a/n :: Chapter two revised (2.5.04)
Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha, Rei, Tasuki, Thats, and a bottle of Sprite. Actually I'm lying. All I have ish the bottle of Sprite. So don't sue me, I spent a good $1.99 on that bottle of Sprite, IT'S MINE~!
____________________________
To Be With You Tomorrow
Part One :: Aftermath of Naraku
Chapter Two :: Kagome's Overly Jealous, Violently Possessive, Two-Timing Boyfriend
Inuyasha walked from the wellhouse towards Kagome's home, effortlessly leaping from the ground to the tree by her window. Opening the window with a deft twist of his wrist he moved across from the branch to the windowsill--
--and pouted. "She's not here."
The emptiness of the room seemed to gape at him, and his mouth drew into a tight frown as he landed on the floor in a crouch. Over the years that she had lived in this house, her familiar, beloved scent had seeped into every nook and cranny of this one place, and when he entered it, the perky aroma always seemed to waft out to embrace him.
Calm and peaceful, he curled up in the corner by her bookcase, folding his arms. *I'll just wait until she comes back...*
~*~
Kagome sighed in aggravation. "Eri, tell me again, WHY did I let myself get talked into this??" At the look on Kagome's face, Eri laughed. "Awh, c'mon, Kagome, it is that bad??"
Kagome looked at the seven grade-school kids she had in tow behind her. "Yes, it is!! Watching a party of my little brother's friends so they can have Babies' Day Out totally throws my life outta whack!"
"Well at least you mother said you could have some of your friends with you to keep you company, ne?" Yuka asked and Houjou agreed. Kagome discreetly gave Houjou a disgusted glance. *Houjou-kun is like a six year old himself~~ Why are you agreeing, you were playing WITH them~~~!*
On the insisting of Souta, Ms. Higurashi had agreed that he could have a party of friends to sleep over for the weekend, and she had laid out a budget for them: four hours at the arcades and dinner at a fast food place. The only thing was, at the last moment Ms Higurashi and Kagome's jii-chan were called to shrine business--
--leaving Kagome to take care of the kids.
However, Mama was a generous woman --how could she not be; she let her daughter skip school ever-constantly to travel back in time 500 years and fight demons-- and she said that Kagome could have some friends over as well, to help watch the kids. Kagome called over Eri, Yuka and Ayumi, and when they had met at the arcade, they had met up with Houjou-kun, who was also invited --by Eri, Yuka and Arisa-- to hang out.
Kagome, as usual, had been pushed into hanging out with the bullheaded student who never gave up on her, even when she told him it was alright to. He had been at her side all day, even though she was giving 'stay away' signs. She thought she was, anyway.
But then, they never worked on Inuyasha, so maybe she had to work on her signs...?
*Just yesterday he asked me AGAIN~ Seeing as how I've now stood him up twice, escaped the date halfway through three times and not answered him at all five times, you'd think he'd get the picture, but apparently--*
"Ne, Kagome."
Kagome was brought out of her thoughts by Eri, and as if on cue, the other leaned over and asked, "Now would be the PERFECT time to take Houjou-kun up on that date, ne?"
Kagome actually had to restrain herself from face-vaulting to the floor. They were on the Higurashi shrine steps, so that would've hurt especially. "N-n-n-n-n-n-nnaaa~~~ni~~~??? I-I can't do that~~!!!" Kagome wailed and Yuka shrugged. "Why not? You still haven't answered him, right?"
"Cause she's still going out with that overly jealous, violently possessive, two-timing guy..." Ayumi said with a roll of her eyes and Yuka gasped. "Kagome, are you really...?!!"
Not knowing what else to say, Kagome said defensively, "Well, yeah..." Eri sighed, taking Kagome's hands in her own. "Kagome, listen to me, he's really not good for you. You need someone kind and gentle and caring and sweet. Like Houjou-kun. Not like your--"
"INUYASHA~!!!"
Everyone --Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, Houjou, Souta and the other six brats-- all leaped purely out of shock at hearing Kagome's voice at that decibel.
Kagome on the other hand was absolutely shocked at seeing the hanyou standing on her lawn. And said hanyou was startled out of his wits at hearing her squeal like that.
Actually Inuyasha himself didn't look all that surprising. He had a baseball cap, turned around backwards, on his head, hiding his dog ears. And his haori and hakama blended perfectly with the shrine backdrop, as long at you didn't mention it was made from a demon called a hi-nezumi, else people would wonder. But it was just that he was THERE that surprised her.
For once --without notice of his fangs, claws, and dog ears-- Inuyasha looked like a normal teenage boy. And after the hectic day Kagome had had, she was happy to see him.
"Inuyasha~~!!" She ran at him, throwing her arms around his ribs. His feelings for the young miko exposed, Inuyasha was surprised and a little embarrassed, and his face told everyone so with the beet red color he knew he was turning. Regardless, he was secretly delighted. Just seeing her made him feel better. "Oi, Kagome! Don't hug me like that, I can't breathe!"
She loosened her hold but remained stuck to him, looking up into his face. "Gomen. Why are you here?" she asked and he grimaced. "Is that the kinda welcome I get? Happy as hell to see me and then suddenly why the hell are you here? Can't I just come and see you?"
Kagome blinked a bit at that. "You came to see me?"
"Kagome?"
Kagome turned, and gawked. Everyone, even though they had vanished from her thoughts the moment she saw Inuyasha, they had NOT --much to Kagome's shock and displeasure-- disappeared from reality.
All of them, including poor clueless Houjou-kun, were staring. The girls looked tentative, and all three of them were blushing. Souta was the only one who reacted. He ran up, grasping Inuyasha's sleeve. "Inuyasha-niichan!!"
The hanyou grinned and rubbed Souta's black hair affectionately. "Hey Souta-gaki."
Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha, these are my friends, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi and Houjou-kun. Minna, this is Inuyasha."
They all looked at Inuyasha, who was silently cursing Houjou to hell. Not that the junior high school student knew it, but the hanyou from the other world already did not have a good first impression of him.
Strike one was that Houjou was a guy to begin with. Subconsciously Inuyasha was wondering, *Why the HELL is some MALE hanging out with my Kagome?*
Strike two was Kagome's 'Houjou-kun.' *Wait,* Subconscious-Inu said, *You mean the SAME '-kun' she uses talking about that wimpy wolf Kouga??*
Snarl.
He felt Kagome's squeeze on his hand and he glanced down at her. She gestured to the group and quickly Inuyasha realized that he had yet to speak, and Kagome had already properly introduced him.
Not that Inuyasha was proper or polite, but it hadn't helped Kagome's image for him to look like a idiot in front of her company. And the simple thought of maybe embarrassing Kagome was enough to get Inuyasha's rear in gear, but then he found himself in another rut.
Because all at once he felt the dagger-like stare of the four other teens' eyes and quickly his envy at Kagome being around another male was replaced by sheer, unleashed nervousness. He felt his ears press against his head, unnoticed by the group of course thanks to the cap Ms Higurashi had given him, but it was a reaction he'd had ever since he was a child, compounded by a dog-like whimper, which he managed to hold back.
Gods, he hated being stared at.
Kagome apparently noticed how nervous he got, because she gave his hand a light squeeze before saying to the others, "Sorry, he's a little shy."
"Uhm, hey..." Inuyasha mumbled with genuinely nervous grin, to which every girl turned bright red and spun around, not facing him, which only confused the poor hanyou. Kagome gave him an encouraging smile, which helped more than she thought it would. He found his voice again and babbled the first thing he could think of.
"So uhm, you guys go to... school... with Kagome?"
Kagome was shocked he had even remembered the word, and Ayumi nodded, her face a slight shade of pink. "Uhm, yeah we do.. we're in the same class."
Dead end, he grumbled to himself. Inuyasha had no idea what 'class' was, so he changed the subject. "Yeah… Kagome's always complaining about tests..."
"Don't you?" Eri intoned, agreeing with Ayumi, and he nodded. "I hate 'em! I don't understand half of the spells in those books of yours."
All of Kagome's thought processes screeched to a halt and to cover it up she laughed loudly. "Spells, spells. Spelling! Inuyasha can't spell. Ha ha, Inuyasha here hates tests, it's a surprise we're still together, seeing as how I love to go to school and he would drop out if his mother would let him!"
The girls let it pass and Yuka changed the subject. "What grade are you in?" Inuyasha's mouth hung open a bit, at a loss. Helplessly he glanced at Kagome and she mouthed the words 'second year' at him. He blinked and looked back at them. "Second year."
"In high school!?!" Ayumi, Eri and Yuka demanded and vaguely Inuyasha nodded, not really knowing what 'high school' was either, but he figured it was a good thing if they sounded that pleased. And then Kagome disappeared.
She had been yanked aside by her friends and the three other girls now huddled around Kagome, their faces demanding, even though all of them were blushing quite badly. "Kagome-chan!~!"
"Na-nani yo?!!" Kagome demanded aggravatedly, and Eri gaped at her. "THAT's him?! That adorable..."
"...gorgeous..." added Yuka,
"...sweet-looking..." supplied Ayumi, and Eri took over again. "...downright hunky HIGH SCHOOLER is your overly jealous..."
"...violently possessive..." continued Yuka,
"...two timing boyfriend~!?!" Ayumi finished.
Kagome sighed. "Of COURSE he is. I don't know that many boys who are in high school, you know." Yuka gasped. "How in the world did you snag him, Kagome!?!"
*Actually he was asleep, bound to the Goshinboku by a sacred arrow through his heart and I woke him up...* Kagome thought with an almost evil snicker. She wondered what her friends would say if she told them that, but then made up a quick lie. "Oh, well, he's from a shrine family too, and we met one time when my mother brought me on business with her and Jii-chan."
"That explains his clothes, anyway..." Ayumi murmured, and Yuka sighed. "He's so traditional!"
"He's so handsome!" Eri murmured, and the other two sighed deeply in agreement. Kagome stared. *Lord, they're acting as if they just saw a movie star or something...*
Somehow the thought that her three friends had the hots for the guy she was in love with didn't sit well with the teenager and she marched over to Inuyasha and snagged his arm. "Let's go in, okay?"
Confused but not at all upset that she was hanging on him, the hanyou nodded. "Uhm, yeah."
Souta's munchkin gang had already invaded the house and the quartet of teens followed suit. Inuyasha sniffed the air curiously, catching a scent he hadn't smelled in awhile. Then he grinned. "Hey, ramen!!"
From the kitchen, Ms Higurashi smiled. "Yes, it's for you, Inuyasha. Ah, I see you met up with Kagome-chan."
"Yeah she was outside." The hanyou took off with his ramen and Kagome leaned forward to her mother. "Thanks for giving him that hat, Mama." she whispered and the older woman smiled. "Not a problem at all. I found him asleep in your room when I returned from business with your grandfather. I think he'd been here for awhile, waiting for you."
Kagome gasped, turning to look at the demi-inuyoukai, who was busily munching away at the cup ramen her mother had provided. Ayumi, Eri and Yuka were watching him almost as though he were doing something worthy of a Nobel Prize, and Kagome felt her envy flare.
It was bad enough the one woman who actually flirted with him before HAD his attention--even if she WAS dead-- but now being able to have more options at his disposal pissed Kagome off and she stomped in, flopping down violently next to him and clasping his arm. Inuyasha glanced down at her. "Oi, Kagome, I can't eat with you attached to me like that."
"Deal with it."
For another hour the group stayed at Kagome's house. Quite possibly the biggest event of the night was when Souta declared that he, the great Higurashi Souta, was MUCH stronger than Inuyasha no niichan. Inuyasha, taking it as a challenge, promptly stood and grabbed Souta's ankles, flipping the boy over and hanging him upside in mid-air.
After that of course, every boy in Souta's munchkin parade wanted to be hung upside down-- they, like Souta had taken a great liking to the dog hanyou. And then a huge wrestling match broke out between seven 2nd graders and a half-demon. Needless to say, it was all the boys could do to stay ON Inuyasha, never mind hold him down. He picked them off the same way he picked off old Myouga nomi-jiichan.
It was 8 pm when Houjou and the girls decided it was time to go.
Houjou, clueless as always and having missed the fact that Kagome had spent most of her time with Inuyasha, looked over at Kagome. "Hey, Higurashi-san, what do you say about my offer for Sunday?"
The girl fidgeted nervously underneath his gaze. "Uhm.."
Yuka, Eri and Ayumi were there in seconds, crowding around Kagome, and Inuyasha watched protectively --confused more than anything, but protectively anyway.
Kagome glanced from Houjou's hopeful face to her friends glowering over her and back again, and then her eyes met Inuyasha's. He looked confused, but simply looking at him made her decision for her. She smiled at Houjou. "Gomen ne, Houjou-kun, but I won't be able to go out on dates with you anymore..."
The boy was disappointed, but his feathers were unruffled as he responded, "I see. Have your illnesses gotten that bad?"
Faceplant.
Jumping up, Kagome slapped a hand to her forehead. *Houjou-kun, has anyone ever told what a BIRDBRAIN you are~~????*
~*~
"Sheesh he's aggravating..." Kagome muttered, drying her hair with a towel. Inuyasha was sitting at the end of her bed, watching her as she went to sit at her desk. She turned to face him, and watched in amusement as his ears flicked at the air, free of the hat. "So, when do you want to go back to Sengoku-jidai?"
"Uhm... whenever you want to... I sorta wanted to spend some time with you here..." Inuyasha mumbled so quietly he wasn't sure if Kagome had heard him. He turned his face away, trying not to blush as much. *Dammit, this blushing shit has got to stop...*
Kagome watched him silently and then smiled, a bit embarrassed, but happy. Her heart did a flip-flop in her chest when he said that. "You just came to spend time with me?"
Bright red blush. "A..aa..."
He turned to look at her, his eyes glittering in a way that only incandescent light made them. She smiled at him and went to the bed, laying on her stomach and hugging him around the shoulders. "That makes me really happy, Inuyasha!!"
She knew what had happened a week ago was still bothering him. Surprisingly, it only bothered her a little bit, knowing she had actually died. Kagome didn't worry too much about it. What mattered was that she was alive now, and still with Inuyasha.
But it worried him more now than ever. She had stayed behind for a week with no supplies for that reason alone, but finally decided she HAD to return when she no longer had any clean underwear. He hadn't put up too much of a fuss, but it was because of that that she had wondered how he was doing.
She had never seen him as lost as he had been in the days after the fight with Naraku. He seemed fine now, but…
"Hey, Kagome...?"
"Yeah?"
"What's a date? I heard you say it before, to that Houjou guy."
Kagome blinked and glanced at him. He was glaring at the wall but she knew he wasn't seeing it. She pursed her lips, realizing he was reading to go off if she said the wrong thing. "Uhm... it's where two people... who really like each other go out to spend time together. Just the two of them."
"You mean... like lovers?"
Kagome felt her face go red. "Y-yeah.. Why are you asking me this anyway?!"
Inuyasha still wouldn't look at her, nor did he answer her question. Instead he continued his interrogation. "You told that Houjou guy you can't go on any 'more' dates with him... meaning you've been with him to one?"
Kagome narrowed her eyes, talking slowly, a little embarrassed. *He's fine. He's probably mad at me... like he has the right to be, but...* She shrugged. "Maybe...a few.... But it was just so I wouldn't hurt his feelings. He's sort of not all there so it's hard to tell him outright no."
"Do you love him?"
Kagome sat up straight, leaping back from the hanyou as if he were on fire. "That's none of your business!" Inuyasha turned to look at her finally, leaned against the edge of the bed. He looked a bit hurt, and a lot betrayed. "So you do…?"
Kagome softened at the expression on his face and she lowered herself again, her face close to his as she rested her hands on his forearms. "Inuyasha, Houjou-kun is just a friend."
"Really?"
Kagome looked at him a bit closer and after a moment burst out laughing. Inuyasha, startled, reeled back and blinked. Watching Kagome laugh at him, anger built up in him until he demanded, "Wh-what the hell are you laughing at, wench!!"
"The green monster rears its ugly head yet again!!"
"What!?"
"You're jealous!!" stated Kagome and Inuyasha blushed. "I-I-I... I am NOT!!"
Kagome wiped a tear from her eye and asked, "So your NOT jealous?" Inuyasha spun around, facing the wall again and Kagome leaned forward, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's okay~ I sorta like knowing you get jealous for me."
Inuyasha glanced at her sideways. Her scent was drowning him, she was so close. All he would have to do is lean a bit and he could kiss her... It took all of his willpower to hold back from her. "Yeah?"
She nodded, practically cheek to cheek with him. "Yeah. It makes me feel better..."
*Better, like you actually love me... even if just for a moment, it makes me forget that you're still in love with Kikyou.*
They were quiet for a long moment and then Inuyasha sighed, leaning his head back to rest on her shoulder. *I'm completely at peace when I'm with you... You make me feel so good...* He tilted his head, his lips grazing her cheek. *I'm so glad I met you Kagome!*
Kagome froze, feeling Inuyasha's lips brush her cheek. *What is he doing--!?! Is he--?!!*
"MOU ECCHI! OSUWARI!!"
THUD! CRASH!! Obediently Inuyasha made acquaintances with the floor, and Kagome reeled back, gasping. *D-d-d-d-d-d-d....... didhejust...........kiss me?!!!*
Instead of leaping up as he always did with a good rant, Inuyasha sat up slowly once the spell had worn off, his fingers touching his lips lightly and his face a soft shade of pink. *What was I THINKING!!??!!*
He turned a bit, to look at Kagome. She was staring at him, her hands clutched to her chest in shock, and he swallowed. "............Sorry..."
That was even more of a shock. *Did he just apologize??!!!* Then Inuyasha lifted up a piece of the lamp that had gone down with him when she sat him. He'd hit the cord and it had fallen from the desk. "If you hadn'tve sat me, bitch, you wouldn've broken your stupid lamp!! Idiot."
Kagome's left eye twitched and a vein stood out at her temple. "Inu...yasha..."
"Eh?!"
"Osuwari!"
~*~ To be continued ~*~
a/n :: ^-^
~*~ V^-^V ~*~
Tessen
Disclaimer: I own Inuyasha, Rei, Tasuki, Thats, and a bottle of Sprite. Actually I'm lying. All I have ish the bottle of Sprite. So don't sue me, I spent a good $1.99 on that bottle of Sprite, IT'S MINE~!
____________________________
To Be With You Tomorrow
Part One :: Aftermath of Naraku
Chapter Two :: Kagome's Overly Jealous, Violently Possessive, Two-Timing Boyfriend
Inuyasha walked from the wellhouse towards Kagome's home, effortlessly leaping from the ground to the tree by her window. Opening the window with a deft twist of his wrist he moved across from the branch to the windowsill--
--and pouted. "She's not here."
The emptiness of the room seemed to gape at him, and his mouth drew into a tight frown as he landed on the floor in a crouch. Over the years that she had lived in this house, her familiar, beloved scent had seeped into every nook and cranny of this one place, and when he entered it, the perky aroma always seemed to waft out to embrace him.
Calm and peaceful, he curled up in the corner by her bookcase, folding his arms. *I'll just wait until she comes back...*
~*~
Kagome sighed in aggravation. "Eri, tell me again, WHY did I let myself get talked into this??" At the look on Kagome's face, Eri laughed. "Awh, c'mon, Kagome, it is that bad??"
Kagome looked at the seven grade-school kids she had in tow behind her. "Yes, it is!! Watching a party of my little brother's friends so they can have Babies' Day Out totally throws my life outta whack!"
"Well at least you mother said you could have some of your friends with you to keep you company, ne?" Yuka asked and Houjou agreed. Kagome discreetly gave Houjou a disgusted glance. *Houjou-kun is like a six year old himself~~ Why are you agreeing, you were playing WITH them~~~!*
On the insisting of Souta, Ms. Higurashi had agreed that he could have a party of friends to sleep over for the weekend, and she had laid out a budget for them: four hours at the arcades and dinner at a fast food place. The only thing was, at the last moment Ms Higurashi and Kagome's jii-chan were called to shrine business--
--leaving Kagome to take care of the kids.
However, Mama was a generous woman --how could she not be; she let her daughter skip school ever-constantly to travel back in time 500 years and fight demons-- and she said that Kagome could have some friends over as well, to help watch the kids. Kagome called over Eri, Yuka and Ayumi, and when they had met at the arcade, they had met up with Houjou-kun, who was also invited --by Eri, Yuka and Arisa-- to hang out.
Kagome, as usual, had been pushed into hanging out with the bullheaded student who never gave up on her, even when she told him it was alright to. He had been at her side all day, even though she was giving 'stay away' signs. She thought she was, anyway.
But then, they never worked on Inuyasha, so maybe she had to work on her signs...?
*Just yesterday he asked me AGAIN~ Seeing as how I've now stood him up twice, escaped the date halfway through three times and not answered him at all five times, you'd think he'd get the picture, but apparently--*
"Ne, Kagome."
Kagome was brought out of her thoughts by Eri, and as if on cue, the other leaned over and asked, "Now would be the PERFECT time to take Houjou-kun up on that date, ne?"
Kagome actually had to restrain herself from face-vaulting to the floor. They were on the Higurashi shrine steps, so that would've hurt especially. "N-n-n-n-n-n-nnaaa~~~ni~~~??? I-I can't do that~~!!!" Kagome wailed and Yuka shrugged. "Why not? You still haven't answered him, right?"
"Cause she's still going out with that overly jealous, violently possessive, two-timing guy..." Ayumi said with a roll of her eyes and Yuka gasped. "Kagome, are you really...?!!"
Not knowing what else to say, Kagome said defensively, "Well, yeah..." Eri sighed, taking Kagome's hands in her own. "Kagome, listen to me, he's really not good for you. You need someone kind and gentle and caring and sweet. Like Houjou-kun. Not like your--"
"INUYASHA~!!!"
Everyone --Eri, Yuka, Ayumi, Houjou, Souta and the other six brats-- all leaped purely out of shock at hearing Kagome's voice at that decibel.
Kagome on the other hand was absolutely shocked at seeing the hanyou standing on her lawn. And said hanyou was startled out of his wits at hearing her squeal like that.
Actually Inuyasha himself didn't look all that surprising. He had a baseball cap, turned around backwards, on his head, hiding his dog ears. And his haori and hakama blended perfectly with the shrine backdrop, as long at you didn't mention it was made from a demon called a hi-nezumi, else people would wonder. But it was just that he was THERE that surprised her.
For once --without notice of his fangs, claws, and dog ears-- Inuyasha looked like a normal teenage boy. And after the hectic day Kagome had had, she was happy to see him.
"Inuyasha~~!!" She ran at him, throwing her arms around his ribs. His feelings for the young miko exposed, Inuyasha was surprised and a little embarrassed, and his face told everyone so with the beet red color he knew he was turning. Regardless, he was secretly delighted. Just seeing her made him feel better. "Oi, Kagome! Don't hug me like that, I can't breathe!"
She loosened her hold but remained stuck to him, looking up into his face. "Gomen. Why are you here?" she asked and he grimaced. "Is that the kinda welcome I get? Happy as hell to see me and then suddenly why the hell are you here? Can't I just come and see you?"
Kagome blinked a bit at that. "You came to see me?"
"Kagome?"
Kagome turned, and gawked. Everyone, even though they had vanished from her thoughts the moment she saw Inuyasha, they had NOT --much to Kagome's shock and displeasure-- disappeared from reality.
All of them, including poor clueless Houjou-kun, were staring. The girls looked tentative, and all three of them were blushing. Souta was the only one who reacted. He ran up, grasping Inuyasha's sleeve. "Inuyasha-niichan!!"
The hanyou grinned and rubbed Souta's black hair affectionately. "Hey Souta-gaki."
Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha, these are my friends, Eri, Yuka, Ayumi and Houjou-kun. Minna, this is Inuyasha."
They all looked at Inuyasha, who was silently cursing Houjou to hell. Not that the junior high school student knew it, but the hanyou from the other world already did not have a good first impression of him.
Strike one was that Houjou was a guy to begin with. Subconsciously Inuyasha was wondering, *Why the HELL is some MALE hanging out with my Kagome?*
Strike two was Kagome's 'Houjou-kun.' *Wait,* Subconscious-Inu said, *You mean the SAME '-kun' she uses talking about that wimpy wolf Kouga??*
Snarl.
He felt Kagome's squeeze on his hand and he glanced down at her. She gestured to the group and quickly Inuyasha realized that he had yet to speak, and Kagome had already properly introduced him.
Not that Inuyasha was proper or polite, but it hadn't helped Kagome's image for him to look like a idiot in front of her company. And the simple thought of maybe embarrassing Kagome was enough to get Inuyasha's rear in gear, but then he found himself in another rut.
Because all at once he felt the dagger-like stare of the four other teens' eyes and quickly his envy at Kagome being around another male was replaced by sheer, unleashed nervousness. He felt his ears press against his head, unnoticed by the group of course thanks to the cap Ms Higurashi had given him, but it was a reaction he'd had ever since he was a child, compounded by a dog-like whimper, which he managed to hold back.
Gods, he hated being stared at.
Kagome apparently noticed how nervous he got, because she gave his hand a light squeeze before saying to the others, "Sorry, he's a little shy."
"Uhm, hey..." Inuyasha mumbled with genuinely nervous grin, to which every girl turned bright red and spun around, not facing him, which only confused the poor hanyou. Kagome gave him an encouraging smile, which helped more than she thought it would. He found his voice again and babbled the first thing he could think of.
"So uhm, you guys go to... school... with Kagome?"
Kagome was shocked he had even remembered the word, and Ayumi nodded, her face a slight shade of pink. "Uhm, yeah we do.. we're in the same class."
Dead end, he grumbled to himself. Inuyasha had no idea what 'class' was, so he changed the subject. "Yeah… Kagome's always complaining about tests..."
"Don't you?" Eri intoned, agreeing with Ayumi, and he nodded. "I hate 'em! I don't understand half of the spells in those books of yours."
All of Kagome's thought processes screeched to a halt and to cover it up she laughed loudly. "Spells, spells. Spelling! Inuyasha can't spell. Ha ha, Inuyasha here hates tests, it's a surprise we're still together, seeing as how I love to go to school and he would drop out if his mother would let him!"
The girls let it pass and Yuka changed the subject. "What grade are you in?" Inuyasha's mouth hung open a bit, at a loss. Helplessly he glanced at Kagome and she mouthed the words 'second year' at him. He blinked and looked back at them. "Second year."
"In high school!?!" Ayumi, Eri and Yuka demanded and vaguely Inuyasha nodded, not really knowing what 'high school' was either, but he figured it was a good thing if they sounded that pleased. And then Kagome disappeared.
She had been yanked aside by her friends and the three other girls now huddled around Kagome, their faces demanding, even though all of them were blushing quite badly. "Kagome-chan!~!"
"Na-nani yo?!!" Kagome demanded aggravatedly, and Eri gaped at her. "THAT's him?! That adorable..."
"...gorgeous..." added Yuka,
"...sweet-looking..." supplied Ayumi, and Eri took over again. "...downright hunky HIGH SCHOOLER is your overly jealous..."
"...violently possessive..." continued Yuka,
"...two timing boyfriend~!?!" Ayumi finished.
Kagome sighed. "Of COURSE he is. I don't know that many boys who are in high school, you know." Yuka gasped. "How in the world did you snag him, Kagome!?!"
*Actually he was asleep, bound to the Goshinboku by a sacred arrow through his heart and I woke him up...* Kagome thought with an almost evil snicker. She wondered what her friends would say if she told them that, but then made up a quick lie. "Oh, well, he's from a shrine family too, and we met one time when my mother brought me on business with her and Jii-chan."
"That explains his clothes, anyway..." Ayumi murmured, and Yuka sighed. "He's so traditional!"
"He's so handsome!" Eri murmured, and the other two sighed deeply in agreement. Kagome stared. *Lord, they're acting as if they just saw a movie star or something...*
Somehow the thought that her three friends had the hots for the guy she was in love with didn't sit well with the teenager and she marched over to Inuyasha and snagged his arm. "Let's go in, okay?"
Confused but not at all upset that she was hanging on him, the hanyou nodded. "Uhm, yeah."
Souta's munchkin gang had already invaded the house and the quartet of teens followed suit. Inuyasha sniffed the air curiously, catching a scent he hadn't smelled in awhile. Then he grinned. "Hey, ramen!!"
From the kitchen, Ms Higurashi smiled. "Yes, it's for you, Inuyasha. Ah, I see you met up with Kagome-chan."
"Yeah she was outside." The hanyou took off with his ramen and Kagome leaned forward to her mother. "Thanks for giving him that hat, Mama." she whispered and the older woman smiled. "Not a problem at all. I found him asleep in your room when I returned from business with your grandfather. I think he'd been here for awhile, waiting for you."
Kagome gasped, turning to look at the demi-inuyoukai, who was busily munching away at the cup ramen her mother had provided. Ayumi, Eri and Yuka were watching him almost as though he were doing something worthy of a Nobel Prize, and Kagome felt her envy flare.
It was bad enough the one woman who actually flirted with him before HAD his attention--even if she WAS dead-- but now being able to have more options at his disposal pissed Kagome off and she stomped in, flopping down violently next to him and clasping his arm. Inuyasha glanced down at her. "Oi, Kagome, I can't eat with you attached to me like that."
"Deal with it."
For another hour the group stayed at Kagome's house. Quite possibly the biggest event of the night was when Souta declared that he, the great Higurashi Souta, was MUCH stronger than Inuyasha no niichan. Inuyasha, taking it as a challenge, promptly stood and grabbed Souta's ankles, flipping the boy over and hanging him upside in mid-air.
After that of course, every boy in Souta's munchkin parade wanted to be hung upside down-- they, like Souta had taken a great liking to the dog hanyou. And then a huge wrestling match broke out between seven 2nd graders and a half-demon. Needless to say, it was all the boys could do to stay ON Inuyasha, never mind hold him down. He picked them off the same way he picked off old Myouga nomi-jiichan.
It was 8 pm when Houjou and the girls decided it was time to go.
Houjou, clueless as always and having missed the fact that Kagome had spent most of her time with Inuyasha, looked over at Kagome. "Hey, Higurashi-san, what do you say about my offer for Sunday?"
The girl fidgeted nervously underneath his gaze. "Uhm.."
Yuka, Eri and Ayumi were there in seconds, crowding around Kagome, and Inuyasha watched protectively --confused more than anything, but protectively anyway.
Kagome glanced from Houjou's hopeful face to her friends glowering over her and back again, and then her eyes met Inuyasha's. He looked confused, but simply looking at him made her decision for her. She smiled at Houjou. "Gomen ne, Houjou-kun, but I won't be able to go out on dates with you anymore..."
The boy was disappointed, but his feathers were unruffled as he responded, "I see. Have your illnesses gotten that bad?"
Faceplant.
Jumping up, Kagome slapped a hand to her forehead. *Houjou-kun, has anyone ever told what a BIRDBRAIN you are~~????*
~*~
"Sheesh he's aggravating..." Kagome muttered, drying her hair with a towel. Inuyasha was sitting at the end of her bed, watching her as she went to sit at her desk. She turned to face him, and watched in amusement as his ears flicked at the air, free of the hat. "So, when do you want to go back to Sengoku-jidai?"
"Uhm... whenever you want to... I sorta wanted to spend some time with you here..." Inuyasha mumbled so quietly he wasn't sure if Kagome had heard him. He turned his face away, trying not to blush as much. *Dammit, this blushing shit has got to stop...*
Kagome watched him silently and then smiled, a bit embarrassed, but happy. Her heart did a flip-flop in her chest when he said that. "You just came to spend time with me?"
Bright red blush. "A..aa..."
He turned to look at her, his eyes glittering in a way that only incandescent light made them. She smiled at him and went to the bed, laying on her stomach and hugging him around the shoulders. "That makes me really happy, Inuyasha!!"
She knew what had happened a week ago was still bothering him. Surprisingly, it only bothered her a little bit, knowing she had actually died. Kagome didn't worry too much about it. What mattered was that she was alive now, and still with Inuyasha.
But it worried him more now than ever. She had stayed behind for a week with no supplies for that reason alone, but finally decided she HAD to return when she no longer had any clean underwear. He hadn't put up too much of a fuss, but it was because of that that she had wondered how he was doing.
She had never seen him as lost as he had been in the days after the fight with Naraku. He seemed fine now, but…
"Hey, Kagome...?"
"Yeah?"
"What's a date? I heard you say it before, to that Houjou guy."
Kagome blinked and glanced at him. He was glaring at the wall but she knew he wasn't seeing it. She pursed her lips, realizing he was reading to go off if she said the wrong thing. "Uhm... it's where two people... who really like each other go out to spend time together. Just the two of them."
"You mean... like lovers?"
Kagome felt her face go red. "Y-yeah.. Why are you asking me this anyway?!"
Inuyasha still wouldn't look at her, nor did he answer her question. Instead he continued his interrogation. "You told that Houjou guy you can't go on any 'more' dates with him... meaning you've been with him to one?"
Kagome narrowed her eyes, talking slowly, a little embarrassed. *He's fine. He's probably mad at me... like he has the right to be, but...* She shrugged. "Maybe...a few.... But it was just so I wouldn't hurt his feelings. He's sort of not all there so it's hard to tell him outright no."
"Do you love him?"
Kagome sat up straight, leaping back from the hanyou as if he were on fire. "That's none of your business!" Inuyasha turned to look at her finally, leaned against the edge of the bed. He looked a bit hurt, and a lot betrayed. "So you do…?"
Kagome softened at the expression on his face and she lowered herself again, her face close to his as she rested her hands on his forearms. "Inuyasha, Houjou-kun is just a friend."
"Really?"
Kagome looked at him a bit closer and after a moment burst out laughing. Inuyasha, startled, reeled back and blinked. Watching Kagome laugh at him, anger built up in him until he demanded, "Wh-what the hell are you laughing at, wench!!"
"The green monster rears its ugly head yet again!!"
"What!?"
"You're jealous!!" stated Kagome and Inuyasha blushed. "I-I-I... I am NOT!!"
Kagome wiped a tear from her eye and asked, "So your NOT jealous?" Inuyasha spun around, facing the wall again and Kagome leaned forward, throwing her arms around his neck. "It's okay~ I sorta like knowing you get jealous for me."
Inuyasha glanced at her sideways. Her scent was drowning him, she was so close. All he would have to do is lean a bit and he could kiss her... It took all of his willpower to hold back from her. "Yeah?"
She nodded, practically cheek to cheek with him. "Yeah. It makes me feel better..."
*Better, like you actually love me... even if just for a moment, it makes me forget that you're still in love with Kikyou.*
They were quiet for a long moment and then Inuyasha sighed, leaning his head back to rest on her shoulder. *I'm completely at peace when I'm with you... You make me feel so good...* He tilted his head, his lips grazing her cheek. *I'm so glad I met you Kagome!*
Kagome froze, feeling Inuyasha's lips brush her cheek. *What is he doing--!?! Is he--?!!*
"MOU ECCHI! OSUWARI!!"
THUD! CRASH!! Obediently Inuyasha made acquaintances with the floor, and Kagome reeled back, gasping. *D-d-d-d-d-d-d....... didhejust...........kiss me?!!!*
Instead of leaping up as he always did with a good rant, Inuyasha sat up slowly once the spell had worn off, his fingers touching his lips lightly and his face a soft shade of pink. *What was I THINKING!!??!!*
He turned a bit, to look at Kagome. She was staring at him, her hands clutched to her chest in shock, and he swallowed. "............Sorry..."
That was even more of a shock. *Did he just apologize??!!!* Then Inuyasha lifted up a piece of the lamp that had gone down with him when she sat him. He'd hit the cord and it had fallen from the desk. "If you hadn'tve sat me, bitch, you wouldn've broken your stupid lamp!! Idiot."
Kagome's left eye twitched and a vein stood out at her temple. "Inu...yasha..."
"Eh?!"
"Osuwari!"
~*~ To be continued ~*~
a/n :: ^-^
~*~ V^-^V ~*~
Tessen