quickly regretted it. He rolled his eyes. 'Damn, she's moody.' Inu yasha thought. "S...Sorry, Inu yasha." He smiled down at her. "What are you doing here?" She asked sheepishly.
Inu yasha bent down to pick up a clamshell, clearly choosing not to answer her question. Kagome was just about to ask again when he decided to say something. His eyes never left the multicolored clamshell.
"It's amazing how beautiful these shells are. It's even more amazing to think little slimy embryo looking creatures made the shells look that way." Kagome looked at him puzzled.
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome chuckled. Inu yasha handed her the shell and smiled.
"Got no idea. Some philosophical thing. Want to go for a walk?" Inu yasha said. His smile faltered and soon switched to a grin. Kagome couldn't help but feel compelled to agree. Everything she had gone against, everything she tried to protect herself against, was all being completely washed away by the mysterious man behind the shades. Kagome looked at him quizzically.
"Sure... why not?" Kagome's mouth acted on it's own. She immediately regretted it. Her mind yelled at her for feeling anything towards another guy. And yet...
"Good. There's an ice cream cart just up that way. Let's go get some." Kagome groaned.
"Let's not, hahaha." I already had ice cream... just before my friends ditched me that is." She rolled her eyes. Inu yasha chuckled inwardly.
"How about some instant noodles?" Inu yasha said. He was hungry. They had started walking against the wind. Kagome looked at the bed and breakfast they were beginning to pass.
"Now? It's like eighty five degrees!" Kagome said laughing.
"I'm hungry!" he replied defensively. Kagome giggled.
"Okay, but I'm getting a smoothie." She silenced herself for a moment and glanced up at him. She tried looking at him in the eyes but was unable to do so.
Inu yasha felt her gaze upon him. He let her look for a few seconds before looking back at her. He found warmth, purity, fear, and a closed door. Kagome turned away embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed.
"Why...uh...why are you out here? It's not a common place for high school kids to go while on vacation." Kagome said offhand. Inu yasha grinned.
"Because I heard you would be here." Inu yasha replied. Kagome was taken aback. She began to get defensive.
"You chased me out here? You're a stalker?" Kagome said half joking.
"Not a stalker, just interested." Inu yasha said. Kagome went silent. She was afraid to open her mouth. 'Kagome, you idiot. You chase every guy away. You'll never get over what happened if you chase him away. Fuck, he's interested in you and you're getting ready to yell at him.' Kagome mentally yelled at herself.
"Let's just get a got dog from the stand up on the boardwalk right there, Inu yasha. I don't feel like going out of the way for ramen." Inu yasha smiled and agreed. Inu yasha and Kagome walked up to the cart and paid for their hot dogs (Inu yasha bought three for himself much to Kagome's' amazement). Then they continued to walk down the beach in silence; the wind began to pick up even more.
'Why can't I stop looking at him?' Kagome wondered. She noticed him licking his lips after finished his second hot dog. He sucked on his fingers before reaching her his third. 'Just like a little boy at an amusement park.' Kagome chuckled. She took the final bite of her own hot dog and wiped her mouth with one of the napkins in her hand. She kept on watching Inu yasha from the corner of her eye.
"These hot dogs are good, aren't they, Kag?" Kagome puffed up like a balloon and was just about to retort when she saw Inu yasha open his mouth. He had unusually long fang teeth. 'Is that normal?' Kagome asked herself. He placed the hot dog in his mouth when Kagome was just about to ask about his teeth. Then "BAM"! A red, hard, bouncy, beach ball came flying out of nowhere and landed on the back of Inu yasha's head. With a yelp of surprise Inu yasha went flying face first into the sand. He face landed on his hot dog. He looked up at Kagome. She stood there with wide eyes not knowing what to do, not knowing how to react. So she laughed. And she laughed and laughed and laughed until she couldn't breathe.
"Sorry mister!" The same little boy Kagome had snapped at earlier came running towards Inu yasha. He grabbed his ball and stared at Kagome then ran off. Kagome kneeled down and helped Inu yasha up by grabbing under his arm. He growled deeply in his throat, obviously angry, but allowed Kagome to help him up. Once standing up Kagome grabbed another napkin and started wiping the ketchup and mustard from his face. He pulled away when she tried to grab his shades.
Kagome got angry and grabbed his chin roughly to face her. She continued to wipe the ketchup off. She purposely slowed down the wiping process when she got to his lips. She furrowed her brows perplexed when he made no objection at the obvious sign of affection. He did, however, grab her other wrist as it sneakily made its way up to his shades.
"Don't." He said plainly.
"Why? What are you trying to hide? Why are your fang teeth so abnormally large?" Kagome asked softly. They stood there like that for a few moments. Neither of them said anything. Clouds rolled in covering the sun suddenly. A small roll of thunder was heard in the distance. Inu yasha was annoyed at the sudden storm. 'She'll want to go in now.' He thought.
Instead, Kagome retrieved her hand, smiled, and giggled gleefully. "A storm! Perfect!" She said happily. She twirled around in circles before grabbing on to Inu yasha's hand and dragging him further down the beach at a full run. Another roll of thunder was heard, this time louder. They continued to run until rain started to spill from the clouds and the shops on the boardwalk were out of sight. Civilization and people were out of sight. Kagome finally stopped running and twirled around in the rain again, her white dress becoming saturated.
'What the hell is she doing?' Inu yasha thought. He breathed heavily from the sudden outburst and desire to run.
"What was that for? What are you doing?" Inu yasha grabbed on to Kagome's shoulders and looked deep in her eyes. He didn't find what he found earlier, instead he found desire, passion, dear, solace, and fire, all of which burned with ferocity.
"I love the rain, Inu yasha. I feel... there's a sense of freedom when I'm in the rain or near the ocean." She smiled and closed her eyes. "It's my escape."
"From what?" Kagome's smile didn't falter in the least at his question.
"Life. Pressure from school. Pressure from social status. Freedom from my past." Kagome answered. Inu yasha looked at her strangely.
'I heard this girl was a cold hearted, prude, bitch. But she's not. She's deep. Maybe she would understand.' Inu yasha thought. 'No. No one except Miroku would understand how I feel, let alone a silly little girl.' He released Kagome's shoulders and smiled sweetly at her.
Giggling, Kagome grabbed on to his hands and began twirling again, but this time she twirled alongside him. 'Why do I feel so giddy?' Kagome asked herself as she twirled. She heard Inu yasha laugh and all thoughts, excuses, and reasons were completely washed away.
They stopped twirling and Kagome panted from overexerting herself. She walked a few paces away from Inu yasha held out her arms parallel to the ground and tilted her face upwards. 'She looks like she's flying.' Inu yasha thought. His smile faded and he looked at her thoughtfully and hungrily. 'Could I be wrong about her?'
Kagome stuck out her tongue to taste the rain not knowing the effect on Inu yasha's body it would have. Inu yasha stared at her and admired her childish antics. Her body however, his eyes told him, was that of a woman. He stared at her. The pouring rain had drenched her dress until it clung to her shapely figure everywhere. He could see the strapless bra she wore and he noticed the hard erect nipples that stuck out from under her dress. He felt himself growing heavy and warm in the southern hemisphere. 'Damn it. Stop thinking like that! She'll notice! Your pants are like her dress right now, idiot!' Inu yasha scolded at himself, but he couldn't manage to get his eyes to turn away.
Kagome stopped, crossed her arms across her chest and walked back to him. 'I'm going to find out what he's hiding, no matter what!' Kagome thought. Their eyes locked as she slowly walked over. She stopped right in front of him and took his shades off without warning.
Inu yasha was shocked. He made a grab for his shades, but to no avail. He turned around hiding himself from her prying eyes once he had failed to acquire his glasses.
"Look at me, Inu yasha." Kagome commanded. She knew she had seen a glimpse of the most beautiful and enchanting amber eyes she had ever seen.
"No." Inu yasha replied harshly.
"Why? Why are you hiding? What are you hiding?" She asked him quietly. Tension was in the air, along with bright flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder.
"Give me my shades back, Kag." Inu yasha warned. 'If he has the nerve to call me that name then he must not be too angry.' Thought Kagome.
"Why don't you trust me, Yash?" Kagome asked. She took a step forward. Inu yasha smiled at the cute pet name she had given him.
"You'll run away, Kag. I'm warning you. You won't like what you see." He said. "No one ever does." He added quietly.
"You're a yokai...aren't you?" Kagome asked quietly. 'I should be scared right now. I should be frightened out of my mind to allow myself to be alone with a yokai. They have a reputation of being ferocious.' Kagome tried to reason with herself. It was an internal battle. She wanted to run away like she had always done. Him being a yokai was just another reason for her to do so. 'But why should I?' Another voice kept saying. 'Why?'
"No." He answered quietly. "Not a yokai. A hanyou." He started walking away from Kagome without another word.
"Where are you going, Yash?" Kagome yelled over another roll of thunder. Inu yasha stopped walking and turned sideways so he could look at her. She was walking towards him solidly. There was no fear. He lowered his head to look at her straight in the eyes when she walked right in front of him. 'Those eyes...' Kagome thought. 'They hold a lot of pain. They're so beautiful.'
Inu yasha didn't blink. He didn't want her sympathy, but like before, he wasn't able to turn away.
"Why don't you run scared?" He asked her scathingly.
"I've been scared every day of my life since eighth grade, Yash. For the first time in a long time... I'm not scared." She whispered.
"You should be scared." His voice held pain.
"No," she started. "You're a person. Just like me. You have feelings, just like me. Why be scared of someone that's just like myself? I'd be running away from myself as well as you. I'm sick of running." She said. Inu yasha smiled and didn't make a move to keep Kagome from removing his cap. She took it off slowly and dropped it to the sand. She looked upward and smiled at what she saw. Two of the most adorable silver and pink ears twitched back and forth in all directions.
'Crap. She's gone for good. There's no way she would understand.' Inu yasha thought.
Kagome looked down at her feet for a few seconds before saying, "You were wrong, Yash. I like what I see." She looked back into his eyes and her hands found their way to his face. Each hand held on to a cheek and she lightly pulled his face down to her own as she stood on her toes. Their lips met.
It felt like an eternity when Kagome broke the kiss. Yet, it was only for a brief second that their lips had met. Inu yasha opened his eyes to look at Kagome. Her eyes, however, were still closed. He took full advantage of the situation and leaned down for another kiss. Kagome greedily greeted his kiss with her own.
Inu yasha deepened the kiss immediately and met no resistance. His hand found its way to the back of her head and his other one rested on the small of her back. He pushed his tongue against her lips, begging for entry. She complied without complaint and noticed how right the situation felt. Their tongues battled for control over the other, but neither side won.
The kiss finally broke and Kagome breathed in heavily and licked her bruised lips with her tongue. She inhaled sharply when Inu yasha made found her neck. He sucked and kissed and placed small butterfly kisses on all sides of her neck. Kagome didn't even noticed when his hand began to roam and touch her body. 'Why does this feel so right?' Kagome asked herself. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted small kisses along his strong jawbone.
Inu yasha trailed his fingers up and down her side softly, leaving her to shiver and beg for more. He could feel her body begin to respond to his and took the opportunity to cup one breast. Kagome squealed and jumped backward away from him surprised.
"Sorry!" Inu yasha said immediately knowing he had gone too far too fast. Kagome's face was flushed and Inu yasha swore he could see steam rising from her body.
"Don't be. I'm sorry, Yash. I'm inexperienced and just wasn't expecting that." Kagome said worriedly. 'Damn it girl! Why the hell did you run? It felt so right!' Kagome screamed mentally at herself.
Inu yasha looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. He knew the look of an internal struggle all too well. Yet, he could tell it didn't involve him. It was a struggle within her. 'Something must have happened.' He thought.
"Why are you running, Kagome?" Inu yasha asked seriously. He was genuinely concerned. "What happened to you in the past?" He stood up straight. She glanced at him with scared eyes.
"Nothing! Why would you say something like that?" She laughed nervously.
"You said it yourself. You said rain was freedom from your past. What happened to you? What makes you so scared of guys?" Inu asked.
"NOTHING! Nothing happened!" She yelled. "Stop prying!"
"Something did happen. I can tell." He said calmly.
"GET OVER IT!" She cried. Inu yasha wasn't able to tell if she was crying or if it was just the rain trickling down her face.
"Tell me, Kagome! I showed you the real me! Why can't you trust me when I allowed myself to trust you?" Inu yasha yelled back.
"Because there's nothing to tell! It was a long time ago! Kouga means nothing anymore!" Kagome yelled.
"Kouga? He has something to do with you being so scared? What did he do to you?" Inu yasha asked.
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Bum bum buuuuuuuuuum! Ha! I love cliffhangers! But I bet everyone out there hates them! *yawn* It's 2 in the morning. I better get a lot of reviews if you all made me stay up this late!!!
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dream-in: Good! I'm glad you love the story! That's terrific because the plot thickens!
SoraMiru Ki: If I finished it soon it wouldn't be as much fun! I love getting angry e-mails from people telling me to get off my lazy ass and finish it.
tsunami-chan : Yeah, I am sick of that triangle, too! Ugh! It's horrible! Every story has SOMETHING to do with it! Nope! No Kikyou in this story!
Gemini fox 44 : No way! I would never allow Inu Yasha to just get in her pants! Never! I'm hoping for the story to be funny... though I write stories very seriously so any funny scene ideas would be greatly appreciated! ^.^
Houtsuma-san: I know! Seriously! Some friends! Even I get angry over that! . Well... I think your question about Kouga having something to do with Kagome was just answered in this chapter so I won't go into detail.... ^^;
kiya1821: Of course I'll update quickly! I just did! Lol.
Preview summary for the next chapter: Gomen! I don't have one as of now! You'll all just have to wait!!