InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Before The Fall: A Prologue of Sorts ❯ Scene Seven (or You Say You Want a Revolution) ( Chapter 13 )

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.

“He said what?” Inuyasha bellowed getting out of his seat.

“Sit down! You're embarrassing me!” Kagome hissed yanking on his sleeve as she noted all the curious glances in the library. Sango stifled a giggle at his stubborn expression. “It doesn't matter anyway, I slapped him.”

“He deserved it.” Inuyasha sniffed. Kagome rolled her eyes and ignored him.

“I'm sure she would have slapped him if he kissed her too.” Miroku added helpfully. Inuyasha made a face at him.

“I can't believe you dated that asshole.” Sango remarked.

“I can't believe you slept with him.” Inuyasha added in a low voice.

“Let's not bring up some of your conquests.” she muttered back.

“As amusing as it is to watch Inuyasha pull faces, I believe we all have a test to be studying for.” Miroku reminded them. Obediently, they appeared to return their attention to their books. In reality, Sango and Miroku were playing footsies while Inuyasha was repeatedly lowering Kagome's seat sending her into fits of stifled laughter.

Sango contemplated state of things, looking at her friends. It seemed that they'd fallen back into their old pattern in just a few short weeks. When will they get it? It had always been obvious to everyone except them that there was something there. The shared laughs, the touching - even the arguments - all held the promise of an amazing love. Sliding a glance at her own amazing love, she smiled softy. Idiots. Don't know what they're missing.

Seeing his lady love smile at him so, Miroku declared the study session a wash and took her hand, waggling his brows suggestively before leading her to his place. Inuyasha and Kagome took their time getting their books together before he offered to walk her to her dorm.

“Can't go home for a little while anyway…” he added wryly.

“Sure.” she smiled up at him, eyes dancing. Kagome felt much better after their talk. While it still hurt that she saw him around with other girls, she'd been seeing other people too. Even Bankotsu, who had arrived with some sad looking flowers apologizing for his behavior.

Yet they all ended the same way - with a polite kiss on the cheek and the feeling that something was lacking. They weren't him…He'd been sticking to his word. The one time he'd seen her on a date, she could feel his eyes burning her with their intensity but he hadn't said anything. There were moments she wanted to give up on him, to move on completely…but she couldn't. Her heart held her fast, grasping to any hope she saw. Even now in the back of her mind, she recounted the rumor that Inuyasha had stopped sleeping with anyone. Irrationally, she wanted it to be because of her. Kagome knew better. Still, baby steps are better than standing still.

Inuyasha glanced at her meditative expression and smiled a little. The situation sucked but they were making the best of it. After realizing he did want to be with her, he realized that it wouldn't be fair to tell her since she wanted to see other people. And that he still couldn't answer her questions.

“Do you love me? Do you want to be with me…only me?”

While he was coming to realize that perhaps things between him and Kikyo weren't all that great and that she was never coming back, he still cared about her. And he wasn't ready to call what he felt for Kagome love. Attraction, interest, caring, protectiveness, happiness…all of that came to mind when he thought of her; but was it love? She seemed to think so…Maybe she's right. He sighed. It was hard to not want to touch her or taste her after that kiss. Although going without the physical affection he'd gotten used to was making it more difficult, their relationship was getting back to normal and he was thankful enough for that.

“Are you coming out tonight?”

Kagome made a face. “I don't think so. It seems like every time I go somewhere lately something happens. I'm thinking I should just stay in and watch a movie.”

“What, no date?”

“Nope. Just me.”

“So come out, it'll be fun. The Past Life Party only happens once a year.” he prodded, mentally making a note to call off his own date.

“I don't know…”

“What the worst that could happen?” Giving him a look that insinuated that a lot had happened at past events he conceded with a slight smile. “Okay, I get your point.”

“You could always join me for a movie night.” she suggested innocently.

Inuyasha immediately dismissed this, deciding that it would be too tempting to be alone with her in her bedroom…on her bed…alone. “Think about coming out.” His voice was harsher than he'd intended as he turned his thoughts from…that.

“I'll think about it…call you later?” she smiled as they reached their destination.

“Yeah.” he replied, giving her a languid smile back. A slight blush tinted her cheeks as she turned and hurried up the stairs to the building. Waiting a moment, she peeked past the door to see him still standing there, still looking pleased. Get it together, Kagome. It's things like this that cause backsliding… she thought giving herself a mental shake.

Once inside her room, she noticed that the answering machine was blinking insistently. Pressing it as she started to unpack her school bag, her mother's voice chirped cheerily from the speakers. Gotta call her back…she thought idly. The next was a suspiciously breathless Sango who demanded she be at the party that night before making a comment about Bankotsu that bordered on lewd. Mouth dropping a little, she suspected it was a result of too much time spent with the monk.

“Higurashi? It's Yuri, from room 219. We need to talk.”

Looking at the machine quizzically, she tried to remember exactly why that name seemed so familiar. Yuri…Yuri…Oh! Inuyasha's `girlfriend' last month. Why is she calling here? Picking up the phone, she dialed the other girl's room.

“Hello?”

“Hi, is Yuri there?” she asked politely.

“Is this Higurashi?”

“Kagome.” she corrected.

“I'll be there in a minute.”

Kagome looked at the phone in her hand as the line went dead. What the hell…? Confused, she simply stood in the middle of the room until there was a knock at her door. Opening it to see the pretty brunette, who was looking her over critically, she tried to keep her face neutral. “Can I help you?”

“What's going on with you and Inuyasha?”

“Excuse me?” Kagome blinked taken aback.

“Kikyo told me to ask you so I am.”

“Who told you what?” She could not keep up with this conversation. Sighing and rolling her eyes, Yuri spoke with limited patience.

“I'm dating Inuyasha, as you should know. A few weeks back we're making out and he says your name. This comes after I hear that he gets into a fight over you. I talked to Kikyo - since that's his ex - and Miss High-and-Mighty gets all snooty and tells me to go ask you. So what is it?”

“Why would you think something is going on?” she murmured absently trying to assimilate what she was being told.

“Cause he won't lay a hand on me. And there has to be a reason for that.”

Forcing herself to focus on the expectant girl Kagome shook her head. “I don't know, we're friends.”

“Friends.” the girl repeated skeptically.

“That's the official story.” Kagome nodded.

“Well maybe you friends should just fuck and get it over with.” she grumbled walking away, almost bumping into Sango.

“Well, she seemed unpleasant.” Sango remarked as she watched the girl storm off. Taking in Kagome's shell-shocked face, she frowned in concern. “You okay?”

“Yeah…” she nodded, still dazed. “That was one of Inuyasha's girlfriends…“ He said my name…while he was with her. I'm not sure how I feel about that…

“Her? His taste is shitty. No offense…” she added with a wince.

“None taken…” she murmured softly. He hasn't touched her…maybe not anyone…

“I mean if he came to his senses and got together with you, his taste would be impeccable…”

“Yeah.” Yuri told Kikyo…which means Kikyo knows that he said my name…not good.

Sango stopped, her face a few inches from Kagome's, studying her. “What did she say to you?” she asked curiously. Kagome blushed and turned away.

“Nothing…” she stammered. “I mean, she did mention that he may have, uh, saidmynameinsteadofhers…”

“Wha…” Sango grinned dropping onto the bed.

“And he hasn't touched her since.” she added, eyes wide and pleading with Sango to make sense of it. “What does this mean?”

“Maybe it means he's not a complete idiot.” she suggested.

“Sango…” she groaned falling on her back, hands over her face.

“I'm serious! What if he finally got it?”

“What? As soon as I'm dating other people? I've spent an entire year doing nothing but pine over him, he's spent the last four months screwing his way through a wall of bimbos and NOW he wants to get it?”

“So you don't want to be with him?”

Kagome sat up to look at her skeptical friend. “Of course I do. It's just…not fair.”

“Eh. Love isn't.” Sango waved dismissively. “Inuyasha seems like a eunuch compared to Miroku's `activities'…but you can't change the past, you can only move forward.”

“But Kikyo…”

“Her again?”

“He loves her.” Kagome slumped dejectedly.

“Perhaps he does.” Sango allowed causing her to slump further. “But he loves you too. And you love him back. Give him a chance to prove it to you.”

“I have! I told him I love him! I said I'd wait and settled for friendship! I -”

“Make excuses for why he can't be with you. Tell him you know he's not ready.”

“So it's my fault?” she cried, hurt.

“No, it's not. But Inuyasha, as stupid as he can be, isn't a child. Reassuring him that he's not ready is just going to keep him from realizing what he needs.” Sango paused, unsure of what Kagome's reaction would be. But I have to say it… “Maybe it's not Kikyo he's running from…”

“What?” Kagome whispered.

“Maybe it's you.”

Kagome stared up at her roommate as she pondered her words. Inuyasha was running…from her? Impossible… “He stopped.” she murmured to herself. “The other girls…”

“Maybe he's tired of running.”

The sound of the phone ringing brought her out of her stupor. Sango went to answer it with a concerned glance at the bewildered girl. Listening to Sango's soft tones, her mind raced too fast for her to sort the thoughts. Things had seemed much simpler just an hour ago: she loved Inuyasha, Inuyasha didn't love her, they were friends, she was moving on. What if Sango was right? What if she was wrong?

Which would be worse?

“That was Miroku. He wanted to know if you needed miko attire for the Past Life party.”

At this, Kagome scowled. “One I'm not going -”

“You are.” Sango assured her.

“- and two, if I were to go, there is no way I'm wearing that again. That's how all that nonsense got started…” she grumbled. It had been her first Past Life party and she had shown up in the traditional miko garments. She then spent the rest of the night being confused with Kikyo, culminating in her coming face to face with the older girl.

“This? This is what you compare me to?” She had said, looking her over distastefully. “No comparison needed. She is lacking.”

Kagome had never felt so small. Since then, despite her friendship with Inuyasha, it had been fairly easy to avoid the other girl. In the instances that she couldn't, Kikyo tended to make cutting comments and Kagome did her best to ignore them. For him.

Mostly.

She could sense the unhappiness in Kikyo and in spite of her harshness, she felt bad for her.

“Well you can't go like this…”

Kagome smiled widely as an idea floated through her mind. “I have a plan.”

Later, Miroku waited patiently in the hallway for Sango, adjusting his purple and black robes. She opened the door, smiling. “That does nothing for your figure…” she teased. His gaze was pinned to her black and pink clad form hungrily. Raising his eyes to meet hers, he grinned excitedly as he came to a realization.

“I get to take that off you this year!”

“Miroku!” she gasped blushing.

“For two years I've had to watch you in this outfit and it drove me crazy that I couldn't touch you…not his year!” He crowed, rubbing his hands together.

“If you don't keep your voice down, it'll be three years running…” she threatened. His expression fell for a moment before he nodded quietly, excited smile still playing on his lips. “Kagome, let's go!”

“One second…” she called from the bathroom. Stepping out she pulled the door closed behind her. Clad in a green and white school uniform, compete with knee socks and brown loafers, she adjusted her red scarf before beaming at them. “How do I look?”

“Oh my…” Miroku whispered before Sango elbowed him. “Could you borrow that? Next week maybe?” he whispered to her.

“High school was my past life…” she explained, eyes determined. “I'm Kagome, not Kikyo.”

“Well this should clear it up.” Sango smiled. “Let's go.”

As they walked, Kagome smiled in anticipation. She loved seeing Inuyasha outfitted in that red. Fire rat, he'd told her once, very old but very strong. A gift from his father. In it, he looked almost…heroic

Inuyasha went to the front door for the eighth time that night. I hope she comes…he thought absently, eyes scanning for her familiar face. Catching the top of the slayer's huge boomerang, his eyes rounded at the girl next to it.

“Inuyasha!” she called out, waving and grinning.

“Kagome?” he echoed, confused. Unable to keep his eyes from traveling up the expanse of her legs, he heard the monk snicker.

“My past life - high school.” she explained quickly. “Like?”

“Yes.” he answered earnestly. As another thought occurred to him, he frowned. “Is this about Kikyo?”

“No…not completely.” she admitted. “I just don't want anyone to think we're the same person.”

“I never made that mistake.” He told her, gaze serious. Understanding that he meant more than the one night she nodded giving him a soft smile which he returned. Hand curving gently around hers, he led her into the party. Looking speculatively at the back of his head, Kagome felt a fluttery sense of anticipation. Is Sango right? He smiled at her over his shoulder and the flutters were full blown butterflies.

He hadn't left her side most of the night. Inuyasha was sure he was being too obvious - not something he wanted, considering Kagome wanted to date other people. But she looked so good and the way she was smiling at him made him feel like he still had a chance… “I'm glad you came.” he whispered close to her ear. She blushed again but gave him that smile as she returned the sentiment. Offering to get her a drink, he made his way across the room. Looking back, he saw that Bankotsu had approached her. Quelling the surge of jealousy that accompanied the sight, he remained himself that Kagome wasn't his. Yet.

“So I guess I won't be needed anymore…” Bankotsu smiled leaning into her. She looked up at him perplexed. “It looks like he finally came around.”

“Inuyasha? He's a friend…” she said nervously.

“Uh huh. I like you Kagome, I really do. But even a dead man could tell there's more than friendship there. Hopefully you two get it soon…”

“Then why…”

“Like I said, I like you and jealousy is a great accelerant.” he smiled and kissed her cheek, adding in a lower voice. “Besides, who doesn't want to date a pretty girl?”

Kagome watched him go, surprised at his insight. Briefly she wondered if she were mistaken about Koga as well before dismissing it. He probably didn't know what `ulterior motives' meant.

“So decided not to compete this year.”

Turning slowly she came face to face with Kikyo - who was wearing a particularly nasty expression - her arm intertwined with Suikotsu. She inclined her head slightly.

“Kikyo.”

“Higurashi.” she countered. “I see you decided to take a…different…route this year. Quite…risqué.”

“Just representing my past life.”

“Couldn't make it, even as a false miko?” she sneered. Kagome clenched her jaw. She hated this position - she didn't want to make things harder for Inuyasha but her anger was so peaked. Staying silent usually worked so she told herself to wait quietly for Kikyo to move on per usual. Unfortunately, it seemed she had no intention of doing so. “No answer? Have we forgotten how to speak?”

Inuyasha was on his way back to Kagome when he was stopped by Yuri who was attired in a diaphanous kimono that was more likely purchased from a lingerie catalogue than passed down to her.

“We need to talk.” she insisted, hand gripping his arm. His eyes strayed to where it seemed like a crowd was gathering and he frowned.

“Got nothing to say…” he murmured distracted. It was awfully close to where he'd left Kagome…

“Well, I do. No on turns me down Inuyasha. Do you know how many people are dying to get into my bed and you decline?” she hissed.

“Lots and lots, I`m sure…” he murmured. He could hear a female voice…

“…and then you have the nerve to say that little tramp's name. And all she can say about it is `oh we're just friends`…”

“You spoke to Kagome? You told her that?” he demanded, attention now focused on her.

“Well, what else was I supposed to do? You didn`t explain it!” she yelled, pulling at the arm he was now holding. “When I told Kikyo, she claimed she didn't know either.”

“You told Kikyo?” he whispered. Head turning to the center of the crowd, he felt his stomach sink. Dropping the beer and ignoring Yuri's squeals as it splattered her `dress', he pushed through the gathered people to see Kikyo smiling mockingly at a stone-faced Kagome. Shit.

“Despite the fact you live on a shine, you're not even worthy of the miko robes…it's inherited from your father's side, correct?” she asked silkily. Inuyasha's eyes widened and he desperately wanted to stop what was going on but it felt like it was happening too fast.

In the moment that Kikyo paused, Kagome met her eyes head on and she knew. She saw what Inuyasha saw, the wounded, lonely girl inside but could see even further into the bitter, vengeful woman she'd become. She knew what she was about to do. With a small nod, she lifted her chin, ready to take the hit.

In that moment Kagome faced her, Kikyo considered keeping the secret. She and Inuyasha wouldn't have worked anyway…perhaps they could be happy together. She then saw Inuyasha's stricken face and felt her blood run cold. With narrowed eyes, she launched the attack.

“Dead…supposedly. From what I heard, he abandoned you and your mother, little brother still inside her. I understand he started a new family in Osaka. It seems that even your father saw the flaws in you and decided he`d do better elsewhere.”

There was an audible gasp followed by an uneasy silence in the room, marred only by Sango who was desperately trying to get through the throng of people, having heard about the confrontation.

Kagome stepped forward, tear filled eyes locked on Kikyo's, which were suspiciously misty as well. It went unnoticed by the people gathered who were simply hoping the schoolgirl would slap the miko. Instead, Kagome stopped next to her.

“Satisfied?” she whispered in a rough voice.

“Extremely.” she lied.

Kagome walked on, not turning back. Inuyasha followed her, shooting Kikyo a mournful look. Shaking his head, he averted his eyes and kept on. Kikyo willed herself not to feel anything, it was best he hated her now anyway. She had Suikotsu and in him the life she deserved. She was going to be the wife of a successful doctor from an important family.

That was all that mattered.

Miroku held Sango back from lunging at the girl with the help of his staff. Pulling her outside, they saw Inuyasha running after Kagome's retreating form. Sango hefted her weapon to follow suit but Miroku restrained her with a gentle hand this time.

“Follow your own advice Sango…let him do this himself. It will do them good.”

“What if he fucks it up? She's probably devastated right now!”

“Give him a chance.” he murmured pulling her close. “Even fuck-up's get it right every once in awhile.”

Inuyasha fell into step with Kagome, taking in her restrained countenance. He opened his mouth to try to make her feel better but couldn't think of what to say and closed it again. Once at her dorm, he stopped at the end of the stairs as she opened her door, feeling useless. She probably wants to be alone…

“Are you coming in or what?” she asked flatly.

Stunned, he nodded before leaping up the stairs. Once in her bedroom, she closed the door behind them before turning to look up at him. Her expression was indecipherable.

“I know you think I'm always too easy on Kikyo and I make excuses for her behavior but there is no excuse to make this time. I'm sorry she did this to you Kagome and I'm even sorrier that it's my fault. Yuri told me she talked to her and I couldn't get to you in time…”

“Yuri…” she murmured getting his attention instantly. “She told me you said my name…”

Inuyasha paled. “About that…”

“She told me you won't touch her. Is it true?”

“Yeah, but -”

“Just her?”

“No one…” he clarified confused.

“How long?”

“What?”

“How long has it been since you…”

“Oh…oh! A few weeks. About six…”

Since the fight… Kagome thought, mind working to piece things together. “Why'd you say my name Inuyasha?”

“Kagome…” he pleaded.

“Why?”

Sighing, he decided to tell her the truth, unfair as it was. “I said your name…because I wanted it to be you.”

Kagome looked at him, eyes raking over his face, unreadable as ever.

“Good enough.” she nodded, resolutely stepping forward. Standing on tip toe, she sank her hands into his hair, pressing her body against him as she lifted her mouth to his.

A/N: Blurg.