Two years later…
Izayoi took no time at all getting comfortable on land again. Now that she had a reason to return to the island, each visit was filled with excitement that she hadn't felt in years. When she could, she'd convince Toga to come with her, but there were many visits that she made on her own. She didn't mind. Since the children were in school and Daisuke was working at the diner, it would only be her and Michiru. They took advantage of the silence in the house to get to know each other and share embarrassing stories about their families without the topic of discussion present.
She even convinced Inukimi to come up to meet Michiru. It was an…interesting…first meeting of Toga's first wife and her new friend, but in hindsight it probably wasn't very often that a current and former wife got along so well, for one to introduce the other to her friend. Michiru had been welcoming to Inukimi, already treating her like a longtime friend. Inukimi, who hadn't been landside for almost as long as Izayoi had been alive, was fascinated by the changes. She wasn't able to visit as frequently as Izayoi did, but she was delighted that Michiru always had a place for her when she did arrive on the doorstep.
"Something's different about you."
Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Miroku and Shippo. "What are you talking about?"
The two under scrutiny shared a look. How could they explain what they've seen for the last four years? Possibly longer if they really thought about it, but the point was Inuyasha was different. Since his parents sent him landside to meet new people, they were shocked to hear that he'd made a friend upon his return hours later. It had taken him months to get on a civil discussion with Koga in the neighboring territory, and if Miroku and Shippo hadn't grown up with him they probably wouldn't be as close as they were. Inuyasha was notoriously stubborn, hard to get to know, and generally spoke without thinking, so this was a new record.
Especially when they learned it was a girl he'd become friends with.
He'd told them all about Kagome upon his return, and since then, he hadn't been able to shut up about her. Not that this was a bad thing; both found it a blessing that Inuyasha had forged a friendship so quickly with someone he hadn't known since birth. But somewhere around the age of 13 is when they noticed Inuyasha acting differently when Kagome was brought up in conversation. His expression would change, and it was hard to decipher. At first they had assumed that something was wrong, to which he shot down that theory. They had known that Kagome had dealt with self-esteem issues concerning her weight and became concerned that she had done something drastic. Inuyasha became defensive so quickly it was almost like he was a different person. He spoke highly of the girl and proudly told them that she was working through it, describing – perhaps in more detail than he realized – how she had found a hobby to lift her spirits.
And from the detailed description they had been given, she had apparently been physically changing as well because of her hobby.
Friends don't usually talk about their friends the way Inuyasha did when he talked about Kagome dancing, but how were they supposed to point that out? Inuyasha was peculiar when it came to the subject of relationships. He'd get flustered and swim away in most cases. If they said anything that suggested something more intimate, they knew what would happen. He'd shut down and possibly not visit Kagome anymore, and neither one deserved that. Neither one knew what she looked like, so if he were to cease going up to the island, they'd have no way to find her and explain what had happened.
"Well?" Inuyasha pressed. "We came out here to do a job. I'd like to get this done and-"
"Go see Kagome again?" Shippo asked.
Inuyasha's cheeks turned pink. "N-no."
"Are you sure, Inuyasha? Your face looks a little red." Miroku swam closer to study his friend. "Could it be that you've been thinking about the lovely Kagome?" They had been sent out to clean near the piers so that the fishing boats that docked could do so without the fear of damage to the underside of the hulls. It was work that could have been delegated to other mermen, but Inuyasha had been going about the castle with nervous energy and volunteered the three of them to burn through it. When Inuyasha looked away, Miroku knew he was right. "There's nothing wrong with it, Inuyasha. From what you described, I can only imagine that Kagome is quite beautiful-"
"Yeah well you can keep imagining it," Inuyasha growled, turning back to the task. "Or better yet, don't."
"Gee Inuyasha, that almost sounds like you're jealous," Shippo commented.
"What do I have to be jealous over, runt?"
"First of all, I'm only two years younger than you. Second, you do know you're holding that piece of junk at Miroku like a weapon, right?"
Inuyasha blinked, his gaze following the arm that was pointed towards Miroku's chest, gripping a broken piece of metal like a staff. He chucked it away, muttering apologies. He hadn't realized that he had swung the metal towards Miroku at all. All he could think about was that Miroku had been talking about Kagome, and not in a way that he liked or appreciated.
"I think Shippo's point has been made," Miroku said slowly. "Years ago if I were to say…that…you wouldn't have batted an eye. Now…well, you saw." He shrugged, not offended that his friend had almost skewered him. "You're clearly thinking about Kagome differently, Inuyasha."
"I don't…I don't think I'm supposed to."
"Is it a problem if you do?" Miroku pushed. "Have her parents or your parents made any indication that they have issue with your friendship?"
"Huh? No, of course not. Our parents like each other-"
"Then why do you think that, Inuyasha?"
"Because Kagome's my friend, runt? Friends don't think about their friends like…"
"Like what?" Both asked, now incredibly curious. If Inuyasha was choosing his words instead of just blurting out what was on his mind, this was serious. He'd obviously been thinking about this for some time.
Inuyasha turned back around. "Look, it…it doesn't matter. Can we just finish this already?"
Miroku and Shippo shared a look again before returning to the cleanup. They weren't going to get an answer out of Inuyasha today, it seemed. "You know that it's not a bad thing to think these things," Miroku said after a few beats of silence. "The only bad thing is not knowing the other side of the thoughts you're contemplating."
Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi had noticed that Kagome had been changing dramatically over the years. When they were still kids, they couldn't get her to wear the outfits they did. Now, she was wearing more fitted clothes, cute tops, and easily blended in with the other girls their age. Of course, there were only two ways she would be spotted in such outfits; either with them or with that Inuyasha boy she had met on the beach. If they happened to cross paths when she was on her own, she'd be wearing baggy t-shirts and jeans or cutoffs.
Whatever this boy had said to her had done something to break Kagome out of her shell. They had never seen her act so open. She had gained confidence in herself – even if she only showed it when she was with her friends. At first they had thought that her dancing was a suggestion of Inuyasha's, but Kagome was firm when she told them that it was her decision. It was something she enjoyed and stuck with, and a small part of them couldn't help the tinge of jealousy at how much better shape she was in comparison.
"I still don't believe there's nothing going on with you two," Eri pouted, slouching in her desk chair. Normally they wouldn't have already been in the classroom before the first bell, but the drizzling rain made sitting outside less than desirable.
Kagome had been rewriting notes for science while her friends talked. When Eri chose to mention Inuyasha, her attention wasn't on the chemical equations anymore. "Sorry to disappoint, but that's the way it is."
Yuka looked down at Kagome's notes. "Kinda hard to bag a guy when your nose is always in the books."
"But she also dances," Eri pointed out, "I'll bet my favorite perfume she's danced for him-"
"Ooh, Kagome!" Yuka teased, laughing as the girl's cheeks turned red. "You've been dancing for Inuyasha?"
"It's nothing like what you're thinking!" she hissed, praying none of the other students heard them. There were still a few that liked to keep the "Chubby Bunny" nickname around to get a rise out of her, but for the most part the teasing from her childhood had all but stopped. Nowadays she flew under the radar, and rather liked it that way. She didn't need her friends starting rumors of something that wasn't even remotely true, because gossip could pass through the island like wildfire, and the last thing she needed was for Inuyasha to overhear it.
Ayumi had been surprisingly quiet the entire time, sitting and watching her friends with a forgotten book in hand. She thought back on what Kagome had told them about Inuyasha, as it was always fate that they were never able to meet face to face. Long black hair, dark eyes, tanned skin… she had her suspicions that Kagome wasn't being very specific when she first described him, but Ayumi was pretty sure that her friend had her reasons. It was something in the way that she lit up as she talked about Inuyasha that gave Ayumi the impression that even Kagome didn't realize she spoke about him differently. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Kagome," she said suddenly. "You know, if you like him." Before the others could comment, she pointed to the front of the classroom.
The teacher was coming in with a stack of papers, so the chairs were returned to their seats as the bell rang. The papers were dropped on the desk, and a few breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't a pop quiz. "Before we get started today, there's someone new joining us. I know that it is late in the year, but please help your new classmate make the adjustment smoothly. Would you like to introduce yourself?" The teacher motioned for someone outside the classroom to come inside, and a few students attempted to lean forward to get the first glimpse.
A girl with long brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail stepped into the classroom. Hands clasped in front of her, she nodded briefly to the class. "My name is Sango Kuwashima. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
"I heard she had to transfer because she beat up the guys at her last school."
"She looks strong."
"Well I had heard that the reason her family moved was more because she threatened her younger brother's teachers."
The whispers echoed across the cafeteria to Kagome, and she grit her teeth in frustration. Who were these people to make passing judgments about a new student? Then again, she had grown up on the island, and these were the same people that picked on her when they all started school. Of course things were dull, but that was no reason to ruin a first impression before it was made!
She turned and looked out across the cafeteria. From her place in line, she could see Sango sitting at a round table, alone. Kagome turned back and filled her tray, silently wishing the line would move faster.
"What's the matter Kagome?" Ayumi asked.
"Nothing…"
"Well where do you guys want to sit today? Since it's wet outside, the cafeteria's packed." Yuka looked put out by the weather; preferring to sit outside on the benches.
"I'm going to sit with Sango, if she'll let me," Kagome said quickly. Three sets of eyes turned on her. "What?"
"You want to eat lunch with the new girl?" Eri asked. "Haven't you heard-"
Kagome grunted. "I've heard plenty, and until Sango says it herself I'm going to choose to ignore the rumors. I remember what it was like to be the focus of that kind of scrutiny, and it's not any fun. She needs to know that not everybody at this school thinks that she's some kind of delinquent." She paid for her lunch and added, "You can come with me or not. It's your choice."
Each step she took closer to the table, Kagome began to feel a bit nervous. As she approached, she knew there was no backing out. Sango had seen her, pausing in her meal. She wasn't sure how much Sango had heard the other students whisper, so she wasn't sure if she'd even be welcomed, but she knew she had to try. "Hello," she said softly.
"Hello." Sango's gaze shifted just past her shoulder, and without turning Kagome knew that her friends had chosen to follow her lead.
"Is it okay if we sit with you?" Kagome pressed forward. "If you'd rather eat alone, that's fine-"
"No!" For a split-second Sango looked alarmed that they might leave. She'd heard more than Kagome imagined, and for the majority of the day she hadn't felt as welcomed as was expected from her peers. "I mean…please, sit." She gestured to the empty seats. "There's plenty of room here, and the company would be nice."
Kagome smiled, setting her tray next to Sango's and taking the open seat on her right. Ayumi sat on her left, while Eri and Yuka sat across from her. "I'm Kagome, and that's Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi," she said, pointing to each of her friends, who gave a nod or a wave. "We're in homeroom together."
Sango smiled for the first time that Kagome had seen, and she almost felt like she had been punched in the chest. 'I should have introduced myself sooner,' she thought. 'Who knows if anyone in our grade has had the decency to be nice to her.'
Weeks passed, and before long Kagome was out on spring break, a period of time that Inuyasha considered almost as good as summer break. Aside from the weather being comfortable, Kagome was free from any and all school duties. No tests, no homework, and no studying, leaving her ample free time. Not that her having homework and tests to prepare for ever stopped him from visiting; he'd often spent those visits helping her review the material. It wasn't fun in the slightest, but he got to spend time with her, and that mattered more.
The first day of her mini vacation, he had appeared early in the morning, before breakfast had even been served. Michiru didn't mind, setting him a plate at the table next to Kagome and Souta. She'd heard from Izayoi that it might happen and apologized in advance for her son's behavior. Michiru found it sweet actually, and as they had gotten older, he'd tried to hide his eagerness to see Kagome. Every sound he heard upstairs had him looking towards the staircase, disappointment and a sigh each time it was Buyo that had made the noise. Then Michiru had done something that most mothers would have been against – she told him to go wake Kagome up. He'd hesitated, because there was a big difference being in her room when she was awake, but Michiru reminded him that she trusted him. He took off like a shot after that.
On the second day, Michiru let him in and told him to go ahead upstairs, returning to the kitchen to set a plate. Buyo may have been content to let Kagome sleep in during her break, but Inuyasha was not, and she got amusement out of hearing her daughter grumble. She wondered if this pattern would continue past spring break – it'd certainly keep her from running late to school!
By the third day, Kagome had come to expect Inuyasha to appear in her bedroom, shaking her awake. She'd put up a fight and dive under her pillow, until he jerked it and her blankets off to the foot of the bed. With no choice she had to get up and retreated to her bathroom to splash her face. She'd come back, and Inuyasha would be sitting on the edge of her bed, made for the day and saving her a chore. That part wasn't so bad, actually. He'd follow her back downstairs for breakfast, then back upstairs sometime later to critique her outfit for the day. If she tried to slide back to overly baggy clothes, he'd fuss at her until she caved. With both being so stubborn, it made for interesting arguments when neither was willing to concede easily.
He'd told her – quite smugly – that she had come too far over the years to fall into bad habits, and he wasn't about to let her do so without a fight. She'd worked damn hard for years to reach a point where she was happy with her appearance, and if he had to fight with her to show off that hard work with flattering clothes, then he was ready. He could still see that broken girl that day on the boardwalk, and it hurt him. He didn't want to see that look in her eyes ever again.
It had absolutely nothing to do with how much she had changed since they met. Nothing whatsoever. The fact that Kagome was only comfortable wearing these clothes around him made him want to grin from ear to ear. There was a level of trust between them that she didn't have with the rest of the world, and he cherished it.
"…so it turns out that Sango is from the mainland. Her father and brother are still there, but she's transferred to the school to finish because there's an opportunity to intern lined up when she graduates. She doesn't know if her family is going to make the decision to move, or just commute to visit her…"
Then again…there were some perks to being one of the select few that Kagome chose to wear the fitted activewear around, and as she stretched in the yard, Inuyasha was starting to notice them. Or maybe he had noticed, but it hadn't clicked in his mind until then that Kagome wasn't the little girl he had met anymore.
Years of dancing had taken ahold of her form, creating long muscles in her legs that flexed as she bent forward, angling her top half towards one foot, then to the other. The stretchy black shorts barely concealed her bottom, and his eyes flicked upwards to see that she wasn't looking his way. He quietly thanked the heavens for that; last thing he needed was for her to think he was staring at her like there was something wrong with her.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with her.
"Inuyasha?"
He blinked, realizing that he had been staring at the porch instead, and turned his gaze to Kagome, who was standing in front of him. Inuyasha swallowed, wracking his brain to recall what she said, but nothing was coming to mind. She was watching him expectantly, which meant that she had either asked a question, or assumed he'd have a comment about something she said. Unfortunately all he could focus on was the way the sleeveless top stretched across her front, hugging her curves quite well. A couple years ago she had mentioned feeling "lacking" because the other girls were more developed. He hadn't seen these other girls, but he had a feeling they would respond in kind standing next to her.
"Um…I'm sorry?" He flinched as his voice cracked. It wasn't doing it as much anymore, but there was still the odd moment.
"You okay?" Kagome reached forward and felt his forehead, unknowingly giving him a surprise view down her top. "If it's too hot out here, we can go in and get something cold to drink?"
Inuyasha felt his cheeks get hot as she moved to sit next to him on the porch, trying to block out that he had seen the edge of her light blue bra. 'Not now! I don't need this now!' He scolded himself. These weird feelings were happening more and more often, and now that Miroku and Shippo had even pointed it out…it's where his mind went to automatically. "I'm…fine," he said at last, "Sorry, Kagome. I've just had stuff on my mind."
She shrugged. "If you're sure. When I finished stretching and looked over, it was like you were in a different world entirely. Everything okay back home?"
"Oh. Yeah. Everything's good."
Kagome leaned back on her arms and studied him. "Something's definitely on your mind," she stated. "I wonder…is it a girl?"
He nearly choked. "W-what?!"
"Oh, so it is!" The grin Kagome wore looked downright devious then. "So what's her name? Does she live in your kingdom or a neighboring realm? Is she pretty? Do you like her?"
Inuyasha felt his head spin as she rattled off question after question. "H-hang on!" He grabbed her shoulders to stall her. "There's not any girl!"
"Your face says differently-"
"That doesn't mean anything!"
Kagome sighed, crossing her arms. She wasn't going to give up, based on her expression. He was screwed and he knew it.
"She's…a friend," he emphasized. "She doesn't live in the kingdom, but she does live nearby."
She leaned forward slightly, making Inuyasha lean back. "Go on. Is she pretty?"
He gulped. "…Yes. She's beautiful, but she doesn't think so."
Kagome's expression was knowing, and she nodded. "I get that," she mumbled. "Well…do you like her?"
"I…don't know?"
Inuyasha hadn't expected the groan. "How can you not know if you like her?!"
He huffed, getting defensive, and his first thought to voice was, "Well, is there a guy you like then, Ka-Go-Me?"
This time it was her turn to blush, and he couldn't help but admire how pretty her flushed cheeks looked. But that thought was short-lived when she nodded briefly, and his stomach dropped.
"Oh."
"You don't sound surprised, Inuyasha."
"D-Does he know? This guy?" Logically he shouldn't feel disappointed. But the thought that there could be another guy who could come along and steal her attention away was tough to accept.
"Ehm…no. Honestly I don't even know if he even sees me as anything remotely like that."
Kagome's dejected expression made him frown. "Then he's a fool," he said, taking her hand. "If this guy has half a mind, he should see that you're amazing, Kagome. And if he can't see that, then he doesn't deserve you."
The blush was back on her cheeks, and she was smiling shyly. "Thank you, Inuyasha. I hope that…if it turns out you do like that girl…that she returns your feelings. You're a wonderful guy, and if she needs to be told that, I'll volunteer to set her right."
Later that afternoon, as the sun was starting to sink beyond the horizon, Inuyasha stood with Kagome at the front door of her house. Usually she'd walk with him to the beach, but with it being later than normal, he didn't want her to have to walk back home alone in the dark.
Inuyasha didn't know what had come over him, but hesitantly he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He had half-expected her to move away, but he had no idea that she'd return the kiss with another shy smile. Neither had commented on the new parting, but secretly they hadn't minded either. It was different, yes, but not unpleasant.
As Inuyasha walked to the beach and Kagome returned to her bedroom, neither knew that the other was thinking the same thing.
Would that happen again?
