Disclaimer: -bangs on front door of large mansion- Hey, will you give him to me already!
A/N: I guess I've tortured you guys long enough. Here's the next chapter. Oh, and I know I called Puki a rat-terrier before, but I was thinking of a Yorkshire-terrier. My aunt has one and it's very annoying. Sorry about the mix up. If you do a search on Google, you'll probably find lots of pics of Yorkies with brown and black hair. But I have seen them with solid black coats before and that's what Puki has. Okay, I'll quit jabbering now, so you can read the chapter.
Chapter 8 – Rubber-bands and Beds
Once clear of the crowd and a few yards away, Kagome was spun roughly around to peer into cold dark eyes. Kagome paled. "I warned you never to show your ugly face around here ever again." Shina shoved her backwards and Kagome landed with a grunt in the sand. Shina glanced around to make sure they weren't being watched, before stepping behind Kagome and taking hold of her hair in an iron grip.
Kagome's eyes watered and memories flashed before her eyes. Shina hissed in her ear. "I'm going to say this very slowly so that your dim mind can grasp it. Stay away from the old woman or," Shina roughly took hold of her chin and forced her to look at the crowd where she saw the back of Sota's head, "your little brother won't have a sister anymore. Don't think I haven't learned anything from my father." She gave Kagome's hair a quick jerk, causing Kagome to gasp and claw franticly at Shina's hand. "As for your boyfriend, he's mine now. So you might as well run along home little girl while you still can."
Despite her pain, Kagome's eyes narrowed. 'What! Never!' Her mind screamed, but her mouth was dry.
Meanwhile, Inu Yasha easily slammed Taro's hand into the table. He smirked as Taro gasped. "You cheated! There's no way you could beat me!"
Inu Yasha glared. "Feh, you're a weakling. I don't need to cheat to beat the likes of you." By now the crowd was buzzing with people wondering who he was and where he'd come from.
Sota jumped up and down. "Wow! That was so cool! Inu Yasha!"
Taro glared. "I want a rematch! And no tricks this time!"
Inu Yasha's confident smirk returned. "Sure thing, I wouldn't mind beating you all over again." He threw his hand back up and Taro grabbed it fiercely. Taro put all his weight and strength against the hanyou. He lasted a total of three seconds before Inu Yasha slammed his hand against the table once more.
Taro stood up and glared. "This is bull shit!" He turned and stomped off into the crowd.
Sota again cheering. "That was awesome! Kagome, did you see him? He beat him twice!" Sota paused when there was no response and looked around. "Kagome?"
Inu Yasha smirked as he watched Taro tuck tail and run. A sudden gust of wind brought with it a familiar scent, but it was mixed with fear. He shot to his feet, noticing Sota was alone looking around in wonderment. "Kagome!" Inu Yasha growled and pushed through the crowd. He ran to Kagome and stopped about a foot away.
Shina still had a hold of her hair. She grinned evilly at the young man. "What's wrong? Weren't you having fun?"
Inu Yasha, with his back still to the crowd, glared so hard that Shina could feel her blood run cold. "If you know what's good for you, you'll take your filthy hands off her right now." He spoke in a low venomous voice that only the two women before him could hear.
Shina smiled innocently and pulled a real rubber-band out of her pocket, wrapping it into Kagome's long raven hair. "I was trying to help Kagome with her hair." In truth that was what the scene looked like from afar, one cousin helping another put her hair up. The crowd finding the scene rather uninteresting turned back to chatting and eating amongst themselves.
Inu Yasha gave them a glance over his shoulder before approaching the wench hurting his Kagome. He shoved her roughly and she fell on her bottom in the sand. Shina glared up at him as he pulled Kagome up and into his chest. Wrapping both arms around her protectively, he growled. The sound reverberated in his chest. In a strange way Kagome found it comforting. It was the sound of her protector, of the man that loved her and would never allow her harm. "I told you to keep your hands off her. Touch her again and you'll regret it."
Shina smiled coyly. "I like a man with spirit." She stood, dusted herself off daintily, winked at Inu Yasha, and then turned on her heel and headed back to her companions.
Inu Yasha scowled. "I'm really beginning to hate that hag."
In his arms, Kagome trembled slightly and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. 'I won't let her lay a hand on you!' Kagome swore angrily inside. It was one thing to threaten her, but quite another to threaten her Inu Yasha.
His grip tightened on her. "Kagome…are you all right?"
She looked up at him, offering him a weak smile. "I am now." He attempted a smile of his own, which came out more like a worried frown. He began to run his fingers through her hair to comfort her as he normally did, when they found the strange obstruction. Kagome flinched. "Ow." Inu Yasha growled. Kagome placed a hand on her tender scalp. "I guess my head's a little sore." She placed her hand on the tangled clump of hair that contained the rubber-band. "I'll have to take this out later."
Inu Yasha frowned more deeply, knowing she'd been hurt because he'd been distracted. 'Some protector I am, giving into pride like that.' He turned her gently and led the way back to where they had been sitting earlier.
Iki was lying on her stomach half asleep, while attempting to tan her backside. She had seen none of the scene that had transpired between Kagome and Shina. Kagome sat on the towel where she'd been earlier and munched slowly on the hot dog. She gazed out over the ocean and began to wonder what Shina had meant by the other part of her threat – 'stay away from the old woman.' 'Does she mean grandmother? Why would me speaking with grandmother bother her? It's not as if Shina was ever her favorite or anything.' Then it struck her. Perhaps that was the reason Shina had been so angry. 'For once she didn't get what she wanted.'
"I'm sorry, Kagome." Inu Yasha's voice snapped her out of her musing.
"Huh? For what?" She turned to gaze at him.
He refused to meet her eyes, instead choosing to poke at the sand with a claw. "I wasn't paying attention and you got hurt."
Kagome smiled gently and moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's all right. I'm not angry, Inu Yasha. I knew you'd come in time. You always do. Besides, I wanted to see you beat Taro at arm wrestling." She raised her head and cocked an eyebrow at him. "You did win, didn't you?"
He glared. "Feh, of course I did wench; like I'd loose to that weak human." He stuck his nose in the air proudly. "I beat him twice as a matter of fact."
Kagome smirked playfully. "You sound as though you beat Naraku all over again."
He returned her playful tone. "Are you mocking me, wench?"
Kagome grinned. "Some one has to. You're so arrogant." She rolled her eyes for emphasis. She shifted, getting into position for escape.
"What! Oh, you're going to pay for that one, wench!"
Kagome was already dashing down the beach laughing. Her beloved hanyou took off in hot pursuit.
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"Ow!" Kagome cried.
"Will you quit whining already?" Inu Yasha said from behind her, his ears flattening. He was being as gentle as he could, but the rubber-band was stuck. During the day it had formed a large knot that tangled Kagome's lovely hair, breaking it in places.
"It hurts!"
"Well, if you'd quit squirming, it wouldn't hurt so much!"
Iki watched them from her place at the little stove. She sighed and set aside the skillet she was cooking in. Opening one of the cabinet drawers, she pulled out a pair of scissors and went to sit beside Inu Yasha on the small couch. "Kagome, I can just cut it out."
"No!" Kagome turned to glare up at her mother from her position on the floor before the couch and shrank away a bit. "I'm not cutting my hair because of…."
"Because of what, dear? How did you manage to get the rubber-band stuck in it in the first place?"
Kagome flushed and looked away. "Never mind, just forget it. But there's no way I'm cutting my hair!"
Iki sighed. "All right, but you know it would save you a lot of pain. And if you'd like we can go get you a real hair cut tomorrow."
Kagome scowled. "No!"
Iki put up her hands in defeat. "Fine." She stood and returned to the kitchen. Inu Yasha didn't want Kagome to cut her hair either. He loved running his fingers through it and burying his nose in it when they were close. But the scissors had given him idea. He began to gently rub a claw across the band. The band snapped and he sighed in slight relief. There were still a lot of tangles left to get out.
The band was firmly twisted in and out of her raven locks, and it was painstaking work to pull each little bit of hair loose. Kagome slowly began to feel the knot loosen. She turned slightly to smile up into his intense golden eyes. "Thanks."
His concentration faltered for a moment as he looked down on her. "Feh, like I'd let you cut your hair."
Kagome rolled her eyes and turned back to watching the television. Inu Yasha slowly worked the band out and ran his fingers through her tangled strands. He frowned at the mess the band had left. He frowned deeper as he watched Kagome run a tentative hand across her scalp. Acting on impulse, he reached out to rub her head gently. For a moment Kagome froze in shock. Then she relaxed against his hand as he gently massaged her damaged head. Under his gentle ministration, her eyes began to close and the world faded into white noise as sleep overtook her.
Inu Yasha gazed down at Kagome, love flickered in his eyes as he watched her sleep with her head resting against his knee.
A few minutes later, Sota and Gramps came in with a small bag. "We got the movies!" Sota ran over to the couch, not noticing his sister asleep.
Inu Yasha slapped a hand over the boy's mouth and growled. "You yell like that again and wake Kagome, may the gods help you."
Sota ignored him and gazed down at the sleeping Kagome. "What's she doing asleep so early? We haven't even had dinner yet."
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. The stakes are still cooking." Iki informed them from the kitchen. Gramps was already sitting at the table, his paper in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.
Sota sighed and flopped down beside Inu Yasha on the couch causing it to bounce somewhat and Inu Yasha's knee to jar slightly. He scowled and spoke low. "Will you just sit still and be quiet. Let Kagome rest, she's had a rough couple of days." Then he smirked remembering a certain other impetuous child that wouldn't sit still for anything. 'Now I know why Kagome gets so annoyed with him. To her he's like Shippo is to me.'
"So, father, what movies did you get?" Iki stirred her skillet of vegetables.
"We got that movie Kagome wanted to see Dare Devil or something another, and Sota picked X-Men." Gramps sipped his tea.
Iki raised an eyebrow. "Again?"
Gramps groaned. "Again."
Sota glared from the couch. "Hey, I thought you guys liked that movie. It's so cool."
Iki waved a hand in the air. "We do, dear. Just not every night."
Inu Yasha blinked at them in curiosity. "What's a Dare Devil? Is it some kind of demon?"
Sota chuckled and went into a rather detailed explanation of what Dare Devil was. Inu Yasha listened with interest as Iki pulled the stakes out and prepared the dishes. Kagome woke during Sota's explanation and cheered when she discovered the movie. She promptly inserted the DVD into the hotel's rented player. As everyone ate, they watched the movie, which was dubbed in Japanese. Inu Yasha thought is was strange that the mouths didn't move with words. But he liked the movie anyways, thinking it was smart how the man was able to turn his weakness into his strength.
When the movie was over, Kagome stood and stretched. "That was a good movie." She yawned. "I'm going to get a little air before I turn in." She slid open the balcony door and stepped outside to take in some fresh air.
Sota jumped up and went for the DVD player his movie in hand. "Sota, it's too late to watch another movie tonight. We'll watch yours tomorrow. Now, it's time for bed." Iki instructed from her place on the sofa.
"Aw, but mom…" Sota pouted.
"No buts. Go get ready for bed."
Sota frowned and stomped off to the room he and his mother shared. Inu Yasha watched him go and then turned his gaze to the glass door. He watched as Kagome shivered slightly. "Stupid wench is going to catch a cold out there."
Kagome leaned against the railing and gazed out across the moon lit ocean. It was already the quarter moon, which meant Inu Yasha would turn human while they were there. She shivered a bit as the breeze picked up. Still wearing her thin sundress, the drop in temperature was easy to recognize. Kagome mulled over the events of the day. After the encounter with Shina, she and Inu Yasha had wandered off from everyone else. They had spent the remainder of the day walking along the beach holding hands and talking. During their walk they'd come across a ice-scream truck and Kagome had treated Inu Yasha to the new treat. He'd loved it, to say the least. She'd laughed when he'd gobbled down a second cone and got a case of brain freeze. All in all the evening had turned out pretty nice.
Kagome now smiled to herself at the memory. She shivered again as the wind picked up. 'It is a little cool out here.' She felt something warm wrap around her shoulders. Startled she jumped. She looked down to find herself wrapped in an all too familiar fire-rat coat.
"Fool, are you trying to make yourself sick?"
She turned to see Inu Yasha leaning on the rail beside her. She offered him a genuinely warm smile. "I didn't realize how cold it was." She pulled the cloak tighter around her shoulders. "Thanks."
Inu Yasha smirked. "You're not getting sick on my watch."
Kagome chuckled softly. "You always take care of me, don't you?"
He smiled this time. "And I always will."
She returned the smile then shivered slightly as the wind blew again. Inu Yasha moved to stand behind her and wrap her in his warmth. Kagome sighed contentedly as he held her in his arms. She gazed out again in the deep blue sea. "Inu Yasha?"
He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and breathed in deeply. "Hmm?"
"I'm glad you're here."
She felt him nuzzle her neck and place a kiss there. "So am I."
She reached back to rub one of his fuzzy ears. "I love you."
This time she felt him smile against her skin. "I love you too." There was a playful growl as he nipped her neck a little. Kagome shivered, but not from the cold.
They stood there for a long time lost in the moment, while three pairs of eyes watched them from Iki's bedroom. Slowly Kagome turned to face him. She smiled and placed a kiss on his nose. "I'd better go take a shower and see if I can work out the rest of these knots. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"
He frowned slightly, obviously not pleased with her leaving him, but he nodded nonetheless. "Promise?"
Kagome's smile widened. "I promise."
Her smile always made him feel so warm inside, like she was his very own sun. He leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips. "Go on then." Kagome reluctantly pulled away from his embrace and went to her sliding door. She glanced back his way as she entered. Inu Yasha's ears flattened and he looked a bit lonely standing there in the cold evening breeze.
Kagome went to shower. She used nearly half her bottle of conditioner to finally work the knots loose. Clean and content that her beloved was near in the next room she climbed beneath her covers and closed her eyes falling fast asleep.
In the living room, Inu Yasha stared at the back of the old man's head with growing annoyance. He could only take so much of that damn noise! He considered sleeping on the balcony, but it was kind of cold out tonight. And although he would never admit it out loud, he didn't like the cold. He glanced again at Kagome's door. He knew she had been asleep now for several hours, but he hadn't gotten even five minutes. The old man was driving him crazy! 'I could slip in and sleep on the floor. She doesn't seem to mind when I've stayed with her at the shrine. But then again she might get angry, if she wakes up and finds me there.'
He gave the door a questioning look as if it could answer his unspoken question. Gramps gave another loud snore. Inu Yasha scowled and finally stood. 'I can't take this anymore. If I stay one minute more in this room, I'll kill that old man. And then Kagome will really be pissed.' His decision made he stepped to Kagome's door and cracked it open slowly. Crossing the room, he found his miko deep in sleep.
Kagome opened her eyes slowly to someone whispering her name. "Kagome?"
Somehow she wasn't surprised to see the pair of golden orbs beside her. "Inu Yasha, what's wrong?" She blinked sleepily at him.
He was kneeling beside her bed, just inches from her. She could feel his warm breath on her skin. "Would you mind if I sleep in here tonight? Your grandfather snores louder than Kaede."
She gave him a warm smile knowing he could see it in the dim light. "Okay. There's plenty of room." He was surprised when she patted the bed beside her. "Come on."
He climbed in tentatively. Being this close to Kagome sent sparks of pleasure through his body. He reveled in her scent and immediately relaxed. It was the first time he'd truly relaxed since their arrival at this strange place.
Kagome turned toward him. "Inu Yasha?"
"Yeah?"
"If my mom comes…"
"Don't worry Kagome. If she comes in, I'll just go on the balcony."
She closed her eyes and smiled. "Thanks."
"Sure." Within moments they drifted off into sleep. Being so close made them both feel safe and at peace.
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A/N: I don't know if you've ever gotten a real rubber-band stuck in your hair before, but it really hurts when you try to get it out and every time you move it the thing rolls and tangles in your hair. By the way have you guys scene either of those movies, if you haven't you just gotta watch them! They're fantastic!
