By: Senko Tenrou
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
A/n: Omg, only three days after I began receiving reviews am I starting… It's a miracle!! Lol. The poll results have been figured for this chapter!! Yay!
Kouga/Kagome: 2Inuyasha/Kagome: 3
Thanks to tenshi13, darkest aura, Kellie, Shinobi-chan, and sizzlinghotcat and sorry to Kellie and Shinobi-chan, who voted for Kagome/Kouga, but it seems that the die-hard Inuyasha/Kagome fans have won. ^^'' That's alright, though, 'cause I can still write!
Review Responses:
Anonymous: Kellie: Thank you so much for your poll response! I really hate starting chapters early, but… It'll probably take a while, though, considering the last chapter took about two weeks to get all sorted out -.-… Here, let's keep track… Today is 3-21-04… I'll post the date I finish, too, lol. I'm such a freak…
Anonymous: Tenshi13: ^^ Thankies for the compliment. You really like them or are you just saying that? Lol. To put bold lettering in your profile, all you have to do it surround the word or words with b . Without the spaces, of course. For instance, say I were to want my penname in bold letters at the bottom in my profile thingy-ma-jog… I would put:
b Senko Tenrou / b
See? But, again, you wouldn't have the spaces… I hope I made that clear. And, if you were to want to underline words, cross out words, or italicize words, it'd be the same way. But, for each you would use a different letter. Italics: i, underlines: u, scratched out words: s. Again, I hope I made sense to you, lol, because sometimes I confuse myself in the simplest explanations.
Thanks for your poll!!
Anonymous: Darkest Aura: Thanks for your poll!
Chapter 7
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I can't believe his nerve!! Kagome fumed hours later, storming away from the lunch table. She shoved through the cafeteria doors and stomped down the hall. How unfair!!
Kagome stopped minutes later to find herself on the second floor; she stopped to stare out a window that overlooked the first floor gardens. Her brow was lowered in anger and her arms were crossed with fists balled into her upper arms.
He had the nerve to lie to her – that Inuyasha had the gull to lie in her face even when she knew the truth. She scowled. The idiot…
So intent to get the thoughts of Inuyasha from her head, she leaned against the cool glass of the window and stared down at the well-kept gardens with a sullen look on her face. Stupid Inuyasha… She'd only asked if Inuyasha had, indeed, inflicted those injuries on Kouga. She even told him that she wasn't going to get angry if he said "Yes"… But, he still had to lie to her…
Why would he lie to her? He never had before—what made this time so special?
Footsteps approached behind her but Kagome didn't hear them, still admiring the garden intently.
It was still cold outside so the flowers and trees didn't grow their best, but it was still beautiful. Spring was approaching fast so the flowers were budding already. In fact, if she calculated right, tomorrow, being Saturday, was the first day of spring – March 20th. She pursed her lips. That would be her favorite day of the year, if she'd have someone to share the day with.
Arms circled loosely around her shoulders before she could get away and she nearly squeaked aloud in surprise, stiffening immediately. She didn't do or say anything but did let the person know that their arms were not welcome. However, this person didn't catch the hint. She heard a whisper from them.
"What'd he do this time?"
Kagome relaxed slightly, recognizing the voice almost instantly. Kouga. She simply shook her head in response to his question. "Nothing…" she assured, trying not to make herself too comfortable in his arms and remaining rigid.
"You know," Kouga admonished with a soft grin, "Lying doesn't get you anywhere…"
Kagome turned her head cautiously, unknowing of how close his head was set to her—she didn't want anything awkward to happen, and grinned wryly. "I realized."
Kouga blinked, taking a second to comprehend her meaning. "Oh. He lied, eh? 'Bout what?" he asked. "About how he doesn't like you, am I right?" he attempted. "Or maybe about what happened yesterday? What'd he say 'bout it?"
Kagome was astonished at how well Kouga had come to read and predict Inuyasha. He was right on the dot. But, wait, what was that about him and the liking her—was there sarcasm in there? She blinked wide eyes and shook her head. "Nothing important—he hasn't really told me much at all…"
This is really getting out of hand… She realized when Kouga tightened his arms around her enough so that she was forced to relax against him. Too close…
He didn't like the answers she was giving; this time, Inuyasha had truly hurt her. She'd looked so lonely and sad when he'd walked up. The only person who could do that was the Stupid Mutt. "What did he say? I'll kill 'im for it – for what he's done to you to make you like this…" Kouga promised sincerely.
He really couldn't do much, though – the last Kagome had checked; his leg was still uncooperative and he still had an uncomforting limp in his step. There was nothing left that worked properly to fight and get any damage in – especially, Kagome hated to admit, his sometimes less-that active brain. It is adorable, though, Kagome had to admit, how he would still fight for me even in this condition… She twisted her head around, careful again, to smile at him. "Really? …I mean, you'd really fight for me even if we haven't known each other for a very long time?"
Kouga smiled against her neck and nodded. "Why not, for such a kind and beautiful girl like you…"
Kagome blushed but continued to smile all the same.
She gasped at the sudden and unpredictable movement of Kouga twirling her around so that she leaned against his chest. Whether against her will or not, she could do nothing because her hands were pinned between herself and his hard torso, immobile and unable to push him away even if she wanted to. She wouldn't dare kick him for the fear of hurting his leg any worse.
Kouga pulled her close with one arm, a strong but gentle grip at her waist. The other hand tilted her head up to him.
Kagome got her first good look at Kouga since the morning after the fight – nearly three days earlier. His face only held a dim reminder of the stupid fight between the boys – the long gash was now only a vague and light scare-like line and was barely noticeable unless you knew what you were looking for while the bruise on his cheek had healed completely. She noticed, with a little-too-much interest in Kouga's lips, that his chipped tooth, once jagged and unevenly cut, had obviously been filed down to look remotely normal. She was glad that he looked and apparently felt better by now; she was beginning to have trouble looking at him out of shame ever since that fateful day.
She grinned up at him. Her smile wavered a bit when she caught the adoring expression on his face. Her eyes fell back down to his lips in embarrassment, unable to look him in the eye.
Did he seem to be edging closer or was it just her?
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That was how he found them, just as Kouga pulled Kagome into a kiss. He'd left lunch to come and look everywhere for her and here's where he found her – kissing Kouga. Eck! The traitor; better yet – the whore!!
He was so bent on shock and anger that he found himself frozen to the spot.
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What the—what brought this on? Kagome tried to grasp exactly what was going on. She had a nauseatingly sinking feeling in her stomach and she couldn't understand why she felt like that. Why was she so scared??
Kagome gasped with final comprehension of the situation. She forced Kouga off and away from her, and, injured or not – she didn't frankly care, at the moment – slapped him across the face as hard as she could. The sound echoed through the quiet hall. "What in the hell is wrong with you, Kouga?! I gave you no such permission!!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, turning to stomp off when a flash of silver caught her eye. She looked up and met a hurt gaze with her shocked one.
Inuyasha.
She gulped back, tears welling in her eyes with realization, after she took a look at the smirk on Kouga's lips and the betrayed expression of Inuyasha. She ran off in the opposite direction.
He'd used her; he'd just been waiting for the right time…
She found her way to the nearest girls' bathroom and locked herself inside to skulk, perhaps cry a bit…
She should have known. Kagome sunk down in the corner, hiding under a sink, and buried her head in her lap. What had she done to deserve something like this? She'd been honest, sweet, did all her work, followed directions, was respectful… So what? She hadn't broken up a fight in time… It was all worked out now—So why did she, of all people, deserve this? She was just a stupid payback-whore to them now.
She was used.
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Inuyasha didn't know how to react when he caught Kagome's eye, but when he saw the tears filling in them, he couldn't help the anger that flowed through him. He ignored Kouga, who still stood in the same spot, still holding the already-bruising cheek in his hand, and ran off after Kagome.
What had he done wrong? Any other girl would have killed for that chance… Kouga suddenly whirled around. Where'd she go? He panicked and ran – trying to ignore the constant limp – after Inuyasha. He only wanted to get back at Inuyasha for the agonizing defeat… what was so wrong with using Kagome? He didn't understand why she'd gotten so upset.
When Kouga finally caught up, Inuyasha was found pounding on the girls' restroom door. "Kagome, open up! I know you're in there!" he called. "Come on out; don't worry about that Stupid Pup—he doesn't mean anything! Just come on out; I don't like how you locked yourself in there…" he glanced at Kouga as he arrived, wincing on his leg. "C'mon, Wench, don't make me get Sango out here—'Cause I will, ya know." He sighed when he got no answer, and tottered off to find Sango – true to his word.
Kouga watched as Inuyasha walked off in defeat. He wasn't sure if he should try to get her out. If he did, there was no telling what'd she do to him. He still couldn't figure what he'd done that was so wrong. Kagome was an average girl, right? She should have been into him… right?
"Ka… Kagome?" He began softly, hoping she could hear him through the heavy door. "I'm, uh, I'm sorry…"
There was a long pause in which Kouga thought that Kagome hadn't heard him. Surely, she wouldn't ignore him. He was Kouga. No woman ignored Ko—"Kouga? Is that you?" He'd barely caught the whisper through the door – even with his acute hearing.
"Yeah!" he responded instantly. "It's me…"
He heard the lock click and Kagome stuck her head around the door as it cracked open. Her eyes were puffy and red, obviously irritated with tears, her nose was red as well and running, and her cheeks were flushed with what he expected and hoped to be embarrassment. "Hey." Kagome sniffled.
"Hi." Kouga answered. "Err, like I said. I'm sorry… Even if I don't know what I did wrong." He mumbled as an afterthought.
Kagome stared at him for a long time after that comment in an unbelieving way (Kouga just couldn't figure out why for the life of him) before blinking slowly and unpredictably slamming the bathroom door shut again. The lock clicked noisily. He sighed, knowing she'd locked the door again.
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Sango tested out her own tactics minutes latter, when she arrived with Inuyasha. She simply knocked on the door softly and waiting for a reply. No chiding or whining. She waited patiently and hoped Kagome would at least acknowledge her attempt in comfort.
She waited for a long time…
But, finally, Kagome gave up on trying to ignore the person outside, still sensing their presence, and the lock clicked again.
Sango smiled reassuringly at the eyes peeking around the door and stepped back for the sake of Kagome's personal space. "Hey," Sango greeted quietly. "Are you feeling alright, Kagome?" she asked. Sango was happy for the gender advantage when Kagome tugged Sango into the restroom with her.
The whole scene caused quite a ruckus among the second-floor girls but, hearing from Inuyasha what had happened, the girls broke down with pity and left Sango and Kagome to the washroom. Each girl that passed delivered a disgusted look in Kouga's direction, then left. It had Inuyasha smirking widely.
Sighing when the lunch bell rang to announce its ending, Kouga and Inuyasha grudgingly made their way to class, throwing insults back and forth to each other the whole way.
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Sango took a hushed seat on one of the many sinks lining the wall and watched Kagome pace the tiled floor.
Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth—
"Sango," Kagome interrupted Sango's light reverie, "are you even listening to me? It doesn't look like you're listening to me…" Kagome had stopped pacing, Sango noticed, and she was looking rather annoyed, hands on her hips and scowling.
Sango hopped off the sink in surprise. "Oh no, oh no, oh no—I'm listening, really…"
Kagome sighed and started treading a whole in the floor. "Well, I left lunch because Inuyasha was being a moron, and…" She explained over and over again how "it" happened for twenty minutes. She had edited her story, though, deciding that no one would know how tempted she was to kiss back or how hurt she really was besides what she let on…
She could worry about that on her own time; it wasn't important.
But…
She couldn't believe Kouga…
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A/n: 3/30/04… Hey, better than I thought it would be – only 9 days!! ^^ Ehee. Um, thanks goes out to all the ppls that sent me a poll response for this chapter – helped me a lot on the inspiration part… Thanks! So, so hyper right now and I don't know why… It's only Tuesday! -.- Lol
Yours truly,
Senko Tenrou