Autumn Tragedy

Jakunen Kaze

Yes. I know. I'm a liar. Liiiiiaaaaaaaaar. XP Blame the plot bunnies that I'm smashing with the mallets courtesy of the Super Mario Bros. xDDD This is most likely a one-shot. :D

Summary: She was Inuyasha's best friend. A child of Autumn. She loved autumn… It was her world… She was always a part of his world, and him in hers. With the rest of the gang around, everything seemed perfect. Only, the time and place just wasn't quite right for her…

Disclaimers say you own as much of Inuyasha that my doggie does. XD

"Hurry up, Inuyasha!" the dark haired sixteen year old girl laughed, whirling around to face him as she stopped running. She and Inuyasha had been walking leisurely to Point, a place they had discovered as children and kept it as their special place, when she had suddenly took off, tearing down the leaf-covered sidewalk.

"Damn it Akiko-chan," he panted as soon as he caught up. "Quit doing that."

"Oh, come now, Inu-chan," she said throwing her arms around his neck. "You know I only do it because I love you."

Inuyasha turned slightly red before replying; "Yeah, I know."

"You think I like you!" she cried out, horrified. "Oh, Inu-chan, how could you think such horrible thoughts?"

"No!" Inuyasha flushed red. The silver-haired hanyou glanced over at the girl with her arms around his neck. Her sweet smelling long dark hair was swept up by the cool autumn wind that tugged gently on his own hair. Her pale cheeks were tinged with red, her dark grey eyes strangely bright this autumn afternoon. He wrapped an arm around her slender waist as they walked. She was indeed very pretty. Extremely pretty.

"Inu-chan."

"What?"

"You're holding me." She turned slightly red.

"So?" was his dull reply.

"People will wonder…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on her slightly, making her laugh. No matter how simple the action, she'd laugh. Or smile. Because that's who she was. Beautiful Akiko always laughed and smiled with Inuyasha around. And that's the way he liked it. She was, after all, his best friend. And no matter what she did, he'd feel at ease. Because that's what she could do. Make him feel needed.

"Let them wonder then." He replied bluntly.

Akiko tightened her long black scarf slightly. It matched her cappuccino colored trench coat. Her tone of voice indicated skepticism. "Right, hon. Because no one knows that you're already in a love triangle with Kagome and Kikyou."

"Shut up…" Inuyasha flushed red. He set his golden gaze on her, countering; "What about your fling with Sesshoumaru?"

"Quiet you…" it was Akiko's turn to flush red. "That was one night…"

"Uh-uh. The one night that I come home and find my best friend and half brother older by four years making out." The seventeen year old adolescent cast her a skeptical look. "And you say you're not a whore…"

"I'm not!"

"Explain what happened with Sesshoumaru then."

"I told you," Akiko insisted. "He was hurt. He had just broken up with Kagura… And I really wanted to make you mad…"

Inuyasha sighed as they reached Point. It was a cliff not too far off from the outskirts of the city. It had a beautiful view, especially at this time, in autumn, when the trees were decorated with an assortment of brown, gold, red, yellow and orange leaves, as were the sidewalks, roads, lawns and parks. The large old oak tree stood, majestic atop the cliff, shading them from the setting sun, the sky painted with reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, greens and dark blue peeking through from further away.

He watched Akiko take her place under the tree, hugging her knees, her navy blue skirt peeking out from underneath her trench coat, matching her navy blue knee socks and black shoes. It was this day, at this place, two years ago, that he kissed her. Once. It was their first kiss. Akiko had been the first girl he had ever felt that way about… Sure he had gotten over it once he had met Kikyou and really fallen in love, but Akiko was, from that point on, more important to him than ever. It was also then that she had developed the habit of calling him 'hon'. Akiko glanced up at him.

"Hon, stop staring at me like that. It's creepy." She glared at him and he smirked, taking his place beside her.

It was silent. Their silence was broken by the chirping of chickadees, a few crickets and the soft melody of the band rehearsing for the Autumn Festival next week. At times like these, it was better for them not to say a word to each other. If it made any sense, Inuyasha felt as if they talked without words.

He dug his claw gently into his thumb, not so deep, but enough to make it bleed. It was a nasty habit of his… He proceeded to casually hiding his hand, when Akiko reached over and held it, pressing a cerulean blue handkerchief with tiny white flowers embroidered on the four corners, on his cut. The one he had brought back for her from his trip with his father to Paris. He tugged his hand away.

"I'm fine, Akiko. I do this all the time. Don't worry about it."

She pursed her lips together in annoyance. "How can I not worry," she wanted to know. "when you're bleeding?"

"You are too, but you don't see me freaking out." He said with a wryly smile. She blushed, knowing what he was implying.

"Inuyasha, that was rather rude…" she said looking at the grass which was already beginning to brown.

He smirked. "It's not my fault you're on your period."

Her blush deepened. "Just how do you know, anyways?"

"Simple. When you start wearing dark bottoms."

"I always wear dark bottoms." She looked unconvinced. "You were bluffing. Oh, I hate you!"

Inuyasha laughed. "I'm not lying Akiko. I know when you're on your period."

"How, then?"

"Dunno. I just know."

"How do you know?" Akiko was determined.

"You…." Inuyasha's mind raced. "Smell different."

"I do?" Akiko seemed surprised.

"Yup." Inuyasha sighed with relief inwardly and closed his eyes.

"Liar."

Inuyasha groaned and rose to his feet. "What do you want me to say, Akiko?"

"I don't know." She looked up at him. He took her hand and helped her up.

"Come with me to Kore?" he asked. Kore was what KorenerKutt, the popular teen hangout was called, which wasplaced at the corner of Main Street and Korener Avenue.

"If it pleases you."

"It does."

"You're dragging me along to Kore just to make me watch you argue with Kikyou and Kagome." She threw him a look of mock offense.

"Yes, Akiko-chan, because your entertainment is at the expense of my pain." He said dryly.

"Now, now, hon," she said waggling a slender finger at him teasingly. "don't use big words if you don't know what they mean. We've been over this already."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes in response and she laughed.The two adolescents made their way down from Point to KorenerKutt. Nothing could go wrong on a simple walk to the most popular teen hangout in the city, right? Neither one of themhad any idea, couldn't imaginewhat lay ahead for them on a simple walk.