A/N I don't own Inuyasha, but I sure would like to.
I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I'll post it for your scrutiny anyway. It's a bit too angsty on Inuyasha's part, and from what I can tell, quite OOC. I will probably revise it at least once. But I didn't want to leave the fic dead in the water, so here's a little more. Hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism is appreciated ~ but be kind.
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Kagome pulled herself and her pack out of the well. She was grateful that she had used up most of the supplies that had been in it, because she was still worn out from the morning's battle, and didn't think she could have hefted the thing fully loaded. She was feeling a little guilt about leaving Inuyasha like she did. She didn't feel badly about going home ~ she did still have a life her for gods sake~ but she hadn't even let him play his favorite bargaining game concerning how much time she was allowed to remain in her world until she had to return to his. Oh, well, a few extra packages of Ramen and a chocolate bar or two should smooth that over.
'But the date thing.' her brow furrowed; she knew he wouldn't be happy about that. But she was so tired of playing that game with him! The "I don't want you but no other guy can have you either," game. The "you're so inferior to Kikyo that I don't know why you even bother, but I'll rip any guy that comes near you to shreds game." And with that thought, her guilt melted away (mostly), and she turned her thoughts to getting ready for her "date."
Her date. Ugh! Houjo was a nice guy, and really handsome, but he could be so boring! Of course, when a normal day involves fighting for your life with some homicidal youkai, boring should be a nice change. She hadn't really wanted a date at all. She and her friends had planned on going as a group. But then they all got dates, and Kagome didn't want to go alone. So, when Houjo showed up at her house with the latest of his gifts to "make her feel better," she hinted that she would be going to the dance alone. He renewed his request to escort her, and she accepted.
'And he's nice to me!' she reflected as she stepped into the shower. As she wet her hair and lathered it with her herbal shampoo, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the warm, moist heat and fresh scent. 'He never calls me stupid or useless, much less "bitch"! And he's always thoughtful and considerate. And he would never try to strong-arm me into staying somewhere when I had somewhere else I needed to be.' She rinsed off, and grabbed a fluffy towel to dry herself off. 'And most importantly, when he looks at me with that gentle gaze, I know it's me he sees. Not someone who's soul I'm supposed to have inherited, and who wants to suck him into hell with her!"
She slipped on her undergarments and her dress while she was still in the bathroom out of habit. It was a new ritual that she had formed ever since Inuyasha had started coming over to her world to collect her. Having little regard for the civilities of doors or curtains, he would probably not think twice about coming through her window no matter what stage of dress she was in. She went to her bedroom and spun in front of her mirror, watching as the skirt flared in a circle around her body, then swished lightly before falling into gentle folds on her thighs. The perfect dancing dress! Oh how she loved to dance! She picked up her blow dryer and aimed it at her wet tresses, brushing and humming "Dancing Queen" to herself while smiling at the girl who faced her from within the mirror.
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Inuyasha slumped by the well. He had long ago recovered from Kagome's "Sit!" But he sat there brooding, still stinging from their conversation, if he could call it that. And the fact that as she disappeared from his world into her own, the last thing he had heard her shout was, "Don't you dare follow me!"
"Feh! As if!" Ok, maybe he would have. Probably he would have. He was still trying to think of some danger she might be in that he should go and protect her from. For her own good. And the shards she carried. Like that "date" of hers..
Ouch! That knife twisted in his gut again. It was probably that Hobo guy! A growl came, unbidden, from deep within his throat. He had seen that guy look at Kagome. Gazing at her, admiring her beautiful face and luscious body. Looking smug, almost proprietorial when she spent time with him. How dare he look at his...his.. Shard detector that way? She didn't have time to spend with jerks like that!
And he was always bringing her stupid little gifts, or bouquets of flowers. And trying to engage her in conversation, asking her how she was feeling and what her dreams were. Didn't that guy have a life? Hmmm...maybe that's why she was always so anxious to go back...
The knife in his gut was twisting deeper, delving into his soul. His ears drooped, and even though his stomach growled for lack of food, he couldn't bring himself to stand up and go in search of dinner. He should have felt elation from the success of their morning battle, but instead all he felt was gnawing emptiness. Kagome...HIS Kagome was back in her future world, laughing and giving her smiles to this "date" of hers, and he was stuck sulking by this old, decrepit well. He was hit with the sudden realization that he could lose her. That she would complete what was left of that stupid jewel, then disappear back through the well to be with that ridiculous human male as her mate.
He heard footsteps on the path, and looked up to see Miroku coming toward him. "Kaede told me to come tell you that dinner is ready, if you were still here. Which I see you are. Coming?"
Inuyasha didn't answer. Instead, he said in a low growl, "She's on a date."
Miroku chucked lightly. Watching Inuyasha and Kagome with their "will they/won't they" relationship was his favorite diversion, after groping young women of course. He honestly cared for his friend's happiness, and wished for them to admit their feelings to each other. But in the meantime, it was endlessly fun to torment Inuyasha about Kagome. "With Houjo?"
Grunt.
"Well, he's a nice guy and good looking, too. They'll make beautiful children together!" He quickly sidestepped what he knew would be a painful hit to the back of his head. "Well, don't worry. It's not as if he's very nice to her...oh, wait ~ he is, isn't he? But then, he calls her stupid and ugly all the time... Oh, wait! That would be you! Well, never mind ~ he's not all that attractive. Oh, yeah, he is!" Miroku was fairly dancing to evade the angry hanyou now.
When they finally stopped for breath, he said "So, are you going to go and ruin her date with him, or are you going to just let nature take its course."
Inuyasha tried for a glare, but only came up with a sick grimace. "She said not to follow her."
"Since when has that stopped you?"
Inuyasha merely stood there, ears flat, thinking of how she had fairly dismissed him. She hadn't even argued with him. It almost reminded him of Sesshomoru, the way she acted as if he wasn't even worth the bother of a discussion.
Miroku had the feeling he was losing this one, "Hmm, I remember how Kagome said they dance in her time. Maybe I could go through the well and give it a try! It looked like you get to be really close to your partner, with your hands in all kinds of intimate places."
That got him! "That bastard better not even think..." was the last thing Miroku heard as Inuyasha jumped up like a scalded dog (pardon the pun!), and leapt over the side of the well without touching down till he hit the bottom and looked up to see darkness overhead. He was in Kagome's family's well house.
Back in the Feudal Era, Miroku again chuckled to himself, "Mission accomplished."
I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I'll post it for your scrutiny anyway. It's a bit too angsty on Inuyasha's part, and from what I can tell, quite OOC. I will probably revise it at least once. But I didn't want to leave the fic dead in the water, so here's a little more. Hope you enjoy. Constructive criticism is appreciated ~ but be kind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kagome pulled herself and her pack out of the well. She was grateful that she had used up most of the supplies that had been in it, because she was still worn out from the morning's battle, and didn't think she could have hefted the thing fully loaded. She was feeling a little guilt about leaving Inuyasha like she did. She didn't feel badly about going home ~ she did still have a life her for gods sake~ but she hadn't even let him play his favorite bargaining game concerning how much time she was allowed to remain in her world until she had to return to his. Oh, well, a few extra packages of Ramen and a chocolate bar or two should smooth that over.
'But the date thing.' her brow furrowed; she knew he wouldn't be happy about that. But she was so tired of playing that game with him! The "I don't want you but no other guy can have you either," game. The "you're so inferior to Kikyo that I don't know why you even bother, but I'll rip any guy that comes near you to shreds game." And with that thought, her guilt melted away (mostly), and she turned her thoughts to getting ready for her "date."
Her date. Ugh! Houjo was a nice guy, and really handsome, but he could be so boring! Of course, when a normal day involves fighting for your life with some homicidal youkai, boring should be a nice change. She hadn't really wanted a date at all. She and her friends had planned on going as a group. But then they all got dates, and Kagome didn't want to go alone. So, when Houjo showed up at her house with the latest of his gifts to "make her feel better," she hinted that she would be going to the dance alone. He renewed his request to escort her, and she accepted.
'And he's nice to me!' she reflected as she stepped into the shower. As she wet her hair and lathered it with her herbal shampoo, she inhaled deeply, enjoying the warm, moist heat and fresh scent. 'He never calls me stupid or useless, much less "bitch"! And he's always thoughtful and considerate. And he would never try to strong-arm me into staying somewhere when I had somewhere else I needed to be.' She rinsed off, and grabbed a fluffy towel to dry herself off. 'And most importantly, when he looks at me with that gentle gaze, I know it's me he sees. Not someone who's soul I'm supposed to have inherited, and who wants to suck him into hell with her!"
She slipped on her undergarments and her dress while she was still in the bathroom out of habit. It was a new ritual that she had formed ever since Inuyasha had started coming over to her world to collect her. Having little regard for the civilities of doors or curtains, he would probably not think twice about coming through her window no matter what stage of dress she was in. She went to her bedroom and spun in front of her mirror, watching as the skirt flared in a circle around her body, then swished lightly before falling into gentle folds on her thighs. The perfect dancing dress! Oh how she loved to dance! She picked up her blow dryer and aimed it at her wet tresses, brushing and humming "Dancing Queen" to herself while smiling at the girl who faced her from within the mirror.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inuyasha slumped by the well. He had long ago recovered from Kagome's "Sit!" But he sat there brooding, still stinging from their conversation, if he could call it that. And the fact that as she disappeared from his world into her own, the last thing he had heard her shout was, "Don't you dare follow me!"
"Feh! As if!" Ok, maybe he would have. Probably he would have. He was still trying to think of some danger she might be in that he should go and protect her from. For her own good. And the shards she carried. Like that "date" of hers..
Ouch! That knife twisted in his gut again. It was probably that Hobo guy! A growl came, unbidden, from deep within his throat. He had seen that guy look at Kagome. Gazing at her, admiring her beautiful face and luscious body. Looking smug, almost proprietorial when she spent time with him. How dare he look at his...his.. Shard detector that way? She didn't have time to spend with jerks like that!
And he was always bringing her stupid little gifts, or bouquets of flowers. And trying to engage her in conversation, asking her how she was feeling and what her dreams were. Didn't that guy have a life? Hmmm...maybe that's why she was always so anxious to go back...
The knife in his gut was twisting deeper, delving into his soul. His ears drooped, and even though his stomach growled for lack of food, he couldn't bring himself to stand up and go in search of dinner. He should have felt elation from the success of their morning battle, but instead all he felt was gnawing emptiness. Kagome...HIS Kagome was back in her future world, laughing and giving her smiles to this "date" of hers, and he was stuck sulking by this old, decrepit well. He was hit with the sudden realization that he could lose her. That she would complete what was left of that stupid jewel, then disappear back through the well to be with that ridiculous human male as her mate.
He heard footsteps on the path, and looked up to see Miroku coming toward him. "Kaede told me to come tell you that dinner is ready, if you were still here. Which I see you are. Coming?"
Inuyasha didn't answer. Instead, he said in a low growl, "She's on a date."
Miroku chucked lightly. Watching Inuyasha and Kagome with their "will they/won't they" relationship was his favorite diversion, after groping young women of course. He honestly cared for his friend's happiness, and wished for them to admit their feelings to each other. But in the meantime, it was endlessly fun to torment Inuyasha about Kagome. "With Houjo?"
Grunt.
"Well, he's a nice guy and good looking, too. They'll make beautiful children together!" He quickly sidestepped what he knew would be a painful hit to the back of his head. "Well, don't worry. It's not as if he's very nice to her...oh, wait ~ he is, isn't he? But then, he calls her stupid and ugly all the time... Oh, wait! That would be you! Well, never mind ~ he's not all that attractive. Oh, yeah, he is!" Miroku was fairly dancing to evade the angry hanyou now.
When they finally stopped for breath, he said "So, are you going to go and ruin her date with him, or are you going to just let nature take its course."
Inuyasha tried for a glare, but only came up with a sick grimace. "She said not to follow her."
"Since when has that stopped you?"
Inuyasha merely stood there, ears flat, thinking of how she had fairly dismissed him. She hadn't even argued with him. It almost reminded him of Sesshomoru, the way she acted as if he wasn't even worth the bother of a discussion.
Miroku had the feeling he was losing this one, "Hmm, I remember how Kagome said they dance in her time. Maybe I could go through the well and give it a try! It looked like you get to be really close to your partner, with your hands in all kinds of intimate places."
That got him! "That bastard better not even think..." was the last thing Miroku heard as Inuyasha jumped up like a scalded dog (pardon the pun!), and leapt over the side of the well without touching down till he hit the bottom and looked up to see darkness overhead. He was in Kagome's family's well house.
Back in the Feudal Era, Miroku again chuckled to himself, "Mission accomplished."