Okay, I know everyone's dying for the fluff and the actual get together right? Sorry I'm torturing everyone, but if it helps, here's the order of what's to come:
*plot, cuteness
*a little fluff perhaps
*2-4 chapters (long chapters) of nothing but fluff, hilarity, and Shippou
*another dream (not like this last one, no worries.^_^;) and a major fluff/hormone thing (hehehe)
*plot
*character angst
*they get together
*etc., and then the story continues.^-^
I hope that helps!^-^ And sorry if I've been confusing everyone. This will be one of those stories where you write down about a million questions, and then with one sentence it'll all be explained. You'll read it, look at the questions, and go, "Oooohhhh, why didn't I see that before?!".^_^ *laughs* Or, if you already knew/suspected it, you'll be all like, "I *KNEW* it!", and yeah, it'll be cool.^-^
Chapter note: Sorry I didn't do a Christmas chapter, but that would've made your wait, not to mention mine, longer, something I doubt you guys would want; you've waited long enough as it is.^_~ Besides, this is a fic centered around school, so I won't really be mentioning any holidays for purposes other than timing, unless they can be celebrated in school, such as Valentines day. Yes, there will be a Valentines day chapter, and no, they won't get together on Valentines day... they'll be together before then.^-~* *giggles*
Goku's Daughter- Yeah, I definitely know what you mean. That's why I put the recap thing down there in the first place, to give a little jumpstart to the memory banks.^_^ I don't know if it works as well as I'd hoped, but hey, it's worth a shot right? Personally, I tend to like shorter wait times too, but I don't really mind either way. Some stories are better longer, but it's best to just try and remember the important things in a chapter, and don't force yourself to remember all of it.^_^ But, in your opinion mind you, do you think my chapters are too long? If it goes to 10 pages I cut it in half, but anything under that is one chapter. And honest opinion now; I won't get mad if you say they are.^_~ lol
AssassinReiX- As long as I can say at least one word, you'll probably have a review response.^_~ *giggles* And hey, it's me who should be thanking you for the review, not the other way around! ^_^
Random()- The con info, yeah, it sounds utterly and completely awesome! You are so lucky! That'll be great, AND you get to miss school to do it! Man, that's awesome. And nah, the episode was episode 87. The part that came from it/was based on it was the sick part. He actually does stuff like that. It's sooooooo sweeettt!!!! Just as a warning though, except for that little 5min or so part, the rest of the episode's about Kikyo and Onigumo's past. Good episode, minus the Kikyo part; very helpful and lots of good info on the characters. Sorry this is so short, well, for us at least, but I have to head out.^_^ See you soon!
Vampire-Elf- Lol actually, the dream kind of popped into my head while I was walking home from school sometime early this year/late last year. What I got from the series was the part where Kagome got sick and Inu was all sweet. It's in ep. 87, towards the very end, if you want to see it.^_^ I warn you though, the rest of the episode is about Kikyo. Lol and yeah, the bunny/bat was pretty creepy, yet somehow, I found it amusing as well.^_^; *laughs* I'm glad you liked the story, and I hope to see you around!^_^
ladykaa28- I think it's more that Kagome's mom is really nice, and really smart. She always knows when something's up, and she's too nice to think badly of it, for the most part. Besides, why would she have any reason not to trust Kagome? She said herself that she thinks Kagome is "a girl who always follows the right path", or something along those lines, and, to our knowledge, Kagome has never really lied to her, so why would she be suspicious anyway?^_^ I think her mom is just awesome, and that's the bottom line. ^_^ *giggles* And about the dream, well, all I can give in response to that comment is a smile. You're on the right track, but I can't tell you just yet.^_~ Sorry. If you want, I mentioned why there are so many unanswered questions in the author's note, so if you're curious as to why, go check that out.^_^ And, as always, thanks for the review(s)!^-^ *hugs*
CorruptedAngel- Well, I'm glad you liked it, and how'd the car wash go?^-^
pruningshears- Lol actually, I'm not quite sure when Miroku will next appear.^_^;;; This is a Kagome/Inu fic, after all, and we're finally going to be getting some plot, but he's definitely going to be in the hormone fluff chapter (see author's note), though I'm not exactly sure how much he'll be in there. Lol how can you have a hormone chapter without Miroku?^_~ *giggles* The ear questioning, if you want to know, if in the chapter where they get together, so you can see how long that'll take if you read above.^_^ Other than that, I'm glad you liked the chapter, and thanks for the review! *hugs* ^_^
Funky Nassau- Lol, I know the chapter was both weird and confusing, but the main point of it was 1, a little bit of fluff (Inu style of course), and 2, something VERY strange happened where they shared the same dream. Those were the main points. You could also note the weather as mod if you'd like, but I just gave them an excuse to go to the bath house. *laughs* ^_^ Sorry about going bald too, but if it makes you feel any better, major fluff chapters are coming in... *checks notes* well, the order should be as follows: ploty cuteness, a little fluff perhaps, 2-4 chapters (long chapters) of nothing but fluff, hilarity, and Shippou, another dream (not like this last one, no worries.^_^;), major fluff/hormone thing (hehehe), plot, a bit of angst, they get together, and then the story continues.^-^ Does that help any? Maybe I should post that in the author's note...hmm... *puts it up there. Anyway, so yeah, it won't be another 20 chapters or whatever, so no worries.^_^ Sorry for making you wait so long though.~_~ Oh, and about the too much self control issue, other than Kagome's temper, what are they like in the series?^_~ *giggles*
Mustard Yellow Sunshine- Yes, and fluff, fluffy, fluffy fluff.^_^ *giggles* And hey, no worries, there's lots more to come!^-^
Morlana- Lol damned straight the parents want them together!^_^ See, the thing is, Inu and Kagome have a past, one which Kagome doesn't really remember. What it is and why she doesn't remember, well, you'll just have to wait for that info, but the parents remember, and they want nothing more than their kids to be together. To them, in this fic at least, friends=very, very good, and more, well, that's just plain awesome.^_^ As far as the link goes, it's of my opinion that they always had a link and always will, this story, anime, manga, whatever. If you mean a physical link or a mind link, not really, but as you just read, it can happen. Why it happened/was possible was the important part, and the fact that it happened is just one more thing to chalk up to foreshadowing. I think I may have too much of that already though. Lol If you read the author's note, it'll say why there is so much, but that's up to you.^_^ If you want it, it's there. And no, it didn't happen because she was sick, and it won't always happen when they sleep near each other, or it would've happened after the video game incident, ne?^_~
RedHerring- Lol where to start? Okay, yes, the game is real. It's a computer game called Black and White, thus the chapter title and cheesy saying.^_~ Shippou will be in the story rather soon actually, but he'll only show up twice. The good news is that those two times are both sets of multiple chapters, so he'll be around.^_^ And yeah, I know the relationship is taking forever, but I swear that it'll happen at the end of this color section, well, actually, at the beginning of the next, but it's the same difference right? Either way it should be around 10 chapters or less from now, but don't quote me on that; I have a tendency to over write.^_^; lol The point they are at now will have plot (finally) and much fluff (double finally!). ^-^ *giggles* And, if you want both an explanation for why it's taking so long and the order of the next set of chapters, check out the author's note; it's in there. And finally, are you sure that he actually has dog ears? I mean, sure she sees them, but does that mean that they're really there?^_~ Hehe, and yeah, if they were there she would need to play with them; they are simply adorable!^-^
Onikizu (GRiM_BoB)- Lol Awww, was that cheer just for me? I'm honored.^_~*
inu/kagome4ever- Well, they should get together soon, though I can't give you an exact chapter number. If you want to know the order up until then, I wrote it in the author's note above, but by a round estimate, oh, I'd say probably about... somewhere around 8 chapters from now.^_^ Sorry for the wait, but it'll be worth it, trust me. And hey, I'm glad you don't mind angst because the ending will be CHALK FULL of it.^_^ Hehehe, I'm evil. I'll probably lose reviewers there though; I can be harsh and some people don't like/can't handle a lot of angst ness. (according to Word, angst ness is a word and angstiness isn't. weird huh?) ^_^;;; Anyway, thanks for the review and I hope to see you soon!^-^
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:
Both had thought that they had been alone in the dream, but as they stared at one another, they knew differently. What could be said in a situation such as this, when the mind and body, confused and dazed, tried to force the mind to react without avail?
"Well, that was interesting."
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Do the Math
Chapter 26: A New Power, A New Hope
As the next few weeks wore on, not much changed, but a lot did happen. Kagome's sudden illness left as quickly as it had come, seemingly evaporating with the darkness of that fateful night, and yet it took most of that day to clear both her sinuses and the roadways, allowing both Inu Yasha's and Kagome's parents to come home not too long afterwards. Souta, having been gone, came back two days later, and thus life continued normally for the rest of that week.
Christmas vacation came soon after. During that time, no one saw a lot of each other, everyone visiting relatives and all, but the group of teens managed to spend some time together anyway, stealing away to meet at the mall before everyone had to go, for whatever reason. Inu Yasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku spent the day hanging out, buying last minute gifts for family, and exchanging gifts of their own, sending good cheer to all, well, as much so as was in their character at least. So, what were the presents?
With his bonus from Hot Topic, Inu Yasha bought Kagome a necklace, previously picked out by Sango, who, in turn, received a pair of handcuffs. That particular gift came in very handy when they had spotted some mistletoe, and, after giving Miroku a large lump on the head for taking his "gift" too far, Sango decided to handcuff him to a nearby stair railing, leaving room for his eyes, alone, to wander. Other than Miroku's growing stack of magazines, the only other memorable gift yet to be mentioned was from Kagome to Inu Yasha. She had purchased a beautiful, golden locket, one which sparkled endlessly, as would a star in the sky, and inside, placed two pictures, one of her, and one of him. Unfortunately, the only photos she had of them were from the time that they had gotten stuck in a photo booth, yelling at each other, and so that was what had been used, and though he outright refused the gift, Inu Yasha still wore the necklace beneath his shirt as often as possible. He just didn't want anyone to know it.
The group then went on their way, the Khiotos taking Rin, and the Higurashi's visiting their relatives. Because Miroku only had one family member, the drunken ex-monk, he and his foster father spent the holiday with Sango, Kohaku, Kirara, and Kirara's doctor, all enjoying a wonderful feast and indulging in the spirit of the holiday, especially Miroku, but we won't get into that. All in all, everyone had a good vacation, other than the random packages of underwear from grandma, and, though they weren't happy about going back to school, they still enjoyed the prospect of coming home. Home never looked as good as when one was coming back to it, and the same could be said about friends.
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"Good morning Mrs. Khioto!" The woman in question turned, ivory hair blowing softly in the breeze, as she went about her daily chores.
"Well good morning Kagome! Are you here for your study date?" She hadn't noticed Kagome cringe, or at least Kagome hoped she hadn't, as the words came back to the girl before her at full force. Both Inu Yasha's and Kagome's parents had been acting slightly odd ever since the bath house incident almost a month back. Whereas they would stay relatively out of their children's personal lives before, giving nothing but support and maybe a small push now and then, as of late it seemed that they were taking advantage of every opportunity to mention something about them becoming closer, either that or Kagome was imagining it. Still, no matter the reason, every time she heard it, Kagome couldn't help but reel back slightly. Were they really trying to give subtle hints? She had no idea, but if they were, Mrs. Khioto had to be the worst at it.
"Yes Mam." The older woman's amber eyes lit up, accentuated only with a very light shade of blue eye shadow, as a soft, motherly smile came upon her face. Nodding happily, the woman gestured towards the back yard, having freed one hand of the potted plant she held before her, and smiled down on Kagome once more.
"Oh good. The boys are out in the back, so feel free to drop by and say hello." At Kagome's nod, Mrs. Khioto balanced her plant on both hands once again, and then set off for the house. "I'll be upstairs if you need me dear!" And with that, she was gone.
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"Give up; you are not worth the likes of that sword." The sound of clashing metal made itself known as Kagome headed towards the backyard, clanging and roaring as if it were a battle of the heavens themselves, and yet no destruction could be seen.
"Keh, never!" Fabric tore, only seeming to peak Kagome's, already attentive, curiosity, as she peeked around the corner of the house into the back yard. She would never be ready for what she saw. Flesh on flesh, the gleam of steel against the glistening droplets of sweat staining the grass, they stood there, amongst the nature of their back yard, battling it out in the most graceful of acts, and she could not but watch. With one swipe, Sesshoumaru tore open Inu Yasha's shirt, which hung loosely at his waist, causing it to look much like his own, strewn over the grass as if carelessly flung there, so un-Sesshoumaru like. Sparks flew as metal collided, blades skimming over the surface of one another, only to be repelled by the same force, blown back with extreme care as to not hurt their owners, and yet with such vigor that Kagome could not help but shiver. Inu Yasha, clad merely in sweat pants and sweat, and Sesshoumaru, wearing not but jeans and an over shirt, they were sweaty, they were muscular, they were outraged, and she was... peeping? Just at that moment, as if reading her mind, Inu Yasha turned to her, surprise clearly evident on his face. Noting his opponent's lack of concentration, Sesshoumaru seized the advantage and struck, knocking Inu down, but not out. Within a second the younger was back on his feet, but the fight was no more, and all eyes were on her. "Kagome?"
"I... I'm sorry. I came for our session and your mom said you were back here and I... well..." Flinging pale, snowy locks over his shoulder, Inu Yasha's posture returned to its usual cocky state, as he turned to her and scowled, if a bit softly.
"Forget it. Go sit in the living room and I'll be there in a minute." Kagome watched, mesmerized, as Inu Yasha lifted a well-toned arm to brush aside the beads of sweat that had accumulated across his forehead during the match. His beautifully tanned flesh shone brilliantly in the mid day sun, stretching and shifting as his muscles flexed beneath, dancing before her eyes with even the slightest of movements. Only briefly noting that he had said something, much less that he had stopped talking, Kagome nodded and, still somewhat dazed, turned to go into the house, using the back door that was presented for her. She didn't really know what he had said, but she knew that she'd have to go inside eventually, and anything to get out of this awkward situation was good enough for her. Why was it so awkward? She had no idea, but nevertheless, she doubted that her blush would ever go away.
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She was... she was watching?!
"I... I'm sorry. I came for our session and your mom said you were back here and I... well..."
Damnit! She knew we were training! Why didn't she just send Kagome to the living room in the first place? Don't tell me she's butting in again... Kami, why'd she have to show up now? Wait, why am I acting like this is such a big deal? Do I even care what Kagome thinks? Keh, nah, not really... anyway, by the way she's acting, she's the one who's embarrassed. Wait, come to think of it, why would she be; she didn't do anything wrong. Still turned towards the side, Inu Yasha's gaze traveled over Sesshoumaru's, previously discarded, garment, laying across the dampened grass, before he looked to what was once his own, and couldn't help but smirk. Oh, right, forgot about that. Is she really that innocent? Heh, maybe she just likes what she sees. Inu Yasha's smug attitude flared, needing just one more thing to both dampen his ego, and yet, set his mind ablaze. Wait... is she... blushing?
"Forget it. Go sit in the living room and I'll be there in a minute."
Yep, definitely blushing. Heh, maybe this isn't so bad after all. Not one syllable later she was walking, carefully treading over the abundant emerald blades below, heading towards the back door. Her awkwardness, even in stance, only served to fuel Inu Yasha's, already rising ego, and yet what happened next was beyond all reason. There was a slight noise, just the smallest sound of something scuffing, sliding slowly across a wooden form. Was that ceramic? A flash of green caught Inu's attention, and, as his head rose, golden orbs were drawn towards his mother's windowsill, and more importantly, what was perched upon it. Brick red clay, molded to hold a small plant, sure it was harmless enough in itself, but as gravity slowly began to take effect, that danger increased dramatically. He stood there, watching as the pot tipped, gradually losing its balance upon the sill, its potential energy taking its life into its own hands, as it began to fall. Only then did Inu Yasha realize the obvious, and only then did he rush forward, intent on stopping what was to come. Kagome, move. Look up. Get out of the way! However, oblivious to the silent warnings, the girl continued to walk, unaware that she was stepping right into the path of the falling object. There was no other choice.
"KAGOME!" As he neared her, Tetsussaiga still in hand, Inu Yasha could've sworn that he felt a slight pulsing, but paid it no mind. Kagome was in danger, his Kagome, and he had to save her! So many things happened next, all in rapid succession, that even he wasn't quite sure what had taken place. The pulsing in his hand grew, becoming no less than a blazing fire, engulfing not his flesh so much as his heart, his soul. It was as if something was speaking to him, without words, without thoughts, only with feelings, and for once, he understood. His heart beat faster in his chest, constricting his already ragged breathing, as the sound of his own blood pushed away all others. He could feel a new strength, a new encouragement as he neared her, and, as the adrenalin in his system took effect, he made a vow, one he had always had, always abided by, but never once voiced, even in his own thoughts. Kagome was his, and he would always protect her. Armed with this newfound revelation, though paying little attention to that fact in favor of giving it to more important matters, Inu lunged, unsheathing his own determination, as he swung his sword, aiming merely for the pot in an attempt to slice it before it fell upon her. Sure, the Tetsussaiga wasn't very strong, and definitely didn't look important; in fact, he didn't know why the Khiotos put so much merit on it, but if it could do the job, even if only this one time, he'd never get rid of it, and it would always be by his side. He would owe it at least that much. A sudden wave rushed over him, blanketing him in a warm, tingly feeling as he finally reached her, his Kagome. Instantly, as his senses heightened, as the need to save her became that much stronger, a blinding light erupted from the sword in his hands. When it was gone, the pot remained, though shattered just to the right of Kagome's foot, the shards from its collision merely a centimeter from her form. Her head began to move, turning towards the crash, and possibly even the light, causing an intense panic to well up within him. He had no idea what had just happened; he remembered it all, but at the same time, everything was a blur. All Inu Yasha knew was that Kagome was safe, and his sword, no, his Tetsussaiga was in hand, though not as he had always remembered it. In the next instant, the gleaming white of the Tetsussaiga was gone, leaving nothing but a crusty, rusted old sword in its wake. What in the hell...
"Oh my god, is everyone okay?!" Looking up, Inu noticed Mrs. Khioto leaning out the window, face utterly shocked, and yet even more frightened. Had she seen? Did she know what had happened? "I heard the crash and came running! I'm so sorry! I only left it there for a minute and..."
"There is no need to fret mother." Sesshoumaru's cool voice drifted slowly across the yard, as if the wind through the trees, bringing endless relief to his mother, and yet no end of fear to Inu Yasha. "The only damage done was to the pot itself." He had been there; he had seen... everything, and what was worse was that he wasn't saying anything about it. Where was the insult, the unwanted superiority and information that Sesshoumaru loved to give? Where was the lecture, the snide, yet witty remark? Either he didn't know, or he hadn't seen, though Inu highly doubted the latter, and even the former for that matter. Or maybe... was it something else? Oh Kami, what was going to happen now? What in the hell was going on?!
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Sure, Kagome had been startled, but not by the shattering of the flower pot. What had that light been? She could've sworn that she saw it right before the plant hit the ground. But really, that was ridiculous. It was day time, and the sun was out, meaning that, for a light that intense, it had to have come from some seriously high watt bulb, and nothing of the sort was around there; she had even checked. It could've been the sun though. Maybe it hit Inu Yasha's blade and reflected into her eyes at just the right angle to make her think... well, she didn't know what to think. Maybe, maybe it was the sun... but she doubted it. Of course, none of the other explanations she could come up with sounded any more appealing, such as that her "problem" was getting worse. She prayed on everything that she was that things would stay as they were, that she wouldn't see anything out of the ordinary past what she had gotten used to already, but there was that light, and with it, her hope had slightly diminished.
"Kagome. Kagome?" After a moment of silence, Inu Yasha, patience finally run dry, scowled. Glaring at Kagome for spacing out and, what was more, ignoring him, Inu decided to pull out the medium guns, hoping he wouldn't have to do something that could put him in the hospital to get her attention. (like pull out the big guns) "Keh, wench, pay attention." Cinnamon pools flashed upward, locking directly onto Inu Yasha's golden ones, and slightly startling him in the process, though one would never know.
Kagome had been spacing out for a while now, and had yet to do any of the work she was supposed to, much less pay attention to Inu Yasha. That alone was enough to bug him, but it wasn't the fact that she wasn't paying attention that bothered him, it was the way she was going about it. She was thinking, and anyone that deep in thought couldn't be thinking about something good. Though he had learned that much from experience, he wasn't prepared for what he actually saw within the caramel depths as she looked into his own. She was afraid, but why? She hadn't gotten hurt, and she had seemed fine up until then. She obviously wasn't in shock; she wasn't even shivering for crying out loud! What did she have to be afraid of? Didn't she know that he'd protect her? Before he could consider it any further, Inu Yasha's thoughts were cut off by the glare being sent his way, one that threatened to cut off more than just that. Attempting to avoid the disaster that was otherwise sure to come, Inu opened his mouth, watching his words, and more importantly his foot, if only for once, merely to attempt peace between them. Since when did he ever want peace in anything? Since, unlike everyone else he could fight with, he couldn't hit a girl, much less Kagome.
"So Kag, you ready?" Widening eyes gazed upon him, fear and anger easily overridden by a steadily growing feeling of curiosity, as his words replayed in her mind.
"Kag?" Before he could stop it, Inu's mouth dropped, agape for but a moment before he could catch it, as he tried desperately to find a way to cover *this* one up. Of course, if he had never been one for words, he certainly wasn't when put under pressure, but damned if he was going to let her know that!
"Yeah, well I..." Oh yeah, *really* smooth Inu, that'll show her that you didn't mean it, that it was a slip of the tongue. But, before his ever amazed person, Kagome did the one thing he hadn't thought of, the one thing he never imaged that she would do; she smiled.
"Only if I can call you Inu." He couldn't stop the blush that rose to tinge his cheeks any more so than he could refuse the hand she then offered. Taking her slender hand in his own, larger one, Inu Yasha closed his grip about it, reveling in the soft feel of her skin, and yet eyes never leaving hers.
"Deal."