Kagome stared out the widow of the black mustang with tinted windows. A contact had told her that Naraku was hiding out in this hotel and she was determined to make sure herself. If he was in town she wanted to see him first hand, with her own two eyes. So here she sat, in a boosted car with a pair of binoculars in her hands as she watched the front entrance. She had no need to watch any other ones since this was Naraku, he was all about the flare and the dramatics. While he wouldn't label where he was, he would never really hide it when people found him.
Kagome sighed as her text message went off. Undoubtedly it was Ayame asking if she had found anything yet. Kagome pushed her phone aside as she again concentrated on her task, if it was something important she'd send a distress through her jewelry. All three of them were currently on high alert. This was the time when big things tended to happen. Usually big things that either went boom in the night or things that just never woke up again.
Either way they were going to have to be prepared.
Kagome's phone again made its ringing sound that Kagome was becoming increasingly annoyed with. Finally, because she really just couldn't take it anymore, Kagome reached over and grabbed the phone from the passenger's seat. "What's up?"
"Oh, you know those commercials where the giant cockroach is trying to get in the house?" sang Ayame's voice.
Kagome looked down at her phone in disbelief. After a few seconds she placed the device back towards her ear, "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah," squealed Ayame.
Kagome's phone suddenly made a buzzing noise indicating a text message. With a quick glance Kagome saw that the text was from Sango. Hoping that it would be something important, not a conversation about cockroach commercials, Kagome placed Ayame on speakerphone while checking the message.
Kagome squinted her eyes at the message, again not believing what she was reading. "Hey Ayame?"
"What's up girl?" asked the woman.
"Why is Sango asking me whether I know the commercial about the 'desperate broom who is kicked out of the house for being useless'?" asked Kagome skeptically while quoting the text. She was definitely missing something here.
Before Ayame could give her a straight answer the woman gasped, "Girl, I gotta go. It's back on."
The phone immediately clicked off. Kagome felt her irritation rise, what the hell was going on?
Kikyo stood at the front door of the luxurious office while she impatiently tapped her foot. This was not in the plan. She was fucking Kikyo, she did not wait outside of a fucking study waiting for her fucking rent check to become 'available'.
She switched sides that she was tapping on as her anger grew. No one kept her waiting, absolutely no one.
Before the stupid maid could stop her again, Kikyo turned towards the doors and mercilessly pushed them open. They made a large banging noise against the wall, "What the hell Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha looked up from the paperwork Sesshomaru was handing him for the final review. Inuyasha looked down at the paper and then back at Kikyo, "Yes?"
"I have been waiting for almost five fucking minutes for you, I am your girlfriend, you do not treat me this way," she glared while speaking in a smooth tone.
Sesshomaru glared as well, though his was more intimidating by far, "You have come over unannounced. You cannot expect him to drop everything for you now can you?"
Kikyo silently sauntered over, "Inuyasha and I are together, I come before everything. You would know this if you actually had someone in your life you gave a shit about."
Sesshomaru felt his own anger rise at Kikyo's words. They both knew that she was making a direct hit at his relationship with Rin.
Inuyasha cut in hesitantly, "Sesshomaru, can we discuss this later?"
Sesshomaru was speechless, "Do not tell me you are-"
Inuyasha cut him off, "Leave Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru, seeing that there was nothing he could do, elegantly placed the remaining paperwork on the wooden desk decorated in rich cherry wood staining. Slowly he stepped out of the office, into the doorway as he reached for the door handle. He wanted to say something to him. He wanted to tell Inuyasha not to give up everything he had gained in the past few months for a memory he didn't even know was real or not. He wanted to tell his stupid ass brother that Kagome was a better woman than Kikyo could ever be and if he yet again chose the slut over the hellion he respected, Inuyasha would have a very hard time ever gaining Sesshomaru's respect back.
But he didn't say anything. He didn't say what he felt, and he didn't caution his irrational brother against foolhardy choices. That just wasn't how Sesshomaru did things. Instead Sesshomaru closed the door handle as he leaned against the nearest wall, praying that his brother had finally grown out of his childish fantasies.
Inuyasha and Kikyo on the other side of the door did not have the slightest idea of the turmoil the elder brother was going through. They were instead locked eye to eye, no blinking necessary.
"You never called," she stated simply.
Inuyasha gave a casual shrug, "Didn't see the need to. You always seem to come around when there is something you want to say. Figured it would be faster to wait."
"You always call," she tried again.
This time his expression turned hard, "And you always ignore me when I do."
Silence permeated the air like a heavy fog that just wouldn't lift. Kikyo straightened her thigh high skirt and brushed her fingers through her hair as she waited for him to speak. It was always best to watch someone else reveal their card before you made your bet.
Inuyasha did break the silence not a minute later, "I remember when I first fell in love with you. I don't know if it was real, I don't even know where I got the whole idea from. I was on a hill and it was freezing outside. There was a big fire burning somewhere that was able to keep me at least slightly warm and then…you wrapped your arms around me. It kept me warm for the rest of the night."
Kikyo looked at him with bewilderment in her eyes. Inuyasha was sure it was a new feeling for her and he was positive it was one she would never let herself express again. "We never slept outside Inuyasha."
Inuyasha smirked, "I know. It was a dream I had when I was younger. I don't remember when I first started to have it, but I remembered it. While the woman's face has always been fuzzy, I still remember certain characteristics. She had your cheek bones and your color hair. Her lips were a bit bigger and her eyes were…a different shade than your brown. But when I saw you for the first time…you looked so much like her. That was when I decided you were the girl I'd take home. You were her, the one I dreamed about, the one I had fallen in love with."
Inuyasha closed his eyes as he remembered the first time he had that blurry dream. He must have been around his late teens, early twenties. "I made myself believe that you were her. I ignored everything you did, and every which way you acted because I had this idealized image about you."
He opened his eyes, the gold in them glistening like fire, "I don't do that anymore."
Kikyo was dumbstruck.
"Get out Kikyo," he hissed while walking up to the door leading to the hallway.
She immediately flipped, "You are not doing this. Do you even know who I am?"
She stomped up to him and slammed the door shut as he tried to open it. With her arm pressed against the door, and her weight doing as much as it could to keep said door closed, Inuyasha could do virtually nothing short of physically removing her.
"You are nothing without me!" she yelled.
His eyes narrowed, "I am everything without you. You are a bitch who isolated me from my family and friends. Get out of my fucking house before I let Sesshomaru throw you on your plastic induced ass."
In her speechless state Inuyasha yanked the door open, nearly walking into his brother. When he saw the familiar man standing before him he growled, "Get her revolting sight out of my house. Feel free to do whatever the hell sick bastards like you do to people you hate."
With that he was gone and Sesshomaru was left grinning.
Never a good sign.
Kagome sighed as she stepped back onto Inuyasha's estate, well, at least what was left of it since part of the building had been destroyed. Naraku had come and gone, leaving her unimaginably angry yet tired at the same time.
Sometimes she wondered why life was so long.
She had been through so much in such a small amount of time. Was this how the rest of her life was going to be?
"Hey, Kagome!" yelled the oh-so-familiar voice of Inuyasha.
"Hey, Inuyasha!" she parroted sarcastically.
In an easy leap he was down the stairs and standing before her, "How was your day off?"
Kagome absentmindedly yawned, "Uneventful. As you can see, I'm still in one piece. No bullet holes, no ransom notes, actually, there was this kamikaze fly that came after me."
Inuyasha scoffed, "Whatever wench, my laundry needs to be done."
He turned around and walked back over to his office while Kagome contemplated killing the 'do not kill' target. With a mumble she turned around and sighed. "So much for the sweet guy at the rink the other day. Seems he's back on holiday."
Inuyasha tossed and turned in his sleep, all the while trying to forget everything that was circulating in his head. He had spent so much time trying to hold onto that image of the woman holding him, and now that he wanted to let it go, he seemed incapable of doing so. Every time he closed his eyes he pictured that woman, even with the fuzzy details. He pictured her holding him, comforting him as she gracefully pulled the hair from his face.
"God damit!" he yelled in frustration as he threw his pillow as harshly as he could against the door on the other side of the room. He was either dreaming about his fake crush who didn't exist, or about Kagome, the woman he didn't deserve.
"Damn Inuyasha, are you throwing a party up here or something?" came a very familiar voice.
Inuyasha looked up just in time to see his door open and the light stream in. Kagome was there, standing in his doorway…great he was dreaming about her again. In exhaustion and frustration he threw himself back on his bed and grumbled. "What a fucking night this is turning out to be."
He heard a small giggle and at the sound of it he couldn't help but lose his bad temper.
"You are such a baby Inuyasha, and here I was checking in on Shippo when you're the one who needs to be coddled," laughed Kagome as she sat on the end of his bed.
"Shippo?" he asked while keeping his eyes closed, his forearm resting over his eyes. While the moonlight wasn't bright he had no desire to see the figment of his imagination turn into dust as he woke up.
"Yes you dork, you had him moved up here today," suddenly he felt something warm on his arm. "Are you okay? Something really seems to be bothering you."
Inuyasha wasn't sure how to take this. It was rare to find the woman you dream about standing in your bedroom at 2 o'clock in the morning, in fact, it was much more likely to be hallucination…but hallucinations can't touch right?
He looked up as the moonlight hit her face as she leaned over him in concern. Her black curtain of hair was long enough to mix with his own, thus a silver black swirl that framed them. He then realized the situation, she was really here.
"I haven't been sleeping all that great, that's all."
Kagome frowned, "Oh, well, can I do anything?"
Inuyasha knew she was being innocent, but why did he have to take everything in that way? "I-umm, don't think so. There is really only one thing that calms me down when I can't sleep so…"
"Oh, so I can't get you warm milk or anything?" she asked again.
"…If you really want to help…my mom…she used to," Inuyasha paused, "forget it, it's nothing. Just go back to your bed and go to sleep," he tried arguing as he changed his mind.
"Inuyasha, as long as it's not perverted I'll help, and I'm doubting it is since you mentioned your mom," she argued in that 'listen to me young man' voice she seemed to be able to call out of nowhere.
Inuyasha sighed, "She'd rub circles on my back okay," he yelled defensively.
Kagome laugh, she actually laughed…at him. Why wasn't he more surprised?
"Well if that's it, I can help you. Roll over on your back okay?"
Inuyasha did so, the sheets wrapping just slightly around his form with his movement. He waited for her to start but a good few minutes passed before he realized she wasn't going to. He looked up to see her hand hovering just slightly above his back, "What's up?"
"Your sheets are rather tightly wound up around you," was all she said.
"So?" he said childishly.
"…Do you always sleep naked, cause you know you leave very little to the imagination," she said while glaring at him.
Inuyasha smirked, that's right, he was naked. He usually slept like this, but Kagome wouldn't know that now would she. She had always checked up on him when he was sleeping in clothes.
"Feel free to stare as long as you want."
A sudden shooting pain came in waves from his shoulder as she flicked his wound with her fingers, "Hell! What was that for?"
She just glared at him, "For being perverted, honestly, no wonder Miroku hangs out with you."
Inuyasha calmed down when he saw her smile as she lectured him. Quickly he laid his head back down on the mattress. He felt the sheets being pulled further down his body until they reached the arch in his back right after the toned dip. Kagome's hands felt like heaven as she ran her fingers over his bare skin. He didn't bother suppressing the shutter that accompanied her feather like touches as she made small meaningless designs on his back.
"So what has you so worked up?" she asked.
Inuyasha was in bliss, but had enough sense in him to realize that unless he produced an answer, she would more than likely stop her ministrations. "Just…long days and longer nights."
"Well your back is knotted up like a kindergartners knitting project," she said as she pressed deeper into a particularly nasty knot. "Maybe you should go see someone for this."
She pressed deeper once again and a moan came out in a whisper as he felt his tension release itself. "Or you know, you could quit talking at keep doing what you're doing," he said arrogantly.
Kagome rolled her eyes as she switched from meaninglessly rubbing Inuyasha's back into giving him a full back rub. She worked his muscles for a good thirty minutes before she felt satisfied with her work. While the tension was not completely gone, he was doing much better now. Slowly, because she was pretty sure he had fallen asleep, she stood up to get off of the corner of the bed where she sat. Almost immediately she was yanked back down, her arm nearly coming out of its socket.
"Owe!" she yelled when she saw Inuyasha's half open eyes.
"Shut up woman, and go to bed," he grumbled half heartedly as he tried to keep his body and mind at least slightly alert.
"This isn't my bed Inuyasha," she tried.
In her attempt to pull away Inuyasha just pulled her closer. Eventually their bodies were pressed up against each other, where even a piece of paper would not be able to make its way through them. Kagome stiffened as Inuyasha's chest was pulled up close to her back, his body virtually framing her own. Luckily he was under the sheets and she was on top of them, so there was virtually no skin on skin contact, aside from his hands that were wrapped around her arms and partially exposed waist. God knows there would have been too much flesh on flesh contact with his current state of…undress.
She felt something nuzzling her cheek. The scent of freshly cut wood, rain and all that was distinctly Inuyasha flooded her senses. There was a breeze on her ear as warmth engulfed her, "Just pretend that for tonight, this is where you lay your head down to sleep at night."
Kagome could feel his body relax and his breathing slow as he drifted off to sleep. Maybe, she could stay, just for tonight anyways.
Inuyasha woke feeling rested, which was rare. The morning before had been similar but not the same. When he had woken up both Shippo and Kagome were gone. There sides of the bed were cold and he had hardly seen them for most of the day. This morning was quite different in just one way.
He had woken up before Kagome.
He rested his head on his propped up arm as he watched her sleep. His hair cascaded over him and her as a curtain, but it did nothing to block out the sun's rays, making her all the more breath taking. He was slightly disappointed to learn that she wasn't under the covers with him, but then again, Kagome had never been that type of girl. He would manage, if he could wake up like this every day.
Her lips parted just slightly as she mumbled something incomprehensible. As if on cue her body reacted as she turned into him, her form now rolled into his own. His top leg entwined itself with her own as his other hand removed some of the hair out of her face.
"Kagome?" he tried.
She didn't move.
Inuyasha looked at the clock. He had a meeting in an hour and she was supposed to be at work in five minutes, "Hey wench, I'm hungry."
She mumbled as her hand flipped aimlessly about, "Fuck off you garbage disposal."
"Or you could make me something," he argued.
Kagome grumbled as she pulled the nearest sheet over her head, burying what she could of her body under the covers, "Or you could be a big boy, pull up your pull ups and make yourself a bowl of cereal."
"Woman, it is your job to take care of me, now go take care of me," he said while smirking. He wondered how long it would be until she figured out she was arguing with him like a married couple.
"You did not just call me wo-" suddenly a scream came out from under the blanket. She was immediately out of the bed and on the floor as the blanket was thrown up in the air, "put on some clothes!"
Inuyasha looked down as the blanket landed back on top of him. Oh this was going be fun. He profusely flung the covers off of him and onto the floor next to where she still sat, eyes covered. "Why would I do that?"
"Cause its flipping common decency!" she yelled.
"It's my room and I'm not ashamed of anything. In fact, I'm rather proud-" before he could finish a pair of sweat pants were thrown into his face. He looked over to see Kagome still closing her eyes while she continued to riffle through the drawer she had pulled open.
"Put the damn pants on so I can put your damn salve on you baka," she growled.
Inuyasha was about to retort with another comment but stopped himself when he saw the blush radiating off of her cheeks. She was…bright red! Kagome was actually embarrassed. Without a word, he decided that a bashful Kagome was rather cute, so he put his clothes on appropriately. He wanted to see that blush fully as she looked him in the eyes.
"I'm dressed, though I had no idea you were such a prude," he commented.
She was finally able to scrape up enough courage to look him in the eye, "Oh shut up, it's just not the first thing I want to see in the morning."
Inuyasha scoffed, "Whatever you have to tell yourself Kagome…nice blush by the way."
Kagome growled as she turned around and stomped out of his door. He didn't know what was better, riling her up or watching her be all flustered. All he could do was smile. Defiantly worth it either way.
Kagome huffed as she sat in the kitchen eating her bowl of Lucky Charms. It was her second bowl but she just couldn't help herself. When she was angry she tended to take things out on people, and since no one was around the next best thing was being able to ferociously bite into a spoon until it bled…you know, if it was capable of bleeding.
She aimlessly looked down at her bowl. All that was left were the artificially induced marshmallows which she tended to save until the end. There was something rewarding about the last bite being nothing but sugar that was incredible horrible for you. It was just so satisfying.
"That's looks good," spoke the one person she did not want to see right now.
With a deep breath she inhaled and exhaled, counting to ten. "Yes, Inuyasha? Is there something I can help you with?"
Before another sarcastic comment could be thrown out there, Inuyasha has swiped her bowl right from underneath her nose. She blinked rapidly as the empty space before her registered. When she opened her mouth to protest the bowl was casual placed into her hands…completely empty. There was a small clanking noise as the spoon repeatedly connected with the sides of the ceramic bowl that was supposed to be filled with sugary goodness.
She looked at Inuyasha in disbelief, "Y-"
"That's all I wanted. I'll see you when I get home. Have dinner ready at six thirty," and then he was out the door.
Kagome looked down at her bowl, then back at the door, then back at her bowl.
Oh no he didn't.
In a flash she was back on her feet and virtually jogging out the door, hoping to head him off. By the time she reached him he was already in his car, but not out of the garage. "Inuyasha! You are such a jerk! Is there some sort of reason you don't like me eating?"
Inuyasha placed his keys in the engine as he revved up the car. He didn't drive off though. Instead he stepped out of the black hummer as she stomped up to him, fury written all over her face. She was too angry to notice his blatant amusement.
"Cute, you came to see me off. Most husbands don't even get this much devotion," he said while laughing.
"Oh shut up and stop acting all…all…well I don't know what's up with you but stop doing it!" she yelled.
He leaned in as she again tried to look defiant, "You're cute when you're flustered."
Kagome couldn't even attempt to hold in her shock as he turned and jumped into his car. Before he drove off she heard him yell six thirty once again as a reminder. What the hell was with him? Was this how he normally acted around women? If so then…no wonder he had no problem getting what he wanted. If she wasn't who she was that would have knocked her on her ass until next week!
Kagome grabbed her head wondering when her headache was going to let itself be known. She had the distinct impression she was going to have one today. Damn, probably right around six thirty. She looked at her watch on her wrist. It would probably be best to take the aspirin around five thirty tonight, that way it would have a whole hour to set in.
She looked back out the open garage door and sighed. How could one man be so irritating and so perfect at the same time?
Kagome tapped her fingers on the table as she pretended to not watch the clock. The numbers 6:23 flashed in neon green repeatedly from the microwave.
"Dear, are you feeling well?" asked Kaede as she poured a freshly corked bottle of wine into a wine glass.
Kagome blinked herself into awareness, "I'm fine, why do you ask?"
Kaede poured another glass as she looked the woman over, "You took three aspirin not ten minutes ago."
"Oh…I forgot to take them earlier and figured taking more would make them work faster," she tried as she carried out two plates before her. Before she could carry them towards the dining room table Kaede grabbed her hand.
"Sango is taking care of Kouga and Miroku tonight."
"Oh," sighed Kagome.
"And Sesshomaru and Rin are eating in her room, since you ordered her on bed rest," laughed Kaede.
Shadow had done that hadn't she.
Before Kagome could excuse herself for a dinner she apparently didn't need to be there for Kaede push an overly large dinner plant into Kagome's hands. Kagome blinked, "What's this?"
She couldn't imagine what it could be, aside from food, since there was a black tray coving all that was inside. Briefly Kagome tried to take a peak but her hand was slapped as the cover dropped back into place. "Did you just slap my hand?"
Kaede grinned, "It's Inuyasha's dinner. He's working in his room on a new perfume add. Apparently the design team are incompetent and he's taking over until they get it together."
Kagome looked down at his food, "I have to give this to him, don't I?"
Kaede didn't even need to answer.
"Thus the reason for the aspirin. I swear, it's like he plans ways to get under my skin."
Kaede laughed, "That boy plan something? As in beforehand?"
Kagome couldn't help but smile at the thought. Carefully, since she could be caring soup, or lobster or something important, she made her way up the stairs. Quietly she knocked and Inuyasha quickly called her in. "Hey I've got your-"
Inuyasha looked up from his paperwork just in time to see her face. Apparently him sitting cross legged on his bed, surrounded by mounds of paperwork and pictures was not what she had been expecting. He pulled up a photo from one of the model shoots while trying to figure out what was wrong with it. "Sup?"
"Dinner, Kaede sent me."
He suddenly looked up excitedly, "She get it? I've been craving one all week."
Kagome glanced over at the covered tray, "I have no idea, she pummeled me when I tried to look."
He couldn't help but smile, "I called her an hour ago when I knew I was going to be up all night. There is this burger joint about thirty minutes away that I love, they are always closed when I go by though. I didn't think she'd have time to get one." He crossed the room as pulled the tray off. He smiled when he saw the familiar greasy bag sitting on what was left of the tray.
Carefully he pulled the first wrapped piece of meat out. Instead of unwrapping it though, he handed it to Kagome while he dug through the bag for another one, "I remembered that I ate your breakfast, so I owed you one. Not to mention I probably freaked you out all day while you waited to see what I was going to do at 6:30."
"…You had nothing planned?"
He looked at her and smiled, "Nada, wish I could have seen you pacing all day though, that would have been great."
Quickly he pulled her over to the bed as he munched on a handful of fries, "Hey, tell me what's wrong with this? Would you buy something from this chick?"
Kagome was busy unwrapping the humungous burger in front of her as she attempted to listen. The thing was huge, twice the size of any whopper she had ever eaten. It had way more on it too, from barbeque sauce to avocado to mustard…how was this supposed to taste good? She glanced at Inuyasha and he gave her a quick roll of the eyes at her fear. She knew he was taunting her but…before she lost her nerve she took as big of a bite as she could manage. Well that should show him.
As her taste buds got used to what she was eating and took over where her eyes had been making the shots, Kagome found that the burger was amazing. Mouth full she stumbled with her words, "How can something so disgusting be so amazing?"
"Brilliance, that's how," he said while taking another bite, "now, what about the picture?"
Kagome wiped her hands on a napkin as she focused on the picture. She of course couldn't since all her senses where trying to focus on the burger, "…Umm, the color?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He quickly tore the burger out of her hand as she tried to take another bite.
"Hey!" she yelled while trying to reach for it.
He leaned backwards to keep it out of her reach, "It's distracting you."
She huffed as she turned back towards the picture, "…She's too, perfect. I wouldn't buy anything from her because she looks fake. If she's fake than her product probably doesn't do anything all that great, at least not at the level that she's advertising."
"She's too, perfect?" he said skeptically.
Kagome made a swipe for her food but missed as he again held it just out of reach, "You wanted an answer, so I gave you mine. I'm not going to spend $100 on something being sold by someone I can't relate to."
After a few minutes of contemplation he lowered his hand and graciously gave Kagome her food back, "Hey, if I promise not to do that again, will you look at a few other advisements that haven't been going well?"
Kagome looked up from her food, "Am I going to have to get up?"
Inuyasha looked around his bed at the surrounding paperwork, "No, it should all be here."
Kagome smiled, "Alright then, I'll stay…but I get a bite of your burger."
He laughed, "We may sort of get along," then his face became serious, "but not that much."
Firevixen73- Hey everyone, this was meant to just be a cute chapter so I hope everyone liked it. How was the Kikyo scene? Please review!