InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fool's Redemption ❯ Reason for a Revolution ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13 - Reason for a Revolution

“Storm's getting worse,” Kagome said, staring at the rain streaming across the windows of Sango's apartment. She stood just inside the doorway, resiting the urge to start impatiently tapping her foot.

Sango glanced out at the rain, then returned her eyes to the full length mirror. “Storms this late in the year usually mean an early snowfall,” she said as she carefully looked over her outfit.

Kagome tried not to flinch as another flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by thunder loud enough to rattle the floor beneath their feet.

“Did it get cold in Eona?” Sango asked.

“Sometimes,” Kagome answered, absently wondering why tonight of all nights her friend was choosing to be so damn particular about her appearance. “We had sleet every now and then. Does it get cold here?”

“It can,” Sango said and readjusted a pin in her hair. “We get a lot of ice and freezing rain.”

She turned a few more times, checking the angles of her fuchsia ensemble. Just as Kagome was nearly to the point of dragging her out the door by force, the older girl finally turned to her. “Ready?”

Kagome nodded eagerly and opened the door. She had already been nervous when she arrived at Sango's door. The delay had only helped fray her nerves further. She didn't know if she was anxious because of the big concert or because of Naraku's unexpected invitation to join him for the occasion. Either way, her stomach wouldn't stop fluttering uneasily.

As they headed down the open hallway toward the elevator, Kagome glanced out over the atrium and was surprised to find the corridors that circled the inside of the tower mostly empty. “Where is everyone?” she asked as they entered the elevator and began the short trip down the inside of the tower.

“Probably already down there. We are running a little late...” Sango laughed at Kagome's glare. “Calm down. It's not like we won't get good seats because we didn't get there on time. Not with the connections you have,” she teased.

“Speaking of that connection,” Kagome began carefully, “are you sure you're okay with this? Watching the concert with Naraku, I mean.”

“Sure,” Sango replied, fussing with the ends of her dark hair, as if still not quite happy with the way it looked.

“I feel bad about not asking you first.”

“It's okay. The view from up there is better, anyways,” Sango said with a smile that Kagome didn't find entirely reassuring.

She pushed a bit more just to make sure. “Do you mind that he asked me?” she asked.

Sango hesitated a moment, and then turned to Kagome with a curious expression. “No. Why?”

“It's just you always seem to get a little,” Kagome paused to search for the right word, “uneasy when he's around. I didn't know if maybe you two had... If you and he...” She trailed off, unsure how to continue without sounding silly.

A second passed in silence as Sango seemed to be working out in her mind what Kagome was implying, and then her mouth opened in surprise. “Oh!” Sango raised her hands. “No! It's not that.” She shook her head with an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I guess that's the impression anyone might have gotten. No, you don't have to worry about anything like that.”

“You sure?” Kagome asked again, still not entirely convinced. Sango's hesitation had caught her attention. Something about that previous question had bothered her.

Sango gave a small, laughing sigh. “Positive.”

Her assurance seemed to be genuine, so Kagome decided to drop the subject as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened to the ground floor of the atrium. As they stepped out, another crash of thunder seemed to rattle the entire building. Sango looked up at the long expanse of glass that ran up the side of the tower. “The storm is getting worse, isn't it?” she said softly.

Suddenly, from speakers hidden somewhere Kagome couldn't see, the sound of cheering filled the atrium, followed by the stirrings of music.

Sango cursed under her breath, grabbing Kagome's wrist. “Now we're definitely missing it,” she laughed and broke into a full run across the atrium and into the half-darkness of the corridor leading to the underground hall. Kagome ran with her, enjoying the chance to let out some of her nervous energy.

The music had worked into a full chorus by the time they stepped into the birdcage-like elevator that would take them down into the hall. Kagome breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath, and patted the gentle twist she'd placed at the nape of her neck, smoothing down any strands that had fallen loose. She'd been blessed with the kind of hair that could hold the style easily with the help of just a few pins and a decorative comb, but she'd still spent an unusually long time that evening getting the look just right. She just wanted to look nice for the concert. It had nothing to do with the handsome man waiting for her downstairs.

She shifted her weight nervously from foot to foot as the elevator finally slid down into the hall.

“Oh, my God,” she breathed, staring out through the glass. A massive crowd had gathered, fanned out from a stage that had been set up at the far end of the hall. Every spare inch of the dance floor and the surrounding sitting areas was packed shoulder to shoulder with people. She'd never seen it so crowded before, and found herself feeling much more confident about accepting Naraku's invitation. Trying to fight their way to a good spot in this crowd would have been impossible at this point.

Sango looked out over the crush of people. “Now we just have to get through this mess,” she said, nearly having to shout to be heard over the music. She grabbed Kagome's wrist and together they headed into the crowd.

Navigating through the sea of people didn't end up being as difficult as Kagome was expecting, though. Pushing and shoving when they had to, they slowly weaved their way through the crowd, toward the stairs leading up to Naraku's terrace. At the foot of the stairs, they paused to catch their breath before beginning the climb, and Kagome took the opportunity to turn and look up toward Inuyasha's terrace.

He was there along the railing, staring out absently over the crowd below. There was already a drink in his hand. Well, she thought, he'll just have to find someone else to drag him home tonight.

Ever since the party in the observatory two nights ago, Inuyasha's attitude had remained surprisingly mild. He'd looked so agitated just after her conversation with Naraku, but by the time he'd joined her at the window once again, he seemed to have completely regained his composure. He didn't asked what she and Naraku had been discussing, and eventually she found herself so unnerved by waiting for him to bring it up that she'd simply come out and told him on her own as she was preparing him for bed that night.

Inuyasha had practically ignored the news of the invitation. “Well, have a nice time,” he'd said as he reached across his pillow to switch off the light, leaving her standing in the dark next to his bed.

The response had surprised and annoyed her, and she'd lost a good deal of sleep that night trying to figure out why. She'd eventually come to the realization that she'd foolishly wanted him, maybe even expected him, to be jealous, if only just a little bit.

Now, standing at the base of the stairs leading up to Naraku's terrace, Kagome silently chided herself. Why the hell would he be jealous? It was clear he didn't care about what she did with her social life. Besides, she'd already come to terms with the idea that their relationship would never be anything more than it already was. She'd probably just been reading too much into everything that had happened between them lately. Hope remains ever vigilant, she thought ruefully.

His eyes were moving her way. Quickly, she turned away from Inuyasha and looked up at the stairs before her. Well, there was at least one person here tonight who wanted her company. She took the lead and headed purposefully up the stairs, Sango following closely behind.

“There you are,” Naraku said, standing at the door, waiting to greet them as they reached the top. There was no need to shout up here. The music could still be heard clearly, but it wasn't quite as loud. It was an acoustic trick unique to the terraces, one that she had grown accustomed to during her nights working for Inuyasha. The moment she saw Naraku's wonderfully magnetic smile, Kagome's mood began to lift.

“I was beginning to think you were going to stand me up,” he teased, and turned to Sango. “And you brought a friend. What a delightful surprise. It's been a while since you've graced my terrace with your presence, Sango.” Coming from anyone else, the comment might have been considered snide, but from Naraku it sounded honey smooth.

“The view is better up here,” Sango replied casually.

Naraku nodded and took Kagome's arm. “I was worried you'd changed your mind,” he said, smiling down at her as he ushered them toward the railing. “I've been saving the best seat in the house for you.”

“We were just running late,” Kagome explained. As they reached the edge of the terrace, she looked down and out over the hall, and sucked in an awed breath. The massive gathering was even more impressive from above. As the current song began to rise in crescendo, the energetic atmosphere of the crowd also increased. It was a sea of constant motion beneath them, rising and falling to the beat of the music. The crowd's attention was fixed on the stage at the far end of the hall, where a woman with bright pink hair stood, belting out the song's lyrics in a radiant voice.

Kagome grabbed the railing and leaned out, a huge smile spreading across her face. Best seat in the house, indeed.

Naraku motioned to the singer. “She's just getting the crowd warmed up. Kouga and his band should be up in a minute,” he said. He'd taken the spot to her right, and was standing close enough that she could almost feel the warmth from his body. Just another inch more and her arm would brush against his.

“I told you we wouldn't miss much,” Sango said from her other side. She looked a bit distracted.

Kagome studied her for a moment before leaning toward her. “You okay?” she asked, just loud enough for the two of them.

Sango quickly nodded and gave an easy smile. “Yeah. Just excited about the show.”

Kagome didn't buy it, but if there was something bothering Sango, it was obvious she wasn't going to disclose whatever it was tonight. She turned her attention back to the stage just as the song ended and the lights went out, plunging the hall into darkness, sending the crowd below into renewed waves of cheering and screaming. A single, steady drum beat pulsed through the air, giving rhythm to the exultation. As the crowd clapped in time to the sound, Kagome felt Naraku close that last inch between them.

“Here we go,” he said, an arm slowly encircling her waist.

Lights and music suddenly exploded around her, and the show began.

*****

He was touching her.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and focused on relaxing his fierce grip on the drink between his hands. The last thing he needed tonight was shattered glass all over the place. He tore his gaze from the hand on Kagome's waist and focused on the stage below. He wasn't a huge fan of Kouga's music, but it would provide a good enough distraction for a little while, he hoped. Don't think about Kagome.

The song was loud and aggressive, the lights blinding if he looked directly at them. He swirled the liquid in his glass and took a drink. Don't think about Kagome.

His terrace was crowded tonight, everyone lined up along the railing to watch the show. He'd already shunned the company of two or three women, and now stood off to the far side of the terrace's edge, near the door. It was where Kagome often stood night after night, looking out over the hall. Just last night he'd watched as she stood here, leaning out to catch the breeze as it drifted up from the dance floor...

God damn it! Stop thinking about Kagome! He sighed and shook his head. Why was he letting this bother him so much? It was her night off. She could spend it with whomever she wanted. Besides, it was just Naraku.

Inuyasha mentally kicked himself for that last thought. He knew better than to underestimate the man. Naraku was handsome, cunning, suave as hell, and remarkably adept at using those attributes to get what he wanted.

He should have kept that in mind when Kagome told him of the invitation. He could tell that she'd been expecting a reaction different from the one he gave her. Perhaps she'd thought he would throw some kind of jealous fit. Truth be told, he'd wanted to. He'd wanted to tell her that Naraku and his invitation could both go to hell.

But he hadn't. Instead, he'd feigned indifference, acted like it hadn't mattered that she'd accepted the offer. But an act was exactly what it had been, and one designed to incite her. She may have been expecting it to bother him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that it did.

But glancing back to Kagome, he thought that perhaps he should have shown at least some resistance to Naraku's invitation. It didn't appear that she'd made any effort to move away from his touch, and every once in a while they would share a laugh or a smile about something and then return their attention to the stage. Watching it made Inuyasha's stomach turn and his pulse pound furiously. He knew what jealousy felt like, but he'd never experienced it with this much intensity before. The reaction felt strange in his head, inconsolable, blindly irrational, and completely unwelcome.

He released a breath through his teeth and forced his gaze back to the stage. Just watch the show, enjoy your drink. Don't think about anything else.

Drums, screaming guitars, and Kouga's voice singing words he barely paid any attention to filled his head as he tried desperately to focus on the music. Anything to draw his mind away from the urge to turn his eyes back to things that would only frustrate him further.

It wasn't working. Inuyasha threw back the last of his drink and shoved away from the railing. As he was turning to head to the bar, he took one last glance at where Kagome stood with Naraku, and froze.

The hand had lifted from her waist to her shoulder. As Inuyasha stood staring, Naraku's fingers trailed a slow line up her neck, and then down again, coming to rest at the curve where her neck and shoulder met. It was the same spot Inuyasha had hovered just a breath's width away from a few nights ago. He could still remember the scent of her skin that night.

He wanted Naraku's hand gone. Now.

The thumb on Kagome's neck slowly began stroking up and down. Inuyasha tore his eyes away to look at her face. She was still watching the stage below, but her expression had stiffened a bit.

He was being watched, he realized. Inuyasha flashed his eyes to Naraku's. The man was smiling at him, staring him down over the top of Kagome's head. His red eyes were shining with his normal charm, and his lips were pulled back from his teeth, but there was nothing friendly about the expression. He leaned a little closer to Kagome and continued slowly running his thumb over the spot on her neck. It was a provoking gesture.

Naraku was taunting him. Challenging him.

Son of a bitch! Without even realizing it, Inuyasha's feet were suddenly propelling him forward, past his guests, and toward the fifteen feet of open air that separated the two terraces. He didn't stop to think as he placed a foot on top of the railing, his leg muscles bunching in anticipation.

The jump was too easy. He landed lightly, nearly in the middle of Naraku's terrace. He was vaguely aware of a few squeals of surprise from around him as he stormed toward Kagome and Naraku.

That hand was still on her shoulder. It was the only thing he focused on as he approached them, reaching out.

*****

The fingers on her neck had sent her heart racing. It seemed as if it had been forever since anyone had touched her in such a sensual way. She was still trying to calm her heart when his hand slipped away, and for a moment, she was glad for it. His touch was too distracting. She was having a hard time paying attention to the show.

But her relief was short lived. As Naraku's touch left her, he also seemed to take a step back, just as two strong arms gathered around her and lifted her off her feet. It took Kagome a moment to process that she was being carried away from the railing, toward the other side of the terrace, and away from Naraku and Sango.

“Hey! What...”, she managed to stutter past the shock, looking up at her abductor. Her breath caught in her chest when she saw who it was.

“Inuyasha,” she gasped. When he didn't answer, she squirmed a bit in his arms. “Hey,” she said, smacking at his chest to get his attention. Still no reply. His gaze was fixed directly ahead of him, and as she turned in the direction he was staring, she saw that they were nearing the far edge of the terrace, and he wasn't slowing down.

“Inuyasha, put me down!” she demanded, her tone showing a hint of fear, and she squirmed against him again.

“Hell no,” he growled, tightening his grip.

She felt his muscles gathering, his pace quickening as they approached the railing.

“Wait! Wait!” she nearly screamed, grabbing onto him in panic as he crouched to leap.

And with that, he launched them into the air.

The initial force of the jump took the breath from her lungs. Her arms tightened around him as they flew into the air, up and out over the railing. The flight was brief, quickly evening out to a second of weightlessness, and then they began falling.

A moment later, his feet landed back on solid ground, his legs bending to absorb the impact completely. By the time she realized they were on his terrace, he was already striding past the small crowd that had turned from the concert to the much more interesting scene playing out before them. Inuyasha paid them no attention as he walked past, heading straight to the spot where she had seen him standing earlier, near the door.

Without a word, he came to a stop at the railing, put her back on her feet, and, standing closely behind her, turned his attention back to the concert as if nothing had happened.

“Wh...wha...” She was stammering so badly that the words wouldn't come out. She turned and leaned away from him, pressing back against the railing, glaring at him. “What the hell!” she finally managed.

He regarded her coolly. “What? Did the jump scare you?”

“My legs are shaking so bad I can hardly stand up!” she almost yelled.

“Want me to hold you?” The look on his face was dangerously close to a smirk.

“No!” She shoved at him. “I want you to tell me why the hell you did that!”

He shifted his eyes back toward the crowd and said simply, “I changed my mind. I want you with me tonight.”

She stared at him, speechless for a moment. “No way. It's my night off,” she said, her tone defiant.

“I don't want you to work,” he explained. “I want you here as a guest.”

She paused and stared up at him. As a guest? “Why?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Why not?”

“I told Naraku I'd spend the evening with him,” she argued, stealing a quick glance across to the black prince's terrace. Naraku was watching them from the spot where she'd left him.

“I'm sure he'll understand,” Inuyasha said. He was barely paying attention to anything she said, and it was beginning to infuriate her.

She made an angry noise and tried to brush past him, but he moved to block her way. When she tried to move around him a second time, he did the same thing. She resisted the urge to shove at him again. It was like shoving at a solid wall, anyway.

“Quit being a bully!” she snapped.

He turned his eyes back down to her. “I can't help it. You know I get like this when I'm lonely.”

She froze and eyed him suspiciously, weighing the honesty in his expression, unable to tell whether or not he was being sincere. It was true, the mirth from earlier seemed to have been replaced by a hint of sadness.

Her eyes narrowed. Clever. He'd almost made her forget her anger.

“Oh, no you don't. I'm not falling for it,” she said and started to move around him again. “You can spend one evening by—”

She was cut off as he grabbed her arm and pulled her close, leaning down to speak right next to her ear. “Stay with me,” he said roughly, imploringly.

Her heartbeat lost it's rhythm for a moment as her eyes flashed up to meet his. His expression was calm and completely open as he stared back at her. For once, it felt as if he was showing his true face to her, without any pretense at all. She swallowed. “You're not giving me a choice,” she said weakly.

He released her arm, but that hadn't been what she meant. How could she say no to his request when he was looking at her like that?

“What the hell was that?” It was Sango's voice that pulled their attention away from each other.

She stormed through the door, heading straight toward Inuyasha with a violent look.

“Asshole!” she said, punching him in the shoulder. “I don't know what that jumping thing was just now, but don't ever do it again.”

He blinked at her once, and then the smirk touched his lips again. “Yes, officer,” he replied.

After throwing another heated look at him, Sango turned concerned eyes to Kagome. “Are you alright?” she asked.

Kagome nodded. “Yeah. It just scared me, that's all.” She tossed her head toward Inuyasha. “He's insisting I stay here tonight.”

“Oh?” Sango raised an eyebrow. “That won't make the black prince very happy.”

Inuyasha muttered something rude under his breath.

“Well,” she said, turning to glance across to Naraku's terrace, “in any case, I'm not fighting my way back through that crowd again, so I guess this is where we stay.” She began heading toward the mini-bar, shaking her head. “I need a drink after all that.”

Kagome cast another quick glance toward Naraku, but his attention had shifted back to the concert. She turned her eyes up to Inuyasha with a dark expression.

He was smiling down at her smugly.

“Don't look at me like that,” she muttered. “I'm only—” She broke off as the music shifted to another song.

Inuyasha moved to her side. “What is it?” he asked, placing a hand on the railing to lean next to her. He was standing closer to her now than he had before, and she had to fight the nervous urge to put a couple extra inches between them.

“I love this song,” she said, staring down at the stage. “I didn't know it was one of Kouga's...” She narrowed her eyes at him again. “Don't change the subject!”

“You're the one who got distracted. Don't get mad at me for that,” he said, sounding amused. “Relax. Just watch the show.”

Kagome took a deep breath. He was right. She needed to calm down. Yes, he'd taken a ridiculous risk with both their lives just to get his way. But even though the measure had seemed a bit extreme, when she thought about it, she was actually a little flattered by his actions. He'd made quite a show of getting her to stay with him.

She glanced at him again. His eyes had returned to the concert, and of course, he still had that infuriatingly satisfied expression on his face. He seemed very proud of himself. But he also looked more at ease right at that moment than she'd ever seen him. The earnest look that he'd given her as he asked her to stay with him flashed through her mind again, and her heart faltered a bit at the memory.

So, he had been jealous after all. The thought forced a tiny smile onto her face. Determined not to let these damned men steal any more of her attention from the concert, she moved her eyes back to the stage and focused on the music. And when Inuyasha leaned closer a moment later, this time Kagome didn't feel the urge to move away.

*****

The second he felt Kagome's attention shift away from him and back to the stage, Inuyasha leveled his gaze over her head, straight toward Naraku. He was watching them again. Shifting closer to her, Inuyasha let a cunning smile spread across his lips. It was similar to the one Naraku had given him earlier.

Naraku met his stare for a moment, and with a smile of his own, gave a slow nod. Then he turned and didn't look their way again. He was admitting defeat.

Inuyasha released a long breath, and concentrated on relaxing the tension in his muscles. As put out as he'd been by Naraku's sudden interest in Kagome, he realized that the black prince might have actually done him a favor. The jealousy had helped stir up emotions that he'd been hesitant to acknowledge or act upon until now.

He glanced at her again. Kagome was a beautiful woman. It was amazing that she hadn't slipped out of his reach yet, that she hadn't been stolen by some other man. Inuyasha understood that if he didn't make a move soon, someone else would. The thought sparked another small jealous flame inside him.

But she was here with him now. That's what mattered. Now it was time to start enjoying the evening.

*****

And so I got stuck dragging him home again, after all, Kagome thought.

But the truth was they were both having to do a fair bit of propping each other up during the trip home. Kagome was just having to do more of it. But she was enjoying enough of a buzz that it didn't seem to annoy her as much as it normally did. They'd called it quits before Inuyasha could drink himself to the point where his legs stopped working. He was doing very well on his feet as they entered the apartment and started up the stairs. So was she for that matter.

“I still can't believe the look on your face when I picked you up,” he said as they fumbled through the dressing area.

She rolled her eyes. They were back to this again. He'd been teasing her about it all night. “If someone started throwing you through the air, I'm sure you would have reacted the same way.”

“I didn't throw you. I carried you very securely.” They reached his bed and he flopped down onto it with a happy sigh. “I'll have to find some way to scare that face out of you again.”

“I'd rather you didn't,” she said, staring down at him.

“Oh, come on.” He folded his arms behind his head. “It wasn't that bad. You were safe the whole time.”

Kagome considered his words as she crouched down and started removing his boots. Though it had scared her at the time, when he'd lifted her in his arms and launched them through the air, she'd never worried that he might drop her. It even felt a little like he'd been sharing something special with her.

“I didn't know you could jump like that,” she said.

He smiled crookedly. “Neither did anyone else, 'til now.”

“That's the first time you've done that?”she asked, looking up at him.

“In front of others, yeah. I'm sure you've seen the commotion when I go smash rocks.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Now people will be asking me to jump all over the damn place. So much for acting normal.”

She set his boots aside and stood up, holding out her hands to him. He reached up and took them, letting her pull him into a sitting position.

As she began undoing the buttons at the top of his shirt, he sighed. “You always make trouble for me,” he said, but there was no resentment in his tone. It sounded as if he was trying to tease her again.

“Excuse me?” She asked, yanking the shirt up over his head. “I didn't ask you to come flying through the air. You could have taken the stairs.”

“Sorry. I wasn't blaming you,” he said, running his hands through his hair. “It's like you said the other night. I can't blame you for the consequences of something I chose to do on my own.”

She stopped folding the shirt and stared at him.

“What? Was that too mature?” he asked with a wry smile.

“Yes. You'll ruin your reputation if you keep it up.”

Inuyasha gave a soft laugh and laid back into the pillows.

“What about your pants?” Kagome asked.

He glanced down. “Leave 'em. I'm comfortable.”

“Alright,” she said, leaning over to switch off the table lamp. Natural moonlight streamed through the windows, taking the place of artificial. Even in the semi-darkness she could still see clearly. The storms from earlier had completely passed, she noticed.

“Did you have fun tonight?” he asked.

Kagome glanced down at him. The light was caught in the edges of his irises, reflecting gold up at her. It was hard to think straight when staring into those eyes.

“Yeah,” she answered.

“You're not mad at me anymore?” he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. “I think I was more startled than anything.” She hesitated before adding playfully, “How about next time, when you want me to stay with you, tell me before you get to the point where you feel the need to sweep me off my feet and carry me away.”

He tilted his head to the side and stared up at her for a moment with an unreadable expression.

“Okay,” he said finally, and then raised a foot toward her, wiggling his sock-covered toes. “No socks tonight.”

“You sure?” she asked. He didn't like his feet getting cold at night.

“Yeah,” he said, bending his other leg to pull off his second sock.

She pulled the material from his foot and then reached out to take the other one from where he held it, dangling it above his chest. But just as she reached for it, he pulled it away a few inches.

“Inuyasha,” she said in a warning tone.

He chuckled and offered it to her again. “Fine. Here.”

She reached for the sock. Her fingers were about to wrap around it when he suddenly let it go and grabbed her wrist.

“Here's your warning,” he said with an evil grin, reaching up at the same time to wrap his other arm around her waist. In one swift, effortless move, he pulled her over him and down into the bed, fastening her securely against his body. Frozen in shock, she stared at his collarbone for a moment, then raised her eyes to his face. He was beaming down at her, his expression a mixture of smugness and triumph.

“You...” was all she could manage.

“What?” he asked innocently. “I gave you warning this time, like you asked.”

Regaining a bit of composure, she rolled her eyes. “Very funny,” she said, pushing against his hold. “Okay, let me go.”

“No,” he replied.

She stared up at him, stunned to silence. No?

His gaze was piercing as he met her eyes. “You said you'd stay with me tonight.”

“For the concert! Not anything else,” she said, pushing against him harder now.

“I don't remember being specific.”

“You're drunk!”

“I'm completely sober. Have been for a while now,” he replied.

“You were faking it?” she asked in disbelief.

He shrugged. “Maybe just a little.”

She groaned and balled her fists on his chest, trying to force her way out of his hold. But his arms remained tight around her.

“You know,” he said, sounding bored, “there's a few women out there who would love to be in your position right now.”

“They can have it!” she said, giving one last futile push against him.

A cocky smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “Give up?”

She narrowed her eyes. “No.”

“That's my girl.”

Her cheeks flared with a fierce blush, and she ducked her head, praying he hadn't seen it. His girl? Where the hell had that come from? Was he lying about not being drunk? A sober Inuyasha would never say something like that.

Still, she couldn't deny the slight jolt of happiness his words had sent through her. Her arms were still braced against him defiantly, but now, without thinking, they began to loose some of their tension. As if in response, Inuyasha's arms loosened as well, still holding her securely but not as tight.

She sighed. “How long?”

“How long what?” he asked.

“Do you want me to stay?”

“I told you. For the night.”

She regarded him warily, suddenly unsure of his intentions. He couldn't possibly mean...

Inuyasha seemed to realize what she was thinking. “Just to sleep, Kagome,” he said with a hint of amusement. “Just for one night. I want to know what it's like to have you sleep next to me.”

Kagome was certain that her face was going to burst into flames any minute if Inuyasha didn't stop assaulting her with all of these soft, confusing words.

“Same as any other girl,” she grumbled.

“No. It's not,” he said, his tone thoughtful.

They were both silent for a while, until Kagome shifted awkwardly and said, “You know, these clothes aren't exactly comfortable to sleep in. Can I at least take my shoes off?”

Inuyasha sat up and rolled her onto her back. “I suppose,” he replied.

Kagome began to sit up, thinking for a moment that she might be able to bolt away now that she was free from his arms, but that idea disappeared the moment he placed a hand on her chest and gently pushed her back onto the bed.

“Stay. Put,” he said, tapping his finger against her collarbone to emphasize each word. He was doing that piercing thing with his eyes again.

Dazed into compliance, she lay there as he bent down the length of her body, reaching toward her feet. It was too far to reach and keep his hand on her chest at the same time, so he let his hand slide down to her stomach, pressing firmly, keeping her still. After he'd removed her shoes and tossed them off the foot of the bed, he turned and gave her a devious smile.

“Anything else you'd like me to remove while I'm at it?” he asked.

“Your hand, please,” she answered flatly.

“Nope.” He laid back down, trapping her in his arms again.

She sighed. She'd been hoping he would decide to trust her not to run, and stick to his own side of the bed once he finished with her shoes. Or at least give her a bit more space so she wouldn't suffocate against his chest. But neither appeared likely as he pulled her close, and then reached up to touch her hair.

“These pins can't be comfortable to sleep in either,” he said, probing the twist at her neck with his fingers.

“Wait.” She reached back to grab his hand. “You'll just make a mess of it.”

“No, I won't,” he said, brushing her hand away. Smoothly, he pulled a pin from her hair, then a second and a third. As he pulled the last one, he began unraveling the twist, using his fingers to gently comb out the curls. She couldn't prevent the tiny shiver that flashed through her at the feel of his fingers dragging through her hair.

“Cold?” he asked.

“No.” Smart ass, she thought. He knew her reaction hadn't had a damn thing to do with the temperature.

He pulled her closer anyways.

“You'll regret this in the morning,” she said softly against his chest. It was a concern, not a threat.

“I don't think I will.”

Silence again, until Inuyasha said, “You know, it was your night off. I was going to undress myself.”

He was right. “Damn it,” she muttered.

A small, rumbling laugh shook him, and then he sighed against her bangs. “Go to sleep,” he said.

Kagome resisted the urge to snort. She didn't know how he could possibly expect her to sleep now, after getting her so worked up. Besides, what if she drooled on the pillow, or said something weird in her sleep? What if her leg did that weird twitching thing it sometimes did when she was half asleep and she accidentally kneed him? What about morning breath?

“Hey. What's wrong?” he asked softly. “Your heart's pounding like crazy.”

“Stop listening to my heart and go to sleep.”

“I can't help it. It's so loud. Like your stomach right before you eat.” More teasing.

“Inuyasha.”

“Hmm?”

“Shut up.”

“Only because you asked so nicely.”

She could hear the smirk in his voice.

He didn't speak again after that, and somehow, they both eventually managed to fall asleep.

Kagome had no idea how much time had passed when her eyes opened again. She froze for a moment in confusion, but then the haze in her mind cleared, and she remembered exactly where she was and how she'd gotten there.

She was still facing him, still pressed to his chest. It was amazing that, even in sleep, his hold hadn't lessened any. She held very still, watching for any sign that he was awake. His breath was warm and steady against her forehead, and with the exception of his tight embrace, his body was relaxed and pliant against hers. Still sleeping.

She turned her gaze toward the window behind her, as far as she could without risking any movement that might wake him. A few hours at the least had passed since they'd fallen asleep. The moon had disappeared somewhere beyond the span of glass. The only thing lighting the loft now was starlight.

The sky was exceptionally clear tonight, and the gentle glow filtering through the windows illuminated everything around her in crisp blue-white hues.

Slowly, she turned back to Inuyasha. His eyes were still closed, his breathing still even. She'd never been this close to him before, never seen him like this. That beautiful face that she had wanted to touch so many times before was now right in front of her, just inches from her own.

His white hair shined in the light, and his skin, which had just enough color to make him look suntouched without ever having to step outside, had faded to pale ivory. Starlight had a funny way of bleaching the color from everything it touched. She stared in amazement for a long time, taking in every detail of his features.

It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time; being so close to him, lying with him like this. Exciting because she enjoyed it, but terrifying because she didn't understand his motivation for acting the way he had. She found herself wondering at how strangely their relationship had evolved. He'd gone from hating her to...this. Whatever this was.

His antics during and after the concert had been so disconcerting at first. She'd thought he was just doing it to toy with her, but now she knew that wasn't the case. His reactions to her seemed unusually warm and honest. There had been very little of his normal posturing. Even his taunting had been lighthearted.

So exactly what were his intentions? She sighed softly. How could someone be so damn confusing and annoying and amazing all at the same time?

He stirred slightly, and she held her breath as he shifted his head just enough for a length of white hair to fall across his face. With no human ears to hold his hair back, the long strands always ended up spilling over his face when he slept. It was something she'd seen many times when waking him in the morning or from a nap.

Very carefully, she reached up and delicately hooked a finger under the stray lock, brushing it away from his face. It felt like silk on the tips of her fingers, and she took her time pulling her hand back, whispering her fingers down the line of his jaw. She stopped when she reached his chin, but didn't pull her hand away just yet.

His lips were just above her fingers, a shade darker than his pale skin, and parted slightly. She remembered the way those lips had twisted and curved into smug grins and playful smiles earlier in the evening. His demeanor changed so easily. Would he wake up tomorrow his old self and never show her those expressions again?

Boldly, she raised her hand an inch and brushed his bottom lip with the faintest of touches. His breath was steady against her hand as she marveled at the feel of his lips, smooth and warm under her fingers.

She found herself smiling. Even if he did return to the way he used to be, even if it was the only night she would ever spend with him like this, she would treasure it; this small glimpse of the way he looked without all the complications and cruelties of the world haunting his mind.

His teeth suddenly clamped down on her finger.

It was so quick and so unexpected that she yanked her hand back with a shriek. The arms around her started shaking, and she blinked up at him dumbly. He was laughing at her, so hard that his entire body was shaking from it. His laughter filled her ears, louder and more genuine than she had ever heard it before.

She stared at him, speechless, until she noticed that her poor heart was hammering wildly with fright.

“Damn it, Inuyasha!” She gave him an angry little shove, as best she could considering that he was still holding her against him. “You scared the shit out of me!”

He only responded by laughing harder.

“It's not funny! Seriously, knock it off!” she demanded, the awe she'd experienced at his laughter now completely faded to resentful embarrassment. “Inuyasha!”

He didn't appear to be listening.

As she opened her mouth to launch another round of angry words at him, she felt his hand lift behind her. Suddenly, his fingers were tangling in the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her face to his.

Pressing their lips together.

The breath left her, and every muscle in her body seemed to turn to stone. Her eyes stretched wide, locking with his. He remained unmoving, watching her, his gold eyes fervent and burning in the starlight.

Inuyasha held her like that for a moment, his lips firmly against hers, her startled gaze trapped by his steady one. And then he began to move. He pressed harder at her mouth, eyes closing as his tongue slipped out to gently sweep her lower lip. He tugged her closer, his mouth begging for entrance.

Kagome's shock was quickly giving way to surrender, her frozen muscles beginning to melt under his touch. Her mind was still reeling, still trying to figure out whether or not this was really happening. It was the hammering of his heart under her hand that made her understand. This was real, and this was something that she'd desperately been wanting. With a shaking breath, she parted her lips for him.

He was ready to take her mouth the moment she offered it, tilting his head, eagerly dipping his tongue in for a deeper taste. A soft moan escaped her as his warm breath filled her mouth. He answered by tightening the fist in her hair and pulling to crush her against him.

It was almost too much. His smell, his taste, his touch all threatened to overwhelm her. She wanted to feel more, wanted to hold him as tightly as he was holding her. Slowly, her hands began drifting down his chest, wondering at the smooth, polished feel of his skin, and the tight muscles shifting beneath it.

But as she slid her arm around him, she felt his grip tense. With an almost violent shudder, Inuyasha pushed her back, just enough to separate their mouths. They lay staring at each other for a moment, both panting, trying to catch their breaths.

“Why?” Kagome asked finally, still a bit breathless.

“It was the only way I could think of to calm you down,” Inuyasha replied, licking his lips. He gave a short laugh. “I didn't think you'd get that mad.”

She hesitated, then asked carefully, “And why did you stop?”

He stared at her in silence for a long time, and then a smile touched his face.

“I'm not running away, if that's what you're thinking,” he said. Gently, he added, “You were shaking.”

“I was?” she asked, surprised. She hadn't even noticed.

He nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her until her back was to him. He draped an arm over her side and pulled her close, fitting her against his chest.

“Besides,” he said, a mischievous edge slipping into his voice, “I not letting you rush me into anything.”

“Me?” She glanced sharply back at him. “Rushing you? You're the one who—”

But she was cut off by a firm kiss to the back of her neck.

“Go back to sleep,” he breathed against her skin.

Any argument she might have managed was destroyed in an instant. She sagged against him, defeated. Too stunned and tired to put up with him anymore, she sighed and stared out through the windows, into the night sky beyond. It had been hard to fall asleep before, but it would probably be impossible now.

Continued in chapter 14 - Devil's Fancy

A/N: So, 9 months later, here is chapter 13. I just realized that I could have baked a kid in the same amount of time :/. Again, I apologize for taking so long to update. Long story short, one of the major problems of having a thyroid that doesn't work is that your brain follows suit, to a terrifying degree (I started to freak out when my concentration got so bad that I couldn't even read a book anymore). The typical pill solution doesn't work very well for me, and that only added to the problem. But after adjusting my dosages a bit and adopting a daily vitamin cocktail regiment, I'm doing much better. God willing, I won't ever have to go through a 9 month brain fart ever again!

A couple quick things:

1. Chapters 1 - 12 have undergone revision once again. While rereading the story, I discovered a bunch of unpleasant mistakes that needed fixing. Nothing major, mostly just replacing missing periods and fixing grammatical errors. I did make some revisions to certain parts that I felt needed rewording or cleaning up. There were no changes to the storyline though. Certain small parts just read a bit more easily now.

2. A week or so back I released the prologue to the story that I will be concentrating on once AFR is finished. It's called Lady of the Midnight House. Just a heads up for anyone who's interested and who might have missed the release. Updates will be very sporadic until after AFR is complete. (Available only on FF and MM at the moment. Once more naughtiness is worked in, I will add it to AFF as well, for readers who use that site.)

And, as always, I wanna give a HUGE thanks to you guys. Thank you for the reviews, the favorites, the recs, the noms, the votes, the emails, the ratings, the multiple daily hits to my profile page even though I haven't updated in MONTHS, and for every other way you've all shown me that you enjoy my silly little hobby just as much as I do.

Influential music for this chapter

Welcome To My Fanclub's Night! (Sheryl on Stage) - Sheryl Norm starring May'n, Macross Frontier OST 1 Nyan Furo

Howling - Abingdon Boy's School, Darker Than Black OST

Map of the Problematique - Muse, Black Holes and Revelations

White Love Story - As One, 1st Shop of the Coffee Prince (insert song)

Terra he... - Toward the Terra OST 1