Last night I dreamed I was chasing a pack of wolves, trying to belong.-Edgar Cayce
Untamed
By: The Hatter Theory
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Inu Yasha. I'm not making any money off of this.
A/N: Thank you all for the kind reviews. I am really, uber, ultra nervous about this, since I'm knew to writing Kouga as a character.
Another thank you to Velvet Sometimes, who waited patiently for me to get this typed up and sent to her in incoherent chunks for an opinion and for being my ego boosting cheerleader through the process.
Her apartment felt a lot bigger than it was. Maybe it was because she didn't have a lot of things, only what she could fit on the plane. She didn't even have bookshelves or furniture. Or plates. Just clothes and books and her camping equipment. Not even a bed. And all of her extra money was going to keep the apartment until a roommate showed up. Despite Inu Yasha's insistence, she couldn't take his money, not if he wasn't going to be there. Even if she was gaining him as a brother in law, whenever that did happen, she didn't want to feel like a leech and knew accepting any money, for whatever reason, would make her feel like a mooch.
"Crap," She muttered, wondering how she was going to find a roommate when she didn't even know anyone. Most people at the school probably already had roommates, and she wasn't even going to be there for a full year, definitely not incentive for someone to stay with her. She tried to count her blessing. Anchorage was one of the bigger cities, and she wasn't far from the downtown area or the school. It was small consolation, but she hoped that maybe someone just moving there might apply for a roommate and be fine with learning the area for a year before striking out on their own.
When she arrived back from grabbing a burger and soda, she noticed her door was slightly open.
"Okay, ignore statistics. You probably just didn't close it all the way when you left. Be calm, Kagome," She muttered under her breath as she peeked inside.
There were three duffel bags in the entry way, and a few boxes.
What the hell was going on?
She tip toed into the apartment, berating herself for not even having a cell phone to call the police.
The shower was running in the hall bathroom. She opened the door as quietly as she could and lamented not having a firearm like Kouga had -in a joking sort of way- recommended before he'd left the vacation house in Japan. Opting for the plunger -apparently standard, although why she didn't want to know- instead, she hefted it in her hand and went to grab the curtain. Immediately the water stopped and the pulled the curtain back, just as she was getting ready to swing the plunger at someone's head.
"Kouga?" She shrieked, glancing up and down in utter confusion and then turning away from his soaked form, intent on pretending she hadn't seen a thing.
"You needed a roommate, right?" He finally asked, reaching past her for the towel that had been sitting on top of the counter. Kagome palmed her face and willed the blush away.
"You could have said something!" She snapped.
He walked past her, wrapped in a towel and like he didn't posses a care in the world. He paused and looked over his shoulder, his face a mask of cool indifference, but his eyes dancing with mirth. "This way you can keep the apartment and deal with someone you know. And still be able to afford a firearm."
"Aww, how sweet, you came all this way to harass me into getting a gun," She snarled, losing her patience.
"No, I came for the outdoors study program."
"You?" Kagome asked, pointing, eyes wide.
"Inu Yasha told me about it, it sounds fun. Besides, I had to get the hell away from those two, ever since her hormones kicked in they've been at it like rabbits. Fucking disgusting."
"How, why-" She sputtered indignantly, determined to keep her eyes level his own own, even if the amusement in the ice blue depths made her want to club him with the plunger that was still clenched in her fists.
"I needed to figure something out to do. This seemed plausible enough," He snorted, smirking and turning away, revealing a long mass of black, wet hair going down his back. She realized that it was as long as hers, maybe longer.
He was out of the bathroom before she could respond, not that she could have formulated a response, or any sound other than stunned sputtering.
"I don't have much in the way of furniture," Kouga told her. "I lived in the guard building and moved around a lot."
"I didn't bring anything, I was worried about paying rent, so I didn't have anything shipped."
"It's probably time to go shopping then," He muttered, making it sound like it was a punishment.
"Ha-ha Kouga, with what, our looks? Well, yours maybe, not mine."
"I've got a credit card for the family account," He pointed out, looking vaguely amused.
"Great for you," She humphed, annoyed.
"I'm sure they'll understand if I help out my roommate, especially since she's going to explain to me what it is I'm doing in Alaska."
"Your logic is skewed and you know what you're doing in Alaska."
"Hey, if you're getting a good deal out of it, why complain? Do you like using your sleeping bag as a bed?"
He had a point.
"It looks like something out of a hospital," He muttered, staring at what she had pointed at.
"Who cares, it's a bed, I'm only sleeping in it," Kagome told him, adamant. She dug in her heels. It was the cheapest bed there, and she'd be damned if she was going to get something more expensive. She had to be able to pay him back. Even if he didn't care about it, she did.
"Are you sure?" He began again, eyes still pinned to the small futon frame and mattress.
"Positive. It's a good bed, stop bugging me about it," She said, voice hinting at her obvious impatience. So what if it was utilitarian. It's not like she was going to be sleeping with anyone in it. She was not in another country to play around, and she was going to be out on the land for most of her trip, at least she hoped so. Even if she knew what all of her gear was and how to use it, she hadn't had a chance to actually use any of it, and more than anything she wanted to impress the professors that would be helping her. Which meant no messing around. Besides, why pay a lot for a bed she'd rarely be using?
He seemed to take the hint and walked over to a salesperson while she meandered over to the couch section of the small furniture store. Most of them were some sort of leather, and when she sat on them experimentally, they were either hard or overstuffed, none quite comfortable. Kouga walked over and watched her, amused smirk in place as he crossed his arms.
"Find anything yet?"
"No," She groaned, getting up. She shouldn't even be worried about it. It was his family's credit card, so it was his decision. A bed was one thing, but a couch was something shared and out in the open. Ultimately it would be his choice.
"Then why are you still sitting there?" He asked, looking at her as if she was being stupid.
"What do you mean?"
"Help me find one," He demanded. "It just better not be some pink, flowery thing," He added with a sneer, as if the very idea was enough to give him nausea. She was almost tempted to find the most feminine, garish piece of furniture in the store, but held back. She'd be using it too, and she didn't want to sit on something flowery, it would drive her nuts.
She went through several more, growing more and more irritated. Obviously people valued style over substance, or else Americans were used to sitting on planks of wood. There could be no other explanation for the hard as a rock pieces that passed for couches.
When she came to an ugly brown one she almost dismissed it out of hand. It had just enough green in it's shade to remind her of feces. But it looked soft, at least compared to the rest, and she'd almost gone through the entire stock anyway. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned and plopped down onto it. Or would have, if she had not sunk into a heavenly softness absent in the other couches.
"This one," She sighed, wondering where Kouga was and how she was going to convince him to buy it. She wasn't sure she could live with one of the others after sitting in the -granted ugly- one she was in danger of melting into.
"This couch is amazing," Kagome sighed when he finally stopped in front of her, brows raised and mouth pinched in distaste.
"That color is fucking awful."
"But it feels amazing," She rebutted. "Sit down, seriously, just sit down."
He complied, sinking deep into the cushion next to her. From the surprised look on his face, she could tell he liked it immediately and gave a mental cheer, even more determined by the small success.
"It's ugly."
"Then don't seduce a girl on it, or get slip covers for it. Actually, still don't seduce a girl on it, I want to be able to sit on this without vomiting."
"Don't bang any men on it then, and we have a deal."
She tried not to flinch at his word choice.
"Even if I could seduce someone, I'd never do it on this couch. In the kitchen maybe," She added thoughtfully, making a joke of it.
"The kitchen?" He sounded skeptical.
"Shower then?"
"Too slippery."
"Never on a couch this ugly," She declared with a firm nod of her head.
"But it is comfortable," He conceded, looking amused.
"I knew I could get you to see my side of it," She laughed, getting up and going to find one of the store employees.
"Why can't we just get a burger," She whined.
"Because I want real food, and I'm paying."
"Doesn't the girl get to pick?"
"Women never eat real food," He muttered.
Kagome was still sputtering like an angry cat when he led her into the steak house. By the time she stopped, he had ordered two beers for them without even consulting her. Despite sputtering angrily she showed her id, giving in only when he had pointed out -again- that he was the one paying.
The drinks came with menus, and he glanced over it briefly before deciding what to order. Kagome decided just as quickly, earning a sharp worded comment about being singular among women for making quick decisions. She took a sip of her drink and her eyes lit up as she read the label. Her english was superb, but the script on the bottle was beyond confusing.
"This isn't half bad," She said, taking another sip of the beer.
"So when do you intend to buy a firearm?"
"Are you still on that? When I can find a decent one."
"I have a spare .45," He said casually.
"A spare?" She mocked, taking another sip of the drink.
"I bought a new one, the one you shot is for sale, if it's someone I trust."
"Guess I'm out of luck, you barely know me and have no reason whatsoever to trust me."
"I trust the people I train."
"Oh. What about permits?"
"Alaska doesn't require one."
She continued nursing her drink, and when the waitress came back, he was obviously surprised by her order of steak and vegetables. And another drink.
"No salads?" He mocked.
"I believe in real food thank you very much, especially if someone else is paying."
"At least you're honest."
"So why are you here? You keep saying you thought the outdoors program would be fun, but I don't think fun is something someone would drop everything for," She said. "Do you even know what's entailed?"
"I've been cooped up in cities, government buildings and palaces for longer than I care to think about," He answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Inu Yasha told me a little about it, I looked it up, and he used whatever clout he had to get me in the program. I needed out of Japan for awhile and doing this seemed expedient and fun."
"Fun?"
"It's fun to annoy the shit out of you."
"You really are a piece of work," She muttered.
"I strive to be the best," He mocked, tipping his beer at her before taking another long pull from the bottle.
She had the feeling he didn't want to talk about it, which was strange. Although after a moment's contemplation, she supposed being forced into the imperial guard under the guise of family honor probably didn't sit well with him. He seemed too rough around the edges for such work, and if anything he seemed to dislike even thinking about it. Given those small bits of information, she guessed that if she ad been him, she would want out of Japan.
Suddenly it made more sense, his impulsive decision and even surly behavior.
"Do you know anything about camping?" She asked, trying again.
"A bit," He said, taking another sip of his beer.
"A bit?" She sputtered.
"Isn't that what I'm here to learn?"
Oh gods.
"Do you even have any equipment?" She demanded, wondering why she was even bothering. Immediately she was reminded of why she didn't like him. Too careless, too brash. Obviously he had no idea what he was getting into, and it was making a joke of her own efforts. She hadn't come to Alaska to baby sit some rich man-child in search of fun.
"Inu Yasha gave me his," He shrugged.
She tried counting to ten before speaking again.
"Inu Yasha had a really good setup. And he knew how to use everything."
"I know how to set up a tent and roll out a sleeping bag."
"Can you patch a tent?" She demanded.
"Sure."
"Do you have nay idea how to start a fire?"
He paused and then smiled. "Matches."
"Inu Yasha bought a magnesium fire starter and wet proof tinder specifically for camping in the snow."
"Magnesium?"
"It's friction based. You strike it and the sparks catch the tinder."
"Okay, that's not so hard then," He said, smirking as she stared him down.
"What about cooking?"
"A spit?"
She tried not to gag.
"There was a teflon coated mess kit."
He nodded, still looking unconcerned.
"Water filtration?" She sighed.
"We'll be surrounded by snow. No reason you can't melt it and drink that."
She wanted to bang her head into the table, good nature and empathy be damned.
"Pedometer, GPS, compass, radio?"
"I can use a GPS and radio."
She gave in to the urge to at least pinch her nose.
"Do you even understand what camping in the wilderness will be like?" She finally sighed, wondering if he would catch the first now and head back for Japan. Miracles did happen, after all.
"I used to a lot when I was younger. Survival camping with my family. It won't be a problem readjusting," He said, voice serious for the first time since she had broached the subject. "I won't see snow or bears or wolves and run. I'm not going to leave just because things get uncomfortable. Survival camping," He said with a faint smirk, an unpleasant one at that, "It means none of the fancy stuff Inu Yasha bought for his kit. So I'm sure I can handle it."
"You've been working with the imperial guard for the past several years. How can you say you'll just get right back into the swing of things?" She demanded incredulously. "It's not a joke. Camping in Alaska is dangerous. You haven't even tried carrying the gear for a few hours. And you don't have to be afraid of just bears. You could get sunstroke or dehydrated or hypothermia, any number of things."
"I know that."
"Are you serious about any of this?"
His face darkened, and for a moment she wondered if she'd not only hit a nerve, but if he was going to leave the restaurant.
"I am serious. First, I'm more than willing to trade lessons with you-"
"What could you teach me?"
"You need to learn how to use a weapon. Especially after some of the reading I've done. Here it's just wild animals that might attack you. In Russia you'll be facing poachers and worse. I can train you on how to use a gun and how to defend yourself with or without it. You can show me how to use all of the equipment Inu Yasha gave me. It seems like a fair trade to me."
"Why do you want this so badly?" She shot out, feeling defensive in the face of his angry tone.
"Because it's a chance to get out on the land, away from lots of people."
"You can't just go survival camping with your family again?" She bit out flippantly.
"No."
There was no explanation, no more than just one word, but that single word held a wealth of meaning.
"Do you really care about learning to do this, and do it right?" She finally asked, still skeptical.
He nodded quietly, ice blue eyes hard.
"Fine."
The rest of their dinner was eaten in a tense silence, neither choosing to speak until they parted ways in their apartment, muttering quiet, somewhat hostile goodnights.