The feel of his lips on hers was soft and tender. The feel of his hands in her hair was stirring. The feel of his body pressed against hers was maddening. Kagome couldn't open her eyes for fear that this would all dissapear.
"Kagome?" That voice seemed almost alien in this place of warmth and soft carresses. "Kagome!"
Kagome finally opened her eyes, finally allowing that world of hours before to fall away. Hitomi looked at her with amused confusion and she knew a blush was starting to spread across her cheeks. They were standing in a hallway, nice carpet beneath her feet, the warm glow of the many lamps stretched across the light walls and floor in a uniform line, broken only by the evenly spaced doors.
"I said, 'You first.'" Her aunt said smiling, indicating where the door to an apartment had been opened for them.
"Oh, sorry." Kagome blushed deeper and scurried into the first room.
"How can we pick where we're going to live with you daydreaming?" Hitomi teased.
"I..uh..."
"I know your silverhaired friend is handsome but-"
"Ahk." Was all Kagome could say, shocked and inarticulate; Hitomi laughed.
They walked through the living room and Kagome smiled at the cream carpet and pale walls. Evening light poured in through the large windows to the right. Then a hallway, a small kitchen, and two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, and a laundry room. It wasn't anything grand, but it was perfect. She heard Hitomi exclaiming, the soft murmur of the realator's voice. She slid away into the smaller bedroom, crossing to the window. She looked out over the city below and smiled as the setting sun set the hundreds of glass windows aflame in it's brilliant orange radiance.
"You like it?" Hitomi whispered in her ear.
Kagome turned to see they were alone, watching the sun set over the city. Kagome smiled and nodded, only half surprised to find tears in her eyes. Hitomi grinned, knowing what this meant to her neice. She rubbed Kagome's back affectionately, like a mother does with a fretful child, like her mother had never done for her.
"It's perfect." Kagome said, seeing their shapes vaguely in the glass, looking like family.
"Then it's ours." Hitomi said into her hair, kissing the top of her head.
"I can't remember being this happy, Sango." Kagome said stuffing the few items she'd had with her at Sango's into her bag. "Is that wrong?"
"I know you feel like it is." Sango said watching her friend get ready. "And I don't know if we'll ever manage to convince you otherwise, but as long as you admit you're happy ..."
"I am. And tomorrow is the funeral," Kagome was all over the place today, but Sango could tell she was supremely happy and couldn't help smiling to herself, "then we have to get my stuff and start moving it to the apartment."
"It must be so hectic." Sango said.
"It is, but it so wonderfully hectic." Kagome said with a laugh, gathering the last of her things.
Kagome straightened and brushed a strand of her shining hair out of her face and Sango felt like time stopped for a second. She had never seen her friend this radiant and was suddenly struck by her beauty. She almost wished that the moment could never end, that Kagome could be this happy forever. She'd seen so much sorrow, and no matter how much better her life would be now, there would be unhappiness still to come. But that's just the way life is. You have to take the bad in with the good. Besides, no one can stop time. The second passed and was gone forever just like a million other moments.
"We have to go furniture shopping too. Hitomi doesn't want to bother bringing all her things here so she's having a few things sent up, but her friend is going to sell the rest." Kagome chattered on merrily.
"And Inuyasha?" Sango smiled mischevously.
If it was possible, her grin grew even wider. She turned a faint shade of red and slid her backpack on. She was suddenly in a hurry to leave with Hitomi for the hotel to rest up before the funeral the next morning.
"Acting like a mother hen."
"Right. Because mother hens always make out with their chicks." Kagome glared at Sango and laughed. "It's cute though, the way he looks out for you."
"It is." Kagome conceded. "Like that night at the haunted hay ride. I guess that's when it all started."
"So are you...?"
"I don't know what we are. We're going to a movie Friday though, so I guess you could say we're dating."
"I say you are, making out in front of the school like that."
"We weren't making out!" Kagome hissed.
"Whatever you want to call it." Sango teased.
"I'm leaving." Kagome said and headed for the door.
"Ok. See you tomorrow." Sango laid back on her bed.
"You're not coming tomorrow?" Kagome stopped and turned in disbelief.
"Of course I am."
"Oh." Kagome looked at her as if seeing her in a completely new light. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"It was the silverhaired boy, wasn't it?" Hitomi asked as she brushed her hair, looking at Kagome in the mirror. "He's the one you were daydreaming about today."
"Yeah, he was." Kagome said, finding it easy to admit this to her aunt who asked with such understanding.
"He's very handsome."
"He is, isn't he?" Kagome laid back on her bed picturing his shining hair, amber eyes, and reluctant smile.
"You're lucky." Hitomi put down her hairbrush and flopped down on her own bed. "How long have you two been dating?"
"Well, it's not really like that."
"What's it like then?" Hitomi said with amused confusion.
Kagome stretched languidly, looking up the the cieling She told her aunt about Sango and Miroku, about the time that Inuyasha and Kagome had started to spend together. She told her about the fights, and about the strange moments of kindness. She told her about how he had found out about her secret, and how he had worried about her, and cared about her when she though she meant nothing to him. Then she felt her cheeks grow hot when she told her about the night in the park. When she glanced across at Hitomi's she was smiling radiantly back and felt even happier sharing these memories with her new family. She was touched that her aunt could understand her happiest moments and share in that happiness with her.
"So how long have we been dating?" Kagome said jokingly. "Well...let's see. We're going to the movies on Friday. So either it's negative four days, or it's three days. Depending on your definition of 'dating.'"
"Well it sounds like your not rushing into anything, and that's a good thing. Most girls your age are so caught up in being with someone for the sake of it that they don't understand it's supposed to be gradual, it isn't something you can just jump in the middle of."
"This sounds like a lecture that I already understand." Kagome teased.
"I know, I guess I was suddenly back in High School." Hitomi chuckled.
"Understandable. I know what I'm doing though. I wouldn't want things any other way. I don't want to hear I love you after a week, or even a month. I don't need flowers or gifts, or mushy love letters. I just someone to care about me, hold my hand once and a while, someone to understand me, and Inuyasha understands me."
"You're so much older than you look." Hitomi said proudly.
"I had to know what I want if I planned to get out and live my life." Kagome smiled winningly at her aunt. "You're the only person I've ever told about what I want. I always kept my dreams to myself."
"That's no way to live." Hitomi reproached.
"I know." Kagome grinned, something she did more and more these days. "I won't keep them to myself, not anymore."
Kagome figited uncomfotably as she stood off to one side. She continued to smooth down the fabric of her black skirt, and tugged at the sleeves of her black caridgan. She was surrounded by flowers and strangers. Peole wore their somber expressions, and Kagome wasn't at all surprised to see there were no tears. Coworkers, neighbors. It was a small gathering. Kagome didn't know any of them, and not many knew who she was, she was sure. She stood alone, as far from everyone else as she could, keeping her eyes averted from the woman laying still, and lifeless in her coffin, as cold and distant as she had ever been in life.
"So there's my little wallflower." Hitomi said appearing at Kagome's side. "A beautiful, somber, black rose."
"I don't know any of these people." Kagome murmured.
"I know, I understand." Her aunt said softly, smoothing Kagome's hair back into her orderly bun tenderly then let her arm fall across her neice's shoulders.
"No one looks all that upset do they?"
"No one looks really broken up, no."
"I didn't expect them to." Kagome sighed and leaned against her aunt. "It's so different from my brother's funeral. Even my dad's."
"You remember that?"
"Not a lot, you know how it is. But I do remember a little. How did he end up with her? She ruined so many lives."
"She ruined her own too. But she can't do that anymore kiddo, not unless you let her. Don't let her, not anymore." Hitomi said giving her a squeeze.
"You're too young to be so wise."
"I could say the same about you."
They stood together in companionable silence watching the mourners, leaning agaisnt each other. Each lost in their own memories.
"Kagome." She looked up and there they were; dressed in black but looking like light in the darkness.
Sango's hand looked like it was glued to Miroku's, and Inuyasha was out ahead of both of them. There was a look in his eyes that Kagome seemed to understand. She slid easily out from under her aunt's arm and stepped forward. Without a pause, in the space of a heartbeat she was in his arms, her face nestled in the curve of his neck. She didn't cry, just held him as tightly as she had that night. He was there for her, like he had been there for her before. Her lips were laying against the gentle throbbing of his pulse, she could feel the subtle thud of of his hearbeat against her own chest.
"My turn, my turn." Sango said laying a hand on both of their shoulders. "Enough time for that when you're alone."
Kagome hugged Sango and then Miroku as well. They stood together, the four of them and her aunt. Kagome introduced each of them to Hitomi and felt a thrill of pleasure when they got along. She felt an even greater thrill when Inuyasha tentatively took her hand in his own.
Then it was over. It was one of those times that you think would just go on forever, but everything eventually comes to an end and Kagome was glad when she finally left the funeral behind. Hand in hand Inuyasha and Kagome walked out into the sun, Hitomi at her other shoulder, Miroku and Sango behind. Kagome couldn't keep her overactive imagination from seeing this moments sybolically. Surrounded by the people that made up the new life to come she walked into the light of the day, and hoped with all of her heart that it was a good omen for her future.
In years to come Kagome would look back on that day and remember little but those that kept her company. The details become blurred soon enough, such was hte flurry of activity. After the seemingly endless ceremony of the funeral began to pick of the pieces of the life she'd always known and move on to the next. She not so surprised to learn that she had inherited her mother's estate, after all, who else was there. She was vaguely surprised by the amount however. She wasn't rich, but suddenly college was a very real possibility. She would never remember the name of the lawyer, or the way his office looked. She would just remember the shock of yet another door opening to her, and a flood of new ideas wash over her. Dreaming of all the things she could do with her life she rode with her aunt to the house she had grown up in.
It was strange walking in and knowing there was knowing waiting in the shadows. Even now that she was gone the air was thick with the feel of her mother. She could almost smell the fear and sadness that the place had reeked of all the years of her life. But she had nothing to fear today. With the help of her friends and her aunt she packed up her room. The rest would be sold and added to Kagome's inheritance.
Then it was all taken to the apartment. It was a shell still. They were shopping for furniture the next day. It would be at least two more days before Kagome and Hitomi left the hotel and began to settle into their new home. They spent so much of their time planning, and waiting in happy anticipation. Hitomi had been job hunting and already had an interview. Their future looked bright, and Kagome allowed herself to dream in peace and keep her mind from anything sad or dark.
It was evening, just after dinner and Kagome and Hitomi were sitting in their hotel room. Hitomi was unable to stiffle a yawn.
"You're tired. You've been so busy."
"No sweetheart, I'm fine."
"You should sleep."
"It's a hotel room, it's kind of hard for one person to sleep and not the other, what are you going to to? Read in the bathtub?" Hitomi chuckled but Kagome couldn't help note how drained she looked.
"I'll go out." Kagome smiled.
"I don't know how good a guardian I am if I let you go running around on your own at night in a city."
"I'll call Inuyasha, and I'll be home whenever you say, and I'll be really quiet when I come in. You really do need sleep."
"Well, ok. I guess strong-and-surly is a pretty good bodyguard...and I am tired."
Kagome felt like a timid sixth grader when she called Inuyasha. Despite everything they'd been through she found it hard to call him for a date. That was what she was doing after all. She felt very out of her eliment.
"Hello?"
"What are you doing right now?" Kagome hoped she sounded cheerful and spontaneous.
"Nothing." She noted the amusement in his voice.
"Want to accompany a young lady on a night out?"
"Depends. Is she hot?" Kagome was at a loss for a response, unable to find any response; he finally cut the silence with a burst of laughter. "What were you planning on doing Kagome?"
"Movie?" Kagome said finally finding her voice.
"I'll come get you, won't take me more than fifteen minutes."
"Don't you want to pick a movie? A time?"
"Why don't we figure that all out when we get there. I thought you were trying to be spontaneous." There was a pause. "Besides, I don't really think I'll be able to pay attention to the movie."
"I'll wait outside." Kagome knew she was bright red. she could feel the heat radiating from her face.
"See you soon."
"Bye." She said timidly and hung up the phone.
Hitomi got ready for bed, and Kagome got ready to go out. She kept checking and rechecking herself in the bathrooms large mirrors, then when she had only four minutes she finally tore herself away and went downstairs to wait. It was nice outside, if not a little cool. She pulled her light jacket closed a little tighter and looked up at the clear sky, the stars lost to the lights of the city.
"Hey!" He was striding towards her smiling.
"Hey." She was suddenly very bashful.
He stopped a few inches from her, close but not so very close. Perhaps her shy behavior was causing him to be a little unsure himself. He hesitantly leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Kagome blushed but finally laughed at their silliness, and he followed suit. He put his arm around her and they started to walk companionably down the sidewalk. She slid her arm around his lower back and leaned closer to him and smiling at his warmth.
"Car?"
"No car. It's a nice night." He smiled down at her.
They walked without purpose. Making their slow, meandering way to a theater, any theater. They were more focused on the feel of each others touch and sound of each others voice as they talked about nothing in particular.
"Here, this one." Inuyasha pointed casually with his free arm at they finally stumbled across a theater. "What movie?"
"Uuuuh..." Kagome laughed looking at each of the selections and checking her watch.
"Well, well. What have we here?" Kagome whipped around at the sound of that familiar voice.
Not here, not now. Why today?
"What do you want?" Inuyasha practically snarled at Kouga as he stepped slightly in front of a frozen Kagome.
Mwahahaha evil huh? So it was just time for everyone to know a little more about Kagome's past and Kouga is a big secret just like her mother was. Next chapter you guys are going to learn all about it just like Inuyasha. Promise more cute moments to come. So keep reading. 3