-Colours of the Night-
by: ellyse the silent
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Chapter 3:
-Voices that Haunt My Heart-
Kagome walked down the hall counting room doors. Finding the fourth door on the left she knocked and when there was no answer she opened it. It was bigger than her old dressing room. Along the opposite wall were angled mirrors so she could see all of herself at once. The right wall held a counter with a lighted mirror over it and drawers and cabinets below. Along the left wall there was space for trunks or manikins to hold costumes.
Kagome went over to one of the two padded chairs and sat down. Closing her eyes, Kagome relaxed; body, mind and spirit.
"Kagome? Kagome!" a soft voice called thought the haze of sleep around her.
"What? Who?" Kagome tried to answer but no sound left her mouth.
The beautiful soft voice came back, "They want you on the stage, wake up." Something softly brushed her cheek and the voice was right in her ear, "Sesshoumaru is upset."
Kagome opened her eyes. There was no one in this room. Shivering she stood. A sharp knock at the door startled her; she crossed the room and opened the door.
Something nagged her mind... whose was the voice?
Inu-Yasha slipped out of the vent and over to Kagome. She was even more beautiful up close.
"Kagome," he paused, "Kagome!" a little more urgently this time. She stirred but didn't wake. Inu-Yasha leaned closer. "They want you in the auditorium," It wasn't a lie, Sesshoumaru was calling for her. "Wake up." He whispered gently in her ear. A strand of his midnight black hair slipped out of the hood he wore and brushed her cheek... He pulled it back away from her. "Sesshoumaru is upset," he finished. The desire to stay with her; to just stand near her was overwhelming.
She moved, her lips parted and a soft smile spread across her face. She stirred again, this time more purposely. She was waking up.
Inu-Yasha pulled back and made his way to the vent. Pulling himself up into it, he snapped it closed behind himself.
Kagome opened her beautiful eyes. She turned slowly as if to assure herself that she was alone. Inu-Yasha felt as though he was forcing his way into a very private and unreachable part of her life by watching her sleep and messing with her mind. What had happened to his hands off policy?
A sharp knock at the door startled him. A growl formed low in his throat as he caught the sent of another male. He had no business feeling this way about Kagome, he reminded himself.
Kagome crossed the room gracefully and opened the door.
Nakakura Kouga stood on the other side. "Sesshoumaru-san wants you on the stage."
Kagome shivered involuntarily; that was what the voice said. Was she going mad? Seeing the future? The voice hadn't been Nakakura's however. Kagome tried to smile at him but it wouldn't come. "Alright," her voice shook and she cleared her throat, "I am coming."
Nakakura gave her a sideways glance.
They came into the auditorium; it was a lot bigger then the other one. More people... more money... more ways to mess things up. Kagome sighed.
"Higurashi?"
"Mmm?" Kagome avoided looking into Nakakura's face.
"Are you all right? You don't look well." Nakakura was still staring at her.
Kagome finally looked at him, "I am fine, just a little tired. You know- the move and everything."
Nakakura smiled at her, "I think that's the most you have ever said to me."
Kagome felt her face heat up and looked away. Nakakura laughed.
"Higurashi!" Sesshoumaru barked from across the rows of red velvet upholstered chairs.
"Yes?" Kagome called back.
"We need some new scenery. This stage is bigger than our last one. I want..." Sesshoumaru droned on and on while Kagome took notes.
Kagome wrote what he wanted and then underneath it where it would go on the stage, the number that scenery piece would be called, and the measurements for it.
"I have the paint-able foam over there... Moroku! Come here right now!" Sesshoumaru yelled.
"What now?" Moroku stuck his head around the stage right door frame. A bright red hand print marred his cheek, a sure sign that he had been groping... or trying to grope Sango.
"Where is all that paint-able foam we just bought?" Sesshoumaru snapped.
"Still outside. Nakakura, can you go get it? I am a little busy." Moroku's head disappeared backstage before Nakakura could answer.
"I guess I'll go get it then," Nakakura mumbled.
"I need some more money for paint." Kagome followed Samuru down the stairs on stage left. "The stuff you bought last time flakes when it's dry. Half the scenes were un-presentable at the end." Sesshoumaru frowned and opened his mouth to protest but Kagome hurried on, "This is your first production in this new theatre; don't you want it to be perfect? I am sure you don't want to be bogged down with worrying about the scenery flaking off." Kagome took a deep breath and waited.
Sesshoumaru twisted the end of his braid around his fingers. "You are right Higurashi-san. Will 10,000 yen be enough?"
Kagome nodded as Sesshoumaru placed the papers into her hands.
Walking out of the theatre with her dark green, beaded shoulder bag full of money, off to buy paint was Kagome's idea of a good day.
Nakakura looked up from talking to Shippou next to the moving van. "Higurashi?"
"Yes?" Kagome paused for a moment, ready to flee at any time.
"Where are you going?" Nakakura asked, moving to stand nearer. Shippou started unloading the paint-able foam.
"To get paint," Kagome said, "Bye."
"Let me come with you," Nakakura followed.
"I am a big girl; I can buy paint by myself." Kagome said, not looking back.
"But I want to come. Shippou said that Sugisaki-san is looking for me. I want to be as far away from her for as long as possible." Nakakura continued at her side.
"Fine- but you have to carry stuff." Kagome answered.
"Deal."
Inu-Yasha napped in the foyer tube, waiting for Kagome to come back. He could not shake the feeling of intense longing or the feeling that he had found what he had been looking for. But that was stupid; he would have to watch her from afar. She would be terrified of the monster that he was, he knew. He was, and always would be, a creature best left in darkness.
"Here." Kagome handed Nakakura another bottle of paint. This one was red. In the basket there was brown, gold and blue. "Now we have four pieces of scenery that have green-" she murmured, picking up a bottle of dark green. Changing her mind she picked out a smaller bottle of the same green and a smaller bottle of a lighter shade.
"Why two different shades?" Nakakura asked.
"I have too do trees out side the palace windows. I want there to be some..." Kagome searched for the right word.
"Dissimilar ones?" Nakakura asked.
Kagome nodded. Nakakura was standing behind her, far to close for her comfort. "White," she muttered, moving away from him. She got a large bottle of that, and handed it to Nakakura. "What colour is the paint-able foam?"
"Grey."
Kagome grabbed a bottle of primer and a bottle of off white. "I think that's it."
"It better be," Nakakura moaned as he looked down at the full basket.
"You are the one who volunteered to come and carry stuff," Kagome snapped. 'Just like a man!' she thought, 'Volunteers to help and then complains.' She reached for the basket but Nakakura held it out of her reach.
"I'm sorry Higurashi-san." He said.
Kagome turned and walked stiffly to the checkout counter.
"What's wrong with you? Sometimes I think you almost like me but then you get all mad and quiet. Why?" Nakakura hurried after her.
'Can't the idiot leave well enough alone? I don't want to tell him about the son of a bitch who is my father... or Naraku.' Kagome shook her head, "It's complicated. You know... personal issues. It really has nothing to do with you personally, just some stuff I have to work threw on my own." She handed the cashier his money.
"I really like you Higurashi; I wish you would let me show you." Nakakura said quietly, following her out the door.
'If he means like Naraku... I don't want anything to do with him.' Kagome turned back to face him, "I am sorry but I am not really interested right now."
"At least you didn't say never," Nakakura's smile reminded her of someone... a dream maybe. It was weirdly comforting.
"Should I have?" Kagome muttered.
Nakakura laughed.
(A/N: A long time in coming but I finally updated. Thank to the few people who have reviewed. :-) Well let's get on with it.)
