DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha. I'm just a fan of the show. All rights to the character belong to its creator Rumiko Takahashi.
NOTE: Whenever you see words or paragraphs at the beginning of my chapters that are italicized it's referring to events that happened in the past. That's how most chapters in my story will begin. Later on it returns to the future. I want to give my readers more information on Kagome and Inuyasha's history. Please try to remember this.
CHAPTER 3: TENSION
Spill it girl!
Kagome looked at her best friend Ayame in confusion. "Spill what?"
"Don't feign innocence with me. I see that starry faraway look you have in your eyes."
"I don't have a starry faraway look in my eyes."
"And the sky isn't blue. Who are you trying to fool? I've known you long enough to know when someone has caught your attention."
Kagome blushed at her best bud since the 6th grade and then stared out of her bedroom window.
Ayame smiled at her affectionately. "So who is he?"
"His name is Inuyasha."
Ayame furrowed her brow and pressed her lips together. The name didn't sound familiar.
"He doesn't attend Daigon County High with us. Does he?"
Kagome nodded no.
"He must go to Malei High then."
Kagome nodded no again.
"Well what high school does he attend? Daigon and Malei are the only high schools in this county."
"He doesn't attend a high school around here."
"Then he must live in another city."
"Not exactly."
"Since you want to beat around the bush about what high school he attends I'm gonna assume that he's probably a drop-out."
"No! That's not it. I mean, I don't really know."
"Which is it Kagome?"
"He's not in school anymore."
"Then he must be a drop-out."
"No! He graduated already. At least I think he did."
"Either he did or he didn't."
"I don't really know."
"I know you don't. You don't know anything about him. Do you?"
Kagome nodded yes.
"You don't know anything about the guy and you're already pining after him. You're a hopeless romantic girly."
Kagome blushed and turned away from window. "I can't help it. He's the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen."
"Creature? He's a demon?"
Kagome nodded again before turning a curious gaze towards her friend.
"Whoa! I didn't know you were into demons girl?"
"Ayame you're my best friend and you're a demon."
"Yeah, but being friends with a demon and dating one are two different things."
"Well I never said that I wouldn't date a demon. I just never gave it any consideration because I never saw one that really caught my eye."
"True, and probably because there aren't many that we go to school with."
"Maybe. I don't know."
"Okay tell me. What's so great about this one? What is it about him that's got you so captivated?"
Kagome smiled and shifted her gaze from Ayame to her window again, admiring the bright stars shining like diamonds in the night sky.
"He's really gorgeous. He has thick, long, silver-white hair. It tumbles down his back in waves like silvery moonlight. His skin is smooth and tanned. You can tell he stays out in the sun for a really long time. He's in really, really good shape, at least his upper half is."
Ayame smirked and giggled at Kagome. "What about the bottom half?"
"I didn't see that part of him just the upper torso, but I guess it's safe to assume the bottom half is just as delectable too."
Ayame whistled and Kagome giggled before continuing her description of Inuyasha.
"He has a really narrow waist and the sexiest patch of silver hair just below his navel." Kagome closed eyes for a moment, remembering all the thoughts that ran through her head when she met him three weeks ago. "He has really sharp fangs incased in the most alluring pair of lips that I've ever seen."
"Those fangs can cut you too." Ayame joked.
"Well it's a cut I'd gladly accept. I wish you could see him Ayame. He has these golden-amber eyes that just burn into your soul. And his ears. He has the most adorable dog ears. They looked so beautiful and soft and furry. I wanted to rub them so bad as soon as I saw them."
"Dog ears? Is he a hanyou?"
"How did you know?"
"Because you never see full demons with a pair of dog ears. As a matter of fact you hardly ever see mixed bred demons."
"Who cares? He's gorgeous and they're my favorite part of his body."
"You sure your favorite part isn't that patch of hair below his navel?" Ayame teased.
Kagome blushed before forcing her gaze to her best friend.
"What? You're the one that said it was sexy. I saw the way you looked after you said it, closing your eyes in anticipation."
"Oh Kami-Sama but he's so gorgeous. I can't help it. Whenever I looked at him he made me feel the strangest things."
Ayame's gaze went from playful to serious. "What strange things?"
Kagome walked over to her window and leaned against it but kept her gaze on her best friend as she spoke. "My heart starting beating really fast and my stomach twisted into knots. Every time I looked at him it was like a volt of electricity shooting through my body. With just one piercing gaze he sent shivers down my spine. I felt magnetically drawn to him. It was so intense that I couldn't look away from him if I wanted to."
"Whoa! Sounds pretty heavy."
"I know. I've never felt like that before with anyone."
"Not even with Hojo or Tenchi?"
Kagome nodded no. "I don't know what it is about him. I just know that I'm drawn to him in a way I've never been drawn to a man before."
"Man?"
Kagome blushed and forced her gaze away from her best friend. She'd forgotten to mention that her current crush was a grown man with a soon to be seven year old son.
"Kagome? How old is this guy?"
"He's a little bit older than me."
"How little? 18? 19?"
"A little older than that."
"How much older?"
"Just 24."
"24! That's eight years! He's totally robbing the cradle!"
"It's not that bad. I'm going to be 17 in a few months. So technically he's not quite eight years older than me."
"He's not trying to date you, is he?"
"He doesn't even know I exist."
"That's good because he's too old for you."
"Eight years isn't that bad.
"Yes it is."
"No it's not. If I was 20 and he was 28 nobody would even care."
"Well here's the thing Kagome. You're not 20. You're still 16."
"I'll be an adult in another year. So what's the problem?"
"The problem is you're not an adult now. If this guy has sex with you he could get thrown in jail."
"Who's talking about sex?"
"Kagome, the guy is 24 years old. What if you and he start dating and he wants to sleep with you? Has the whole concept of him being sexually active never crossed your mind?"
"Look, I know he's already had sex before."
"But you never have."
"Well I can't stay a virgin forever."
"Would you listen to yourself?"
"I'm joking Ayame."
"You'd better be!"
"Seriously, I really don't see what the big deal is. So what if I have feelings for a grown man."
"Because he's a grown man and he's probably use to things that you've never even dreamed about."
"Everything isn't about sex Ayame."
"For you maybe but that's all guys ever think about. Trust me. I have four older brothers and it's all they ever talk about."
"Stop trying to make me feel bad."
"I'm not trying to make you feel bad Kagome. I'm just trying to get you to see the big picture here. You're too young to be dating someone that much older than you."
Kagome groaned and shot Ayame an angry glare. "I don't care if he's 24 and I'm 16. It's not that big of a deal."
"It is a big deal Kagome."
"It's not to me. I don't care if he's eight years older than me. I don't even care that he has a 6 year old son. I really don't."
Ayame gasped and stared at Kagome in shock.
Kagome looked away from her best friend.
"He has a child?"
Kagome's eyes fell upon the burgundy carpet of her bedroom floor.
"Kagome?"
"Yes he has a child!"
"Wow! You sure do know how to pick them buddy."
"Don't make fun of me."
"I'm not. It's just that I never expected you to fall in love with a grown man."
"I'm not in love with him, maybe just infatuated."
"Well if you're not too careful with that infatuation it can turn into love. So you'd better watch yourself. It wouldn't do you any good to fall in love with an older man."
"I can be infatuated with him if I want to. It's not like he'd ever give me the time of day. He knows that I'm too young anyways."
"And that you're inexperienced."
Kagome glared at Ayame.
"I'm only stating the obvious. Demons can sniff out just about anything especially dog demons. So I'm pretty sure he's already smelled your inexperience."
Kagome cracked a smile at Ayame who had begun sniffing the air.
"You look silly Ayame."
"Hey! Do you think this guy is a butt sniffer?"
"What?"
"He is half dog isn't he?"
"Ayame you watch too much television."
"Dogs do sniff each other's butts."
Kagome shook her head and laughed at her best friend. She always managed to say the strangest things.
"What do you mean lost?" Kagome practically yelled into the phone. "I need those suitcases. I don't have time to wait for you guys to figure out what happened to them."
Inuyasha smirked before sending Kagome a humorous smile.
Kagome rolled her eyes at him and began to pace the floor.
"This doesn't make any sense. It's been nearly four days and you people still haven't figured out what happened to my luggage."
Kagome groaned and looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a black tank top and a pair of red and black checkered boxers, both of which she borrowed from Inuyasha. The only clothes she had with her was what she wore when she arrived in Furigana four days ago and that too little shirt Inuyasha had given her to sleep in. She had nothing to wear and she refused to purchase new clothes because her suitcases were stuffed with clothes. So, until she found them, she was stranded with her brother in law and his children.
Inuyasha watched as Kagome paced the floor in irritation. She'd been on the phone for nearly an hour trying to locate her missing luggage. He watched as the boxers she wore kept slipping just a fraction below her hips. They were too big for her but they were the smallest pair he could find. She was also wearing his black tank top which was too big but it fit her just right and she wasn't wearing a bra. He was in heaven. It was actually funny to watch her pace around with her cell phone in one hand and the waist of his boxers in the other one.
"It's Higurashi Kagome. My name is written on both of the suitcases in black. The suitcases are turquoise and yellow."
Turquoise and yellow? What? "Doesn't sound like a good color combination to me."
Kagome pulled the phone away from her ear and turned to face him. "I wasn't talking to you dog demon and for your information turquoise and yellow look great together."
"I bet it doesn't."
Kagome growled at him. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Not really and besides this is my house."
"Please don't remind me. It's the very last place that I want to be."
"Well nobody's begging you to stay here."
Kagome rolled her eyes at him again and resumed her conversation on the phone. She waited for the new information but unfortunately her luggage still hadn't been located. She sighed and looked at Inuyasha.
"Do you mind if I give your home phone number to Sato Airlines? I want to leave them two contact numbers."
"Keh. What's in it for me?"
"Come on Inuyasha!"
"Kiss my feet!" He joked.
Kagome balled up a fist and waved it at him before giving his telephone number to the customer care center of Sato Airlines. Then she ended her phone call.
"I didn't say you could give out my phone number."
"Well I guess I owe you a favor then."
"Anything I want?"
"Yeah whatever."
"I'm gonna hold you to that Higurashi."
Kagome cast a glance at Inuyasha wearily, wondering what he had in mind. "What's going on in that head of yours Ishikawa? You'd better not be thinking of anything weird. If you are you can forget it."
"No I can't because you already agreed. You said anything I want."
"I meant within reason Inuyasha."
"Well you should've clarified that."
"I can't win with you. Can I?"
"Nope. May as well give up and comply with my demands."
"When hell freezes over."
"That can be arranged."
"Where are the kids?"
"The twins are over my sister's house and Kenshin is outside washing his bike."
"Maybe I should go outside and help him wash it. It beats sitting around the house with you."
"Nobody's begging you to stay here wench! You can leave at any time."
"Trust me. If I had my luggage I'd be gone already."
"You're just saying that. You probably lost your luggage on purpose."
"And what reason would I have for losing my luggage purposefully?"
Inuyasha smirked. "So you could spend some extra time with me."
Kagome gasped. "You wish! Why would I want to spend time with you?"
"Why wouldn't you want to spend time with me?"
"Don't flatter yourself dog-boy. You're not irresistible."
"My name isn't dog-boy and I am irresistible."
"No. You're very resistible."
"Oh really?"
"Yes."
"Then why are you parading around my living room in that get-up?"
"You're the one that gave it to me!"
"Well you didn't have to put it on."
"Of course I had to put it on. I couldn't just walk around here naked."
"It's a free world and I certainly wouldn't mind."
"The day I walk around this house naked is the day I grow dog ears."
Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest and laughed at her. "Too bad you're not hanyou."
"Thank heavens." Kagome said before combing her fingers through her tousled hair.
Inuyasha stared at her as she stretched and twisted her fingers in her hair. She'd forgotten about those loose boxers again. They slid pass her waist and were now hanging dangerously low at her hips. He licked his lips. If his boxers slipped any lower pass her hips he'd die a sweet and tormenting death.
"Sweet Kami-Sama!" He muttered.
Kagome looked over to Inuyasha and glowered. "What's your problem now?"
"Hair."
Kagome stared at him in confusion before assuming he was referring to her untamed mane. "Screw you Inuyasha! I know my hair looks like crap. Who said yours is a sight to see?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "You don't shave."
Kagome furrowed her brow and lifted her arms. "Of course I shave. Underarm hair is gross."
"Underarm hair isn't gross, not that it matters either way to me."
"Well it matters me."
"Keh. Who said I was talking about underarm hair anyways?"
"You were. You said I didn't shave. So I had to correct you."
"I wasn't talking about your pits." He smirked.
"Well what else could you have been talking about?"
Inuyasha's gaze went from Kagome's pelvis to her eyes and then back to their original destination. Then he winked at her as his cheeks burned with amusement and something else that he refused to acknowledge.
Kagome followed his eyes before hesitantly meeting his gaze. Inuyasha's boxers were hanging way too low and she immediately knew why he was staring at her. She gasped before grabbing the waist of his boxers.
"Oh my God!"
Inuyasha flew into a fit of hysterics.
"Oh my God!"
"I knew you had a lot of hair Kagome but I had no idea there was so much down below."
Kagome's cheeks flamed red and burned with embarrassment. "Why you disgusting little pervert! I'm gonna kill you!" She roared.
Inuyasha continued to laugh before Kagome flung her body at him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and began choking him. Her hands were so small that they couldn't hurt him even if she wanted them to.
Kagome growled when she realized he was still laughing at her and then lifted her leg. "You think that's funny? Let me show you what I think is funny."
Inuyasha laughed so hard till tears fell from his eyes.
"Laugh at this dog-boy!" Kagome growled before kneeing him between his legs.
Inuyasha's smile immediately turned into a frown.
"Not so funny is it?" Kagome said before kneeing him again.
This time he fell down on the floor and yelped.
Kagome then began kicking him.
"Okay Higurashi! I get the point."
Kagome ignored him and continued to kick at him.
"Cut it out Kagome!"
"I'll stop when I feel like stopping."
Inuyasha growled before grabbing Kagome's leg. He pulled her forward and she fell right on top of him.
"What are you trying to do, give me blue-balls?"
"Serves you right for staring at me! God! I never knew you were such a pervert!"
"I'm not a pervert."
"Yes you are! These boxers slid down my waist and you knew that I was exposing myself and you didn't say anything. How would you like it if you were in the same predicament and I saw your cock?"
Inuyasha swallowed hard as his muscles tightened in his stomach.
"That can be arranged."
Kagome growled before reaching up to pull his ears.
"Ow! Watch it Kagome! I'm really sensitive there."
"Don't I know it."
"Let go!"
Kagome ignored him and continued to pull on his ears. "How bad do you need these?"
"Kagome! That hurts!"
"I know. That's why I'm gonna pull them until you learn your lesson."
"Believe me I've learned it."
Kagome pulled on his ears and screamed really loudly into them.
Inuyasha glared at her before yanking her hands away from his ears. "Are you trying to make me deaf?" He asked before trying to flatten his ears against his hair but couldn't.
Kagome glared back at him before looking at his ears. She noticed immediately that the skin on the inside of them was very, very pink. They were probably sore. She smiled at her accomplishment and inched her hands back up towards them.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Checking out my handiwork."
"That's not necessary."
"Let me take a look. They look painful."
"You'd better not pull them again."
"I won't."
Kagome touched Inuyasha's ears with her fingers, gently rubbing the skin on the inside. It was smooth and very delicate and it was extremely soft beneath her fingers.
She suddenly felt guilty. She'd forgotten how sensitive his ears really were. If he hadn't gotten her so angry she would've just threw something at him instead of pulling on his ears.
Inuyasha relaxed and leaned into her touch. He thought about lifting her from the floor and tossing her down the hall but those little fingers of hers were working their unforgettable magic on his ears.
Kagome sighed enjoying the feel of Inuyasha's furry smooth ears. With her being this close to him she could smell the fresh scent of cedar and bergamot on his skin. He smelled unbelievable. She felt herself shifting closer to him to inhale his aroma.
"Don't take this the wrong way but you smell really good Inuyasha."
"Really? You like the way I smell?"
"Yeah. It's very earthy."
Inuyasha smirked. "You're trying to seduce me again."
"Get real." Kagome said before releasing his ears briefly. "Is that better?"
"Almost. I think a little kiss would make it all better."
Kagome smiled sneakily before leaning down towards Inuyasha. She brought her lips to his ears and lightly kissed both of them and then began caressing them again. "Is that better?"
Inuyasha replied with a nod. "I guess. How about we try the lips next time?"
"I don't think so."
"Don't want to get addicted do you?"
Kagome laughed and playfully punched him. "I'm sorry for pulling your ears."
"You should be."
"But you deserved it. You shouldn't have stared at me like that."
"And you shouldn't have flashed me."
"I didn't! You are so unbelievable!"
"Unbelievably dreamy. Right?"
"Dad? Aunt Kagome?"
Inuyasha and Kagome both froze for a moment before lifting their gaze to their new audience.
Kenshin was staring down at them with a look of confusion and humor on his face.
"Kenshin!" Inuyasha and Kagome both replied nervously.
"What's going on?" He asked them.
"Uh, we sort of fell down." Kagome said before forcing her gaze from her nephew's face.
"On top of each other?"
"Yeah. I tripped over a book and then your aunt tripped over my legs."
Kenshin looked around them, already knowing that his father was lying. He brought a long claw to his jet-black hair and pretended to scratch his unruly mane as his hanyou ears twitched about wildly. His nose also began to pick up an unfamiliar scent.
"I don't see any book dad and if Aunt Kagome tripped over your legs, shouldn't her body be turned in the opposite direction?"
Inuyasha cursed his misfortune. He never could fool his son.
"Kenshin honey, I know how this looks, but it's really not that bad." Kagome said to stop his overactive mind.
Kenshin stared at her strangely before noticing that Kagome's hands were attached to his father's ears. He broke out into a wide grin as something suddenly came back to his memory.
"Dad, why is Aunt Kagome rubbing your ears?"
"I hurt myself." Inuyasha lied.
"I thought you told me that it's not good to let a girl rub your ears because it would make you wanna…
"Kenshin!"
"What? You told me I couldn't do it!"
"You can't!"
"Then why are you letting Aunt Kagome rub yours? Aren't you gonna have the same reaction?"
Inuyasha blushed angrily as Kagome's gaze went from Inuyasha's to his son's. What the heck were they talking about? "Am I missing something here?" She finally asked.
Inuyasha groaned as he shifted beneath Kagome's body.
Kenshin stared at them both as he suddenly noticed the alien aroma emanating from Kagome and the even stronger one coming from his father.
"You smell funny Aunt Kagome."
"What?" Kagome asked oblivious to Kenshin's keen senses.
"You smell funny too dad, really funny."
"I need a bath." Inuyasha groaned.
"I thought you already took one."
"Don't you have a bike to clean?"
"I finished it already."
"Well go wash my bike then."
"Dad! I hate washing your motorcycle. You get too much dirt on it."
"I'll pay you."
"Sweet!" Kenshin shouted, forgetting about his aunt and father and running out of the house.
Kagome hurried and lifted her body from Inuyasha's. Then he stood up after her.
"You pulled me on top of you on purpose. Didn't you?"
"I did no such thing."
"Excuse me for not believing you but that's the second time this week that your son has caught us in a compromising position."
"Last time it was my fault. This time was all you."
"How so?"
"You flung yourself at me."
"You would blame me. If your mind wasn't in the gutter all the time I wouldn't have attacked you."
"Don't pretend you're innocent!"
"I am! You're the one always throwing your sexuality at me."
"I do not!"
"Yes you do Inuyasha. Who's always the first to take advantage of a totally innocent situation? You! And who's the one always staring at me or making sexual comments about my anatomy? You and only you!"
"Keh. Don't act like you don't like it."
"I don't!"
"Well you could've fooled me."
"Whatever! Just keep your hands to yourself."
"That goes double for you. You touch me just as much as I touch you."
"Yeah but you always initiate it."
"Oh come off of it Kagome. You and I both know that you never could resist me."
"You need to get over yourself because I'm not after you like that."
"Are you sure about that? I still haven't forgotten the way you used to stare at me when you thought I wasn't looking."
Kagome grew quiet and looked away from Inuyasha. How dare he bring that up!
"I saw you every time."
"I was a silly teenager back then."
"You're still silly."
"Shut up!"
"Those days seem like a lifetime ago. Don't they?"
"They were a lifetime ago Inuyasha."
"Time flew by too quickly."
"Not for me it didn't." Kagome mumbled.
"Why do you say that?"
"Can we talk about something else?"
"Ooh! Am I pushing your buttons?"
"Drop dead!" Kagome muttered before turning to walk away from him.
"Hey!" Inuyasha said before grabbing Kagome's arm. "Are you mad?"
"I'm fine. I just wanna go lie down."
Inuyasha let his gaze fall upon Kagome. He was touching her but she refused to face him. He'd brought up something that obviously still bothered her. She couldn't possibly still have feelings for him. Could she? He suddenly felt guilty. If she did have feelings for him then perhaps he should stop throwing his sexually laced jokes at her.
"Look Kagome…
"I'm sorry Inuyasha. I really am. Please don't worry about me."
Inuyasha almost flinched at the sound of her voice. That was the second time in two days that she told him that. How could she tell him not to worry about her? He couldn't remember a time when he didn't worry about her.
The sound of footsteps and voices broke Inuyasha and Kagome from their conversation and they both looked up to find Sango staring at the both of them.
"Is everything okay guys?"
Inuyasha let his hand fall away from Kagome's arm before turning toward his sister.
"Hey sis! Where are the girls?" He asked, deliberately ignoring Sango's question.
"They're in the car sleeping with their cousin Miatsu. Miroku is gonna bring them in."
"I'll go help him." Inuyasha replied before swiftly exiting his home.
Sango stared after him before shifting her gaze to Kagome.
"Is everything okay?"
"Everything's fine Sango."
"Then why are you donning that forlorn expression?"
"It's okay Sango. Really?"
Sango stared at the younger woman who she loved liked a little sister. There was something bothering her even if she refused to admit it.
"Kagome?"
"Don't ask okay. I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind. Please don't worry about me."
"Okay. I won't ask, but please don't tell me not to worry about you because that's something I'll always do."
Kagome nodded before attempting to head back to the room she'd been staying in for the past four days.
"Hey Kagome? How long are you going to be staying here?"
"I don't know. Maybe a few weeks. I have the entire summer off."
"Good for you."
"Just one of the perks of being a school teacher." Kagome replied to make conversation with Sango. She desperately wanted to get back to her room.
"Well pencil a day in for me so we can catch up on our girl talk." Sango said before shooting Kagome a warm smile.
"I can definitely do that." Kagome replied with a smile back at her good friend.
"I better go help my brother bring in the twins."
Kagome nodded and began to walk away but stopped again when Sango called her name.
"Yes."
"I just remembered why I asked how long you were going to be staying here."
"What is it?"
"I saw one of you ex-boyfriend's when I was in the grocery store today and he asked about you."
Kagome frowned. Who'd be asking about her?
"I wasn't for sure if I should tell you. You guys didn't part on good terms, but I feel like you should be prepared should you see him again."
Kagome felt her heart quicken. She already knew who Sango was talking about and yet she found herself asking anyway.
"Bankotsu."
Hey readers! I managed to get another chapter out for you. I want to give a big thanks to everyone who's taken the time out to review my story. If you've enjoyed this chapter please let me know by reviewing. Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. I love you guys!
~ASIAN*DELICACY~