Since I've been exceptionally creul with my lack of updating, I beg your pardon while I try to excuse my petty self.

1. Bad results on finals caused temporary restriction of computer.
2. A soon to come summer trip (first in quite a while! ) has had me busy.
3. How can I explain this...uhm. there's this guy... -goes red- .-.
4. My computer is not behaving...most of the time I get ' or ' search engine sites...which never work.. --;
5. Let's just say my joy in sitting in front of the computer wasting my existence has been extinguished. o-o entirely. I think....

This is going to be hard...everything is going to be hard...but I'll try to update as frequently as I can....because this is for everyone else more than myself, isn't it?

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. (I've found someone else to stalk, don't worry. ) ;D

Anything But This

Chapter 10

Come and Go

A drop of sweat trickled down his temple from heat and his own strain. Usually combat with several men would only have him panting a little, but this kind of labor was new and just...harder than it looked. It was no wonder now why his mother didn't bother and simply ordered maids. There was a sharp twinge in his back and shoulders as he crushed down onto the bundle of clothes in a huge tub of water. It was an odd way to wash the laundry, he'd have to admitt, but only if that damn Shippo hadn't shrieked for all to hear that a 'tall, tall guy called Inuyasha is waiting for his girlfriend', those insane nuns wouldn't have thought that he was extremely suitable to do some chores for the orphanage. They hadn't recognized him.

Squelch. Squish.

It was coming to be a wonderful, fall day. The perfect image of late Autumn. The weather was exceptionally dry and windy, but right now there was only the gentlest of breezes running through his hair. The chill air struck his wet legs but it became a pleasant coolness after a while. He hopped out of the tub and then proceeded to dump out all of the water in it. With strong firm hands, he began to squeeze and wring the soaked shirts, pants and other things he wouldn't name and tossed them into a basket.

He was just starting on another pile of clothes to stomp on when a flame of red hair peeked through the basket's netting before him. A poor place to hide, unless you were pretending to be a huge leaf that had just fallen from a tree. Inuyasha continued with his work, and ignored the flicker of bright orange as it leaped behind him.

He didn't even pretend to be surprised when a small figure popped out from in front of him (however, he had not the slightest clue when the little rascal had gotten there) obviously disappointed from the indifferent expression on his face. There was a silence thereafter.

"You have big toes." A voice remarked.

There was a splash, and suddenly a tiny Shippo was as drenched as a sewer rat. "And you're way too puny." Another voice said flatly.

Shippo took this as a sign to remain quiet, but he was extraordinarily bored at the moment. First he sighed, before suddenly asking. "What's she like?"

"Uhm?" Complete surprised appeared on his face before Inuyasha scowled. "What's it to you?"

"Did you think I was talking about your girlfriend?" He thought he could detect a small mischievous smile on the boy's lips.

He flushed slightly. Maybe Kagome was occupying his mind too much. "Then were you talking about the nuns?" He asked sharply.

There was a pause, before a previous question was repeated. "So what's she like? What's her name?"

"Kagome-- I mean.. Why are you wondering??" He asked icily.

"Since you're my friend and you--"

"When did it occur to you that I'm your friend?"

"Just now." He grinned.

"Well I'm--" Inuyasha faltered after seeing the look on his face. "--not so sure about that..."

An awkward quietness stretched, devouring everything besides the small squelching and occasional creaking of the tree branches. Inuyasha began to feel uneasy. He climbed out of the tub and started to wring the soaked clothes again.

"Is she pretty?"

...

"She is, isn't she?"

...

"She's prettier than you, you doorknob." He finally answered. "No..she's just kind of...radiant. beautiful I guess..."

"You like her, doncha?" Shippo inquired innocently.

Once more Inuyasha was struck dumb. He had forgotten how curious little twerps could be.. "Iono.. why are you so interested all of a sudden??" He demanded.

"I've been asking for the past few minutes...but.... it's because you're my friend." A smile.

Inuyasha put a hand to his face wearily. Boy this kid was really desperate... It was hard to yell at him when he was just so...guileless. "Fine, what about you?" There was alot of emphasis on 'you'.

"Well...,"

"Oh, so there is someone..,"

"No, it's not like that!"

"Come on, we all know it...," He smirked. Finally the boomerang was whirling back at the little kid.

"I'm telling you, it's just someone I know! Just a--"

"Right..right..where is she?"

Shippo stared at him as if he were the dumbest thing in the world. "Didn't you hear me? By the way, it's a he." A bright grin suddenly came to his face. Digging into his front breast pocket, he pulled out...something that seemed to be a little fleck of dust. Upon closer inspection, Inuyasha saw it to be a little..flea.

"Cute, ain't he? The little guy can talk too!" Inuyasha could swear he saw the little bug weave the appendages attached to it's body together like one would cross their arms and twist it's face into a scowl.

He rubbed one eye and then blinked.

He had just been imagining it probably... The little bugger had just hopped to the ground like where all icky things should be. Shippo abruptly went down to his knees and began to hunt frantically for the little insect.

"Gross...that's disgusting. Stop that!" He said in exasperation, pulling Shippo to his eye level by the collar of his shirt. "Don't play with bugs, they'll crawl in your ears and eat your brain." Inuyasha denied the urge to smirk as he saw the kid begin to pale.

Grabbing the full basket, he walked to the poles and clothesline in which he was supposed to hang up the clothes to dry. Shippo followed him with the loyalty of a dog.

Inuyasha had just finished wrestling with a large tablecloth (and his own thoughts) when he heard a high-pitched shriek of pure horror. His eyes widened as he immediately assumed it to be...

"Kagome??"

A shocked-looking Shippo stared at him blankly. "What?" He said as Inuyasha started to go red. "Oh," A wide grin stretched out the small face. "No need to worry, I caught the guy before he crawled into my ear." He extended his hand to show Inuyasha a flattened version of the flea he had seen before.

Inuyasha scowled so angrily that even the smile on Shippo's mouth vanished as he scrambled away to avoid his gaze.

Turning back to the clothesline, he frowned.

That girl was on his mind...too much.

He couldn't tell if that was a good thing...

Kagome beamed as she saw Hojo running toward her. "Kagome! Sorry to have kept you waiting. There's more traffic then you think there'd be on Sundays.."

He gave her a shy, one armed hug and before she could react, he ran to greet the nuns in the same manner as they began to wave at him. They accepted him like he was their grandson, and he accepted them in the same way... But it seemed, he didn't look at her as if she was any more special than anyone else anymore...

She wanted just one moment to be perfectly alone with him. She didn't know what she'd do... but hopefully she'd think of it when the time came, right?

But that opportunity seemed extremely bleak, and she felt a small ache where her heart was supposed to be. Shrugging, she just walked into the orphanage.

Kagome was altogether too preoccupied to see the silver-haired boy struggling with the clothesline that was wound tightly around him.

When she finally did, she only saw something like a cocoon, but thought nothing of it.

This was a chance to be with Hojo, no lumpy people in white sheets would be bothering her today. Nope.

However it didn't occur to her that kids with carroty red hair would. She felt something tumble into her from the direction of where she had seen the cocoon, and turned to see...nothing?

She looked down.

"Sorry..." A little boy said sheepishly, staggering up and looking a tad wobbly. Hojo appeared right then again, giving Kagome a paper cup filled with coffee.

"Here Kagome, my apology." He smiled slightly, while Shippo looked up at the two curiously. Kagome..Kagome.. where had Shippo heard that name before?

Hojo noticed the flame of red hair and looked down to an unfamiliar face. "Hey, here's the newbie!" He suddenly squatted to Shippo's level and extended his hand in a friendly handshake. Shippo however, continued to mutter and mumble as he walked away without the faintest idea that he had just left a stranger in the dust.

Kagome shook her head, worried with the rather confused dazedness of the tiny boy and yet slightly amused by Hojo's surprised face. He rose, laughing a little to himself and then turned to Kagome.

"Well..that was kind of odd...guess my charm is wearing off." He wrinkled his nose in false displeasure.

"You? No!" Kagomed laughed, playing along before a nun suddenly approached them both. She looked at them both and then at Hojo, smiling.

"I see you're quite acquainted with this girl, hmm?" The young man flushed. She suddenly fixed a stern look on her face. "I'm sure you haven't forgotten..." The casual happiness on Hojo's face turned partly fake, his smile tight.

"Right." The nun gave him a quick glance before returning to the building. He looked to her, the laughter back but in a more solemn manner. "Kagome, a word with you please?"

Luck! Finally a chance to be alone...even if for a few minutes. Her joy blinded her from seeing the grim expression on his face. He took her hand -- she couldn't help but thinking it felt warm despite the weather -- and gently guided her to where the children's laundry was being dried. Hidden by the flapping white cloth from all sides, she looked at him with a smile.

She was scared to see that he didn't look...what you'd call... happy.

"What?" She tried to ask casually, but she herself heard panic in her voice. Why? She could trust Hojo, how could anything bad possibly happen at the moment? It wasn't like he was suddenly going to reveal that there was a crazy murderer on the loose or something...

"I think..," He hesitated. "That this shouldn't go on..." His voice sounded broken.

Her smile faded slowly into an open-mouthed look of shock. One moment they were laughing together...and now... That had not crossed her mind.

"What?" She repeated.

Hojo looked at her, flustered. "I'm trying to say...I think we should stop meeting each other.."

Kagomed tried to think happy thoughts, positive thoughts. She laughed. But it was a hollow laugh. "This a joke, right?"

"Kagome.."

"Stop lying." She suddenly said, and was surprised at her own anger.

"Kagome...you know that it's already been kind of...barely holding together already.." He gushed.

... She didn't answer.

"I'm sorry... but I've made a commitment, and now I cannot put you first out of all of my thoughts. I just want you to...find someone who can.."

She could feel tears polish her eyes, making the boy in front of him suddenly transform into nothing but a shimmering blob. "But.." She choked out, breaking on her words.

The sky seemed to fall on top of them.

-shrieks and rips out hair- SHORT!

HOWEVER! you're still welcome to review.

I encourage it. =D because..as you can see..

I need help in more ways than one. o.O