AMAOTO

"The sound of the rain"

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Chapter I

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... on days like this, you can perfectly appreciate the quiet within the leaves' fall. The air is barely a soft, cool breeze that allows them to detach from the branches when they're ready, and elegantly sway down, until they touch ground...

"I'm getting sleepy listening to the guide," Kagome whispered, slightly tilting her head towards her companion's shoulder.

... this is a moment to reflect on what we've experienced lately and give thanks for all we've received...

"I thought it was just me." InuYasha leaned in to murmur that without taking his eyes off the man who continued explaining details about the falling leaves.

"Should we leave?" Kagome let the tone of her voice show a bit of hope. However, InuYasha didn't respond immediately and looked at her. She met the mischievous golden hue of his eyes, along with the faint smile that completed his intent.

"Let's go."

That acceptance reached Kagome, accompanied by the casual way InuYasha took her hand to guide her out of the group. She could only see the platinum hair falling down his back, that seemed especially broad because of the vest he was wearing. She could hear the way he spoke to people, asking them to step aside and thanking them when they did, and Kagome noticed the butterflies of excitement playing in her stomach. She didn't consider herself the type of woman who needed a man to walk ahead—she'd been alone for a long time and felt fine that way—but she acknowledged it was nice to feel the warmth of InuYasha's hand holding hers.

Once they were free from the group and the guide's voice seemed a distant memory, they found themselves at a crossroads. Which path to take?

Kagome looked over InuYasha's shoulder, who was still holding her hand, and saw that the road ahead was long and turned to the left. Then, she did the same, looking behind her, and the result was similar.

"Look," InuYasha pointed at the guided group and the route they were starting to take.

"That makes it much clearer," Kagome encouraged, pulling InuYasha in the opposite direction. At that moment, the grip of their hands became too evident, and she looked at their connection. "Sorry." There was some frustration in her voice. She had to let go, but that didn't mean she wanted to.

The hold ended with a casual, shared smile between them.

Their steps became steady, as they observed their surroundings and the way the leaves gracefully fell, twirling in the air before touching the ground. Both were enjoying a moment like this, though the real reason for being here was to get to know each other a little better.

"A storm's coming." InuYasha was the first to say something. Kagome saw him move his ears, which crowned his head, and wondered if he was hearing something she couldn't.

"Smells like rain," she added, not expecting the enthusiasm with which InuYasha responded.

"You smell it too?"

"Yes."

They looked at each other for a moment that seemed like part of a connection building since they first exchanged greetings days ago. Kagome returned her gaze to the road, and InuYasha followed her gesture. People walked by them, engaged in quiet conversations that kept the place in a kind of bubble of calm and serenity.

"I found today's class interesting." Kagome was the first to search for a new topic of conversation.

"I suppose so. I took some notes," InuYasha responded without much enthusiasm, and she glanced at him for a moment, curiosity becoming more evident.

She had seen him in class a few times, though not with the regularity of a typical student. His appearance suggested someone who had a job besides studying, and probably for that reason, he didn't attend university like the other students.

"What major are you studying? We don't always run into each other," Kagome dared to ask.

"You're very persistent." InuYasha smiled as he said that, looking at her for a moment. "Psychology suits you."

"Thank… you?" She dragged the word as she pronounced it, "I suppose, but that doesn't answer my question."

"Do you need me to answer your question?" The teasing tone behind that question made Kagome turn halfway towards him.

"If I remember correctly, you wanted to go for a walk to get to know each other better," she retorted with careful elegance.

InuYasha, who had taken a step further, also stopped to observe the expression of mock indignation the girl had adopted.

"I did that because you wouldn't stop looking at me," he said, leaving the accusation in a playful tone.

Kagome once again saw the mischievous look in his eyes, which gradually shifted to something more intense. Silence fell between them, and she felt her cheeks warm in a blush. She parted her lips as her mind scrambled for something to say. However, InuYasha's gaze was fixed on something in the distance beyond her.

"Crap."

Kagome heard the curse and the low growl that followed it. Before she could turn to see what had caused InuYasha's mood, he had grabbed her by the wrist and guided her to the side of the path, next to a large tree adorned with consecration symbols. She found herself with her back against the tree trunk, InuYasha's hands placed on either side of her waist, not touching her but forming a barrier between her and the rest of the world.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked while he kept his eyes on the path, looking at whoever it was he had seen. "Or are you not going to answer this either?"

InuYasha turned his attention back to her, and she could see that he smiled with a certain calm.

"I saw someone I don't want to run into," he said with a slight shrug.

Kagome had to admit the guy was intriguing. He had an air of mystery about him that contrasted with the honesty he used with her, which intertwined with a somewhat distracted personality.

"And are they getting closer?" She wanted more information about the situation. She wasn't sure if they should part ways here and call this walk-slash-date a modest success.

InuYasha looked back at the path.

"For now, they've stopped," his words were soft, yet Kagome could sense the irritation he was containing.

"We could try sneaking away," she gestured with her hand toward a part of the garden where there was no path.

InuYasha looked in the direction she indicated and smiled with a hint of hidden mischief that Kagome had come to notice in him during the glances they exchanged in class.

"So, you're one to break the rules," InuYasha said in a slightly deeper tone, and Kagome realized that the distance between them was shrinking.

"Not if I can avoid it," she noticed that her own voice had deepened slightly, perhaps because of the confidential tone the conversation was beginning to take.

"And what's making you do it now?" InuYasha seemed to get closer with every sentence.

"I don't feel forced," she rested her head against the tree trunk in a gesture that seemed to invite him to come even closer.

"That sounds a bit contradictory," his words were spoken from such a short distance that Kagome could feel InuYasha's breath on her cheeks, and she was tempted to close her eyes.

She felt restless and utterly drawn to him. Once again, she experienced the magnetic pull she had sensed when InuYasha entered the classroom during their lessons. She wondered if that had something to do with his demonic blood.

"Not really. Do you know how to gauge the risk of your actions?" she pretended her mind was still focused on the conversation.

"Oh, Kami, I hope so," he smiled a little more, and she declared herself emotionally spellbound.

The distance between them had almost completely disappeared. Kagome could feel the thrill that their exchange of words and opinions had stirred within her. The intensity in InuYasha's gaze was both captivating and intimidating, and she wondered if she herself was capable of measuring the risk of her actions.

"How long do we have to stay here?" Kagome noticed the unease slipping into her voice. She could feel the heat from InuYasha's body seeping into her, and she liked it. He sighed in resignation and made a move to look beyond their hiding spot, which caused their bodies to brush against each other even more.

"Not much longer," he acknowledged, though despite his relaxed demeanor, Kagome could see a certain tension in the line of his jaw and the sharpness of his gaze. Both of these signs fascinated her.

A couple stood on the other side of the tree, close enough for InuYasha and Kagome to overhear their conversation.

Oh, what a wonder! It's sublime to see the leaves fall after spending all summer soaking up the sun and providing shade and coolness. Trees are like guardians falling asleep.

InuYasha and Kagome exchanged surprised looks, and he leaned slightly toward her ear to whisper something, ensuring he wouldn't be overheard.

"All we need now is a haiku," he joked, referencing the poetic words of the girl from the other couple. Kagome smiled, unable to respond before hearing the man on the other side of the tree.

Falling leaves
Thankful for life
Light fades away

InuYasha looked at her in astonishment and amusement. Kagome pressed her lips together and brought a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter. However, both of them failed, and their laughter resonated, feeding off each other and completely distracting them from those around them. Kagome felt the joy swell in her chest and removed her hands from her mouth to hold on to InuYasha's arms, which were still framing her waist against the tree. She saw him smile, and the light from a nearby streetlamp, which had just turned on, gave a particular glow to the gold in his eyes. Then, his gaze began to change, and one of his hands left the tree to rest on her, at the curve where her waist began, in a gesture that transformed the mood in an instant. Kagome held her breath as she realized what was happening and accepted that she had been anticipating this ever since they decided to take a walk in this place. She half-closed her eyes, still looking at him, and then fully closed them when the distance became so small that the touch of their lips became inevitable.

The kiss was both soft and firm, intense. InuYasha kissed her with restrained desire in a way that was far from inexperienced. Not that Kagome expected him to be inexperienced, but that realization stirred the heat of desire in her belly, weakening her knees. At that moment, she sighed and gripped InuYasha's arms more firmly. Then, she felt the gentle pressure of his body, pushing her against the tree as if he wanted to secure her there. Kagome thought for a moment; the kiss was becoming too intimate. She turned her head to one side to pause the kiss, breathe, and think. She hadn't anticipated that this unpredictable move would cause InuYasha to kiss the spot where her ear met her neck and jaw. Kagome felt her skin tingle with nervousness. She gasped softly—a sound almost imperceptible yet too obvious to both of them. InuYasha accompanied her with a hiss that vibrated against Kagome's skin, in the very spot that had just received a kiss that was casual and perfect all at once.

They remained still, their breathing more labored than a single kiss should cause. The sky, which had been cloudy, began to release light raindrops that landed on the autumn leaves of the sacred tree sheltering them, creating a sweet sound that mingled with the raindrops hitting the gravel path. Kagome was the first to smile, and InuYasha did the same, pulling back just enough to look at her.

"I'd like to take you somewhere else," his voice was a murmur, darkened by a desire that Kagome shared and didn't want to deny.

"Do it."

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Continued

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A/N

This story just came to me, and like many other things that often pop-up in my head, I didn't want to look away, and so I went for it. At first, it was supposed to be just a chance encounter of one version of an InuKag couple, not destined to a longer story, then I recalled the couple that LEN is developing, and how it has traces of the Yakuza universe. We once talked about it, about that ideary (library of ideas) of hers, and I thought it interesting to offer some words to her illustrations. We discussed it, and this would be the beginning of the story. I hope you like it.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

Anyara

This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart