InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love Ain't Forgotten Easily ❯ Uh...Interlude? ( Chapter 14 )

Don't own Lord of the Rings…but my best friend does the best impression of Smeagol. XD

Chapter 14

Kagome woke slowly the next morning with a giant yawn, stumbling to the bathroom in a haze.

She started the shower, her fingers fumbling with the knobs. After shutting the door so that the water wouldn't splash out, she glanced at herself in the mirror.

What the…? She raised a hand to her lips, which were faintly bruised. I must have hit them on something last night. All I remember is that I was so tired I could barely walk.

Shaking it off, she stripped and climbed into the shower. She hissed as the icy cold water struck her, and her hand shot forward to turn up the hot.

“Jeez!” She sighed in relief as the water became warmer. “That woke me up.”

Giggling, she reached for the shampoo.

***

She climbed out, wrapping a towel around herself and putting her hair up in a turban before peering out. Shippo was gone, already having woken and left. Since the coast was clear, Kagome walked out into her room and headed for her dresser. She rifled through the drawers, looking for something to wear.

Mom must not have done the laundry yet, she thought, finding her clothes severely decreased in number. She decided on a pair of blue jean shorts and a light blue tank top with `Angel' floating on a cloud.

Kagome pitched her sleeping outfit into the hamper, then realized the previous day's clothes hadn't quite made it in. She walked over and picked them up.

`We will finish this at some point, dog-boy. Got that?' The words echoed through her brain, and Kagome shook her head to clear it.

“What was that?” she muttered, tossing her clothes in and walking back to the bathroom. “Something I said to Inu-Yasha, obviously, but when? And why?” What do we have to finish?

She pulled the towel off her hair, then grabbed her dryer and brush. While she worked she tried to remember the night before, but she had been too tired; her brain hadn't retained much of it.

Oh, well. Hair done, she put the dryer and brush away so that she could start on her makeup. She felt the need to conceal her bruised lips.

By the time that was done, her stomach was demanding sustenance.

She was about to walk out into the hall when she remembered how cold the floors were in the morning, and went back to her dresser for a pair of socks. At last ready to go, she set off for the kitchen.

When she reached the corridor leading to the front hall, Kagome glanced around. Then she took off running, sliding along on the polished floor and shouting, “Weeeee!”

Alas, her fun was cut short as someone appeared around the corner. Unable to stop in time, she smacked into it and both went sprawling to the floor.

“Sorry!” She leaned away, staring down at her victim. “I didn't see you there.”

“Feh. I noticed.” Inu-Yasha glared at her. “What were you doing, anyway?”

“Uh…I slipped?” she offered, smiling innocently.

“Sure you did…” He sat up, knocking Kagome off of his chest.

“Okay, so I was sliding down the halls in my socks. It was fun until I ran into your cranky ass.”

“Cranky?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “What makes you think I'm cranky?”

She rolled her eyes. “Aren't you all the time?”

“Hey!” He took a halfhearted swipe at her head, which she easily ducked.

“I was simply stating a fact…”

***

“Youkai begone!”

Inu-Yasha groaned softly and peeled the charm off his face. It was the sixth one this morning to be stuck there, and then there were the ones that kept finding their ways to his arms, hair, and whatever Jii-chan could reach.

Shippo gave him a sympathetic look from across the table; that morning when Kagome and Inu-Yasha had said he could lose his concealing spell, the old man had plastered at least thirteen charms on at once.

Sota, thankfully, thought they were both the coolest thing since the yo-yo (he was a bit obsessed with them—both yo-yos and youkai).

“I can't believe you let a youkai into this house! I thought I taught you better, Kagome!” Jii-chan attempted to place another one on Inu-Yasha's bare arm, but the hanyou used one claw to shred it down the center. “Youkai, I order you away!”

“Will you shut up already?” Inu-Yasha growled. “I'm not leaving!”

“Yes, Dad, please stop.” Komiko rolled her eyes. “Inu-Yasha and Shippo will be living with us, so you'll just have to either get used to them or leave.”

Jii-chan ignored her and tried to slap another one on Inu-Yasha's head, only to have them snatched away by Hiroshi. He placed them on top of the cupboard, out of the old man's reach.

***ABOUT A MONTH LATER***

Kagome flung several pairs of jeans into her bag, plus shirts and underwear. Then she zipped it shut and flung it into the corner, ready to go for their next week of shard hunting.

She fell back onto her bed, closing her eyes and thinking back to their first week's adventures.

//“Yeek!” Kagome dove out of the way as the centipede youkai attempted to catch her. “Why are you after me?!”

“It can sense the rest of the jewel, stupid!” Inu-Yasha bounded past her, back in his old red clothes. He claimed they were easier to work in.

“Oh.” Kagome hauled herself to her feet with Sango's help, then fled to where she had dropped her bow. Even if her aim still sucked, she liked to have her own defense.

Inu-Yasha took a swipe at the centipede, but only succeeded in nicking it before it circled around and headed back to Kagome.

Sango picked up her boomerang and threw it. “Hiraikotsu!”

Mistress Centipede dodged the oncoming weapon and knocked the taijiya aside. Her eyes were on Kagome, and the poor little miko gulped.

“Give me the jewel!”

Suddenly, Kagome set her jaw and placed her hands on her hips. “Why?”

All those in the clearing stopped what they were doing to stare at the girl.

What in the hell is she doing? Inu-Yasha wondered, his eyebrow twitching.

“Just give it to me!”

“No! I want to hear a good reason why I should just give it to you!” Kagome stared up at the giant youkai. “And if it isn't top-quality material Inu-Yasha there is going to rip you to shreds so we can take your shard!”

Mistress Centipede looked, frankly, quite confused. “Uh…”

“Time's up! The test is over! Inu-Yasha, she gets an F!”

The inu-hanyou, though just as puzzled as the centipede, shrugged and jumped up. “Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!”

Kagome winced as bits of youkai fell around her, covering her head with her hands. “Ew…gross.”

“Where's the shard, Kagome?” Inu-Yasha called.

She looked around. “Eh…right there! Next to Miroku!”

The monk looked at the giant, twitching chunk of flesh next to him, then reached down and pulled out the tiny sliver of jewel. “Got it!” He dropped it. “Ow! I forgot I can't touch tainted shards. Ow, ow, ow…”

As Kagome made her way over to him, the fleshy tissue disintegrated and left only the bones. She wrinkled her nose and leaned over to pick up the shard.

“Well, here's our first piece, but…that was kinda disgusting.” She watched its aura change from dark to light. “Hey, whaddya know, I am Kikyo's reincarnation. Now, how do I make this one join with the others?”

The others shrugged; none of them knew, not even Inu-Yasha or Sesshoumaru.

She made a face. “Guess I'll have to find a container for it, then.”//

They hadn't found any other pieces of the jewel, but she had located a small jar that she now kept the shining lavender shard in. The huge, chipped portion she kept on a chain around her throat and never removed—not even in the shower.

Kagome's stomach growled, and a cursory glance at her clock revealed the time to be about 6:00 PM. Time for dinner!

She hopped up and ran out of her bedroom, nearly tripping over Shippo just outside the door. Managing to jump over his head, she crashed into the wall.

“Hi, Kagome.” The kitsune waved.

“Hey, Shippo.” She straightened. “Mom send you?”

“Yeah. It's time for dinner, she says.” He bounced up onto her shoulder as she set off down the hall. “Do you suppose Inu-Yasha will show up?”

“Huh? Why wouldn't he?”

“It's the new moon; he's human tonight.”

“Oh yeah.” Kagome's eyes widened. “I've only seen it once, so I didn't exactly remember it right away…”

“Who knows?” As they were walking through the front hall, there was a knock on the door. Kagome detoured and opened it.

“Hi, Miroku. Hi, Sango.” She smiled, and stood to the side so that they could come in. “You're just in time to join us for dinner.”

Sango glared at her fiancé. “So that's why you wanted to leave earlier.”

Miroku grinned innocently. “Guilty as charged, but, Sango, darling, love of my life, don't hurt me, you need to improve your cooking skills.”

Wham.

Kagome sighed; another tile to fix from Miroku being implanted in it.

“Come on, you two.” She walked around them and headed for the dining room. “Mom probably knows you were coming, so we're not in the kitchen.”

***

Inu-Yasha was not present at dinner, and Komiko wondered where he could be. Kagome, unsure if Inu-Yasha wanted her family to know or not, said he had been feeling a little ill earlier and had gone to lie down.

Then she graciously offered to take him a plate of food, which Komiko all too gladly piled high before sending her on her way. Sango and Miroku decided to stay and chat with the family, leaving Kagome to go alone. Shippo and Sota had run off directly after finishing; they were both addicted to Sota's new video game and had been playing nonstop.

She made her way down to Inu-Yasha's room, the halls eerily silent and empty. His bedroom, too, was quiet, and for a moment Kagome wondered if he was even in there.

“There's only so many places he could be if he's not in there,” she told herself, then reached up and knocked. “Inu-Yasha? I brought you some dinner.”

The door swung open to reveal a human boy in a pair of sweats and a tank top. He took the plate from her and retreated. Kagome followed, wondering why he was keeping it so dark.

She voiced her opinion. “Why the shadows?”

“I don't know.” It sounded as if he was talking around his food. “Felt like it.”

Reaching over, she flicked on the lights. Immediately several of the light bulbs flickered and went out, leaving only one. “I suppose that's why. I'll see if Dad has any extra bulbs.”

She turned and walked out, returning twenty minutes later with several light bulbs and a stool. Inu-Yasha was done and stretched out on his bed, and Kagome had to tear her eyes away from his finely muscled chest before flipping off the remaining light.

Gods damn it! This is getting annoying! Kagome thought furiously as she set the stool underneath one of the dead bulbs. I don't understand why I'm so attracted to him—well, okay, I get that, but—all right, there's nothing wrong with it. I'm a teenage girl; I'm allowed to stare at hot guys.

She climbed up onto the stool and started changing the first one, unaware of a pair of violet eyes trained on her back. They quickly flicked downward, however, when the leg of the stool began to wobble.

Kagome grabbed the wall as soon as she felt her perch move. Crap! This was the broken one!

She turned around slowly. Okay, this shouldn't be too hard…easy, careful, don't jostle it too much…lower…lower…

“Eee!” She pitched forward as the stool's leg gave out. This is going to hurt!

Suddenly she found herself caught in a pair of strong, bare arms that she knew belonged to a certain hanyou-turned-human.

“Clumsy, clumsy.” Kagome looked up to see Inu-Yasha smirking at her.

“Shut up. That stool was broken.” She pushed herself out of his arms—no matter how tempting it was to stay—and picked up the dropped light bulb. Luckily it hadn't come out of the box and broke. “Now how do I get up there?”

“Here.” He took it from her, then reached up, unscrewed the old light bulb, handed it to her, and took the new one out of its box so he could put it in.

Alas, poor Kagome was once more starting to be distracted by his muscles under the shirt, and they were now much easier to view because of the tank top.

Gives us the Precious… She shook her head. No more Lord of the Rings for me.

Inu-Yasha picked up the light bulb, and Kagome watched in a hypnotized fashion as he walked down to the next bulb. I wants it…shut up!

Don't deny it, Kagome. The voice sounded like hers, only far more…seductive? We both want him…why don't we have him?

Yes…why not…wait, why not?! I'm underage, idiot! I've got to wait until I'm at least seventeen, and even then I have to be married!

Why am I yelling at myself? Kagome blinked. No, correction: why am I yelling at the bad version of myself?

Because I want him, dammit, and so do you! Fucking stupid girl!

“Shut up!” Kagome shouted. Inu-Yasha whipped around and gave her a weird look, causing her to blush. “Um…”

“You are one weird wench.”

***

Inu-Yasha returned to his current job of putting in light bulbs. Unfortunately, the little voice that had been bugging him came back too.

Take her already! You're alone in a room in a giant house where no one's likely to fucking hear you!

Leave me the hell alone!

She practically invited you! And besides, she said you two were going to finish what you started on the roof.

I don't think she even remembers that.

Then remind her, dumbass. Do I have to do all the work around here?

Go. Away. Before. I. Pummel. You.

I'm one of the little voices in your head. You can't hurt me. What's more, without me you wouldn't have the courage to even make a damn move on her.

Inu-Yasha growled, though in his human form it wasn't very threatening. But at least the little voice went away.

He screwed in the last light bulb and turned around, only to find that Kagome was staring at him—or rather, his—

“I gotta go.” She ran out of the room.

Was she just…staring at my ass?

***

Kagome was reluctant to leave her nice, comfy bed the next morning, but she knew Inu-Yasha would just drag her out if she didn't. So, she hauled herself into the bathroom and completed the cold shower routine.

I still can't believe he actually caught me staring at him. She threw on a T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, then walked over to the corner of her room and heaved her bag onto her shoulder. Her bow and a quiver of arrows sat next to it, and she picked those up as well. Whatever. I need to practice my archery.

“Kagome, you up?” Someone knocked.

“Yeah, Sango.” Kagome opened the door.

The taijiya grinned. “I just thought I'd beat Inu-Yasha here.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but my mind already came to that conclusion.” She walked out. “So, any rumors of jewel shards?”

“Several, actually. It's going to be a busy week; I just wish we could bring the car.”

“Yeah, walking everywhere is getting kinda old. I think I'm going to bring my bike this time.” Kagome shifted the quiver to her other shoulder.

“About time, wench.” Inu-Yasha, clad in his old haori and hakama, dropped in front of the two females as they walked into the front hall. “I was about to go wake you up myself.”

“I woke up just fine on my own, thank you very much.” Damn, he looks good in that.

I thought I told you to be quiet!

Though you can't see that hot little ass of his very well…

Stop tormenting me! I know he's cute, I know I want him, but at least I know I can't have him! Go away!

Your loss…and I'm not leaving.

Then just stop talking to me. Kagome came back into reality to find everyone staring at her. “What?”

“Are you feeling okay, Kagome? We can postpone one day if you need more sleep…” Miroku offered.

“Wha—no, I'm fine. I'm just not all here right now. Give it a couple of minutes and I'll be good.”

“If you say so.” Sango looked skeptical.

***

“Race you, Inu-Yasha!” Kagome sped off down the hill on her bike, laughing. The hanyou followed, catching her within a matter of moments.

“Too slow, Kagome!” he called, and bounded away.

“Nuts!” She poured on the speed, but to no avail; he was long gone.

Further up the hill stood Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. Miroku sighed.

“Young love. Remember when we were like that, Sango?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I don't.”

She smacked him lightly on the arm. “Idiot.”

He grabbed her around the waist. “But you still love me anyway.”

“Hey, lovebirds, let's move it!” Kagome called from the bottom of the hill. “I would like to find this shard sometime today!”

“Coming, coming!” Miroku kissed Sango quickly on the cheek, then released her and started down the slope.

Kagome looked around. “Inu-Yasha? Where'd you go?”

“Right here.” He flew out of a nearby bush, tackling her and causing them to roll out of sight into the shrubbery on the other side of the road.

“Inu-Yasha!” she shrieked. “That wasn't funny! Get off of me!”