InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Divine Interventions ❯ Reunion ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 2 Reunion

Sota explained to Inuyasha that Kagome attended classes at the university, and tried unsuccessfully to get Inuysasha to agree to let him drive him to Kagome's apartment. He explained that he had his learner's permit, and technically could drive as long as an adult was in the front seat of the car with him, and since Inuyasha would probably count as an adult, there was no problem driving him. But Inuyasha folded his arms across his chest, shook his long, shaggy white head of hair and said firmly, repeatedly “NO.”

Sota was frustrated and pouted a little when Inuyasha told him to “knock-off the asking,” but eventually sighed and pulled a map out of the car, trying to show Inuyasha where they were in relation to the university and the street where Kagome's apartment was.

Taking in the information as best he could, but not sure he really understood how the tiny lines and dots conveyed anything useful, he nodded to Sota that he saw where to go. Sota folded the map up, and although he still seemed disappointed added, “If you look to the northwest you can see the bell-tower of the student union. It has a blue- tile roof you can even see from Kagome's window when the sky's clear.”

Before he could say anything else, Sota felt himself jerked suddenly by the back of the shirt and waist. He gasped and saw that in an instant, he was standing on the top of the roof, Inuyasha holding him so he couldn't fall.

“Where Sota?” It was not a question so much as a demand.

Sota pointed and in the distance, Inuyasha could see a dot of blue among other buildings about five miles away. “There.”

Inuyasha dropped to the ground and deposited a very surprised but no longer unhappy Sota. “Bye Inuyasha, and good luck!” the boy called after his disappearing form.

Inuyasha smiled as he bounded airborne, quickly toward Kagome. He would have no trouble finding her now. I don't need luck, he thought. Now I'm going to bring Kagome back.

After more time wandering among rows of identical brown buildngs and parking lots than he liked, Inuyasha did find the building Sota had said his sister lived in, with the large “A9” on the side. The only trouble was, judging from all the tiny square windows and balconies littered with potted plants and bicycles, this building held hundreds of apartments.

“Now, which one did Sota say was hers? . . . Damn it!”

In his rush, he really hadn't been listening all that closely.

He would have to do it the way he knew best, take a little time, walk around the perimeter, and smell her out. The only problem was a hanyou walking around the parking lot and sniffing the air every few seconds was bound to attract attention. Inuyasha had noticed a group of laughing, tanned, young men engaged in some sort of a game. The men were bare-chested and standing on a sandy plot that seemed totally incongruous amidst the concrete. They were tossing a ball over a net to each other and seemed engrossed in their activity and the music coming from the large metal box lying in the sand beside them.

“Hey!” a tall, skinny blonde called. “You looking for something, dude?”

The game stopped as suddenly the group beheld the strange site that was Inuyasha. The blonde and two more muscular men walked toward Inuyasha. Although the lead boy was smiling, he knew their body language and didn't like it. Territorial.

“Uh, yes. A friend of mine. Her name is Higurashi Kagome. I need to find her.”

“You need to find Kagome?” This time it was not the blonde who spoke but a dark haired boy, his face was sunburned and brown and his eyes narrowed as he continued, “Why?”

“Yeah,” said the other dark-haired one. “You say you're a friend of hers? How do we know you're just not some kind of a freak?” Before he could answer the blonde spoke again.

“Are you a freak?” You sure look like one? Are you some kind of a weirdo- groupie or stalker? You better leave right now, dude, if you care about your health.”

Suddenly, this had gotten pissy. Inuysaha didn't want to waste anymore time, and the way these scrawny human men--barely more than pups-- were talking, confrontation was unavoidable.

He gritted his teeth, barely reigning in his mounting anger, but thought, “What would Kagome think if I hurt a group of human males now? Probably wouldn't be too happy.”

With only that thought to control himself, he said “I told you-I am a friend of Kagome's. I am going to see her. Now.”

“You're not going to see anyone or go anywhere unless we say it's okay, got it, freak?” The voice was menacing, almost a human growl that came from the first brown-haired one.

“Kagome's our friend. She's like a little sister to us, and she's had way too much trouble from groupie freaks who fixate on her, so get lost, NOW!”

“Hey freak,” the blonde one chimed in, “She's hot. Way, way, out of your league. You better just turn around and go home, whoever you are and whatever you're supposed to be in that get-up.”

Inuyasha didn't respond verbally at all. He looked steadily at his attackers. His eyes were twinkling with a dangerous glint and every muscle in his body tensed.

“I said get going freak!” the blonde boy taunted again.

Enough was enough. He didn't know what a “groupie” was, or if Kagome was sick from what the boy had said about her being “hot,” but he did know from taking a lifetime of abuse from both humans and demons when he was being demeaned and attacked for not being “good enough.”

Shit Kagome, sorry about this. Inuyasha growled and then raised his arm.

The humans saw this as a threatening gesture and moved to attack, but before they could barely move, the force of his fist punch knocked all three men back and airborne. Their figures lay sprawled on the concrete. The others, watching from the sand, stared at Inuyasha.

“Anyone else going stop me from seeing Kagome?!”

The men were all taken aback by the growling hanyou. Not knowing exactly who or what he was, but deciding that he was indeed, dangerous, they quickly left, one snarling something about “notifying the police,” to Inuyasha before he disappeared.

Except for the glaring music still coming from the abandoned boom-box, all was quiet. Inuyasha senses were still working off the adrenaline from the confrontation. He sniffed the warm, still air and smiled. He smelled something familiar, something sweet and warm that he immediately wanted again. His heart pounded with anticipation. “Here I come, Kagome, here I come.”

He quickly found the entrance and bounded up the stairwell leading to Kagome's apartment. He stood outside the door for a moment, suddenly anxious. She was inside, he could smell her, hear her. She was laughing, her voice mixing with the voice of another female.

It had been awhile since he had seen her. Whatever had set her off earlier, he hoped four weeks had been enough time for her to calm down.

Was a “SIT” waiting for him as soon as she laid eyes upon him?

What if she had purposefully damaged the well? Until this very minute, he hadn't allowed himself to think it was a serious possibility.

 

“What if she did try to seal the well and really doesn't want to see you again?. . . To hell with this weak, coward shit! You've wasted enough time already. Since the stupid girl decided to move, you had to waste time tracking her down and then you had to deal with those human asses, so it's taken you a lot longer than it should to just get this over with. Don't just stand there now, idiot! What is it humans do?. . . Oh yeah-

Inuyasha raised his hand and knocked.

“Coming-hold on!” Kagome's voice. “You better not be planning anything too terrible, I'll get you back you know.” laughter lilted her playful voice. “Okay, well, someone's at the door, I'll see you tonight.”

Kagome Higurashi opened the door to her apartment and dropped her cell phone. She gasped and her eyes grew wide.

“INUYASHA?!” It was both a question and an exclamation.

“What? How?-- GOD!!! “It's great to see you!” Her questions broke off as a dazzling smile lit up her face. She rushed at him, and before he could react or respond, she tackled him in a hug and he was drinking in the warm, delicious scent of her hair and skin.

Inuyasha felt blinded by her smile, by her. It was his turn to gape in astonishment, and, as the excited young woman let go of him and stood back to say “God I'm sorry, where are my manners! Please, come in,” all he could do was numbly follow.

He turned round to watch her as she closed the door.

“Kagome? What has happened to you?”

He looked at his friend, the girl-miko he hadn't seen for four weeks and felt like he was seeing her for the first time. Her lovely blue-black silky hair cascaded down her back, longer than his. In the instant before she turned round, he noticed her curves, the way her tiny waist, merged into gently rounded hips, and the way those tight-fitting pants she called “jeans” hugged every female contour. She spun round to gaze at him and send him crashing into new waves of astonishment. She had always been a pretty girl, but she stood before him now, a completely devastating beauty.

She still looked like Kikyo a lot, yes, but was definitely not as much a copy of her as he had always thought. Her eyes were larger, dusky violet orbs as always, but somehow more startling in depth than before. Her lips were different than Kikyo's too. Kagome's were full and slightly pouty, not thin and delicate like Kikyo's. Her complexion was also different. Even alive, Kikyo, had fine, pale, porcelain skin. Kagome's skin was creamy and flawless, but rosy-blushed and vibrant.

What was most startling was not just her outward appearance, but her essence. She stood before him, radiant with a beauty and life-force he had never felt nor seen the likes of before. She almost glowed with the force of her spirit. She emanated depth, power, and something else, a passion for life.

Looking at her, he felt like he had taken a kick to the gut. He was startled by a rush of emotions that he had didn't know how to place. They were emotions he had not felt since he was a small child with his mother-a feeling of complete and utter happiness.

“When did all this happen? Is this NORMAL human growth in her time or just in Kagome's family? Gods, whatever you do, don't check out her breasts, at least right now. Don't be a letch. Keep your eyes up, level with hers. God damn it, breathe, you idiot!”

“Inuyasha? Are you all right?” Kagome noticed he seemed to be taking her in, adjusting to her and she seemed to understand. She noticed his eyes inadvertently and quickly dart down the front of shirt and back to her face in a split second. She only gave a little smile and didn't get angry as she might have if a complete stranger gave her the “once over” like that.

“It's good to see you too, Kagome.” Inuyasha somehow managed (he thought), to keep his gaze and tone level with hers, but his heart was racing. Whatever he had expected, it sure as hell wasn't this.

“Please sit down.”

Inuyasha sat on the puffy white leather sofa, and immediately started squirming around, trying to sit comfortably on the impossibly high cushions.

Kagome giggled and when Inuyasha looked up at her, slightly abashed. She sat down beside him and quickly said, “Sorry about the couch. It's my roommates. I really don't like leather furniture either.”

Before he could respond, another female voice startled him from the kitchen. “I heard that MISS PETA PRISS!” ( PETA--People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Inuyasha remembered, he had heard another female voice with Kagome's before she opened the door.

“Sorry Clo. It's not a condemnation of you, sweet, just your taste.”

“Oh, you're so dead later. I don't even feel bad about what's coming tonight after that.”

At this Kagome blanched. The other woman, a petite, very pretty blonde, walked into the room from around the corner holding a glass tinkling with ice and water. When she stopped in front of her roommate and guest, the young woman visibly startled. Kagome quickly made an evasive verbal maneuver:

“Chloe, this is my old friend, Inuyasha. Inuyasha, this is my roommate, Chloe.”

Inuyasha started to rise to allow for formal proper human greetings as he knew were appropriate here, but stopped short. Chloe was looking down at him, a mixture of anxiety and curiosity emanating from her as she stared at the obviously not-quite-human man sitting on her sofa.

“What -?”

“Drama major, senior cast party.” Kagome successfully caught and answered the question before it was even fully voiced.

Nervous, relieved laughter escaped the young woman's throat. “Ooh! So nice to meet you Inuyasha! Can I get either of you a drink? I'm headed out in a minute, I've got to get ready for tonight.”

“No thanks,” both Kagome and Inuyasha almost replied in unison. They looked at each other and both seemed a little surprised. Chloe laughed again and said “I guess you two really are old friends! Well, don't let me stop you two from catching up. I'll just get my purse and be on my way. Kagome, I'll see you tonight.”

With that, Kagome leapt up from the sofa, the sharp scent of fresh anxiety quickly rising from her chest. “Clo, wait a sec-I want to talk to you about tonight.”

Kagome pulled her roommate by her arm back into the kitchen and closed the door. In hushed tones that Inuyasha had no trouble hearing, she said, “Whatever's up, I know you know, so please, please be my friend and stop toying with me!”

Chloe gave a warm, delighted laugh. “Sorry Kagome,” she whispered back, “You'll just have to be a good girl and wait till tonight. Are you bringing your friend there?” Chloe jerked her head in Inuyasha's direction.

“Oh God, NO! No way. I mean, I really want to spend some time talking to him, we have a lot we need to catch up on, but there's no way that I'm gonna bring him and chance-“ “Good,” Chloe replied. “I think that's probably for the best. Well, I'll see you later, okay, and don't be so nervous. I think you're really going to like your surprise, I mean, really like it!”

The two women walked out of the kitchen together and after picking up her purse, Chloe gave Kagome a quick hug. Though Inuyasha could hear Kagome's heart continue to race, she laughed at her roommate and hugged her back.

“I'll see you tonight, then.”

“Yes, see you tonight. And Kagome-“

“Yeah?”

“For once in your life don't be late!” With that Chloe gave Kagome one last smile and left the apartment.

Inuyasha was amused by Chloe's last comment. Running late was not just something she did returning to his time. Apparently it was habitual.

Closing the door behind her roommate, Kagome turned back round to face Inuyasha and took a couple of deep breaths through her mouth to try to slow her heart rate.

“Sorry about that Inuyasha,” Kagome said. “We shouldn't have any more interruptions for a little while at least, so we can talk a bit, okay?”

Inuyasha had been annoyed when Kagome left him to go talk to her roommate, but, after hearing their conversation and observing Kagome's reactions, felt more amused than upset.

“It's okay, Kagome,” he replied, trying not to let the smile that was playing at the corners of his mouth become evident, at least not yet.

“Inuyasha-“

“Yes.”

“I'm really glad you're here.”

“Hhmph. Me too.”