Disclaimer: Sorry, don't own 'em, they ain't for sale.
"Oi, my head..." groaned Inuyasha upon awakening. Feels like I got smacked with a damn sledgehammer...I guess that meant I was 'hammered.' He tried to chuckle at his own wit, but the pain made him groan again instead. He was startled to realize the groan was muffled by something warm, pushing against his face.
He finally opened his golden eyes. What the hell? he thought. His vision was obstructed by thick lines of black. He shook his head very slightly, and most of them fell away. "Hair..." he muttered to himself. Wait a minute...hair?!
He ran his eyes down the length of the bed. What the HELL?! he mentally screamed. He was spooned around Kagome, his arms clenched tightly across her middle. His head was comfortably rested against the space between her neck and shoulder.
Inuyasha tried to remember just what the hell he had done. I was bragging to Kagome about my tolerance, and then...then Miroku stuck a tube in my mouth...and the rest is a blank...damn...thought Inuyasha, trying to recall the night's events. His eyes widened. Did we...we didn't...I mean we couldn't have...right?
Kagome moved in his arms, still sleeping. He smiled ever so slightly. Damn this feels good...he thought. She smells good, too...it's a nice smell. He blinked. Aw, what the hell am I thinking about?! She smells good?! Get a grip, Inuyasha, she's not your girlfriend or nothing...you don't even like her that way.
He gasped slightly as she turned over, his arms still around her. He was now face to face with Kagome. Kami, what beauty...It almost felt as if the pain in his head was gone, just by looking at her. Maybe she heard his thought, because she slowly opened her eyes, blinking.
Nervous gold eyes peered into half-conscious coffee colored ones. She seems peaceful...he thought. And she even smiled slightly. Then, her eyes widened as she realized she was touching noses with a man.
The shriek she unleashed brought the pain crashing down on poor Inuyasha's head. He rolled away from her, growling and clenching his ears. Kagome quickly sat up and looked around fearfully. A loud moan came from under them.
"Stupid wench!" hissed Inuyasha as he massaged his throbbing head. "What the hell did you do that for?" He glared at her from across the bed.
"You startled me," responded a stubborn Kagome. "How am I supposed to react when I wake up in bed with a guy?!"
"Smile and say 'last night was magical?'" guessed a yawning voice. They both turned to see Miroku looking at them through half-open eyes from the edge of the bed. His head was pounding as well, although he was used it...not like Inuyasha.
"Shut up Miroku!" growled Inuyasha, chucking a pillow in Miroku's general direction. However, his scrambled equilibrium led him to hit the lamp on the other side of the room.
A blushing Kagome responded with "Yeah, we didn't...do anything like that last night."
Inuyasha blinked and turned to Kagome. "We didn't?" Damn...wait, what do you mean 'damn?' Do you want to sleep with her?
Kagome looked furious. "Of course not! Do you think I'm that easy?! I brought you home and you asked me...not...to go...so I..." she blushed at this. "I stayed...and I, uh, must've fallen asleep...on you..."
Miroku laughed.
Inuyasha just sat there thinking. So we didn't...and then he realized what Kagome was saying. He turned up his nose and said, "Keh. That doesn't sound like me. I don't need a stupid girl falling asleep in my bed, let alone ask her to say. Stop making things-AAAH!"
By this point, Kagome had punched him in his throbbing head and was storming out of the room, leaving Miroku smiling gleeful as Inuyasha nursed the bump she had left. "That's going to sting Inu-" "Shut the hell up, monk!"
Inuyasha lay there. Meanwhile, Miroku got dressed, discussing what he had plans for today. "I figure we should by the stuff we need; you know, fridge and whatnot," he said as he pulled on a pair of slim-fit faded blue jeans. As he pulled a plain white long-sleeved shirt over his wife-beater, he continued. "After that, I think we should shop around for the things we need; I know I forgot some stuff. Then, we do something about your Tetsaiga..."
Hearing this caused Inuyasha to peer over the side of the bunk bed. "Whadda ya mean?" he inquired. "You're going to help me?"
Miroku looked at him with a twinkle in his navy eyes. "Yes. And I have an idea what to do first..."
Inuyasha crawled down the ladder and into some baggy camouflage cargo banks. Over this he pulled on a brown Family Guy tee that read, "There's an evil monkey who lives in my closet," with a picture of said monkey pointing, his fangs bared.
About ten minutes later, the boys met the girls as they came out of the bathrooms. Inuyasha and Kagome refused to look at each. Sango rolled her eyes at Miroku and smirked, intimating that she had heard the story.
Miroku smiled. "Sango, Inuyasha and I are going shopping today. Would you two like to join us?"
Sango smiled back at him. "Well, I can't pass up an opportunity to shop!" she laughed. She turned to the other girl, who had on a white hoodie and a forest green skirt. "What about you, Kagome? Any qualms about going shopping?" Kagome shook her head. "Then that sounds great."
"I think there's a mall around here somewhere," said Miroku. "We can ask a cab to take us to the closest one..." He glanced around and realized there were four of them. "Hmm...maybe two cabs."
They finally ended up two to a cab. Miroku and Sango jumped into one, hoping to get the other two to make up.
The ride for them was filled with an awkward silence. After about ten minutes, Kagome looked down at her hands. She took a deep breath. "I'm...sorry," she stated.
Inuyasha remained staring out the window. What the hell is she apologizing for? "Keh. Don't worry about it. You didn't do anything wrong, alright?"
She looked at him and smiled. "Yeah...thanks," she replied.
"Whatever," he said. He could feel her eyes on him. He turned, looking into her brown eyes. "What? Charmed by my good looks, hmmm?" He smirked.
She rolled her eyes. "As if," she giggled.
"Oi? What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means, stupid?"
"Stupid am I?"
"That's what I said. Are you deaf too?"
"You know, I might be because of your damned screeching this morning!"
"Just shut up!"
"Besides, I'm obviously not too stupid to get you in bed with me!"
"SHUT UP!"
"AAAH! Damn, that hurts!"
The taxi smiled and rolled his eyes. Dos' crazy kids dese days...ah, ta be young again...
The foursome met up again at the entrance to the mall. Inuyasha was nursing a bleeding wound caused by his head being slammed into the window, while Miroku was rubbing a red handprint on his cheek.
"Let's go to Sears first," proposed Miroku. "We can get our appliances there." The others agreed, and they headed up the stairs.
After a brief period of inspection and questioning of the salesmen, Inuyasha and Miroku ordered a mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and cappuccino machine. Sango and Kagome purchased a microwave and slightly smaller mini fridge. Sango commented on how they would have to walk into the boys' room to get free coffee.
Miroku smiled. "I wouldn't mind waking up because of two beautiful women entering my room..." Sango rolled her eyes.
"I would," snorted Inuyasha, earning a laugh from Kagome. He glared at her, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
After the gang purchased a few odds and ends, they followed Miroku around the mall. He seemed to be searching for something in specific, and was having trouble locating it. The others watched in perplexity as he looked into every store they passed along the way, only to be out in a few minutes after discovering whatever he wanted wasn't there.
Finally, he emerged from "Antiques, Odds, 'n Ends" with a grin on his face. "Finally, I found it!" he exclaimed. "C'mon in."
They entered the musty old store. It was dimly lit, and was very random. There were old tables, wrought iron works, a baker's rack, vases, swords..."Those swords!" yelled Inuyasha rushing to one of the glass cases.
He pressed his nose against one, eyes wide. It contained a beat up katana with a chipped blade, propped up next to its metal sheath. "The Tetsaiga..." Inuyasha murmured.
"Almost," came a hoarse voice behind him. He turned to face the strange old man. He was nearly bald, and had huge eyes. He had a scraggly gray beard, and a hunched over posture. "That's the Dog's Tooth, not the Wolf's Fang."
Inuyasha blinked. Oh yeah, for a moment I forgot Seta had it...that was stupid...He shook his head. "Why the hell does look exactly like Tetsaiga? And who the hell are you, anyway?"
The old man rolled his eyes. "Crazy youngins," he muttered. "My name is the same as all my ancestors and descendents: Toto-sai. I am the descendent of the swordsmith who originally crafted the Tetsaiga. I have made replicas of every sword Toto-sai I invented. See, next to the Dog's Tooth is the Coffin Cheater, more commonly known as the Tenseiga."
The others turned and looked. There it was, smooth and majestic, in the case next to the beat up "Tetsaiga."
"And you," stated Toto-sai, staring at Inuyasha. "You must be the descendent of Inuyasha. You match his description, at least. Plus you know about the sword."
"Not 'the' sword," growled Inuyasha, "but 'my' sword. I want it back; the real one. And I'm gonna get it back..."
Toto-sai sighed. "I figured as much..."
Miroku approached him. "Honorable Toto-sai-sama; I wish to purchase the Dog's Tooth. How much do you want?"
The others gasped. "Miroku...you can't..." sputtered Inuyasha. "I mean, it's my sword...I'm the one who's going to steal it. And what do we need that for anyway?"
Miroku turned to Inuyasha and smiled. "I can, I will, and I'm about to. I figure, so no one will know it's gone, we replace it with one that looks exactly like it." He returned to Toto-sai. "So, how much, honorable elder?"
Toto-sai peered at him. "Hmmm...how about...nothing."
The others blinked. "Are you senile, old man?" growled Inuyasha, earning a smack from Kagome.
Toto-sai smiled. "Well, you are helping to return the sword to its rightful owner. Of course I'll help you. Besides, I don't make these swords for profit."
He opened the case and removed the sword and sheath. He handed it to Inuyasha, who had never held a sword in his life. It felt good in his grip. He gave it a couple of swishes. It felt really good. He sheathed it, hanging it on his belt.
He looked away from Toto-sai. "Thanks, old man..." he grumbled reluctantly.
Toto-sai ignored him. He was busy looking at Kagome. And she matches HER description, he mused. After a moment's thought, he opened a drawer and removed a rosary. It had fangs spaced every five beads. He handed it to the bewildered girl. "Put it on him," he instructed, pointing at Inuyasha.
The girl shrugged and walked up to Inuyasha, who looked just as confused as her. She brought it over his head, letting it drop onto his shoulders. They looked at Toto-sai. "Now what?"
He smiled. Oh, would he enjoy this one! "Kagome, what word can you think of that would make a dog stop?"
She blinked. "Uh...sit?"
With this word, Inuyasha slammed into the ground, hard. The others all blinked as he unleashed a stream of curses from the hardwood floor.
A mischievous light twinkled in Toto-sai's eyes. "Well, there you go. Inuyasha, now this girl here will be able to contain you...that necklace was worn by your father, placed on him by the miko Kagome."
Inuyasha got up to his feet. "You bastard!" he roared. "I'll kill you, old man!" He charged towards him.
"Sit boy!"
Inuyasha crashed into the ground. Kagome grinned. "I kinda like this...it's more fun than hitting you!"
"And more painful," murmured Sango. Miroku heard her and snickered.
Inuyasha sat on the floor, furiously (and unsuccessfully) trying to get the damn think off of his neck. "Get it off! Now, old man!" he growled.
Toto-sai smirked. "I can't...only Kagome can grant you that wish...I rather hope she won't, this amuses me immensely..."
Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "Oi! Wench! Take this damn thing off of me!"
"Sit!"
She bent over to look at the crumpled figure on the floor. "Now, now, I'll take it off when you deserve it."
"Stupid wench!"
"Sit!"
"Aaah!!!!"
"Sit!"
"Goddamn, you stu-!"
"Sit! Sit! Sit!"
"Aaaaaah!!!!!"
Well, this is the fourth chapter, and I've had two reviews by one person...that's sad. Especially since this is my first fic. C-Dog, you're the only thing keeping this poor boy from breaking down into decidedly unmanly tears and scrap the story. For that reason, this story is dedicated to you!