InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Clumsy ❯ Closing Curtain ( Chapter 8 )

Clumsy 8

Act Eight: Closing Curtain

Something in the dynamic of 'them' had changed but nothing major. It was a little something that underlined the basis of their acquaintance, but nothing that was noticeable if a person happened to be studying them. Kagome glanced at her clock; it was almost eleven, which meant they had to leave.

It was now Sunday morning, the last day of their recital performances, much to her relief. Last night had been smooth. Everyone performed reasonably well and the whole thing had gone off without problems, or at least without disasters.

After lunch yesterday with Sesshoumaru they'd returned to the auditorium and Kagome had ended up hanging out the new dancer Rin. The little girl took easily to Sesshoumaru, much to Kagome's surprise. She'd spent a great deal of time just watching the little girl pester him. She brushed his hair and tried unsuccessfully to put make-up on him and time flew away.

Soon enough Inuyasha had returned with Kikyo and Kaede. Once Kaede arrived Rin went off with her friend and then Inutaisho again appeared. The girls began showing up and after a few unsettling glances from Kikyo, Kagome retreated to somewhere safer. The girls changing room was where she ultimately met up with Sango again.

She sighed and gathered her things, she could already hear the impatient call of Inutaisho, but none was forthcoming. She skipped down the stairs to find that he had lost his keys and everyone was searching for them. She smiled when Inuyasha held up the keys and then asked for a reward for finding them.

They traveled to the performance hall once more and she expected the day would be much the same as yesterday. She hoped at least given up to the point where she had lunch with Sesshoumaru. She didn't want to do that again; namely because after she'd gotten him to stop staring at her, conversation had lagged and it seemed more awkward than it had before. Then he'd only irritated her more by refusing to let her pay for her own food.

She was last out of the car today, instead of first. When she reached the building after fumbling with the zipper of her bag Inuyasha and Inutaisho were already out of sight. Sesshoumaru was lingering in the lobby looking around at this and that for whatever reasons.

"Kagome!"

She was on her way to the changing room when the familiar call stopped her.

"Miroku," she greeted him amiably.

He approached with a charming smile. "How are you? I haven't seen you or the lovely Sango for days. The way you two treat me is quite brutal,"

Kagome laughed. "We've been busy with practice. Are you coming to the performance tonight?"

"I'm not sure, what time is it?"

"Seven,"

"Maybe."

"You should,"

"Really? You think so?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "It's our closing night. Sango loves closing night, and… if you do come, bring her flowers."

"Eh? Flowers?"

"A lot of the girls get flowers for performances like this. From their families, friends, boyfriends, she'd be completely surprised and absolutely love it."

He grinned wickedly and took her hand excitedly in his own and kissed it dramatically. "Kagome you are a amazing creature! I'll be back tonight,"

Kagome laughed and waved him off. "I thought you would,"

She turned to make her way back to the changing room and found herself the center of a discontented glare from Sesshoumaru. She didn't bother to question and quickly escaped from the view of the golden orbs.

Lunch that day came and went without Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Kagome was swept away by an energized Sango and Sesshoumaru was among the missing. It was to Kagome's relief that they ended up at a non-descript little café for lunch that Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't be caught dead even looking at. Being there, she felt relaxed and quickly relayed all the events up to that point to an eager Sango. Minus the conversation with Miroku, if he actually did come, she wanted it to be a surprise for Sango. After all, she'd love it if a guy like Miroku brought her flowers, even if he was a notorious flirt.

"So are things going any better with Kikyo?"

Kagome sighed. "No. It seems silly but it's like she's jealous or something. She doesn't want me around Inuyasha. I just don't get it, I don't like him in that way, and she doesn't care."

Sango shrugged. "Yeah but you've got to admit Inuyasha did rush to defend you. I mean he was gone from Kikyo's side in a second to get rid of Kouga,"

"He hates Kouga, I doubt he had much of anything to do with me,"

"Maybe, but Inuyasha has always hung around you. I mean, for as long as I've known you Kagome, Inuyasha sort of… hovered around you. You know, he'd appear in the hallways and yank your hair or something. Perhaps he has a crush on you and Kikyo has every right to be jealous,"

Kagome didn't want to consider that possibility and was pleased when the food came, momentarily ending the conversation.

~X~

Kagome waited impatiently with the others as the class before them finished up their performance. They were on stage next. It was the final evening performance of the recital. They waited as the music for their class was found and prepared and the other girls left the stage.

Her heart was thumping quickly, and she had a nervous stomachache. It was the same as it had been last night. She watched and followed her cue entering stage when it was her turn to dance with the rest of her class. She tried not to look out over the audience room. The bright lights pointing toward the stage helped that, and she could only see so many people. She knew they were out there, but she couldn't tell how many exactly forcing herself to concentrate. She didn't want to mess up and embarrass the whole class.

She forcibly kept herself from the scanning the front view closest to the stage. She didn't want to know if Sesshoumaru was sitting there, as he had been the day before. It had been distraction then, and she wasn't about to let it distract her now. She twirled and motioned gracefully. Up on pointe then down again flawlessly from one pirouette to another carefully keeping track of the other dancers around her.

The music signaled the end of their performance and they bowed together and quickly scampered off stage. Kagome sighed it was over. She had done well, exceptionally so, and was only regretful that her mother had missed it.

She'd also discovered her mother was running late and they wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning, which left her one more night at Inutaisho's. She was glad she'd brought her school uniform with her but that wasn't good enough. She'd get up extra early and run home. She didn't want to, but she simply had no choice, most of her schoolbooks were at home.

She followed the crowd of girls back to the dressing room pushing past all the people in the halls. Why they were back there, she couldn't imagine, but they always were. Mothers, sisters, friends all packed the halls of backstage; some were even in the dressing room. She pushed the door open following the other girls; Sango had been ahead of her and was already sitting down at the mirror rubbing off some of her makeup.

"Hey Kagome,"

Kagome smiled in reply. The excitement of the evening was a rush that flowed through their blood. It was evident in their eyes, even hers. Kagome sat down next to her, undoing her hair.

"So are you staying with Masaharu-san tonight?"

"Yeah," she admitted pulling off the costume, dropping it to the floor and pulling on the purple turtleneck. "My mom won't be home until tomorrow,"

"Oh, but hey you did really good Kagome. I'm sure your mom would've been proud,"

"Thanks Sango,"

They quickly changed and made their way out of the room hauling their bags of stuff. They navigated the packed halls to the backstage exit and made their way into the large, almost empty room. Most of the visitors had already filed out; only those who were relatives or friends of the dancers remained.

Kagome, spotting Miroku with a handful of flowers quickly parted from her friend, bidding her a good night. Sesshoumaru was sitting in the front row as he had yesterday and Kagome walked over and plopped down next to him.

"How much longer will we be here?"

He looked up from his book and glanced around and then at his watch. "Half hour at the minimum,"

She groaned, leaving her bag beside him and walked off without another word. Sesshoumaru was never really good for pointless conversations, especially when he had a book.

The lobby was quickly emptying out. There, Kagome found Sango with an armful of flowers standing with her family while her brother Kohaku hauled around her dance bag. She walked around, for a while, not staying in any one place, or doing anything. She saw Kikyo and Kaede leaving as they walked across the parking lot and wondered where Rin was.

"Hey,"

She almost groaned hearing Inuyasha's voice.

"Yeah?" She moved around and faced him leaning back against the cold window.

He grabbed her hand and pressed a small bunch of pink flowers into it, closing her hand around them.

"Here, you did good and stuff,"

She laughed, and he puffed up, looking offended.

"Ah, do I look more pathetic than usual?" She smiled weakly. "Thanks Inuyasha that's really sweet of you,"

She wondered he where'd gotten the flowers and laughed again imagining him stealing the flowers from Miroku.

"We're leaving soon," were his departing words as he walked off to the right side doors that led back into the auditorium.

She looked back down at the flowers in her hand and smiled, clutching them to her chest. Sometimes Inuyasha was so thoughtful. She spent a few more lonesome minutes by the windows before she started walking around, grumbling to herself about her growling stomach. She hadn't eaten in hours and was seriously hungry.

She was rounding the corner near the stage when she ran into Inutaisho coming out from backstage. He was smiling as he passed her by. "Don't worry Kagome, we're going soon,"

She found her way back to the chair beside Sesshoumaru. The book was absent from his hands and he was staring at the stage blankly. His line of thought appeared to be broken when she sat down beside him and he cast a glance down at her. Then he spotted the flowers clutched in her hand.

"Someone give you flowers?"

"Do you mean to imply someone wouldn't?" she challenged, glaring. She really wasn't in the mood for his brand of conversation.

"No,"

She accepted that. "Actually Inuyasha gave them to me,"

He looked back at her, clearly surprised.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she shrugged. "It was nice of him, although I can't imagine where he got them from."

As one would've expected stillness fell between them again. Why couldn't they ever talk like normal people? Why couldn't he be normal?

"You know what your problem is?" she began and he turned toward her with a look of absolute shock and potential horror that she had the nerve to say any such thing to him. "Since we have nothing better to do, I'll tell you what that is. You are anti-social. And it may well work for you, but it doesn't for me, and I flat out don't appreciate your lack of cooperation to carry on a successful meaningless conversation,"

"Really," his tone was dry although she could've sworn he was hiding a smirk as he turned away from her.

"Yup," she nodded proudly with her assessment.

"If it's meaningless what's the point of discussing it?"

"Just to pass the time or get to know a person better, stuff like that. Besides you spend too much time by yourself. It's not good for you,"

"And how would you know that?" he quipped.

"Well," she paused. "Really it's a guess. But how far off could I possibly be? Every time I see you, you're alone and reading or something. Not that reading isn't good but, human interaction should be a part of your daily life and all those girls who pine after don't really count cause I never see you talking to them."

"Thank you for the pointers Higurashi," his was apparently unamused.

"And that's another thing! Why do you keep flip flopping between Higurashi and Kagome anyway? I don't call you Masaharu," she pointed out, feeling utterly proud of herself for drawing him into a conversation.

"Maybe you should,"

She paused, should she? She'd always called him Sesshoumaru; she had every right, didn't she? Was he challenging her to see her answer or telling her not to call him Sesshoumaru?

This time it was him who looked smug until her contemplative look vanished.

"Nonsense! I've known you for forever, why shouldn't I call you by your name? And if you really prefer me not to all you had to do was ask," she responded reasonably.

There was nothing in his manner to determine what he'd been up to yesterday, but she didn't really want to think about it. What else could she say?

"So… what do you think of the weather?"

She wanted to kick herself, but refrained from looking even stupider than normal. She shouldn't be uncomfortable. This was Sesshoumaru, childhood friend, and now much older, terribly cute guy looking at her like she was crazy.

"I'll assume then you don't like the cold weather. Think it's gonna snow?"

"I haven't the faintest,"

"You see, this is exactly what I mean. I have to ask all the questions, it's entirely up to me to carry on this conversation. That's not polite,"

"I see, so now my manners need changing too?"

She crossed her arms. "Hey, everyone could do with a little change,"

"And what kind of change do you need? Or is our dialogue reserved to amending me?"

"I'm not saying I'm perfect or anything but we're talking about you," she pointed out. "Anyway I hope it snows,"

She stared up at the stage wondering what she looked like when she'd been up there. He hadn't said anything and she doubted he was going to. She sighed, sinking further in her chair, glancing over at him by chance and found him staring at her.

"What?"

He reached down by his left side and grabbed the book that had been tucked there and handed it over to her. She took the book curiously, not catching its title.

"I've already read once before, you should read it. Then the next time you want to have a discussion, it won't be so meaningless and I'll have more to say,"

He stood up, stretching slightly and proceeded up the aisle toward the lobby doors. She stared back down at the book in her hand. It was just larger than her hand with a simple paperback cover.

"Ten Great Mysteries by Edgar Allen Poe," she read aloud. This type of story really wasn't her thing but he did tell her to read it. And if they did meet again, which was inevitable, what if he asked her about it? She wasn't about to embarrass herself unnecessarily by not knowing what he was talking about if he mentioned one of the stories in this book. Or even worse, if he asked which was her favorite.

Seeing as she had nothing else to do, she opened the book to the first page and thusly began to read. She was immediately drawn into the book, and time no longer tormented her. Rather she was irritated by the disturbance when she found Inuyasha hovering her, poking her shoulder rudely.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"We're leaving unless you want to spend the night here,"

She stuck her tongue out at him and stood up. Then she grabbed her dance bag and threw it at him, and surprised, he caught it.
"Carry that for me, will ya?"

She didn't give him time to answer and instead walked off, still trying to read in the dim lights of the auditorium. He followed behind her mumbling about being her packhorse or something of the kind. She further annoyed by the lack of lights in the car, and her hunger was for a time, forgotten.

She kept her place with her finger until they reached the house. She followed Sesshoumaru and Inutaisho inside while Inuyasha continued complaining about carrying her stuff. Once inside the door she took the bag that had been so troublesome for him and trudged it upstairs.

She dropped it on the floor of her room and quickly grabbed a makeshift bookmark to mark her page. After which she began collecting the things that had become strewn about her borrowed room, tucking them in her other bag. It was again Inuyasha who rapped at her door, pushing it open when he found it wasn't latched closed and telling her they were going out for dinner.

"Out? At this time of night?"

"What's wrong with that?"

She didn't bother arguing and followed him downstairs, the book remaining on her bed.

~X~

Kagome groaned when the annoying chirp of her alarm clock woke her earlier than usual. She roused herself reluctantly from her bed and realizing what time it was quickly began collecting her things and getting dressed. She threw on her school uniform and rapidly searched the room for any belongings she may have missed. She made up her bed and scribbled a note of thanks and left it on her pillow.

She grabbed her bags, one on each shoulder and opened her door. The house was quiet. She crept downstairs and peered around. There was a clatter in the kitchen, so she dropped her bags by the door and went off in that direction. Sesshoumaru was pulling a frying pan down from the pot rack; no one else was in sight.

She stepped into the room and he looked up sharply when he noticed her.

"Good morning," she greeted him. "Is everyone else still sleeping?"

"They'd spend half the day in bed if they could,"

The comment was so quietly spoken she barely caught it. She smiled in reply.

"Um… well I'm going now. I just wanted to tell whoever was in the kitchen, which is you, so everyone didn't wake up and I was missing or anything. Could you thank your father for me? I had a nice weekend,"

She turned away.

"You want to stay for breakfast?"

She wanted to but she couldn't. "No thanks Sesshoumaru. I'll see you later, okay?"

She left the kitchen and a few minutes later Sesshoumaru was once again the only awake person in the house. He sighed. It would've been nice not to eat breakfast alone for once.

~X~

Kagome made her way down the street. It was even colder this morning than it had been yesterday. The sky was gray and overcast, as though threatening snow. The book given to her last night by Sesshoumaru was tucked into a side pocket of her dance bag. She would take it with her today and read during any given opportunity. She was extremely grateful when her she turned onto a familiar street. Up the shrine stairs, across the courtyard and finally to her own front door.

After struggling to find her keys and let herself inside and breathed deeply the familiar scent of home. She hiked up to her bedroom dropping her things here and there and grabbing her school things and took them back down with her. A new day at school was about to begin.