Disclaimer: I don not own Inuyasha, I just like to poke him with sharp objects to see if he bleeds.
A Fighter's Story
Chapter 4
The next day went pretty much as follows. Kagome got up. Kagome made breakfast. The Houshi family wakes up and eats said breakfast. The Houshi family goes back to sleep until somewhere between eleven and noon. Kagome hung out in the living room watching Bulletproof Monk on DVD. (A/N: I love that movie, lol.) Once everyone was up again, they set about trying to pick a place to spend the afternoon.
That conversation went as follows. Kagome suggested the zoo since it was a beautiful day and the kids loved the zoo. Rin and Shippou agreed with their aunt, hanging to her sides and begging the adults. Miroku wanted to go back to bed, quipping that watching large animals sleep would only make him jealous. Sango was sipping her coffee quietly by, watching Kagome and Miroku yell at each other over the table, but stepped in when Kagome was about to hurl the coffee pot at her husband.
"Why don't we go to the mall?" she suggested. "The weather is warming up and the kids could use some new things. Then you wouldn't have to look at large animals sleeping, Miroku. And Kagome, you could still use your influence over the children."
Everyone was in agreement over the idea. The Houshi family piled into their mini van and Kagome followed in her Civic as they all drove to the mall. Kagome turned on her radio and drummed out the beat to Sum 41's 'The Hell Song' as she followed, happy despite her sincerest efforts. She was looking forward to a few words with her best friend,
The mall was a crowded mess, as usual on a Saturday afternoon. After a brief stop in the food court to pick up some snack foods, they hit the stores and by God, they hit them hard. Sango and Kagome were 'speed shoppers' able to do what a normal shopper does in half the time, and more.
"Dad, why do Mom and Aunt Kagome run around so fast?" Shippou asked as he and Rin stood in the store beside Miroku. Kagome and Sango were running from one side of the store to the other, pausing only long enough to compare purchases before continuing.
Miroku shook his head sadly and smiled at his son. "You see Shippou, Mom and Kagome have internal radar that let's them sense any sale in a mile radius. It's just something women can do that men aren't meant to understand." Shippou stared at his father open-mouthed, then looked to his sister. Rin was admiring a pretty red dress on a clearance rack. Shippou started and looked back to his father, pointing to her. Miroku nodded. "See? It comes into effect even when they're young. Soon, the older ones will begin grooming her for shopping on her own."
Suddenly, Miroku was hit in the back of the head by a plastic hanger. Sango appeared with Kagome beside her, both of them holding full shopping bags, and Sango held the offensive hanger. "What are you filling my son's head with?" she demanded.
"Nothing my darling flower," Miroku said with a charming smile, one hand covering his head. "Just guy talk."
"Uh-huh, I know your idea of 'guy talk' Miroku, and I don't want you filling Shippou's head with it! He's just a little boy after all." Kagome nodded, moving her hands to cover Shippou's ears.
"He's still a fragile little mind. I don't want him tainted!" she said with a dark smile. "Yet." Sango rolled her eyes.
"Oh, enough you two. Miroku, go get Rin that dress she likes. Take Shippou too, in case he sees something he likes. Kagome and I will be in that store across the way."
"Yes ma'am," the dejected doctor said, walking off to collect his daughter and dragging his son along for the ride.
"Now then," Sango said with a smile, linking her arm with Kagome's. "We can have some quality time."
"Oh goodie!" Kagome laughed. Together they entered a small candle store, looking around as they spoke in low voices.
"Tell me about your friend, the one in your apartment yesterday," Sango said, poking her in the ribs. "You never told me that you were dating anyone, you fink!"
"I'm not dating him," Kagome denied quickly. "I just met him on Thursday." For a minute, Sango's eyes darkened.
"Where did you meet him?"
Kagome, a master at sensing potential doom, was quick to explain. "I met him in the bar I stopped off at after the meeting. No, I didn't pick him up or anything. You were at my apartment Friday morning and I was alone. It was just coincidence that he delivered my pizza. So I invited him in and we talked, that's it."
Sango nodded, eyes still narrowed. "I love you Kagome, I just want you to be careful, okay?"
"San, I'm fine! I'm not trying to kill myself or anyone around me. Yes, I got drunk one night, but that was one night! I'm not going on another binge. I swear to all things holy, this isn't going to turn into another fiasco."
Sango sighed and nodded. "I trust you Kag. I worry, that's all."
Kagome hugged Sango and smiled. "I know and I love you for it. It's going to take me a while to adjust to this and everything, but I've got you guys and Dad, I'll get through it and I'll be fine."
Sango grinned. "I know you will." There browed in companionable silence until Sango decided to try another tactic. "So, are you going to be ordering pizza more often now?"
Kagome giggled helplessly at the comment, causing the woman behind the counter to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Salespeople expected that behavior from teenaged girl, but not two grown women. When Kagome mastered herself, she continued. "As a matter of fact, I will be. At least until I give him my number. I forgot to yesterday. But I have his address, so it's all good."
"You know where he lives?!" Sango asked in a shocked whisper, dark eyes wide.
"Yeah, he rents the apartment above the bar. He was the bartender sweetie, not my drinking partner." Sango shook her head but didn't comment.
"Continue. I want to hear it all before I explode at you." Kagome grinned sheepishly.
"Well, he's a strange one, I'll give you that. Here I was, drunk to hell, and he was polite and didn't try anything. A gentleman, which is just strange. He even drove me home so I wouldn't kill myself." Sango was about to open her mouth, but Kagome quickly over-road her. "No, I didn't invite him in and he didn't ask. San, he knows my address anyway now because he delivered my pizza, so cool it." Sango held up her hands in submission, then prompted for Kagome to continue. "Well, after you left my place yesterday, I did what you suggested and ordered a pizza. And poof, there he was. So I invited him in and we talked for a while. Then you called, so we left, separately. But he asked if I wanted to work out sometime and I said I'd call a pizza and we'll talk. End of story."
"He asked you to work out with him?" Sango said in a sarcastic voice. "Are you sure that wasn't a sexual metaphor? How did he know you go to a gym at all?"
"My buns of steel?" Kagome joked. Sango glared so she continued. "He knew who I was when I went into the bar, same as I knew him. Inuyasha Dai."
"So he's a fan of yours it doesn't mean that he's not a stalker or--" Sango paused mid-lecture and stared at Kagome with her mouth hanging open. "Did you just say Inuyasha Dai?"
"Yes."
"THE Inuyasha Dai?"
"Uh-huh."
"The one that we used to worship in high school? The one we had posters of all over our rooms? The one we used to be in love with to the point of no return? The one we cut school to see when he was fighting a match in Denver?"
"The very same," Kagome agreed, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "And let me say he's no less gorgeous now then he was when we were seventeen."
"AHH! I HATE YOU!" Sango screamed, chasing Kagome from the store. The ex-fighter laughed hysterically as they ran in circles around a coke machine.
"He said his name when you called, didn't you realize who he was?" Kagome yelled over her shoulder.
"I was too busy faxing a contract to Seattle, I wasn't paying attention!" she yelled back, finally stopping to pant. "You have the weirdest luck cycle in the world, do you know that? Every time something bad happens to you, something good happens right after."
"That's because everything bad that happens to me is really bad," Kagome responded, barely winded as she leaned against the machine while Sango sunk into a seat on the nearby bench. "Let's look at the list, shall we?" Sango nodded, arranging her bags beside her and reclining back. "My mother died when I was two."
"Your father got invited to the Kiyomatsu tournament and came in the fourth position, winning enough prize money to build the karate school," Sango replied rationally.
"Dad hurt his back for life."
"Meaning that you become ten times as strong as other women fighters because of the chores you do at home, making you a champion in all the women's tournaments you ever entered."
"That time when the jerks from high school jacked my car, meaning I had no way to get around and I lost my job at the restaurant because I had no way to get there on time after school," Kagome said, thinking back to her high school days.
"Ah, but that was when you met Hojo and he fixed you car. Then he asked you out and became your first boyfriend," Sango said with a fond smile. Kagome returned it, thinking back on her first love.
"Hojo," she said sadly, the smile fading and her blue eyes darkened. "Hojo and the booze."
Sango gave her a small smile. "After the Hojo affair you received the contract to become a sponsored fighter on the circuit. You gave up drinking. Then you started touring and became the nationals title champion for three years."
"Now I can't fight anymore," Kagome said without a tone, but bitterness filled her eyes.
"But you met Inuyasha Dai, your hero for God's sakes."
"Yeah, now he's a pizza boy by day and bartender by night. Fascinating right?"
"Don't go down the self-pity trail Kag," Sango warned. Kagome stopped her thoughts, knowing that life hadn't been the trip of joys for Sango either.
"Yeah, I'm sorry."
"It's nothing," Sango assured her. "But we should get back to Miroku before the kids destroy him." Both women laughed, linking arms once more and rejoining the doctor and the children.
After the shopping spree, Kagome bid the tired children and parents farewell and left for her apartment from the mall. The rest of the day was spent in a haze of putting away purchases and piecing together a meal from the meager food that was still in her apartment. She went to sleep early, not really sure why she was suddenly so tired.
Sunday was a slow, dreary day. Kagome went food shopping to replenish the fridge from the number she and Inuyasha pulled on it that Friday. For a while, she fought with herself about calling for a pizza, just to talk with him again, but she thought against it. She called her father instead. They talked of idle things. Toutousai tried his best to cheer up his daughter and Kagome tried her best to act cheered. She hated making her father worry about her, even if she was feeling shitty. They talked about things back home, and Toutousai accidentally-on-purpose mentioned that now that she had time off, she should come home for a while. Kagome complimented his subtlety, and agreed to consider it. Then they moved on to a more neutral topic.
Sango and Miroku's fourth wedding anniversary was in the first week of June, a month and a half away. Kagome, Toutousai and Sango's father were all in league on their present. An all-expenses paid vacation for the week. It was going to be a surprise, but so far they were yet to pick a location. And Kagome was still arguing with Sango's father, Hiko, about who would get to baby-sit the kids while the parents were gone.
After two hours of running up her phone bill, Kagome and her father said goodbye. The rest of her Sunday, Kagome alternated between watching TV and reading a book. She fought the urge for alcohol, wanting to make the pain and the anger and the bitter disappointment go away. Just for those few blissful hours. But she had made a promise to Sango and she would not break it, she wouldn't go back to the bottle. Again she turned in early. She thought that maybe her urge to sleep had something to do with her recent unemployment. Just a theory.
Monday was a partly cloudy day, something perfectly aligned with Kagome's mood. It went from moment to moment, but she was living. She was coping. That day, she spent most of the morning not getting out of bed, but by noon she broke down. She showered, changed, and called Myouga's for a pizza.
"Myouga's House of Pizza, can I take your order?" chirped Nazuna.
"Hi, I'd like a large pepperoni and a dozen garlic knots please," Kagome responded. "Delivery to Garden Terrace, Apartment 7A."
"Sure, our delivery person will be there in thirty minutes, or your pizza is half price."
"C-could I have Inuyasha deliver it?" Kagome asked with a second's hesitation.
"Sure," Nazuna said, not even the slightest change in her voice. "We get that request a lot, can't imagine why." Then she laughed, a kind of high pitched giggle that came from a bubbly high schooler. Kagome snorted.
"Thanks Nazuna," she said cheerily, hanging up the phone before the girl could respond. Then she fell backwards on to her couch and waited for the tell-tale knock on her door.
It came twenty minutes later, accompanied by a less-than-amused voice. "Oy wench, open the door before the smell of pepperoni drives me to pizza-theft."
Kagome opened the door and Inuyasha let himself in. "Good afternoon to you as well, Mr. Sunshine," she quipped, taking the food from his hands and putting it in the kitchen.
"Feh, right," he commented, taking off his hat and glasses and chucking them on her couch two second before throwing himself beside them.
"Make yourself at home," Kagome commented, eating a knot and offering him the bag. He helped himself with a smirk. "How's work darling?" she asked dryly.
"Oh, it's smashing, love," he said, matching her tone before stuffing his mouth with garlic bread. "You had Nazuna worked up when I came in, yelling about a woman on the phone knowing who she was and asking about me."
Kagome snickered. "The girl is just too perky, I was frightened." Inuyasha snickered as well.
"Yeah, she can be a little scary. I'll give you that. But anyway," he said, discarding the subject of Nazuna for something a little more interesting. "What could you possibly want with little old me that you called my place of business?"
Kagome placed the back of her hand to her forehead in a dramatic gesture. "Alright, you caught me," she said with feeling, sinking to her knees on the couch beside him. "I find pizza boys irresistible, and I called you here so that I could imprison you for six years to be my illegal sex-bunny." Kagome looked utterly serious for a second, then she broke into an angelic smile before taking a large bite of her bread.
"Only for six years?" Inuyasha asked with a spark in his eye.
"Of course, after six years you'd be too old for me."
Inuyasha laughed. "You almost had me there," he commented.
"Who said I was joking?" she responded, raising her eyebrows. Then she smiled when his gold eyes widened. "You asked me to go for a work-out one day. Does the offer still stand?" she asked, tactfully changing the subject.
Inuyasha recovered quickly. "Sure it does, if you think you can handle it."
Kagome's blue eyes danced. "Is that a challenge?"
"Only if you take it as one," Inuyasha replied, reclining back with a cocky smirk.
"Oh, it's on now," Kagome confirmed with a nod.
"Good, we can go today if you want."
"What else have I got to do?" she added. It surprised her that it wasn't meant in a pitying way, more as a retort in order to get the last word. Something about this guy made her run circles to impress, rather then her usual laid-back attitude. It could be a bad thing since she liked it. Worse then that, she was starting to like him. And Kagome Higurashi never did have much luck with men.
"Well grab your gear, I'll give you a lift," Inuyasha said.
"You have your gear?"
"In my trunk always, just in case, you know."
"Right," Kagome said while rolling her eyes. Inuyasha threw a knot at her.
"You're burning daylight wench, let's get going."
"Fine, but if you call me that again, I'll only beat you up later." Inuyasha smirked as she went to her room to grab some stuff for the gym. He liked this one, she had some spunk. And he had always liked the fiery ones.
Kagome reemerged quicker then he expected, bag in hand. "Well, quit day-dreaming mister. Now whose burning daylight?" They both smiled at one another and departed for the Shrine House.
It was a good sized place, the Shrine House. It was run by an old woman named Kaede. If she had a last name, no one knew it. The gym itself was built for training martial artists, but the second floor was for normal athletes. There were even rumors about Kaede giving the okay for a pool to be built later that summer. But a rumor was a rumor, and for right now, there was no pool. On the first floor, the floor where Inuyasha and Kagome trained, there was a fighting ring in the center, surrounded by a wide selection of practice tools and training space.
Kagome and Inuyasha parted for the locker rooms to change into their respective training gear. For Inuyasha, it was a plain white gi, no footwear, and a tie to keep his unusually long hair out of his way. For Kagome it was sweatpants, no footwear, and a special binding for her chest. There had once been great question of why she bound her chest with a layer of cloth bandage before she put on a sports bra but Kagome just asked those questioning her if they'd ever been drop-kicked in the chest. (A/N: For those who are curious, this is from personal experience, and it hurts like hell if you aren't protected!)
When the pair met up again outside, they began with a few warm-up exersices and a few comments back and forth about their wardrobe choice. Kagome got the brunt of that argument, but she only flashed him a smile and quoted that distraction is a very useful tool when one is fighting. In the middle of this session of conversation, they were interrupted by two men.
"Well well well, if it isn't Kagome Higurashi," one of them commented, giving her a once over. "Didn't think you'd have the nerve to show up here again."
Kagome glared with icy eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "And why wouldn't I, J.D.?"
"Word's out Higurashi," he replied with a smile. "You've been thrown out of the ring. Serves you right, you know. This is a man's sport. You just don't have the balls for it."
"Fuck you," Kagome said venomously, ready to begin a serious throw-down.
"Please do," J.D. laughed. "But then again, you wouldn't do that." He turned to his companion as he spoke now. "She's fridged you know. Some think she's anatomically incorrect. I think her husband fucked with her a little too much."
"That's it asshole!" Kagome growled, grabbing the front of his shirt and punching him across the jaw. She would have done more, but Inuyasha had grabbed her around the waist, tugging her back.
"Easy Kagome, don't do anything stupid," he whispered into her ear. "It's okay."
"Yeah well, fuck him," she responded, sniffing deeply and cracking her neck to one side. J.D., otherwise known as James Dawson Gregoro, was also a nationals champion who had been on tour with Kagome. He was the resident playboy of the group, who had been trying to sleep with Kagome for three years. He didn't take no for an answer, and if he got what Kagome gave him--which was usually her fist--then he'd strike at her in other ways.
"Yeah, big talk now that you're off the tour," J.D. said, rubbing his jaw. "This is what happens when a woman tries to become a man." He stalked off, the other guy trailing behind, but giving Kagome an apologetic look.
"Fuck," Kagome growled, pulling herself out of Inuyasha's arms. "Why in the name of hell did I have to be a girl?" she said in frustration. "This entire life would have been much easier had I been a man."
"Hey," Inuyasha said with a shrug. "I'm glad you were born a girl."
"And why the fuck is that?" she retorted indignantly.
"A nice view," he said with a grin. Kagome opened her mouth to say something, then shut it, speechless as a blush spread across her cheeks. Inuyasha enjoyed that. But then he was struck with a thought. "That guy, he said you had a husband."
Kagome recovered slowly, but she shook her head. "Well yeah, he would say that, the little fucker." She sighed, running a hand through her ebony hair and holding it back for a second. "I was married when I was twenty."
"Not anymore?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly very interested. Kagome looked a little sad.
"No, not anymore." Clearly it was a sore subject, so he didn't bring it up again.
"Well come on then Miss Higurashi," Inuyasha commented. "You have to show me your moves." She laughed a little, smiling. "There you go," Inuyasha said, proud of himself. He loved when he could make her do that, strange as it was. "Come on then."
"Sure, but you asked for it."
"I ask for a lot of things, Kagome, but I think I'll be getting this one."
"Oh, you'll get me Inuyasha," Kagome said with a sly smile. "You'll get my fist at least."
"A little goes a long way," he quipped.
That was when they took the practice ring. It was free from other occupants, so they had the full ring to play around with. Kagome took one corner, Inuyasha the opposite. For a few moments, they only showed off some of their moves, hoping to psyche the other out. Neither budged, it wasn't in their personalities. When they came together in the ring, they bowed, then took a stance. At the same moment, both leapt forward, meeting fist-to-fist.
"You're pretty strong," Inuyasha noticed, moving his hand quickly to capture her wrist and twisting himself and her arms so that he held it to her back.
"So are you," she commented before twisting herself under his range and freeing her arm. Then bringing up her leg to his abdomen. Inuyasha swiveled his stomach to avoid the blow, then made a kick of his own. Kagome went under it, coming back with an uppercut that Inuyasha barely dodged.
"You're pretty fast too." He pushed her forward with his elbow, but she bent her leg up behind her and caught him on the side of the head.
"I try." Inuyasha caught her by the arm and moved around to pin her again, but she was used to this trick and planted her foot between his knees in order to trip him. Inuyasha caught the move before she could use it and pulled her forward so that she was now pressed against him, their faces only a few inches apart. Both were panting and it was an adrenaline filled moment. Neither moved for a moment.
"You're better then I thought," Inuyasha rasped. He was unsure of what to do. Some part of him was saying that there was far too much distance between him and her mouth. But another part of him was saying to take that step back and put more room between them. If he didn't, this would turn out the same way it had with Kikyou. A man could only take so much. But a man could also only be pushed so far. There had been offers in the past three years, sure. He was not ignorant of his looks and how women liked them. But he had never been tempted, not until this woman. Maybe she wasn't the unquestioned beauty that Kikyou had been. Her face was plainer and her hair wasn't as glossy and perfect. But when she smiled, the way her dark blue eyes were just sparkling. The way she looked when she was fighting for the last word. And how warm her body was against his. He was only a man, after all.
"Seems like you haven't lost your edge," Kagome breathed. She was confused. There was that part of her that wished more than anything for him to just leaned down that little bit so that his mouth would touch hers. There was that other little part that was calling her a moron for not reaching up and doing it herself. But then again, that rational part of her brain was telling her that this shouldn't be happening, not yet anyway. Too much, too soon, her head would explode from it all. But when she was around him, it seemed that the world wasn't moving so fast. Over the weekend, Kagome had decided that everything was leaving her behind, that she no longer had a purpose or a place. But when he was around, she had a place by his side. His eyes were magnetic and honest, they held the understanding she needed so much. He knew everything she was feeling and more. Sure, she had dated since Hojo, but she had never wanted to be kissed by a man so badly in all her life. That was why it hurt when he stepped away.
"Maybe that's enough for today," he said with a shrug.
"Sure," Kagome said with a smile. "We should do it again some time."
"I'd like that. you could help me keep in shape. You're hard to get a hold of."
"I'm even harder to let go of," she commented. Then she smiled and left the ring for the locker room. Inuyasha watched her go, thinking that she had no idea how right she was.
He dropped her off at home a little while later. By that time, they had coordinated their workout schedules with one another. Monday and Friday afternoons as well as Saturday mornings, the pair of them would train together. When Kagome got back to her apartment, she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, seeing him three times a week. That thought was dismissed as quickly as it had come. Now that she knew him, she didn't want to stop just because he didn't kiss her. Maybe he would. She wished that he would. Little did she know that as he drove away, Inuyasha was wishing the same thing.
A/N: Yay, that was a long chapter. Wow. Well, chapter 5 is going to pick up a few weeks later and we'll see how their 'relationship' has grown over the change in time. I also want to make it known that this fic was created by the inspiration by the movie 'The Quest' and under the influence of the song 'Dare you to Move' by Switchfoot. I think it represents this story perfectly. Okay, a few quick reader-messages and I'm gone. Thanks for reading and please remember to review!
Leomae: That's okay, I was just kidding around. I'm glad you knew who it was . It makes it extra funny when it actually happens. Well, you were right about Sango, she just had to be reminded a little is all. I know technically it's not 'fluff' fluff, it's more sexual tension then fluff. You see, both of them are kind of hesitant and I don't want them to just forget emotional trouble and just be all over each other, but it does get more physical down the road. You will get your fluff, I guarantee it. Thanks for the review!
Setsuna-3000: Thanks for loving it, I do too. I hurried and here is the next part. I'm getting really happy with this, so I think I may write this exclusively for the next week or so. I think it'll be around 13 or so chapters, I dunno for sure yet. Thanks for the review!
KireiHanyou Ko: I thought the chat was cute, hehe. Not much of a fight seen, but they were going easy on each other. The real fighting doesn't start for a few chapters yet. After I tweak with them some more, hehe! Thanks for reading and the review!
Josie: Your reviews are such a pleasure to read. I am so thrilled that you enjoy this story so much. Maybe you'll stick around and read my next one. Already working out the idea for when I finish up with this. Repetition is okay, if you like it that much I can never get tired with hearing about it! Yes, Inuyasha is a pizza boy, but he quits eventually. One can not grow when one delivers pizza. So how did you like their next encounter? Thanks for the review!
LilNezumi LilInu: Thanks for loving it. And you know, I thought about having her try that, pretend to be a guy and all of that, but I thought against it. Although Kagome may be tall enough to pull it off, I like having her stick to be a feminine character. She may not like being a guy, but I do. But I will foreshadow by saying she gets into the ring again, but not in the way all might expect. Thanks for the review!
A Fighter's Story
Chapter 4
The next day went pretty much as follows. Kagome got up. Kagome made breakfast. The Houshi family wakes up and eats said breakfast. The Houshi family goes back to sleep until somewhere between eleven and noon. Kagome hung out in the living room watching Bulletproof Monk on DVD. (A/N: I love that movie, lol.) Once everyone was up again, they set about trying to pick a place to spend the afternoon.
That conversation went as follows. Kagome suggested the zoo since it was a beautiful day and the kids loved the zoo. Rin and Shippou agreed with their aunt, hanging to her sides and begging the adults. Miroku wanted to go back to bed, quipping that watching large animals sleep would only make him jealous. Sango was sipping her coffee quietly by, watching Kagome and Miroku yell at each other over the table, but stepped in when Kagome was about to hurl the coffee pot at her husband.
"Why don't we go to the mall?" she suggested. "The weather is warming up and the kids could use some new things. Then you wouldn't have to look at large animals sleeping, Miroku. And Kagome, you could still use your influence over the children."
Everyone was in agreement over the idea. The Houshi family piled into their mini van and Kagome followed in her Civic as they all drove to the mall. Kagome turned on her radio and drummed out the beat to Sum 41's 'The Hell Song' as she followed, happy despite her sincerest efforts. She was looking forward to a few words with her best friend,
The mall was a crowded mess, as usual on a Saturday afternoon. After a brief stop in the food court to pick up some snack foods, they hit the stores and by God, they hit them hard. Sango and Kagome were 'speed shoppers' able to do what a normal shopper does in half the time, and more.
"Dad, why do Mom and Aunt Kagome run around so fast?" Shippou asked as he and Rin stood in the store beside Miroku. Kagome and Sango were running from one side of the store to the other, pausing only long enough to compare purchases before continuing.
Miroku shook his head sadly and smiled at his son. "You see Shippou, Mom and Kagome have internal radar that let's them sense any sale in a mile radius. It's just something women can do that men aren't meant to understand." Shippou stared at his father open-mouthed, then looked to his sister. Rin was admiring a pretty red dress on a clearance rack. Shippou started and looked back to his father, pointing to her. Miroku nodded. "See? It comes into effect even when they're young. Soon, the older ones will begin grooming her for shopping on her own."
Suddenly, Miroku was hit in the back of the head by a plastic hanger. Sango appeared with Kagome beside her, both of them holding full shopping bags, and Sango held the offensive hanger. "What are you filling my son's head with?" she demanded.
"Nothing my darling flower," Miroku said with a charming smile, one hand covering his head. "Just guy talk."
"Uh-huh, I know your idea of 'guy talk' Miroku, and I don't want you filling Shippou's head with it! He's just a little boy after all." Kagome nodded, moving her hands to cover Shippou's ears.
"He's still a fragile little mind. I don't want him tainted!" she said with a dark smile. "Yet." Sango rolled her eyes.
"Oh, enough you two. Miroku, go get Rin that dress she likes. Take Shippou too, in case he sees something he likes. Kagome and I will be in that store across the way."
"Yes ma'am," the dejected doctor said, walking off to collect his daughter and dragging his son along for the ride.
"Now then," Sango said with a smile, linking her arm with Kagome's. "We can have some quality time."
"Oh goodie!" Kagome laughed. Together they entered a small candle store, looking around as they spoke in low voices.
"Tell me about your friend, the one in your apartment yesterday," Sango said, poking her in the ribs. "You never told me that you were dating anyone, you fink!"
"I'm not dating him," Kagome denied quickly. "I just met him on Thursday." For a minute, Sango's eyes darkened.
"Where did you meet him?"
Kagome, a master at sensing potential doom, was quick to explain. "I met him in the bar I stopped off at after the meeting. No, I didn't pick him up or anything. You were at my apartment Friday morning and I was alone. It was just coincidence that he delivered my pizza. So I invited him in and we talked, that's it."
Sango nodded, eyes still narrowed. "I love you Kagome, I just want you to be careful, okay?"
"San, I'm fine! I'm not trying to kill myself or anyone around me. Yes, I got drunk one night, but that was one night! I'm not going on another binge. I swear to all things holy, this isn't going to turn into another fiasco."
Sango sighed and nodded. "I trust you Kag. I worry, that's all."
Kagome hugged Sango and smiled. "I know and I love you for it. It's going to take me a while to adjust to this and everything, but I've got you guys and Dad, I'll get through it and I'll be fine."
Sango grinned. "I know you will." There browed in companionable silence until Sango decided to try another tactic. "So, are you going to be ordering pizza more often now?"
Kagome giggled helplessly at the comment, causing the woman behind the counter to look at her with a raised eyebrow. Salespeople expected that behavior from teenaged girl, but not two grown women. When Kagome mastered herself, she continued. "As a matter of fact, I will be. At least until I give him my number. I forgot to yesterday. But I have his address, so it's all good."
"You know where he lives?!" Sango asked in a shocked whisper, dark eyes wide.
"Yeah, he rents the apartment above the bar. He was the bartender sweetie, not my drinking partner." Sango shook her head but didn't comment.
"Continue. I want to hear it all before I explode at you." Kagome grinned sheepishly.
"Well, he's a strange one, I'll give you that. Here I was, drunk to hell, and he was polite and didn't try anything. A gentleman, which is just strange. He even drove me home so I wouldn't kill myself." Sango was about to open her mouth, but Kagome quickly over-road her. "No, I didn't invite him in and he didn't ask. San, he knows my address anyway now because he delivered my pizza, so cool it." Sango held up her hands in submission, then prompted for Kagome to continue. "Well, after you left my place yesterday, I did what you suggested and ordered a pizza. And poof, there he was. So I invited him in and we talked for a while. Then you called, so we left, separately. But he asked if I wanted to work out sometime and I said I'd call a pizza and we'll talk. End of story."
"He asked you to work out with him?" Sango said in a sarcastic voice. "Are you sure that wasn't a sexual metaphor? How did he know you go to a gym at all?"
"My buns of steel?" Kagome joked. Sango glared so she continued. "He knew who I was when I went into the bar, same as I knew him. Inuyasha Dai."
"So he's a fan of yours it doesn't mean that he's not a stalker or--" Sango paused mid-lecture and stared at Kagome with her mouth hanging open. "Did you just say Inuyasha Dai?"
"Yes."
"THE Inuyasha Dai?"
"Uh-huh."
"The one that we used to worship in high school? The one we had posters of all over our rooms? The one we used to be in love with to the point of no return? The one we cut school to see when he was fighting a match in Denver?"
"The very same," Kagome agreed, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "And let me say he's no less gorgeous now then he was when we were seventeen."
"AHH! I HATE YOU!" Sango screamed, chasing Kagome from the store. The ex-fighter laughed hysterically as they ran in circles around a coke machine.
"He said his name when you called, didn't you realize who he was?" Kagome yelled over her shoulder.
"I was too busy faxing a contract to Seattle, I wasn't paying attention!" she yelled back, finally stopping to pant. "You have the weirdest luck cycle in the world, do you know that? Every time something bad happens to you, something good happens right after."
"That's because everything bad that happens to me is really bad," Kagome responded, barely winded as she leaned against the machine while Sango sunk into a seat on the nearby bench. "Let's look at the list, shall we?" Sango nodded, arranging her bags beside her and reclining back. "My mother died when I was two."
"Your father got invited to the Kiyomatsu tournament and came in the fourth position, winning enough prize money to build the karate school," Sango replied rationally.
"Dad hurt his back for life."
"Meaning that you become ten times as strong as other women fighters because of the chores you do at home, making you a champion in all the women's tournaments you ever entered."
"That time when the jerks from high school jacked my car, meaning I had no way to get around and I lost my job at the restaurant because I had no way to get there on time after school," Kagome said, thinking back to her high school days.
"Ah, but that was when you met Hojo and he fixed you car. Then he asked you out and became your first boyfriend," Sango said with a fond smile. Kagome returned it, thinking back on her first love.
"Hojo," she said sadly, the smile fading and her blue eyes darkened. "Hojo and the booze."
Sango gave her a small smile. "After the Hojo affair you received the contract to become a sponsored fighter on the circuit. You gave up drinking. Then you started touring and became the nationals title champion for three years."
"Now I can't fight anymore," Kagome said without a tone, but bitterness filled her eyes.
"But you met Inuyasha Dai, your hero for God's sakes."
"Yeah, now he's a pizza boy by day and bartender by night. Fascinating right?"
"Don't go down the self-pity trail Kag," Sango warned. Kagome stopped her thoughts, knowing that life hadn't been the trip of joys for Sango either.
"Yeah, I'm sorry."
"It's nothing," Sango assured her. "But we should get back to Miroku before the kids destroy him." Both women laughed, linking arms once more and rejoining the doctor and the children.
After the shopping spree, Kagome bid the tired children and parents farewell and left for her apartment from the mall. The rest of the day was spent in a haze of putting away purchases and piecing together a meal from the meager food that was still in her apartment. She went to sleep early, not really sure why she was suddenly so tired.
Sunday was a slow, dreary day. Kagome went food shopping to replenish the fridge from the number she and Inuyasha pulled on it that Friday. For a while, she fought with herself about calling for a pizza, just to talk with him again, but she thought against it. She called her father instead. They talked of idle things. Toutousai tried his best to cheer up his daughter and Kagome tried her best to act cheered. She hated making her father worry about her, even if she was feeling shitty. They talked about things back home, and Toutousai accidentally-on-purpose mentioned that now that she had time off, she should come home for a while. Kagome complimented his subtlety, and agreed to consider it. Then they moved on to a more neutral topic.
Sango and Miroku's fourth wedding anniversary was in the first week of June, a month and a half away. Kagome, Toutousai and Sango's father were all in league on their present. An all-expenses paid vacation for the week. It was going to be a surprise, but so far they were yet to pick a location. And Kagome was still arguing with Sango's father, Hiko, about who would get to baby-sit the kids while the parents were gone.
After two hours of running up her phone bill, Kagome and her father said goodbye. The rest of her Sunday, Kagome alternated between watching TV and reading a book. She fought the urge for alcohol, wanting to make the pain and the anger and the bitter disappointment go away. Just for those few blissful hours. But she had made a promise to Sango and she would not break it, she wouldn't go back to the bottle. Again she turned in early. She thought that maybe her urge to sleep had something to do with her recent unemployment. Just a theory.
Monday was a partly cloudy day, something perfectly aligned with Kagome's mood. It went from moment to moment, but she was living. She was coping. That day, she spent most of the morning not getting out of bed, but by noon she broke down. She showered, changed, and called Myouga's for a pizza.
"Myouga's House of Pizza, can I take your order?" chirped Nazuna.
"Hi, I'd like a large pepperoni and a dozen garlic knots please," Kagome responded. "Delivery to Garden Terrace, Apartment 7A."
"Sure, our delivery person will be there in thirty minutes, or your pizza is half price."
"C-could I have Inuyasha deliver it?" Kagome asked with a second's hesitation.
"Sure," Nazuna said, not even the slightest change in her voice. "We get that request a lot, can't imagine why." Then she laughed, a kind of high pitched giggle that came from a bubbly high schooler. Kagome snorted.
"Thanks Nazuna," she said cheerily, hanging up the phone before the girl could respond. Then she fell backwards on to her couch and waited for the tell-tale knock on her door.
It came twenty minutes later, accompanied by a less-than-amused voice. "Oy wench, open the door before the smell of pepperoni drives me to pizza-theft."
Kagome opened the door and Inuyasha let himself in. "Good afternoon to you as well, Mr. Sunshine," she quipped, taking the food from his hands and putting it in the kitchen.
"Feh, right," he commented, taking off his hat and glasses and chucking them on her couch two second before throwing himself beside them.
"Make yourself at home," Kagome commented, eating a knot and offering him the bag. He helped himself with a smirk. "How's work darling?" she asked dryly.
"Oh, it's smashing, love," he said, matching her tone before stuffing his mouth with garlic bread. "You had Nazuna worked up when I came in, yelling about a woman on the phone knowing who she was and asking about me."
Kagome snickered. "The girl is just too perky, I was frightened." Inuyasha snickered as well.
"Yeah, she can be a little scary. I'll give you that. But anyway," he said, discarding the subject of Nazuna for something a little more interesting. "What could you possibly want with little old me that you called my place of business?"
Kagome placed the back of her hand to her forehead in a dramatic gesture. "Alright, you caught me," she said with feeling, sinking to her knees on the couch beside him. "I find pizza boys irresistible, and I called you here so that I could imprison you for six years to be my illegal sex-bunny." Kagome looked utterly serious for a second, then she broke into an angelic smile before taking a large bite of her bread.
"Only for six years?" Inuyasha asked with a spark in his eye.
"Of course, after six years you'd be too old for me."
Inuyasha laughed. "You almost had me there," he commented.
"Who said I was joking?" she responded, raising her eyebrows. Then she smiled when his gold eyes widened. "You asked me to go for a work-out one day. Does the offer still stand?" she asked, tactfully changing the subject.
Inuyasha recovered quickly. "Sure it does, if you think you can handle it."
Kagome's blue eyes danced. "Is that a challenge?"
"Only if you take it as one," Inuyasha replied, reclining back with a cocky smirk.
"Oh, it's on now," Kagome confirmed with a nod.
"Good, we can go today if you want."
"What else have I got to do?" she added. It surprised her that it wasn't meant in a pitying way, more as a retort in order to get the last word. Something about this guy made her run circles to impress, rather then her usual laid-back attitude. It could be a bad thing since she liked it. Worse then that, she was starting to like him. And Kagome Higurashi never did have much luck with men.
"Well grab your gear, I'll give you a lift," Inuyasha said.
"You have your gear?"
"In my trunk always, just in case, you know."
"Right," Kagome said while rolling her eyes. Inuyasha threw a knot at her.
"You're burning daylight wench, let's get going."
"Fine, but if you call me that again, I'll only beat you up later." Inuyasha smirked as she went to her room to grab some stuff for the gym. He liked this one, she had some spunk. And he had always liked the fiery ones.
Kagome reemerged quicker then he expected, bag in hand. "Well, quit day-dreaming mister. Now whose burning daylight?" They both smiled at one another and departed for the Shrine House.
It was a good sized place, the Shrine House. It was run by an old woman named Kaede. If she had a last name, no one knew it. The gym itself was built for training martial artists, but the second floor was for normal athletes. There were even rumors about Kaede giving the okay for a pool to be built later that summer. But a rumor was a rumor, and for right now, there was no pool. On the first floor, the floor where Inuyasha and Kagome trained, there was a fighting ring in the center, surrounded by a wide selection of practice tools and training space.
Kagome and Inuyasha parted for the locker rooms to change into their respective training gear. For Inuyasha, it was a plain white gi, no footwear, and a tie to keep his unusually long hair out of his way. For Kagome it was sweatpants, no footwear, and a special binding for her chest. There had once been great question of why she bound her chest with a layer of cloth bandage before she put on a sports bra but Kagome just asked those questioning her if they'd ever been drop-kicked in the chest. (A/N: For those who are curious, this is from personal experience, and it hurts like hell if you aren't protected!)
When the pair met up again outside, they began with a few warm-up exersices and a few comments back and forth about their wardrobe choice. Kagome got the brunt of that argument, but she only flashed him a smile and quoted that distraction is a very useful tool when one is fighting. In the middle of this session of conversation, they were interrupted by two men.
"Well well well, if it isn't Kagome Higurashi," one of them commented, giving her a once over. "Didn't think you'd have the nerve to show up here again."
Kagome glared with icy eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "And why wouldn't I, J.D.?"
"Word's out Higurashi," he replied with a smile. "You've been thrown out of the ring. Serves you right, you know. This is a man's sport. You just don't have the balls for it."
"Fuck you," Kagome said venomously, ready to begin a serious throw-down.
"Please do," J.D. laughed. "But then again, you wouldn't do that." He turned to his companion as he spoke now. "She's fridged you know. Some think she's anatomically incorrect. I think her husband fucked with her a little too much."
"That's it asshole!" Kagome growled, grabbing the front of his shirt and punching him across the jaw. She would have done more, but Inuyasha had grabbed her around the waist, tugging her back.
"Easy Kagome, don't do anything stupid," he whispered into her ear. "It's okay."
"Yeah well, fuck him," she responded, sniffing deeply and cracking her neck to one side. J.D., otherwise known as James Dawson Gregoro, was also a nationals champion who had been on tour with Kagome. He was the resident playboy of the group, who had been trying to sleep with Kagome for three years. He didn't take no for an answer, and if he got what Kagome gave him--which was usually her fist--then he'd strike at her in other ways.
"Yeah, big talk now that you're off the tour," J.D. said, rubbing his jaw. "This is what happens when a woman tries to become a man." He stalked off, the other guy trailing behind, but giving Kagome an apologetic look.
"Fuck," Kagome growled, pulling herself out of Inuyasha's arms. "Why in the name of hell did I have to be a girl?" she said in frustration. "This entire life would have been much easier had I been a man."
"Hey," Inuyasha said with a shrug. "I'm glad you were born a girl."
"And why the fuck is that?" she retorted indignantly.
"A nice view," he said with a grin. Kagome opened her mouth to say something, then shut it, speechless as a blush spread across her cheeks. Inuyasha enjoyed that. But then he was struck with a thought. "That guy, he said you had a husband."
Kagome recovered slowly, but she shook her head. "Well yeah, he would say that, the little fucker." She sighed, running a hand through her ebony hair and holding it back for a second. "I was married when I was twenty."
"Not anymore?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly very interested. Kagome looked a little sad.
"No, not anymore." Clearly it was a sore subject, so he didn't bring it up again.
"Well come on then Miss Higurashi," Inuyasha commented. "You have to show me your moves." She laughed a little, smiling. "There you go," Inuyasha said, proud of himself. He loved when he could make her do that, strange as it was. "Come on then."
"Sure, but you asked for it."
"I ask for a lot of things, Kagome, but I think I'll be getting this one."
"Oh, you'll get me Inuyasha," Kagome said with a sly smile. "You'll get my fist at least."
"A little goes a long way," he quipped.
That was when they took the practice ring. It was free from other occupants, so they had the full ring to play around with. Kagome took one corner, Inuyasha the opposite. For a few moments, they only showed off some of their moves, hoping to psyche the other out. Neither budged, it wasn't in their personalities. When they came together in the ring, they bowed, then took a stance. At the same moment, both leapt forward, meeting fist-to-fist.
"You're pretty strong," Inuyasha noticed, moving his hand quickly to capture her wrist and twisting himself and her arms so that he held it to her back.
"So are you," she commented before twisting herself under his range and freeing her arm. Then bringing up her leg to his abdomen. Inuyasha swiveled his stomach to avoid the blow, then made a kick of his own. Kagome went under it, coming back with an uppercut that Inuyasha barely dodged.
"You're pretty fast too." He pushed her forward with his elbow, but she bent her leg up behind her and caught him on the side of the head.
"I try." Inuyasha caught her by the arm and moved around to pin her again, but she was used to this trick and planted her foot between his knees in order to trip him. Inuyasha caught the move before she could use it and pulled her forward so that she was now pressed against him, their faces only a few inches apart. Both were panting and it was an adrenaline filled moment. Neither moved for a moment.
"You're better then I thought," Inuyasha rasped. He was unsure of what to do. Some part of him was saying that there was far too much distance between him and her mouth. But another part of him was saying to take that step back and put more room between them. If he didn't, this would turn out the same way it had with Kikyou. A man could only take so much. But a man could also only be pushed so far. There had been offers in the past three years, sure. He was not ignorant of his looks and how women liked them. But he had never been tempted, not until this woman. Maybe she wasn't the unquestioned beauty that Kikyou had been. Her face was plainer and her hair wasn't as glossy and perfect. But when she smiled, the way her dark blue eyes were just sparkling. The way she looked when she was fighting for the last word. And how warm her body was against his. He was only a man, after all.
"Seems like you haven't lost your edge," Kagome breathed. She was confused. There was that part of her that wished more than anything for him to just leaned down that little bit so that his mouth would touch hers. There was that other little part that was calling her a moron for not reaching up and doing it herself. But then again, that rational part of her brain was telling her that this shouldn't be happening, not yet anyway. Too much, too soon, her head would explode from it all. But when she was around him, it seemed that the world wasn't moving so fast. Over the weekend, Kagome had decided that everything was leaving her behind, that she no longer had a purpose or a place. But when he was around, she had a place by his side. His eyes were magnetic and honest, they held the understanding she needed so much. He knew everything she was feeling and more. Sure, she had dated since Hojo, but she had never wanted to be kissed by a man so badly in all her life. That was why it hurt when he stepped away.
"Maybe that's enough for today," he said with a shrug.
"Sure," Kagome said with a smile. "We should do it again some time."
"I'd like that. you could help me keep in shape. You're hard to get a hold of."
"I'm even harder to let go of," she commented. Then she smiled and left the ring for the locker room. Inuyasha watched her go, thinking that she had no idea how right she was.
He dropped her off at home a little while later. By that time, they had coordinated their workout schedules with one another. Monday and Friday afternoons as well as Saturday mornings, the pair of them would train together. When Kagome got back to her apartment, she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing, seeing him three times a week. That thought was dismissed as quickly as it had come. Now that she knew him, she didn't want to stop just because he didn't kiss her. Maybe he would. She wished that he would. Little did she know that as he drove away, Inuyasha was wishing the same thing.
A/N: Yay, that was a long chapter. Wow. Well, chapter 5 is going to pick up a few weeks later and we'll see how their 'relationship' has grown over the change in time. I also want to make it known that this fic was created by the inspiration by the movie 'The Quest' and under the influence of the song 'Dare you to Move' by Switchfoot. I think it represents this story perfectly. Okay, a few quick reader-messages and I'm gone. Thanks for reading and please remember to review!
Leomae: That's okay, I was just kidding around. I'm glad you knew who it was . It makes it extra funny when it actually happens. Well, you were right about Sango, she just had to be reminded a little is all. I know technically it's not 'fluff' fluff, it's more sexual tension then fluff. You see, both of them are kind of hesitant and I don't want them to just forget emotional trouble and just be all over each other, but it does get more physical down the road. You will get your fluff, I guarantee it. Thanks for the review!
Setsuna-3000: Thanks for loving it, I do too. I hurried and here is the next part. I'm getting really happy with this, so I think I may write this exclusively for the next week or so. I think it'll be around 13 or so chapters, I dunno for sure yet. Thanks for the review!
KireiHanyou Ko: I thought the chat was cute, hehe. Not much of a fight seen, but they were going easy on each other. The real fighting doesn't start for a few chapters yet. After I tweak with them some more, hehe! Thanks for reading and the review!
Josie: Your reviews are such a pleasure to read. I am so thrilled that you enjoy this story so much. Maybe you'll stick around and read my next one. Already working out the idea for when I finish up with this. Repetition is okay, if you like it that much I can never get tired with hearing about it! Yes, Inuyasha is a pizza boy, but he quits eventually. One can not grow when one delivers pizza. So how did you like their next encounter? Thanks for the review!
LilNezumi LilInu: Thanks for loving it. And you know, I thought about having her try that, pretend to be a guy and all of that, but I thought against it. Although Kagome may be tall enough to pull it off, I like having her stick to be a feminine character. She may not like being a guy, but I do. But I will foreshadow by saying she gets into the ring again, but not in the way all might expect. Thanks for the review!