Butterflies~

Summary: She was seeing them a lot lately...ever since she finished her adventures down the well. She finds herself drawn to the mesmerizing flutter of their wings and can't help but follow them...to wherever it is they want to take her. How much drama and trauma can her heart take, and why does it feel as if these butterflies are trying to lead her to her own demise?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Prince of Tennis

Pairing: Kirihara/Kagome/Fuji

Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt Comfort/Drama

Rated: M for Mature Content

-x-x-x-

Walking back to her house from the store, Kagome looked back over her shoulder as a strange feeling called out to her. Looking around, she shook her head before turning back, only to run smack into someone she hadn't noticed a moment ago. Catching an apple that had taken to gravity, she put it back in her bag and noted another apple being held out to her. She looked up and green eyes were grinning back at her. "Thanks..." She took the apple and placed it next to the rest of the ones she'd purchased.

"No problem, are you okay?"

She frowned, but nodded all the same, "yeah, I guess I was lost in my thoughts."

"Take it from someone who knows...that's not the best place to get lost in."

Watching the boy as he straightened the tennis bag on his shoulder, she felt her eyes widen as a black and purple butterfly fluttered around the strap before landing gently on one of the boys messy black locks. Where the pink and black one from the other day had made her think of Miroku, this one felt so much like Sango. "The colors should be switched..." she whispered to herself, but the boy heard her and turned his eyes to what it was she was looking at. The motion of which had surprised the butterfly and caused it to take flight and circle the two before landing once more, this time on Kagome's bag.

"I think it looks good the way it is."

Kagome looked up as the butterfly carefully walked along the bag, her eyes took in the green of his, and finally, she smiled and bowed. Scaring the butterfly away as she did. "Thank you for catching the apple, I should be on my way."

"...ah..." he stepped aside and watched her pass him, "...wait...what was your name?"

Turning her head to look back over her shoulder, she smiled, "Kagome, and yours?"

"...Akaya..."

"It was nice running into you, maybe next time...if my hands aren't full, we can hang out some. Ja~!"

Akaya followed her with his eyes before he too left, though his mind was still on the girl...and curiously enough...the butterfly.

-x-x-x-

"Maybe I have them backwards...oh, or maybe they are the same and it's just Miroku. Two guys and one Kagome...that seems like a Miroku thing to do." She laughed as she came to her front gate, pausing as she saw red hair at her door. "Gakuto-San?" She watched the boy turn and run to open her gate for her. "Oh, thanks."

"Sorry to come over without notice," Gakuto said, taking a bag as he walked beside her.

"That's no problem. It's not like you're bothering anyone." She laughed, "Don't forget, it's only me who lives here right now."

"...yeah, that's always worrying...but you are next door, so I'm confident that if you need help with anything, you'll trust me enough to come and ask for help. Since our last talk about...your friends...and that guy taking their lives...I keep thinking about you and wondering if you being alone-"

"Gakuto-San is worrying too much,"

"...maybe...um, I actually came to ask you for a favor."

"Oh?" Opening the front door. She held it open for Gakuto who entered after her. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if this coming week, I could bother you into watching Taki and Sayako. It would only be for a week, I have a training camp, and since I'm a regular...well..." Gakuto looked down at his feet as he followed Kagome silently into the kitchen.

"That's fine, you know they are both welcomed over here. Just have them pack for the week, and I'll take care of everything else. Homework, bed, baths, cooking...it'll all be fine. But...this of course won't be free."

Gakuto raised a curious brow, "...the cost?"

"Have fun, and forget that you are 'mom' when at home. Just be Gakuto-San while you're at camp." Kagome smiled, turning and placing the groceries on the counter top. "Does that sound fair?"

Gakuto blushed and nodded, "sounds fair, but not plausible. I'll try not to think too much about the trouble they'll cause you. But please...if anything happens, if you need anything, you know my number."

Kagome smiled and sadly, her mind wandered to her friends from the past, more specifically...Shippou...'Wonder what Gakuto-San would say if he found out that I was a mom during my travels down the well, and well adapted to caring for kids.'

"Higurashi-San?" a worried look passed his features and his eyes dimmed in concern.

Kagome laughed, "sorry...I was lost in thought. This is the second time today, it seems."

"If you need someone to talk to, my door is always open to you."

"I know, thank you Gakuto-San, you're a really good friend."

Again, blushing from the compliment, he crossed his arms and glanced away quickly so that she wouldn't see the flushing of his cheeks. "You say that, yet you still call me Gakuto-San...my name is Mukahi...you don't have to be so formal with me."

"Then please, call me Kagome, Ka...Go...Me..., in fact, let's start over." Kagome watched him turn back and held out a hand, "it's nice to meet you, Mukahi."

Staring at her hand for a moment before taking it in his slightly larger one, he shook it twice, "...nice to meet you, Kagome."

"...there...no harm no foul. Speaking of fouls...though what there relation to Tennis might be, I'm not sure. How did the tournament go? Hyotei made it to the quarterfinals, right?"

"...I'd rather not think about it..."

Placing a hand on Mukahi's shoulder, Kagome smiled, "is tennis fun?"

"Is...Tennis fun?" His blue eyes lit up as he thought of the sport, "absolutely!"

"Then win or lose, as long you go out there and have fun while competing, the outcome, while occasionally disappointing, should only encourage you to do better, while still leaving you with the satisfaction that comes from a good match."

Sighing, Mukahi leaned against the counter top in her kitchen, "you are way too mature for your age, Kagome...it's unnerving at times. You're my age...and yet you act like you're nineteen or twenty...sometimes like your eighty."

"Oh, thanks!" Kagome swatted him on the shoulder and watched him laugh. She couldn't explain to him that her life was stalled by a magical jewel, in fact, she wouldn't even try to bring that up. It would take more years than she had to offer to explain it, she was sure. "OH! I saw another butterfly today!" Going on to explain this one, the different colors and the person she met, she was too excited to mention to her friend the adventures her butterfly friends were taking her on.

-x-x-x-

Me: Here is chapter three, I hope you all enjoy! My cat that's is lying next to me is getting antsy because I'm not sleeping, and it's 3:30 in the morning, so...off to bed for me. I'll try and update more this week, but my birthday is on Thursday, this week. November 12! So I'll be busy that day...uh, still though, I'll try and update! I'm off tomorrow, so...YAY! Review, and let me know what you guys think, nyan~!