InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love over Death ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )

. Chapter Two .

 

 

“Thank you for this food.”

 

Kagome opened her eyes after the brief prayer and picked up her chopsticks. After positioning the utensils correctly in her right hand she gleefully plucked a roll of sushi from the platter in the center of the table. She then consumed the food, feeling a wave of happiness wash away the frustration that had been flooding her system up until that exact point in time.

 

“Mmm... so good,” she commented, reaching for her bowl of white rice.

 

“Thank you, Kagome,” Mrs. Higurashi said, obviously pleased by the compliment, as she scooped some rice into a bowl for Souta. “Help yourself to more, if you like. I made plenty.”

 

Kagome laughed and did just that. “I will!”

 

“Must be nice to eat,” a familiar voice hissed, sounding more disappointed than angry.

 

The teenaged girl jumped, spotting Inuyasha sitting in an empty place on the opposite side of the table. She glared sourly at him and mouthed the demand: `go away'.

 

“Kagome, are you okay? What are you looking at,” Souta wondered, staring in the direction his sister was and trying to see whatever it was that had caught her attention.

 

“It's nothing important,” Kagome brushed the subject aside, smiling mockingly at Inuyasha whilst scooping another generous serving of rice into her bowl and beginning to eat it slowly, as if to savor every last bite.

 

Inuyasha made a whining noise in the back of his throat, appearing to be offended by both the girl's remark and by the manner in which she was eating her dinner. Stuffing his hands into the sleeves of his haori - a habit that Kagome noticed he did quite often when he was feeling agitated - he raised his head superiorly and lifted his nose in the air as if to show off indifference. Kagome wasn't fooled by the act; she could tell he was genuinely upset.

 

After that, the remainder of dinner passed by rather uneventfully. Kagome started a conversation with her mother about a new student who would be arriving at her school by the end of the week and Inuyasha moved to sit comfortably atop the kitchen counter, unnoticed by all except the black-haired teenager; he tuned in and out of the mother and daughter's conversation.

 

“He's transferring here from another school in Japan - supposedly he got kicked out for misconduct, or something like that,” Kagome explained.

 

“Hmm... well I hope he doesn't cause any problems at your school.”

 

“I'm sure he won't. After getting expelled from his old school, he'd have to be an idiot to try and pull off the same behavior,” the teenager reasoned as she cleared away some of the dirty dishes to the sink. “Anyways, I have to go finish my math homework. Thanks for dinner, mama.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi nodded her head and Kagome left the kitchen, making her way back up to her bedroom. Inuyasha met her at the doorway and opened his mouth to say something. Kagome brushed past him before he could get out the choice words he had for her and seated herself at her desk, pulling out a text book and opening it to the correct page.

 

“Rewrite in vertex form and then graph each equation,” she read the directions out loud to herself. “Ugh, vertex form? What the heck is that? I don't even remember learning...”

 

Kagome's voice trailed off as she felt something cool brush against her left shoulder. It was a familiar, tingling sensation, but she couldn't identify it until she physically glanced to the side and spotted a glowing hand resting on her shoulder. Inuyasha was standing behind her. She blinked, trying to correctly decipher the expression on the half-demon's face; she had never seen him look this way - with his lips pulled back in a feral snarl and his narrowed amber eyes darting around the room suspiciously - save for once before, when they had first met.

 

“I... Inuyasha..?”

 

“Quiet,” he hissed.

 

She frowned and swatted his hand away in an annoyed manner, causing him to release a tense growl. She turned her eyes upwards to meet his. “What the heck is wrong with you?” she demanded to know. “You're acting so weird.”

 

He stared down at her incredulously. “You don't sense it?” he asked her.

 

“Sense what? Inuyasha, what are you talking about?”

 

The ghost disappeared from her side and materialized next to her window, peering intently through the glass as if trying to catch sight of whatever it was that caused his uneasiness. “Something is watching us,” he told her; “Something powerful.”

 

Kagome gasped and immediately jumped to the conclusion of there being a serial killer or a robber hiding outside of her home. She voiced her thoughts in a panicky voice, wringing her hands together nervously.

 

“No. It isn't human,” Inuyasha assured her.

 

She stood up and joined him at the window, glancing outside to see if anything was there; she didn't see anything, and so was able to calm down slightly. “I don't feel anything. You're probably just making it up to scare me.”

 

“Why the hell would I do that?”

 

“I don't know, because you're a jerk?”

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sighed, muttering a tired response of: “whatever.”

 

Kagome returned to her homework. She was hardly able to concentrate, though, because the entire time she attempted to work out the math equations presented to her in the book, she sensed someone's eyes on her.

 

`Inuyasha's words are just getting to my head. There's nothing outside watching me,' she tried to explain to herself. `But still...'

 

She couldn't help but fear she was actually being spied on. Snapping her algebra book shut, she decided to complete her homework in study hall the next day.

 

“I'm going to bed,” she declared, pulling out her pajamas.

 

She waited until Inuyasha had politely turned away before slipping into her blue night dress and climbing under the warm covers of her bed. “Good night,” she whispered to the half-demon, closing her eyes as she did so.

 

“...Night,” Inuyasha echoed, opening the window to leave.

 

Azure orbs shot open suddenly before he could go. “Wait!” Kagome cried.

 

“What?”

 

Kagome sat up. “Can you... stay in here tonight?” she requested, her voice hushed and timid.

 

He appeared dumbstruck by her question. Kagome had ever asked him to stay in her room for a night; usually he just slept in a thick branch of the Goshinboku outside and watched over her from afar, as he was expected to.

 

“I...” He paused, studying her form. She wasn't looking directly at him but he could tell she was blushing; this realization caused a smirk to tug at his lips. “Why, are you scared?”

 

Her cheeks reddened further, proving his theory correct.

 

“No,” she fibbed, nervously turning her head to the side so that he would be unable to catch her heated cheeks. “I just... well, you seemed afraid that something was outside. I thought you just might feel safer if you stayed in here, that's ll.”

 

“Afraid?” Inuyasha repeated. “Why the hell would I be afraid? It's not like anything can hurt me - I'm already dead!” he snapped, hating that he had reminded himself of his own non-existence in the world.

 

Kagome bristled, irritated by the cynical tone in which he spoke to her; it made her feel like a child being reprimanded by an adult or parent. Gripping her bed sheets angrily, she huffed loudly. “Well sorry for being concerned!” she shot back. “Just forget it. Sleep outside for all I care. That's were dogs belong, anyways.”

 

She regretted her words immediately after she unleashed them, for she could tell that her comments wounded the half-demon more than he would ever have liked them to. Unable to take back what she had said she opted for slumping further under the covers in order to not see his injured expression. She only glanced out from the shield of blankets after hearing the window click shut minutes later.

 

Sighing, Kagome sat up in her bed and raised herself on her knees so that her line of vision could rise over the window pain and she would be able to clearly see the God Tree. Outside she glimpsed the half-demon ghost jumping from the ground to a rather high branch in the Goshinboku and situating himself on the branch for the night. The alert silver ears atop his head, slightly more droopy than usual, twitched curiously with each night sound they were able to pick up.

 

A smile reached the girl's lips and Kagome turned away from the window. She flicked off the lights of her bedroom and collapsed once more on the mattress. As she lay there, she couldn't help but once more feel someone staring at her; she had to wonder if Inuyasha could sense it too from where he rested outside.

 

- - - - - - - -

 

When Kagome awoke the next morning she was surprised to discover the half-demon curled up on the floor next to her bed, his chest rising and falling gently in sleep - she found this odd, considering the fact that he was a ghost; she didn't think that the dead had the mortal ability to sleep. Azure orbs traveled to his ears, which were now positioned flat against his skull.

 

`I wonder what he's dreaming about. Wait, can he even dream?'

 

She rose from her bed, taking extra care to make as little noise as possible so that she would not arouse the peacefully slumbering Inuyasha. She was able to successfully leave the room and get washed and then return to change halfway into her school uniform before he began to revive from his sleep.

 

Kagome laughed to herself and finished tying the red sash on her uniform top before turning her focus onto her companion. “Good morning,” she greeted, plopping down on the ground next to him and pulling on a fresh pair of socks.

 

Cheeks turning a humorous shade of pink, Inuyasha jumped into an upright pos. “K-Kagome! I was just, uh... I know you said for me to sleep outside but I felt a distinct evil aura hovering over the shrine and I, um, I just came in to make sure you weren't hurt or anything like that,” he sputtered, trying vainly to explain his reason for being in her bedroom at so early a time in the morning.

 

Giggling in a very feminine manner, Kagome shook her head. “And then you fell asleep on the floor?” she questioned, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

 

The half-demon's ears flopped forward slightly in defeat. “I just...,” he struggled to make up a decent excuse, “Uh... wanted to stay closer in case you needed protection.”

 

She decided not to press the issue further, despite the fact that she found Inuyasha's flushed appearance to be hysterical; she knew that she wouldn't be getting a truthful answer out of him anytime soon and so figured it was best for her not to even bother trying. After slipping her shoes on she stood up and closed the gap between them by wrapped her arms loosely around his neck; anyone who might have chanced a look into the room would have merely seen a teenaged girl affectionately embracing the lifeless air in front of her.

 

“K... Kagome...”

 

Inuyasha stumbled over the name as he tried to get it out, his amber eyes widening in shock; he hadn't been expecting this sort of reaction from the black-haired girl, and almost wished she had berated him instead. Her yells and pathetic insults were easy for the half-demon to brush aside and forget; but this hug was the first he had received since before his death, and it stirred many emotions inside of him which he hadn't even known he was still capable of feeling. He had thought that such feelings of tenderness had died along with his half-mortal body all those centuries ago - and that, if they hadn't, that they certainly would never arise for anyone other than his dearly departed Kikyou.

 

But he felt, for the very first time since Kikyou's and his own death, the sensation of his long-dead heart beating rapidly in his chest.

 

Inuyasha inhaled sharply air that his phantom body held no use for, stiffening briefly under her touch. He felt faint and light-headed, as if he were about to lose his balance and crash to the ground.

 

Far too soon for his liking (although Inuyasha would never confess it) Kagome backed away. Her normally pale cheeks were painted a cute reddish hue which almost matched the color of the half-demon's kimono. Tucking a rebellious strand of black hair behind her ear nervously, she peered up at him.

 

“I-I should be going,” she whispered at last.

 

Still at a loss for words and comprehensible thought, Inuyasha nodded mutely.

 

“Um... bye.”

 

Not knowing what else she could say to him other than the brief farewell, Kagome waved to the ghost and exited her bedroom. She hurried down the stairs, barely stopping in the kitchen to grab her book bag and a slice of toast, and left the house.

 

- - - - - -

 

The walk to school was fairly pleasant for Kagome. Halfway from her house she met up with several of her new friends - Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. The three black-haired girls stopped their animated chattering when they spotted Kagome and didn't hesitate to wave her over so that she could join their conversation.

 

“So, are you excited to meet the new student?” Eri asked.

 

Kagome nodded her head in response. “Well, yeah; it's always exciting to meet new people.” She pinned her three best friends with a playful glare, already predicting what their next question for her would be. “Don't think that I'm hoping he'll be a future boyfriend of anything like that, though, like most of the other girls in our class probably are.”

 

Ayumi's lips twitched upwards and she laughed pleasantly; Yuka and Eri followed shortly afterwards, and soon the air was filled with girlish giggles.

 

“I would have been worried if you answered otherwise, Kagome,” Ayumi said honestly.

 

“Yeah,” Eri agreed, “God knows you gave your hands full with potential boyfriends already!”

 

“What?” Kagome's jaw nearly dropped open. “What are you guys talking about? Potential boyfriends? What?”

 

Yuka shook her head in disapproval. “Don't try and okay dumb, Kagome; it doesn't flatter you.” She took the opportunity as they stopped at a cross-section to fix the yellow hair band which was perched atop her head. “You know very well what we're talking about - or who, I should say.”

 

As the crosswalk sign flashed green, Kagome placed a hand on her hip and walked on ahead. “Oh?” she asked, cocking her head to the side to glance back at the other teenaged girls. “Care to enlighten me?”

 

Annoyed by her friend's choice to play innocent, Eri rolled her eyes and spoke first. “Well, for starters, there's Hojo.”

 

Kagome groaned, wishing at this point that she hadn't even bothered to ask. All of her new school friends were bent on getting Kagome and a fellow tenth grader named Hojo together as a couple. Kagome didn't know the actual reason - sure, Hojo was a nice guy, and he was very cute and popular - but her friends had been pressuring her to go out on a date with him ever since he had first expressed a small interest in her several days ago; she just didn't understand why they cared so much.

 

“You guys know I don't like Hojo that way,” she said.

 

Eri persisted. “But he like you - a lot - and don't even try to deny it.”

 

Kagome merely sighed and continued walking. Taking this reaction to be acknowledgement and acceptance of the truth, Eri moved on to the next guy on the list of Kagome's could-be romantic partners.

 

“Then there is that mystery guy of yours...” she began.

 

Yuka's eyes lit up. “What did you say his name was, again? Oh yeah, Inuyasha! What's the deal with him?”

 

At the mention of the albino ghost's name, Kagome was forced to remember the events of the early morning. She recalled the embrace she had freely given him and the deep emotions it had stirred within her; she remembered how her heart had begun to thud faster, harder, and how warmth had spread throughout her entire body. She blushed at the thoughts and turned her head away so that the prying eyes of her friends would be unable to see.

 

“Th-there is no deal,” she stuttered out. “We're just friends... I think,” she added, once again returning to thoughts of the early morning.

 

“Yeah right, I bet he has a thing for you,” Ayumi, ever the helpless romantic, interrupted; there was a knowing sparkle in her brown eyes.

 

The azure-eyed girl shook her head, not believing such a theory for an instant. “No way. He likes another girl,” she informed them.

 

Her friends' eyes all widened. “Another girl?” they gasped simultaneously. “Who?”

 

“I don't know, I've never seen her before,” Kagome said honestly. “It doesn't even matter though, because I don't like Inuyasha as anything more than a friend. Seriously.”

 

The other three girls didn't appear convinced, but were all polite enough to drop the subject after that moment. The quartet continued the trek to school in silence. Kagome stared at the ground contemplatively, trying to sort out all the emotions she currently felt inside.

 

`Do I like Inuyasha? I mean, he's handsome and all, but he's a total jerk most of the time. He treats me like I'm a little kid and he's always so sarcastic and rude, even when I try to be nice to him. Still, there are times that he acts really sweet... and there are some times that he even seems to actually care about me, like last night.'

 

She shook her head negatively.

 

`But I don't think I'm in love with him or anything. Maybe it's just an infatuation? Ugh! What does it even matter? He loves Kikyou - whoever she is.'

 

Kagome didn't even realize that she had arrived on school grounds until Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi each said farewell and departed in the direction of their respective lockers. The black-haired teenager waved goodbye to them and continued down the hallway towards her homeroom class. Due to the fact that she had opted to walk with her gaze focused solely on the floor beneath her feet, she was unable to spot the other student heading in her direction until it was already too late and - -

 

Crash!

 

Kagome felt her rear end collide with the tiled ground of the hallway. Jeez, what had she run into, a barrier?

 

“Oh God, I'm so sorry,” a deep, smooth voice sounded from above her.

 

She froze in her thoughts and slowly began to trail her eye upwards, taking in the lean form of a male who appeared to be around her age, or perhaps older. He was attractive with long, naturally wavy black hair and piercing russet orbs. Immediately after laying eyes on him, Kagome felt a familiar uneasiness settle in the pit of her stomach, similar to what she had felt the previous night when she feared someone was spying on her.

 

When his words registered in her mind, Kagome jumped up, managing to find her voice so that she could reply.

 

“Oh no, it wasn't your fault,” she assured him with an embarrassed grin. “I wasn't really looking where I was going. I'm sorry.”

 

He smiled and bent down, gathering the books he had dropped during their head-on collision. “Not a problem.”

 

“Um... Are you new here?” She suddenly questioned him. “I mean, I don't think I've seen you around before. Then again, I'm fairly new myself, so I haven't exactly met everyone in the school yet.”

 

Nodding his head to her inquiry, he flashed another charming smile in her direction and answered her. “Yes, I'm the new transfer student.”

 

Kagome blinked. This was the new student? The supposed troublemaker who had gotten booted out of his old school? There was no way he could be the same guy that all the rumors were about. He seemed like such a gentleman.

 

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” she said finally. “My name's Kagome. Kagome Higurashi.”

 

He reached out and took her hand in his own, bringing it to his lips and kissing her palm lightly. “The pleasure is all mine, Kagome. Please, call me Naraku.”

 

Again, Kagome felt that unexplainable, unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.