A/N: One of the most embarrassing things as an author is to re-read your work and find mistakes in it…despite having proof-read it several times…o well. I guess I'll fix them when I have time, heh…anyways onto the next chapter!
Chapter 4:
"All right, kids. We'll be in the house if you need us. Don't wander too far, okay?" Inuyasha's mother told them. After a quick tour of the house, Kikyo dropped her stuffed animal in Inuyasha's room. Sesshomaru slipped away upstairs, probably to put on his music and surf the internet or play his video games. Inuyasha grabbed Kikyo's hand, and led her out the door.
"Close your eyes," he told her. Kikyo looked unsure at first, but then let her eyelids close slowly. Keeping close to Inuyasha, he began to lead her out behind the house and through a dirt path through a small wood. They moved slowly, as Kikyo was afraid of tripping or running into things, but eventually they made it to clearing.
"Can I look now?" she asked. Inuyasha led her to the middle of the filled, then stopped.
"Open your eyes," he said. Kikyo did so, and her eyes lit up as she took in her surroundings. She was in the middle of a capacious, luscious field of purple flowers. They swayed in the breeze, and several butterflies fluttered around, creating an array of colors that resembled something out a paradise. It was the most beautiful thing Kikyo ever remembered seeing.
"They're Kikyo flowers," he told her, feeling smug he knew that and that he was able to show her. Unfortunately, his smugness was crushed wit her next reply.
"I know. They're my favorite," she responded, still in awe at the sight of so many in bloom. She lied down in the grass and looked up at the clear, azure sky, her hands behind her head. Inuyasha watched her for a minute, but then mimicked her.
After a few quiet minutes of enjoying the warm, summer sun and the refreshing breeze, Kikyo sat up and sighed in peaceful bliss. Inuyasha sat up too and watched her. The sun reflected off her bans, and a warm blush covered her soft face. She turned, noticing he was looking at her and smiled. Boy…was she cute...
Inuyasha leaned in, and almost without thinking, very quickly, kissed her on her warm, soft cheek. Kikyo's eyes widened at such an unexpected action. A blush rose on both faces, and Inuyasha looked away, wondering why he just did that. Kikyo fell on him with a hug and in less than a second the sounds of their laughter filled the air, along with the various insects that jumped or flew up from their actions.
Kikyo stopped suddenly, when something caught her eye at the edge of the wood. She could faintly see some kind of stone structure through the shadows of the trees.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing to it. Inuyasha followed her finger, a bit confused and saw what she was looking at. He wasn't quite sure actually. He'd never noticed it there before.
"I don't know. Mommy and daddy told me not to play past here," he told her. Kikyo stood up, as if she resolved to do something. Then she turned to face him.
"Okay, let's go. I wanna see," she said, starting to head off in that direction. Inuyasha started after her.
"Hey! We'll get in trouble!" he protested. Breaking the rules didn't seem like Kikyo, but she didn't seem to have an intention on going back as she approached the beginning of the wood. Well…he'd better go after her.
As they climbed over fallen branches and pushed their way through the underbrush, they came to a small clearing. And there, appeared an incredible, two-story, building made of grey stones. It looked ancient and abandoned, as several creeper vines has glued themselves over the dirty walls. In the front of the building, a stone pathway led to a cracked wooden door, with chipped, green paint. Two lamps hung outside the door, broken, probably from some weather storms. However it also looked stalwart, as if it would last thousands of years and remain undamaged, at least on the outside. The windows were still in tacked, and a chimney rose from the right side of the roof. As they explored around the building, they found a sand-filled court in the back. The building was huge, especially to their young eyes. Inuyasha pushed the door open and opportunity for the chance of adventure seemed to dangle in front of his eyes. He forgot all about the possibility of getting in trouble, and he and Kikyo stepped inside.
The excitement surged through them at the empty building that felt so much like a new-found, secret place, and they ran from room to room, exploring it all. There were three floors all together, and when they had seen it all they unanimously began to play tag, and hide and seek. They played house, where Kikyo made a delicious meal. They played school, because in one of the rooms was a chalkboard, and even a couple of stubs of chalk. They also took off their shoes to dive around in the sand in the court. For at least a couple of hours they ran around and let their imagination do the same.
Then all of a sudden, in the middle of a game of tag, Kikyo tripped and fell. Immediately, tears started forming in her eyes, and she let out a cry and held her knee, rocking back forth. Her hands also stung as well. Inuyasha, startled, turned back and ran towards her.
"Kikyo! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" he asked worriedly. He wasn't quite sure what to do, but figured fairly fast that she had injured her knee. Tears were pouring from Kikyo's eyes, and she continued to sob loudly, while Inuyasha frantically tried to think of what to do.
"I hurt me knee and my hands!" she managed to wail. The only thing Inuyasha could think of to do was try and comfort her. Remembering what his mommy did, he put his arms around her and hugged her. He had to get her back to the house to his parents. He kneeled down and told Kikyo to climb on. She stopped her crying in her confusion.
"I'm going to carry you back," he said finally. She clambered on, and Inuyasha immediately collapsed, but struggled to stand. Unfortunately his efforts were in vain, as he didn't' get very far. It was obvious he wasn't strong enough to carry her, as he barely took two steps before collapsing again. This wasn't working.
"Stay right here. I gotta get mommy and daddy," he told her, before turning and running off. Kikyo watched him leave and immediately burst into tears again. She didn't want to be left alone. Suddenly the place that had been full of fun was lonely, silent, and even a bit scary. Dusk was beginning to settle in, and Kikyo squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block her fears. She lied down, and curled up, trying hard not to move her knee more than she had to. Her knee still throbbed and burned but she couldn't do anything about it.
The next few minutes were the longest of her life, but at last she heard a familiar voice, and before she knew it a pair of loving hands picked her up and held her close.
"Kikyo! Oh my God…come here, sweetie," Izayoi said, examining her minor injuries. Kikyo sniffed, as new tears started to form. Izayoi brushed them away gently with her thumb, and stood up.
"It'll be okay, Kikyo. We'll get you back to the house and clean you up," Inuyasha's father said, reassuringly. Inuyasha followed his parents out of the old building, half worried about Kikyo, but also betting he'd be in trouble for going where he wasn't supposed to.
Back at the house, Inuyasha's father called Kikyo's grandma to come pick her up. After putting some ice on her knee, and washing the scrapes on her hands with a warm wash-cloth and applying some Neosporin, it was apparent she really would be okay. Nothing seemed broken, but her knee would probably be bruised for a little while. Inuyasha and Kikyo were both reminded that they had been warned not to go past the field, but they were told less harshly, of course, because of Kikyo's injury. Inuyasha's parents, however, did not see any reason to deal out a punishment, as her injuries seemed to prove enough of one.
"Would you like to come over tomorrow Kikyo? We're going to the park," suggested Inuyasha's mom. She nodded; shy once again, still shaken by the incident, as she clung to her grandmother's arm. The stuffed puppy was in her other hand. Inuyasha's mom knelt down and whispered something into his ear.
"Oh. My birthday's soon. Can you come?" Inuyasha said, hopefully, fidgeting with his foot. Kikyo looked up at her grandma for the answer.
"I think we can make it," Kikyo's grandma reassured with a smile. Inuyasha's eyes lit up as did Kikyo's.
"Okay! See you tomorrow Kikyo!" Inuyasha said, happily. And that is how that day ended.
"Okay," Kikyo agreed, reflecting his mood. They exited through the front door, and Inuyasha peered out of the window in the foyer. He watched them get into their old Ford car and pull out of the driveway. Kikyo's face appeared in the back window and they waved to each other.
A/N: Wow…being rushed…not fun…o well. This story's not too bad in the making. But too much to do, not enough time…ack. Sigh
