AN: hey people. I currently have nothing better to do so might as well get my next chappie done. I'm kinda sluggish right now so I don't really have anything hyper to add to this author's note, which makes it so totally boring.......-___-;;;;
But anyways, I love all of your reviews and I read each and every one!!! ^_____^ your continuous support is what keeps me going!!! I finished that previous chappie in one day just because of one review telling me I had lost my touch. Afterwards, I was in such a determined state to prove that I had NOT lost my touch that I sat in front of my computer writing that chappie for quite a long time o.O the chapter proved to be a rather nice one, if I do say so myself. (well, it was one of my better ones, but I don't think it's absolutely wonderful...)
Oh yes, I've been doing quite a bit of brainstorming and I've come up with a lot of ideas. I still need to figure out how things will fit and I'll probably have to change things here and there. I need to ask my dear friend for her feedback. All the rest of you must wait painfully for it to be written. *muahahaaaa.......* ßlame laugh of doom.
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His muscles were tense, as he walked through the empty corridors, thinking. His brow was furrowed and his lips pursed. He made his way into the vacant out skirts of campus, assuring that he avoided the school security guards (it wasn't as if they were paying attention, which made this a very easy task). After he stepped over the official school campus boundaries, he walked freely to the small park that made its residence only half a block from the school. The park itself was as vacant as the school and he seated himself under the friendly shade of a scant tree.
A sigh escaped him and his mind wandered involuntarily. Once again, he grimaced as his troubled head mused over his concerns. Had he been discovered? How could he have been so careless, so absolutely unmindful that he'd let his secret spill? He felt his teeth grind frustratingly. And the worst part: he didn't even know the answers to his own questions. It entirely involved him and yet he could recall nothing.
Well, that wasn't necessarily true. He was in a way, not involved at all. He gripped his forehead in his palm. He was confusing himself. Badly.
Inu Yasha.
His breath halted.
Why do you worry? It's of no concern of yours what that girl knows.
"You..." he exhaled, growling.
Just get rid of her, Simple as that.
"Get out," Inu Yasha muttered forcefully. "Get out of my head."
Why don't just accept me? I am you.
"Shut up." He spat each syllable.
Heh, you want to know what I did to the girl? It was rather amusing really.
Inu Yasha was thrown off guard and remained speechless.
I'm actually surprised she's still willing to speak with you. (snicker) It was fun shattering her heart.
"...What..."
I did you favor. I t would've been better for her to leave. That way, she wouldn't have found out about me, you know.
"You...bastard..." Inu Yasha's eyes were wide and crazy, a sure sign of rage.
Since it didn't work, maybe I'll have to take more intense measures next time...
"Don't you dare touch her!" Inu Yasha yelled out loud. His voice echoed emptily across the lifeless grassland. The voice fell silent. Inu Yasha paused, attempting to freeze his body, to silence his heartbeat even, so that he could listen for any return of the bodiless phantom. It didn't come. He slowly, but hesitantly, slumped back against the tree, shaking a couple tentative leaves from it. He gripped and head again and his breath escaped him in a puff of air filled with the exhaustion of a prisoner alone in his cell.
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Kikyou's eyes narrowed as she watched silently at Inu Yasha's passionate rave, her mind slowly contemplating. She analyzed every movement he made; his clammy hands, his rapid gasps, and his pale irises glinting on the whites of his eyes. A nagging thought kept on tugging at her mind, but she stuck it in the far corner of her brain, doubting that it could ever be the truth. But there wasn't any other explanation for his behavior. So different was it from 2 years ago... She gave a small snort. Has it only been two years? It seems more like 200, she mused.
Flashes of a young handsome teenage boy were unearthed within her memory as the amber-eyed boy smiled cheerily and waved at her, boyish innocence radiating from his lively face. She'd always been more the adult and he, the child. He grinned his sheepish smile while she rarely tipped her lips. She had always been more dignified and tight-mouthed then he had been, earning her respect from her schoolmates. Yasha on the other hand, was just as loved, but his naïve (and sometimes silly) antics made him so.
But was this the same Yasha that she knew so well? The Yasha she thought she would meet? Her plans were thrown aside is this new aspect cam into play. She whipped around and scuttled stealthily back to school, her heels tapping the ground softly as she went.
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Kagome flung her heavy book bag down to the ground as she let out an exaggerated sigh and rubbed her shoulders. She after feeling relief wash over her body, she contented herself with unwrapping her bag of homemade sandwich, it's absolutely "delicious" ingredients dripping grossly from the moist bread. She grimaced and wrapped it back up.
She sighed again and glanced at a pair of students passing by, chatting and backing in the warm sunlight. Due to the ridicule she had been receiving from the cafeteria, she made the smart choice to move her lunch site to the outside at a lonely table under a tree. Her stomach gurgled uncomfortably. She frowned and glanced at her "sandwich". Looking away, she decided that even hunger would not drive her to each such an abomination.
"Hey," greeted a rough voice. Its hint of an accent gave away its speaker.
Kagome twisted around to face, "Kouga-kun!" she said.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" he offered.
"Go ahead," Kagome replied amiably.
Kouga stared blankly at her so-called lunch that had been swept aside. He grinned, and plucked a fry from his cup and waving it luxuriously on his lips. "Mmm, these smell soooo good," he drawled. "And I bet they taste just as good." He smirked mischievously. Kagome couldn't help herself but gaze unblinkingly at the French fry as it swayed hynotically.
"You are absolutely vile," she glared. Kouga grinned wider as he stuck the fry in his mouth. Maybe it was just him, but he felt like he wasn't sitting in front of a girl he'd just acquainted with a month ago, but a close friend he'd known for a lifetime. No one had made him feel more at home than her. And it amazed him.
"I'm only joking," he laughed, setting down the greased cup. "Here, you can have as many fries as you want." She took the entire cup.
"Hey!" he cried hastily, his arm outstretched, reaching helplessly for his French fries, which Kagome picked out with glee. She cradled the fries near her chest, laughing evilly at Kouga's futile attempts to retain it. Sort of like basketball in a way, Kagome was hugging the ball protectively against her front while Kouga tried to sweep his arms from behind her and grab it. Although it soon ended up with both his arms encircled around her waist. Kagome suddenly noticed this and her breath caught in her throat and her cheeks grew hot. His body fitted around her like a blanket, his chin almost (but not quite) resting on the nape of her neck.
Kouga felt Kagome tense up and realized (he's a slow one) what they were doing (oh my, what are they doing?). But somehow he didn't release her, blushing and sheepishly apologizing (as he would've expected of himself). Instead he stayed where he was, his warmth mingling with hers as her back curved into his chest. His hands hovered tentatively over Kagome's midriff, almost afraid to touch her.
She could feel his heartbeat quicken and his breath blew wisps of hair from behind her ear. She felt her heart race faster and her mind raved urgently, What do I do, what do I do?
Within such close proximity, her scent invaded his nostrils, and he instinctively inhaled it, letting it overflow his senses. It flooded his brain, making his vision blur and his head spin. But her smell not only clouded his mind, but it drove him also. He lost his fear as his hands closed into each other, drawing her into his embrace. What space that had been left between them evaporated in a single swift motion.
Kagome gasped and whipped around, her hands placed firmly upon his chest to restrain him. He sat on the bench, as if awoken from a daze with his arms still hovering around her body. Her face was a deep crimson and her expression disturbed.
"I...I have to go to the library and finish up some homework," she said curtly, grabbing her backpack, and heading quickly toward the northern staircase. Kouga remained dumbfounded for a few moments then threw his elbows onto the edge of the table and growled to himself. Kouga silently cursed his instincts as he wondered whether Kagome would ever look at him in the same way ever again.
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Hojo set his books onto the table and brought out a meager hamburger and water bottle, taking a swig of water before unwrapping his burger. He was just about to sink his teeth into the soft bread when his eyes froze.
Kagome was sitting about 30 yards away, casually taking out a wrapped lunch from her bag. Unaware of Hojo's piercing stare, she comically grimaced at her flattened sandwich and tossed it to the side, sighing and glancing sadly down at her grumbling stomach. Hojo continued to watch, his burger resting a couple inches from his closed mouth. His eyes were like daggers, unwavering half orbs of deep brown, but there was a hint of sorrow as he observed her, unnoticed even to him.
His hamburger dropped onto the table when with his eagle-like eyes spotted a new, unprecedented character. He confronted Kagome and smiled, settling himself in the seat next to her. Hojo's eyes narrowed, as he committed this boy's appearance into memory. Who was he? What was he doing here? Hojo had assumed Inu Yasha was the one close to Kagome's heart. Knowing her, a decent friend was rare, a male friend even more doubtful. She was more the recluse than anything, avoiding close relationships with others as much as she dared. But how could this boy just waltz up to Kagome and have her accept him so easily? Was there something between them Hojo had missed? His pupils drew towards the center of his iris as he glared, breathing slowly, assuring that he wouldn't miss any more small details.
They chatted in a lively, cheery manner; Kagome's exaggerated pout and Kouga's open-mouthed laugh showing every now and then. It looked like friends casually teasing and joking with each other, as plain and normal as anything in the midst of such an animated and bright ambience. Hojo knew better, this type of behavior wasn't something Kagome let herself express so freely. His glare faltered into alarm. Were his suspicions true then?
He watched on, though disturbed, as Kagome snatched Kouga's offering of fries, laughing as she did so. He waved his arms helplessly around her. Hojo's eyes widened, his hands tightening into fists. They both stayed stock still for a few moments, the boy's nose buried in her hair and his arms hovering dangerously around her middle. The blue-eyed boy suddenly squeezed his arms firmly around a panicked Kagome. Hojo's eyes snapped and he stood up from his seat, unintentionally causing the table to shift. But he restrained himself from rash actions, hard as it was. He relaxed ever so slightly as Kagome refused Kouga, leaving him as quickly as possible, grabbing her bag and heading toward the north stairs. Hojo slowly settled himself back into his seat and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He sifted his fingers through his hair, scolding himself over getting so worked up. His mind wandered sadly into the past...the past in which Kagome remembered him...the past where nothing could separate them.
"Hojo-kun!" cried a young 10-year-old girl, her raven black hair shimmering in the bright sun as it flew behind her. Her eyes were a sweet dawn gray, her skin a light fair tone with a rosy tint washed over her cheeks. She laughed, a sweet melody to his ears as she flew into his waiting arms, burying her nose in his shoulder. He held her tightly and happiness bubbled up to his throat where it escaped as a loving sigh.
The vision suddenly blurred as darkness enveloped young Kagome ripping her away from his embrace. Panic streaked across his features as a black, shady figure towered over her, pinning Kagome helplessly to the wall. Hojo began to protest, but found cold steel hovering closely against his neck. The blurred shadow grinned wickedly.
"Don't worry. You'll see each other again."
"In Hell."
Ice sliced threw his throat. Hojo felt himself fall, crimson splashed across his vision. He gave up his last breath, watching through the flood of garnet at her gripping her face in horror, lips parted in a silent scream as red rain sprinkled her snow white cheeks.
Hojo was clawing at his head, breathing heavily through gritted teeth. "No, no, no......" he muttered, chanting it over and over again religiously. It'd been so long ago, why did it come back, why did the horrible memories return? He closed his eyes and gripped his face tighter, begging the dream to leave him. The shadows, the darkness, he begged them all to leave him.
A finger tapped his shoulder. "Boo."
Hojo whipped around, his eyes that of a frightened child, moist beads of sweat trickling down his skin. At first he saw raven black hair and pale skin, and he heart constricted. "...Kagome?"
Kikyou frowned. "Hojo honey," she cooed. "You won't even recognize dear Kikyou nee-san?"
Hojo's face fell and his features stiffened. He gave her a sharp glare, and cursed himself for letting his guard down in front of such a woman. He knew the consequences of revealing any weakness to the scheming Kikyou.
She sighed; disappointed he'd regained his stony expression once more. She smiled to herself though; it served as a punishment for his smart remark he'd thrown at her that morning.
She decided to change the subject. "That boy with blue eyes and black hair, "she began. "He's of no concern to either of us. Just a third spoke in the wheel."
Hojo, though he dared not admit it, listened to her carefully. He paused before asking, "Are you certain of that?" He recalled the previous incident and grimaced, looking to the small patch of grass beside his feet.
"You need to ask? He's nothing to Kagome, therefore he's nothing to us. Her heart solely belongs to Inu Yasha." She said that last phrase with a bit of hesitation and distaste. Hojo threw a sidelong glance at her icy face.
"Or maybe it is you wants to believe that," Hojo commented coolly. Kikyou shot him a furiously wild glance.
"What are you saying?" she shot back hotly.
"You want an excuse to hurt her, don't you?" Hojo said without even glancing at Kikyou. "If she tries to steal your love then you have your scapegoat."
"Inu Yasha is not my love and Kagome is not worth my thoughts!" She announced, her rage building. Hojo smiled; she'd lost and she knew it. Seething she tried to calm her breath. Getting angry was of no use.
Clearing her throat she said with annoyance, "That's two times you've humiliated me." She stood up to leave. "I'm only trying to offer you a chance to save her. You know if you don't protect her..."
"I'll destroy her."
Kikyou left, her anger still lingering in the air as Hojo let his head fall back into his hands.
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AN: super frickin' long chappie!!!!! O_________O this HAS to be my record.
Well, then, I was hoping for some I+K mush but somehow it turned into K+K mush. o.O how did that happen?????
Ah well, I tend to do that a lot. I'll decide I'll write about whatever and it turns out totally different than what I planned. ^^;;;;; I'm never gonna make it as a writer.
Anyways, I think there were some reviewers I wanted to reply to in particular...
The_SeVeReD_HaNd: I luv your review!!!! I dno y, but it's cool!!! ^v^ Maybe it's cuz you refer to yourself in third person. ^_^ luv the sn too.
Hokuto1: well, I guess there are some seniors in my school like that. My school is like the badass school. ^^;;;; I'm holy compared to some students...I mean, I dunno if it's normal or not, but there's always always always a gang of smoking sluts and their bf's hanging around the residential area right in next to the school. I saw this one girl make it all the way to 6th period with a tube top and hip huggers. *shudder* it was so totally whoreness.
Jesia: well, you got plenty of Kouga in this chap. I need to add some Inu-Kag fluff later, so be wary!!! ^_____^
Stupid: erm, nice sn. And yes, I TOTALLY agree with you, but I still think Inuyasha needs that extra someone to work up his jealousy, y'know??? ^___^
HanyouGohan: dude, I love you, you like reviewed almost every chappie!!! ^v^ *huggles HanyouGohan* and yes, killing Kikyou would be awesome, but alas, there would be no story plot without her. You can't have a good story without a bitch in it, y'know?? ::grins widely:: SOMEONE has to receive all the pain......^_____^
And that concludes my chapter. I'm also going to convert all my other chapters to html file types so that the italics will show up, so look out for those, k! ^______^
And the more reviews, the better the next chappie will be. Constructive criticism is always welcome!!! I find those pretty inspirational actually......o_O
Ja ne!
~meow-chan~
