InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Heart's Landfill ❯ The Not a Date, Date ( Chapter 24 )

A/N: As always all characters will be walking that fine line called OOCness. I still don't have my laptop. This chapter was written a day after the last one. This is a short chapter; well one of the shortest one's I've written since I started writing this fic. Anyway the good news is, I already have the next two chapters done. The bad news, I still don't have a new computer and until recently no Internet, so there's a possibility that updates maybe a little sporadic at best. I want to thank both of my betas, Neko and the Kitchen Elf for a job well done. That's it for me, so please enjoy, my friends!!

 

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to anyone with the exception of Nya, Malcolm and Dr. Aikio; all others belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi, I just abuse them.

 

Chapter 24:

 

The Not a Date, Date

 

“Why did you have your secretary call me if you're not going to speak to me?”

 

Kagome glanced quickly at her companion, but didn't reply right away. They had been driving in silence for the past 15 minutes now, and still she couldn't come up with one solitary thing to say to him. Sure, she had a lot that she could have said, but this was kind of like their first date, right? She was supposed to be jittery, right?

 

Rubbing her sweaty palms on the sides of her slacks nervously, she replied, “What do you want me to talk to you about? How bad your driving is?”

 

Inuyasha chuckled lightly as he weaved between an oversized truck and a mini van. “Well that would be a start. And, for the record, my driving is not that bad; it's the other people driving around me that make it look bad, thank you very much.”

 

Kagome giggled softly and relaxed just a little. “If that's how you choose to see it, then I guess you could be right. However…”

 

“Don't go all attorney on me, Higurashi,” the hanyou quipped as he came to a stop at a red light. Sitting back, his hand reaching to grasp the headrest of her seat, he asked seriously, “So what made you call me?”

 

Kagome looked away, not sure exactly how she was supposed to answer that when she didn't really mean for Sango to call him in the first place. Once again, yes, she was happy that Sango-the bitch that she was-took it upon herself to call, but could she really tell him it was a joke, and expect him to take it well?

 

Reaching over with his free hand, Inuyasha gently turned her face towards his. “If this is you playing coy, I don't like it. What happened to the mouthy bitch from before?”

 

Pulling away from him, she snapped, “I could ask you the same thing!” There was just something about being called a bitch that really did not sit right with her.

 

“You could, but you didn't. Now answer the question.”

 

Rolling her eyes playfully, Kagome started, “She's still here, don't worry, and for the record…” She stopped, rethought what she was going to say and decided against it. `Why ruin a good thing?' she thought as Sango's voice whispered teasingly in her head, “Just ruin this one like you did all the others. You're pretty good at that.”

 

Noticing that she stopped mid sentence, Inuyasha offered, “Don't start biting your tongue now,” as he drove on through the light.

 

“I didn't bite my tongue; I just decided that this is not a battle that I want to fight with you.”

 

Chuckling, the hanyou veered off the main street and onto the side street that would take them to their destination. It wasn't a bar or a restaurant or even indoors; it was a park that he came to often, especially after his break up with Kikyo. At times, he'd come here and sit for hours on end just staring at the lake as the ducks and squirrels scampered about the ground looking for their next meal.

 

“Where are we?” the baffled young woman asked, trying to take in as much of the scenery as possible.

 

“What does it look like?” the hanyou queried rhetorically while pulling into the nearest parking space.

 

Sighing exasperatedly at him, Kagome tried her best not to snap. Turning her attention towards the area outside the window, she immediately took notice of the well-manicured trees and shrubbery, the magnificently large lake that set in the center of the greenery and the people-the families playing with their small children.

 

Unfastening her seatbelt, she quickly climbed out the car, her eyes trained on the reflection the sun was leaving on the lake. “Inuyasha, this place is beautiful,” she whispered as she stepped onto the sidewalk.

 

“Yeah, I know. My mom and dad use to bring me and Sesshomaru here all the time when we were small.” After hitting the button to set the alarm on his car, the hanyou stepped up next to her. “You should see this place at the change of season when the sakura blossoms are falling. It actually looks like snow.” Shoving his hands into his pockets, he continued, “My Mom, Sesshomaru, and I would come down here during the day when my dad was working. She'd paint portraits of strangers and their children. I think she did some of her best work here.”

 

Staring up at him as he spoke, Kagome found herself wondering why he would bring her of all people to a place like this, a place that certainly seemed to hold a lot of precious memories for him.

 

Pulling a hand out of one pocket, he placed it gently on the small of her back in an attempt to guide her towards the lake and what he called his favorite bench.

 

“Your mom was a painter?” Kagome asked softly, following his lead.

 

Shrugging his shoulders off handedly, he replied, “She hated being called a painter, she preferred artist because she painted, and sculpted, and played 6 different instruments. She was also a damn good photographer.”

 

“Really? She did all of that?” she queried as she took a seat on the bench and slid down just a little so that he could sit next to her.

 

“She sure did.” Leaning forward, his eyes trained on the lake as if he was taking a trip down memory lane, he proceeded, “Whenever anyone said anything about it, she'd say, `What else am I supposed to do when the love of my life is working 16 hour days building a legacy for his children?' Settling back, his arms positioned along the back edge of the bench, he continued, “She always joked about it, but we knew she was lonely.”

 

Knowing without having to be told that this was a tough subject for him, Kagome asked quickly, “Where can I see some of her work? Did she ever sell any to museums or private collectors?

 

Glancing at his companion then back at the lake, the hanyou responded, “You'd have to go visit Sesshomaru and Rin. They have a whole room dedicated to everything my mom ever sculpted, photographed, or painted. They even have her instruments displayed in glass cases.” Sighing, he finished, “She never sold anything because she said the things she created were her secret loves and not something to share with the world or with people who would criticize the way she saw it.”

 

Watching his expression go from soft to stern and back again, Kagome reached over and squeezed his hand. She knew that even though the memories that he was silently reliving were good ones, it didn't hurt any less to relive them. “I would still like to see them sometime.”

 

Glancing down at her hand grasping his, he smiled at her and replied, “As soon as you stop being so damn emotional, I might show you.”

 

Laughing nervously, the young woman slowly released his hand. “You know you don't always have to be such an ass. I was just letting you know, that I know what you're going through.”

 

Sitting back, an arrogant smirk on his face, Inuyasha asked, “So what am I going through, Miss. Know it All?”

 

Narrowing her eyes at him, Kagome turned away and stared out at the lake in front of them. `Why does he have to be such an idiot?' Glancing back at him out the corner of her eye, she noticed the forlorn look on his face as he stared at two little boys playing a few feet away from them with plastic swords.

 

“I know that you miss her…them,” she began softly without looking at him. “I know that there is never a day that goes by that you don't think about them. I know that when you feel like the world has given you all you can take, you want nothing more than to run to them. I know that even though the hours turn into days, days turn into weeks, and weeks turn in to months, the pain that you feel never truly goes away; you just learn how to handle it better. I also know that, even though you still have your brother and Rin and maybe even a few other family members, that void that losing them left within you will never be refilled,” she finished, not quite sure if she was talking to him or to herself.

 

Inuyasha watched her closely as she spoke, listening to every syllable that fell from her lips. Yes, she definitely knew what he was going through, but was that a good thing?

 

He had already told her much more than he meant to. The entire time that he was speaking about his mother, it was as if he was merely thinking those things and someone else was saying it. Staring at her as she quietly stared out at the lake, he smiled as a thought occurred to him, `She understands me. In a very simplistic way, she understands me.'

 

Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, “What kind of date is this supposed to be because you're really bringing me down, Higurashi.”

 

Kagome jumped and squeaked having been lost in her own thoughts of her deceased father and her grandfather, who she was sure, was not long for this world. “Don't do that!”

 

“Do what?”

 

“Scare me like that!”

 

Inuyasha laughed. “Scare you? Weren't you just talking to me?”

 

Rolling her eyes, she replied, “Yes, but still… Don't…don't do that!”

 

Inuyasha laughed again and stood up. “Are you hungry, Miss. Piggy?”

 

Frowning up at him, Kagome rubbed her stomach as if that would actually tell her whether she was hungry or not. “I guess I could eat something.”

 

“Alright, I'll be right back.”

 

“Where are you going? Do I need to come with you?”

 

Inuyasha scowled at her. “Keh, I got it. Just sit tight.”

 

Kagome watched him walk away, headed towards to the opposite end of the park and she sighed lightly as she sat back, her purse resting in her lap. `This isn't that bad,' she thought as she reached into her purse and pulled out her mirror.

 

Brushing her fingers over each of her eyebrows, then beneath her lower lip, she sighed again and glanced off in the direction that Inuyasha had walked in. `Where did he go?' she thought idly.

 

Reaching into her purse with her other hand, she pulled out her tube of lipstick and applied a layer quickly. `It's starting to get dark, I hope he doesn't really expect me to sit here much longer,' she thought, forgetting that he had been gone less than 2 minutes.

 

If she were honest with herself, she would have admitted that it wasn't that he had left her alone; it was more so that she was seriously enjoying his company and their conversation.

 

“Missed me?”

 

Turning to face the grinning hanyou, Kagome replied quickly, “Are you back already?”

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he took a seat next to her.

 

“What you got there?” she asked leaning forward quizzically to stare down at the items he was holding.

 

“Dinner”

 

“Dinner? What kind of dinner is that, Takahashi?” Kagome queried staring at the cylinder shaped bread wrapped in foil that he was holding.

 

“Trust me; the way you eat, you'll like it.” Inuyasha sat one of the items on his lap then gently laid a napkin in her lap. Passing the one he was still holding to Kagome, he demanded, “Before you say one more thing, try it.”

 

Fingering the bread as if she had to make sure it was dead, Kagome lifted it to her nose and sniffed. “It doesn't smell bad.”

 

Picking his own up, Inuyasha took a bite and eyed her, but didn't comment.

 

“What is this…this red, chunky stuff? And why is there cheese on it?”

 

Swallowing, the hanyou sat back while wiping his mouth with the napkin in his free hand. Still, he said nothing.

 

“Is this meat? What kind of meat is it?” Staring down at the bread with the red stuff topped with cheese, Kagome declared, “If I don't know what it is, I'm not putting it my mouth.”

 

Inuyasha almost choked. `She just makes this too easy,' he thought as he swallowed his food. “So you're saying that if you know what it is, you'll put it in your mouth? It doesn't matter what it is?”

 

Realizing what he was getting at, Kagome blushed and snapped, “That's not what I said!”

 

“Yes it is.”

 

“No, it wasn't!”

 

“Then why are you getting so upset?” the hanyou questioned mildly.

 

“Shut up! Just tell me what this is!”

 

Inuyasha sighed heavily. “You really don't trust me, do you?”

 

`Was this a trust issue?' she thought, staring down at the delicacy that actually looked pretty damn good, and by the way that he was eating it, tasted pretty good too. “I just have to know, okay.”

 

“It's a hotdog, okay? Just a plain old hotdog with chili and cheese,” Inuyasha stated, giving in.

 

“A…hot…dog?”

 

“Yeah, don't tell me you've never had one of these before.”

 

“No, never,” she responded while bringing it up to her mouth. Flicking out her tongue, she tasted the chili. “It's not bad,” she added after taking a small bite.

 

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes as he held his hand up as if calling someone over to him.

 

Not paying attention to him, Kagome took another bite of her hotdog. “Dus ackshul gush,” she declared.

 

Glancing at her, Inuyasha chuckled and handed her his extra napkin. “Weren't you taught to never talk with your mouth full?”

 

Ignoring him, Kagome took another bite of her dog and sighed as she looked down at the last bite clasped between her thumb and forefinger. `It's almost gone,' she thought, desperately wanting another one, but refusing to let Inuyasha know she did. He already thought she was something like a glutton, why prove him right?

 

“She liked it, didn't she?” an American gentleman asked coming to a stop in front of them. He was standing behind a cart that had a picture of hotdog on it and an oversized yellow and orange umbrella sticking up out the middle of it.

 

Standing to his feet, Inuyasha replied, “She's a pig; she'll eat anything.” Digging in his pocket, he handed the man a five-dollar bill and finished, “Let me have two more dogs and two bottles of water.”

The man laughed as he dug into the cart and pulled out two buns. “I haven't seen your brother or Mrs. Rin here in a while, are they okay?”

 

“Yeah, they're fine.”

 

“Rin should be due soon, right?”

 

“Yeah. I'm sure she'll bring the pups by when their old enough,” Inuyasha replied, paying no attention to the woman sitting idly behind him staring at the man as he prepared their second round of hotdogs.

 

Taking the money from Inuyasha, the gentleman handed him the hotdogs. “Well, tell them I said hi, and take it easy on the little lady; she just knows good food when she taste it is all,” he finished with a wink in Kagome's direction.

 

Sitting back down in the seat he'd just vacated, Inuyasha laughed at his old friend, but didn't comment as he watched the man shuffle further down the sidewalk.

 

Staring after the American man, Kagome asked, “You knew him personally?”

 

“Yeah that's Sanford-san. He's been selling these dogs in this park since before I can remember.”

 

“How old is he?”

 

Glancing at her, he queried, “Why would you ask me that?”

 

“I don't know. You said he's been selling these forever and he doesn't seem much older than you or me.”

 

Looking off in the direction that the man had gone, he avowed, “Well, that's because he's an Elemental youkai. As for how old he is, I haven't a clue, Miss. Nosey.”

 

Elbowing him, Kagome chastised through clenched teeth, “I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling me names, Takahashi.”

 

Clutching his side as if she really had hurt him, Inuyasha replied, his voice strained, “Damn how can you eat so much and still be so freaking skinny? What the hell did you just poke me with, Wench, a stick?”

 

Kagome elbowed him again. “Didn't I say stop calling me names!”

 

“Owww! No more freaking dates for you, you're too damn abusive,” Inuyasha huffed as he doubled over on the bench, trying to hide his side from her.

 

Knowing she hadn't hurt him, Kagome rolled her eyes and retorted, “That's fine by me because you're cheap anyway. Who in the hell brings a date to a park and feeds her $1.50 hotdogs anyway?”

 

Sitting up, Inuyasha stared at her, his face serious, one eyebrow quirked higher than the other. “So, this was a date?”

 

Kagome blushed and looked away. “No…no, that slipped. It's not… I was just following you…”

 

Inuyasha laughed and sat back, ignoring her embarrassment. “So Higurashi, tell me, how is it that you're single? Why hasn't some unsuspecting fool scooped you up yet?” he asked changing the subject drastically.

 

That question threw her for loop as she choked on the last bit of her dinner that she was trying to swallow.

 

`Why am I single?'

 

Sure, it was a simple enough question, but how was she supposed to answer that question? Was she supposed to tell him she was single because her boyfriend's wife walked in and caught them screwing? Was she supposed to tell him that she was single because she ignored all the signs of her boyfriends' deception? Or was she supposed to tell him she was single because for the past few months she'd basically written all men and their bullshit off?

 

Taking a swig of the bottle of water that she'd previously opened, she did her best to catch her breath.

 

`Why am I single? Shit! How the hell am I suppose to answer that?'

 

Staring at her, Inuyasha stated, “You know it's not that hard of a question, unless you're really not single.”

 

Gathering as much of her composure as she could, Kagome responded, “I guess… I guess I'm single for the same reasons you are.”

 

One eyebrow raised higher than the other, Inuyasha snorted lightly and looked out at the lake that was now glistening iridescently from the glow of the lamps surrounding it. `No Kagome, I seriously doubt that you and I are single for the same reasons.'

 

The two sat in silence for a long moment before Inuyasha asked, “So have you had your fill of me for one day?”

 

Lost in her own thoughts Kagome didn't reply right away. When she did respond it had absolutely nothing to do with what he asked her.

 

“Sometimes I think that love and being in love are just a waste of time and energy. You put all of your time and energy into this one person and all you get back is disappointment after disappointment.” Standing up, her arms wrapped around her mid section she continued, “My mom always told me that no matter what I did or how bad it turned out, I should never have any regrets because it was my decision, but…”

 

Turning to her companion who was staring up at her as if he was hanging on her every word, Kagome finished, “…how can you not regret something when you know with every fiber of your being that it was never meant for you? It never meant you any good? How can you not regret something that changed you from the person you were to something…someone you loathe, Takahashi Inuyasha?”

 

Standing up, but not moving towards her, Inuyasha shoved his hands in his pockets and stared out at the lake as he responded, “If I had an answer for that, Kagome, I'd…” He was quiet for a moment. “I'd be a happy man,” he finished as he proceeded past her. The softest almost nonexistent brush of his hand against her lower back was her only sign that she was supposed to follow him.

 

The two would walk in silence back to the car, both lost in their own thoughts of lost loves that never should have happened. They would forget that perhaps their reprieve was sitting beside them, each hoping desperately for a speck of light at the end of what could only be describe as a desolate, dark, and consuming tunnel.

 

`There has to be more to this life, besides heartbreak,' they thought at the same time, but neither would know because the remainder of the ride back to Kagome's car would be taken in silence.

 

Until Next Time…(Your .02 cents are greatly appreciated)

 

Next Chapter: Glass Surfaces

 

Acknowledgements:

 

Hawaiian Stoner ~ Crimson Fang ~ Inuyasha Baby Bre ~ Olddog333 ~ Inuyashalover913 ~ Niiicko ~ Tarzan14 ~ Lemon Lover ~ Silverwolfhalfbeast ~ Angel-up-above-heaven ~ ScifyAmy ~ Inugoddess715 ~ Fudge ~ Youkaineko ~ Mynera ~ Ro0tin4Kagome ~ 1love1 ~ Magedelbene ~ Cwillia ~ChibiRin ~