I was at lunch with Inuyasha and Miroku when it happened. We were a month or so into our second semester of freshman year. Inuyasha was in a good mood, a rarity during those days. Sango ran to our table, sliding across the bench of the cafeteria table right into me, eyes big and smile wider.
"Guess what!" She exclaimed, looking between the three of us but mostly at me.
"Um, it's Thursday?" I replied blandly. I knew that likely wasn't what she was going for, but I was also really tired and didn't want to play games.
Why was I tired you may be wondering? I had spent a good chunk of the evening prior texting with Hojo. Messages with Inuyasha were sprinkled in there too, of course, but my Cinnabon and I had talked until the wee hours of the morning. It was exhilarating and down right exhausting.
"No," she playfully swatted at me then looked over at the boys, wiggling her eye brows. "Better than that."
Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged quick glances before Miroku spoke, "what?"
"I got us all invited to a party," Sango squealed in excitement. "Hosted by an upperclassman! Isn't that so exciting?!"
"Yes!" Exclaimed Miroku, violet eyes suddenly exploding with glee and anticipation. "Ugh! Sango! I could kiss you!"
"Please don't, save your lips for tomorrow night!"
"Oh, um…" I began, looking over at Inuyasha as he looked back at me. Sango and Miroku knew that Friday nights were off limits. No matter how acrimonious our relationship had gotten since I began talking to Hojo, Friday nights were still sacred between Inuyasha and I. "Thanks for the invite, but-"
"No!" Sango interrupted, pointing a finger aggressively at me then Inuyasha. "Look, you guys can do your weird little sleep over after the party! You have to come!"
"Why do we 'have' to come?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Sango.
"No reason," she mumbled, noticeably avoiding my gaze.
"Sango, what aren't you telling us?" I pressed, glaring at her.
"The upperclassmen may or… may not be Koga." She muttered, finding a speck on the table suddenly fascinating.
If Inuyasha could have rolled his eyes out of his skull he would have. He hated Koga. They'd been rivals since elementary school.
It had been a dark day on the playground when we first encountered the wolf demon. The clouds were threatening a rain storm when my king and I were surveying our kingdom. At that exact moment a gallant knight rode in with ocean blue eyes and rich hair that made me think of dark chocolate. This knight came right up to me, kissed my lollipop ring and promised me the moon. Literally, he said he would bring me a piece of the moon. I had been positively enthralled at the idea. My king, on the other hand, had not been a fan of Koga on that day or any day since. They had had a multitude of quarrels over the years, each one sillier and less important than the last.
"Pass, hard pass." Inuyasha muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You aren't seriously still upset over Koga kissing Kagome when you were in like… third grade are you?" Miroku accused.
"No, I don't give two shits about that. Koga is an idiot." Inuyasha sneered.
"Ah, but at least he's not boring," Miroku jested, thinking himself funny and earning glares from both Inuyasha and I.
"Kagome, please?" Sango begged. "Just come, get Miroku and I in, then you and Inuyasha can sneak out like you do every other time anyway!"
"Okay, we do not sneak out!" I defended, "we always tell you when we're leaving!"
"Sure, sure, sure," she dismissed flippantly. "Just, put on something cute and show up. It won't kill either of you. Plus, I happen to know that Hojo is on the invite list." Sango wiggled her finger as if that was some undeniable proposition I wouldn't be able to resist.
I sighed loudly. Ever since admitting that I might have a tiny crush on Hojo, Sango took pleasure in dangling him in front of me like a piece of bacon, when she wasn't questioning my intentions that was. Any time she wanted leverage for an event all she felt she needed to do was mention that Hojo might show up. It had worked a lot more in the beginning, but I had been catching on to her manipulative tactic more recently. "If I want to hang out with Hojo, I can just hang out with Hojo. I don't need to go to a party to see him," I replied.
A heavy silence fell between us all. I looked up and around startled by the abruptness of it. "What?" I asked, looking around at the three of them, Inuyasha blatantly avoiding my gaze while the other two had on strange looks of surprise and pity.
"What haven't you been telling me?" Sango asked, leaning in toward me. "I didn't realize you and Hojo were so… close."
"I mean, I wouldn't call us close," I mumbled in response. It was honest. I wouldn't have said I was really close with anyone other than the three I was sitting with. Even then, if you pressed me, I would have said I was close with Inuyasha. He was my best friend, and Sango and Miroku were my good friends. That's how that ranking went. Hojo didn't come anywhere near any of them on my spectrum of friends or closeness.
I hadn't meant it as anything serious. It was just a fact. If I wanted to hang out with Hojo, couldn't I just text him that? He was nice enough that he would almost certainly say yes.
But that also got me wondering… he and I had spent all night texting and several weeks talking. While a lot of it was mundane garbage like getting to know what things he liked versus didn't like, there was some flirting involved. He was cute and nice and I enjoyed spending time with him. So… why hadn't we hung out?
Inuyasha.
We hadn't hung out because it bothered Inuyasha and despite all the bickering, I hadn't wanted to put him out. My king was always on my mind, even when talking to Hojo. I hated that Inuyasha wasn't a fan of Hojo. It had pained me every day and, consciously or not, I kept a distance between Hojo and I because I meant it when I said that Inuyasha was more important to me. I had hoped that Inuyasha would warm up to him, but that was looking less and less likely with each passing day.
"Why haven't you hung out with him?" Sango pressed, right after I'd come to that exact realization myself.
"Uh," I murmured, looking up and over at Inuyasha. It was a reflex. He wasn't just my king, he was my solace. When I was confused or felt at a loss, I always turned to him. He looked back at me, a single black brow slightly raised as if silently questioning why I was looking at him at that exact moment.
Sango, oh so perceptive, oh so annoying Sango followed my gaze, landing directly on Inuyasha then bringing that inquisitive mulberry stare back toward me. "Some one else you'd rather hang out with?"
"Yeah," I answered honestly. I would always pick Inuyasha over Hojo. No matter what. Crush or not, bros before Hojos. Get it? Inuyasha is the "bro" in that circumstance… Anyway…
Sango seemed surprised and to my surprise, so did Inuyasha as I looked between them. "Well then… I wasn't expecting that response," she mumbled.
"Why?" I answered. "Look, Hojo's cute and nice and all, but…"
"But?" Sango pressed.
I shrugged noncommittally, "I don't know…"
"Kagome, you have bags under your eyes from talking to him all night…"
"So?"
"So?!" Sango exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. "Either you're interested or you're not. Are you interested?"
"I mean he's cute…"
"For fuck's sake," Sango grumbled, rubbing her temples and shaking her head. "Inuyasha… what do I need to bribe you with so that you and Kagome show up at the party? Please… I'm begging…"
"Uh," he replied, face a little flushed for some weird reason and stammering like he was a kid again. "I-I don't… know."
"You two are impossible, I swear," Miroku interjected. "Inuyasha, Sango and I will both personally take you out to the new noodle place that's opening up on the nice side of town and let you get anything you want… just please go to the fucking party for five minutes…"
"Yeah, fine," he groaned.
"Awesome! That leaves you…" Sango commented looking back at me. "Now will you come? Or is there some one else you'd rather spend time with?"
"I'll come," I murmured, taking an aggressive bite of my sandwich.
"Oh thank god!" Sango and Miroku exclaimed in unison.
"Why do you want to go so badly?" Inuyasha inquired, looking at Sango with a suspicious gaze.
"Because Kuranosuke is going to be there and even if Kagome has no interest in sucking Hojo's face, I would very much like to taste Kuranosuke all night long."
"Cheers to sucking face!" Miroku exclaimed loudly, lifting up his water and waiting for any of us to join. We didn't. He eventually shrugged and just drank the water, still smirking like a he'd won the lottery despite having been left hanging by his friends.
"So… what top do you think I should go with?" I asked, holding two up in front of Inuyasha, who was lounging on my bed, face in his phone, barely paying attention.
"The left," he muttered without looking.
I frowned in his direction, but what use was a frown if he couldn't see it? It did absolutely nothing. "Oh, so you think Koga would be okay seeing me in…" I turned over to see what was in my hand. It was a sheer blouse. "Well… nothing but my bra."
He snorted.
"What is that for?!" I asked, tossing the shirt in his direction.
"If Koga is interested in you, it's not for your boobs."
Hurtful… but true. Me and my A-cups were not really selling out tickets to any shows. My mom swore up and down that some in our family were just late bloomers. I supposed that I fell into the category.
He still hadn't needed to point that out and remind me that as uncomfortable as puberty was I still hadn't really… grown into myself yet.
"If Koga is interested in you, it's not for your boobs," I mocked, "you could at least pretend to care."
"Ugh," he bemoaned, letting his cell phone fall to the side before turning to look at me. "Just wear that weird romper thing you like so much and let's call it a day."
"Something tells me you're not excited about this," I teased.
"I just want the damn ramen."
"Maybe I can sweeten the deal?" I teased.
His ears perked up, it was minuscule, but they were definitely more alert. "How?"
"Actually help me pick out an outfit and I will show you."
He pursed his lips and frowned. "Well, it's cold out so you should probably wear something that won't give you hypothermia."
"Oh!" I exclaimed, tossing the clothing that was in my hand at him. He had given me an idea. It would be warm, modest, and cute. "Go back to staring at your phone I need to change my pants."
He groaned, but leaned back on my bed and picked up his phone as I shimmied out of my pants and began sliding on some black stockings. I followed that with an emerald green turtleneck and finished off the look with high waisted shorts and ankle boots. "Tada!" I exclaimed, twirling in my outfit in front of him.
Gold eyes flitted over to me, barely looking at me for more than a second before Inuyasha sighed heavily, "Awesome. So, you ready now?"
"Yash! Do you like it?" I pressed, leaning on the bed next to him, my raven hair falling around me as I wiggled my eye brows playfully.
He rolled his eyes, but nodded. I could have sworn that my bashful king was blushing in the slightest as I leaned away. I decided not to prob him further on that note just then. After all… we were expected. Can't keep the public - or a certain devilishly handsome knight - waiting.
"Yes!" I cheered, standing up and walking over to my mirror. I put on a quick layer of mascara to make my eyes stand out a smidge more, then reached over, grabbing Inuyasha's hand before pulling him down the stairs. We were ready for the party and I was excited.
"Hey! You could just use your words!" Inuyasha snipped as I yanked on his arm.
"Move your feet!" I laughed, swiftly grabbing a box of candies from the table and tossing them at him. Cinnamon hearts for the man who held my heart but was moving with the expediency of a slug. "That's your sweet reward for helping me!"
"Oh, gee, thanks," he mumbled, finally matching my pace.
Sango and Miroku met us outside of Koga's place. I chewed on my lip as I approached, eyes drawn to the large estate. Koga had a huge family, most of which was local. He'd once told me about how family gatherings would take up the whole block but how despite all the people it always felt intimate. Staring up at his familial home, seeing all those rooms for the first time in person, I suddenly had a better understanding of why people loved his parties; plenty of space and plenty of spaces.
"My, my, my," Miroku purred, walking right up to me. "You look lovely Kagome."
"Thanks," I responded, only blushing a little. "I wanted to look okay for our first party with upperclassmen."
"Well, if you wanted to impress Koga you should have worn that sheer shirt," Sango commented, though her gaze was on Inuyasha as she spoke to me. "Shall we go in?"
"Yeah, let's get this over with," Inuyasha muttered, rolling his eyes and starting up the decorative stairs to the front.
Miroku immediately shoved me toward the front of the group, holding me tightly in case I would trip or you know…. try to run. God forbid I ruin his first opportunity to swap spit with some random girl who wouldn't know his name or care to remember it.
Sango knocked enthusiastically then we waited. I heard the knob turn and just by my king's cadence alone I could tell who was on the other side of the door.
"Welcome!" His rich voice surrounded me like a siren's song, begging me to walk overboard to my death in the cold, ruthless ocean of his eyes. "Kagome you look… absolutely ravishing."
Quite a word to use for my otherwise conservative attire. "Thanks," I had mumbled, biting my lip and resisting the urge to look over at my king.
"Sango, Miroku," He continued to greet, saving Inuyasha for the end. "Mutt, good to see you too, I suppose."
Inuyasha smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes. It was more akin to the type of smile you might expect from the Joker. Not at all the goofy grin or tranquil bliss I usually enjoyed splashed across his face. "Koga," he greeted firmly. My king had never really been one for idle pleasantries.
"Come in, come in!" Koga ushered, making space for us to enter.
Three things I noticed immediately: the space was certainly large, the music was loud, and Koga's arm around my shoulders felt heavy. I could barely hear Inuyasha growl at Koga's advances and he had been literally inches from me. Sango and Miroku almost immediately waved bye then threw themselves into the sea of people moving through the space.
I'd been to several parties before, but this had been an entirely different situation. There were so many people I knew but many more I didn't. I could smell the alcohol in the air though I couldn't see it and two of my safeties just abandoned me for the chance fulfill their hormonal desires.
"Let me get you two a drink," Koga smiled, maintaining his gaze with mine a moment longer than he did with Inuyasha.
As we moved through the crowd with Koga's arm still around my shoulder, I subconsciously reached back, pads of my fingers brushing along Inuyasha's forearm. He curled his fingers around mine and I relaxed before I even realized that I was nervous. But I was nervous. Koga was… in a word… forward. I was… well let's be frank about this, I guess, despite almost being fifteen I felt more like a pre-pubescent boy than a budding woman with my bean shaped body and lack of natural padding. There were heavy, implied expectations that hung in the far-too-thin air that separated Koga and I. He was sixteen, going on seventeen. He'd had multiple girlfriends and was a known frequent flyer, if you catch my drift. I had been kissed once by my king on a dare.
So…
The gap between our lived experiences was… wide. Far wider than my hips and my confidence.
Koga was attractive with a capital A, that was very clear to anyone with eyes, but I was scared that he would devour me whole and spit me out leaving a shell of a person with enough regret to sink an air-craft carrier.
I knew that Inuyasha wouldn't let me go. Even if I could hear the cogs in Koga's mind working overtime to compensate for the liquor as he pondered a way to separate me from Inuyasha, still I knew that my king's loyalty far surpassed Koga's tricks.
Koga was a wolf. He was a predator. Separating prey from the group was a specialty he'd honed over the years.
Inuyasha was a predator too though. I just hadn't realized at that party how precise or how lethal he really was. I would come to learn that eventually too, in time.
Koga pulled his arm off of me and fixed us both a drink. Inuyasha watched him, the look of disdain overshadowed by a look of disgust. "What's wrong pup?" Koga teased, looking over briefly at him. "Not used to the smell of liquor?"
No. The answer was no. We'd never been to a party with alcohol before. It was… just another experience (or lack thereof really) that sowed division between Koga and I, and reminded me that I wasn't in kindergarten anymore when the worst thing that would happen was that I drank too much milk while laughing and it would come out my nose.
If that shit that Koga was pouring came out my nose it would burn.
"Here," Koga offered, pushing a couple shots our way. "I figured you might enjoy this," he jested, looking at Inuyasha specifically, "seeing as you're always eating those fucking candies."
"What… is this?" I asked, surveying the brown liquid that smelled like cinnamon.
"Fireball," Koga smirked, "cinnamon flavored whiskey. Good for beginners, mostly because it doesn't taste like ass."
"Okay," I mumbled in a hushed tone. I nodded my head quickly, then tipped it back like I'd seen people do in the movies. It burned as it went down, but I wasn't sure whether that was the cinnamon or the liquor. I felt an instant hit of heat and shook my head for a second before placing the shot glass down. Koga filled it again and stared at me intently. "A-again?" I questioned, uneasy. The previous shot was already forming a pit in my stomach.
"Yup," he answered, pouring Inuyasha another as well.
I gulped, but took the shot. It was the same, a strong hit of cinnamon and a flash of heat that felt like a quick kiss from the sun.
"And, two more for the pup," Koga stated, pouring Inuyasha another and giving my glass to him before gesturing for Inuyasha to drink it."
"Wh-why?" I asked confused.
"Because he's part demon and this shit will barely touch him unless he takes a bunch." Koga explained. "Trust me, four shots of this will barely give him a buzz. You on the other hand… you're tiny. You'll feel this in like twenty minutes."
"Oh," I had responded, frowning and not certain how to take that.
"So, while we wait for the real fun to begin, let me give you a tour!" Koga exclaimed, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the kitchen. I looked back, frantic at Inuyasha, who merely rolled his eyes, but followed right behind.
I'd have to do something special for him later.
Koga had been right about the shots. As he took us around, I barely focused on what he was saying. Instead, I found myself fixated on the gentle warmth that coated my skin like the coziest of blankets and the lightness I felt in my head. I didn't feel dizzy, I just didn't hear all my thoughts. It was like all my anxieties, all my insecurities, they had taken a break from tormenting me. My head was silent and my lips turned up into a carefree smile. Sure, my lids felt a little heavier and I was giggling far more than I was used to, but I liked that shit!
Our host seemed to notice that his elixirs had started to work, because we were no longer being dragged through his parent's place, but he'd switched to telling me fascinating stories about himself and his family. I leaned in and listened intently as if he knew the meaning of life and was mere moments from imparting that truth on to me.
I watched his lips move, my eyes darting back and forth quickly from those icy eyes and his mouth. I swear they looked about as plump and soft as steamed dumplings and I wanted a little nibble, but only a nibble. His eyes though had me resisting that urge. They were dazzling, don't get me wrong, but I wanted heat. The ocean, vast in its beauty and dizzying in its depths never set my soul ablaze.
In my periphery I saw my king pull out the candies that I had given him earlier. I watched him through the corner of my eye, letting Koga continue to regale me with his tale, all the while examining Inuyasha as he dropped little pieces of candy into his mouth.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, sucking on a small section of my lip. I had asked Inuyasha how I looked earlier in the evening, but I'd never told him how he looked. Maybe it was the alcohol fusing with my blood or maybe it was a wave of hormonal appreciation for the man I had grown up beside, but he looked good. He still had noodle arms and what not, but he was lean and fierce.
I'd have let him prey on my any day.
Hojo was the epitome of cotton candy, Koga like a fine wine, but Inuyasha? I imagined he was a lot more like the shots of fireball that I had been coerced into trying. Especially seeing as he ate those silly hearts all the time. For the briefest of moments, with Koga still talking to me, I had let my mind wander and imagine what Inuyasha might taste like. I imagined that he would be warm and rich in flavor, like his soul, but hot and defiant, burning you in the best way possible. I imagined that his flavor would haunt you for days. He'd be -
His eyes had caught me staring. My delicious king and his striking gaze locked with mine, a single brow inching incrementally upward as he looked at me with true bewilderment before he looked down, finding my lip stuck between my teeth.
Inuyasha was a predator that I didn't fear… it was something for more carnal that even the shots weren't strong enough to have me admit to myself.
I expected him to do something - like sneer at me, which is what he usually did - when I didn't look away, when I instead remained fixed on his distinct features. But, Inuyasha merely looked away and placed a handful of those silly hearts in his mouth. I could hear him crunch down on them as I brought my gaze back to Koga. I sighed, then looked away.
Koga continued to tell me story after story, but I found the whole experience… wanting. Minutes prior I had been enthralled by his stories and presence. However, that moment had passed. I looked around for Sango and Miroku, Inuyasha's crunching in my ear the whole time.
To my delight and disappointment, Sango had accomplished her goal. Miroku too for that matter. Sango was lapping up the attention of Kuranosuke and Miroku was hidden in a corner, hands full of hair and mouth full of a certain red-headed wolf-demon.
"Jealous?" Koga teased, noticing that I had looked over at Miroku and Ayame as she wrapped a leg around his waist.
"Hmm?"
"You know," he whispered, leaning down, his hot breath tickling my ear, "there are plenty of rooms upstairs…"
I could feel Inuyasha's growl from behind me, a protest he was ready to hurl at me with every ounce of displeasure that his frame could contain. Ah, my king, sometimes he needed a reminder that his queen was his.
"Actually," I purred, turning to face Koga and batting my long lashes, "that sounds… amazing. Why don't you go grab one?"
"We could go tog-" He began, excitement bleeding through every feature.
"I'd like to talk to Inuyasha," I continued, seductively biting my lip and letting him watch before I gave him a playful shove. "What are you waiting for?"
Inuyasha waited for the wolf to be up the stairs and out of the way before hissing at me. "What the fuck was that?!"
I rolled my eyes, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the main room.
"Kags!" He growled, pulling at my hand, but not using enough force to free himself.
"What?" I had asked, turning to face him.
"I'm not staying just so you can go stick your tongue down-"
"When did I say I was going to kiss him?" I asked, squaring up to him.
"Wha-"
"When, Yash, did I tell him I would kiss him?"
"You heavily implied-"
"That he should get a room. He can knock himself out." I replied, tugging lightly on his arm and trying to bring him with me.
"Yeah, but, he's going to come back and look for you…"
"By then we'll be gone. Or… did you want to stay longer?" I inquired.
"No…"
"Okay, so then let's go!" I exclaimed. "Sango and Miroku look plenty busy and I'd much rather spend the rest of the night with you than fending off Koga." I was bored with the man and had entertained him long enough. I felt like I had already paid my dues to the knight. As such, it was now my duty to return home with my king and resume our normal responsibilities, like watching bad T.V. until the infomercials started and our eyes ached from forcing our selves to stay awake.
He nodded dumbly, but followed me out, fingers laced gently with mine.
The cold evening air was undesirable as we escaped from the knight's humble abode into the dark night. I shivered instantly, the warmth from the alcohol dissipating with a jarring speed. Before we had even stepped off the grounds of the property, I felt a tender weight fall across my shoulders. I looked down to see what it was and grinned. Inuyasha had draped his hoodie over me. I gazed over at him, intending to thank him but laughed instead.
He was already refusing to look at me. It was so cute, so downright adorable, and even a sprinkle of unexpected, that I couldn't have stopped that obnoxious giggle if I had tried.
"What are you laughing at?" He snipped, glaring at the ground instead of me.
"Why is it that any time you do anything nice for someone you become so ill-tempered? Or bashful?"
"I'm not bashful," he muttered, the final word dripping with disdain.
"Right, and I'm not currently wearing your hoodie," I replied snidely.
He didn't have an answer for that. No, he just stared straight ahead, gaze fixed on the path in front of us.
A few weeks later, all four of us met at the new noodle shop. Inuyasha was cashing in his favor that Sango and Miroku owed him. He looked positively enamored as we walked in, a vast array of different styles and flavors of ramen on display. His bright amber eyes widened in total adoration, scanning and re-scanning his options while our two friends looked paler by the second.
I watched, standing next to Inuyasha and giggling. I had the urge to ask them if promising Inuyasha all he could eat ramen was worth it. Judging by how pale their faces looked I would have bet good money that they were both re-thinking their earlier bribe and regretting offering him such extravagant compensation for his time.
Inuyasha was ravenous. If he liked something, he liked something. He was passionate about few things, but those few things he consumed like it was his last day on Earth. I knew this well. It's why I never bribed him with an endless supply of anything. We would barter on quantities of what he enjoyed, but it was always definite. Miroku and Sango were about to learn exactly why I spent so much time negotiating with him over the years.
"I'm going to grab a table," I murmured, patting Inuyasha on the shoulder.
"You're not going to get anything?" He asked, gaze still locked on the board though his hand moved to brush against mine. It was a gentle touch, but it had become common place between us over the years to occasionally reach out like that, a tender and exclusive nonverbal commitment to express any number of things. At that moment I read it as his way of making sure that I didn't go hungry just because he was the main focus that day.
"Just order me one of something you're getting," I replied, letting my fingers drag over his shoulder as I spoke. "I'll pay you whatever I owe," I directed at Sango and Miroku.
"Not like it's going to matter," Sango muttered, "this is going to bankrupt us."
I smiled back, a knowing and playful smirk as I waved before grabbing a space larger than would typically be necessary for four people. I knew my king and I knew there was no way he was leaving without ordering several different options.
Fifteen minutes later, we were all seated in a booth for six people. Inuyasha was as happy as I'd ever seen him, looking over his shoulder every ten seconds to see if and when his entrees would be ready. Miroku was leaning against the window, pouting, his head in his hand, looking forlornly at his empty wallet. Inuyasha had ordered about five different variations of ramen. Sango sat next to Miroku, shaking her head in astonishment and slight irritation.
"If you don't finish all five of those massive shits, I want my money back." Sango muttered, glaring over at Inuyasha.
"Deal," Inuyasha replied, unflinchingly. They, clearly, had never seen him at a buffet.
I giggled at the memory of the last time our parents had gone out together to eat. Izayoi loved taking him to buffets. His appetite had practically tripled between middle school and high school so much so that Izayoi regularly apologized and tried to pay my mother back for the money she spent to feed him when he was over, which was constantly. Buffets had since become the unspoken choice for anytime our families got together to eat. It was cheap and it seemed to be the only thing that satiated his hunger.
He nudged me playfully for laughing, but kept looking for his food.
"So…" Sango stated, looking over at Miroku then back at me. "Miroku, has something he'd like to mention."
I knit my brows together, "what's going on?"
"Ugh, are you dating that chick?" Inuyasha scoffed, rolling his eyes briefly.
"Which one?" Miroku asked, "I have a few I'm talking to-"
"That one from metal shop you keep going on about," he snickered.
"No," he replied dryly. "Call me crazy but I think she has a certain fondness for dumbasses."
"Thrilling, really," Sango stated, "but can you just tell them the thing we talked about so we don't have to fight with them about the stupid Friday night issue."
"Fine. My parents are going out of town in a few weeks." Miroku stated, a wide smile spreading across his features and a wicked gleam in his eyes.
"Okay, and?" I pressed.
"I'm throwing a party… if I host it on Saturday night, can I count on you both to be there?" He asked. His violet gaze was firm and intense and staring at me. Only me.
I turned for a moment, looking to Inuyasha who was still searching for his ramen. He was sitting on his hands, as if he was too excited to actually contain his movements. I looked back at Miroku, noticing that he was still looking straight at me. It was unmistakable. Then I looked over at Sango and noticed that she too was only looking at me. "Why are you both looking at me?"
"He asked you a question," Sango responded, "we're waiting for your answer."
"But the question was for both of us…" I mumbled, trailing off. They both continued to stare only at me, but harder. "Yeah, Saturday night is fine." I responded, crossing my arms over my chest and huffing. I was Inuyasha's queen, not his fucking keeper and it annoyed me that they were insinuating as such.
"Should I invite Hojo?" Miroku asked, pushing forward. "And or should I expect him?"
Inuyasha didn't really speak so much as grunt and stick out his tongue in disgust at the idea. I just stared and blinked at his action. He was fifteen, sure not exactly a man, but certainly far too mature to respond in that manner, right?
I sighed, "I don't care." I had no interest in fighting with Inuyasha on this. Not when we were literally out at a restaurant for his favorite food. As nice as it may have been to have Hojo around at the party, I had no intention of ruining my king's day. He and I had actually been okay, ish, since Koga's party. He still didn't like Hojo, but he'd been nicer to me and hadn't even asked for his hoodie back. If I really wanted my Cinnabon there, I could easily ask Miroku about it later. Although, at that time, I wasn't really sure if I cared enough to request his presence.
I had my king, did I really need a Cinnabon?
"Okay," Miroku responded easily, looking at Sango and nodding. "Just a heads up… I also have to invite Koga though… it's only fair…"
"And he's supposed to supply the alcohol." Sango explained, glaring at Miroku for leaving that part out, evidently the only part that really mattered.
"That too," he smiled.
I cringed. I had seen Koga in school a few times since his party. Each time he had hit on me and apologized for "missing" me that night at his party, as if I hadn't literally walked out on him. I had to give him credit though, he wasn't a knight for nothing. He handled the rejection well. And by well I mean that he ignored it entirely, but was relatively gallant about the whole thing regardless.
"Great," I replied flatly.
Inuyasha snickered, "you'll be okay Kags."
"Not interested in riding Koga until he howls at the moon?" Sango teased earning her a heavy glare from Inuyasha.
"Not particularly," I responded turning to notice four servers walking our way with our eight bowls, or, to be exact, Sango, Miroku and I's single bowl and Inuyasha's five. Whatever ire he had had over the idea of Koga and I together was quickly forgotten as his various soups were laid in front of him.
I swear you could hear him salivating as they were arranged on the table. Miroku, shook his head and pulled out his phone.
"What are you doing?" Sango questioned.
"Videotaping this. Something tells me I'm about to see something weird."
Sango rolled her eyes and I scooted a few inches away from Inuyasha, giving my king space to freely devour his spoils and to make sure I wasn't splashed with any of the remnants of his carnage. Sango's mouth hung open as Inuyasha made quick work of all five bowls and even ate my left overs at the end. To top it all off, after finishing, Inuyasha stared at Sango and lifted both his brows, a confident and cocky smile in place that made me giggle as he openly bragged about his ability to shovel ungodly amounts of food into his lean frame. "What was that about not finishing all of them?"
"Okay, okay, I get it… you have a black hole for a stomach… you don't need to rub it in." She sneered, rolling her eyes but smiling the entire time.
He sighed in content, his head rolling to the side to look at me briefly. "What are you laughing at?" It wasn't mean, not in the slightest. It was teasing and light, just as it used to be. As he looked at me, his honey eyes had that same smolder to them that I had missed for the last few months.
I felt warm and happy as he looked at me like that, drinking in all that he was. I smiled a little more deeply, and shook my head. "You're just ridiculous."
"Hey, next time Koga tries to hit on Kagome, you should challenge him to an eating contest. We could even sell tickets," Miroku teased, sighing as he looked between us. "Or you know, you could just tell Kag-"
I felt Inuyasha's foot pass over mine right before it connected with Miroku's shin. The latter man cringing in the middle of what he was saying, the serene and warm look Inuyasha had had replaced by a growl and a glare.
"Tell me what?" I asked.
"That Miroku's house doesn't have an unlimited number of bedrooms, so, you know, you won't have to worry about Koga trying to sneak you into one." Sango answered, joining Inuyasha in glaring at Miroku. "Not cool," she hissed in a hushed tone.
I frowned. I had a nagging suspicion that that was not at all what Miroku had been intending on saying. I looked between the three of them though and realized that if I wanted answers, I'd have to ask Miroku when Sango and Inuyasha weren't threatening his very existence with the weight of their stares.
Miroku's party was in a couple weeks and I was excited. I wasn't really sure why he had asked my opinion regarding whether or not he should invite Hojo, because he had decided to invite our entire class, including but not limited to Hojo anyway and the few upperclassmen he'd acquainted himself with at Koga's party. It made me a little nervous thinking about Koga and Hojo both attending the party.
I mean, wouldn't it make you nervous? A wolf and a Cinnabon?
I was still talking, just talking, with Hojo and Koga was still talking to me. And then there was the matter of my king.
I was beginning to think things were actually going back to normal between us. It had seemed like my days of crying over his harsh words had finally come to an end and that we had reverted to our former, more dignified selves. The tell-tale thaw of spring had began and the warming weather only added to my improved mood. I was downright gleeful as we rounded the end of the spring semester.
Especially the Sunday we decided to hang out at a local park. It was probably the first sunny weekend day of the season. The weather was finally nice enough for me to wear a dress again, which I had done with unfettered excitement. I had twirled around in the silly thing all day, giddy at the freedom that came with the lack of tight jeans or multiple layers constricting my movement.
Inuyasha and I had walked over to the park, enjoying the rays of blissful sunshine and catching each other up on what Sango and Miroku were doing. Those two were always scheming. We had learned in middle school that if we weren't careful, Sango and Miroku even liked to ensnare us in their plots and games. As a result, my king and I made it a regular event to catch each other up weekly on what we knew.
"Okay," I began, "Sango is still seeing-without-seeing Kuranosuke. To my knowledge, she has been helping Miroku plan the party, but I think that's just because she wants dibs on a room or a closet or something so she can battle with Kuranosuke's tongue in private. They've been getting very close."
Inuyasha grimaced at my description, "okay… Miroku is still pining over that red headed chick that was at Koga's party, the upperclassman?"
"Ayame?" I answered, walking next to him and looking over at the soft ground and the grass beginning to regain some of it's former brilliance prior to the frost that had wilted it last fall.
"Sure," he murmured, utterly uninterested in her name, "apparently Koga has promised a keg or something. Miroku wants us to help him practice doing a keg stand."
I snorted, "really?"
"Yeah, says he doesn't want to embarrass himself in front of what's-her-face."
"Did you remind him that there's nothing sexy about a keg stand?" I asked, chuckling at the thought of Miroku hanging upside down and chugging beer. It would have been quite the sight. Not at all regal in its manner, but funny as all hell.
Inuyasha scoffed. He had stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walked next to me, meandering closely by me, only a few inches between us. Every so often I would feel that warm gaze I knew well drifting over to me before he quickly pulled it back forward as he spoke. It made my heart beat a little faster and made the cool air less bothersome as we walked. "If he wants to embarrass himself he can, I won't stop him."
"Oh come on! We're his friends! We have to stop him," I exclaimed, smiling broadly at him and rolling my eyes at his stubborn nature.
He looked down at me for a brief moment, gold eyes mixing with mine as if the only place they really belonged was entangled in me before speaking again. "He needs to learn somehow!"
"That's not nice," I murmured, swatting him playfully in the arm as we leisurely strolled through the large open space. Leaves and fauna were just beginning to break through, reaching for the sun's rays. What had been a cold, barren park not two weeks ago, was suddenly beginning to come back to life. It was beautiful to witness and I had thoroughly enjoyed experiencing it with him. "What are the chances he gets hurt doing that?"
"Too low, if you ask me," he joked.
"You're hopeless," I commented, as we came up on the old rock wall that bordered part of the park. "Do you not like Ayame?" I pressed thinking that might be why he was so reluctant to stop Miroku from engaging in an activity that almost certainly would not go the way Miroku wanted. As I came up next the wall, I lifted my leg, foot connecting with the edge before I pushed myself up and started walking along it, sighing happily as the gentle breeze skimmed across my skin for the first time in months.
The air was rich and had lost that crisp edge to it that winter brought. Instead, I breathed it in deeply, reveling in the life it carried. In several ways, I, like the grass and the leaves, felt a sense of renewal in the season.
"Kags," Inuyasha warned, stopping for a moment as I hoisted myself up and began stepping over the wall. "Come on, you're going to hurt yourself," he cautioned, looking over me with that skepticism and slight annoyance that always seemed to follow him.
"You're avoiding the question," I replied, ignoring him and walking further along the crumbling divider.
"I don't really know or care about Ayame," he growled, walking next to me. "You're going to hurt yourself, you know that right?"
"I'll be fine!" I exclaimed, "stop worrying about me!"
"You're the biggest fucking klutz I know! You won't be fine. You're going to trip and bust your face or something." He bemoaned, sighing heavily as I trudged forward.
"Please, I'm not that awkward kid in middle school anymore, I have some balance now," I retorted, ignoring his scoff. I rolled my eyes, "anyway, do you think Miroku is really serious about the keg stand thing? We should definitely stop him if he is…"
"Not sure," he grumbled.
"You're coming over to hang out with me before the party, right?" I asked, looking away from my feet and turning to find that his eyes were already on me. To be honest, I wasn't sure he'd looked away at all.
"Duh," he chided. "Seriously, can you get down from there?"
"Oh stop being over protective, I'll be fine! Gosh, you act like my bones are made of glass or something," I responded sarcastically, placing my hands on my hips. "Funny, how you're so concerned about me walking on a rock wall, an otherwise mundane activity, but you don't care if Miroku does a keg stand just to impress a girl that is clearly more interested in Koga than him."
"Oh, is that why you wanted to know about Ayame? Just so you could keep tabs on your little wolf?" Inuyasha sneered, glaring at me before continuing along the path.
"As if," I responded, "you know what I think?"
"What?" He tossed it out and over his shoulder, his tone borderline sarcastic.
"I think you're just mad that I'm taller than you are," I smirked, bending down to his level.
"You're not taller than me," he stated flatly.
"Yes I am!" I cheered, walking along the wall without a care in the world. "I could practically sit on your head from this height!"
"Pfft, what is that supposed to make me jealous or something? I spend half the day staring at your dandruff ridden skull, this view is much better." I knew he was teasing me, even if he tried to frame it as an insult. Inuyasha's jests were usually more biting than he intended them to be and I already knew for a fact that I didn't have dandruff because I checked… all the time. Nothing worse that having black hair and dandruff. You could spot a flake from a mile away. Point being, I knew he wasn't serious.
"Oh, well then," I muttered in response, leaning over so that my raven hair hit him in the face as he walked, before running my hands through it and shaking it out. "Here! Have some of my dandruff!"
"Kags!" He exclaimed in surprise, reflexively swatting at my tresses as I laughed.
I flipped my hair back, laughing as I did so, enjoying the annoyed look on his face and the tiny upturn of his lips that told me he was more amused than genuinely irritated. As I moved to steady myself though, he got his revenge. Or rather, Karma did. See, that wall was old. It was crumbling and falling apart. It was common for bits of it to blow away in the wind or tumble off with a light brush. That was why Inuyasha had been so nervous about me walking on it and why I should have probably heeded him. Instead, I had laughed it off, but then, after flipping my hair, while I attempted to use my hips to steady myself on the edge of the wall, part of the surface right below my feet slid off.
It sent me falling forward before I'd even been able to process what was happening. I squealed, just as I fell into Inuyasha. To be more specific, I crashed straight into his chest right before I felt his arms quickly encase me so that I didn't tumble farther down or "bust" my face as he had so eloquently put it. I remained there, huddled protectively in his shoulder, breathing muffled, arms pinned to my side, flush against him for a moment before he carefully lowered me down but not before he began barking at me for my totally foreseeable and otherwise preventable fall.
"See!" He exclaimed, "Klutz!"
I stared up, blinking at him as he put me on the ground again, glowering down at me the entire time. His face was mere inches from mine and I felt mesmerized by his gaze up close. It was like I was staring into the sun and able to see the luminous solar flares as they flashed across the surface, dispensing additional heat and light as they passed. I could make out even the minute expansion of his pupils as he looked back at me. My heart was racing from nearly face planting and he was still chastising me, but my thoughts had nothing to do with either.
I felt a current of energy crackle and pop, ricocheting through my body from when he held me and dissipating instantaneously when his touch was removed.
"I don't know why you always do this," he continued, "you want to know why I don't worry about Miroku? Because he's an idiot but he's not nearly as uncoordinated as you are. If he wants to make a fool of himself in front of Ayame, or whoever, then fine! At least he'll only come out of it with a battered ego and not a concussion or some other shit."
I rolled my eyes, if only because I wasn't sure what I would do if I continued to look at him that closely. "Well good thing I have such a big, strong, man such as yourself to look out for me," I murmured sarcastically before pulling away. It took far more effort than I had realized it would to put distance between us. It was a strange realization that caught me by surprise.
That and how I still felt warm. It hadn't even been that great of an embrace, but it was like my skin was still giddy from the contact. That was new… that was undeniably different. Inuyasha had never been the overly affectionate type, but we'd had hugs before and they never left me burning from the inside out, itching to be back in his arms. As I stood there, I was conflicted and confused by that feeling.
I didn't understand it… but I had needed to explore it. To poke and prod it and gain a better insight into its dimensions.
"Don't patronize me!" He growled, "you could at least thank me for saving your dumb ass."
"Yes, thank you so much my liege for standing between me and the ground!" I teased, giving him a wide grin while trying to steady my heart rate.
He rolled his eyes, annoyed.
"How strong are you now anyway?" I asked, poking at his arm.
"Stronger than you," he sneered.
"I know that, but… you've got little noodle arms." I joked, laughing as he glared at me.
"Why? You want to test it?" He hadn't meant it seriously, if his dry tone was anything to go by but… yeah. I had wanted to test it. I had wanted to test a few things.
"Yes," I responded confidently.
He exhaled loudly and stood back. "Wanna make a bet?"
"Depends… what are you offering?"
He stuck out his left arm, straight out and just held it there. "You won't be able to move my arm."
"That's not even your dominant arm… I can move it, for sure!" I challenged.
"Yeah, right. Go ahead. Give it your best shot." He replied smugly, a tiny fang patrooding out.
I rubbed my hands together walking up to him, thinking that he was vastly overestimating his strength and that this would be an easy victory. Little did I know exactly what I was up against. I started as any one in my position might, I pulled on his arm then when that didn't work out as I intended, I pushed it. I put my whole weight behind it, the grass below my feet ripping along my shoes as I gave it everything I had while he didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat. If anything, he looked bored.
"What the," I mumbled to myself, "okay fine, let's try this!" I stated, grabbing his arm with one hand and placing my other on his shoulder.
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked a moment too late, as I bounced on the balls of my feet and flung half my body over his arm, thinking that the full weight of my body might be enough to get the job done. Spoiler, it wasn't. It merely resulted in Inuyasha getting a face full of my ass, as I cradled his arm a few feet off the ground immediately regretting my decision because I also realized I had no way of gracefully getting down.
"Proud of yourself?" He sneered, right before I slid down his arm, barely catching myself as I landed on the ground.
I huffed, glaring at that silly appendage and more than a little impressed at his strength. I walked around it, examining his arm and poking it some more. It was downright unreal that he had that much strength in that lean thing. Though, the closer I looked the more I realized that despite his odd eating habits - a.k.a. all the ramen and cinnamon hearts in the tristate area - he was almost all muscle. I pursed my lips, realizing that I may have erred in my assumption that he wasn't as strong as he claimed.
"Give up?" He asked, tone laced with a cocky confidence. "I told you you wouldn't be able to move my arm."
I smirked then, an idea forming. I had learned a few things about Inuyasha over the years, but I had also picked up a couple from Miroku. The guy loved exploiting loopholes and as I walked around to Inuyasha's front, I realized Inuyasha had inadvertently given me a big one. All I had to do was to get his arm to move… I had to be the cause… but I didn't have to force it to move through sheer will… No, I could get it to move in other ways.
My new plan would not only allow me to win the bet, but would also give me another opportunity to explore that heat that had clung to me and that current that had traversed my veins moments earlier when he had caught me. It was a win-win.
I backed up, taking over a dozen steps away from him as his gorgeous head tilted to the side, silver hair following and gold eyes watching me with abrupt bewilderment. "Kags, are you giving up?"
"Nope," I replied, leaning forward before sprinting at him.
My poor king, he thought he'd known what my plan was. "Kags, this is a bad idea! You're just going to close-line yourself!" He tried to warn, but I wasn't worried.
I knew he'd catch me.
I ran full force toward him, but I wasn't aiming for his arm. I had no intention of seeing if he'd move it at the last second or finding out that he hadn't moved it. No, I sprinted at him. I could see the nervousness pull apart his earlier grin as he contemplated moving his arm. I could also see the moment it clicked that I wasn't aiming for his side, the way his whole face just twisted into further confusion right before I crashed into him, sending us both hurtling toward the ground. Just as I had predicted, Inuyasha instinctively wrapped his arms around me, to shield me from the still semi-solid ground and protect me from whatever pain may have come from landing on it.
"What the fuck?!" He exclaimed, after crashing into the barely living grass. I was still leaning on top of him, my heart pounding at what I was sure was an unhealthy, borderline panicked, pace. It was practically thundering in my chest, beating so quickly and furiously that I could feel it reverberate throughout my entire rib cage and I swore I could see it under my skin. "Why the hell did you do that?"
"You moved your arm," I murmured breathlessly, barely paying attention to my answer as I fixated on the heat I felt under my flesh and the way that my skin seemed to tingle and flutter at the contact.
"What?!" He asked, confused and searching me for answers, but noticeably not pushing me off.
I pulled away, taking in a deep breath, "you said that to win I just had to get you to move your arm. Well…" I mumbled, turning toward my side and gaze falling on the arm that was still draped over my back.
Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest before his cheeks burned red and he immediately threw his arm off of me to the ground. "That's cheap," he grumbled looking away from me and glaring at something far off.
"But… I won," I smiled wiggling in excitement after standing up. I extended my hand down toward him, he begrudgingly took it and I helped him up. He looked more than a little irate, so I slid him my emergency pack of cinnamon candies. Inuyasha immediately opened it, glaring at me, and tossing several of the little things in his mouth.
"Ridiculous," he commented, turning and heading back in the direction of my house.
As we walked, he returned to updating me on Miroku, but I wasn't listening. I was hyper focused on the heat that still clung to the surface of my skin like a fog and the high that I had felt when his arms had been around me. It was… unsettling. It wasn't the first time I'd felt a high like that. I had felt similar around Hojo. The problem was, what I had felt was so much stronger than I was used to. The euphoria and excitement I had had around Hojo absolutely paled in comparison to what had burned through me when my king held me.
It was food for thought as we settled back into our normal routine and in the days to come.