InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Of Strings and Kevlar ❯ The Pull ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

DISCLAIMER: I don't own InuYasha.

***

Inuyasha stared at the space in front of him, where up until five seconds ago Kagome had been standing, a breath away from his own lips. His right hand was still poised in front of him, having been abruptly robbed of the simple pleasure of caressing her delicate face. He rubbed the tips of his fingers on that hand together, noting his own calloused skin felt even more unnaturally coarse compared to the softness of her cheek.

The Annex door clanged shut loudly just then, announcing the girl's departure, and he awoke from his daze in a moment of abrupt and unwelcome clarity. He curled that same hand into a fist as frustration flooded his body. What in the hell was he thinking? Hadn't he resolved to stay away from her, to forget about her? He could have sworn he had, hadn't he? He couldn't be sure anymore.

But he did know that all week, his brain had been colossally fucked up. There was just something about her to which he was drawn, and it wasn't even just about her looks anymore. There was something more. He'd be damned if he could figure out what the hell it was, but it was there, that something. It pulled on him, baited him, and he fell into the trap every time and would find himself sneaking peeks at her whenever possible. Damn, she was gorgeous, but if that were all, he could have controlled himself. What was it about her that had so ruthlessly captured him?

Regardless, as painful as it had been, he had remained well enough in control of his actions that he had not spoken to her unless it was something about the music he needed to address. And he never looked her in the eyes. Never. He knew that if he did, all of his reservations about pursuing her would be crushed. So when he did speak to her, he kept his eyes on the music in his hands, the ground, other people, anything but her.

Until…

Right after rehearsal today, when he had been putting his gear away, the hairs on the back of his neck had stood on end, giving him the distinct feeling he was being watched. Like the fool he was, he had thoughtlessly turned to see who it was.

That mistake had delivered the demise of his willpower.

It had only been a scant second or two, but in that brief moment of looking into her eyes, his heart had constricted painfully with the realization of exactly what he was depriving himself of, and he forced himself to turn away and flee before his emotions got the better of him. Heading upstairs and into the restroom, he had found himself in a familiar position. Once again, he was staring at himself in the mirror, willing his heart to forget about the crazy wench who had selfishly captured it and was now holding it hostage, torturing it in ways that would make medieval inquisitors squirm. How had he allowed himself to get so twisted over a bitch, and in two weeks no less? Had he not been through enough, that he had to get mixed up with yet another melodramatic girl? And one that wasn't even available anyway? What the fuck!

He'd gritted his teeth. “I gotta let it go before this shit kills me!” he had said aloud to his reflection, his voice booming in the small restroom.

But he couldn't. The woman had gotten under his skin, so much so that a single look from her was enough to make him come unhinged. He'd slammed his open palm against the tiled wall, ignoring the pain that shot up his arm. How the fuck could he have let this happen? He didn't understand how he could have been so careless as to let another woman into his heart. He cursed himself again as he met his own glare. If he was going to fall for someone, why did it have to be her?

He'd growled, remembering how she had kissed the wolf's cheek upon getting into his car. At that point, he had still been in sweet denial of his quickly developing feelings, but he had immediately recognized the jealousy in his heart nonetheless. But much to his surprise, that wasn't what had him so upset. He had noticed her hesitance, even when she was still approaching the car. What was the deal with that? If she had been dating him for over two years, why would she seem so blah about seeing him? Did it have something to do with the unmistakable scent of sadness he perceived from her every now and then?

Clenching his fists, he'd pondered the possibility that the youkai wasn't treating her right, despite what Miroku had said about him. It was definitely possible that Kagome, while good friends with Miroku, wasn't close enough with him to let him in on everything, especially if she was afraid….

Fuck! Was that it? Was the wolf abusing her?

Inuyasha had shook his head, dispelling that thought. He would have been able to tell, especially if the abuse had been physical in any form. Also, he hadn't detected any fear coming from her as she approached his car that day. So what was it? Was it emotional abuse? Or maybe it was something less direct. But what?

It had been at this point in his line of thinking that he'd heard Kagome's raised voice sounding from downstairs, and in his immediate alarm, he had rushed out of the bathroom and to the top of the stairs before realizing that she was in some sort of argument with Sango. Relieved that she was not in danger, he had found himself eavesdropping, growing especially interested when they started speaking in Japanese to keep their conversation private. And then the ground had dropped out beneath him.

“I've been watching you all week, walking around as if someone shot your dog. And what worries me the most is that I think a certain dog is exactly what this is all about.”

Inuyasha's breath hitched in his throat, and he moved closer to the wall to conceal himself. Were they referring to him? Or was he reading too much into it? Observing Kagome's reaction to the accusation, he guessed it was the former, and his strength left him. Resolutions be damned, he had to talk to her. But would she let him?

After Miroku had broken up their argument, he had taken a quick look around the Percussion Annex and met Inuyasha's eyes, giving him a knowing look before turning back to speak with the girls. It had confused the hanyou for only a moment, until Miroku led Sango away, looking in his direction once more before they stepped outside. Noticing that nobody other than Kagome and himself were now remaining in the building, Inuyasha nodded his head slightly, realizing he would have to thank Miroku later.

Before he knew it, he was behind her as she stood facing the corner drying her tears. He watched her carefully, wincing at the painful tugging in his chest at hearing her cry. Suppressing the urge to approach and wrap his arms around her shoulders, he simply waited, knowing she would eventually turn and see him. And when she did, all rational thought rushed out of his head and through the open window beside him.

He had frightened her by his sudden presence, he realized, but she quickly recovered. He found himself mesmerized by the soft, dark chocolate hues in her eyes. Noting she was still recovering from her argument with her cousin, he had asked her what was wrong, already knowing that he had something to do with it, so it didn't faze him when she didn't answer. Instead, he slowly advanced on her position, a very small part of him amused by her sudden shyness. As soon as he was within touching distance, his hand, of its own accord, rose and softly grazed her cheek. Initially shocked, she relaxed and allowed him to touch her again, and he swiftly took advantage of her generosity.

Inuyasha hadn't even realized he was descending upon her until it was too late to stop himself, and he rejoiced when he saw her lick her sultry, pink lips in preparation for the meeting with his. And then…

Nothing. She fled. Out the door and into the muggy evening air. Gone.

And now here he was, still feeling the warmth of her breath on his lips as he struggled to comprehend exactly what had just happened. The look of absolute fear and shame in her eyes right before she ran was enough to instill him with enough doubt to consider never approaching her again, but now as he ran over the events of the previous ten minutes in his head, he quickly dismissed it. He was certain of what he saw when he tried to kiss her, and no matter how unpredicted these events had been for even himself, he knew that her eyes had not lied to him.

She had wanted it just as badly as he had.

`I have a shot with her,' he realized, conviction swelling his chest.

The shrill ring of his cell phone echoed in the large room, pulling him from his trance. Scowling, he reached into his pocket and pulled it out, peering angrily at the name displayed on the faceplate. Well, if anything could break his mind's obsession with Kagome for the moment, this could. He answered. “What the fuck do you want, Sesshomaru?”

“Watch your tone, whelp. I do not often have the luxury of idle time, and when I do have it, I do not wish to spend it hearing your uncouth mouth.”

Inuyasha sneered. “You called me, asshole. Did you call for any particular reason, or should I just hang up now?”

There was a slight pause, during which Inuyasha was sure Sesshomaru's brow was twitching in a way only his younger brother could provoke. “You should be aware that I have decided to institute a scholarship fund in Otousan's name for undergraduate youkai students. I am in the process of organizing a charity ball to be held in order to raise funds for this cause. You are to attend.”

At the mention of his father, Inuyasha's anger flared. Sesshomaru did indeed know how to push his buttons. “Can't. I'm busy.”

“I think not. The football team at your university is playing in Indiana that weekend. I know that is too far for your entire musical group to accompany them. You are therefore available, and you will attend.”

Musical group? Inuyasha shook his head. “Who said it had anything to do with that? I'm busy. I don't have to give you a fuckin' reason.” Inuyasha frowned, hoping the bastard wouldn't be able to see through his lie. The truth was he didn't have any plans that weekend as of yet, as the cut-down band roster had already been filled for that game. But the thought of spending a rare free Saturday night with a bunch of pompous assholes—one of whom being his half-brother—raising money to give his dead father a good name for himself in America was nauseating. Like the dick hadn't earned enough “respect” in Japan while he was alive.

“You are correct; you do not have to give me a reason. Nevertheless, you will be in attendance at the event. You owe Otousan that much after what happened.”

He winced as if he had been slapped. That bastard was pushing it too far.

“It will be at the Morian Convention Center in New Orleans two weeks from tomorrow at six in the evening. There will be a cash bar and a light dinner. Don't worry; you will not be one of the speakers. I would not have you misrepresent the Taisho name,” he spat.

“Now just hang on one damn minute!”

“The dress is formal, so go get fitted for proper attire.” Click.

“Fuck you!” Inuyasha bellowed into his phone, well aware Sesshomaru could not hear him. He glared at the phone as if it were the cause of his troubles. Damn that asshole! He knew Inuyasha was burdened with guilt regarding their father's death, but he just had to grind salt into the gaping wounds. In fact, Inuyasha was fairly certain he enjoyed it, despite the circumstances.

He sneered. `Charity Ball. Feh.'

Shoving his cell phone into his pocket, Inuyasha resigned himself to forget about the raw reminder of his haunting past the best way he knew how. There was a party tonight marking the end of camp, and that was his kind of event. Yup. He would be getting drunk tonight.

***

After drying her hair, Kagome picked up her brush and started running it through her locks with the intensity of a madwoman. How could she have almost kissed Inuyasha? Wasn't he the asshole of all assholes? Hadn't she decided from the first day she met him that he was mean, rude, and insulting, and therefore unworthy of her time? Didn't he tell her in no uncertain terms that he felt the same way about her?

`Doesn't he have the most amazing body?'

She slammed her brush down on the sink and glared at herself. No. This was beyond that.

She had seen the emotion in his eyes. She had seen the hope. Could it be that he really wanted her? Which prompted another equally perplexing question: Did she want him to want her?

She sighed. This was getting way too complicated, and her relationship with Koga—if one could call it that—certainly didn't help to clear up anything. But she could no longer deny that she was attracted to Inuyasha. There was something about him that pulled on her, and as much as she had tried to fight it these last two weeks, she knew she was being drawn in by something more than his wicked physical lure. Nevertheless, she was not in the position to act on this attraction, as she was attached to Koga.

Maybe Inuyasha had the right idea by avoiding her all week.

The faint ring of her phone reached her ears, and she sighed again, a little irritated by how much of her thoughts the hanyou filled. Shutting off the bathroom light, she jogged down the hallway to her bedroom and picked her phone up off her dresser. Noticing it was Koga, she hesitated. He was the absolute last person she wanted to talk to right now, but as Sango had glaringly pointed out earlier, she had been avoiding him for nearly two weeks now, and she was sure that stalling for much longer would create more problems than she was already dealing with. So, right before it stopped ringing, she unlocked the phone and brought it to her ear, swallowing nervously. “H-hello?”

“Kagome.”

She closed her eyes. There it was, the undeniable tone of contained irritation that she had only heard a handful of times from him, and never directed at her. The sound made her cringe. “Y-yes?”

“Why haven't you returned my calls?” he asked curtly.

“I…I've been busy, Koga. I'm sorry.”

“Too busy to talk to me for two minutes?”

Kagome paused. She never really was all that skilled in the art of deceit, and Koga knew her well. Any lie that left her mouth at this point would have to be told with the greatest of care or not told at all. She aimed for somewhere in the middle. “Well, you know I've been in band camp, and that takes away from my practice time on cello, so that's what I've been doing most nights.” There. That was the truth, after all.

He sighed dejectedly, his tone changing to one of concern. “Kagome, what did I do? You've been avoiding me since dinner last week. Does it have something to do with what we talked about that night?”

Her brows furrowed. What they had talked about? “Ummm….”

“Because you gave me the impression that maybe it was too soon to bring up marriage.”

Eyes wide and mouth agape, Kagome bit back her gasp. Shit! She had forgotten all about that! With all of her whirling emotions surrounding how she was feeling about Inuyasha, she had pushed that awful memory into the dark recesses of her brain to be dealt with later. Inuyasha served as a brilliant distraction from her current troubles, even if he only did so by creating more. At least now she had an excuse as to why she had been keeping her distance from Koga. “Uh, yeah.” She chuckled nervously. “I guess you kinda freaked me out with that.”

“I'm sorry, babe.” She grimaced at the hated pet name. “I just assumed that it was about time, you know, to start talking about that.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Well, that would be fine, Koga, if you had, in fact, talked with me about it. But you didn't. Your assumption wasn't that it was time to talk about marriage….” She trailed off, not knowing what his reaction would be if she finished that line of thought.

Fortunately, he proved to be as oblivious as ever and didn't catch her unspoken words. “You're right. But perhaps we should talk about it. How about tonight? Do you want to go out?”

Kagome frowned. The band party was tonight, and despite her initial reservations about going, she was actually looking forward to relaxing with her friends and having a few drinks. Koga was definitely not on the menu for a good time tonight. “Well….”

“Or we don't have to talk about it if you don't want,” he rushed out. “We can just hang out. Whatever you want to do, babe.”

Ugh. That single word gave her the courage she needed. “Actually, I think I'm going to study my music for a bit and hit the rack.”

“But it's only eight o'clock!”

“I know, but I'm exhausted. You know how camp wears me out. Holding cymbals all day gets pretty tiring, you know!” she laughed uneasily.

“…All right. But call me tomorrow, okay?”

She nodded, knowing she couldn't run from him forever. She just needed one more night. “All right, Koga. I will call you tomorrow. Goodnight.”

He paused. “…Goodnight, Kagome.”

Ending the call, she threw her phone onto the bed as if it were diseased. She glared at it for a moment before she turned toward her mirror and brought her hands to her face. She felt terrible for lying to Koga; it wasn't something she had ever done before, but she couldn't very well see him while her emotions were still going crazy. She had to sort out her feelings for Inuyasha before seeing him again. She had to determine if she was really feeling for Inuyasha what she thought she was, and if so, what she was willing to do about it. The thought of breaking up with Koga triggered all-too familiar fears, so she pushed it aside before they had a chance to take root. Instead, she focused on Inuyasha, noticing with a bright blush the smile that came to her lips as she did so.

She definitely had to settle this soon.

***

Sango stood from her chair and nearly stumbled, catching the lip of the table just before falling. She shook her head slightly and focused her eyes before announcing to the man and the hanyou at the table, “I'm—*hiccup*—going to the ladies room.”

Inuyasha chuckled as Miroku shook his head and laughed, watching the drunk girl depart for the restrooms. The party was in full effect and Chimes was packed to the brim, mostly with people who were either in Tiger Band or guests of its members. Deciding early on that they didn't want to have to fight the crowds at the bar, Miroku and Sango had arrived early to grab a table. By the time Inuyasha had arrived a few hours later, Sango was already trashed.

“Man, she can't hold her liquor at all, can she?” Inuyasha mused aloud as he reached for another boudin ball.

“Nah. She's always been a lightweight. Kagome's the same way, though. It must run in the Higurashi genes.” Miroku poured another glass of beer for himself from the pitcher, signaling to their server that they needed another.

Upon hearing Kagome's name, Inuyasha's ear twitched. Miroku must have noticed because he suddenly smiled knowingly, but said nothing. Inuyasha cleared his throat. “By the way, thanks.”

He looked genuinely puzzled. “For what?”

“For… earlier.” Inuyasha eyed him, hoping he wouldn't have to elaborate.

“Aahh,” Miroku said, and smiled again. “No problem. So, did you get anything accomplished?”

The hanyou blushed and drained the last of his beer to hide it. “Well, that depends on what you mean by `accomplished.'”

Chuckling, Miroku refilled Inuyasha's glass as he waited for him to continue.

“I almost kissed her.”

“What?!” Miroku exclaimed, losing control of the pitcher and spilling the last of its contents across the table, most of it splashing into Inuyasha's lap.

He shot to his feet, his chair flying back and colliding with the man sitting at the table behind him, and brushed off as much beer as he could before it could soak into his jeans. “Dude, what the fuck?”

“Damn, sorry!” Miroku grabbed some napkins and caught the rest of it before it spilled off the table. As he worked, he nodded apologetically toward the irritated occupants of the adjacent table, and the man waved back indulgently and adjusted his seat. Miroku shot a disbelieving look at the hanyou. “You kissed her?!”

“Almost!” he huffed as he sat back down, picking up some napkins and helping Miroku clean up. “I almost kissed her. She freaked at the last minute and took off.”

Miroku shook his head. “Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I figured you would talk to her or something, try to clear the air. Not try to kiss her! You really are pushing into some dangerous territory with her, Inuyasha.”

Looking at him out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha threw the used napkins to the edge of the table. He had gathered as much from her behavior since he had known her, that there was definitely something about her that was off. Some sort of trauma had twisted her view of men, if not people in general. The idea that Koga was somehow responsible had not been eliminated from his list of possibilities, and he wondered if Miroku would now be willing to elaborate on Kagome's disposition.

Picking up his half-empty beer—thanks to Miroku's clumsiness—he brought it to his lips, pausing to take a shot in the dark. “Did something happen to her?”

Miroku didn't answer right away as he accepted the new pitcher of beer from the server, who was wearing very short shorts and showing off very nice legs. Inuyasha admired them, noting that they were indeed sexy, but they had nothing on the stems Kagome sported.

`Man, I'm fuckin' losing it,' he realized, shaking his head in disbelief.

Miroku smiled at the pretty blonde before she winked at the boys and left, causing Inuyasha's brow to rise and Miroku to chuckle. “Dude, if I wasn't already hooked up, I'd be all over that.” He shook his head and turned his attention back to the hanyou. “What was that you said?”

“What do you mean by `dangerous territory?'”

His mischievous expression grew somber. “Oh, right.” He took a quick look around. “Look, I really shouldn't get into it, but I'll say this much: either go for it or back off. She doesn't need any more damn trouble from men.”

Inuyasha's eyes widened as the proverbial light bulb turned on in his head. `So Koga does have something to do with it!' But before he could ask him to clarify, Sango made a clumsy return to the table.

“What was that you were -” She nearly tripped again, but luckily she landed in her chair. After taking a moment to gather her bearings, she focused her narrowed eyes on Miroku. “What was that you were saying? Were you talking about Kagome?”

Inuyasha watched as Miroku slid a hand to her thigh under the table, smiling charmingly at her. “My dear, Sango. I'm so glad you've returned. I missed you terribly.”

“Cut the crap, Miroku! You were telling Inuyasha to `either back off or go for it.' I want to know….” She blinked, seeming somewhat confused before turning and facing Inuyasha, jabbing a finger into his chest. “I want to know what your intentions are with my cousin! She's put up with enough shit from guys like you!”

The mental light bulb brightened in intensity at her words. “What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to her!”

“Like hell, you haven't!” she shot back. “You've been fucking with Kagome since day one! Yeah, it was cute at first, but this whole `cold shoulder' act you've taken on this week has gone too far! She's a wreck! Don't you know how much she likes you, and you're playing mind games with her! What kind of a conceited, egotistical -”

“Sango!” Miroku cut off her rant, knowing she was revealing much more than she meant to in her inebriated state, but it was too late. Inuyasha stared astonished at her, a raging mixture of happiness and shame swirling in his conscience.

Horrified, Sango slapped a hand across her mouth. “Oh, shit! I didn't mean to say…I mean, I really hadn't wanted to…to tell you that -”

“Hey, guys!”

Three heads swiveled to see Kagome approaching the table, and Inuyasha fought to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. A brilliant smile on her face, her long, black hair spilled over her spaghetti strap-covered shoulders and down to her waist; he hadn't realized how long it was before now since she had always worn it in a ponytail before. Her mint-green top was a little skimpy but not trashy, and it stopped just below her belly button, where a good inch or two of soft skin was revealed before the waistline of her low-rise jeans began. She was the perfect image of laid-back, down-home, girl-next-door, and Inuyasha knew he was not the only one in the place who was appreciating her subtle style.

Catching himself before the drool ran down his lip, he chanced a smirk and as casual of a greeting as he could muster. “Hey.”

Kagome's smile faltered as she met Inuyasha's eyes, her nose twisting as she got closer to the table. Her eyebrows furrowed cutely. “Why do you smell like beer?”

Inuyasha shot a glare at Miroku, who bowed his head and scratched his ear nervously.

Kagome shook her head and turned toward Sango. “Sango! You're drunk!” she gasped.

“Oh, get a grip, Kags! It's a party!” Having forgotten her previous faux pas, Sango grinned sloppily at her cousin, rising unsteadily to her feet to embrace her in an awkward hug.

Kagome's smile returned, and with it a round of giggles as she struggled to keep Sango on her feet. “Okay, Sango, let's take a seat. Miroku, help me out, please!”

The boy rose and helped Kagome get Sango back into her chair, where she plopped unceremoniously. Inuyasha watched the exchange with amusement, noting that he felt much more relaxed once Kagome had seated herself between him and her drunken cousin and offered him a brief but sincere smile.

`Damn, she's gorgeous.'

“What are we drinking?” She crossed her arms on the table.

“Purple Haze,” Miroku replied as the server brought another frosted mug to the table. As Kagome flashed her ID, Inuyasha took it upon himself to pour her a glass, enjoying her blush as he handed it to her.

“Thank you,” she murmured before taking a sip.

He smirked. This was going to be an interesting night.

***

Two hours and several pitchers of beer later, Inuyasha once again found himself watching the young woman next to him. After a few drinks, Kagome had loosened up a bit and relaxed in his presence, which made him all the more comfortable in hers as well. Still unsure of whether or not he would speak with her about everything that was and was not happening between them, he allowed himself to simply enjoy her company, as well as that of Miroku and Sango. They had all been laughing and talking about the various stories from band camp, the upcoming football season, their senior year, and everything else of particular interest.

Currently, Miroku was in the middle of a story about one of the freshman tenor players. “So, I told him that if he wanted to take a shot at the piccolo player, he should start out by complimenting her solo on the first march and asking her to play it for him!” He guffawed boisterously. “And he fuckin' did it! Right in front of me and Yash, too! Can you fuckin' believe it?!”

Inuyasha chuckled at the story, remembering how the girl had laughed at the poor freshman, and looked down for his beer and noticed his hand was lying on the table right next to Kagome's. Taking a quick glance at her overprotective cousin and realizing she was far too gone to notice anything, he shifted his hand and brushed his pinkie finger against hers.

Kagome froze with her beer mug to her mouth, the frosty liquid just shy of wetting her lips. Her eyes trailed down to where their hands were touching and stayed there as he swept his fingers along the back of her hand. He watched her visibly gulp as her face morphed from surprise to anxiousness, and finally to relaxed, and he was shocked when she turned her hand over so their palms were touching. Not wanting to waste the opportunity suddenly before him, he looked down to their hands and watched as his claws lightly played with the pads of her fingers, which were calloused from years of pressing and moving along the rough strings of her cello. Their eyes met, and for just a brief moment, Inuyasha saw desire written on her face, and his stomach flip-flopped as he idly wondered if she could see his as well.

But the moment was broken when she blinked and snatched her hand away. She jumped to her feet and yanked on Sango's arm, encouraging her to clumsily stand as well. “I have to go the bathroom. Come with me, Sango!”

Sango grunted as she struggled to her feet with Kagome's help, leaning on her cousin as they wove through the crowd and away from the table. Inuyasha was watching Kagome's retreating form with no small amount of appreciation for her tight backside when he felt a harsh slap across the back of his head.

“Ow! What the -”

“What was that?!” Miroku demanded, scrutinizing him.

Inuyasha scowled even as his cheeks flushed. “What was what?”

Miroku rolled his eyes. “Didn't you notice I stopped talking somewhere around the time you started groping her hand?”

“Hey, I wasn't groping her hand, all right?” he retorted defensively.

“Oh, and real smooth when Kagome first got here. `Hey,'” he mocked in a voice deeper than his own. “I bet you expected to sweep her off her feet with that line! Nice job, dickweed.”

“Now just a fuckin' minute!” Inuyasha bowed up, flattening his hands on the table.

“All right, all right, I'm sorry,” he surrendered, smiling a little as he put his hands up. “I'm just messing with you. But seriously, I need to tell you something before you go any further.”

Settling back into his seat, Inuyasha unclenched his fists and reached for his beer. “Yeah, what is it?” he griped.

Miroku took a quick look around before leaning in. “Look, I'm only telling you this because you seem genuinely interested in Kagome, but I gotta tell it quick before the girls get back. And you did not hear this from me, got it?”

His words having piqued Inuyasha's interest, he leaned in a little as well. “Okay. What is it?”

He sighed, appearing nervous. “Okay. There's something you need to know before you try to start something up with Kagome. Something other than her current boyfriend, that is,” he added seriously, his meaning provoking another eye roll from the hanyou.

“Hey, man, you were the one leaving me alone with her today. I thought I was supposed to `go for it or back off'?”

“Yeah, yeah. I want you to, but you need to know about this before you really fuck things up.”

Realizing whatever Miroku had to say must have been important, he set his beer down. “All right. Tell me.”

“Have you heard of a guy named Hojo Tanaka? Back in Japan, I mean?”

Inuyasha thought a moment before shaking his head.

“Well, Kagome dated Hojo in high school. They dated for a year, or maybe two; I can't remember how long she said, really. Anyway, supposedly when she got accepted to school here and he got accepted to Tokyo University, she decided to break it off. I guess she really didn't see a future with him and didn't see any reason to try a long-distance relationship. Makes sense, right?”

Inuyasha nodded, already not liking where this was heading.

Miroku took a deep breath before continuing, keeping an eye out for either of the girls in the crowd. “So, the night she broke up with him, they were sitting in his car in her driveway. She said she tried to break it to him as gently as possible, but the guy lost it. Started screaming and crying and shit. Kagome tried to calm him down, but then he went nuts and started hitting the steering wheel, and she got scared. She got out of the car and told him to leave, and he finally did and sped off. She said he was driving erratically when he left; speeding and swerving and all that. She was nervous for him but went inside the house. What could she do, right?”

Another nod. This wasn't sounding good.

“Well, a few hours later, she was in the bathtub, trying to calm down after what had happened when the phone rang. It was Hojo's mother. He had gotten into a bad car accident right after leaving her house. I think he ran a red light or something, but it was eventually determined to be accidental, so it wasn't suicide or anything.”

“You mean….”

Miroku nodded. “He died.”

Inuyasha bowed his head. This explained a lot. No wonder Kagome was so skittish.

“Anyway,” Miroku continued, “she was obviously traumatized. She felt like everything was her fault, that he wouldn't have died if she hadn't broken up with him.”

Inuyasha looked up angrily. “What was she supposed to do? Keep dating some lunatic she didn't even want to be with?”

“I know, I know,” he agreed. “But she doesn't see it that way. Well, she does, but….” He shook his head. “I don't know. It's pretty fucked up.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Inuyasha said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

“So that's why I said what I said to you earlier,” he said. “If you're going to make a move for her, just do it. Don't fuck around with her anymore. She doesn't need that.”

Inuyasha frowned. “But isn't she dating someone already? Won't that fuck with her even more?”

Miroku hesitated, then spoke in a low voice. “I'm really pushing my luck by telling you this much, but… I suspect her feelings for Koga are similar to what her feelings for Hojo were.”

His eyebrows rose at what Miroku was implying.

The boy nodded slowly. “Yeah. I think… I think she needs out.” And with that, he leaned back, nudging the hanyou to do the same. “Ahh, ladies, you've returned!” he called in a much louder voice. “I trust your trip to the facilities was a pleasant one?”

“Not so much,” Kagome muttered as she dropped Sango into her seat. “Sango threw up. I think she's done for tonight.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Miroku shook his head and leaned forward to catch Sango's chin in his hand. “You never were friends with the brew, darling. Let's get you home.”

“I'm fine,” she slurred, widening her eyes a bit to keep them open.

Inuyasha was lost in thought as Miroku and Kagome tried to convince Sango it was time to leave. So this Hojo had been the problem, not the wolf. He wondered at that a bit, finding himself unable to shake the feeling that Koga wasn't completely innocent. He'd only seen him once, but something about him rubbed Inuyasha the wrong way. And if Miroku was right about how Kagome felt….

His conscience pinged, and he mentally cringed. Was he being selfish? Did his desire to be with her make him as much of an asshole as that Hojo? He wasn't sure when, but he had somehow started to really care for the girl, and the last thing he wanted to do was fuck her up more. Maybe he should back off.

She snuck a peek at him, and something in his brain clicked. There it was again. He knew he wasn't imagining it now: she had feelings for him, too. He set his jaw, feeling determined. No more fucking around. He was going to tell her how he felt. Tonight. Now.

As Miroku continued to argue with Sango, Inuyasha quickly mulled over his options. He had noticed a small private lawn out back behind the restaurant earlier. It wasn't the most romantic of places, but it would work. He started to reach for her leg under the table to get her attention, intending to ask her to meet him there in a few minutes, when he felt a harsh kick to his shin under the table. Wincing, he bit back a curse and looked at Miroku, pulling back his hand from where it had been within inches of resting on Kagome's thigh. He scowled. “Mind telling me what that was all about, asshole?”

Miroku's eyes widened as he subtly shook his head, and Inuyasha picked up on the meaning of his gesture just before sensing the approach of a demonic aura. `Ookami,' he confirmed, whirling around in his seat in time to meet angry blue eyes.

“Kagome,” Koga called, startling the girl in her seat as he kept his irate stare on the equally irate hanyou. “I thought you said you were too tired to go out tonight.”

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