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 are these butterflies trying to lead Kagome to an early 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-
Mukahi was walking along the sidewalk towards the steps to his neighbors' house, his eyes settling on the fence as he caught sight of a black and purple flutter. Turning back, he took in the mesmerizing fall and rise of the wings of a small butterfly. '...Miroku...or Sango?' He walked up to the butterfly and crouched down before it, "are you Miroku-San?" There was no motion made that the butterfly heard him, and as he thought about it, he felt stupid for even asking. Still, "Sango-San then," his eyes widened when the butterfly turned towards him and gave off a faint glow. Stumbling backward, he shook his head and scooted back before standing and making his way inside. 'I was seeing things. That's all...' knocking on the door, he walked inside and slipped his shoes off. "Kagome!"
"Upstairs~."
Running upstairs, he leaned his tennis bag against the wall before the game room. Grinning as Kagome and his sister went back and forth with table tennis.
"That's not fair; your arms are longer!" Sayako waved her arm around to emphasize the difference. She jumped when the paddle was pulled from her hand, "Wha― ah, Nii-san!" She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Ah, ah, not so tight. Keigo-Sama was unrelenting with practice."
"Pfft, even at home, you call him Keigo-Sama."
Giving Kagome a look, he waved the paddle around, "play me?"
"No way, it's our game!"
"You just complain that you're short, why can't I play. Kagome's arms are as long as Nii-Sans, let me redeem your name!"
Sayako blushed before stepping back, "fine, redeem my name!"
Laughing, Kagome shook her head, "so you've got yourself a champion, Sayako-Chan?"
"Hai!"
-x-x-x-
After finishing the match, the kids were packing up their bags while Kagome complained about losing to Mukahi, who clearly had the advantage.
"Oh...uh, not to cut off your complaints," Mukahi laughed when she turned a pout to him, "Sango-San is outside, or, she was..."
"Sango-San?" She walked downstairs with Mukahi making way after her.
"Hey, if you chase after it, I'm following you! I wanna see this." Pulling their shoes on, he wanted to see where this went.
"Miroku led me to Fuji-San the day before yesterday. He...uh," she blushed, "he caught me before I fell down the stairs."
"Fell down the stairs?"
"Yeah, I jumped forward without paying attention, and had to reach out for the rail, but Fuji-San, he also caught me, so I didn't get hurt." She stopped outside and smiled, "isn't it kind of exciting, Mukahi-San?"
"It's weird, but...yeah, I guess I can see how it might be exciting. Sayako!"
Running outside at the call of her name, "yeah?"
"We're going out for a bit; watch Taki, and we'll be back soon."
"What?!"
Mukahi grinned and ran up next to Kagome, who was smiling back at him, "we'll be quick, I promise!"
As he said this, the butterfly on the fence took to the air, and Kagome started the gate, Mukahi hot on her trail as they chased it around the corner.
-x-x-x-
"Kirihara-San, you've been doing well, but there's still a lot you need to work on."
"...hai, Sanada-Senpai."
"With that said, I'd like to see―"
"Ah, Mukahi-San! Wait, you can't run so close!"
"It's faster than I anticipated~."
Sanada and Kirihara both followed the peculiar sight of the Hyotei airborne player and a girl, watching as they chased what appeared to be a butterfly through the streets. It was when the butterfly started to move across the busy road that their eyes widened.
"What...no..."
"Wait, Kagome, hold on!"
Sanada couldn't move his hand fast enough as Kirihara disappeared from next to him.
"KAGOME!"
-x-x-x-
"KAGOME!"
THUMP~!
Mukahi's eyes were closed, the sound of the car hitting something made him feel sick. His heart beating in his ears, he heard a shuffle of clothes, and the sound of huffing came from beside him. Peering under his lashes, he didn't realize it, but tears were burning at the corner of his eyes. "...Kagome?" He watched as she lifted her head from the chest and arms that held her close. Raising his eyes, he met the green gaze of the Rikkaidai Ace head-on. Somehow, by whatever miracle, he'd gotten to Kagome in time. Glancing past him, he saw the scattered remains of his tennis bag and racquets.
In all of this, Kagome was staring at the butterfly that had settled on his long white sleeve. She finally glanced up at the boy holding her, "gomen."
Still trying to catch his breath, he dropped back into a sitting position and sighed. "Damn, that scared me."
"That was foolish."
The three turned their heads up.
"Who..."
Wiping his tears from his eyes, he laughed and shook his head before leaning down, "That's the vice-captain of Rikkaidai. He's already scary, so don't say anything to upset him!" Mukahi said softly under his breath as he leaned forward enough to whisper in Kagome's ear. Standing, he held out a hand for Kagome and helped her up before helping Kirihara up.
"...Akaya-San,"
Kirihara turned to Kagome, ignoring his Fukubuchou's look of surprise. "Hai?"
"Let's go get you a new racquet. I owe you that much since you saved my life."
His eyes turned back towards his bag, waiting a moment, he stepped out on the street and picked it up. Grabbing the three racquets, they were all shattered beyond repair, the bag was busted, and the small bits were scattered. "I can buy them myself; you don't need to worry about that."
Shaking her head, she stepped up to his side, "please, let me return the favor." The butterfly on his sleeve climbed down the length of his shirt and settled on his hand. Watching him lift it, he looked curiously at the familiar butterfly, turning his eyes to Kagome, he frowned, "Sango likes you. For whatever reason, she keeps bringing me back to you."
"Sango?"
"Ah," straightening, she grinned, "a very dear friend of mine, who isn't ready to part with me. She's not the only one, though. Her counterpart, Miroku, he's around somewhere."
"There's two?"
Mukahi laughed, "yeah, they have different taste in men, so if you like Kagome, you better snatch her up quickly because Miroku keeps leading her towards Fuji-San."
"Shush you!" Kagome blushed and brought a hand to her hair, "I don't want to think of their ulterior motives, I just want to buy new equipment to replace what's broken. It's not fair that his racquets got slaughtered in exchange for me."
Something snapped in Mukahi as he took Kagome's hand and yelled, "I'm personally glad that it was his racquets! I was terrified to open my eyes, Kagome. I heard the car hit something, and I thought I lost you. Didn't you say we were friends? Aren't we?"
Kagome blanched and stumbled back a bit, pulling her hand from Mukahi's grip, she brought her arms around his shoulders and hugged him, "gomen, Mukahi-San. Gomen."
"I get that these butterflies are important to you. I understand what they meant to you and that you want, no...need to see this adventure through. But be cautious of your surroundings! Don't lose yourself in the chase, trying to catch something ahead of you, when there are people still here behind you. More than a friend, you are important to Taki, Sayako, and me. You help me when I can't be there for my siblings; you are like a sister to me too!"
She hugged him tighter, trying to calm him down as he shook in her arms. "Mukahi, Mukahi!" He stilled, and she smiled, "I promise, I will be more aware of my surroundings. No more jumping off the tops of stairs, no more near-death stumbles, no almost car accidents."
"D-don't list them all out!" He cried out loud as tears continued to fall.
Bringing a hand to the back of his head, she let go of a small amount of her Miko energy, not too much, hoping that the glow didn't call to anyone's attention. She watched as he calmed down in her arms and sighed. "Goodness, Akaya-San, could I get your phone number? We can make plans for tomorrow, maybe?"
Akaya blushed and nodded, "y-yeah, that works for me."
It was a long day, but as much as she'd wished her trick had gone unnoticed, there was a pair of sapphire blue eyes that had noticed from afar. Atop his shoulder, a small black and pink butterfly rested its wings.
-x-x-x-
Me: Here's chapter five of Butterflies. Enjoy guys~