Disclaimer: It's the last chapter, after 3 and a half years, and I STILL don't own Inuyasha? Jeez, you'd think that MAYBE, after all this time, someone would throw me a bone... Haha - bone...like a dog...
A/N Are you ready, guys? Holding on tight for this last, supremely amazing chapter? Just to warn you, I've labelled the second half as complete Cotton Candy – ridiculously fluffy, insufferably sweet and utterly tooth-rotting. Just because so many of you requested it. And I really have been slow updating these last chapters... So consider this a sincere apology on my behalf. :) Now...enjoy to your heart's content!
"Rise and shine, Kagome!" Ayame's voice chirped through the raven haired girl's sleepy haze. "It's our last day to have fun so you better get your butt up and moving!"
Kagome mumbled a few choice phrases to demonstrate what she thought of that idea, but nevertheless started to roll out of bed. Falling on the floor and disentangling herself from her sheets, Kagome stumbled towards her bathroom while rubbing her eyes and yawning.
Once she had showered and dressed, she made her way downstairs where her two friends were happily getting themselves breakfast. The two of them seemed to be floating on air.
"What's made you two so happy?" she grumbled, their apparent cheerfulness offending her so early in the morning.
"What's made you so grumpy?" Ayame countered. "Don't you remember last night at all?"
Kagome paused for a moment to think. Then memories started coming back to her. Memories of Inuyasha winning the slalom, Naraku getting his just desserts, Inuyasha and Kouga being offered a spot on the National alpine ski team, dancing with Inuyasha... hugging Inuyasha... kissing Inuyasha... being carried home by Inuyasha...
"Kagome? Earth to Kagooome?" Sango's voice broke through her reverie.
"Yeeesss?" Kagome responded slowly, a dreamy smile replacing her earlier scowl.
"I think her mood just improved considerably," Sango noted to Ayame, who nodded in return.
"Yes, it really did," Kagome replied cheerfully, grabbing herself a bowl and pouring in some cereal and milk. "I'm suddenly understanding the necessity of getting up so early."
"We thought you might," Sango replied cheekily.
"The boys are going to meet us outside the chalet in twenty minutes," Ayame informed the other two. "I made plans with Kouga before we parted last night. Since we're all going home tomorrow morning, we have to enjoy this day to the fullest and have as much fun as possible!"
"Hear, hear!" Sango cheered, raising her glass of orange juice in the air before taking a gulp of it.
Soon enough, the girls had finished up their breakfast, washed the dishes and were all ready to head out. They suited up and grabbed their skis, heading out the door and towards their last day on the peaks of Devil's Mountain.
They found the boys waiting for them outside the ski lodge looking tired, but also in good spirits. Each of the couples paired up without a word and greeted each other warmly. Inuyasha nodded towards the chalet. "C'mon, Sesshoumaru and Rin are waiting for us inside. We'll grab some chow and then head out on the slopes."
"We've already eaten," Kagome protested.
"Well, then I guess you'll have the delight of watching us eat," Inuyasha said with a shrug.
"Oh, yes," Kagome directed her speech to Ayame. "You and Kouga planned it out so well last night. Sure you didn't get distracted somewhere along the way?"
Ayame shifted uncomfortably and shot her boyfriend a guilty look, but ultimately said nothing.
Sango eyed her boyfriend suspiciously. "You're all dressed up as if you're going skiing, Miroku."
Miroku glanced down at his ski suit and boot clad self. "Why, yes – it does appear that way. You always did have an acute eye, Sango, my dear."
Sango narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be cute with me. Did your broken arm magically heal overnight or something? Don't tell me you're thinking of skiing with it."
Miroku shrugged. "I guess I won't tell you then," he said as he turned towards the lodge.
"Miroku..." Sango warned dangerously.
He turned back towards her and sighed. "Look, I don't intend on spending my last day of this trip trapped inside the lodge or condominium with nothing to do but twiddle one of my thumbs. And before you think about volunteering to hang out with me, I'm turning you down. I won't let you waste your last day like that either." He gave her a disarming smile. "Besides! I only really need my legs to ski. I can easily get away with skiing without my poles."
Sango looked at him, shocked. "Miroku! You have a broken arm! Don't take that so lightly!"
Miroku held up his one good arm defensively. "Don't worry, Sango! I swear I won't fall on it or anything. I'll be very careful. And besides – it's only for one day. After this, I won't ski again until it's healed, I promise."
Sango didn't look convinced. "Miroku..."
Miroku reached out a hand and pulled her head towards his until their foreheads were touching. Looking into her eyes, he said, "I swear it will be okay... And besides...this is the last day of our trip...this amazing trip where we met. If I wanted to spend just one more day by your side on these slopes where we've shared such amazing experiences...would you really rob me of that?"
Sango closed her eyes and revelled in his closeness. Just as she was about to open her mouth and respond, another voice cut her off.
"Peanut?" Kouga asked the others, holding out a package of nuts.
"Yeah!" Ayame agreed quickly, her hand diving into the bag. "Ooh, the honey roasted kind! My favourite!"
"Nice choice, Kouga," Kagome concurred, grinning as she grabbed a few nuts of her own.
The four bystanders turned back to the couple before them, munching on their peanuts as if they were popcorn. Inuyasha made a shooing motion with his hand. "Carry on," he urged with an expectant look.
Sango gave them all an unimpressed look before turning back to her boyfriend. "Alright, listen you. You may be able to sweet-talk me and they may be able to horribly embarrass me, but don't think I'll forget this. I will allow you to ski with us today, but you better be damn careful, you hear me? If you so much as stumble, we're heading right back inside and twiddling our three thumbs together and I won't put up with any resistance from you on the matter. Got it?"
Miroku gave her a wane smile. "I guess it's the best I could hope for. Now, shall we go?"
The group of six trooped into the lodge after depositing their skis on the rack outside. They quickly located the other two members of their group and made their way towards the table the silver-haired man and the petite girl next to him had already claimed. Sesshoumaru was sipping hot chocolate languidly and Rin was munching on some toast with a smile on her face. When she spotted the rest of the group heading their way, she waved them over eagerly and shifted over to provide them with enough room to sit down. The girls sat down immediately, but the boys instead just dropped their gear on the table before heading for the cafeteria line.
When they returned, Kouga and Miroku held plates of egg and toast whilst Inuyasha came bearing a bowl of soup. Kagome raised an eyebrow at his breakfast choice but he quickly quelled her incredulity with a reminder of her choosing a burger over poutine at the beginning of her trip. She clammed up after that, acknowledging her intense error in judgement.
Inuyasha wasn't quite prepared to let it go at that, however. "And if you hadn't chosen that horrid burger, you would never have gotten food poisoning and almost gotten killed by that groomer."
Kagome blew out a breath that ruffled her bangs. "Don't you think I know that already? And besides, if I hadn't gotten food poisoning and almost died, we would never have met. In fact, us girls wouldn't have met any of you guys. So maybe instead of admonishing me, you should be thanking me instead!" she declared proudly, certain of her winning the argument.
The others sat mulling that over for a minute. Then Inuyasha looked at her and said frankly, "You know, you were still an idiot."
Kagome opened her mouth to protest in indignation, but caught sight of all of her other friends nodding sadly in agreement. In a huff, Kagome crossed her arms and pouted. "Some friends and boyfriend I have..." she mumbled in mock disgust. There was a moment of silence in which no one spoke. Kagome chanced a glance at Inuyasha out of the corner of one eye.
He yawned and gave her flat look. "You know, I'm not about to follow that statement up with something as cheesy as saying you're 'my idiot' or something so you can just stop pouting and save yourself some time."
Kagome sighed and dropped her arms. "It was worth a try."
At this, Inuyasha blinked. "What, you actually would have wanted me to say something cheesy like that?"
Kagome sniffed primly. "Well, it didn't need to be cheesy per se, but something to show you actually cared would have been welcome."
Inuyasha gave her a grin with implications she didn't particularly care to discover. "If I were to show you how much I 'cared', I don't think our present company would appreciate it much." As Kagome blushed deep red and the others at the table shared distinctly uncomfortable looks, Inuyasha leaned back and examined some dirt under his fingernails. "After all," he continued, "cleaning up after another pancake batter fight isn't high on their list of things to do, I imagine."
It took a moment to register, but when Kagome realized what he had said, she glared at him before punching his arm. "You jerk!"
"Ah yes," he said, leaning in close. "But I'm your jerk."
Kagome sighed in resignation, laughing as he and the rest of the table snickered. "You're ridiculous. This is going to be one strange relationship."
Inuyasha smirked at her before taking a sip of soup. "Got anyone else you'd rather be with?"
Kagome looked thoughtfully at him for a moment before turning to the man at the end of the table. "Sesshoumaru," she said seriously.
Inuyasha choked on his soup. "What?"
"Hm?" Sesshoumaru inquired, rising briefly from his coma-like state.
"Can you please pass the sugar? This bozo next to me needs sweetening up," Kagome continued pleasantly.
"I'm afraid it is a hopeless case," Sesshoumaru replied blandly as Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at his girlfriend who smiled smugly back at him.
The moment was shattered abruptly as a rhinestone studded pink thong was slapped indignantly down upon the table. A dark presence raged behind them and they did not have to wait long before the new arrival spoke up. "Looking for this?" Naraku spat in barely controlled rage.
Sesshoumaru eyed the "garment" with disinterest. "Not particularly. Tell me, is it from your private collection?"
Naraku sputtered a few moments before finally grating out, "Your friend left this at my condo last night!"
Sesshoumaru glanced around the table at the others. "Do any of you have friends with pink rhinestone studded thongs that would be accustomed to showing up at Naraku's place late at night?" At all of their pasted-on innocent looks and vapid denials, Sesshoumaru turned back to the seething skier. "There you see – we are all devoid of such a friend as you speak of."
Naraku glared and pointed a shaking finger at the placid silver-haired man. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! You all do! You're all in on it! I know it was you!"
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the increasingly more agitated racer. He then took another sip of his hot chocolate before setting it down on the table and running a finger along its rim. Slowly and deliberately, he glanced up at Naraku and fixed him with a steady gaze. "I do believe you have the right to remain silent..." he said calmly, but chalk full of double meaning.
Naraku's face invented a new shade of red before he spat in disgust on their table and stormed out of the lodge.
There was a moment of silence shared between the group before Inuyasha looked down at his meal. "Ewww...I think he got some spit in my soup."
"I hope you got your fill of it before he came then," Ayame said. "I can't imagine you trying to eat it now that it's infested with Naraku cooties."
"Nope. It's definitely done for," Inuyasha declared. With that, he pushed the soup to centre of the table, beside the thong, and left it in peace. "I think I've lost my appetite anyway."
"Good riddens to bad rubbish, I say," Sango spoke up. "And by that, I mean Naraku, not your soup."
Inuyasha nodded sadly. "It was the noblest of soups."
"Upheld its dreams and values until the end," Miroku added with respect. "The only mistake it ever made in life was being within range of Naraku's projectile saliva. Due to these unfortunate circumstances, its beautiful life was cut short, but its noble sacrifice will not be forgotten by anyone here today. And now, if you please, a moment of silence."
Each member of the table bowed their head in a moment of deepest reverence.
At a nearby table, Kageromaru leaned over to his brother Juromaru. "Are they praying to a pink thong?" he whispered with a baffled expression. His brother, who had no answer, just shrugged.
After the moment of respect had passed, the other boys continued to eat their breakfasts.
"Seriously though," Sango tried to continue her previous thought. "We've been plagued by Naraku for so long it's so refreshing to know he's finally gotten his comeuppance."
Kouga nodded beside her. "It's true. I remember how he tried to show us up in ski jumping when we first came across him on this trip. Frikkin' loser. Inuyasha may have shown him up, but if Miroku had known he was competing against him, he could have shown him a thing or two more."
"Quite right," Miroku nodded with confidence. "If I had been trying, he wouldn't have been nearly so smug."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. As it was, it was left up to me, and I thought I did a fine damn job."
"Clearly not good enough," Sango shot back. "It may have staved him off for awhile, but remember that the next time we saw him, he was sporting the most indecent piece of 'clothing' known to man."
All except Sesshoumaru and Rin, who had not witnessed the event, took a moment to collectively shudder.
"No one could have predicted that," Kagome pointed out.
"Or the tabloid scandal," Ayame cut in. "Remember that? Even Miroku and Sango got press time with that 'adventure'."
Sango groaned. "Don't remind me."
"Now, now, Sango dear," Miroku said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It's not too bad now, is it? At the time we weren't an official couple, but now..." He left it hanging.
Sango gave him a flat look. "Miroku, I don't appreciate people prying into my personal life at any time, whether what they're saying is true or not. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. ...But I'll admit that the idea of being in a relationship with you isn't as repulsive to me now as it was then."
Miroku placed a dramatic hand to his heart. "Repulsive? Sango, you do wound me so!"
"It was your 'player' personality that angered me, to be honest," his girlfriend elaborated. "When you act like a normal human being, you're more than likeable." To demonstrate, she gave him a smile and quick kiss on the cheek.
Miroku looked like he might want to protest further, but he sighed in resignation against her most winsome expression. "Sometimes I wish you weren't so hard to resist. I'd probably let you get away with my murder if you were sporting that expression at the time."
"Well, to be honest, Miroku," Kouga spoke up. "If she were easier to resist for you, she probably would have just gotten washed away in all the other girls you chase after–"
"Used to chase after," Sango coughed meaningfully.
"–and also," the dark haired racer continued, "I'm pretty convinced that if Sango set her mind to it, she could kill you whether or not you approved."
"Thanks for that, Kouga," Miroku said dryly.
"No problem, man. That's what I'm here for."
"As much fun as I'm having," Sesshoumaru cut in, "I have finished my beverage and thus will now partake in some skiing."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Kagome said enthusiastically. Kouga and Miroku shoved the last of their breakfasts into their mouths and the rest of the group started to gather up their gear from the table before heading outside. Stepping into their skis and grabbing their poles, the group headed towards the chairlift. They rode it halfway up the mountain, and then took yet another one to reach the top. They all looked around for a moment, drinking in the atmosphere and enjoying the incredible view.
"I'm gonna miss this place," Kagome said sadly. "This has been one hell of a vacation."
"You know," Inuyasha mused aloud, "I think I'll only miss most of this place. I don't think I'll ever again feel too fondly for the trail that dumped an avalanche on our heads."
Kagome conceded that point.
"Well, the trip ain't over yet!" Sango declared. "Let's get in what skiing we can and make this last day a blast!" With that, she launched herself down the nearest hill, only catching sight of the rating after it was too late. "Wait–what?" she screeched. "Black diamond? Nooo!"
Kagome sniffed and wiped a fake tear from her eye. "Ah, memories. It seems like just yesterday Sango was pushing me down a black diamond hill as a warm up run. I find the reversal quite enjoyable."
"Great. I picked a sadist for a girlfriend," Inuyasha sighed as he looked to the sky as if in search of divine help.
"Look who's talking, Mr. Tortures His Friends Mercilessly Just For Witnessing A Romantic Exchange," Kouga mumbled under his breath.
"What was that?" Inuyasha asked sharply with danger in his tone.
"Oh, nothing!" Kouga singsonged. "Well, if no one else is going to help the poor damsel in distress, I suppose I'll take it upon myself!" Before anyone else could say anything, he had launched himself down the hill after Sango.
"Hey! That's my girlfriend you're rescuing!" Miroku protested as he hastily followed suit.
"Hey! That's his girlfriend you're rescuing!" Ayame piped up as well, giving chase.
The remaining four glanced around at each other. "Well, as fun as that looks, I'm going to find a blue square," Kagome said wryly, turning her back on the scenario and heading for a less daunting hill. For lack of anything better to do, the other three followed after her.
"So much for Miroku being careful," Inuyasha added as an afterthought.
For the rest of the morning, the group of eight skied constantly, sometimes taking the same slope and sometimes splitting up into smaller groups to take on different hills. They always met up again at the bottom and headed up once more on the chairlift together. They raced each other down hills, held mini jumping competitions and generally goofed off all around.
They stopped in at the lodge around noon, thoroughly winded and looking for some food. After they had replenished themselves with a last meal of poutine and hot chocolate, they headed out once more, determined to make the most of their last day on the slopes.
It wasn't until the mid-afternoon that they realized they still had some unfinished business that needed to be taken care of. The group was all together and skiing down a certain hill one after the other when they spotted a familiar mass of people blocking the run in front of them.
"Oh no," Kagome muttered to herself as she realized the boys were making no effort to go around the group. "Don't do it, Inuyasha, don't do it..."
Despite Kagome's wishes, the three boys snowed the group of smoking snowboarders one after another so that they were nearly buried up to their elbows by the end. Enraged, their old nemeses turned and glared at them. "You guys again!"
"Miss us?" Inuyasha answered cheekily. "You clearly didn't heed what we said last time because here you are polluting the hill again! I at least hope we managed to put out your cigarettes with our entrance."
Beside Kagome, Sesshoumaru sighed. "Looks like my brother has been at it again. Ah, well, I suppose there's no help for it. You'd best get your head start now while my foolish brother is still riling them up," he addressed her.
"What about you?"
Sesshoumaru turned to give her a piercing stare. "I, Sesshoumaru, flee from no one."
When he offered nothing else, Kagome nodded slowly and began pushing off. "Ookay...guess we'll see you somewhere at the bottom then..."
Soon the rest of the skiing group was joining Kagome in a collective bombing of the hill as the snowboarders scrambled to tighten their straps and give chase. The skiers had much more momentum than the snowboarders and so reached the bottom far ahead of them.
"Quick, make for the chairlifts!" Miroku declared, pointing. As most of the group started forward, however, Ayame stood her place. Looking back, Miroku assumed a frantic expression. "Uh, Ayame? Now's not exactly the time to catch your breath. We've got running to do!"
"No!" Ayame exclaimed, placing her fists abruptly on her hips.
Kouga's face faulted. "Say what?"
"I said no!" the redhead repeated adamantly. "I refuse to run when you anger them like that. Either don't bug them at all or stand tall and actually pick a fight! I won't cower any longer. If you won't take them on, I'll do it alone!"
Everyone just stared at her agape for a minute. When no one answered her, she glared at them all. "What?" she demanded.
The boys seemed at a loss for words, but Kagome and Sango stepped forward, grinning. "We agree with Ayame!" Sango said. "We're tired of running from your battles so we'll fight them for you if that's what it takes!"
Inuyasha finally seemed to find his voice. "Uh, no, that won't be necessary. We'll, uh, we'll stand and fight too."
"Good!" Ayame barked. "Then I suggest we settle this with cunning and infallible battle tactics. It's time for the deadliest of fights, ladies and gentlemen. Weak hearts and shaky wits have no place here! It's time–"
"–for a snowball fight!" the three girls shouted in unison, pumping their fists in the air.
"Follow me, men!" Ayame shouted out as if she were an army commander. "Leave your skis and poles at the ski rack and take to the trees. Quickly, they're nearly upon us!"
The other five jumped to attention and scrambled to follow her orders. On their way to the racks, Kouga muttered proudly to the other two boys, "That's my girlfriend, you know."
"Yeah, we know," Inuyasha answered. "She'll probably have you whipped within the week."
Kouga stopped dead in his tracks. "She will not!" he protested loudly. The other two just snickered in response.
"Kouga! There's no time for lolly gagging!" Ayame barked harshly. "Either start moving yer lazy arse or run away with your tail between your legs! Pick one or the other, but do it within three seconds or else have your boyfriend privileges revoked!"
Kouga gaped at her before reluctantly starting to move towards the racks again. "She will not have me whipped," he muttered to himself, more to make himself feel better rather than out of any real conviction.
No sooner had the group made it to the safety of the trees and started constructing ammunition than the snowboarders charged in after them, having already deposited their boards on the ski racks.
From this point on, a snowball fight the likes of which the ski resort had never witnessed before took place. Ayame had Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku erecting a snow wall to serve as a barricade while the Sango and Kouga feverishly worked at packing snowballs together. Ayame herself launched them over the wall to pelt the snowboarders who were working to erect their own barricade and launch a counterattack.
Sesshoumaru and Rin wandered upon the scene eventually, having finally decided to ski the rest of the way down the hill and join the others. Upon seeing what was happening, Rin squealed in delight and immediately partook in the fight. As for Sesshoumaru, he decided to stand behind a tree and begin idly shaping the perfect snowball.
Once the barriers were firmly built, the two groups were more able to concentrate on the actual fight. Snowballs flew back and forth, pelting both of the groups with a vengeance. There were no rules and so no way to tell who was winning. As a result, the fight continued for an hour or more with no obvious signs of slowing down.
Somewhere in the middle, Sesshoumaru set his snowball down and wandered off to the lodge without an apparent care in the world. About five minutes later, he returned, bearing two hot chocolates. Sipping on one, he walked up to rest of the group, dodging snowballs with ease on his way. Without a word, he passed the other hot chocolate onto Rin who accepted it with a grateful smile.
Inuyasha gaped at the exchange. "You didn't get any hot chocolate for the rest of us? You prick!"
"Brother, when you grow boobs and learn to ice dance, then we'll talk about hot chocolate," the older brother replied blandly before sauntering back to his tree and snowball.
The entire group gaped after him, never having heard Sesshoumaru refer to female anatomy so bluntly before. Or rather, female anatomy at all. Rin, on the other hand, sipped her hot chocolate calmly and watched as the others were pelted by the snowboarders' snowballs in their moment of distraction. It was as if she hadn't heard the exchange at all; or if she had, it didn't disturb her in the least. After all, she had the hot chocolate.
And so the snow war continued once more without cessation. The two sides launched countless snowballs across the gap between them, and Sesshoumaru calmly perfected his one snowball off to the side, sipping his hot chocolate intermittently.
Finally, however, there was dissension amongst the snowboarder group. A female voice carried across the small patch of woods where the battle was taking place. "Hiten...when is this going to end? I'm tired and cold..."
"In a minute," the boy muttered irritably.
"I'm tired too," the other girl of the group whined. "Aren't your macho games over yet? I want to go inside...!"
"Just give us a few more minutes!" Hiten snapped.
The girls quieted down momentarily and the warfare continued. After about ten more minutes, however, the girls had had enough. "Alright, that's it!" the exotic girl exclaimed, standing up. "We declare a truce! We wanna quit and go inside."
The snowballs abruptly stopped flying. The skiing group eyed the male members of the snowboarding group warily. "You okay with that?" Kouga asked them cautiously.
Hiten looked like he wanted to argue for a moment before twisting his expression into one of disgust and throwing his snowball down to the ground. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered in annoyance. "We'll call a truce."
Inuyasha grinned. "Good fight then. See ya around!"
"Yeah, whatever." With that, the group of snowboarders turned to leave. Just as they were exiting the grove, Sesshoumaru finally made a move. His snowball, through his fiddling and shaping, was now perfectly spherical and as hard as ice. With a negligent toss, he threw it in the air over the snowboarders' heads and directly into the branches above them. With the impact, a great load of snow was dislodged and fell heavily down upon the unsuspecting snowboarders.
With indignant sputters, they spun around once they had recovered from the shock. All of the skiers were staring wide-eyed at Sesshoumaru, who deflected their attention to another person who was passing by within a few feet of him. With a startled realization, the group of skiers recognized him as Naraku, stomping angrily across the grounds. With a gesture and an appalled look from Sesshoumaru in Naraku's direction, the snowboarders took it to mean the stranger was their culprit.
"Hey you!" one of the boys yelled loudly. Naraku spun around with a glare only to find a group of very angry snowboarders bearing down upon him. Spotting Sesshoumaru gazing calmly at him from behind the oncoming mob, Naraku let out a choked wail before turning and fleeing. The snowboarders were hot in pursuit.
"Geez..." Kagome said quietly in the silence. "I think you may have made him cry, Sesshoumaru."
"Then my work here is done," Sesshoumaru commented simply, taking the initiative to head back for the lodge.
"Man, what a creepy guy," Kouga muttered, picking some snow up from the ground and packing himself a new projectile. "Too bad about the fight, though. I was really getting into it. Ah, well..." He tossed his snowball backwards without a glance.
A soft impact and startled gasp made him stop in his tracks. Turning around, he saw Ayame directly behind him, her face covered in snow as she stared at him in shock. Before he could say anything, her lip quivered and she buried her face in her hands as she crouched down to the ground.
Kouga paled at her reaction. "Uh, Ayame? I'm really sorry – I didn't mean it. I didn't know you were there! Ayame?" When her shoulders shook but she didn't say anything, Kouga panicked and hastily sunk to the ground next to her. Putting an arm around her shoulders, he frantically called her name again.
This time, she slowly turned her head to look at him. He got one glance of a completely dry eye with a mischievous glint to it before his face was suddenly smothered with snow. Spluttering and falling back on his rear, Kouga wiped his face clean only to see Ayame standing above him and laughing her head off.
"You wanted the fight to continue?" she taunted with a mocking grin. "Well, come on then, pretty boy – I'll be your opponent."
A grin crept over Kouga's face. "Oh, really? Well, be prepared to be in a world of hurt then!"
She stuck out her tongue at him and he flung a new snowball at her. She dodged it easily, but it then ended up smacking Kagome in the back of the head. She broke off her conversation with Inuyasha to spin around angrily and identify the culprit. Spotting Kouga, she grinned evilly. "You're dead, wolf-boy!" she threatened as she picked up her own snowball from the ground and threw it at him.
Soon enough, the entire group was included in the new snow battle. Everyone except Sesshoumaru, of course, who stood idly off to the side. Occasionally Inuyasha would be hit by a rogue snowball that he swore couldn't have been thrown by anyone except his irritating brother. But whenever he spun around to face the older man, Sesshoumaru seemed to be in another universe completely and have no involvement in the fight whatsoever.
Unlike the previous fight, this one was held right out in the open. There were no barricades, nor any definable teams. Every one of the participants chucked snowballs at anyone else who looked like they had their guard down. Snowballs pelted each of them left, right and centre and everyone was having difficulty catching their breath from laughing so much.
When Inuyasha finally got fed up with the rogue snowballs with mysterious origins, he started launching a few of his own snowballs in Sesshoumaru's direction. Unfortunately the older sibling dodged them all with seemingly no effort at all and Inuyasha grew even more frustrated. No one else, however, was brave or stupid enough to try to take on Sesshoumaru and so left Inuyasha to his futile devises.
The fight ended in a way none of them could have expected.
Rin suddenly broke off her attack against Sango and ran straight towards the supposed non-combatant. "Sesshoumaru!" she called to him happily.
The tall, proud silver-haired ice dancer turned just in time to have his partner's small body collide with his. Before another moment passed, her arms were around his neck and her lips were pressing firmly against his.
Everyone dropped their snowballs in shock and even Sesshoumaru himself seemed to have gone rigid with surprise. The moment was soon broke, however, by Rin's true intentions. In the midst of the kiss and Sesshoumaru's momentary paralysis, she took the opportunity to stuff a large handful of snow down the back of his shirt.
Rin broke away laughing as Sesshoumaru's back straightened in response to the cold snow. Jabbing a thumb in the direction of her ice dance partner, she addressed the rest of the group, "That's how you take on Sesshoumaru in a snowball fight."
"Somehow I don't think the rest of us could get away with it so smoothly..." Miroku muttered under his breath.
"I guess...we'll just...go in now..." Inuyasha said hesitantly, noticing that Sesshoumaru's face had gone completely blank and he was unsure what his brother would do if they stayed out any longer.
And so, without another word, the group headed to the ski racks to pick up their discarded equipment and then onwards to the condominiums.
..:V:..
"There are no shirts available." Even though spoken as a statement, it was clear at this time that Sesshoumaru's phrase was instead a deadly question.
Rin shrugged carelessly. "Sorry, Fluffy. You heard the boys. Their stuff is all packed up and in their cars. And as you can see, we are now in the girls' condo."
"I could always lend you this pink tank top I have. It's very cu–" Kagome caught sight of Sesshoumaru's piercing stare. She stuck out a foot and smoothly stepped behind her boyfriend. "Please don't eat me," she said meekly.
Sesshoumaru sat cross-legged on the living room floor, his arms crossed over his bare chest. His soaked shirt was hanging over the back of an unused chair in a meagre effort to dry out. There was a distinct aura of "displeased" about the silver-haired man.
Rin, always oblivious or outright ignoring his moods, continued on as if normal. "Guess you'll just have to stick it out until we get back to our hotel. Don't worry, you have a nice chest."
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her. "I hate it when you do things like this, Rin."
"She does things like this...often?" Inuyasha hesitantly asked.
Rin's only response was to grin cheekily at him.
Kagome took this opportunity to make good her retreat. "Well, I've got a bunch of packing to do so...I'll just head upstairs..."
"Anything I can help with?" Inuyasha asked promptly. A little too promptly to be sincere, but Kagome understood his need to get out of the room.
"I suppose I could find a use for you," she answered flippantly, leading the way up the stairs.
"Cards anyone?" Rin asked the others eagerly as she flipped out a deck from her jacket pocket. Kagome and Inuyasha heard the group acquiesce as they headed out of earshot.
As Kagome entered her room, she put her hands on her hips, critically analysing what needed to be done. She heard the door shut gently behind her as she hauled her empty suitcase up upon the bed and opened it. Before she could get any farther, however, two strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her close to a warm body.
"Hi," Inuyasha said softly in her ear.
"Hi yourself," Kagome replied, crossing her arms over his and interlacing their fingers.
Inuyasha closed his eyes and pressed his cheek to hers. Breathing in deeply, he said, "I like your hair..."
Kagome broke their contact and arched her head back to look him in the eye. "Are you kidding me?" she demanded. "It's been squashed under a hat all day and probably got all sweaty during that snowball fight. You can't possibly find that attractive."
Inuyasha chuckled. "Still...I can smell your shampoo. I like it."
Kagome vowed never to change shampoos again.
Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Inuyasha pressed a kiss to her open neck and hugged her closer when she shivered in surprise. "...I want to be with you for a long time," he stated frankly, holding her as if he'd never let go.
Kagome laughed and stroked his arm reassuringly. "We've only known each other for two weeks... But...I feel the same way. I feel optimistic about our future, whatever it may bring." She once again arched her head back, and this time Inuyasha leaned forward as well, their lips meeting in a loving kiss.
When they finally broke away with clouded eyes, Kagome leaned back into Inuyasha's embrace and sighed. "You know...I really do have to pack..."
Inuyasha gave one more kiss to her temple before stepping away. "Best get it over with then, I guess," he said. "Here, I'll get the stuff in the drawers for you."
Kagome was about to say something, but instead hid a smile and watched his progress across the room. He opened the top drawer of the dresser and his eyes bulged. Snapping it shut with a click, he turned back around with an ill expression on his face. "Perhaps it'd be better to leave the underwear drawer to you..."
Kagome laughed.
..:V:..
"Full House, boys and girls," Rin said smugly, laying her hand out on the table for all to see. "Read 'em and weep."
"You're a poker fiend, Rin," Miroku conceded with a sickly smile.
"Yeah..." Kouga said. "My appreciation for the game is waning..."
"I'm afraid I'm going to bow out of the next hand," Miroku told the group, rubbing his casted arm absently. "I find myself rather thirsty. Just carry on without me." He got up and shuffled his way to the kitchen, looking a little pale in the face.
Sango watched him go with narrowed eyes. Addressing the other four, she said, "You know, I'm going to excuse myself too..."
"Something wrong with him?" Ayame asked, looking worriedly in the direction Miroku had gone and then back at Sango.
Sango had a hard expression on her face. "I'll find out..."
As she scampered off towards the kitchen, Kouga spoke up. "Well, maybe it's time for a change of game then. Euchre anyone?" The other three nodded in agreement and Ayame dealt the cards anew.
In the kitchen, Miroku was awkwardly trying to move around and get himself a drink. He had gotten a glass out of the cupboard and was trying to pour himself some water out of the jug. Unfortunately, his hand was shaking and he couldn't keep it steady.
"Come on, Miroku," he muttered to himself darkly. "You are just pouring a glass of water. This isn't exactly the Olympics. But it is pretty pathetic..." With a frustrated jerk, he straightened himself up straight. Unfortunately, in doing so, he banged his left arm against the counter. Hissing in pain, he doubled over and would have dropped the jug of water entirely had another hand not shot out to catch it.
Setting the jug down on the counter, Sango put her hands to Miroku's shoulders. "What's wrong, Miroku?" she demanded.
He straightened slightly and gave her a wane smile. "I'm afraid my arm's giving me a bit of trouble. It's aching mostly...I suspect it'll go away after awhile, but banging it against the counter probably didn't help it."
Sango looked worriedly into his face. "That's not all," she said, putting a hand to his forehead. "You're all clammy and look nearly green. I knew it! You're still not fully recovered from the avalanche. You should never have come skiing with us today!"
Miroku reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm. Rubbing his thumb over her smooth skin, he said, "I don't regret it though. And besides, it's not that bad. I'm just having a bout of pain. It very possibly would have come over me whether or not I went skiing, though the cold air and physical exertion probably did aggravate it more. Don't worry, Sango. It'll pass and then I'll be fine."
Sango gave him a doubtful look. "Still..." She glanced back at the abandoned glass and jug of water. A thought occurred to her. "I think I have some Advil in the bathroom," she said, turning and pouring him the glass of water he sought. "Take this and follow me."
The two traipsed past the living room where the heated game of Euchre was going on. The group hardly noted the pair's passing and they arrived at the bathroom without incident.
As an argument broke out in the living room, Sango closed the bathroom door to shut the noise out. Then she turned to the medicine cabinet and fished out the medicine she sought.
"Here you go," she told her boyfriend, holding out two tablets. He took them gratefully and swallowed them quickly with help from the water. Meanwhile, Sango retrieved a clean facecloth and soaked it thoroughly in the sink. Wringing it out, she started dabbing at Miroku's forehead, sweeping his bangs out of the way with her other hand. He closed his eyes and sighed under her ministrations.
"You big idiot..." she muttered without malice. "I can't believe you did this to yourself..."
"It's not like I meant to," he protested, opening his eyes and adopting a slightly pained expression.
"The initial injury may not have been your fault, but you were the you who decided to go skiing today!" she snapped. "And I...I let you..." she finished in a meek voice. The cloth suddenly left his forehead as she spun around, not wanting him to see her face.
Miroku gave her a startled look before recovering his wits. He reached out and took her by the shoulders, turning her around to face him once more. She avoided his gaze and so he drew her to him, hugging her as tight as he could with his one good arm.
"Please don't blame yourself for any of this," he pleaded. "I was an idiot to ski today. But it's also true that I don't regret spending my last day like that with you. Just like what I told you this morning, right?"
He felt her nod against his shoulder, and then heard a slight sniffle. Raising his arms, he grasped her shoulders once more and pushed her slightly back. Peering into her face, he noticed she was trying to smile for him, but instead looked miserable and there were tears brimming in her eyes. "Sango..."
She sniffed again and gave her smile another go. "I'm sorry...maybe it's some shock effect from all the events in these past few days. I'm kind of overreacting, I know..."
Miroku smiled gently down at her. "Don't be sorry..." Caressing her cheek with his right hand, he leaned down and kissed the shimmering tear from her eye. "I'll do my best to never worry you again," he whispered softly.
Sango let out a choked laugh. "Somehow I don't think you'll succeed... It's too easy to worry about someone you care so much about."
In response, Miroku trailed light kisses down her cheek until he reached the corner of her mouth. Tilting her head, he captured her lips with his own in a kiss that said all that he could not.
The kiss ended gently, their lips only parting an inch. After a moment of silence, Sango spoke once more. "How is your arm...?"
"What arm?" Miroku murmured, his eyes still closed as he held her close.
Sango's eyebrow went up a notch. "The broken one?"
Miroku opened his eyes and grinned at her. "Oh. That one. The pain's completely gone now." At her sceptical look, he continued, "It's true! You must have a magic touch or something..."
Sango pulled back a little and eyed him critically. "I'm still not satisfied," she told him bluntly. "I think you should lie down and get some rest. Besides..." She bit her lip.
Miroku eyed her worriedly. "What is it?"
Sango's teeth slipped from her lip and it jutted out in a pout. "We just shared our most romantic kiss...in a bathroom."
Miroku let out an embarrassed laugh as he scratched the back of his head and looked around guiltily. "I guess a change of venue would be rather welcome..."
As Sango wet and wrung out the facecloth once more, Miroku opened the door and headed out into the hall. As the two of them made their way towards Sango's room, Miroku asked jokingly, "So you didn't think our kisses in front of that grungy diner on our horrible first date were that romantic?"
Sango smiled up at him as she linked her arm through his good one. "Oh, they were definitely special," she told him. "But that was amazing. I may let you get away with my murder if you keep kissing me like that."
"I'll keep that in mind," he replied wryly as they entered her room.
"Alright," she said, instantly serious. "Now to bed with you. You must sleep and get better or else I'm a horrible girlfriend."
Miroku pulled back the covers and sat down on the bed. "I thought I already told you you weren't," he protested.
"Ah, but if you don't go to sleep now, I'll still think I am, whether it's true or not," she countered as she gently pushed him down and tucked him in. "So really, you have no other option than this."
Miroku sighed and closed his eyes. "Okay, okay...but only if you stay by my side."
"I'll be right here," she assured him as she fished a book out of her luggage and took a seat on the floor next to the bed. "Within an arm's reach."
"Good..." Miroku muttered as he burrowed deeper into the bed. "'Night, Sango..."
"Good night, Miroku..." Sango smiled as she flipped open her book.
..:V:..
"This is impossible!" Kouga sighed in defeat, slapping his cards down upon the table. "Ayame and I can never win!"
Sesshoumaru blinked and set his cards down as well. "Of course not. Rin cheats."
Kouga and Ayame stared at him aghast. "Wha...?" Kouga managed to utter.
Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod. "She's ruthless. You should quit while you still have all your clothes on."
The shocked pair turned to look at the brown-haired petite girl for some sort of denial. All they got was an impish grin. Sharing an uneasy look with Ayame, Kouga stood up. "You know, I think we might go for a walk...clear our heads and all that..." Ayame nodded in agreement, standing up as well.
"If you leave me alone with her, she have me naked within fifteen minutes," Sesshoumaru said quickly.
They fled.
As the door slammed shut, Rin turned to her ice dance partner, ruffling the deck of cards in her hand. "So...strip poker?" she suggested mildly.
Sesshoumaru sent her a plaintive look. "Rin...you cheat. And besides..." He gestured to his naked torso. "I'm already halfway there." Under Rin's unwavering gaze, he tried a new tactic. "You know, if we're going to play, you should at least take off your own shirt to make things even."
Rin shrugged in agreement and slipped out of her sweater. She was wearing a long–sleeved shirt underneath. "Now," she said brightly, snapping the cards. "Let's begin..."
..:V:..
"Kouga, where are we going?" Ayame asked curiously as her boyfriend led her by the hand.
"I've got an idea," he answered, giving her a wolfish grin. "Just trust me."
When they arrived at the chairlift, up and running for night skiing, Ayame started to understand what he was thinking. After a few words with the attendant to get permission, Kouga turned back to her and gestured towards the oncoming chair. Without a second thought, she boarded it with him beside her.
The slow ascent up the mountain seemed different than usual. Even though she had been out night skiing before, the sensation of riding up the chairlift this time was completely new to her. Instead of chunky ski boots and clipped on skis, her feet were clad in normal snow boots and her hands were freed from poles. This way of riding up the hill seemed almost akin to a Ferris wheel. She gazed up at the starry sky in bliss.
"I applaud you on your idea," she told Kouga who was similarly looking up to the sky beside her.
At the sound of her voice, he shifted closer to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Why, thank you," he said with a slight bow of his head. "And now, if I may, I wish to direct your attention to the constellations above us." He pointed a finger up to the sky.
Ayame leaned her head on his shoulder. "You can read constellations?" she asked with curiosity.
Kouga shrugged his free shoulder. "Who can't? All you have to do is pick a cluster of stars and connect the dots in any way you see fit. See look, there's a wolf."
Ayame looked up at the landscape of random dots. "You know I have no idea where you're looking, right?"
"Of course. That's why you draw out your own and then pretend you understand exactly what I'm talking about," Kouga told her matter-of-fact.
"Ah, I get it now," Ayame said in realisation. "In fact, there's the wolf right there...it looks like it's chasing something..."
"A mangy dog," Kouga filled in, a feral grin playing about his mouth.
Ayame rolled her eyes. "Clearly," she said sarcastically. "But–oh! There's the reason for it. Looks like the wolf's girlfriend decided to run off with the dog because he was too mean–spirited for her. Tsk, tsk."
Kouga gaped down at her. "You wouldn't do that! Right? You wouldn't do that?"
Ayame just laughed. "Whatever gave you the idea I was talking about the two of us?" she said in an impish tone.
Kouga remained suspicious. After a minute of him scrutinizing her as she looked up at the stars, he pressed once more, "Still...you wouldn't do that, right?"
Ayame sat up straight and turned to him, a humourous expression on her face. "You're adorable when you're insecure, you know that?"
In the dark it was hard to discern, but a red tinge definitely spread over Kouga's cheeks. "A-adorable? Insecure?" he seemed uncertain of which issue to address first.
"Yes. Adorable," Ayame replied simply in a way that brooked no argument. "And no, I will never leave you to run off with Inuyasha."
"Are you sure?" Kouga let the adorable comment slide to focus on the more urgent matter.
Ayame smiled at him again as they prepared to unload from the chairlift. "Yes, positive." When they were on secure ground and out of view of the attendant at the top, she pulled him aside. Grasping either side of his face, she stood on her tiptoes in order to plant a scintillating kiss upon his lips. He ended up gripping her shoulders to brace himself and when she broke away, he followed and hungrily claimed her lips once more. He sought out the sweet spiciness of her soft mouth, nearly getting drunk off the blissful sensation.
Ayame giggled softly at his eagerness, but renewed her efforts to gain control of the kiss. Unfortunately, Kouga seemed to be dominating the whole affair, leaning in further and deepening the kiss.
When he finally regained control of himself and pulled back, both of them were breathing hard and Ayame was more than a little mussed.
"Well!" Ayame said, taking deep breaths of air as she raised a gloved finger. "I think I was originally going to make some sort of point with that kiss...like proving I wouldn't run off with anyone else or something... But I think it got lost somewhere in there along the way..."
Kouga grinned down at her flushed face. Removing one of his gloves, he reached out the bared hand and brushed a stray tendril of hair from her face. "Sorry I got so carried away," he said wryly.
Almost reverently, he ran his hand through the rest of her hair, marvelling at the softness of her red tendrils. Taking one lock between his fingers, he raised it to his lips and kissed it tenderly. Looking deep into her emerald eyes, he whispered, "You're beautiful..."
Ayame's cheeks darkened to the colour of her hair. "T-t-thank you," she stammered, not knowing what else to say. Taking his bare hand between her two gloved ones, she raised it up and kissed his fingertips. "You know, you're not too bad-looking yourself."
"Oh?" he inquired playfully, moving his hand to caress her cheek.
Tilting her head towards his touch, she gave him a hesitant look. "You know, this is really embarrassing to admit, but back when we first met, I thought you looked really, uh, nice–"
"Nice?" Kouga cut in in an amused tone.
"Heh, heh...okay...more like hot, I guess," Ayame mumbled quickly in embarrassment. "Anyways, I kind of...drew a picture of you..."
Kouga looked surprised. "A picture? Of me? Really?"
Ayame was avoiding his eyes like the plague. "Uh huh..." she mumbled again.
Kouga leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers, forcing her to look at him. "Do you think I could see it when we get back...?"
Ayame was shocked to see nothing but gentleness and affection in his gaze. Warily, she asked, "Do you think Sesshoumaru will be dressed again by the time we get back...?"
The thought stopped Kouga for a moment. "Well...we still have to walk all the way down the hill... I'm sure he'll have escaped Rin and found some clothes by then..." he said, not sounding entirely convinced.
"Well then, if that's the case, and let's hope it is, I guess you can see it," Ayame said, the joking tone back in her voice. Pulling back from him, she grabbed his hand and led him towards one of the lit slopes. "But for now, let's go play in the snow!"
Kouga shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled along. "Can't argue with that!"
..:V:..
When Kouga and Ayame returned to the condominium that night, Rin and Seshoumaru were nowhere to be found, presumably having gone back to their hotel. Kagome and Inuyasha were curled up together on the couch watching a last movie together. Further inspection of the place revealed Miroku sound asleep in Sango's bed and Sango herself sleeping propped up against it. The pair decided to leave them in peace and headed to Ayame's room instead.
She briefly showed him her sketch of him and then quickly tried to hide it again. He instead stopped her and asked if he could keep it. She reluctantly agreed and blushed again in embarrassment when he marvelled over her skill. They headed back downstairs and he stashed the sketch away in his jacket before the two of them joined the other couple in the living room.
When the movie ended, the boys decided to head back to their own condominium for the night and promised to meet up with the girls again before they all left for home in the morning. Kouga and Inuyasha opted to leave Miroku at the girls' place overnight in order not to disturb him and the girls solemnly swore not to ravish the boy in his time of vulnerability. On that humourous and slightly uneasy note, they all bid each other good night and headed off to their prospective beds.
The next morning, the girls slept in until nine o'clock. When they finally got up, showered and dressed, they started scrambling around the condo, finishing up any last minute packing.
Miroku was initially surprised to find himself in Sango's bed, but he quickly remembered the events of the night before. The girls treated him to breakfast and he did whatever he could to help them vacate the place.
Around eleven o'clock, they headed outside and started packing their stuff away in Kagome's van. Kouga and Inuyasha came over from their condo, and even Sesshoumaru and Rin had showed up again to see everyone off.
The group's various family members had headed home the previous day and so the kids would be driving home alone. With a few wistful glances back up at the mountain, they decided to start their farewells.
Ayame wrapped an arm around Kouga's neck and wailed into his shoulder. "Oh, Kouga! I can't believe we're parting like this!"
Kouga wrapped an arm around her waist and sucked in a breath as if to hold back tears. "I know...but we have to be strong... We...we can get through this."
"I don't know what to do without you!" Ayame protested, shaking her head violently in anguish. "I don't know if I can go on!"
Kouga raised a noble face to the sky. "You must, my dear sweet Ayame. You mustn't allow the ravages of time to break our precious bond."
Ayame gave a loud sniff. "You have to promise to write. If I cannot at least have your words next to my heart at all times, I will never make it!"
Kouga cupped the back of her head with his free hand. "I vow to you, on all my honour, that I shall. Now, if we must part, let us do it swiftly to save us the greater part of heartbreak."
Ayame nodded tragically as she stepped away.
"So..." Kouga said, dropping the dramatic tone. "See you next week?"
"Yep!" Ayame agreed with completely dry eyes and a bright smile on her face. "Send me an email or drop me a line and we'll sort something out."
"Later!" Kouga said, grinning and waving. Inuyasha and Miroku had driven their cars over to the girls' parking lot and so Kouga went over and hopped into the latter's.
Meanwhile, Sango was lecturing Miroku on how to stay healthy and not tax himself too much. "Your arm is your top priority right now," she admonished him. "Just because I won't be with you twenty-four seven doesn't mean you can be an idiot about it."
Miroku gave her a humourous look. "Yes, Sango dear... I'll try to be a good boy."
"See that you do," she said in a completely serious tone. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. It caused more than a few thoughts to spring to his mind and when they broke away, a grin full of implications hovered about his mouth. "You better not forget to call me," Sango warned darkly.
"Sango, I don't think I could if I tried," he told her honestly. With another grin, he continued, "I just can't get you out of my head at all."
Rolling her eyes, she gently pushed him away though she was hard-pressed to suppress her own smile. "Good-bye, lover boy," she told him dryly. "See you next week."
"Good-bye, my sweet," he said, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Until we meet again, I bid you adieu." With a last shared smile, the two of them parted and headed to their respective vehicles.
Inuyasha and Kagome watched their friends go before turning back to each other. "Well..." Kagome started, not really knowing what to say. "I guess it's time to go..."
"Yeah..." Inuyasha agreed, though neither made a move towards their cars.
"You know, I think this has been the best two weeks of my life," Kagome admitted to him, smiling warmly. "I can't even imagine a time when I've had more fun."
Inuyasha grinned in response. "It's certainly had its moments."
Kagome stepped forward and hugged him tightly. His arms automatically wrapped themselves around her waist. After a moment of silence, Kagome sighed. "I guess I better go..."
As she pulled away, Inuyasha caught sight of a single tear tumbling down her cheek. He lifted a hand to gently brush it away even as he gave her a questioning look. "You know, we do live in the same town. We're bound to run into each other sooner or later," he joked.
Kagome laughed and shook her head. "It's not out of sadness... But I guess it's not exactly joy either. I don't know what it is. I'm really very happy right now...but I'm sad the trip's over. It's like I have to wake up and say good-bye to this fairytale land."
Inuyasha leaned down and took her lips with his. Kissing her softly, he tried to convey a multitude of emotions. "You say goodbye, I say hello," he whispered against her lips. Pulling back and looking down at her with a gentle smile, he continued, "The fairytale's just getting started, Princess. We still have a ways to go. Don't let it end here."
Kagome looked at him in wonder for a moment before letting a smile spread over her own lips. "You're right," she agreed. "This is the just the beginning and it's not going to die so easily!" Hugging him tightly once more, she breathed in his warm presence. After a minute, she asked, "By the way, did you just quote the Beatles?"
"Maybe..."
Kagome laughed as she pulled away. "Just checking. Well, I guess I really actually better be going this time..."
"But it's definitely not the end," Inuyasha asserted.
"Of course not," she agreed. "We have a lot more adventures still to share..."
"More than you or I could count."
"I'll be looking forward to it!" she called as she walked backwards towards her car. "Bye, Inuyasha! See you at home!"
He gave her a half wave. "Bye, Kagome."
After a quick farewell exchange between Sesshoumaru and Rin and the girls, everyone piled into the cars and headed out; back to home and on to even greater adventures...
..:V:..
At a lone table, long forgotten and longer feared, concocting its next devious endeavour, lay the pink thong. It sat waiting, patiently waiting for its next victim to fall prey to its deceptive rhinestoned wiles...
A/N OMIGOD I'M DONE. AND WE ALL HAVE CAVITIES. RUN FOR THE DENTIST BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!
On another note...THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER READ THIS. It has been such an amazing experience to write this story and I'm so glad you all hung around for the ride. Even though my updates slowed to a snail's pace, I'm glad so many of you stuck by me until the end. You guys are all amazing and I hope this fic was able to brighten your days even just a little bit!
And IF, for some reason this incredibly sappy ending was not enough for you, there IS something else coming along. My dear friend Spacewolf, who has contributed countless ideas to this story, is in the process of writing an unofficial epilogue, which I shall probably post within the story itself.
ALSO keep an eye out for my special surprise to you all - The Deleted Scenes of King of the Hill. All of the hilarious scenes I considered putting in the story but backed out of ultimately. Or just funny scenarios within the story itself. I should have them all typed up soon, so keep an eye out for them on my bio page. I will most likely be posting them as a separate story so as not to tempt fate and get my baby fic deleted in some obscure, nonsensical manner. And by soon, I mean like within the week kind of thing, not another four months. ;)
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ AND LOVE IN THE SHADOWS – I shall now joyfully return to it! It has not been forgotten! It has not been abandoned! Now I will once again take it up and bring you down from its cliffhanger of doom... So stick with me! ;)
OKAY MY LOVELY READERS! FOR NOW, I SHALL LET YOU GO...WITH THIS: To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target:)
Happy days, all – bye for now!