InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Before The Fall: A Prologue of Sorts ❯ Scene Six (or A Little Fall of Rain) ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I do not, have not, nor will I ever own Inuyasha & Co. (sad as that may be), that honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Furthermore, I do profess that I am making no money from this, only getting hours of enjoyment.

Kagome sat outside, elbows on he knees, chin propped on one fist. She was entirely aware of how unladylike it was and could almost hear the scolding from her grandfather but couldn't care less.

The nerve of him…

How could he kiss her for so stupid a reason? So she wouldn't go on a date? He'd been discreet but not that discreet - she knew what went on during his `dates'…there was only so long anything was a secret in the girls' dorm. She wasn't a child and she certainly wasn't tied to anyone.

And the insinuation about Bankotsu and his `wants'…what, did he think no one ever came onto her? He probably did. Idiot.

A rueful smile curved her mouth. Our first kiss…and it gets all mucked up in the end…but damn, was it good before that… Kagome drew her lower lip into her mouth briefly, sweeping her tongue over it, trying to recall exactly how his lips felt. It was impossible to pinpoint - it had been too intense, too right. And the idea that it may never happen again was fanning the flames of her anger.

“Kagome?”

“Oh! Bankotsu, hi.” She stood, trying to arrange herself into some semblance of decorum.

“Sorry I'm late. Were you waiting long?” He voice was laced with good-natured cockiness that was ever-present in the way he carried himself.

“Not too long.” She smiled, doing her best to push aside the emotions that lingered. Falling into step beside him, he rested his hand on the small of her back to guide her though the door - just in time to miss the restrained snarl that disrupted the peaceful evening.

“Inuyasha, if you're going to insist on grunting, growling, and snarling all night can you at least make it seem like we didn't bring you?” Sango sighed dramatically. Her answer was another grunt which she rolled her eyes at. “It's just a date.”

“Who say I'm upset about that?” he snapped. “Who says I'm upset at all?”

She gave him a knowing glance before turning to an amused Miroku. “I'd say he's upset.”

“I'd say he's upset about Kagome's date.”

“Would both of you shut up? I'm right here…”

“Well, you asked. We simply wanted to provide you with an answer…”

“How can you two be so calm!?” He shouted. “It's been two seconds and he already has his hands all over her. Kami, he's almost as bad as this lecher!”

“Kagome is a big girl, I'm sure she'll be fine.” Miroku soothed.

“I'm not.” His voice was grim and his step determined as he approached the house.

He's really quite handsome…Kagome thought as she watched Bankotsu speak, nodding and smiling at the appropriate times but losing roughly half of what he was saying. His hair is pretty…not as striking as Inuyasha's though. His eyes are gorgeous…though not as warm as his. His lips probably wouldn't be as soft either…She was taken out of her thoughts by his larger hand on hers, curving around the cup she held. Looking up, he was leaning into her with a rakish smile.

“You weren't listening were you?”

Kagome blushed sheepishly. “Sorry! I was…I just got distracted.”

“By thoughts of me I hope.”

“You could say that.” She chirped brightly with a nervous smile. He didn't notice, his attention focused just over her shoulder, a small frown on his face. She followed his line of vision to see Inuyasha glowering at them, arms crossed over his chest. Narrowing her eyes at him, she turned back to Bankotsu smiling again. “Maybe we should go out on the porch…” His hand brushed her back and she waited in vain for the flurry of sparks it should have inspired. Holding in what felt like her millionth sigh that day, she engaged Bankotsu in small talk.

Tuning him out again, her thoughts wandered back to Inuyasha - whom she was fairly certain was lurking near the glass panel doors. What does he think he's doing, spying on me? Resolutely pushing him out her mind she focused on the man in front of her. Surely there had to be something of interest under all that hair…

“So why did you choose this university?”

“I come from a line of warriors, no demon heritage though.” His mouth tilted into a slight smirk. “Where else can you go from a Business Management class to a Feudal Era Weapons training course?

“You take those?” she asked, honestly surprised.

“Sure. I may be human but I'm pretty strong.” He boasted.

“Don't you get hurt though?”

“Sometimes.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Just makes me duck the next time. Only bad one was here…” Lifting his shirt he gestured to a silvery scar, roughly the length of her hand, going down his side.

Now Kagome had never thought of herself as contrary but the sight of his tanned, muscular abs would have made a nun rethink her decisions. A slight strangled `oh?' was all she could manage.

“Yeah, a little accident with a…” You have to stop staring...she told herself in the most serious tone she could manage over the squeals of delight in her head. Or you'll start drooling. Shit, you missed what he said again. Laugh! He grinned in response, shirt still revealing a wide swath of skin. “You can touch it if you want.” Kagome heard a loud snarl accompanied by a crash somewhere behind her.

“I'd better not.”

He shrugged, letting it fall back into place. Definitely handsome…for a dumb jock. Determined to make the best of the date and ignore Inuyasha's tantrums Kagome made a renewed effort to pay attention to what he was saying.

It lasted all of five minutes. Over his shoulder she saw Kikyo arm in arm with someone who was tall, broad shouldered, and certainly not Inuyasha. That's probably what he's pissed about…Her heart twisted in two directions. The friend in her wanted to go make sure he was okay; the woman in her was stung that his irrational actions were directed at Kikyo. This, she decided, was also irrational. Her eyes flicked over Bankotsu's face as he prattled on about weapons. Poor guy…I'm a horrible date. Moving closer, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, surprising her. She blushed slightly as he smiled and lightly caressed her cheek. Behind her she could hear the door open violently but before she could react a hand was on her shoulder yanking her away from the soft touch.

“Inu-!” she began angrily.

“What do you think you're doing with my woman?” the voice demanded stridently.

Koga!? Twisting to look at his indignant face, she was too shocked to respond with anything other than a confused `what?'

“Your woman?” Bankotsu replied, a dangerous edge to his voice as his lips quirked into a mocking smile. “That's funny, since she's here with me.”

Koga's growl was drowned out by another as his hand was removed from Kagome's shoulder. Turning again, she met with Inuyasha's grim expression.

“Both of you need to get your hands off her, she ain't a toy.” His hands stayed to himself, she noted dully.

“I don't know what either of you have to do with my date.” Bankotsu had put down his drink and was clearly asking for a fight

“Cause you're on a date with my woman.” Koga was itching for a fight.

“She doesn't belong to either of you idiots.” Inuyasha was ready to answer them both if need be.

Kagome was watching all of this in horror-struck astonishment. Sango and Miroku pushed through the growing crowd to her side and were asking what happened. She had no idea. “I was just on a date,” she murmured. “I think I still am, but I'm not sure.” The couple shared a look over her head just in time to miss Koga throwing the first punch, landing square on Bankotsu's jaw. Bankotsu was busy throwing his own punch at Inuyasha's stomach. Inuyasha nimbly dodged it and took Koga down with a kick to the leg. Back up in an instant, Koga growled as he grabbed Inuyasha and threw him off of the porch and into the backyard, hot on his tail. Bankotsu hopped off after them, intent on hitting anyone.

Kagome looked at the maelstrom of limbs on the grass and blinked. Surely this is not how most dates go…she thought absently. With a dissatisfied grunt of her own -after all, if everyone else was doing it- she stormed down the few stairs to the lawn, pushing people out of her way until she was in the wide circle that `contained' the circus. Again realizing how unladylike it was, she put two fingers in her mouth and blew as hard as she could. The piercing sound stopped them as they all looked at her. Taking in their bedraggled appearances, she felt her anger surge.

“Are you all INASNE!?” she demanded, fists on her hips. “What did any of you think you were gonna prove with this, huh? Inuyasha, we had this conversation twenty minutes ago! What are you doing?”

He scowled and looked away.

“Koga, I AM NOT YOUR WOMAN!” she shouted, leaning in for emphasis. “We have that conversation every other day.”

He gave her an obstinate stare, crossing his arms over his chest.

She did the same as she regarded the last in line. “And as for you Bankotsu, you were the only one actually here with me. We were on a date until you decided that rolling around with them was preferable.”

He hung his head guiltily before looking up at her expectantly.

“It's not too late, we can still -”

She held up a hand to stop him, pinching the bridge of her nose with the other as she shook her head. “I think I can truly say that this date is beyond redemption. I'm going home.” She looked at them all wearily and shook her head again as she turned to leave. All three looked sheepish as they got to their feet. Without a backward glance, Inuyasha followed her. Koga grunted at this but made his way back to the house. Bankotsu considered the retreating girl then the hanyou not far behind her. Hmm...

“Hey,” a voice called from next to him. Jakotsu had appeared at his side, seemingly from nowhere. “Looks like your date is over.”

“Yeah.”

Pause.

“Want to go get some food?”

Pause.

“I could eat.” He nodded.

“Wish we could invite that hunk o' hanyou…” he pouted, looking over his shoulder as they headed in the opposite direction.

“Something tells me he's otherwise occupied…” answered Bankotsu, who had always been smarter than he looked.

“Kagome! Wait up!” Inuyasha called, wincing as he loped up to her. Stupid fucking wolf… he thought darkly, holding his sore ribs. She forged ahead refusing to look at him. “Kagome, stop!”

“Don't you touch me.” She hissed, shooting his outstretched hand a look, refusing to slow down.

“Why are you so pissed?”

“Why? Why!?” she yelled whirling on him suddenly. He skidded to a stop. “You toyed with my emotions, stalked me, beat up my date, and now you won't just leave me alone!” She punctuated each point with a sharp jab to the chest. Deciding it would look weak if he rubbed it, he settled on glaring right back at her.

This was definitely pushing his limits.

“What do you want me to do Kagome? Huh? Let that mangy wolf and that puny human put their hands all over you?”

“It's none of your business! You said it yourself - I'm not your girlfriend!” she screamed.

“But you are mine!” he roared back. She reeled back, surprised at his words but stunned at the red creeping into his eyes. He closed them tightly and tried to calm himself. “You said you'd wait for me…”

“I am. I haven't given up on you…but you're not making it easy…”

“It's not easy…I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to promise you things and then…” his rush of words stopped abruptly as he clenched and unclenched his fists, searching for the right ones. “I meant what I said…before that is…I need you. And there are these things - I - I want to say…but I can't, not yet. Then I see you with someone else and I can't help it, I want to rip something - kill something - I don't want to hurt you…” He raised his eyes to hers, pleading silently to find coherency in his words. “I don't want to fail you.”

“Oh, Inuyasha…” she whispered, feeling the fight drain out of her. Thunder cracked, breaking the tense silence between the two.

He knew it wasn't fair to ask this of her. To be alone until he was ready to be with her, to stand by while he…did what he did…but they didn't mean anything. Then again, maybe Bankotsu didn't either. Thinking of her dazed expression when he was showing off, he clenched his jaw. It wasn't a chance he was willing to take.

She wanted to scream at him, shake him, make him see how much this was hurting her. Of course she wasn't interested in Bankotsu, she loved Inuyasha. But could she really trust that he'd even want her one day? Should she have to sacrifice her own happiness for just a chance with him, having to watch him gallivanting with this one and that one until that time? Isn't that what love is? No guarantees, just faith? Or is it simply gullibility? A teardrop rolled down her cheek and she touched it, surprised. I didn't think I was crying again... Inuyasha inhaled deeply, looking up as he frowned. As another droplet hit her arm she frowned as well. No…not tears…rain…

Inuyasha barely had time to mutter an expletive before the skies opened up and water poured down on them. Grabbing Kagome's hand, he made a break for the nearest shelter, a flight of stairs with a canvas overhang. Scrambling on the slippery grass, Kagome did her best to keep up but was failing miserably.

“Get on my back!” he shouted over the din. She clung to him obediently, desperate to get out of the torrent. Able to go at full speed now, they were under the awning in a matter of moments. Lowering her to the ground, he turned to face her and almost wished he hadn't. Water still streamed from her hair in rivulets; rolling down her pink cheeks, sneaking into her parted lips, along the smooth column of her neck, past the slant of her collarbone…and into the now completely sheer sundress she wore.

He gulped audibly.

Following his line of sight, she gasped and covered herself with her arms. His eyes flew to her face and he blushed, looking away as he shrugged out of this wet shirt and held it out to her. As she took it, she admired the silvery tint to his wet hair. Holding the shirt to her body, she surreptitiously sized him up as he lifted his arms to push his hair out of his face. Bankotsu has nothing on him…she thought appreciating his damp torso. Her eyes lingered on his profile, eyes shut, lashes spiked with rain, lips -those lips!- in repose, finally not framing the things that were breaking her down. Turning away from his display, she settled on the stairs, still clutching his shirt. He sat next to her, watching her watch the rain.

“You know, if this were a movie, we would kiss now.” He remarked casually. She looked at him, noting the merriment dancing in his eyes and the smile tugging at his lips.

“Yeah.” She quirked a relaxed smiled of her own at him before turning back to the rainfall.

Sitting in comfortable silence, they enjoyed the eye of their personal storm.

A/N: Wow, the response for the last chapter was amazing, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed. Don't worry, Kagome and Inuyasha have just paused this merry-go-round, they're still going to have it out. I restate my belief that college relationships are often an amalgamation of random ridiculousness that, if you're lucky, can end up in love. This is my tribute.