Disclaimer: Nu. -.-
Author's Note: I know I haven't updated in two months, but it was because I was grounded from the compy almost right after camp. The only way I could get on was if it pertained to my AP English reports. School started August 13 for me, so that kinda sucks. I'll update whenever I have time, 'kay? I still love y'all though and I love writing this story.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"In the Crossfire" by: Jesia-chan
Chapter 8: Cloudy Homecoming
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Kouga was surprised that Sakura let him hold her for this long. He could almost swear that she was enjoying being with him as much as he was with her. Sakura then did something that the lovesick wolf would have never have expected . . . She leaned her head against his shoulder and let out a pleasurable sigh. 'She's not even looking at the scenery anymore.' Kouga noticed.
'Kouga-kun, I . . . I think I'm in love with you.' This thought took a couple of seconds to register in the girl's mind. 'Oh gods, I'm in love with Kouga!' She gasped and suddenly roughly pulled away from his warm hold.
Kouga was quite taken aback by her sudden desire to be away from him. His heart once again felt void and empty; his eyes once again filling with sadness at her clear unwillingness to be near him.
Sakura recognized her mistake and wasn't sure how to act next. ". . . I-I think that I'd better go home now. Dad's probably very worried." Kouga lowered his head and stared at the ground with an unreadable expression. "Thank you so much for all you've done for me though. I don't know what I'd do without you, Kouga-kun." He still stood unmoving, which made Sakura a tad uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry; I would really love to stay for a while, but – I'll make it up to you sometime . . . ?"
The wolf's eyes lit up at this and he turned his gaze up to his future woman. 'She would want to stay? This is very promising.'
"No, you don't have to make it up to me. I really care about you, Sakura, and I would do anything for you." He smiled a genuine smile. "I'll always be there for you. That's what friends are for, ne?"
She smiled back. "Hai, I believe you're right Kouga-kun. Thank you so much for everything."
"I will escort you home, just as I promised."
"Arigato." Without even thinking she lightly placed a kiss on his cheek, then her own cheeks flushed white; her ears flattened and swiveled back in embarrassment.
Kouga decided to pretend as though Sakura hadn't done as she just did, in order to avoid more discomfort on her part. Although on the inside he was beaming. "Ready to go home?" Sakura nodded gratefully. "Want me to carry you? I can see that you're still healing."
"Only if you're offering," she replied playfully with a teasing smile. He took her in his arms and began to lift her up; she flinched slightly. "Be gentle . . . please?"
Kouga nodded and continued to take her up in his arms, gently. "Is this okay?" he asked after he had a good hold on her.
Sakura looped her arms around his neck, placing her chin on his shoulder. "Hai," she replied simply.
Suddenly, an urge to nip his ear affectionately became known to her, but she fought fervently to resist this instinct and hung on tight. 'What is happening to me?' she wondered. 'I need to ask Lady Sango.'
Kouga sped off in the direction of Dog-cra—I mean Inuyasha's home, with the hanyou's "baby girl" tucked in his arms safe and sound and rather quite content. Sakura saw the mountain scenery slowly become smaller and smaller until it faded away in the growing darkness of the evening. 'There's only one thing that could really screw this evening up even more than it already is,' Kouga thought as he ran through the seemingly endless jungle of a forest. 'And besides Dog-face or his friends showing up, that would be—.'
Clouds appeared. At first only a light shade of gray, then within seconds it seemed, turned to midnight black. Rolling clouds that covered the beautiful sunset sky like a quilt wrapping a newborn. The wolf began to run harder. 'Kuso,' he mentally cursed. Rain poured in bucketfuls from the blackening sky, thunder clapping, and lightening flashing. 'This could get dangerous. I'd better try to run harder!'
And as impossible as it seemed, he did run harder. Pushed himself, driven by the desire to keep his Sakura from any more harm. Lightening struck a tree just behind them with a big *crack!* The large, old tree began to fall and Sakura screamed out of terror. Not only for her life, but also for her savior's.
Kouga had heard the lightening strike behind them and could sense the falling of a particularly large tree. He huffed and tried to run faster, then slipped in the mud made by the sudden storm. His balance faltered and he began to fall, bringing his beloved Sakura with him. 'No!' his mind screamed. Kouga's instincts took over immediately and he hurled the girl into the soft grass, causing her body to roll just out of reach of danger. The tree hit the ground with an awesome *thunk!*
Sakura opened her eyes, and surprisingly was okay. She gasped when she realized what happened and ran back to where Kouga had fallen. "Kouga-kun! Kouga-kun!" she called desperately. That's when she saw the lifeless body of a wolf youkai in the mud on his stomach, luckily only his leg caught under the massive wood structure. "Iie!" The girl ran to his side and knelt down. "Kouga-kun!" She shook him roughly. "Daijoubu?!" The raindrops mixed with her salty tears; she couldn't even tell that she was crying until her vision blurred and she was sobbing, gasping for breath. "Kouga-kun . . ."
Suddenly Sakura heard a groan of agony and saw the drenched, muddy demon stir. "S-Sakura . . . are you alright? You aren't hurt again are you?!" He painfully looked up at her in curiosity and wonder, wincing and groaning again from the sharp pain throbbing throughout his right leg. "Why are you crying?" Despite the rain he could still smell her tears.
Sakura felt slightly more pacified just sensing his calm demeanor. "You're hurt," she explained. "I thought I might've lost you."
"Nani? What are you talking about? I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about!" he said as he tried to worm his way out from under the tree.
"Don't be ridiculous! I'll help." She lifted the tree up about an inch so Kouga could slide out. After setting it back down to rest and rot back into the wet earth, they both gasped to catch their breath. "Can you walk?" Sakura questioned, concerned.
"O-Of course. Don't worry about me," he replied shakily as he tried to get back to his feet on his own. "We're almost to your home; don't worry Sakura, everything will be fine." He stumbled back down to the hard ground and moaned again, holding his leg which felt too limp to walk on.
"Come on, I'll help you back to my place and we can take care of you!" Sakura called loudly over the thunder and pattering rain.
Kouga's eyes widened. "NO!" he barked forcefully. Sakura was taken aback at his ferocity and her countenance obviously expressed hurt. "I mean, I don't want your family to have to put up with me. I'll take you home and spend the night out here. I'll recover completely by dawn!"
Sakura knelt down beside him again and helped him up. Feeling responsible for what happened and taking care of him, she insisted again. "I won't take no for an answer!" she shouted, determined to do whatever she could for her most valued friend. Without even waiting for a response, she put his arm around her shoulder and began to help him hobble along in the direction of her house. Despite countless complaints from Kouga, she persisted all the way home.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
They finally arrived at Inuyasha's home just minutes after the storm ceased; it had stopped just as suddenly as it had come. "Fine, I'll stay here. But don't tell anyone about me, okay? You have to promise me that," Kouga told Sakura forcefully.
"Why? I don't understand why –."
"Please, promise me!" he growled roughly.
Sakura still didn't understand, but nodded nonetheless. "Okay Kouga-kun. I promise I won't tell anyone about you." After all, she did feel somewhat guilty about his injury. She had to do this . . . for him.
"Just help me over behind those bushes and I'll sleep there. I don't think it'll storm anymore tonight."
"Hai, Kouga-kun. I'll come check on you in the morning, okay?" Sakura said as she helped him to his desired location. He simply nodded, wanting her to feel reassured even though he knew he would probably have already fled before she came to check on him. She left him there just as he had wished. "Gomen nasai for causing you so much trouble and pain, Kouga-kun," she said sadly as she slowly backed away. "Arigato for saving me though; I'm truly thankful for a friend like you. Please rest well. Good night." She merely received a pained groan in response which brought a sadness to her amber eyes. Sakura ran to the front door and was greeted by a very pissed Inuyasha.
"Sakura! Where the hell have you been?! You REEK of wolf! And have you been bleeding?"
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Author's Note: 'Nother cliffie. Heh. How will Inu react? Will Sakura spill the dirty details? Will someone find Kouga outside during the night? These questions and more will be answered in the next chappie of . . . "In the Crossfire"! See y'all! Don't forget to clicky the review button and leave me a little note on how this chapter went. Anonymous and signed reviews are all welcomed.