Enjoy!
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Auburn Strands and Red Threads #22
Her body was stiff—aching—sore.
She felt as though she hadn't moved in ages.
She tried to shift her position but found the task too difficult for her body to perform. Panicked and a bit irritated, she forced her eyes to open.
Her vision was blurry, her head dully throbbed, and she realized she was in some type of health facility. The walls and surrounding areas were slightly too colorful to be a hospital, and the room was too spacious to be a conventional clinic. She turned her head to the side to find a pair of vicious eyes staring back at her.
She yelped, shooting up so quickly her head began to pound. There was another yell that overlapped hers, and she realized an awkwardly posed, extremely red-faced half-demon was standing beside her. His golden eyes were comically wide, and his mouth was parted, odd squeaks and shaky breaths coming through.
"Inu-?"
"Orihime?" Isshin walked in, followed by Kisuke. "Are you- Oh!" Isshin's hands shot to his eyes, his body bending backwards with lightning speed.
"Oh my," Kisuke chuckled, pulling his hat over his own eyes.
"I am so sorry!" Isshin gushed, scurrying out the room. "I'll get Yuzu!"
Orihime shook, highly rattled by their reactions, and was suddenly compelled to look down.
It was stained with some type of substance, but she was only in her bra.
She reddened, her eyes widening, head pounding harder and sending dizzying waves throughout her cranium. She opened her mouth to say something—maybe scream—but she could only feel a breakdown emerging.
Kisuke shoved down the head of a still gawking Inuyasha, backing the two of them out of the room. "Forgive us, Hime."
She sat frozen on the bed after the door closed until she finally yanked the blanket to her neck. Blinking away tears, she tried not to think of the unsavory situation she was in with three very important males. It wasn't their faults, but she felt exposed, a little violated.
They saw her.
Saw her!
Before she could allow herself to cry, the scattering of feet and frantic banter exploded into the room.
"You said you had this taken care of!" a teary-eyed Yuzu exclaimed as she rushed in with clothes.
"And I told you the stains wouldn't come out!" Karin retorted carrying a plastic bag. They stopped at Orihime's bedside, panting.
"We are so sorry!" Yuzu said when she could speak.
"Your uniform couldn't be cleaned," Karin explained.
"And your skirt was ripped beyond repair."
"And your injury was our main concern."
"And, sadly, we don't have an abundance of women's clothes."
"Especially not with your measurements."
"Karin!" Yuzu chided. "Anyway, we hope you don't mind, but the only thing we could find was some of our mother's clothes."
"Oh, um . . ." Orihime looked at the folded clothes placed on the bed with her. "Thank you . . . Um . . . Are you sure this is okay? I could just run home and-"
Karin scoffed. "Wearing what?"
"Uh . . ." Orihime looked around, setting her sights on the white sheets. "Oh! This blanket! If I wrap it around myself, then I could-"
"Geez," Karin shook her head. "Just wear these, Orihime. You can return them whenever you go home if it bothers you so much, so don't stress it."
"Besides," Yuzu chimed, "I bet you'd look gorgeous in them!"
The two left her alone, allowing her time to change.
Orihime was tempted to find another alternative, but remembering she was only in her underwear, she pulled the blanket away from her. Awkwardly, she put on the pale pink, elbow length shirt and the long, flowing white skirt. When she was finished, she sat on the bed and attempted to rub her temples but was hindered by the bandages surrounding her head.
"That's right," she mumbled, lifting her agonized gaze. "I was . . . hurt." She looked next to her and saw her clips and cellphone on a shelf. She wanted nothing more than to heal herself, but she couldn't do it just yet.
A knock came from the door before it tentatively opened. Her cheeks flushed at the blatant caution, but she allowed both Isshin and Kisuke to enter.
"Nice to see you looking so healthy." Kisuke grinned, causing the girl to redden even more.
"I-I'm sorry you all had to see-"
Isshin coughed, smoothing out his hair self-consciously. "No need to apologize. That was a blunder on my part." He offered a shy smile. "So, how are you feeling?"
"Aside from the head pain and stiffness, I feel pretty okay." She kept her eyes on the skirt, worrying the fabric. "Thank you for looking after me, Kurosaki-san. I hope I didn't burden you and your family too much."
"Ha! Think nothing of it! It's always a treat to have a woman's influence in this place." He walked over to her, examining the bandages on her head. "I would suggest going to the hospital for a second opinion, but you're free to leave with your uncle, if you like."
Orihime's brows raised slightly, looking at Kisuke, who only shrugged playfully. She smiled wide at him. She returned her attention to the man in front of her. "So . . . how long was I here?"
Isshin hesitated, crossing his arms and glancing at the ceiling. "Almost a week. Five days, to be exact."
Orihime paled, though it was hardly noticed. She didn't want to think about how much schoolwork she had missed, and she had no clue what her friends could have been thinking about her actions. They must be worried, and the various concerns swarming her head made her feel faint.
"Do you need to lie down? Isshin asked.
"No . . . No, I just . . ." Orihime sighed, releasing her worries, and looked back at him. "How much do I owe you?"
"Owe me?"
"For the medical treatment." She wondered if she owed more than she thought.
"Oh." He rubbed his chin, thinking hard. "Well, let's see . . . My son was the one who found you . . . And I was the one to treat you . . . And my lovely daughters aided me through all this . . . I suppose I'll ask for . . . a smile."
She was prepared to agree, but the words stuck in her throat, causing her to tilt her head slightly. "A . . . Pardon?"
"A smile." He flashed her a charming one to demonstrate. "Let me see you're okay by giving me one of these."
She stared blankly, not sure if she understood. Maybe she was still unconscious. Maybe she was suffering a terrible concussion. Maybe she was in a coma that induced dreams of absurd means of payment.
"Hm, I don't know, Isshin," Kisuke said, taking the spot next to him. "With this vacant stare she's giving us, I'd say she's still pretty out of it."
Isshin nodded, crossing his arms. "I think you're right. Maybe we should keep her a little longer."
"Maybe you should keep her a lot longer."
"Six months, maybe."
"Probably a whole year."
Both men nodded simultaneously, agreeing with hums. Orihime found her lips curving upwards, a few giggles escaping her.
"Hey! There we go!" Isshin rejoiced. "Looks like I'm good for something other than being a dashing father!" He turned to Kisuke, patting him on the shoulder. "I'll give you both some time." He left the room, assuring them they didn't have to rush.
"So," Kisuke said, taking a seat next to her, "you really gave me a scare there."
"I'm sorry . . ." She looked at him, frowning. "Did you come all this way to see me?"
"No, Hime, I came all this way to browse the Kurosaki home." He placed a gentle hand on her head, inspecting her for himself. "So, I heard what happened via Ichigo's account, but what really happened?"
"I . . . This guy with a bat . . . hit me on the head . . ." Her eyes squinted, trying to recall all that happened or at least any key information. "I don't really know why, and I don't remember much, but someone was trying to help me escape."
Kisuke nodded gravely. "How come you didn't defend yourself?"
"I froze . . . He was . . . a human, so I didn't want to hurt him, and . . ." She sighed, feeling a nauseating wave of pain ghost through her head. "I don't know . . . I just couldn't do it. I mean . . . Hollows, Soul Reapers, anything in between with abilities are different, but humans-"
"I understand," he said, trying to stop her anxiety before it could bubble over. "Let's just focus on getting you out of here. I'm sure you're dying to get rid of this headache."
She smiled despite wanting to groan. "I really am."
"Well," Kisuke said as they stood. "You gather your things, and I'll meet you in the living room."
When Kisuke left, Orihime busied herself with making the bed she had occupied. Upon finishing, she walked to the other side of it to retrieve what little things she had. She looked down at her phone, remembering the odd texts she received. Kisuke hadn't asked about the mystery help she mentioned . . . Did it not strike him as odd that some person she hadn't identified by name had helped her? Maybe he was just grateful that someone tried, but it still meant someone was watching her . . .
Someone who cared, possibly.
Biting her lip, she scrolled through her texts, locating the mysterious ones, and typed a simple, Thank you. When she pressed send . . .
. . . nothing happened.
Her text wasn't going anywhere. She pressed the button several times, but the words remained in the space for her to type.
She looked at her clips, putting an odd and extremely impossible conclusion together.
She looked over, catching movement from the doorway. Her lips parted momentarily as heat filled her cheeks. Inuyasha watched her nervously, not knowing whether or not to enter.
"Uh . . ." He scrunched a brow, looking away. "Sorry about-"
"It's okay," she interrupted, looking back to the shelf. "I, um . . . It's . . . okay . . ."
"I didn't see anything or . . . nothin'."
She laughed softly despite her heart pounding. He couldn't look away, if she remembered correctly. It must have been the shock keeping him glued to his spot, but he did stare at her. Inuyasha . . . stared at her body . . .
She flushed completely, shaking her head.
He stared because of shock. That was all, and he hadn't been the only one. They had all gotten wide eyes, and it was shock alone. Just shock. She's sure she would have stared if she walked in on Inuyasha without-
She squealed, covering her face with her hands. This injury was making her think very oddly.
"You okay?"
She looked at Inuyasha, taking in his confused expression.
"Maybe you should . . . rest more."
"No, I'm fine!" she assured. "I'm just a little dizzy is all" She laughed, rubbing her head but wincing the very next second.
Inuyasha shook his head, rolling his eyes. "You're strange."
She smiled brightly. "At least we know I'm alright."
He looked at her, smiling slightly, but it disappeared when he saw the bandages around her head. "Listen, about what happened to you . . . Orihime, you were attacked by a demon."
"Eh?" Her smile dampened. "You mean . . . from Feudal Japan? That can't be ri-"
"You saw one when you first met me, right? You see me. It's possible. It happens."
"No . . ." She turned to him, frowning. "It was a man, I saw."
"Yeah, they can do that. I looked at his remains after the blast-"
"Remains?" Her smile disappeared completely, replaced by mounting disbelief. "What do y . . . Are you saying he's dead?"
He didn't respond. Did she not remember using that power of hers? There was no mistaking her energy, so . . .
She hadn't meant to harm him, yet she protected herself without even realizing what she was doing. Orihime didn't really want to hurt anyone or anything. If faced with the same situation, it could end worse. She was too compassionate to be wrapped up in all of this.
"Demons . . . tend to take the lives of humans they use," he said. "It was out of your control."
Orihime didn't fully understand. If the demon was after her, why did it have to use a human? Why did it have to kill a human? Couldn't it have come after her when it knocked her out? There was no need to get innocent people involved.
Especially not if she was the target.
"How do we stop this from happening again?" she asked, her legs shaking. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt."
Inuyashs hesitated. "Orihime . . . our worlds are very different."
She nodded. "A little. There's a lot more trees where you come from."
"Well . . . Yeah, I guess, but that's not what I'm talking about. Where I come from, demons are to be expected. We don't have the luxury of takin' pity on 'em."
"So, you're saying I should learn to be more aggressive?"
"I'm sayin' yer not aggressive, and gettin' more wrapped up in all of this is just gonna get ya killed. Anything relatin' to the Feudal Era is too dangerous for you."
Orihime wrung her hands together. She knew he was trying to be considerate of her well-being, but she was becoming highly self-conscious. "So . . . I can't ever visit the Feudal Era again?"
"Or . . ." He looked away, baring his teeth apprehensively. "It's probably best if we stay away from each other. I won't rush it now, but we need to find a way to get that shard out of your head ornament. After that, we . . ." His eyes trailed to her.
Her lips were pressed together, her eyes wide, brows knitted. She looked confused.
Hurt?
"Uh . . . Hey?" Inuyasha swallowed, fearing he said something to offend her. "What's wrong?"
She opened her mouth to speak, but she blinked rapidly, her brows furrowing further. "I . . . I don't know. You just . . ." She pulled her hair to one side, wringing it nervously. "I don't like what you're saying to me." She sat on the bed, turned away from him. "And . . . I kind of want you to not finish."
This hurt for some reason.
She would consider a demon had attacked her, and she could see how he had come to this conclusion. It only made sense that they stopped coming into contact, but the thought of it alone troubled her.
Never seeing Inuyasha after today troubled her.
It's not like the two had made a significant amount of memories together, and there was still so much they didn't know about one another. So, what, exactly, did she not want to give up? Did she not want to give up the chance to make more memories? Did she not want to give up what little bond they did have? Maybe it was because they hadn't been in each other's company enough, but Orihime found it extremely difficult to figure out why she would stay in this room all day if it meant keeping him around longer.
She turned to him, catching his eye. "Is this what you want to do?"
Inuyasha's ears twitched. "What?"
"If you think this is the best option . . . then I support it."
That wasn't fair. The way she so easily turned this on him wasn't fair at all. For her, it may be as simple as choosing whether or not to preserve her life, but when she looks at him with saddened eyes and speaks with a dejected voice, she might as well ask, "Are you sure you don't want to be with me?"
He looked to the ground, frowning in annoyance. Emotions were a stupid thing to have when it came to making decisions.
He walked to her, sitting on her side of the bed, and sighed. "Are you saying you don't mind gettin' attacked?"
"If you're worried about me, then you don't have to be. I was just under the impression I was being attacked by a human."
"And what if they take the form of a human again? Can you even detect 'em?"
"Well . . . With training, I'm sure I could."
He snorted. "And who's gonna help you with demon training?"
"You could."
They stared at each other for a moment—Inuyasha conflicted, Orihime hopeful. While the former had finally come to terms with his emotions, the latter was barely aware of her own.
There was a knock at the door, prompting them both to look back. Orihime jumped up, unconsciously putting distance between herself and the half-demon.
"Hey," Ichigo said slowly, one arm slung over his shoulder while holding his school bag. "Nice to see you're awake—Orihime."
"A-ah, good morning, Kurosaki-kun." She bowed a little too fast. "Thank you for offering your home to me."
"It was no trouble, really." His eyes slid to the boy at her side for a split second. "You think you'll be able to make it to school?"
"School?" She looked up at him. "Scho . . . Oh!" She stood up straight, her hands floating in mid-air. "Right! My things—no! My uniform! I need a new one-! I need to get home-! I need-!" She spun around, snatching her items off the shelf, and grabbed Inuyasha by the sleeve. "We have to go! We can't . . ."
Inuyasha wasn't looking at her, but his gaze turned in her direction once she prompted him. She looked over at Ichigo, sensing the low rumble of his spiritual pressure. Her body ran cold as she remembered their last encounter. She still hadn't cleared that up.
"Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaimed, the pressure in the air lifting when his chocolate eyes snapped to her in surprise. "This is Inuyasha!" She yanked on the silver-haired's sleeve until he stood, giving her much the same look of confusion. "Inuyasha, this is Kurosaki-kun!"
Inuyasha took a moment before nodding slowly. "We've met."
"Um, yes! You see, that time in the Soul Society-"
"A few nights ago."
"-when you both . . . Nights ago?" Orihime looked between the two. "You met a few nights ago?"
Ichigo shifted from his position. "More or less."
"Oh . . ." They met? "So . . . you both know-"
"He's your friend," they both said blandly.
"Right . . ." They met. "That's right." She looked at Inuyasha for a confused second. "Um . . . Okay. Let's . . . Let's go then."
She walked towards the door, her mind spinning. They met already, so they understood neither was a threat? The room had been so tense for a moment, but maybe she had been imagining it. She didn't expect them to like each other right away, but they certainly did not hate each other.
Orihime stopped in front of the door; Ichigo was still blocking their way.
The more Ichigo saw this guy named Inuyasha, the more he didn't like him.
Orihime seemed to like him well enough—so much so that she used no honorifics and called him by his first name. That must mean they were close. Judging by how she was about to leave with him, they must be very close.
"I'm guessing this is yours," Ichigo said, his voice deep and unfriendly as he handed Inuyasha his sword.
The boy took it, not once looking away from his dark eyes. "Thanks."
Ichigo returned his gaze to Orihime. "I'll see you at school."
She nodded, smiling. "Mhm. I'll see you."
He moved aside, allowing them to leave. His stare match with the silver-haired lasted a second longer before the boy gave him a very irritating, very arrogant smirk.
Tessai was waiting with Kisuke and Ichigo's dad when they left the room. The doctor of the house inquired more about her health before handing her a bag with her school uniform. With their final goodbyes and words of gratitude, the group exited the Kurosaki residence. When they got outside the gates, Orihime stopped, staring at a horse-drawn cart . . . with no horse.
She looked to Kisuke. "Is this yours?"
"Indeed it is," he said. "I thought you might want to go home in style."
"I . . . think your horse is missing."
"Oh, Orihime." He laughed, producing a hand-held fan to wave leisurely. "This is a rickshaw."
"Rickshaw . . . ?" She watched Tessai walk in front of the cart, picking up the large handle and positioning himself accordingly. "Tessai-san?" She almost gasped when she realized Tessai was the horse.
"Ready when you are, Miss. Inoue," Tessai said, dignified.
"Oh, no, no, no!" Orihime waved her arms, frantic. "I can walk, really!"
"Nonsense!" Kisuke dismissed, ushering her toward the ancient vehicle and helping her in. He took a seat next to her. "It was his idea to begin with!"
"Ah . . . But . . ." She looked at Inuyasha, who was still standing outside the rickshaw, which could only fit two people. "What about Inuyasha?"
Kisuke looked at him as well. "Ah, yes, Mr. Ears."
Inuyasha's attention was drawn to Tessai, but he looked at Kisuke once his ears twitched at the odd nickname.
"It seems to me the boy wants to test it out," Tessai said, nodding approvingly. "By all means, have a go."
"Um, I don't really think . . ." But Orihime was silenced when Inuyasha silently walked to the front of the cart. The rickshaw lifted sharply and Tessai traded places with the half-demon. Once positioned, Inuyasha looked at the large handle for a moment.
"How does this work?" he asked.
"You pull us," Kisuke chimed, fanning himself. "But the wheels of this particular rickshaw are made of high density steel."
"Is that all?" Inuyasha took a few steps forward, struggling less as he got it moving.
"But wait." Tessai placed a strong hand on the half-demon's shoulder, almost causing his knees to buckle. "I can tell that you are a young man not suited for the mundane. We should engage this situation as men."
Inuyasha scrunched a brow. "Meaning what?"
"A race, my boy. From here to Miss. Inoue's apartment. It's safe to say you know where that is, am I right?"
"Yeah . . ."
"Excellent! When I win, you will owe me ten laps around Karakura Town."
Inuyasha smirked. "And what do I get when I win?"
Tessai thought for a moment before leaning down and whispering something.
Inuyasha blinked, staring at the man. He glanced back at the people in the cart before looking back at him. "Really?"
Tessai held out his hand. "Consider it a promise."
Inuyasha took his hand hesitantly; they shook on it. "Okay . . ." He smirked. "You're on."
"Looks like we've got ourselves a wager, Hime," Kisuke said.
"Yes . . . but what did-"
"Racers, on your mark!" Kisuke announced, raising his fan in the air.
The two readied themselves.
"Get set!"
Orihime frowned. Shouldn't they race with Inuyasha not pulling the cart?
"Go!"
The two exploded through the streets with inhuman speed. Orihime and Kisuke slammed against the back of their cushioned seats as their faces were assaulted by the rushing morning air. Orihime's heart had skipped multiple beats with the sudden movement and dizzying speed, inducing either fear or exhilaration.
"My, he's fast," Kisuke said, amused.
"They're both fast," Orihime awed, barely able to look forward with the pace they were going. The scenery flew by in mingled and blurred colors, and she had no idea what they were passing. "Who's winning?"
"Hard to say," Kisuke responded, smiling. "They appear to be tied."
"Tied?!" Orihime tried to look forward, squinting. She wondered if Inuyasha would have been long gone if not for the cart and if Tessai had more amazing abilities than she ever thought.
"You know," Kisuke said casually. "You don't have to go to school today. Just take it easy."
She peeked up at him. "But I'll feel fine once I heal myself. Besides, I don't want to get any more behind in my studies."
"One more day won't overwhelm you."
"No, but I won't be able to rest easy knowing I can be at school."
Kisuke sighed, shaking his head dotingly. "As you wish. Come here for now." He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close and gently yet firmly pressed her head to his shoulder.
Their speed increased, the cold air slashing their faces; Orihime could feel her stomach dropping. The rickshaw finally came to an abrupt stop with loud clanging, the two seated jerking forward. Kisuke released her once it was safe, beaming due to excitement; Orihime had thought for sure they'd be ejected from the cart.
The two on foot were huffing slightly, looking at each other with approval. Orihime was about to ask who had won when Kisuke began to clap.
"Well, well, Tessai, what do you make of this?"
The large man crossed his arms, nodding. "It seems I have slowed in my old age."
"I'll say." Kisuke got out the cart, helping Orihime out.
"Well then, my boy," Tessai said, patting Inuyasha on the back with a little too much force. "Consider it a work in progress."
Orihime blinked. "He won?"
"Indeed he did," Tessai confirmed the same time Inuyasha said:
"Of course I did."
"Oh, wow." She clapped, thoroughly surprised . "Amazing."
"Well, if you will excuse us." Kisuke got back in the cart; Tessai took his spot in front of the rickshaw. "I'll call you later, Orihime. Tessai," he raised his fan in the air, "away!"
They sped off, a gust of air resulting in their wake.
Orihime turned to Inuyasha. "What did you win?"
He frowned, looking away. "It's nothing."
"But you were so eager to win."
"I don't like to lose."
"But what did you bet on?"
"Nothing."
"Inuyashaaaaa."
They went back and forth as they walked up to her apartment, and they continued on when they were inside. Whatever he won, Inuyasha wasn't willing to say. She decided to drop the issue and focus on her ignored headache.
She summoned Shun'ō and Ayame, who were none too pleased when they were in front of them. The first thing the blond fairy noticed was her injury; the second thing was the second body in the room.
"See what I mean?" he said to Ayame. "Every single time."
Ayame nodded in agreement, dull eyes focused on the half-demon.
"What're those?" Inuyasha asked, staring at them warily.
"Shun'ō and Ayame. They help me heal people."
"Why're they so tiny?" He poked Shun'ō in the side, earning a swat at his fingers.
"Well, if you must know," the tiny man fumed, "it's pretty good strategy. While there are people like you, who carry their weapons at their side—basically identifying yourself as a threat—we have the element of surprise. No one expects big trouble from something so tiny."
"That's why you all are small?" Orihime asked.
Shun'ō floated up to her ear. "Probably not, but it makes sense."
Orihime nodded. "Oh. Well, um, I have a problem."
"I can see." He floated back to Ayame, both looking at her head. "That's one nasty gash you have there."
"Yes, there's that, but . . ." She pulled out her uniform from the plastic bag. "I remembered from a few times that clothes get restored, too, so I was wondering if you could fix this."
"Of course. Just put it on and use us when you're ready."
Orihime told Inuyasha to wait in the living room while the remaining three went to her bedroom. She changed into her clothes, and with her skirt being badly torn, lied down on the bed before using her Shun Shun Rikka. In little over a minute, Orihime and her clothes were restored.
"Goodness," Shun'ō exhaled when they reverted back. "That so-called demon energy was all over you."
Orihime sat on the edge of her bed, rubbing her pain-free cranium. "Yes, well . . . Thank you for healing me."
"This is a dangerous path you're choosing. Demon energy seems to linger and cause more damage compared to that of Hollows."
"I just have to be more careful."
"Or you could get away from all this right now. You're a kind girl, Orihime, but there's no need to make dangerous friends."
She smiled softly. "If you're talking about Inuyasha, then he's not dangerous. He's really nice, and if you got know him-"
"I doubt I'd like him very much."
Ayame floated to Orihime, touching her cheek.
Orihime laughed. "I've noticed."
"What did she say to you?"
"She's says you've gotten a lot more assertive since the transformation."
He crossed his arms, sitting cross-legged in the air. "I haven't noticed. But never mind us. You have a guest to entertain." He went back to his clip form.
Ayame touched her cheek again.
"He's just worried."
Ayame nodded, going back into the clip as well.
Walking back into the living room, Orihime found Inuyasha sitting cross-legged in the middle of her floor.
His head slightly tilted. "You look good."
She laughed, rubbing her head. "Thanks. They help a lot."
"I see." He stood, his arms crossed in his sleeves. "Yer really goin' to 'school'?" He said the word as though it was still a foreign concept.
"Uh-huh. I'm feeling much better, so there's no reason to stay home."
He shrugged, turning to leave. "I won't keep you then."
"Inuyasha," she called. "Do you want to walk me there?"
"What?" He turned to her. "To school?"
She nodded.
"Like . . . you need a lift there?"
"No, I mean walk with me there." She scratched her cheek, feeling a bit flustered. "Ah, well, maybe you're in a rush, so you don't have-"
He raised a hand, stopping her. "I got time."
o0o0o
The two walked together, talking about arbitrary subjects. Orihime didn't notice the many stares they got, and for once, Inuyasha didn't notice them either. He did, however, notice Orihime wasn't at all bothered walking with him in broad daylight. It only made his emotions all the more complicated to understand.
That wasn't exactly right . . .
He understood each and every conflicting feeling, but he didn't know how to act with them. Leaving her would mean keeping her safe, but it would also mean losing this calm. He would finally be able to focus on the jewel shards again, but did he even care about all that anymore? And forget the fact she had a crush; Inuyasha didn't particularly care about that in this moment. Plus, he had a prize to collect soon, and it's not like Orihime wanted Inuyasha to leave either . . .
This deep thinking thing was still new to him.
"Here we are," Orihime announced with a sigh.
Inuyasha looked at the building. "So this is it, huh?" The structure definitely reminded him of Kagome's school. "Doesn't look all that important."
She laughed, shrugging. "It's really not so bad. There are friends, every day is interesting, and there's always something new to learn. Did you have anything like that growing up?"
"I have that every day, but I ain't gotta go to a place like this."
She hummed softly. "It must be nice." She looked at the school briefly. "I should really get going, though. I'll . . . see you around."
"Hmph." He looked away. "We'll see."
She smiled, trying to keep it light. "I really hope I do . . ."
And the moment came again where it was time to leave, and something felt like it needed to be done. Inuyasha continued to not look at her, fearing he knew what he wanted to do but didn't want to overstep any boundaries. Orihime took to fidgeting slightly, peeking at him every so often.
She stepped closer, and he was aware of that.
Another step and his muscles locked.
One more and he could practically feel her against him.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Yeah?"
"I want to hug you," she mumbled, "but I don't know if you'd be okay with that."
"Whaddya wanna hug for?"
She laughed as a reflex. "I like hugs."
He didn't know if that relieved him or not, but he had wanted to hug her anyway.