InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Clumsy ❯ Crawl Down Memory Lane ( Chapter 2 )

Clumsy 2

Author: Profiler120

Email: profiler120@hotmail.com; p_120@yahoo.com

Rating: G

Genre: Romance/ AU (Sesshoumaru/Kagome)

~X~

Act Two: Crawl Down Memory Lane

The weather was cool and a brisk breeze was blowing. A gust of wind brushed by, sending chills down her spine. She sped up. The walk to his home wasn't really long, and she usually enjoyed the quiet solitude. However, today it didn't feel as enjoyable or welcoming as it usually did. With the cold wind blowing it felt harsh and lonely. She was relieved when the large house came into view.

Kagome squirmed uneasily. She'd knocked on the door three times and rang the bell 4 times. Where was he? Wasn't anyone home?

She sat down on the cold stair thinking about what she should do when she heard the door swing open behind her. She glanced back and found Inutaisho's eldest son staring back at her.

"Is your father home?" she asked, half afraid to say anything to him.

While Inuyasha was a pain, she'd never had an encounter with the older brother that involved a lot of talking.

"He isn't," was the stoic, unfriendly reply. He pulled the door open wider. "But come in, he should be here soon."

She nodded weakly and did as he asked and stepped inside uneasily. The house was silent. She peered around; it seemed not even Inuyasha was around.

"Is it okay if I go to the practice room? I might as well stretch and fix my shoes and all,"

His answer was a mere inclination of his head. She turned away, caught between uneasiness and embarrassment. She followed the hall to the glass lined room. She stepped inside and flipping the light switch on she instantaneously appeared in all the mirrors lining the room.

She sighed quietly to herself, peering lazily around the room as she peeled off her blouse and then slipped her skirt down her waist. She glanced over her black leotard in the mirror, adjusting her dance skirt about her waist. She kneeled down and folded her clothes, setting them beside her bag. She unzipped her bag drawing out her box of pointe shoes and setting them aside on the floor.

She flopped down onto her backside and slipped each of her shoes on, securing them as she did so. She turned on the CD player and began stretching. She smiled when she heard the first song. It was the Nutcracker's "Waltz of the Flowers." The song had been one of her favorites ever since she'd heard it.

She'd gone with Inutaisho to see the ballet performed. It wasn't a professional performance; it had been on of his classes doing the show. She remembered that time. She'd been little but the memory lingered. Even when she was little she'd been clumsy. Inutaisho, a friend of her parents had been visiting the shrine.

I remember. I remember that day. Inuyasha had stolen one of my brand new shoes and ran outside in the back where Mama and Papa were sitting with their friend. I followed him, shouting angrily at his back as I gained on him, closer and closer. Then, poof, my clumsiness struck me again. I'd always been clumsy.

I tripped straight into a little table with a pitcher of lemonade on it, sending both me the small table and the lemonade into Inutaisho's lap. He'd helped me up, rubbing his hand across my shoulders gently in a soothing fashion. I was crying. I immediately started crying, but he'd been so nice about it.

I can still remember… he was so nice.

Her eyes drifted closed as she continued her exercises on the barre then moved away to the center of the room.

~X~

He watched her, the slip of a girl known as Higurashi Kagome. He'd known her forever. He remembered going to her shrine with his father when he was little. All three of them had gone to the shrine. Their mother, his and Inuyasha's, had been friends with her mother, but she'd died in childbirth with Inuyasha however.

Kagome had never met his mother.

He didn't know why he was thinking about such things. Yet still, there he stood. Watching her from the window, as he had berated his brother for doing, but Inuyasha was an idiot. Perhaps though, he had always liked her. Even when they were young Inuyasha and Kagome had had a sparring relationship. Then Kikyo had come along and the two didn't associate as much as they drifted apart over the years. Maybe his attachment to Kikyo was something he'd picked up from his initial attraction to Kagome. He sighed. Worrying about Inuyasha and his petty interests was dull.

Still though, Kagome had never shown much romantic interest in his brother, nor him. The three of them had been like siblings at a time. Now they had split apart again. Kagome had her brother Souta, and he had his brother Inuyasha. The family connection of youth was lost. Their closeness had evaporated.

Not his brother's however. Kagome and Inuyasha interfaced well, easily although perhaps more violently than he ever had. The interaction between them, Kagome and himself, that was long gone. When had it been abandoned? When had they given up on one another? No, he thought to himself. Not her, but him. He had given up on her, left her behind. Kagome had always been there.

She was still here.

In there.

Dancing as she always had. As he always remembered her. Striving for a grace and elegance she'd always thought she lacked.

Her hair was now pulled up, tightly bound at a bun at the back of her head drawing the dark strands away from her bright cobalt eyes. Her arms flowed gracefully in soft motions around her body yet moving in and out of the basic positions she'd been taught from her first classes. He remembered those too.

There was a change after that. Not in him, but his father. Especially after Kagome's own father died. When he passed away she began dancing much more often. She went from one dance class to three, dancing five times a week. She danced five times a week still, but she had dropped the tap classes and only took one intermediate jazz class. It was apparent she didn't particularly enjoy the jazz routines.

She began spending a lot more time at the dance studio, and then sometime after that she'd began coming to the house. She would spend an hour or so in the practice room and then frequently stay for dinner. Before his father walked or drove her home she'd end up yelling or chasing Inuyasha around because he was annoying her.

Those days seemed so far away.

When she'd stand up, glaring at his impertinent brother an eyebrow twitching in anger just before she yelled. Things weren't that way anymore. Did he miss it?

Her head turned toward him momentarily as she twirled around but her gaze passed over him without seeing. She wasn't aware of his presence. He could always tell. He could always tell when she noticed him. Her eyes would widen slightly and she'd pause. As though she wasn't sure what to say or how to act around him. It was amusing how his presence could affect her. Once or twice she'd blushed, but most of the time they simply passed by one another without comment.

He pulled his sleeve up and glanced at his watch. It was only four thirty in the afternoon. His brother wouldn't be home for an hour and his father wouldn't be here for a half hour at a minimum. When he'd called twenty minutes previously he'd been almost an hour away from home.

He reached up for the doorknob, turned, and pushed it open. The light, musical tones assaulted his ears gently. It took her a moment before she noticed him. He forcibly withheld from smirking as he turned slightly pushing the door closed behind him.

He raised his gaze back to her as the music stopped suddenly. She was at the back only a few feet in front of him now.

"Did you need something Sesshoumaru?" her tone was soft, noticeably uncomfortable.

She shifted ineptly under his gaze.

"No," he replied after a lengthy pause.

"Okay," she replied with an attempt of brightness that fell short of being convincing. Even her smile was wavering as she stared at him apprehensively. After a moment more of silence the stare down was over as she turned rather quickly away from him, pressing the play button and moving back to the center of the floor. She kept her head turned away from him although her eyes drifted to where he was standing many times in the mirror. His presence was a distraction to her, which was plain as daylight.

"Are you dating Inuyasha?"

She almost slipped as she whirled around to face him.

"No!"

There was a delicate flush to her cheeks. He wasn't sure if it was because of the question or because she was slightly winded. Practicing her pirouettes seemed to take some energy, especially seeing how she kept messing them up.

"Really,"

Her expression changed to something not easily identifiable.

"Did someone tell you that?"

He was glad then, that he'd decided to disturb her. She looked so worried, and so vulnerable. So much so he didn't want to say anything that would break the delicate look on her face at that moment.

But all moments ended, usually sooner than later.

"No,"

The look of relief on her face was accompanied by a deep sigh. "Good. That's the last thing I need right now. Rumors,"

She shook her head, looking a great deal more comfortable as she went back to the center of the room. Even though she had relaxed somewhat under his scrutiny she was still very much aware of his presence and of his watching her.

It almost made him feel guilty. Knowing that she was nervous under his heavy gaze, worrying about what he thought. Kagome had always been self-conscious. It didn't help that Inuyasha had always badgered her about her dancing and this and that. He'd teased her continuously about being clumsy.

To an extent it was true. She did trip or drop things occasionally but not excessively. The first time she'd met his father she'd fallen, along with a table and an entire pitcher of juice into his lap.

Not that his father had been angry about it. His father had practically adopted the girl after the death of her own father and she didn't seem to mind. She spent a lot of time with him, Inutaisho; most of it was spent in the dance hall. Since she'd been old enough to begin learning she'd been his favorite student.

Like the daughter he thought his father had always wanted. Kagome seemed to be precious to him. Although, he didn't mind so much, she was only there two days a week for an hour. Sometimes she came over with her family on the weekends or they would go to the shrine. It had been a long time since him and his family had all gone together to the shrine.

He, personally, hadn't been to the shrine in years- four or five. He'd seen her younger brother Souta only in passing. He'd never spoken to the boy, and wasn't really interested in it. When he'd last visited the shrine Souta was still very young.

Why had he come in here? He was suddenly curious, and puzzeled at his own behavior. He'd wanted a few moments alone with her when he knew they wouldn't be disturbed. Now that he was here he wasn't sure what he wanted to ask.

"Stop,"

"Hmm?" she straightened and turned back to face him. When he didn't say anything she walked toward him. "Then you do want something, then?"

"Are you ready? To lead the ballet corps as principal dancer in this year's play?"

"I'm not sure, but he's always so confident. I wish I could be as confident as your father. I just…" she shook her head despondently, her mind drifting away from him.

The door swept open and they both turned surprised glances at the figure looming there.

Kagome smiled, and her uneasily was swept away by the sudden appearance of his father.

"Good afternoon Kagome, Sesshoumaru,"

The girl looked over at him, for the first time in a long time, playfully. "Dance, Sesshoumaru?"

But he turned away wordlessly, slipping past his father. Although his father was obviously curious he said nothing to either about what they were doing in that room or what they were speaking of.

Sesshoumaru glanced as his watch as he proceeded toward the kitchen.

His father was early.

~X~

"Kagome!"

She looked up sharply to see who had called her when she spotted Sango by the school doors. She waved and ran to catch up with her.

"You'll never guess the wild things I've been hearing about,"

"Let me guess… about Kikyo,"

"Well who else is everyone whispering about? She's supposed to be back in school next week."

"Great,"

Kagome's memories of Kikyo were few. She'd seen her rarely. Perhaps they'd pass in the hall, or occasionally she'd see her at Inutaisho's but other than that there was no interaction. They slid by one another as easily as oil and water barely touching, not acknowledging anything outside of it's own boundaries.

"Ladies, ladies!"

They turned, barely inside the school doorway and both frowned. Standing in front of them in all his older classman, playboy glory, grinning confidently was Miroku.

"Hi," Kagome ventured.

"I was extremely lucky to run into you. Ladies of your beautiful caliber are true rarities. May I escort you to your classes?"

"That's really not necessary. We can find our own way," Sango quipped dryly.

"Hey Miroku, what are you doing?"

Behind him Inuyasha followed by a silent Sesshoumaru stepped into the doorway. The older brother walked past without word or glance at any of them and continued onward into the school. Inuyasha however stomped over arrogantly, and promptly found fault with his friend's 'beautiful companions'.

Kagome glared. "What did you say?" Her tone promised a nasty reply.

"Come on Kagome," Sango tugged on her sleeve and Kagome allowed herself to be pulled away while Inuyasha made taunting faces while Miroku waved with a grin.

"What are you doing after school?" Sango inquired as they walked in the general direction of their homeroom.

"Well Friday and the weekends are the only time I don't have classes so I'm probably just going to relax,"

"I have jazz class tonight so that's where I'll be. You're not even going to come down to the dance hall?" Sango asked, a tone of disappointment in her voice.

"I can't. My aunt is ill and my mom and grandfather are going to visit her tonight. I have to stay with Souta and he won't want to be seen anywhere near a dance hall,"

Sango laughed. "Neither would my brother Kohaku,"

They separated at the end of the hall going opposite directions for homeroom classes. Kagome walked alone from that point and took her seat once she reached the room. She took out her first textbook with a soft sigh. It would be another long day.

The bell chimed loudly and the classroom emptied quickly. Kagome stood lethargically, yawning as she gathered her things. The classroom was now empty, except her. The chatter in the hall faded quickly as everyone scattered going his or her separate ways. She walked slowly to the door and stepped out. Sango was probably gone already. She walked to her locker alone exchanging one book for another when she reached it. The halls were eerily quiet.

She looked one way and then another, but everyone was mostly gone. Teachers lingered, here and there, but most were cleaning up in their classrooms. She stepped back and slammed her locker shot, she really needed to get home. Souta was probably waiting for her. She could already hear him complaining, shouting from another room he was hungry, but not daring to move from in front of the television.

She followed the halls back the way she'd come and toward the front door. Stepping out she breathed in the fresh, cool air. She had walked to school this morning instead of taking her bike, but that was just as well. It wasn't too cold yet. She began walking, her mind drifting listlessly. Up ahead she saw Sesshoumaru. He, surprisingly enough, was also walking. She'd never pictured him walking to school.

She smiled to herself, but then again she couldn't picture Sesshoumaru doing many ordinary things anymore. When they were little she used to like hanging on him. As time passed his demeanor changed. She saw him less and less, and when she did he wasn't friendly, but quiet and reserved. At least when he lowered himself to speak to anyone, she thought bitterly.

Still, even if she could, she wasn't sure she'd want to regain those days. She wasn't sure she'd want such a relationship with him anymore. Then, they had been like brother and sister. He'd looked out for her. He'd smack Inuyasha when he got too rough and hurt her, and generally kept order between them. Sesshoumaru had been the older brother she'd never had then. Not anymore though, and that's what she was certain she didn't want.

It was interesting how one's feelings could change. How during the endless days of childhood defining relationships didn't matter. Sesshoumaru hadn't ever been anything more than Sesshoumaru, the older boy who'd protect her from his rambunctious little brother who loved to torture her.

Adolescence, puberty, and a few good years of maturity could do wonders though, she thought gazing at the tall figure ahead of her. Sesshoumaru wasn't the boy she remembered anymore. He was older, taller, and undeniably attractive. Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad to see him so often if she didn't feel that way about him. If she didn't harbor this stupid crush that she couldn't make go away no matter what she tried. No matter how often she reminded herself what kind of person that he had become.

Although she was a little bit jealous that a guy had nicer hair than she did. His long silver locks swayed slightly in the wind.

Her hair too was loose, which was nice. She usually kept it bound so tightly.

Absently, she wondered what he was thinking about. She often wondered that. Wondered because she didn't dare ask and didn't dare attempt to regain their lost closeness. She'd had too many encounters with Sesshoumaru that ended with sharp or cold replies that left her startled and hurt. She just wasn't willing to hurt herself again and again for someone who wouldn't even acknowledge her attempts to be friendly.

That was that case until yesterday. She hadn't expected to be alone with Sesshoumaru in the house but still that wasn't unusual. What was unusual was his coming into the room, directly seeking her out. For years he'd just as easily gone out of his way to avoid her.

Ahead of her he turned right. When she reached the corner, she'd continue going straight.

His questions. His voice. His presence. They were all disturbing. What was worse was that she suspected he knew it! She was suspicious that he'd known all along coming in there would disturb her. Distract her from her much needed practice. Who did he think he was asking whom she was dating, like it was any of his business, she thought indignantly. But a nagging voice of hope would sprout wondering why he wanted to know.

She sighed, crossing the street. She glanced right- he was still walking. She shook her head to herself, hoping to shake the thoughts of him away and ran the rest of the way to the shrine. Maybe she could leave her thoughts of Sesshoumaru back at the intersection. Maybe.