Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

I know, I know: you're shocked I'm still alive and typing. It's completely understandable. Second semester of college was absolute hell (there is honestly no better way to put it), but thankfully summer is here so I'm actually typing. A lot. My time is usually split between binge watching Grey's Anatomy and working on my stories here and when Grey's Anatomy pisses me off (which is very often actually), I type more so that is why you have this chapter. Enjoy!

Walking Tightropes

Chapter 18: Horrible Headlines and Booze

There weren't that many parties I wanted to go to anymore, but sometimes, when surrounded by the right drunk people, they were okay. Well that and maybe I was a bit too excited about my first date with InuYasha to care.

-x-

When I woke up this morning, I realized that I had to call somebody and tell them about what happened last night. If I kept this information to myself any longer there was a high chance that I'd explode.

Even though she was my first choice, I opted out of calling Sango because Sango had the tendency to bitch me out for calling before noon on the day after she was out late partying. I thought about calling both Erin and Ayame at the same time, but Erin was also an infamous grump in the morning and she might remind me about her threat to torture me if I broke Inuyasha's heart so, in the end, Ayame won the opportunity of being the first to hear the news.

I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"So, you are not going to believe this." I paused a second for dramatics. "Inuyasha asked me out!"

"What!" Ayame whisper-shouted."Congratulations! I always knew you two would get together."

"Yeah, thanks— but why are you whispering?" Really, a moment like this called for loud celebration and lots of gasping and "oh my god!"s. I was almost insulted by Ayame's lack of enthusiasm.

"…" Ayame mumbled something under her breath but it was too muffled for me to decipher.

"I'm sorry, what was that? You really need to speak up."

"Kouga's still sleeping," Ayame mumbled again, just loud enough for me to hear. "That's why I'm whispering."

"… Wow."

"Now I did put up some resistance," Ayame argued before I even got started. "You saw me at the carnival, right?"

"Yeah and a lot must have changed at the karaoke bar because the last thing I saw was Kouga chasing after you; but look where you are now: his bed." I clucked my tongue. "Come on, now."

"I showed restraint, I swear!" Ayame shouted this time and I guessed Kouga's beauty sleep didn't matter so much anymore. "I rode to the spot with Miroku and Sango, I deliberately sat between Erin and Inuyasha so he couldn't sit next to me, I refused his offer to get me a drink— I didn't even look him in the eyes when he sang a song to me!"

"Did you look at him?"

"That's beside the point." I started laughing and Ayame hurried on. "Look, I said no five times and—"

"And those blue irises of his just really got to you the sixth time," I finished for her, laughing again when Ayame huffed through the phone.

"I'm in love, sue me."

"You're such a sucker," I snickered.

"I'm forgetting why you called," Ayame said. "I'm about to hang up."

"No, wait!" I stopped her, biting my lip to stop laughing. "I'm done teasing you, I swear. Let's talk about me now. Let's talk about Inuyasha."

"Like starting with when the hell did he ask you out?" Ayame questioned and I could hear her moving in the background. She probably decided not to disturb Kouga with our conversation. "We didn't leave the karaoke bar until midnight."

"He stopped by after that."

"And you let him in your house after midnight?" Ayame gasped before muttering, "And you say I have no restraint. What, did those amber eyes and doggie ears really get to you last night?"

"We watched The Office," I said with no inflection. "And then he just… asked me out. Tonight."

"Tonight? Why didn't you tell me!" Ayame demanded. "I'm coming over right now to help you pick out something to wear. I'll pick up Erin on my way over. I'm pretty sure she's crashed at Ginta and Hakkaku's. Shit! I rode here with Kouga and I don't have my car. You know what, I'll just wake him up right now and tell him to drop me off at my house and then—"

"No, don't come," I cut her off. "The newspaper is having a success party at Kikyo's in about two hours so I'm going to be there for a while. Come by around six-ish." I glanced at my clock and was corrected. I had about an hour and a half to get to Kikyo's and she lived across town in the rich neighborhoods. "I have to call Sango because I'm pretty sure she's not up yet and I'm supposed to be picking her up."

"I doubt it. Ginta and Hakkaku challenged her to a drinking contest and she chugged about five glasses."

"Great, she'll have a hangover," I sighed. Sango before noon and with a hangover was not a very pleasant sight. I'd have to pick up some coffee for her before I got to her house. "I'll see you later then."

"Okay, bye—hey, Kouga," Ayame cut off her farewell to me. "Guess what Inuyasha did last night?"

"Pass out in a gutter and get robbed by a pack of hobos?" I heard Kouga guess in the background. "Hey Kagome," he greeted, his voice clearer now. "Missed your rapping last night."

"Sorry 'bout that. Unfortunately, I had to pick up people's trash for two hours."

"Sucks to be you."

"It's great to be Kagome, right now," Ayame told him. "Inuyasha asked her out last night."

"What?" Kouga started cracking up. "Oh shit, I have to call and harass him now. Where's my phone, Ayame?"

"In the pocket of the jeans you wore last night."

"You mean the ones you took off for me?"

"Bye!" I shouted over the phone and hung up before I received very unnecessary information. Those two really need a crash course in discretion.

-x-

When I rolled up to the front of the Tanaka household, Sango was already waiting on the front porch, wearing a striped black and white, loose t-shirt, skinny jeans, and flats. Most of her hair was stuffed into a beanie and she had a pair of dark sunglasses covering her eyes.

I reached over and pushed the door open for her as she bounded down the front lawn and slid into my car. I handed her the cup of coffee I bought. "I'm actually shocked right now. You've never actually been waiting for me outside before."

Sango grumbled as she took a sip of her coffee— she didn't seem any less grumpy than usual, though. "Yeah, well, Kohaku thought that practicing the fucking drums was a great idea at ten in the morning and it was either suffer that headache in silence, kill my little brother, or wait outside." Sango set the coffee in a cup holder and reached behind her for her seatbelt and I pulled away from the curb, heading for Kikyo's. "And when I woke up this morning, my hair looked like a rat's nest which is the reason for the hat."

"And you're wearing shades when it's cloudy," I pointed out as I slowed down for a stop sign. The weather was a blessing yesterday for the carnival, but it had made an immediate turn for gray skies that foreshadowed a downpour today.

Sango turned the volume on my radio all the way down. "I'm really sensitive to light right now."

"Maybe you should stop participating in drinking competitions against the two bottomless pits."

"Don't test me this morning, Kagome."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling, fearing that it might have been considered "testing" her. "Whatever you say, buddy."

We drove for about fifteen minutes in silence, Sango's head resting on the window, before she suddenly sat up straight in her seat and slowly turned to face me.

"What happened?"

I glanced at her and then back at the road. "What?"

"You've been humming for the last five minutes," Sango answered and I realized that I actually had been. "I knew something was different, but I couldn't pinpoint it until now." Sango slid her shades down the bridge of her nose and looked at me with slightly red eyes over the top of her lenses. "What's going on?"

"Nothing's going on," I shrugged while trying to fight off my smile. It was fun to withhold information from Sango when she was gossip hungry. "I'm just… happy."

"We're going to Kikyo's," Sango deadpanned. "You may have a weird… twisted friendship with her, but you never hum on the way to Kikyo's. You usually try thinking of witty comments ahead of time so you can finally outdo her." Sango gasped. "You haven't brainstormed a single witty comment! Now I know something is going on."

"Kikyo and I are friends," I said, still dodging Sango's question. "It's just different from normal friendships."

"Kagome, I love you, but you are trying my patience. What the hell happened?"

I smiled as I turned into Kikyo's development. "I have a date with Inuyasha tonight." I glanced at Sango to see her mouth hanging open. "A real date."

Silence.

"WHAT!?" Sango exploded, ripping her shades off her face to stare wide-eyed at me. "Inuyasha asked you out and I'm just now hearing about it? When did this happen? Where are you going? Why am I just now hearing about it?"

"Did you forget you have hangover? You're kind of shouting in my ear."

"Hangovers come second to this," Sango brushed off. "This is gossiping gold. I can see the headline now, 'Odd-Ball Olympics Produces a Newfound Love.'"

"That's a horrible headline."

"It needs a little work," Sango admitted, "but the headline's not really important." Sango turned and grinned at me for the first time this morning. "How do you feel right now?"

"I don't remember ordering a shrink." I pulled up in front of Kikyo's house and parked in the long driveway that was already packed with six cars. I took out my keys and smiled at Sango. "I feel pretty damn amazing."

"I feel pretty damn amazing for you." Sango and I got out of my car and headed up Kikyo's driveway. "I have been waiting for this since the first time you met him. I have never seen two people who obviously like each other take this long to get together."

"Really?" I raised a brow at Sango. "Have you forgotten how long it took you and Miroku to get together?"

"But Miroku is a pervert so completely different rules apply. As far as we know, Inuyasha is perfect if you overlook his slight god complex—you both were just being stupid by wasting so much time."

"I was trying to prove a point that I don't fall for every good looking guy who walks through the door."

"But you did," Sango reminded me. "So, again, your stalling was nothing but a waste of time."

"Thank you so much for throwing that in my face," I droned and Sango just rolled her eyes. "I knew there was a reason I told Ayame first..."

"Wh-wh— excuse me?" Sango stopped right before climbing the steps up to Kikyo's front door. "Who's the best friend? Me, Sango Tanaka!" Sango shouted, pointing to herself. "And as holder of the best friend title I reserve all rights to hear big news first, especially any news about Inuyasha."

"And as another holder of the best friend title, I truly understand my best friend in all her forms and I know that calling her at ten in the morning after she spent all night guzzling alcohol with Ginta and Hakkaku would do nothing more than piss her off."

Sango stood there with her face scrunched up before jumping in to defend herself. "Yeah, but—"

"But nothing." I jogged up the steps, right onto the very edge of the front porch, and Sango trudged up them after me. "I could have told you every member of C.N. Blue was in my house and you still would have cursed me out for interrupting your sleep."

"… Am I really that bad?"

"Yes." I lifted my hand to knock on the door. "But I still love you so—AHHHHHHH!"

"Hello, Kagome," Naraku said nodding at me, not even flinching at my scream or the fact that I had nearly fallen down the steps from jumping away from the door so quickly. "Sango."

"Hey, Naraku," Sango greeted him while I glared.

"You can't just open the door like that!" I shouted, throwing my hands in the air. Seriously, the door just disappeared before I could even knock and there he was in his terrifyingly albino glory. No one preps you for facing weirdos like Naraku in real life. Ever. "You have to give somebody a warning—I almost had a heart attack!"

"So sorry," Naraku droned and I gaped at his hint of sarcasm.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped. "This is supposed to be an exclusive newspaper event."

"And as the owner of the house our so-called brilliant editor-in-chief decided to throw the party at, I invited whoever I wanted." Kikyo gave me her trademark smug smile as she leaned on Naraku's shoulder. "'Sup, Higurashi?"

"Nothing, just had ten years taken off my life because your creepy boyfriend decided to surprise me." Naraku shook his head and took that as his cue to leave, disappearing somewhere into the house. "I honestly don't get what you see in him."

"I don't know, something about a stable boyfriend who doesn't cheat on me is quite appealing." Kikyo shrugged and shot me another I'm-a-smart-ass grin. "I guess we can't all have a new boyfriend every week."

"Bitch," I mumbled under my breath as Kikyo skipped away and Sango closed the door behind us. "She completely demolished my vibe."

"Well when you keep coming after Naraku like that…"

"Am I seriously the only one who thinks he's creepy?"

"No," Sango assured me, "but you're the only one who thinks he's a serial killer who wants to rape you and then chop you up and hide you in a deep freezer."

"Because it's true." Sango rolled her eyes as she walked towards the kitchen where the majority of the crowd seemed to be gathered. "He opened the door for us before I even knocked which means he was watching us and that means we're under his predatory gaze because he's waiting for just the right moment to attack."

"Honestly, Kagome, these conspiracy theories are going to have you locked up in a mental hospital because there is no way that is a normal thought process."

Kikyo's parents must have left on one of their many weekend vacations because beer bottles were already scattered around the kitchen despite it only being one in the afternoon. Sango reached to take one from Shinji's offering hand, but I slapped hers out of the way, reminding her of the hangover she was complaining about two seconds ago. I led us to Eiji and Kira, who were leaning against the counter by the fridge, sipping soda that was alcohol free.

Kikyo liked to complain about hosting parties at her house, but the Hinami'shouse was made for parties. For one, it was massive—the Shikon Times staff wasn't that big, but we still had a lot of members and we could easily fit everyone into the foyer— and Kikyo's living room always served as the perfect dance floor when she threw actual parties. There was a game room that was huge and already had a ping pong table set up, making it the ideal spot for beer pong and there were so many unused guest rooms in her house that people could have drunken hook-ups without ever offending one of her family members' bedrooms (not that I've ever done such a thing).

But Kikyo's house wasn't converted to party central for the Shikon Times' success party. Despite a few people drinking, it was pretty tame. A handful of people were playing video games, air hockey, and just plain old ping pong in the game room; a Dance Central tournament was being held in the living room; and more than enough people were just lounging around, talking. I sat on the island in the kitchen for a while talking, too, before Hitomi asked me to join the ping pong tournament. After I exhausted myself working to beat Shinji (which I did!), I wandered down into the basement where I found Sango lounging on one of the couches positioned around the TV.

"Still sober?" I asked as I fell on the couch next to her, the cushions engulfing me in a too comfortable hug. The couches in Kikyo's basement were without a doubt my favorite things in the world.

"Yes," Sango grumbled, not sounding happy about it. "You did send a babysitter to watch me after all," she added, pointing to Raiden, who was sitting on a stool around the bar, next to a potentially wasted Aki.

"He's a good guy," I smiled, waving at Raiden when he saw me.

"He's a narc," Sango huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm kind of glad you two broke up."

"This is for your own good," I reminded her as I handed her one of the sodas I grabbed before coming down. "You're a terrible person when you have a hangover."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Sango conceded as she twisted the cap off her coke. "Are we leaving soon?"

"No, I've got a little time," I said, settling on the couch. "He's not coming until seven and it's only five."

"Excited?"

A smile took over my entire face. "Just a lot."

"Higurashi!" Kikyo shouted loudly from the couch across form us, ruining the second I had allowed myself to think about my date with Inuyasha. She was on what looked like her fourth beer and her arm was wrapped around Naraku's neck. "Where the hell have you been? The hostess is usually supposed to make rounds at her own party."

"I was talking to the more sober people upstairs."

Kikyo arched her brow as high as it would go and gave me her classic don't-fuck-with-me look. "I'm not drunk."

"Riiiight."

"Kagome," Kikyo warned me, "I'm not drunk."

"Of course not," I nodded, still smiling. The only reason I was willing to push Kikyo's buttons was because she had proven herself to be a happy drunk. "But do you know what they call people who start drinking at two in the afternoon?" I smirked at her as I took a sip from my Coke. "Alcoholics."

"Do you know what they call people who date around a lot?" Kikyo countered with her classic smug grin. Thankfully, she exercised Kikyo Kindness and didn't answer the question, just took another swig from her bottle.

I frowned. "You're usually nicer when you're tipsy."

"You usually don't call me an alcoholic."

"True."

"But," Kikyo smiled brightly (a rare occurrence that only happened after she had a few drinks), "if you want to continue our banter, I know quite a few drunk stories on you that could prove you were once an alcoholic."

"I'm many days sober now and I do not wish to relive any past experiences," I declined and Kikyo actually laughed. "Sango and Bank already took me on a trip down memory lane this week."

"Good times," Kikyo sighed as she rested her head on Naraku's shoulder, closing her eyes. "Good times."

"Ladies!" Aki stumbled off his bar stool and over to the couch, flopping down in between me and Sango, and wrapping an arm around each of us. "I have a confession to make."

"You have a drinking problem?" I guessed, wrinkling my nose at the heavy smell of alcohol on his breath. "You reek, Aki."

"…Rude," he said after a moment, "but not what I was going to say. It's something else." He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "I'm in love." My jaw dropped and Aki nodded somberly. "With women."

"Oh, come on," I scoffed, pushing Aki over while Sango laughed. "I thought you were being serious."

"But not just any group of women," Aki went on. "It's these women, our women." He sighed heavily. "Kagome, I didn't join Shikon Times for the photography."

"No kidding." His shitty job at being a photographer kind of gave him away.

"I joined because of the women on the staff," he admitted. "Like, have you seen how beautiful our staff is? It's impossible not to love this harem."

"I think you're drunk, Aki."

"I'm in love!" he shouted vehemently before turning his head to face Sango. "Now, I know you're dating Miroku and he's my man, Sango, he is." Aki shook his head in regret. "But I must hit on you. It's a crime against nature not to. And you're just so… beautiful." Aki leaned on her shoulder and looked up at her with his begging puppy dog eyes. "So just one kiss. No one has to know."

"I'm pretty sure you're drunk."

"This is love!" he insisted. "How can I possibly sit in a room surrounded by beautiful women and not be tempted by love? It's crazy not to be! Like Kikyo," he said, directing his attention across the room. "I find you super, super, super sexy. Like, you're the sexiest woman on earth."

"Thank you," Kikyo smiled, taking another swig of her drink. See? Drunk Kikyo = Nice Kikyo. Sober Kikyo = condescending Kikyo, who probably would have replied with "I know."

"And I know you're borderline drunk so you're nice so I can freely tell you that I'm in love with you. You're kind of scary and intimidating and Naraku creeps me out—but not in the he's-going-to-kill-us-all way like Kagome thinks—"

"Hey!"

"—so I won't tell you this when I'm sober, but I believe I'm inebriated enough to say you're sexy as hell and for that I love you," Aki nodded while Sango and Kikyo laughed and Naraku glared at me (He will kill us all.) "The world is better because we have you to look at."

"And Kagome," Aki said, turning to me, clearly not done. "You—"

"You already hit on me," I reminded him. "Yesterday."

"Right." He stopped to think this over and then shrugged it off. "Even so, I don't think I should leave you out. And even though I know you have a thing for Inuyasha—we all know—technically you're not dating yet so it wouldn't be cheating." He leaned in towards me, puckering his lips and tapping them. "Come on, Editor Lady. Just one."

"No thanks," I rejected him, pushing him back and Aki sighed heavily as he fell back against the couch.

"You're all so cruel," he whined, shaking his head and tipping his beer bottle back. "Cruel, cruel, cruel, cruel~!"

"How many drinks have you had?"

"I'm fine," Aki hiccupped, waving me off. "Raiden's driving me home. Raiden!" he shouted, sitting up as if he had an epiphany. He pointed an accusing finger in my face. "You even dated Raiden! What does he have that I don't, huh? Huh?"

"A brain."

"Tolerance."

"Muscles."

"Morals."

"Manners."

"Looks."

"Cruel," Aki sighed as he slumped deeper into the couch as the room assaulted him with his short comings. "Cruel, cruel, cruel."

"Besides, Kagome's going on a date with Inuyasha tonight." I choked on my soda as Sango out-ed me to the entire basement which was basically half of Shikon Times' staff. And Naraku. "The Odd-Ball Olympics Produces a Newfound Love!"

"Sango!"

"I asked Kira out last night after the carnival," Aki mumbled, clearly lost in his own world as he stared at his beer.

"Really?" Kikyo smiled like the Cheshire cat. Clearly she wasn't drunk enough to save me from embarrassment. "So placing bets and attempting to sabotage the events actually paid off. "

"What?"

"She turned me down because I'm a pervert…"

"When did this happen?"

"How did you sabotage it?"

"It was the rumor about Mono wasn't it? I so called that!"

"I'm going to be alone forever." Aki downed the last of his drink before slamming it down on the ground and pointing around the women. "You're cruel women. Every last one of 'ya!"

"I hate you," I swore to Kikyo and she just gave me her rare smile in return. "I hate you so much."

"But this is Nice Kikyo."

"When do I get to see Merciful Kikyo?"

"All in good time, my friend," she answered, still smiling. "All in good time."

"You know what? I actually have to go," I declared, wanting to avoid the onslaught of questions as soon as possible.

"We have to get ready for the date," Sango elaborated and I glared at her. "What? They already know, anyway."

"All thanks you," I grumbled as I stood up from the couch. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Wait!" Shippo shouted, stopping me. He was playing pool with a few other younger staff members in the far corner of the basement. "At least give us a speech."

"Uh…"

"Yeah, Kagome," Raiden encouraged me. "This was a huge success—you have to say something."

"Speech! Speech! Speech!" They all started chanting and I grimaced. I was terrible at giving speeches even when I practiced them. I would only crash and burn if I tried winging it.

I looked to Sango for help, but she was just chanting along with everyone else, awaiting my fast approaching demise. Sometimes I wondered how Sango became my best friend when she loved to torture me so much. This speech, the dunk tank yesterday, telling everyone about Inuyasha? I must really love her to forgive her so often.

"Okay…" I started, finally caving in. "Well, you all did a really great job with the Odd-Ball Olympics and the Carnival yesterday and though it's all done and over with we shouldn't cry because it's over, but instead smile because it happened." A few groaned at my Dr. Seuss quote, but most laughed and I found myself smiling at the familiarity of the situation. I gave bad speeches with too many quotes, they groaned, we moved on. These people were like my family. "But seriously guys, we do have to smile because the past few weeks were amazing and fun and yes, we had to get up ridiculously early to make it happen, but we just provided ourselves—and everyone else at Shikon High—with some of the best memories of their lives.

"It kind of sucks that it's all over, but yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift." More people groaned, but I suspected it was more out of tradition than actual frustration. "That is why we call it the present. Because it really is a gift for us all to be here together, getting drunk on a Sunday afternoon to celebrate the fact that we didn't lose the paper and we all still have the rest of the year together. It's a gift to get to see Aki making drunk confessions and Kikyo showing her nice side and Shinji still being competitive over ping pong even when he's drunk. The fact that we're all here today means we saved the paper, kicked Morning Ribbet's ass, and promised ourselves many more arguments over deadlines and article topics and last minute meetings. So yes, today really is a gift because it means we're all going to stay together like the family we are."

There was actual cheering when I finished and bottles were raised and Kikyo gave the nod of approval while Aki slapped me on the back and Raiden shook me by my shoulders and Sango led the chant shouting my name.

I forgot how much I loved these guys.

"And together," I added, because there was no way I could end in such a good, non-dorky, non-screw up way, "we can make it to infinity and beyond!"

"Fucking hell," Kikyo snorted over the laugher and groans. "Are you sure you're sober?"

"I'm high on life," I grinned. "I'm on a rollercoaster that only goes up, my friend."

"For the love of God," Aki begged, looking up at me through his glassy eyes. "Lay off on the quotes when you go on your date."

-x-

"Someone please tell me why I was the last to know again?" Erin grumbled from her spot on my bed where she was petting Buyo. "Even Kikyo found out before me!"

"That's because she was at the party and Sango told everyone."

"You can stop with the evil eye," Sango sighed, ignoring me as she sifted through my closet. "I don't know why you're upset about it—dating Inuyasha is a good thing."

"Not when I just broke up with Hojo!"

"Hojo's a dick," Ayame waved off. "Forget about him."

"Still doesn't help with rumors."

"You're going on a date with Inuyasha," Sango reminded me, sticking her head out of the closet long enough to make sure I could see her arched brow. "We really need to stay focused on the important things here."

"Like why I'm the last to know!"

Ayame sighed, flopping down next to Erin on the bed. "What time did you wake up today?"

"…Two o'clock."

"Exactly."

"But I should have been first! Inuyasha's in my fucking band—I'm basically the reason you two met! Seriously, Kagome," Erin said, looking up at me through her lashes as she kissed Buyo's head, "you really need to understand the hierarchy."

"Technically, I told Inuyasha about the band for you when your guitarist"—Erin's face immediately went into a scowl—"he-who-shall-not-be-named, quit."

"And I'm the one who met Inuyasha first, told Kagome his school schedule, and where he worked," Sango put in. "So really I should have been the first to know. Especially since I'm the best friend."

"We already went over this Sango."

"She says we're too cranky to wake up in the mornings," Sango explained to Erin. "She thinks we'll bite her head off."

Erin sat with that information for a few seconds before shrugging. "I can't say that's not true."

"Which just goes to show you that nice people finish first," Ayame smiled, sitting up a bit straighter. Sango and Erin both rolled their eyes and I just laughed. "You two should learn to be more like morning people."

"I actually feel a nap coming on right now," Erin mumbled, sliding into a laying position on my bed as Buyo jumped from her arms and onto the ground, walking himself around my legs.

"You guys are supposed to be helping me prepare for my date," I reminded them, spinning back around in my desk chair so I could finish doing my make-up. "You know, giving advice and stuff."

"Wear a short skirt."

"And good underwear."

"But no sex."

I looked at all three of them over my shoulder, slightly gaping. "You guys give horrible advice."

"What?" Erin shrugged her shoulders as she rolled over so her back was facing me, actually preparing to go to sleep. "I genuinely believe you'll scare Inuyasha off if you suggest having sex on the first date. I get the feeling he's kind of sensitive."

"What makes you think I would do that in the first place?" A beat of silence pulsed throughout the room. "Wow. Some friends you are."

"We know you're not a sex addict," Sango attempted to reassure me as I turned back around in my chair. "But the last time you had sex was with Hojo and that couldn't have been a good experience—"

"It was horrible, actually," I snapped and Ayame and Sango both shrunk back. (I genuinely believe Erin dozed off and that was why she didn't react.) "Thanks for the reminder."

"We just don't want you to rush the process in an effort to get rid of a really, really bad memory," Sango continued. "And of course you're not going to sleep with him on the first date. It was more of a caution for later dates."

"I'm not a sex addict."

"We know, we know," Ayame said, assuring me with a deep nod. But when she looked up at me, her smile was mischievous. "But haven't you at least thought about it?"

"You just got kicked off the island," I deadpanned, throwing Jane Eyre at her which she dodged, falling on Erin and startling her from her one minute nap. "You're the sex addict."

"It because she's currently dating the sex machine," Erin mumbled, turning back over to face me, but her eyelids were drooping again. "They just can't stop. Trust me—I've crashed on Kouga's couch way too many times."

"Too much information," I grimaced. I was still trying to forget this morning's phone conversation. "But seriously, can I get some real advice?"

"You've been on plenty of first dates," Ayame said, leaning back on the bed and thumbing through the book I threw at her. "You don't need to be nervous."

"Yeah, but I actually—" I actually what? I actually liked Inuyasha? Because I've always liked the guys I've been on dates with; they don't start to lose their appeal until after the first few dates. And I can't say that I actually really liked Inuyasha because… because…

"You're right," I smiled at Ayame. "I'll probably be fine."

"But I was serious about the short skirt advice." Sango emerged from my closet with a handful of skirts that I kept hidden in the back of my closet, strictly reserved for dates. "You have great legs, Kagome. Show them off a little."

"It's cold outside." I examined my make-up in the tiny mirror on my desk from a few different angles before finally deciding I was satisfied, screwing the top back on to my mascara. "I'm not about to freeze myself to death like an idiot."

"Are you guys even going to be outside?"

"I don't know. It's supposed to be a surprise," I grumbled. I hated surprises. "I'm still not going to wear a skirt when it's freezing, though."

"It's a little chilly, not the artic," Sango corrected me, rolling her eyes at my dramatics.

"I'm wearing jeans."

"A skirt looks better."

"Jeans feel better." I gave Sango a tightlipped smile. "Idiots wear skirts in winter."

"It's fall. And even if it is cold you'll be a sexy idiot."

"I'd rather be smart than sexy." Sango scoffed loudly. "Besides, sexy isn't exclusively confined to short skirts."

"True, but you always wear jeans, Kagome." Sango waved the skirts in front of me, trying to tempt me. "Change it up on your first date. You can wear jeans on another date."

"I wear jeans because they're comfortable. And I'm already going to be a nervous wreck so I would at least like my clothes to be comfortable."

"Why are you so nervous, again?" Ayame asked while she examined my nail polish collection. "You've done this a hundred times."

"Thirty," I corrected her. I didn't need my dating history to be any more extensive than it already was. "And I just am, okay? It's normal to get nervous. And it's normal to want to wear jeans over a skirt so let me wear jeans!"

"It's the element of surprise in the skirt that makes it a better decision," Sango continued to lecture, refusing to give her argument up. "Inuyasha will expect you to wear jeans, but if you show up in a skirt? Just imagine his face!"

"Tempting," I admitted, "but I want my jeans." As much appeal the "element of surprise" may have had, I was already worried about what crazy things might pop out of my mouth tonight and how it could ruin everything and I didn't need to worry about my rising hemline in the process. And it was cold outside!

I got up to walk over to my closet, but Sango jumped in front of me, spreading her arms out to bar me from my own closet and I balked at her. "Are you serious?"

"This is for your own good."

"This is for your own enjoyment. It's cold outside— with a possibility of rain. I. Need. Jeans."

"You'll probably be in Inuyasha's car most of the time."

"I didn't shave." I smirked at her. "Are you really going to make Inuyasha see my stubbly legs on the first date?"

"She's lying," Ayame called me out. "Kagome always wears shorts to Weight Management and before she might not have always shaved her legs, but since Inuyasha is in our class, Kagome always shaves." I gaped at Ayame and she just shrugged. "What? I'm Team Sango on this one."

"Erin," I snapped, needing someone to back me up. "Tell Sango she's irrational."

"I'm Team Erin on this one," she said as she lied on her back, staring up at my ceiling. "And Team Erin wants Team Sango and Team Kagome to hurry up and make a decision so Team Erin can go back to sleep before Team Erin has to go out looking for gigs for Team Midnight Blues."

I frowned at her. "Just say you're Team No Help next time."

Ding Dong.

"Now I'm Team Inuyasha because he just put an end to this pointless argument." Erin sat up and gave me her half-assed I'm-still-sleepy smile. "You look good in everything, Kagome."

My head snapped to the alarm clock by my bedside. Seven o'clock on the dot. Why does Inuyasha always have to be on time?

Sango raised her brow at me. "Do you have anything else to wear?"

"Give me that," I grumbled, snatching the black body-con skirt from her hands and quickly pulling off my sweats. Sango just smiled victoriously the entire time. "You know I hate you, right?"

"Love you too, Kags."

I hurried to get dressed, throwing a red Mickey Mouse sweatshirt on—"Comfy, but cute—a perfect balance to sexy legs" as Sango said—before debating whether or not to throw my hair into a bun. We eventually agreed that a pony tail looked best and I ran out the door after quickly fixing my bangs which refused to be held back by the hair tie. And then I ran back in for my jacket, phone, purse, and to apply deodorant and lotion.

"Have you always been this frazzled before a date?" Erin yawned, stroking Buyo, who jumped back onto my bed and curled up in her lap. She turned her head and smirked at me. "Or is Inuyasha special?"

"Just go back to sleep," I told her, checking my reflection one last time before opening my door again. "I want you guys gone before I come back."

"No!" Erin protested, spreading her arms out across my mattress."I must protect your bed from first date sex!"

"Erin," I hissed while Sango and Ayame crunched into balls on the floor with laughter. "He has really good hearing!"

"So he knows I disapprove."

I glared at her. "Just be gone."

When I finally reached the stairs (it took even more time convincing Ayame, Erin, and Sango—especially Sango—to stay in my room,) I could see Inuyasha, Souta, and Grandpa all at the bottom of the steps by front of the door. Inuyasha was being examined by Souta and Grandpa, who both had their backs to me.

"He's the guy who brought Kagome home really late last week," Souta explained to Grandpa and I saw Inuyasha wince.

"So he's a hoodlum," Grandpa concluded.

"I didn't say—"

"I liked the other one better," Grandpa cut Souta off. "He actually lasted a while. And he bought me that ointment for the fungus on my toe." Inuyasha's nose wrinkled and Grandpa caught it. "Do you have a problem with something on my foot, boy?"

"No…"

"Hojo was a punk," Souta muttered under his breath and Inuyasha tried to smother a grin, rubbing his hand over his mouth, while Grandpa glared at Souta.

"That boy was a true gentleman!" Grandpa protested, getting riled up. "He was nothing but nice to your sister and—"

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" I cut Grandpa off, starting my descent down the stairs. I could only listen to Grandpa praise Hojo for so long. Inuyasha's head snapped up and his eyes widened and Grandpa looked back over his shoulder at me and then went back to glaring at Inuyasha before doing a double take and staring wide-eyed at my skirt. There it was, the reason I didn't want to wear the skirt—Gramps.

"Mira!" Grandpa shouted, his eyes still glued to me as I stepped off the last step and slipped in between Grandpa and Souta to stand next to Inuyasha. "Your daughter's lost her mind again!"

"We should go," I whispered to Inuyasha, tugging his arm towards the door. It was always best to evacuate before Grandpa's rants started. Souta had already made a mad dash back into the living room to play his games.

"She's wearing a miniskirt in the middle of winter!"

"It's fall," I reminded him, quoting Sango.

"It's freezing out," Grandpa countered. He glared at Inuyasha. "If you keep your mouth open any longer you'll catch a fly."

"Let's go," I said, pulling Inuyasha to the door. Our escape was two feet away.

"What's going on here?" Mom had arrived at the scene, drying her hands with the dishtowel. She had been preparing dinner in the kitchen when Inuyasha got here and her apron was still tied around her waist. She saw Inuyasha and smiled. "Hi."

"Hi," Inuyasha greeted back, giving her a humbled smile. "I'm Inuyasha."

"Nice to meet you, Inuyasha. Are you taking Kagome out tonight?"

"Yes—"

"That boy's a pervert!" Grandpa declared, unable to let simple greetings remain civil. "And look at what your daughter's wearing."

Mom gave me a long stare down and I saw her lips twitch down in concern, but my mom was amazing and chose not to add wood to Grandpa's fire by telling me to go change like I knew she wanted me to. "Do you have a coat?"

"Yes," I hurried to answer, pushing Inuyasha to the door.

"Are you guys going to be inside?" Mom asked Inuyasha and he nodded. "Alright… But Kagome," she gave me a pointed look, "at least try tights next time."

I was beyond grateful that my mom left it at that. "Yes, ma'am."

"That's it?" Grandpa was staring at Mom as she waved goodbye and I shoved Inuyasha out the door before Grandpa accused him of being a horndog like the rest of the teenage male population. "You're just going to let your daughter run out of here like that with that horn—"

I slammed the door shut. "Well then…" I grinned up at Inuyasha sheepishly. "I think we should just get going."

"Your grandpa really doesn't like me," Inuyasha said, looking back over his shoulder at my house.

"Don't take it personally," I assured him. "He's not too fond of most my friends. Not that we're friends," I hurried to clarify. "I mean we are friends, but a different kind a friends so—" Inuyasha started laughing and I stopped myself. I just stepped a few feet away from the door and this was already going south. "So I'm going to stop talking now."

"So your Grandpa doesn't like most teenagers in general?" Inuyasha asked, bringing us back on topic.

"Yes," I said after taking a deep breath to gather myself. "He thinks Sango's too loud and way too nosy, that Erin's just a bum who mooches off our food"— partially true—"he's positive that Miroku's a pervert"—fully true—"and he believes Bank is trying to date my mom when in reality, Bank is just really nice to older women."

"And yet he thinks Hojo's the best thing ever."

I grimaced. "Grandpa has a warped way of thinking," I said as we approached Triple G and Inuyasha opened the door for me. "It also helps that Hojo always brought over ointments and medicine that Grandpa needed for his foot or his back pains. You know what, though? Grandpa actually really likes Ayame."

"It's good to see there's hope for some of us."

"But Ayame's just really nice." I gave Inuyasha a pitying look. "You've successfully labeled yourself as a bad guy when you dishonored my family and my honor. There's no hope for you now."

"Well at least I know where I stand," Inuyasha grinned at me before closing the door and running around the car to the driver's side. "It means you will be making every curfew from now on."

"I'll be sure to thank Gramps when I make it home." When I looked back up at my house I could see Grandpa glaring at the car through the front window and I sunk a bit lower in my seat. Maybe I shouldn't have Inuyasha pick me up at the door anymore.

"You look nice by the way," Inuyasha said as he started the car, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "I didn't think you wore skirts."

"I lost in an argument," I sighed, looking out my window. Now I could see Ayame, Sango, and Erin waving like idiots from my room. "You should really stop picking me up so early."

"But I was right on time."

"Exactly." I turned to face him as he pulled away from the curb and started off down the street. "I needed at least twenty more minutes to convince Sango to let me wear jeans."

Inuyasha grinned and shook his head. "If that's the case I should come early all the time."

-x-

Because of my pride, I could never say it out loud, but Sango was right. And the reason Sango is my best friend is because she's always right.

-x-

Originally I wanted to upload the next chapter the same day I uploaded this one, but I ended up not finishing that yet because I'm actually working on NoRMaL (I know—MORE SHOCK) and I figured one chapter is better than not at all. But I will get back to this after I finish NoRMaL (which should be very soon) so hopefully you won't have to wait too long. Please review!

~Kimiko888~

I don't know how Kimiko and I survived our spring semesters, but we managed. Thank God for summer vacation and free time for writing!

~hanmajoerin