Previously, On Punk Mikos And Demonic Preps: "How about we go out for dinner?

Eve moved her mouth wordlessly.

"That's a yes," said Kagome. She gave Kouga Eve's number and steered the redhead over to the bus stop.

"Okay," she breathed, "Let's go, before anyone else attacks us.

Of Punk Mikos and Demonic Preps

Chapter Fifteen

Let's Play A Game

Kagome stopped in front of Inuyasha's house, letting him slide off before she killed the engine. Inuyasha walked up to the door and opened it for her. She followed him into the spacious kitchen, where he took a glass from a cupboard over the sink. He looked back at her. "Want some water?

"No thanks.

He shrugged and proceeded to fill and drain his glass.

"Alrighty, let's go.

"There are so many opportunities for jokes at your expense, I can't even pick one.

"How can I ever thank you," said Inuyasha dryly. He walked to the back door, but before he could open it, a tall man stepped through, his arm around a pretty redhead with black cat ears.

"Hello, Inuyasha. What, pray tell, are you doing?" He glanced pointedly at Kagome.

Inuyasha grinned at Sesshoumaru. "Training. Kagome, this is my older brother, Sesshoumaru.

"Half brother," Sesshoumaru commented absently. The redhead at his side smiled brilliantly at the two youths. "Hello! I'm Nika!

Kagome blinked. "Hello.

Inuyasha grinned slightly. "Hey, Nika.

"If you wouldn't mind moving, dear brother, perhaps we could all go our separate ways?

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and moved to the side, bowing. "Yes, Highness.

Nika giggled.

"Oh, shut up," Sesshoumaru said, rolling his eyes. He swept through the doorway, nevertheless.

"Bye!

Kagome waved.

Inuyasha unbent and turned to her. "Ready?

"Yup!

He led her to the dojo, slipping off his shoes. "You work with katanas?

Kagome nodded. "Sure.

Inuyasha walked over to one wall and selected two practice swords. He threw one at her, which she caught, nearly dropping it. Inuyasha snorted in laughter.

"Oh, shut up," Kagome said, irritably, but not without some humor.

Inuyasha cracked his neck. "Well, aside from actually having Naraku here, I can't do much for the getting over the fear thing. So, I'm gonna have you pretend I'm Naraku.

Kagome stared. "You do know that's nearly impossible, right?

"Well, it's not worth it if it isn't hard." Kagome smacked him lightly with the flat of her blade.

"Ooch," he said, feigning pain. "you're so abusive.

"Must've picked it up from Naraku.

Inuyasha blinked. "Did you just make a joke about him?

Kagome thought. "Yeah, I think I did.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. "Ok, let's go. I want you to concentrate on your time with Naraku. Go at me as if I were him.

They clashed. Inuyasha could tell that KagomeÉwell, wasn't holding back, but wasn't doing what he wanted either.

"C'mon, you can do better than that!

He taunted her, throwing out hurtful sentences like they were candy. Kagome started to get angry. She focused on all the times Naraku hit her, all the times he called her names.

Enough!

Her mind screamed at her. Kagome swung her blade so fast, Inuyasha barely blocked it. He was having trouble now, trying to keep up with her. They were blunt swords, but they still hurt.

Finally, Kagome knocked the sword out of his hand and flicked the tip of her blade up to his throat.

They stayed still for a moment suspended in time, the only sound that of their heavy breathing. For just that moment, they were so in tune with each other, Inuyasha could only pick out one heartbeat.

Kagome slowly lowered the katana. There was a small indent where it had pressed into Inuyasha's neck. She looked at him, apologizing with her eyes. There was no need for a reply.

Kagome put the sword back silently, Inuyasha copying her movements.

"That was amazing." Inuyasha's strong voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"You think so?" Kagome fairly glowed with pride. Inuyasha made a mental note to compliment her more often.

"I do. You are the most incredibleÉ" his voice trailed off. "I have no words. Never paid enough attention in class.

Kagome smiled. "Yeah, well, you're not too shabby yourself. And I'm not that amazing, really. Quite ordinary, actually.

Inuyasha raised a slender eyebrow. "Ordinary?" he snorted. "Not likely. I've never met a more abnormal person.

Kagome smiled wryly. "Charmed, I'm sure.

Inuyasha plopped down on the floor, Kagome following a bit more gracefully. "So.

"Yes?

"Tell me about yourself. I don't really know you that well.

"Ah. Well, I like romantic walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, long talks by the fire and sharing hot cocoa on cold nights.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her. "Very funny.

"I thought so.

"I'm serious!

Kagome pouted. "Ask me a question.

"What?

"Ask me a question. Something you want to know about me. We'll alternate.

"Ok. What's your favorite color.

"Original. Black. What's your favorite food?

"Ramen. What do you think about the war in Iraq?

They went on and on, asking each other question, sometimes extremely stupid ones ("what's your favorite shoe brand?"), to more introspective questions that required a lot of thinking.

Inuyasha was on his back, legs propped up against the wall, Kagome's head on his stomach.

"What do think about me?

Kagome propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. His hair was splayed out behind him, bangs away from his forehead. His amber eyes were looking at her, his face a mask of calm.

Kagome let herself back down. "WellÉI think youÉyou're hard to describe. So many conflicting traits. Arrogant, with a knack for hurting people, but you barely ever use it. You're like an M&M, hard on the outside, but soft on the inside. You act like you don't care, but then you do something like this, Ôtraining' me, protecting me from my past. It's really only my problem. You put others before yourself. A subtle knife, double sided. You cut or heal.

"You respect your elders, excepting your brother, and come to the defense of anyone in need. I saw you that one time, defending that girl from Kaoru.

"I like you a lot, Inuyasha. You are the only person who can truly make me forget. YouÉyou're a mystery to me. I've barely known you a few months, but I feel like I can tell you anything.

Inuyasha was silent. His hand had crept into hers somewhere in the middle of her speech, and he stared at the ceiling, squeezing lightly. When he spoke his voice was hoarse. "You see all the good in me Kagome. Thank you.

Kagome looked up at him, a smile playing around her lips. "Your turn. What do you think of me?

Inuyasha smiled at the ceiling. "I think you're rude, annoying, tough as nails, hotheaded, beautiful, softÉYou're Kagome. You hide your nature behind a mask. You're like raw sugar, sweet, but rough.

"You see the good in people," he smiled, "You love the simplest things, like a wildflower in the yard. You always, without fail, put your problems, no matter how big they might be, behind anyone else's problems. You'd try to heal the world, I think, if you could.

"You don't care what other people think about your beliefs. Your attitude is kind of ÔI don't care, I'm going t be me no matter what you do, get out of my way'. You're explosive, and draw people to you like moths to a flame.

"You can't hide it completely to people who know you. Kagome, you can't hate. That is the most admirable thing about you. You don't hate.

Kagome opened her mouth to protest. She could hate, he wouldn't believe how she could hate.

She slowly closed her mouth. Inuyasha could be her good self's keeper. Whenever he was around, she could be this wonderful person he liked. Kagome nuzzled her cheek into his ribs.

"Thanks, Inuyasha.

They lay there, enjoying each other's company.

"My turn again. Tell me about your family.

"That's not a question.

Inuyasha scowled. Kagome laughed. "Fine. I live with my mom, my little brother and my grandpa. They're great. Grandpa has this habit of telling legends to any living thing nearby, sometimes even things that aren't living.

"Souta, my little brother, is such a pain, but I love him to death. He's a huge soccer fan. I go to all his games, he's really good.

"MomÉI love her so much. She's usually pretty calm, and she's very understanding, but when she does get madÉget out of her way. Quickly. She's my rock. I know she's always there for me, if I need her. I forget that a lot. She's the best mother a girl could have. She even got me my bike.

Inuyasha whistled. "Sounds nice. What about your dad?

Kagome overlooked the fact that he was asking two questions in a row. "He died. Of cancer, when I was seven. I miss him.

"I'm sorry.

"No need. Tell me about your family.

"It's not exactly a fairytale.

"Neither was mine. Spill.

"My dad died when I was four. Car accident. I barely remember him. Mom was never the same. Sesshoumaru took it bad too. He had Dad longer than me, and it took a toll on him.

"MomÉshe died when I was 10. Sesshoumaru was twenty at the time. We lived together. He took care of me. He was in college, but lived here, making the thirty minute drive every day.

"Sess and IÉwe had a strange relationship. I reminded him of Dad, I think. It was a while before he could look at me without flinching. He taught me how to fight. Helped me with my studies. We grew really close.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him.

"No one understands our relationship," Inuyasha said, sounding aggrieved.

Kagome reached up awkwardly and patted him on the shoulder.

"SoÉwere you always popular?

"That's two questions in a row.

"Yep. You did it earlier.

Inuyasha blinked and gave in. "No. I definitely wasn't. Not until I started dating Kikyou, really. Freshman year. Brought me right up the ladder, Miroku right by my side. Were you ever popular?

Kagome rolled over and propped her chin on her arms, crossed over Inuyasha's abdomen. "Me? Unfortunately. Middle school. Complete with purse and glitter. I hated it. When I started dating Naraku, I started listening to Luna Sea, and dressing differently. I like it. I felt more myself. Naraku wasn't a preppy boy, despite his looks. He was an outcast, the bad boy.

"And a girl's always gotta have a bad boy?

"Yep.

"Well," Inuyasha said, "That rules me out.

"Are you kidding? You've got lot's of bad boy in there. Hidden away, like. That's the best kind.

"So we're not ruling me out?

"Not even close.

Kagome grinned and lifted herself up, so that her arms were on either side of Inuyasha's shoulders, her hips off the floor. She lowered herself to Inuyasha's face, her hair spilling around his face. She kissed him, and he put his hands on her waist, steadying her as he kissed her back fiercely.

She flung one leg over and straddled his hips, leaning further down without breathing the kiss. Their hands were laced together.

Kagome broke away from him, ignoring the muffled sound of disappointment. She took him in, loving the way his hair fell away from him, the way his eyes were half shut, lashes fluttering. His mouth was swollen and his eyes were dark with an unnamed emotion.

Sweet Gods

Was it always like this?

Kagome bent back down, smiling.

It was much later when they finally left the dojo, Kagome hitching a ride on Inuyasha's back and laughing hysterically.

In Sesshoumaru's room, Nika curled into her lover, Sesshoumaru enfolding her in his arms protectively, dropping a kiss on her ear.