"Could you fuckin' keep it down?" Inuyasha groaned into the cushion of the couch, somehow sounding more cranky than he was actually feeling if that were even at all possible. Still, he made no apologies for his attitude. His roommate was fucking loud.
"Who woke you up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Miroku glanced over at the hanyou, looking absolutely miserable. He laid on his belly, face smushed into the overstuffed pillows as he covered his ears. Miroku couldn't help but roll his eyes; "Do you know how dramatic you look right now?"
"I don't have a bed to wake up in, asshole." He grumped. "And it's too damn loud." He added, as if that were any excuse. "The coffee is giving me a headache."
"Huh?" Miroku picked up the offending pot, carefully pouring the hot liquid into his mug. Did he have a caffeine migraine? "Want some?" He offered.
"I want you to turn the damn thing off. It keeps dripping. Drip, drip, drip. Its fucking water torture!" His head was throbbing; it was different than any headache, any migraine he had ever had. It felt as if his skull was about to crack in half from the sheer pressure inside. Every noise, every breath his idiot friend made, every tick of the clock felt like someone was tapping his head with a hammer. He had tried to get up and turn the damn thing off himself, but for a minute there his vision doubled instantly making him want to vomit, and he was pretty sure that lying face down into the couch was a better option.
"I don't even know how to answer that." Miroku sighed as he leaned against the countertop, taking a particularly loud sip. "Ahhh-"
"Cant you do that somewhere else?" Inuyasha snapped. Miroku simply raised a brow and asked, "Don't you have somewhere else to be? I thought you were supposed to meet Kago-"
"-Fuck!" Inuyasha sat up so quickly his head was spinning, racing past his so-called best friend as he scrambled to put on pants. "Why the hell didn't you say something earlier?"
Miroku shrugged before taking another sip, holding the mug with both hands. "You were so busy being a dick I figured you had little time to do anything else."
~.~
He ran. It made him sick to his stomach, but he would be damned if he was going to make Kagome wait. If she waited, she had time to think, and if she had time to think, he knew she would fucking turn around because why wouldn't she? It was some sort of miracle that she even met with him as it was. Each jostle, each step seemed to wreak havoc on him, but he pushed through. It was a short distance to the diner, the one they often went to for brunch, back when they were a they. Kagome liked the waffles, Inuyasha liked the home fries, and they both loved Kaede. She was feisty and kind and knew how to cook a Damn good omelet. It took them no time at all to make kaedes their regular spot, even exchanging Christmas cards with the owner and chatting like good friends.
He arrived at the diner, before her thank Gods- and barely breaking a sweat; it didn't change the fact that he felt completely exhausted. His headache was only getting worse as the day was wearing on; being outside, the glaring sun and the noise of the city was agony, but he decided that not seeing Kagome would be worse. He nodded kaedes way as he took their usual spot.
He felt full of jitters as he anxiously waited; it was nothing new, he always felt nervous before she came, worried if she would come. But of course, she always did.
His gut told him Kagome wasn't the type to stand someone up, and in all honesty, their 'not date-dates' were going really well. He was being the perfect gentleman, playing the role of a friend instead of a boyfriend and although it left him aching and wanting he knew it was better to have her in his life, even as a companion, than not at all.
He could spot her immediately, his head bobbing up to catch her full figure; Kagome walked through the door and Inuyasha held his breath. It always took him off guard to see her with short hair, but he couldn't deny that she looked cute. She had a new habit of tucking one particular lock behind her ear and he just about melted every time she did it. She didn't dress up for him; today she had her hair half up in a bun, her large tan cardigan making her frame look even smaller. And the jeans- Gods, did she wear those just to torment him? He loved it when she looked like this; casual and sweet. It reminded him of weekend days during the fall, when they had nothing better to do than take a walk around the block, holding hands, flirting and laughing, the weather nice enough for a sweater and a hot coffee.
Comfortable. What he wouldn't give to feel comfortable again.
She glanced around the room, quickly making eye contact and Inuyasha; he smiled and gave a curt wave as she walked past the booths, quickly sitting down opposite of him. Just like before. Just like when she was his. She smiled as she settled in, putting her purse to the side and giving him a bright smile. "Sorry, did you wait long?"
Trying to swallow down the lump in his throat he shook his head. "No, I just got in." She was here, and he felt a sense of ease; her scent wrapped around him, beckoned him closer. She was dangerous. "You look nice." He added. It seemed to surprise her, as she looked down at her outfit and laughed a bit.
"I look like its laundry day- which it is. But, thanks." Reaching for a menu Kagome kept her eyes trained on the page as she casually said, "You look good too. Your hair is already grown out!" Inuyasha raked his hands through his silver locks on impulse; "Mm, half-demon, remember? Heal faster, grow faster."
Kagome nodded, turning her attention to the breakfast options on the menu. "I guess that's true." She said nothing else, leaving the hanyou on edge. He had so little time with her, and he wanted to get as much out of it as he could.
"H-Hows Souta doing? And your mom? Is gramps still overworking himself?" He was rambling, he knew it, but he was desperate to feel the ease of their conversations. It took a few minutes to get into the groove, but they always got there. Kagome smiled, wide and beautiful.
"Mama is good. She's keeping my fridge stocked in Udon, which is like her new full-time job. Gramps is still gramps. We keep telling him he needs to slow down, but he keeps brushing us off and saying hell slow down when he dies."
Inuyasha laughed and his head split. Fuck, he didn't want this to ruin his day.
"It's been quite a while since I've seen you two at my table." Kaede smiled as she stopped at their booth. Kagome blushed.
"We tried to stay away but I'm pretty sure you put crack in your homefries instead of onions." Inuyasha supplied.
"A good Cook never reveals her secrets" the old woman teased.
"What are you doing out here anyway?" Kagome wondered. "You hardly ever leave the grill."
"You take up waitressing since we've been gone?" The hanyou grunted.
"Cheeky as always." Kaede hissed. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to mess with the people who make your food?" She winked at Kagome before continuing on. "I'll have you know i saw you two in the dining room and had to stop over. It's been so long! You made this old woman worry."
Kagomes hummed her agreement, the whole thing feeling awkward. Just another slap in the face that they had spent so much time apart.
"I'm happy you two kids are back together. What can I get you two for this happy occasion?"
Kagome cleared her throat before answering. "We- were not together. Just friends."
Just hearing it made Inuyasha set his jaw. It wasn't the first time he heard it, but It still felt like a dagger. Kaede frowned, telling the pair she still held hope for them. The two quickly placed their orders, and the cook walked away a little sadder than when she entered.
"So, How about your brother?" He asked, trying to fill toe void, asking anything to make the situation lighter. It fucking hurt to think, but he was trying like hell. "He still doing good?" She deadpanned and the hanyou had to hold back his laughter.
"Such a punk. He's hanging around with this new kid at school and he's getting such an attitude. Can you believe he actually skipped class last week?"
"No, actually, I cant." He answered seriously. Souta was always such a good kid! Goofy and high spirted, sure, but not the type to talk back and skip out on school. "Want me to talk to him? Set him straight?"
Kagome frowned. "That's not the best idea. He's still pretty mad at you, you know?"
"Mad?" He echoed, purely on instinct; he had not thought about how their break up would effect souta. He had always treated Souta like a sibling, and he knew the kid looked up to him. No doubt he was furious. He was ducking furious at himself!
"He was really hurt." She explained, voice dropping lower. "Mama and gramps too. You were family and-"
Inuyasha hung his head, instantly pissed off. It was his own fault, but he couldn't help the prick of anger he felt building.
"-I get it." He said, tone clipped.
"But you know, they still ask about you. They were a little leery when I told them we were meeting but-"
The rest kind of faded; his head felt fuzzy, if that was an accurate way to explain his the dazed feel, causing his vision to blur. He felt pissed off and sick and fuckhis head hurt!
"Can we change the topic?" He asked abruptly, rubbing his temples.
"Um, sure." She looked around for the waitress, the situation feeling suddenly heavy. Maybe some coffee or juice would help ease the mood.
"Ho-How have you been?" She asked nervously.
"Fucking fantastic." He replied, regretting the words the second they left his lips. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he control the things that came out of his damn mouth? He watched as she furrowed her brows and frowned, looking just about as displeased as he felt.
"What's your problem, Inuyasha?" She demanded. "You ask me to come but you're acting like a jerk." Kagome took a deep breath before continuing on. "I think I should go." Reaching over, she grabbed her purse and began to stand. Panic flooded him, ruling out any other feeling his wretched body was currently feeling. His hand shot out, grasping her wrist desperately.
"I-'m sorry. Please, just sit." He let go of her, dejected, defeated. There was no way she could leave him looking like a literal sad puppy.
"What's going on? If you want this to work-" she motioned between them with her pointer, "then you need to communicate and be honest. What's wrong?"
He didn't want to communicate. He didn't want to be honest. Not about this; he was acting like such a huge brat and all because he had a little headache? He basically hit Mirokus head off this morning for no reason- even he knew that- but nevertheless, he hadn't learned. He was still in combat mode, ready to take it out On Kagome.
Inuyasha sighed and hung his head. "I'm just sick. I have a freaking migraine and I've felt like crap all day." He looked up at her and apologized. "I know I shouldn't take it out on you- I really didn't mean to- I-"
"Why didn't you just reschedule?" She asked, concern lacing her tone. "You had a serious head injury. You can't take these things lightly! You should be home- why are you pushing yourself when-"
"Because I wanted to see you damn it!" He raised his voice, making some of the diner patrons look his way, but he seemed unphased. "I wait for this all week. All. Fucking. Week. It's the only good part of my life, Kagome. I'm so worried that if I miss a date that you'll come to you senses and stop seeing me altogether. Like hell, I'm gonna stay home because I've got a headache."
She waited, digesting his words, blushing at his honesty. She leaned across the table, covering his hands with hers. "I- I wouldn't stop seeing you." Her voice was low, but Inuyasha could make out every word; instantly, he looked up. Hope bubbling inside of him. Staring down at their hands, her small, dainty ones over his own large calloused ones, he dared to laced his fingers between hers, heart in his throat the whole time. And she let him. She let him.
"I look forward to seeing you too. So please… please take care of yourself. Don't push yourself to meet me if you're sick. You need to be healthy."
"Yeah." He was sure he heard his voice crack, but he didn't care. He was touching her.
She was letting him touch her.
"Let's get you home. You need to call the doctor. Have you been goong to your appointments-"
Home.
She said, let's get you home.
Hope is a dangerous thing; was it so wrong to find comfort in it? It didn't matter, not really. As she led him out of kaedes, lecturing him the entire time about his health, he kept replaying the words in his mind.
She wants to see me too. Even like this, she wants to see me.
It's not wrong to hope, right?