InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strictly Taboo ❯ It Only Takes A Moment ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: chelseatygers 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Psychological / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.03.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 664 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Hentai / Psychological / Romance / Angst | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.03.2014 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 664 | Status: Work In Progress
*Song for the chapter: I Wanna Be Loved By You by Helen Kane*
The drive home was quiet, with Kagome dozing off and him too stunned by the revelation that he had fallen in love with a girl after only meeting her twice to attempt conversation. He knew demons fell pretty damn fast, but how could it be love? Yet he was positive it was. It hadn’t been this fast with Kikyo, although the strong attraction he had felt towards her had been immediate. He had heard of love at first sight before, but had always dismissed it as romantic bullshit. And honestly, when he first saw her he thought he was seeing Kikyo, a drastically younger Kikyo, but still Kikyo. Was that why? Did he feel this way because she looked so much like her mother? He shook his head violently. No, she was nothing like her. Kagome was small and soft and happy where Kikyo was tall and rigid and somber. He had loved her once, but that was a long time ago. What he felt for Kagome… it was as strong as what he once felt for Kikyo, but completely different. With Kikyo, he had been amazed someone actually wanted to get to know him instead of just fuck. She had seen him as a person, and he could never forget that. But Kagome made him feel, well, young. Not in years, but in spirit. He was happy being with her. But he could never really be with her, and that thought depressed him so much he almost missed the turn to enter the forest that surrounded his home.
He stared at the slumbering girl next to him as he took his keys out of the ignition. Inuyasha wanted to carry her, to let her continue sleeping, but that would be weird. Gently, he nudged her shoulder with the tips of his fingers, watching her slowly come awake and open her brilliant eyes to look at him. She smiled and stretched, and he concentrated hard on the window instead of staring at the way she arched her back and how her breasts strained against the cotton of her dress.
“We’re home?”
He smiled, happy she had referred to his place as her home. “Yeah. Your new stuff should be up in your room. Did you… Did you have a good time?” he asked uncertainly, even though he had been so sure of her happiness earlier in the evening.
“Definitely,” she sighed as she opened the door. “Thank you for being so kind, Papa Yasha. You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever known.” She stared into his eyes seriously, a small smile on her lips, and he nearly melted into a puddle at her feet but decided that would be too awkward. Instead, he rushed out of the car and opened the door before she even approached the steps leading up to the porch.
Running to his room in order to not get pulled into another conversation with Kagome that would make him feel even more for her than he already did, he pounced through his door just as he heard her call out a soft “Good night”. He felt incredibly guilty, but not guilty enough to go back out. Kikyo still wasn’t back yet and Kagome would be all alone in a new house, all alone with only him there…
Inuyasha flopped face down on the bed, determined not to think anymore, just to get to sleep and stay asleep. He would not leave his room, he would not offer to help Kagome put her things away, he would not pretend to innocently slink back to his room and instead stay outside until he heard her breathing slow, and he most certainly would not use her as the star in his nightly ritual before he went off to sleep and ended up dreaming about her, which he would do because he wanted to and even if he didn’t, his mind had a way of doing just what he told it not to so she’d probably be showing up in his dreams regardless. His thoughts in a jumble, he eventually drifted off to sleep, clutching a pillow to his chest that still had her scent on it.
“Making yourself at home, I see,” he joked. She jumped, startled, and turned to look at him. All the cabinets were open as well as the fridge and freezer doors. She smiled apologetically.
“I was just checking to see what to make for breakfast, but there’s literally nothing edible in here, just a few drinks,” she said.
“You hungry?” he asked, yawning. He was not his best in the morning.
She nodded. “Are you?”
“Let’s order a pizza, then.”
“But… it’s six AM.”
“There’s a place that delivers 24/7, don’t worry about it.”
“But… it’s breakfast time.”
“Do you want something else?” he questioned, suddenly feeling anxious. “I think there’s a Chinese place that delivers at this time. Or we could go out again—“
“No, pizza’s good. I’m just used to a more, um, regular routine.”
“Alright. I’ve got my computer in my room, come up with me.” He could have brought his laptop down, but he wanted her scent to fill his room once again. He lumbered back up the stairs, Kagome bouncing beside him.
“I think that every day with you is going to be filled with new things,” she said happily.
He grinned. “I hope so.”
He sat down on his bed, patting the space beside him, hoping she wouldn’t gain a sense of propriety now. He wanted to be able to smell her on his sheets as well. She jumped onto the bed, no awkwardness, just innocence, and he smirked. Pulling out his laptop from under the bed, it was a quick few seconds before he was at the website he wanted.
“Since I eat a lot, we’ll get two separate pizzas, alright? What do you want on yours?”
“Um, maybe, can you—“
“If you make me pick, I’ll give you anchovies.”
She scowled at him and grabbed his laptop, clicking a few times. “There.”
“Pepperoni and onions? What?” He wrinkled his nose, imagining the taste on his sensitive tongue.
“You told me to pick. Now hurry up, I’m hungry,” she said playfully.
“Whatever,” he finished with the order and put his computer to the side. “It’s Saturday. Do you want to stay in and be lazy or go out and do things?”
“Staying in and being lazy would be a new thing. I don’t have any lessons today.”
“You want to watch a movie? Or TV or something?” He couldn’t really think of much else.
“Do you have any board games?” she asked.
“Board games? I don’t think I’ve even played board games…” he trailed off.
“Me neither. But they always look so fun in commercials and stuff.”
He nodded, agreeing with her. Inuyasha had never had anyone to play board games with, and even though he now had someone else who was interested in the mysterious world of Scrabble and Parcheesi, he didn’t have a single one.
“I could call Myoga and he could bring us some,” he suggested.
“Myoga is your assistant?” He nodded. “I don’t think it would be good to wake him up so early.”
He hadn’t even thought of it being inconvenient for Myoga. They lapsed into silence again. Truthfully, he would be happy just hearing her talk, but if she wanted some entertainment then he would think of something.
“I know!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “Do you have any pictures of you and Mother, like a photo album or something? I would love to see some of you together. Mother only had a few. You can tell me all about how you met and fell in love and all that,” she smiled.
His ears drooped and he laid his head down on the pillow. What would he say to her? He didn’t have any photos of him and Kikyo left, they had been tossed out long ago. He had no desire to relive the past, either. Their courtship had been very normal, the things he remembered most being the proposal and the break-up. And the sex, but of course she wouldn’t want to know about that.
“Is Kikyo back yet?”
Kagome sighed. “Mother is still gone. I was hoping she’d be back by breakfast so we could eat together like a real family.”
The doorbell rang, startling both of them, and he jumped up. “Can you hand me my wallet?” She reached for the black leather on the nightstand and her top rode up, exposing her stomach, which he admired with greedy eyes before she quickly tossed the wallet onto his lap.
“You should probably put some pants on or something before you answer the door,” she said, eyes sparkling mischievously as she slid off the bed and exited the room.
He looked down to see himself only in his boxers. “Fuck,” he mumbled, angry with his lack of modesty.
They spent all weekend alone with each other, ordering delivery and watching movies, but mostly just talking. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so happy. All good things come to an end, of course, and this good thing ended on Sunday evening with a call from Myoga.
“Sir, the Higurashi girl—“
“Kagome,” he interrupted moodily.
“Kagome will be attending Saint Angelus’s High School tomorrow. I’ve emailed you her schedule. Her uniform should be arriving now.”
The doorbell rang and he answered it, taking the plastic-draped clothes without even looking at the deliverer.
“So soon?” he asked, trying not to sound as disappointed as he felt.
“You told me to enroll her and I did so.”
“Yes, but—Never mind, good work.”
He ended the call, leaning against the door.
“Was that the Indian food?”
Kagome walked out to where he was, faltering a bit when she saw his slumped posture and sensed the general air of misery about him. He straightened, trying to recapture the mood they had shared all weekend. It was stupid of him to think he could keep her all to himself.
“That was just Myoga. Your new uniform is here.”
She smiled, but he could feel her sadness and his heart soared. He tried to reason with himself that it wasn’t because she wanted to stay with him, that she had enjoyed their time together so much she had begun to see him as himself and not just something attached to Kikyo.
“Oh… I-I’m scared,” she whispered, eyes filling with tears.
This was definitely not what he had been expecting. Going to her, he gathered her in his arms, trying to make the hug feel friendly. They were friends, right? And it was just a hug, nothing wrong with that.
“What are you scared of?” he whispered soothingly.
“I just… I don’t like being alone,” she choked out. “People can be so mean, and being with you was so nice I almost forgot what it was like before.”
“They’ll love you,” he protested. A mad urge came upon him suddenly. He wanted to tell her how he felt. But it was just so wrong and in any case far, far too soon. And he needed her friendship, he realized. If he lost her, the wound her absence would leave behind would be too great.
“I’m being stupid,” she muttered, trying to smile but not succeeding due to the trembling of her lips.
“No,” he said firmly. “No. Just be yourself.”
“Will you—Never mind,” she whispered, pushing away from him and turning to go upstairs.
“Will I what?” he asked urgently.
“Will you, um, drop me off? And maybe pick me up? It’s just… I don’t know anyone and you make me feel comfortable. I’d be a lot less scared if you saw me off the first time.”
He had been planning on assigning her a driver, but he liked the idea of spending more time with Kagome, brief though it would be. It would take some rearranging of his schedule, but work no longer seemed so important. He smiled. “Sure. I’ll be your chauffer for as long as you want.”
She answered his grin with another one of her angel smiles. “Thank you, Papa Yasha. I’m going to go try on my uniform and see how it fits.”
“Cool. Come down and show me after,” he mentally slapped himself for how creepy that sounded, but she only nodded and skipped up to her room, coming back down mere minutes later in one of the worst excuses for a schoolgirl outfit he had ever seen. Clearly, the people in charge of her school were perverts. The skirt was short and pleated and green, barely reaching her thighs. The top was white and partially see-through, riding up when she put a hand on the bannister. The red tie drew attention to her breasts and the knee-socks she wore made the entire thing seem like a fetish costume. Or maybe the clothes were just fine and he was the pervert.
“How do I look?” she asked, biting her lip worriedly.
Inuyasha could do nothing but stare, words gone. His body begged for action, but he still retained enough brain power to refuse it. How long had it been since he’d been with a woman, really been with one? Not since… Kikyo. The thought of her was enough to calm him down and let him breathe again.
“Uh, it’s, uh—“
He thanked every god he could think of when the doorbell rang again. Grabbing the plastic bags, he thrust all the money in his wallet at the delivery boy, happy enough to kiss the kid’s pathetic attempt at a moustache off. The guy looked down at the money in his hands, looked at the dazed expression on Inuyasha’s face, and promptly took off, waving good night. He had gotten fifty dollars extra and morals be damned, he didn’t want to give it back.
The few seconds he had spent at the door had been enough time to compose his features into a mask of reserved, polite, friendly, fatherly interest, hopefully one that would not make Kagome feel bad.
“It’s too small,” she muttered to herself, tugging on the hem of her shirt, making it even tighter around the breasts. His mouth went dry and he lost the words he was about to give her.
“You’re beautiful,” he blurted. And it was true. Those clothes didn’t make her look beautiful, but she was in spite of them.
She looked up, surprised. “Th-thank you,” she stuttered out. “No one’s ever said that to me before,” she said quietly, an awkward blush beginning to steal across her cheeks. It was so light it almost looked like a sun burn and he wanted to cup her face and feel exactly how warm she was.
“I can guarantee you’ll be hearing it a lot more often,” he said fondly. Then it occurred to him: she probably would be hearing it more often. Kagome had told him she had only ever gone to all-girl’s schools before. Now she would be around boys, and she was sure to attract a lot of attention. Jealousy rose up in him and he had to stop himself from calling Myoga and have him pull her out. Going to this school meant a lot to her and he didn’t want to be like Kikyo.
“I’ll go change back into my other clothes,” she said, drawing nearer to him. She reached out and pulled him into a hug, which he returned as best he could. “You change my life for the better every day. I’m so glad you’re my father.”
She ran back up to her room without another look at him and he dropped the food, hearing a styrofoam box or two break at the impact. It was hopeless. For once, he wanted something he couldn’t have and he wanted it so badly he felt like screaming. It was just like him to fall into such a fucked up situation. And poor Kagome was ignorant of his feelings, the pure ones and the not so pure ones. He had not touched himself or sought out company since he met her, and although that was less than a week ago he was already almost foaming at the mouth with need. But he just couldn’t do it. He could not dishonor her that way in his mind, and he could not dishonor her by being with someone else. He was stuck.
He knocked on Kagome’s door at exactly seven, knowing she was an early riser. He made a mental note to buy her an alarm clock or something before she got back from school. She declined his offer of breakfast, which just would have been microwaved leftovers anyway, and they set off, her anxious and excited and him pensive. The school was close by, only about fifteen miles from their home. They made it there in as many minutes. He pulled right up to the entrance, ignoring the angry looks from the students and adults he almost ran over when Kagome placed a hand on his knee.
“I’m so nervous,” she confided. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“You don’t have to go today,” he said. “You can wait until you’re more comfortable with the idea. I know it was sudden.”
“No,” she shook her head. “I’m definitely going. Wish me luck,” she said with a smile. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek while he wondered whether or not it would be weird if he kissed her the same way.
“If you feel sick or need anything, just call me on my cell.”
“I don’t have a phone,” she said, distracted. She was attempting to unbuckle her seat belt but it was caught on her backpack. He helped untangle her, indulging himself and reaching out to smooth her unruly bangs affectionately.
“I’ll just put it on the list of things to buy so you can be normal,” he teased.
Kagome shot him a playful glare and slid out of the car. “I’ll be out at three,” she called out.
He waved sadly at her, watching her bounce up the steps in that energetic manner only she had. Deciding to take off work, he sat in bed all day surfing the internet, trying not to worry about Kagome or wonder what she was doing. He called Kikyo as he had several times in the past couple of days, but her phone was still off and he was not very surprised to find he didn’t care. He called Myoga and had him pick out a phone and computer and laptop for Kagome. After a nap, he saw it was almost time to pick Kagome up and he left, the anticipation of seeing her making him feel better than he had all day.
She was standing right where he had dropped her off, and he smiled at her although of course she couldn’t see through the tinted windows. She jumped into the car, telling him in a happy tone all about her day. Without really listening to the words, he concentrated on her voice, feeling himself almost melt into the sound. Just a few hours without her after only knowing her for a few days and he was this affected.
“—and I made a friend. His name is Hojo and he’s going to tutor me in geometry. He’s really nice and—“
“Woah, wait. What?” he said, trying to sound calm.
“I made a friend,” she repeated, smiling at him brightly. “His name’s Hojo and he’s going to tutor me.”
“He.”
“Yes. What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.
“It’s just—boys at this age are difficult to be friends with. When you’re a girl, anyway.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry about Hojo. I’ve never met anyone nicer. He even gave me a present when he offered to be my tutor.”
“A present?” he repeated, grinding his teeth. She had said he was nice just yesterday. Did she just go around handing out compliments like that? “What kind of present?”
“A boring one,” she replied, sounding disappointed. “But it’s still nice. It’s a book on foods that will help your brain work faster or whatever. I only read like half of the back cover.”
Inuyasha relaxed somewhat. It wasn’t flowers or chocolates or anything to be worried about. This kid was either an idiot or gay.
“So, did you have fun?”
“Mmhmm! It was nice. I almost never had friends before, especially when it was so late in the semester. But after Hojo started talking to me it seems like everybody wanted to be friends. I even got invited to a couple parties.”
“That’s wonderful,” he muttered. There would be no more blissful weekends like the one they had just spent.
“I said no to all that, though. Mother would be angry. Besides, I would much rather hang out with you instead. You’re more fun than all of them. I missed you today,” she said right as they arrived at the house.
He looked at her, taking the keys out of the ignition. She was looking at him still and the silence filled the car. Time always seems to slow down when you’re staring into another person’s eyes. Kagome still had a small smile on her face and he wanted to take her into his arms and really welcome her home. She broke the spell by blushing and stammering out something about homework, leaving him alone in the car with nothing but her scent and that stupid book the kid had given her left on her seat. The fact she had forgotten about it so quickly made his heart leap in his chest. He would be able to be around her and not be with her as long as she wasn’t with anyone. Grabbing the book, he stepped out of the car and threw it as far as he could, which was pretty damn far. Smiling to himself, he walked into the house, wondering what to order for dinner.
The drive home was quiet, with Kagome dozing off and him too stunned by the revelation that he had fallen in love with a girl after only meeting her twice to attempt conversation. He knew demons fell pretty damn fast, but how could it be love? Yet he was positive it was. It hadn’t been this fast with Kikyo, although the strong attraction he had felt towards her had been immediate. He had heard of love at first sight before, but had always dismissed it as romantic bullshit. And honestly, when he first saw her he thought he was seeing Kikyo, a drastically younger Kikyo, but still Kikyo. Was that why? Did he feel this way because she looked so much like her mother? He shook his head violently. No, she was nothing like her. Kagome was small and soft and happy where Kikyo was tall and rigid and somber. He had loved her once, but that was a long time ago. What he felt for Kagome… it was as strong as what he once felt for Kikyo, but completely different. With Kikyo, he had been amazed someone actually wanted to get to know him instead of just fuck. She had seen him as a person, and he could never forget that. But Kagome made him feel, well, young. Not in years, but in spirit. He was happy being with her. But he could never really be with her, and that thought depressed him so much he almost missed the turn to enter the forest that surrounded his home.
He stared at the slumbering girl next to him as he took his keys out of the ignition. Inuyasha wanted to carry her, to let her continue sleeping, but that would be weird. Gently, he nudged her shoulder with the tips of his fingers, watching her slowly come awake and open her brilliant eyes to look at him. She smiled and stretched, and he concentrated hard on the window instead of staring at the way she arched her back and how her breasts strained against the cotton of her dress.
“We’re home?”
He smiled, happy she had referred to his place as her home. “Yeah. Your new stuff should be up in your room. Did you… Did you have a good time?” he asked uncertainly, even though he had been so sure of her happiness earlier in the evening.
“Definitely,” she sighed as she opened the door. “Thank you for being so kind, Papa Yasha. You’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever known.” She stared into his eyes seriously, a small smile on her lips, and he nearly melted into a puddle at her feet but decided that would be too awkward. Instead, he rushed out of the car and opened the door before she even approached the steps leading up to the porch.
Running to his room in order to not get pulled into another conversation with Kagome that would make him feel even more for her than he already did, he pounced through his door just as he heard her call out a soft “Good night”. He felt incredibly guilty, but not guilty enough to go back out. Kikyo still wasn’t back yet and Kagome would be all alone in a new house, all alone with only him there…
Inuyasha flopped face down on the bed, determined not to think anymore, just to get to sleep and stay asleep. He would not leave his room, he would not offer to help Kagome put her things away, he would not pretend to innocently slink back to his room and instead stay outside until he heard her breathing slow, and he most certainly would not use her as the star in his nightly ritual before he went off to sleep and ended up dreaming about her, which he would do because he wanted to and even if he didn’t, his mind had a way of doing just what he told it not to so she’d probably be showing up in his dreams regardless. His thoughts in a jumble, he eventually drifted off to sleep, clutching a pillow to his chest that still had her scent on it.
***
He awoke earlier than he usually did on a Saturday, the sun having barely come up minutes before. Inuyasha assumed a sound had awoken him, so he trudged downstairs to check on what it was, eyes still blurry from sleep. He almost screamed when he saw Kagome bustling about his kitchen, wearing a very tight tank top and some shorts that would have been called underwear just a few years ago. He had forgotten about his new roommates.“Making yourself at home, I see,” he joked. She jumped, startled, and turned to look at him. All the cabinets were open as well as the fridge and freezer doors. She smiled apologetically.
“I was just checking to see what to make for breakfast, but there’s literally nothing edible in here, just a few drinks,” she said.
“You hungry?” he asked, yawning. He was not his best in the morning.
She nodded. “Are you?”
“Let’s order a pizza, then.”
“But… it’s six AM.”
“There’s a place that delivers 24/7, don’t worry about it.”
“But… it’s breakfast time.”
“Do you want something else?” he questioned, suddenly feeling anxious. “I think there’s a Chinese place that delivers at this time. Or we could go out again—“
“No, pizza’s good. I’m just used to a more, um, regular routine.”
“Alright. I’ve got my computer in my room, come up with me.” He could have brought his laptop down, but he wanted her scent to fill his room once again. He lumbered back up the stairs, Kagome bouncing beside him.
“I think that every day with you is going to be filled with new things,” she said happily.
He grinned. “I hope so.”
He sat down on his bed, patting the space beside him, hoping she wouldn’t gain a sense of propriety now. He wanted to be able to smell her on his sheets as well. She jumped onto the bed, no awkwardness, just innocence, and he smirked. Pulling out his laptop from under the bed, it was a quick few seconds before he was at the website he wanted.
“Since I eat a lot, we’ll get two separate pizzas, alright? What do you want on yours?”
“Um, maybe, can you—“
“If you make me pick, I’ll give you anchovies.”
She scowled at him and grabbed his laptop, clicking a few times. “There.”
“Pepperoni and onions? What?” He wrinkled his nose, imagining the taste on his sensitive tongue.
“You told me to pick. Now hurry up, I’m hungry,” she said playfully.
“Whatever,” he finished with the order and put his computer to the side. “It’s Saturday. Do you want to stay in and be lazy or go out and do things?”
“Staying in and being lazy would be a new thing. I don’t have any lessons today.”
“You want to watch a movie? Or TV or something?” He couldn’t really think of much else.
“Do you have any board games?” she asked.
“Board games? I don’t think I’ve even played board games…” he trailed off.
“Me neither. But they always look so fun in commercials and stuff.”
He nodded, agreeing with her. Inuyasha had never had anyone to play board games with, and even though he now had someone else who was interested in the mysterious world of Scrabble and Parcheesi, he didn’t have a single one.
“I could call Myoga and he could bring us some,” he suggested.
“Myoga is your assistant?” He nodded. “I don’t think it would be good to wake him up so early.”
He hadn’t even thought of it being inconvenient for Myoga. They lapsed into silence again. Truthfully, he would be happy just hearing her talk, but if she wanted some entertainment then he would think of something.
“I know!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “Do you have any pictures of you and Mother, like a photo album or something? I would love to see some of you together. Mother only had a few. You can tell me all about how you met and fell in love and all that,” she smiled.
His ears drooped and he laid his head down on the pillow. What would he say to her? He didn’t have any photos of him and Kikyo left, they had been tossed out long ago. He had no desire to relive the past, either. Their courtship had been very normal, the things he remembered most being the proposal and the break-up. And the sex, but of course she wouldn’t want to know about that.
“Is Kikyo back yet?”
Kagome sighed. “Mother is still gone. I was hoping she’d be back by breakfast so we could eat together like a real family.”
The doorbell rang, startling both of them, and he jumped up. “Can you hand me my wallet?” She reached for the black leather on the nightstand and her top rode up, exposing her stomach, which he admired with greedy eyes before she quickly tossed the wallet onto his lap.
“You should probably put some pants on or something before you answer the door,” she said, eyes sparkling mischievously as she slid off the bed and exited the room.
He looked down to see himself only in his boxers. “Fuck,” he mumbled, angry with his lack of modesty.
***
Again, they did nothing but talk about anything and everything, mostly about Kagome and her dreams and plans. Inuyasha tried to keep the information about himself to a bare minimum, only telling Kagome his age to see if it would disgust her. Instead, she was enthralled, and not like he was a curiosity or something. She wanted to know all about him, how he remembered certain significant historical events, where he was, what he was doing. He answered only enough to barely satisfy her curiosity, trying not to outright lie which was becoming harder and harder.They spent all weekend alone with each other, ordering delivery and watching movies, but mostly just talking. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so happy. All good things come to an end, of course, and this good thing ended on Sunday evening with a call from Myoga.
“Sir, the Higurashi girl—“
“Kagome,” he interrupted moodily.
“Kagome will be attending Saint Angelus’s High School tomorrow. I’ve emailed you her schedule. Her uniform should be arriving now.”
The doorbell rang and he answered it, taking the plastic-draped clothes without even looking at the deliverer.
“So soon?” he asked, trying not to sound as disappointed as he felt.
“You told me to enroll her and I did so.”
“Yes, but—Never mind, good work.”
He ended the call, leaning against the door.
“Was that the Indian food?”
Kagome walked out to where he was, faltering a bit when she saw his slumped posture and sensed the general air of misery about him. He straightened, trying to recapture the mood they had shared all weekend. It was stupid of him to think he could keep her all to himself.
“That was just Myoga. Your new uniform is here.”
She smiled, but he could feel her sadness and his heart soared. He tried to reason with himself that it wasn’t because she wanted to stay with him, that she had enjoyed their time together so much she had begun to see him as himself and not just something attached to Kikyo.
“Oh… I-I’m scared,” she whispered, eyes filling with tears.
This was definitely not what he had been expecting. Going to her, he gathered her in his arms, trying to make the hug feel friendly. They were friends, right? And it was just a hug, nothing wrong with that.
“What are you scared of?” he whispered soothingly.
“I just… I don’t like being alone,” she choked out. “People can be so mean, and being with you was so nice I almost forgot what it was like before.”
“They’ll love you,” he protested. A mad urge came upon him suddenly. He wanted to tell her how he felt. But it was just so wrong and in any case far, far too soon. And he needed her friendship, he realized. If he lost her, the wound her absence would leave behind would be too great.
“I’m being stupid,” she muttered, trying to smile but not succeeding due to the trembling of her lips.
“No,” he said firmly. “No. Just be yourself.”
“Will you—Never mind,” she whispered, pushing away from him and turning to go upstairs.
“Will I what?” he asked urgently.
“Will you, um, drop me off? And maybe pick me up? It’s just… I don’t know anyone and you make me feel comfortable. I’d be a lot less scared if you saw me off the first time.”
He had been planning on assigning her a driver, but he liked the idea of spending more time with Kagome, brief though it would be. It would take some rearranging of his schedule, but work no longer seemed so important. He smiled. “Sure. I’ll be your chauffer for as long as you want.”
She answered his grin with another one of her angel smiles. “Thank you, Papa Yasha. I’m going to go try on my uniform and see how it fits.”
“Cool. Come down and show me after,” he mentally slapped himself for how creepy that sounded, but she only nodded and skipped up to her room, coming back down mere minutes later in one of the worst excuses for a schoolgirl outfit he had ever seen. Clearly, the people in charge of her school were perverts. The skirt was short and pleated and green, barely reaching her thighs. The top was white and partially see-through, riding up when she put a hand on the bannister. The red tie drew attention to her breasts and the knee-socks she wore made the entire thing seem like a fetish costume. Or maybe the clothes were just fine and he was the pervert.
“How do I look?” she asked, biting her lip worriedly.
Inuyasha could do nothing but stare, words gone. His body begged for action, but he still retained enough brain power to refuse it. How long had it been since he’d been with a woman, really been with one? Not since… Kikyo. The thought of her was enough to calm him down and let him breathe again.
“Uh, it’s, uh—“
He thanked every god he could think of when the doorbell rang again. Grabbing the plastic bags, he thrust all the money in his wallet at the delivery boy, happy enough to kiss the kid’s pathetic attempt at a moustache off. The guy looked down at the money in his hands, looked at the dazed expression on Inuyasha’s face, and promptly took off, waving good night. He had gotten fifty dollars extra and morals be damned, he didn’t want to give it back.
The few seconds he had spent at the door had been enough time to compose his features into a mask of reserved, polite, friendly, fatherly interest, hopefully one that would not make Kagome feel bad.
“It’s too small,” she muttered to herself, tugging on the hem of her shirt, making it even tighter around the breasts. His mouth went dry and he lost the words he was about to give her.
“You’re beautiful,” he blurted. And it was true. Those clothes didn’t make her look beautiful, but she was in spite of them.
She looked up, surprised. “Th-thank you,” she stuttered out. “No one’s ever said that to me before,” she said quietly, an awkward blush beginning to steal across her cheeks. It was so light it almost looked like a sun burn and he wanted to cup her face and feel exactly how warm she was.
“I can guarantee you’ll be hearing it a lot more often,” he said fondly. Then it occurred to him: she probably would be hearing it more often. Kagome had told him she had only ever gone to all-girl’s schools before. Now she would be around boys, and she was sure to attract a lot of attention. Jealousy rose up in him and he had to stop himself from calling Myoga and have him pull her out. Going to this school meant a lot to her and he didn’t want to be like Kikyo.
“I’ll go change back into my other clothes,” she said, drawing nearer to him. She reached out and pulled him into a hug, which he returned as best he could. “You change my life for the better every day. I’m so glad you’re my father.”
She ran back up to her room without another look at him and he dropped the food, hearing a styrofoam box or two break at the impact. It was hopeless. For once, he wanted something he couldn’t have and he wanted it so badly he felt like screaming. It was just like him to fall into such a fucked up situation. And poor Kagome was ignorant of his feelings, the pure ones and the not so pure ones. He had not touched himself or sought out company since he met her, and although that was less than a week ago he was already almost foaming at the mouth with need. But he just couldn’t do it. He could not dishonor her that way in his mind, and he could not dishonor her by being with someone else. He was stuck.
***
He didn’t sleep at all that night. Kagome had chattered away happily during dinner, even giving him a kiss on the cheek when she went up to bed, which would have made him ecstatic under other circumstances. All he could do as he lay in bed that night was imagine her next to him, not daring to go farther than that. Being with her just felt so good and right. He was happy. But they could never be together. She didn’t even want to be together.He knocked on Kagome’s door at exactly seven, knowing she was an early riser. He made a mental note to buy her an alarm clock or something before she got back from school. She declined his offer of breakfast, which just would have been microwaved leftovers anyway, and they set off, her anxious and excited and him pensive. The school was close by, only about fifteen miles from their home. They made it there in as many minutes. He pulled right up to the entrance, ignoring the angry looks from the students and adults he almost ran over when Kagome placed a hand on his knee.
“I’m so nervous,” she confided. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“You don’t have to go today,” he said. “You can wait until you’re more comfortable with the idea. I know it was sudden.”
“No,” she shook her head. “I’m definitely going. Wish me luck,” she said with a smile. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek while he wondered whether or not it would be weird if he kissed her the same way.
“If you feel sick or need anything, just call me on my cell.”
“I don’t have a phone,” she said, distracted. She was attempting to unbuckle her seat belt but it was caught on her backpack. He helped untangle her, indulging himself and reaching out to smooth her unruly bangs affectionately.
“I’ll just put it on the list of things to buy so you can be normal,” he teased.
Kagome shot him a playful glare and slid out of the car. “I’ll be out at three,” she called out.
He waved sadly at her, watching her bounce up the steps in that energetic manner only she had. Deciding to take off work, he sat in bed all day surfing the internet, trying not to worry about Kagome or wonder what she was doing. He called Kikyo as he had several times in the past couple of days, but her phone was still off and he was not very surprised to find he didn’t care. He called Myoga and had him pick out a phone and computer and laptop for Kagome. After a nap, he saw it was almost time to pick Kagome up and he left, the anticipation of seeing her making him feel better than he had all day.
She was standing right where he had dropped her off, and he smiled at her although of course she couldn’t see through the tinted windows. She jumped into the car, telling him in a happy tone all about her day. Without really listening to the words, he concentrated on her voice, feeling himself almost melt into the sound. Just a few hours without her after only knowing her for a few days and he was this affected.
“—and I made a friend. His name is Hojo and he’s going to tutor me in geometry. He’s really nice and—“
“Woah, wait. What?” he said, trying to sound calm.
“I made a friend,” she repeated, smiling at him brightly. “His name’s Hojo and he’s going to tutor me.”
“He.”
“Yes. What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.
“It’s just—boys at this age are difficult to be friends with. When you’re a girl, anyway.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry about Hojo. I’ve never met anyone nicer. He even gave me a present when he offered to be my tutor.”
“A present?” he repeated, grinding his teeth. She had said he was nice just yesterday. Did she just go around handing out compliments like that? “What kind of present?”
“A boring one,” she replied, sounding disappointed. “But it’s still nice. It’s a book on foods that will help your brain work faster or whatever. I only read like half of the back cover.”
Inuyasha relaxed somewhat. It wasn’t flowers or chocolates or anything to be worried about. This kid was either an idiot or gay.
“So, did you have fun?”
“Mmhmm! It was nice. I almost never had friends before, especially when it was so late in the semester. But after Hojo started talking to me it seems like everybody wanted to be friends. I even got invited to a couple parties.”
“That’s wonderful,” he muttered. There would be no more blissful weekends like the one they had just spent.
“I said no to all that, though. Mother would be angry. Besides, I would much rather hang out with you instead. You’re more fun than all of them. I missed you today,” she said right as they arrived at the house.
He looked at her, taking the keys out of the ignition. She was looking at him still and the silence filled the car. Time always seems to slow down when you’re staring into another person’s eyes. Kagome still had a small smile on her face and he wanted to take her into his arms and really welcome her home. She broke the spell by blushing and stammering out something about homework, leaving him alone in the car with nothing but her scent and that stupid book the kid had given her left on her seat. The fact she had forgotten about it so quickly made his heart leap in his chest. He would be able to be around her and not be with her as long as she wasn’t with anyone. Grabbing the book, he stepped out of the car and threw it as far as he could, which was pretty damn far. Smiling to himself, he walked into the house, wondering what to order for dinner.