Innocent Kisses In The Rain
Nearly end of school, School, Tokyo, Japan, July 11, 2004
Kagome looked over, across the classroom at Inuyasha.
His eyes flickered to hers and he swung them away. She almost thought that he looked away with a sick guilt - but she wouldn't assume.
The teacher drawled on for a moment and finally seemed to catch himself and finish up his lesson by the time the bell rung.
Kagome sighed and did not rise with the majority of the classroom. She would wait for Inuyasha today. She opened her eyes again and looked to where he usually sat, and blinked, skimming over her classmates and starting as she realized that Inuyasha, for once, was the one rushing from the classroom… What was he avoiding her for?
Kagome quickly gathered her things and took off after him, a look of determination on her face. She would not let him go as easily as he had let her.
She dashed after his brisk walk, and soon found herself caching his hand. He swung haunted eyes to her own and the dark tea colored eyes of Kagome softened to meet his own pale amber.
"What's wrong Inuyasha?" She asked, letting the rest of the students swarm around them as she stared at him in wonder and curiosity. What was wrong with him?
"Nothing's wrong! What are you talking about? You're the one who's been avoiding me this whole time!" Inuyasha automatically took the defensive.
Kagome gasped and recoiled at his desperate, hasty, and mean tone, but tightened her hold on his hand when he tried to flee.
"Jeez Inuyasha, I wasn't threatening or accusing you of anything…" She said softly and his tossing head finally stilled to look down at her questioningly.
'I thought she knew about me and… Kikyou…' He thought with a mental sigh of relief and kick in the head for Kagome's concerned look.
"It's nothing…" He said sheepishly, gruffly, looking away.
She blinked and looked away - 'I knew he'd never trust me with his true thoughts.' Kagome thought and blinked away tears.
His head spun and his eyes clouded as if he was under the influence of drugs when he saw the glossy sheen on her eyes when she looked away and blinked furiously - there was only one answer to those symptoms.
Inuyasha tried to relax and turn to Kagome, capturing her in an embrace.
"I'm sorry Kagome." He said, swallowing nervousness and guilt at the sight of her tears.
She tensed for a moment and then relaxed in his hold, sighing softly. The school was empty now.
"It's okay Inuyasha. I was… worried, is all." She said, fighting to keep her voice steady.
"Thanks." He was about to add 'Nobody's ever really been worried that much for me' when he caught himself and shook his head. Only weaklings depended on others for emotional support. He glared to the side for a moment before withdrawing from their 'hug'.
"I've got to go home now, Kagome." He said, once again a brusque edge to his voice, a barrier he had adopted long ago for his own 'protection'. His barrier would one day be his demise.
She jumped and tilted her head to look up at him, her wide eyes an exact replica, texture and color, of melted chocolate.
"Can I go with you, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly, still holding tightly to his arms. This was the friendliest moment between the two of them since - for a while.
Inuyasha once again got a sick feeling in his stomach. He had told Kikyou to call him; he had promised to do something with her today! Kagome…
"Eh - Kagome… Today I can't… Maybe… Tomorrow?" Inuyasha stumbled over his words, flustered in his unplanned lie.
She looked up with pleading eyes, then they clouded over for a moment, then came back brightly, as comforting as hot cocoa on a cold winters morning. He backed up slightly.
"Couldn't I just go to your house to talk to Sesshoumaru? I won't bother you, and you can do whatever you want." Kagome smiled up at him in brilliance, and he found himself unable to resist.
Then her words struck him and he suppressed an inhuman growl at the notion of her being anywhere near Sesshoumaru. Then he became even more confused when he realize his animalistic 'instinct' and was puzzled by his own protectiveness for a girl he was cheating on.
His eyes flickered with raw emotion as he stared down at her for a moment, then turned briskly away. Kagome blinked once more, startled, at his uncaring dismissal.
She then glared and ran to catch up with him.
"So, can I go with you? Or are you going to abandon me and pretend I never asked?" Kagome asked testily.
Inuyasha ground his teeth for an instant and then sighed. Kagome probably wouldn't listen to him anyways. That girl was stubborn.
He could always compare them… Yesterday, he looked at Kikyou and saw how physically alike her and Kagome were. Their black hair and soft brown eyes - though Kikyou's, for some reason, had turned cold. They both had a fair complexion - though Kikyou was much paler. They both had identical almond shaped eyes and, though, as he thought earlier, Kagome would sooner be believed to be of Asian heritage than Kikyou, they were both about the same height (Kagome might be a bit shorter), and both had the same nimble fingers and sweet voices and enchanting… charm…
But he had noticed something else, beyond their outer appearance (for once?) Kikyou always seemed to be speaking someone else's words, or long and complicated words, or polite and formal words, like she was speaking with a set personality and tone, rather than her own. Kagome was always bubbly and temperamental and sometimes completely random; some words were completely intelligent and some totally un-thought-out. She could incorporate, easily, any emotion into her voice and could change the pitch with her excitement, and always seemed passionate and original about what she said. She seemed more carefree and daring in her words than Kikyou, who must have felt like she was tiptoeing across thin ice or in danger of ruining her reputation - or lie she was always on some sort of mission, never incautious.
Kikyou also seemed to have a tamed and delicate beauty, always seemed to be a "lady", and always seemed to care about what the world thought - or so Inuyasha believed, by the way she kept her head up and posture perfect. Was she training to be a queen or something? Kagome seemed to have a more wild and whimsical appearance. He had no doubt that if she stepped out of a temple, she would readily run off to play with paint guns, or if she got bored with her hair, she'd dye it pink on the spur of the moment. She also seemed… Affected by the wind. Kikyou was always polite and refined and the wind never seemed to do more than slightly lift the fabric she wore and her hair, but Kagome would seem to stand in the wind and get completely lifted by it. Her hair would become unruly and fluttering and her eyes dainty and carefree, and her entire aura resonating fun loving, sweetness.
Also, he couldn't help but notice that a part of Kikyou - the part he was sure he used to like, was dead… But he still liked her! Right?
Inuyasha shook his head and watched Kagome's hair play with the wind, then shook his head as he remembered his brother.
'Who cares if she wants to talk to him? If he tries to get close to her, I'll rip his throat out…'
"You can come if you'd like, but I've got to go out." Inuyasha said decidedly, feeling only one more jealous pulse in his abdomen before succumbing to her wishes.
"That's okay! I just want to talk with Sesshoumaru!" She replied cheerfully, previous irritation gone from her face as she bounced along beside him. He found himself containing another uncharacteristic growl at the declaration. She should only want to talk with him!
He silenced himself and continued walking, pointedly ignoring her comment. She meekly looked to the side at him, but kept her own quiet.
Finally they arrived at Inuyasha's house, and she followed his to the now-familiar dining room table.
"So, Inuyasha, why weren't we walking with Sesshoumaru today?" Kagome asked curiously, listening for footsteps. Perhaps he was sick or stayed home for something…
"Sesshoumaru and I don't walk home together anymore." Inuyasha sniffed, and that was the only explanation he gave her.
"The brat has deemed it too liberating an experience to survive through." Sesshoumaru walked into the room with a flickering glare of distaste towards his younger sibling.
"Liberating?" Inuyasha snorted, but his eyes could have been glowing red at Sesshoumaru's response.
"Do you know the meaning of such a word?" Sesshoumaru smirked at Inuyasha's expense and moved past him to stand before Kagome.
"Nothing you could ever say would ever be 'liberating' in any way - you're such an idiot." Inuyasha growled and moved towards the kitchen, casting a questioning glance at Kagome but she shook her head gently.
"Sesshoumaru! I'm glad you're well! I wanted to talk to you." She smiled unsurely and bowed slightly.
He nodded in return, then turned back to Inuyasha as the phone rung. Inuyasha dove for it but Sesshoumaru retrieved the cordless white phone before Inuyasha could make it. Inuyasha stopped short and looked in unconcealed terror at his brother. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and he shot Inuyasha an unforgiving glare before passing the phone to him.
Kagome tilted her head as a feminine voice trickled through the receiver but did not question his loyalties.
Sesshoumaru beckoned Kagome to follow him and left the room as Inuyasha tried to mumble his conversation into the phone.
Kagome's innocent eyes flickered to his face a moment before she also disappeared into the hallway and up the stairs.
Sesshoumaru deftly opened his door and stepped aside so Kagome could enter first. Kagome blushed, as always, at his gentlemanly manner.
The room was simple but beautiful. The carpeting was sage beneath the similarly colored tatami mats, and the walls were painted white. Nothing adorned the plain walls except for a couple of choice wall scrolls depicting scenes from a far past place, and the events that happened under a different ruler.
His bed was thrown with a burgundy comforter and beneath it, vanilla sheets. Beside it was a cheery wood nightstand, with a single, leather bound red book on it. Parallel to his bed, on the other side of the room, was a fairly large desk, upon it a collection of various books, a closed laptop, and two neatly stacked spiral notebooks.
On one of the remaining walls was another tall bookcase with many books of all colors and sizes, and beside it, a closed closet.
A window was between the head of the bed and the desk, giving him a fair view of the city and then of the mountains beyond.
Kagome smiled. It seemed exactly like Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru tended to give you the impression of an intelligent, neat person, and one who, since he never said more than necessary, was perfectly true to that in everything else he 'did'. Meaning, he would not boast his wealth and would not decorate his room with petty, passing interests for the sake of having something.
Kagome also smiled to realize that he had a window in his room. She always thought he seemed the type to fit into a setting of trees and grass rather than tall buildings - and the wind played so nicely with his hair.
Also, strong, subtle colors. Burgundy and sage - and white walls.
"Have you ever thought of painting your room, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked thoughtfully, reaching out to touch the white wall beside her.
"I have." Sesshoumaru nodded, but there was a 'but' in his eye.
"Why haven't you?" She pressed, an excited smile touching her lips at his answer.
"Many reasons." He gestured for her to sit on his bed and she walked over to do so.
"What did you want to talk about?" He asked softly, holding her eyes forcefully as he stared at her.
"Well… I guess you already know that me and Inuyasha are… 'together.'" Kagome sighed and broke away from his eyes. She couldn't stand to see his eyes narrow in disapproval like they would.
"Yes, I am aware of this." He all but growled, and she almost flinched… "Forgive me Kagome. Please go on." He repented with a lost sigh.
Her eyes flickered back to his tired ones and she took a breath. "Well…" She looked cautiously back at the closed door before Sesshoumaru spoke - "Inuyasha is doubtlessly occupied. Do not worry."
She got comfortable on the bed at his remark, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap.
"I don't really… Like him that way." Kagome choked out, looking up to see if he had the eyes of a man who would tell. He was serious and did not look starved for gossip. She realized that she really wasn't expecting that…
"Inuyasha would not be pleased." Sesshoumaru nodded an inch, still holding her eyes.
"Please don't tell him! It would… Hurt him…" Kagome looked once again to the side, absently noticing her fingers stroking the rich wine of his blankets. She hurriedly stopped.
"I will not tell him, but be advised… The longer that you wait, the more it would hurt you." His eyes flickered with conflict as he watched her downfallen face.
"I know… But… All the same…" Kagome seemed to whimper - and then regained her composure.
"Thanks Sesshoumaru… I'm sorry if I've… disappointed you in any way…" Kagome smiled a falsely bright smile, and he narrowed his eyes and gave a falsely accepting nod. Masks matching masks, and she would not get past this fact.
She hurriedly left his room, almost stumbling down the stairs in her haste.
'I shouldn't burden Sesshoumaru like this. I really don't like Inuyasha… But I can't honestly say that I love Sesshoumaru… Besides, what would he like with a little kid like me anyways? And why did he say that it would hurt me? It hasn't been that long since I got here… I was imagining a more dramatic episode… Oh well… Sesshoumaru shouldn't have to deal with my problems.'
Sesshoumaru shouldn't have to deal with my problems.