InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reliving the Past ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Reliving the Past

by kmf

An Inuyasha fanfic

Rating: R

Warnings: Language

Disclaimer: I only wish I did own Inuyasha *fondles his ears*

Chapter Five

Kagome woke early and left for University without having breakfast. She had a lot to achieve in one day, and meals simply did not factor themselves into her schedule. First on her list was the library where she checked out some books, mentally groaning at the weight of them and anticipating just how heavy her back pack was going to be. She also took the opportunity to photocopy some old test papers to get an idea of what sort of questions were going to be asked, together with subjects for essays.

Next was visiting each of her professors to apologise that she would be away for a couple of weeks due to 'family commitments' and to ask for details of course work that she could do when she was away. Most were co- operative, although one harridan turned her away saying that if she couldn't be bothered to turn up, then she couldn't be bothered to teach her.

This task took her all of the morning and part of the afternoon. By the time the lunch break was over she had only one more professor to visit, and his lecture to attend.

Kaminari.

He was in fine form, as usual, his voice clear and compelling as he told yet another myth to his rapt students. For once, though, Kagome was not listening. She felt miserable and guilty as she watched him move around the stage. Her epiphany last night that she had been using him to get Inuyasha jealous disturbed her greatly; she had always despised girls who manipulated the feelings of others in such a way and yet here she was doing exactly that.

She rested her head on a hand as she watched the slides projected onto the screen behind Kuminari, her brow frowning with her self-loathing. She would come clean, she would tell him exactly what she had done (although leaving out certain details about time travel, half demons and living dead rivals), and hope that he did not completely hate her when she had finished her tale.

The lecture was over more quickly than Kagome thought possible, and Kagome stayed in her seat on the pretext of looking for some missing item in her overflowing bag. Some murmured comments from girls moving by her told her that her pretence was a shallow one; it was known that she was 'seeing' Kuminari and disliked for that. She hung her head, her cheeks flaming as she picked up on one comment about sleeping with the teacher to get good grades, her fists clenching in an effort not to stand up and tell the girl who murmured the rumour just where to get off.

Looking up, she could see Kuminari standing by his podium, his back resting up against it and his arms crossed. He was looking at her with his familiar smug, self-satisfied expression and Kagome felt her temper increase. He knew what the students were saying, and she had little doubt that it was feeding is very inflated ego to the point of bursting. He was all but preening at the glances that his students, male and female, gave him as they exited his lecture, whilst staring at her possessively as if he owned her.

She had seen that possessive expression before, but not in this era. It was exactly how Inuyasha looked at her when telling her whether she could or could not return to her own time, and it was one that irritated the hell out of her. Suddenly, she felt a lot less guilty about 'using' him, and a lot more inclined to tell the entire male population (human and otherwise) to go to hell and leave her alone.

Shoving items back into her bag, she stood up and strode to the stairs that led down to the exit from the lecture theatre. Kaminari, seeing her thunderous expression, straightened and moved swiftly to the door to intercept her.

Kagome glared at him as she approached him, struggling with the weight of her back over one shoulder. His eyes widened, but he said nothing. Instead he raised an eyebrow waiting for her to speak.

"Professor Kaminari," she began formally, her voice was icy and cold but a little shaky from the extreme agitation she was feeling. "I wont be able to attend your lectures for the next two weeks as I will be away," she hesitated, "on family business," She finished disliking that she was again lying, despite her irritation for the man in front of her.

"Family business," Kaminari repeated, looking at her sceptically.

"Hai," Kagome nodded, determined to get this over and done with as soon as possible and get away from him and his inflated ego. "Would you please give me the coursework for the next two weeks so that I can keep up in my absence."

Kaminari reached out and before Kagome could stop him, lifted her bag effortlessly from her shoulder, and peered at it. Kagome's back was extremely grateful to be relieved of the weight of the bag, but the rest of her was outraged as he looked through the books she had taken from the library.

"You're serious, aren't you?" he murmured, looking up at her in surprise, "Is there something wrong, can I help in any way?"

Kagome hesitated, momentarily flummoxed by his rapid change from smug seducer of innocent students to caring friend. He was so mercurial that she had difficulty keeping her annoyed train of thought.

"No," she said, then followed it quickly with a "Yes, I do need to get the course work so I wont fall behind."

Kaminari nodded, placing the bag down at his feet and moved over to his own briefcase, which was leaning up against the podium. He crouched beside it, his fingers rummaging through assorted papers, but his mind only seemed to be half on the task before him. He kept glancing up at Kagome with a slightly pained expression on his face, and she could not help the guilt that overwhelmed her again, chasing away the anger that she had felt just moments before.

Papers in hand, Kaminari stood up and faced her. He held them out to her, but as soon as she reached to take them from his hand, his free hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to his chest. Startled, Kagome could not help the small squeek of surprise that tumbled from her mouth as she found herself held against his firm chest. He stroked her hair in what she assumed was a comforting gesture, but instead of relaxing her she suddenly felt as if her whole body was full of electricity.

"Tell me what is wrong, Kagome," he breathed into her ear.

Kagome pushed against his chest, trying to free herself from his grasp, but he was too strong for her and showed no sign of releasing her. Sighing, she allowed herself to relax in his embrace revelling for a brief moment in how it felt to be cradled, to be held, to be cared for.

"I thought that over these last few days that you had come to care for me," Kaminari continued, "I know that I care a lot for you."

Kagome stiffened at his words. It was time to come clean.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I do like you. I like you a lot."

"...but..." Kaminari said with a sigh, moving his lips across her ear causing her heart to skip a beat as suppressed desire welled in her abdomen.

"But, " Kagome continued shakily, trying to ignore the way she could feel ever breath he took fluttered against her skin, "I haven't been entirely honest with you." She paused again, waiting for him to push her away and look at her with betrayed eyes. But he didn't, he continued to hold her close, silently waiting for her to continue. "There is someone that I have liked for many years. He doesn't...he likes another. I swear I didn't mean to use you, but when he found out that I had been meeting with you outside of University hours I realised that I had half hoped that it would make him jealous. I'm sorry," she repeated again.

Kaminari held her closer, "Did it?" he asked quietly, and when she failed to answer immediately, he asked again, "Did it make him jealous?"

Kagome shook her head, unable to speak. She felt his chest shake, and she looked up to see that he was laughing.

"So, your friend is a bit of an idiot then," he said, grinning down at her, running his fingers through her hair again.

Kagome looked up in astonishment. She had expected Kaminari to be hurt and disappointed with her. Instead, he looked a little relieved. Had she misinterpreted his signals to her? Did he not actually like her as much as she had thought?

"He is a fool to let you slip away from his grasp," Kaminari continued, moving his fingers from her hair, to her cheek, stroking her skin softly, "I won't repeat the mistake."

He lowered his head slowly, giving her plenty of time to avert her head and deny him what he sought. But she couldn't. She stood transfixed by his eyes, hooded and full of desire for her, and saw herself reflected within their depths, her mouth slightly apart in surprise and her own eyes wide.

His lips grazed across hers, ever so gently, before he pulled away briefly and gazing down at her, his eyes verifying that she was happy with what he had done. She made no protest, relishing in the feeling of what it was like to be wanted and desired. She tilted her head up and stood on tiptoes yearning to feel his lips on hers again. He smirked a little, the old familiar smugness was back on his face but she didn't care. All she wanted was to feel his lips again on hers, and he eagerly obliged.

The second kiss was not fleeting as the first one was. This time, Kaminari kissed her hard, tasting her, running his tongue over her teeth encouraging her to open her mouth to his. Kagome obeyed his unspoken command, her knees feeling weak as new sensations bombarded her. Shyly, she moved her tongue into his mouth, following his lead, and was rewarded with a groan of delight from him.

And then it was over, he was pushing her away gently, still stroking her face with his hand, his face as flushed as she was sure hers was. He smiled at her uncertainly.

"That was...surprising," he said, breathing heavily, before pulling her close again. "Do you have to go?"

Kagome's bemused brain was puzzled by the question. Go? Go where? She was completely happy where she was, thank you very much. But then she remembered that she had promised Inuyasha, and the smile on her face faded. She nodded once, her head moving up and down against his shoulder.

"Are you...well?" Kaminari asked hesitantly, "Your school records show that you had an extreme amount of time off due to ill health."

Kagome rolled her eyes and silently cursed her grandfather, before offering a short prayer of apology; she ought not to think so badly of the dead. Again, she shook her head.

"Its an ongoing family matter," she whispered, "And I doubt that it will be resolved in the next two weeks," She smiled up at him apologetically, "I probably will be away again during the year because of it. I'm sorry."

Kaminari reluctantly let her go before leaning back up against the podium, his arms crossed in his familiar relaxed pose.

"Don't apologise," he said, "Just remember to come back to me."

Kagome blinked once, taken aback by the sincerity in his voice, before she began to blush. It was a phrase she had heard many times before from Inuyasha, but usually it was 'Just remember to come back, bitch!' and there would be no underlying gentleness in his words. The way Kaminari said it just made her want to melt with happiness; it was said in the way she had always longed to hear them.

A piercing beep made both of them jump, and Kagome fumbled with her watch, which was the source of the noise that had completely destroyed the moment.

"Oh crap!" she hissed as she saw the time. She had forgotten that she had set an alarm to remind her that she ought to be on her way back to the shrine, but was rather thankful that she had. If the alarm had not have gone off, goodness knows how long she would have stood gazing at Kaminari like a lovesick zombie. "I have to go," she bent, picking up the bag of books.

"Do you want me to help you carry that home?" Kaminari asked, reaching out a hand to try and take the bag from her.

"No!" Kagome said more forcefully than she had intended to. As much as she would like to spend as much time as possible with Kaminari, God forbid that he and Inuyasha meet. Inuyasha was more than likely to try and scare off anyone who tried to claim any of Kagome's time and she did not want to subject Kaminari to the wrath of the hanyou's tongue.

"Its no trouble," he said, "I have a car and it's a long walk to the shrine."

Kagome froze.

"You know where I live?" she asked, frowning.

Kaminari had the grace to look a little embarrassed.

"Well.... its on your records," he said, "And I wanted to find out as much as I could about you."

Kagome blushed again, flattered that he wanted to know all about her. But unfortunately there were some things that he really could not know about. The fact that she regularly time travelled into an era of myths and legends was pretty high up on the list of things she didn't want him to know. Yet. So again, she shook her head.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said, "I can manage on my own."

Kaminari did not argue, merely nodded at her. "Be safe," he said, watching her leave the room.

She smiled and gave him a little wave before running out the door. As she went, she glanced down at her watch again. She would have to move fast if she was to make it back home before Inuyasha came to drag her back to the past. She just hoped that he would be patient enough to enable her to pick up the rest of her books from her room.

TBC