Authors Note: Y'all. As sorry as I am for how long it took to finish rewriting this chapter, I am definitely not sorry for how well it turned out and I'm really glad I took the extra time, despite the hoops life has been making me jump through. I hope all you wonderful people will agree with me by the end that it was totally worth the wait.
Things are FINALLY starting to get juicy, and going in the direction that I'm really excited to get to.
As always, feedback is so welcomed and much appreciated. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to read & comment on the last two chapters. I really hope everyone enjoys this one too!
Much love - S
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the Inuyasha characters, nor any of the songs/bands mentioned.
Chapter Three
Parasites
It was unusually quiet for a Monday night at Hakurei Lounge. A few tables were seated in the dining room, a single two-top in the bar. Inuyasha leaned against the counter, mindlessly polishing cutlery, annoyed with the lack of customers. A long, quiet night like this wasn't what he needed to keep his thoughts from spiraling out of control. Not that he was having much luck with that to begin with.
Trying to get what had transpired out of his head wasn't going to happen, so all he could do for the time being was dwell on it and how fucking odd the whole encounter was from start to finish. For the most part, Inuyasha was left confused. None of what Kikyo had said remotely made sense.
Sure, okay, he already knew that she'd been making excuses not to see him, or why she couldn't hang out. Too much homework, had to study, plans with the girls. Initially he hadn't thought that she was lying to him. Hell, he was busy with basically the same shit - homework, studying, work. It was just life as a student and he hadn't thought twice about it until she started dodging him out of nowhere, in and out of class, for almost a week straight. Being the good friend he was - he eventually swung by to pick her up after her law class to make sure she was okay, and instead came face to face with them walking down the hall, Naraku's arm slung around her shoulder, a disgusting grin on his pale face.
From then, things kind of just fit into place. He figured she just felt bad about wanting to spend time with her new play toy, and didn't know how to just come out and say she was bored of him. It had really upset him at first, but what could he have done? Kikyo was Kikyo and he was . . . Well he was him. He was used to it.
In the following weeks, anytime he had tried to reach out to her, he'd gotten the same few excuses, and ultimately just ended up letting it go. When he stopped trying, he didn't hear from her again - up until today.
For her to look him dead in the eye, fucking blush, and admit to his face that she'd been purposefully lying to him in an attempt to get him to fight for her, and to make him jealous . . . It hurt on a different level. He didn't understand why she thought that would have been remotely successful. Did she really think he was that desperate? What her true goal was, he was at a loss. It was a complete contradiction to her prying about his love life and wanting to know who the "mystery girl" was - even though she clearly already knew.
The unease settled into the pit of his stomach only grew stronger. The gnawing question of how she knew about Kagome, and what she knew - or claimed to know, was going to chew a hole right through his brain like a trapped rat. The hostility, the bold accusation . . . It made no sense to him. The whole premise of her argument didn't even seem possible. Koga was yokai. A full blooded wolf demon. Despite how pathetic the flea-ridden mongrel was, it would have taken enough tranquilizer for an Oni to even put him on his ass. Yet some little human girl was going to come along and be able to do that, to that? It was believable if you lived under a fucking rock. Even as half yokai, no human could subdue him to the point of being able to achieve taking advantage.
He couldn't help question what the connection between Koga and Kagome was, but if it had anything to do with why she ran out that night at the bar after he and his mates had showed up, he dreaded to think there might actually be some merit to it.
Inuyasha's mind wandered to the night he stumbled across her. Sitting alone in the dark, in the middle of the night. The Chopin piece, her mystery song . . . Each harrowingly gut wrenching in their own right. His thoughts wandered back further, to the subconscious notions he'd made about her lack of socialization and friends in class. Her forlorn, lost expressions. Her closed-off disposition. Perhaps there was a reason he'd never approached her - it was almost like she had put a barrier around herself. One that kept her purposefully isolated. One that only vanished when she was caught off guard . . .
He didn't want to admit it but maybe, just maybe, there was some truth in it. Whatever it was definitely had something to do with Koga. Maybe even Kikyo - but there was no possible way, no physical way it was what she so angrily proclaimed. That much he did know.
Eventually, it was Miroku that pulled him from his dissociation when he came to lean up against the bar. "Crazy night, huh?"
Inuyasha scoffed at the sarcasm and pulled a fresh bin of cutlery from the dishwasher behind the bar, dumping it into another filled with hot water and vinegar. He lifted it and a stack of napkins onto the bartop, before handing his co-worker a polishing cloth. "I'm gonna shoot myself if we have time to do all the cutlery."
The black haired man shrugged, snagging a few pieces to polish. "I saw Kagome in class today." He said casually, ignoring the other comment as he rolled up a set.
Out of pure pettiness, he did the same. Besides, he wasn't really up for the whole "Kagome" topic at the moment. He briefly wondered if Miroku knew anything about it, but he wasn't about to bring it up.
"There's a party this weekend. You should come with me." Miroku continued on after a few minutes of silent polishing, shifting the subject again.
"I don't do parties."
"Ah, right. I should have known - with your whole brooding, bad boy attitude, and all. I'm sure that even with me and Sango, you'd have a miserable time. Right?"
Inuyasha tsked and shook his head. Leave it to Miroku to guilt him into going out. It was true that he enjoyed the company of his two best friends, or only friends really, but he absolutely loathed parties. There were too many scents and sounds - always too much going on at once and it overwhelmed his senses. He couldn't remember a time he'd left a party without a pounding headache and sour mood after dealing with too many people crammed into a usually small space, all talking over one another, with loud music on top of it, and the million and one smells that came with it.
It was too much.
But Miroku and Sango? He wondered if that meant Kagome would be there, as well. Was this another one of the lechers' ploys for getting them in the same room together? Not that it would be bad to see her again . . . Especially after that stupid fight they had earlier.
"Where?"
He hated the way Miroku's eyes lit up like he'd already won. He wasn't going to rollover for him that easily - not when he was content to meddle in his life. "Some off-campus apartment. I didn't catch who's it is, just that it's this Saturday at 10. I'll pick you up and we can go together."
It better not be Kikyo's place. The words stopped short on the hanyo's tongue. He knew how Miroku felt when he had been hanging out with her, and it stopped at nothing short of disappointment. Time and time again Inuyasha's co-worker had warned him about her - about how she gave him a bad vibe and he didn't trust her. At the time, he hadn't bothered to listen. He thought he knew who Kikyo was and Miroku simply didn't. Maybe if he'd listened he wouldn't be in this predicament.
"Keh. I didn't say I was gonna go."
"C'mon Inuyasha, you need a night out! All this girl drama - it gets tiresome."
The bartender stopped polishing, pinning Miroku to his spot. "And what exactly do ya mean by 'girl drama'?" What the fuck does he know?
Miroku's eyes went wide, stuttering for a moment. "You know, with Higurashi. And me with Sango of course. One of these days, I will get her to look at me for more than five seconds without the look of disgust in her beautiful eyes."
"There's nothin' goin' on with me and Higurashi."
"There's not? But what about Friday? I mean, you asked me about her, and then she showed up later the same night and asked to be seated at the bar."
"Don't mean it means anythin'. We don't even know each other. If anything, it was 'cause she wanted to drink. I mean, you saw Sango's reaction. If she was planning on coming, your girlfriend wouldn't have manhandled us. Besides, since she left without eating, I got free ramen out of it." Inuyasha turned his attention back to the monotonous task at hand. Hmph. Either Miroku is playing dumb or it really wasn't him. Not sure which is more believable. "And Sango will never go out with you."
Miroku floundered for a moment, feigning shock. "Mark my words, Inuyasha, I will win her over sooner or later with these wandering hands, and she will fall in love with me - lechery and all."
"Mhm. Yep, sure. Good luck with that." Inuyasha's nose perked up at the new scents permeating the air. He looked past Miroku, watching two girls walk into the dining room and seat themselves. "Looks like you've got a table."
Heaving a sigh, the server finished rolling his last set of flatware before pegging Inuyasha with his violet gaze. "This Saturday. You, me, Sango. You could even invite Kagome. I'll pick you up at 9:30."
"Still didn't say I was gonna go!"
The following morning went by without incident, passing his music assignment with flying colors thanks to Kagome's help. He didn't miss the knowing look Kaede gave him and it grated his nerves. As if he couldn't have done it without her. After the bell rang, he meandered to the opposite side of campus to the Arts and Science building for Totosai's class, where he was physically assaulted - completely smacked in the face, the wind all but being knocked out of him, by the pungent scent of strong coffee, marbled with notes of that signature spice. He didn't have to look up to know Kagome was in her seat, but he did anyway. The insatiable pull to see her annoyed him that much more.
She sat hunched over the desk, scribbling away in her notebook, eyebrows knitted across her forehead in concentration. Several raven tendrils fell around her face, escaping from her messy bun, juxtaposing her pale skin.
Even from where he stood at the bottom of the stairs, he could see she looked more tired than usual. Like him, she probably didn't get much sleep and he hated that he knew why. His mouth went dry, stomach knotting with anxiety as he briefly wondered again how much truth there was behind the accusation.
Taking a quick glance around the mostly empty room, save for a few people congregated near the front row, he figured it would be now or never.
With a deep breath to try and settle his frayed nerves, and push the intrusive thoughts out of his head, he made his way up the stairs towards the exhausted looking woman. His heart hammered in his chest the whole way, each step feeling more and more daunting. She didn't look up until he was almost right in front of her, and when she finally did, her expression went from focused to disgruntled in record time.
Even with that scowl scrunching her face, she still looked stupidly beautiful. He could see now she was wearing a bit of makeup, though it looked like it was mostly concealer in an attempt to hide the dark circles under her dull cobalt eyes. She really did look completely spent, but more than anything she looked . . . Well, really sad. The heavy twinge of salt clinging to her didn't help, either.
Her hand lifted to her ear, pulling one of the hidden buds out. "Can I help you?"
He frowned at her briskness and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I, uh . . ." Waves of her scent crashed into him, and he tried to ignore the way it enveloped him in a comforting haze, despite her obvious disinterest in his presence. Seeing her look so beat down, and smelling the proof of it gave him a foreign feeling. It felt as if his heart was being squeezed in a vice grip. Maybe it was what compelled him to be more forthcoming than usual. "I'm sorry, okay? About what I said yesterday . . . Only talkin' to ya 'cause I had to . . . I didn't mean it like that. I don't really like talkin' to people and with what I do for work obviously I gotta, but since we'd never . . . Ya know since we don't . . . Ugh, fuck me. It gave me an opportunity to finally talk to ya, okay?!" God that was fucking painful. Why the fuck am I like this?!
Kagome sat unphased, her expression consistent as she stared up at him. "Is that all?"
His eye twitched. Not that he really blamed her for giving him the cold shoulder, but he finally opened up a bit and went out of his way to apologize and to get that response? It made him feel as if he shouldn't have bothered. Restraining himself from growling in frustration, he tried a different tactic - one that Miroku would be proud of. "Tsk. There's a party this Saturday Miroku is dragging me to. Sango is apparently gonna be there too, so . . . You should come. I mean if ya want."
That got her expression to finally change, but it wasn't any better. Actually, it was worse. Her lips slightly parted in a small "o", eyes widening, swimming with anxiety at the mere mention of it. As if realizing she let her guard down in the same second, she clammed up and re-schooled her features. What she couldn't hide though, was the pungent scent of fear that all but plumed from her. "Not my scene, but thanks for the invite."
Inuyasha stared at the young woman for a moment, while his stupid brain immediately went to Kikyo. The dots connecting little pieces of information here and there consumed his imagination, the voice in his head going a mile a minute about the possibilities - what scenarios seemed likely. The only relief he got from it was the fact that all signs pointed away from Kagome herself. Whatever it was, instinctively he knew, without a doubt, she wasn't the one at fault. "Well if you change your mind, I'm gonna need some help keeping the reins on Miroku." He heard himself saying, before his legs carried him away to his seat.
Once Totosai walked in, the hanyo tried his best to put Kagome, Kikyo, and Koga out of his head and focus on the lecture, but a small part of him stayed honed in on the girl. The stench of fear, anxiety, and sadness permeated the air, clinging to every surface. It surrounded him and weighed on him like a suffocating, dark cloud.
Needless to say, his focus didn't last very long.
The rest of the week went by in a flash. Wednesday's history test was a breeze and he was in and out before Kikyo had the chance to try and talk to him, which was just what he'd hoped for. He didn't think he could face her right now without losing his shit. Kagome ignored his presence entirely in class on Thursday, and then his closing shift at the Lounge had been an absolute nightmare. By the end of his shift Friday night, he'd started hearing more and more gossip about Kagome.
Walking through the halls, around campus, tables at Hakurei . . . Hushed whispers fluttered through the air about poor Koga.
"Did you hear what that Higurashi bitch did?" "Oh my god, I know, I always thought she was a slut."
"I can't believe what happened to Koga! How does some dorked out whore even get close to a guy like him?" "I heard she was after his money."
"Koga is so strong and courageous, just carrying on like nothing happened."
"Ugh thank god that ugly, gold digging whore was forced to get an abortion. Could you imagine what it would do to Koga and his family if she'd actually kept it?!"
"She probably had to rape him. Being that ugly? Koga would never pay attention to someone like her."
It was everywhere. It had spread like an uncontrollable wildfire and Inuyasha was sick to his stomach. He was still positive Kagome wasn't at fault, and that it was nothing more than a rumor, but when everyone was saying the same thing . . . Well, it became increasingly difficult to keep that line of thinking. Logically he knew this was Kikyo's doing - he had no doubts she was the one dumping fuel on the flames, but illogically, he had the innate desire to corner Kagome and flat out ask her what the hell was going on. Not that he would, or could, but it was tempting as all hell.
The real cherry on top came when he and Miroku were in the office together after closing up the restaurant, and the black-haired man turned to him with a bated breath. "I know you've heard about Kagome."
The initial, impulsive reaction to the comment was for his blood to boil over with anger, sending sparks of red through his vision. Not you too, Miroku. Inuyasha was gearing up to tear his co-worker a new one, until he sat back against the desk with his arms crossed, a pensive look consuming his dark features. Miroku shook his head, lilac eyes glued to the floor. "It doesn't make sense, does it?"
Somewhat surprised, relief flooded his body, extinguishing the anger like a cold bucket of water. "I don't believe a word of it."
"No, me neither. Koga's a demon - a wolf demon of the Matsuno Clan at that. Unless she possesses spiritual powers and zapped the life out of the guy, there's just no way for a human to be able to do that. You would think that concept in itself would be common sense. Besides . . . I don't see Kagome being the type to hurt anyone."
Inuyasha dropped into the office chair on Miroku's left, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Has Kagome said anything to you?"
"No. Of course, I haven't either, before you ask. You?"
He shook his head, thoughts mulling over whether or not to tell him about Kikyo. To mention the look of fear that overtook Kagome's face at the mention of the party. He kind of wished it were Sango he was with, rather than Miroku. Sango lived with Kagome - she already knew the truth. Now, would she tell him? Probably not. "I already knew." He found himself saying eventually.
Miroku's head shot up, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I've known since Monday." The half demon sighed, now rubbing his forehead as if to ease the tension that had long since settled there. "I met Kikyo at Shikon to study for our history test. We never got to studying."
The lavender gaze of his co-worker stayed trained on him, but he could see the wheels turning in his head. "How did that come up in conversation?"
Begrudgingly, Inuyasha gave Miroku the play-by-play of the phone call and everything that led up to the encounter at the cafe. "I talked to Kagome in class the next day - when I invited her to that stupid party, she looked terrified. And by the smell of 'er, she's been crying. A lot."
Miroku's face had fallen into some combination of disappointment and annoyance, hands now clenched hard enough his knuckles were white. "I didn't know you were still speaking to Kikyo. I thought I told you that woman was bad news?"
"Keh! I wasn't still talkin' to her. Did ya even listen to me? She called me and asked to talk-"
"She called you so she could manipulate you more and that's exactly what she did, Inuyasha. You let her win by even agreeing to see her. She lured you into her game and got exactly the reaction she wanted to set this thing loose."
Inuyasha wasn't about to readily submit and agree, despite knowing it was true. He knew it all felt like a big fucking sham, but he really had wanted to give Kikyo the benefit of the doubt. He supposed this was the universe once again coming to bite him in the ass. "Listen, we both know this ain't true. Sango definitely knows what really happened, but she ain't gonna just tell us either. Bottom line, we all know this is Kikyo's doing - so I think we should be tryin' to figure that out."
"You know the only way to do that is to talk to Kagome. And as you've already said, Sango isn't going to tell us - which more than likely means Kagome won't either. We barely know her."
"Let's help her then." The words came before Inuyasha even had time to stop and think about what he was proposing. The holes that they would ultimately dig themselves by getting involved. What he was suggesting was a point of no return.
"Inuyasha . . .? That would be social-"
"Suicide?" For whatever reason, a crooked smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "I know. But you like Sango, and what better way do you have to get close to her?"
Miroku's mouth dropped open, genuine shock lighting up his eyes. "You really think that I'd stoop that low just to try and get in her pants?"
"Yes."
After a moment of staring in disbelief, the black-haired man finally shrugged a shoulder with a wry chuckle. "Wanna figure this out over beer and videogames?"
"Only if you buy the beer."
"Deal."
"Fuck, do I really have to go to this party with you?" Inuyasha groaned, eyeballing his friend loitering in his kitchen with a forty of tequila in hand. He still had a lot of apprehension about where this party was, and Miroku wasn't much help in finding out. He silently prayed to Kami that it was anywhere but Kikyo's.
"Yes. Yes you do. Sango is going to be there and it will be the perfect opportunity to butter her up through the power of alcohol. We need to get her on her good side, remember?"
Unfortunately, though through a haze of beer, he did remember. How could he not when the 'plan' they came up with would ultimately put them six feet under for possibly the rest of their time at university? This was probably the stupidest idea they'd come up with in a long time, but considering it was their only real option, they didn't have much of a choice. "But why do we have to go to this fucking thing to do that?"
Miroku sighed, looking like he either wanted to strangle the half-demon, or rip his own hair out. "We went over this, Inuyasha. She'll be more inclined to drink being in that environment, surrounded by those people, and therefore more inclined to talk. Besides, we both know you're so much better with her than I am. You're both all dark and broody, with murderous intent. She truly scares me."
"And yet . . ."
"I know, I know, it's paradoxical. But you can't back out on me now! We're supposed to be there already - Sango said she was going to be there by ten and it's already quarter-to. Besides," the lecher held up the bottle of liquor, shaking it enthusiastically. "We can just get belligerently drunk and crash the party, if you really want."
As enticing as the offer was, Inuyasha couldn't shake the uneasiness he felt. Thanks to his heightened senses, his intuition was usually pretty accurate, and lately he was doing a bang up job of ignoring it. At the same time, he knew Miroku had a good point. It was the perfect setting to ease Sango into opening up. "Fuck me. If this thing flops, it'll be your head being displayed on her wall."
"Yeah, yeah, is that a yes? Can we go now?"
With one last sigh, Inuyasha plucked his keys from the coffee table, yielding a "fucking thank you!" from his friend.
"You owe me big time."
The fifteen minute drive to the off-campus party had Inuyasha trying not to bite his claws down to nubs. Waves of anxiety crashed through him the closer they got, until he was hit with a tidal wave upon pulling into the building's parking lot. The large, glowing sign reading "Rengoku Grand Estates" sent a new rush of dread through his blood. I fucking knew it. God damn it, Miroku, I think I really am going to kill you this time. Suddenly he understood the look that overtook Kagome's face when he brought it up. She already knew about it - further confirming the two women weren't strangers after all.
Now knowing who Kikyo really was, there was no doubt every person here was going to be one in the same. It also meant that Koga and his posse were more than likely going to be here and the idea of having to be in the same room as that bastard made his insides churn. There was no way he wasn't in on it, too.
"Miroku - this is Kikyo's fucking party." He ground out, sending daggers in the purple-clad man's direction, despite his own look of unease.
"Yeah . . . I know."
"The fuck you mean, you know?! You fucking lied to me?!"
"Well, you never would have agreed if I'd told you."
"Miroku - it's her and everyone here that is ruining Kagome's reputation!"
"I'm aware, that's why we're here." Miroku guided his dark blue Ford Focus into a parking spot surrounded by luxury cars, making them stick out like a sore thumb, and cut the engine. "C'mon, just think about it for a second, okay? All these people are going to be liquored and drugged up, and we can use that to our advantage, the same way we're using it for Sango. It's no different. We stay under the radar, try to blend in, get as much information as we can by lubing up a couple of these delectable women in short skirts, crash the party and then high tail out of there. As long as we play our cards right, they'll give us whatever we want."
Inuyasha stared at his co-worker with mild disbelief, surprised and yet not at the things that came out of his mouth. "That sounds disgusting. And you wonder why Sango thinks you're just a pervert." He didn't wait for a reply before exiting the car, already making his way towards the entrance, the pervert in question trailing a few feet behind. He just wanted to get this over with already.
Once they were in the elevator and Miroku had pressed the button for the top floor, the sour taste of nausea filled Inuyasha's mouth. "Gimme that." He snatched the tequila bottle from Miroku's grasp, cracking it open and taking a long swig. The potential of running into Kikyo was way too high for him to be sober. The liquor burned his throat and tasted like absolute ass, but still he took another few long gulps before the man in tow ripped it away from him.
"You're gonna drink it all at this rate!" He chided petulantly, taking a few drinks for himself before the elevator door opened into the sprawling living room filled with people, obnoxious dance music pounding through the DJ's sound system. Really? A fucking DJ?
The half-demon, naturally, was right about the crowd and what the overall scene would be like, but Miroku was right about how messed up they would all be. A crowd was gathered in front of the DJ's booth with a mix of girls wearing nothing but bikinis, drunkenly grinding on half-naked jocks - some of which he recognized from the soccer team that came to Hakurei. Past the congregation of people dancing was an arrangement of couches and chairs, filled with people passing around a bong and some joints. On the opposite side of the room, another group was playing beer pong on a table, shouting profanities at one another over the music.
Behind the table of boozers was an archway leading to what appeared to be the kitchen, which Miroku nodded in the direction of. Inuyasha hoped it was crowded enough in the apartment that he wouldn't spot, or be spotted, by Kikyo and or Koga. Or even Naraku, for that matter - surely that fucking weirdo would be lurking around somewhere. It seemed like everyone was in their own world, at least. Nobody had so much as looked in their direction when they arrived, and nobody was paying attention to them as they pushed their way through the crowd.
The kitchen was mostly empty, save for a small group of people huddled around one end of the island, taking turns doing lines off the marble. Behind them, a set of French doors were propped open, leading to the deck and presumably a pool by the sounds of splashing and hollering.
"Did you see Sango anywhere?" Miroku yelled over the music, taking a hefty gulp of booze as his eyes lingered on the nearly exposed chest of the girl bent over the counter with her straw.
Inuyasha plucked a chip out of one of the bowls on the counter, next to a stack of solo cups. "Nope. Can't find anyone in that crowd, thank fuck."
Stumbling in through the French doors was a couple, soaking wet in their bathing suits, heavily making out. "Damn. We should have brought our swimsuits." The black haired man shot him a sly grin, before turning his attention back to the girl's basically bare ass as they staggered their way down a set of stairs next to the doors.
In lieu of an answer, the hanyo grabbed the bottle back and chugged at least a quarter of it. This fucking sucks. Who knew where Sango was, and he wasn't exactly on avid speaking terms with any of the people here. He didn't understand how Miroku expected to get information out of any of these self-absorbed preps. "Who invited you to this thing, anyway?"
"Koharu - I have sociology with her."
"Isn't that the chick you were sleeping with at one point?"
"Is that really important? I didn't see her, anyway."
"So who else do you know here that is gonna be of any use?"
Miroku leaned up against the counter, holding his hand out for the tequila. "Yura, maybe."
"Didn't you also sleep with-"
"Now, now Inuyasha, my past relationships have no bearing on what they may or may not tell us. Let us drink more and get on their level, and then we can go see who we can shmooze."
No bearing, my ass. Inuyasha took another hefty swig before finally passing the bottle back. They spent another fifteen minutes or so lingering in the kitchen, taking turns draining the liquor and making small talk before venturing back into the crowd in the living room.
They mingled within the mob, looking for anyone Miroku had a connection with, only to come up empty handed. There were too many people to try and weed out a single person, much less to be able to get them secluded enough to have the conversation they needed to have. Eventually, it ended with a rough punch to the shoulder, and Miroku's face lighting up like the Fourth of July.
"Sango! There you are!" The lecher yelled, slightly stumbling in his child-like excitement.
"How'd you manage to drag this one out of his hole?" Sango yelled over the bass, pointing her thumb in the now drunk hanyo's direction. Pulling a Miroku, he feigned offense.
Miroku held up the almost empty bottle of tequila with a shit eating grin. "Bribery."
In a flash, Sango swiped the glass out of Miroku's hand and chugged it within an inch of its life, leaving its purchaser wide eyed, with an even stupider smile plastered on his face.
"Hey! You're gonna drink it all! That's all the fucking idiot brought with us." Inuyasha took the bottle back from Sango, ultimately polishing it off in one gulp.
"Thanks for that, dick-head. Now we really are out of booze!"
From beside them, Sango laughed and rolled her makeup-covered eyes. "You two idiots really thought I'd show up to one of these awful, wanna-be Hollywood prep parties unprepared?" She let one of the shoulder straps of the bag she was carrying fall, revealing two twenty-sixers of vodka hidden inside, with a few bottles of Gatorade.
"AYE! Sango for the win!" Miroku made grabby hands for one of the bottles, only to be swatted away by the brunette. She jerked her head towards the kitchen instead, silently asking to move out of the crowd, and the two men followed behind her.
She stole a couple of solo cups from the pile, arranging them on the counter before pulling out the vodka and blue Gatorade. She poured a few ounces of liquor into each of the two cups and topped them half-way with the juice. From there, she topped up the empty amount of the blue liquid with vodka, capped it for a moment to give it a quick shake, and then held the bottle up to the two other misfits. "Cheers, bitches. Let's fuck shit up."
Easily an hour or two had passed since Sango's arrival, and the three friends were still in the kitchen, drunk off their asses, laughing and reminiscing about how fast time had passed since they'd all met - not a thought of Kagome or their plan in either man's pea-brained head. The trio were all in their second year, second semester at Shikon, and had met in their freshman year through Hakurei Lounge. The group was all in vastly different programs and shared none of the same classes. Miroku was pursuing a bachelor in psychology, while Sango was after a business degree, and Inuyasha . . . Well, he was still trying to figure it out. He'd applied to the arts and science program, which put him in music, history, and biochemistry, but he didn't know what he really wanted to do with it. He toyed with the idea of majoring in music, or maybe even music history, but the biochemistry was also really interesting and he seemed to be good at it. History had already been something he enjoyed and was good at, much like music, but there wasn't much he could do from a career standpoint. The only real avenues pursuing history offered were in the research, or teaching fields - neither of which were overly appealing. Music would put him in a similar position, unless he started freelancing his talents for upscale restaurants or private events, or even putting himself on the internet in hopes of being seen by the right person at the right time, but he was trash with social media. Biochemistry seemed to be the most promising, putting him down the path into the medical or justice field, but being hanyo posed a big risk of never getting hired.
He truly envied his friends for having a clear goal in life, and knowing exactly what they wanted to do. Inuyasha was lucky he'd gotten into Shikon at all, really. His high school grades were pretty good, but they were average in comparison to most at the university. He assumed his meager 3.7 GPA was on the low end - he already knew someone like Kagome would be much higher.
Fuck! Kagome! His drunken mind suddenly snapped back to reality - recalling why they were even here in the first place. He glanced at Miroku, finding him completely and utterly entranced in Sango's slurred words about her future business plans once graduated. He took the moment to idly wonder how Kagome was; what she was up to right now, if she was in her dorm doing homework and listening to music, trying to drown out the shit unfolding around her. He really hoped she was doing okay, but the thought alone didn't dispel the feeling of guilt about being here - surrounded by all the people who were participating in the destruction of her reputation. Part of him really didn't want to bring it up to Sango - it felt like such a violation of privacy, but he didn't know how else to get involved. It's now or never, Miroku. Please don't fuck this up . . .
"Oi Sango, where's Kagome at?"
The small group fell silent, both his friends staring at him with wide eyes. Thankfully it only took an extra beat for Miroku to have the same drunken realization, and Inuyasha could see him mentally kicking himself in the ass.
Sango pursed her lips momentarily, staring daggers at him, before chugging the rest of her bottle - which at this point, was basically just vodka from all the extra she'd added to top up. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she cast venomous glances between him and Miroku, as if trying to figure out who to attack first. Both the men simply returned her glare with neutral, if not slightly concerned expressions. Eventually, she cleared her throat awkwardly and huffed - her intimidation obviously not getting her where she wanted. "She's at home. Look, I know wha-chuve heard . . . Fuck, every piece of shit here is saying it." She slurred, gesturing to the crowd beyond the kitchen wall. "Is not true, Yash. The total opposite to the truth. I've known her almost my entire fucking life and she's such a good person . . . She just made a mistake."
Opposite of the truth? She made a mistake? What was the mistake? Koga obviously but what does she mean by the opposite of the truth? Don't fucking tell me it was him? He needed to check himself before he let his mind run too far away from him. Now was not the time or place, so he tucked that little piece of information in the back of his head for later. "Didn't think 'twas true anyway. Don't make any sense. Shit don't add up."
"When I find out which one of these pathetic-barbie-ass-fucks started this shit, I am going wring their fucking necks." The brunette growled, clenching her fists until her knuckles were white, eyes burning with hatred.
Miroku immediately caught the half-demon's eyes, pleading for him to not bring it up. He knew exactly what he was about to say. But she deserved to know, damn it. How could Inuyasha just sit back and not say anything? This whole thing was Miroku's idea in the first place and they'd already agreed that if shit went south, it would be his neck.
"Okay, Sango, maybe let's get you some water, huh? I think the vodka is making you angry." Miroku cooed gently, attempting to divert the conversation, and somehow talking coherently for being the drunkest of the three.
"Go near the tap and I will stuff it down your throat, and fill you with water until you explode."
"Okay! No Water! How about more vodka then?!"
Sorry, Miroku. I can't do it. Inuyasha took a step forward, slightly leaning into Sango's space, ignoring the look of dismay consuming his friend's features. "It was Kikyo."
When he stepped back, he watched her eye twitch and the wheels turn in her head. "You knew? You fucking knew and you waited until now to fucking tell me this fucking bitch-"
"Shut up!" Inuyasha lunged forward, clasping his hand over his friend's mouth. Through the haze of his inebriation, he caught another scent - one that made his gut curl in on itself and his skin crawl. He remembered the feeling well because it was the same feeling he'd gotten encountering Naraku for the first time. From what he could tell, his presence wasn't that far away . . . As if he was listening in on their conversation from the deck.
"You fucking asshole, what the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Sango's shrill, angry voice was muffled by his hand, trying and failing to pry it off her mouth. He pinned her with a deadly look, and she seemed to get the message because she finally fell silent. Once he was sure she would stay quiet, he darted past them and out the French doors onto the deck, looking around.
He looked to the wall where the kitchen window was, finding the space empty. There were several people screwing around in the pool, but Naraku wasn't amongst them, despite the strong scent permeating the air. When he turned his attention to the hot tub on the opposite side, he felt his brain go numb. Maybe from the sight, maybe from the alcohol, perhaps both. He watched as the tall, lean demon climbed over the edge of the tub, long dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, bushy tail flicking as he entered the hot water. He sank down in the corner next to a dark-haired woman, and slung his arm over her shoulder to pull her close, before turning her face to him and kissing her. Kissing Kikyo. Koga kissing Kikyo.
"Yash, what the fuck is going on?" Sango's voice sounded softly as the duo came up from behind him.
Inuyasha turned to face his friends and grabbed each by the hand, quickly pulling them back inside before they had the chance to see. Before Sango had the chance to see. "There was someone listening to us. I smell scoundrel." Inuyasha said quietly. It was all a bit too coincidental. Kikyo had sat there, feigning hurt by his distracted demeanor, only to tell him that she'd been using Naraku to make him jealous, followed by spitting that vicious rumor about Kagome in his face, only for her to be hooking up with Koga? No way. There was something missing - something big. He didn't let go of Miroku until they were in the middle of the swarm surrounding the DJ booth, where it was loud enough that he was sure they wouldn't be overheard, but he kept his grip on the brunette's wrist. "Kikyo and Koga are in the hot tub together. Sango, it's kinda a long story, but I met up with Kikyo on Monday and she's the one who told me. If they're hooking up . . . I think they're in on it together."
A fleet of emotions swam across the girl's face, and it was a damn good thing he hadn't let go of her because he knew she'd try to take off. Whatever information Sango had, he could bet a few puzzle pieces just found their perfect fit. In a fit of rage, she swung around, landing with her face inches away from the hanyo's, the smell of liquor and fury radiating off her in tidal waves. "And how the fuck did Kagome come up in that conversation?!"
Inuyasha blinked, stuttering for a moment, unsure what to say. She'd already threatened him about not getting too close to her friend, so he wasn't sure what kind of shit storm Sango would release on him if he told the truth. He barely knew the girl, he got that, but for whatever reason he still cared and he knew, Sango's reaction only confirming it, that she didn't deserve this. Sango would just have to get over it. Steeling himself, returning her burning gaze, he clenched his jaw. "Kikyo called me out for being distracted - for thinking about another girl."
"So you told her?!"
Exasperated, Inuyasha pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. "NO. All I said was it was a girl in my bio-chem class and it was like a fucking switch flipped and she dropped this shit-filled bomb in my lap."
In the midst of their argument, Inuyasha focusing on keeping Sango borderline restrained, and Miroku trying and failing to calm them down, they were none the wiser that they'd been joined by a fourth party.
"Uh, hey guys!" A sing-song female voice that was heart-wrenchingly familiar cascaded through Inuyasha's ears, ultimately causing the three of them to turn their heads simultaneously, each dropping into dead silence.
His heart plummeted into the very pit of his stomach the moment he laid eyes on her, and all her five-foot, three-inch glory. She looked far too good to have just stepped into the eye of chaos. Her midnight hair fell in soft curls over her shoulders, her face decorated in makeup. The black kohl of the eyeliner and full lashes made her blue eyes crackle with electricity, while her usually ashen face sported a touch of pink. She wore a simple black lace dress that cinched at the waist, and fell to knee height, with long puffy lace sleeves that showed off bits of her ivory skin. Simply put, she looked incredible.
Oh fuck, this is not good.
Sango spoke before anyone, quickly pulling her into the safety of their huddle. "What are you doing here? These parasites will eat you alive!"
Kagome shrugged, attempting to play off her friend's concerns, despite being visibly uncomfortable. Inuyasha could almost taste the anxiety and trepidation radiating from her. "I can't do anything about it anyway, Sango. Whether I'm here or at school, it's not like I can escape it. At least here, I'm with you guys . . . Right?"
Her taller friend pulled the petite girl into a big bear hug, only letting go after crushing the life out of her. "We're all on your side, okay? Let's get you a drink. If you're really gonna stay, you're gonna need it." Sango eye'd the two men who were dutifully quiet, but Inuyasha was sure that she didn't miss the way he couldn't take his eyes off Kagome.
Without really realizing it, he found himself back in the kitchen, leaned up against the island with Miroku to his right, and the two women in front of him. They cheersed their cups of vodka, now mixed with diet 7-Up Sango had stolen out of the fridge.
"So Kagome, you share a class with Inuyasha, I hear?" Miroku piped up, attempting to fill the awkward silence that followed.
The raven haired girl nodded, tightening her arm across her chest a fraction. "Yeah, I want to go into the criminology field, so I took it as an elective. I thought it would be a good thing to have under my belt if I choose to go the forensics route."
"Oh, that's interesting! I guess that explains the psychology then."
She nodded again, taking a small sip from her cup, cobalt irises daring to meet Inuyasha's for a split second, before looking away again.
All Inuyasha could think about was how she should absolutely not be here. He hated himself to the very core for even inviting her, despite it being the courteous thing to do. He didn't think for a second that she would actually show up. What the fuck were they going to do if Kikyo and Koga walked in together? The kitchen was the absolute worst place for them to be right now, but that thought hadn't seemed to cross Sango's or Miroku's intoxicated brains. Just fucking act normal. "Uh, she helped me with my music shit too. Guess Kaede is worried about me failin' and called in her best student to bail me out." What the fuck am I even saying?
"Ohhhh myyy godddd, if you ever heard this girl play, you would all cry." Sango blubbered, pulling her best friend closer to her side.
Why did she have to mention that? Inuyasha prayed his face wasn't mirroring the way his stomach erupted in butterflies at the mere thought of it.
"Music too, huh? What do you play?" Miroku sent a side-eye'd glance the half-demon's way, a curious glint reflecting in his lavender gaze.
"A bit of everything." She replied nonchalantly, repeating Inuyasha's words from that night at the bar.
"Oh come onnn, Kagome. Don't be so modest. I don't get why you're asking Miroku, you already know! She's a pianist. I've never heard anyone, other than like Mozart or some shit, play better than her." Sango announced like a proud mother, the alcohol very obviously starting to catch back up with her. Her comment about Miroku already knowing made Inuyasha send his own look the lecher's way. Is that what she posts on her instagram?
Kagome went beet red in the face, her eyes downcast, as she nibbled on her bottom lip. "Anyway - What about you, Sango? Do they know you have a black belt in jiu jitsu?"
Now that made Inuyasha cackle, especially as Miroku balked, going white in the face. "See, Miroku? She really will wipe the floor with your face."
In a split second, his laughter was abruptly cut off, every sense suddenly on high alert. He smelled them approaching, but it was too late. The alcohol flowing through his blood had dulled his intuition just enough to royally fuck the rest of the night. The only thing he could do was grab Kagome by the arm and all but drag her behind him, to act as her wall against the shit that was about to start flying.
"Ew, what the fuck is that disgusting whore doing here?" A high pitched, whiny voice sounded from the doorway of the French doors, encompassing a group of girls.
"Who invited any of these freak losers?" Another spoke up, turning her nose up in their direction.
Inuyasha watched Kagome's face fall, her eyebrows knitting across her forehead, the bottom lip she'd been chewing now quivering. The smell of fear, hurt, and betrayal hit him like a fucking freight train, and there was no containing the rage bubbling inside him. There was no containing the demonic blood that spread like a lethal toxin that turned his vision red.
"Keh! Who the fuck are ya talkin' to like that?!"
"Inuyasha, don't, please." Kagome pleaded in a whisper from behind him, her arm flexing in his grasp.
"Wow, it smells like dog shit in here! Who let the animal wipe its ass on the floor?" Koga's voice boomed behind the pack of hyenas, coming into view as he stepped into the light, towering above the girls.
The first thing Inuyasha noticed was the fact that Koga was bone dry and dressed in normal clothes. Which was odd, considering he had been in the hottub with Kikyo. Secondly, was the way Koga's face blanched when his steel blue eyes landed on Kagome, his mouth falling open ever so slightly. The look that consumed his face was nowhere near what the hanyo was expecting; fulfillment and spite maybe, but this? This caught Inuyasha off guard. The wolf looked like he was about to cry. Even worse, was the smell wafting from the girl behind him. He couldn't even put his finger on what it was, but it was an acrid, sour stench that burned his nostrils.
"This was a really bad idea. I'm leaving." Kagome's muttered words drifted through the ears Inuyasha had trained on her.
"Yeah, that's a good idea, skank. Get your disgusting, gold-digging dead baby away from us."
That was it. Inuyasha had it and he was going to fucking lose it.
"Do you stupid fucks even know what you're talkin' about? Or are you just repeating the bullshit lies you've been fed like fucking sheep? You honestly believe some five-foot fuckin' nothing, human girl, could do that to that?" He couldn't contain the malicious laughter that escaped his mouth. "Please! Please tell me how she managed to put that fucking beast on his ass. I'll bet ya fuckin' can't, because it ain't fuckin' possible! How about you, Koga? Maybe you wanna tell 'em how she was able to do what she did? Cause from where I'm standin', and the look on your wolf-shit face, somethin' tells me that someone's lying here . . . and it ain't fucking Kagome!"
The group was quiet for a moment, a look of genuine astonishment seemed to replace the animosity on most of the girls faces, but Koga just looked more pained.
"You're the one who doesn't know what they're talking about, insolent pup. If you know what's good for you - stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
"Listen, wolf-"
"Inuyasha!" Kikyo's voice screeched, reverberating over the pounding bass as she pushed her way to the front of her posse. "What are you doing here? How could you bring her here?! You - all off you need to leave. Now."
He knew his eyes were blood red. He knew the purple streaks were gradually materializing across his cheeks. He could feel his claws and fangs lengthening, the unhinged chaos bubbling inside begging to be released. He pinned her in place with a single deadly look, and he didn't miss the way she froze. "I thought you were different, Kikyo. I thought you had genuine feelings for me, and me for you. But I guess you're exactly what everyone warned me about - you're just another soul sucking, elitist, bitch."
"Ew, you know the half breed, Kikyo?" He heard one of the girls whisper, disgust laced in her voice.
Inuyasha ripped his arm out of the hold he realized Miroku and Sango had on him, scoffing at the group who were truly the pathetic losers. Flexing his hand, the split second realization that Kagome was gone sent an animalistic panic surging through his nerves, extinguishing the rage in seconds. He didn't bother waiting for his friends. He turned on his heel and bounded through the crowd to the elevator, which thankfully opened quickly, and shielded him from the hoard of whispering voices.
The ride to the main floor felt like an eternity. His head was spinning uncomfortably between the liquor and his brain replaying the look on Koga's face, and Kagome's scent like a fucking lightning round.
The moment the doors opened into the lobby, he sprinted off, using his demonic speed to track Kagome's fading aroma. The way the pungent salt clung to the humidity in the midnight air, she hadn't gotten too far - a couple blocks at most. When he finally rounded the corner of the next intersection, he saw her small frame huddled into herself, sitting on the curb a ways down, and relief flooded his body. He flew down the sidewalk towards her, only slowing to a jog once he approached.
Without a word, or thought, he unzipped his red hoodie and removed it, draping it around Kagome's shaking shoulders, before dropping to sit on the curb next to her. It probably reeked of booze and weed, but at least it would be warm.
The silence stretched on for what felt like hours, only a stifled sob interrupting here and there. That weird squeezing feeling in Inuyasha's chest was back and it made him desperately want to comfort her - to protect her. It didn't matter what anybody said, or claimed, or accused, Kagome was innocent and it would be over his dead body that he'd let them get away with this.
"What are you doing, Inuyasha?" Kagome eventually croaked, voice muffled from the enclosure of her arms.
He sighed, staring at the back of her buried head. What could he possibly say or do to make this better? "I- . . . I wanted to make sure you were okay."
She sniffled, lifting her head a fraction to wipe her face. "What do you care? You don't even like me."
The hanyo leaned back on his hands, closing his eyes as he turned his face up towards the pitch black, starless sky. He couldn't have told her why - hell, he didn't even know why, but he did. Momentarily, he battled with himself and how much to divulge - if his confession would even make a difference. He was willing to bet it wouldn't, and there was no need to put that on her on top of everything else. "That ain't true at all. C'mon, I told ya I needed an excuse just to talk to ya, didn't I? Sure, I don't really know ya, but I know you're important to Sango, so you're important to me, too."
"But . . . What everyone is saying -"
"Ain't true, is it?" Inuyasha cut her off, his voice so gentle it was borderline unrecognizable. "I may be half-demon, but I still have demon blood. Unless I was zapped with a shit-load of reishi, or fed enough tranquilizer for an Oni, I wouldn't get put down. It just ain't possible. Anyone who actually had a brain would realize that."
Feeling Kagome's eyes on his, he tilted his head in her direction, meeting wide, glossy, red rimmed blues, cheeks streaked with black makeup. "You're hanyo?"
He nodded, folding his arms across propped up knees. "Mom's human, dad's full yokai."
"Oh . . . I never would have guessed."
"Ya mean you haven't heard the things everyone says about me when they think I'm far enough outta earshot?" Snickering, he shook his head. Life had always been somewhat difficult for him. Not quite human, not quite demon - not quite a right fit anywhere. He'd learned quickly from a young age how to be independent and enjoy his solitude. Young kids were brutal with their bullying - nobody wanted to be friends with a half-breed. Humans were afraid of him, and demons thought he was an abomination. Once he got to high school, he learned some got off on fetishizing his heritage, and those girls who tried to hook up with him were only doing it out of their own sick perversions. The bullying from humans and demons alike hadn't gotten any better either. While the solitude had gotten lonely sometimes, he'd take it any day over being used like some toy. It wasn't until coming to Shikon, where he met Miroku and Sango, that he gained his first real friends. People that just accepted him as he was, no questions asked.
Sniffling and wiping her face again, the petite woman shook her head, a wry smile touching her lips. "I always have headphones in, remember?"
"Ah, right. What the hell are ya listening to all the time, anyway?"
Shrugging, Kagome wrapped her arms around her legs, leaning her temple against her knees. "All sorts of stuff. Depends on the mood, I guess. Sometimes it's classical piano, sometimes it's heavy metal, others it's acoustic or indie. Or it's a serial killer podcast."
Inuyasha's brain short circuited the moment she mentioned listening to heavy metal, and he didn't really hear the rest. "You listen to metal? No way - who do you listen to?"
She thought for a second, chewing on her bottom lip. "Right now . . . Make them Suffer, Crystal Lake, Currents, and Shadow of Intent are in my top plays."
He stared at her, unbelieving. He shared the same taste in music as Kagome Higurashi? Kagome Higurashi who was a classically trained pianist? "Crystal Lake, huh? You know they're coming to Hokuto in July."
A small smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, eyes brightening a touch, probably with a similar realization and it made his throat tighten with an inexplicable emotion. "Yeah, but the tickets are really expensive. I don't think I'd be able to save up enough."
He tucked that little piece of information away for later, just in case, and agreed with her, heart hammering a steady tattoo in his chest.
They fell into silence again, though it wasn't nearly as awkward or uncomfortable. His heart skipped a beat at one point when she tugged his sweater a little tighter around her shoulders, practically snuggling into it. The scent of hurt and anxiety slowly dissipated from her, and it made his spirit soar at the prospect that he had some part in it. That she could calm down in his presence.
Eventually, Kagome procured her phone, squinting at the blinding screen to check the time, exhaling a heavy sigh. "I should get home . . . Sango has been blowing up my phone. She's worried."
Inuyasha snuck a peak at his own phone, seeing a similar slew of notifications from his two friends. "Do you live far?"
"About a half hour walk or so. It's okay though - the fresh air will do me some good."
"I'll take you home."
"No, really, that's okay. You've already done more than enough . . . Thank you for sitting with me."
"It's the middle of the night, we're off campus, and that's a long walk for a girl by herself. Just let me take you."
Kagome sat up suddenly, a scowl marring her beautiful face. "I'm a big girl, Inuyasha! I can take care of myself!"
The silver haired hanyo growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Damn it, woman! Would ya just shut up and lemme make sure you get home safe?!"
Her eyebrows shot up, a look of surprise overtaking her disgruntled demeanor, as she blinked in confusion. "You want to make sure I'm-"
"Safe. Yes. I want to make sure you're safe. Now shut it, and get on." He dropped down onto a single knee facing away from her, thankful to hide his heated face. He'd never done this for anyone before - carrying someone, let alone using his demonic nature in public.
She hesitated briefly before he heard her shuffle to her feet, followed by the sound of his sweater zipping up. Slowly, she moved toward him, placing her hands on his shoulders, inching closer so he could hook his arms around her legs.
He desperately tried to ignore the heat of her hands burning through his shirt and the feeling of her silky bare skin against his. The way her breasts pressed into his back, and her torse melted against him made his mouth go dry and his head spin, but it had nothing to do with the alcohol. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ready?"
"Mhm."
With her confirmation, he hoisted her on his back and stood up, her light weight feeling like next to nothing. "Wrap your arms around my neck, and hang on tight. I ain't gonna drop ya, but it'll be a shock, got it?"
Kagome did as she was told, tentatively wrapping each arm around his collar, squeezing with a comforting pressure that made his raging thoughts finally fall silent.
"Alright, here we go." Inuyasha warned one last time before using all the power in his propped up leg to launch into the blackness of the night. Kagome's inevitable squeal pierced his sensitive ears on their initial jump, and when he used the momentum to jump to the next building about fifty feet up, she screamed bloody murder, her arms a death grip around his neck.
"Would ya quit it with your screaming?! You're gonna make me go deaf, woman!"
"Holy shit, holy shit, holy-fucking-shit! That was amazing!" She squealed again, this time followed by the most amazing sound of bubbly laughter.
In less than two weeks, he'd gone from never having spoken to the girl, to having her body pressed up against the length of his back, her shrieking laughter piercing his ear drums in the best way possible, as they flew through the night. Despite everything that was falling apart around them, and while it may have been a selfish thought, he wouldn't trade this moment for anything.
Through the years, he'd done his best to suppress his demonic nature, as many humans were still put off by seeing a demon using the town as a jungle gym, but right now it was the very thing putting Kagome in a better mood and making her laugh with pure bliss. If this was the price he had to pay, so be it. He'd do it again and again, for however long it took until the scent of salt had vanished completely.
"Where am I goin'?" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder against the wind whipping around them, as he bounded from rooftop to rooftop.
"The other side of Hakurei, on Makinohara. It's the building with the black awning."
He wanted to comment on how close she lived to the restaurant, and ask why last Friday had been the first time he'd seen her there, but he bit his tongue, not wanting to risk ruining their moment. Instead, the half-demon took the long way around just to spend an extra few minutes with her and that wonderful sound of laughter. His heart clenched with a mix of pride and happiness. Part of him - probably the human part, felt as if he could cry. It was foreign, but he wasn't ignorant of what it was.
Really not wanting for this to be over yet, but knowing she needed to get some sleep, he circled around and slowly descended until he landed them on the front porch of her and Sango's building. The girl on his back was out of breath from all her scream-laughing, and he would probably have a bruise around his neck tomorrow, but that suited him just fine. It would be his proof she'd actually been there.
"Wow . . . That was intense. Amazing, but intense." She said hoarsely, attempting to regulate her breathing as he let her down. Kagome made her way around Inuyasha, standing before him with crazy wind blown hair, a flushed face, and a world-stopping grin that made him want to throw-up from all the emotions that slammed into him simultaneously. "Bet that's how you get all the girls, huh?"
Inuyasha laughed wryly and shook his head. "Nah, you're the only person who's ever gotten the luxury."
Her already red cheeks deepened in color, and more so when she realized she was wearing his sweater. Bowing her head, her hands made for the zipper.
"Don't. Just give it back to me later." Keep it, for all I fucking care.
Her hands froze and then dropped back to her sides, as she looked up at him. A small, shy smile graced her lips and she nodded. "Inuyasha . . . Thank you again." Before he could register what was happening, Kagome leaned up on her tip-toes and planted a feather-light kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight." She backed away from him slowly, watching the way his face lit up until she disappeared behind the door.
Damn. The universe was crazy.
Song Inspos:
Open Your Eyes - Eliminate
Ascend - Dezko
Already Gone - Bayside
Part of It - Microwave
You Can Stay - MIRSY
Steadier Footing - Death Cab For Cutie