UPDATE: Sorry Kikyo lovers, but... SHE'S FINALLY GOING TO DIE!!! YAY!!!! WOOHOO!!! *dances* That's right folks, in the next episode I have to get, she is finally going to die. Poor Inu, he looked so sad, but maybe Kag can be his knight in shining armor this time.^_~ You want to know what episode? Ask me. I don't want to spoil it for those of you who don't.^_~ *giggles* Yay!!! I mean sure, I don't have much of a problem with her, but she's still the love rival, and this event just brings us closer to extreme fluffy goodness. Of course, it brings us closer to the end, but I'd rather not think about that just yet... or ever.
Anyway, so yeah.
Later story bits: Ahhh! *dies* I was just looking through my notes and stuff and realized that I didn't have enough of Kirara. Fine, that's no problem; I'd just add some little parts here and there, no big deal, but wait, there's a problem. I don't know how I could ever possibly do foreshadowing for her bg. Uh oh. Well, better write out her bg so that I can remember it. Oops, I've found a problem, have to completely rework it. Oh boy, now the only way to make that fit is to put an ENTIRE NEW THREAD into the plot. Gha!!! *sighs* My head hurts.~_~;;; Well, it looks like those of you who wanted a bit of Naraku bashing shall have it... if I can figure out how to fit that in and still keep this mainly IY and K. X_X;;;
Update: Okay, I figured out how to add that in, but it causes some changes. First off, the story will now be even longer than I had first thought. Buckle up people, you'll be here a while. Secondly, the plot won't come in small bits so much when it gets there, so that you can figure it out on your own. Both Kirara's and Kagome histories are basically spelled out for you in one lump of a chapter which means LOTS of talking there. That's not really how I wanted to do it, but I didn't have much of a choice. Hope everyone will be able to handle that when the time comes.^_^;
This Chapter: Okay, so to be honest, I don't like this chapter very much. I've been a bit distracted with a new game called Gunbound. It's an online game that's like Worms, only Korean, and with absolutely ADORABLE characters and machines. If anyone wants to play with me, my name on there is cajtrixie. I'm sure you couldn't have guessed.^_~ lol
Anyway, so yeah, it's nothing special, but I needed a reason for the next chapter, and this was it. Oh, we eventually gave up looking for the keys and just got a new set, if you were wondering. Now, does anyone know why FF was down for a couple of days?
UnholyDragoon- Man, I must've gotten an aggressive streak form my bf. Anyway, where to begin? It's not like you'll be reading any further to see this response anyway, so what the heck, why not just go for it? *ahem*
First off, how was chapter 22 focusing on the negative qualities of anything? So what, he was in a bad mood, no big deal. I didn't make him do anything outrageously horrible, irritable, or anything of the sort really. Actually, all in all, I think he was a bit too fluffy for his character there. Secondly, if you think that was bad, how did you ever survive the PowerPoint projector incident? I mean, THAT was harsh. And, if you hadn't really noticed, he's been maturing throughout this story, slowly becoming less of a jerk than he had been originally. The only thing I did to him here was have him push back his feelings, which he seems to do quite a lot anyway, anime or manga, more out of confusion than anything else I suppose. And whether it is of your opinion that I do or not, a lot of people seem to think that I am not of the "cardinal sin" in this story, as you so called it, and that I keep him in character really well respectively. Although your opinion is your own, I'm going with the masses. Call it egotistical, but I like it more that way.
Okay, next in the list: just because Kikyo isn't in this story, which I personally think is better, it doesn't mean that Inu Yasha doesn't have his reasons. Sure, you may not know what they are, but that's the point of the plot which, on many occasions, I have mentioned that the actual plot of the story won't really be starting until about, oh, I'd say next chapter. It'll be a long story, deal with it. Of course, my story being a "lost cause", I'm sure that you won't stick around to find out what it is nor the reasons that he has been acting as such. Have you even TRIED to decipher any of the dreams or make any sort of sense out of them?
As for Kouga, even in the anime or manga he was never considered a love interest for Kagome; that has never changed. It also doesn't change the fact that he tries to woo her, so I don't see what the problem here is. Another thing, why bother telling me that you were "willing to let it slide previously, but..."? You know, you could've just stopped reading without trying, and I do mean trying, to insult me.
Oh, and we can't forget the "There is something that can be done, but I feel that this story is a lost cause." can we? You know, you COULD'VE just told me your suggestion and counted this as criticism instead of an attempted insult, but no, you had to do it the hard way.
You know, come to think of it, I actually thank you for this. I feel that I have now officially been initiated into being a true fanfic writer, getting my first semi-hate mail/comment and all. Also, this has been a lot of fun and has allowed me to use the semi-aggressive side of myself that most tend not to see. Of course, unlike my bf, I don't insult back, but hey, it's all good.
All in all, thanks. I think I've officially been christened.
P.S. "Critical mass"? *rolls eyes*
pruningshears- Well, the asking about the "ears" thing will come in... oh man, I have no idea how many chapters.^_^;;; Probably somewhere around 10 or so, but it's too far off for me to guess anywhere near accurately. The actual plot has to start before then, and a few things have to happen first, all starting with either this chapter or the next. Yay! About the sneeze, yeah, you have to love it.^-^ *giggles* So many people do it, but that's because it just seems so right, and is too tempting.^-^ Sneeze! Thanks so much for posting on both chapters too!^_^ *hugs*
Mustard Yellow Sunshine- Hehe, fish of DOOMMM!!! ^-^
ladykaa28- Yeah, they do fit well don't they?^_^ *giggles* but no, no, no, they will become actual friends, on friendly terms even, either in this chapter or the next, but they won't actually get together for another, oh heck, I have no idea. It'll be somewhere around ten chapters or so. The thing is, they'll be together for a bit, but the closer they are to being together, the closer the horrible, horrible angst and the revealing of the whole picture (plot wise) comes in. Man, you guys are really going to hate me for the angsty parts.^-^;;;
Blade Griffin- Heh, yeah. Too bad I've never seen an aquarium that has a wall like that in the bathroom, but I just thought it would be funny. If I ever found one, I'd practically die laughing.^-^
KohakuTenshi- Lol thanks, you're way too kind.^_~
Kira- Not a problem.^_~ And thanks for the review!^_^ *giggles*
Lady Anime4- Lol well, if you just started reading now count yourself lucky.^_~ *giggles* You came just in time for fluff goodness and actual plot development. Oohhh... plooottt… lol There is much fluff on the way, I assure you, but I'm afraid that they won't actually get together until the next color section. That'll be roughly, oh, about 10 chapters probably. I really have no clue; that's an extremely rough estimate.^_~ I'm honored that you like my story so much, and even more so that it brought about a happy dance!^_^ *giggles* Yay! Happy dance! I was allowed to watch the happy dance though… right?*pouts* ^-^
Vampire-Elf- Lol thanks.^_^ Aww, math project eh? No worries, we all know how those can be.^-^;;; I just appreciate that you review when you can.^-^ Speaking of that, thanks for the review! *hugs* You know I love hearing from ya.^_~
CherryEvil- Thanks.^_^ And yep, it's a real game alright. It's called Black and White, which is why I named the chapter as such.^_~* Just sort of a bad pun I suppose. Anyway, it's a computer game, a few years old now, but you can probably find it somewhere.^_^ Hope that helps!
Angel Whispers- Lol I'm glad you like so much.^-^ Heh, I am the wench, the CHEESE wench! *giggles* It's great, I have a black "Super Wench" Renaissance Fair tank top.^-^ I love it. Anyway, yeah, I need to update more often, but it's still summer for me so things are still hustle and bustle around here, you know? But still, I do my best, and thanks so much for the comment!^_^ And thanks for worrying about the keys. We ended up getting another set anyway, but thank you! ^_^ *hugs* --- is still hyper from the flame comment
AssassinReiX- I can only try, but I'm glad you like it.^_^ *giggles*
Random()- Lol, I'll forgive you for the time it took to comment if you forgive me for the time it takes to even post one of these.^_~ *giggles* Yeah, I know what you mean about Adult Swim, but it's still annoying as hell. I'm glad you liked the aquarium scene though.^_^ Personally, I like the amber fish. Hehe, so cute! Oh, and I don't blame you for the monkey thing either. I'd be almost a hypocrite to do so, considering that I extremely dislike ostriches because of a bad drive-in zoo experience when I was little.^-^; Oh, and don't worry, this is NO WHERE NEAR over.^_^; Man, we'd be lucky (according to some) if this story had less than 40 chapters. Don't worry, we should be here a while.^_~ *giggles*
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters in it. If I did I'd be rich, but I'm not... and if I had lots of money I'd probably spend it on anime anyway so pleeaasseee, don't sue me.^_^ lol
Oh, and as always,
_= thoughts *_* = sound/ italicized "_" = speech
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Recap:
By the time the fieldtrip was over, it had stopped raining, for the second anyway, and all were glad to be going home, especially with no homework to do that night. What would they do instead? What did it matter? It wasn't school work, and hey, Souta was supposed to be buying a new game. Maybe Inu Yasha would like it...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Do the Math
Chapter 24: Is it Hot in Here?
Hopes and wishes floated from the roof tops, getting as far as the skyline overhead before being coated in the ink-like darkness, and bogged down, drenched, cold, and forsaken, even as the night guided young ones to their beds, and hopefully a god night's rest. The thunder and lightning shone against the black void of which was once the sky, and rain droplets fell from the heavens, showering anyone and anything in their path with liquid sadness, remorse. This was not any normal night, nor any normal storm; that much was apparent to everyone. The gloom that had washed over all of the inhabitants under its reign was proof of that, but what's more was that it wasn't even truly night; it had been around three in the afternoon when the sheet of despair clung to the cloudy skies overhead, blanketing them and strangling them as if to engulf their very being within it's hollow depths, and now, only five hours later, only the addition of the thunder and lighting kept the world from seeing the battle being waged above them, viewing instead, a battle of its own right, the turmoil that this day had wrought within each and every person witness to this. The world seemed to be melting around them and, in one house in particular, for a young woman lying asleep in bed, the world *was* melting around her, flowing down her body to create a puddle of gloom, despair, a swirling mass, not unlike the darkest of oil, to devour her soul within its own world of emptiness and betrayal. And yet, what this girl did not know *would* eventually come to pass, and at that time, would hurt more than anything she had ever known, or had thought she had known, within the span of her minuscule life on this planet. Ignorance is not always bliss.
A blaring noise sounded somewhere within the darkness of this room, of her mind, breaking off any and all sensibility and any scrap of capability she may have once had of hearing anything else. Bright lights were set upon her, as if questioning her worth as a being, as if judging her existence, and coming ever closer in the seconds that passed as if molasses through an hourglass. She had not the time to consider anything else when it fell upon her, the darkness that seemed to have conquered the light, conquered the day, and conquered the life of some. Suddenly the light came back, but it was different this time. It was duller, kind of dusky, dim as if they were brighter, but she couldn't tell, couldn't see them, as if the cloud of death hung over her head, impairing her vision through its mass of wispy fog. There were people hanging over her, made known only by the faintest of mumblings and shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own. She was too tired to be scared, and too lonely to stay awake, and soon, closed tired, caramel orbs to block out the world and the pain that came with it. As her dreams of red faded into black, one thought surfaced in her mind before she succumbed to the darkness once more. Where was her knight when she needed him most?
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Great, she was woken up for this?
Earlier in the evening, Kagome was woken by her mother with but one explanation: it's a surprise. Now, only two reactions can come of this, the "Woohoo!!! Disneyland!" response, or the "Not more bra shopping!" alternative. Luckily, Kagome's mother had a tendency to go with the former, so she was actually quite happy, even after she was told where they were going, but then everything fell apart. After an extremely stressful day of school and seemingly endless amounts of rain, she was beyond overjoyed to hear that they were taking a spur of the moment trip to the bath house. Who wouldn't be? Actually, the better question there would be, how could someone screw up a trip to the bath house? This was how.
The first thing Kagome noticed was that this was a "specialized" bath house. Upon asking what that meant, her mother told her that it was a more family oriented thing rather than one that divided the sexes. In layman's terms, guys and girls shared the same space. Okay, that was weird, but they'd be wearing towels, and if it was a family thing, that wouldn't be so bad right? It'd be like taking a bath with Souta when he was too young to do it on his own, except that Souta was at Kohaku's for the night, so maybe the roles needed to be changed a bit in that analogy. And hey, her mother had made reservations for a private tub, so there shouldn't be any scary surprises right? Well, in that she *had* been right; she hadn't said anything about humiliating surprises. As soon as the Khiotos walked through those doors, she knew that her life was officially over.
How do you screw up a trip to the bath house? Oh, it wasn't over yet. The next catastrophe happened when they were told that their reservations had been lost. That was okay though; there were still two tubs available. The problem? One tub could fit only four of the six and the other could fit only three. Of course, the immediate conclusion was adults in one and teens in the other, but as Sesshoumaru was older, and more importantly, as he refused to sit with his "idiot brother and his girlfriend", something that gained him a glare from both parties mentioned, it seemed that he would have intellectual conversation with the parents, leaving Inu Yasha and Kagome to sit in a tub... alone. That wasn't bad enough you say? At least the tubs were in sight of each other? Well, though true that they were right next to each other, there was a thin wall between them, and, though it didn't even come close to reaching the ceiling, it still managed to block all sight and most noise from reaching the other side.
It seemed that Inu Yasha and Kagome were being thrown into a pool of quicksand, and were stuck fast; there was no way out.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Baby blue walls outlined the boundaries of the room, if you could call it one, sending a calming aura to the two young teens within, though neither were quite receiving it. Other than a single tub in the middle of the polished, wooden floor, the only objects in sight were two potted plants, each on their own small stand in the back corners of the room, leaving an incredibly vast space where something interesting could be put in to, say, draw one's attention away from another person, something that Kagome was slightly desperate to do at that moment, if but for a bit longer.
The tub itself was very nice, as far as a tub could go anyway. It was rather tall, reaching up to about Kagome's belly button, with inward sloping sides, covered in an ornate, intricate design of cranes, leaves, and lotus blossoms. The water was filled about three fourths of the way and, as Kagome stepped further into the room, she couldn't help but notice the steam, billowing forth, and rolling off of the tub in waves. The heat was almost overwhelming at first, leading her to believe that if only the steam was that hot, the water must've been heavenly. It looked so good, so relaxing, and more importantly, so inviting. How much would she have given to be in there... alone? She had no idea. But then, if it was so tempting, why was she just standing behind it, behind him, as she clutched both her clothes and her towel tightly to herself? Why was she watching the steam rise, trying not to notice as it caressed the flesh that lay within its waters, nor how it gently played with his ivory hair, teasing and tousling it with every touch, every embrace? Not that it was a bad sight mind you. Who wouldn't like the idea of the condensation dripping, flowing freely over toned, tanned curves and muscle before sliding easily into the warm waters below? No, she wasn't watching, and definitely wasn't wondering if Inu Yasha had a towel on in there, something that she had to check, and recheck, to make sure that she, herself, did. No, Kagome wasn't nervous; she was petrified. Who could blame her? Feeling her face flush, Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was official; things just went from bad to worse.
Of course, little did she know that Inu Yasha was in much the same state as she. Oh yes, he knew that she was standing behind him and had been for a while, and yes, he knew that she was watching him, but he refused to turn around and look at her, lest she see the blush that was currently staining his face, or, even worse, if she had no towel on. Actually, that wouldn't have been all bad; it would've been pretty nice actually, but Inu Yasha knew that he'd never live it down if he showed any weakness about this, embarrassing as it was, even if only because of his pride, and so he sat, nervously waiting for the moment when those long, pale, slender legs would enter the water with him, or, in other words, waiting for the humiliation to begin. Even the prospect of this was enough to rattle his nerves, and so he attempted to steel them further, refusing to show weakness while he was thus vulnerable. Needless to say, he was a bit surprised, and beyond relieved, when, a few minutes later, she still had yet to enter. The slight anger he had directed towards his reaction to the situation, previously hidden beneath layers of wonder, anxiousness, and reddened flesh, flared, overriding his sense of modesty, if but for a moment, and he sent a silent thanks to the heavens above. He would rather be angry than embarrassed any day; at least that way he could be himself. And hey, what better way to enjoy the, surely short-lived, freedom than by saying something?
"Keh, just get in already; we don't have all day." Sure, it was insensitive, and technically, it wasn't day, but at that moment, Kagome didn't care. She was more concerned with the fact that Inu Yasha had known she was there, had known that she was standing behind him, staring, nervous, and ultimately vulnerable. Wait, maybe that last one was a bit unfounded; he could be a bit more dense than the average guy (no offense!) at times, so maybe that accusation had been a bit much. Well, no matter what he knew, he knew something, and that alone was enough to unsettle the girl. Clutching her towel to her body with a strength previously unknown to her, Kagome dropped the garments within her grip and took a hesitant step forward, then another, padding her way across the cool, wooden floor nervously before eventually reaching the tub and daring one leg to drape inside.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Inu Yasha could hear every footstep she made, the soft shuffling causing his heart to beat faster and faster in anticipation. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Inu cursed his, now ebbing, anger for abandoning its vigil over his emotions, and what was more, abandoning him, and awaited the inevitable, brought only to reality when he felt the water move about him, rippling and swaying, lapping at the sides of the tub and the smooth contour of his flesh as, first one leg, and then another, entered the water to his left. Turning his head away from her, he sighed mentally and scowled. He had been afraid that she might've entered from the front and seen him while his guard had dropped, but even as that wasn't the case, he didn't want to risk her noticing the blush clearly spreading across his cheeks. He was determined to emerge from this unscathed. For a moment, Inu's eyebrow twitched as he concentrated on getting the raging, pinkish tinge to abandon its post, but it seemed as if it would be his best friend for the night, and for that he despised it all the more. Finally satisfied that he was composed enough to do so, Inu cautiously turned his head to the left, allowing his gaze to slide over Kagome's form, only to noticed that she had turned away from him as well. He could barely see her face over her shoulder, but it was enough to see the uncomfortable hue of her cheeks, and he couldn't help the smirk that grew rapidly in place of the scowl. He didn't think a human could be so red, and for some far out reason, he figured it wasn't just the heat. The knowledge that she was just as embarrassed about this as he was set his mind at ease, if only slightly, allowing the calming atmosphere to take ant effect. It was nice to know that he wasn't alone in those feelings, but he still couldn't drop his guard, no matter how tempting it may have been.
Laying back and relenting to the warmth so dutifully provided, Inu allowed himself to be enveloped within the relaxing influence of the tub, and unintentionally sighed. The water felt so nice. It was as if the tendrils of steam, hands of pure warmth and contentment, were working their way over his body, massaging and soothing him inside and out, leaving him breathless and content. He hadn't even noticed that he had closed his eyes, and definitely hadn't noticed when his head had languidly lulled to the side, but Kagome had. She sat there, a smile slowly growing from the nervous frown she had been previously wearing, to wash across her form and into her eyes, the newfound light there noticeable for but a moment before she, too, closed chocolate orbs. Everything was quiet, but neither noticed. Why bother to notice things when you're content? It would mean that you'd have to think, and therefore, that something would change. A small plop in the water broke the two from their daze, startling them back into a world of tension and unfulfillment, as Kagome slowly leaned down, picking up her fallen hair clip from the water and tying her soggy hair back up.
Oh how those lustrous tresses shone, shimmering in the heat as if diamonds on a necklace. They curled and rolled, shifting almost fluidly as Kagome went to work replacing the clip that had fallen, completely missing Inu Yasha's studious gaze. Her hair looked so soft. He briefly wondered what it would've been like to touch it. Would it be like silk, feather soft and tender to the touch? What of that pale, delicate skin; would it feel the same? Then again, he'd never know, so why worry about it? With a cynical snort, Inu Yasha turned ahead of him and away from Kagome, slightly darkened amber orbs focused on the wall between the two plants in the corners. He needed to keep his mind off of things like that; he knew what would happen if he didn't, and he didn't want to relive that experience all over again. Turning towards the ceiling, Inu's scowl grew once more, unfurling from within the sprouting seed of pain that lay embedded deeply within his heart, only to reemerge in his physical form once more. He crossed his arms over his chest, as if to protect that sprout, before muttering something quietly under his breath.
"Great, just what I needed, more water." He hadn't even noticed the pleasant smile on Kagome's face until she began to speak to him.
"So..." Biting her lip gently, Kagome turned to face the same way he was, clasping her hands in her lap all the while, "... how'd you like the aquarium?" Looking over at her, Inu's blush returned once more, and he forcefully turned his head away, willing it to subside, and noticing as he did so the way that her gaze descended from the ceiling to her hands, as they began to wring the lower hem of the towel beneath the surface of the water. The tension was thick once more, filling the air around them as Inu Yasha spoke.
"Keh, it was okay." He paused for a minute and then added, as if an afterthought, "Well, all except for one thing." Kagome's gaze saddened somewhat, unbeknownst to Inu Yasha's lingering gaze upon the ceiling high above.
Yeah, that you had to be stuck in a bathroom with me, right? Turning to the ceiling once more, she waited with a sad smile, somewhat dreading the response she knew was to come, and yet hoping that it wasn't.
"Why did that wimpy wolf have to be there?" Kagome's eyes widened.
What? She looked to Inu Yasha, only to see him staring ahead once more, angrily glaring at, what she assumed, was his own internal vision of Kouga.
"Did you see the way that girl hung off of him? Keh, it made me sick just to think..." Widening amber orbs gave way to a slightly worried expression, as Kagome's became all the more joyful.
So he didn't mind being stuck in there with me? Well, maybe he just didn't remember it, but still... The spark in her eye deadened slightly as his last sentences rang in her ears, and Inu couldn't help but gulp. He should've been more careful. Inu Yasha knew that she was still hurt, but he *had* to go and say that anyway, didn't he? She was probably going to be upset now. Oh Kami, don't let her cry! A soft gurgling made its way to his ears, and his eyes widened further. Was she... growling?
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Grrr... I can't *believe* that she hangs on him like that all the time! Where does she get the nerve! If I weren't me I'd... A small chuckle from beside Kagome caught her attention and she turned, finding nothing short of Inu Yasha laughing, but for once, not at her exactly. It seemed that she hadn't noticed her mouth beneath the water, nor that her growling was causing bubbles to peek through the surface, popping upon impact with the air pressure above. He hadn't heard such an impressive growl in a while, and particularly not from a girl. By the time she had lifted her head to look at him, finally gathering the nerve to conquer her embarrassment, Inu Yasha had stopped chuckling, but still held a small grin on his face, the sight inadvertently causing Kagome to blush and smile slightly herself. Maybe this wasn't that bad... or maybe she had thought too soon. In an instant, Inu Yasha's once relaxed form became stiff, tense once more, and he sat up, turning away from her gaze with an all too familiar scowl back in place. He was on his guard again, but why? She had been so close to having an actual conversation with him; if he could just loosen his resolve a little more, she was sure that it would fare better for them both, especially where that night was concerned. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Why had his mood reverted back into the gruff, irritated stage that she knew all too well? Had she done something to upset him again? Arg, what was she thinking? How could she get him to relax again? Frustrated and hopelessly out of ideas, Kagome slumped against the back of the tub, eyes closed and brows drawn together tightly. Noticing her drop in mood, Inu Yasha turned to her, apprehension weighting heavily on his heart.
"Keh, cheer up. You are in a bath house aren't you?" At Kagome's half annoyed, half curious glance, he tried again. "I mean, aren't you supposed to relax here?" Kagome smirked.
"Look who's talking." If Inu Yasha's brief choking sounds were any indication, she had surprised him, and she loved it. The look on his face was priceless, and, really, it was kind of cute actually, the way he had tried to cheer her up, though in his own way. Sure, if it were anyone else that would've failed miserably, but how often did he try to do that for her, or anyone for that matter? In a way it made her feel special, as if he actually cared, though she slightly doubted that. For that reason alone, even the attempt had helped to lift her spirits, and the fact that she had gotten a break in his sour mood hadn't hurt either. His guard was down, and she was going to make sure it stayed that way, for the night at least. But what to do? What to do? "Say, Inu Yasha?" Two curious, imaginary ears swiveled towards the sound of her voice, twitching slightly as they did so.
"Hmm?"
"What do you think of our school?" And thus, with a grin on both sides, the most enjoyed conversation in the history of chatting began.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Over the next hour or so, the two laid back in the tub and chatted away, talking about everything from school to careers, to life in general, each finding that, not only did they not mind the other, but that, all modesty and nakedness aside, they actually rather enjoyed one another's company. To be honest, their favorite topic had been the pranks that they had pulled on one another earlier in the year. Sure, Inu had gotten a few warnings during that conversation, but all in all, they had had a lot of fun. However, as time passed with no word from the parents, the teens had begun to get a bit restless. Bath houses were one thing, but being a human raisin three times over wasn't, and both were starting to feel the sharp pains that overly shriveled skin will give. The fact is, they needed a way out, but how would they do it without drawing too much attention to themselves? If they simply asked their parents, they'd probably say no, but they couldn't just up and leave without facing being grounded for a year. It seemed that there was only one way out, the classic "I have homework to do, so you'll let me leave if you value my education" approach. Yeah, that aught to work. Of course, if they were caught in this excuse, the consequences could be fatal, or in other words, they could be studied to death, but it was well worth the risk. Both teens looked to each other, one message clear over everything else: I'm going in.
"Momma?" At the sound of Kagome's voice, all other sounds on the other side of the wall halted, leaving a thick silence to hang in the air. She had a feeling that she was playing with a pendulum, a perfectly balanced one. One wrong move and everything would be ruined, but still, she braved on, encouraged by the thought of home, bed, and non-wrinkly skin.
"Yes dear?"
"Um..." Kagome swallowed a lump in her throat before glaring at Inu Yasha for rolling his eyes at her. She wasn't good at this okay? "...would it be okay if I went home?" A second of silence hung in the air, as if the aforementioned pendulum were slipping to one side. She would have to act fast to balance this out; it was time for the homework excuse. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she continued. "I have homework to do and..."
"I'd let you Kagome, but you'd have no way to get home." Okay, now Kagome felt bad. Her mother sounded so worried! Man, guilt trips sucked. What would she do now? She had used up everything she had, but she had to get out of there! Seeing his ticket out of here slowly slipping away, Inu Yasha scoffed, loudly enough that everyone could hear it, but softly enough that no one noticed his true intent.
"Keh, I'll take her if it'll stop her whining." On the other side of the make-shift wall, Mrs. Higurashi's frown turned into a knowing smile. As she shared it with Mr. Khioto, Sesshoumaru simply rolled his eyes and, mentally sighing, waited for the inevitable.
"Well, if it's not too much trouble..." In Inu Yasha's opinion, her voice had become much too sunny in such a short amount of time, and though they were being given permission to leave, something still felt... off.
"Don't worry about it." Voice lightened with a hidden smile, Mrs. Higurashi replied, her unseen eyes laden with joy and relief.
"Okay then, have fun you two." Both teens cringed automatically, tensing slightly and looking towards one another, hoping to find a denial that they may have been found out, and yet neither finding one. Okay, so, the fact was, they were probably caught, but that was just all the more reason for them to hightail it out of there. Of course, there was still one more problem; even as the others began their previous conversation once more, Inu and Kagome sat, unmoving, simply listening to the muffled voices through the wall to their left. They were free; they could go, and they were... sitting. Why?
"You get out first."
"Keh."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hey guys, I was wondering, do you mind the longer wait period for longer chapters and/or more than one to be posted?